Book picks similar to
The Monstrance by Bryan D. Dietrich


poetry
horror
21st-century-american-lit
neopagan

A Lady Defying All for Love


Bridget Barton - 2020
    Her life has always been simple and peaceful until, one day, a new family moves to town and her world is about to get upside down. After she realizes she has started falling for the new family's eldest son, things will inevitably get more complicated than ever. When she finds out that the newcomers are hiding something, will she find the courage to get to the bottom of the mystery, and the compassion to handle what she finds lying there?Benedict Flynn is the eldest son of a highly respected family. When his father, a particularly outspoken member of the House of Lords, gets accused of having widely misused his wealth, Benedict's family doesn't really have a choice...Disappearing from London's social scene seems to be the only way to protect themselves from the malicious rumours. However, when a past acquaintance finds out about them, Benedict needs to take immediate action to preserve his family's reputation. Will he be brave enough to share his secret with the charming lady he meets in town, and ask for her help? And will he dare to admit his feelings for her?Eliza and Benedict soon find themselves in the middle of a web of scandal and confusion; a situation they could have never imagined. Will the chemistry between them be strong enough to help them fight anything that comes into their way? Will Eliza find the strength to defy everything in the name of love?

The Blackmailed Beauty


Ilene Withers - 2013
    There, an unwanted encounter with the local viscount turns into an assault. Claire fights back and escapes with her virtue intact only to be blackmailed by his sister, Lady Regina, who witnessed the attack. Claire now faces ruin if she does not meet the terms of the blackmail – convince the Earl of Roydon to marry her, even though a long-standing arrangement has matched him with Lady Regina. Noel Mallory, the Duke of Lamborton, meets Claire and is immediately enamored by her. He becomes frustrated, however, when she alternately seems to welcome his attentions and spurn them. Worse, she seems to be seeking the attentions of his best friend, the Earl of Roydon. Noel sets out to win Claire’s love and discover the reason behind her confusing behavior.

A Last Goodbye


Dee Yates - 2018
    In time they're joined by rugged farmhand Tom, come to lend some muscle to Ellen's ageing father, who has begun to find sheep farming hard to manage alone. Almost inevitably romance grows between Ellen and the new arrival but once married however, Ellen discovers that Tom has a brutish side to his character. As war in Europe spreads, she begins to dream of him leaving for the trenches as a way for her to escape.Even with Tom fighting abroad however, the family can not hide from the realities of war as a group of POWs are brought to their valley to build a reservoir. And amongst the men, sworn enemies and shunned by all the locals, Ellen finds a gentler heart that she finds difficult to resist...

Business or Pleasure


Stephanie St. James - 2010
    A mission that’s cut short when he refuses to see her. Discouraged, Callie drowns her sorrows in a one night encounter with a handsome hunk from the hotel bar. The next morning Callie almost faints from shock when she’s finally let in to see the owner - none other than Mr. Last Night! Somewhere between the boardroom and the bedroom a one night fling flirts with real love, and suddenly Callie stands to lose more than just her company. REVIEWS: "The characters are passionate, humorous, and true to life. (Business or Pleasure) is an enjoyable and entertaining read." - Romantic Times Book Reviews "St. James is a new author for me, but I plan to be watching for more of her work in the future." - The Road to Romance Book Reviews

Fevre Dream


George R.R. Martin - 1982
    But when he meets the hauntingly pale, steely-eyed Joshua York, he is certain. For York doesn’t care that the icy winter of 1857 has wiped out all but one of Marsh’s dilapidated fleet. Nor does he care that he won’t earn back his investment in a decade. York has his own reasons for wanting to traverse the powerful Mississippi. And they are to be none of Marsh’s concern—no matter how bizarre, arbitrary, or capricious his actions may prove. Marsh meant to turn down York’s offer. It was too full of secrets that spelled danger. But the promise of both gold and a grand new boat that could make history crushed his resolve—coupled with the terrible force of York’s mesmerizing gaze. Not until the maiden voyage of his new sidewheeler Fevre Dream would Marsh realize he had joined a mission both more sinister, and perhaps more noble, than his most fantastic nightmare...and mankind’s most impossible dream. Here is the spellbinding tale of a vampire’s quest to unite his race with humanity, of a garrulous riverman’s dream of immortality, and of the undying legends of the steamboat era and a majestic, ancient river.

