Book picks similar to
Lady of the Church by Khara Campbell


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contemporary-fiction

Cherie Amour


D. Rose - 2019
    After watching her father look for love in the streets, while her mother looked for love at the bottom of the bottle, she vowed never to fall victim of love's cruel ways. That is until she befriends, Jamaal. Jamaal Davis gave his heart to one woman, and she left him without looking back. After years apart, she comes back with hopes of rekindling an old flame; the only problem is that his heart belongs to someone else, his best friend, Jasmine. Their mutual disdain for love and relationships was the foundation of their friendship. When Jamaal's notices his platonic feelings for Jasmine growing into more he has a hard time ignoring them. Jasmine, on the other hand, has a hard time accepting the sudden shift in their friendship. What will it take for Jasmine to see that Jamaal was made to love her?

I Just Wanna Be Loved


Anna Black - 2013
    His mother, Charlotte, is surprised to see Ricky is all grown up and as fine as can be. She is instantly attracted to him, and quickly learns that he is attracted to her too. Because of their age difference and the fact that Ricky is her son's best friend, they keep their relationship a secret. Until they get caught. When the secret is out, things take a turn for the worse, and Charlotte is forced to make a tough decision. Will she give up her man to keep her son or lose her son to keep her man?

Weeping Willows Dance


Gloria Mallette - 2001
     Mozelle did not want to get married and, for certain, she did not want twelve children. She didn't even want one child. Mozelle dreamed of getting a good job, of buying herself a car, and of traveling across country a carefree woman---nobody and nothing hanging onto her skirt tail. That is until tall, dark, handsome Randell Tate, twenty-two years Mozelle's senior, showed up in church that fateful Sunday morning, winked at her and threw Mozelle's world off balance. She fell under Randell's spell and her once imagined dreams for her future were no more. Three months later they wed and Randell carried Mozelle across the threshold into The Great Depression. As one child became four Mozelle saw that Randell was not the man she thought she married. Against all odds, Mozelle set her sights on buying a piece of land and building a house to put a roof over their heads. To realize that dream, Mozelle was going to have to squirrel away her pennies and in the end, build her house with her own two hands---husband or not. l Abiding by her parents' teachings, Mozelle stays loyal and faithful in her marriage to Randell, although Randell holds no vow sacred. The hard bed that Mozelle's father had warned that she had made for herself by marrying Randell, became less and less comfortable to sleep in, but Mozelle found comfort in turning to the Lord to see her through the storm. Mozelle is every woman who squares her shoulders and vows to rise above a bad marriage and the excruciating poverty that binds her. Blessed with true grit and a strong backbone, Mozelle stands her ground and sways with the breeze of disappointment and the winds of deprivation. Mozelle's determination and her unshakeable faith in God, like the supple branches of the weeping willow tree are strong and unbreakable, thereby proving that Weeping Willows Dance.

Betting on Love


Cheris Hodges - 2009
    But several nights of hookups in Vegas with easygoing businessman James Goings leads Jade to realize he's becoming the one bet she can't resist. Original.

Overgrown


Betsy Price - 2020
    every morning, feverishly hot, her heart racing and mind whirring with every worst-case scenario imaginable. She's snappy, exhausted and has developed an alarming inability to remember simple nouns.When a friend has the audacity to suggest that forty-five-year-old landscape gardener Eliza Hamilton is hurtling toward menopause, she is naturally appalled. Menopause is something that happens to other women, older women.As Eliza tries to negotiate this new and confusing landscape, she also embarks on the biggest challenge of her career so far. But she soon discovers that juggling erratic mood swings with motherhood, demanding family members and domestic drudgery is far from the harmonious scenario she'd envisaged.If Eliza wants to embrace midlife without the crisis, she must first make some grown up choices and face some uncomfortable truths.Hilarious, gritty and brutally honest, Overgrown will have you laughing, crying and rooting for its quirky yet relatable characters. A much-needed novel every woman approaching midlife should read.

Propensity For Love (A Brooks' Family Values Series Book 3)


Iris Bolling - 2015
    Brooks, is in unfamiliar territory. He is charged with the murder of his wife. Did he have a motive to kill her...yes. Did he have an opportunity to kill her…yes. Was he the one standing over her body with the murder weapon in his hand…yes. Did he kill her…no. He is being framed. Not only does he have to turn to the brother he betrayed years ago robotics his innocence. He also had to deal with a politically driven prosecutor, who digs up every bit of dirt to prove that Vernon has a propensity for violence. Enter the sexy ex secret service agent Rene Naverone. They meet when she is issued the task of protecting his at times mischievous pop star daughter. She knows he is attached. She also knows she is tired of the same old song. But there is something about Vernon that makes her sing a different tune. In order to protect her heart and sanity, she issued a decree. Vernon will not be able to enter her fortress, prior to divorce papers being signed. She knows the true man behind the high-powered job and tailor made suits. However, does she know him well enough to prove his innocence? Drama, suspense, love, revenge, and politics, all unfold to produce the next installment of the Brooks Family.

