Book picks similar to
If I Were Beautiful by Devon Hartford
dnf
contemporary
netgalley
fiction
Tough Love: A Forced Proximity Romance
Melanie A. Smith - 2021
Smith comes a standalone steamy contemporary romance about life choices, love, and finding yourself in between.
Sometimes you need a bit of tough love to get where you’re supposed to be …
Mia Anderson has been living a life that was chosen for her. But her impending thirtieth birthday is the wake-up call she needed to stop wasting time on all the wrong pursuits. Just as she’s figuring out what she wants to do about it, her beloved grandmother falls ill and Mia drops everything to be with her. What she didn’t expect to find in her grandmother’s tiny mountain town is the courage to quit working for her father, supplied by a little tough love from her Gran. Now faced with an uncertain future, the last thing on her mind is finding love. Nate Edwards is living a solitary life deep in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. He’s content, or at least he thinks he is — until the granddaughter of a good friend shows up and he starts having feelings he thought he’d never have again. But Mia’s future isn’t in Alpine Ridge, so acting on it would lead to nothing but heartbreak. Still, their connection is undeniable and circumstances continue to push them together, despite their resistance. Will Mia stick to her decision to carve her own path? And if she does, will it be with Nate? Or is he doomed to an isolated life?
The Sheikh's Marriage Bargain
Leslie North - 2020
Marriage was never in the picture. But when her grandfather is tricked into signing a binding marriage contract to a man she finds repugnant, she has one choice: Run away. Her flight ends with a fortuitous meeting with Zayid Hasan, Crown Prince of Raihan, who offers the perfect solution to Laila’s predicament: marry him and solve both their problems. Zayid’s younger brother must marry his pregnant fiancé, and ancient laws dictate the oldest brother is required to marry first. Desperate for a way to protect both her grandfather and herself, Laila agrees. After all, their marriage will last only until Zayid’s brother can marry—and her marriage to the brooding, handsome prince isn’t much of a sacrifice. It’s not like she’s going to be foolish enough to fall in love…Zayid doesn’t know what to think about his new half-American wife. He doesn’t really want to think about her at all, but for some reason, he can’t stop himself. Strangely enough, all the royal functions that used to bore him silly are now entertaining with Laila by his side—even though he knows she’d much rather be alone creating her art. Though the marriage of convenience was his idea, he can’t help but start to wish it was the real deal. No way can he ignore the simmering chemistry that’s driving them both a bit crazy. He’s much better at ignoring what’s in his heart—until he realizes it just might break if he can’t convince Laila to stay with him forever…
Laid Over
S.E. Hall - 2018
If he insists that she travel to him, when he’s the one who gave up, the one who cheated, then the least he can do is pay for her to fly in comfort.But Lily soon learns, the bigger seats and ample leg room aren’t the only things that are better beyond that classing curtain. The company’s more than worth every extra cent.****Trevor Kinkade always flies first-class… on his private jet. But the one time he finds himself aboard a commercial flight, he also finds Lily.Not that he had to look very hard; she’s sitting right beside him.****They’re nothing alike, from two very different worlds, except for one huge, perhaps serendipitous, similarity — they’re in the same place, where neither have ever been before, at the same time — because of two, perfectly aligned off-chances.Or, could it be the chance for both of them to find what they’ve always wanted?**** Originally featured, in part, in Pick Your Pleasure, this is Laid Over- Lily and Trevor’s story- in its entirety, with refurbished scenes, new scenes, and of course… its HEA.******** Not your usual S.E. Hall book… hot, fun, and an over-the-top “what if” to sweeten your dreams! Just enjoy!!!****
Racing the Sun
Karina Halle - 2015
After a frivolous six months of backpacking through New Zealand, Australia, and Southeast Asia, she finds herself broke on the Mediterranean without enough money for a plane ticket home to California. There are worse places to be stuck than the gorgeous coastline of southern Italy, but the only job she manages to secure involves teaching English to two of the brattiest children she’s ever met.It doesn’t help that the children are under the care of their brooding older brother, Italian ex-motorcycle racer Desiderio Larosa. Darkly handsome and oh-so-mysterious, Derio tests Amber’s patience and will at every turn—not to mention her hormones.But when her position as teacher turns into one as full-time nanny at the crumbling old villa, Amber finds herself growing closer to the enigmatic recluse and soon has to choose between the safety of her life back in the States and the uncertainty of Derio’s closely guarded heart.
