Book picks similar to
His Semi-Charmed Life by Lisa Hughey
romance
contemporary
dnf
contemporary-romance
Deceived
Danielle Pays - 2019
Their current demand? A prominent local winery-and the land it sits on. No doubt it would only take one visit for him to charm the owners into selling.But his plan hits a snag the second he lays eyes on the alluring woman, dead-set on maintaining her family legacy. For the first time, he can see a forever with a woman. A forever that’s threatened when she discovers who he really is.Then the unthinkable happens: Declan is arrested for a catastrophic attack, threatening both their livelihoods and futures. And even though he maintains he’s innocent, Brooke’s trust is stretched so thin she doesn’t know what to believe.Or who’s really to blame. Who do you trust when everyone lies?This is a steamy, stand-alone, HEA romantic suspense.
Secrets on the Sand
Roxanne St. Claire - 2013
But Zeke sits on that mountain all alone, longing for the one thing money cannot buy: the true love of a lifelong partner. Zeke grew up near Barefoot Bay and is staying at the resort for a week while he’s in town for a family event. Enter Mandy Mitchell...the maid. Except to Zeke, Mandy is much more than that—she was the object of his every teenage fantasy back in the days when she was known as “Mandy the Magnificent” and he had the unflattering high school nickname of “Ezekiel the Geekiel.”Zeke is no longer a geek—he’s gorgeous. And Mandy doesn’t feel so magnificent since her marriage fell apart and left her up to her eyeballs in debt and despair. One look at Zeke, and she knows he’s exactly the kind of trouble she should avoid. One look at Mandy, and Zeke turns his relentless ability to get what he wants into a full-on seduction. But can Mandy face down the secrets of her past to find a fairy-tale future with Zeke?
Connor's Gamble
Kathy Ivan - 2014
The last thing he expects is to be stuck on a bus loaded with senior citizens—and his ex-wife. Alyssa Scott thought she'd left the baggage of her old life far behind when she moved to Florida. Instead she's chaperoning the senior group and dealing with the one person she never expected to see—her ex-husband. Sparks fly and passions reawaken. Neither Connor nor Alyssa can deny the feelings they still hold for each other. But a sinister threat from Connor's past thrusts them into a perilous game of cat-and-mouse to stop a ruthless killer before time runs out. Will Connor gamble everything to save the woman he loves? READING ORDER OF NEW ORLEANS CONNECTION SERIES Desperate Choices Connor's Gamble Relentless Pursuit Ultimate Betrayal Keeping Secrets OTHER BOOKS BY KATHY IVAN Second Chances (Destiny's Desire Series, book #1) Losing Cassie (Destiny's Desire Series, book #2) PRAISE FOR THE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE OF KATHY IVAN: "DESPERATE CHOICES (first in the Big Easy series) is a powerful debut. Taut suspense and engaging characters make this a fast paced enjoyable read. Kathy Ivan is a talent to watch. – Addison Fox, author of The Rome Affair (House of Steele) "Max and Theresa are both characters that make you anxiously want them to have their happy ending while the suspense adds just the right amount of angst to keep you turning the pages. I highly recommend Desperate Choices. Readers can't go wrong here!" -- Melissa, Joyfully Reviewed Best In Romance 2011 “This is the first I have read from Kathy Ivan and it won't be the last. Desperate Choices had it all . . .” -- Night Owl Reviews “I loved how the author wove a very intricate storyline with plenty of intriguing details that led to the final reveal . . .” --Night Owl Reviews on Second Chances
Dare to Surrender
Carly Phillips - 2014
Being rescued by the most unlikely person possible, Gabriel Dare, makes it all worthwhile. After all, she's yearned for the sexy man for years—yet now is her chance to finally take the plunge and dare to become the independent woman she's always wanted to be. But can she be in control of her life if she surrenders to a man like him?The DARE TO LOVE books consist of Miami siblings/halfsiblings and NY cousins (hotter books) and the books ran in consecutiveorder. It makes more sense for the books to be divided by family and so I have split up the series as follows - The Dare to Love Series (Miamisiblings) and the NY Dares (NY cousins). Please note ALL BOOKS CAN BEREAD ALONE but if you enjoy your stories in order, below is the newseries order. I hope you enjoy!
