Book picks similar to
A Girl Worth Waiting For by S.M. Smith
christian-fiction
romance
christian
chick-lit
Running on Empty
Ruth Logan Herne - 2013
It's cost her everything to keep it, including her marriage. Now she may have to pay an even higher price to reveal the truth, but is she too late? Back home to care for her dying mother, Anne is faced with the past she ran from and a future she can't have, a future that includes Joe McIntyre and the happily ever after she'd dreamed of years ago.Chief of Police Joe McIntyre takes his position seriously. A lead-by-example Christian, he's put to the test when his ex-wife appears with another man's child after eight years of silence. Anger and pride challenge his small-town-hero existence, driving him out of his comfort zone. Faced with choices he made eight years before, can he tackle the present to ease Anne's future so she's no longer "Running on Empty".
Shattered Rose
T.L. Gray - 2013
GrayAvery Nichols knows how to wear the mask. Perfect student, perfect daughter and perfect friend. Nobody would ever guess that inside, Avery is a prisoner to her own self loathing. Then she meets him…and everything changes. Handsome, charming and self assured, Jake Matthew sweeps Avery off her feet in an effortless fashion. Avery knows that Jake is everything she needs and all she has ever wanted. She would destroy herself to be loved by him…until he walks away.Broken and lost, Avery meets Parker. His genuine, caring nature reaches past the mask and the shattered pieces her heart begin to slowly heal. But just when Avery starts to feel whole again, she realizes the impossible.Jake never really left.
Paper Roses
Amanda Cabot - 2009
Leaving the past behind in Philadelphia, mail-order bride Sarah arrives in San Antonio ready to greet her groom, Austin Canfield, a man she has never met but whose letters have won her heart from afar. But there is one problem--he has died. And Sarah cannot go back East.As Sarah tries to reconcile herself to a future that is drastically changed, Austin's brother, Clay, struggles with his own muddled plans. Though he dislikes working on the family ranch and longs for a different life, Clay is driven to avenge his brother's death. But something between them is growing and neither Clay nor Sarah is ready to admit it. Book 1 of the Texas Dreams series, Paper Roses will sweep readers into the Hill Country with a tale of love and loss, closed doors and beautiful possibilities that will leave them wanting more.
The Lifeguards, the Swim Team, & Frozen Custard
Carol Moncado - 2015
Still smarting from the spectacular implosion of her last relationship, she knows she’s going to have to work to keep herself from falling hard for fellow guard, CJ Kenton. Not only is he cute, but she discovers he’s nothing like any other guy she’s ever known. Keeping her heart safe proves to be more difficult than she imagined when he continually shows her his tender, gentle side. Will he convince her it’s time to take another chance with love?
The Art of Falling
Julie Jarnagin - 2015
And what better headliner than bull rider Wyatt Lawrence? Although why people idolize grown men who make their living falling off animals, she’ll never understand.When his mom was diagnosed with cancer, Wyatt determined to focus on doing what she wants—like visiting some art museum. But when his mom teams up with Heather Tornsten to get him involved in a fundraiser, he knows he’s been set up. The more involved he gets with the pretty events coordinator, the more he realizes falling off a bull is far safer. Because falling for Heather–who has made it clear that she won’t risk her heart on any man who courts danger–might break a whole lot more than his bones.
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.
The Broken Trail
Christa MacDonald - 2016
With the school director on a power trip and evidence of shady dealings, there’s nothing relaxing about it. Maybe it would be easier if she wasn’t so distracted by Captain MacAlister, the local cop she can’t get along with, yet can’t get out of her head. She didn’t trek up to the middle of nowhere to lose her heart. Mac doesn’t need the kind of trouble he believes Katherine will bring. He’s got enough to deal with from poachers to drug crime. Mac has rules to maintain his faith, like avoiding the pull of an attractive woman who doesn’t fit his life. But when he meets Katherine, he’s drawn in by her intelligence and strength, despite getting burned by her quick temper. When near tragedy strikes, Katherine reveals her feelings, and Mac doesn’t hesitate to respond. If only their scars, both seen and unseen, didn’t threaten to tear them apart. Two wary hearts must soften and two steel wills bend if they have any hope of making it down the broken trail to love.
