Book picks similar to
Relentless Hope by Ashley Cassidy
vixen-authors
want-badly
2nd-chance
looks-promising
How to Speak Boy
Tiana Smith - 2020
They can't stand one another, either in competition or in real life. But when their AP Government teacher returns their school assignments to the wrong cubbies, they begin exchanging anonymous notes without knowing who the other is. Despite their differences, the two come together through their letters and find themselves unknowingly falling for the competition. Before the state tournament, the two of them need to figure out what they want out of life, or risk their own future happiness. After all, what’s the point of speech and debate if you can't say what's in your heart?
Mistress of Merrivale
Shelley Munro - 2014
But it allows her and her eccentric mother to live in relative security—until her protector marries and no longer requires her services.Desperate to find a new benefactor, one kind enough to accept her mother’s increasingly mad flights of fancy, Jocelyn is nearly overwhelmed with uncertainty when a lifeline comes from an unexpected source.Leo Sherbourne’s requirements for a wife are few. She must mother his young daughter, run his household, and warm his bed. All in a calm, dignified manner with a full measure of common sense. After his late wife’s histrionics and infidelity, he craves a simpler, quieter life.As they embark on their arrangement, Leo and Jocelyn discover an attraction that heats their bedroom and a mutual admiration that warms their days. But it isn’t long before gossip regarding the fate of Leo’s first wife, and his frequent, unexplained absences, make Jocelyn wonder if the secrets of Merrivale Manor are rooted in murder…Warning: Contains mysterious incidents, a mad mother who screeches without provocation, scheming relatives, and a captivating husband who blows scorching hot and suspiciously cold. All is not as it seems…and isn’t that delicious?
The Way Back To Me
Anne Mercier - 2019
The book DOES end on a cliffhanger.
My life was charmed. I had the best friends ever. We were known as the Fab Five and our futures were planned out.In a flash, everything was taken from me. I don’t know how to live without them. I don’t want to.I’m broken.When I get to college, I see him.Cameron Stone. Mr. Football. Mr. Popular. He’s definitely hot, but on the inside he’s vile. He made my childhood a living nightmare. I don’t know why he hates me or why he’s suddenly being so nice to me. All the sweet talk in the world won’t work. I know better.So, why am I listening?
Tell Me Lies
Carola Lovering - 2018
The wrong one. The one you couldn’t let go of. The one you’ll never forget.Lucy Albright is far from her Long Island upbringing when she arrives on the campus of her small California college, and happy to be hundreds of miles from her mother, whom she’s never forgiven for an act of betrayal in her early teen years. Quickly grasping at her fresh start, Lucy embraces college life and all it has to offer—new friends, wild parties, stimulating classes. And then she meets Stephen DeMarco. Charming. Attractive. Complicated. Devastating. Confident and cocksure, Stephen sees something in Lucy that no one else has, and she’s quickly seduced by this vision of herself, and the sense of possibility that his attention brings her. Meanwhile, Stephen is determined to forget an incident buried in his past that, if exposed, could ruin him, and his single-minded drive for success extends to winning, and keeping, Lucy’s heart. Alternating between Lucy’s and Stephen’s voices, Tell Me Lies follows their connection through college and post-college life in New York City. Deep down, Lucy knows she has to acknowledge the truth about Stephen. But before she can free herself from this addicting entanglement, she must confront and heal her relationship with her mother—or risk losing herself in a delusion about what it truly means to love. With the psychological insight and biting wit of Luckiest Girl Alive, and the yearning ambitions and desires of Sweetbitter, this keenly intelligent and staggeringly resonant novel chronicles the exhilaration and dilemmas of young adulthood, and the difficulty of letting go, even when you know you should.
