Book picks similar to
Chasing the Sun by Melanie Hooyenga


young-adult
romance
contemporary
romance-tbr

You're To Blame


Brooke Jordan - 2019
     He'll never let me live it down. He's determined to make me pay. I am slated as the Outcast. Haven Saints High marvels Mr. Captain of the football team as the Saint. My broken days are over. I won't go down without a fight. WARNING: You're To Blame: Haven Saints High is a Young Adult/ New Adult romance series. Fun times, angsty moments, and sizzling tension between the Tate and the Chelsea. Recommended for mature readers due to the sexual content and cursing.

Unconditional Love


Alexa Whitewolf - 2018
    This means chilling, hanging out with friends and meeting hot boys. Not so for Maya Finnigan, who’s stuck in summer school with extra classes in order to make it to college. Looks like another summer of studying and boring “fun” - and hanging out with her loyal German Shepherd, Bear. Or will it be? Kolt Waters meets the “hot” criteria with his intense blue eyes and Brit accent, plus he’s the boy-next-door. But his smug attitude and never-ending jabs get on Maya’s nerves. When Bear goes missing, surprisingly it’s Kolt who jumps to the rescue. But is their budding romance a happily ever after or a wreck in disguise? And what’s the story with their parents, and the secrets they hide? Dig in for a summer of fun, mystery and first loves...as unconditional as they come.

Prom King: A High School Romance


Zara Rivas - 2019
    Now if only she could keep Casey from sneaking into her heart. Excerpt His bright blue eyes pierced through me. I wasn't sure how long he had been looking at me. I ignored him at first, but found it impossible to concentrate on anything else. Eventually I met his gaze evenly, and watched as his lips turned up into a smirk. It took effort not to roll my eyes when he raised his eyebrows slowly. His eyes were burning through me; their intensity made me uncomfortable, but I wasn't going to let him know that. "Mr. Fitzgerald!" my new English teacher, Mr. Oldman, barked. "Could you please at least pretend to pay attention?" Mr. Oldman sounded so exasperated. There were still three months left before graduation, but most of the seniors were already acting as if they didn't need to be in school any longer. "Sure, Mr. Oldman," he said, never taking his eyes from me. I didn't back down even after realizing people were staring at us. "Casey, what do you find so fascinating about Ms. Fuller?" Mr. Oldman turned to him again a few minutes later after realizing he still wasn't paying attention. If it was the teacher's goal to embarrass him, it didn't work. His smirk just widened. "She's new," he said simply, his blue eyes sparkling. Casey's caramel brown hair was messy, his style trendy. He reminded me of every popular guy in high school, except for the confidence he exuded. It was as if he knew he was the shit and was daring anyone to say otherwise. "Casey, will you leave the poor girl alone?" Mr. Oldman sighed. "I've got your letter of recommendation done. Should I send it myself or does it need to go with yours?" Casey didn't respond. His eyes were still piercing through mine, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Casey!" Mr. Oldman yelled, causing both of us to look at him. He handed him a sealed envelope. "Get out of my classroom," he pointed at the door, defeated. "Don't you have friends to bother?" I let out a snicker, though I felt bad for Mr. Oldman. It was obvious he was at his wit's end. Casey seemed to be doing everything he could to push him over the edge. "I'm trying to make the new girl feel welcome," Casey explained, his eyes on me again. I picked up my book, finding my place with ease. "Thanks," I said shortly, "I feel welcome now." And I refused to pay him any more attention. He wouldn't stay with Mr. Oldman in the room, looking dangerously close to pelting him with dry erase markers. With the obvious dilemma before him, he backed down. He stared at me for a second longer, daring me to look at him and when I didn't, he left. I smiled to myself, turning the page leisurely. Mr. Oldman let out a chuckle, "Looks like he's finally met his match."

Watching the Grass Grow


Diane Michaels - 2017
     They say you shouldn’t make eye contact with a stranger on the subway in New York City. It may not be an actual violation of the subway system code of conduct, but still. Lisa and Geoff, two strangers smushed together on a crowded E train, break that code when their train unexpectedly stops. Their conversation is the perfect antidote to the boredom and frustration of the delay. And more than the broken AC is to blame for the rising heat between them. When the train moves again, Lisa wonders if they should go back to behaving like strangers. But what if their paths were meant to cross? Tom—middle-aged, divorced, and out of work—needs to get a life. Instead, he gets a juror summons. Hardly expecting to ‘find himself’ while fulfilling his civic duty, he sets a single goal for the day: persuade the judge to exempt him from being picked for a jury. Time had stood still in the juror lounge. It begins to spin backward when he reconnects with Susan, a fellow juror and his middle school crush. Before long, he’s back under her spell. Could a man in his current position interest her? When she swipes through a dating app in front of him, she indicates the answer is no. With nothing else to lose, Tom prepares to sacrifice the one goal he has in order to capture her attention.

ONE MISSION: Something you knew isn't something you know


Manith J. - 2016
    She went on this secret journey to pursue a nuclear weapon and it brought her to meet two good men who changed her life from bad to good and from good to bad at the same time.

Going Once...


Deborah Raney - 2016
    An amicable deal is struck between the two young opposing bidders, but it will take time to pay off a loan. And as the months go by, the two discover they have secrets in common—secrets that just might change everythingOriginally published as "Going Once, Going Twice..." in A Kiss is Still a Kiss

A Little Like Romeo: A Sweet Enemies to Lovers Romance


Emily Childs - 2020
    It doesn't hurt that Jonas is funny...and sweet...and really easy on the eyes.But when he kisses me, he's not just a secret friend anymore--he's the guy I'm falling head-first in love with.If our families find out, this feud will turn into an all out war!Welcome to the one-of-a-kind sweet, swoony ride following small-town Scandinavian bakers and the ones who hold their hearts. A toe-curling happily ever after, guaranteed.

