Book picks similar to
Yesterday Is Gone by H.J. Bellus


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The Varsity Dad Dilemma


Lex Martin - 2021
    Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.

Jax


Lane Hart - 2015
    Known for his viciousness in the cage, and his playboy ways out of it, Jax is arrested and charged with a brutal rape. The thought of spending decades in prison is one of the few things that actually scares the shit out of this cocky fighter. Newly admitted attorney Page Davenport is willing to do anything it takes to get out from under her father's thumb and finally prove herself in his law firm. Anything except represent the infamous miscreant, Jackson "The Mauler" Malone. Despite her protests, Page is powerless to avoid becoming the sacrificial lamb, the token female, who will be the face of the violent, angry Neanderthal's defense team. Jax is a bad boy with a temper, doing whatever the hell he wants in life while flipping the bird at all his haters. Page is the prim and proper rich debutante her parents want her to be. They've been pulling her strings, telling her what to do, where to go to school, what to wear, and even who she should marry. Page and Jax struggle to work together, engaging in a knockdown drag-out fight for dominance. When they finally stop taking swings at each other, they're both surprised to realize that sometimes first impressions are completely wrong. In fact, opposites really do seem to attract. However, there are lines that attorneys and their clients can never cross, if Page wants to keep her license to practice law. Will Page risk it all and submit to the cocky fighter? Or will Jax's temper and jealousy prove too much for her to take on outside of the courtroom? Either way, one thing is for sure - neither Page nor Jax are going down without a fight. In the end, the secret for them to find heaven may be to battle their way through hell first. This 72K word book has a HEA with no cliffhanger.

The Dandelion


Michelle Leighton - 2018
    When tragedy strikes, she runs. This time her urge to flee brings Abi back to her hometown, where she hopes she can find the peace she’s always searched for. That hope is dashed when Abi’s ex, Sam Forrester, bumps his way back into her life. Sam has flourished in ways Abi hasn’t. From the outside, he has it all—a successful medical practice, a beautiful daughter, and a charming wife.Who is dying.Sara Forrester is dying and her final wish is for Sam to find love again so she can meet the woman who will finish raising her daughter and grow old with her husband. Abi seems like the perfect fit, but what Sara doesn’t know is that Abi has a secret, a secret no one could guess.And it’s a deal breaker.

Running on Empty


L.B. Simmons - 2013
     Beautiful and loving husband.Three gorgeous little girls. Successful career. The only thing missing was the white picket fence. I really wanted that fence. Three years ago, I lost that life. I lost my husband. And I lost myself. But, eventually, I found my way through the darkness. I’ve made peace with my new life. I have my girls, and that’s all that matters. They are my world. I have no illusions of ever falling in love again or getting whisked away on a white horse. But then he came back into my life. On a freakin’ motorcycle.There’s no way I’ll let him turn my life completely upside down. Absolutely no way. The question is…How long can I keep pretending that I’m happy with my life being right-side up?

Fighting to Breathe


Aurora Rose Reynolds - 2015
    They never imagined the future could hold anything other than together-forever. When Lea's father dies in a tragic fishing accident, she's crushed under the weight of her grief and catches a glimpse of another type of future, one she knows she's not strong enough to face. Austin is angry. For the past fifteen years, he's believed the woman he loved with every ounce of his soul left him without so much as a backwards glance. When Lea unexpectedly returns to their hometown, all the years of heartache inside Austin bubbles to the surface and presents itself as blinding rage. Faced with the truth about the past, a newly discovered secret, these former lovers will learn that if they want to have any chance at the future they'd given up on all those years ago, they will have to rescue one another from drowning in pain so debilitating it will leave them both fighting to breathe. Contains mature themes.

Hopelessly Shattered


Bink Cummings - 2016
    You just make the best of it no matter what happens. That’s pretty much been my go-to since infancy. Then the charming, bald headed, blue eyed, Brent came along and I thought all the suck in life had been flushed down the drain. Ha! That’s when my true journey began—motherhood. This is my story, on how I took life by the go-nads when I decided I needed closure from my past—my father’s sudden death in particular. But what happens next wasn't anything I expected… It’s hopeless… shattering….exciting … scary…joyful…priceless… and I owe it all to one man... Bear, a chapter president of the Sacred Sinners Motorcycle Club. Warning: Contains adult sexual content, the excessive use of the F-word, cheating, and whatever else that makes it unsuitable for anyone under the age of 18. 1st Novel in a Duology - that could also be read as a possible standalone.

Into Temptation


Skyla Madi - 2016
     A good Catholic girl would never use church on Sunday to lust over the Father's son. A good Catholic girl would never pulse between her thighs and lose her breath over the boy who recites the closing prayer - even if his voice is low and sinful enough to make her toes curl in her shoes. A good Catholic girl would never allow herself to be led into temptation by dirty, blond hair and dark eyes... And a good Catholic girl would never use Bible study as an excuse to be used and abused. But, like I said, I'm not a good Catholic girl... And he's FAR from a good Catholic boy. Caleb Andrews is everything I don't need, but he's everything I want... God help me.