The Playing Dirty Four Book Box Set


Lane Hart - 2017
    I’m all for women playing professional football. But what I’m not for is The Ballbuster waltzing onto my field, trying to take over my position as the Wildcats’ starting kicker. The woman dislocated my knee with her freaking Jeep, for chrissake, and yet all of my teammates love her! So what if Roxy’s…gorgeous and sweet and loves football more than anyone in the world? This is my team; and once I recover, she’s gonna have to get used to sitting her fine ass on the bench. It’s nothing personal. Football is a dirty sport where only the best survive. Now I just have to figure out how to survive a season without ending up with a busted heart; because despite how hard I try to avoid falling for Roxy, she keeps pulling me back into her bed. Forget her Jeep. With one look, the woman can bring me to my knees. And the worst part is, I keep going back for more. PERFECT SPIRAL I had the perfect life. Getting paid millions to play the sport I love and spending most of my nights with all the adoring female fans, what more could I possibly want? I sure as hell didn’t want the baby boy someone dropped on me before running, leaving behind a note saying he’s mine. If that’s true, then I don’t have a freakin’ clue who his mother could be. Until I get the paternity test results, though, the kid’s my responsibility. The sleepless nights with a crying baby have me crashing and burning on the football field, putting my superstar career in jeopardy. And suddenly, the only woman I want hates me with a fiery passion. I knew Callie wasn’t going to be easy to win over. Not when she blames me for her sister’s death. Oh, and if this baby turns out to be my son, Callie’s determined to take him away from me. Somehow I’ll have to find a way to prove to her that there’s more to me than my perfect spiral. DELAY OF GAME My mom is dying. The cancer is eating away at her body a little more each day, and the worst part is I know she’s so tired of fighting. She’s starting to surrender to the sickness. That’s why I stupidly blurted out at Thanksgiving that I had met a woman and was engaged. The truth is, there’s no woman in my life and never has been. I just wanted to give my mother something to live for, a few celebrations, an extravagant wedding, the possibility of grandchildren… Now I just need to find a nice girl to pretend to be my fiancée and walk down the aisle with me in a matter of weeks. Actually, that may be a piece of cake compared to trying to stay away from the one person who has managed to ignite something deep inside of me for the first time in my life. Something I can’t ignore or forget no matter how hard I try. ***This is a sweet and sexy standalone M/M romance.*** ELIGIBLE RECEIVERS When a newly single girl like me decides to play the field, what’s better than one big, sexy, rough-and-tumble professional football player? How about two of them? Cameron and Nixon have been best friends for years, and now I’ve found myself in the middle of them. Literally.

Dead Men Don't Eat Quiche: Martin and Owen Funny Romantic Mysteries (Martin and Owen Funny Mysteries Book 2)


Nina Cordoba - 2017
    It is highly recommended that you read "Gum" first.~WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU HUNGRIER.Rika's father, Chef Diego Martín, has finally been able to return to Los Angeles after 15 years, brought over to work in the VIP Center restaurant of the Temple of Microtology by its founders. But, a month later, his sous chef is found dead, and Diego is missing. Rika is panicked at the thought of losing her one living parent permanently. All she knows is that she has to find her father, and she needs Nick Owen by her side.Not one night passed in the last six months that Nick hasn't lain awake thinking of Rika, even though he's given up hope she'll contact him. It's for the best, anyway. He sent her away last summer because he wasn't right for her. But when she calls and asks him to fly to L.A., nothing can stop him from racing to her side.However, he may not be prepared for what he discovers in her hometown, like Rika's formidable grandmother who treats him like a molester, the fact that L.A. men find him really, really attractive, or the weird Hollywood cult members who are spying on him and Rika. Oh, and maybe worst of all--LeeAnne. Nick never wants to see tears in Paprika's beautiful eyes again. But is there really a chance of finding her father alive and solving the murder before the Microtologists get Rika, too?Read Dead Men Don't Eat Quiche now and find out! -Next book: Dead Men Don't Flip. To get book release notifications, have the opportunity to become a beta reader or read and reviewer, and other fun stuff, join Nina's reader group  at the NinaCordoba website.

