Book picks similar to
Forbidden by Faith by Negeen Papehn


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All She Ever Wanted


Christina Butrum - 2016
    She wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. Twenty-eight-year-old Leah Adams is content with her life. Living with her best friend in the big city and working as a receptionist at the doctor’s office, she doesn’t allow herself much time to think about falling in love and starting a family. Until the night her ten-year high school reunion not only brings her to Levy’s, but face-to-face with Jake. Leah is faced with feelings she cannot ignore. She has to make a decision that is in her best interest – no matter who gets hurt. She’ll have to decide if risking another heartbreak is worth it for all she’s ever wanted.

A Kiss by Design


Christy Hayes - 2013
    College sophomore Emily Dilbert has been best friends with Dylan Chamberlain since they were kids. All she wants is for him to be happy and she knows him better than anyone. That's why when she finds an engagement ring in his backpack she has to stop him from marrying the wrong girl. Dylan Chamberlain has been in love with his brother's girlfriend, Emily, since the second grade. When his brother asks for help planning a surprise proposal, Dylan knows it's time to bury his feelings and finally let Emily go. Too bad his heart refuses to cooperate. All of Emily's attempts to lure Dylan away from his girlfriend fail, forcing her to turn up the heat on their friendship. Will Dylan reveal his long-buried secret and tell Emily how he feels? Or will Emily be forced to use any means necessary to show him the error of his ways?

The Stand-in


Lauren Campbell - 2019
    Now, it's his turn to save me. But when it's time to go our separate ways, he makes me an offer I can't refuse–an interview with my dream company and ten grand in cash. All I have to do is pretend to be his girlfriend for the week. Easy peasy. It isn't until he takes me home to meet the parents that I realize he left out some MAJOR details. But there's too much at stake for me to back out now. I MUST play the part. Only ... it won't be quite the one he's expecting. Worst Fake Girlfriend: Scene 1, Take 1. ACTION!

Leoti


Sienna Mynx - 2012
    A long overdue vacation brings her to a small mountain town in Montana. What initially began as a retreat to reevaluate her life takes a tragic turn. The care and nurturing of a stranger awakens Josie in ways she could have never forseen. Soon she is forced to reevaluate everything she has believed about her life and the people in it. In doing so she becomes a new woman. Leoti.

From the Chrysalis


Karen E. Black - 2012
    Karen Black's story "From the Chrysalis" is based on the most deadly prison uprising in Canadian history, the Kingston Penitentiary Riot of April 1971. Recommended for over 18. Some readers may be disturbed by the violence in the prison and/or the first cousin romance."From the Chrysalis" is the twisted and winding tale of Liza and her dashing and dangerous older cousin Dace Devereux. Set in Canada, it is the tale of a relationship blighted by uncomprehending relatives, social conventions, a harrowing stint in Maitland Penitentiary (complete with riots and semi-totalitarian "people's committees"), the well-intentioned galumph Mel, and a conundrum Liza has to bear calling for an ever more inevitable decision. The prison scenes, with their occasionally stark violence but underlying ethical probity are especially fascinating, but there's also lots of romantic tension, a kind of yearning whose fulfilment seems always out of reach, even when its physical manifestation is realized. (Julian Fauth, 2009 Juno Award winner)Review Highlights:

When I Come Home Again


Jennifer Rodewald - 2020
    But in a matter of a year’s time, everything she’d counted on fell apart, leaving her devastated. Seven years later, she’s stable again. She has a supportive boyfriend, fulfilling career, and close friends. She keeps her past heartache where it belongs—in her rearview mirror. Until the man who broke her heart finds his way back to Big Prairie.Craig Erikson had it all—popularity, success, and the love of his high school coach’s daughter. But after a year of mistakes that ended in a tragic accident, he’d left Big Prairie—the place he’d thought to always call home—hoping that without his antagonizing presence, Brenna would be able to heal. Now his mother desperately needs him, as do two young boys in her care. Craig has little choice but to return for good.Unsure that she can forgive him, Brenna does her best to avoid him. Irritated that she ignores him as if they’d never meant anything to each other, Craig becomes determined not to allow it. Life in a small town forces their interaction, making them confront their unresolved issues and igniting emotions that have smoldered for seven years. As Craig and Brenna are pushed together, can they endure the hard places still littering their lives? If so, is it possible to find their way back to love and home again?

