Book picks similar to
Return to Totara Park by Shirley Wine
contemporary-romance
betrayal
romance
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Chasing Smoke
K.A. Mitchell - 2009
Solving it could tear them apart.In the best of times, Daniel Gardner hates visiting his family. With his boyfriend pressuring him for a mortgage-serious commitment, Christmas in Easton, PA sounds, for once, like a welcome escape. His old house holds more than memories of a miserable adolescence, though. It has Trey Eriksson.At seventeen, Trey was taken in by the wealthy Gardner family after his father was jailed for his mother’s murder. Until he left for the Army, he fought a double-edged battle—for proof of his father’s innocence and against his attraction to Daniel.Fifteen years later, things haven’t changed. Trey is still looking for the real killer. And Daniel has never forgotten how Trey used to sneak into his room at night.Now new clues to the murder are resurfacing—and so is Trey and Daniel’s sexual chemistry. Except this time, Trey has come to terms with his orientation.But their connection may not be enough to overcome the mistakes of the past. Not while a murderer still walks free…Product WarningsAnyone who would rather not read about hooking back up with someone who broke your heart, minor suspense, hot guys who can handle guns and each other, and lots of steamy gay sex probably isn’t reading this warning anyway, but if you are, back away slowly and keep your hands where I can see them.
Consequences
Aleatha Romig - 2011
Claire has no understanding of why she's there, but it's been made abundantly clear--she is now his acquisition and every action has consequences.Learn the rules to survive.Facing incomprehensible circumstances, Claire must learn to survive her new reality--every aspect of her livelihood depends upon the tall, dark-eyed tycoon who is a true master of deception. Driven by unknown demons, he has no tolerance for imperfection, in any aspect of his life, including his recent acquisition. Anthony may appear to the world as a handsome, benevolent businessman, but in reality Claire knows firsthand that he's a menacing, controlling captor with very strict rules: do as you're told, public failure is not an option, and appearances are of the utmost importance.Captivate the captor.To fit together the pieces of the puzzle, Claire must follow his rules. Will her plan work, or will Anthony become enthralled by Claire's beauty, resilience, and determination, changing the game forever? If that happens, will either of them survive the consequences?Nobody ever did or ever will escape the consequences of his choices.--Alfred A. Montapert
Bodyguard
Tabatha Kiss
The forbidden girl.The next morning, her father showed me the door and told me to never come back.I joined the military. I became a sniper and I was good at my job. A little too good.Snake Eyes found me and wanted me to come work for them. Their offer was simple: Kill for us or receive two bullets through the eyes.I chose to stay alive and wait for an opportunity to escape. It took nearly two years and in the process, I lost my soul.But I never forgot her face. Every breath I took was in the hope that I would see her again someday.Unfortunately, I left a trail during my escape; a trail that led right to her door. Snake Eyes will do unspeakable things to her to get to me but I won't let that happen.I'd give my life for hers and they know it.She knows it now, too.One look in her eyes and the killer was dead.One taste of her sweet skin and I wanted even more of her.Our love has always been a mistake... especially on the run.But it's a mistake worth making twice.
Guarding Her Heart
Laura Haley-McNeil - 2014
To protect Victoria, Garrett whisks her away to an isolated lodge. Major problem for Victoria—how does she help Garrett capture the stalker while guarding her heart against the man who broke it once before? Garret thought his heart had healed when Victoria left him ten years ago. Garrett’s bigger problem—capture the stalker determined to imprison Victoria. Keeping Victoria safe is no easy task for Garrett, but getting her to trust him is an entirely different challenge. He puts his life on the line to guard the woman who is more deserving of love than any woman he’s known. But love takes a back seat to the Whitloch-Reynolds feud. At the center is the Crystal Creek Ranch. The Whitlochs own the ranch. The Reynolds are the rightful heirs.
Barely a Lady
Eileen Dreyer - 2010
One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can't remember anything of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married. To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.In the end, can they risk everything to help Jack recover his lost memories, even though the truth may destroy them both?
Chasing Justice
Danielle Stewart - 2013
But her plans of settling into a normal life are derailed when she witnesses a prominent judge in her community committing a violent assault. Running from her own past and fueled by a passion to make the judge answer for his crimes, Piper is forced to decide if she’ll play by the rules or achieve justice in her own way.Complicating things further, Piper finds herself fighting a powerful attraction to rookie cop, Bobby Wright. Although she’s increasingly enamored with Bobby, his staunch belief in the justice system is in stark contrast to her own. She may not share his opinions about the effectiveness of the law, but she certainly can’t deny how safe she feels when she’s in his arms or how every kiss leaves her desperate for more.For Piper, the idea of finally living an ordinary life with a man to love is tempting. However, fate keeps placing the judge, quite literally, in her path. Will she decide the only way to win is to be as wicked as the judge, but with righteous intentions? And more importantly, will Bobby choose to let her go, or follow her as she crosses the line and takes justice into her own hands?
She Belongs to Me
Carmen DeSousa - 2011
Charlotte police officer Jordan Monroe is used to being in control. Ever since his father died, he has provided for his mother and sisters and even hired his two brothers-in-law to help run his successful construction company. On a chance business trip, however, he meets the one person who throws his life into a whirlwind--Jaynee.Jaynee has lived a tragic life and has sworn off all men. That is until a rugged southern gentleman lands in her seating area, refusing to take no for an answer. From the moment they meet, Jordan sweeps her off her feet, assuring her that happiness exists. But can she really escape her past?Five years later, Jordan finds Jaynee on their back porch with a gunshot wound to the head. While Jaynee lies in a coma, Jordan has to go back to their beginning and figure out what went wrong. Did he push his wife to the edge, or has her past come back to haunt them? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "You'll be swept off your feet along with Jaynee as she discovers the man of her dreams. You'll be drawn into the drama. And you'll flip the pages fast as Jordan must desperately figure out the truth in time. I was and did!" -- New York Times bestselling author Jaime Rush⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "SHE BELONGS TO ME is definitely a good suspenseful read. Ms. DeSousa is a talented author and I had no problem in connecting with the characters. The story displayed a realistic relationship between Jordan and Jaynee." -- The Romance Reviews
Her Reluctant Husband
Erica Marselas - 2021
Not like I had a choice when the person who helped raise me tells me who I must marry in order to save my home.When I came face to face with Alex Wilks again, the man who despises me and wishes I never stepped foot back into Kinder Falls after the day I left, I didn’t know what I was in for.Alex was the boy I once idolized, but later, he became the man that broke my trust.Both of us are reluctant to dig into the lies and secrets surrounding the night that broke us apart.Because it might end up being the truth that destroys us.One year.We just have to survive one year.The only thing is, we both have so much to lose.But maybe everything to gain.***Please Note: This story deals with sensitive subjects of sexual and physical abuse that might be hard for some readers. ****Forced Marriage...enemies to lovers...Small town....
Only Ever You
Siobhan Davis - 2019
He’s the hot-as-sin rocker hiding a secret that would devastate his fans. She’s the only girl he’s ever loved, but keeping her safe means he had to walk away… RYDER My entire life is a lie, propelled by one wrong decision that altered my fate. If fans knew the truth, they’d run away screaming. But all they see is Ryder Stone, moody guitarist and lead singer of Torment, and a potential notch on their bedpost. Only two people know who I really am. My manager has a vested interest in keeping my secret, and the girl I was forced to leave behind doesn’t even know the true extent of my shame. Losing Zeta is both my biggest regret and my proudest moment. But she was the glue keeping me together, and I’m struggling to survive without her. Especially when demons from my past continue to haunt me and the threat of disclosure is ever present. When she reappears in my life, this time, I’m too weak to push her away. Her love has the power to save me. Mine has the power to destroy her. ZETA I’ve worked hard to forget my past. To rise above my messed-up childhood and make something of myself; however, there’s no forgetting him. Ryder’s gorgeous face and drool-worthy body are plastered over tabloids and TV screens, reminding me I’m still in love with the boy who captured my heart in juvie. When he failed me, I thought I’d never again experience such heart-crushing pain. But watching him fall out of clubs with a succession of different girls renews the agony, resurrecting countless unanswered questions. Now my boss has sent me to interview him. It’s a massive scoop for the magazine, and turning it down would kill my career. So, I delude myself into thinking I can handle this. Perhaps this is the closure I need to finally move on. Except I’m terrified nothing has changed and one look into those soulful eyes will suck me in again. Ryder almost destroyed me last time. This time, he could ruin me forever. Full-length standalone title. Due to sensitive content and possible triggers, this book is recommended to readers aged eighteen and older. Please refer to the note at the start of the book (Click Look Inside).
Paradise
Judith McNaught - 1991
A long way from the country club where, feeling like an outsider, he had dared to fall in love with a beautiful blonde named Meredith Bancroft, and known a once-in-a-lifetime passion and betrayal that still haunted his memory... Now world leaders courted him, the media watched his every move, and he was ready to move in on the Bancroft empire.A cool, poised executive in her family's legendary department store chain, Meredith had once defied her father for the sexually magnetic, intense Matt Farrell -- and their brief, ill-fated marriage was the disastrous outcome. Now, as the Bancroft firm is threatened by a hostile takeover, Meredith is forced to confront Matt. As tensions build between them, bittersweet memories rise to the surface, leaving them suspicious, restless, and uncertain. Will they be able to believe in each other -- and grasp the tender miracle that is before them?
Sins of the Fathers
Catherine Sue Morgan - 2015
Adopted and her name changed after the tragedy, Becca is desperately searching for her brother, Kevin, who has vanished. He is, as was their father, paranoid schizophrenic, and the string of rapes that is terrorizing the city started only days after he disappeared. Jack Conroy, Tulsa Police Department detective, is focused with razor sharp intensity on the hunt for the serial rapist whose violence is increasing with every offense. For Jack, it's personal; he sees his sister's face in every victim. Aware of Becca only as a trauma therapist, Jack asks her to aid the investigation by working with the original rape survivors. She agrees, and soon her secrets and her life are on the line.
Second Chance Cowboy
Rhonda Lee Carver - 2010
On the eve of their divorce, however, Carly takes a stroll down memory lane and calls Chance.A passionate one night stand between the two is shattered by cruel light of morning. With reality having set back in, Carly admits to Chance she made a mistake, forcing him to come to grips that there is no hope left for their marriage. Fate has other plans for them. Carly’s fall down some stairs leaves her with amnesia…but that’s only the start of it. Can deception bring a second chance at love or will it forever destroy an already broken marriage?
Driftwood
Shauna Bickley - 2010
She has changed her name and worked hard to ensure he wouldn't find her, but now he is back in her life again. Is it chance, or something more sinister?Juliet has secrets she needs to keep hidden, but Luke wants to renew their relationship. After meeting him incidents occur that make her fear the unthinkable. Her life may be in danger.She leaves Auckland for Sydney on a business trip, but Luke appears there. Can she trust him, or are his secrets more dangerous than the ones she hides.Driftwood is a romantic suspense novella. Included in the Kindle version are the opening chapters of the new novel, Lies of the Dead, and the opening chapters of Lives Interrupted.
The Italian's Marriage Demand
Diana Hamilton - 2005
She denied the child was Ettore's--but then she denied the theft, too....And the best reason to marry her!Ettore had never forgotten her. Now marriage would bring him his son...revenge...and Sophie, at his mercy!