The Whisperer: A heart-wrenching and romantic novel about second chances


Elsa Winckler - 2017
    When she calms a stray dog during an incident at school, she’s asked to help a nearby farm with a difficult horse.Cameron Rahl has had a very different relationship with animals since his mother died in a horse riding accident. But now he's inherited his family’s farm, he's determined to never let anyone affect him that way again.Until he meets Cilla. He tries to stay away from the gorgeous horse whisperer with the potential to tame him, but something keeps pulling him close. And as much as Cilla tells herself she can keep it casual, she knows they're too connected to be 'just a fling.'Will Cilla's heart win out? Or will it take history repeating itself for Cameron to realise just how much he needs her?

Lemuria


John Triptych - 2018
    So he takes them on what promises to be the ultimate vacation in a tropical paradise. The island, newly built off the southwest coast of India, is named for the mythical land of Lemuria. And it's a world-class private resort to indulge the modern-day rich and famous. But this seemingly luxurious wonderland hides a terrible secret, a nightmare so real and terrifying it will test the outer limits of Nick's courage and resolve if he is to save the ones he loves. In the tradition of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park and Peter Benchley's Jaws, John Triptych's newest novel combines scientific horror with heart-stopping thrills. Don't miss it! Project Proteus Series: Book 1: Lemuria Book 2: Typhon

Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush. An anthology of Poems and Conversations (From Outside).


Tim Key - 2021
    This new book takes place in Lockdown Three. This time Key can make Government-sanctioned expeditions out onto the streets of London (remember?). And it is there that the inaction takes place. Phone calls to his mother, promenades with his loyal friend, bubble-negotiations, sitting his fat arse down on benches, drinking mocha. Another three months of mind-freezing inertia. This time on the move. Conversations interspersed with poetry.

The Wedding at the Castle of Dreams


S.J. Crabb - 2020
    You do not have to read it to enjoy this story & if you enjoy this can go back and see how it all began.It’s how it ends that’s undecided!

Delia's Shadow


Jaime Lee Moyer - 2013
    But a dark secret colors her life, for Delia’s most loyal companions are ghosts, as she has been gifted (or some would say cursed) with an ability to peer across to the other side.Since the great quake rocked her city in 1906, Delia has been haunted by an avalanche of the dead clamoring for her help. Delia flees to the other side of the continent, hoping to gain some peace. After several years in New York, Delia believes she is free…until one determined specter appears and she realizes that she must return to the City by the Bay in order to put this tortured soul to rest.It will not be easy, as the ghost is only one of the many victims of a serial killer who was never caught. A killer who after thirty years is killing again. And who is now aware of Delia’s existence.

Anansi Island


Christian Cantrell - 2010
    But throughout the island's history, its isolation also made it the perfect place to hide things the world was never meant to see.As Laurel finds herself entangled in the island's newest and most bizarre chapter, she must not only solve its mysteries, but also survive long enough to pass them on.This short story (about 7,500 words) mixes science fiction and horror with endearing and enigmatic characters who can only solve the mysteries of Anansi Island by facing their worst fears.

The Infernal


Kim Wilkins - 1997
    Can these 20th-century murders be linked to events in Elizabethan England?

Archie: Love Showdown - Chapter 1


Dan Parent - 2012
    When Betty and Veronica catch wind of the mash note, each believes the other one sent it, and all-out war is declared to determine who will win Archie's heart once and for all!