Book picks similar to
Reconcile by Nicole Dykes


second-chance
angst
single-parent
forced-proximity

The One That Got Away


Karina Halle - 2020
    She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.But she went home with Marco that night.My agent.My brother.And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it.After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core.It made me do things I never imagined I would do.It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.It led to a passionate tryst.It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.Now, seven years later, she’s back.She was the one that got away.I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.But I might not have a choice.Because my heart still belongs to her.And her heart might belong to my brother.

Branded


Emma Nichole - 2020
    Get out. Onto the next call.Don’t let the job melt into your personal life.I was never supposed to see Sawyer Westbrook again.I was in, and then I was out, just like I’m supposed to be.But her soot covered face was etched into my mind.Her scared eyes seared into my soul.I’ve never stopped thinking about her.But she doesn’t remember who I am.To her, I’m just another cocky firefighter lookingto score a night in her bed.If she knew who I really was, she’d remember thaton the night I pulled her from the flames,she vowed to hate me forever.Emma Nichole’s Branded is an angsty, steamycontemporary romance written in K. Bromberg’sEveryday Heroes World project.

Unwrapping the Castelli Secret


Caitlin Crews - 2015
    Nothing could make Lily return to the irresistible Italian’s demanding world.Now, when their paths cross again, Lily is desperate to retain her freedom and claims amnesia has blocked her memories of him. Yet all deception is quickly burnt away by the incredible attraction that still simmers between them.But he’s found her, and she knows Rafael will soon discover her greatest secret…their son!Secret Heirs of Billionaires There are some things money can’t buy…

The Trouble With Bullies


Ruby Vincent - 2019
    they hate when you stand up to them. I used to be on top. I used to rule the school. Then one cruel act knocked me off my pedestal and Christian was more than happy to ride me down.Christian Moreau: resident bad boy, former best friend, now my tormentor. Nobody dared to stand up to him until one girl, a bottle of vodka, and a shove changed everything.Yeah, that girl was me.If only I had known what that shove would set off.A war with the Queen Bee of Meadow Creek. Long-hidden dark secrets revealed. And Christian Moreau moving in down the hall.Christian lures me into his game, but he's not the only bully that came to play.Can I handle the price of playing when winning may grant me his heart... but losing could cost me my life? The Trouble With Bullies is a high school bully romance. This book features language and sexual scenes. If you're cool with that, dive in!

Hate to Love You


Elise Alden - 2014
    But it turns out all those sex-ed teachers aren’t just trying to scare you. The faint positive on a budget pregnancy test sent me spinning, moments before meeting my sister’s snooty new fiancé.Shaking hands with upper-crusty James was like downing a triple shot of vodka. Dizzy with desire, confused by my body’s reaction, and shocked by the possessiveness flashing in his eyes, I deceived him that night and told the world at their wedding reception.The truth?I slept with my sister’s fiancé. Hot and sweaty, all night long in a room so dark he couldn’t tell I wasn’t her.The lie? Said fiancé is the father of my child. The one I signed over my rights to just before he was born.That was seven years ago. It’s time to come clean.95,000 words

Creole Kingpin


Meghan March - 2020
    That’s exactly what I am, but I can’t stay away from Magnolia Marie Maison for one more day, let alone another year.We’ve already got fifteen of those between us.As it stands, she’ll want to kill me as soon as she lays eyes on me. And knowing her, she’s completely up to the task.But I’m a man on a mission, and I’ve got everything riding on this.So, here I come, Magnolia. This ghost is ready for whatever you got.After all, there’s only one way I want this to end—’til death do us part.

Mend


Chelle Bliss - 2018
    Six years ago, the only girl I ever loved moved away.She said she’d come back to me.She promised she’d write.She swore she’d always be mine, but Evie Harper lied.Now, Evie’s back, and this time, I’m not letting her go without a fight.Before senior year, I was forced to move away, leaving behind the only boy I ever loved.He said he’d love me forever.He promised nothing would tear us apart.He swore he’d wait for me, but Jack Nelson lied.Now, Jack wants to make me his again, but he may never be able to forgive my sins.This is a STANDALONE Second Chance New Adult Romance by USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss.

The Varsity Dad Dilemma


Lex Martin - 2021
    Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.

Wicked Secrets


Renee Harless
    It was dark. It was ugly. It was my dirty secret.No one knew the weight of the burdens that nearly consumed me. I lived with a singular focus—seeking revenge on my father.Then the new girl, Jolee Ward, moved into the apartment above me and shattered my carefully constructed world. We were like oil and water. . . until we weren’t.Then we detonated like gasoline and fire, but the inferno threatened to destroy us both. One night with her couldn’t erase years spent plotting.Wellington University wasn’t big enough for the both of us.(Previously published as Of Boys and Men)

Heartless


Michelle Horst - 2017
     He’s part of the screw crew. He’ll just use you and leave you. He’s ruthless and always gets what he wants. Just look for the trail of broken hearts and dreamy sighs and you’ll find him. “Hot as sin, Carter.” I don’t have time to fall head over heels for any guy. Besides, he’d never notice someone like me. I have a three step plan. Get through college. Get a job. Get my sister out of the hell hole I left her in. That’s all I have time for. That’s until I hear of the betting pool the guys started. Whoever screws me first gets the money. The moment Carter looks at me, I know it’s only because of the bet. I tell myself our first kiss is only for show. I hate my heart for falling for his irresistible charm. For one foolish moment, I actually want him to be my first earth-shattering love. All it takes for me to give in is a little attention, a cocky smile, and a fake promise of a happily-ever-after. When I’m surrounded by crumpled sheets and the smell of sex, I realize I let him have me for four hundred dollars. To save what little pride I have left, I pretend it didn’t mean anything, that he’s just one last screw before we all leave college. I’ve spent the last four years lying to myself. When I’m ready to take the final step of my plan, and save my sister, guess who walks through my front door? This is a full-length, stand alone, unrequited love/second chance romance. Note: The book ends at 77% with samples of Predator and Protector.

Deceitful Choices


C.A. Harms - 2016
    The damage is too deep. The effects are too strong, and the path they lead you on can be devastating. One lie only led to another as Lindsay tried to be someone she wasn’t. She wanted just one moment to pretend she didn’t live the life she had been cursed with. She wanted to live without regret. Live for the moment. She wanted to laugh and smile without feeling as if at any moment something or someone would corrupt that happiness.But all lies have a way of resurfacing. Those deceitful words can come back to haunt you, leaving you as the one heartbroken and alone. Zack had taken a trip with a fellow Navy SEAL. Just a weekend away to regroup.Never had he intended to find the girl who would jumpstart his heart. Only then to destroy it. But the shattered pieces of his trust weren’t the only things he left behind when he walked away from Lindsay.There was now an innocent life that had been thrown in to the mix. But Lindsay wasn’t the only one who lied... The odds were stacked against them.There was someone doing everything they could to keep them apart. But when the truth is told,and those secrets are revealed,they must decide if they have what it takes… To survive the deceit.

Hold You Close


Melanie Harlow - 2018
    Every time I see him climbing out of his pool, practically naked and unreasonably sexy, my blood boils.I’ve always loved to loathe him. I never planned to need him.*** London Parish is my little sister’s best friend, not that it stopped me from falling for her.Our history is complicated. The only thing we have in common is being godparents to my sister’s three adorable kids—until our lives are changed in one tragic moment. Now we’re trying to raise the children we love, mourn an unthinkable loss, and fight an undeniable attraction.My life is already upside-down, and the last thing I need is for old feelings to resurface. Because I’ll never be able to keep her, no matter how hard I try to hold her close.

Knotted


Pam Godwin - 2018
    It’s impossible. Growing up together, Conor and I shared all our firsts. First love, first kiss, first… Not all our firsts. We were sixteen the night she was violently assaulted while I helplessly watched. I’ll never forget the sounds of her suffering. Or my inconsolable agony when she left Oklahoma. Years later, she returns to honor our teenage pact. Except the boy she loved is gone, replaced by a ruthless cattle rancher knotted with secrets. She doesn’t know my dark cravings or the trails of sin that lead to her. I don’t deserve her, but one truth remains. She’s mine. TRAILS OF SIN series (HEAs with no cliffhangers - must be read in order): Knotted #1 Buckled #2 Booted #3

Have Mercy


N.E. Henderson - 2019
     It's hard to get over that kind of betrayal. It leaves a mark on the heart. A slow bleed that never goes away. She was my girl. We were supposed to be partners. She was going to be the mother of my children down the road. The only girl to warm my bed. She was my forever girl. Until she ran away. I thought she felt the same. But if she did she wouldn't have ditched me like I didn't matter. All the plans we made meant nothing to her. She disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Those cuts are the deepest. A gaping hole that can't be sealed. I could've stomached anything else—a meaningless one-night stand, drifting apart, vanishing love. But abandonment is a deadly strike that can't be forgotten. It sticks with you forever. Three months later she showed up, expecting me to welcome her back with open arms. Excuses, lies, not even her crying eyes could make me believe the manipulative bullshit coming out of her mouth. For months I felt like I was burning alive. She shattered my heart and stole my soul.  I moved on. Now, eighteen years later, a nightmare unfolds. Every detail makes my stomach churn. Lies come to the light. The truth is uncovered. And the people I thought I knew become strangers. The heartbreak I felt was only a scratch compared to the sliced open heart in my chest.  Winning her back seems like an impossible feat. She may never forgive me, because the thing about mercy—you have to give to receive. ***Have Mercy is a 107K word standalone, second chance love story.***

The Pickup


Nikki Ash - 2019
    The world decides for us. But I disagree.I believe love is a decision. Who we love, how we love. It’s in our control - in our hands.I grew up having no clue about the true meaning of love. Money. Cars. Houses. Status. Fame. That’s what love means to the people around me.It wasn’t until the woman I picked up in a bar came back into my life and showed me love can be so much more.So, what’s the problem?The woman I’m falling in love with believes in fairytales. She compares everything to a storybook and wants the happily-ever-after.So while she’s stuck on recreating stories that have already been told, page by page, I’m showing her it’s time we write our own book.Nobody ever said the journey of falling in love would be easy, just that it would be worth it. The Pickup is a standalone sports romance.