Book picks similar to
Ruth's Dilemma by June Bryan Belfie


amish
pennsylvania
religious-fiction
family-issues

Molly Harper


Emelle Gamble - 2014
    Set in contemporary California, Molly Harper is about a movie star, her mother and a new woman on the scene who holds the key to a startling fact about both of them. These characters were introduced in Duets, a novella appearing in the anthology collection, Once and Forever.Molly Harper. Anne Sullivan. Norma Wintz. These three strong, flawed, passionate women will be forced to confront and reveal a secret that will rock each of their lives in the most intimate way.In Molly Harper, each must come to terms with the errors they’ve made in hiding behind lies when it came to their family and their loved ones. And they will each be freed from the tyranny of fear they all lived with that their secrets would be discovered.Neither Anne, Norma or Molly emerge unscathed from these revelations. But each will learn that they can make peace with the past if they acknowledge and embrace the authentic facts of their lives. Particularly Molly, whose love for Cruz Morales has been won and lost, and once again hangs in the balance as she chooses what she wants most from her life.

Waiting for Summer's Return


Kim Vogel Sawyer - 2006
    With her husband and children lost to illness, she has no desire to continue on farther west to where she and her husband planned to build their future. Instead, she seeks employment in a small Mennonite community in order to be near the graves of her family. Widower Peter Ollenburger, the local gristmill owner, needs someone to teach his young son. When he hears of a "learned woman" in town, he believes she is the answer to his prayers. He soon discovers, however, that helping this outsider may have troublesome consequences. There is little this father will not do for his son, but as the boy begins to look at Summer as more than a teacher, Peter must make a choice. Does he marry this woman to give his son a new mother, or does he marry only for love? Will Summer's broken heart ever be able to love again?

Hannah's Blessing


Collette Scott - 2011
    However, she was not prepared to meet his enigmatic step-brother, Devlan Doyle. He was a man accustomed to getting whatever he wanted, and he wanted Diana. Not only was Diana's child his heiress, but her stubborn pride and disinterest intrigues him. Following a near-tragic accident that forces them together, Devlan sets out to conquer her distrust. Whisked away on a fairytale of a lifetime, Diana and Hannah discover that they are not immune to his charms. But is his determination alone strong enough to win their trust and love, or will he lose the two people he has grown to care for the most?

In Search of a Love Story


Rachel Schurig - 2012
    They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.

Hooked On You


Brittany Anne - 2018
    Hers, for letting him in, and his, for letting her go. Seven years after what was supposed to be the best night of Victoria's life, she is finally ready to return home and face the memories that she spent so long running away from. She is certain she has moved on, but the minute she sees Gabe Matthews, all of the feelings she repressed come right back up to the surface. Gabe says he’s changed, but can she ever truly trust the man who shattered her heart all those years ago? Gabe Matthews was not a good man, but he had spent the last three years doing everything he could to redeem himself. When the only girl he ever truly cared for walks back into his life, he is faced with the ultimate test: do the right thing and let her go, like he tried to do so many years ago, or be selfish and make her his. He wants to be the good guy, but sometimes, chemistry just can’t be controlled, and Gabe will be damned if he lets Victoria walk out of his life a second time.

Golden Lies


Barbara Freethy - 2004
     Every family has secrets -- some too intriguing to resist ... some too dangerous to ignore ... A novel about three remarkable families -- the fifty-year-old promise that once bound them together, the fiery betrayal that tore them apart, and the ancient bronze dragon that could destroy their future ... Riley McAllister, Paige Hathaway, and Alyssa Chen come from very different worlds. Tough guy Riley has overcome the hard knocks of a working-class upbringing. Paige struggles to define her place as the heir to a famous antiques emporium. And Alyssa feels trapped by the restrictions of her family's old world attitudes. Now this unlikely trio of strangers must come together to follow an elusive trail through the streets of San Francisco -- from glittering Pacific Heights to colorful Chinatown to trendy south of Market. Each will have to make the impossible choice between romantic love and family loyalty, between sheltering lies and revealing truth. Once the door to the past is opened, there's no turning back ... Reviews for Golden Lies ... "Golden Lies is an absolute treasure, a fabulous, page-turning combination of romance and intrigue. Fans of Nora Roberts and Elizabeth Lowell will love Golden Lies." Kristin Hannah "Freethy's smooth prose, spirited storytelling and engaging characters, are sure to send readers on a treasure hunt for the author's backlist books." Publishers Weekly "A priceless Chinese artifact, an ancient curse, and a decades-old betrayal set the stage for this gripping story, which unites the grandchildren from three diverse, yet strangely linked, families and sweeps them from the rarified world of high-priced antiques to the fragrant alleys of San Francisco's Chinatown on an urgent quest to unravel the past's secrets. Multidimensional characters at all levels (especially the strong-willed hero and heroine), realistic and sometimes funny dialog, and a well-constructed plot that Freethy unwraps with such consummate skill that the conclusion is at once surprising and totally logical result in a rich and compelling tale." Library Journal "The lives of three families collide and intersect in this wonderfully intriguing new drama by bestselling author Freethy." Romantic Times Magazine OTHER ROMANTIC SUSPENSE TITLES Lightning Strikes Trilogy (Romantic Suspense) #1 Beautiful Storm #2 Lightning Lingers #3 Summer Rain Romantic Suspense Novels All She Ever Wanted Don’t Say A Word Golden Lies The Sanders Brothers Romanic Suspense Duo #1 Silent Run #2 Silent Fall The Deception Romantic Suspense Duo #1 Taken #2 Played