The Aussie Next Door
Stefanie London - 2019
When you grow up getting bounced from foster home to foster home, you learn not to become attached to anything, anyone, or any place. But it only took her two days to fall in love with Australia. With her visa clock ticking, surely she can fall in love with an Australian—and get hitched—in two months. Especially if he’s as hot and funny as her next-door neighbor…Jace Walters has never wanted much—except a bathroom he didn’t have to share. The last cookie all to himself. And solitude. But when you grow up in a family of seven, you can kiss those things goodbye. He’s finally living alone and working on his syndicated comic strip in privacy. Sure, his American neighbor is distractingly sexy and annoyingly nosy, but she’ll be gone in a few months...Except now she’s determined to find her perfect match by checking out every eligible male in the town, and her choices are even more distracting. So why does it suddenly feel like he—and his obnoxious tight-knit family, and even these two wayward dogs—could be exactly what she needs?
Own It
M. Dauphin - 2017
Cancer sucks. Especially when it takes a young life. Like the life of my five year old son. You want to know what I have to say about that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing because I don’t have the drive anymore. There’s nothing left in me except emptiness. That much is obvious. I’ve lost my car, my career, and my apartment. At least I have my brother. Actually, I just have a place to stay because of my rich, single brother. I’m struggling to find purpose again. After what life’s shown me it can do to a person, I really don’t care if I’m breathing anymore. I am, but barely. Then Jett Voss showed up and it’s like he’s an oxygen mask I don’t need or want. She’s got no cares left in the world and I’m determined to resuscitate her heart. It was a one-night stand that connected us. She only had one want that night, and I took care of it. I’m not stopping there though. I may have not known her before her heartbreak, but I know there’s life inside of her still. I will find it. That means I need to stick around town for a while. I guess I don’t have many other options. I’ve just been forced to run a company I never wanted and I’m a little bitter about it. The circumstances of why this fell into my lap makes it the hardest. Death is a cruel reality. My bike shop, occasionally the open road, not answering to anyone... this is the life I was living and wanted. It’s insane what one look, one night, one person can change in you. *** Don't miss out on this heartwarming story of love, life, and learning to live with the hand you've been dealt. *18+
A Sacred Vow
Willa Thorne
We were certain that we had ended the bloodline. Now, the vow I swore plagues my mind. The guilt I harbour buries deep. The desire and lust burns.My pledge to my family is now a promise to protect the woman I love. Aurelia Galligan is a descendant of the Cormac bloodline. I should drain her. I have to destroy her. But she may just end me.**This is a forbidden romance between the hunter and the hunted. It features smoldering vampires and no cliffhangers. The content is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.**
Mismatch
Lisa Lace - 2017
Too bad it paired my childhood sweetheart with my worst enemy. She's the one who got away. The girl who should have been mine. When I was younger and seething with ambition, I let her slip through my fingers. Big mistake. Now I want her in my bed, writhing beneath me, my name burning her lips. When I win her back, I'll carry her to my bed, strip her down and finally savor a sweet seduction. She'll know I own her the moment I claim her tight, wet heat. Mismatch is a STAND-ALONE, full-length contemporary romance. There are no cliffhangers, and a happy ending is guaranteed!
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.
The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever (Sweet with Heat: Standalone Romance Novel)
Addison Cole - 2019
The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever is a standalone novel featuring a fiercely loyal hero and a smart, sassy heroine.In The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever…Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters’ drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again—ruggedly handsome Reed Cross.Reed was one of Michigan’s leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle’s business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he’s spent years trying to escape.Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed’s spell again—and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he’s never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas…**The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you're looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Embracing Her Heart, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.ALSO AVAILABLE for your binge-reading pleasure, more fun, flirty, and romantic love stories. The Seaside and Bayside series are set in the quaint small towns of Cape Cod, and the Bradens feature fiercely loyal heroes and sassy heroines set in small towns and the big city--making them all, perfect beach reads!SWEET WITH HEAT: SEASIDE SUMMERS SERIESRead, Write, Love at SeasideDreaming at SeasideHearts at SeasideSunsets at SeasideSecrets at SeasideNights at SeasideSeized by Love at SeasideEmbraced at SeasideLovers at SeasideWhispers at SeasideSWEET WITH HEAT: BAYSIDE SUMMERS SERIESSweet Love at BaysideSweet Passions at BaysideSweet Heat at BaysideSweet Escape at BaysideSWEET WITH HEAT: WESTON BRADENSA Love So SweetOur Sweet DestinyUnraveling the Truth About LoveThe Art of Loving LacyPromise of a New BeginningAnd Then There Was Us**"Addison Cole's stories are the perfect blend of sizzle and sweet. You won't be able to stop reading." - New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne"Addison Cole has created characters you'll fall in love with and a seaside world you'll never want to leave." USA Today bestselling author Chris Keniston"An absolute treat to read and cannot wait for more from Addison Cole." ~ New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett (aka Juliette Poe, on "Read, Write, Love at Seaside")***Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Just Billionaire
