Book picks similar to
Not Famous by Matthew Hanover
lad-lit
all-fiction
chick-lit-romance
comedy
Lady Sunshine
Amy Mason Doan - 2021
A tone-perfect evocation of the free-spirited late 1970s and a riveting coming-of-age story.” —Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party“In LADY SUNSHINE, Amy Mason Doan has crafted an engrossing tale of secrets, memory, music, and the people and places you can never outrun. This novel will transport you to the ‘70s and summertime magic and a long overdue reckoning. A fantastic summer read.”—Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told MeONE ICONIC FAMILY. ONE SUMMER OF SECRETS. THE DAZZLING SPIRIT OF 1970S CALIFORNIA.For Jackie Pierce, everything changed the summer of 1979, when she spent three months of infinite freedom at her bohemian uncle’s sprawling estate on the California coast. As musicians, artists, and free spirits gathered at The Sandcastle for the season in pursuit of inspiration and communal living, Jackie and her cousin Willa fell into a fast friendship, testing their limits along the rocky beach and in the wild woods... until the summer abruptly ended in tragedy, and Willa silently slipped away into the night.Twenty years later, Jackie unexpectedly inherits The Sandcastle and returns to the iconic estate for a short visit to ready it for sale. But she reluctantly extends her stay when she learns that, before her death, her estranged aunt had promised an up-and-coming producer he could record a tribute album to her late uncle at the property’s studio. As her musical guests bring the place to life again with their sun-drenched beach days and late-night bonfires, Jackie begins to notice startling parallels to that summer long ago. And when a piece of the past resurfaces and sparks new questions about Willa’s disappearance, Jackie must discover if the dark secret she’s kept ever since is even the truth at all.“Lady Sunshine is shot through with free love, hope, and all the magic of the ’70s, but under the sun and music lie dark secrets.It’s a thrilling ride, a beautiful evocation of an era, and a story that will keep readers entranced from the first page to the last.”—Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder“This book is gorgeous. A gold-drenched nostalgic dream with a fierce female friendship at its heart.”—Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author of I'll Be Your Blue Sky“Haunting and vivid, with layered, complex characters and an evocative setting that sparkles with detail, LADY SUNSHINE will stay with me for a long time.”—Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight
Confessions of a Fashionista
Angela Clarke - 2013
Now its anonymous author reveals both her identity and the true story of her giddyingly glamorous time in the style industry, with insider gossip on the people who populate it.Propelled by a painful end to a relationship and determined to prove her ex wrong for breaking up with her, our Fashionista lands a place on the Harrods Graduate Scheme. A complete outsider to the fashion world, she sets out on a wing and a pair of Guccis, and finds herself in a whirlwind of couture and craziness. Along the way she learns how to stay sane in a world where hairdressers have egos as big as their clients' bouffants, where dogs fly business class, and if you're eating carbs it can only be because you're pregnant.Confessions of a Fashionista is a book for anyone who's ever been an outsider, for anyone who's ever had a relationship end badly and thought they'd never find true love, and for anyone who thinks that cakes were made to be eaten, not sniffed. By turns hilarious, sad, thrilling, romantic and fun, it is the It book for fashionistas everywhere.
He's All That
Juliana Stone - 2019
It took forever to get over him. Now I’m stuck with Boyd in the Catskills. Do I hide? Do I protect myself from the insane attraction I still feel? Hell no. I just have to make sure the past doesn’t bite me in the ass because I can’t fall in love with him again. Call me crazy. Call me stupid. But don’t ever call me afraid. Boyd The last person I expected to run into is Echo Mansfield. The girl is a hot mess with more scandals in her back pocket than the Kardashians combined. She’s a pain in the ass. An opinionated, spoiled rich girl with a body made for sin and a mouth I can’t forget. We had one crazy, hot summer. Now she’s stuck here and all I can think about is having her again. And again. This isn’t a good idea. Even I know that. We’re alone in the Catskills for who knows how long. What the hell can go wrong?
Husbands and Lies
Susy McPhee - 2009
Only Alison is now desperately ill and she needs Fran's help. She wants to find her husband a new wife, and leave her young daughter with a new mother. Fran finds the whole idea deeply uncomfortable, but it's hard to refuse your closest friend at the best of times, let alone ignore her dying wishes.So Fran reluctantly logs on to an internet dating site, where she stumbles across a startlingly familiar profile. 'Footloose' describes himself as divorced, but his photo looks exactly like Fran's husband, Max. What's a wife to do when she suspects her husband's cheating and can't bear to confront him outright? Posing as 'Sassy', Fran sends a reply to 'Footloose' and sets out to date her own husband... But this increasingly crazy plan leads Max to start to have doubts of his own. Torn between suspicion and love, life for Fran just got very complicated - can her marriage survive?
Morgue to Love
Megan Montgomery - 2021
Smythe is the youngest, Medical Examiner in Nashville, Tennessee, only I didn't know it last night when she was between my legs and just Soula.This morning, we meet again as our careers cross paths and if I wasn't concentrating on not spilling my guts from the nasty fumes of this D.O.A., it'd be awkward as hell.Our eyes meet over the autopsy table......ahem......cough......the autopsy table absolutely covered in melted, gooey human remains that are long past recognizable...I open my mouth to speak. The name, Soula, is right there on my tongue. Unfortunately, so is the stench (and taste) of putrescine. When I wake up on a scratchy, tweed couch with a pounding headache, Soula's handing me something steamy in a Dolly Parton mug. She's just as beautiful in her light green scrubs as she was naked in my bed last night, but her expression is clear—she wants nothing more to do with me.But I want everything to do with her.
