Book picks similar to
Dear Summer by Santana Blair
young-adult
romance
ya
contemporary-romance
Embers Of A Broken Heart
Stephanie Hassenplug - 2020
Forced to leave the only home she has ever known, she must finish high school across the country---where she knew no one. While doing her best to move forward, Selby let the outside world believe that she was fine, but grief had destroyed her inside. She vowed to herself to never let anyone in, the pain of losing people she loved cut too deep. But, everything changed when the Evans boys pushed their way into her life. Keaton, Breccan, and Calix Evans are some of the hottest guys in school, but mostly kept to themselves. Only they knew why. They were waiting for the right girl---for all of them. One girl to love, one girl that would keep them together. When they meet Selby, they see a chance to finally have what they’ve always wanted. But, will she be able to get past her pain and sorrow to give this unorthodox relationship a chance? Embers of The Heart is a Contemporary Reverse Harem Romance stand-alone. Recommended 18+ due to mature language and situations.
The Story of You and Me
Pamela DuMond - 2013
I planned on college, keggers, and cute frat guys—not MS. I told a few people, but they started treating me differently, so now I keep it secret. I probably have many more years to live with this disease, but my grandmother does not. So I traveled thousands of miles to L.A. to look for healing: stem cell studies, acupuncture, shamanic vision quests. Some therapies were dangerous, but I’d try anything. I’d risk it all because I was fighting for our lives—but I didn’t have the luxury of dating, let alone falling in love. My first night in L.A. I landed in the middle of a campus bar fight. The most beautiful man I’d ever met, Alejandro, a complete stranger, rescued me. He took me to the ER, drove me to my new home, and even washed my beer-drenched hair. On my second day I got lost in a dicey part of town and was attacked by gang-bangers. I escaped—this time. So I hired Alejandro to drive me to my appointments; be my bodyguard. He made me laugh again. He sheltered me. My heart started cracking open… I wish I had told him my secret. When I discovered—he hadn't yet told me his...
Take a Chance on Me
Jaqueline Snowe - 2017
Their relationship had always been easy. Both of them loyal to a fault, they had been there for each other through everything: heartbreaks, hangovers, and tragedy. So when Kate needs a place to stay for three months, Brody doesn’t think twice about agreeing. After all, they had known each other forever. What could go wrong living with his closest and oldest friend? Apparently, everything. Three months in a small apartment becomes more than complicated. Brody shouldn’t be attracted to his dorky best friend…he most definitely shouldn’t. That would be absurd. She’s a relationship girl and he’s more a one-night-sans-clothes kind of guy. One drunken dare of strip poker changes everything. Suddenly, two people with too much to lose play a dangerous game. The unapologetic playboy and the girl-next-door have a choice to make, if only their pasts didn’t keep getting in the way of their future.
The Prince
Jillian Dodd - 2016
Fans of The Selection and The Hunger Games will discover a heart-pounding thrill ride of espionage and suspense set in glittering high society.An eighteen-year-old covert agent is pulled out of training before graduation by Black X, a espionage group so secret even the President of the United States doesn't know it exists.For her first mission, she must go undercover as the long-lost daughter of a recently deceased billionaire, infiltrate high society, and protect the Prince of Montrovia from assassination. But Prince Lorenzo is known as the Playboy Prince for a reason and his sensuality and charisma add a whole other level of complication to her mission. She knows that her every move is being watched, but what she doesn’t know is that the Prince is just a chess piece in a bigger game that will have world-wide ramifications. And that Blackwood Academy, the place she has called home for the past six years has secrets of its own.
Out of the Red
Arell Rivers - 2021
Well, maybe he does—he’s never encountered a riff he couldn’t handle, a treasure he couldn’t score, or a woman he couldn’t conquer. No one, especially not a buttoned-down rule-follower like the band’s new tour accountant, is going to change him.
Accountant Sara Anderson is an unabashed stickler for the rules…
Sara’s worked nine long years to make partner, and only one thing stands between her and her goal—Hunte. Now she’s going on their tour to whip the band into financial shape. So long as she gets them out of the red, the promotion will be hers. Those bad boys of rock will be tamed, no matter how yummy their lead singer is.
When rebellion confronts discipline, fireworks explode.
Passions collide, and lives are permanently altered, in this enemies-to-lovers, slow burn standalone romance set in the mid-1990s—when grunge ruled the airwaves and women partners were as uncommon as those new mobile phones.
