Book picks similar to
If We Were Young by Anna Bloom


romance
second-chance
contemporary
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Until Now


Cristin Cooper - 2015
    When she found herself pregnant and alone, a flashing neon sign changed her fate. Bridget discovered the love and belonging she craved in strangers at a fifties‑style diner.Twenty-four-year-old Billy Hall struggled with his own grief. He was wandering Europe in search of his purpose in life when he received a call that would leave him saddled with his family’s diner. It was a noose around his neck until a pregnant teenager stumbled in hungry and scared. Inexplicably drawn to the girl, he had no idea the purpose he traveled the world to find was simply waiting for him to come home. Now: After spending years repressing their feelings for each other, Bridget and Billy's life is about to change again. The baby who brought them together is leaving for college today. Is she taking their last reason to stay in each other’s lives or giving them a reason to finally admit their love?Until Now is the first book in the Until contemporary romance series. If you love friends to lover’s romance stories, then join Bridget and Billy as they grow up and grow together in this touching love story.Until Series:Until Now (Bridget and Billy)Until Here novella (Melanie and Preston)Until Us (Katie and Tyler)Until You novella (Alexis and Jason)

Beautifully Broken (Beautiful, #1)


Tara Lee - 2020
    For years, I tried I really did. When I finally broke free of my demons, she planted me firmly in the friend-zone.I'll fight to win her back no matter the cost. With the chemistry we have, I'm not holding back. I'll even play dirty if I have to. My past proves to be more difficult to keep away than I thought. I need to fight the addiction, need to stay focused, because Luna is what matters most.My purpose on this Earth is loving Luna unconditionally and wholeheartedly.My past wasn't full of sunshine and rainbows. It was a living hell. Runaway mother, abusive father, dead brother—yeah my life’s a damn dream. It made me dark and angry. Made me into someone I hated, but Luna made everything better. She made me want to be better. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't change who we are. My past isn't everything I thought it was. I uncover something which changes everything. Can I make Luna fall in love with me all over again, or is it too late? I may be broken, but together we are beautifully broken.Luna:Ethan Knight, the boy I fell in love with at twelve, is back. His addiction was what tore us apart. He promised he'd change, but he never did. Until now.He somehow got hotter, and even his charms are more dangerous. Putting him in the friend-zone was the right thing to do. I know it won’t last, but a girl needs to try, right?Ethan's life is a mess. Can he really be a different person, be the guy I fell head over heels in love with? Us together was never a good idea, but the spark between us hasn't burned out yet. In fact, it feels stronger, and my heart can only take so much! Daddy always warned me to stay away from Ethan, and it may have been for good reason. Ethan's past is more corrupt than even he thought. Can we really overcome everything? Or will we come crashing down into the beautifully broken mess that awaits us?

Falling For You...Again


Kathy Coatney - 2014
     Clare and Ethan Burke carved out a life in Paradise Falls, Idaho. While Clare built a career as an outdoor photographer, Ethan taught eighth-grade science. They raised three children and had a happily-ever-after life until tragedy struck and their daughter was killed in a boating accident. Two years later Clare and Ethan still love each other, but their grief has pushed them to the brink of divorce. Their problems become insignificant when Clare leaves for a photo shoot into the mountains and doesn’t return. With a blizzard looming, Ethan must move heaven and earth to find her. Will they get a second chance or lose each other forever?

Falling For Her Best Friend: A Sweet & Clean Small Town Romance (Love in Holiday Junction Book 1)


Tami Franklin - 2019
    When she runs into an old flame, Liam, and sparks reignite, Vi is convinced the man of her dreams is the one she left behind—and now she has a chance to win him back.Kade Rivera has carried a torch for Violet since high school, but putting the “boy” in front of “friend” was never an option. Best friends since childhood, they lost touch over the years, but Kade’s never forgotten the girl who stole his heart. And when he sees her again, her bright eyes and sunny smile still make him weak in the knees.Now that Vi is back in town, it could be Kade’s big chance to prove he’s more than the boy next door. The only problem is Vi’s determination to reunite with her first love. When Kade and Vi are roped in to planning the big Sweetheart Ball, can Kade make her see that the one who got away, is the one who was there all along? FALLING FOR HER BEST FRIEND is the first book in the LOVE IN HOLIDAY JUNCTION series of standalone romances. Each fun and flirty story is set in the small town of Holiday Junction, WA and can be read on its own, but you’ll probably enjoy reading them in order more. If you love small town romances with strong heroines, swoony heroes, and a quirky cast of characters, download today! *Previously published as Violet's Valentine

