Book picks similar to
Moments of Joy by Ysa Arcangel


first-in-series
fiction
romance
contemporary-romance

Ashes Book 1


Leslie Johnson - 2015
    He's the fire. Both are independent, hot headed, and strong. Neither want a relationship or to be tied down in any way. But outside forces have other ideas.When Beth is confronted by an old demon, she can't imagine the danger she's in. She's too stubborn to ask for help, but will she have a choice? How do they fight an evil that can't be seen or understood?Don't miss the first book in the Stoking the Embers steamy spin-off series, Ashes. If you loved Beth and Gage in Stoking the Embers, see what happens next in Ashes, a romantic suspense series.

Anna's Courage


Kristin Noel Fischer - 2015
     Helicopter pilot Anna Morgan hasn’t flown since her husband’s death several years ago. Instead, the young army widow has sought refuge with her son on peaceful Rose Island. Surrounded by family and friends, Anna vows never to do anything more dangerous than arrive late to a PTA meeting. All that changes when Captain Nick Peterson comes to the island to take custody of his orphaned nieces. Anna feels compelled to help Nick with the girls, but what is she supposed to do about her growing attraction to him? And will the disappointments in Nick’s past prevent him from embracing the power of forgiveness and family? From the author of “A Mother’s Choice,” comes a new series filled with romance, faith, and healing. Told with humor and sincerity, “Anna’s Courage” will have you yearning to visit the peaceful community of Rose Island again and again.

Unlikely Soldiers


Deb McEwan - 2015
    NINETEEN SEVENTIES BRITAIN. THE ARMYIn a small Welsh village, naïve Michelle Warbutton is devastated by a shocking family secret. Forced to rethink her future, she longs to see the world.In Yorkshire and already world-weary, Guy Halfpenny is desperate to escape his miserable life. Both have limited choices. Their paths aren’t destined to cross until they join the British Army - where sexism is rife, homosexuality illegal, and political correctness a future ideal. Discover how lives are shaped, friendships forged and loves won and lost in this gripping adventure of humour, passion, and tragedy.

Translation of Love


Alice Tribue - 2013
    She doesn't want to get close to anyone for fear of being hurt again. When she meets Latin superstar Victor Garza, she is shocked at how quickly he is able to penetrate her armor. She doesn't want to let him in but can't deny the chemistry they have. He has the potential to heal her wounds and open her heart but she isn't sure she can let him. Will love be enough to keep them together or will Ellie's past prove to be too much for the pair to overcome?

Going Haywire


Rachelle Ayala - 2018
    Brilliant. Going on vacation with an ex. Not so bright. Honey and her ex-husband, Max, travel to Sapphire Falls to give their two young children the perfect Halloween treat. Max wants Honey back, and he’s counting on the magic of Sapphire Falls to seduce her into a second chance. Honey is leery of Max and his tricks, but when he woos her with a Halloween romance complete with bonfires, hayrides, parties, and paintball, Honey warms to the idea of a new beginning. Unfortunately, there's something off about Max that Honey can't put her finger on. When their vacation goes haywire, Honey must decide whether the treat of true love is worth all the terrible tricks life can play. My Country Hearts Series is a light-hearted, heart-warming series of romances set in Erin Nicholas' Sapphire Falls world (made available by special license). Enjoy the stories in order or out of order. They are standalone and fun either way. Going Haywire, Honey & Max Going Toe to Mistletoe, Candi & Troy Going Hearts Over Heels, Ginger & Marsh Going Gets Hot, Amber & Chad

Finding Harmony


JoMarie DeGioia - 2013
    A battle of wills…a battle for balanceAnd a love that can tip the scalesRick Chapman is climbing to the top rung of his father's corporate ladder. Fulfilling Chapman Financial’s contract at Cypress Corners, Florida will finally prove his value to the company. And to his father. But one endangered weed, and the pretty plant girl trying to save it, could really screw up his plans. Harmony Brooks loves her job as a plant conservationist at Cypress Corners, and the money she earns allows her to make up for a former boyfriend’s betrayal. He not only stole her parents’ money, he stole her heart. And that’s something she won’t ever risk again. But opposites attract, not that she or Rick ever expected to fall in love.Can Harmony prove to Rick that he’s worth so much more than his father’s approval? Or is Rick so blind he can’t see that loving Harmony is worth losing what he’s wanted for so long?

The Lost One


Liz Lovelock - 2014
    Then one day, my dream was torn to shreds, by my sister’s evil boyfriend, Jacob. It’s been three years since she was ripped from my life. She wasn’t just any sister; no, she was my twin, my best friend.Deciding to follow our childhood dream of moving to New York, I head for a life of adventure and fun. A night on the town and I find myself wrapped in the arms of one gorgeous, drop-dead-sexy man, Corban. He has literally swept me off my feet, taken my breath away with a single kiss and left me wanting more, a feeling completely alien to me.Corban Andrews, CEO of Case Construction, rich, sexy and ravishing is set to make my world come undone. I allow myself to put my trust in him, but will his rules and my trust issues let us explore what we could have together? It’s either that or am I at risk of staying lost and alone.When a blast from my past reappears, I know I may be pushed so far down the rabbit hole, Corban and I just may not survive. It all comes down to survival and choices. I have no idea which I will choose.

