Book picks similar to
First Crush by Ashley Elizabeth Ludwig


romance
christian-fiction
tbr
romantic-suspense

Out of the Frying Pan


Michelle Griep - 2016
    Their zany attempts to track down the killer land them in hot water with Detective Jared Flynn. Should he be concerned about their safety or the criminal's? But there are deadly ingredients none of them expect. Drugs. Extortion. International cartels. And worst of all...broken hearts--especially when the Hopkins sisters’ niece KC arrives on the scene. Before the snooping pair gain any headway with the case, it becomes crystal clear that the sisters share a mysterious secret that takes life from the frying pan and into the line of fire.

A Love So Real


Kimberly Rae Jordan - 2019
    Driving aimlessly along the west coast, she’s drawn to the small town of New Hope Falls in Washington State and soon finds herself in a place unlike anywhere she’s been before. Welcome to the fictional town of New Hope Falls! A sanctuary for those needing refuge. A beacon for those who are lost. A place for the hurting to call home. Come for a visit and fall in love with New Hope Falls and its residents, both old and new. As a social media influencer, Arianna is used to the internet world. She has millions of followers on YouTube and Instagram, and her career depends on her good reputation. Unfortunately, one bad decision has repercussions that could negatively affect everything she’s worked hard to build. Needing time to think and consider her next move, away from the pressures of her world, she flees LA in search of clarity and peace. Fall may be a beautiful time in New Hope Falls, but for Elijah McNamara, it brings back a lot of bad memories. In the midst of dealing with those, a breath of fresh air appears at the small resort his family owns, distracting him from the memories and making him feel things he hasn’t felt in a very long time…if ever. They come from completely different worlds and are each deeply entrenched in those lives, but it doesn’t stop the feelings they have for each from growing. However, Eli’s past is resurfacing, causing him to consider what his presence in Arianna’s life might mean to her career. Could he withstand the spotlight if someone chose to shine it on him because of Arianna’s career? Because of how she lives her life in front of a camera for all the world to see? As the past reaches into the present, it becomes clear that someone wants Arianna gone from New Hope Falls. Can Arianna and Eli find a way to bring their worlds together in spite of it all? Or is Arianna destined to leave the sanctuary of hope and peace she’s found to return to the life she left behind in LA. This Christian romance novel of 105,000 words is the first book in the New Hope Falls series from USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Rae Jordan. This is a sweet romance of faith and love that you can share with both your grandmother and your daughter! If you enjoy heartwarming Christian romance with a focus on love, faith, and family, be sure to check out these other series and books by Kimberly Rae Jordan: The Callaghans & McFaddens Fostered by Love BlackThorpe Security The McKinleys Home to Collingsworth Those Karlsson Boys Other Christian romance books by Kimberly Rae Jordan: Faith, Hope & Love Marrying Kate

This Side of Midnight (Tildas Islands #4)


Tamsen Schultz - 2021
    But when tourists start dying under suspicious circumstances, she never imagines that the biggest battle she’d have to fight is within her own department. That is, until her friend, Dominic Burel, and the FBI Task Force he’s a part of, prove she’s right to be concerned.As an FBI agent and former PJ with the elite Air Force Pararescue Unit, Dominic Burel has been happy to move through life solely focused on work. But when a family visit leaves him shaken, he realizes his friendship with Anika could, and should, be so much more. Now he has to change her mind about them and he’s not above using his investigative skills to finagle his way into her case—and life—to do it.As Anika and Dominic hunt a killer, they quickly realize they’ve uncovered something much more sinister. The simple murders aren’t so simple and there’s a much grander plan at play. And when they find they aren’t the only ones hunting, it will take everything they have to stay out of the true killer’s crosshairs.If you revel in escaping into a story, this friends-to-lovers romantic suspense will keep you turning the pages.

The Most Important Catch


Jaclyn M. Hawkes - 2010
    She thought he was a businessman. Not being a huge fan, all she knew was that he was incredibly attractive, kind, generous, and that she was safe with him. Or was she?His brand of fame proved to be all but deadly, but his fame wasn’t nearly as lethal as his attraction. He kept her safe and protected. All except for her heart.

Double Down: The Complete Series


Lisa Phillips - 2019
     It reaches the highest echelons of government. Can this team expose the truth? Private security force Double Down are the only ones who can take down the threat. When his sister is kidnapped, Navy SEAL Bradley has to face his feelings for Alexis as they work together to get her back. Double Down operative Mint has to track down and protect Emma. But things aren’t what they seem. Can he keep them both alive long enough to uncover the truth? Megan has a dark past. And it’s back to haunt her as she teams up with FBI agent Adrian. Together they take down a rogue FBI agent with a deadly weapon. Senator Rachel refuses to be a victim anymore. She’ll fight back against the blackmailer in the final story of the series. Steve is a fugitive on the run. But when Rachel’s life is threatened he’ll stick around to protect her. Can the team compile the evidence to expose this plot? Find out today. *Christian romantic suspense*

They Almost Always Come Home


Cynthia Ruchti - 2009
    Their marriage might have survived if their daughter Lacey hadn't died . . . and if Greg hadn't been responsible. Libby enlists the aid of her wilderness savvy father-in-law and her faith-walking best friend to help her search for clues to her husband's disappearance...if for no other reason than to free her to move on. What the trio discovers in the search upends Libby's presumptions about her husband and rearranges her faith.

