Book picks similar to
The Child Comes First by Elizabeth Ashtree


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The Secret Daughter


Kelly Rimmer - 2015
    As she was taken from me I knew I might never see my daughter again. 38 years later… ‘You were adopted’. Three short words and Sabina’s life fractures. There would forever be a Before those words, and an After. Pregnant with her own child, Sabina can’t understand how a mother could abandon her daughter, or why her parents have kept the past a secret. Determined to find the woman who gave her away, what she discovers will change everything, not just for Sabina, but for the women who have loved her all these years. From the bestselling author of Me Without You comes another touching, beautifully told story about the pain of separation and the enduring strength of love.

The Lying Game


Tess Stimson - 2013
    . .Harriet Lockwood has never really bonded with her daughter, Florence, the way she has with her three sons. Then one day, she discovers why. The girl she’s raised for the last fifteen years is not her biological child.Zoey Sands is a single mother with a chaotic lifestyle. The one constant in her life is her daughter, Nell. Nothing can ever come between them – can it?When Harriet turns up on Zoey’s doorstep demanding to see her biological daughter, the two families are plunged into a storm of bitter rivalries… and unexpected alliances.

If You Can't Stand the Heat... (Modern Tempted)


Joss Wood - 2013
    These days he needs some time out before he burns out. So what better distraction than delectable pastry chef Ellie Evans? She’s oh-so-tempting…and sleeping right next door! Perfect for a short-term fling!Ellie knows it would be beyond stupid to fall for a guy with ice in his veins who’s always on the move. But daredevil Jack is even more irresistible than her death-by-chocolate cake—and saying no has never been Ellie’s strong point…!

Dear Blue Sky


Mary Sullivan - 2012
    Her parents are fighting over her brother having gone to war. Her smart, beautiful sister is messing up. Her little brother, who has Down syndrome, is pretending he's a Marine. And her best friend no longer has time for her. In her loneliness Cassie turns to a surprising source of comfort: Blue Sky, an Iraqi girl she meets through her blog. The girls begin a correspondence and Cassie learns that when Blue Sky says "I want my life back," she means something profound, as she can no longer venture out in her destroyed city. Cassie takes strength from Blue Sky's courage and is inspired to stop running away from the pain, and to reclaim her life.

Cover Me


Stephanie Bond - 2004
    Hunky outdoorsman Sam Somebody from the bar was happy to oblige, and girl, it was a night to remember. I thought I’d never see him again, so imagine my surprise when he was the guest of my next morning editorial meeting—as the cover story. Can you say awkward?(Here’s where things get weird.) When my boss became convinced our magazine had fallen under a “cover curse,” she sent me to Nowheresville, USA to man-sit Sam under the cover of a writing assignment. I’m trying to keep a professional distance, but he’s wearing me down. And since I’ve never been outside the city, my unmatched clumsiness might put Sam in more danger than anything else… meanwhile, I’m the one in real danger—of losing my heart.(Note: This story was originally released in 2004; Stephanie has updated and revamped the story for re-release.)

The Lost Daughter of Pigeon Hollow


Inglath Cooper - 2005
    She’s too busy running her mother’s diner and raising her wild teenage sister. She doesn’t like to dwell on the dreams she once had, dreams she put on hold. Then Owen Miller walks into her diner and changes her life.She doesn’t know what to think when Owen hands her a letter from her father—a father she thought was dead—requesting they meet. As if that wasn’t enough, her sister has become more than she can handle. It’s time for Willa to figure out what’s happened to her life. And maybe, with Owen around, she can finally believe in happily ever after…Originally published in 2005.

Magnolia Tree


June V. Bourgo - 2018
    Aided by her grandmother who returns to the farm, Sydney must rely on her instincts to uncover the mystery.But do they have enough clues to unravel the truth about her mother’s disappearance?Praise: ★★★★★ - "Hooked me right from the start and kept me guessing throughout." ★★★★★ - "Filled with characters that you can relate to. A great mystery."

The Cruelest Stranger


Winter Renshaw - 2020
    I was there to drown my sorrows after a trying day, he was there to escape the storm. After a brief yet incredibly cruel exchange, the handsome stranger bolted before I had a chance to tell him off. Incensed and two cocktails deep, I followed him out the door, determined to give the audacious Adonis a piece of my mind. 

 Tearing after him in heels and barely able to keep up in the freezing rain, I ended my chase when I realized where he was going.

 They say never to judge someone unless you know their story. 

 I never could have anticipated his... And I never could have anticipated the way our paths would cross again—or that I would one day find myself falling for a man with a hollow cavity where his heart should be, a man as callous as he was beautiful, as complicated as he was mesmeric. They say never to judge someone unless you know their story. This one’s ours.

