Book picks similar to
Taking Charge by Bridgitte Lesley


not-interested
romance
standalone
contemporary-romance

Trusting Jake


Lauren Giordano - 2015
    In need of a jumpstart. Tired of playing by other people's rules, the widowed single mom guards her new freedom by keeping her deadbeat husband alive... in name only. But meeting Jake Traynor gives her hope and makes her question the merits of lying. Will he break down the fortress around her heart? Love under construction: Falling for a married woman was never in the blueprint. The definition of responsible son, executive Jackson Traynor is driven to prove his father right. Jake runs the family construction company. The workaholic millionaire is all business. No pleasure. Until assisting a beautiful redhead with her broken down car reminds Jake what he wants. But what if the only person you want is the one you can never have? Battling their deepening attraction, Jake must question everything he's ever believed -- because Jen and her kids are the family he's always dreamed of. Jenna must choose between a safe life and the one of her dreams. When Jake's company is threatened, she will risk everything to protect him -- even if it means exposing old secrets.

Professed


Nicola Rendell - 2016
    They bust out of an emergency exit and have axis-shaking sex. He pours whiskey in her belly button and after they run out of condoms, they have to get creative. That kind of sex. The next day, she learns that he is none other than Dr. Benjamin Beck, a brand new member of the Yale faculty and the hottest thing to happen to academia since… well, ever. She has to take his damned junior seminar to graduate, but it gets worse. He’s also her College Master: her boss, her advisor, her everything. And he’s just moved in, right downstairs. They can’t stay away from each other. They're either fusion or fission or both. They’re making out in libraries, hiding notes between stones, and sneaking off to nautically themed AirBnbs. Hear that sound? It’s the academic code of ethics going up in flames. If they're found out, he’ll lose his job and his reputation. She'll lose her scholarship and be forced to return to the life of lobster fishing that she thought she’d escaped. And they will be found out, yes they will.So what the hell are they going to do? *** To the reader: Things get damned dirty in this book. The characters curse, the sex gets explicit. It’s an erotic love story with fury. Be advised. Other tasters’ notes: HEA. Sweet. Funny. Dirty. Muddy. Wet. Inspired by a real professor.

When I'm Gone


Emily Bleeker - 2016
    I didn’t want to leave you... Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.

A Heartwarming Holiday


Anna AdamsTara Taylor Quinn - 2016
    There are five connected books in A Heartwarming Holiday. That means each set of three novellas shares characters and storylines! This collection of PG-rated holiday romances are all set in Christmas Town, Maine, a location introduced in the 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release Christmas, Actually. A Heartwarming Holiday will bring you laughter, tears, and happily-ever-afters (no cliffhangers), for more than 1200 pages. Book 1: Once Upon a Holiday by Anna Adams, Anna J Stewart & Melinda Curtis: Three former college roommates start a business to bring the magic of the holidays to everyone in Christmas Town. Novella 1: Once Upon a Thanksgiving by Anna Adams, award-winning, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 2: Once Upon a Christmas by Anna J Stewart, award-winning, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 3: Once Upon a New Year’s Eve by Melinda Curtis, award-winning, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Book 2: Holiday Heroes by Leigh Riker, Tara Randel & Cari Lynn Webb: Three former Navy SEALs come together to restore an outdated resort. Novella 1: Thankfully Yours by Leigh Riker, award-winning, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 2: Cooking Up Christmas by Tara Randel, Barnes and Noble bestselling, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 3: Countdown to Romance by Cari Lynn Webb, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Book 3: 24 North Pole Lane by Carol Ross, Amy Vastine & Cheryl Harper: Romance is being delivered to 24 North Pole Lane this holiday season. Novella 1: Hers by Thanksgiving by Carol Ross, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 2: Peace, Love, and Baby Joy by Amy Vastine, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 3: Never Say Never on New Year’s by Cheryl Harper, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Book 4: Magic Moments by Tara Taylor Quinn, Shirley Hailstock & Liz Flaherty: Three different times, three different stories. They all bring magic to Christmas Town. Novella 1: Christmas Past by Tara Taylor Quinn, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 2: It Only Happens in Christmas Town by Shirley Hailstock, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 3: The Magic Stocking by Liz Flaherty, USA Today bestselling, Harlequin Heartwarming author Book 5: Nutcracker Sweethearts by Dana Mentink, Roz Denny Fox, & Amie Denman: As the stage production of the Nutcracker unfolds in Christmas Town, three couples find love with the help of a little holiday magic! Novella 1: Thanksgiving Duet by Dana Mentink, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 2: Christmas Curtain Call by Roz Denny Fox, Harlequin Heartwarming author Novella 3: Set for New Year’s by Amie Denman, Harlequin Heartwarming author If this boxed set appeals to you, look for our previous holiday anthology: A Heartwarming Christmas.

