Book picks similar to
Local Gold by Brigette Manie


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contemporary-romance

Accidentally Yours


Samantha Bayarr - 2017
     Mia Fletcher is a mousy, nerdy, school teacher who is once again dateless for Valentine's Day. At the prompting from her co-worker, she agrees to ditch her cliché life, put on a party dress, and head for the Valentine Blind-Date Ball at the country club. What she didn't agree to when she signed on was meeting the very infuriating Chad Belmont. Willing to do anything to get out of a family obligation, Chad tells his friend he plans to marry the next woman he meets, and his friend takes him up on that dare until a simply party-game glitch gives them both more than they bargained for.

Enjoying Mr. Hardwood


Christine Gray - 2018
    Hardwood, a RE-EDITED version has been uploaded as of June 18, 2018. We apologize for the glaring errors within the original.*** MJ should have know she couldn't love this man and leave him. It was something about his touch that sent her up in flames. His turquoise eyes gave a promise of satisfaction that created a fear that she should have listened to. No, MJ thought when she walked away the mysterious Mr. Hardwood would be reduced to a man that she would conjure up in the darkness. However, their time of lust over 9 years ago left a lasting mark. When Mr. Hardwood lays his gaze upon MJ years later, he's shocked by what he sees. Now more than ever, he's hell bent to make MJ his, no matter the cost. However, will the price be too damn high when he realizes MJ is a lot more than what she seems? "Who the hell have I been messing with? Who the hell was this woman that was glaring at me? I always bragged about being able to get a read on people. I claim to be the chief hustler, but for some odd reason, I get the feeling I’m the one being bamboozled. Like ice melting to reveal the ground underneath, that’s how the transformation of MJ unfolds before me. The way her almond shape eyes narrow gives way to a cunningness that I hadn’t seen before." - Mr. Hardwood

The All or Nothing Girl


Amanda Egan - 2014
    What happens when your comfortable life is suddenly denied you?When the Chanel make up’s dried up, the designer gear’s been flogged on eBay and the Persian rug has been well and truly pulled out from under you?Meet Francesca Milton-Harris as she realises that one ‘little mistake’ is going to change her life in ways she could never have imagined.The All or Nothing Girl …because sometimes you have to lose it all to see how much more you can gain.

The Way Back


Tressie Lockwood - 2018
    His fiancée left him before he woke from a coma. Keon can’t see past the pain in his heart and the darkness surrounding him. He wants to give up on life, but his best friend keeps pushing him to go on--as if it could ever get better. Shakita Chambers has just landed a dream job working with a man she’s admired for years. She would love to learn all she can from Keon, a world famous author. Except Keon is broken. He’s determined to drink himself into the grave, starve himself there, or tick her off so bad she kills him herself. Despite Keon’s ugly attitude, Shakita is attracted to him. One minute they’re arguing, the next they can’t keep their hands off each other. Shakita knows she’s playing a dangerous game. Keon still loves his ex, and his ex won’t let him forget it. Shakita’s worried about her heart, and so is every other interfering busybody in her life.

A Single Year


Renee Hart - 2016
    It is a standalone story with HEA and no cliffhanger. Several clean romance stories have been included for your enjoyment. A successful journalist, Lauren has her dream job of writing for a magazine in Boston. When she's confronted by her boyfriend's secret lover at a company party, Lauren vows to swear off men for at least a year, maybe two or three. Luckily her cousin, Amber, invites her to share in an adventure, which is exactly what she needs after her public humiliation at work. She'll have to ditch her business suits and high heels for this undertaking. Amber lives in Alaska and has some friends that need someone to house-sit for them at their "off the grid" homestead. Their horses, chickens and goats need tending, but Amber can't do it alone. She asks Lauren to come and join her. Lauren takes a sabbatical from her job to get inspiration to write the "great American novel" and get over her broken heart, but the peace and quiet her cousin promises isn't working out quite the way they planned. BOOKS IN THE SERIES: A Single Year In The Bush A Summer Nanny In Fairbanks / The River Home Homer: End Of The Road Together In The Wild Something Wild In Anchorage Yesterday Island

