Book picks similar to
Playing Against the Player by Desirae Clark


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Nobody's Darling


Gina Ardito - 2011
    Now a successful businesswoman, she accepts a challenge from a daytime talk show to compete in a thirty-day battle of the sexes. April is up against a television psychologist who claims her organization hurts the very people she alleges to help. Dr. Jefferson Prentiss, television's Dr. Jeff, is haunted by the loss of his wife and newborn son, and by his role in their deaths. To atone, he's dedicated his professional life to the ideals of family. The talk show challenge presents him with the opportunity to prove not only the sagacity of his self-help book, but the inherent danger of paying strangers to perform those family tasks that should be done out of love and nurture. Once inside an isolated cabin filled with videotaping equipment, April and Jeff learn from each other, tackle their demons, and discover a new awareness between them: love.

Life as Told by Nerdy


tsubame - 2012
    What's the big deal you say? Nothing except for the fact that he's some insanely beautiful Greek God under those nerdy glasses. And now, he lives next door. I'm Sarah and this is my story.http://www.wattpad.com/story/384625-l...

Yeah, I Hate You Too Sweetheart.


Alison Gervais - 2011
    Now if that's not bad enough, Justin and Laila couldn't be more opposite from each other. At first it's plainly clear to everyone that they're just not going to get along at all. But the more Justin and Laila actually get to know each other - and when they aren't fighting over something stupid - the two slowly realize that maybe there are things in life they'll need each other to figure out.If Justin is arrogant, snarky, and just a bit too handsome for his own good, then Laila may just end up going insane. And if Laila's clever, quick-witted, and beyond pretty, then God help Justin. So the same thought on both of their minds? Is this going to be the summer of a life time or what?

The Cure for Second Lead Syndrome


Amanda Abram - 2021
    Symptoms may include wanting to throw objects at the TV and losing all faith in true love.Bria Copeland is addicted to K-dramas. She loves the romance. She loves the drama. And most importantly, she loves the second leads: the secondary male characters who are secretly in love with the female leads. They’re nice. Sweet. Caring.But they never get the girl.It doesn’t make any sense!So, when Bria realizes her brother’s friend, Caleb Nichols, is a real-life second lead, she just has to intervene. Caleb has been hopelessly in love with his best friend, Paige, for years now. And if he doesn’t act fast, he might lose her to the hot new surfer guy from California.Bria knows this plot well, and she knows exactly how the story will end.Unless she can rewrite it.When she proposes an idea to Caleb—to transform him into a male lead—he thinks she’s crazy. Maybe she is, but Bria is sure the plan will work. All they have to do is recreate some of the most clichéd scenes from K-dramas and Paige will be falling for him in no time!The only problem?If she's not careful, Bria may just end up falling for the second lead herself.

Sweet Southern Trouble


Heather McGhee - 2014
     And when her dying grandmother sends her on a wild-goose chase for the truth about the O'Shea heritage, Blabbermouth Becky finds herself knee-deep in a small town with enough scandals, gossip and sickening apple pies to keep her entertained while she investigates her own mystery. But with any great quest, there is usually a man or two standing in the way. As the small town's police chief, Nick Harris typically spends his days playing cupid to bickering old couples and chaperoning bored teenagers. Then Becky O'Shea pops into his station, smelling like fresh-baked cookies, and suddenly he is overrun with problems. Becky just wants to honor her grandmother's memory. Nick wants her out of town as soon as possible. However, long-buried secrets have a way of coming back to life...resurrecting old love stories and creating new ones.

The Dieter


Susan Sussman - 1989
    Susan Isaacs has praised The Dieter as "a delightful novel, intelligent, witty, and very moving". Available in mid-January.

So I'm a Double Threat


Julie Prestsater - 2009
    Expectations and hopes are high for their Freshman year. Meggie wants nothing more than to experience all high school has to offer – growing freedom, hot boys, parties, make-out sessions, and did I mention hot boys? Enter Alex Aguilar. At seventeen, he is Carver High’s sports superstar and dreamy superstud. Yet, despite the hype, Alex is undeniably sweet, and Meggie is beyond smitten. But, of course, he is a SENIOR. So, ought to be completely off limits for a ninth grader, right? Age doesn’t always dictate whom you will love, though. So I’m A Double Threat is the start of their journey. Will young love survive the challenges presented them or is friendship all they can only really hope for? Backs will be stabbed, hearts will be broken, tears will be shed. But, despite this, Meggie’s strong-willed determination, loyalty, and zest for fun, will ensure the ride is a memorable one. (This book has mature content intended for older young adult audiences.)

