Book picks similar to
Traces by Betty Bolté
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The Mapmaker's War
Ronlyn Domingue - 2013
In an ancient time, in a faraway land, a young woman named Aoife is allowed a rare apprenticeship to become her kingdom's mapmaker, tasked with charting the entire domain. Traveling beyond its borders, she finds a secretive people who live in peace, among great wealth. They claim to protect a mythic treasure, one connected to the creation of the world. When Aoife reports their existence to her kingdom, the community is targeted as a threat. Attempting to warn them of imminent danger, Aoife is exiled for treason and finds refuge among the very people who had been declared her enemy. With them, she begins a new life surrounded by kindness, equality, and cooperation. But within herself, Aoife has no peace. She cannot share the grief she feels for the home and children she left behind. She cannot bear the warrior scars of the man she comes to love. And when she gives birth to their gifted daughter, Aoife cannot avoid what the child forces her to confront about her past and its truth. On this most important of journeys, there is no map to guide her. In this tale, her autobiography; Aoife reveals her pain and joy, and ultimately her transformation. The Mapmaker's War is a mesmerizing, utterly original adventure about love and loss and the redemptive power of the human spirit. Watch for its epic sequel, The Chronicle of Secret Riven, in 2014.
Heartbreaker
Claudia Dey - 2018
She may follow the stifling rules of this odd place, but no one will forget that she came from elsewhere. When Billie Jean vanishes one cold October night in her bare feet and track suit with only her truck keys, those closest to her begin a frantic search. Her daughter, Pony, a girl struggling against being a teen in the middle of nowhere; her killer dog to whom she cannot tell a lie; her husband, The Heavy, a man haunted by his past; and the charismatic Supernatural, a teenage boy longing only to be average. Each holding a different piece of the puzzle, they must come together to understand the darkest secrets of their beloved, and lay bare the mysteries of the human heart.With her luminous prose, wry humour and dead-on cultural observations, Claudia Dey has created a storytelling tour de force about what it means to love, no matter the consequences.
The Fox & the Angel
Danelle Harmon - 2014
Lucien's best friend, Sir Roger Foxcote, has long since lost the spirit of Christmas following a tragic loss. Lucien's cousin, Angela Seaford Holmes, is widowed and destitute. Is Lucien's gift of a portrait that Fox adores a mere Christmas gift to Angela, or is the manipulative, matchmaking duke back to his old tricks? Once again, Lucien sets in motion events that are all but guaranteed to bring together this unlikely pair.
When Sparks Fly
Helena Hunting - 2021
After years of working hard and making personal sacrifices, Avery and her two younger sisters have turned the Spark House into the premier destination in Colorado Springs. Avery is living her best life—she works with her sisters and loves every minute of it, she has a great group of friends, and she lives in a fantastic condo with her best friend Declan. She might not have any love in her life, but she's happy.But everything comes to a screeching halt when Avery is in a car accident, leaving her immobile for weeks. After nearly losing Avery, Declan insists that he will be the one to take care of her while she recovers. However, as Declan becomes Avery’s caretaker, lines begin to blur.Avery and Declan have been best friends since college and always had an attraction to one another, but when she ended up dating his best friend, Sam, they successfully stamped down any feelings they may have ever had for one another. Now, as Declan and Avery spend more time together, they each begin to wonder what would’ve happened if she'd dated him instead of Sam. What starts as a friend helping out another friend turns into foreplay and, before they realize it, they recognize how deeply they care for one another. But when things get serious their past threatens to destroy everything they have built.
Twin Torment
Sundari Venkatraman - 2013
The only child of a rich businessman, Sanya hates her aimless life and grabs the chance to revisit Mumbai, where she had spent the first twelve years of her life. The main attraction is her childhood sweetheart Arth Sharma. She hopes to rekindle the love she used to feel for him as a kid. Sanya’s thrilled with the opportunity to holiday with the Sharmas. But it’s Arth’s tormenting twin Ansh who insists on spending time with her while the man of her dreams is never around. And the worst part is that her body plays traitor, lusting after the devilishly handsome Ansh. Will Sanya find relief from her bored life? And the love she came in search of? Read the book to find how destiny plays a strong role as Sanya deals with the Twin Torment in her life.
