Book picks similar to
Blue Hawaiian by Carla Luna


romance
contemporary
arc
romance-tbr

Without a Hitch


Mary Hollis Huddleston - 2021
    Whether planning for parachute landings or wrangling intoxicated groomsmen, she has her hands full at every million-dollar wedding she helps organize.After her boss announces he’s opening a new office, Lottie sees her chance to finally carve out her place—and earn an income that justifies her dating app subscription fees. The weddings get bigger, the clients get wilder, the mishaps get funnier, and the stakes get higher. And Lottie’s forced to discover what she’ll risk for love and how far she’ll go to find herself.Set against the glamorous, ruthless world of high-end Southern weddings and inspired by real events in the authors’ lives, Without a Hitch is a hilarious romp about taking ownership, facing fears, planning your ex-boyfriend’s wedding, and choosing a happy ending that wasn’t what you once expected.Praise for Without a Hitch:“Without a Hitch is a delightfully quirky novel that proves the age-old adage ‘We plan, God laughs.’ Filled with fascinating insights into the world of high-end wedding planning, you can’t help but cheer for Lottie Jones as she learns that you can’t script your life and that, sometimes, the best laid plans are the ones you never make.” —Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted and The Lies that Bind“Put a ring on Without a Hitch—a sweet, Southern confection of a book about what it takes to orchestrate everyone else’s happily ever after when your own heart has been broken. This sneak peek into the world of high-end wedding planning will keep you laughing as Lottie deconstructs the fairy tale and finds her authentic self.” —Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here and The Book of Two Ways“Without a Hitch is a must read. It is absolutely fabulous. As someone who works in the wedding industry, I found this book’s brevity, humor, and the glamorous over-the-top world of Southern Weddings a true joy to read. This is the book you will be gifting to all your friends!” —Mindy Weiss, bestselling author of The Wedding BookStand-alone novelBook length: 106,000 wordsIncludes discussion questions for book clubs

What Happens in France


Carol Wyer - 2019
    It was now or never” Bryony Masters has been looking for her long-lost sister, Hannah, for years, but when their father has a stroke her search takes on new urgency. So when primetime game show, What Happens in France, puts a call-out for new contestants, Bryony spots the ultimate public platform to find her reality TV-obsessed sister, and finally reunite their family.With the help of handsome teammate Lewis, it’s not long before she’s on a private jet heading for the stunning beauty of rural France. With a social media star dog, a high maintenance quiz host and a cast of truly unique characters, Bryony and Lewis have their work cut out for them to stay on the show and in the public eye.Yet as the audience grows and the grand prize beckons they find that the search that brought them together may just fulfil more than one heart’s wish… This heartwarming romantic comedy of friendship, family and laugh-out-loud adventures is perfect for fans of Kirsty Greenwood, Colleen Coleman and Marian Keyes. What readers are saying about What Happens in France: "Wow, wow and double wow....What a fantastic, fun and beautifully written book this was" Reader review"Left me with tears in my eyes and wanting more. A hilarious and touching tale." Sue Watson, author of Love, Lies and Lemon Cakes"Carol Wyer is back! Laughs aplenty and a heartwarming read.' Mandy Baggot, author of One New York Christmas'A refreshingly different romcom that's sweet, funny and moving in all the right amounts.'  Victoria Cooke, author of The Holiday Cruise"Fantastique and frivolously funny - but for goodness sake, read with a box of tissues!... A sensational story that will sweep you up in spontaneity, sympathy and endless smiles." Isabella May, author of Oh What a Pavlova and The Cocktail Bar."Funny, lighthearted, romantic and utterly fabulous. This book is a chicklit fan's dream" Reader review

By the Book


Julia Sonneborn - 2018
    An English professor in California, she’s determined to score a position on the coveted tenure track at her college. All she’s got to do is get a book deal, snag a promotion, and boom! She’s in. But then Adam Martinez—her first love and ex-fiancé—shows up as the college’s new president. Anne should be able to keep herself distracted. After all, she’s got a book to write, an aging father to take care of, and a new romance developing with the college’s insanely hot writer-in-residence. But no matter where she turns, there’s Adam, as smart and sexy as ever. As the school year advances and her long-buried feelings begin to resurface, Anne begins to wonder whether she just might get a second chance at love. Funny, smart, and full of heart, this modern ode to Jane Austen’s classic explores what happens when we run into the demons of our past...and when they turn out not to be so bad, after all.

