Book picks similar to
Checkmate by Diana Nixon


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contemporary-romance

Pulled


Amy Lichtenhan - 2011
    In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side. Now, when their lives intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago. But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and do they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart? Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

Lucky Penny


L.A. Cotton - 2015
    He was my light in the dark, hope in despair. Our bond was one of survival, friendship... first love.But then we were ripped apart and Blake Weston became the memory I turned to when everything else in my life fell apart.Seven years later, a summer working at Camp Chance is supposed to be my fresh start. Beautiful scenery and the chance to better the lives of foster children - kids like me. But when my eyes land on him across the fire, time stands still and feelings come rushing back to the surface. I thought I'd moved on, tucked him away in my heart. One look into his soulful blue eyes and I know I'm wrong. Blake Weston can heal the broken parts of me. Restore my hope. Love me.It's our second chance. A sign we are supposed to be together.Isn't it?I was twelve when I survived the accident that killed my parents. Fourteen when I survived the devil. And sixteen, when I survived a heartbreak of the worst kind.But in my twenty-three years, Blake Weston might just be the first thing I won't survive.

Torn


Eleanor Green - 2014
    However, flashes of a life she never lived haunt her-leading her to discover a past that has been purposely erased from her memory in order to protect her from horrible truths. The look on her fiance's face as she retells everything she remembers will forever be etched in her mind. Instead of catching and comforting her, he lets her go. Retreating to the family's cottage on the Outer Banks for the summer, Katie's heart begins to heal. She succumbs to the allure of a dangerously handsome local, Aidan Romero. But as soon as Katie begins to let go and move on with Aidan . . . Branson finds her. Now Katie is torn between two lives-facing her painful past with Branson, or moving on with Aidan and keeping the secrets safely buried forever.

The Birthday List


Devney Perry - 2018
    A journal with a list.Take a karate class. Go skydiving. Learn to play the ukulele. Say yes to everything for an entire day. The list goes on, line by line, of youthful dreams.For too long that list has haunted me. But starting today, I’m going to cross one item off. Today, I’m opening my new restaurant in Bozeman, Montana. The Maysen Jar.It should have marked the first day of a new life. A fresh start. But then Cole Goodman waltzed through the door and brought with him the past. A man who shattered my heart. A man I tried to forget.Maybe it’s a good thing he insists on sticking around. Because the only way I’ll finish the list is with Cole’s help. And then I can finally say goodbye.

May the Best Man Win


Mira Lyn Kelly - 2016
    He's been paired with the she-devil herself for his best friend's wedding: Emily Klein of the miles-long legs and killer smile. She may be sin in a bridesmaid dress, but there's no way he's falling for her again.They can barely stand each other, but given how many of their friends are getting married, they'll just have to play nice-at least when they're in company. Once they're alone, more than just gloves come off as Jase and Emily discover their chemistry is combustible, and there may be something to this enemies to lovers thing after all...More praise for Mira Lyn Kelly: "Incredible tension, a great cast of characters...and some really gooey emotional conflict."-Molly O'Keefe, USA Today bestselling author for Truth or Dare"Sexy and with a truly fresh voice."-Tina Leonard, New York Times bestselling author for Touch and Go"Mira Lyn Kelly's writing always sparkles."-Lauren Layne, USA Today bestselling author for Touch and Go

Illicit Temptations


Janine Infante Bosco - 2015
    That's all I was before New York's most notorious gangster recruited me.Now here I am, following in my father's footsteps and breaking my mother's heart. And I'm torn between the only life I've ever known and the possibility of something else. Because the only beacon of light in this dark world is the one woman I can't have. The Boss's daughter. The nightclub king's girl. Her irresistible spirit struggling to be respected for who she is, and not just who she belongs to. I see her. All of her.She's the sweetest temptation I've ever known.And the most illicit. Publisher's Note: Illicit Temptations is volume one in The Tempted Series but it may be read and enjoyed as a standalone mafia romance. This book has been revised and edited as of January 2021.

One to Hold


Tia Louise - 2013
    Melissa Jones is a small-town girl trying to escape her troubled past. When the two intersect in a bar in Arizona, their sexual chemistry is off the charts. But what is revealed during their "one week stand" only complicates matters. Because she'll do everything in her power to get away from the past, but he'll do everything he can to hold her. Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (M/F)

Stubborn Love


Wendy Owens - 2013
    She had given him her youth, and all he gave in return was misery and pain. She was ready for a new beginning, but Ashton wasn’t about to let her go so easily, even if it meant destroying both their lives in the process.Three years later Emmie convinces herself she is ready to leave all of that heartbreak in the past and find a little piece of normal for herself. She heads to New York City to pick up where she left off, determined to finish art school. Emmie is determined to focus on school and not let anything distract her, but life has a way of throwing curveballs.Paige, Emmie’s new roommate, brings Colin Bennett into her life. His smoldering eyes and lean muscular body are difficult for any girl to ignore. Only thing is, Emmie isn’t any girl. Her past makes her resistant to his charms. Colin isn’t one to give up easily, and just when he thinks he may have found a way to her stubborn heart, her tragic history may have found a way to tear them apart.