Her Mule Hollow Cowboy
Debra Clopton - 2014
Not sure why she was included, she’s out to prove herself worthy of the honor of the inheritance. Loving her new life in the small Texas town of Mule Hollow, she’s determined that, for the first time in her life, she’s going to finally belong somewhere… Professional Bull Rider Cliff Masterson has been chasing his dreams for years—or has he been running from his past? He’s searching for more in life and ready to dig in his spurs and put down roots deep in the heart of Texas. Rescuing a beautiful cowgirl from being trampled by a bull has him dreaming of romance, home and hearth. But Maddie’s had enough people in her life leave and she’s not willing to risk her heart on him—Sparks fly as he’s determined to prove to the feisty cowgirl that the only think he’s chasing now is wedding bells with her… Can the Matchmakin’ Posse of Mule Hollow help this couple find their happily ever after?
Long Road Home
Mary Jane Morgan - 2015
Leaving college, she returns home to find her younger sister mute with shock, her mother too depressed to function, and their beloved Thoroughbred horse ranch on the verge of going under. She’s barely arrived when she’s forced to accept help from Brett Dawson—the man who once broke her heart—when a marauding mountain lion threatens one of the prized horses they depend on for survival. Brett would rather be anywhere but the Swearingen ranch. Caught between his feelings for Megan and the powder keg of the ongoing feud between their families, he feels his only choice is to help Megan, regardless of the consequences. If it weren’t for Brett’s father, Megan’s dad might still be alive, and she wouldn’t be here now sacrificing her future to save her family’s ranch. As the long-simmering attraction between Megan and Brett resurfaces, it is threatened almost before it begins by dark family secrets swirling around them—secrets that turn to danger and could very well destroy not only their new beginning, but the lives of everyone they both love.
The Keeper
Suzanne Woods Fisher - 2012
A farm. A heart. All in need of repair.Life on Windmill Farm hasn't been the same since Julia Lapp's father has had trouble with his heart. But that doesn't stop Julia from hoping for a bright future. She has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. But when Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she is determined to change his mind. She knows who is to blame for Paul's sudden reluctance to wed: the Bee Man.Roman Troyer, the Bee Man, travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. A mysterious man who relishes his nomadic life, Roman especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia seriously at odds with him, Windmill Farm is looking decidedly less appealing.Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?
Submerged
Dani Pettrey - 2012
Two dead deep-water divers. One single clue.Bailey Craig vowed never to set foot in Yancey, Alaska, again. She has a past, and a reputation--and Yancey's a town that doesn't forget. She's returned only to bury a loved one killed in the plane crash, but then dark evidence emerges and Bailey's own expertise becomes invaluable for the case.Cole McKenna can face dangerous rescue dives. He can face the fear a murderer may be threatening his town. But facing the reality of Bailey's reappearance is a tougher challenge. She broke his heart...but doesn't seem to be the same girl who left Yancey ten years ago. And he's not the same guy she left behind. Racing against the clock and a rising body count, Bailey and Cole must move beyond the hurts of their pasts to work together until the truth of what is hidden in the depths finally surfaces.
Touching the Clouds
Bonnie Leon - 2010
She pilots a mail-delivery plane in the forbidding Alaskan wilderness, the lone woman in a male profession. But even that seems easy compared to finding true love. She likes a fellow pilot and would even consider marrying him--if it weren't for Paul, a mysterious man on her mail route with a gentle spirit and a past to hide. Can Kate break through the walls Paul has put up around his heart? And will her quest for adventure be her demise?