Bedrock


Britney King - 2013
    Turns out, one bad decision often leads to another.He’s troubled.She’s married.It’s a dangerous game, for sure—one in which she stands to lose the most. Soon, she learns desire is not only dangerous but deadly and there’s a price to be paid for her mistakes.A pound of flesh. Never in a million years would she have guessed how far her picturesque little suburban life would unravel. Until it does. She should have known better.Too bad she didn’t.

The Boy Friend


Mika Jolie - 2017
    We’ve been inseparable since the day I pulled one of her pigtails and she punched me in the gut. She’s hilarious, fun to hang out with. Together, we’re like peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, wings and beer. A match made in heaven. She’s the bomb. Did I mention she’s smokin’ hot? I’ve checked her out…maybe once or twice. Hey, I’m a guy. Seriously, no awkwardness, no secret yearning for our relationship to escalate beyond the purely platonic. I’m the boy friend—the loyal shoulder she cries on, the dispenser of coffee, sympathy, hugs, advice, and affection with no expectations. Until the invisible line between friends and lovers became blurry. Now I want more. I want her. All I have to do is convince her we can be more than friends. Right? If only it were that easy.

All But What's Left


Carrie Mumford - 2018
    An uncertain future. One summer that changes everything.After losing her mother in a tragic accident, Hannah Tatum grows up wanting nothing more than to be a good girl. At twenty-one, she has her whole future planned out. She’ll help her dad with their ranch until her childhood sweetheart finishes university. They’ll get married, take over the ranch, and live happily ever after. But since when do perfect plans ever work out?At the beginning of the summer, Hannah’s father decides to sell the ranch. He hires Will Ludlow, travelling ranch hand and rodeo star, to help get the property ready. Hannah is determined to stop her dad, keep the ranch, and stay far away from Will and his mysterious past.But, as new memories of her mother surface, Hannah doubts her mother’s death was purely accidental. With summer coming to an end and everything falling apart around her, can Hannah hold on to the things that matter the most?

Real Kind of Love


Sara Rider - 2018
    But the moment she tries her hand at an erotic romance, she's stumped. With her deadline looming, she books a week at a secluded cabin to restore her inner muse, telling her loving-but-overbearing family it's a romantic getaway with her not-so-existent new boyfriend to keep them from worrying. She never expects them to invite themselves along to meet the new guy. Now, she has less than twenty-four hours to find a pretend boyfriend in order to save her job and, potentially, her sanity. Workaholic Jake Donovan isn't interested in a real relationship. After a broken engagement, all he wants to do is focus on keeping his brewpub, the Holy Grale, afloat. But when he finds out his favorite customer is in need of a fake boyfriend, and his business partners insist he take a long overdue vacation, he has no choice but to help Clem out. All he has to do is enjoy the sunshine, play nice with her family, and keep his hands to himself for the week. But Jake's not prepared to like waking up next to Clem every morning as much as he does. Or to feel so welcome by her quirky family. And as the line between real and fake starts to blur, he realizes one week might never be enough.

Precious Things


Stephanie Parent - 2013
    She isn’t supposed to be a freshman at Hartford Community College, she isn't supposed to be living at home and working at her dad’s failing bakery, and she definitely isn’t supposed to be taking Intro to Electronic Music Production, a class that will get her nowhere toward her goal of an English Lit Ph.D. by age twenty-five. But when her dad’s latest business fiasco eats up her college fund, Hartford Community College is exactly where Isabelle finds herself—and thanks to her late enrollment, she doesn’t even get to choose her classes. Stuck with Electronic Music and way-too-easy English courses, Isabelle is determined to wallow in all the misery she feels entitled to.But community college brings some unexpected benefits…like the fact that a certain overworked, over-scheduled Electronic Music professor hands over most of his duties to his teaching assistant. His tall, green-eyed, absolutely gorgeous teaching assistant. When TA Evan Strauss discovers Isabelle’s apathy toward electronic music—and, well, all music—he makes it his mission to convert her. The music Evan composes stirs something inside Isabelle, but she can’t get involved—after all, she’ll be transferring out as soon as possible. Still, no matter how tightly Isabelle holds on to her misery, she finds it slipping away in the wake of all Hartford Community offers: new friendships, a surprisingly cool poetry professor, and most of all, Evan. But Evan’s dream of owning his own music studio is as impractical as Isabelle’s dad’s bakery, and when Evan makes a terrible decision, everything Isabelle has gained threatens to unravel. Soon Isabelle discovers that some of the most important lessons take place outside the classroom…and that in life, as in Evan’s favorite Depeche Mode song, the most precious things can be the hardest to hold on to.

