Book picks similar to
Swimming Beside Me by Aleks Mitchell


romance
saved-for-later
ya-plus
young-adult

Miss-Match


Erica Lawson - 2013
    According to her aunt, she is as good as dead. Minerva Goldberg has used all her matchmaking wiles to make a conventional match for Clancy. Now it is time to use an unconventional one. Fashion editor, Carmen Pratka does Minerva a favor by going on a blind date with Clancy. Clancy refuses to acknowledge what the rest of the world knows. Carmen makes it her personal mission to not only convince Clancy that she is a lesbian and she, is the right woman for her.A not to be missed romantic comedy by award winners Erica Lawson and A.C. Henley.

The Bloom Trilogy: Complete Box Set


A.P. Kensey - 2014
    But she's more different than she knows.When tragedy strikes and her life crumbles, it triggers a special power within her. Haven is a Source – someone who can generate and unleash powerful bursts of energy. Soon she is on the run from a sinister group that will do anything to extract her ability, no matter the cost.18-year-old Colton Ross is fresh out of high school. He's just beginning to scratch the surface of his power as a Conduit — one who can absorb and redirect the energy that exists all around us: light, electricity, even gravity. A mysterious offer to learn more about his troubled past will send him crashing right into Haven.Together, they are pulled into the middle of a secret war – a war of heroes and villains, light and dark, love and hate. Telling one from the other isn’t easy – and making the wrong choice could lead to the destruction of everything they hold dear.Superpowers, intense action, epic adventure, and mind-bending time travel combine in this thrilling Young Adult fantasy action series, recommended for fans of X-Men and Steelheart.

Paradise


Kate Sweeney - 2011
    With its circulation dwindling, Genevieve is desperate for a good story. When she hears about a reclusive mountain woman, she realizes her chance.Graham Sheridan needs her seclusion for a multitude of reasons, none of which she wants to impart on the intrusive, tenacious reporter.Was it fate that bought them together or something otherworldly?

Cowboys Forever


Allison Merritt - 2015
     Cowboy Apocalypse by Leslie Garcia Can a former Marine and a Hollywood diva facing apocalyptic changes in their lives salvage new beginnings together? Claiming A Cowboy’s Heart by Melissa Keir Even broken souls deserve a second chance at love… Rock-n-Roll Cowboy by Autumn Piper Never judge a rock band by its cover song. A Cowboy's Princess by Sara Walter Ellwood Oil and water don't mix...neither does Texas oil royalty and an ex-Navy SEAL turned rodeo cowboy until danger forces them together. Ride, Cowboy, Ride by D’Ann Lindun Can they find freedom together?

Holidays for Romance: The Complete Series


Peggy Bird - 2016
    But some crabby bureaucrat is standing between him and the permits he needs. He's surprised to discover the culprit is actually beautiful, young Shannon Morgan, and even more shocked when fireworks ignite between them. Unmasking Love: Sparks fly when Julie Payne meets Trace Watkins at a costume party, and they end the night beneath the sheets while literally hiding behind their masks. When the holiday hook-up ends, their real identities present a serious snag: Trace manages the bank Julie happens to be suing. But will they turn this nasty trick of fate into a treat? Lights, Latkes, and Love: Non-profit CEO David Shay can't get enough of the December festivities. As manager of a large retail store, Hannah Jenkins, on the other hand, turns into a jaded Scrooge every year on Black Friday. Can a nice Jewish boy - with the help of some Christmas lights, a little girl, and a latke party - teach Hannah the true meaning of the season and guarantee them both a New Year's Eve kiss to remember? Ringing in Love: When entrepreneur and single mother Catherine Bennett leases office space in Dominic Russo's building, she can't keep her mind - or her eyes - off her new landlord. Only problem is, he happens to be a known womanizer . . . and her professional rival. Then he offers her an irresistible chance at winning a huge contract if she partners with his company. Catherine must decide whether mixing business with pleasure might not be such a bad idea this New Year's Eve. The Gift of Love: Isabella Rodriguez received the worst birthday gift ever - an eviction notice from her family home. Adrift, she accepts an unexpected promotion and transfers to Seattle where she meets Taylor Jordan at a business mixer. They're drawn to each other like candles to a cake. But when Taylor discovers Bella was behind one of the most humiliating experiences of his life, will they be able to find a future together? Thankful for Love: Rancher Jack Richardson needs someone to wrangle his two sons, and Quanna Morales needs a steady job to fund her education and help support her disabled brother. But despite a working relationship, the two can't fight their attraction, even though Quanna worries his family and friends won't accept her Indian heritage. When her worst fears come true and a feud erupts at the Thanksgiving table, will Jack be able to convince her that their love is strong enough to overcome any obstacle? Sensuality Level: Sensual

