Book picks similar to
Roses Have Thorns by Betty Neels


romance
betty-neels
harlequin
contemporary-romance

Stevie's Chase


Justine Davis - 1991
    All she knew about Chase Sullivan was that he filled out a simple white T-shirt and a pair of tight, worn jeans better than any man she'd ever seen, and that the rugged loner wasn't interested in making friends - until the day Stevie gave Chase no choice... The strawberry blonde next door with the sky-blue eyes had a heart that was just asking to be broken. Chase didn't just look dangerous, he was dangerous - to anyone foolish enough to care about him, to love him. Forced to live in the darkness. How could he ever take the sweetness Stevie was offering?

The Morning Gift


Eva Ibbotson - 1993
    Ruth lives in the beautiful city of Vienna and is wildly in love with Heini Radik, a brilliant young pianist. But her world is about to change forever.When Hitler's forces invade, Ruth's family flees to London, but she is unable to get a passport. Quin, a young professor and friend of the family, visits Ruth and, in an effort to bring her back to London, he offers a marriage of convenience. As Ruth throws herself into her London life, Quin begins to fall desperately in love with her. Things are further complicated by the arrival of Heini . . .

The Counterfeit Secretary


Susan Napier - 1985
    James demanded cool efficiency and exclusive loyalty from a secretary so Ria donned spectacles and learned to blend in with the sleek office furniture. But she couldn't escape her boss's notice. As James became increasingly fascinated by his elusive secretary, Ria found herself responding to him with a long-dormant passion. As their attraction grew, she wondered what James, a confirmed bachelor, would think when he discovered she was a warmhearted, tempestuous woman, the widowed mother of twins--and very much in love.

Best Laid Plans


Lauren Blakely - 2019
    But how else is a good girl going to find out if she likes being naughty? And Gabe is charming, trustworthy, aces at seduction (or so I hear) and willing to give me lessons. But to guarantee it won’t ruin our friendship, I want these classes to be hypothetical more than hands-on. So what if he’s hella sexy? I can handle that, no problem.***I have it bad for Arden. She’s bright, brilliant, and insanely fun. When she asks for my help, I see my chance to win her sweet heart by showing her how much fun we can have getting spicy. Trouble is, she has a different idea of what “sex-ploration” should mean. Now I’m going to have to get really clever to win her over. Good thing I know exactly how to upend her best laid plans.

Snowbound


Janice Kay Johnson - 2007
    Their host is John Fallon, a handsome, enigmatic war veteran haunted by secrets and scars that may never heal.John Fallon never imagined he'd be playing host to this captivating teacher and her eight teenage charges. But when his solitude is shattered by their arrival, his world shifts on its axis. He needs Fiona--but does she need him? There's only one way to find out. The ex-soldier must find the courage to reach out to the remarkable woman who has transformed his life....

Face-Off


Nancy Warren - 2011
    But maybe sexy schoolteacher Sierra Janssen is just the woman to get him back in play...."In The Sin Bin"Samantha McBride was good and over firefighter Greg Olsen. But when an unexpected reunion sends lust crackling between them, it's clear that this game isn't finished...and there's only one way to settle this score!"Breakaway"When skating sweetheart Becky Haines is paired with hotshot NHL rookie Taylor McBride for a charity event, there's no hiding their frustration with each other...or their scorching chemistry! But will full body contact earn them a penalty?

Tempestuous Reunion


Lynne Graham - 1991
    For two years she had loved him unconditionally, until she realized that this rich, powerful man regarded her as a possession--not a woman he loved enough to marry.She fled her gilded cage--pregnant with his child. And then fate placed Luc back in her life. He didn't know about Daniel... and Catherine intended to keep it that way. But would she surrender to his erotic demands--and risk losing herself in a whirl of desire--to protect her son?

Light of Day


Ruth Wind - 1990
    Dashing and charismatic, yet also brooding and distant, Samuel Bashir awakened the hungry, loving woman within her. But too many clues—and the darkness that seemed to surround him—hinted at a mystery that could break her heart.Years of being on a dangerous secret ‘mission’ were gnawing at Samuel, leaving him empty, except for an aching desire for Lila. But she was a creature of light, of shimmering passions, while he moved among the shadows. He could offer her nothing but pain. Still, her poignant radiance tugged at him, daring him to dream the impossible—that their love could find its place in the sun…

Tim


Colleen McCullough - 1974
    . . until she meets Tim. A beautiful young man with the mind of a child; a gentle outcast in a cruel, unbending world - he illuminates the darkness of Mary's days with his boyish innocence. And he will shatter the lonely, middle-aged spinster's respectable, ordered life with a forbidden promise of a very special love.