Reunited at Christmas


Debra Ullrick - 2013
    Not only does she train search and rescue dogs, but she’s a bestselling suspense author who has waterfront property in the beautiful mountain town of Grand Lake, Colorado. All is well until she receives a call to bring her dog Max and her snowmobile to help rescue a man who is lost in a blizzard up on Gravel Mountain. That man is the one person she never wants to see again—Ryker Anderson—the man who broke her heart the day he called three months before their wedding to say goodbye with no explanation as to why.After being gone for eighteen months, Ryker Anderson is back in Grand Lake where he hopes to win back the woman he loves. He only hopes Shelby understands why he left. Will he be able to convince Shelby that she can trust him with her heart again even though he broke it before?

Falling Fast (River's End Ranch Book 65)


Caroline Lee - 2020
    Nothing unusual there--this is at least the sixtieth couple the ranch has brought together! But unlike those other Loves, this one ended in disaster. It's been three years, and Faith Kalani is like 92% certain she's over her broken heart. Sure, her professional skiing dreams ended with a broken leg, but she's happy being back here at River's End Ranch, giving ski lessons... Right up until she offers to take over a colleague's snowboarding lesson, and she gets a good look at her new student.Patrick Quinn broke Faith's heart three years ago, and has never forgiven himself. But when he sees the incredulous look on his snowboarding instructor's gorgeous face, he knows he's been handed a second chance. Despite their awkwardness, the two of them are good together...too good, maybe. Faith can't decide if she loves or hates that reminder, but when Patrick is badly injured during his first lesson on the slopes, she knows she's the one who needs to step up and take care of him.Forced into close proximity, she finds herself falling fast for the man who once held her heart. But how can she possibly trust him again, after what he did? With the Founder's Day Gala approaching, Valentine's Day right around the corner, and a Leap Day birthday, Faith doesn't have time to figure out her feelings.But maybe all this couple needs is a little bit of that River's End Ranch magic!***Please enjoy this visit back to our favorite ranch! Fans of the popular series will be thrilled to catch up with their favorite characters, and meet a few more. Jaclyn, Bigfoot, fairies and root beer floats...Welcome back to River's End Ranch!

First Site


Rose Fresquez - 2018
    He’s a successful firefighter in the heart of Colorado, is committed to his faith and family life, and relishes exploring the outdoors in any spare time he can squeeze into his hectic schedule. Between it all, he’s busy enough to keep his mind off the one thing he’s missing: a relationship. A weeklong camping and cycling trip to the mountains with his siblings is exactly the distraction he needs. Leila Morgan is an African-American teacher with a bucket list for summer specifically designed to force her out of her comfort zone—the indoors. With plans to go camping with her best friend, she sets out to expand her horizons…however, she meets a few obstacles along the way. And whether it be a flat tire, an injured ankle on the trail, or a midnight storm, Ezra is at the center of it all. She never thought she’d see the mysterious but strikingly handsome man again, but here she is, seeking shelter in a neighboring trailer…which belongs to Ezra and his siblings. And after the storm destroys what little shelter she has, Leila is forced to share space with Ezra, who is more than thrilled to show her the breathtaking scenery. It’s not long before a connection sparks between them, despite Ezra’s doubts and ever-present commitment issues. Determined to put Leila out of his mind after the trip, Ezra returns to his busy life. But, despite Leila’s absence, his attraction to her blossoms more and more with every passing moment, until his committed bachelor status is more than a little at risk. And while commitment is scary, losing Leila is even more terrifying. First Site is a sweet interracial romance set in the awe-inspiring world of the Colorado mountains, where love is only a camping trip away. Book 1 in the Buchanan series. Can be read as a stand alone.

