Book picks similar to
Eight Steps to Alpha by Taylor Sullivan


romance
contemporary
romcom
skimmed-through

Never Say Never


Taylor Holloway - 2018
    Never hesitate. Never get emotionally involved.Words I've lived by. Until her.I'm a fixer.I fix bad, embarrassing, illegal problems, for the right price.My clients are rich, famous, powerful, and very dangerous.Now I’ve got a problem of my very own: Eva Martin. She just happens to be both my best friend’s little sister, and at the center of the most explosive problem I’ve ever faced. As the body count rises around us, I’m falling for the one woman that’s totally out of bounds. Her wide innocent eyes, perfect curves, and sexy, smoky voice—she’s a liability and a weakness, but I'm unable to resist.Eva’s a risky distraction for a man like me. I'm going to make her mine, and I'll use everything in my arsenal to keep her safe.Even if it means everyone else—including me—becomes collateral damage.

Maybe Ever After


Cassie Graham - 2018
    They don’t tell you it’s like waiting for the answer to a question no one can hear you ask. Meet Brynn Darling, a successful event coordinator at the top of her game. The future is hers for the taking, except for one thing. After many failed attempts at finding love, and a realization that her best friend is clueless, she decides it’s time to move on. Easton Cole has been in the friend zone since . . . well, forever. So, he fills the void with unimportant people and never gets attached. That is until Brynn begins seeing a guy who threatens everything he’s ever wanted. All bets are off.Maybe it’ll never happen.Maybe she’ll fall in love with the wrong guy.Or maybe they’ll get their ever after . . . after all.

Butterface


Avery Flynn - 2018
    I’m not what most people would call “pretty” and, well, high school was rough. Fast forward ten years and life is good…Until a bunch of jerks think it’s hilarious to put the “butterface” (AKA me) on a wedding Kiss Cam with the hottest guy ever—and that old humiliation hits hard.I recognize him immediately. The sexiest cop in Waterbury and totally out of my league.But then he kisses me. And we totally forget the room, the crowd, everything.Then he tells everyone we’ve been dating for months.Soon everything starts to feel too real, from adorable fights over “necessary” tools to fix my broken porch to surviving a free-for-all dinner with his six siblings to picking up where our last kiss left off.But there’s something he’s not telling me about why he’s really hanging around, and I’m pretty sure it has to do with my mob-connected brothers.Because this is not a make-over story, and Cinderella is only a fairy tale…

Accidentally Married


Victorine E. Lieske - 2014
    Her rent is due and she needs a job. Desperately. After getting a tip about an open position, she rushes to Jameson Technologies and meets CEO Jared Jameson. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, she is put in the awkward position of pretending to be his girlfriend. Not the job she was applying for. And when she finds out Jared lied to her to get what he wanted, she decides to get back at him. In front of his family. Jared is stunned when Madison announces they are getting married. She pushed her revenge too far. How can he tell them it’s all a lie? And when his sick aunt asks them to be married before she dies, Madison comes up with a hair-brained plan to hire an actor and stage a fake wedding. What they both don’t know is Jared’s father has found out about the fake wedding. And he’s got his own hair-brained plan. This is a sweet romance, appropriate for any age.

Brody


A.S. Roberts - 2018
    rock band, Default Distraction have everything money can buy... Brody Daniels, lead singer of DD has a life that many people envy. Money, fast cars, extravagant houses and a constant stream of beautiful women. But he's tired of the rock n roll lifestyle, and so damn sick of the pretence. He wants something real, something tangible... Amy Harper has had more than enough of “real”. She has nothing to call her own. Unless you count a large overdraft and a struggling village shop. She's so tired of pushing against the tide, just for once she wants to be swept away with it... An accidental meeting is all it takes for Brody to claim the reality he wants. A few stolen moments are all Amy has to give, before once again her reality consumes her. Can he convince her to take a chance on him when experience tells her to walk away?

Santa's Little Helper


Lisa Chalmers - 2020
    But Emma is completely different from every other woman he's met. Suddenly he's the one seemingly doing the chasing.Can he turn this flirtationship into something real?

Fake Fiancée Goals


Barbi Cox - 2021
    Move to a small town don't date women that hate my guts.Unless she's sexy, has curves in all the right places and needs a fake fiancee too.Easy Right? Wrong!My usual type. Blonde with commitment issues and a little crazy.The new neighbor that hates me and my loud parties?She's not my type. But my body says that's a lie.I want to see more of those sexy curves and I can use a fake fiancée to get out of trouble with the team.Will she take me up on my offer to fake it?Will she let me convince her she's the only woman for me?A Steamy Enemies to Lovers Curvy Girl Fake Fiancée Small Town Professional Soccer Playboy Romance with a HEA and of course no cheating!

Defending What's Mine


Aubrey Wright - 2019
    No company is good company.But the way she makes my daughter smile...The way her a$s cheeks fit perfectly into those tight jeans...This has "bad idea" written all over it.Loving my family is dangerous.Knowing my secrets could mean life or death.But the time for hiding is over.I'm the predator on this mountain.Nobody messes with my family.It's time to defend what's mine. This is a romantic suspense with a super sexy alpha, steamy action and an amazing happily ever after.

Extra Credit


Poppy Dunne - 2017
    Not to mention the kind of stockbroker who Bluetooths his deals on the trail my dog and I like. Who does that?Turns out, the father of my new favorite student. And since drooling is discouraged at parent/teacher conferences, I try not to look him in his steel-gray eyes. Which is how I noticed how hard his chest is under that button-down. And the conspicuous absence of a ring on his finger.Basically, I have a crush on the one single dad who’s totally off-limits.I really should have said no to that date. A delicious pancake breakfast isn’t worth my job if anyone finds out. An even more delicious romp in the hay is a little more worth it. So maybe just one more to double-check. Famous last words.Because the only thing worse than banging a student’s dad is falling in love with him.

His Royal Highness


R.S. Grey - 2019
    Grey. I’ve spent eight years wishing I’d fall out of love with Derek Knightley. Blowing out birthday candles, chasing after shooting stars, making it rain spare change into mall fountains—every time it’s the same wish: forget about Derek. But the day he walks back into my life, I realize there are two things time has yet to soften: my feelings for him and his chiseled jawline. It’s infuriating that my heart still races when he walks into a room. I refuse to fall prey to old unrequited love, so I decide the less I’m around him, the better. Avoidance is key. Unfortunately, Derek isn’t going to make it easy. As a teenager, I would have crawled on my hands and knees to attract his attention. Now I can’t seem to escape it. I’m not sure why he’s bothering. He’s not just out of my league—he’s out of my tax bracket. As the sole heir to the Knightley Company, he’s as close to American royalty as you can get. As for me, I’m just a part-time princess at Knightley’s flagship magical theme park. I spend my days playing make-believe, but Derek has no use for fairytales. His unwavering confidence makes it clear he thinks I’ll surrender in the end. He’s just biding his time. Making me sweat. His Royal Highness always gets what he wants. And he wants me.

Workplace Romance: A Grumpy Boss Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy


Elle Sharpe - 2021
    He’s used to taking charge, making bold moves, and turning crazy ideas into reality. Until one night he decides to flex his cocky attitude and massive wallet at the humble Italian restaurant where I happen to work. I may be the first person to tell him the word “No,” and he doesn’t like it one bit.Or does he? Why does something seem to sizzle in the air between us, despite the fact that he clearly dislikes me—and is arrogant, and pompous, and basically the worst? Why do I keep thinking about his deep blue eyes, and his luscious, tantalizing hair?Doesn’t matter. I assume that after this one disastrous night I’ll never have to think about him or any of his body parts again.But see, that’s where I’d be wrong. Because unbeknownst to me, Max Coleman is the CEO of the startup where I just got hired. And that annoying little fact is about to muck up my life, mess with my head and muddle up all my feels. But no matter what, nothing can happen here, right? I mean, this is my boss we’re talking about!So, let’s address these concerns together in a professional manner, shall we? Because I have questions.Outstanding question number 1: How do you work with a boss when you hate each other’s guts?Outstanding question number 2: Why is everything more complicated when it turns out you might not hate each other after all?This book contains: bosses who grump, enemies who love, billionaires who...billion?, forbidden attraction, workplace flirtation, kissing, and some of the steamy stuff.

Lowdown Dirty


Holley Trent - 2019
    He’s far too picky and his darker cravings don’t exactly qualify him as husband material in his conservative community. When an unforgettable newcomer arrives with a short-term aim of developing a new subdivision, Tim can’t help but wonder “What if?” Valerie Lawson has the full package. She’s stunning, smart, has a wicked sense of humor, and possesses lustful urges that rival his own. But the ambitious architect is a rising star and had never planned to stay. Her next big job is thousands of miles away, and Tim can’t follow. Valerie doesn’t think a woman like her can have it all. Tim might need to recruit some help from unexpected places to convince her that she can. ____ Note: This is a HOT one! This is an erotic romance with lots of safe and consensual play.

Make Me Wild (


Gabrielle Snow - 2021
    And I’ve always secretly wanted my big brother’s best friend, Ren.He’s ambitious and sexy. Kind and thoughtful. A talented football player the whole town loves. Destined to make it big.Basically, Ren is the man of my dreams.But he’s the only person who is seriously off-limits.Gabe would kill us if anything was to happen between us.And I should have known better than to play with fire.I wasn’t supposed to flirt with him.He wasn’t supposed to flirt back.And he definitely wasn’t supposed to kiss me until my head was spinning . . .Because after that, there’s no turning back.Ren is the kind of guy who will do the right thing no matter what.The only problem is that he’s my big brother’s best friend.And being with me is the wrong thing...but it makes us both wild.MAKE ME WILD is the first book in the (IN LOVE WITH) MY BIG BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND series. This series must be read in order.

Inconceivable!


Tegan Wren - 2015
    He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he's affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them. But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty's journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can't produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John. Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

Too Good to Be Real


Melonie Johnson - 2021
    Swiping right has replaced getting swept off your feet and good old-fashioned romance has become, well, old-fashioned.A writer for a popular website, love becomes the last thing on her mind when impending layoffs threaten her job. As Julia searches for the ultimate pitch to impress her boss, she stumbles upon a resort offering guests a chance to live out their romantic comedy dreams. Real life dating is so bleak, who wouldn't want to spend a week in a fantasy rom-com world with your best friends?At the resort, Julia literally falls into a not-quite-meet-cute involving an aggressive seagull and an adorably awkward guy named Luke who is also participating in the rom-com experience. Julia hides the fact she is there to do a story, but Luke harbors a few secrets of his own. Among further encounters with thieving seagulls, a gaggle of corgis, kisses in the rain, and even a karaoke serenade, their feelings deepen quickly. But could their love be real when they haven't been honest about their true identities? Once the fantasy is over, can they have a relationship in the real world?