Book picks similar to
Matters of Consequence by Kimberly Rice


troubled-marriage
betrayals
betrayed-by-family
borrowed

Coming Home


Rebecca Barber - 2016
    Now it is finally time to go back. And with her friend’s birthday party days away, it is the perfect opportunity. On her way into town, her car breaks down, and then she’s attacked and left for dead among the dirt and dust on the roadside. Spencer McLaren never left home, but his heart did. In the same moment Zoe fled… Spencer had always been in Zoe’s life. Every time she’d needed him, he’d been there, arms open wide. When he spots a broken and battered Zoe stumbling along the side of the road, he can’t help but swoop in and rescue her. He rushes her to the hospital, but when she’s released, he can’t seem to let her go. Not again. Physically, Zoe feels fine. Emotionally, her head and her heart are a disaster… Spencer takes Zoe into his home and assigns himself the task of guardian and nurse. But her return puts strain on Spencer’s relationship with his brother, who isn’t happy to see Spencer falling for the girl who broke his heart again. Zoe knows she should leave, but her attacker is still out there, and being with Spencer is the only place she feels safe. She wants to make up for the pain she caused him in the past, but the attack has left her so broken and scared. Despite Zoe’s hesitations and constant battle to keep her emotions in check, Spencer is determined to keep her safe and make her never regret finally… Coming Home.

The Scream Behind Her Smile


Athena Daniels - 2019
    murder. "An unforgettable thrill-ride that had me hooked from the first page. Secrets, lies, betrayal and passion." 5 Stars It's one thing to discover your husband is not who you believe him to be. It's another thing entirely to prove it. The only question now, is how far he will go to protect his secrets. From the INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the award-winning Beyond the Grave paranormal romance series. "Athena Daniels has spun a spell-binding story that is sure to seduce fans of suspense... Her compelling writing style coupled with elements of high drama and disturbing characters makes for an emotionally intense read. Athena Daniels has a new fan in me!" Readers Favorite, 5 Stars "...a contemporary psychological thriller with a solid plot line which had me reading late into the night. I thoroughly enjoyed every word." 5 Stars, Readers Favorite *** One lie is enough to question all truths. As I lie here in my front hallway, in the place where it all began, I wonder what would have happened if I’d never opened the door that afternoon? Would she have gone somewhere else? Would she have swept off in another direction, an alternative reality where our lives would never have crossed paths? And now I’m lying here, blood pooling beneath my body, deep crimson smears on cold white tiles, remembering every sordid moment in vivid detail. There’s a shadow standing over me. “I want you to die here, slowly and alone.” Her voice is cold, emotionless. “And I want you to use the time to think about what you did. And when you take your last breath, I want you to realize it’s all your fault. All of it!” I drift in and out of consciousness and wonder if I had my chance to do it over again, if I had the choice, would I choose not to open the door that day? Even after everything, I know that I would. I’d go through it all again, and then some, if it meant the chance to be with Zach just one more time… *** An unforgettable Romantic Thriller that is impossible to put down. Get your copy now! "Author Athena Daniels has created an extremely readable and relatable tale in The Scream Behind Her Smile. As a lead character Claire was real, believable and someone the reader clearly wanted to root for while at the same time feeling this intense desire to shake her out of her complacency and her naivety. What I particularly liked about this story was the author’s obvious desire not to minimize the incredible effect losing a child has on the parents. No amount of advice “to move on” or “to let it go” is ever going to make any difference. No parent dreams of this ultimate tragedy and when it happens, it is totally devastating to the parents. This whole premise was beautifully and sensitively portrayed by the author. Until you forgive yourself for what happened, you can never make peace with the present or the future. The relationship between Zach and Claire was moving, powerful and incredibly sexy. I did love that Zach not only had a past but that he was actively dealing with reconciling with that past. Both Claire and Zach felt they had huge impediments in their lives to them ever being happy again but Daniels skilfully showed us that there is a way to let go without forgetting. I can highly recommend this book, especially if you love romance with some real meat on its bones. This is what this book has.

