Book picks similar to
Chasing the Stars by J.D. Rivera


romance
new-adult
arc
contemporary-romance

In Harmony


Emma Scott - 2018
    The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet… Isaac Pierce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood, and leave Harmony behind for good. No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be. In Harmony is a standalone NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.

Finding Solace


Barbara Speak - 2013
    The confidence she wears on the outside is only to cover the scars that are imbedded on her soul. Coming out of an abusive relationship where she was stripped of her security and confidence, she chooses to bury it under every man she gives her body to.After one intoxicated night that she will never remember in its entirety, everything begins to change. Being seen more for her positive attributes and less for her faults, Sadie arises from the dark and into a place she feels safe. But with that comes a chain of events that blur the lines of everything she thought she needed and everything she's beginning to want.Will fear keep her from the one thing she believes she desires most or will fate take a turn unexpectedly and change everything?

All of You


Jody Morse - 2014
    No other guys measure up to him in her eyes. But Logan’s not exactly dating material. He’s been with more girls than she can count and she’s known him forever, long enough to know that his feelings for her aren’t mutual…until her two best friends manage to convince her that maybe he does have a thing for her. The only problem? He has a girlfriend, and it seems like he’s serious about this one. Logan has been in love with Hannah his whole life, but he knows that she deserves better than him. He knows that if she were to ever find out the truth about what he did last summer, she would never be able to look at him the same way again. He vows to keep his secret to himself, even if that means keeping his feelings along with it. When they go to Logan’s family’s beach house in Summer Haven, North Carolina for a week, the chemistry and sexual tension between them thickens. They both find themselves wanting more, but if they cross out of the “just friends” zone, can they ever go back? And what will happen if Hannah finds out about Logan’s secret? In the midst of trying to decide if she should lay her heart on the line, Hannah is also dealing with her stalker, whose threats are becoming real. Disclaimer: This New Adult novel is best-suited for readers ages 18+ due to strong language, sexual situations, and other mature topics.

Love Notes


Heather Gunter - 2013
    And when you are left to face your demons alone, will you learn that only you have the power to overcome them?Charlie has never had it easy. Between the constant moving and the incessant fat comments and jokes from her father, her self-worth is nonexistent. Her reflection in the mirror shows her nothing but a plain Jane. Music is the only thing that keeps her sanity in check.Charlie catches the eye of the town star quarterback, Maverick. With her curves, her brunette hair, and the voice of an angel, Maverick has never met anyone like her. Everything that is different about Charlie just makes Maverick like her more. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn’t see it herself.Proving it to her may deem harder than he thinks, especially when tragedy strikes and tears them apart.Now standing on her own two feet she may finally learn exactly who she is, what’s she’s capable of and how very un plain Jane she really is.

The Traveling Man


Jane Harvey-Berrick - 2015
    Nice. He was extraordinary. And he wasn’t always nice.Moody and difficult, brilliant and beautiful, Kes scared me and he protected me. He could be incredibly hurtful and incredibly thoughtful. He wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for me. He challenged me, he took me out of my safe little box and showed me the world could be magnificent. He was everything I wasn’t. Aimee Anderson is ten when the traveling carnival first comes to her nice little town. She doesn’t expect her world to change so completely. But meeting Kestrel Donohue puts her life on a different path.Even though she only sees him for the two weeks of the year when he passes through her home town, his friendship is the most important of her life. As a child’s friendship grows to adult love, the choices become harder, and both Kes and Aimee realize that two weeks a year will never be enough.

Leo's Chance


Mia Sheridan - 2013
    Does everyone deserve a second chance? Even someone who lies and deceives to get it?Do we all have a second chance coming? Even if we play a part in our own destruction?How hard would you fight to have a second chance at love? A second chance at life? Another chance to tell your own story?Every love story has two sides. Evie told hers. This time it's Leo's chance.THIS IS A POV NOVEL OF LEO (LEO SHOULD BE READ FIRST). New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Rock Block


Mickey Miller - 2021
    But the ring on her finger definitely isn’t….Rock Block, verb: To stop your best friend from marrying someone who is guaranteed to ruin their life. Hi. My name is Luke and I’ve got to stop my best friend from marrying the wrong woman, but he won’t listen to a thing I say.Luckily, I’ve got a plan so crazy it just might work: Fake an entire relationship, engagement, marriage, and—finally—stage a horrible divorce right in front of his face so he sees just how bad things will get if he goes through with this marriage of his. Problem: I need a woman to do this fake relationship theatre with me.Enter my best friend, Skylar Houston. We couldn’t be more different—she’s a social justice warrior, I’m a baseball playing jock. But after a semester of studying abroad together last year, we became best friends and get along so well.Of course—I’d never dream of crossing the line of just friends with her. Our friendship is too valuable to both of us to risk losing it. She takes to the role of my fake girlfriend, fiancé—and even fake wife like it’s the most natural thing in the world.But what happens when we decide that, instead of being celibate for the five months of our “relationship,” that we should use the time to experiment together? And I do mean, experiment like we just saw Fifty Shades of Grey for the first time.Turns out, our comfort level from being friends before lovers makes for some extremely fun, relaxed sexy times. Before I know it, I’m enjoying our time in—and out—of the bed more than I thought I ever could with a woman.Yes, I admit it, I’m falling for her deeply. But she’s leaving for the Peace Corps after we graduate: her life’s dream. Who am I to stop her? Turns out that faking this breakup—this divorce—is going to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life.Because I don’t want to let her go. And if I get my way, I won’t.

