Book picks similar to
Between Hope & the Highway by Charissa Stastny


romance
western
between-hope-the-highway
contemporary

Gloria


Jessica Lynch - 2019
    Growing up an only child, all she had was her grandmother. After Nana’s passing, Gloria thought she was the last one left in her family.Well, she is. Since Great Aunt Patti is dead and all.That’s okay. The nice lawyer who wrote her a letter assured Gloria that her great aunt lived a long, happy life in a small town that Gloria has never heard of. And now, as her next of kin, everything she owned belongs to Gloria.Including a house. Which sounds like a godsend to Gloria, who is eager to start her dream business and could use the extra cash.Only there’s a catch. Because of course there is. The house is hers—but only after she lives there for a year. One year in Hamlet and then Gloria will have enough money to follow her dream. Why not? It’ll give her time to work on her flavors. And it wasn’t like she had much going on for her in the city anyway.She’s moved in by Thanksgiving, ready to spend the holidays in her new home.So what if her new neighbor is the hottest guy she’s ever seen? Franklin is as grumpy as he is handsome, and he hates Christmas.Seriously.A year? Gloria will be lucky if she makes it to January. * Gloria is a small town Christmas romance set in Hamlet! It’s not explicitly part of the Hamlet series and for two reasons: the timeline and how different in tone it’s going to be compared to the other (darker, more suspenseful) books. Gloria will be a sweet, low-stakes, fluffy romance, similar to Hallmark Christmas movies, though it will feature characters and settings from the Hamlet books. You don't have to be familiar with those books to read this book—it's definitely a stand-alone—but it's also a bit of a prequel to that series, set a couple of years before the first Hamlet book Don't Trust Me.

Always in My Heart


Rachael Brownell - 2015
    For years she tried to move on, but no one compared to Luke. No kiss, no man, even came close.The heart wants what it wants, and Reagan’s heart is willing to wait for Luke. For as long as it takes.

Believing Again: A Tale of Two Christmases


Martin Crosbie - 2013
    James proposes to her and promises that they’ll have lots of Christmases together. When Stephen returns home after serving overseas all he wants is to spend Christmas with his new wife, Myra. All he can think about is her touch, her warmth. A compelling story of two couples, traveling their separate paths, building their lives together, until one day a secret is revealed that changes all of their lives. And, afterward, nothing will ever be the same again. Believing Again: A Tale of two Christmases is a heart-warming tale of love, commitment, family, and, of course, Christmas.

The Billionaire's Beagle


Kristy Tate - 2018
    A good girl through and through, she’s always tried to walk a straight line, which hasn’t been easy given her father walked a crooked path that led him to prison. Wes is attracted to Letty the moment he meets her. One of the things he loves about her is she thinks he’s just a beach bum working at the local hotel and she’s okay with him just as (she thinks) he is. But when Betty the beagle gets kidnapped, the budding romance goes off the rails and Wes and Letty are forced fess up to their lies and exaggerations before their problems (and beagles) get completely out of hand and off leash. Romantic comedy fans and dog-lovers will enjoy this sweet beach-side romp by USA Today bestselling author, Kristy Tate.

Becoming His


Mariah Dietz - 2014
    Ace Bosse has always found solace at home, but when she returns for the summer from college she builds an unexpected relationship with the reckless Max Miller. Three years ago, Max left for Alaska to find what he thought he’d lost, but now he realizes just how much he left behind. Max teaches Ace that sometimes a little crazy is exactly what life needs while learning that some chances are worth taking, regardless of the risks. But how do you know when you’ve met the right person? And will they be prepared to experience one of life’s biggest obstacles? Falling in love isn’t easy, but holding on to it is where the real challenge lies.

Promise You Won't Tell?