Damsel In Danger


Olivia Jaymes - 2015
    With a little help from his friends, Logan Wright and Jared Monroe, he’s starting a new business and moving forward. He only thinks about the past during the long, dark nights. It’s then that he feels most alone. Brinley Snow has moved into her dream home. It’s everything she’s wanted and more although she's facing a mountain of renovation work. Luckily it came with the bonus of a sexier than sin neighbor. One sultry summer night, Brinley gathers up her courage and asks Jason to join her for dinner. They’re instantly attracted to one another but the evening quickly goes down hill as she ends up in the interrogation room of the local police. An unknown dead man had her address clutched in his hand. The authorities – and Jason – think she’s the key to finding a cold-blooded murderer. With a first date like that Brinley’s not sure she’ll survive a second. Then again she’s never met anyone like Jason. He’s not the typical boy-next-door. He’s all man. And with a little luck, he could become all hers. They just have to stay alive long enough to catch a killer.

Flee from Evil (Water's Edge #1)


Connie Almony - 2015
     Pastor Vince Steegle thought his destructive beginnings were ancient history, but the ramifications of his prior choices just walked in the door of his church. Can God really make all things good? Or is Vince’s past just too ugly? Cassandra Whitaker is looking for security for her children after the death of her much-loved husband. But there are those who seek to destroy her. Can she keep her family safe, or must she flee from evil? Contemporary Christian Romance / Suspense / Women's Fiction

Rescued


Jill Burrell - 2021
    Stranded and desperate, she finds herself at the mercy of a handsome, brooding mechanic. When he offers her help, she accepts, knowing too well the pain that comes from trusting others.Widower and grieving father, Ben Young, fixes cars and avoids people. He can’t stand to see the pity in their eyes. There’s something different in Amy’s eyes, though, and he’s driven to help her—for her little girl’s sake. But helping means caring, and that’s not something he’s capable of. Not anymore.Just when it looks like a relationship might be possible between Ben and Amy, she realizes her breaking down in this small town wasn’t an accident. She holds the key to what happened to Ben’s family. But will her quest for answers cost her everything?

Lost In Italy


Stacey Joy Netzel - 2011
    Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como.And that's just in the first three hours....often go awry.Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence-including holding Halli's family as collateral.Life's a little different unscripted. Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from falling into the wrong hands and get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?

Here in Hart's Crossing: Four Charming Small Town Novellas


Robin Lee Hatcher - 2018
     A daughter returns home from the big city to care for her injured mother. Childhood sweethearts reconnect after decades apart. A single mom finds herself the target of her starry-eyed daughter’s matchmaking scheme. And a young couple struggles to find their own American dream in this wonderful collection of four novellas from bestselling author Robin Lee Hatcher. Celebrating family, faith, and forgiveness, Here in Hart’s Crossing will warm your heart and soothe your spirit.Includes: Legacy Lane * Veterans Way * Diamond Place * Sweet Dreams Drive

Valentine Bride


Shanna Hatfield - 2016
    Although it means giving up her dreams of a career and husband, she needs to be there for Grams. Carson Ford vows to take care of his elderly aunt after buying her ranch. Comfortable with all aspects of his life, his world turns upside down when he meets a woman who's impossible to forget. They find themselves in the midst of a plot by two scheming old women determined to make them fall in love. Valentine Bride is a funny, sweet romance novella given a liberal dose of humor through a cast of colorful characters intertwined around a heartwarming love story.

Guarding Her Heart


Laura Haley-McNeil - 2014
    To protect Victoria, Garrett whisks her away to an isolated lodge. Major problem for Victoria—how does she help Garrett capture the stalker while guarding her heart against the man who broke it once before? Garret thought his heart had healed when Victoria left him ten years ago. Garrett’s bigger problem—capture the stalker determined to imprison Victoria. Keeping Victoria safe is no easy task for Garrett, but getting her to trust him is an entirely different challenge. He puts his life on the line to guard the woman who is more deserving of love than any woman he’s known. But love takes a back seat to the Whitloch-Reynolds feud. At the center is the Crystal Creek Ranch. The Whitlochs own the ranch. The Reynolds are the rightful heirs.

Finding You


T.M. Cromer - 2020
    Due to adult themes, this book is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18.Heat level: 3.5Tissue consumption level: 1 boxShe didn’t see this one coming.Samantha Holt had the perfect relationship—until one day, she didn’t. For a woman with psychic abilities, she definitely missed the important signs leading to her boyfriend’s tragic accident. One moment she’s blissfully happy; the next, her world is turned upside down.It takes Samantha two interminable years to rebuild her life, and despite a new love interest, she can’t rest until she learns the truth. Her persistent inner voice won’t stop until she takes a trip to the city where all her romantic dreams were so ruthlessly crushed.A stranger could be the key to discovering the answers she needs.A chance encounter makes Samantha question what really happened that day so long ago. Forced to delve into the mystery of her soulmate's disappearance or accept the new love that life has offered her, Samantha faces a difficult decision.

Long Time Coming


Edie Claire - 2003
    But back at home, the past is ready and waiting to haunt her...Eighteen years have passed since Joy's childhood best friend, Jenny, met her death in a tragic car accident just a few days after their senior prom. A broken Joy left their small Kentucky hometown shortly after - determined never to come back. But when her father's illness forces her to return, she realizes that neither time nor distance have truly healed her troubled soul.Plagued with nightmares of the accident and crippled by a vague fear whose source she can't identify, Joy realizes that in order to move on she must face the truth behind several disturbing gaps in her memory of that fateful spring. But the only person who can help her is a man she despises - Jenny's erstwhile boyfriend Jeff, now a respected doctor, whose carelessness as a teenager was the cause of Jenny's horrendous death - and Joy's own emotional destruction. Can she ever forgive? She may have no choice but to try. Because both the danger she sensed - and the childhood friendship she treasured - now suddenly seem very much alive...