Book picks similar to
A New Start by Morris Fenris


romance
contemporary
holiday
novella

Not Today, But Someday


Lori L. Otto - 2012
    Forced to transfer schools mid-year, she wasn't trying to make new friends. In that same month, sophomore Nate Wilson's girlfriend broke up with him. Searching for someone to fill the void left by his first love, he meets Emi in his art class. Nate knows he wants Emi from the moment he sees her. Emi knows she needs Nate after one night together. A life-long friendship is born, and a pact is made to ensure that nothing will come between them. This novella is the prequel to the Emi Lost & Found series. After the 3-volume series was published, readers wanted more. This is for them – the story of how Nate and Emi met – and although it’s a prequel, it can be enjoyed before or after the series.

Brides and Betrayal


Michelle Lynn Brown - 2014
    As she longs to come out from under the stain of their sin, she is held back by the constant whisperings in her mind that never fail to remind her who she is and where she comes from. Hunter cannot forgive his mother’s adultery and vows never to be like his father - blindly accepted the sins of others. Fearful that they will fall into the same trap as his parents, he tries to control every situation, but his jealousy and judgmental attitude only add to Holly’s feeling of unworthiness. As the years pass, Hunter’s anger and mistrust grow, taking their toll on Holly and Hunter's marriage. When handsome widower, Seth Hargrove, befriends the couple, he urges Hunter to let go of his anger, and reminds Holly she is more than her parents' sin. Will Seth be the key to reconciling Holly and Hunter and redeeming them from the disastrous path their marriage is on?  Or will his friendship only lead to betrayal?

Christmas Chaos


Jennifer Conner - 2011
    All she want to do is get to her families Christmas Eve dinner for once on time. Instead, she gets stuck in her office's elevator with a tall, stranger in the dark.When she meets Carsten ,will Josiane find that holiday romance may come in the strangest places?

Christmas Kismet


Jemma Grey - 2013
    Until this year. This year, Christmas represents an aching reminder of all that Kate is supposed to have and all that she has lost. Her fiance ran off with her twin sister and Kate would rather hide and wallow in her misery than spend Christmas with her family. This will be the first Christmas that she has ever spent alone. Kate rents a secluded cabin for the holidays and hopes to find herself again as she picks up the pieces of her shattered heart. Instead, Kate finds Henri Archer, a sexy architect who owns the vacation cabin that she rented. Henri is undeniably handsome and although Kate knows that it is entirely too soon for her heart to embark on a new relationship, her attraction to Henri is impossible to ignore. Since the death of his wife three years ago, Henri has struggled to get through Christmas. Spending an unexpectedly romantic holiday secluded in a winter wonderland with Kate has Henri wondering if Christmas wishes really do come true. Together, Henri and Kate rekindle the joys of the Christmas season - each contemplating bearing the scars of their pasts for a second chance at love. Kate fears that by opening her heart to Henri she risks re-opening herself to the heart ache that threatened to destroy her. Henri hopes that two broken hearts can come together and mend each other - a true Christmas miracle. **Christmas Kistmet is a sweet and steamy holiday romantic tale about love, fate and the redemption of second chances**

Home for the Holidays: Short Story


Eden Summers - 2019
     Now he's back for the holidays and thinks he can pick up where they left off. Not if she can help it. He broke her heart once. She can't let his cocky smirk weaken her defenses again. That is, until he tempts her with a Christmas gift she has no ability to deny. AUTHOR NOTE: This book was previously released as Down and Dusty - Brooke via Harlequin Escape. It has since been rewritten and revised.

Blue Christmas


Diane Moody - 2011
    When a last-minute customer brimming with holiday spirit invites her to a candlelight service and a late-night family dinner, Hannah reluctantly accepts. She has no idea this kindhearted woman is the mother of Jason McKenzie - leader singer of Out of the Blue, the hottest band in the country - and Hannah's childhood idol. The evening ends with an innocent kiss (sans mistletoe) as Hannah is swept away by Jason's unpretentious manner.Over the holidays Hannah and Jason's relationship grows, but when turmoil and tragedy strike at the very heart of his famous band, their newfound love is put to the test in the glare of the paparazzi spotlight. Throughout her rollercoaster of experiences with Jason and his friends, Hannah comes face to face with her own beliefs. Who knew she could learn more about prayer and faith by hanging out with a bunch of rock stars than she ever learned in church?The author first wrote Blue Christmas as a gift for her then-teenage daughter in honor of her affection for a wildly popular band in the late 90s. The short story grew into a full-length novel, eventually surfacing on one of the band's fan fiction websites where it became quite a phenomenon. More than 80,000 readers stopped by to read the story, with over 1000 of them sending personal emails to the author who still enjoys reading them today. Though the story's details have been changed, its band and all characters now fictional, the story line remains the same. Author Diane Moody has dedicated Blue Christmas to her now-grown daughter, Hannah Moody Schmitt.