Snowed In


Rhoda Baxter - 2017
    Now she’s not sure what she is. Uncomfortable with people and burned out from overwork, she retreats to a rural village in Yorkshire to find peace and solitude over Christmas.After being dumped by the woman he was going to propose to, lawyer Vinnie is not intending to trust anyone with his heart again. All he wants is to be left alone.When Tracey gets caught in a blizzard, the only place she can take shelter is Vinnie’s cottage.Trapped together in the middle of nowhere, will they learn how to melt the walls they’ve built around themselves?Snowed In is a standalone novella in a series of contemporary romantic comedies set in the rural Yorkshire village of Trewton Royd. If you like small town romances, beta heroes and sparkling dialogue, you’ll love this book by award nominated author Rhoda Baxter. Read Snowed In today!

His Exception


Nia Arthurs - 2019
     One minute, I was making coffee in the office, and the next I’m dying in the back seat of my car while my boss races to the hospital. There I lay, in cubicle three, praying that it’s just severe cramps and I’m not passing out a whale, when he walks in. All six-foot-four, broad-shouldered deliciousness in a lab coat. My gynecologist. He doesn’t date patients and I don’t get with men who’ve seen me naked before the first date. But resisting our sizzling attraction is more than I can handle. By the time he leaves, I’ve decided. The doctor will just have to make an exception.

Brew Ha Ha Box Set: Books 1-4


Bria Quinlan - 2017
    Now maybe it can find her Mr. Right. Internet dating....What could possibly go wrong? WORTH THE FALL When Kasey loses her job, her apartment, and her guy in one day she just wants to start a new life and be a guy-free-zone. But, when one thing after another goes wrong, Mr. Right might be the one good thing worth taking a chance on. THE CATCHING KIND Hailey thought she was worth more than a straight flush until her agent loses her in a bet. Now she’s stuck being the fake girl-next-door beard for America’s Sexiest Athlete. Are arrogance and good looks a match for this stubborn Quirky Girl? THE PROPOSING KIND. Connor may have proposed. Or maybe not. Now it's up to Hailey and her Brew Crew girls figure it all out. Ridiculousness, shenanigans, arguments, and reconciliations ensue…because, Quirky Girl Power! But at the end of it all, is Hailey ready to marry America’s Most Eligible Athlete or is time to call a delay on that particular play?

The Texas CEO's Nanny


Tyla Walker - 2019
    She likes Texas but it’s too expensive in the big city and she desperately needs a win before life throws her out with the trash. That’s when she meets Nick Collins. This is the hottest CEO in Texas. He’s all swashbuckling and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. He speaks his mind and is totally alpha. But even knowing this, Alexis is shocked when Nick proposes something crazy to her. He wants to pay her to marry him. This white boy seems crazy, right? But Nick explains that he needs someone to take care of his three small children that he adopted after their mom, his sister, died. He also needs a wife to keep away the money hungry women who keep hounding him. Crazy. Crazy. Crazy. But Alexis falls in love with the little kids. And Nick isn’t such a bad guy either. Will love find a way to get these two together? Or will money hungry women break down his door and invade his life forever? Find out in this sizzling BWWM romance! No cheating. HEA guaranteed.

Safe in His Arms


Juliette Duncan - 2021
    HE SAYS HE’S SURVIVINGOutdoor instructor Max Carlton lives a peaceful and tranquil life in the mountains. He’s not hiding, he simply loves the freedom wilderness living brings. The downside is that sometimes he has to deal with people.Including Junia Fox, the attractive case worker who arrives with a group of troubled teens for a week-long retreat.City dwelling Junia prays the retreat will be just what the teens need. She knows what it’s like to be misjudged and shunned. Plus, the week-long escape from the city might do her good as well.It’s a pity the ruggedly handsome instructor is so offhand and rude.DANGER LURKS IN THE MOUNTAINSDespite their dislike for each other, Max and Junia are thrown together in a fight for survival when one of the teens places the whole group in danger. Can they get past their differences and learn to trust each other? Can Max protect Junia—and her carefully guarded heart? Or will his beloved mountains ultimately become their death trap?The Heroes of Eastbrooke series features clean, Christian, pulse-pounding romantic suspense in and around the picturesque town of Eastbrooke. Each book stands alone. Grab your copy now.

