Book picks similar to
Lonely Hearts by Amanda Stephan


christian-fiction
historical-fiction
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contemporary-romance

A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California


Keli Gwyn - 2012
    When he refuses, Elenora becomes the competition across the street. Is this town big enough for the two of them? Miles can’t help but stick his well-polished boot in his mouth whenever he comes face-to-face with Elenora. Can he find a way to win her heart while destroying her business? Miles’s mother, Maude, is bent on Elenora becoming her new daughter-in-law while Elenora’s daughter, Tildy, thinks Miles would make a perfect papa. How far will these meddlers go to unite this enterprising pair?

Awakening


Tracy L. Higley - 2014
    Alone and unclaimed. Despite her shattered memories, she's made a quiet life for herself as museum curator. But then the blackouts start. Lost time, stranded in terrifying danger, frantic visions that can't be real. And now Kallie's journal has morphed into something else... What began as a romantic fairy tale becomes the tale of a woman plunged into crisis in the ancient misty islands of Minoan Greece, home to myth and legend. When a mysterious billionaire invites Kallie to scour the black market with him for the most valuable of all Minoan treasures, Kallie can't resist. Dimitri is wealthy, charming and good-looking, but she's not interested--not in someone who's clearly hiding secrets of his own.Meanwhile, Kallie's memories are bleeding through and her journal has turned violent. She's teetering on the verge of a breakthrough, but what devastating truth has she been suppressing? ”Best book I've read in years. [Higley] is a master storyteller!”  ~ Recent Amazon Reviewer ********************************************************************************Click the Look Inside button above to read the first chapter... ********************************************************************************Romantic Suspense Novel Categories: > Romantic Suspense Adventure > Romantic Suspense HistoricalWith page-turning romantic suspense and evocative scenes set in exotic locales, Higley's novels transport readers into a romantic adventure they won't soon forget.

In Honor Bound


DeAnna Julie Dodson - 1997
    But his sins have nearly destroyed Prince Philip and the future of his reign. " I will not lie to you, I will not be unfaithful to you, and I will not love you. My heart is pledged to another, and I am not a man to break an oath."Lady Rosalynde stares at her groom on the first night of their arranged marriage. He will not love her? Well, she will love him--and she will win his heart.But Prince Philip's heart appears to be made of ice. Rosalynde could not possibly know of the festering wound on her husband's soul... how deeply he struggles with the circumstances of his first wife's death. Or what King Robert has done to his own son in trying to preserve the crown.In ruthless pursuit of the throne, Philip's cousin penetrates the defenses of the castle and captures King Robert. Philip rallies his army, preparing to fight to the end for his throne. But the battle within is greater. He knows he cannot hold his kingdom without divine aid. Yet he has hardened his heart against God. Against forgiving his father's unspeakable offenses. And against the unfailing love of Rosalynde. Can Love reach him before the kingdom is torn from his hands?