Unspoken
Brenda Rothert - 2014
The end of their relationship marked the beginning of a painful solitary journey for her. Though she makes places beautiful with her work as an interior designer, the rest of her life is anything but beautiful – it’s slowly pulling her under.Brady, a contractor, is swiftly building his business into an empire. Work is a faithful companion that never lets him down like Palmer did. When he sees women now, it’s on his terms. And his terms are simple: just sex. He won’t let a woman break him again.Palmer is barely holding it together when she and Brady are unexpectedly paired on a project after a year apart. The pull between them is stronger than ever, but the fallout from their reconnection leaves them both wondering if maybe some things are better left unsaid.
A Girl’s Guide to the Outback
Jessica Kate - 2020
His coworker, start-up expert Kimberly Foster, is brilliant, fearless, and capable, but years of personal rejection have left her defensive and longing for a family. Two people have never been more at odds—or more attracted to one another. And every day at work, the sparks sure do fly.When Kimberly's ambitious plans for Sam's ministry butt up against his risk-averse nature, Sam decides that obligations to family trump his work for the church. He quits the ministry and heads home to Australia to help his sister, Jules, save her struggling farm. As Kimberly's grand plans flounder, she is forced to face the truth: that no one can replace Sam. Together they strike up a deal: If Kimberly comes to work on Jules's dairy farm and lends her business brains to their endeavor, then maybe—just maybe—Sam will reconsider his future with the church.As Kimberly tries her hand at Australian farm life, she learns more about herself than she could've ever expected. Meanwhile Sam is forced to re-evaluate this spunky woman he thought he already knew. As foes slowly morph into friends, they wonder if they might be something even more. But when disaster strikes the farm, will Sam find it within himself to take a risk that could lead to love? And will Kimberly trust God with her future?
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.
Say Yes Summer
Lindsey Roth Culli - 2020
And it's all paid off--after years of following the rules and acing every exam, Rachel is graduating at the top of her class and ready to celebrate by . . . doing absolutely nothing. Because Rachel Brooks has spent most of high school saying no. No to dances, no to parties, and most especially, no to boys.Now, for the first time in her life, there's nothing stopping Rachel from having a little fun--nothing, that is, except herself. So when she stumbles on a beat up old self-help book--A SEASON OF YES!--a crazy idea pops into her head: What if she just said yes to . . . everything?And so begins a summer of yes. Yes to new experiences and big mistakes, yes to rekindled friendships and unexpected romances, yes to seeing the world in a whole new way. This book is a fresh and fun take on the coming-of-age novel that explores the quintessential themes of growing up: taking risks, making mistakes, and, of course, love. And who knows? Lindsey Roth Culli's hilarious and heartwarming debut may just inspire your own SAY YES SUMMER.
What If
Rebecca Donovan - 2014
After all, no one has seen or heard from her since they graduated over a year ago.Except this girl isn't Nicole.She looks exactly like Cal's shy childhood crush, but her name is Nyelle Preston and she has no idea who he is. This girl is impulsive and daring, her passion for life infectious. The complete opposite of Nicole. Cal finds himself utterly fascinated-and falling hard. But Nyelle is also extremely secretive. And the closer he comes to finding out what she's hiding, the less he wants to know.When the secrets from the past and present collide, one thing becomes clear: Nothing is what it seems.
With This Ring
Allison Hobbs - 2013
But now, they are coming the realization that happily ever after might not be attainable, or even a reality. Harlow’s dreams of walking down the aisle are shattered when a muffled gunshot forces her to question her new husband’s character. Is Drake Morgan the determined entrepreneur she thought he was or a gangster and ruthless killer? After a bout with alcoholism and an emotional breakdown, Nivea is trying to rebuild her life, but the explosive result of her child’s paternity test threatens to destroy her fragile family ties. Desperate for her new man to put a ring on it, Vangie sacrifices her morals and puts a lifelong friendship to the test. From the bestselling author of Big Juicy Lips and Double Dippin’, this edgy new novel is sure to please both Allison Hobbs fans and newcomers looking for a spicy read.
Whiskey Heart: An Alpha Billionaire Friends to Lovers Romance
Caroline Tate - 2018
But when a casual fling turns serious, will they both be down for the ride?
Riley Pratt is content living her quiet, less-than-thrilling life in the city minding her own business. Due to her hectic work schedule and self-made career as one of Savannah's up-and-coming interior designers, she's learned to keep her thoughts to herself and her eyes on the prize-- a fruitful, shining career in design. Until Cameron Alden waltzes into town.Always thinking up his next cocky comeback, Cameron is arrogant and annoyingly charming in all the wrong ways. Heir to the largest whiskey distillery in the South, he prides himself on being well-endowed but also claims he's prudish as hell. Official word around town? He's Savannah's hottest bachelor. And he takes complete advantage of it.Which... isn’t Riley’s glass of rosé. Though she can feel sparks flying rampant when they’re together, will Riley give him a chance? Or is she too sure that Cameron's old habits will die hard, making her just another one-night stand?
Some Mistakes Were Made
Kristin Dwyer
But when a rash decision throws Ellis’s life—and her relationship with Easton— into chaos she’s forced to move halfway across the country, far from everything she’s ever known. Now Ellis hasn’t spoken to Easton in a year, and maybe it’s better that way; maybe eventually the Easton shaped hole in her heart will heal. But when Easton’s mother invites her home for a celebration, Ellis finds herself tangled up in the web of heartache, betrayal, and anger she left behind... and with the boy she never stopped loving.
The Morning After
Adriane Leigh - 2013
It's the only coping mechanism she's found to overcome the horror that colors her past. Until one pleasure-seeking playboy turns her world on its axis. Georgia tries to ignore the tornado of emotion that sweeps through her system whenever Tristan is near, but just like an addiction, one look, one taste, one touch is never enough. And then there's Kyle, the doting boyfriend she's left at home for the summer, the one she gave her heart to when she was twelve, the one that holds her fragile love in his strong and steady hands. What was once comfortable turns unbearable, and soon Georgia finds herself fantasizing about the forbidden. The chemistry between Tristan and Georgia is scorching and it isn't long before the slow burn ignites into a full-blown wildfire that threatens to consume anything in its path. Denial is comfortable. Love is anything but. For mature audiences.
Mismatch
Tracie Delaney - 2017
Jayne’s sworn off men. Her lousy, backstabbing, cheating husband saw to that. The last person she wants to defend is too-hot-too-handle, software guru, Rupert Fox-Whittingham—criminal law isn’t even her field of expertise.No woman is immune to his charm, or so Rupe thinks, until he meets frosty, delectable, uber-lawyer Jayne. He wants her. He needs her... Challenge accepted!Except danger has come a-knocking—and it’s deadly. Mismatch is a fast-paced, sexy off-shoot to The Winning Ace series that can be read as a standalone.
Blood of Zeus
Meredith Wild - 2020
A forbidden love. The only thing worse than being a demon is being a Valari. As an undergraduate at Los Angeles’s Alameda University, Kara Valari can sometimes succeed at forgetting she’s both. Lost between the pages of the classics and tucked into the shadows of lecture halls, she can dodge the paparazzi’s lenses as well as her family’s publicized dramas—not to mention their private expectations. She has one more year to feed her true passions. Then she’ll be expected to fulfill a much darker destiny. Cursed with inexplicable strength and god-like stature, literature professor Maximus Kane knows all about darkness. Every day he’s reminded of the missteps of his childhood and the devastating consequences they’ve had on those dearest to him. To atone, Maximus spends his nights alone and his days submerged in the quiet life of academia. His existence has become a study in control, and he’s become a master at it—until Kara Valari walks into his toughest course. Viscerally, Kara’s everything he craves. Logically, she’s everything he rejects. She’s a starlet of privilege. She’s also a student. And after one touch, he can’t deny that she’s awakened something in him that may never go dormant. Nothing about her makes sense, but everything about her feels right. Especially in the deepest strands of his DNA, which are still shadows of mystery to him—a mystery Kara seems determined to uncover. She’s Hollywood royalty. She’s forbidden fruit. And he’s pretty sure she could be the answer to everything.