A Year in the Life


Cat Grant - 2014
    Three days spent waiting out the storm at Seth’s snowbound apartment leads to an unexpected mutual attraction—and a hot night under the covers, which quickly deepens into a true emotional bond…Plus, a world of problems for Bilal, an Iranian Muslim. Despite his homeland’s harsh laws and even harsher punishment for homosexuality, Bilal can no longer deny who he really is: A gay man falling in love for the first time. Seth’s gentle manner and passionate lovemaking bring Bilal more joy than he ever thought possible. Yet, despite the lovers’ growing happiness, Bilal’s haunted by guilt and shame left over from his strict upbringing, and the sad realization that he’ll never see his family in Iran again.Speaking of families, it’s time for Bilal to meet Seth’s…Eric, Nick and Ally. Ten years later, this committed triad is still as deeply in love as ever, but even commitment comes with challenges…Is there room in this non-traditional family for Bilal? His future with Seth may depend on it.

After Love Leaves: The Story of Us


Michelle Alstead - 2017
    When she met Brad Sorenson, Zoe was convinced her bad luck with men had finally changed. He saw past her insecurities and the Oreo addiction she just couldn’t shake, inspiring her to chase her dreams. Brad was looking for a good time online, not love. But Zoe was so sweet, so kind. Everything about her was perfect—until she fell for him. Doesn’t she understand he’s the wrong guy for a woman like her? Zoe doesn’t know why Brad left her standing in an airport; he won’t return her calls or texts. With her self-esteem and dreams shattered, she can’t imagine ever loving anyone else… When a devastating diagnosis changes Brad’s life forever, he’s forced to finally face the truth: there’s only one woman he’s ever truly loved.Will Zoe give Brad a second chance or is she done with love for good?***This is not your typical romance. Real love is complicated and messy. This story is written for those who have loved the wrong person for all the right reasons.

Cupid's Quest


Natalie Ann - 2020
    She considers herself a successful realtor now and loves that she is doing her part to put people in their forever home. Commitment issues often remind her she may never find what she always wanted as a little girl even if she secretly dreams of love and romance, happy ever after and prince charming...that forever home of her own. Josh Turner lived through the horrific murder of his parents while he hid in the closet as a young child. He’s an investigator now sworn to protect, but those he loved...he couldn’t bear the thought of life without them. He’d lay his life on the line and make sure they never felt as scared and lonely as he had that one night. When Ruby ends up as his realtor, he realizes that she is the one he never wants to lose, if only she’d let him in.

If You Love Me


Ciara Knight - 2020
    His only hope to navigate the strange rules of the town comes from a distractingly beautiful, mess of a woman - Carissa Donahue. As a small town girl, Carissa lives her life on a whim and a prayer. Even in the kitchen she never uses a recipe, yet her sweets are known as the best throughout the South. She has no desire to be a part of Drew’s show, but she knows it’s the town’s best option to increase tourism during a troubling economic time. If there wasn’t an upturn, she’d have to close her bakery. She can’t lose it. Owning a bakery has been her lifelong dream, and her focus since her best friend ran away with her fiancé. The icing on the project for Drew is that a colleague has promised him a spot working at a real film network if Drew can spend time with Carissa and not fall in love. Drew isn’t sure he can resist the one person he’d never date under different circumstances, nor is he sure he wants to. Can Drew convince Carissa she can trust him enough to open her heart?