Book picks similar to
The One That Matters by Elle Linder


contemporary-romance
exes-drama
no-thanks-but-no
older-heroine-and-younger-hero

The Years She Stole


Jonathan Harvey - 2018
    From the award-winning author of All She Wants and the writer of Coronation Street and What Does the K Stand For? comes this big-hearted novel by Jonathan Harvey.

C is for Carter: A Secret Baby Mountain Man Romance (Men of ALPHAbet Mountain)


Natasha L. Black - 2022
    

Billion Dollar Stranger


Stephanie Brother - 2020
    He gives me what I think I want; passion, release, and a chance to wipe away past hurt. He takes what he needs, controlling me in a way I've never experienced before.I think it will be enough, but it isn't. Even before he's left my hotel room, I'm craving more. I don't even know his name.But sometimes people are not who they seem, and when my stranger reveals his true identity, things get complicated. Rich and powerful, Aaron is a man who could destroy everything I've worked for, but underneath his dominance there's something about him that draws me.Is it possible to trust a man who concealed his identity in order to possess you? Aaron has secrets that are wrapped around his heart and finding love was never part of the plan. But as I learn more about my stranger, resisting him might just become impossible.This is a standalone romance, but characters from Billion Dollar Daddy do make an appearance!

The Sheikh's Tempting Assistant


Leslie North - 2018
    With the sun going down and Laura seriously worrying for her life, she stumbles across a tent that looks more like a palace than a campsite. Dehydrated and burnt, it seems like salvation — until men wearing desert garb and toting AK47’s ride out in jeeps to gather her. Sheikh Raheem can barely believe his luck when an American woman is brought into his tent. He is passionate about his country’s natural splendor, but its PR is in desperate need of a makeover — perhaps as much as the dirty beauty in front of him. He makes an offer: Laura, with her eye for finding the beauty in a location, will help him craft a campaign promoting his country, and when she completes the project he’ll send her back to America with a paycheck she can live on for years. Seeing a chance for financial freedom, Laura jumps at the opportunity. As Raheem shows off the magnificence of his land, Laura finds herself getting swept into a fairy tale full of palaces, five-star luxury, and the most sensuous sex she’s ever experienced. Though she values her independence, the temptation to stay — not just for Raheem, but for the beautiful country that isn’t getting the attention it deserves — holds her in place. But when the country’s natural treasures are threatened, Raheem and Laura must decide what means more to them: their love for one another or their original plans.

Forbidden Baby


Candy Stone - 2018
    That's why I want her so badly.Construction work is just the start. I've got big dreams.All I've gotta do is keep my head down and stay out of trouble.Just hammer away...Until Cassie shows up on site and all I wanna do is hammer her - hard.She's interning for the summer.The boss's little girl.Off limits and taboo.So I'd better keep my tool in my pants. Because there's one thing that would screw everything up more than screwing her...... A forbidden baby. Forbidden Baby is a full novel with no cheating, a sassy heroine, one hell of an alpha hero, and a delicious HEA. It also contains bonus novels for your enjoyment. Candy Stone. Naughty romance for good girls.

Cocktails at Kittiwake Cove


Teresa F. Morgan - 2021
    Determined to focus on her career, she moves to Kittiwake Cove to fulfil her dream of opening a cosy beachside cocktail bar.But things get complicated when she crosses paths with Joe Trescott — a handsome pub manager and her old holiday fling. After hearing of her plans, Joe takes Rhianna under his wing to help her feel at home in Kittiwake Cove as she prepares to launch her business. As they spend more and more time together, both feel their connection starting to rekindle. And although she knows he’s a serial player, Rhianna soon finds herself falling for Joe’s charms once again…Will Rhianna be able to resist her attraction to Joe? Can she stay focused on her new venture? And will she make a success of her Cocktails at Kittiwake Cove…?

Kissing the Counsel: A Second Chance Romance


Jillian Riley - 2019
    I earned my successful career as an attorney and I’ve never had a problem with either money or honestly, women. The only thing making this stint in Falls Ranch bearable is her. In high school, she wouldn’t give me the time of day. Let’s see what she thinks of me now... Angel: I have always tried to live up to my name and be good. It is hard in the world as a single mother. Falls Ranch was our only hope. I got a job waiting tables. Then Evan walks into the diner. He awakens things in me that I had forgotten a long time ago. How can I avoid his questions, or his steely, smoldering stare? It is harder and harder to say no to him. This could be our second chance at love.

Falling for the Unexpected


Rachel Lyn Adams - 2022
    This book touches on themes of domestic abuse and drug use.

A Daddy for Mother's Day: A Secret Baby Romance


Natalie Knight - 2018
    My flash. Pizzazz. You swoon over my face. Coo over my body. You want my toys. And all I want?Is my family.Several years ago they were torn away from me.I'm incomplete. Without my child. And a bride by my side.But it's not so easy. There are skeletons from our past.Darkness in our thoughts. We have pain to get over. Sadness to overcome.All I know is this. I'm going to make her mine. Nothing will stop me from possessing those lips. Nothing will keep me from owning that body. I'll do whatever I have to. I swear on my life. By the time I'm done, the three of us will be a family.And I just might make her a mommy times two... This is a 70,000+ full length standalone novel with no cheating or cliffhangers and a guaranteed happily ever after! Exclusive bonus content is provided for your continued reading pleasure!

