Book picks similar to
Shallow by Yessi Smith
ya
young-adult
romance
high-school
The Summer We Fell
Amber Garza - 2014
I’ve had a crush on him for years but he never noticed me. Until now.Dating Adam is a dream come true. I should be happy about it, but it’s hard because my best friend Cruz is acting strange. Almost like he’s jealous. But that can’t be. Can it?Cruz and I have been inseparable since we were kids. He’s always been like a brother to me. But lately things have changed. He’s different, and I’m starting to see him in a new light. Our relationship is evolving in a way I never thought possible. I don’t want to lose him, but am I willing to give up Adam for him?
First and Goal
Kata Čuić - 2016
But when her strategy to stay out of the limelight is derailed by rampant rumors, she’s forced to change tactics. Her new game plan is to keep everyone at arm’s length. Especially boys. So when she’s partnered up in class with the hot as hell varsity quarterback, she pushes and pushes. Until he pushes back. Rob Falls just wants to fit in. With his teammates, with his friends, with everyone. His image as the quintessential jock makes him feel like a fraud. Especially since it’s the only reason all the girls at school want him, except the one girl he dreams about. She wants nothing to do with him. When he’s forced to tutor the class pariah, he realizes it’s time to get in the game instead of standing on the sidelines. She’s going to help him get exactly what he wants, whether she knows it or not.
My Only
N.K. Smith - 2014
A talented drummer from a small suburb of Chicago, he keeps to himself and downplays his abilities. Thinking that he is less than all those around him, Adam lives his life in the shadow of his popular twin brother, Aaron. When a free-spirited new girl with a troubled past moves in across the street, Adam's eyes are opened to a new world of possibilities. Olivia Cartwright’s philosophies on life give her a deeper understanding of the world. An instant connection between Adam and Olivia draws them closer, but he wonders why anyone would choose him when a better version exists. His worry grows stronger, especially when Aaron takes an interest in Olivia. Will the friendship with Olivia change Adam, or will he continue to close himself off in his own world? Adam has a choice to make: risk his friendship with Olivia or fight for something more. Adam has a lot to learn about love...and life.
The Bright Effect
Autumn Doughton - 2015
With a questionable reputation and an attitude to match, he’s exactly the kind of guy Amelia promised herself she’d avoid. But after an encounter that leaves her charged and breathless, she can’t stop wondering about him and the secrets he keeps hidden behind that tough exterior. Sebastian knows first-hand that every single choice has a consequence and how a fragile promise can shape a life. Now that his mother is gone and he’s raising his little brother on his own, he’s all but given up on a future for himself. Struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, Sebastian doesn’t have time for games or girls. So why can’t he shake thoughts of beautiful, smart Amelia Bright from his mind? Equally devastating and heartfelt, Amelia and Sebastian’s story of a rare and unexpected connection is one that will stay with you long after the last page is read. Full of wit and tenderness, The Bright Effect is an unforgettable journey of expectations, regrets and discovering just how far love can carry us in the face of heartbreak.
When Everything Is Blue
Laura Lascarso - 2018
Theo hates lying to Chris, but in coming out, he might lose the one person who understands him best, a risk he’s not willing to take. When a relationship with another young man goes south, Theo is forced to confront his own sexuality along with his growing attraction to Chris and his stunted, tenuous relationship with his father. Will Chris abandon Theo when he learns the truth, or will he stand by him in this tumultuous season of self-discovery? In this quirky coming-of-age romance, Theo’s path to manhood is fraught with awkward firsts and a few haters, but also the unexpected comfort of a friend turned lover.
Little Lies
H. Hunting - 2020
You mean nothing to me. I never loved you. I turned my words into swords.And I cut her down. Shoved the blade in and watched her fall. I said I’d never hurt her, and I did. Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession. Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of. I used to be the one who saved her. Over and over again. But I don’t want to save her anymore. I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.A standalone angsty new adult romance. Heroine: Lavender Waters (Alex and Violet Waters’ youngest daughter, PUCKED and FOREVER PUCKED couple origin, Pucked Series )Hero: Kodiak (Kody) Bowman (Rook and Lainey Bowman’s son, A LIE FOR A LIE couple origin, All In Series )
Therapy
Kathryn Perez - 2014
I’m needy. I’m broken. Cutting breaks through my numbness, but only opens more wounds. Depression, self-harm, bullying....that's my reality. Sex and guys....that's my escape. The space between the truth and lies is blurred leaving me torn, lost and confused. And while the monsters that live in my head try to beat me-- the two men that I love try to save me. This is my story of friendship, heartache, and the grueling journey that is mental-illness.Warning: Due to possible triggering subject matter and some sexual situations this book is not recommended for anyone under the age of 17 years old.
