Book picks similar to
Close Encounter, Part 1 by Stephanie St. Klaire
romance
amazon
freebie
romantic-suspense
Hide Your Heart
Tracey Alvarez - 2015
Distrust will tear them apart…Alexandra Lauren Knight has reinvented herself in the safety of her rural New Zealand hometown to become Lauren Taylor. She’s cut all ties with her past as a former model whose ex-husband turned out to be ruthless in both the boardroom and the bedroom. While Alexandra allowed other’s expectations to propel her into the spotlight, Lauren prefers the safety of anonymity; restoring classic cars with her brother, and snuggling with her four-year-old son. Nate Fraser, a burned-out photojournalist, plans to fix up the property next door to Lauren and sell it as a celebrity retreat. Always on the move, Nate is only comfortable with short-term assignments and even shorter-term relationships. But it’s not just his buyer’s tight deadline or that the restoration is far beyond his expertise which turns a short-term project into an ordeal. Nate’s plan of travelling the globe is in jeopardy — created by the intensity of his growing feelings for Lauren and her little boy.As the sparks of passion ignite between them it reawakens Nate’s long forgotten dream of having a home and family. Lauren must find a way to trust Nate not only with her secrets, but with her heart — before her safe haven is exposed and she can no longer hide in the shadows.
The Profiler
Chris Taylor - 2014
. . Federal Agent Clayton Munro, a criminal profiler with the Australian Federal Police (AFP), has been called upon to assist in hunting down a vicious murderer who is intent upon carving up his victims while they’re still alive. Guilt-stricken over his wife’s suicide, Clayton’s forced to set aside his personal issues in order to focus on the case. Detective Ellie Cooper is also no stranger to heartache. Pregnant and abandoned at the altar by a fiancé intent on pursuing a career with the AFP, her opinion of the elite body of officers is anything but favorable. Angered when her boss orders her to partner with the Fed, she’s determined not to cut him any slack. But women are dying on the streets of western Sydney and the pressure is mounting to find the person responsible. Will Clayton and Ellie be able to put aside their animosity and work together to catch a killer before it’s too late? And what about the special fascination the killer seems to have with Ellie . . .
Sweet Masterpiece
Connie Shelton - 2010
But her real dream is to open her own pastry shop, Sweet's Sweets.Life is a little crazy for Sam right now. At one of her break-in properties a dying woman insists that she take a small wooden box. Sam doesn't realize that the old woman was known locally as a bruja, a witch, until she begins to feel some strange effects from the box, herself.Meanwhile, at another property, she finds an unmarked grave and the authorities come to investigate. The property owner disappeared a few months earlier and Sam wonders--who is the body in the grave? A small mural in the house leads to a connection with a famous artist; a bogus will points to possible fraud; and the handsome deputy investigating the case seems completely enchanted with Sam.While Sam scrambles to fill bakery orders and keep her properties in order, she's equally intrigued with the idea of a new romance. It all makes for a delightful romantic mystery with elements of the paranormal.
Out of the Dark
Geri Foster - 2013
His boss arranges for him to hitch a ride with the corporate attorney Emily Richards, who is in Russia as a mediator.Emily Richards wants only to return home then on to a peaceful vacation with her best friend. When armed men invade her hotel room minutes after Mac arrives, Emily is forced to depend on Mac to stay alive. Anger that Mac has entangled her in a life or death struggle quickly turns to fear when the men pursuing them call her by name.Together Mac and Emily engage in a tumultuous ride to escape with their lives and capture a crazed bomber and a vindictive drug lord. More difficult is tearing down their own emotional walls. Can they succeed and admit love is the most precious thing in life?
Big Love in Small Places
Theresa Paolo - 2021
Both recovering from shocking revelations, they unintentionally lean on each other. But as their attraction builds and their undeniable chemistry explodes into passion, a secret threatens their happily ever after.Final stop: Red Maple FallsMad About Matt: When city girl Shay moves to picturesque Red Maple Falls, she opens her own bakery--and reunites with her ex, Matt, the handsome local sheriff. A passionate and engaging small-town romance!Travelers Guide:Willow Cove: BEST LOBSTER IN THE STATE! Check out the locals and their freshest seafood. Don't forget to stop by The Local Bean for that cuppa and catch up on all the town gossip!Morgan's Bay: Are you ready for some New York fun? Get away from the city and visit the cutest book store and eat the BEST BURGERS around! Don't forget to say hi to the very cute bartender.Red Maple Falls: Visit the Happy Apple for a slice of our famous pie! Enjoy a cruise down main street on one of our custom bikes at the Chain and Spoke. Don't forget to say hi to one of the MANY hot Hayes' siblings.
Nothing to Fear
Claire Boston - 2017
After a traumatic assault, Hannah Novak returns to her home-town hoping for a fresh start. However, when strange gifts turn up on her doorstep, and a stalker fixates on her, she discovers that Blackbridge isn’t the safe haven it once was. With no family left to turn to, she’s forced to seek help from the broody new cop in town. Ryan Kilpatrick has travelled across the country to create a stable home for his young son, but being a police officer makes that hard. He doesn’t need Hannah’s problems added to his own, yet her courage and vulnerability awakens the protector in him. With time running out, can Hannah learn to trust again before it’s too late? Because this time, there are no second chances.
