Book picks similar to
Out of Heaven's Grasp by V.J. Chambers


new-adult
ps
contemporary
have-but-not-read

I Want Never Gets


Tracey Waples - 2018
    OBSESSION. REVENGE. Years after she fell out with her best friend, Laura remains terrified of the past coming back to haunt her… Laura, the only child of doting parents, is at the centre of what seems a perfect family. Daughter of a well-known television personality, she spends her time between their idyllic Northumberland farmhouse and summers on the Amalfi coast. New girl, Evelyn, arrives at Laura’s prestigious boarding school desperate to escape her miserable home life. The two quickly become friends, inseparable, and Evelyn relishes the chance to become close to Laura’s family. But when Laura discovers her friend has betrayed her and her family she calls an immediate end to their friendship with devastating consequences. Decades later, Laura is forging a successful career as a journalist, happily married and keen to leave the past firmly behind her. Evelyn, however, filled with resentment and blighted by their estrangement, believes she paid a price that should have been shared… It’s time to settle the score.

Where I'll Find You


J.A. Owenby - 2018
    I protect my heart at all costs. But when Kaisen waltzes into my lifeSexy. Kind.Too good to be true.No matter how many times I turn him away,he keeps showing up.As hard as I try, I can’t resist him.I take the leap.Let him in.Give him my heart.Then one afternoon,one choice,one glimpse of a letter not meant for me,and everything is destroyed.Everything I thought I knew is a lie.He isn’t who he says he is.But neither am I.Dark secrets come to light.They’re not his, though.They’re mine.I had no idea. No clue I was being spoon fed lies my entire life.But do I have the strength to face my past?Or do I walk awayand leave behind the only man I’ve ever loved?

Asian Billionaire's Four Miracle Babies


Ciara Cole - 2020
    She was the chance encounter that changed my life. I was living a life of luxuryMy clubMy penthouseMy carsI was from a world where everyone knew my name.I had no plans to fall in loveNo plans to settle downI could have any girl in TokyoAnd that was just the way I liked it.But then I saw her on the dance floorDarkSensualStunningDana.I had to have her, if only for the night.But life had other plans.Pregnant, she said, her eyes locked with mine.Now this is about far more than one hot night.Now I’m feeling things I’ve never felt before.But coming from a powerful family isn’t easy.How can I learn to be a good dadWhen my own father is intent on destroying my life? Note: Asian Billionaire's Four Miracle Babies is a steamy romance between and Asian Billionaire and the strong, beautiful woman who becomes pregnant with his quadruplets.

Dandelion Summer


Mary Ellen Bramwell - 2019
    But missing him is soon replaced with the challenges and surprises right in front of her. What is her mother hiding? Why has her grandfather disappeared from their lives? Unraveling the mysteries brings about unexpected discoveries and connections, ultimately leading her to know herself and understand what matters most.

Hope Farm


Peggy Frew - 2015
    Hope Farm sticks out of the ragged landscape like a decaying tooth, its weatherboard walls sagging into the undergrowth. Silver's mother, Ishtar, has fallen for the charismatic Miller, and the three of them have moved to the rural hippie commune to make a new start. At Hope, Silver finds unexpected friendship and, at last, a place to call home. But it is also here that, at just thirteen, she is thrust into an unrelenting adult world — and the walls begin to come tumbling down, with deadly consequences. Hope Farm is the masterful second novel from award-winning author Peggy Frew, and is a devastatingly beautiful story about the broken bonds of childhood, and the enduring cost of holding back the truth.

Last Summer


Rebecca A. Rogers - 2012
    Her life has been in disarray for more than six months, and she knows the only reason her parents made one final trip to Sandy Shores is because of her. They are, after all, two seconds away from filing for divorce. When Chloe stumbles upon a boy in one of her childhood hangouts, she’s in for more than just a relaxing summer vacation. Logan Andrews is exhausted, famished and, quite frankly, kaput. His parents kicked him out when he refused to attend a rehabilitation program for his drug addiction. Now, he wishes he would’ve listened; he’d be receiving appropriate medical care rather than living in a dingy, godforsaken shack, holing up from money-hungry drug dealers. Logan’s godsend arrives in the form of Chloe, who can’t hold her tongue when it comes to matters of the heart. They’re both in for a rude awakening when Logan’s past catches up to them, though. Can they escape the drug dealers showing up at every twist and turn, or will things end much worse than they ever imagined? WARNING: Contains strong language, drug use, and sexual situations.

Crushed


Leen Elle - 2014
    Like she was living in a world lacking color. Nothing stood out. Nothing seemed to matter. Then, with one single drop, the colorless world she lived in burst into something more. Something vibrant, and brave. He was that drop, the one that shook the foundation of her life to its' core. He unraveled to her that was suffocating in a world she didn't belong in. He was the color she'd been searching for. He was the reason everything began, and the reason why everything ended.

Nocturne


Andrea Randall - 2013
    Brilliant, eclectic and passionate, she lives music, but struggles with her plans for the future.Gregory Fitzgerald is one of the most renowned cellists of his generation. A member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and professor at the Conservatory, he is laser focused on his career to the exclusion of friends, family and especially romance.When Gregory and Savannah’s paths cross in the classroom, it threatens to challenge more than their wildly differing beliefs on music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are put on the line as Gregory and Savannah play a symphony of passion and heartbreak. In the final movement, Gregory and Savannah are handed their greatest challenge, as the loss of absolutely everything they’ve held as truths hangs in the balance.