XYZ


Kimille - 2019
    Mastering life’s principal and hellacious course of Hard Knock Life 101 was nothing to eXavier and eZekiel Yarbrough at an early age. Their wisdom and fearless innocence allocated them guardian angels over baby cousin, iYanna. Drug addictions, immorality, abuse, and evil are all cycles that these three have a vivid familiarity with, yet out of the wicked mentalities that assaulted them grew love, loyalty, hope, tenacity and nobility. Despite the licks they gave, as well as took, they found a safe haven in an old head called Diego. A man that knew the streets and the streets respected him. This family has an abundance of dysfunction, but their devotion to each other is unrestricted and immovable! Friends for life. Life has not been particularly kind to Najia Kennedy. She's had to sacrifice more than she's wanted and taken more L's than wins. But somehow, she's managed to stay on her feet with her head held high, all the while searching for where broken hearts go. Love remains elusive as her son's father pops in and out of their lives with empty promises and leftover lies. Najia's friendship with iYanna has withstood the test of time and her shenanigans, as she factors into the equation that is XYZ. Love forever. The streets don't owe him anything. He's taken everything he's wanted by omission or commission. Kreed is a new breed of boss, college educated and street smart. He's the boogeyman in a suit, encompassed in a mystical aura of strength and power that leaves many starstruck. He's so immune to the world around him that he's stunned at the foreign emotions caused by the feather-like thundering of a miniature storm called iYanna. He envisions her as his future, but her family views him as a catastrophic danger to all that they've invested in her. Love and hurt, joy and pain, good times and bad, take all as prisoners. When you have everything you want, is there room for more? When you have nothing, will you accept anything? XYZ is a spicy urban romance with charismatic characters, life altering situations and breathtaking moments that will fascinate you from beginning to end.

My Soul Cries Out


Sherri L. Lewis - 2007
    with another man. After confronting Kevin, her husband of two years, Monica discovers he's had a lifelong struggle with homosexuality that began at the age of ten after he was molested by a deacon in the church.For years, Kevin has sought deliverance, crying out to God to make him straight. He explains his deceit by saying that he thought he had truly been delivered when he married Monica, but was afraid to share his past with her for fear she wouldn't marry him. Kevin begs Monica's forgiveness and wants to save their marriage. He is convinced that God has indeed delivered him from the spirit of homosexuality and that the one-time mistake was just his past coming back to haunt him.Their pastor offers them marital counseling, but Monica suspects he's really concerned about maintaining his mega-ministry. The church has grown to 10,000 members since Kevin became the minister of music. When the pastor swears them to secrecy and urges Monica to stay in the marriage, she thinks Bishop Walker isn't willing to risk the potential scandal and church split that would be caused if the truth were leaked to the congregation.My Soul Cries Out is a compassionate look at the issue of Christians struggling with homosexuality and the redemptive power of God to bring deliverance.

Unforgettable


Bette Ford - 2003
    . . she says. A smart, successful woman of substance, she is willing to be a friend to Gavin Mathis, who plays pro football for the Detroit Lions and is the finest specimen of the African-American male she's ever laid eyes on. Gavin's been tight with her brother Wesley for so long he's almost family.So Anna's happy when she can help Gavin out of a personal jam -- and the fact that he's setting fires inside her has nothing to do with it.Gavin feels the heat too, but he can't trust himself to love Anna. Her folks, who've always been good to him, would be enraged. Besides, if he marries, he's afraid he'll become an irresponsible deadbeat like his dad, who just dumped Gavin's little brother on the ballplayer's doorstep. But sparks are definitely flying and this sexy lady's got his heart pumping like mad -- and it's telling him to go for it . . . and to hell with the consequences.

Salvation: The Prelude (Saved By A Savage Book 1)


NAKO Roberson - 2017
    He said....She saved me from being alone and dying to soon. Moses Parks is a man with the million dollar plan but soon realizes that money can not buy happiness. Searching for something else to live for while dealing with his failing health, Teka comes into his life as a breath of fresh air. But then she goes away. Without warning. Moses refuses to forget about her and makes it his mission to find her and continue what they started. But she's broken. She's unable to love. Somehow, the two lost souls become one and it's the greatest love story ever written. But... is it really? Is love all its cracked up to be? Nako introduces readers to a new set of characters that are individually dealing with trials and tribulations while trying to love each other but unaware of how to do so properly. In this new series join her on an emotional roller coaster as two people from different sides of the track find their way to each other although every thing seems to get in their path. Salvation is an exciting and emotional read and one you won't be able to put down or forget. Disclaimer: This is the prelude to a three book series. The book ends on a cliffhanger.

