Book picks similar to
Make-Believe Marriage by Marilyn Shank


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Going Up?


Whitney Dineen - 2016
    She also didn’t expect to meet a hot handyman, a Columbian drug lord and a notorious mob boss and then fall for one of them in a big way. Life in the Big Apple isn’t quite turning out the way she planned, but who said that was a bad thing?

Cancel the Wedding


Carolyn T. Dingman - 2014
    She even seems to be coming to terms with her mother Jane’s premature death from cancer. But when Jane’s final wish is revealed, Olivia and her elder sister Georgia are mystified. Their mother rarely spoke of her rural Southern hometown, and never went back to visit—so why does she want them to return to Huntley, Georgia, to scatter her ashes?Jane’s request offers Olivia a temporary escape from the reality she’s long been denying: she hates her “dream” job, and she’s not really sure she wants to marry her groom-to-be. With her 14-year-old niece, Logan, riding shotgun, she heads South on a summer road trip looking for answers about her mother.As Olivia gets to know the town’s inhabitants, she begins to peel back the secrets of her mother’s early life—truths that force her to finally question her own future. But when Olivia is confronted with a tragedy and finds an opportunity to right a terrible wrong, will it give her the courage to accept her mother’s past—and say yes to her own desire to start over?

If You Must Know


Jamie Beck - 2020
    Amanda follows the rules—at the school where she works; in her community; and as a picture-perfect daughter, wife, and mother-to-be. Erin follows her heart—in love and otherwise—living a bohemian lifestyle on a shoestring budget and honoring her late father’s memory with a passion for music and her fledgling bath-products business.The sisters are content leading separate but happy lives in their hometown of Potomac Point until everything is upended by lies that force them to confront unsettling truths about their family, themselves, and each other. For sisters as different as these two, building trust doesn’t come easily—especially with one secret still between them—but it may be the only way to save their family.

Business or Pleasure


Stephanie St. James - 2010
    A mission that’s cut short when he refuses to see her. Discouraged, Callie drowns her sorrows in a one night encounter with a handsome hunk from the hotel bar. The next morning Callie almost faints from shock when she’s finally let in to see the owner - none other than Mr. Last Night! Somewhere between the boardroom and the bedroom a one night fling flirts with real love, and suddenly Callie stands to lose more than just her company. REVIEWS: "The characters are passionate, humorous, and true to life. (Business or Pleasure) is an enjoyable and entertaining read." - Romantic Times Book Reviews "St. James is a new author for me, but I plan to be watching for more of her work in the future." - The Road to Romance Book Reviews

The Wedding Dress


Rachel Hauck - 2012
    One Dress.A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can't she find the perfect dress...or feel certain she should marry Tim?Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new-shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been "redeemed."Charlotte's search for the gown's history-and its new bride-begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte's heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

Lulu's Cafe


T.I. Lowe - 2014
    By a stroke of fate, Leah is drawn to the Southern hospitality of a small caf�, looking for a warm meal but finding so much more. Lulu, the owner, offers her a job, a place to stay and a new lease on life. Through Lulu's tenacious warmth and generosity, Leah quickly finds herself embraced by the quaint community as she tries to put herself back together. Given she's accustomed to cruelty, the kindness is overwhelming.Soon Leah meets Crowley Mason, the most eligible bachelor in town. A lawyer and friend of Lulu's, Crowley is wary of Leah's sudden, mysterious arrival. Despite his reserve, something sparks between them that can't be denied. But after all she's been through, can Leah allow herself to truly love and be loved, especially when her first urge is to run?Exploring the resiliency of both the heart and the spirit, Lulu's Caf� gorgeously illustrates how old scars can finally heal no matter how deep they seem.

The Apology Project


Jeanette Escudero - 2021
    She’s been fired for not compromising her principles in a high-profile case and then punching her partner in the nose for the misogynistic comment he made in retort (not her finest moment). Leaving a career that gave her purpose, Amelia can only ask, What next?Let it be better than her epic failure of a fortieth birthday party: an open bar full of no-shows except for John Ellis, a total stranger and the new associate at her ex-firm. As it turns out, though, he’s very good company—and a wake-up call. With the help of John and a lot of champagne, Amelia considers the people she’s wronged, from old besties to former boyfriends to coworkers. Amelia resolves to make amends—to those who really deserve it.One apology at a time, Amelia’s looking at the choices she’s made in the past, the new ones she’s making with John, and those she’s making for herself. What next? Maybe a second chance she never expected.

Best Supporting Role


Sue Margolis - 2014
    Now she returns with a novel about a suddenly single mom whose life needs a lift.When her gambling addict husband died, Sarah Green was left penniless—and with two children to raise. Since then, she’s been desperate to keep her professional and personal lives on firm financial footing. And what could be safer than dating an accountant and working at a non-emergency crime help line?But then Sarah’s aunt dies, leaving Sarah her once famous—now flailing—lingerie shop. With her fashion background, Sarah reluctantly decides to make a go of it, even if that means breaking up with her too-prudent boyfriend over the risk.Suddenly Sarah finds herself falling for Hugh, the handsome struggling actor she hired to renovate her new boutique, and entering a prestigious lingerie competition. Taking chances has never been her forte, but the built-in support of family and friends could give her the boost she’s been looking for....

