Book picks similar to
From the Ashes by Julie Coulter Bellon


mystery-contemporary
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mystery-or-suspense

Dangerous Love


Alexa Verde - 2018
    Each book features one of the childhood friends in the group nicknamed the Danger Girls, and each story is a complete romance. Color of Danger, Taste of Danger, and Touch of Danger were also published as solo books.Welcome to Rios Azules, a small south Texas town, where rivers and emotions run deep, and the secrets are deadly. Book 1: Color of Danger Life as the sister of a serial killer is never easy, especially when a former runaway Mari Del Lobo becomes a target herself. A recent crime has her late brother's signature and MO, what Mari finds highly unusual, as she still blames herself for her only sibling's death. Soon Mari encounters an unexpected - and a very attractive - ally in Dr. Luke Goodman. Luke couldn't save his fiancée from the Smiling Killer, but he'll do anything to prevent more murders, even ask help from the serial killer's sister. Finding a kindred tortured soul in Mari, Luke is determined to keep her alive, but it's not easy to protect the stubborn ex-rebel. Can Mari survive to solve the mystery, renew her faith, and find love and redemption? Book 2: Taste of Danger Small-town librarian Soledad Sokolova has three days to find a hidden Russian treasure - or she and her father will die. Out of options, she turns for help to a hunky stranger, private investigator James O'Hara. But she knows better than to let a ladies' man break her heart for the second time. Bound by his word to Soledad's father, James is ready to protect her at all costs. However, once betrayed, he's reluctant to fall in love again. Will James and Soledad escape danger and find treasures of faith, love, and hope? Book 3: Touch of Danger Rookie cop Ivan Vargas blames small-town accountant Julia Morrison for his brother's suicide, as claimed in the note. When Julia is attacked, Ivan wonders if she's right about the suicide being staged. He's determined to find his brother's killer and keep Julia safe but reluctant to lose his heart to the stubborn beauty who's known to break them...Hurt in the past, Julia has avoided letting men too close. But she needs Ivan's help to uncover traumatic secrets someone would kill to keep hidden. Can she stay alive long enough to learn to love and trust again?

DALTON: REAPER-Patriots: Book Twenty-Two


Mary Kennedy - 2022
    

Conspiracy (Maple Valley Book 3)


Rebecca Deel - 2021
    To unmask the culprit before he succeeds, Blair accepts the help of a Navy SEAL turned cop with a dark past and deadly skills.Deputy Sheriff Elliot Montgomery has avoided a distracting Blair Hoffman for two years. But when someone places a target on her back, Elliot’s protective instincts override his common sense. After he becomes Blair’s personal bodyguard, the threats escalate. But Elliot never backs down from a fight. With danger looming, he’ll need every ounce of cunning and courage to save himself and the woman who refused to leave him alone in the darkness.

Saving Cade


Victorine E. Lieske - 2018
    Afraid the police will be after her, the last thing she needs is a wanted man in her car. But when Cade McMillan saves her life and gets hurt, she can’t just leave him by the side of the road, bleeding. And waiting for the cops is out of the question. Cade McMillan just wants to clear his name, but in order to do that he has to find the man who murdered his girlfriend and set him up. He doesn’t need to get tangled up in a relationship, and definitely doesn’t need to fall in love. But he can’t help feeling drawn to the sassy woman who saved him from getting picked up by the police. As Cade realizes someone is trying to kill him, he must decide if staying with Meg is worth the danger he’s putting her in. Saving Cade is a sweet romantic suspense.

Betty's Journal


Danielle Stewart - 2014
    To avoid spoilers this should be read after the first four books of the series and is only a compliment to the series, not a stand alone story. - Just something fun! Take a look through the eyes of Betty as she watches the world around her. Always wanted to try her recipes? You'll find them tucked in these pages. Wondering how the restaurant has turned out? See what she's serving. Wish you and a front row seat to the weddings and even Betty's own big moments? Then you'll be glad to have found Betty's Journal. The Piper Anderson Series: Chasing Justice Cutting Ties Changing Fate Choosing Christmas Finding Freedom Settling Scores - May 2014

Last Taste of Freedom


Lisa Phillips - 2021
    When her only ally is suspiciously killed the truth of her father's treachery leaks through the cracks of the facade that is her whole world.Zander O'Connell and his team of former soldiers and spies accept a mission from the director of the Department of Clandestine Services. A quick search of the objective before they destroy it reveals a sinister picture.Determined to bring her father down, Nora may be the key to the question at the core of Zander's existence. But when a man thought dead resurfaces, the threat becomes far more dangerous than any of them expected.Unless they survive, this will be their Last Taste of Freedom.Book 1 in the Last Chance County spin-off series featuring Zander and his team of protection specialists.**Christian romantic suspense**

Tru: Guardian Group Security Team Book 1


Bree Livingston - 2021
    The truth could tear them apart.Desperate to prove herself, Kayleigh Kingston will do anything to keep her job at Beacon Art Gallery. When her boss gives her an ultimatum—retrieve an artifact and escort it back to New York safely, she’s determined to do whatever it takes to succeed.Thaddeus Tru hates lies, but his love of justice outweighs it. His newest assignment? Get cozy with a woman who’s smuggling relics and willing to murder if it means keeping her freedom. Sounds cut and dry—until he meets her.The lie becomes a tangled web when feelings begin to pull Tru and Kayleigh closer together. Once the truth is out, will the deception wither all hope for love, or will it be strong enough to build a future together?

