Book picks similar to
One Step Away by Sydney Bristow


romance
contemporary-romance
contemporary
neg

I Take Thee to Deceive


Tamra Lassiter - 2013
    Sophie Taylor thinks she's hit rock bottom. Her husband of three months passed away unexpectedly and her best friend Eliza disappeared without a trace. Things are bad enough until she finds out the truth-her "husband" is actually a CIA agent who married her only to further his own career and Eliza isn't missing at all. She's in prison for charges of distributing a new "gourmet" drug with deadly side effects. Motivated to get her friend released, Sophie joins forces with CIA Agent Nate MacAlister, her "husband's" best friend to find who's really behind the drug ring. Is Nate who he says he is and can Sophie trust him to help her find the truth?

Ruby Slips and Poker Chips: A Modern Day Wizard of Oz Romantic Comedy


Heather Kindt - 2017
    . . until Dottie’s given a free trip to Las Vegas. Second-grade teacher Dottie Gale lives in the tiny town of Quandary, Kansas, which is pretty much smack dab in the middle of nowhere. No mountains. No ocean. No life. Her ex-boyfriend and current school board member, Corbin Lane, cheated on her, making school functions more than a little awkward. But worst of all, a tornado named Maxine Westward rips through Dottie’s school as the new principal and has made her life at work a living hell. When Dottie is chosen to go to a teacher’s conference in Las Vegas, she knows her life is going to change. Driving from Quandary to Vegas, three strangers enter her life. Through a string of situations involving poppies, flying monkeys, and a life-size sculpture of an iconic rock star the four soon become inseparable. So, when Westward arrives on her broom in Vegas, Dottie is ready for battle. Her boss black mails her with stories of incarceration, thievery, and a steamy relationship with her travel companion, but Dottie knows that those who hurl insults shouldn’t hold secrets of their own. Editorial Reviews "I had so much fun reading this and spotting all the clever twists, it was very entertaining. In fact I’m tempted to re-read it, to find more of the subtle hints. I’ve also been to a few of the places mentioned in the book which meant an extra thumbs up for me. I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy a modern take on a good original oldie." Roses are Amber

Ms. Communications (Smart Ms., #1)


Myra Kendrix - 2015
     Gwen Mongan is a thirty-three-year-old Marketing Communications executive in an innovative startup. Besides her exciting career and dream home, former social worker Gwen’s life is full with great friends, community service, and a passion for matchmaking. The only problem is her boss: the impossibly demanding and maddeningly charismatic hi-tech superstar, Jake Folton. When Jake goes too far, Gwen thinks it’s time to look for a new job. But Gwen soon discovers it’s going to take more spunk and ingenuity than she knew she possessed to get away from a guy who doesn’t take no for an answer. In fact, it’s going to turn her tidy existence upside-down. Can a racehorse named Purple Lemonade, a deadly Funnel-Web Spider, and a dubious Bachelor-of-the-Year contest finally show Gwen that some people are not what they seem and some risks are worth taking? Debut novelist Myra Kendrix brings her own experience in hi-tech marketing to this page-turning comedy, set against the vibrant cityscape of Sydney, Australia.

The Boyfriend Sessions


Belinda Williams - 2014
    . .I’ll admit, fleeing the country after a Frenchman’s romantic proposal wasn’t one of my finest moments. Now that I’m back in Sydney, my girlfriends have announced that I’m a relationship junkie with commitment issues and want me to swear off men for six months. Ouch.Their extreme rehabilitation plan involves a weekly girls night so they can pick apart my colorful relationship history. And it gets worse—my best friend Maddy is including her older brother for a male opinion. I never noticed how gorgeous Max is before. When we were growing up, he was always kind of shy and nerdy, but now he seems to have no trouble speaking his mind. And did I mention he’s sweet, too? I don’t know what my girlfriends are so worried about, though. I can totally survive six months without a guy. And it’s not like I’d be tempted by Max—Maddy would kill me.Except I hadn’t counted on him being quite so irresistible. Or my past relationship history coming back to torment me. Please send help . . .

Rough Terrain


Cheryl Douglas - 2016
    He signed the adoption papers, but he never stopped loving the baby he’d never met. Years passed, success found him, but there was a hole in his heart and life that he knew only one thing could fill. His son. Sage Breville was stunned to learn her ex-boyfriend was back in town. With him came a rush of memories and questions about the kind of life they could have had if she’d been brave enough to stand up to her parents years ago and raise the child she’d so desperately wanted with the man she loved. There were some wounds time couldn’t heal, and Sage was convinced there was no way back for them. But did Wes see it her way or was he ready to forgive… and move on?

Body Double


Alane Hudson - 2013
    Two years ago, her fiancé failed to show up on the day of their wedding, forever changing her outlook on marriage. Now she’s being offered enough money to solve her financial woes in exchange for acting as proxy for another woman—Andrea's double—in her marriage to handsome and rich Blake Thomas. All Andrea has to do is play the part of the bride in the wedding and then share a two-week honeymoon in Hawaii with Blake.Old fears of being jilted resurface as the wedding day approaches. But after she meets the dashing groom, her ability to distance herself from the job becomes more challenging every day. Will Andrea be able to cash out of this arrangement with her heart intact when Blake’s new wife claims her place at his side?

Your Room Or Mine?