The Southern Roots Series


L.K. Farlow - 2020
    She doesn't need a man. After all, her Grams taught her a thing or two about making lemonade out of life's lemons.Then she meets Cash Carson.Reeling from a bad breakup, Cash has sworn off love. It led to nothing but pain and misery, and he’s determined to move forward alone.Until a redheaded Southern beauty crashes into him. With her shopping cart. At the local Piggly Wiggly.If love wasn't for him, why did his heart beat a little faster every time Myla Rose sent that sweet smile his way?He was no knight, and she didn't need saving.But damn if he didn't want to try anyway.AN UPHILL BATTLE: Azalea Barnes has hated Drake Collins since the day he broke her teenaged heart.Fast forward almost seven years later and her libido still hasn't gotten the memo.Now they're frenemies... with benefits.Which suits Azalea just fine. She gets what her body craves while keeping her heart safe.Kind of.Mostly.Drake has loved Azalea since the day they met. He knows that she's his forever. Too bad she only sees him as a good time. He wants more. Needs more.If only he could convince her that it's real this time. He's more determined than ever to prove to Azalea that chemistry like theirs doesn't exist only in the bedroom.The odds may be against Drake, but he's prepared to fight.WEATHER THE STORM: Magnolia Ellington is all too aware that dangerous things can come in shiny packages. Her husband made sure to teach her that.Desperate to escape his wrath—and his fists—she flees in the dark of night. Seeking safety and shelter with the only family she has left, Magnolia finds herself in the sleepy, Southern town of Dogwood—and in the arms of Simon McAllister.Simon has always been more of a thinker than a doer. That changes the minute he meets shy and mysterious Magnolia. She has him rushing into action, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to earn her trust.Slowly, with his steadfast determination and kind heart, Simon brings Magnolia out of her shell. But just as things start heating up between the two of them, the darkness of Magnolia’s past resurfaces, threatening to rip apart everything they’ve worked so hard for.With their future hanging in the balance, Simon fears he’s losing Magnolia. He must find a way to convince her they're better together.

Shh!


Stacey Nash - 2015
    She has it all, until Christian breaks up with her in public, calling her out as a self-gratifying sexoholic: the kind that plays solo. But Olivia doesn’t masturbate all night — the only thing she does is sleep … right?Now all the boys on campus seem to want her attention for the absolutely wrong reason — including resident hottie, Logan Hays. He's pulling out his best moves to gain her attention, so resisting his sexy charm is hard work. With rapidly slipping grades, a disturbingly lurid reputation and demanding parents, Olivia must discover the truth behind her rumoured sleeping problem. If she doesn't, the perfect life she's worked so hard for may slip away, including the one person who has Olivia breaking all her rules — Logan.What do you do when you’re asleep?***Shh! is a story about acceptance, learning to trust and in turn love while facing life's unexpected difficulties.NB: This book is of a mild heat level, and contains no sex scenes.

Her Perfect Rebound


E.R. Knight
    

Through Her Eyes


Ava Harrison - 2016
    Alone.So I started over.And my journey of rediscovery led me straight into his arms.Chase Porter.The stranger who showed me life from a different perspective. But we both had secrets…His would destroy my world.

Entice


S. Layne - 2015
    When the most difficult decision of Laurie Baker’s life needed to be made, she took off for a weekend alone to weigh her pros and cons and consider all her options.What she didn’t expect was to run face first into one more complication her life didn’t need.Distracting, sexy, and British, Liam Parker offered Laurie exactly what she needed when she was desperate for attention.One night of pleasure.She wanted it.She craved it.She took it.And when the sunlight dawned and the lusty haze of one night of passion disappeared and reality revealed itself…Laurie returned home knowing that everything she had once believed, everything she had once loved and desired, was about to be tossed upside down and shaken in a way she could never imagine.

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.

Undertow


Elizabeth O'Roark - 2013
    It almost seems like enough until Nate Sullivan comes home. Nate – her childhood best friend, her first love. The boy who left without a trace one night and broke her heart. When their attraction threatens the future she and her parents have so carefully crafted, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be uncovered. Giving in may cost her everything. But how do you resist the only thing you’ve ever really wanted?

