Book picks similar to
Exception by Mariah Dietz


romance
arc
netgalley
contemporary-romance

Drowning Erin


Elizabeth O'Roark - 2017
    She and Brendan have waged a war of mutual disdain for years, but when Brendan picks up the pieces after her world unravels, they’ll be forced to admit that beneath their dislike is something else entirely—something they’re not supposed to feel. Because Brendan isn’t just her nemesis…He’s also her fiance’s best friend.

Layer by Layer


Kaylee Ryan - 2020
    When we land, he gives me his number, and I promise to call. Before I get the chance, we meet again. It turns out he’s my new boss and nothing like the gentle stranger from the plane. The longer I’m with Royce, the more I realize he has many layers, and I want to uncover them all one by one. If only he would let me in. Royce Being CEO requires all of my focus, but I can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous woman from the plane with the gorgeous blonde hair and striking green eyes. Sawyer Gibson is beautiful, intelligent, and very much off-limits. A line I shouldn’t cross. Until I do... and there’s no going back. I want all of her, but she deserves more than my hardened heart can give. No matter how hard I try, I can't escape her.

Love In Transit


Jana Aston - 2017
    Always Kiss Me Goodnight painted above their perfectly made beds. I’m not one of those people. This morning I overslept, then slipped on a stray sock and banged my toe into the nightstand. The elevator in my building broke and I had to run down six flights of stairs. And then my local coffee shop was closed. For health code violations. What’s that? Not the end of the world? You want me to suck it up? Did I mention I’m wearing a wedding dress… on the subway? It’s a Good Day for a Hot Mess. Someone embroider that on a pillow. The stories: Times Square by Jana Aston St. George Station by Ainsley Booth The Hammersmith & City Line by Kitty French The Loop by BJ Harvey Capital South by Raine Miller Wall Street Station by Liv Morris

Best Laid Plans


Lauren Blakely - 2019
    But how else is a good girl going to find out if she likes being naughty? And Gabe is charming, trustworthy, aces at seduction (or so I hear) and willing to give me lessons. But to guarantee it won’t ruin our friendship, I want these classes to be hypothetical more than hands-on. So what if he’s hella sexy? I can handle that, no problem.***I have it bad for Arden. She’s bright, brilliant, and insanely fun. When she asks for my help, I see my chance to win her sweet heart by showing her how much fun we can have getting spicy. Trouble is, she has a different idea of what “sex-ploration” should mean. Now I’m going to have to get really clever to win her over. Good thing I know exactly how to upend her best laid plans.

That Thing Between Eli & Gwen


J.J. McAvoy - 2016
    McAvoy**Eli Davenport thinks he’s found the perfect woman to be his wife. She’s a doctor, like he is. She’s brilliant, like he is. And she’s wealthy, like he is. Guinevere 'Gwen' Poe thinks her fiancé is the perfect man. He’s handsome, successful and he was her first… But when Eli’s bride runs off with Gwen’s fiancée on his wedding day, they are left to pick up the broken pieces of each other...

On the Rocks


Kandi Steiner - 2019
    It's what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild. And it's on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.He's trouble. Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble. No matter how many times I repeat it, I can't escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.He sees me—the real me. The me I'm not sure I'm allowed to be.I'm Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor's daughter. Soon to be a politician's wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family's legacy, just like I always knew I would.Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I'm planning is one I even want. Everyone says Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.If only I had listened.

The Billionaire Bachelor


Jessica Lemmon - 2016
    That's what the board of directors-and the tabloids-thinks of billionaire bachelor Reese Crane. Ordinarily he couldn't care less, but his playboy past is preventing the board from naming him CEO of Crane Hotels. Nothing-and no one-will keep him from his life's legacy. They want a settled man to lead the company? Then that's exactly what he'll give them.Merina Van Heusen will do anything to get her parents' funky boutique hotel back-even marry cold-as-ice-but-sexy-as-hell Reese Crane. It's a simple business contract-six months of marriage, absolute secrecy, and the Van Heusen is all hers again. But when sparks fly between them, their passion quickly moves from the boardroom to the bedroom. And soon Merina is living her worst nightmare: falling in love with her husband . . .

Bad Cruz


L.J. Shen - 2021
    Cruz Costello is my archenemy.But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician.I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.He is Fairhope royalty.I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.He’s well-off.I’m…well, off.When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise.Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else.Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand.(My fault, of course.)But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question:Can I take another chance on love?