Savannah May - 2017
When you’re a billionaire playboy that’s part of the game. No different when I find a waif in my break room, making herself coffee with a brazen air that hits me like a storm. Her mouth is so feisty, I have no choice but to take it. I need to claim her. To own her. But then I discover Grace Hart is my temporary intern. Off limits in more ways than one - She’s also freshly minted from the joint – here on my charitable re-integration program. She struts her curvy little body into my office and lays down the boundaries Which only inflames me more I shouldn’t do it but I can’t resist. She’s the perfect mask for my tedious social engagements The little minx deals hard but I can deal harder A bad girl to get me though the summer But maybe we’re both in need of redemption Just Billionaire is a hot full length romance featuring an alpha male and a girl looking for her second chance - in life. It's the first in the standalone series of Bossy Billionaires. Sav xo
Heartbreak for Hire
Sonia Hartl - 2021
Once a rising star following in her mother’s footsteps, she’s now an administrative assistant at an insurance agency—or so they think.In reality, Brinkley works at Heartbreak for Hire, a secret service that specializes in revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies, and long-suffering coworkers with a little cash to spare and a man who needs to be taken down a notch. It might not be as prestigious as academia, but it helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening an art gallery and lets her exorcise a few demons, all while helping to empower women.But when her boss announces she’s hiring male heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley’s no longer so sure she’s doing the right thing—especially when her new coworker turns out to be a target she was paid to take down. Though Mark spends his days struggling up the academic ladder, he seems to be the opposite of a backstabbing adjunct: a nerd at heart in criminally sexy sweater vests who’s attentive both in and out of the bedroom. But as Brinkley finds it increasingly more difficult to focus on anything but Mark, she soon realizes that like herself, people aren’t always who they appear to be.
Married at Midnight
Gerri Russell - 2016
Determined to drum up leads, she heads to Las Vegas for a trade conference—and has one too many shots of tequila. The next morning, Ellie wakes up with a ring on her finger and next to the last person she expected to see again: Connor Grayson, the high-school boyfriend who broke her heart.Connor is in Vegas to secure funds for his self-driving car project. He’s as shocked as Ellie is by their accidental marriage. But when he finds out that his beloved grandmother Viola has suffered a heart attack, he begs Ellie to keep up the charade—just until Viola recovers.Neither of them could have guessed what Viola has planned. And Ellie starts to think that maybe she got luckier in Vegas than she could have ever imagined. With a little help from Viola and four elderly Elvis impersonators, can these former sweethearts find lasting love?
Fly Away with Me
Susan Fox - 2017
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For busy lawyer Eden Blaine, a trip to a Pacific Northwest island she's never even heard of is far from a vacation. Eden's ailing mother has tasked her with finding her long-lost aunt, who once had ties to a commune on the island. Still reeling from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, romance is the last thing Eden is looking for. But her gorgeous seaplane pilot has her wondering if a carefree rebound fling is exactly what she needs. . . Aaron Gabriel has no illusions about happily ever after. His troubled childhood made sure of that. But he does appreciate a pretty woman's company, and Eden is the exact combination of smart and sexy that turns him on. Still, as he helps her search for her missing aunt, the casual relationship he imagined quickly becomes something much more passionate--and much harder to give up. Can two people determined to ignore romance recognize that their heated connection is the kind of love destined to last? Praise for Susan Fox's Caribou Crossing series "The perfect sweep-you-away story--smart, sexy, funny and touching. Susan Fox delivers an unforgettable read." --Susan Wiggs on Home on the Range "One hot romance to remember." --Publishers Weekly on Ring of Fire "Fox's honest storytelling is filled with sweet and raw moments that engage readers from the very first page." --RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on Ring of Fire
Legend: A Rockstar Romance
Ellie Danes - 2018
Money, music and headaches. A town that depends on my name to make a living and I’m ready to leave it all behind. I'm tired of staring down the hill from my mansion at a town that resents me. I’ve chosen to hide in plain sight, blending in and keeping to myself. Hiding who I really am. Until she crashed the last party I’d ever have and made me realize everything I was missing. Cora Sinclair is anything but your average woman. Gorgeous with curves in all of the right places From the moment I saw her the music and blood pumped through me. A feeling I hadn’t had in years. But she came with a purpose, a night of fun and to confront the one person that is destroying her town, me. She wasn't counting on staying for the weekend and uncovering my deepest, darkest secrets that would change her live too. Legend is a 50,000 word, standalone, Rock Star romance with plenty of steam, no cheating and a HEA.