The Eighth Sea


Nancy Sprowell Geise - 2012
    (Quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.) In the cold, black hold of a sailing ship, a young woman lies dying, tormented that her death will mean nothing. No one will know. No one will care. Only the will to find a purpose for her life keeps breath in her exhausted body. Far away, a soft Carolina breeze touches a mother's face as she peers into the night sky, agonizing over the loss of her infant daughter nineteen years before. A haunting vision that will not leave her-it whispers of a living tie, still unbroken, to that baby long ago. Worlds apart and unaware of one another, the mother and daughter fight their lonely battles for survival. Between them-a man rising to greatness with the new America will bring them together. The themes of this story are deep and universal: a long journey; separation and return; uncertainty; searching and finding; the search for understanding God's will amidst tragedy; and finally, the realization that people can be bound together forever. The Eighth Sea is a passionate love story involving two unforgettable characters-Brenna and Nathan. Their story is our story-finding our place in the world, the meaning of our lives, our way home. Brenna's solution is to set sail beyond the only world she has ever known and into her eighth sea. The story is inspirational, and its romance is deep and enduring. Struggling to triumph are three major characters: Brenna-determined to find her place in the world yet haunted by the shadows of abandonment and self-doubt; Emily-plagued with grief over the loss of her only child an unable to shake a disturbing sense that something is unresolved; and Nathan-strong and charismatic, discovering that in his search for Brenna, he has found himself. Their story is a tribute to the human experiences of good overcoming evil, the power of persistence, seeking God, and finally, of love enduring against all odds. The Eighth Sea-finding the meaning of our lives, our way home. What People Are Saying About The Eighth Sea: The Eighth Sea is hard to put down, a deep and enduring romance, a plot filled with unexpected twists and the characters hard to get out of one's mind...an inspiring journey into the unknown. A book club must read!"The Eighth Sea paints a haunting picture of true anguish, survival, adventure, the will to live against all odds, new life, and the hope that only God can provide. It is a very compelling read."-Sue Mallory, Author of The Equipping Church"From the moment we meet a mother and daughter separated by an ocean of longing and despair, we're hooked. Nancy Sprowell Geise weaves an epic tale of love, loss, hope, and determination. Through her unforgettable characters, we discover that no matter what happens in life, we can find our way to our Eighth Sea. With belief, perseverance, and trust, life can show us our way home."-Donna Mazzitelli, Writing With Donna"The Eighth Sea pulls and pulls at your heart. Over and over, the golden threads continue to weave a tapestry until the very end. As readers, we never forget stories like The Eighth Sea that give us hope and characters such as Brenna who embody our deepest need - to find our place in the world, our way home."-John Forssman, English Teacher"The Eighth Sea has the dramatic feel of a great movie combined with the depth and emotion of a true epic novel. I couldn't put it down. I found myself reading it through the night. I will think about this story and Nathan and Brenna's romance for years to come."-Sally Robinson, Worksmart USA"There is so much to recommend about The Eighth Sea: a unique set-up, a great heroine, a tragic back-story, and great settings. I'm deeply connected to the characters' emotions and motivations and love the historical romance of it all. She rocks the flashbacks. Nancy Sprowell Geise is the real deal."-Trai Cartwright, Craftwrite

The Fence My Father Built


Linda S. Clare - 2009
    The fence and accompanying house trailer horrify rebellious Nova, who runs away to the drug-infested streets of Seattle. Muri searches for her daughter and for something to believe in, all the while trying to save her inheritance from the conniving neighbor who calls her dad Chief Joseph. Along with Joe's sister, Aunt Lutie, and the Red Rock Tabernacle Ladies, Muri must rediscover the faith her alcoholic dad never abandoned in order to reclaim her own spiritual path.

Runaway Heart


Teresa Slack - 2013
    She’s never held onto a relationship for more than a few months, and she’s quit more jobs than most people apply for. Until Will Lachland. He’s the first man who ever made her think of getting serious about something, about putting down roots. But she can’t forget her mother’s ominous warning. Men are users. They take and take and leave nothing but a shell of who she's meant to be. Fear of losing her heart to anyone or anything has kept Kyla running all her life. This time she runs from Chicago to the family farm where she spent her happiest childhood summers. A new life and a new chance at romance seem like the answer to her prayers. But things are never as simple as they seem. Can she find the love she longs for even though she can’t forget Will? Or is something else, something greater, calling her heart toward home? This unpredictable Christian fiction romance full of surprises and humor will encourage readers while reminding them how much fun falling in love can be..

Cold Feet, Hot Summer


Emma St. Clair - 2018
    Instead, the stress of planning the perfect day has her feeling more anxiety than anticipation. She and Seth can't find a place to live (without his parents helping foot the bill) and Natalie and her mom have different tastes. She's just ready for the whole thing to be over. When Natalie's brother Jimmy has a freak accident, it means a drastic cut in the wedding budget and leaving her job to stay home with him. It also brings her ex Jeremy right back into the middle of her life. The feelings she thought were gone are anything but, and Natalie finds herself wondering if she has a simple case of cold feet or if she's about to choose the wrong man. Will she walk down the aisle or become a runaway bride? Find out in this standalone sweet romance!

Dreamspell


Tamara Leigh - 2012
    A TIME TO DIE. A TIME TO DREAM.Sleep disorders specialist Kennedy Plain has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. When her research subject dies after trying to convince her he has achieved dream-induced time travel and her study is shelved, she enlists herself as a subject to complete her research. But when she dreams herself into 14th-century England and falls into the hands of Fulke Wynland, a man history has condemned as a murderer, she must not only stay alive long enough to find a way to return to her own time, but prevent Fulke from murdering his young nephews. And yet, the more time she spends with the medieval warrior, the more difficult it is to believe he is capable of committing the heinous crime for which he has been reviled for 600 years.Baron Fulke Wynland has been granted guardianship of his brother’s heirs despite suspicions that he seeks to steal their inheritance. When the king sends a mysterious woman to care for the boys, Fulke is surprised by the lady's hostility toward him--and more surprised to learn she is to be his wife. But when his nephews are abducted, the two must overcome their mutual dislike to discover the boys' fate. What Fulke never expects is to feel for this woman whose peculiar speech, behavior, and talk of dream travel could see her burned as a witch.