The Upside of Falling


Alex Light - 2020
    But when her former best friend teases her for not having a boyfriend, Becca impulsively pretends she’s been secretly seeing someone.Brett Wells has it all. Being captain of the football team and one of the most popular guys in school, he should have no problem finding someone to date, but he’s always been more focused on his future than who to bring to prom. When he overhears Becca’s lie, Brett decides to step in and be her mystery guy. It’s the perfect solution: he gets people off his back for not dating and she can keep up the ruse.Acting like the perfect couple isn’t easy though, especially when you barely know the other person. But with Becca still picking up the pieces from when her world was blown apart years ago and Brett just barely holding his together now, they begin to realize they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When the line between real and pretend begins to blur, they are forced to answer the question: is this fake romance the realest thing in either of their lives?

Three's a Crowd


Dianne Blacklock - 2009
    I'm not sure how we'll go now without Annie. She was like Carrie, you know, in Sex and the City. Annie was our Carrie."Without Annie, friends Catherine, Lexie and Rachel are lost. What will things be like now? How will they fill the void? Will their friendship survive? These questions are soon overshadowed by the complexities of their own lives. Catherine is excelling in her high-flying career but struggling in her relationships, especially with her unfathomable teenage daughter. Lexie is juggling the demands of her young family and the ego of her hardworking husband, while taking the first steps to achieving her own dreams. And finally Rachel, the one who can't seem to settle down, is experiencing the heady euphoria of a new relationship. But when the truth comes out about who she has fallen in love with, fragile friendships will be put to the test all over again...

Not Exactly Romeo & Juliet


Kay Godley (kpgcatlover)
    Forbidden love, dramatic deaths, beautiful poetry; what isn’t to love about it? Well, Juliet Callans could give you one reason she doesn’t like it – the names of the two people the book is centered on. Romeo and Juliet. Sadly, she has the same name as Juliet, and because of poor planning, her enemy was named Romeo. Why was he her enemy? Well, the Callans family and the Millar family have never been very… Kind to one another. And that hatred has definitely been passed down to both Romeo and Juliet. The two might share the same names as one of the world’s most famous couples, but they definitely don’t share the same love. Or do they?

His Revenge


Rosemary Ani - 2014
    She and her family would pay for taking what was supposed to be rightfully hisFive years ago, Erin Gosling saves her cousin from what she believed would have been a doomed marriage. Now the jilted lover is back...and he wants her family's company...and her.The game is revenge, the goal is submission. When two stubborn wills clash...sparks fly.

Twenty-nine going on Thirty


Andaleeb Wajid - 2018
    Living in Bangalore with her best friend, Farida, and working as the social media head of a software firm, she's weighed down by the thought of becoming a responsible thirty-year-old. To add to this, sge also has to fend off her nother's persistent queries about when she intends to get married. Things begin to look up when Priya bumps into her charming new neighbour, Ajay. Sparks fly, but she soon finds out that he's a widower who has some baggage to deal with.Thabkfully, Priya finds comfort in the fact that her friends Farida, Mini and Namrata are approaching the three-O milestone too. Free-spirited Farida, shy Namrata, feisty Mini and Priya are brought together by family drama, boy trouble, and their fast-approachung birthdays. As they navigate love and friendships, they realise there's a difference between growing up and growing old....

