Book picks similar to
What We Leave Behind by Matthew Alan


christian
adoption
considering
contemporary

When You Got a Good Thing


Kait Nolan - 2017
    It  has everything I love in a small-town romance!  ~USA Today Best-Selling Author Tawna FenskeA moment. A mistake. That's all it took for Kennedy Reynolds to lose her first love and her family. She's spent a decade traveling the world, building a life, hiding the truth, never looking back at the past--until her adopted mother's unexpected death pulls her back to the small town--and the secret--she left behind.A chance to apologize. That's all Xander Kincaid wants from the woman who ran away with his heart all those years ago. At least that's what he tells himself until he sees her again and that old flame flares bright. As she struggles to mend fences with her sisters and find a way to save the legacy and the foster child her mother left behind, Kennedy finds an expected ally in Xander. Falling back into his arms is beyond tempting,  but accepting his support is dangerous. He can never know the truth about why she really left. Will Kennedy be able to bury the past or will secrets revealed destroy her second chance?

Surrender Bay


Denise Hunter - 2007
    As a single mom, Sam can't afford to pass up on a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down. As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Sam must face the fact that Landon still doesn't know why she left the island. Will the secrets she's hidden all these years tear them apart . . . or is Landon's love really as unconditional as he claims?Denise Hunter weaves a heart-tugging tale of shattered trust and enduring love . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.

A Fine Mess


Kristy K. James - 2011
    Surprisingly, Ian McCann proves to be more help than she ever imagined, but complicates her life even more so than it already is. What will happen when the two forge a marriage of convenience? One that defies every Christian belief that Annie holds dear?

Here in Hart's Crossing: Four Charming Small Town Novellas


Robin Lee Hatcher - 2018
     A daughter returns home from the big city to care for her injured mother. Childhood sweethearts reconnect after decades apart. A single mom finds herself the target of her starry-eyed daughter’s matchmaking scheme. And a young couple struggles to find their own American dream in this wonderful collection of four novellas from bestselling author Robin Lee Hatcher. Celebrating family, faith, and forgiveness, Here in Hart’s Crossing will warm your heart and soothe your spirit.Includes: Legacy Lane * Veterans Way * Diamond Place * Sweet Dreams Drive

Rustling the Cowboy's Heart (Ritchie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance Series #1)


Ellie Hall - 2020
    However, when her high school crush crosses her radar, she finds herself distracted.When Parker Ritchie loses his father, he’s devastated, but he’s also confused about the stipulation in the will that he get married. His bigger concern is losing the ranch. That is until the girl who got away pops back into his life.When a double date goes wrong, Amelia is in a position to help Parker save legendary Ritchie Ranch, but only if they tie the knot. Questions about who is behind the rash of vandalism on the property and a tragedy in the past threaten to keep them apart.Will Amelia and Parker’s marriage of convenience be exposed or turn into a happily ever after?This is book 1 in the Richie Ranch Clean Cowboy Romance series. Because of a mystery subplot, the first three books are best read in order for a deeper, richer experience. It is a sweet, small-town, cowboy “clean and wholesome” romance that’s Christian faith-friendly without swearing or mature content and contains a happily ever after.

Rain on Your Wedding Day


Curtis Edmonds - 2013
    Over Christmas, Will receives a visit from his only remaining child, his daughter Alicia, who broke off contact with him five years ago. Alicia informs Will that she’s getting married in the spring, and asks him to attend the wedding. Alicia’s wedding is an opportunity for Will to reconnect with his family and regain part of what he has lost. But Will struggles with his still-raw emotions over his role in his daughter Trixie’s suicide. Will tries to reach out to the few women in his life to find a date, and makes an unexpected connection with Dorothy Crawford, a writer who shows up at his door, seeking directions. Will develops feelings for Dorothy, but finds that she has secrets of her own. As the wedding nears, Will must find a way to put the pain and guilt he feels Trixie’s death behind him, weigh the pain he feels at Dorothy’s betrayal with his own need for forgiveness, and pull himself together for his daughter’s sake. RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY is a poignant, wrenching story about a father’s love, a daughter’s compassion, and the universal need for forgiveness and redemption.

Moving On


Joanna Ross - 2013
    All very different from one another. But with one tragic bond between them - they are all widows. Sarah is the organiser of the group. After losing her husband Jonny she’s finally getting used to life on her own. Can she find happiness again with Tony? Kate is struggling to raise two children on her own and misses the physical intimacy of her marriage to Charlie. Will she find love through online dating? Or will she learn she doesn’t need a man to make her happy? Ailsa is determined to get her life going again after losing Tom and signs up for philosophy school and yoga classes. Will she find peace? And maybe even love at her lessons? Victoria is alone and childless, and needs the support of her fellow widows more than any of them. Will Victoria decide to stay in Cape Town and make a go of things? Or will she return to her family in England? 'Moving On' follows the highs and lows of a group of widows as they struggle to re-build their lives. It is a story of friendship, love, loss and hope. A story of new beginnings and second chances. 'An emotional roller-coaster of a read.' - Holly Kinsella, best-selling author of 'Uptown Girl'. Joanna Ross is a journalist, traveller, writer, actress, mother and widow, currently living in Cape Town. 'Moving On' is her first novel. Endeaavour Press is the UK's leading independent publisher of digital books.