Remember Me


Marion Ueckermann - 2019
     What she most needed was right there in front of her all along. At the age of thirteen, Clarise Aylward and her two best friends each pen a wish list of things they want to achieve. Deciding to bury a tin containing their life goals, the friends vow to unearth the metal box once they’ve all turned forty. But as the decades pass and each girl chases her dreams, the lists are forgotten. Heath Brock has been in love with Clarise for over twenty-seven years and counting. As a young man, he’d plucked up the courage to ask her out on a Valentine’s date, but the couple succumbed to pent-up passions, sending Clarise dashing for the other side of the country. Years after Clarise’s sudden departure, Heath serves as youth pastor. He’d held out hope of Clarise’s return, but buries his feelings for his childhood sweetheart when he learns she’s married. Almost penniless, divorced, and with nowhere to go, Clarise returns home to Chapel Cove, her future uncertain. She’s approaching forty with her dreams in tatters. When old feelings resurface, Clarise wonders whether she’s ever really fallen out of love with Heath. What’s the man of God to do when his old flame returns, seemingly to stay? With Clarise back in town, Heath is determined not to repeat past mistakes, but if he has anything to say about it, never again will he lose the only woman he’s ever loved.

That Sunflower Summer


Autumn Macarthur - 2020
    Will they allow faith and forgiveness to heal their wounds and learn to love again? BOOK 1 : LEAST EXPECTED Can such complete opposites find a way to make their love work? When Maggie Golding, unconventional and artistic 50-something, agrees to help a friend by working as a window dresser at Pettett & Mayfields London department store, she never expected to fall in love with Edgar Pettett, staid and sensible heir to the business. Nor did she expect that he’d still love her when she revealed her past, the consequences of that long-ago sunflower summer working in Tuscany. Her daughter, Rachel. Between her shaky faith, their huge differences, and his mother’s disapproval, how can they possibly work things out? BOOK 2 : DOLCE VITA (Sweet Life) La dolce vita, a sweeter life of love, awaits Rachel. But can she accept it? Rachel Golding loves her uncomplicated life in Wales, until the trip to Italy to meet her Italian grandmother for the first time stirs unwelcome emotions. Between her cousin’s accusations, her mother’s wedding, and her realisation she feels way more than she should for her best friend Jonathan, Rachel’s organised life is spiraling out of control. Always ready for adventure, especially with the woman he loves, Jonathan Davies gladly accompanies Rach on a return journey to Tuscany. But now she needs his friendship and support more than ever, revealing his love is a risk he dare not take. Not without some sign she wants more. A sign she may never give. In the haze of a sunflower summer, can Rachel learn to surrender her hurts and fears to God and so embrace the life He intends for her? La dolce vita, a sweeter life of love. BOOK 3 : LA RISPOSTA (The Answer) One marriage ends, as another begins. Or can faith and forgiveness bring a troubled couple back together? When the harvest celebrations and a family wedding bring the entire Rossi family back to the villa at summer's end, along with their new loved ones, the final secrets are revealed. But can these secrets be forgiven, healing old wounds and mending broken hearts, or will the mistakes of the past be repeated? The future of a marriage about to crumble depends on the answer! BOOK 4 : INNAMORATA (Sweetheart) Too old for love? Widowed Isabella Rossi is content with her life at the villa. In the past year, all her grandchildren have discovered faith and love, and huge family heartbreaks have been healed. But what about her? When a beau from her teens returns to Tuscany, can the flame of love be rekindled? Or is eighty-something too old for romance? NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR Please be aware that Books 1 & 2 use British spelling and grammar. All four books are previously published. Least Expected is also in my London Loves boxed set, and the remaining three books were part of the A Tuscan Legacy boxed set.