Returnable Girl


Pamela Lowell - 2006
    That's how Ronnie Hartman feels after her mother and Kenny, her mom's good-for-nothing boyfriend, move to Alaska, bringing Ronnie's two younger brothers with them and leaving her behind. Now thirteen years old, Ronnie has been returned from multiple foster homes because of her impulsive lying and stealing. Her latest foster mom, Alison, is Ronnie's very last chance if she doesn't want to end up in some awful residential treatment center. Meanwhile, Ronnie wants more than anything to fit in with the popular crowd, especially with the beautiful (but stuck-up) Paige. But when Ronnie betrays her only friend, a chubby outcast named Cat, she begins a pattern of deception that can only end in disaster. As Ronnie struggles to define herself, an important letter will present her with the most heart-wrenching decision of her life: to accept the woman who wants to adopt her, or to return to the mother who once abandoned her.

Women Who Kill: A Chilling Casebook of True-Life Murders


Al Cimino - 2019
    But this disproportion can make their crimes seem all the more shocking. In this chilling casebook, Al Cimino explores 34 female murderers. We meet 'Angel of Death' Kristen Gilbert who induced multiple cardiac arrests among her patients while working as a hospital nurse, Enriqueta Mart�, the 'Vampire of Barcelona' who killed children to make cosmetics, and many more. These case studies give riveting insight into the lives and motives of women who decided to commit the ultimate transgression. In many of these cases, the women had suffered years of abuse and psychological breakdown before their eventual crimes. Other times their heinous acts seemed to spring from nowhere, with an unpredictability that is haunting. The gruesome details within these pages are not for the faint hearted.

Groom by Arrangement


Rhonda Gibson - 2013
    She was only trying to tell Jackson Hart that the madcap scheme was not her idea. But now that the stormy-eyed blacksmith has decided to stay, rumors are flying. And Jackson does the gallant thing—he offers the lovely widow a marriage of convenience.Though he came to New Mexico to find his father, Jackson wonders if Eliza's mistake was his good fortune. Between caring for an orphaned youngster and protecting Eliza, Jackson feels whole again. If only he can persuade Eliza to marry him, her reputation will be saved…and so will their long-buried dreams of forging a real family.

Baby Dreams in Good Hope


Cindy Kirk - 2020
    The youngest Bloom sister makes managing marriage, career, and a busy life in Good Hope look easy. But looks can be deceiving. Years of struggling with infertility while her sisters fill their nurseries have started to take a toll.It’s not just Marigold who is feeling the stress. Her husband, Cade, Good Hope’s Sheriff, is acting strange. There are unexplained trips to Milwaukee, as well as mysterious texts and calls with his former fiancée. Marigold’s heart tells her Cade would never cheat, but something is going on between him and his ex. She just needs to find out what…One thing is certain: She and Cade were born to be together. Whatever new challenge is coming their way, Marigold won’t give up on Cade and their dream of building a life—and a family—together.Baby Dreams in Good Hope is a standalone story. For new readers, it will be an introduction to the wonderful world of Good Hope. For fans, it’s a bonus novella (a shorter book) in this heartwarming series. I absolutely love this story and know you will too!

Operation K-9 Brothers


Sandra Owens - 2021
    Unable to accept that he'll never be able to return to his team, Jack is looking for a miracle. What he isn't looking for is a permanent relationship, though he's open to a no-strings distraction at the magic hands of gorgeous local potter Nichole Masters.Nichole is on a losing streak with men. Her ex-boyfriend won't stay gone, a competitor is out to ruin her business and even her rescue pup, Rambo, is refusing to get in line. A chance run-in with a navy SEAL turned canine companion trainer might solve the dog problem. The fact Jack is easy on the eyes doesn't hurt, either.But when Nichole feels like she's being watched, Jack is the only person she can turn to. He's a protector and problem solver by nature and training. Accepting his protection is one thing — Nichole didn't count on falling in love.

Tamara's Child


B.K. Mayo - 2010
    And when she falls victim to a diabolical scheme to steal her newborn baby from her, she is not about to give up her child without a fight, even if she has to take on the wealthiest and most powerful family in the country. But is Tamara fighting against her child's own best interests? Only she can decide. And it's a decision that she — and her child — will have to live with for the rest of their lives.If you value family, if you have ever yearned for unconditional love, if you want to experience a story whose themes will resonate long after you have turned the last page, then you will want to read this book.

Arms of Grace


Eleanor Chance - 2016
    A lonely, troubled nurse. What will she risk to save him?Grace Ward's sterile existence is thrown into chaos when a baby is abandoned in her ER. From the moment an unknown couple thrusts the unconscious infant into Grace's arms, her life will never be the same.The baby's identity is shrouded in secrecy. Grace names him Johnny, and even with an experienced staff treating him, his life hangs in the balance. As Grace grows more attached to him, major events threaten their bond and his life. A deadly infection sweeps through the hospital, Johnny's mysterious origins come to light, and Grace's personal life grows increasingly complex. When Johnny's prognosis creates an ideological chasm that leaves the hospital staff on opposing sides, Grace refuses to bow to the mounting pressure that could destroy her career and even her life. Her vow to protect Johnny at all costs is the beginning of a journey to heal the scars of her past and create the safe and loving future they both deserve.Arms of Grace is a finalist in consideration for production by Wind Dancer Films, a silver medalist in the Readers' Favorites Book Awards, and also a recipient of the B.R.A.G. Medallion