The Blogger and the Hunk


Jane Matisse - 2016
    But everything changes when she trades her quiet night with a book for a rare night out with her friends.The Hunk Jack Goodman, a confident skirt chaser, has always been a womanizer. But everything changes when he meets clumsy Penelope, and their first kiss turns into a night of passion.When Penelope sneaks out the morning after, neither one expects to see each other again until they are thrown together in unexpected circumstances.When pride and self-doubt get in the way, it's up to both the blogger and the hunk to attain their equal footing and find the strength to chase what they really want.

Beautiful Savage


Lisa Sorbe - 2020
    I know this better than anyone. Rebecca Cabot Crane was in love once. But she gave it up. Gave up love for money, and now she lives a hollow life in a cold house with an even colder husband. As each year passes, she grows more and more lonely, feels more and more lost…becomes more and more desperate. Until her old flame, Hollis Thatcher, publishes a book, that is. As she reads his words, two things become crystal clear: he’s speaking directly to her, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get him back.Rebecca is certain that Hollis is the key to her happiness and quickly devises a mad plan that not only tests her limits, but soon has her life spinning wildly out of control. Because Hollis has a family now, ties to a wife and daughter that won’t be easy to sever. And if he won’t cut them, she’ll just have to do it for him.

High-Stakes Cowboy


Em Petrova - 2021
    Noah Wynton’s just been dumped too. So while their exes bask in their new relationship, what do Maya Ray and Noah do? Hatch a plan, of course.The checklist:-Pretend to date.-Show up everywhere their exes do.-Get lovey-dovey as often as possible (shouldn’t be too difficult, with this chemistry!)-Prove they’re over their exes (except things are starting to snowball, and maybe those kisses aren’t so fake after all…)Maya Ray is convinced the best revenge is proving to her ex that she’s fine. With a plan like this in place, she’s sure to have more than her share of fun too. Now that Noah’s spending so much time with Maya Ray, he’s starting to realize things might not have been perfect with his ex. But how long can they possibly keep up this act? And with a whirlwind romance to fake, who has time for falling in love?This is where WEST Protection all started! Plus a whole lot of sass and heated moments along the way! 1-click the youngest Wynton brother's story now!

The Favored Wife


Amy Pennza - 2019
    Not in my world. My name is Elizabeth Hyde. Actually, no. It’s Grant. In the real world, I’m Elizabeth Grant.My husband’s name is Hyde, and he has three other wives. No one can know that. Obviously.In the strict religious community I was born into, women have clearly defined roles. They’re homemakers and caregivers. They rear children. But I don’t have any children, which means I have something of a ticket to the outside. Big families need money, and it’s time for me to get a job.And I’m loving this job. Being a medical assistant might not sound impressive to most people, but it’s a lot more exciting than making dinner for a family of twenty.I have to admit, the job isn’t the only thing that excites me.Lately, I’ve been getting close to Evan Adgate, the doctor who runs the medical center. He’s my opposite in every way: funny, smart, wealthy, educated. It’s no wonder the man turns heads. Heaven help me, he turns mine.But Evan and I can never be together. We can never be anything. No matter how many talks or dinners we have, my secrets will always be a barrier between us. It’s better if we keep things professional.Now I just have to keep telling myself that.

Savage God: A Dark College Bully Romance


Ivy Blake
    He feasts on my tears and screams for breakfast, stares me down with hateful eyes and taunts me with salacious threats.I was the first girl to say no to him…But Nate doesn’t give a shit about the word no.I was lucky to escape him once, now my luck has run its course.Oakwood was meant to be my safe haven, my escape from home, but now it’s become the lion’s den and my tormentor lurks in the shadows, waiting to pounce.My cries mean nothing to him; they only make him want me more. Nate doesn’t ask, he takes.My bully likes to play with his prey before he devours it.He vows to bring me to my knees and have his way with me.I don’t know when he’ll strike, but I know he’ll make me pay for daring to disrespect him.Nate knows all the right spots to touch, which makes me hate him even more.But when his hand is wrapped around my throat, it’s hard not to be tempted by that deliciously cruel mouth.I won’t stop fighting him, I won’t bend to his will. And yet, I don’t know how much longer I can continue living in fear. If I surrender, will Nate finally leave me alone?‘Savage God’ is a standalone dark college bully romance that will be a part of a series of standalones set at Oakwood Academy. Check the trigger warnings before diving into Nate and Violet’s deliciously dark story! Recommended for older readers.

Kiss Me (Fairlane #2.5)


Harlow Layne - 2019
    He rescues a beauty from the side of the road and never expected one night would change his life forever.Gabi needed an escape from her world in LA. When her rescuer found her and her wrecked vehicle, she thought he was an angel. She quickly discovers she can rescue him back in a different way.A holiday power outage still manages to shine light upon what matters most to Gabi and Jax—the people and the moments that define us.One accident.A one-night stand.Two hearts.And...some mistletoe. What happens when the ball drops on New Year’s?Kiss Me is a stand-alone in the Fairlane series. The series has crossover characters from each novel. It is not required to read the books in order but it is recommended to enhance the reading experience.Fairlane Series:1. Hollywood Redemption (Luke and Alex)2. Hollywood Fairytale (Luke and Alex)3. Unsteady in Love (Holden and Prue)4. Kiss Me (Jax and Gabi) *Previously in the Spiced Holiday Kisses Anthology.