Book picks similar to
War & Piste by Alex Thomas


fiction
ebook
chick-lit
too-few-ratings

Ruby Lake


Sherrill Willis - 2011
    When her boss sends her to Ruby Lake, a small, rural town in northern Wisconsin, the last thing she was looking for was love at first sight, not to mention a place in the world where she finally fits. Add in her city-savvy best friend, a jealous ex-girlfriend, a famous father, and a coffee shop full of off-the wall characters, and it becomes more challenging for Sydney to manage than a spinning plate competition. When disaster strikes close to home, Sydney is left with the unbearable choice of her family, or the life she has always dreamed of. Come with Sydney on her journey and laugh, cry and rediscover why some choices are not really choices at all, they are simply fate.

Eyes Unveiled


Crystal Walton - 2015
    A jeopardized future. And a song of hope holding the answers to both.Not now. Anytime but now. With her junior year of college hanging in the balance, the last thing Emma Matthews needs is a blue-eyed distraction capable of undoing her plans with a single guitar strum. She has an unfulfilled promise to keep, family depending on her—reasons she can’t afford to unearth dreams better left buried.But when the reflection she sees in musician Riley Preston’s eyes borders dangerously close to the one she’s spent the last five years searching for, Emma discovers her walls can’t guard her heart from the hope he awakens.Terrified of what she’s experiencing, and even more afraid of what she might lose, Emma grapples for the faith to hold on to one dream without abandoning the promise of another.This series follows the same characters and needs to be read in order:Book One: Eyes UnveiledBook Two: Light UnshakenBook Three: Hope Unbroken

Escape for the Summer


Ruth Saberton - 2014
     "Takes Bridget Jones's mantle and runs with it" Heat Magazine "Made me laugh out loud" Richard Madeley Can Andi Evans find the strength to start again? Betrayed and broken-hearted, Andi's redundancy is one shock too many. Suddenly single and in debt, a summer working in the pretty Cornish town of Rock seems the perfect solution.Determined never to trust again, will a chance meeting with a stranger change her mind? Andi's sister, Angel, is determined to find a man who can keep her in style. Heading to Rock, summer playground of the rich and famous, seems an inspired idea until a misunderstanding threatens to end a romance that has started to mean more to her than she ever expected... Actress Gemma is no stranger to diets and disappointments. As the future of her career hangs in the balance, Gemma hopes a summer in Cornwall solves her problems. With a reality TV show being filmed in the seaside town surely she can avoid the pasty shops and win herself a role. Arriving in idyllic Cornwall, all three girls are hoping for a holiday to remember. But will this be for the right reasons? Or, as emotions run higher than the tide, will the summer escape turn their lives upside down?

Inconceivable!


Tegan Wren - 2015
    He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them. But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

Love Like This


Sophie Love - 2017
    But their culture is brutal, her boss is a monster, and she doesn’t know if she can last for long.That changes when Keira, by a fluke, is handed a coveted assignment and given her big chance: to travel to Ireland for 30 days, witness the legendary Lisdoonvarna festival of love, and to debunk the myth that true love exists. Keira, cynical herself and in a rocky place with her long-term boyfriend, is all too happy to oblige.But when Keira falls in love with Ireland and meets her Irish tour guide, who just may be the man of her dreams, she is no longer sure of anything.A whirlwind romantic comedy that is as profound as it is funny, LOVE LIKE THIS is book #1 in the debut of a dazzling new romance series that will make you laugh, cry, and will keep you turning pages late into the night—and will make you fall in love with romance all over again.

Making Lemonade


Muriel Ellis Pritchett - 2016
    Instead, a university student totaled her car, her boss – after 16 years of loyal and excellent service – gave her a letter of termination, and her professor husband of 32 years asked for a divorce so he could marry his post-doc student with the 18-inch waist and perky boobs. Half a century old, jobless, and with only a high school diploma, Missouri must take the lemons that life has thrown her and make the best lemonade ever – even if it means traveling to Italy alone to do it.

Come Home Cowboy


Alyssa Canter - 2015
    She decided to stay home and work on her family's ranch, when many of her friends went off to college. Although Paige could have become anything she wanted in life, she loved the everyday ranch life. One day a familiar face pops back into town and creates a buzz. Paige had a history with the handsome man and a flood of emotions came rushing back. Unsure of what the future holds with the blast from the past, Paige embarks on a journey of finding if true love is still real. *This book is part of a 3 book continuing series.

In Between


Jenny B. Jones - 2007
    With her mom in prison, and her father AWOL, Katie is sent to live with a squeaky-clean family who could have their own sitcom. She launches a full-scale plan to get sent back to the girls’ home when she finds herself in over her head...and heart. When Katie and her new "wrong crowd" get into significant trouble at school, she finds her punishment is restoring a historic theater with a crazy grandma who goes by the name of Mad Maxine. In the midst of her punishment, Katie uncovers family secrets that run deep, and realizes she's not the only one with a pain-filled past. Katie must decide if she'll continue her own family’s messed up legacy or embrace a new beginning in this place called In Between.

In Too Deep


Tracey Alvarez - 2013
    He broke her heart to save his own.As an elite police diver tormented by her father's fatal drowning accident, Piper Harland is forced back to the one place she'd sworn never to return. Her tiny hometown on New Zealand’s isolated Stewart Island hasn’t much changed in the nine years she’s been gone. But she soon comes face to face with everything she ran from — grief, regret, and the scalding pain of a love lost.The one place Ryan "West" Westlake belongs is a hundred feet below Stewart Island’s dangerous waters with one breath of air and only a line to guide him to the surface. Down deep he can forget his mentor’s death. Down deep he can forget the one woman who seared his heart when she left. Only now she’s back, and as it turns out, he hasn’t forgotten a thing.Desire and tempers flare when West and Piper cross paths again. Can they face their past and be together? Two hearts. A second chance. Everything on the line...IN TOO DEEP is the first story in Tracey Alvarez's best-selling Stewart Island books set against the stunning backdrop of Aotearoa, New Zealand. If you like heartwarming, sexy and sweet small town romances with a touch of comedy, you'll love sharing the journey with these authentic men and women struggling to find their special someone.Intended for mature 18+ aged readers who enjoy their feel good romance on the steamier side.