The Wooden Nickel


William Carpenter - 2002
    He can identify every car in town from the sound of its engine, but his world is changing faster then he can fathom. His wife has become an artist, selling sea-glass sculptures to tourists. His daughter is bound for college, while his son has turned angry and lawless. Lucky's own heart is failing him, too. An operation has kept it ticking, but he can't run the boat alone any more. As the spring lobster season opens, the only deckhand Lucky can find to help load his traps is Ronette, the not-quite-divorced wife of the local lobster wholesaler. When the two make it out to the fishing grounds, someone else's buoys are bobbing in his ancestral waters. Before he knows it, Lucky is in a lobster war and has abandoned all the rules: family, health, finance, even the rules of the sea that have guided him throughout his life. As waves of trouble turn into a flood tide, Lucky's pride propels him into an epic confrontation with his enemies and a rogue whale -- a battle his unreliable heart may not survive. The Wooden Nickel is a classic story of a man raging against a changing world, full of pathos and comedy. It is a remarkable novel by a writer with a powerful, distinct, and original voice.

Room at the Top (Pacific Avenue #1)


Kristin Billerbeck - 2020
    She’s always told herself her father can keep his wealth and his acknowledgement of her and her twin sister. She’s surrounded by her noisy but lovable Italian family, and that’s all she needs.When she and Gia receive the news their fraternal grandfather has left them something in his will, they meet their three half-sisters for the first time—and receive the astounding news of a massive inheritance. But Sophia can’t celebrate yet, not when she and her sisters hear the conditions attached to the money. The “real” daughters loathe Sophia and Gia on sight—and the feeling is mutual. But they have to work together if any of them hope to inherit the obscene amount of money left to them. They must live together and restore the large mansion in Pacific Heights for an entire year. Otherwise the entire estate will go to charity.Gia tries to convince Sophia they have to walk away, but Sophia isn’t so sure. For once, their mother might get a chance to rest instead of working every minute. She could help a lot of families in her job as a social worker too. It’s tempting. And once she catches sight of Joel Edgerton, she can’t resist the temptation to get involved in her unwanted family.The path to happily-ever-after is fraught with missteps and the treacherous waters of sisterly undercurrents. Can Sophia persevere when everyone seems to be against her, even her own twin?

Coming Home (Family Bonds Book 3)


Carolyne Aarsen - 2020
    She thought he loved money more than her. Years later, can they fill the vacancy in their hearts? Garret Beck is determined to flip his image. Still burned by the ex who didn’t believe in his dreams, he’s returned to his hometown with cash to spend and minds to change. Though renovating her faltering family inn may bring him sailing uncomfortably close to his past.Larissa Weir cherishes the memories forged in her family’s property. So when she learns an investor wants to return it to its glory days, she knows it’s exactly what her late mother would have wanted. Until she discovers he’s her old boyfriend who picked cash above commitment and never looked back…Resigned to having to work together on the renovation, the reluctant partners rediscover what connected them so many years ago. But old lies and long-held grudges threaten to tear them apart…Can Garret and Larissa find room in their lives to restore true love?Coming Home is the third standalone book in the inspiring Family Bonds Christian romance series. If you like fated couples, surprising twists, and spiritual connections, then you’ll adore Carolyne Aarsen’s sweet tale. Family Bonds  - the second series in the Rockview Romance collection1. Seeking Home 2. Choosing Home3. Coming Home4. Finding HomeFamily Ties - the first series in the Rockyview Romance Collection1. A Cowboy's Reunion2. The Cowboy's Family3. Taming the Cowboy4. The Cowboy Returns

Bless Your Heart


AshleyNicole - 2020
    It was time for change and adventure. Buying a house in the tiny town of Preto seemed the thing to do. Change and adventure weren’t supposed to include a man, though.Enter Dr. Keegan Francois... He’s Preto’s most eligible bachelor. Born and raised in the town, there are certain expectations on his shoulders that an outsider won’t fit in to. Will he conform to the expectations, or learn to live for his own desires?

Shades of Gray


Pamela Carrington Reid - 2008
    ”Samara shook her head. “I never will. I’ll always imagine you just like this . . . Or watching me through the lens of a camera . . . Or turning up on a beach somewhere . . . Or teaching me how to hold the camera. ”The tears flowed as she walked, and a sudden wind whipped them off her face. “Or sitting behind me in church when I least expect it . . . Or telling me things I need to hear when I don’t want to hear them . . . Or watching over me.” Fighting her way through the chaos of her family’s dysfunction, Samara Danes has immersed herself in a promising photography career. She sees no need to love or be loved. Then Adam Russell arrives in Samara’s hometown on Australia’s Gold Coast. Years ago, it was Adam who introduced her to the art of photography and opened her eyes to the wonder of the world. She in turn opened his heart to the truths of the gospel. Now can the older man’s kindness, wisdom, and strength help save a family that teeters on the brink of dissolution? Are Samara’s strong feelings for Adam more than just friendship and gratitude? With tender insight, gifted LDS author Pamela Carrington Reid explores the dynamics that stretch fragile relationships nearly to the breaking point. Shades of Gray is a richly crafted novel, genuinely moving and compelling—a tribute to the healing power of the gospel, where the lines of love are never blurred.