Don't Say a Word


Jennie Hansen - 2021
    She needs to regain her balance, and her parents’ ranch in Montana provides the perfect escape. But respite is the last thing she finds. While camping near the Bitterroot Forest, a strange sound leads Cassie to make a startling discovery: a young child, abandoned in the wilderness. She acts on instinct, taking him home to the ranch with her. But she has no idea that by doing so, she will be forced to engage in a fight for his life—and her own. With the help of Deputy Parker Grafton, Cassie works to uncover the mystery behind the boy’s origins. The pair is drawn closer together each step of the investigation as they follow a bizarre trail of clues. But when a series of dangerous accidents begins to plague the family ranch, Cassie and Parker realize that an unknown assailant is closing in. They have to run. In a game of cat and mouse spanning the country, Cassie and Parker will stop at nothing to protect what’s become most important to them: the child in their care—and each other.

Contemporary Reverse Harem Collection #1-5


Mika Lane - 2018
    I was tending bar, making enough to get by, paying my rent, and enjoying the occasional cocktail with my best gay boyfriend, Matty. And then I got the call.The old coot who used to hang out in my bar? Turned out he was a millionaire, and he just left me all his money.With a catch, of course. I only get his money if I’m 25 years old (check), and married (not checked; not by a landslide). And--I only have 30 days to pull this off.The RenovationWhen Carter, my hunky neighbor spies me wrestling with a chunk of dry rot on the front porch of my piece of sh*t, moneypit, rundown not-so-home-sweet-home, help seems on the way.Especially when Tanner, Wyatt, and Dig join the team just before the scumbag bank closes in.Who knew home repair could get so sexy?And it turned out my house was not the only thing that desperately needed some attention. They get to work fixing me…I mean the house…right up.The PromotionImagine you want a promotion more than anything at the boring-as-sh*t law firm where you’ve slaved for years. You’ve kissed a*s. You’ve smiled when you’ve felt like stabbing someone. You’ve pulled all nighters and saved your boss time and again.And still that’s not enough. There’s one last thing you need to do.Would you do it?The GalleryThey say don’t go into business, or to bed, with friends. But what if those friends are four hardcore rich and handsome alpha players?Did I really think I could keep it clean with guys like that?And when reality set it, I realized dirty is much more fun.That’s my kind of business.The CollectionI know better than to trust a bunch of pretty faces.But when these our gorgeous men walk off the runway and into my life, I find it's not just the hours and lousy pay in fashion that are, um, hard.And what do these guys have in common?ME.These books are interconnected stand-alones, and can be read in any order.Also available in audio. TIME FOR YOUR NEXT BINGE READ!From Mika Lane, a 5-book collection of the dirty, steamy Contemporary Reverse Harem series is here. These hot, over-the-top romances center around bad-boys with a penchant for pursuing and protecting the women who give them a run for their money. If you love outrageously naughty stories as a way to indulge your not-so-secret bad girl side, this boxset is for you.

Love By Chance: Based On the Hallmark Channel Original Movie


Kacy Cross - 2019
    

Rescued for Christmas


Tamie Dearen - 2020
    But everything goes wrong when she gets lost on the back roads of Montana in a snowstorm. Just her luck, her rental car hits a patch of ice and skids off the road. She’s praying she can survive the night inside her car, when a man appears at her window. A man who looks exactly like her book hero!Country music star Max McCoy hasn’t sung since his wife died. He stays on his ranch and takes care of his nine-year-old daughter. He’s isolated and he likes it that way. Until a magazine article names him "one of the country’s most eligible bachelors” and reveals the location of his ranch. Now crazed females keep showing up at his door, hoping to snag a husband.When Max finds one of those intrusive fans stranded on his private road in the middle of a snowstorm, he has no choice but to offer her shelter. He’s shocked when Amy doesn't seem recognize him. Could it be true, or is it all an act? Soon, Amy wins his daughter’s heart, but Max’s heart is completely dead. Or is it?Will Max open himself to love again? Does he really know Amy well enough to trust her?Amy’s agent has already bought her a ring. Will she settle for a safe relationship or take a chance on a man she’s only known for a week?“If you like Hallmark movies, you’ll love this sweet Christmas romance from USA Today bestselling author Tamie Dearen.”Grab your copy now!

Storm of Attraction


Lily Black - 2017
    That works just fine in the safe life she’s built. In the charming town of Willowdale, her day job as a librarian balances perfectly with her evening job as a black belt instructor. But when she attracts the attention of a stalker, Alexa’s carefully built world begins to crumble.Drew Cosimo knows he broke Alexa’s heart five years ago when he took his first Ranger assignment and disappeared from her life. Now that he’s out of the army, he’s moving back home to Willowdale. He’s not looking for a fight, but making peace would be easier if Alexa hadn’t told the entire town he was a money-grubbing jerk. Despite the tension between them, Drew is quick to offer his protection when a stalker forces Alexa from her home.As the stalker’s attacks escalate, Alexa and Drew are forced to face their painful past and the simmering attraction between them. They must fight to save each other before everything they care about goes up in flames.

Heroes Are My Weakness


Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 2014
    She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.It's going to be a long, hot winter.

Larkspur Cove


Lisa Wingate - 2010
    After surviving the worst year of her life, she's struggling to build a new life for herself and her son as a social worker. Perhaps in doing a job that makes a difference, she can find some sense of purpose and solace in her shattered faith.For new Moses Lake game warden Mart McClendon, finding a sense of purpose in life isn't an issue. He took the job to get out of southwest Texas and the constant reminders of a tragedy for which he can't forgive himself.But when a little girl is seen with the town recluse, Mart and Andrea are drawn together in the search for her identity. The little girl offers them both a new chance at redemption and hope--and may bring them closer than either ever planned.