Goodbye, Magnolia


Krista Noorman - 2015
    The art of capturing a moment forever in time is magical to her, and she's worked hard to become the best of the best. Week after week, she works with couples as they plan their happily ever afters, but she hasn't been so lucky in love.Behind the camera, it's easy to hide from the pain and rejection of her past. The life she has made for herself is safe and predictable, until the owner of a rival photography studio sets up shop in her small town and comes to her with an unexpected proposal. Suddenly, everything she has worked so hard to build is threatened and her simple, controlled life is thrown into chaos.As she travels the state of Michigan photographing weddings, she struggles to keep her business afloat and the wall around her heart intact. But along the way, she learns more about loyalty and love than she ever imagined.

Let It Snow


Macie St. James - 2020
    The handsome stranger who owns that ditch has no idea that his offer to help will lead to a holiday stranded together in the snow.Paul McKellar has retreated to a rental cabin to finish his book. While he’s on a tight deadline, he’s also trying to forget about the holiday. His mother’s surprised death happened just a year earlier, and the holidays will never be the same.But the more time he spends with Garland, the more he realizes there’s plenty left to celebrate. Once the holidays are over, though, they’ll be separated by hundreds of miles. Can their feelings for each other overcome the distance?Let It Snow is a sweet, clean contemporary standalone Christmas romance in a small-town setting.

Scent of Cedar


Shanna Hatfield - 2018
    . . No one said anything about a friendly camel or a hunky mechanic Cedar Haynes has a choice: change her high-pressure lifestyle, or end up dead by the time she’s thirty. Not one to do things by half measures, she quits her demanding corporate job, swaps her sports car for an SUV, and moves to the peaceful mountain community of Faraday. She envisions a quiet, peaceful Christmas, surrounding by silence and sparkling snow. When a camel takes up residence on her porch, she realizes small-town life may be more quirky and complicated than she imagined. Thankfully, the local mechanic seems to have all the answers - plus good looks, bad-boy charm, and a mysterious aura that leaves her wanting to know more. Rhett Riggs left big city life behind the moment his small-town uncle needed his help. To make ends meet, he takes over Faraday’s one and only garage and gas station. He gets more than he bargained for, though, when Uncle Will passes away, leaving Rhett a run-down farmhouse, a wacky camel named Lolly, and a deep-rooted love for the community he considers his home. With the holidays approaching, he watches with interest as a new neighbor moves in next door. He waits for Lolly to send the woman running, like she has the last handful of residents. Only this time, if his beautiful neighbor leaves, she’ll take his heart with her.Between spilled secrets, mistaken identities, and a camel determined to spread a little love, it will take more than mistletoe and holiday magic to help Rhett and Cedar find their happy ending.Come along on a sweet Christmas romance adventure sure to uplift the spirit, touch the heart, and imbue the warmth of the holiday season. ˃˃˃ Read all four sweet romances in The Friendly Beasts of Faraday series! * Scent of Cedar (Book 1) - A woman in need of a new beginning finds herself tormented by a camel and captivated by the town's bad boy. Can she overcome her fears to embrace a sweet holiday romance?* Tidings of Joy (Book 2)- Only one woman can draw a shy mail carrier out of his shell, but it will take the help of her donkey and puppy to make it happen.* Boughs of Holly (Book 3)- A free-spirited nurse winds up on a ranch with a stubborn cowboy and his matchmaking grandpa. Will love triumph over her need to roam?* Wings of an Angel (Book 4) - Will a fun-loving teacher convince a woman sworn off romance to give love a second chance? He'll need a hand from her son and his furry, feathered friends. ˃˃˃ The inspiration for the stories. . . The Friendly Beasts Christmas carol mentions a camel, a donkey, a cow, a sheep, and a dove. That sweet carol is what sparked the idea for this series, along with a steal-the-show camel at a live nativity performance. Start reading this heartwarming holiday series today!

