Book picks similar to
Defining Us by Karen Deen


brother-sister-friends
second-chance
sports-romance
contemporary

Sawyer's Mate


Meg Ripley - 2019
    But when she gets to Big Bend National Park and meets the hunky Ranger assigned to assist with her dig, her plans start to look less than solid. Her mind insists on staying on track, but whenever she’s around Sawyer, her heart refuses to listen. After inheriting the Alpha title of his bear clan, Sawyer’s ready to start settling down—and when he meets Madelyn, his inner bear knows he’s found the one. Even though sparks fly between them, Madelyn can’t imagine leaving her New England family and budding career behind. But Sawyer longs for her to stay in Texas; he can’t bear the thought of being without her. Madelyn tries to find a balance between dating and schoolwork, but time’s running out for her to make a discovery for her thesis. But when she digs up Big Bend’s biggest secret of all, will her life—and love—be put in danger? Sawyer’s Mate is a 33,000 word standalone novella with steamy shifter scenes intended for readers 18+.

Up to Snow Good


Kelly Collins - 2020
    Lauren must ask for help. Unfortunately, the only person who might be able to save her is a childhood sweetheart. How can she trust the man on the wrong side of the blood feud to secure her family’s legacy, when she couldn't trust him with her heart?Torn between Lauren and his father, Max walked away from an impossible choice. Misunderstandings and duplicity have kept him away. The safest thing for Lauren was to leave her alone. But with his father out to crush the last remaining Matthews and a centuries-old feud about to boil over, Max will move heaven and earth to help her, even if it means choosing love over family. With all the harm Max’s family has caused, can Lauren box up and bury the past to have a dream Christmas with Max? Or, will she need a Christmas miracle? Up to Snow Good is not your typical small-town, holiday romance. Angst and treachery hide in every corner. It’s a holiday Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending.

Holly Jolly Mountain Man: a short Christmas mountain man instalove romance (Holidays with a Mountain Man)


Kate Tilney - 2021
    

Rekindled


Ashlee Price - 2017
    She's feisty yet sweet.Innocent but f#ckin' sexy.She can be so intoxicating.Her touch is sweet like honey.Each time I see those eyes, those lips, that body...I just want to make her mine. (again and again and again)Leaving her was a mistake. Now I'm back to win her over.And I won't take no for answer.Rekindled is a stand-alone surprise baby, second chance, billionaire romance with a guaranteed HEA. Also includes an exclusive never before published dirty fairy tale romance: Sinderella.

Cowboy Coming Home


Jessie Gussman - 2022
    She owes him a summer. The price might be too high for both of them.Armstrong Brant stepped between Glory Baldwin and a charging cow. He ended up with broken ribs and a farm and family he couldn’t care for through the pain.At the prompting of The Sweet Water Piece Makers Quilting Club, Glory volunteers to watch Armstrong’s four children while he recovers. She owed him and it made sense. But she never expected to fall for a man with four boys.Armstrong isn’t comfortable sitting around. And he’s definitely not comfortable watching someone else do his work. But he’s downright surly at the idea of allowing another woman into his life after his ex simply walked away.Still, he doesn’t have much choice since he can’t even change a diaper with his broken ribs.Spending a summer together might convince both of them they could take a chance on each other, but when his ex walks back into his home, he’s faced with a choice: does he walk away from the best thing that’s ever happened to him? Or will he come home to stay?Books in the Coming Home to North Dakota Series:Cowboy Walking Away Cowboy Coming HomeCowboy Finding Love

The Doctors Secrets


L.A. Pepper - 2019
    I never plan to see him again.Fate has other plans.He turns out to be my daughters doctor and the son of the powerful icon that I'm spying on.He's hiding something deep and dark.Something that could destroy both of us.Little does he know that I have secrets myself.One being that I'm falling for him...hard.Two being that I'm a private investigator hired to spy on his father.And three, that we are both in danger more than he knows.What will happen when our secrets are revealed?Is there a chance for us in the midst of this chaos?