Fully Involved


Dora Hiers - 2017
     He fights fires. She saves kids. Can they stop battling each other long enough to realize they want the same thing? Love, family...forever. Social Worker Cammie Parkson regrets not yanking little Jayden from his home after logging concerns about the mother’s boyfriend. If her supervisor hadn’t vetoed her petition, Cammie wouldn’t be pacing the halls of Cherrydale Children’s Hospital alongside the too-hot fire captain who brought Jayden in, waiting for doctors to confirm the suspected abuse. Securing a safe environment for the boy is imperative, so why does Keegan insist on giving her grief? And why does his opinion matter so much… Fire Captain Keegan Madison has witnessed his share of atrocities, but nothing ignites his ire more than child abuse. Even so, Keegan’s not sure the beautiful social worker’s plan to remove the kid from his home is best for the little dude. But Cammie’s ferocious, protective love for the kids at Cherrydale stirs something deep inside him. When she’s offered the opportunity to launch her program in another state, Keegan must convince the obstinate woman that staying is worth the wait, that love is worth the risk. What readers are saying about Fully Involved... "A Five-Alarm Romance! The chemistry between Cammie and Keegan sizzles, but the obstacles they face make the reader wonder if they’ll ever have their happily ever after. This sweet romance will capture your heart from the start." ~Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars "The love story is fantastic." ~Amazon reviewer, 5 stars "Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I hope to read more books by this author." ~Amazon reviewer, 5 stars Fully Involved, another Heart Racing, God-Gracing Romance by Dora Hiers. An utterly charming Christian romance, the first book in the Merriville Firefighter Heroes series, but each book can be read as a stand-alone.

Better Than Perfect


Tricia Drammeh - 2014
    She spends her free time hanging out with her elderly next door neighbor, daydreaming but never doing anything to escape the endless cycle of predictability. When Karlie’s world is invaded by two surly twins bound for criminal court, a too-good-to-be-true love interest, and a cute cop who keeps showing up at the most inopportune moments, Karlie can either fight against the changes in her life, or embrace them.

Running Barefoot


Amy Harmon - 2012
    Josie teaches Samuel about words, music and friendship, and along the way finds a kindred spirit. Upon graduation, Samuel abandons the sleepy, small town in search of a future and a life, leaving his young friend behind. Many years go by and Samuel returns, finding Josie in need of the very things she offered him years before. Their roles reversed, Samuel teaches Josie about life, love, and letting go. Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings.

The Empty Nesters


Carolyn Brown - 2019
    But none of the women are prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and tears. She’s been there.With nothing to lose and no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken heart. So can the empty nesters.Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.

And Then I Found You


Patti Callahan Henry - 2013
    Now it's time to do it again.Kate has a secret, something tucked away in her past. And she's getting on with her life. Her business is thriving. She has a strong relationship with her family, and a devoted boyfriend whom she wants to love with all her heart. If Kate had ever made a list, Rowan would fill the imagined boxes of a perfect mate. But she wants more than the perfect on paper relationship; she wants a real and imperfect love. That's why, when Kate discovers the small velvet box hidden in Rowan's drawer, she panics.It always happens this way. Just when Kate thinks she can love, just when she believes she can conquer the fear, she's filled with dread. And she wants more than anything to make this feeling go away. But how?When the mistakes have been made and the running is over, it's time to face the truth. Kate knows this. She understands that a woman can never undo what can never be undone. Yet, for the first time in her life she also knows that she won't fully love until she confronts those from her past. It's time to act.Can she do it? Can she travel to the place where it all began, to the one who shares her secret? Can the lost ever become found?And Then I Found You gives new life to the phrase "inspired by a true story." By travelling back to a painful time in her own family's history, author Patti Callahan Henry explores the limits of courage, and the price of a selfless act.

Lighting Candles in the Snow


Karen Jones Gowen - 2012
    But what does Suzie, married to the ideal husband, know about the shattering effect of living with someone tormented by addictions? When Karoline meets a handsome new man, things just might be looking up. Until the day she learns about a tragic event in ex-husband Jeremy's childhood. Faced with the horrifying experience that shaped the man she used to love, Karoline reconsiders what she thought was real. In the process, she comes to know the true meaning of love and forgiveness.

Secret Shopper


Tanya Taimanglo - 2013
    Forced to find a job, she retreats into the world of SECRET SHOPPING and thrives. As Phoenix discovers her true self without Bradley, she becomes an unwilling goddess with the help of her best friend Rachel. She snags the attention of Thomas-the creative, handsome and persistent target she has been assigned to evaluate. Can she hold off Thomas’s charm until her divorce becomes final? What will she decide when her father falls ill unexpectedly and pulls her back to Guam?

The Isaac Project


Sarah Monzon - 2015
    Not only does she catch her boyfriend, the man she hoped to marry, lip-locked with another woman, she also receives the gut-wrenching news that her grandfather, the man who raised her, is dying. His last wish? To see her happily married. Heartbroken, Becky seeks inspiration in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. And finds it in the story of Isaac and Rebekah. If love couldn't keep his parents together, Luke Masterson wonders what will make a marriage last. He decides to steer clear of all women—especially crazy ones like Becky Sawyer, who employs a friend to find her a husband. But when he feels the dogged promptings of the Holy Spirit to move across the country and marry a complete stranger, it seems love has little to do with it anyway. With commitment their only foundation, and love constantly thwarted, can an arranged marriage find happiness in the twenty-first century?