Charmed by the Bartender


Piper Rayne - 2017
    Probably not in retrospect. In my defense I had just moved back into my grandparent’s house, I’d lost my dream job, and a guy on Tinder had stood me up. It was like life had suddenly stamped ‘LOSER’ on my forehead. So when the guy behind the bar started giving me THE look…you know, the one that promised I’d be screaming his name into the wee hours of the morning? When that guy also has the perfect amount of scruff on his chiseled chin, biceps bulging out of his t-shirt, and a cocky grin you knew he’d earned in the sack…when he gives you that look, you don’t bother to figure out what your six degrees of separation are. You jump on that horse and ride it! Pun fully and completely intended. And accurate by the way. I fully admit to feeling sorry for myself and acting impulsively, but by the time I’d figured out WHO the bartender was, I was already falling for him.

One S'more Summer


Beth Merlin - 2017
    She knows it’s wrong and it has to stop, but she hasn’t been able to let go ever since they all met on the bus to summer camp back when they were 7 years old. The same week that her best friends finally announce their wedding date, Gigi loses her high-profile design job. With all of her dreams unravelling, she runs to the last place she remembers being happy.Taking the Head Counselor position at Camp Chinooka, Gigi hopes to reclaim the joy she felt as a camper, but the job isn’t all campfire songs and toasting marshmallows. Gigi’s girls are determined to make her look bad in front of the boys’ Head Counselor—the sexy but infuriating Perry—and every scrap of the campground is laced with memories.When Gigi finally realizes she can’t escape the present by returning to her past, she’s forced to reexamine her life and find the true meaning of love. But will she be able to mend fences and forgive herself before she loses her one real shot at happiness?The Campfire Series1. One S’more Summer—Releases May 30, 2017!2. S'more to Lose—Coming December 2017!

Sing For Me


Trisha Grace - 2015
    She has everything she wants: a successful career, the ability to make sure she is as far away from her parents as possible, and an almost equally successful boyfriend. One phone call from a dear friend brings her back to the States, to her old neighborhood where she comes face to face with her childhood crush, Christopher Hunter. And one look into his eyes brings back all the memories and feelings she thought she had long forgotten. Feelings she shouldn’t have.

Escape for the Summer


Ruth Saberton - 2014
     "Takes Bridget Jones's mantle and runs with it" Heat Magazine "Made me laugh out loud" Richard Madeley Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again? Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind? Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected... Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role. Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down?

The Reason


Jen Andrews - 2014
    She has been through more in her twenty-three years than most people have experienced in their entire lives. After her ex-husband tries to take everything she’s worked so hard for, she makes one rule: Never date someone she works with. When her father’s newly hired mechanic moves into the apartment above their family-run business, Zoey’s lonely life is flipped upside down.As a teenager, New Zealand native, Andy Tate’s family is tragically killed in an accident, and he is taken in by his aunt and uncle. Andy is pulled away from the only place he’s ever known as home, and moved halfway around the world to Northern California.Ten years and one failed marriage later, Andy finds himself living in a new city, with a new job at James Racing, and living in an apartment next door to Zoey, his new boss’s beautiful and damaged daughter.After an interesting chain of events over one weekend, Andy and Zoey form an unexpected bond. Even though he’s the only one who can get through to her, she will do all that she can to keep him at a distance and not break her one rule.Will Andy be the reason for Zoey to start living her life again, or will she continue on her downward spiral, until she finally hits rock bottom?

Kiss Me Like This


Bella Andre - 2014
    Nothing seems to matter anymore...until the night Serena Britten unexpectedly ends up in his arms. Serena is a world-famous model who has only ever wanted to be normal, even though her mother has always pushed her to become a superstar. Though it isn't easy to try to leave everyone and everything she knows behind, Serena is determined to enroll in college. More than anything, she wants to turn her love for books into a new career that she actually loves. Only, she never expected to meet someone like Sean on campus—or to be instantly consumed by their incredible chemistry and connection. But when the pressures of her high-profile modeling career only get bigger and more demanding, will it make living a normal life as a college student—and falling in love with the hottest guy on campus—impossible?

Ruined by You


Kelly Harper - 2013
    And the last place she wants to spend it is in Green Falls, TX with her mother's family. She was annoyed when her mother announced the change of plans at the last moment, but as she reconnects with her cousin Sarah, she realizes a summer away might be exactly what she needs.Maggie decides to find a summer job to keep herself occupied, and to help pay for college. She is ecstatic when Scottie gives her a job at a local watering hole, The Hill Country Saloon, to find a band to headline the annual Battle of the Bands competition.One night, Maggie meets sexy and mysterious Haden, and he agrees to help her find a band for the competition. As Maggie and Haden work side by side, secrets are unleashed that make Maggie question everything she thought she knew about Haden, and the reason for her summer in Green Falls.Secrets, so powerful, that her life may never be the same.(New Adult Contemporary) **Mature Content** Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language.Warning: Ruined By You is the first book of a two part series. It ends on a cliffhanger. Book 2 - Saved By You is now available.

After Home


Carrie Crafton - 2013
    But now, five years after her husband's death, she's managed to make a simple life for herself, despite problems with her teenage daughter. However, things in the small-town community Beth thought would be a sleepy haven for her are about to get a lot more interesting.