The SEAL's Baby Deal


Katie Knight - 2020
    But when his lifelong best friend, Eleanor Thornton, shows up looking gorgeous as ever and asking for a huge favor…he’ll have to rethink his stringent stance on playing Baby Daddy.Wildlife photographer Ele knows she wants a baby—romantic partner not included. And who better to go all in on no-strings-attached baby-making than with her SEAL BFF? Besides, she’s always wondered what it would feel like to be wrapped up in David’s muscled, rock-solid alpha male arms…When their toe-curling efforts quickly lead to a positive pregnancy test, both David and Ele are secretly disappointed their contracted time is cut short—especially after David is deployed, leaving Ele to give birth to their daughter on her own.Reunited while David’s on assignment in the African rainforest, their passion is reignited. But when the area is gripped by a dangerous insurgency, all of David’s fears about getting too close come rushing back to the surface.How can he possibly hope for a future with Ele when he can’t even guarantee they’ll survive?

Detour


A. Marie - 2020
    Angela Head down, eyes peeled for any opportunity to get off the dead-end course my mother carelessly paved for me years ago.My plan takes a sharp turn landing me directly across the hall from Creekwood’s resident bad boys. The three streetbike riding misfits are as stubborn as they are sexy. And they. Are. Sexy. Especially the one with the mocha swirl eyes watching my every move.But even the six-foot hallway separating us can’t keep the overbearing trio from constantly getting in my way.When my past threatens to catch up with me, I quickly learn not every detour promises an easier route, no matter how tempting my new neighbors might make it look. Coty Head up, eyes locked on anything threatening to throw me off the carefully constructed path I have mapped out.I live my life the same way I ride my bike, never once regretting the roads I’ve chosen.Lately though, after years of the same scenery, everything’s starting to blur together. It’s only when our elusive neighbor girl comes out of nowhere that I realize what’s been missing.And now that I have, I don’t think I can let her pass by so quickly. At least not without proving the lengths I’ll go for her first.

It Started With a Bang


Piper James - 2021
    Then I hit him with an offer he couldn’t refuse.AnnabelleMy father really outdid himself this time. If he wasn’t already the worst, his newest demand surely gave him that title—if I wanted to take over the family company, I needed to get married.Within the next six months.He thought he had me right where he wanted me…that I’d marry one of his lackeys. A man who’d keep me in line with Dad’s vision for both me and Parker Industries.Well, dear old Dad had another thing coming. I was no pushover, bowing to the whims of him or any man. I had a plan. And that plan’s name was Ryder Perry.RyderRed River, Texas was worse than I thought it was going to be when I moved here with my brothers to renovate the old ranch home we inherited from a distant relative. Mosquitos, flies, and the lung-clogging humidity were making me miserable, and that misery was only compounded when a spoiled rotten princess slammed into my truck and had the audacity to blame me.The next time I saw her, she offered me two things—an apology for her behavior and a million dollars…to marry her.I thought she was drunk. Or crazy. Or maybe a little bit of both. I wasn’t sure.But one thing was for sure—my time in Red River just got a lot more interesting.This is a standalone romance with lots of spice and snarky humor. It is book one in a series of standalones featuring four hot brothers finding love in a small town. HEA guaranteed!

Embracing Her Heart


Melissa Foster - 2018
    Buckle up for a wild ride. Like any Southern girls worth their salt, the sweet-talking, sharp-tongued Montgomery sisters can take men to their knees with one seductive glance or a single sugarcoated sentence.A second chance at their first love…Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters’ drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again—ruggedly handsome Reed Cross.Reed was one of Michigan’s leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle’s business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he’s spent years trying to escape. Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed’s spell again—and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he’s never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas…~The Bradens & Montgomerys are part of Melissa's Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone and may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right into this fun, sexy romance.THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls). Order of future books is subject to change Embracing Her HeartAnything For LoveTrails of LoveWild Crazy HeartsMaking You MineSearching for LoveHot for LoveSweet Sexy HeartOur Wicked HeartsClaiming Her HeartRocked by Love**Please note that future books in the original Montgomery series are crossing over to the Bradens at Pleasant Hill, and for this reason I have combined the series into THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls).~Love in Bloom features alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and women's fiction. Characters from each sub-series appear in future books. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone without any unresolved issues or cliffhangers.