Love in a Small Town
Zoe York - 2014
The demands of his double career—as a police officer and military reservist—were a dealbreaker when they were together. And he’s thrilled for her when she lands a new job with a film company, but it comes with a deadline: when she finishes this project, she’s leaving town for good.Olivia has no reason to stay in Rafe’s tiny hometown, where the only job she could find was waiting tables in the local diner. But she couldn’t move on until she figured out what she wanted next in life. Now she’s been tasked with the unlikely role of ambassador for a town that has done nothing but break her heart, and discovering unexpected surprises at every turn.They aren’t the same young kids who rushed into marriage the first time. But as summer slides into fall, Rafe sets out to prove he’s a changed man before he loses her forever.***This is a second edition, revised and expanded for 2020; the first edition was published in 2014.
As Deep as the Ocean
Serenity Woods - 2017
“To save the vineyard. It’ll be strictly business.”He’s right, Winifred (Fred) Cartwright thought. It was just a contract, a way to access the money tied up in her inheritance. It didn’t mean anything.She mustn’t think about his broad shoulders. About the intriguing tattoo that curled around his arm, how his muscular body gleamed when he worked in the warm sunshine, or how his ocean-blue eyes heated her from the inside out. She mustn’t think about the stolen kiss, the way he’d slipped his arm around her waist to pull her against him. The soft touch of his lips on hers.“It’ll be strictly business,” he repeated.Yeah, right.
Saving Me
Alannah Lynne - 2010
Deceit. Backstabbing friends… Welcome to the jungle known as advertising… Kat Owens can tell you all about the snake-infested world of big-time advertising. Thanks to an ex-best friend co-worker and a gone-wrong love affair with a client, she’s forced to leave her large Charlotte agency for a small-town coastal one. It’s do-or-die time to prove she can be a success to the aging grandfather she adores. Which means she can’t afford to be distracted by a client who’s a walking, talking definition of sex… Even if he is the man who stole her heart thirteen months before in a one-night stand she can’t forget. Erik Monteague is a handsome, charismatic, highly respected businessman who has it all. Or so it seems. Only his closest friends know the truth about the guilt and emotional scars he carries, or why, following his fiancée’s death, he invoked the twenty-four/two rule. He never spends more than twenty-four hours with a woman, he rarely dates them twice, and he never thinks about them afterward. But Kat Owens is different. She cheated him out of twelve hours, and now he can’t forget her. At least that’s what he tells himself, because admitting the truth is too dangerous. When she suddenly appears in his hometown, he sets out to finish what they started thirteen months earlier. But while his perfectly executed seduction gets Kat back in his bed, the emotional fallout is more than he counted on. Will he face his tragic past once and for all… or spend the rest of his life running?
Finding Southern Comfort
Barbara Lohr - 2013
She’s desperate when he sends her home. Jobs are scarce and eviction looms. Former boyfriend Billy took off for California and she’s too proud to head home to Chicago. Although Cameron may not go for her cheerleader kicks, he does admire Harper’s spunk. When she answers his ad for a nanny, she’s horrified to find herself back at his mansion. But she can’t turn down the generous salary or Bella, the toddler with troubled eyes. Youngest in the Kirkpatrick clan, Harper’s not an expert on kids. Neither is the young widower. Her head-strong personality soon puts her at odds with Cameron and his TV personality girlfriend, Kimmy Carrington. When she stands in for Kimmy at a Savannah gala, Harper and Cameron spark a fire that nearly burns down the dance floor. Never has the wrong man felt so right. Never has a boy from the south worked so hard to rev up the charm. Will the Windy City girl be able to put the heart back in his home? Can he convince her that his southern comfort has staying power?