Kiss Kill Vanish


Jessica Martinez - 2014
    One moment, she was wrapped in Emilio’s arms, melting into his kiss. The next, she was witnessing the unthinkable: a murder in cold blood, ordered by her father and carried out by her boyfriend. When Emilio pulled the trigger, Valentina disappeared. She made a split-second decision to shed her identity and flee her life of privilege, leaving the glittering parties and sultry nightlife of Miami far behind. She doesn’t know how to explain to herself what she saw. All she knows now is that nothing she believed about her family, her heart, or Emilio’s love, was real. She can change her name and deny her past, but Valentina can’t run from the truth. The lines between right and wrong, and trust and betrayal, will be blurred beyond recognition as she untangles the deceptions of the two men she once loved and races to find her own truth.

Gated


Amy Christine Parker - 2013
    Appearances can be deceiving. In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark. Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community—everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge? From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But Gated tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.

Needing Her


Molly McAdams - 2013
    Having four very protective older brothers has always made having a boyfriend very difficult, anyway. But her friend is set on finding her the perfect guy – and thinks the mysterious Connor Green is the perfect pick.He’s Her Brother’s Best FriendConnor Green is trying to find himself again. He loved then lost and it’s time for him to pick up the pieces. His brooding is making his friends crazy, but, Maci Price, who has grown up into a gorgeous and incredibly sexy woman, is about to break the spell.They’re Made for Each OtherWhen Maci starts up old pranks to get Connor out of his slump, an all out war leads to a night that will break all their rules, and a relationship they must keep hidden. Together they’re electric. Apart they’re safe. And soon they’ll find they’re exactly what the other needs.A fabulous, fun, and sexy, New Adult novella from New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams. If you loved Connor in From Ashes, this is the story for you.

Schooled


Deena Bright - 2012
    A young teacher learns about sexuality, pleasure, and satisfaction from rather unlikely and forbidden teachers, her former students, now recent college graduates. Not only does she get “schooled” by the beautifully-built all-American football player who struggled to pass her class, but she also learns a few tricks from the innocent, well-read, and thoroughly sexy bookworm. Both men teach her that not all curricula worth learning comes from a book.Go through the journey Janelle Garrity-Flowers faces after discovering her husband’s infidelity. Growing up, she followed the rules, but now, she wants to defy the norms and play by her own rules. Janelle explores her own sexuality, searching for pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. However, despite this callow teacher’s “lesson plan” of forgoing the rules and not letting emotion get involved, the teacher must decide between the athlete, the scholar, and the career she loves. But what or who does she love and want more?Adult languageAdult contentExplicit sex scenes

Yolk


Mary H.K. Choi - 2021
    Choi comes a funny and emotional story about two estranged sisters switching places and committing insurance fraud to save one of their lives.Jayne Baek is barely getting by. She shuffles through fashion school, saddled with a deadbeat boyfriend, clout-chasing friends, and a wretched eating disorder that she’s not fully ready to confront. But that’s New York City, right? At least she isn’t in Texas anymore, and is finally living in a city that feels right for her.On the other hand, her sister June is dazzlingly rich with a high-flying finance job and a massive apartment. Unlike Jayne, June has never struggled a day in her life. Until she’s diagnosed with uterine cancer.Suddenly, these estranged sisters who have nothing in common are living together. Because sisterly obligations are kind of important when one of you is dying.

The Sheikh's Tempting Assistant


Leslie North - 2018
    With the sun going down and Laura seriously worrying for her life, she stumbles across a tent that looks more like a palace than a campsite. Dehydrated and burnt, it seems like salvation — until men wearing desert garb and toting AK47’s ride out in jeeps to gather her. Sheikh Raheem can barely believe his luck when an American woman is brought into his tent. He is passionate about his country’s natural splendor, but its PR is in desperate need of a makeover — perhaps as much as the dirty beauty in front of him. He makes an offer: Laura, with her eye for finding the beauty in a location, will help him craft a campaign promoting his country, and when she completes the project he’ll send her back to America with a paycheck she can live on for years. Seeing a chance for financial freedom, Laura jumps at the opportunity. As Raheem shows off the magnificence of his land, Laura finds herself getting swept into a fairy tale full of palaces, five-star luxury, and the most sensuous sex she’s ever experienced. Though she values her independence, the temptation to stay — not just for Raheem, but for the beautiful country that isn’t getting the attention it deserves — holds her in place. But when the country’s natural treasures are threatened, Raheem and Laura must decide what means more to them: their love for one another or their original plans.

Sister Wife


Shelley Hrdlitschka - 2008
    Polygamy is the norm, strict obedience is expected and it is customary for young girls to be assigned to much older husbands.Celeste was born and raised in Unity, yet she struggles to fit in. Perhaps it's because of Taviana, the girl who has come to live with them and entertains Celeste with forbidden stories, or Jon, the young man she has clandestine meetings with, or maybe it's the influence of Craig, the outsider she meets on the beach. Whatever it is, she struggles to accept her ordained life. At fifteen she is repulsed at the thought of being assigned to an older man and becoming a sister wife, and she knows for certain she is not cut out to raise children. She wants something more for herself, yet feels powerless to change her destiny because rebelling would bring shame upon her family.Celeste watches as Taviana leaves Unity, followed by Jon, and finally Craig, the boy who has taught her to think "outside the box." Although she is assigned to a caring man, his sixth wife, she is desperately unhappy. How will Celeste find her way out of Unity?Torn from the headlines and inspired by current events, Sister Wife is a compelling portrait of a community where the laws of the outside world are ignored and where individuality is punished.