The Weight of It All


N.R. Walker - 2016
    In a vain attempt at getting his boyfriend back, Henry does the most absurdly frightening thing he can think of.He joins a gym.Reed Henske is a personal trainer who isn’t sure he’ll ever be ready to date again. He’s sick of guys who are only interested in the perfect body image, never seeing him for who he really is.As Reed tortures Henry with things like diet and exercise, Henry enamours Reed with recipes and laughter. As the friendship lines start to blur, Henry is convinced there’s no way Thor-like Reed could ever be interested in a guy like him.Reed just has to convince Henry that life isn’t about reaching your ideal bodyweight. It’s about finding your perfect counterweight.

The Last Letter from Your Lover


Jojo Moyes - 2008
    When Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital, she can remember nothing-not the tragic car accident that put her there, not her husband, not even who she is. She feels like a stranger in her own life until she stumbles upon an impassioned letter, signed simply "B", asking her to leave her husband. Years later, in 2003, a journalist named Ellie discovers the same enigmatic letter in a forgotten file in her newspaper's archives. She becomes obsessed by the story and hopeful that it can resurrect her faltering career. Perhaps if these lovers had a happy ending she will find one to her own complicated love life, too. Ellie's search will rewrite history and help her see the truth about her own modern romance. A spellbinding, intoxicating love story with a knockout ending, The Last Letter from Your Lover will appeal to the readers who have made One Day and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society bestsellers.

The Truth About Riley


Henrietta Clarke - 2013
    Except that the number is not a phone sex service—it’s the revenge Cameron Kirkwood’s ex-boyfriend took on the uptight advertising executive after Cam forgot their anniversary and accidentally put him in the hospital. Needless to say, after thirty-nine disturbing calls seeking phone sex, Cameron is at the end of his tether and yells at his fortieth caller. What he doesn’t expect is for Riley to hit redial and yell right back.The argument helps both Cameron and Riley vent about their issues, and when they’ve calmed down, they decide to exchange numbers and talk again. From this decision springs a friendship that, over time, grows into a gentle romance—all over the phone, because Riley is too scared to meet Cam in person. Showing a potential boyfriend his disfigured face is the fastest way to get rejected, right? Even a month of scorching hot phone sex can’t change his mind, no matter how hard Cam tries to persuade him that with their phone chemistry, the sex would be so much better in person.Meanwhile, Cam is haunted by the scarred blond he seems to be seeing everywhere, and Riley can’t get the handsome brunet who always seems happy to see him out of his mind. It’s a shock to both men to realise that the guy they’re falling for over the phone is also the man who brightens their day with just a smile; but it’s one thing to let a stranger smile at you and quite another to let him close enough to see into your soul. If Riley can’t break down the walls in his mind and believe that Cameron loves him in spite of his scars, their relationship may be doomed before they’ve even had a chance to kiss.

22 Indigo Place


Sandra Brown - 1986
    What gave this man the devastating power to seduce her senses, to make her shiver with emotions she dared not confess? In his mind she'd always been the girl he couldn't have, the rich man's daughter for whom he'd never be good enough...until that moonlit night when the fierce touch of his lips branded her forever his...

The Gilded Web


Mary Balogh - 1989
    But moments after stepping into the bitterly cold night, she is seized by a pair of strong hands and spirited away. Fully expecting to be ravished, sheltered Alexandra Purnell instead finds herself at the mercy of the man who saved her from certain scandal. Edmund, Earl of Amberley, is bold and sensual, tempting Alexandra to be reckless for the first time in her life. But as passion ignites, Edmund’s offer of marriage takes Alexandra completely by surprise. Now a woman who craves her freedom above all else is about to discover how far one man will go to protect and possess the woman he loves.…

Rightful Possession


Sally Wentworth - 1978
    He agreed to help - but of course he wanted something in exchange, and what he wanted was Genista for his wife. He explained that it was a matter of convenience: he needed someone who would act as his hostess and also protect him from all the other women who were pursuing him. Genista had taken it for granted that he meant the marriage to be in name only, but it seemed she had been over-optimistic...