The Hale Brothers
Kathryn Andrews - 2016
Trapped in a small island town off the West Coast of Florida, for years we watched the tide roll in and out, while keeping so many secrets hidden from the world. Each of us hiding behind a different mask and dealing with our own struggles that ultimately lead us to a breaking point. That expression, “And the truth shall set you free . . .” Well, it did. In the end, it became our choice. With the help of three amazing, beautiful girls we soaked up the drops of rain, endured the starless nights, and woke each day to an unforgettable sun. We are the Hale Brothers: Drew, Beau, and Matt . . . and these are our stories.
Virgin
Radhika Sanghani - 2014
I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious.
Universally Challenged
Anna Bell - 2012
Not only does she wake up in a stranger's apartment, but the company she works for claims never to have heard of her. Jess wakes up in a hotel room without her husband. She tracks him down and discovers he is married to another woman. When a stranger, Jake, tries to convince her that she is heading up a multi-million dollar deal, it is too much for Jess, the teacher, to take in. Trapped on the wrong side of a parallel universe, Jessica and Jess turn to Jake to help them work out who they really are and what they really want. Same woman: wrong parallel universe
It Started With Goodbye
Christina June - 2017
After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.
Par for the Course
Ray Blackston - 2008
Golf, politics, and romance collide in Par for the Course as golf range owner Chris Hackett meets an attractive political correspondent who turns his world upside down.In Par for the Course, Chris Hackett owns and operates Hack's Golf Learning Center, an eccentric golf range in Charleston, SC. Chris jumps at the chance to step up his game when an attractive new student and political correspondent, Molly, suggests that Chris capitalize on the current, highly polarized, presidential election. This pitting of right versus left means even more income, plus a sharp new girlfriend, and soon Chris, his sidekick, Cack, and their unique golf range are the talk of the town . . . until someone takes the political insults too seriously. Will Molly stick around as Chris learns the true meaning of "playing politics"? And will Chris realize how much he wants her to?
The Trip of a Lifetime, Part 1
Coral Harper - 2021
Little did they know this reunion would rekindle their friendship and lead them to an adventure of a lifetime.Andrea, Rita, Lauren, and Monica promised each other that they would always remain close but life happened leading them to go their separate ways and fall out of touch. Over two decades later, the four decide to dust off their high school yearbook and take a blissful trip down memory lane. As they flip through the pages, they are reminded of their senior class trip that was canceled due to the sudden death of a fellow classmate. They discover an old promise they made to each other to take a trip together someday.The reunion ends and the four friends head back to their cold-weather states. Little did the ladies know the whirlwind that the next year would be. Monica has had enough. She picks up the phone and calls her friends…“I think we should make good on that promise we made and have ourselves the trip of a lifetime. No more waiting. No more putting it off. No more excuses. Life is too short…” The Trip of a Lifetime is a feel-good series of a group of friends who rekindle their friendship and renew their passion for life. They embark on a once in a lifetime trip to the Caribbean. With many ups and downs, you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat. Mostly, your heart will be filled with warmth and love.
It Felt Like a Kiss
Sarra Manning - 2013
Great job, really good hair, loyal friends, loving family. It’s only her succession of lame duck boyfriends that ruin the picture.Oh, and the world-famous rock-star father she’s never met, who won’t even acknowledge her existence.Then Ellie’s perfect life is smashed to pieces when her secret is sold to the highest bidder and her name, face (and pictures of her bottom) are splashed across the tabloids. Suddenly everyone thinks she’s a gold-digging, sex-crazy, famewhore.Enter David Gold. Charming and handsome David Gold. On paper he’s even more perfect than Ellie, if only he wasn’t her father’s ruthlessly ambitious lawyer whose job is to manage the crisis – and her. He certainly doesn’t think that Ellie’s the innocent party and she doesn’t trust him at all. So why is it that every time they’re alone together, damage limitation is the last thing on their minds?
In Between
Jenny B. Jones - 2007
With her mom in prison, and her father AWOL, Katie is sent to live with a squeaky-clean family who could have their own sitcom. She launches a full-scale plan to get sent back to the girls’ home when she finds herself in over her head...and heart. When Katie and her new "wrong crowd" get into significant trouble at school, she finds her punishment is restoring a historic theater with a crazy grandma who goes by the name of Mad Maxine. In the midst of her punishment, Katie uncovers family secrets that run deep, and realizes she's not the only one with a pain-filled past. Katie must decide if she'll continue her own family’s messed up legacy or embrace a new beginning in this place called In Between.
Out of Play
Nyrae Dawn - 2013
But the last place he expected to do it is in Seldon, Alaska. And the last person he wants to do it with is Penny Jones.Fiery, headstrong Penny has zero in common with the cocky, too-hot-for-his-own-good Bishop, and she'd like to keep it that way. But the more Bishop gets under her skin, the more she wants to let him in. And the more Penny lets him see, the more Bishop wants to know this stubborn girl with the killer body and soulful eyes.The simmering heat between them won't go away, no matter how hard either of them tries. Their time together in Alaska may be running out—but so is their resolve for not taking a chance on love.