John Locke - 2012
    Something bad.”Private Investigator Dani Ripper’s client list is nuttier than the Looney Tunes conga line, but she diligently solves one crazy case after another, waiting for a game-changer.Enter Riley Freeman, 17-year-old honor student.Saturday afternoon Riley quietly placed a little strawberry sticker on her private area and pretended it was a tattoo. She didn’t tell anyone about it. That night she went to a slumber party that featured drinking and boys. Riley fell asleep, woke up the next day with no reason to think anything happened……Until Monday, at school, when a classmate called her Strawberry.Coincidence or crime? Dani agrees to investigate. And the roller coaster ride begins.

The Secret Life of Daydreams


Lucinda Whitney - 2016
    Six years after a painful divorce, Josh Conrad is happy traveling the world as a photographer. When he arrives in Portugal, he plans to complete the assignment as quickly as possible. What he doesn’t plan for is Sofia, the girl he baptized eleven years earlier on an LDS mission, and soon he’s making excuses to prolong his trip.Sofia Monteiro leads a structured life in Braga, Portugal, teaching high school by day and caring for her mother by night. After she reconnects with Josh through mutual friends, the memory of a failed relationship and her new graduate program are enough reasons to stay away from him.As they collaborate on a project, Josh is wary of repeating his old mistakes and Sofia hesitates to spend time with an American who’s only passing through. Can two people with wounded hearts bring themselves to trust their dreams to each other?The Secret Life of Daydreams is a clean and wholesome contemporary LDS romance set in Portugal.

When the Music Ends


Simone Beaudelaire - 2013
    Young builder Sean Murphy isn't really in the market for a relationship. He's more interested in helping build his father's construction company. Even if he were, his sister's best friend isn't even on his radar. That is, until Sheridan plays matchmaker. A pity date quickly flares into irresistible passion. But as their love reaches a crescendo, personal tragedies and impossible decisions threaten to end their harmonious, unlikely romance. When the music ends, will these troubled lovers find a way to compose a life together? NOTE: this is a steamy romance and contains graphic sex scenes.

Made for Him


Alexis Ashlie - 2020
    It will give you the HEA that you crave with OTT everything. You don’t want to miss this one.

A Splash of Substance


Elizabeth Maddrey - 2015
    He works for a Senator. Is it a recipe for romance or disaster? Paige Jackson has always stayed out of politics, leaving it to God to govern the world. She has enough on her plate as the owner of a catering company founded on convictions to buy local, sustainable fare. Jackson Trent works on Capitol Hill for Senator Carson, putting his beliefs in action to help shape national policy. Hoping to find high-end clients to keep her business afloat, Paige bids on a contract to cater the Senator’s next fundraiser. Shake-ups in the Senator’s staff leave Jackson grudgingly in charge of the event. After Paige is chosen as caterer, she and Jackson must work together despite opposing beliefs on how God calls Christians to participate in government. As Paige introduces Jackson to sustainable fare, it’s not just the food that piques his interest. When Senator Carson becomes front-page news in Washington, Paige is sucked into the whirlwind of scandal. Can Jackson convince Paige he wasn't complicit and win her back or has politics burned his chance at love?

That Hollister Man


Margaret Desmond - 2019
    Got his heart broke. Nothing and no one will ever fix it.”Compelled to leave Boston as a means of saving her teenage brother—the only family she has—from a life of crime, Sage Dolan gladly accepts the serendipitous opportunity to purchase a small ranch and a restaurant in the rural community of Hollister, Montana.Sage’s eagerness to start a new life for herself and her brother is met with a few obstacles along the way, the greatest being a rugged, handsome rancher who is not happy that an outsider has purchased the one piece of property he and his family have coveted for years.Soon, Sage is engaged in a battle of wills, but she quickly discovers that it’s not a battle over land as much as it is a crusade to unlock the door to a lonely man’s heart.

Waltz Back to Texas


M.J. Fredrick - 2012
     After growing up in a dying town, with only two restaurants, no movie theater, and no future, waitress Cassidy Simon wants out. For once, luck is on her side when the oil boom comes to South Texas. She’s determined to use it for her advantage, starting up an RV park for the oilfield workers to add to her escape fund. She’s never been out of Texas, and she’s itching for adventure. Grady McKenna couldn’t get away from his family’s ranch fast enough when he was a teenager, but a tour in the Air Force in the Middle East is enough to convince him there’s no place like home. He’s seen the world, had his adventure. Now he’s ready to contribute to his family’s legacy in Evansville. Naturally, the woman who draws his attention is the one intent on slipping through his fingers. How can he convince her life with him will be all the adventure she needs?

Welcome to Paradise


Rosalind James - 2013
    Maybe she'll get closer to her boyfriend, who hasn't been all that nice to her lately. Get fired up about her job again. Who knows, she might even win a million dollars.Gabe Kincaid and his brother Alec are after that million too, though. Mira and Scott are no threat at all, not when everybody involved is going to want to kill Scott after the first day. And there's no bond stronger than a twin's. What could possibly go wrong?Note: Despite the TV cameras, things do heat up a bit in the Idaho summer. If you prefer your romance unheated, this may not be the book for you.

Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy


Ernesto H. Lee - 2019
    As a successful commodities trader with one of the leading London trading houses, he was happy, healthy and, engaged to be married to the woman he loved. Then came the devastating news that would change his life forever. Less than two years later, his health is in tatters, his fiancée is gone, and his life is reduced to nothing more than a series of difficult choices and harsh realities. In search of answers and, in search of a drink, he walks an unfamiliar part of London. He doesn’t find the answers he is looking for, but he does find Karen. With Karen, he finds hope. With Karen, he finds love. With Karen, nothing is ever going to be the same again.Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite- 5 StarsWalk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy is a romantic and bitter sweet work of fiction penned by author Ernesto H Lee. Written for mature audiences, but not overly graphic in its romantic content, this tale focuses on love later in life. Our central hero Mark Rennie is a man who once thought he had a perfect life all figured out, but then his life and health fall apart aged forty-one. In a world of difficult choices, Mark chooses to drift the streets of London in search of some kind of answer. When he finds Karen, however, he gets a lot more than he was looking for.This is an emotional and unusual love story in the realm of tragic romances, but it has so many beautiful and uplifting qualities in spite of the situation that Mark finds himself in. The back drop of London is well drawn to bring out the atmosphere of each moment in Mark and Karen's relationship, and author Ernesto H Lee has a cinematic sense of how to construct scenes and move the plot along without any unnecessary details derailing it. The narration is personal, close to the characters, and sensitive in matters of health, the future and the notion of hope. What results is an emotionally intelligent and realistic romance that will grip its readers from start to finish. Overall, Walk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy is a rollercoaster ride with stylish narration, compelling dialogue and a plot you'll cry over again and again.Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite- 5 StarsWalk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy by Ernesto H Lee is a novel about love, acceptance, and learning to live in the moment. We are all guilty of it and we all take our present for granted while we push for the future. This is something that happened to Mark Rennie in this novel. He kept looking forward and worked hard, only to have his life slip away from him. His story is heartbreaking as well as encouraging.The author did a great job of creating an atmosphere that is sensitive yet hopeful. There were emotional ups and downs in the story, but the author kept the momentum going and ensured that the reader enjoyed the journey with Mark and Karen. While the topic of cancer is very bleak,the author added as much hope and happiness to the story as possible. To say that I got emotional reading this novel would be an understatement. I was so involved and invested in Mark and Karen that I just didn't want their story to end. Absolutely beautiful! “Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy is a novel with a powerful tale of romance and one that explores the deep longings of the human heart.” Ruffina Oserio for Readers Favorite. “Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy by Ernesto H Lee is a fascinating book packed with craziness, emotions, family, and love (lots of love).” Ankita Shukla for Readers Favorite.

Coming Down


Carrie Elks - 2014
    That was before she met Niall Joseph, a gorgeous Irish art student who for one hot summer turned her world upside down.Almost a decade later, Beth is living in London and desperately trying to forget her past. But then Niall walks back into her life, reigniting a desire that threatens to engulf them both.Faced with a choice between her reliable, steady life and the unexpected joy that Niall offers, Beth finds herself torn. Can they remain just good friends, or is their connection too strong to be ignored?