Bent


H.B. Heinzer - 2013
    Newly divorced, Julia returns to the small hometown she swore she?d left forever. She plans on enjoying the cheap rental a friend offers and staying there just long enough to figure out her next steps in life. But before long, Julia realizes she's made a big mistake. A decade ago, Micah Anderson promised Julia forever but broke her heart right before she left for college. Now, Julia's back in town, and he's going to have to tell her the truth about why he left her ? it's impossible to hide a twelve-year-old child when you live in such a small town. Can Julia forgive Micah and start anew? Should she try to make a relationship work if Micah's past becomes a threat to her safety? Should she follow her dreams if it means giving up on a second chance with her first love?

The Sinner


Kelsey Clayton - 2020
    She ruined my life in one fell swoop, and didn’t even have the heart to warn me.Now, nearly a decade later, I’m back in the town I grew up in, determined to make her pay.They say revenge is a dangerous game, but I’ve never been one to play it safe. There is nothing I’ll love more than to find her weakness and use it to destroy her. The lie she told all those years ago will be her undoing.Savannah Montgomery may be queen of the rich and entitled, but she’s about to meet her match. THE SINNER is a standalone and part of the Haven Grace Prep series. It contains angst, violence, and scenes that may be triggering for some readers. If you're looking for a sweet love story, this may not be for you.

I Want You Back


Lorelei James - 2019
    Despite the signs she'd like to leave him in the penalty box, the attraction burning between them reinforces his determination to prove that he deserves a second chance...Lucy Quade is in a good place with a steady job, a nice apartment, and a well-adjusted daughter, which is why she's hesitant when Jax insists on co-parenting. It's not that Lucy doesn't trust Jax...she's just unconvinced he can handle multiple responsibilities when he's been singularly focused on playing hockey. But when issues arise with Mimi, Lucy's shocked at how levelheaded and paternal he acts, giving her a glimpse of the Jax she used to know, the sexy, sweet man she fell for years ago.Once Lucy lets her guard down, Jax goes all in to show her how good they are together, but will their past remain too large an obstacle to ever overcome?

Breaking Without You


Carrie Ann Ryan - 2019
    And when he left, she thought her life was over. But then, after the worst happened, she truly understood what that phrase meant. Now, he’s not ready for a second chance, and she’s not offering one. Though given that their families have been forced together after losing one of their own, she knows there’s no turning back. Not this time. Not again. Not when it comes to Cameron.Cameron Connolly never wanted to hurt Violet, but there were reasons he had to leave all those years ago—not that she'd believe him if he told her what they were. He not only left her, he also left his foster brothers. Honestly, Cam didn’t want to come back to Denver to help run his father’s failing brewery. But when it comes to his brothers, he knows he’ll find a way to make it work. Perhaps he’ll even earn Violet’s forgiveness and face the connection they both thought long forgotten in the process. Because he wanted her then, but now he knows he needs her. He just hope she needs me.

Fighting Silence


Aly Martinez - 2015
    We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it's the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to? I've always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn't a single night that I didn’t hear her voice. You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one. They both happened anyway. Now, I'm on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life. Fighting for my career. Fighting the impending silence. Fighting for her. Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her. I think that's the sound I'll miss the most. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.

Forever My Girl


Heidi McLaughlin - 2012
    I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after. I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I've poured my soul into my music, but I've never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile. And now I'm going back. After ten years. I hope I can explain that after all this time. I still want her to be my forever girl.

One


Jewel E. Ann - 2016
    She’s also a bit sexually-frustrated. Until … God bestows a breath of mercy upon her in the form of Minnesota’s NFL starting quarterback. But this gift is no stranger. Lake met Cage Monaghan three years earlier. It was one day. One moment. One kiss that resurrected her dreams of finding love. His dimpled smile distracts from his imperfections, which include: a love for country music, fishing, and a feline-hating girlfriend. When life finally gives them their chance, it’s a humorous and heart-wrenching journey to find their place in the world. "We would be Cage and Lake. We would be unpredictable. We would be reckless. We would give normality the middle finger.” ***This book is a standalone. However, it is HIGHLY recommended that any readers who have not, but may consider, reading the Jack & Jill Series, do so before reading this book. It contains spoilers to Jack & Jill.

My One Regret


Claudia Y. Burgoa - 2018
    But now she might be gone for good. Kaden Hades couldn’t handle touring with his rock band and a relationship— until he discovered Sadie, the love of his life. But when tragedy struck with his teenage daughter, Kaden broke off the engagement, swearing to put his kids first. Then he gets the phone call. Sadie’s been in a car accident. By the time he reaches her side, she is critical. With Sadie in a coma, memories flood Kaden’s mind. Her kisses. And all the wonderful experiences they shared. The day it all went wrong…and Kaden made the biggest mistake of his life. Now, as her last line of defense against those who've given up hope, he'll move heaven and earth to protect her. Because she’s always had his heart—but if he loses her, his world will come apart.