Taking What is Mine
Abby Brooks - 2017
It’s the kind of grind that takes a toll on a man and reveals who he is, deep down. What kind of man is Chet? He may just be the last real cowboy. He carries himself with a quiet dignity that commands respect from everyone he meets. Lately though, Chet’s started wondering if there’s more to life than work. Christy Harris hoped moving halfway across the country would help her escape the problems in her life. Namely, her abusive boyfriend, Mark. Not willing to let go that easy, Mark follows her west, determined to maintain control over every aspect of her life. Christy’s at her wits end, and is losing hope of ever being happy. After a chance encounter brings them together, the chemistry between Chet and Christy is undeniable. When Chet witnesses Mark’s abusive nature, he’s not the kind of man to sit idly by. Is Christy ready to recognize the difference between control and protection? Will Chet’s feelings for her be too much? Or, will she accept the same truth he already has? They’re meant to be together.
Miss Me Not
Tiffany King - 2012
Madison Hanson's past demons have given her a shadow of an existence with little hope. With the sudden tragic death of a fellow student, Madison questions her own life choices, and is now forced to evaluate everything she thought she believed in. When fate intervenes and partners her with Dean Jackson, a popular "all around good guy" from school, Madison gets a glimpse of a life that is filled with sunshine that has the power to break through the darkness she has cloaked herself in. With Dean's help, Madison discovers a desire to finally step out of the shadows, and embrace life and all its gifts.
Snow-Kissed Love Complete Box Set: Books 1-5
Violet Vaughn - 2018
Landing a job skiing every day, Casey finds Blaine - a wish come true. A hunky surfer turned ski instructor, he checks off every requirement on her list. Except for the one she forgot to add. Blaine has a secret. A secret so big it keeps intimacy smoldering when Casey needs fire. No matter how hard she tries, the embers won’t ignite. Can she live without passion to get the family she craves? When Jason comes to town, Casey questions everything she wished for. Their consuming love threatens to explode, leaving her with the choice between a family and the love of her life. Lease on Love Skater Lori was USA’s golden girl, headed for the Olympics and destined for a medal. But when her coach's abuse forces her to give up the opportunity, her world spins out of control. Their perilous love affair is discovered and plastered all over the tabloids. Three years later, Lori is ready to move on. New to skiing but determined, she reinvents herself as a ski instructor and moves to Breckenridge. Driven to rebuild her life Lori isn’t prepared for the likes of sexy Kaleb. One look from the sensitive snowboarder unchains her heart and she explores love without fear. When the past returns to haunt her, Lori's new found freedom is at risk. What’s lurking in the shadows is worse than she could have imagined. She fears for more than her safety when she realizes Kaleb is in danger too, and they may end up paying the ultimate price. Rush for Love Olympic hopeful Gretchen doesn’t do love. Men exist for sex and a good time. Snowboarding is her main priority and a clingy boyfriend will only get between her and a spot on the Olympic team. Dark and dangerous Derrick is all for the physical approach. His carefully guarded heart likes it hard and fast. Meeting an adrenaline junkie like Gretchen suits his sexual needs just fine. But when a steamy relationship races out of control toward love, tragedy is inevitable, and hearts aren’t the only collateral. Their accidental love threatens Gretchen’s chance for gold, and the destruction changes everything. Fierce in Love Ex-model Dannika knows she’s spoiled and when her brother abandons her, she’s desperate for another man in her life. Flirting for keeps, she gets one. The wrong one. While the guy who challenges her in every way keeps her in the friend zone. Financial whiz Christian moved to Breckenridge to escape the rat race and mend his broken heart. Intent on a year as a ski bum and casual dating, everything changes when he meets Dannika. Suddenly he’s back in business, with a girl that that tempts him to be more than a professional partner. A family death makes Christian rethink his move and leave Colorado behind, along with Dannika. Forced to fend for herself with a prosperous business, but not the guy, Dannika learns to trust herself. When Christian returns she must decide if he’s worth trusting too. Ready for Love Ruby swore off men after her high school relationship with a reckless ski racer ended in an unplanned pregnancy. Heartbroken, she buried herself in her fashion design where any mistake can be recycled and torn-out stitches easily replaced. But then sizzling hot entrepreneur Neal enters her life with a business proposition. He wants a partnership to launch her clothing line -- but he has a reputation for intimate proposals too. After years on the race circuit, Trevor moves to Breckenridge to teach skiing and settle down. He stumbles on Ruby -- the one who got away. Even discovering she kept their child a secret can’t make him forget their steamy connection.
Always Beautiful
M.K. Oien - 2013
Breaking your nose, blackening your eyes, and making you second guess everything you’ve spent your entire life working toward. Do you ignore that ball and continue in the direction of security and stability? Or do you throw caution to the wind, follow your heart, and potentially become so damaged that you’ll never recover?Lucky Harris is a twenty-one-year-old college graduate embarking on an adventure to Portland, Oregon to continue medical school. She has a passion and drive to follow her dreams in the medical field. Her entire life has been carefully constructed with good grades, cautious behavior, and focusing solely on her future. That’s how it’s always been until Zeppelin Rhoades shows up on her doorstep. Literally. It’s only a matter of time before the once determined Lucky sets her sights on conquering a new goal. Spend as much time as humanly possible with Zeppelin. He’s a few years older, covered in tattoos, and lives his life one day at a time; never forgetting to enjoy the moment and take advantage of every breath he has.Experiencing an intensity she’s never known, passion she’s never felt, and a way to escape the mundane has her changing her once solid foundation. But seasons change and so do people. When she discovers Zeppelin is hiding something from her, those walls she let fall so easily begin to build back up. Zeppelin finally reveals his devastating secret and Lucky is left with two choices. Walk away and forget him entirely or take his hand and follow him into the darkness and sorrow.