I Love The 80s


Megan Crane - 2011
     Her fiancé dumped her, and she's lacking the drive that might lead to a promotion at the eighties-themed cable station where she works. The only thing keeping her sane is her obsession with a brooding rock star, and an era, that died twenty-odd years ago. But then lightning strikes—literally—and sends her back to the year and the man she’s loved her entire life. Jenna has no choice but to take action to save Tommy Seer, lead singer of The Wild Boys, from the tragic accident that only she knows will claim his life. But the real Tommy Seer is very different from the one who's spent all this time starring in her favorite fantasies. As Jenna falls deeper into Tommy’s world—under his spell all over again, only this time without the schoolgirl crush—she realizes that his death was no accident. Can she find a killer, prevent a murder, and save the man she loves without everyone thinking she’s crazy? And who thought shoulder pads were a good idea, anyway?

Sunrise on Half Moon Bay


Robyn Carr - 2020
    Born twenty years apart, Justine was already an adult when Addie was born. The sisters love each other but they don’t really know each other.When Addie dropped out of university to care for their ailing parents, Justine, a successful lawyer, covered the expenses. It was the best arrangement at the time but now that their parents are gone, the future has changed dramatically for both women.Addie had great plans for her life but has been worn down by the pressures of being a caregiver and doesn’t know how to live for herself. And Justine’s success has come at a price. Her marriage is falling apart despite her best efforts.Neither woman knows how to start life over but both realize they can and must support each other the way only sisters can. Together they find the strength to accept their failures and overcome their challenges. Happiness is within reach, if only they have the courage to fight for it.Set in the stunning coastal town of Half Moon Bay, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr’s new novel examines the joys of sisterhood and the importance of embracing change.

By Degrees


Elle Casey - 2013
    I call it the create-your-own-reality disease. Most of them start out normal, like you and me, but somewhere along the way they lose sight of up and down, left and right, and then eventually right and wrong. It's my job to fix that.Who hires me, Scarlett Barnes, otherwise known as ‘The Normalizer’? Agents usually. Producers sometimes. They know they can trust me to be professional, discreet, and above all, not personally involved with my clients. I come in, I take over their lives, and I get them back on track. Help them remember what it's like to be an average Joe.My latest job acquisition? His friends call him Tear-It-Up Kilgour, but I just call him Tarin - lead singer and guitarist for the band By Degrees. I have thirty days to get his butt back on planet earth before he loses his record deal, his movie contract, and possibly even his life. I've never failed so far, and I don't plan on failing this time either, even if Tarin has other ideas.Content Warning: This is a New Adult Romance, perhaps not suitable for younger readers due to foul language, sexual situations, drug use, and obnoxious rock-n-roll musicians.A message from Elle about this book: Every time I read another story about a Hollywood star or famous musician going off the deep end, I wonder how they got there. How it was that all the people around them weren’t able to or willing to stop it from happening. It must be easy when a person has more money than he or she can ever spend and people hanging around are leeches, for a person’s view of reality to get really skewed; and that’s a real shame for these talented people who have so much to share with the world. For years I’ve imagined this great job I could have where I’d hang out with celebrities who’ve lost track of the real world (the place where my readers and I live) and get them re-oriented, re-focused on what matters … clean the garbage out of their heads and their lives. Then of course, I couldn’t get that thought out of my head until I wrote a book about it, so here it is! By Degrees. The title of the book is actually the slogan of the Scottish clan Kilgour, something I learned on a trip I made there in the year this book was written.

Secret for a Song


S.K. Falls - 2013
    Literally.She ate her first needle when she was seven. Now, at nineteen, she’s been kicked out of college for poisoning herself with laxatives. The shrinks call it Munchausen Syndrome. All Saylor knows is that when she’s ill, her normally distant mother pays attention and the doctors and nurses make her feel special.Then she meets Drew Dean, the leader of a local support group for those with terminal diseases. When he mistakes her for a new member, Saylor knows she should correct him. But she can’t bring herself to, not after she’s welcomed into a new circle of friends. Friends who, like Drew, all have illnesses ready to claim their independence or their lives. For the first time, Saylor finds out what it feels like to be in love, to have friends who genuinely care about her. But secrets have a way of revealing themselves. What will happen when Saylor’s is out?