Film at Eleven (The Flora Fontain Files Book 2)


Maggie Bloom - 2011
    But when her old flame shows up at her high school, sparks fly—in more ways than one. . .

Equinox


Jamie Bennett - 2018
    Like anywhere she is, it’s brighter there.” Eight years ago, Alex Whitaker crashed his car, upending his life. Since then he has struggled—with his family, with his job, with everything in his life. And has he really been living, or just passing time? For the last few years Cecilia Byrne been making her way north in a highlighter yellow van that she calls Nina. Besides the circuitous car trip, she’s on a journey of discovery too, but doesn’t expect to find love waiting for her in a coffee shop in Detroit. When problems keep them apart, can Alex and Cecilia overcome their differences and start a new season of their lives together?

Twelfth Knight


Jessica Bucher - 2019
     Violet Noble loves a good challenge. That’s why her parents were so insistent on getting her and her twin brother, Sebastian, a scholarship to Shelfbrooke Academy. But when Sebastian bails on the plan, Violet is left alone in a strange land of rich kids and hot rugby players. When Violet discovers the academy’s online gossip forum, she finds the courage to comment... under her brother’s profile. Before she knows it, she's giving dating advice to the captain of the rugby team, Owen Duke, and flirting with his beautiful ex-girlfriend, Lily Thorn. Now, Violet is falling for Owen, and Lily is falling for fake-Sebastian, and everyone is miserable. Can Violet clean up the mess she’s made... and somehow keep her new friends in the process? Twelfth Knight is a modern retelling of the classic Shakespeare comedy. It’s the first book in the Shelfbrooke Academy series, a collection of retellings that promise to be a lot more fun than the originals!

Matthew Caldwell - The Untouchable (Empire High, #1.5)


Ivy Smoak - 2020
    Find out what Matt was thinking when he first met Brooklyn from his point-of-view!

Music Man


K.L. Montgomery - 2020
    Or chase your dreams. Every girl dreams of dating a rock star--even a girl who just turned the Big 4-0. Is it the beard? The flannel? The guitar? Claire isn't sure, but Jack is simply irresistible. Music was Jack's first love. When life got in the way of him making it big as a singer/songwriter, he settled for teaching music--which included giving piano lessons to a certain stunning redhead named Claire. He's fallen head over heels for her--just in time for his big break to finally arrive. But do you ever really give up on your first love? Music Man is part of the Romance in Rehoboth Series, where the ladies are strong and independent and the men are actually nice guys. These fun standalone romantic comedies are set against the backdrop of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware's top vacation destination, and can be read in any order. Book 1: Music Man (Claire and Jack's Story) Book 2: The Flip (Sonnet and Drew's Story) Book 3: Plot Twist (Lindy and Meric's Story) Book 4: Badge Bunny (Brynne and Chris's Story) Book 5: Wedding War (Hannah and Jason's Story) Book 6: Stage Mom (Larissa and Mateo's Story)

Prom Season: Three Novels


Elizabeth Craft - 2007
    Jane must get his attention—fast. Can her friend Max change her into a sexy goddess in three weeks?Nicole: Instead of admitting that she doesn't have a date to the prom, she tells everyone that she's going with some random hottie she saw at the mall. Not only does she know nothing about him, but she only has a few days to track him down!Christy: She never expected the cute, but very obnoxious Jake would invite her to prom. And she couldn't say no because her mom is best friends with Jake's mother. Will the most romantic moment of her life be a huge disaster?

Heart of Mine


Lindsay Bergman - 2018
    One kiss changed everything. My name is Madison Kavanaugh and I grew up in a small, modern-day kingdom in the Mediterranean Sea. My life in Coradova was better than any fairytale -- until I fell in love with my best friend, and the one person I couldn't have. Crown Prince Alexander. Now I'm forced to fight a love I can't give into. But with every look, every touch, I fall deeper for the prince who holds my heart.Amid a political storm of intrigue and mystery, I will risk everything for Alexander. Even my life.If you like the royal aspect of Kiera Cass' The Selection and the romantic mysteries of Colleen Coble, you'll love this sweet and swoon-worthy royal romance. Pick up HEART OF MINE today, and discover the Mediterranean kingdom of love, mystery, and happily-ever-afters..._____________________________(Note: Heart of Mine is a standalone novel in The Royals of Coradova series, a collection of sweet contemporary royal romances. While you can read them in any order, it is more fun to read them in sequence.)

In Plain Sight


Amy Sparling - 2016
    Her soon-to-be stepdad gives Maddie and her siblings everything they could want, including unlimited access to a credit card. Maddie transforms into a new person over Spring Break. What she doesn’t expect is that everyone thinks she is a new student. Maddie’s new sports car and designer clothes draw in the mean girls, who are nice girls to her now. Boys want her attention and girls want to be her friend. Maddie finds herself crushing hard on Colby Jensen, and for the first time ever, the popular guy actually likes her back. Colby Jensen grew up in his brother’s shadow. His parents expect him to be the best even though they’re struggling to get the bills paid while maintaining the façade of a perfect life. Colby is sick of pretending like everything is perfect, and he is totally over dating stuck up princesses at school. Then he meets Maddie and wonders where she’s been all his life. She’s genuine and makes him laugh. When he’s around her, he can forget about the drama at home. Just when things are becoming perfect, a secret from Maddie’s past emerges, threatening to destroy her popularity and everything she’s become. Maddie knows Colby wouldn’t want anything to do with who she used to be. Colby just wishes she’d give him a chance. From the bestselling author of Summer Unplugged and Ella's Twisted Senior Year, In Plain Sight is a young adult romance told in dual point of view. Contains mild profanity and romantic scenes.