Book picks similar to
The Girl I Was Before by Izzy Bayliss
chick-lit
romance
fiction
contemporary
Forever and Ever Boxed Set
E.L. Todd - 2017
The Skye Preston. The daughter of the wealthiest businessman in the world, and the most beautiful woman I've ever known. Her looks don't compare to her golden heart. And her heart doesn't compare to that big brain of hers. But I could never tell her. Because we've been best friends for twenty years. She has a jerk for a boyfriend, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. The rest of the gang can't stand him either. But I'm not the kind of guy to intervene. I respect her too much to pull a stunt like that. But then I spot her at a party, too drunk to even walk. The men are eyeing her like easy prey so I take her home. But when we get there Skye is different. She looks at me differently. She touches me differently. And she wants me differently.
Hope Eternal Ranch Romance: Three Sweet Contemporary Western Romances
Elana Johnson - 2021
You'll get HOPEFUL COWBOY, OVERPROTECTIVE COWBOY, and RUGGED COWBOY, all of which feature a cowboy looking for a second chance at life, love, and happiness. These redemptive romances will have you swooning, sighing, and remembering that everyone deserves a second chance to make things right.Hopeful Cowboy: He's struggling to step into his new role as a single dad. She's trying to keep her ranch operational and her heart intact. Can Nate and Ginger build forever out of heartache?Overprotective Cowboy: Can Ted and Emma face their pasts so they can truly be ready to step into the future together? Or will everything between them fall apart once the truth comes out?Rugged Cowboy: He's a cowboy mechanic with two kids and an ex-wife on the run. She connects better to horses than humans. Can Dallas and Jess find their way to each other at Hope Eternal Ranch?Almost 600 reviews on the individual books!From Hopeful Cowboy, Book 1:★★★★★ "Once again, Elana Johnson delivers a spellbinding story full of hope." ~BradTL3, Amazon reviewer★★★★★ "Fantastic book: Elana Johnson starts this series with a very heartwarming story about a participant in a residential reentry program. The plot has enough intrigue and twists to hold your interest and makes one wonder how the characters would work things out in the end. The growth shown in the main characters with trust issues was definitely worth reading." ~Sandy, Amazon reviewer★★★★★ "Simply a great read! I loved this book! I felt as though I was right there on the ranch with them." ~Lynne, Amazon reviewer
Love Regifted
Stephanie Haddad - 2012
That is until her mother drops a bombshell that turns Ava's very identity on its head. Feeling betrayed, Ava questions every relationship in her life, turning to an unlikely new acquaintance to find solace and-ahem-distraction. Although Ava never suspects that a random meeting with Jay Matthews could become something serious, he's interested in becoming much more than just a fling. He also knows a lot about regret and what it can do to a family. Jay wants to help Ava make peace with her past and move forward with her life without that same regret. Getting her to follow his advice, however, might take a little help from her friends.
7 Miles High
Leslie Pike - 2020
Trust issues from ex-husband? Check.Meeting my soulmate on a plane to Cancun? Not what I expected. This bachelorette weekend was all about letting loose and having fun, not finding the man of my dreams. Guess you can’t pick when you find your soulmate. Oops. I’m not ready for another commitment, but Parker drives me crazy. One wild weekend in the tropics later, and I’ve found Parker’s the man that stands out from all the boys I’ve had before.But can we really last once this trip is over? I have my doubts, but Parker wants to take our relationship sky-high...ParkerI’m not a guy that likes to get serious. Flings are more my thing, and I know exactly how to satisfy any lady that crawls into my bed. But Natalie offers something more, and with one look at her, I know this bachelor’s getaway just became a romantic quest to chase down the girl of my dreams. We’ve got a strong connection, but Natalie’s trust issues have forced us to remain distant. I could never break her heart like her ex did. And I’m about to prove it.In all the right ways. The party’s just gotten started, but what Natalie and I have… it’s forever.I just have to convince her of that. ***The first novel in the Easy Street series, 7 Miles High is a contemporary romance of finding your true love on a plane, then never letting them go. Adventurous, funny, and full of heart, this love story by author Leslie Pike will have readers flying into an emotional rollercoaster of passion and new beginnings.
Down on Love
Jayne Denker - 2013
And will share it with you. Even if you don’t ask.Georgiana Down isn’t interested in romance, thank you very much. Newly single after escaping a toxic, emotionally abusive ex, George is perfectly happy being alone, running her successful blog, Down on Love, where she gives gloves-off advice to the lovelorn. And baking the occasional pie as, you know, therapy. When her sister Sera wages a campaign to get her to return to their small hometown of Marsden, a place George had fled fifteen years earlier, it’s the last thing George wants to do. But the pull of family is strong...and no one ever truly escapes the eccentric, insular, odd little town in the heart of New York’s Catskill Mountains. Maybe she can cope if she avoids gossipy neighbors...and one particular Marsden resident who broke her heart years ago...Casey Bowen would know George Down’s unusual pink car anywhere...but he never expected to see it tearing through the streets of Marsden long after George left town and never looked back. Casey manages to escape with his toes intact, but his heart is another matter. As a teenager, Casey had been fascinated by the ethereal, mysterious George, but he never made a move on his friend’s younger sister...until one fateful night....After that, everything went sideways, and George and Casey went on to live very different lives.Now they’re both back in Marsden, both single...and the attraction is still there. George and Casey could have a second chance at happiness...as long as their meddling neighbors don’t screw everything up.
Snowflakes and Sparks
Sophie-Leigh Robbins - 2019
One hot neighbor. One second chance at love.The best fake snow decorations in L.A.? Done by me.About to get a promotion? Also me.Sent to a sleepy small town right before Christmas to save a bookstore? Unfortunately, me again.Old Pine Cove was the one place on earth I had sworn I’d never return to. Then my boss asked me to manage one of our bookstores there. I wanted to tell her no way, but that would definitely lower my chances of being promoted once I returned to L.A. So I sucked it up. Besides, it was only supposed to be temporary. What could possibly go wrong?Gosh, how naïve of me.Alex Denverton opening the door with that smoldering look of his, that’s what went wrong. It had been ten years since I crashed his truck and made a run for it. And now he was back in my life. How was I supposed to focus on work knowing he was right next door? And why did I ever agree to organize the annual Winter Walk with him?One thing was certain, though. If I wanted to have a magical Christmas, I couldn’t ask Santa to make it happen. It was up to me to decide: go big or go home.Snowflakes and Sparks is a standalone, small town romcom in the Old Pine Cove series.
The Snow Maid
Bee Brooks - 2019
But is the winter storm strong enough to break the barriers that keep them apart?
Amy landed the perfect housekeeping job: great money for changing a few towels at a brand-new luxury resort. All she has to do is get there before the big snowstorm hits Maine. If she leaves right now, she can probably totally make it.Real-estate billionaire Will Campbell has his latest hotel up and running but means to escape the snow and his haunting past asap. Meanwhile, his PA -what's her name again?- can take care of his social obligations. She won't answer her phone, but he's sure she's just gone to pick up the employees. About time, because he's hungry, and the pool towels need to be washed.When the storm strands Will and Amy in an otherwise empty hotel, they get to know each other better than they thought possible. Worried, their families race to save the billionaire and his maid from the snow—and each other. Soon, Will and Amy wonder: will their stations in life keep them apart?If you love snowy fields, starry eyes, and funny retorts, you won’t want to miss this sweet romance! Clean, wholesome, and witty, it will give you all the thrills of true loveThe Snow Maid is the first full novel in a sweet and clean contemporary romance series. All books in the Snowbound Series share locations, events, and characters, so don't be surprised if you see your favorites show up again in a new couple's story! The novels are best read in order, but each is a stand-alone romance with a happy ending that will leave you smiling.
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Nora Roberts Land
Ava Miles - 2013
All dreams of happily ever after—or Nora Roberts Land as her mother calls it—went up in smoke. But when her family asks her to temporarily help their Dare Valley, Colorado newspaper, she decides it’s time to change her life and prove her ex wrong. She’s determined to find her own small-town Nora Roberts hero, prove that true love exists, and publish a story about her quest.War correspondent Tanner McBride has just returned stateside to work for a major newspaper, and the last thing he expects is blackmail. Yet, before he can even unpack, he’s headed to Colorado. His assignment? Make his boss’s ex-wife fall for him and then break her heart. Her article about discovering love à la Nora might air dirty laundry about her marriage to the media mogul, threatening his senate run. The mogul wants Meredith stopped, and he makes sure Tanner has no choice in the matter.When the two meet, the sparks between them are undeniable. Meredith, who vowed never to date another journalist, begins to succumb. Could Tanner be her Nora Roberts hero? As they work together to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death, the depth of their feelings unfolds and both realize they’ve kept their secrets for far too long. But before the truth can be revealed, their investigation takes a deadly turn, one that might make Meredith’s personal Nora Roberts Land go up in flames.
Carved In Stone
Donna McDonald - 2011
He admires Jessica for her courageous art and for how she has dealt with her life. As far as Will can tell, the only part of Jessica damaged by her past is her heart. Jessica assures Will she is incapable of lasting love, but Will refuses to believe it's true. Yes, it is a problem that the baggage from Jessica's past makes her see dating as merely recreational and men as interchangeable, but when she offers him temporary sexual fidelity, Will decides to take what he can get until he can find a way to convince Jessica she is still capable of love.Jessica Daniels is mostly happy with her life. Her daughter is graduating college. She is a few years away from retirement. Life is good even though lately she has stopped being interested in both her art and men. Since Jessica has never been the kind of woman looking for that one special man to settle down with, she normally dates and enjoys all the men she wants. What's the harm with doing so suits her? Will is certainly good-looking and charming, but she's not sure he's worth the trouble of an exclusive relationship. She likes riding his motorcycle, seriously admires his art, and thinks he's mostly a great guy. But after thirty years of being single, Jessica knows that most relationships just don't work out for a woman with a past like hers. When Will keeps insisting on sleeping with her, she finally gives in, but Jessica knows in her heart it will never last.
Stone Cold
Cheryl Douglas - 2013
He’s everything a girl from the wrong side of the tracks would be foolish to hope for, but Drake helps her realize she can have a life worth fighting for… until she makes a mistake that could cost her everything.Anyone stupid enough to betray Drake is destined to pay the price, especially when the culprit is wearing his engagement ring. He thought he could trust Cassidy, but when she proves him wrong he vows to make her pay.Revenge is sweet, but redemption is sweeter.
Home Sweet Home
Lilly Mirren - 2020
Grief and loss force her to re-evaluate her life. The only thing she can think to do is to return to her hometown where she has to deal with all of the things she left behind; a hometown she hasn't visited since high school graduation.When the police officer who lives next door comes knocking with questions about a tragedy from the past, Trina finds herself exploring the trauma of her childhood and facing the pain and stigma she's run from for so long.As she faces a new season of life, Trina must learn how to navigate complex family relationships, new friendships and a return to the career she left behind to raise a family years earlier. In the process, she'll finally confront the ghosts of her past and upend a mystery that's haunted her adult life.
Next Stop, Chancey
Kay Dew Shostak - 2015
After all, it ended up with Carolina Jessup opening a Bed & Breakfast for railroad fanatics in a tiny Georgia Mountain town. Carolina knows all about, and hates, small towns. How did she end up leaving her wonderful Atlanta suburbs behind while making her husband’s dreams come true? The town bully (who wears a lavender skirt and white gloves), an endless parade of teenagers through her house, and everybody's talk about a ghost have Carolina looking for an escape, or at least a way to move back home. Instead, she''s front and center for all of Chancey's small town gossip. Unlike back home in the suburbs with privacy fences and automatic garage doors, everybody in Chancey thinks your business is their business and they all love the newest Chancey business. The B&B hosts a Senate candidate, a tea for the County Fair Beauty contestants, and railroad nuts who sit out by the tracks and record the sound of a train going by. Yet, nobody believes Carolina prefers the ‘burbs. Oh, yeah, and if you just ignore a ghost, will it go away?
On the Edge
Dani Collins - 2018
Viking-like Rolf Johansson exudes the same alpha-intimidation that jocks used to torment her through high school. After nursing her mother the last several years, she’s trying to break out of her shell and secretly pursue a writing career, but Rolf insists she go through with the rotten deal her father struck with his brother to renovate an old chalet. Rolf envisions this mountain as a world-class resort for elite athletes and other jet setters. As a downhill champion and owner of a world-renowned sports equipment empire, he knows what it takes to get what he wants. Nothing will stop him, especially not a hotheaded wallflower who turns the ice in his veins to lava. Bonus Story! This book contains Glory’s novella Blessed Winter, a no-room-at-the-inn Christmas romance.
Shore Lights
Barbara Bretton - 2003
Maddy Bainbridge left her Jersey Shore home town right after high school, determined to put as many miles as possible between herself and her many meddling relatives.Now she's back in Paradise Point -- an unemployed single mother whose only option is to accept her mother Rose's offer of a job and a place to live.But it doesn't take Maddy long to discover that the things about your mother that made you crazy at 17 make you even crazier at 32. Rose's critical comments bring out Maddy's inner teenager and by the beginning of December, the end is in sight. Maddy would stay there at the Candlelight Inn, her mother's popular B&B, through Christmas for her daughter Hannah's sake, but once the New Year rolled around… And then fate, in the form of an online auction battle over a Russian samovar that looks like Aladdin's lamp, brings home-town hero Aidan O'Malley into her life and suddenly Maddy begins to believe anything is possible.A child's dreams, an old woman's memories, the joys and heartaches that come with being part of a family, the thrill of new love and the deep comfort of love that stood the test of time -- it all comes together that one special holiday season when even the most battered hearts open just wide enough to let a miracle or two slip through.USA Today bestselling author Barbara Bretton has been hailed as a "monumental talent" (Affaire de Coeur) and now she delves deeply into the mysteries of family and shows us that even the most independent woman is still a daughter at heart.Home: it's where your story starts.(Previously published by Berkley Books)
Five Minutes Late
Rich Amooi - 2014
Cedric Johnson is that man. But even though he’s got just about everything he can wish for, Cedric is still missing one thing in his life: someone special. Fate may be on his side, but he encounters a few distractions along the way—like almost being killed by a UPS truck. Oh, and a little case of blackmail.Ellie Fontaine is a walking Wikipedia with clear professional goals, but when it comes to landing Mr. Right, she doesn’t know jack squat. She even gives online dating a shot and ends up with an unappetizing buffet of unibrows and losers. What’s a girl to do?After Ellie saves Cedric’s life, serendipity takes over as they continue to run into each other. Their connection grows stronger with each meeting, even though he embodies her number one pet peeve: he’s always late. But even if they can get past their issues and misunderstandings, Ellie’s ex-boyfriend, an unscrupulous cop, will do anything to keep them apart.
Five Minutes Late
is a hilarious fast-paced romantic comedy, full of snappy dialogue and fun, quirky characters, guaranteed to warm your heart.