Raspberries and Vinegar
Valerie Comer - 2013
Tart like Vinegar. Josephine Shaw: complex, yet singleminded. A tiny woman with big ideas and, some would say, a mouth to match. But what does she really know about sustainable living as it relates to the real world? After all, she and her two friends are new to farming. Zachary Nemesek is back only until his dad recovers enough to work his own land again. When Zach discovers three helpless females have taken up residence at the old farm next door, he expects trouble. But a mouse invasion proves Jo has everything under control. Is there anything she can’t handle? And surely there’s something sweet beneath all that tart. Raspberries and Vinegar is the first novel in the Farm Fresh Romance series which sees a group of young women purchase an old farm in northern Idaho together with the purpose of growing their own food and proving to those around them that they can make a difference. It is a story of living sustainably on the land and focusing on real, local food from a Christian point-of-view. It doesn't pad the issues nor preach about them, but allows the characters the freedom to grapple with environmentalism as believers. A contemporary Christian romance novel, Raspberries and Vinegar crosses genres into farm lit. Readers consistently comment on the uniqueness and creativity of the blend. It's an Amazon bestseller in Christian women's fiction. "Valerie Comer's voice has definitely been missing in the Christian fiction market." EXCERPT Jo straightened her back, pasted on a smile, and consulted her clipboard. Ellie, at the desk, had informed her the resident of Room 224 lived in the present, at least some days. She tapped the door lightly and nudged it open. “Hello, Mrs. Humbert?” An old woman, white hair floating around her face like a halo, sat in her wheelchair by a small table. A man swiveled at the intrusion from his seat facing the window. Jo caught her breath. Zach? “Please come in, my dear.” The old lady peered at her through rheumy eyes. “Do I know you?” Jo closed the space. She could block Zach from her thoughts. This was her job. She took the soft white hand in hers. “I’m Josephine Shaw, the facility’s new nutritionist, and I’m here to talk to you about food.” Zach chuckled. “Be careful, Grandma. She’ll toss your stash of candies in the garbage.” Thanks a lot, buster. Jo shot a glare at Zach. Just her luck he felt the need to interfere on his grandmother’s behalf. Jo turned her back on him and tried for a light tone. “Unless you have any fair-trade organic dark chocolate in there. That stuff is hard for me to resist.” Mrs. Humbert’s poufy hair shimmered as she shook her head. “Now that’s something I don’t have, but John can pick some up for us if you like.” She patted Jo’s hand. “Then I can bribe you to be nice to me.” John? Jo shot a questioning look at Zach, but he just lifted a shoulder and shook his head. She squeezed the old lady’s hand. “I don’t need bribing.” Not with anyone who needed help, and the fact that this was Zach’s grandmother clinched the deal. “It’s my job to make sure you’re getting the best possible nutrition, though, so let’s keep those empty calorie snacks at a minimum, shall we?” Zach laughed.
The Big Five-OH!
Sandra D. Bricker - 2009
. . or so she thinks. It was a broken heart on her 16th, a car accident on her 21st, pneumonia on her 30th, and a fall down a flight of stairs on her 35th. There were Ohio blizzards on her 38th, 39th, and 40th; and six days before her 45th, she lost the love of her life to a heart attack. Numbing grief stole that birthday and a couple more to follow and, on the morning of her 48th birthday, she received the call she’d dreaded ever since losing her mom so many years ago…she was diagnosed with stage-3 ovarian cancer. The doctors didn’t hold out a lot of hope, but Liv survived and maintained her faith. Months of surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation treatments followed.But now, as her 50th birthday creeps up the icy Ohio path toward her, her hair has grown back, her energy level is up, and she is officially cancer free. It makes her nervous. After everything she’s gone through, Liv hates the idea of driving on icy roads and returning to work as an O.R. nurse in a local Cincinnati hospital.Her best friend Hallie knows just the thing to break Liv out of the winter doldrums, while providing a safe haven of warmth, sunshine, and a time to regroup: a holiday in the Florida sunshine!
Fully Involved
Dora Hiers - 2017
He fights fires. She saves kids. Can they stop battling each other long enough to realize they want the same thing? Love, family...forever. Social Worker Cammie Parkson regrets not yanking little Jayden from his home after logging concerns about the mother’s boyfriend. If her supervisor hadn’t vetoed her petition, Cammie wouldn’t be pacing the halls of Cherrydale Children’s Hospital alongside the too-hot fire captain who brought Jayden in, waiting for doctors to confirm the suspected abuse. Securing a safe environment for the boy is imperative, so why does Keegan insist on giving her grief? And why does his opinion matter so much… Fire Captain Keegan Madison has witnessed his share of atrocities, but nothing ignites his ire more than child abuse. Even so, Keegan’s not sure the beautiful social worker’s plan to remove the kid from his home is best for the little dude. But Cammie’s ferocious, protective love for the kids at Cherrydale stirs something deep inside him. When she’s offered the opportunity to launch her program in another state, Keegan must convince the obstinate woman that staying is worth the wait, that love is worth the risk. What readers are saying about Fully Involved... "A Five-Alarm Romance! The chemistry between Cammie and Keegan sizzles, but the obstacles they face make the reader wonder if they’ll ever have their happily ever after. This sweet romance will capture your heart from the start." ~Amazon Reviewer, 5 stars "The love story is fantastic." ~Amazon reviewer, 5 stars "Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I hope to read more books by this author." ~Amazon reviewer, 5 stars Fully Involved, another Heart Racing, God-Gracing Romance by Dora Hiers. An utterly charming Christian romance, the first book in the Merriville Firefighter Heroes series, but each book can be read as a stand-alone.