Book picks similar to
Stay by Michelle Arnold


lesbian-romance
ku
lgbt
slice-of-life-real-life-problem

Wild


Kim Pritekel - 2014
    That meeting sparks a summer-long friendship filled with laughter, stories, adventures and, of course, spinning. Fourteen years later they meet again, and after a rocky introduction, strengthen that bond of friendship formed so many years ago. Abel loves introducing Zac to the world she’s barely glimpsed from her overlook in the woods, and Zac, in turn, shares her love of the outdoors. Together they explore not just their surroundings, but their fears, hopes and feelings. When Abel nears the end of college and her regular trips to the cabin, will she be able to convince Zac to leave her beloved woods and join her in the bustling city of Boston? Or will Zac decide to remain in her comfort zone, hidden behind the branches and tree trunks, safe from the chaos of civilization?

Tangled up in Blue: A Rainy Day Women Romance


Linda Steinberg - 2021
    Deadbeat dads, that is. Until she's arrested by a handsome detective who won't listen to reason. But when she discovers a dead body while working a case, she needs Detective Tall, Dark and Handsome's Help.Protect and serveWhen Dallas P.D. detective Trey Donovan arrests a feisty, gun-toting woman with a stack of hundred dollar bills stashed in her camisole, he senses this is no ordinary drug bust. He manages to maintain his professional composure but he can't get her out of his mind. On his next case, when he finds Selena standing over a dead body, they agree to work together to catch a killer.Trey is by the book; Selena prefers to color outside the lines. But the chemistry between them sparks creative detective work. And ignites simmering passions. Despite their intentions to keep the relationship professional, a rainy night stakeout leaves them 'tangled up in blue.' And when Selena's out-of-the-box ideas put her in danger, Trey realizes this is a woman he will never put out of his mind. And that's a 'Dunn deal.'Tangled up in Blue is the first book in the Rainy Day Women series, featuring women empowering women--and the men who love them. In a converted warehouse near downtown Dallas a group of strong, professional women come together to volunteer their services to the women of an under-served community. They name their facility the Rainy Day Women's Center. Each book is a stand-alone romance about competent, independent women and the equally competent, independent men they can't ignore--or live without.

The Bartender's Pride


T.J. Dallas - 2019
    (Also available in audiobook). ~Semi-finalist for the BBNYA (Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award) 2020~Lara’s world is turned upside down when her boyfriend cheats on her with her best friend and she’s forced to move to a new city. Desperate for money, she lands a job in an LGBT nightclub, but her racing heart and inappropriate thoughts about the club’s owner, Harry, must have everything to do with the stress she’s under. She’s not gay.There’s something about Harry. She’s stunning, cocky, and looks far too good in a shirt and tie, ignoring the fact she’s telepathic and can read Lara’s emotions like a book. Harry is one of seven managers at the Cardinal, and she has a set of skills that can help Lara, but she has to manage her own feelings about three of the other managers in the meantime—Lust, Gluttony, and Envy.When things go downhill for Lara, can Harry ultimately make her proud of who she is without admitting their deadly secret? Or will Lara’s shame, depression, and her homophobic parents, lead her down a path of destruction?*18+, mature and sexually explicit content, 1 x brief M/F scene, depression/attempted suicide

Driven


Suzanne Falter - 2019
    should be in the library of ever LGBTQ person ..." -- US Review of Books Who says you can’t find the love of your life while you’re getting your tire fixed? Even IF your boss is actively trying to close her garage? Driven is the oldest woman-owned garage in Oakland – and the pride of the lesbian community. At least, it is until the uber-competitive former race car driver Mindy Rose shows up and opens her own garage, complete with chair massages and a sushi bar. Mindy’s out to destroy Driven, a fact that galls her good-hearted, and very ethical Irish assistant Kate. This is just reinforced when Kate has an emergency blow out, and is forced to go into Driven for a repair. Instantly, she finds herself drawn to the tall, tantalizing co-owner Lizzy. That’s when things get … well … complicated. Especially because Kate is an undocumented worker who seriously needs her job. Soon Kate finds herself hatching a secret scheme to save Driven, while falling hard for Lizzy. Yet, Lizzy has no idea she’s part of Mindy’s nasty operation. Or even that Mindy is out to get her. Can sweet Kate and passionate Lizzy finally find the love they’ve been looking for forever? Or will Mindy find out and bring them and Driven down – and get Kate deported in the process? And when is Kate going to tell Lizzy who she actually is? It’s just the beginning of the wild ride that is the Oaktown Girls series.

