Book picks similar to
Malaise by Max Henry


romance
free
high-school
new-adult

Rushing Into Love: A small-town sports romance


Kara Kendrick - 2021
    Work. Football. That’s my life summed up in three words.Sure, I used to be a pro NFL baller, but now I’m perfectly content with a quiet life in my small hometown of Peachtree Grove, Georgia.That is until Bree, a beautiful blonde dating expert, gets tackled at my Pee Wee football practice, knocking me off my game.I swore I’d never get involved again after my messy divorce left me reeling, but one date with Bree and I’m dropping all my hesitations—along with my jersey. Now she has me rethinking my plays.But will the tabloids, my ex, and Bree’s complicated past keep us in the friendzone?

Swallow Me Whole: A Friends To Lovers Romance


Gemma James - 2018
    She’s my sister’s best friend. The girl I’ve known since grade school. The girl I’ve always considered off-limits. She’s the girl that crawled under a table in a bar one night and changed everything between us. Now the brain in my pants is more than willing to step up. The rules are simple. No kissing. No screwing. No falling in love. But the more I let her use my body in the name of experimentation, the more I know being friends isn’t enough. Is it too much to want it all with her? The taste of her lips. The sweetness of her innocence. The chance to earn her love. I might have a real shot with her…if her douchebag ex and my past don’t ruin everything. Note from the author Swallow Me Whole is a friends-to-lovers standalone romance. Full-length at 77,000 words. Please note that parts of this story were previously published as a serial under the pen name of Angel Allen. This standalone novel includes the complete story. For a limited time, Trashy Foreplay is included as a bonus book in this copy of Swallow Me Whole, so the main book ends at about the 58% mark.

Happily Evan After


Michelle Irwin - 2014
    Despite initial hesitancy, he has learned to handle every case with care and he now basks in the afterglow of new-found love and relishes in the energy it provides him. But his end goal is still the promise of paradise in return for his penance.It's all going according to plan until he receives an assignment that is inconceivable to him. He has to find a mate for Becca, within whom lives the reincarnated soul of his one true love. Bound by his duty to find her a match, he must resist her charm and suppress his own desires. It is his job and he cannot fail, even if his own paradise now seems lost.For a cupid, falling in love is against the rules.Isn't it?

Always in My Heart


Rachael Brownell - 2015
    For years she tried to move on, but no one compared to Luke. No kiss, no man, even came close.The heart wants what it wants, and Reagan’s heart is willing to wait for Luke. For as long as it takes.

Southern Charmer


Jessica Peterson - 2018
    He's southern. And he won't stop showing up at my door half naked. Meet Elijah Jackson, my hot new neighbor...From the outside looking in? I’ve got it all. Prestigious job. Pretty house. And a perfect boyfriend who just proposed with the perfect ring.I should feel ecstatic—but instead, I feel suffocated. So I break up with my boyfriend, hop in my car, and head south.Charleston, South Carolina: home to stunning architecture, sultry accents, and—oh yeah—my perpetually shirtless neighbor, Elijah Jackson. As if his abs for days and inked up deliciousness aren’t enticing enough, he also encourages me to chase down my dreams. And the chemistry between us? Hotter than the kitchen at Eli’s restaurant. But I still have a life a thousand miles away. One I’ve worked really hard to build. And I don’t know if I can just leave it all behind.I have to choose. A choice Eli doesn't make any easier by inviting me out to his cabin for a long weekend. Just the two of us. And one bed. I swear to God this southerner is out to charm the panties right off me. Just this once, I might let him...SOUTHERN CHARMER is a slow burn, standalone romance with no cheating. It is part of the Charleston Heat Series, which is a series of interconnected standalone novels set in the steamy southern town of Charleston, South Carolina.SOUTHERN CHARMER: Oliva and Eli’s bookSOUTHERN PLAYER: Gracie and Luke’s bookSOUTHERN GENTLEMAN: Julia and Greyson’s bookSOUTHERN HEARTBREAKER: Eva and Ford’s book

Learn to Fly


Heidi Hutchinson - 2013
    Welcome to life after the cliché."Book #1 of the Double Blind Study series.A fallen from grace athlete runs away with rock stars.The plan was simple: get a job, get out of town, don't get attached.Lenny Evans felt like her life was suffocating her. She would do just about anything to change that, which is how she ended up taking a job that landed her on tour with the biggest rock band in the world.But Lenny has never met anyone like the members of Double Blind Study and they easily adopt her into their makeshift family. Now, Lenny finds herself caring far too deeply for these tattooed misfits, daily bringing them closer and closer to revealing Lenny's true past and everything she's running from.Sometimes crashing headlong into the unknown isn't the worst thing.PG16: contains foul-mouthed rock stars, light heat, irritating exes, loud music, an overworked tour manager and random shenanigans.