The Infidelity Chain


Tess Stimson - 2008
    He knows he could never choose between them; and is eternally grateful he's never been asked.When tragedy strikes out of the blue, Ella's carefully ordered life is abruptly derailed. Struggling to cope as the chaos spirals out of her control, unable to play the accommodating mistress any longer, Ella examines her long relationship with William, and finds it wanting.But her personal nightmare has repercussions for everyone linked to her. For William, who has to face his own demons and make the toughest decision of his life. For Beth, who is just beginning to emerge from the depression that has stolen the most precious years of motherhood.And above all for Cate, William and Beth's seventeen-year-old daughter, whose transition from girlhood to womanhood is suddenly set to be a baptism of fire.' a] superior tale of immorality and lust...Stimson's skill ensures we are gripped to the finish. Warmly recommended.' Daily Mail

Crazy Over You


Carol Thomas - 2015
    in more ways than one! When Abby met Simon, it was the start of something special, a love Abby believed would last a lifetime. A wedding, two daughters and fifteen years later, Abby's world is falling apart. Having discovered Simon has had an affair, her normally ordered mind is spiralling out of control. Crushed by the betrayal and shocked by her own reaction, she knows she needs to get herself together; she's just not sure where to start. With Simon on a mission to win her back and a close friend hiding a secret that could push her further over the edge, Abby finds strength and support where she least expects it. But as she attempts to gain control of her life and make decisions about her future, it may be more than the limits of Abby's mind that are put to the test!

The Girl Box Set


Susan Ward - 2017
    He’s the ultimate rock god, a musician fresh out of rehab, tormented by his own weakness and troubled past. Chrissie is soon consumed by Alan's shocking pursuit of her, his dark secrets, and his sexual desires. Their chemistry is undeniable, but can it keep them together when Neil Stanton, a laid-back musician from Seattle, decides to fight for Chrissie’s heart, too? Two troubled rock stars fight for her heart. One girl afraid to love. A USA Today Happy Ever After Blog Recommended Romance Series. All four books in the Amazon bestselling rock star series, available for the first time in one convenient, discounted bundle.

Temptation Street


Shari Low - 2010
    What's a suspicious wife to do? Mel knows that her sweet, docile husband Joe would never, ever cheat. But when Suze, her sister-in-law, hires a honeytrap to test Karl, the results blow Mel's world apart.Is this the end of the road for both couples? Or is relationship misbehaviour much more fun when it's a two-way street?

When the Vows Break


Lakisha Johnson - 2019
    Happily married, wedded bliss and with these rings, we do take; But what happens to happily ever after, when the vows break? Shelby, Raylan, Chloe, Lynesha, Kerri and Camille have been friends since freshmen year of high school. They’ve been together through college, failed relationships, deaths and sickness. They've watched each other grow and become business leaders and owners, wives and mothers. They've survived when most people say, women can't be friends. Then, all hell breaks loose in each of their marriages. Secrets, lying, cheating, drugs, alcohol, and temptations prove that not everything is what it seems. Will the chaos of it all be more than they can take? Find out in part 1 of When the Vows Break

A Long Walk in Wintertime


Libby Purves - 1997
    She loves her job but enjoys her clever, spirited children too; her husband (Dan the New Man) does his share at home, and their London house is always full of friends. At her thirty-seventh birthday party, Alice reflects that their life has been a pretty successful production so far.But love can be treacherous, and children are never quite what they seem. Two months later, far from home and alone on a desperate quest through the bleak lanes of Norfolk, Alice wonders how it fell apart so quickly. Were things ever as good as they seemed? Had the McDonalds really been happy, or was it no more than a stage illusion?