Make Me an Offer


C. Morgan - 2019
    I don’t have time for anything but my bustling shop. Fate didn’t ask me though, and attraction turns into some much, much richer.This woman is mine from the moment she walks in. Deal or no deal, I’m playing for keeps.

Love Scenes


Bridget Morrissey - 2021
    But what happens when the lines between script and reality get blurred? Out-of-work actress Sloane Ford is in desperate need of something to do after losing her steady TV gig. When her famous family ropes her into working as a producer on their World War II-era romance, they neglect to mention that the film will be headlined by Joseph Donovan, her least favorite former co-star of all time. The roguish actor made her life a living hell the last time they worked together, using his movie star good looks and Irish charm to cover for his erratic professional behavior. On their new film set, he promises he's different now, but Sloane is far from convinced.As filming gets underway, it becomes clear that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. When the lead actress is abruptly fired, Sloane agrees to step in and take over the role, and she starts to remember why she fell in love with acting in the first place. On camera, she and Joseph share an electric chemistry. Off camera, they've been honing their characters and, much to Sloane's surprise, growing closer. But playing the role of a woman in love with Joseph Donovan is a dangerous business, and the more time they spend together, the less Sloane can tell what's real between them, and what's just for show.

Our Stop


Laura Jane Williams - 2019
    Well, except if she oversleeps or wakes up at her friend Emma’s after too much wine.Daniel really does get the 7.30 train every morning, which is easy because he hasn’t been able to sleep properly since his dad died.One morning, Nadia’s eye catches sight of a post in the daily paper: To the cute girl with the coffee stains on her dress. I’m the guy who’s always standing near the doors… Drink sometime? So begins a not-quite-romance of near-misses, true love, and the power of the written word.

The Reunion


Meghan Quinn - 2022
    With their fiftieth wedding anniversary on the horizon, they’ve modeled a beautiful relationship for their three grown children. But to their dismay, that lesson hasn’t quite caught on—the three siblings just can’t seem to take a chance and find love in their own lives.There’s Ford, the eldest, devoted to his work and resistant to romance…or so he claims. Cooper, the middle child, can’t get past his divorce—until he reconnects with a feisty baker from his past. And Palmer, the baby of the family, is the free-spirited world traveler who always pictured herself with someone other than a handsome small-town family doctor.When the Chance siblings come together to plan the ultimate anniversary party for their parents, they’ll have to navigate romantic entanglements, sibling rivalries, and the definitive end of their childhood. Whatever happens, The Reunion promises to be a fun, flirty, wild ride.

Two Metres From You


Heidi Stephens - 2021
    The fact she just caught her boyfriend cheating, or that he did it on her brand-new Heal's cushions.All she knows is she needs to put as many miles between her and Fraser as humanly possible. So, when her best friend suggests a restorative few days in the West Country, it seems like the perfect solution.That is, until the country enters a national lockdown that leaves her stranded. All she has for company is her dog, Mabel. And the mysterious (and handsome!) stranger living at the bottom of her garden....Packed full of laugh-out-loud moments, this hugely uplifting, feel-good and sparkling romantic comedy.Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Sophie Kinsella, Beth O'Leary and Laura Jane Williams.

Dating Disaster with a Billionaire


Elizabeth Lynx - 2020
    The reason I shouldn’t? I was a walking, talking, dating disaster.My name’s Marika. I ran a coffee shop in a small town. Things were fine until that fancy resort, The Blue Spot, that catered to the wealthy moved in down the road. They stole all my customers with their posh coffee shop open to the public.How could I compete with the rich and powerful? Perhaps if I entered their Win a Date with a Billionaire contest, I could win enough money to help my business. I wouldn’t tell them about my horrible dating history or especially about that one guy who ended up in the hospital. They didn’t need to know that, did they?As a VidTube star, most people had heard of me. I was Jokin’ James. Everyone except the woman I was falling for, Marika. I had been coming by her coffee shop for almost a year, but she had no idea who I was or that my brother owned the resort that was stealing her customers.We were friends, but I wanted more. I was all ready to ask her out when she entered the contest my brother was running. Not only that, but the resort wanted me to be a part of the contest. Now she would discover that my family owned The Blue Spot. And worst of all, that I wasn’t from that small town at all. That I was a celebrity billionaire.A sexy, funny, small-town billionaire romance involving mistaken identity, dating disasters, and a picnic so bad even the ants ran in fear.

The Runaway Bride


Mary Jayne Baker - 2018
    but how long can she hide?When Kitty Clayton flees her wedding with no money, no bank card and no phone, her life seems worryingly futureless. All she knows is, she'd rather sleep on the streets than go back home to cheating Ethan.After picking her up hitch-hiking, widowed children's author Jack Duffy takes Kitty under his wing, looking out for her until she gets back on her feet. And it's not long before the two grow close...But with Jack struggling to recover from the guilt he feels over his wife's death and Kitty refusing to face up to the problems she's running away from at home, will the two ever manage to share a happily ever after?A heart-warming novel about love and new beginnings, you won't be able to put it down!

I Wanted It to be You: Rebel Rendezvous #1


Piper James - 2022
    One is a guy I met online, who I’ll never work up the guts to meet in real life. And the other? That’s a long story…My life feels like it’s falling apart at the seams—I’m broke, my restaurant is on the verge of failure, and my brother’s best friend just moved back to town. Okay, so maybe Brooks Callahan’s return isn’t a life-ending event, but it sure feels like it. Eight years ago, he told me he wanted me. He was just a kid, and honestly, so was I. When I tried to let him down gently, he lashed out, his awful words scarring me in ways they never should have.Now Brooks is the only one who can help me, and I have to find a way to put our issues to bed. Metaphorically, not literally. That would be ridiculous, right? Of course, it would.Maybe I’ll ask the guy I’ve crushed on for months…my online friend whose posts always seem to reverberate in my soul. Whose messages make me laugh. Think. Feel.The one who has his own crush…on someone else.What am I going to do?

Love, Comment, Subscribe


Cathy Yardley - 2021
    Now, at twenty-eight, she feels like she’s finally on the cusp of succeeding as a beauty influencer—if she can hit five million subscribers, brands will take notice and she could get her own makeup line.Fellow Nerd Herd alum Tobin Bui has had a lot of success as a YouTube gamer. But the road to online stardom has been rocky. First, he disappointed his parents by dropping out of college, and now, after years of pranks, skits, and playthroughs, he’s struggling to come up with new content to satisfy his ever-growing fan base. His agents say he needs cross-audience appeal, a new twist.When Nerd Herd frenemy Lily approaches Tobin about teaming up to do a video to bolster her brand and reinvigorate his, he agrees. But when their first collab video goes viral, their relationship heats up too. With the whole internet watching, will these two former misfits finally realize they’re perfect together?

The A to Z of Us


Hannah Doyle - 2021
    She’s never had a serious relationship herself and after supporting her best friend through a devastating break-up, she’s not about to let down her barriers anytime soon. Relationships always end badly.Zach is a romantic. Even after his parents got divorced, he still believed in love and is eager to settle down and have a family of his own. He just hasn’t met The One yet.After a chance meet-cute at an art gallery, Zach is immediately intrigued by Alice and realising their names bookend the alphabet suggests that their next date needs to begin with a B. Alice agrees to one date while Zach is determined to make her believe in love. But can love ever be as easy as abc?A fun and feel-good romantic comedy with dating as you’ve never seen it before, for anyone who’s missed Happy Hour drink dates and meet-cutes in real life. Fans of Sophie Cousens, Mhairi McFarlane and Sophie Ranald won’t be able to put down this heart-warming page-turner.

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot


Susan Mallery - 2019
    But this summer, Sunshine and Margot will turn disasters into destiny…As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss.Master storyteller Susan Mallery weaves threads of family drama, humor, romance and a wish-you-were-there setting into one of the most satisfying books of the year!

Boomerville at Ballymegille


Caroline James - 2020
    There’s Irish craic and shenanigans aplenty for the colourful cast of characters as everyone gathers for the grand opening.Meet Melissa, an ex-cabaret singer running from her abusive husband, and Bill, a bachelor bullied from beyond the grave by the ghostly voice of his mother. Along with local bobby Harry the Helmet, ageing aquatic team the Boomerville Babes, eccentric artist Lucinda Gray, and heartthrob Finbar Murphy, they gather in Ireland and the fun begins. But murder is in the air and there’s mischief afoot. Will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?Set in the beautiful Irish countryside, ‘Boomerville at Ballymegille’ is a heart-warming story of friendship, fears and new beginnings.