Book picks similar to
Secretly In Love by Jackie Castle
novella
romance
contemporary
short-stories
Down, Then Up
Beth Labonte - 2016
She certainly doesn’t expect to see him ten years later at her sister’s bachelorette party in Vegas. But there he is, Jamie Mullins—the first person to love her for the Lord of the Rings watching, Comic Con attending, closet nerd that she is—leaning against the back of a hotel elevator. Slightly older. Different haircut. No wedding ring. Same eyes. As the pair embark on a late night errand around the Vegas Strip, Lauren is flooded with memories of how Jamie became the one that got away—and the realization that this one night could be their last chance at making things right.
Phone Kitten
Marika Christian - 2010
Throw in a gig as a phone sex operator, an unexpected hunk of a boyfriend, and a client's murder, and you have all the ingredients for the perfect chick lit romp. Even bloggers at Trashionista just had to read it: "A fabulous book.” Shy, funny, loveable Emily’s a pretty unlikely candidate for a phone sex operator. She’d die if she had to talk dirty face-to-face—especially to her hot cop boyfriend. She sure didn’t set out to do phone sex—she wanted to be a writer. But when her BFF framed her for plagiarism, she got in a tiny financial hole and saw this ad for “phone actresses”… Hey, it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. No pantyhose or pantsuits, no regular hours, you’re your own boss, and lots of people to talk to. Guys, that is. But here’s the odd thing—lots of them want to talk about more than Emily’s imagined attributes; they start to think of her as the best friend they’ll never have to meet. Next thing you know, one of her customers gets killed. What’s a phone kitten to do? Solve the murder herself, of course! “Phone Kitten was a fun debut read with an interesting premise and some great characters – excellent chick lit.” -The Brazen Bookworm “Marika Christian's debut novel was one of the most fun reads I have had this year. Sweet Emily taking a job as a 'phone actress' has to be one of the funniest things ever.” -Just Jump A fun, refreshing treat for fans of Jennifer Crusie, Janet Evanovich, and Stephanie Bond, Phone Kitten is your ticket to hours of giggles—so long as you’re not looking for raunch. Because this is so not it! “When I first heard of this book I was intrigued; a phone-sex worker turned sleuth? Sounds like the perfect mix...a fabulous book. --Trashionista Excerpt: The girl who answered the phone sounded a lot like me. She was perky, upbeat, and wanted me to come in that night for an interview. The thought terrified me, but my only other option was Walmart. I heard Walmart locks employees in the store. I've often wondered what would happen if one of the employees were pregnant and went into labor while locked up. Would they let her out? Would her supervisor deliver the baby in housewares and slap a little smiley face sticker on the baby's bottom? Phone sex had to be better than twenty-four hour retail. The company name was Dimensions. Located in the back of an industrial park, it was a little scary. There was a gravel parking lot with a dozen cars and only one door with a camera to capture anyone who pressed the call button. I was buzzed in immediately. I wondered, Why does a phone sex place need this much security? I was met by Taylor, the bubbly girl I talked to on the phone. “Come on, I'll take you in the back and we can talk.” She wasn't what I pictured. Taylor was a tattooed Goth chick, with every piercing imaginable. Taylor isn't what most people envisioned when it came to “bubbly.” Once we were in her office, she quickly closed the door. “Look, we talk dirty here. The language is sexually explicit. You have to say it all. Tits, cock, and fuck. Can you do that?” “Yes.” There, I said it. I said I could do it. I hoped I really could. She whipped out a headset, plugged it in, and said, “I want you to listen to a call.
An Awakened Heart
Jody Hedlund - 2017
Ministering to one of the most deprived parts of New York City, the chapel aims at making a difference in the lives of the impoverished immigrants flooding the city. After seeing firsthand the hopelessness of the poor women and orphans, Christine is convinced more can be done to help them.Guy Bedell has been serving at the chapel and pouring his heart out for the people he's grown to care about. When Christine begins to challenge his methods and offers a new vision for reaching out to the community, can he trust that perhaps God has bigger plans in store for him--plans that may include this feisty socialite?
Changing Her Mind
Stevie MacFarlane - 2012
Rebecca is in love too, although she prefers to think of it as being ‘in lust’. Oh, she wants him, badly in fact, but if it’s all the same to him she’ll just skip the church and rice bit and go straight to the blazing hot sex. Unfortunately for her, and for her sweet bottom, it isn’t all the same to him. Mason is a reasonable man most of the time, or at least that’s what he tells himself, but he is determined to change Rebecca’s mind about marriage by almost any means necessary. As his frustration level skyrockets he begins to realize he might be a little more traditional and a little less reasonable than he thought. He’s willing to give her something blazing hot alright, but until they tie the knot it won’t be blazing hot love she’ll get, it will be a blazing hot bottom.(Book Length: 12 chapters / 47,710 words)
The Lake
AnnaLisa Grant - 2013
Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt.The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less-than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity. Now she must learn how to allow herself to be the one cared for and loved.Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love.When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.
Christmas Bells are Ringing
Lesley Ann McDaniel - 2015
Having recently relocated to Seattle, Shelby longs for someone special in her life. When a handsome green-eyed stranger walks into the coffee shop where she works, her interest is piqued. Later, she finds a bag containing five beautiful hand-painted Christmas bells on the cream and sugar table. No one comes back to claim it, so she decides to do a little detective work. Does she dare hope that it will lead her to the stranger with the magnetic green eyes? Chris Bertone loves his job at Impact Ministries, but working day and night has prevented him from having much of a social life. On a whim, he stops for a cup of coffee and is instantly smitten with the beautiful barista. Now, even with everything he has to take care of at work, all he wants to do is find time for another coffee break. But things are so hectic this holiday season, how can he manage to get to know her better without being too overbearing, or breaking his budget on coffee? Holiday Hearts…seasons of love.
Find Her, Keep Her, A Martha's Vineyard Love Story
Z.L. Arkadie - 2015
It's addictive romance reading that gets more satisfying as you journey further into these characters experience. Book one of the LOVE in the USA series features Daisy Blanchard and Belmont (Jack) Lord. Don't be surprised by the hot and fast start, Daisy and Belmont have a lot to learn about love, and here is where their education begins. It was one intense week in late October. I probably should've slowed our pace but I wasn't thinking clearly. I had just learned my boyfriend and best friend were engaged via a Facebook post, which left me heartbroken and wrestling with ghosts from my past.But Belmont Lord was so convincing and uninhibited, unlike me. He also had demons of his own. We threw caution to the wind. Could fate had picked a more perfect time and place for two people to meet?Yes, it was one steamy and surprising week, but was it long enough to make us last forever?Find Her, Keep Her: A Martha's Vineyard Love Story is the first sexy, sensual and addictive contemporary romance in the LOVE in the USA series by author, Z.L. Arkadie.This manuscript has been updated as of 6/18/2017. Sex scenes are still frequent but they are no longer written in graphic detail. Also, some of the details that were hard to swallow have been made palatable. Although, do realize that I had chosen to write two imperfect human beings. In later books, as they choose to make their relationship work, they also choose to resolve their personal issues. After all that is the theme of the LOVE in the USA series--true love, real love is another catalyst in life which helps evolve two people for the better. So I write love stories more than romance, and from book one through twelve of this series, you will be able to read the difference. Visit zlarkadiebooks.com to learn more about the author.
When Love Comes
J.H. Croix - 2014
Once wild and impulsive, she shut her heart off to love and adventure after her parents died. When she meets Luke Winters, their immediate attraction is overwhelming.Burned once before, Luke has committed himself to nothing but casual dalliances with women. Rugged and smoldering, he finds no shortage of women happy to oblige. When Hannah comes along, he questions what he might be missing. Both fight the depth of their feelings—love is not part of the plan.Hannah’s sense of identity is shaken when she unearths a surprising truth about her family. Meanwhile, Luke’s interfering family and complications from his past challenge Hannah and Luke to face their true feelings for each other. Can two people who don’t believe love is worth the risk find the courage to face their fears and open their hearts?