Secret Daddy


Ashlie Silas - 2021
    He does not like surprises2. He always wants to be in control3. He despises commitmentMark was the perfect enemy, and I should have left it that way. I gave him my heart and he shattered it.Now he’s back... The father of my secret baby thinks he can buy my company. But he wants more than a business transaction.Lauren Chase is my name, but I chase no one. Not even my rich, hotter than hell baby daddy.I’m a young, black female executive dominating the tech industry filled with egotistic men like Mark.I shouldn’t want anything to do with him. He’s been nothing but trouble with a capital T since crashing into my life like a wrecking ball on steroids.I must keep this alpha in line without revealing the identity of our secret baby. That is, if I can keep myself from falling in line with his commands... again.

Captivated by Cutter


Bex Dane - 2020
    Keeping my hands off her is hard. Cass is a good girl and I'm a bad guy. If she gets involved with me, she'll get hurt. Again.I should leave her alone and continue on my quest for revenge against the people who wronged me.But Cass has a habit of running head-first into danger, and she needs my protection. Not that I mind spending time with the scorching-hot vixen who constantly challenges my self-control.She may be exactly what I need to heal my scarred heart.—I swore off dangerous men like Cutter Twist for a reason.I'm focusing on my career, and I can't afford to get distracted by another broken heart.But the more I push him away, the hotter the flames between us burn.When I find out who caused the horrendous scars on his body, everything changes.Cutter needs someone to help him fight his greatest enemy.And I'm just the girl to do it.If you like steamy romantic suspense with a wounded alpha-male hero and a strong quirky heroine, you'll love Captivated by Cutter.

First Pitch Swinging


Linda Fausnet - 2021
    I grew up idolizing those players, and I ached to wear the orange and black, representing my hometown and playing the game I love.But the team doesn’t want me.I’m one of the hottest players in Major League Baseball, but the Baltimore owner thinks I’m too much of a risk. All because I drink too much and might have trashed a hotel room or two in my day.Everybody thinks getting married means you’ve “settled down.”I figure I need a wife if I’m ever gonna have a chance at playing for the Bay Birds.I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that woman who poured hot coffee on me the day we met. Sweet, beautiful, and stable medical school student, Lyric Rivers. Future doctor.Also known as the future Mrs. Brady Keaton.First Pitch Swinging is the first book in a new, steamy sports romance series. No cliffhangers, lots of humor and heart, and a sexy HEA.

Daddy's Best Friend: A Secret Baby Romance


Lauren Wood - 2021
    

C is for Carter: A Secret Baby Mountain Man Romance (Men of ALPHAbet Mountain)


Natasha L. Black - 2022
    

The Stone Family Treasure (South Port Beach Romances #6)


Taylor Hart - 2022
    

Mr. Handsome Hunk: A Manhattan Men Novel


Jacob Parker - 2022
    But things didn’t work out like they were supposed to.And now she’s back in my life and I’m not sure how I feel about it.She left for college without looking back, and I’m a billionaire bachelor with my eye on lots of prizes now.I’m not the boy she walked away from.Manhattan is my playground, and my family owns the city. Now that I’m grown, I take full advantage of that inheritance.But the moment I see her, flames ignite. I can’t hold back the need to consume her.Just like back then, she’s still off limits.This time, I’m not leaving anything up to chance.I’m a Manhattan, and I get what I want.This woman is mine. For good.

Hot Single Dad


Maci K Adams - 2020
    Single Dad, Evan Bowen, is HOT.He’s living next door, and is my biggest distraction.God swear, ignoring him is simply impossible.So, why am I complaining?Well…He’s so much older than me,He’s my best friend’s brother.And, he might put the brakes on my acting dreams…So, how can I be attached to someone like that?No, Not NOW.At least, NOT with Evan.

The Secret Baby


Ava Storm - 2020
    Pregnant and alone.It was the worst night of my life.My brother passed away ten years ago.The same night his best friend left me too.But now he's back in town.And he has no idea I have his son.Or that he had one to begin with.After everything, I don't know if I can trust him again.Love is a powerful thing though.Unstoppable even.