From the Wreckage
Michele G. Miller - 2014
When disaster strikes, their labels become irrelevant.“In a matter of minutes on a Friday night, I lost my school, my identity, the security of my first love, the personality of my sweet fearless brother, my best friend, my town, everything as I knew it. Everything changed.”"Minutes—that’s all it takes to change your entire life. How do you deal with that?”For high school senior Jules Blacklin surviving the storm is only the beginning. Faced with her life's new reality, she must find a way to rise from the wreckage and answer the question—how do you get back to normal when everything normal is gone?The From The Wreckage series is a Young Adult to New Adult series with one trilogy and multiple character spin-offs. Please see the reading order below:Jules and West's trilogy1. From the Wreckage2. Out of Ruins3. All that RemainsSpin-offs best read in order but CAN be read alone4. West: A male POV novel of From The Wreckage5. Into the Fire: Dani's story6. After the Fall: Austin's story7. Until We Crash: Jess and Carter's story
In Search of a Love Story
Rachel Schurig - 2012
They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.
Down & Dirty
J.H. Croix - 2018
It can also expose every secret you have.I’ve spent almost my entire life in Cypress Creek. My family was once a pillar of the community, but times have changed – for the worse.One look at Marie Nix, and I’m determined to have her. She’s everything I want and then some. She may be too pure for me, but I can’t help myself.Unfortunately, like me and our small town, she has skeletons in her closet. Her past isn’t staying in the shadows.Regardless of the things she’s done, once I have a taste of life with her, all I want is more.Even if it puts me face to face with the threats surrounding her, I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make her mine.
Searching for Glory
Hunter J. Keane - 2012
She's on a hit television show and engaged to one of the most desired men in Hollywood. Her life is perfect. But then she gets a letter in the mail that changes everything. The past she has been trying to forget for so long has finally come back to haunt her. Gloria Star hasn't always been an A-list celebrity. She used to be just a regular Midwestern girl named Glory Stark. Now she is forced to reconcile her two lives because Johnny Carter, the only man she ever loved, has asked her to return to her hometown, and she can't say no. Ten years ago, one night changed everything for Gloria and Johnny. Not only did Gloria lose Johnny, but she also lost herself.Now she's headed back to Princeton, Missouri, to reconnect with her sister and make amends with Johnny. She quickly realizes that returning to Glory Stark's life isn't going to be easy. As she faces painful truths about her past and an uncertain future, Gloria learns that forgiveness is essential, family is everything and love is forever.
The Perfect Gift
Serenity Woods - 2015
What could be better than getting a billionaire for Christmas? A. Getting THREE billionaires for Christmas! Three Wise Men is a series of three books set in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand following the stories of three billionaire brothers and the single mums they fall in love with.As a single mum who can barely afford to put food on the table, let alone fill her son Ryan’s Christmas stocking with presents, Erin Bloom isn’t particularly looking forward to the festive season. When Ryan has an asthma attack and ends up in hospital, she’s convinced it’s going to be the worst Christmas ever. Sure, Christmas is a time for miracles, but everyone knows wishes don’t really come true. Consultant pediatrician Brock King lost his wife to cancer two years ago, and he’s convinced the love he felt for her only comes around once in a lifetime. Then, while visiting the children’s ward, he meets single mum Erin, and suddenly his future doesn’t seem so bleak. Once Ryan recovers, Brock offers to take Erin away for her birthday, no strings attached, to give her the perfect gift every single mum would kill for—a night in an exclusive hotel. Will she take him up on his offer, which might (if she’s very lucky) end up with hot sex with a gorgeous billionaire? Or should she take the moral high ground and say no? Warning: Includes sexual content – adults only. Three Wise Men: Book 1: The Perfect Gift Book 2: An Ideal Present Book 3: A Secret Parcel
Catch My Fall
Ella Fox - 2013
In need of a fresh start, she settles into a new town and begins to make a new life. Tristan Chamberlain has always kept girls at arm's length and he has no intention of changing. He’s caring, smart, handsome, but he’s also dealing with a lifetime of guilt that’s slowly but surely destroying him.Sometimes what you run from is the one thing that will save you.Separately, they’re both free-falling. Together, they’re about to find that love can create the strongest safety net of all.