Heartland Joy


Jessie Gussman - 2021
    He’d only left his family and the close-knit community of Mistletoe, Arkansas as a favor to his parents. They’d asked him to help the daughter of a friend who was in an accident.After arriving in Iowa, it doesn’t take long before Shawn invests in saving more than the woman’s farm. When he sees how the town avoids her, he decides to save her reputation, as well.Bridget Rawlings isn’t exactly considered a catch in Prairie Rose, Iowa. In fact, the locals all but shun her and her three children. A cloud of death and disaster seems to surround both her and her farm. After all, The Bad Luck Widow has already buried two husbands.Although she admires Shawn’s courage and willingness to help, Bridget doesn’t welcome his aid.What if the locals are right? What if she is bad luck? She’s not willing to risk Shawn’s life and prove them right.Then Shawn makes a very public surprise announcement. Will it solve Bridget’s problems, or break both their hearts?Books in the Sweet Haven Farm series:1. Heartland Joy2. Heartland Cheer3. Heartland Romance

Mismatched Compatibility


Louisse Carreon - 2013
    But what if you share an undeniable chemistry with your complete opposite?Ethan Tyler is your typical arrogant jerk of a bad boy. He likes sports, girls and booze -- and he got no problem getting it all. While in the world of luxurious life style, Daniella Howard couldn't ask for more. All she wanted was someone to see her, and rescue her from all the superficiality. Daniella grew up in prestige, as Ethan lived a normal life. They didn't get along when they met, having lived in completely different worlds and having different beliefs.Five days is all they have, though. Five days to bicker and five days to get to know each other . All it takes is FIVE days to change their lives forever.So how will it possibly work between them? Mismatched Compatibility (featuring the characters from "A and D" and "Realize")

That Second Chance Boxed Set 1: Books 1-3


Mary Campisi - 2015
    Her small town romances center on family life, friendship, forgiveness, and of course, second chances, as they explore the issues of today’s contemporary women. And if you’re following Mary’s “A Family Affair” saga, (Truth in Lies series), the stories in this boxed set are prequels to the A Family Affair books! Sometimes we're lucky enough to get that second chance—in life and in love. That Second Chance Series are stand-alone stories of strong women who battle heartache and loss with courage and determination to find new paths and true love. What ties them together? A common theme: belief in the beauty of that second chance. PULLING HOME - She'll risk anything to save her child...even the truth. It's taken nine years and a cross-country move, but Audra Valentine Wheyton has kept her secrets safe. She's created the perfect life: a husband who loves her, a daughter she adores, and a position as head writer for an award-winning daytime soap. When her husband dies suddenly, Audra returns to her hometown for the funeral and faces a community that has not forgotten her meager beginnings and the man who has never forgiven her for marrying his brother. Jack Wheyton is a successful pediatric neurosurgeon who is about to become engaged when Audra walks back into his life with her daughter. He forgave his brother long ago for taking something that had been his, something he hadn't even realized he wanted until it was gone. But forgiving Audra is another story...and forgetting her? Near impossible. When a shattering illness strikes Audra's daughter, she turns to Jack to save her child and risks exposing a secret that will change their lives forever. THE WAY THEY WERE is Book Two of That Second Chance Series. They promised to love one another forever, but tragedy tore them apart. Now, destiny may just bring them back together. At eighteen, Rourke Flannigan and Kate Redmond thought they’d spend the rest of their lives together—until a family tragedy tore them apart. Fourteen years have passed, and they’ve both carved out separate lives hundreds of miles apart—hers as a wife and mother, his as a successful, driven businessman. But once a year, Kate pulls out a red velvet journal and writes a letter, which she’ll never send, to the man who still owns her heart. Once a year, on the anniversary of the first and only night they made love, Rourke permits himself to read the annual investigative report detailing an ordinary day in Kate’s life. When a subcontractor at one of Rourke’s holding companies is killed, Rourke decides to pay the widow a visit and offer condolences, never dreaming the widow will be Kate. As they embark on a cautious journey of rediscovery, one far greater than they could have imagined, secrets and lies threaten to destroy their newfound closeness—forever. SIMPLE RICHES is Book Three of That Second Chance Series. Alexandra “Alex” Chamberlain is a big city girl who knows nothing about close-knit families, sibling rivalry, or receiving an unsolicited opinion in the name of family. She’s been raised by an aunt and uncle who’ve provided her with a wealthy lifestyle and a fancy education, but have withheld what she craved most—love and acceptance. Her uncle has taught her to disregard everything but the bottom line on a balance sheet and she’ll do anything to earn his approval. She prides herself on excelling at her job which is selecting small towns to buy, flatten, and replace with luxury resorts.