Taken by the Alien Prince
Deiri Di - 2020
Her life is set on rinse and repeat with her head kept down and her life on a track that seems several shades of boring. Until she wakes up in a prison camp on an alien planet… run by humans.Forced into a tiny cell with an alien male, Silva has to confront her fears and realize that her reality has changed for good. The male trapped with her is a lot more than she can handle and a lot more than he seems.Why is she here? What are his intentions? Can she rely on the male beside her or is she falling into the breeding machinations of an alien race?Can she change the future of humanity?Disclaimer: This book has a lot of adult language, steamy knotty romance, and a healthy dose of consent, communication, and respect. If you are offended by manacles, alien physiology, or women screaming yes repeatedly, well maybe you should read this little story and get over that.It can be read as a standalone but frankly, this is just the tip.
Shifter Fever Complete Series
Selena Scott - 2018
Join them on their action-packed adventure. If you love bear shifters, and strong sassy mates, set in a world of passion, love, and sizzling romance, you won't want to put this series down!
Book 1 - Ansel's GameBook 2 - Alec's GameBook 3 - Matt's GameBook 4 - Kain's GameBook 5 - Griff's Game
Ansel's Game - Book 1
Ruby only wanted to find her brother. Finding a true mate definitely wasn't part of the plan! Little did Ansel know that by claiming his true mate he would be opening the gates to a whole new world.
Alec's Game - Book 2
They were in a foreign world, where much was the same as earth, But this was very different. Completely disarmed by Alec's honesty, could Milla allow here desires to manifest, and what would this mean for the mission to save Griff?
Matt's Game - Book 3
What begins as some neighbourly pleasantries, Matt and Inka's attraction towards each other soon develops. But such attraction doesn't deepen without its own perils. Has Matt uncovered something that could potentially stop him protecting his own true mate?
Kain's Game - Book 4
When Valentina falls victim to one of the shifter hunters, will Kain seize his opportunity and be able to save her? From two different worlds, could there really be a future together or is Kain just deluded in his quest?
Griff's Game - Book 5
Torn between her feelings for Griff, was Alanya's gift really a curse to drive them apart? Together they were a force, but apart, the final mission to free the captives could fail. What would this mean for all those shifters on Herta they needed to protect and set free?
This steamy 5 book paranormal romance series contains strong sexual themes/language and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Claimed By Her Enemy
Flora Ferrari - 2020
My dad's so-called best friend thinks he's taking over my company with his billions? No way. But when he walks into our first board meeting I can't help but notice how hot he is...I want him. But can I trust him? When he asks me to go away with him on his private jet, I know I have to find out once and for all.AlistairI didn't make my billions by not being ruthless, but something about this woman makes me want to leave the rat-race behind. She's completely inappropriate for me my best friend's daughter in fact yet I have never craved a woman so much. If ever. I always go for what I want, and I want her. More than that, I want to protect her...because something is telling me that she could be in danger, and not just from me...*Claimed By Her Enemy is an insta-everything standalone instalove romance with a HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.
All Hat No Cattle
Randi Alexander - 2014
While she’s deep in cowboy territory, she’s hoping to meet a real cowboy; one who shares her dreams for the future. Shaw Donahue, tall and sexy in his cowboy hat, jeans, and boots, could be that man, and Harper quickly falls for his seductive charm. Until he tells her he’s a roughneck.Shaw can’t believe his luck. Harper is an accomplished, intelligent businesswoman, and she’s beautiful, sexy, and willing. Until she learns he’s working the local oil field. Before he can explain the reason he’s roughnecking, she pushes him away, telling him they can only be friends. He doesn’t fit into her plans. With four days of rodeo ahead of them, can Shaw convince Harper to value a man for more than his cattle?