Before Girl


Kate Canterbary - 2018
    He's the guy who's loved her from afar. They're in for an unexpected tumble into love. She'll juggle your balls. For Stella Allesandro, chaos is good. She's a rising star at a leading sports publicity firm. She's known throughout the industry as the jock whisperer—the one who can tame the baddest of the bad boys in professional sports without losing her signature smile. But Cal Hartshorn is an entirely different kind of chaos. He'll fix your broken heart. This former Army Ranger and now-famous cardiothoracic surgeon fails at nothing…except talking to a woman he's adored from afar. Whether on the battlefield or operating room, he's exacting, precise, and efficient, but all of that crumbles when Stella is in sight. Cal always knows—and gets—what he wants, and now he wants all of her. His forever girl. But Stella isn't convinced she's anyone's forever.

Tycoon


Katy Evans - 2017
    This hot. This difficult.Aaric Christos was a guy who protected me. Wanted me. Maybe even loved me.That man is gone.In his place is the most powerful real estate tycoon in the city.He’s a cold, ruthless, aggressive businessman.The only one who can save me and my startup from ruin.It takes every ounce of courage to put my pride aside and ask for his help.I didn’t expect him to offer it easily.And he doesn’t.Instead, he vets me harder than he’s vetted anyone.Don’t invest in what you don’t know, he says.He's assessing every piece of me, to the point I've never felt so bare.I yearn for the boy I once knew, whose touch once craved me.Putting it all on the line will be worth it, I tell myself.Until I realize—too late—that some risks are not worth taking.

Switched


Cassie Mae - 2013
    But before she could muster the courage to tell him, he became a hot item with her beautiful BFF, Reagan. The only person who knows Kayla’s secret is Wesley, Talon’s best bud—and he’s got it bad for Reagan. Now they’re all in college together, hanging out 24/7. For Kayla, seeing the two lovebirds together is absolutely unbearable. So Kayla and Wesley hatch a plot to drive them apart before Talon has a chance to give Reagan the Christmas gift she’s been waiting for. Soon enough, the once happy couple is fighting. Reagan suddenly can’t get enough of Wesley’s goofy sense of humor, and Talon seems to be paying more attention to Kayla than a guy who’s “only a friend” ever should. But just when everything seems to be falling into place, Kayla and Wesley accidentally spend a night together and discover a hitch in their plan they never considered: that switching partners may not lead to a perfect ending after all.

The Sex Surrogate


Jessica Gadziala - 2015
    Tired of not being able to have a normal relationship with a man, she is steered in the direction of DR. CHASE HUDSON, a psychologist and sexual surrogate. When she signed up for her sessions, she wasn't prepared for his god-like good looks or her instant, intense, and growing connection with him. But as things heat up... and professional lines get blurred, she is forced to confront the question: What are you supposed to do when you start falling for your sex surrogate?* There will be a companion novella from Chase's POV due out this winter with an extended epilogue. Stay tuned. *Expanded/revised edition November 2015* For possible triggers, go here: http://www.jessicagadziala.com/trigge... *

Hold on to Hope


A.L. Jackson - 2019
    Jackson . . . Evan Bryant wasn't your typical hero.But he was mine.Broken by the worlds' standards, he was still the strongest boy I would ever know.My best friend. The boy I'd given everything to. My heart, my body, and the promise of forever.The day I'd needed him most, he walked away.He left me shattered and questioning the love I'd thought we'd shared.Three years later, I wasn't prepared for him to return to Gingham Lakes.It wouldn't have mattered if he wasn't the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.My fingers still would have ached to caress his skin.My body still would have begged to get lost in his touch.And my heart . . . it would have always sung his name.But time changes things. With it, secrets that could ruin everything.Can we find a way to love again, or have the fears of our past stolen the hope of our forever . . .

Cree


H.J. Bellus - 2014
    A broken family, an asshole husband and the loss of loved ones have left me crying Uncle, and declaring a serious case of the Fuck-Its! I had my heart broken, stomped on and shattered before I ever started on my journey to find my little piece of happiness. With a bucket list, a '66 Ford and wild dreams, I set out on an adventure that changed my life forever. I found Cree… A pirate with a little princess and they swept me off my ever lovin' feet, filling my world with sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again. They forced my fragile heart to trust and love without fear. But the truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin everything you’ve worked to set right. All it takes is one final blow to the gut to end everything… Mature Content Warning. Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual content. Please note: this book was previously named My Now & Forever.

Jax


Kelly Gendron - 2015
    You gotta be careful who you play with…” ~ Jax DeclanI’m a tease, always have been. In my teens, Jax Declan tried to warn me about staying away from the bad boys. The only boy I ever wanted was Jax. But, no matter how much I tried to play with him, he rejected me. I haven’t seen Jax Declan in years. A couple friends and I are going back to the Bayou for the summer. A little older now, and a bit wiser, I’ve decided that I’m going to find my teenage crush and I’m going to break him. This summer Jax Declan will play with me. But the closer I get and the more I learn about the reserved, discreet, and sexy Jax Declan. Well, I’m starting to think that Jax Declan might just be one of those bad boys he tried to warn me about all those years ago.