Going Down on One Knee
Christina Hovland - 2018
Sure, she's got the lucrative job. She's got the posh apartment. But her sister nabbed Velma's Mr. Right. There has to be a man out there for Velma. Hopefully, one who's hunky, wears pressed suits, and has a diversified financial portfolio. He'll be exactly like, well... her sister's new fiancé.Badass biker Brek Montgomery blazes a trail across the country, managing Dimefront, one of the biggest rock bands of his generation. With the band on hiatus, Brek rolls into Denver to pay a quick visit to his family and friends. But when Brek's sister suddenly gets put on bed rest, she convinces Brek to take over her wedding planning business for the duration of her pregnancy.Staying in Denver and dealing with bridezillas was not what Brek had in mind when he passed through town, but there is one particular maid-of-honor who might make his stay worthwhile.Velma finds herself strangely attracted to the man planning her sister's wedding.Problem is, he ticks none of the boxes on her well-crafted list. Brek is rough around the edges, he cusses, and doesn't even have a 401(k). But trying something crazy might get her out of the rut of her dating life--so long as she lays down boundaries up front and sticks to her plan...Going Down on One Knee is book one of the Mile High Matched series. If you love a hunky, tattooed wedding planner this book is for you.
Heartbeats
Melody Grace - 2016
He’s bold and reckless, and leaves a trail of broken hearts in his wake. She should stay away, but she soon discovers they have more in common than she ever dreamed. They’re both living with painful secrets, and a true self they keep hidden, not letting anyone in – until she takes a leap and risks it all…Finn knows Eva is too good to be true. He’s been counting down to the day he can turn his back on Oak Harbor for good, and finally escape all the dark, painful shadows of his past. But this girl is impossible to ignore. Her smile makes him forget himself, and just one kiss could redeem it all. He’s determined not to fall, but then one night changes everything…Two unlikely hearts. One intoxicating romance. This epic love story is only just beginning.** Heartbeats is a novella story set before the events of Heartbreaker. Both books are written as stand-alone stories, so you can enjoy them in whichever order you like. **OAK HARBOR LOVE STORIES:#1 Heartbeats#2 Heartbreaker#3 Reckless Hearts
Full Circle
Mona Ingram - 2011
Give up her child for adoption or leave town.New Cover April 2019Single and pregnant, Bella is given a choice. Give up her child for adoption or leave town.The choice was never in doubt. Bella moves across the country, settling in Santa Monica. Determined to make a life for herself and her child, she and her new friend Sophia sell children’s clothing at the Venice Beach market. When their creative designs are featured on television, their business takes off and they accept an offer from Rafael Vargas to expand their business. Bella fights her attraction to the handsome entrepreneur, but deep in her heart all she really wants is love.
Swim
Jennifer Weiner - 2006
When she’s not working, she’s swimming—lap after lap at the local indoor pool, in a desperate attempt to wash away the sting of professional failure and heartbreak that she can’t seem to shake. It takes an unexpected client to show her that appearances can be deceiving, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply dive back in.
A Special Ops Christmas
Kristen James - 2012
Can he make it home to Vivianne in time to save their love?Vivianne has been so proud her husband—a Navy SEAL—but his absence while serving has put a strain on their marriage. Due to buried hurts and different circumstances in her life, she needs him more than ever now. Aiden proposed in the snow, and Christmas has always been their special time of year. This year, however, looks bleak and lonely. If only Aiden were here, she could share a special surprise.
The Bride Wore Chocolate
Shirley Jump - 2004
She has no business even looking at another man--no matter how sinfully sexy he is--much less waking up in Michael Vogler's bed three weeks before she marries Mr. Right. She's determined the wedding will go off without a hitch--as long as she can keep her meddling grandmother, her flighty mother, and her well-meaning friends from interfering with her plans--and pointing out her doubts every time she turns around. And it won't be easy--since Michael's just become Candace's biggest client, with an order for thousands of the Gift Baskets to Die For she creates with her friends. Worse, he wants to work closely with Candace...every step of the way. It's enough to drive a girl to intravenous chocolate consumption, 24/7. And the way Candace's heart flip-flops whenever Michael is around is an industrial-sized clue that keeping a tight rein on her future and her heart might not be such a good idea. But risking it all for a man she barely knows is even crazier, right?
Conflicted
M.M. Koenig - 2013
Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs. On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her. There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …