Book picks similar to
The Reluctant Bride by Helen Wilder


contemporary-romance
age-gap
contemporary
politics

Tied up in Heartstrings


Felicia Lynn - 2013
    My daughter and I were stuck in a fog of self-preservation, afraid to believe that there wasn’t more pain waiting for us in the ‘real world’. Just the thought of allowing myself to embrace happiness and take a risk in order to feel that all-consuming love again is terrifying. And I’m not sure I would be able to survive if it all went away again. But… what choice do I have when I’m tied up in these heartstrings? I could cut the ties and run. Or I could take a chance on someone that my heart once yearned for and hope that he knows how to untangle the fear that holds my heart hostage.

The KISS Principle


Karen Booth - 2012
    It’s made his start-up a huge success. If only he could find a way to simplify his love life. His neighbor Allie is the sexiest woman he’s ever met and her apartment is only a floor away. The proximity screams simple. Everything else about Allie--her confidence, her brain, even her shoes, says he could be getting in over his head. With an ad agency to run and her ex interfering, Allie Flynn has had her quota of complicated. So why does she keep flirting with Cooper in 3B? He’s everything she shouldn’t want—still in his 20s, whip-smart, and too hot for his own good. She needs Cooper as a friend. Her heart can't take another guy who's passing by, but can the rest of her handle it when he goes in for a kiss? The KISS Principle is a stand-alone erotic romance with a happily-ever-after. It is intended for readers 18+. Originally published under the title For Keeps, the 2015 re-release has an all-new cover and new, low price. "The heat in this story is a delicious combination of sweet and spicy."--5 stars, The Book Tart

Love Spell


M.A. Foster - 2020
    Until one night, when people I trusted turned on me, leaving me bloody and broken.I wasn't safe. So my mother sent me to Clara, an old family friend and my saving grace. With her magic teas and clairvoyance, she revealed the evil still lurking in the shadows ready to strike. And she did something unheard of--she changed my destiny. Enter Levi Martinez with his beautiful blue eyes and gruff exterior. He was gorgeous. He was intense. And he would be the one to save me.

Hired Bride


Noelle Adams - 2015
    Deanna has spent her life trying to take care of those she loves, and a six-month marriage should be a simple enough way to keep their historic Savannah house from falling down around their heads.Sexy, obnoxious Mitchell Graves needs a wife to finalize a business deal, and he snaps up Deanna as the most expedient option. Because she's quiet, he thinks she'll be easy enough to manage as a wife.He couldn't be more wrong.

Spring Break Navy SEAL


Sierra Hill - 2019
    Queue up a side of awkward, because the hot SEAL she slept with just happens to be the best man in the wedding. Abbie’s only goal was to have a no-strings-attached hookup, and instead she finds a soldier whose only mission is to keep the flames burning a little while longer.Can he convince Abbie that there’s more between them before they say goodbye to paradise?

Wrapped Up In Her


Jagger Cole - 2020
    Next, get yourself into witness protection, because the mob knows what you saw and wants you “taken care of”.Step three? Have one last night out and drunkenly lose your v-card to a gorgeous stranger.Actually, there’s a step four: find out the very next day that your gorgeous stranger is actually the dark, brooding FBI agent who’s going to be watching you one-on-one for the next week.It was supposed to be one freaking night. One night, no inhibitions, no regrets, no rules. Except now me and Mr. Grumpy-Hot are locked in a cabin in the woods together for a whole week pretending to be newly-weds for our cover story.The mob wants me dead, it’s freezing outside, and I’m trapped in the woods with the hottest bossy-pants I’ve ever met. Four walls, two not-so-strangers, one bed, and sleigh-load of mistletoe. Gee, what could possibly go wrong in this scenario?I already gave him my v-card. But when things heat up under the mistletoe, there’s something else he’s after, too: my heart.And this Christmas, he might just get it.Looking for the perfect blend of steamy and sweet? This is just what you need! So pour some eggnog, get cozy, and grab a sleigh-load of mistletoe! No cliffhanger, and a perfect happy ever after.

Kitchen Boss


Ashlee Price - 2019
    A total drool-worthy chef.He hired me as an intern, and it's not just a job.I've got perks.His bulging muscles.Our sizzling chemistry.And his adorable little daughter.He even asked me to be his fake fiancée.The number of secrets on my plate are piling up though.And my dark past already forced him to leave me once.So, what happens if that past comes back to haunt us once again?

Flooded (Beautiful but Strange, #1)


J.J. Sorel - 2020
    I chained myself to his pole.A STEAMY HEA ROMANTIC COMEDY FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITEDI'm talking about the ancient oak tree his firm was going to chop down. Get your mind out of the gutter.That's how I met Sam Chalmer, the gorgeous only son of tycoon Carrington Chalmer. His company had plans to fell this beautiful old tree on behalf of a silent partner, and I wasn't about to let it happen without a fight.Even though it was tempting to just give in. I was thoroughly enjoying the idea of being at Sam's mercy while he figured out just what to do with me--until the area started to flood and I realized I had lost the key to unlock myself.This may have started as an environmental statement, but it's clear we're both in over our heads...SamThere I was, avoiding my father's typical patriarchal machinations and minding my own business, when I found out that Juniper Berry, an aptly-named daughter of genuine hippies, had chained herself to a tree my company was going to cut down.I had plenty of ideas how to turn Juni's playful taunting to my advantage, seeing as she was literally chained to a tree in front of me, her body on full display. None of them involved nearly drowning or a boat rescue.Now things are even more complicated: I'm falling for a literal tree-hugger when I'm supposed to be heiress hunting and managing a big business deal--and it's all because I made a promise to save that damn oak tree.I'm never underestimating foliage again.AUTHOR'S NOTE: There are a few steamy sex scenes in this enemy-to-lovers romantic comedy. For those who have read Thornhill Trilogy and are curious about the Thornhills four years later, they make an appearance in this story when Sam moves from San Francisco to Malibu and they become neighbors. THIS SERIES ENDS WITH A DEFINITE HEA ENDING.

