Book picks similar to
The Permanence of Pain by Desiree Lafawn


romance
contemporary
contemporary-romance
free

When the Stars Align


Isabel Jolie - 2019
    I can’t stand the place. But when an offer to move to NYC includes a fast track to partner at a well-respected law firm, there’s no way I can decline. My move to the city goes exactly according to plan, everything falling perfectly into place…until the elevator door in my new apartment building opens, and I come face to face with my past. Four years ago we parted ways, neither of us willing to change our future career plans. We were too stubborn, too ambitious, and refused to make sacrifices. To add salt to the wound, she ended the year dating my roommate. But right now, staring at her beautiful face after all this time, I can still feel it. The attraction, the desire—it’s palpable. Four years ago, I wanted forever with Anna. Now, I’m a different man. A relationship isn’t in the cards. She threw that chance away. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun…right?

Entice


S. Layne - 2015
    When the most difficult decision of Laurie Baker’s life needed to be made, she took off for a weekend alone to weigh her pros and cons and consider all her options.What she didn’t expect was to run face first into one more complication her life didn’t need.Distracting, sexy, and British, Liam Parker offered Laurie exactly what she needed when she was desperate for attention.One night of pleasure.She wanted it.She craved it.She took it.And when the sunlight dawned and the lusty haze of one night of passion disappeared and reality revealed itself…Laurie returned home knowing that everything she had once believed, everything she had once loved and desired, was about to be tossed upside down and shaken in a way she could never imagine.

Bet On Me


Elizabeth Knox - 2020
    . . but I didn't. I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I went to the one person who just might believe my ass - the national charter Prez, Rancid. Fortunately for me, he believed every word I told him and had me lay low for a while. The plan he made was foolish at best and got me in deeper shit than I was in before. What a load of shit that is. Or at least, it's what I thought. I'm a dead man, but none of it matters when my eyes see the one thing I'd gamble with. Her.

Charming You


Kris Jayne
    Now, she’s focused on her career, her friends, and making sure she doesn’t let another charming man lie to her and break her heart.Nick Halden’s life has unfolded according to plan. He’s on track to a partnership at one of Dallas’ premier law firms, and he’s marrying a woman who has the beauty, smarts, and connections to be the perfect wife. Or he thought he was.Fate and a dead car battery throw Micky and Nick together, forcing them to question what they want. Nick’s charm makes Micky’s heart pound with desire and her gut twist with mistrust. Micky’s fire awakens a passion in Nick that flips his world upside down. With his personal and professional lives colliding in chaos, Nick has one way to make sure he gets what he wants, but it means betraying the woman he craves.In their struggle to balance love and ambition, Micky and Nick will have to decide what they want and at what cost before they lose the one thing that matters. ˃˃˃ #1 in the debut Thirsty Hearts Series (Steamy Contemporary Romance) Charming You is a seasoned romance with a thirty-something, mid-career couple navigating personal betrayals, corporate intrigue, and a sexy adventure in Paris with heart and humor as well as heat. Guaranteed happily ever after.

The Token Series Mega Boxed Set


Marata Eros - 2019
    Brilliantly dark and shockingly raw, The Token, will leave you breathless." "This is a fantastic read and I couldn't put it down...The emotions expressed are so real." Written by New York Times Bestselling author Marata Eros. Included titles (with individual star ratings): TT1 - 3.9 TT2 - 4.2 TT3 - 4.5 TT4 - 4.4 TT5 - 4.3 TT6 - 4.4 TT7: THORN - 4.6 TT8: KIKI - 4.9 TT9: CHET SINCLAIR 4.8 TT10: SHEPARD - 4.9 The Token, 1-10, is a mega-length compilation with 1200 paperback pages,/no cliffies and an intense HEA.

Star Crossed


C.D. Reiss - 2020
    Not for one minute.Since that day I’ve measured all women against her and every one of them has come up short.We're in the same town, on the same block, in the same building, and the gulf between us is just too wide to cross.Until I stop running from trouble long enough to throw her camera off a balcony.She’s a career-killer. A PR disaster.Loving her again is career suicide, and I don’t care.This time, I’m running toward her, even if it ruins me.Star Crossed is a new and improved version of previously published title, Shuttergirl, with a brand new epilogue and previously unpublished, totally swoon-worthy and emotional new scenes.

When I Kissed You


Suzie Grace - 2018
     Sassy mouth, fearless emerald eyes, and delicious curves in all right places. She makes me alive in a way no other woman ever did. A man of my age and position should know better. Yet, I find myself offering her an opportunity of her lifetime. An opportunity that can destroy us both. We both know we’re walking a thin line so we keep our desire secret. When they find out they try to set us apart. They certainly can try... AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a full length standalone romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhanger, and no cheating.