Charlotte Phillips - 2000
    eBay his entire collection of football memorabilia and spend all profits on treating myself to fabulous new wardrobe.2. Turn plans for ‘Loved-Up Mini-Break’ at exclusive boutique hotel into a weekend of spa pampering, me-time and shopping at Harvey Nics.3. Don’t get even, get even better. Have one night stand with drop-dead gorgeous stranger – Mr Tall, Dark & Handsome in the hotel lobby is just what I need!Your room or mine? Go on Izzy…

Free to Love


Sydell Voeller - 1994
    She moves to a new town, embarks on a new career at the local coastal aquarium, and attempts to refurbish a dilapidated duplex. Then Austin, her husband’s brother, visits unexpectedly He offers to stay and help her with the much needed repairs.Joanna soon discovers, however, that Austin’s presence is proving more disturbing than helpful. His resemblance to Kyle is uncanny, thwarting her resolve to put her husband’s memory to rest. Worse, she is strongly attracted to Austin. Austin, a veterinarian, shares Joanna’s love of nature, and the two find much common ground as they team up to help clean up the beaches and save the native birds and wildlife from the encroachment of civilization.Can Joanna let go of her grief and love Austin in his own right? Or will he always remain the a painful reminder of her husband?

Safely Home: A Christian Story of Facing the Past and Embracing the Future (Watkins Ridge Book 1)


Ruth Logan Herne - 2014
    A bullet and her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis changed that. Now she’s back, touching a past she spurned long ago. Alex Westmore appreciates God’s humor, but when hard-nosed Cress Dietrich is plunked into the middle of the family farm controversy—and his part in the sale of a centennial farm—he’s not laughing. He promised her grandmother secrecy, and Alex always keeps his word. But this time, his pledge might break Cress’s heart. He wants her trust and love. He knows you can’t have one without the other. But can Cress escape the shadows of the past in time to embrace the simple light of her future? With God’s grace, she can… in Watkins Ridge.

Perfect Husband: A Fake Marriage Romance


Leslie Johnson - 2018
    Sorry, Tiff. It’s over. My ex dumped me with a text. That's okay, I met a hot blonde. Yep, he was hot all right. Enough to make me forget about Andy as I ran my gaze over his godlike features. Strong jaw. Muscles that were evident even beneath the expensive material of his suit. He needs a favor. What do I have to lose?

Bare in Bermuda


Livia Ellis - 2013
    Henna Hirsch has strict standards for herself and for the man in her life--exactly the reason there isn't one. Everyone wants her to be more like her spontaneous and much younger sister who's marrying a man in Bermuda she's known for three months. On the way to the wedding, a mucho caliente cowboy in the airport lounge mistakes her for a prostitute, and she decides to let the moment take her where it will. Even if it's a mile high.Wealthy Colombian widower Eduardo Salazar lost the love of his life and never expects to find love again. Until the whimsical beauty he mistook for a lady of the evening winds up on the same flight to Bermuda--and at the same hotel. Then he discovers their mutual agenda--the wedding of her sister and his son. A strong believer in destiny, he sets out to convince Henna they are meant to be.

After Love Leaves: The Story of Us


Michelle Alstead - 2017
    When she met Brad Sorenson, Zoe was convinced her bad luck with men had finally changed. He saw past her insecurities and the Oreo addiction she just couldn’t shake, inspiring her to chase her dreams. Brad was looking for a good time online, not love. But Zoe was so sweet, so kind. Everything about her was perfect—until she fell for him. Doesn’t she understand he’s the wrong guy for a woman like her? Zoe doesn’t know why Brad left her standing in an airport; he won’t return her calls or texts. With her self-esteem and dreams shattered, she can’t imagine ever loving anyone else… When a devastating diagnosis changes Brad’s life forever, he’s forced to finally face the truth: there’s only one woman he’s ever truly loved.Will Zoe give Brad a second chance or is she done with love for good?***This is not your typical romance. Real love is complicated and messy. This story is written for those who have loved the wrong person for all the right reasons.

It's In His Heart


Shelly Alexander - 2015
    He has a scandal. And they both have an attraction they can’t deny. Ella Dennings is furious. Soaking wet, muddy, and furious. All she wants is to enjoy a quiet summer retreat in her Red River Valley cabin. Maybe she can finish healing after the death of her husband, Bradley. Maybe she can even finish writing that third book in her anonymously written bestselling series. But when she arrives at the cabin in a raging rainstorm, who does she find holed up there but Cooper Wells, Bradley’s sexy best friend—a man capable of seducing women within seconds—and a man Ella has never liked.Coop’s got his own baggage. He’s engulfed in a nasty legal battle, and after selling his home to cover his legal fees, he’s got nowhere to go but the cabin. He and Ella will just have to coexist under one roof...but is their heated animosity boiling over into attraction? And when Ella’s racy new book rocks the sleepy town, will her secret identity spell scandal for both of them?

Rebound


Sabrina York - 2013
    She’s nothing like the women he dates. So when he suggests they play for a kiss over a game of Hearts, Kristi can’t resist. Even if she loses, she wins. Because she’s finally going to taste him. Of course, one kiss can quickly become something altogether steamier, especially when both parties are on the rebound… Fall in Love on Tryst Island… When a group of friends share a vacation house, wild hijinks, unexpected hook-ups and steamy sex ensue.

Broken: A Suspense Thriller


Brooke Linford - 2017
    And again. Wherever she goes, even at home – he’s there. She tries to ignore him. But he doesn't like to be ignored. Amanda doesn’t know who to turn to. She’s just met Lucas, a man her friends believe is perfect. While she can't deny her attraction to him, demons from her past and present continue to haunt her. And she's not the only one with secrets. What follows is a desperate escape from the city, where she's forced to confront her past, deal with her growing feelings for Lucas, and fight for a future she's just beginning to believe in. Is she strong enough to survive?