Fools Rush In


Janice Thompson - 2009
    When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding planning business, Bella is determined not to let them down. She quickly books a "Boot Scoot'n" wedding that would make any Texan proud. There's only one catch--she's a country music numbskull because her family only listens to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Where will she find a DJ on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his Keith Urban?When a misunderstanding leads her to the DJ (and man) of her dreams, things start falling into place. But with a family like hers, nothing is guaranteed. Can the perfect Texan wedding survive a pizza-making uncle with mob ties, an aunt who is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and a massive delivery of 80 cowboy boots? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding?Book one in the Weddings by Bella series, Fools Rush In is fun, fresh, and full of surprises. Readers will love the flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex, and the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.

Unexpectedly Mine


Stephanie Rowe - 2012
    "This is one of my favorite Romance books EVER!" ~Amazon Reader ReviewClare Gray's latest tenant just moved out, leaving her short of funds and stuck in a job she hates. She needs to rent out her spare room, and fast. When a billionaire shows up in her small town and can't find a hotel room, the last thing she wants is for the sexy out-of-towner to invade her life, even if he is dangerously addictive and tempting. But when a bevy of interfering locals decide that her spare room will solve both their problems, the single mom suddenly finds herself with sharing a bathroom with a man who looks much too good in the morning.Griffin Friesé is in town on a personal mission, and he has no time for love. But when he moves into Clare's farmhouse, he soon finds that life doesn't always give you want you want…but it might give you exactly what you need. Gradually, Clare's smile, her passion for life, and her small-town loyalty awaken something inside him, something that makes him yearn for a life he's never had. Can a single mom find the love and family she always wanted with a man afraid to open his heart again? NOTE: Unexpectedly Mine was originally published under the title No Knight Needed as part of the Ever After series.

The Amish Orphan's Christmas


Hannah Schrock - 2016
    She never got a chance to know her father, her mother was raised Amish, and never spoke about her Amish roots or her father. Now both of her parents have passed and Holly is given a chance to find her grandparents and learn about the Amish lifestyle they live. She has so many questions, but will she find the answers amongst the Amish? Evan Miller was happy being on his own with his farm and animals. He always intended to get married and have children, he just never imagined a child would come before the wife. With his only sister and brother-in-law dead in a house fire, he was the obvious choice to raise young Becca. There’s only one small catch – Becca hasn’t spoken since the night of the fire. When Holly meets Evan and Becca for the first time, she’s taken by his handsomeness, and swayed by Becca’s quiet nature. When Becca begins to grow close to Holly, she find her heart becoming attached to the little orphan girl and her very admirable uncle. When Evan offers to help Holly locate her mother’s family, she can’t say no. Just like she can’t say no when he and Becca invite her to spend Christmas with them. Will their relationship be one that can last the differences between them? Will Holly be able to handle the simple way of life the Amish live and their dedication to Gott? Will this Christmas be a special one for Holly, Becca and Evan?

Saving Hope


Margaret Daley - 2012
    But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves."Through crisp writing, Daley paints life-like characters engaged in a believable struggle that kept me turning pages to the satisfying ending." Richard L. Mabry, MD, Author of Lethal Remedy and the Prescription For Trouble series

The Women of Catawba


Hilda Stahl - 1994
    Set in post-Revolutionary War days, Women of Catawba is an inspiring story of men and women whose faith, strength, and capacity to love are tested to the limit.

Sarah of the Moon


Randy Mixter - 2011
    Alex Conley, a part-time writer for a Baltimore newspaper, is dispatched to chronicle the events occurring there. It is June of 1967, and the summer of love is in full swing. Alone, in this strange and magical place, he meets a girl named Sarah, a free spirit who is as mysterious as she is beautiful. What are the secrets of her past? Why does she dance each night under the light of the moon? These are just a few of the puzzles Alex needs to solve in the short time he has in that city. Then there's another complication. He is beginning to fall deeply in love with her.

Ruth Wyatt: Rescued By The Sheriff


Jan Motion - 2014
    Ruth Wyatt grew up in an orphanage after she lost her parents in a stage coach robbery. The family had thought she had also died in that robbery until 16 years later, someone told her cousin that they had seen a girl who could be his sister. From there, the family tracked her down and sent her a train ticket to come home. But it wasn't as easy as that.