Something in Return


Michele L. Rivera - 2014
    She is careful to avoid intimacy and does not allow anyone to get close to her. Taylor has convinced herself, against the wishes of her friends, that being unattached will save her from inevitable heartache. However, this all changes when Zoey, a representation of everything that Taylor is not, moves in with her. The more Zoey accepts Taylor for who she really is, the more Taylor worries that Zoey could fulfill her secret desire for true human connection. Now, a frightened Taylor must decide whether she is willing to reevaluate her sense of happiness and redefine it with Zoey, even if it means running the risk of being broken in the end. Something in Return is a story about learning to let people into our lives, as oftentimes getting to know the stranger among us requires getting to know the stranger within us. It is a tale of self-preservation and self-definition. It is about breaking down the confines in which we live that we typically have built ourselves, because it is only then that we are free and able to love truly.

The Mage Chronicles: The Complete Series


Lisa Cassidy - 2018
    Some will not accept it. Some will fight back... Alyx Egalion. Wealthy, popular, the daughter of Rionn’s most powerful lord. Yet soon after her sixteenth birthday, her world is shattered when she is sent away to DarkSkull Hall to learn her magic. Surviving DarkSkull is no easy task, and unable to access her magic, Alyx has nothing but her growing friendship with a handful of DarkSkull’s other misfits and her own wits to rely on for protection. The longer she spends at DarkSkull, the more she discovers about the terrible secrets that hide her true past—secrets that challenge everything she’s ever believed in. Outside DarkSkull Hall, the Taliath—ancient guardians of the mage order—have vanished inexplicably. Powerful mages are disappearing one by one. A fragile peace that stood for decades is threatening to crumble. An old enemy is on the hunt… As this sweeping YA fantasy saga draws to a close, Alyx and her friends must find a way to defeat the most dangerous mage alive before he destroys everything they hold dear. How far will she go to save those she loves?

What Happened After...: Boston Series Finale (Boston, #5)


Nicole Pyland - 2021
    The events take place after each story's respective Epilogue.Here’s a glimpse into the lives of the ladies of the Boston Series. Find out what’s been going on with Gretchen & Amanda, Becca & Erin, Cassie & Tessa, and Jamie & Lauren.Epilogues are nice, but they’re a snapshot in time. Maybe it’s a year after the book ends, or even just a few months. Maybe there’s a wedding or another life-changing event. Maybe a character announces she’s pregnant. Maybe the characters are moving across the country.In this group of short stories, you’ll find out about the directions the lives of Boston Series characters have taken and will take in the coming years, how they’re doing together, how they’re doing at work, and learn about what’s coming next for each of the characters in their relationships.If you plan to read these, please read all the books in the series first. While the respective books in the series are always complete without What Happened After…, the context of the main stories is essential for you to enjoy these post-Epilogue vignettes.List of books in the Boston Series:

Just Me


Graysen Morgen - 2012
    Can she let go of her reckless ways long enough to conform? After all, she is a Wiley and with that name comes a legacy. Cassidy Harland is a little surprised that she came within an inch of picking up a gorgeous stranger in a bar while on vacation, but weeks later when she runs into that stranger again she is shocked to find out she’s the new head of the company.