Christmas Kisses and Cookies


Linda West - 2015
    The inhabitants of Kissing Bridge are so adorable. This is exactly what I was looking for in a Christmas book! I wish I could give it 10 stars!” S.Stevens - Kindle Good Books“Within a matter of pages I was laughing my socks off and immediately fell in love with the slightly crazy Summer … Linda West has such a knack for the humorous side of characters … Her writing style is so upbeat and unique I hope to see more of these characters I’ve come to love - can’t wait to see what happens next in this sweet town of Kissing Bridge!”M. Sinclair This is a hilarious light hearted and charming romance about a delightfully funny family and their determination to win the prestigious Christmas cookie competition against all odds. It's sure to bring a smile to your face and uplift your heart and make it a truly magical blue ribbon Christmas! Los Angeles super model, Summer Landers, finds herself stuck going home for Christmas after ten years of avoiding the heartbreak she left there. After a snowstorm hits closing most of the airports, she is forced to fly back to Christmas-obsessed Kissing Bridge Mountain where people take their holidays, and cookies seriously. Upon arrival Summer finds her family legacy in shambles. Despite the Landers winning the blue ribbon every year for decades at the Christmas Fair Cookie Competition, somehow they had been unthroned by their neighbor Mrs. Beaverton! The Landers women, with their family curse and strange and unique talents, now must struggle to find a way to best their competition who has secretly employed the help of the Evil-Martha Stewart. Besides dealing with the crazy antics of the town people,Summer must also avoid her ex boyfriend Brad, who has returned home for the Christmas holidays as well. Now she is confronted with her feelings and the truth about that fateful night under the mistletoe so long ago.. Mistletoe kisses and cookies are too much to deal with, and try as she might it looks like Summer is destined to relive the worst nightmare of her life. Luckily, Christmas brings miracles and Kissing Bridge is full of them so anything can happen... This is a recent newly edited edition. A charmingly funny and delightful Christmas romance book that is good for the whole family. "The perfect feel good book when you want to lift your spirits! It made me laugh the whole way through. Thank you for the true holiday cheer!"S. CagesTags: Christmas, Holiday, Romance, Humor, Cozy, Clean

A Twisted Little Christmas


Annalise Delaney - 2017
    But when the merriment takes a bizarre twist, he retreats by himself to call it a night... Until his attention is captured by a teary-eyed Santa in a very short skirt.Holly's quest to find herself again ends in a disastrous Christmas date, leaving her discouraged and alone in a town far from home. But when her date returns, angry and violent, she's rescued by a gorgeous stranger--the kind of guy she once would have pursued. But that was before.Seeking cheer but preferring anonymity, they embark on an innocent game playing the roles of old friends catching up. Without encumbrances, honest conversations uncover hidden desires. Sparks fly, directing them to an outcome they hadn't expected and shouldn't pursue. But will it thrust them into each other's arms or leave them longing for what could have been?AUTHORS ADVISORY: While this romance is sweet, it's on the spicy side. If you like your romance STEAMY, your men HOT, and your sex DIRTY... this is for you.

Grace Space: A Direct Sales Tale


Robin Merrill - 2014
    So, when she heard that Grace Space Independent Consultants make $40 per hour, she could hardly wait to sign on the dotted line. That signature launched her into a crazy adventure full of embarrassing blunders, kooky characters, and sidesplitting laughs, and it's not long before she starts to wonder if the purple dream is too good to be true.

Forever Christmas


Christine Lynxwiler - 2007
    But after two broken engagements, she's content to forget romance and run her Christmas shop in Jingle Bells, Arkansas. She thinks her biggest fear is making it down the aisle as maid of honor in her best friend's Christmas wedding, with at least one ex-fiancé looking on. But when her beloved Jingle Bells is threatened, Kristianna struggles to sort through her jumbled feelings concerning the handsome lawyer hired to change the town name and her childhood sweetheart who has returned just in time to come to her aid. Will her heart discover the truth before both her town and her Christmas spirit is extinguished?

Bah, Humbug!


Heather Horrocks - 2011
    He digs into the snowman to discover two things: the weapon fits into the body just under the head, and the snowman was supposed to be the back drop for Lexi's next show.From this improbable beginning comes friendship. Can there be more for a woman who is afraid to get close again and a man who has shadows from his childhood?Families join together and hearts are healed as this couple goes walking in a winter wonderland.

Finding Love at the Oregon Coast


Angela Ruth Strong - 2017
     By Heather Woodhaven--Finding Love in Lincoln City: Liz feels stuck at her little beach magazine until a handsome rival sparks more than just friendly competition. By Lisa Phillips--Finding Love in Oceanside: Anabeth is looking to get out of her rut when a fender bender and a bizarre date with a former marine leads her to a life of love she could never have imagined. By Christina Coryell--Finding Love in Cannon Beach: Kadence feels the pressure to write a perfect love song, but an unexpected meeting with a musician will have her living one instead. By Angela Ruth Strong--Finding Love in Seaside: Christina plans to spend her honeymoon alone, but when the bed and breakfast owner offers her a position as cook, she starts to feel at home in his kitchen…and in his arms.