All the Way Home


Nancy Ann Healy - 2018
     Katelyn (Kat) Summers’ family has just moved to Webster, Massachusetts. It’s the day before her twelfth birthday, and all Katelyn wants to do is go back home to Pennsylvania. That is until a ten-year-old boy named Neil Masters crashes into her bicycle. When Katelyn looks up from her position on the ground, she finds a hand stretched out to greet her. As she’s pulled to her feet, Katelyn meets with the inquisitive gaze of Sarah Masters. Within minutes, Katelyn will never think of any other place as home again. Best friends from the moment they meet, Katelyn and Sarah are inseparable. Looking in, they have an idyllic life in a quaint New England community. But, life is not always as simple and charming as it seems. It’s messy. As the pair of friends grow, so do their feelings—Sarah’s for Katelyn, and Katelyn’s for Sarah’s brother, Neil. Sarah has spent her life loving Kat at a distance. Once her best friend, Kat has now become Sarah’s sister-in-law. While Sarah struggles to let go of Kat, Kat yearns to hold onto Sarah’s presence in her life. Through ups and downs, hopes and dreams, celebrations and disappointments, Katelyn and Sarah struggle to maintain the bond they formed in childhood. There are lessons in everything; in the paths taken, and the paths left behind. An unexpected fork in Kat’s road will challenge their entire family. Time has a way of revealing the truth. If you are willing to listen, and to speak it, life has a way of leading you All the Way Home. Nancy Ann Healy is the best-selling author of five novels in lesbian fiction. She is best known for the political thriller series featuring Alex and Cassidy. In 2015, Nancy began writing under the pen name, J.A. Armstrong. She currently writes five best-selling series as J.A. Armstrong: Off Screen, By Design, Special Delivery, First Course, and Open Tab. In addition to the series she pens, Nancy is also the author of Falling Through Shooting Stars, and the play, Spin. Nancy lives in Connecticut with her wife, Melissa, and three dogs, Maggie, Sydney Bristow, and a husky named Jameson.

Incognito


V.K. Powell - 2019
    US Marshal Evan Spears commands a federal task force of seasoned agents who track and capture dangerous fugitives around the world. When Evan is forced to take on DEA Agent Frankie Strong, a free spirit with unorthodox methods, she sees nothing but trouble for the team, the mission, and her future. Frankie just wants to locate the murder suspect and prove her worth, but Evan seems determined to block her. To catch the killer they must learn to work together, but their attraction blurs the lines between professional and personal.

Don't Call Me Hero


Eliza Lentzski - 2014
    She knew that coming back after eight years in a war zone wouldn’t be easy, but she’d underestimated the real difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. War is hell, but the aftermath is endless. Looking for a fresh start, she’s left her friends and career in Minneapolis to be a police officer in northern Minnesota. It’s in the tiny town of Embarrass where she learns more about Julia Desjardin. The city prosecutor is cool, professional, and untouchable. But she and Cassidy have history, and Cassidy isn’t going to let her easily forget that. For all their surface differences, Cassidy and Julia have more in common than they first realized—both are reluctant to hand over their pasts to be judged and studied. But it might take someone just as damaged as the other to help each cope with the skeletons in their respective closets.

The Goode Vet


J.J. Arias - 2020
    . . and her heart.Vanessa is content being America’s favorite reality TV veterinarian and living in her gated, island community. That all changes when a new neighbor bulldozes into her life. Literally.When Ronny wins the lottery and buys a dilapidated mansion in an exclusive south Florida town, she doesn’t expect the difficult woman next door to impede her plans of turning the home into a dog sanctuary.Can Vanessa and Ronny move beyond having gotten off on the wrong foot to nurture the spark they felt on their first meeting?Hit the jackpot with this fun enemies-to-lovers romance featuring swoon-worthy leads and a gaggle of four-legged friends!The Goode Vet is a SHORT STORY in the bestselling Goode Girl lesbian romance series, telling the stories of women loving women in and around a small, all-women’s college in Florida. Books can be read in any order.