The Mercury Travel Club
Helen Bridgett - 2017
My husband ran off with the caterer we hired for our daughter’s graduation party – pleased to meet you.’Meet Angie Shepherd who, after 24 years and 11 months of marriage, finds herself divorced and driven by friends and family to move on. From hangover to makeover, Angie steps firmly away from the sensible knitwear, and launches into every adventure on offer – from baking classes and book groups, to speed dating, and even ‘The Granny-Okes’, a 1980s tribute act and YouTube sensation.But Angie needs more than a bar of galaxy and a night in with Murder She Wrote... what she dreams of is entrepreneurial success. Channelling her inner Richard Branson, the light bulb moment happens: it’s time to take the plunge and invest her divorce settlement into The Mercury Travel Club, an exciting new business venture. But as the Travel Club gets going, things never go according to plan, and in this digital age a little chaos brings the fame she’s been looking for.Set in present-day Manchester, this classic mid-life journey features the 1980s soundtrack from Angie’s youth, and sees her travel the world whilst coping with life after the Ex. Angie’s journey is the catalyst her friends need to examine their own lives; as they start to find their true callings, will Angie find hers? Witty, entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, this feel-good debut novel shows it’s never too late for a second
Summerwater
Sarah Moss - 2020
The endless rain leaves them with little to do but watch the other residents.A woman goes running up the Ben as if fleeing; a retired couple reminisce about neighbours long since moved on; a teenage boy braves the dark waters of the loch in his red kayak. Each person is wrapped in their own cares but increasingly alert to the makeshift community around them. One particular family, a mother and daughter without the right clothes or the right manners, starts to draw the attention of the others. Tensions rise and all watch on, unaware of the tragedy that lies ahead as night finally falls.
Me-Time Tales: tea breaks for mature women and curious men
Rosalind Minett - 2013
This is a second and expanded edition with additional stories. Women of all ages feature together with their obsessions. There’s tattooed Jess in her prime at 16, dismal Daryl, neurotic Mrs W., multi-mother Pru, Marian fighting middle-age, a loving mattress and a prosthesis, not to mention the lady who cannot admit to her name or her age.
One of the Boys
Daniel Magariel - 2017
They leave their Kansas home and drive through the night to Albuquerque, eager to begin again, united by the thrilling possibility of carving out a new life together. The boys go to school, join basketball teams, make friends. Meanwhile their father works from home, smoking cheap cigars to hide another smell. But soon the little missteps—the dead-eyed absentmindedness, the late night noises, the comings and goings of increasingly odd characters—become worrisome, and the boys find themselves watching their father change, grow erratic, then dangerous.Set in the sublimely stark landscape of suburban New Mexico and a cramped apartment shut tight to the world, One of the Boys conveys with propulsive prose and extraordinary compassion a young boy’s struggle to hold onto the pieces of his shattered family. Tender, moving and beautiful, Daniel Magariel’s masterful debut is a story of resilience and survival: two foxhole-weary brothers banding together to protect each other from the father they once trusted, but no longer recognize. With the emotional core of A Little Life and the speed of We the Animals, One of the Boys is among the most remarkable debut novels you’ll ever read.
On the Corner of Love and Hate
Nina Bocci - 2019
Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his lothario reputation.Cooper Endicott wanted to run for Mayor, but he never wanted the drama that went with it. Now that he’s on the political hamster wheel, the other candidates are digging up everything from his past. Even though he’s doing all the right things, his colorful love life is the sticking point for many of the conservative voters. He wants to win, badly, and he knows that if he wants any chance of getting a vote from the female population, he needs to change his image. The only problem? He might just be falling in love with the one person he promised not to pursue: the Mayor’s off-limits daughter.A perfect blend of humor and heart, On the Corner of Love and Hate is the first in a new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Nina Bocci.
Devoted
Jennifer Mathieu - 2015
Rachel has always found solace in her beliefs, but now she can’t shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul.