Book picks similar to
Prince No More by Samantha Evans
fiction-short-reads
freebie
literary-fiction
magical-realism
The Lasso Springs Series
Kathleen Ball - 2017
Five star- Top Pick Series of The Romance Review. Callie's Heart Callie Daniels' mother has one dying wish. She wants neighboring rancher, Garrett O'Neill, to marry her seventeen year old daughter. It's not supposed to be a conventional marriage.Garrett O'Neill would keep Callie's ranch safe and Callie would go away to college. Four years later, Callie comes home with stars in her eyes and happily ever after in her heart. She plans to make their marriage real until finds the new housekeeper, Sylvie in Garrett's arms. Heartbroken, Callie takes off to her own house, which they closed up four years ago. She stays there with Old Henry, a longtime friend and ranch hand, until her new horse injures her. Garrett forces Callie to move back in to his house. Callie finally gets her heart's desire. Alone in a line shack, they make sweet love for the first time. Unfortunately the love light is gone from Garret's eyes the next morning. Lone Star Joy Finalist in the 2012 RONE Awards FOUR STARS from InD'tale Magazine February 2013 edition Top Pick Five Stars- The Romance Reviews Sexy, Cowboy, Stamos Walker runs a work release program for nonviolent male prisoners. When Joy Courtland shows up on his doorstep, he assumes she's the nanny. He hands her his son and rushes out to work. Joy, a convicted felon, bonds with little Dillon immediately. Stamos isn't happy when he returns and finds out Joy is not the nanny. While trying to get Joy back to prison through the proper channels, Stamos realizes Joy is not a killer. He doesn't want her to go back to prison. Stamos is willing to try everything he can to keep Joy safe even if it means marriage. Stetson's Storm Five years ago, hunky rodeo star Stetson Scott left town, never looking back, convinced he had no reason to stay. He unknowingly left behind more than just a love, so much more. Storm McCrory's heart was ripped out that same day. Now Stetson is back in town. He's shocked to find not just Storm McCrory living in poverty, but his son. The son he never knew. Both shunned by most of the town. Will Storm allow Stetson to help her and be a father to his son, or will her stubborn pride get in the way of their true love?
From Prejudice to Love
Aria Norton - 2019
Being a tenacious girl, she chose to take education into her own hands after losing her father. So, from a very young age, she has been working her way up in educating younger children. But little does she know that her life is about to change drastically when she gets interviewed by a handsome Earl for the position of the new governess for his orphaned nephews. Will she deny the tender feelings she will start having for her charming employer, fearing they could complicate her work? Or will she let her heart decide what is the right choice?Richard Langley is the Earl of Hawkscombe and lives a peaceful life until he receives word that his twin sister and her husband have perished in a tragic accident. When he surprisingly learns that their two boys made it alive, he considers it his duty to take them as his own. However, he could never expect that choosing to hire the Irish governess he initially looked down upon would make him question his own values like no one has ever before. Will he let his prejudice aside, look deep into the lady's beautiful soul and accept her unconventional methods? Or will he decide that his perfect match should fit into society's standards and rules?Just when Molly and Richard start getting closer to each other, Molly's sophisticated former employer is about to arrive at the estate, and things will get truly complicated. Who will eventually succeed in capturing the Earl's heart?
Mesmerized By A Horse Whisperer
Carol Colyer - 2019
They adopted and raised her, while the townsfolk gradually accepted her and overcame their prejudices. Her life is about to turn upside down when Reilly shows up as a guest to her house. She knows that a love affair with a rich white businessman is never going to succeed. When her fears turn into reality and Reilly leaves her heartbroken, her past will resurface and make her choose between two lives. Now that she has found out the truth about her origin, will she have to choose between her old and new family?Reilly Shaw is sent to a small cowboy town to prove himself worthy of his father’s business. He thought Indians were savages but when he met that educated, well-spoken and beautiful girl, he instantly fell in love. He fought those feelings as hard as he could, but when his strict father found out, he forbid Reilly to have any contact whatsoever with Cate. Will this be the end of everything? Will Reilly choose to sacrifice his comfortable life to be with the love of his life?They both feel confused and torn between two lives. Will true love triumph over his cruel father and her complicated background? Is there a way for Cate and Reilly to overcome those obstacles and live happily together?
The Silence of Trees
Valya Dudycz Lupescu - 2010
In Chicago's Ukrainian Village, Nadya Lysenko has built her life on a foundation of secrets.When Nadya was sixteen, she snuck out of her house in Western Ukraine to meet a fortuneteller in the woods. Ignoring the threat of Nazis and Russians, Nadya was driven by love and a desire to learn the unknown. She never expected it to be the last time she would see her family.Years later, Nadya continues to be haunted by the death of her parents and sisters. She clings to her traditions and stories from Ukraine, the only parts of her past that she can share with her family. The myths and magic of Nadya's childhood are still a part of her reality: house spirits misplace keys and glasses, dreams unite friends across time and space, and a fortuneteller's cards predict the future.Her beloved dead also insist on being heard, through dreams and whispers in the night. They want the truth to come out. Nadya needs to face her past and confront the secrets she buried within-THE SILENCE OF TREES.
The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea
Christopher Meeks - 2005
In one narrative, a man wakes up one morning to find the odor of dead fish won't go away, but no one else can smell it. In another, a couple's visit with friends to watch the Academy Awards has the protagonist envying his friends' lawn and lifestyle. In these and eleven other stories, Christopher Meeks balances tragedy and wit. As novelist David Scott Milton explains, "In this collection, Christopher Meeks examines the small heartbreaks of quiet despair that are so much a part of all our lives. He does it in language that is resonant, poetic, and precise.... If you like Raymond Carver, you'll love Meeks. He may be as good--or better."
The Tick-tock Between You and Me (Canterbury Romance #1)
Kristy Tate - 2018
Darby Elliott thinks she’s in love with her long-distance boyfriend until he arrives on her doorstep. Now, she’s not so sure about him or how to get her car and money back. Which is embarrassing, because she’s a hot-shot accountant and money isn’t supposed to slip through her fingers... or into her boyfriend’s wallet. Chad George and his girlfriend, Jessica have been together since they were kids. The trouble is, Jessica thinks Chad should convert his grandfather’s dying horse ranch into a cosmetic surgery recovery spa, and Chad thinks his grandfather should maintain the ranch as he wishes. When Chad’s grandfather hires Darby, she discovers the ranch is full of untapped potential and hidden treasures including a clock that only seems to tick when she and Chad are together. Does the clock have a hidden message? Can Darby and Chad save the ranch before time runs out? USA Today bestselling author Kristy Tate returns with another clean and wholesome romance that will be sure to warm the hearts of Hallmark movie fans. If you like sweet romances with a touch of magical realism, be sure and pick up your copy of The Tick-tock Between You and Me today. You'll never look at your clock the same way again.
A Death in Kitchawank, and Other Stories
T. Coraghessan Boyle - 2013
C. Boyle is one of the most renowned storytellers of the modern era. This collection of fourteen stories drifts effortlessly between myth and reality, encompassing a panorama of human emotions. In “The Marlbane Manchester Musser Award,” Boyle reveals a writer’s dismay when a simple trip is turned upside down by a stranger. “Los Gigantes” tells the story of a group of giants being used to create a new breed of soldier for the military. In “The Way You Look Tonight” Boyle examines the way our perceptions of our loved ones can change on a dime with just a simple revelation. And in “Sic Transit” he shows how quickly we can become consumed with curiosity.Boyle travels the world in these and the rest of the stories, from California to Russia, Latin America to upstate New York, but his adept touch at depicting the lives of his characters never wavers.
Parsifal
Jim Krusoe - 2012
On his journey, Parsifal—a wise fool if there ever was one—encounters several librarians, a therapist, numerous blind people, and Misty, a beautiful woman who may well be under the influence of recreational drugs.Head-spinning and hilarious, Parsifal is a book like no other about the entanglement of the past and present, as well as the limitations of the future.
Terminal Memory: A Sam Raven Thriller
Brian Drake - 2021
. .Three years after a daring escape from a jihadists' camp, ex-CIA officer Mara Cole is a target once more. She's alone, on the run, and in need of a friend.Sam Raven is tracking Mara's hunters for a different reason – he's on a mission of vengeance. A man with dark secrets, bound to Mara by shared history, they join forces to fight back. Together, they play a deadly game of chess through the back alleys of London, to the bright lights of Marseille, and the desert hell of Afghanistan opium fields, risking everything as they move closer to the truth.With each feign and attack, they find the answers they seek lie deep in Mara’s memories of captivity, torture, and betrayal – secrets to a conspiracy at the heart of the US Intelligence community, and men who will do anything to protect their power.From the author of the Scott Stiletto series comes an exciting new hero! Sam Raven is grittier, deadlier, and you better not stand in his way.
Spotlight Investigations: The Complete Series
Harper Maguire - 2019
But there he is, sexy as ever, sitting at her table. He’s even got a pretty impressive job; security guard to the stars. Wishing her writing career that she always dreamed of had ever taken off, Rachel concocts a plan. What if she can use some of Jayden’s insider information to write a bestselling book? She’ll only have to use him a little bit to get what she needs, what harm can there be? Except she never expected to begin to fall for him again…when she does can she still go through with her plan? Part 2 Max is the carefree younger brother of broken hearted Reid. He tries to keep his sarcasm in check and his jokes on point. Very little could ever get in the way of his jovial mood. Except the assignment Salvatore just gave him. Max’s new long term job is to work security for a pop-up fashion boutique series, which doesn’t sound all that bad if the pop-ups weren’t being opened by the one person he can’t stand - Reid’s ex-girlfriend Hannah. As he expects the two can’t seem to get along, there’s fireworks as usual when they’re around each other as they fight. But soon those fireworks turn from fighting into passion and something that could ruin his relationship with his brother forever. Part 3 Heartbroken after his breakup with Hannah, and confused by his brother’s new relationship with her, Reid has decided that romance isn’t in the cards. Not unless it's truly real. But does that even exist? He’s challenged by his new job from Spotlight, guarding the infamous and gorgeous Jennifer White from her wreck of an ex-boyfriend, also infamous Ian. How can Reid keep her protected from her ex when she is required to keep up appearances with Ian for publicity of their new movie? And what is he supposed to do when he believes that what he feels for her is real, but she’s too tied up with another man? Part 4 As the only female guard at Spotlight, Ireland has her work cut out for her among the boys, but this girl can hold her own. Her newest job is to help protect child star Kelly while she’s at school as there seems to be a stalker on the loose. Until she’s safe, Ireland will be reporting to elementary school every day to watch this spunky little girl. It seems like an easy task, though reliving the memories of her childhood feels haunting, Ireland tries to stay focused. But it’s hard to stay focused when Kelly’s newly single father is just so irresistible. Part 5 Salvatore has never recovered from the pain of his little sister’s unsolved murder when he was only a kid, and that’s why he began Spotlight to begin with. As new information comes to light for the police, her cold case is reopened, and with it all of Salvatore’s wounds. One misstep has landed him in court ordered counseling where he can’t stop fighting with his perky, perfect blonde counselor Ginny. Salvatore has a past he has to deal with and a future he needs to begin to make. If only he could stop fighting with, or kissing, his counselor, maybe he could find a way to work through his pain and see there’s more to the world.
Sex with a Shooting Star
J.A. Kazimer - 2011
Benjamin Coleman is in love. Jodie Dean has a secret. Will either survive sex with a shooting star?
Sweet Licks
Leo Sullivan - 2013
So poor that their refrigerators were as empty as their dreams. That was until the day Dirty Boy’s best friend suggests a robbery that would end up making them the richest crew in their hood. But, as we all know, sweet licks sometimes come with consequences. When other crews get involved, things go terribly wrong for Dirty Boy. Will he find the snake in his crew before it’s too late? Or will he become a victim of the cold Chicago streets? Only time will tell…
Secret Days in Pretty Beach
Polly Babbington - 2021
But just as she is starting to wonder if she is in a fairytale, complete with its very own castle, real life throws in a spanner and she finds herself wondering how things always seem to get a little bit complicated just to keep her on her toes.
Shifter Squad
Clara Kendrick - 2018
Lots of suspense, mystery, and romance. No cliffhangers! Bonus book included. Book 1: Alex – The Panther Alex is assigned to work with the gang’s point of contact, a beautiful, clever woman named Tony, who immediately manages to get the dark Alex to open up to her and to himself in a way that nobody ever has before. As Alex and Tony fall for each other, they do their best to take down Sanchez’s operation in the city using Alex’s dark connects, but he doesn’t know that Tony has a dangerous secret, one that could destroy them both before the end of the mission. Book 2: Nick – The Bear Nick is a bear shifter on the verge of death the day he is wheeled into Dr. Lilith Cole’s office, his body ravaged by a brutal fight with a roomful of Sanchez’s shifters. Lilith finds that she feels a connection to him before he even wakes up, and though she tries to deny it, she can’t resist how she feels about him the moment he opens his eyes. Awake and alert, Nick is determined to prove to himself and to his commander that he is capable of working the dangerous missions. Lilith finds herself irresistibly drawn to the big shifter, drawn into a conflict so deep that she might just be risking her life as well as her heart. Book 3: Noah – The Powerful Noah is a multi-shifter with the ability to change into any animal, but his remarkable, rare ability doesn’t help him when faced with one of Sanchez’s people, a beautiful witch named Fiona. Noah is surprised when Fiona saves him from the fire that he sets to free Lilith Cole from her imprisonment, especially considering the fact that shifters and witches have a blood feud that goes back for centuries. Fiona and Noah hate each other, but they can’t deny their attraction for one another, fierce and powerful in the face of their disdain for one another. Book 4: Gabriel – The Witch Gabriel is too powerful. A rare combination of a shifter and witch, he is unable to control either side of his powers. Knowing his potential and how powerful he can be, Liam sends him on a mission to search the addresses that they found to places possibly belonging to Sylvester Sanchez, along with a psychic who has the ability to read the history of places she enters. Sophie is the opposite of Gabriel in every way—excited and charming, nothing like the dark, brooding witch. Chapter 5: Liam – The Leader After they finally locate Sylvester Sanchez’s main headquarters in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, Elise insists on going on the mission with them, not convinced that Liam’s personal vendetta against Sanchez won’t get in the way of completing the mission successfully. The closer they get to the compound, the more it becomes obvious that Elise has been hiding something dark and dangerous, something that has the ability to either save the entire squad or watch them burn in front of her.
Dilemma in the Desert (Dane Shaw Adventures)
Dwayne Straw - 2013
Captain Drew Matthews is sent on a mission behind enemy lines to secure vital information. He is ambushed but is able to escape. Joining a group of American soldiers, led by Corporal Dane Shaw, refugees from the recent battle, they make their way across the desert to the city of Sfax, where Drew is to meet with the mysterious ‘Monsieur Gascoigne’. They stumble across a small group of Arabs and Germans guarding a halftrack filled with treasure looted from murdered Jews and rescue their prisoner, the beautiful Frenchwoman Angelique DuBois. While driving to Sfax, Dane shares his Christian faith with his companions while trying to avoid a group of Arab raiders. Dane relies on God to direct his life while proving himself a wise and outstanding commander with ferocious fighting skills. While Dane and his men fight off the Arab bandits, Drew and Angelique enter Sfax for their meeting only to be met with a number of very unwelcome surprises. Escaping by a series of fortunate circumstances, which leads them to believe that there may be something to Dane’s God, they return to camp only to run into more trouble. Zabronski, one of the American soldiers, filled with lust for the treasure and for Angelique, subverts the other soldiers, kidnaps Drew and Angelique and wounds Dane. Forcing Drew to reveal where the treasure is hidden, they are met by the Germans and Arab bandits who have joined forces and tracked them down. Drew and Angelique are rescued by Dane, and in a wild night ride across the desert, pursued by vengeful Germans and Arabs, they attempt to reach the American lines before dawn. Will they make it, and will Angelique solve the dilemma of which man she loves and which god she will serve?