Separate Like Stars


Diana Kane - 2018
    With numerous bestsellers under her belt, a number of blockbuster movie adaptations to her credit, and a high profile relationship with one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars, what more could she possibly ask for? Maybe for Olivia Bradley, the only woman to ever break her heart, to exit her life as quickly as she’d re-entered it. When an ongoing case of writer’s block triggers a series of unforeseeable events, Jordan is forced to face the tragedies of her past and reevaluate the life she has been contentedly coasting through. As she reaches a crossroads, she must decide if she’ll be able to forgive her former best friend, and just how much is she willing to sacrifice in the name of happiness. 137,000 words

Midas Touch


Alex Hall - 2020
    Frankie Porter has spent the last year renovating that same estate, turning the dilapidated Cook mansion into a show piece. Gwen and Frankie shared a childhood full of hard secrets and ripe with first love. Now adults, their paths cross again and sparks fly.A HEA with content warnings for PTSD and implied child abuse.Genre: WLW romance

This Is Your Life


Jennifer Ann Shore - 2021
    He’s immediately dismissive of me, thinking I’m some crazed fan, and I’m left in confusion as to why the gorgeous stranger with arrogance the size of Manhattan just told me off in a public park.With the help of his foul-mouthed, chain-smoking sister and adorable dog, we’re given a second chance, and soon I’m swept up by his charm and drawn to something deeper and darker that he hides from the world.The more time we spend together, the more I’m certain I absolutely want to find out who the real Gabe King is. But with fame, there’s a price to be paid—and I’m not sure I can afford the admission.

Firebird


Rory Wilde - 2016
     Since her grandparents died, wildlife rehabber Reese Greeley became a hermit with only wild animals and her dog, Cocoa, for company. Juggling the care of dozens of injured and sick creatures in her barn, she's forged a simple, if lonely, life for herself. Everything changes when her former best friend returns to town with a Purple Heart and a horrific story. A former hotshot pilot with broken wings... Jean Jardine left Big Woods for the Air Force Academy so she could escape her late father's abuse. After a harrowing and widely-publicized experience in the Middle East, she's back, but she's not the same person she used to be. Hindered by pain and PTSD, she can only see a bleak and solitary future for herself. But when she finds an injured hawk in her backyard, she crosses paths with her best friend from high school. Two best friends open their hearts to love... Jean starts helping Reese with the animals, and the two friends rediscover the rapport they once had—as well as the fact that they're both into women. But when more hawks are found injured and a wildfire threatens the barn, Jean finds she has to overcome her fears to save the animals. Will Reese be able to help her fly again? Firebird is a F/F romance novel with a HEA and no cliffhangers.

From Heel to Heart


Amy DeMeritt - 2019
    But something is missing from her life. Love and family. But few women are interested in starting a family at her age, especially when they’re focused on their careers. With her heart still on the mend from the tragic loss of the love of her life several years ago, Elli Voss is nearly out of hope that she’ll ever find love again. And she’s even less hopeful that she’ll be able to have children to train as her heirs to take over the family tailor and repair shop that’s been passed down in her family for several generations. After a chance encounter and a promise to grab a cup of coffee soon, they may have just possibly found exactly what they’ve been looking for.

Second Nature


Jae - 2009
    Novelist Jorie Price doesn't believe in the existence of shape-shifting creatures or true love. She leads a solitary life, and the paranormal romances she writes are pure fiction for her. Griffin Westmore knows better - at least about one of these two things. She doesn't believe in love either, but she's one of the not-so-fictional shape-shifters. She's also a Saru - an elite soldier, investigator, and if need be an assassin with the mission to protect the shape-shifters' secret existence at any cost. When Jorie gets too close to the truth in her latest shape-shifter romance, Griffin is sent to investigate - and if necessary to destroy the manuscript before it's published and to kill the writer.

Educating Eve


Anna Archer - 2019
    Her purple hair and unapologetic approach to her sexuality has been the talk of the Women’s World Cup. A magical player who seemingly has it all, until one horror tackle changes everything. Going from hero to zero, Manny’s career comes to a grinding halt. Wanting to hide away from the humiliation, she returns to school to focus on her studies in the hope she can one day have another life. Twenty-three-year-old PE teacher, Eve Eden, isn’t a fan of soccer, she prefers hockey. She’s not starstruck like everyone else at Ridgecrest Academy, which makes her the perfect tutor for Manny. They couldn’t be more different, but a spark between them quickly turns into a flame. Can the two women teach each other the lessons they both need to learn before their explosive affair is exposed? With a cast of fun characters, Anna Archer, delivers a delectable lesbian romance that’s enchantingly naughty yet nice.