Here Comes The Fake Bride


Summer Brooks - 2020
    My fake fiancé turned almost fake husband.Before this mess, he was just a guy that I casually hated. Zach is the typical rich dude who is so clueless about people’s feelings that I wonder how no one has slapped him across the face yet. That gorgeous face. But his stone-cold heart also made him the most eligible candidate for this drama. The plan was simple. Say my fake vows. Fulfill my dad’s dying wish.Meanwhile, Zach gets his inheritance and tosses me some cash.We’ve gone to great lengths to orchestrate this. So why am I secretly wishing that he’s in love with me when he says, “I do?” And more importantly, am I in love with him too?Enjoy Clara and Zach's adorable love story and HEA! All the books in this series can be read in any order!

Hard to Hate


L.M. Reid - 2020
    And now, months later, I’m near rock bottom and drinking my sorrows away at a club. Instead of worrying about finishing college, I’m ordering another shot when a sexy but arrogant man butts in and tries to save me from myself. I immediately hate him for interfering in my life, but as I try and get myself back on track, I find that he may just be too hard to hate.

More than Rivals


Mary Whitney - 2013
    Their chemistry is strong, and not wanting to scare him off, she avoids telling him she’s a local politician. She doesn't want the night to end—until she realizes he’s one of her opponents in the primary.Jack Bengston can’t place where he’s seen Lily’s pretty face. He's taken with her, and he's sure the feeling is mutual—until she leaves him hanging and without her number.When Jack and Lily meet again as candidates, California State Senator John Bengston and Sonoma County Supervisor Ursula Robles, they find an awkward romantic encounter is no way to kick-off a campaign, but how do you stop an attraction once it starts? There are times when politicians want to put their identities aside.

Conveniently Yours


Anise Storm - 2022
    What he needs is someone willing to agree to an arrangement of convenience, and spare him the emotional ties of settling down.Paisley FischerEvicted and broke, she didn’t think things could get worse. Then... they did. With her mother in a coma, and the insurance benefits running out, Paisley will soon be strapped with the financial responsibility of her care. She has no idea how she’s going to provide for both of them until a childhood friend comes to her with an unconventional offer.- Her mother’s care covered.- A Manhattan penthouse.- One million dollars.𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟯𝟲𝟱 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀.

A Hollywood Deal


Nadia Lee - 2016
    Nothing can shock her--not the countless "humped and dumped" women or the wreckage in the wake of his wild ways--until he asks her to marry him for a year. Billionaire actor Ryder needs to marry for a year to claim his beloved grandfather's painting. Who better to help out than his big and beautiful assistant Paige? The rules are simple: give everyone a good show while keeping it strictly professional. But what happens when he can't keep his hands off his sassy, luscious "wife"? Note:This book contains a cliffhanger.

Bad Boy Next Door: Downey Brothers Series


Mara Leigh - 2018
     Jade I can’t be pissed at my dad. His neglect made me strong. I might be young, but I can take care of myself, take care of my sister—take care of anything. But now Dad’s doing someone else’s time, and in exchange he gets protection, my sister gets college, and I get a low-rent apartment—a freaking miracle in San Francisco. All I have to do is keep the man who arranged dad's deal happy—some guy named Nick. What I didn’t expect was for Nick to be the biggest, sexiest man I’ve ever met. And I certainly didn’t expect I’d ever consider letting someone else take care of me for a change. Nick When the new girl moved in, I felt like the luckiest guy alive. She wants to keep things casual, but there’s nothing remotely casual about the intense fire between us. Or how her anger’s gonna burn when she finds out that I’m not the Nick she thinks I am. **Book 1 in the Downey Brothers series. Expect an extremely hot read and a happily ever after. NO CLIFFHANGER.**

Journey of Grace


T.K. Chapin - 2018
    He had written off love after losing his wife years ago. A chance meeting changes these two lives forever.JOURNEY OF GRACE is book one of the tightly woven Christian romance series entitled JOURNEY OF LOVE by T.K. Chapin. Follow the lives of three grown siblings as they face challenges of faith, love, and heartache. The JOURNEY OF LOVE series is a spin-off of the best-selling DIAMOND LAKE SERIES. When Grace Anderson left Newport, Washington, she thought it was for good. But now she's back and trying to start a new life after running away from her abusive husband. Even surrounded by the love of her family, she can't help but cling to the pieces of her past that hurt the most.Owen McBride never dreamed of finding love again after losing his wife. The dashing Newport High School history teacher had written off love and was solely focused on living a life devoted to God and teaching children. That is, until he met Grace Anderson.Will these two find love in each other's arms? Or will God's will be something completely different?From the best-selling Christian Romance author T.K. Chapin comes a love story that will keep you reading until the very last page. Heartfelt, inspirational, and clean, Journey of Grace will remind you how God can work in the lives of those who place their trust in Him.