My Skylar
Penelope Ward - 2014
One thing after another kept us apart, and I’ve spent the last decade in fear of losing her forever. First, it was the cancer, but she survived only to face the unthinkable at my hands. Because of me, she left town. For years, I thought I’d never see her again.But now she’s back…and living with him. I don’t deserve her after everything I’ve put her through, but I can’t live without her. This is my last chance, because she’s about to make the biggest mistake of her life. I can see it her eyes: she doesn’t love him. She still loves me...which is why I have to stop her before it’s too late. My Skylar is a STANDALONE novel and a companion to Jake Undone.**Contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+
The Dandelion
Michelle Leighton - 2018
When tragedy strikes, she runs. This time her urge to flee brings Abi back to her hometown, where she hopes she can find the peace she’s always searched for. That hope is dashed when Abi’s ex, Sam Forrester, bumps his way back into her life. Sam has flourished in ways Abi hasn’t. From the outside, he has it all—a successful medical practice, a beautiful daughter, and a charming wife.Who is dying.Sara Forrester is dying and her final wish is for Sam to find love again so she can meet the woman who will finish raising her daughter and grow old with her husband. Abi seems like the perfect fit, but what Sara doesn’t know is that Abi has a secret, a secret no one could guess.And it’s a deal breaker.
Pretty Young Things (Spinful Classics Book 1)
Ace Gray - 2019
Jealousy. Lust. It all started with a bloody palm and a promise. Words beneath the moonlight that I thought would keep us together. Forever. Deceit. Betrayal. Vengeance. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t think you had it in you. But what was supposed to bury me—break me—simply remade me as something new. Something hellbent on ruining you, my love. *This book is a complete stand-alone based on the classic The Count of Monte Christo*
The Line Between
Tamsyn Bester - 2015
She was an easy target.Kennedy Monroe.The girl I’d picked on all our lives.And the woman I barely tolerated.Until the line between love and hate was no longer visible… *New Adult Contemporary Romance* *Due to mature content this book is not suitable for readers younger than 18*
Present Perfect
Alison G. Bailey - 2013
♥Standing tall with his dark handsome features, he was as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. Noah was perfect in every sense of the word. He wanted us to be together, and we should have been together. Except I wasn’t good enough.I knew if I dared to cross that line with him, I’d do something to screw things up and lose him forever. I couldn’t take that chance. I wouldn’t take that chance. A life without Noah was not a life I wanted to live. So, I kept my feelings in check and didn’t allow them to ruin us.But sometimes life slaps you in the face, forcing you to pay attention, and stop wasting what time you have left.♥The only thing in life that’s perfect is the present, because it’s our only guarantee. ♥***ALL THE BOOKS IN THE PERFECT SERIES CAN BE READ AS STANDALONES.
The Half Orphan's Handbook
Joan F. Smith - 2021
Pan, The Half-Orphan's Handbook by Joan F. Smith is a coming-of-age story and an empathetic, authentic exploration of grief with a sharp sense of humor and a big heart.It’s been three months since Lila lost her father to suicide. Since then, she’s learned to protect herself from pain by following two unbreakable rules:1. The only people who can truly hurt you are the ones you love. Therefore, love no one.2. Stay away from liars. Liars are the worst.But when Lila’s mother sends her to a summer-long grief camp, it’s suddenly harder for Lila to follow these rules. Potential new friends and an unexpected crush threaten to drag her back into life for the first time since her dad’s death.On top of everything, there’s more about what happened that Lila doesn’t know, and facing the truth about her family will be the hardest part of learning how a broken heart can love again.
Where the Night Ends
Melissa Toppen - 2017
At sixteen-years-old, Sebastian Baxter taught me that. He taught me a lot of things.He never had to work for my heart. In some unexplainable way I think it had always belonged to him anyway.We spent years loving each other, hurting each other, trying to forget each other, but no matter how hard I tried, I could never erase the memory of him. His eyes, his smile, his touch—these are all things that are embedded in my brain, tattooed on my skin, and etched into my heart. Some might think our love story is over, but deep down I know it’s only just beginning. Because it’s not about where the night begins, it’s about where it ends…
Carter
R.J. Lewis - 2015
This is a story about a rising rock star and a love-struck girl. Leah: I was a fool in love. From the moment I saw him, Carter Matheson had always been it for me. I just wished he felt the same way. We grew up together in poverty, seeking solace in one another through our love for music. His voice swept me off my feet. He sang like an angel, making me forget for a little while that my unrequited love would destroy me. I thought I’d go to the ends of the earth for him. I thought my future along his side was engrained in stone. But when faced with a decision that would forever change our lives, I need to choose whose dreams to follow. Mine or his. BOOK 1 OF 2