The Great Betrayal


Millenia Black - 2009
    But castles built on sand are eventually washed away by the sea... ★☆★ Meet the Players ★☆★Leslie Cavanaugh—she’s not the woman she claims to be. Once Leslie Phillips, she's hiding a painful secret that's about to shake her family to its core. Luke Cavanaugh—Leslie’s second husband, but he looks eerily like her first. An award-winning architect, Luke’s got designs on getting to the bottom of his wife’s past...in more ways than one. Kathryn Cavanaugh—Luke and Leslie’s only daughter. In competition for her mother’s affection, Kate risks much more than the family’s good name with exploits of all the wrong places... Dawn Chadwick—Leslie’s only friend and sister in widowhood. What would Leslie have done without Dawn all these years And what would Luke? Grace Cunningham—abandoned at birth...and she's pissed about it. What makes a mother abandon her child, not once, but twice in a lifetime? Meanwhile, a mysterious couple secretly rendezvous in a Palm Beach bungalow... In this steamy saga of lost love, marriage and motherhood, hidden secrets and shocking truths collide as Leslie Cavanaugh’s past rocks the present with the most intimate betrayal of all! THE GREAT BETRAYAL will keep you up all night!

Before, There Was You


Kit Harlow - 2019
    But when her husband takes a year-long teaching position out of state, she throws herself into a new job in a new city. What she doesn’t expect is to have to work alongside her first love, Kate Masterson. When their paths cross, Liz is forced to relive the choices she made and starts to wonder if her life really is as perfect as it seems. Can Liz figure out who she is while working in close proximity with the one who got away?

Conflicted


Ruby Black - 2016
    Not with her. She deserves better than what I can offer her. So I drown myself in women and booze, certain I’m doing the right thing, keeping her at a distance.Or so I thought.When Lacey tells me about the internship she’s scored with a hotshot criminal attorney, I’m happy for her. This could make her career. If anyone deserves success, it’s her.Then I learn who her new ‘mentor’ is.My father.Now, the secrets I’ve been keeping may cost me the very friendship I’ve been trying to protect.

All We Were


Elisabeth Grace - 2019
    I’ve finally crossed the line.Even if he knew my reason for doing this, he’d never forgive me.He always puts my needs before his own.Now it’s my turn to protect him.None of that matters though because the betrayal and disgust in his eyes comes from deep within his soul. There’s no coming back from this.He will forever be tormented by what he’s seen, and he will never forgive me.The last fragment of my heart to hold out hope that we’d share a future, withers and dies.

Bent


Jesse H. Reign - 2021
    From the second Oliver lays eyes on dangerously sexy Ethan Quinn, his life isn't the same. One touch, one taste, is all it takes to ignite a passion that can't be ignored. Bent is a fast paced, heartfelt story that will hurt (in all the right ways,) and will stay with you long after you've finished reading. This story is intended for a mature audience aged 18 years or over. It contains erotic themes and BDSM. It is a gay erotic romance. If men loving men isn't your thing, give this story a very wide berth.

Worth the Wait


Jamie Beck - 2015
    James. Since then, her love for David has only intensified thanks to years of friendship with his family, who rescued her from a lonely, tumultuous childhood. As she travels to Block Island to vacation with the St. James siblings, Vivi daydreams about reuniting with David, hoping he’ll finally see her as his soul mate.After his mother’s death, David distanced himself from his siblings, determined to hide a devastating family secret. Now, he’s brought a new girlfriend along to his homecoming—one who’s pushing for a serious commitment. The last thing he needs on his growing list of problems is his budding attraction to Vivi.With tensions running high, David’s behavior triggers a series of events that might cost him the love he’s always taken for granted and Vivi the only real family she’s ever known.

The Distance Between Us


Georgie Capron - 2018
    However, feelings of frustration have settled over her like a dark cloud. Despite living under the same roof and sharing the same bed, Tasha has never felt so distant from her husband, Charlie. She feels worn down by the mental load of motherhood, drowning in the never-ending chores that keep the family and household afloat. Most of all she worries that her once happy marriage is slipping away from her.Tasha longs for something to change, but when change comes calling will it really be the answer she was hoping for? And is it possible to fall in love with the same person twice?A modern day love story about family, marriage and risking it all to have it all.