From Within


J.M. Walker - 2015
    Book contains adult situations, substance abuse, coarse language and raw gritty emotion. Do not read if you have a trigger when it comes to discussion of cancer. Tissues may be needed. Hearts may hurt. But know in the end, everything happens for a reason.We live. We love. We die. He is my ultimate undoing. She is my strength. He will destroy me. She will make me whole. I need him more than the control that he craves. I need her more than I need my next breath. He knows me. She sees me. As much as I want to, I can’t let him in. As much as I’ve tried, I can’t let her go. Together, we need him.

Panty Dropper


Melanie Shawn - 2020
    In our small town, the older generation of Comfort men were known for three things: hard work, boozing, and tragedy. Some believed the latter was due to a curse that doomed every male in our bloodline to lose his true love tragically. I was of the mind that our fates were in our own hands. With my father’s passing, my brothers and I were the new generation of Comfort men. We were also known for three things: fighting, flirting, and another F word that I’d never use in mixed company. My oldest brother was the fighter, my baby brother was the flirt, and that left me. I’d earned the nickname Panty Dropper by the time I was legally allowed to drink. It never bothered me much, until the day I laid eyes on a woman that made me want to be a better man. The only question was, would she see the real me, or would my past and the curse be too much…even for fate? Reagan “Runaway Bride” York That’s what people were calling me... Growing up with a single mom who cared more about her next boyfriend than things like paying the electric bill, I was determined to create a stable, respectable life for myself as an adult. And that’s exactly what I’d thought I’d done. I shared a condo overlooking Central Park with my fiancé, who was on the fast track to making partner at the law firm where we were both associates. And which just happened to be owned by his father. Cut to me walking in on the man I was going to marry, just weeks before our wedding, with his briefs--and I’m not talking about the legal kind--down around his ankles. Oh, and did I mention the pricy penthouse we shared was a gift from his parents? Talk about putting all my eggs in the wrong basket. In the blink of an eye, I found myself homeless, jobless, and ringless. My “fresh start” landed me in a small town, where the nights are hot and the men are hotter. Soon, I found my reputation and job were on the line once again…but this time, I had a feeling it might just be worth it.

Her Desert Prince


Marie Tuhart - 2018
    Years of hard work has given her a degree of acclaim. When offered the opportunity to work in the middle eastern country of Bashir to create the defining mural for the new children's critical care ward, Catherine embraces the chance to meld her love of children and her love of art. What she doesn’t think she is ready for is the blatant and instant passion she feels the moment she meets the successful country’s crown prince, Malik. Malik al-Hakim has been raised with the sole purpose of someday becoming the king of Bashir. Years of careful preparation by his loving family has him ready to take the yolk from his father one day, but nothing could prepare him for the instant lust he feels the moment he sees Catherine. Never one to let an opportunity slip by, Malik pursues Catherine, convincing her to explore their desire. But when political intrigue places Catherine in danger, Malik soon realizes lust has evolved to love and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the woman of his dreams safely by his side, no matter how hard she tries to fight their fate.

Conflicted


M.M. Koenig - 2013
    Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs. On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her. There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …

Daring the Billionaire


Deborah Garland - 2020
    The hot guy next door is more than willing to help me out.Until I realize I’m on a cruise designed for sinful flings. And my neighbor?He’s the alpha… Call me a good girl. I keep my head down and work hard. I’ve had a crush on my boss for years and that’s left me…rusty.When the owner of my textile mill hands out cruise vouchers instead of a cash bonus, I choose the sailing Jonathan picks with one goal in mind. Confess how I feel. Offer myself to him.From the minute I step on this ship everything goes wrong.Until I meet Tristan Hart.A man so gorgeous it’s hard to think straight around him.One drink mix-up and I’m confessing how long it’s been since… You know. And with liquid courage, I’m asking for his help. Teach. Me. Everything.And oh the lessons. He screwed the rust right out of me. Again and again.Now it’s time for me to try these moves on my boss.But Tristan doesn’t look like he’ll let me go…Fans of Ruth Cardello's Billionaire series will love Daring the BillionaireDaring the Billionaire is Book 2 in The Billionaire Hart Series (formerly Lords of Gotham) and features Hart brother Tristan, a man with a secret life once a year until he takes a dare and opens his heart. On a sex cruise.No (real) cheating. No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed.Series Complete!The Good BillionaireDaring the BillionaireBossy BillionaireRebel Billionaire*Follow Deborah for Updates*