Lessons in Love


Clarissa Carlyle - 2014
    She's pretty, blonde and popular. Alex seems to have it all, but she's hiding a dark secret from her past that threatens to destroy her future. Only the handsome new math teacher, Mark Simmons, can see past Alex's façade to the real girl hiding inside. He wants to help Alex overcome her past, but will their developing feelings for each other get in the way?

Altered


Marnee Blake - 2015
    When it was done, waitress Blue Michaels was different in a really strange way. And the entire town of Glory was dead...except for her.Only that's not exactly true. A handful of people made it, including U.S. Army Specialist Seth Campbell, who was caught in the wrong town at the worst time. He's fierce and protective, and way too good-looking. As much as they need a leader—as much as Blue wants to trust him—there are too many questions and not enough time for answers. Now they are hunted. But what their pursuers don't know is each of them has strange new powers. And they'll use their "gifts" to survive...no matter who stands in their way.

All the Little Lights


Jamie McGuire - 2018
    Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town.Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart.Just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliott, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy. Despite the town’s growing suspicions, Catherine clings to her love for Elliott. But a devastating secret that Catherine has buried could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.

Kiss and Break Up


Ella Fields - 2019
     Dashiell Thane wasn’t a nice guy. He was an abrasive, demanding, conniving, intolerable brat. Yet somehow, we’d been best friends our whole lives. Until our senior year when I finally decided to dip my toes into the dating pool. All it took was one kiss for jealousy, lies, and betrayal to sweep in and propel us heart first into dizzying, hostile depths. You’re not supposed to kiss your best friend. You’re definitely not supposed to kiss your best friend while you’re dating someone else. And the absolute worst thing you could do is fall for your best friend. Unless, of course, you want to ruin everything.

Lost in Distraction


B.J. Harvey - 2013
    A sexy stranger paid to protect her. Alone and shut off from the world, Elise Halliwell is simply going through the motions, waiting for the next step in her pre-destined life. Until a chance meeting with the dark-haired, blue-eyed Brax James shakes her to the core, achieving what everyone else before him has failed to do; he makes her feel again. As much as Brax wishes things were different, fate has not brought him into Elise’s life. His job is to keep her safe, not fall for the very woman he’s supposed to protect. Elise has no idea of the threat she faces and Brax wants it to stay that way. Unfortunately for both of them, they’ll have no say in the matter. Full of twists, turns, and revelations no-one sees coming, you won’t be the only one lost in distraction.*This book contains adult situations and explicit content/language.*

Say Something...


T.A. Roth - 2015
    So when her best friend Vonne guilts her into going to a frat party, she couldn't think of a worse way to spend a Thursday night. That's until she sparks the interest of love’m and leave’m Ben Rodriguez. The electricity she feels when they lock eyes is something she's never felt before.22 year old Ben Rodriguez has it all. He's a football star, president of his fraternity, and well known ladies’ man. His endless pick of beauties, makes him the envy of all of his fraternity brothers. So why are a pair of long legs and hazel eyes making him want to throw out all of his rules?*This novel deals with adult themes and language. 18+ please. This is book 1 in a series and contains a cliffhanger.

Use Somebody


Riley Jean - 2015
    But when a whirlwind romance goes tragically wrong, what she finds is much darker than expected. Reeling from the fallout, she returns home, lost, alone, and scarred. Determined to rebuild what was stolen that night, she embraces the fighter within.With a heart of gold and a smile like the sun, Vance Holloway can light up any room. So when his charms are rejected by the new girl at work, his curiosity is piqued. Vance sees right through Scarlett’s stubborn walls. And he’ll stop at nothing to break them. Over ice cream, music, and a handful of moments, he slowly earns her trust. Finally Scarlett’s found somebody safe… that is, until he falls in love.So begins an explosive tryst of push and pull between one broken girl and one irresistible boy. Scarlett won’t survive another heartbreak. Can their friendship survive a compromise?Vance may be set on healing her heart, but he has no idea what he’s up against. As her walls continue to crumble, grief looms and triggers resurface. Until both are faced with the heart-stopping truth: what really happened the night she swore she’d never love another man, and whose hands are stained with his blood?Join Vance and Scarlett on this powerful journey of romance, mystery, and redemption.

Tap


Georgia Cates - 2015
    That’s all she was when I agreed to play a part in deceiving her. But then the unplanned happened.We met. And all I wanted from her was a dirty weekend . . . until that wasn’t enough and I longed for so much more.Lawrence Thorn suddenly means the world to me. And that’s a problem. She’s my business partner’s sister. Forbidden fruit. Pursuing her can mean trouble for me at Lovibond Brewery. But I don’t care.I yearn for her skin against mine.I crave her smell on my body.I want to make her laugh and then hear her moan my name.And she does for a brief moment in time.But Lawrence wants more than I’m able to give. And it’s a damn shame because there’s no one on earth I want more than her.An epic love.A miserable ending.Unless it’s not.