Once Upon the Prairie
Lenny Davis - 2014
Once Upon The Prairie - A Western Romance Novella (The Brides Of Courage, Kansas, Book 1)Married to the meanest rancher in Kansas, unhappy Mina Morlock lives in a golden cage, as her husband is also the richest man in the state.Her husband's foolishness puts him in awful opposition to the charismatic cowboy Jesse Bartleby and his men.Drawn to Jesse, but married to Neville Morlock, Mina does the right thing — and finds a happily-ever-after that she had not dared to dream of.Enjoy this clean sixty-page Western romance by Lenny Davis.The Brides of Courage, Kansas, Series of historical Western Mail Order Bride Romances:"Once Upon the Prairie," Book 1"She Came One Winter," Book 2"A Bride In Spring," Book 3"Heart of Summer," Book 4
Read, Write, Love at Seaside
Addison Cole - 2014
He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller — that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.Leanna’s come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can’t get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she’s just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.Read, Write, Love at Seaside is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you're looking for a spicier romance, pick up the steamy edition, Read, Write, Love, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.
To Be His
Terri L. Austin - 2015
So yes, when I offered to trade Allie Campbell three months as my mistress for her family home, it was a joke. Only thing is, she wasn't laughing...and she bloody well took me up on it.Well, all right then; I could play that game. I figured I'd take her on, we'd have some fun, and in three months, she'd walk away with her family intact and I could get back to what I do best: making money.But I'd made one mistake along the way. I stupidly assumed that after having her, I could walk away. I was wrong. I don't know how long this feeling-this consuming need-will last, but I'm not ready to let her go.Not now. Not yet. Maybe not ever.Beauty and the Brit His Every Need To Be His: companion novella His Kind of Trouble: coming Fall 2015His to Keep: coming: coming Spring 2016
Lightning Strikes
Carlene Havel - 2012
Forced to unite, will their animosity for each other crash like thunder or will they discover love as lightning strikes?
Shattered Heart : The Heart of Christmas Series
Patti Stafford
She plans to start the new year off as a full-time career woman.What she doesn’t expect is for her brother’s friend, Kyle, to show up and steal her heart. But, after a bad breakup, can she ever trust another man with her heart?Kyle is charming, mature and well-mannered, too good to be true. Will her shattered heart find healing or does she risk having it shattered again?
Three Dates With You (Rules of Love, #2.5)
Lauren Blakely - 2021
In practice, it’s terrifying. Especially if the guy you want to take a chance with is your good friend. But as we gallivant around London, Sam makes his case for taking a chance on three dates with him.
Crazy Love
Emma Keene - 2013
She is planning to attend State in the fall, with her boyfriend Mitch, and has her life all planned out. The only problem is that life has an entirely different plan for her. Excerpt: Dragging my feet as I walk, I leave my room and head downstairs to face the firing squad. I step into the kitchen and my parents stop mid sentence and look at me. It’s a weird feeling, almost like I’m a toy that is being inspected for faults. They are trying to decide if I pass and get to move on with my existence or I fail and get tossed to the bottom of a trash bin. Dad motions for me to take a seat across the table from him. My mom gets up and stands at the sink, looking out the window. I can already tell this isn’t going to be good. I hang my head and wait for it to begin. “Where were you?” I swallow and turn to my dad. He looks disappointed, but compared to the look on my mother’s face, he looks calm and collected. I shouldn’t be surprised, he’s always been the one who steadies the ship when the waves start. “I… I went to Mitch’s house.” My mom starts to cry. I instantly feel bad, even though I’m not sure why my sneaking out would cause her to be upset emotionally. I get that she’s mad, however, this is not the response I was expecting. Why would me going to Mitch’s house make her cry? It really makes no sense. My dad lets out a deep sigh and drums his fingers on the table. “What were you doing there?” I wrestle with telling them the truth. They are going to be pissed either way. Maybe I should just tell them about State. I take a deep breath and ready myself, emotionally, to deal with the slew of questions and judgment that is sure to follow.