A Cowboy and a Promise
Pam Crooks - 2019
She’s good at what she does, and the ghost town vacation resort would look great on her resume, but it means tangling with the ex-military cowboy who is determined to stop her as soon as she arrives. Beau Paxton needs to sell the land and ghost town to save his family’s struggling ranch. He’s a formidable enemy to Ava’s determination, but the harder she works, the more his attraction for her grows. He doesn’t want to set aside his plans so she can succeed at hers, yet he finds himself doing just that... Will a promise bring a city girl and a sexy cowboy together? Or will a broken one drive them apart?
Beginnings of Love: A Contemporary Western Romance Boxset
Erin Wright - 2020
Come on down to Long Valley, where the cowboys are damn fine…Accounting for Love (Book 1) – The bank’s threatening to foreclose on Stetson’s farm…and the auditor on the case is damn hot. Jennifer doesn’t mind a tough job, but handsome Stetson is trouble. And then came the night she had to spend on the farm. Can she find a way for him to save his farm? And if she can’t, will he ever forgive her?Blizzard of Love (Book 2) – Luke never expects to end up spending Christmas at the Miller farm. Everyone knows he hates Christmas. But Bonnie adores Christmas, so when her best friend invites her to the Miller farm, she jumps at the chance. When a blizzard hits, sparks fly. Can the magic of mistletoe tear down the barriers between them?Beginnings of Love is a bundle of the first two novels in the Long Valley world. These stories have some strong language, and oh my, sexy times. Enjoy!
Be My Love
Lucy Kevin - 2014
and five beautiful, close-knit sisters who are each about to find their one true love.After four years on the Seattle mainland, when Hanna Walker returns to Walker Island to make a documentary about the infamous Peterson-Walker feud from the early 1950s, she’s shocked to realize that passions still run high. Especially when it comes to Joel Peterson, the one man who is totally off-limits… but that she’s never been able to stop dreaming about. The last thing Joel wants is for Hanna to dredge up the past, but when he realizes she’s determined to follow through with her documentary no matter what, he knows he has no choice but to join her. But despite vowing to hold back his growing feelings for her, as Joel works with Hanna to unravel the mystery of what really happened between their two families, he soon begins to see that love is an unstoppable force… and that sometimes two people are meant to be. BE MY LOVE is the first fun, sweet, and emotional contemporary romance in the Walker Island series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lucy Kevin.
Close to Home
Suzanne Ferrell - 2012
I’m Lorna Doone. Yep, spelled just like the cookie and I own the Peaches ‘N Cream Café here in Weston. You might think nothing much happens in a small mid-western town, but as my friend Harriett says, things aren’t always what they appear. Take our girl Emma for example…”Emma Lewis has a lot on her plate. The single mother of two precocious twin boys and an aging mother who is having trouble getting through each day, the last thing Emma needs is a man in her life, especially a doctor. So when the town’s doctor goes on vacation and his handsome nephew takes over, Emma is shocked to not only find him standing in her bedroom, but accusing her of being a neglectful parent.Clint Preston came to Westen for the year to fill in as the town doc while his uncle took a long needed vacation. Clint also needed a sense of peace and calm to try to find his passion for medicine burned out by long shifts in an urban hospital’s ER. Angered to find two boys in his clinic with broken wrists and no accompanying parent, he is determined to confront their mother. The feisty redhead he meets quickly dispels his belief that she’s a neglectful mother, but he can see her situation is more critical than she wishes to face and finds himself volunteering to help care for her sons and the remodeling of her home.As Emma and Clint forge a relationship among the slightly off-beat characters that inhabit Weston a menace from Emma’s past threatens her and her sons. Clint and Emma join forces to prevent the loss of either boy and the love they’ve discovered in each other’s’ arms.
Clover Park Boxed Set Books 1-3
Kylie Gilmore - 2017
I wrote this series so one story picks up where the previous story left off, which makes it fun to binge read all together. Book 1: The Opposite of Wild Ex-cop Ryan O'Hare takes one look at buttoned-up control freak Liz Garner and just itches to loosen the woman up. Not that he’s into her. Because a woman like that comes with way too many expectations. Not to mention, she practically works for him, and he didn’t hire Liz to watch after his beloved Harley-stealing Gran so he could turn Liz loose in his bed. Still, there’s something about her, a hidden wild side, that makes him wonder what it would take. Book 2: Daisy Does It All Exhausted single mom Daisy Garner is shocked when her blog about her perfect life with husband and baby brings a national talk show to her door. Amazing! Except she made the whole thing up. Enter Travis O'Hare, her fake husband, who's intent on becoming the real deal. Book 3: Bad Taste in Men Rachel Miller knows opening a café will make her struggling bookstore the place to hang out. But when the bank turns her down and her best friend Shane O’Hare steps in, the café suddenly has too much riding on it—her career, her best friend, and her heart.