Bad Boyfriend


Lexi Hart - 2020
    After five years of wasting my Journalism Degree writing an advice column, my editor offers me my first real assignment.Too bad I'll have to work alongside a Private Investigator from out of town.Enter Grayson Cole.The broody and secretive bad boy who took my V-Card eight summers ago then broke my heart.After years of hating Grayson for leaving without saying goodbye, now I'm the only person who can pose as his girlfriend.Between the long hours working together and the public displays of affection, it's getting harder to tell what's real.I need to walk away before history repeats itself.But when Grayson shows up at my door in the middle of the night and tells me why he really came back...What started out as fake, becomes dangerously real…

Fire In His Eyes


M.J. Nightingale - 2013
    A chance encounter in a Tampa bar brings Victor into her life. Sexy as hell, secretive, and incredible in bed, Monica is overwhelmed in every way by this ex-military man who introduces her to all kinds of new and exciting experiences. Monica is a school teacher who longs to experience the joy and thrill of passion. She has battled a past filled with trauma, and depression. Finally free of her fears and guilt, she begins to explore. That is when she meets Victor, a man who has his own demons to battle and secrets to keep. When he meets innocent Monica, he wants to experience all he can with her. She is innocent, yet willing; barely touched, but incredibly passionate. Victor's past has scarred him, and despite his feelings he keeps Monica at a distance. Why? Because he fears those secrets will destroy them. But, Monica and Victor are soul mates. They have the same hot passions. Will they find their happiness with each other? You must read to find that out. But, they most assuredly do find pleasure.

Runaway Road


Devney Perry - 2020
    She ran away from home at sixteen, escaping parents more interested in drugs than their daughter. She doesn’t have loving siblings or an adorable pet. Her only family is the five other runaway kids who shared her junkyard home. Life pulled them all in separate directions, taking her to Boston. For a short time, she thought she’d found something permanent. But after a devastating divorce, she’s running away again, this time to find a lost friend. She’s driving across the country in her convertible. As a teenager, the rusty car was her shelter. As an adult, it’s her ride to freedom. Except one flat tire derails her trip. Her life collides with Brooks Cohen. They walked away from the first crash. The second might destroy them both.

Tides of Autumn


Amanda McIntyre - 2014
    Recently widowed, Darci Cunningham swims against popular current that she should take her time and heal after the sudden death of her husband. But in a bold turn, she decides to follow a dream set aside and moves to Mackinac Island to pursue her dream of writing.But as she prepares for her first winter on the island, she is unaware of the dangers that have washed ashore--one that may steal her heart, while the other may steal her life(*available in ebook and soon in paperback)

Shoe Strings


Christy Hayes - 2011
    The cabin she rents is perfect, but one look at the owner’s son and Angelita’s in lust big time. She finds resisting the charming Jesse Bloodworth as difficult as maneuvering small town life in her custom made stilettos. Jesse has spent years rebuilding his relationship with his teenaged son and ex-wife after running out on them eleven years ago. But his dad’s not so quick to forgive and forget. The water under the bridge becomes mighty choppy when beautiful Angelita walks into their lives. Jesse’s ex, Kerri Ann, is a far cry from where she thought she’d be in life. Even before she got pregnant with Ty, things between her and Jesse had faltered, and there was only one person to blame: Bryce Jenson. Kerri Ann never expected her long-ago crush to settle back into Sequoyah Falls to practice law. Hell, no one did. Bryce had his reasons for returning home and Kerri Ann was at the very top. They seem destined to remain just friends, until Angelita comes to town and stirs everything up. As Angelita and Jesse embark on a relationship, her father’s demands become threats and she’s forced back to Atlanta. Jesse’s attempt to save her uncovers more of her past than he bargained for. Will Angelita’s prince charming come to her rescue or does Jesse’s love come with Shoe Strings attached?

Backward Compatible


Sarah Daltry - 2013
    Two nerdy gents home for winter break have discovered a female gamer at a midnight release.During the break, the gamer trio manages to reveal the game’s secret boss, a hidden enemy with enough power to destroy anything in its path. Pursued by other gamers who want to be the first to beat this boss, George and Katie race to level up, and, in so doing, restore decency and sexual activity to their personal galaxy…

The SEAL's Baby Deal


Katie Knight - 2020
    But when his lifelong best friend, Eleanor Thornton, shows up looking gorgeous as ever and asking for a huge favor…he’ll have to rethink his stringent stance on playing Baby Daddy.Wildlife photographer Ele knows she wants a baby—romantic partner not included. And who better to go all in on no-strings-attached baby-making than with her SEAL BFF? Besides, she’s always wondered what it would feel like to be wrapped up in David’s muscled, rock-solid alpha male arms…When their toe-curling efforts quickly lead to a positive pregnancy test, both David and Ele are secretly disappointed their contracted time is cut short—especially after David is deployed, leaving Ele to give birth to their daughter on her own.Reunited while David’s on assignment in the African rainforest, their passion is reignited. But when the area is gripped by a dangerous insurgency, all of David’s fears about getting too close come rushing back to the surface.How can he possibly hope for a future with Ele when he can’t even guarantee they’ll survive?