Xavier: The Contract


Miranda P. Charles - 2018
    Now, Xavier not only needs to watch his back--he also has to watch his heart.When Xavier Stirling's father suddenly confesses to fraud, Xavier suspects he's being coerced by a notorious criminal. Then Xavier finds himself the target of false accusations that threaten to ruin his own business. With the police suspecting him of wrongdoing, he desperately looks elsewhere for help. Enter the Indie Rebels--a secret group unsanctioned by law enforcement agencies. But to get their help, Xavier has to become an Indie Rebel himself. His first assignment is to keep journalist Eve Marrin safe--without Eve knowing she's being protected. He's surprised by the strength of his attraction for her. Now Xavier not only needs to watch his back--he also has to watch his heart.For Eve Marrin, her new job as co-lead reporter for a popular public affairs program is a dream come true. She loves nothing more than to uncover scams, unfair business practices and other matters that the public has the right to know about. When she's given a tip to investigate the fitness training business of Xavier Stirling, she soon realizes she needs to build a wall around her heart in order to do her work.***Xavier: The Contract can be enjoyed as a standalone novel in the Indie Rebels series, where steamy, heart-melting romance meets danger, mystery and suspense.

The Royal Romeos Series #1 - 3


Jenny Gardiner - 2019
    He's sworn off the fairer sex and instead spends his waking hours overseeing the expansion of his family's hugely successful winery in the magnificent hills of Chianti, where he is happy to never see a model again, let alone date one.American supermodel Taylor McFarland might be blond, but she sure isn't dumb. And she's smart enough to know to avoid the shallow men who seem to migrate toward her type, the ones who presume that models are the wild women of the fashion industry who happily discard men like used tissues.Only Taylor's not that type at all; instead, she's intent on using the influence her position affords her to help those less fortunate than she.But when her good deeds means clashing with the quintessential heartless Italian player who she'd heard left model Gia Sandretti at the altar, well, she will happily give him a piece of her mind, and certainly not a piece of her heart.Black Sheep RomeoOn cloud wine...Sometimes trouble seems to find Matteo Romeo whether he seeks it out or not. Long regarded as the black sheep of the famed Romeo winemaking family, he's hardly surprised when he finds himself in yet another predicament, this time harboring an unauthorized farmhand who he's discovered hiding in a tool shed just as the grape harvest gets underway.Freespirited Lizzie Moretti has long prized her independence. Lizzie's been wandering around the world, working odd jobs to earn just enough money to keep on the go. Forced to flee an aggressive host in the middle of a rainy night while working on a farm in Tuscany, she seeks the shelter of a tool shed until she can figure out a plan. Alas, it happens to be on the estate of the wealthy Romeo family on the eve of the coveted grape harvest, when strangers like Lizzie are most unwelcome.She's never put down roots. And he can't seem to escape the roots that sometimes feel like they're strangling him. They both walked away from family, but can they find salvation in the very family they've tried to run from?Red Carpet RomeoLook who's grown up now...Valentina Romeo loved a romantic wedding, and couldn't wait to serve as an attendant in her favorite cousin Prince Luca of Monaforte's upcoming nuptials. She and Luca had reveled in childhood summers at the family estate on the Ligurian Sea. Many of her fondest memories were made there, along with one of her most humiliating, when Luca's college roommate Parker shunned her brave declaration of love.Investment banker Parker Hornsby hadn't been back to Monaforte since he was in college. Back then he'd spent a glorious summer enjoying idyllic days at his best friend Luca's family beach home. The fun was marred only by Luca's obtrusive younger cousin Valentina, who could barely mask her crush on Parker, forcing him to flatly cut her off before she got her hopes up. The last thing Parker wanted was to be accused of going after his friend's jailbait cousin, even if she was about the sweetest fourteen-year old girl he'd ever met.But when Parker shows up in Monaforte, paired in Luca's wedding with Valentina, all bets are off on whether he can restrain himself from the beautiful--and fully grown-up--heiress to the world-famous Romeo wine label, or whether he remains the nemesis she thinks he is.

Winter Interlude


Sandy Loyd - 2012
    Right if you were spending all your time and energy with Mr. Wrong? And what about the book out a few years ago that created such a hoopla with the single crowd – He’s Just Not That Into You? The two main characters in Winter Interlude either didn’t heed their mother’s advice or haven’t read the book. Now, add into the plot that the two in question are enemies who regularly run into each other, given their current relationships. Paul Morrison, a hunky, blond, financial planner, has been putting time and energy into winning the heart of Kate Winter’s best friend for almost as long as Kate, a strong willed antiques dealer, has been dating James Morrison, Paul’s brother.The sparks start to fly when the two get stuck together for a three-hour drive to the mountains and years of misconceptions about each other are slowly being wiped out. It is in the confines of the BMW that the two begin their journey, taking them from being mortal enemies to lovers.Winter Interlude tells the story of their adventure – of how they finally find love. Kate and Paul’s story is the first one in a series of four friends caught in a time warp. They can’t move on because they are stuck on their idea of their perfect dreams. But sometimes life works in mysterious ways and they are all forced by circumstances to change.