Killing Memories


Tatiana Moore - 2012
    But ask her mother or best friend and they’d tell you different. Moo says Estela fears rejection while her mother thinks she’s too gordita. Maybe they’re both right, but Estela is pretty damn happy with the status quo, well, sorta. At 26 years old, Estela is completely inexperienced in love, and the women in her life just won’t let her die a lonely virgin spinster with donut glaze on her face. She has no time for men, but after a few matchmaking attempts, courtesy of Moo and Estela's family, men begin descending upon her with great gusto and flair. One who may be the Antichrist, or at the very least have a psycho-complex, won’t take “no thanks” for an answer. The other, with striking green eyes and gentle touch, makes her entire body pulse and buzz. Estela is overwhelmed by both and one thing’s certain: She won’t get anywhere if she can’t learn to forget the past and really see the one who stands in front of her, eager to love her as she is. Revised: 9/6/2015

Turn the Paige


Roseanne Beck - 2018
    Paige Ellis has worked hard to make her dreams come true. But somewhere along the way, she lost something important--herself.Luckily, her dead grandmother is still looking out for her.When Paige returns home to fulfill her Nana's last request, she comes face-to-face with an annoying blast from her past. Not only does Nick Collins know just which buttons to push to make Paige crazy, but he also might be the one thing Paige has convinced herself she doesn't need.Can Nana and Nick persuade an overachieving workaholic that love might be the best medicine after all?If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers RomComs, you'll fall for TURN THE PAIGE. Because love hurts. But it's kind of funny.

One Kind Heart


Christine DePetrillo - 2019
    He’s traveled all over the world on expeditions, but he always comes back home to the cozy town his ancestors founded. Dakota loves his free-spirit lifestyle. He comes and goes as he pleases, however, he can’t help wanting more. Leah Greenstead is the new fourth grade teacher at Maplehaven Elementary, a school built through a generous donation from Brenton Sawmill. Having abandoned New York City after a tragedy, Leah is doing her best to adjust to life in the quiet Vermont town. With any luck, she’ll be able to leave her past behind, stick to her rules about not getting close to anyone, and preserve what little is left of her heart. She wants to believe the world is safe again, and if that means being alone, then so be it. When Dakota meets Leah at a ceremony honoring his family’s sawmill, he sees his next adventure. As Maplehaven’s golden boy, he’s surprised when Leah doesn’t immediately accept his advances. He’s never had to work this hard, but he has a feeling Leah Greenstead will be worth the effort. Is one kind heart enough to change Leah’s mind about love? One Kind Heart is Book One in The One Kind Deed Series, stories centered around good deeds and making the world a better place, one couple at a time. Other Series by Christine DePetrillo The Maple Leaf Series, contemporary romance (6 books) "Fears, pride, love, passion ~ beautifully woven together with substance and depth. " The Shielded Series, sci-fi romance (3 books) "Great world-building, excellent emotional depth, and a great ending..." The Warrior Wolves Series, paranormal romance (5 books) "Full of memorable characters with a solid plot and plenty of passion."

The Wedding Game


Meghan Quinn - 2021
    So it’s only natural that Luna would convince her brother and his husband-to-be to compete on The Wedding Game, a “do-it-yourself” TV show, for the title of Top DIY Wedding Expert.As a jaded divorce lawyer, Alec Baxter scoffs at weddings and romance. But when his recently engaged brother begs him to participate in The Wedding Game, Alec grudgingly picks up a glue gun and prepares for some family bonding.Both fierce competitors, Luna and Alec clash on national TV as harsh words and glitter fly with abandon. But as they bicker over color swatches and mood boards, they find themselves fighting something else: their growing mutual attraction. While Luna is torn between family loyalty and her own feelings, Alec wonders if he might have been wrong about love and marriage all along…

Drawing Free


Elena Aitken - 2011
    Between dealing with her youngest’s never ending tantrums, her teenager’s attitude and her ailing father’s rapidly failing memory, Becca doesn’t have time to worry about who she used to be--let alone remember.She loves her family, but deep down Becca knows she wants more than the daily chaos and the quick fixes her self-help books have to offer. It's just another day when finally the pressure proves to be too much and Becca makes a split second decision that will change everything.Leaving her crumbling life in the rear-view mirror and fleeing to a remote mountain town may feel like the perfect way to reconnect with herself, but will her choices come at the expense of everything she left behind? Or can Becca find herself before it's too late?

Once Was Lost


Rosemarie Naramore - 2012
    Life is tough, but thankfully, her ex father-in-law (formerly the town sheriff) remains her staunchest supporter, always lending a hand to assure Holly and her children have what they need.When handsome new undersheriff, Matt Sanders, moves to town, she is embarrassed that their initial meeting happens on the roadway, when he pulls her over for speeding. He’s stern-faced and all-business, but Holly discovers there’s a heart of gold behind the badge.Thanks to her former father-in-law, who has known Matt’s family for years, the undersheriff becomes a fixture in the family’s lives. Holly finds herself relying on him more and more, but soon decides it’s unfair to cast him in the role of “knight in shining armor.” She is determined to stand on her own two feet and ultimately pushes him away. Matt wants a future with Holly, but wonders, can he convince her he’s ready to commit? And if he does, will she ever be able to fully trust again?