To Love


Daniella Brodsky - 2020
    That should have been a sign.As if I needed another one, he also turns out to be my boss.But he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. How hard can it be to fake it, especially when it feels like we’re not faking at all?I can do anything for three weeks, right? It’s not like I’m going to let myself fall in love with a man who’s been officially named Sydney’s Most Wicked Billionaire Playboy. No matter how many times he winds up in my bed.Then we tell each other our real reasons for the sham.And it becomes impossible to pretend I’m pretending.Confused? Try being me.Especially when Aiden looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world, his strong muscles looking divine and his fingers working their magic as they trace my curves.This is a Fake Fiancé, Billionaire Romance with a very emotional HEA, featuring a smokin’ hot Aussie billionaire and the down-on-her-luck fake fiancée who just might be everything he’s ever wanted! Don't miss out on this hot-as-hell series full of billionaires, pretend boyfriends, enemies-to-lovers twists and turns and hot-as-hell forbidden romance! The Such a Bad Idea series can be read in any order and introduces readers to the drop-dead gorgeous Wheatley Brothers, who feature in all three books. SUCH A BAD IDEA SERIESBOOK 1: TO LOVE - Fake romanceBOOK 2: TO WANT - Enemies to loversBOOK 3: TO DESIRE - Forbidden relationship

Grit and Grind


Kat Addams - 2019
    After one too many disastrous relationships, her quest for a leading man has fizzled out. Bored with her mundane lifestyle, she decides to do whatever it takes to get her head back in the game. When she finds out that one of her favorite authors, Christopher Kaiser, is leading a writers workshop, she’s the first in line to sign up. Could he help spark her creativity again, or will this be just another one of her bad decisions?Christopher Kaiser is an international best-selling author whose books have taken the romance genre by storm. Rumor has it that his sexy stories are inspired by personal experiences with his many so-called muses. Touted as one of the South’s most notorious playboys, Christopher is too busy living his best life to settle down anytime soon. Besides, what would happen with his writing if he gave up his “explorations”?Determined to take matters into her own hands, Klara decides to jump-start her love life with a catastrophe of her own making. Unfortunately, an innocent bystander prevents her desperate attempt for attention by rescuing her from yet another one of her bad decisions. Annoyed—and also a bit turned on by this sexy new hero—Klara goes home, defeated. Forcing herself to focus on her writing, she shows up to her first workshop and quickly learns that her hero from earlier is none other than her instructor, Christopher Kaiser. Will she actually learn something from this, or will she be too distracted by her hots for the teacher?

Whispering Pines


Kimberly Diede - 2017
    Days meant swimming and sun, nights meant ghost stories and campfires. Best of all, Whispering Pines meant time with Celia, her favorite aunt. Through the years, Celia would remain Renee's most steadfast confidant, but trips to Whispering Pines would fade to memories. Raising kids alone and a demanding career consumed Renee's life.Now Celia is gone and Renee’s career is in shambles. Promising herself she’ll look for a new job in January, Renee is determined to make the most of her unexpected time off. But when mysterious events begin to swirl around her kids, her worries compound.A spontaneous trip, meant to lessen the growing pressures and soothe Renee's battered pride, could turn out to be so much more when she finds herself alone on a moonlit beach, half-a-world away, with a handsome stranger.How can Renee keep her family safe as she works to rebuild their lives? Does she dare take another chance at love?Celia's final gift may provide answers, but there are risks. Renee wishes she could seek comfort and advice from her dear aunt, but Celia's recent death has left a void. Why can't things be simple, the way they were when she spent summers at Whispering Pines?Whispering Pines, the first book in Kimberly Diede’s uplifting Celia’s Gifts series, will introduce you to a special place and a remarkable family.Discover how Celia’s legacy can live on if her family is willing to seize the opportunities she leaves to each of them.

Revel


Alison Ryan - 2016
    REVEL, a second chance summer romance. Declan DeGraff is old money, turned no money, turned new money. He's fresh off the deal of the decade; he's just sold his tech firm for over two billion dollars and he should be on top of the world. But he's still missing what he lost, long ago. And every time success comes his way, he's reminded of how he would trade it all to have her back again. Charlotte Sanders is running from the past. Again. Years ago she fell deeply in love with the last man she should have allowed into her heart and near her body. After a summer of passion, he ended it abruptly, tearing Charlotte apart and making her swear off ever letting anyone in again. But now she's come back to the city where it all happened, Charleston, South Carolina, determined to find answers to the questions he never wanted her to ask. A chance encounter takes them right back to where they started. But can they get past the secrets they’re keeping? Or are they destined to repeat the mistakes of a past they’re both desperate to forget? Previously published under the serial episodes WILD, REVEL, and TAMED. This edition includes an epilogue not previously published. For a limited time only: Two bonus books! NEED and CRAVE, parts 1 and 2 of For the Love of the Billionaire.

Twisted Lies


Kai Juniper - 2019
     That’s what they said when I showed up at Twisted Pine Academy. As if I wanted to be there. I’d do anything to go back to my life in New York instead of living in California with my eogmaniac uncle and his spoiled-rotten sons. The only good thing about being here is Jackson. Hot-as-hell and filthy rich, he ditched Twisted Pine to play football for Legion, the rival public school. Now everyone at Twisted Pine hates him, especially my cousin, Braden, which makes me want Jackson even more. Braden rules Twisted Pine and everyone in it. If Braden finds out I’m with Jackson, he’ll use his power to ruin me. Let him try. My loyalty is with Jackson, and I won’t let anyone tear us apart. Together we’re going to take down Braden and his kingdom at Twisted Pine. They think I don’t belong there? I don’t. But now that I’m here….watch out. Warning: Contains dark themes and coarse language intended for a mature audience.

Remember When


T. Torrest - 2012
    Although, come to think of it, I am from New Jersey, which may serve as explanation enough. We were teenagers then, way back in a time before anyone could even dream he’d turn into the Hollywood commodity that he is today.In case you live under a rock and don't know who Trip Wiley is, just know that these days, he’s the actor found at the top of every casting director’s wish list. He’s incredibly talented and insanely gorgeous, the combination of which has made him very rich, very famous and very desirable.And not just to casting directors, either.I can’t confirm any of the gossip from his early years out in Tinseltown, but based on what I knew of his life before he was famous, I can tell you that the idea of Girls-Throwing-Themselves-At-Trip is not a new concept.I should know. I was one of them.And my life hasn’t been the same since.**Remember When is the first book in an NA romantic comedy trilogy, but there is NO CLIFFHANGER. It is intended for mature teen readers and immature adult ones due to some high school sex scenes, underage drinking, questionable language and 1980s flashbacks.**

Could Be Something Good


Fiona West - 2020
    Never mind that she's his attending physician's daughter and she's a few years older than him. The hot blonde midwife just gave him the cold shoulder at the elevators at Santiam Hospital, but he never did give up easy. There's too much at stake: women who understand his comic book quotes don't come along every day. After bonding over early-morning Mexican food, can he convince her that he's just the arm candy she needs for that wedding she's dreading...and show her he can be what she needs after all? Winnie Baker isn’t taking her cousin to another wedding. And she's not going by herself, not with her ex-boyfriend blowing up her phone with texts, asking to be her date. But the pickings are a bit slim in Timber Falls, a sleepy Oregon town in the foothills of the Cascades. She moved here to focus on building her midwifery practice, not get involved with millennial boys with trendy shoes and witty comebacks for days. When her mother’s constant scrutiny leads Winnie to make a rash bet, can their fledgling relationship take the heat of the whole town’s attention? Start the book Publishers Weekly called “small-town romance done right.” Could Be Something Good is the first book in the Timber Falls sweet romantic comedy series. It contains mild cursing, a make-out scene involving melted butter and stolen moments in medical supply closets, but no open door sex scenes. If you like ridiculous bets, meddling relatives, and reverse dates, grab this book now.

Dating Season Bundle 1


Laurelin Paige - 2021
    And another.I’m on the wrong side of my quarter-life crisis. Dead-end job, lease ending, and single af. It’s made all the harder by knowing exactly who the perfect man for me is: my super hot, incredibly kind, and extremely taken friend Austin. What’s a girl to do but drown her troubles in pinot and let her bestie open her an account on a dating app?Spring is for new beginnings, and Finn’s abs are a perfect introduction to dating.Boulder is starting to thaw, seeds are being planted, and I am determined that I will sprout this season too. Starting with one particularly muscular, earnest trainer:First I get to enjoy his rock-hard body.Then he’ll help me get one of my own.It’ll end with a different kind of rock altogether.All I have to do is become the kind of girl who doesn’t mostly just rock paint-stained pajamas.Summer is for throwing caution to the wind, and Dune’s a bad boy that lives for danger. Colorado is heating up, much like my newly re-discovered libido, and I’m hoping like hell that my new blind date’s hot, too. Fate ( and my bestie) truly deliver a doozy: He rides motorcycles.His tattoos are insanely hot.The mystery of his life is all but unsolvable. This good girl is about to get a little bit bolder in search of truth, justice, and a rebellious phase.

Skin


B.B. Easton - 2017
    . . perhaps on the entire planet. He hated everyone, except for BB Easton—the perky, quirky punk chick he couldn’t avoid.BB, on the other hand, liked everybody . . . except for Knight. She was scared to death of him, actually. All she wanted was to marry Little Mermaid’s Prince Eric-lookalike and king of the local punk scene Lance Hightower.But Knight was patient. Persistent. Unexpected. And once he got under BB’s skin, her life would never be the same.A  forbidden love story overflowing with '90s nostalgia, dark humor, and heart-wrenching angst, and based on a true story.