The Royal Protector Academy Trilogy Complete Box Set


Randi Cooley Wilson - 2018
    VERNAL (Book One)Sheltered, and unable to escape her bloodline, Serena St. Michael has spent the last two years training at the Royal Protector Academy. Struggling with a dark past, Tristan Gallagher's current assignment is to protect a lifetime of secrets. One chance encounter will change everything. Serena must decide if she will follow her heart, forsaking all she's ever known and risking a future worse than non-existence. Tristan will break every rule to save Serena, even if he can't keep her. In their world of darkness, one love will ignite an ancient war. When pasts collide with the present, and secrets are revealed, will love be enough? Or will one lie destroy it all? When you've hidden behind a mask for so long, would you reveal yourself for love? ***** 2017 Penned Con Award Nominee for Best Audiobook *****AEQUUS (Book Two)What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? For Serena St. Michael and Tristan Gallagher, this is reality. Tristan has accepted his impending nuptials. He's returned to his realm and his betrothed. Their unification will create peace. Serena is still struggling with her protector's choice. With a firm resolve, she will forsake her own future in order to save him. Their love will trigger an ancient war. Can Serena and Tristan rewrite their destinies? Or will the Vergina Sun prophecy be fulfilled, and the lovers fall to fate? Welcome back to the Royal Protector Academy.*****2017 UTOPiA Award Nominee for Best Bestie or Buddy*****NOX (Book Three)What if rewriting your destiny means that you must sacrifice the one you love? Serena St. Michael has forsaken her future-for him. Tristan Gallagher has renounced the throne-for her. The Vergina Sun prophecy has been fulfilled, but at what cost? Their love has renewed an ancient war. With Serena gone, will Tristan save her in time? Or will the dark army of Diablo Fairies descend upon the Royal Protector Academy, destroying the London clan's legacy and ending the existence of the gargoyle race forever?*****2018 OUAB Award Nominee for Swoon Worthy Romance**********2018 UTOPiA Award Nominee for Best Supernatural Lead*****This dangerously exciting and darkly romantic series will take your breath away. It can be read as a stand-alone trilogy or after the bestselling Revelation series. Intended for mature readers (18+) due to language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Infernal Council: The Complete Series


Maya Nicole - 2020
    Now, centuries later, I must face what I've become.The odds are stacked against me and the Infernal Council wants me gone.Can I become what I was born to be or will surprising threats defeat me?With a squirrel shifter, vampire, panther gargoyle, brownie, and archangel at my side, anything is possible. Infernal Council: The Complete Series omnibus includes:Infuse DefuseTransfuseRefuse Refuse is a 12,000 word short novella that takes place about a year after the conclusion of the trilogy.Infernal Council is a fast burn reverse harem romance with mature language, m/m, and told from multiple POVs. It is a spinoff from my Celestial Academy series but can be read as a standalone series.

Forty-Four Book Thirteen (44 13)


Jools Sinclair - 2016
     But not without a fight. Trapped between the evil that is Nathaniel Mortimer and the mysterious Samael, whose terrible secret she has finally unearthed, Abby doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance. Is there any way she can overcome impossible odds and make it out alive? Or will she eternally be trapped by the darkness, with home forever being just a dream, a mirage, a wisp of a ghost always disappearing in the wind? Read the unforgettable last chapter in the Forty-Four series and find out.

Take Me Back


Jenny Bloom - 2018
    After ten years, a whole boatload of drama and drugs that changed their relationship for the worst, Kendra didn’t know if she should get involved. However, when Ellie gets hired to work for Kendra, Kendra starts to realize that she may be a different person, which makes Kendra wonder a few things. One of them is whether she can forgive and forget, after all these years, or will the pain of the past still sit there. Can Kendra learn to love again or is that flame long blown-out. Ellie Greene just wants to be seen as normal. As a former drug addict, she knows that her past will always haunt her. But, one thing that stayed at the forefront of her mind, even after all these years, was Kendra. When Ellie gets hired to work for her, she knows that Kendra still sees her as the mess she was years ago Ellie wants to prove her worth, and show her that yes, while she is a recovering drug addict, she is a human being, and she wants to be with Kendra. Will Ellie finally shine? Or will their relationship never come to pass, because of what happened ten years before.Please Note: This book contains adult language & steamy adult activities, it is intended for 18+ Adults Only. Novel, approx. 30,000 words in length. HEA (happy ever after ending). Does not end with a "cliffhanger." Themes include: Second chances, former friends, workplace romance, doubted feelings.

Loving Olivia


M.C. Roman - 2016
    Not only did his twin sister and best friend move away, but he's also recovering from the wounds his ex-girlfriend caused.Olivia Paz is the mysterious new girl on campus everyone is talking about. But she only has two goals in her life: working through college, and taking care of her dad.When Olivia finds herself in trouble, Nico can't avoid helping her, even if it means jeopardizing his new status as captain of the soccer team. Nico's past unexpectedly catches up with him, and he must decide whether he's capable of letting Olivia go, or loving her.

Walk of Shame (Walk of Shame, #1)


Aniya B. - 2014
     Rule #02: Get but never give. Rule #03: Never do them twice. Rule #04: Ignoring the bitches. Rule #05: Don’t ever worry about pleasing anybody. Rule #06: Never do someone who’s in a relationship. Rule #07: Never be ashamed of yourself. Rule #08: Never start a fight, end one. Rule #09: Never let anyone see your weak side. Rule #10: Never fall in love.And then Sed happened.