A Stranger in the Family


Patricia McLinn - 1995
     He came for his son. He never expected her.A sexy, intriguing stranger arrives out of the blue at her Wyoming ranch, threatening the one thing Cambria protects more fiercely than her heart — her family. Bodie’s discovery that he fathered a son 17 years ago leads him to the warm and welcoming Weston family. That’s the easy part. But his response to one member of the family is far more than he ever expected. The sparks between him and Cambria are real … and so is the danger to his hopes for their future if she finds out why he’s really in Wyoming.

Rekindled


Susan Scott Shelley - 2015
    Both are looking to make major changes in their lives, but after one kiss, rekindling their relationship is all that matters. When family obligations and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities threaten to tear them apart again, the warm glow of a happily-ever-after seems as impossible as starting a fire in a snowstorm.

Let Them Eat Cake


Sandra Byrd - 2007
    She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends. When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye–but even may not be who he seems to be!So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting–an order Lexi has flubbed– she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future–très bon!This book is written from a lightly, organically, Christian world view.

Seeing Julia


Katherine Owen - 2011
    A weak moment. One Kiss. Jake Winston has always done the right thing, which is why he walked out of his best friend's wedding over a year ago and took the job in London to avoid meeting up with Evan's beautiful, young bride. But now, Julia needs him, and he can't just walk away this time.Julia Hamilton is well acquainted with grief, but when she carelessly imbibes in a deadly combination of pain killers and martinis at her dead husband's funeral and confides to a complete stranger that she's unsure she can start over again, it leads to an inexplicable connection that never should have happened. After all, Julia loved Evan, didn't she? And, it turns out; Jake Winston has secrets of his own. Julia explains it away by telling her well-meaning friends that it was just one kiss in a weak moment for both of them. It doesn't change anything. Or, does it change everything? And, therein lies the problem. Please be advised that SEEING JULIA contains adult language and adult situations and is not appropriate for young readers. (New Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance)

Courted


Jennifer Chance - 2015
    But now I’ve got no choice.By the end of the week, I must give up my treasured military commission and take the throne. Given what my family’s already endured, I'll do it, too. There's no escape for me.Then, out on the edge of my beloved Aegean Sea, a dreamy-eyed American girl falls into my arms...and life as I know it will never be the same.Looks like we’ve got a brand new kind of fairy tale on our hands.

Honeymoon for One


Chris Keniston - 2013
    Coaxed by a thrill seeking hunk she never expects to see again, she slowly sheds her good girl persona to have some well deserved fun. But unlike Vegas, what happens on the high seas doesn't always stay there.

Guns


Phil Bowie - 2006
    The Cowboy, as he's known in certain circles, has finally been located and a hit team is dispatched to take care of unfinished business. Original.

Up Close


Debra Webb - 1999
    Her career as one of UP CLOSE magazine’s top writers is her life. Who needs a complicated relationship? Abby has never once heard the ticking of any biological clock. Her life is perfect just the way it is…until she is sent to a small southern town to cover a local hero. How could the warm-hearted, eccentric folks of a small town have her questioning the future she has chosen?Matthew Stone lives in the house his grandfather built. He’s just a regular guy who loves his work as a jack-of-all-trades handyman for the folks in his small Tennessee hometown. He does not consider himself a hero. As a volunteer firefighter, rescuing the children from a burning house was his duty. When he is chosen as hometown hero of the month for a national magazine, he would rather do most anything than be interrogated by some hotshot big city reporter…he doesn’t see falling for her coming. The fire that ignites between them is a definite four-alarm!

The Challenge


Aubrey Bailey - 2013
    With her best friend, Lena, she must navigate the stormy waters of high school drama in order to find happiness amongst vicious ex-boyfriends, pestilent rumors, and, of course, school work.Henry is the new kid at school. Fresh off the plane from England with a girlfriend in tow, Henry must adapt to the American life and overcome obstacles not unlike Kristina’s. When he, too, is betrayed by his significant other, he strives to find a way to move on and escape his past.Thrown together against their will, Kristina and Henry vow to get back at their exes and date each other. However, they must deal with the consequences of a contrived relationship and the emotions that form from within it.Will their plan backfire when emotions take control? Will the secrets of Kristina’s dark past surface once again? One thing is for sure: they will be challenged to take control of their lives. So the real question is, when the challenge is met and the dust settles, will they come out together, or alone?