Book picks similar to
The Truth in Lies by Jeanne McDonald


new-adult
romance
love-triangle
unrequited-love

Always You


Stephanie Rose - 2015
     All we had was friendship and my silly hope for more. When he left and took all of that with him, I moved on. Settled. I figured that happiness wasn't in the cards for me. Until, one night of drinks with an old "friend" gives me a hope I never expected, but don't know what to do with. This time, I have the chance I always dreamed about—but I'm not free to take it. *** Ten years ago, Samantha was only a friend, a sweet girl I never wanted to hurt. Now, she's everything I want and nothing I can have. She belongs with me, even if she's not really mine, and I can’t settle for anything less than all of her. Now that I’ve got a second chance, I'm grabbing it with both hands. Why did it take so long to realize that it was Always You?

Aftershocks


Monica Alexander - 2012
    Unfortunately, Wyatt just left to start his freshman year at the University of Michigan, leaving Abby to face her past and her senior year of high school alone. Just as she starts to think that this year might actually be worse than the last, she meets Connor Richmond, a gorgeous transfer student who intrigues her at first glance. Abby and Connor have an instant connection. He’s sweet, funny and adores Abby, but Connor is also dating the girl who single-handedly tried to ruin Abby’s life. As Abby and Connor grow closer, reminders of her past start to pop up when she least expects them. She soon realizes that the only way out is to put some distance between herself and Connor, but it turns out it’s not as easy as it should be to let him go. If only Connor knew the truth about the girl he was dating and how much better off he’d be with someone like Abby.

Preston's Honor


Mia Sheridan - 2017
    The daughter of an impoverished migrant farmworker, she grew up as an outcast in what was no more than a tiny, cooped up shack in California’s Central Valley. But her heart found freedom in the land, in the wide-open spaces of Sawyer Farm, and in the boys who were her only friends.Preston has yearned for Annalia since he was a boy. But a sense of honor kept him from pursuing her until he’s unable to hold back any longer and their worlds—and bodies—collide one hot summer night. A night that sets off a chain of events that will alter their lives forever.Now Annalia is back in town after disappearing without a trace for six long months. Determined to reclaim her heart, her life, and the baby she left behind—the son who was created in a moment of lust and love and pent-up yearning.Preston has survived grief, a ravaging drought, and the despair of heartache, but he’s not sure he can survive Annalia again. And he might be unwilling to try. Will pride and bitterness keep him from the one thing he’s always longed for?How do you heal what is irreparably broken? How do you forgive that which is unforgivable? How do you discover that real honor comes not from circumstance, but from the place deep in our hearts where truth resides? And how do you move beyond the wounds of the past to discover that some loves are as solid as the ground beneath your feet, and as enduring as the earth itself?THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY GEMINI. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Crashing Back Down


Kristen Hope Mazzola - 2013
    Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy's best friends and parents. Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.**18+ for sexual situations, cursing, and adult content.***

A Fire That Burns


Kirsty-Anne Still - 2013
    You never stopped loving me, you never could. You didn’t leave because you didn’t love me.”After running from the truth for six years of her life, Austin Pearson decides it’s time to come home to life in Point Arena. What she finds is broken relationships and broken hearts and the same love that consumed her years ago. When confronted with the love of her life, Austin has to decide between giving in, giving up or hiding all over again. Will Tyler Armstrong be enough to crack the secrets that drove the woman he loved away when they were nineteen or are they destined to love other people? What happens when he finds himself living everyday with Austin and realising that feelings he thought had diminished flame up and take a hold of his life? What happens when fires burn brighter than ever and the secrets of the past come tumbling out? Is love enough to get them through what life has in store for them?

Birthday Girl


Penelope Douglas - 2018
    He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. He listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work. I have to stop this. It can’t happen. My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable. Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one. I am. PIKEI took her in, because I thought I was helping. As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to. But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight. And her boyfriend’s father. Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

Make Me Hate You


Kandi Steiner - 2020
    His hands grip my waist, and I remember the pain when he rejected me, when my entire world crashed down at his command. His jaw clenches, and my senses come alive with one stinging reminder.I’m not his to kiss, and he’s not mine.I tried to stay away from Tyler Wagner, putting an entire country between us. But when his sister’s wedding brings us back to the same town, to the same house, I can’t avoid him, no matter how hard I try.He’s always there, his dark eyes bewitching, luring me into their depths. The memory of us pulls me under like a rip current, and when he flashes that smile, I lose my breath, along with my will, unable to escape his grip and find the surface.Now, hours before our plus ones arrive for the wedding, I’m in his arms, begging him to make me hate him, knowing he never could.If he kisses me right now, I’ll drown.And I’ll take him down with me.

Fate's Love


L.A. Cotton - 2014
    you should hold onto them.Olivia Bannon walked away.Twice. When 17-year-old Livy meets Ethan, she can’t deny their inexplicable connection. Lost in his dark, intense eyes and smile-to-die-for, Livy never thought she would feel like this. It almost makes her want to break her childhood vow, but Livy knows happily ever after is just an illusion, and despite her heart wanting Ethan, her head is telling her to stick with the plan. The one that doesn’t include falling in love. Period.Eight years later, Livy finds herself back in her hometown. After the way she left things, the last time they were together, Livy is anxious about seeing Ethan again. It shouldn’t come as a shock to discover he has finally moved on—but it hurts. A lot. Accepting that she will never get the chance to put things right isn’t easy, but it’s not until life comes crashing down around her that Livy realizes what she could’ve had. Left broken, alone, and depressed, only one person can pull her out—the guy she thought she'd pushed away one too many times. Livy has finally realized that you can’t fight fate… Some things are just meant to be. Is this finally her time to get it right, or has Livy missed her last chance with Ethan?

One Careful Owner


Jane Harvey-Berrick - 2017
    (Standalone)Alex is lost and alone, with only his dog, Stan for company. He doesn’t expect kindness from anyone anymore, but sometimes hope can be found in the most unlikely places. He has a second chance at happiness, but there’s a dark side to Alex, and a reason that more than one person has called him crazy.Single mother Dawn is doing just fine. Except that her ex- is a pain in the a**, her sister isn’t speaking to her, and her love life is on the endangered list.At least her job as a veterinarian is going well. Until a crazy-looking guy arrives at her office accompanied by an aging dog with toothache. Or maybe Alex Winters isn’t so crazy after all, just … different. Dawn realizes that she’s treated him the same way that all the gossips in town have treated her—people can be very cruel. * * * * * * * * * * * *"You know that feeling you get in your stomach when you drive over a hill really fast? That's what I felt." T. Allen * Contains scenes of an adult nature. *

So Many Reasons Why


Missy Johnson - 2013
    Now, with the impending release of her attacker from prison, Emma knows it’s more important than ever for her to regain control of her life. From her unrelenting nightmares, to her strained relationships, to her crippling agoraphobia, Emma feels as though her life is spiraling out of control.When her professor, Simon Anderson enters her life, Emma must deal with feelings she has never experienced before. Though both she and Simon know their relationship is bordering on inappropriate, neither of them are able to ignore the intense chemistry that is quickly developing between them.What was supposed to keep her mind off the attack has left her more confused than ever. When there are so many reasons why you shouldn’t be together, is simply being in love really enough?This is book one in a two book series.

That's a Promise


Victoria Klahr - 2013
    I’ve been to hell only to find it never really leaves when you get back. It haunts me through nightmares, unrequited love, lies, broken hearts, and now death. A monster almost took my life.My best friend carries half my soul a world away. My boyfriend broke my heart but refuses to let me go. And my father is dead.I don’t believe in fate and I don’t believe in happily-ever-afters, but for some reason, I still hope. Live, even with a tainted spirit.Long for my other half to come back to me. Risk another broken heart, just to feel loved again. And refuse to let another horror break me. In the face of my most recent tragedy, I have to decide whether forgiveness is something I can give. But even if that’s an option, can I be forgiven?(That's a Promise is book 1 in a 3 part series, and the new/ updated version will be available 10-10-2014)

Collide


K. Walker - 2019
    I'm just the new girl. I'm trying to get through senior year at a new school in a new damn city. So I tell myself, Keep your head down. Check Don't bring attention to yourself. Check Stay the hell off everyone's radar. Whoops It looks like the gorgeous rich boy that rules the halls of Madison Falls High has his eyes set on me and worst of it is I want nothing to do with him. I don't want the attention. Now I have a damn bullseye on my back and his ex, Queen B is out for blood. How much worse can my damn life really get? FML! Authors Note: Madison Falls High is a high school bully romance, teen and young adult series. This is book 1 and does end with a cliffhanger. It's recommended for mature readers 18+ because of cursing and 'certain scenes.' If you're cool with that, then dive in and enjoy the ride!

Forever Kinda Love


Clara Stone - 2014
    EACH BOOK IN THIS SERIES CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE. No one told them falling in love would be so dangerous.The day Carrigan lost her mother, she gained a new best friend. But she never expected the charming boy-next-door from the wealthy family to become anything other than her confidant and strength. Ten years later, Heath's become exactly that-more.But Ace can't give in to her secret crush, can't let herself feel what it's like to be loved by him in return. Not when her entire future is at risk. Not when she houses an unexpected, deadly secret that could destroy it all.The thing is, Heath Lovelly isn't one to be kept in the dark. And shouldn't you live life to the fullest, even as that life runs out?See why fans of A Walk to Remember and All the Boys I Loved Before will fall in love with this friends-to-lovers romance.

Progress


Amy Queau - 2013
    But how far into his mind is she willing to go?Jesse has a curious attraction to Charlene, a hostess at the restaurant where he works. Outwardly he’s rude, awkward and unapproachable. But his sudden bursts of charm are inescapable. A devastating childhood filled with physical and emotional abuse have left him complex and frigid.Charlene, an innocent, is quickly mystified. Her craving for him generates an infatuation and a purpose. Losing weight and gaining confidence, she begins taking more risks. She defies her past, damaged and tender, in order to move ahead."Progress" is a realistic tale of two friends who both have similar issues that make them hesitant to get close to anyone. Jesse's demons have manifested into an emotional detachment, and Charlene's, a physical one.If nobody makes the first move then nobody gets hurt.Their journeys take them down parallel paths which leave them just as emotionally unmatched and conflicted as the day they met.

The Falling of Love


Marisa Oldham - 2012
    You will also never forget how it felt when it was torn apart. Seventeen-year old Grace Hathaway does not give much thought to falling in love, until the day that Ian Taylor, rebel and misfit walks into her math class. From their first conversation, Grace is mesmerized by Ian's charisma and rock star façade. Ian Taylor, a seventeen-year old kid from the wrong side of the tracks tries to ignore the feelings he has for Grace, but is captured by her caring, non-judgmental personality from the moment they meet. Grace becomes Ian's everything and there is nothing he will not do for her. Hurting her was never part of his plan. “The Falling of Love” will take you on a sweet, emotional journey of two young adults falling in love for the first time, and then tear your heart apart when that love is threatened by dishonesty and betrayal. The Falling of Love is the first novel in a series of novels that will follow Grace Hathaway's life and personal struggles. Everyone has a beginning to their story and an end... This is the beginning of Grace's story. Please visit our Facebook page for updates on the series or to ask questions. Search for The Falling series of novels - by Marisa Oldham