Macon


Marie James - 2017
    Sing country music, go on tour, top the charts—with my popularity growing every day, I was on my way.All it took was a gust of wind that blew up your skirt, and those white cotton panties had me hooked. I didn’t know your name, and you turned down every attempt I threw your way. But I knew you were different, even though you told me I was the same.“Just friends” is what you offered, and I played by your rules, but, Adelaide Hatfield, you have to know, from that day, it was only you.I just hope I can make you see how much you mean to me before we both drown in the sorrow of what heartbreak will bring.

Hard


Eve Jagger - 2015
    Arrogant. Hard. Ryder Cole is the King of Atlanta’s nightlife — and the one man who can erase my past.I’m running from secrets that could destroy me and there’s no room in my life for someone like him: too damn cocky, and sexy as hell. I should keep my distance, but smart goes out the window the minute he looks my way. And when he puts his hands on me … A girl could forget her own name.But what happens when the past catches up with me, and all the things I’m hiding from tear our lives apart again? I can’t keep running forever, and Ryder always wins.He's not the kind of guy to let me go gently, Ryder will give it to me Hard.

The Baby Maker


Lili Valente - 2018
    I’ve got a saying too: no thanks. The last thing I need is baby makes three. My business is expanding and the only thing I’m interested in getting knocked up is my bottom line.But then one night Emma Haverford makes me an offer I can’t refuse—she backs away from the land I have my eye on in exchange for a favor…A big, fat, baby making favor…******When I hear women have gotten pregnant shaking hands with Hunter men, I know I need Dylan Hunter’s…ahem, special skills…way more than I need to expand my vineyard. I’m ready to give my heart to a child and I’m tired of waiting for my late-to-the-party Prince Charming to make my dreams come true. So I promise Dylan—three months of hot, heavy, baby-making s-e-x and then I’m out of his hair forever.But what if when it comes time to say good-bye, all I want to do is keep bottling up more memories with this big-hearted man? This sexy Standalone romance will make you laugh, swoon, and blush baby-makin' red. Heat level: A risk of getting knocked up during download. Paperback and audio versions are especially dangerous. Handle with care...

Thrust


Sybil Bartel - 2016
    I know the angle. I know how to make you beg.My hands on your body, my mouth hovering over yours—I’ll tell you everything you want to hear. Ten inches of real estate never felt so good. But don’t take my word for it. My client list is long and my motto is short—one single thrust and you’re mine. I’m not good at what I do, I’m fantastic. But satisfaction doesn’t come cheap. So open your wallet and prepare to forget your name. I’m about to ruin you for any other man. One single thrust and you’re mine.

The Boots My Mother Gave Me


Brooklyn James - 2010
    Made to feel a burden to her father simply by her gender, Harley is determined to prove her worth and independence, leaving the small town she grew up in and the one boy who gave her a soft place to fall, Jeremiah Johnson. Torn between saving herself and abandoning her mother and younger sister, Harley chooses her own life in hopes they will choose theirs, too.A mature, candid read for everyone. A must for women. The Boots My Mother Gave Me explores the dynamics of abuse and dysfunction, the courage to overcome, the strength in sisterhood, and the ongoing conflict and unconditional love between mothers and daughters.Climb into Charlene the Chevelle for a fast-paced story about a girl who is tough enough to survive and tender enough to learn to trust in love.Signed Paperback & Original Music Soundtrack to The Boots My Mother Gave Me can be found at www.brooklyn-james.com

Whiskey Prince


Toni Aleo - 2014
    Having been caretaker to her for most of her teenage years, Amberlyn is inexperienced in many aspects of life. She hasn’t had time to live, have fun, or enjoy even the little things. It’s only when a letter from her mother, asking her to fulfill three things, sends her off to Ireland to live a life she never thought possible that she begins to heal.Declan O’Callaghan was born and raised in Ireland and has his family’s legendary whiskey in his veins. He’s shy and not a fan of the pressure and spotlight that comes with his family name, or the title he was given at birth—the Whiskey Prince. Declan knows just what he wants and that is to take over the family dynasty, but when his father gives him an ultimatum, everything he’s worked for could come undone in the blink of an eye.With six months to get married, the reclusive Declan spots Amberlyn across a lake and instantly feels the need to know her. Soon, the two find themselves traveling down a path neither expected. However, like any road, there are bumps and side streets to derail them. Can Declan help find the pieces that will make Amberlyn whole again? And will Amberlyn stay or run when she learns of Declan’s deadline of marriage?

The Sins That Bind Us


Geneva Lee - 2016
    Not when I did my first line of cocaine. Not when I became a single mother. But I changed, and every decision I’ve made was to protect myself and my son from my weaknesses—and my past.Until Jude came along and made me question everything, even my own secrets. The sins I carry with me can never be discovered. Life handed me broken bits of people and left me to construct my own world, and it’s too fragile to take a chance on Jude Mercer.We write our own stories.We build our own prisons.We weave our own lies.We commit the sins that bind us.