Hellions Ride Box Set 1-4
Chelsea Camaron - 2020
One Ride Roundman, president of the Hellions Motorcycle Club, has kept the chaos surrounding the Hellions contained for the last thirty years. When the dangerous side to their business threatens his daughter Delilah "Doll" Reklinger, he makes the only decision he feels he can. He sends her away. Calling on the one charter club president he trusts, he sets up a ride to keep her safe. Talon "Tripp" Crews has proven his loyalty to his club many times before. What happens when the chemistry between he and Doll tests his restraint? She's off-limits. His head knows this but his body won't deny the attraction. She's feisty, fierce, and fearless. Constantly in close confines together, will they give in to the desire? Can one ride turn lust into love? *This is a full length novel with over 300 pages. It can be read as a stand alone book and concludes with a HEA no cliffhanger. Forever Ride (Book 2) The danger, the chaos, and the lifestyle of the Hellions world is too much for Savannah "Sass" Perchton. Swearing off bikers and attempting a "normal life" she has settled. She pushes away her old life, her old self, trying to fit into a mold of everything she never was. He's a playboy - a different chick in his bed, off on a different ride, and always chasing something new. Frank "Tank" Oleander, Haywood's Hellions road chief will give anything for his club, including his life. When the fast pace of club life finally catches up to him, Tank finds himself at a crossroads. He is forced to face some life-changing thoughts or succumb to the darkness of death. Teetering on the brink of giving in, her voice is all he is holding onto. She has left behind everything she's ever known chasing stability. His life literally hands in the balance. Can she see beyond the chaos to the man behind the cut? Will they find their forever ride? *This is a full length novel with over 300 pages. It can be read as a stand alone book and concludes with a HEA no cliffhanger. Merciless Ride (Book 3) The hits just keep on coming for Tessie Marie Harlow. Her mom is disabled, her dad is long gone, and she's a single mom raising a rambunctious little boy. Andy "Shooter" Jenkins has always been around. Too wrapped up in raising her son, Tessie has never noticed him before. He's never been loud or known to have girls hanging all over him. He's a mystery. A chance encounter brings him to her rescue not once but twice. When another club rides into town, their chaos lands right at Tessie's door. Forced into her day-to-day life, Shooter is doing everything he can to shelter and protect her as lines are crossed and a war between two clubs begins. *This is a full length novel with over 200 pages. It can be read as a stand alone book and concludes with a HEA no cliffhanger. Eternal Ride (Book 4) Two people once lost... Two people once broken... Two people who have endured the pain... One love brought them together. One love healed their hearts and made them whole again. One love carries them through the good times and the bad. Shooter and Tessie have faced the shadows and demons that haunted their souls. They have built a life together on a solid foundation of love, friendship, and understanding. The only thing they haven't done is make it official. Join them as they come together to commit to one another for their eternal ride.
Gathering Storm
Sara Claridge - 2015
Love is an illusion…Or so it seems to Madeleine.Stranded during a thunderstorm while chasing down her mother's ex-boyfriend and the money he stole only confirms her suspicion.But when reclusive tycoon Jean-Luc comes to her rescue, Madeleine can't deny the sparks of desire he inspires—until a growing undercurrent of secrecy makes her doubt the enigmatic Frenchman.Set in the beautiful French countryside, Gathering Storm is a suspenseful romance with a sinfully sexy hero, dark family secrets, and a heart-racing conclusion.
Deadly Offerings
Alexa Grace - 2011
It is the first adventure in this sizzling romantic suspense trilogy.Anne Mason thinks she’ll be safe living in the Midwest building a wind farm. She may be dead wrong. Someone is dumping bodies in her corn field and telling Anne they are gifts—for her!As the body count rises, Anne realizes a cold-blooded serial killer is patiently waiting and watching her every move. And he won’t stop until he ends her life. It is clear there are no limits to this killer’s thirst for revenge or how far he will go to get it.After a nasty divorce, Anne Mason does not want to get romantically involved, especially with ex-husband’s attorney, Michael Brandt.The ruggedly handsome new County Prosecutor is the last person Anne can trust, but may offer her only chance at survival from a psychopathic killer. But will she survive the passion that rages between them?
Lure of Obsession
Lisa Kessler - 2016
They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”** * **Melanie Jacoby teaches English at Crystal City High School. She’s also the reborn Muse of Tragic Poetry, but she isn’t prepared for the tragedy of finding her roommate dead at the bottom of the stairs.Nate Malone is the detective assigned to the case, but as the evidence points to an accidental fall, the visions begin. He sees a killer in a gold Kronos mask.
Mel is the next target.
The Order of the Titans are eager to bring about the return of the Golden Age of Man, and they’re prepared to kill the Muses to complete their mission. But Nate’s desire to protect Mel is almost as strong as his hunger for her -- And tragedy isn’t part of his plan.