SEAL Me Daddy


Ashlee Price - 2017
    Heck, I think she might be a virgin too.Our marriage is supposed to be pretend.But, what if I don't want to fake it anymore?My marriage ended worse than any of my SEAL missions.We never left a man behind, but now my psycho ex has my kid.She's going to take her away forever unless I convince the judge I'm the stable one.My lawyer says I need a wife for that.I'd rather do another tour in Afghanistan than walk down the aisle again.But I'll do it for my daughter - and I'll do it to get a shot at Sky.She's half my age, hot as f*ck, wants to help and, oh yeah, she's a virgin.So we'll fake a marriage.But, she won't be faking her moans on our wedding night.This is a full length, stand-alone, ex-Navy SEAL romance with a happily ever after ending. This special edition includes an epilogue to the main story, a steamy deleted scene and several hot bonus collections for your continued reading pleasure. Are you ready to come along for the ride?

The Woman with No Name


Kelly Nelson - 2016
    Sworn bachelor Colton Murdock gets more than he bargained for on the elk hunt when he finds an injured woman in Utah’s high country. She must have a history, but she wakes up to towering pines and the clap of a thunderstorm with no recollection of her name or how she came to be there. Colt brings her to the safety of his camp, trying to ignore the first stirrings of his heart since the tragic death of his fiancée six years ago. The young woman can’t help falling for her ruggedly handsome rescuer, who calls her Skye for her blue eyes. But her life goes into a tailspin when she is recognized as Lily Vanasche, fiancée of a popular TV news anchorman, and Colt is arrested for a series of crimes—including her abduction. After the real kidnapper leaves a death threat in Lily’s ransacked house, the clock starts ticking. Can she remember her past before it catches up with her?

The Fatal Series Volume 2: Fatal Destiny\Fatal Flaw\Fatal Deception\Fatal Mistake


Marie Force - 2016
    Includes bonus novella Fatal Destiny!Fatal DestinyWith the week of their wedding finally upon them, Washington, D.C., Police Lieutenant Sam Holland and her fiancé, Senator Nick Cappuano, are at odds. In the aftermath of a tragic loss, they struggle to reconnect as the big day draws near, but their work keeps pulling them apart. When a new clue into a cold case surfaces, Nick asks Sam not to take any foolish chances before the wedding.Sam agrees, but she can't let it go entirely and winds up trapped in an explosive situation. Then an unwelcome visitor from her past threatens her future happiness… With trouble at every turn, will Sam survive long enough to walk down the aisle? Fatal FlawBack from their honeymoon, Senator Nick Cappuano and DC Police Lieutenant Sam Holland are ready for some normalcy after the whirlwind of their wedding, but someone has other plans for them. When Sam discovers wedding cards containing thinly veiled death threats, she's not sure if she or Nick is the target.Already on edge, Sam and her team start investigating a series of baffling murders. With no obvious connection between the victims, Sam soon suspects that she may be the ultimate prize in the killer's clever game…Fatal DeceptionThe wife of the White House deputy chief of staff has been beaten to death, and their one-year-old daughter is missing. D.C. Police Lieutenant Sam Holland is in charge of the murder investigation, but she's forced to collaborate with Special Victims Unit detectives as well as thorn-in-her-side FBI Special Agent Avery Hill. Then, a cold case of her father's resurrects old hurts—a distraction Sam cannot afford.As Sam's investigation heats up, so does Nick's political career—and the heat carries over to their bedroom. Will Sam put the pieces together in time to catch a killer and find the baby? Fatal MistakeD.C. is recovering from angry riots after one player's mistake blew the D.C. Federals' chance at the World Series, and Lt. Sam Holland is determined to unravel the twisted web of motives behind the star center fielder's death. Was it a disgruntled fan, a spurned lover or a furious teammate?While Sam digs through clues, her husband, U.S. Senator Nick Cappuano, fights for his political life in the final days of his reelection campaign as financial irregularities threaten his future. It's a distraction Nick can ill afford, with Sam in the midst of another high-profile murder investigation and both of them trying to help their adopted son, Scotty, cope with the murder of a ball player he admired.Determined to bring the killer to justice, Sam must root out the truth before another mistake proves fatal.

On The Run


Taylor Hart - 2014
     Sam Dubois doesn’t want to be on this assignment, even though he requested it. He doesn’t want to see Alexa and he definitely doesn’t want to put away the thug she calls her boyfriend…but most things in life aren’t fair when it comes to her. After Sam shows Alexa proof that her boyfriend is a drug dealer with connections to the Columbian cartel, she refuses to believe it. Until a gun is pointed at her head and ‘said boyfriend’ puts a bullet in Sam’s shoulder. Now Sam has to get her out of dodge and Alexa has to make a choice—face the past or live a lie that could destroy her and everyone she’s ever loved.

I, Spy


Jordan McCollum - 2013
    But even idyllic Ottawa has its deadly secrets--and so does CIA operative Talia Reynolds. She can climb through ventilation shafts, blend in at the occasional diplomatic function, even scale buildings (small ones). But there's one thing she can’t do: tell her aerospace engineer boyfriend Danny about her Top Secret occupation.It worked for a year, keeping Danny in the dark, keeping him away from danger, keeping her secrets. And then Talia finally catches a hot case: Fyodor Timofeyev. Russian. Aerospace executive. Possible spy?She can make this work, too--until Danny needs her at the same time her country does. And when Fyodor targets Danny? Suddenly her schedule isn't the only thing suffering. Now to save her country and her secrets, Talia must sacrifice the man she loves.

Undercover Engagement


Lucy McConnell - 2014
    Jason is intelligent, attractive, and he makes her laugh. When the couple is attacked by a group of men who call Jason by the wrong name, shoot holes in his beautiful car, and try to run them off the road, Alyssa learns her perfect fianc� is also the perfect spy. With his cover blown, the only way to bring down an international terrorist group is for Alyssa to steal the information. She agrees to help, putting her life on the line; but, putting her heart on the line and marrying a man who lied to her about his identity is a much harder decision.

Guardian Protective Services


Lexie Ray - 2017
    Currently FREE with the Kindle Unlimited Program or $0.99. All full length books. No cliffies! DAMON The promotion she’s been waiting for all her life has finally arrived! Anne is ecstatic and on her way home to celebrate, when she’s forced off the road by a vehicle clearly bent on wiping her not just off the highway, but off the map. Terrified and confused, Anne hires a bodyguard to not only protect her, but to help her find out why someone would want to kill her. When Damon arrives at Anne’s luxurious penthouse, he’s a fish out of water, a wounded soldier who wants nothing more than to drink away the memories of torture and death. MARCUS When, in the middle of investigating a human trafficking ring, Marcus Thompson’s work partner and best friend disappears, Marcus will stop at nothing to bring him home. That includes carjacking an unsuspecting Nichole on her way home from work. Diving into her car just ahead of the goons pursuing him, Marcus inadvertently pulls Nichole into the thick of the action—and the danger. SHAUN Ever since being captured and tortured, Shaun’s entire focus in life has been hunting down his tormentor and making him pay. Unfortunately, his boss thinks that Shaun’s need for vengeance has become a downward spiral of obsession and forces Shaun to take a vacation on what they both think will be an easy job. Reluctantly, Shaun takes on the task of being a bodyguard to beautiful kindergarten teacher Emily, after she’s apparently mistaken for her twin sister and almost kidnapped off the street. The chemistry between Shaun and Emily is instantaneous, but barely has a chance to get off the ground before Emily’s life is suddenly threatened again. FLYNN Flynn Brennan lives for trouble. Legal trouble, but trouble nonetheless. His penchant for adrenaline rushes and danger have not only cost him his arm; they’ve also cost him his job on the police force. Lost and still dealing with the trauma of his wound, Flynn stumbles upon Guardian Angel Protective Services and is immediately hired for his legendary tracking abilities. But eventually even his new boss becomes worried about Flynn’s dangerous lone wolf forays into danger. Flynn is less than happy at being assigned to track down a woman’s deadbeat ex, until he learns that said ex might hold the key to capturing The Countess, the woman responsible for his torture and near-death. MICHAEL Michael Hamilton has spent years on two pursuits: solving the mystery of his wife’s disappearance, and chasing down The Countess, who has taken the lives of many of his friends, along with terrorizing his city. During those years, Michael has let a lot of life pass him by, but through it all his friends at Guardian Protective Services have stood by him, particularly Jackie Maddison, who has always loved Michael from afar. When The Countess strikes again, this time in the heart of almost all that’s near and dear to Michael, he is more determined than ever to end her empire once and for all, and there’s no place Jackie will allow herself to be other than beside the man she loves as he fights his inner and outer demons.

Lie for Me


Karen Young - 2011
    Tucker claims to have been alone at a job site at the time, but he needs Lauren to lie for him so that he won't become a suspect in the murder. She refuses; now as a prime suspect, Tucker disappears without a trace. Years later, she sees him at an antique fair, and worried that Lauren will reveal his carefully constructed life, he forces his into her hotel room and tells her that he's trying to find evidence to clear his name. As Lauren tries to help Tucker, she questions her ability to judge character as she uncovers a labyrinth of deceit, putting her very life in danger."Karen Young has written an exciting thriller with the second chance romantic subplot enhancing the suspense. Readers will root for the embattled lead protagonists caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless diabolical killer. . . . Lie For Me is a gripping one sitting read." --Harriet Klausner (5 stars)