Book picks similar to
Once Upon a Mattress by Vicki Lewis Thompson


romance
wanted
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contemporary

Window on the Bay


Debbie Macomber - 2019
     Jenna Boltz's life is at a crossroads. After a messy divorce from her surgeon husband nearly twenty years ago, she raised her two children on her own, juggling motherhood with her beloved job as a Seattle intensive-care nurse. Now that Paul and Allie have gone to college and moved out, Jenna can't help but wonder what her future holds.Her best friend, Maureen, is excited for Jenna's newfound independence. Now is the perfect time to finally book the trip to Paris they've been dreaming of since their college days. But when it comes to life's other great adventure--dating--Jenna still isn't sure she's ready to let love in . . . until an unexpected encounter begins to change her mind.When Jenna's elderly mother breaks her hip, Dr. Rowan Lancaster saves the day. Despite his silent, stoic exterior, Rowan is immediately smitten with Jenna. And even though Jenna is hesitant about becoming involved with another surgeon, she has to admit that she's more than a little intrigued. But when Jenna's children approach her with shocking news, she realizes that she needs to have faith in love and embrace the unexpected--before the life she has always dreamed of passes her by.

A Dad for Billie


Susan Mallery - 1993
    The guilty party, an eight-year old tomboy, was soon turning his household upside down. But that shock was nothing compared to discovering who Billie's mother was...Jane Southwick had known that coming back home wouldn't be easy, and that living next door to Adam again would be sweet torture. But it was pure joy to see the delightful bond growing between him and her daughter - despite the guilty secret that clutched at her heart.

Here Comes Trouble


Leslie Kelly - 2006
    And the rumor mill has been out of control since he's become a chapter in the tell-all book written by a late congressman's widow! Looking to lie low while the courts restore his good name, Max has decided to hide out with his grandfather in the tiny town of Trouble, Pennsylvania.Sabrina Cavanaugh isn't the sultry, mysterious heiress she's pretending to be. In fact, she's a junior book editor who happens to be on a mission -- to nail Max Taylor for the womanizing creep he is. Having worked hand in hand with the loose-lipped widow in writing her memoirs, there's no way Sabrina's going to let some spoiled (and hot) flyboy kill her career-making project with a lawsuit.It looks as if the love of a lifetime is on the horizon.

Sleepless in Manhattan


Sarah Morgan - 2016
    After a childhood spent in and out of hospitals, she's now determined to prove herself—and where better to take the world by storm than in the exhilarating bustle of Manhattan? But when Paige is let go from the job she loves, she must face her biggest challenge of all—going it alone. Except launching her own events company is nothing compared to hiding her outrageous crush on Jake Romano—her brother's best friend, New York's most in-demand date, and the only man to break her heart. When Jake offers Paige's fledgling company a big chance, their still-sizzling chemistry starts giving her sleepless nights. But can she convince the man who trusts no one to take a chance on forever?

Arranged


Catherine McKenzie - 2010
    When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service, and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it -- and the company's success rate -- the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out -- until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.

Long Time Coming


Sandra Brown - 1988
    In this classic tale, a woman is reunited with the man she has loved for years—and must reveal the secret that will jeopardize her chance for happiness at last. He arrived out of the blue—a flesh-and-blood phantom from the past in a sports car as sleek and sexy as Law Kincaid himself. The world-famous astronaut was as devastatingly attractive as the first time Marnie Hibbs had laid eyes on him, seventeen years before. But she well knew the perils of falling for a ladies’ man like Law. And this time she had someone besides herself to protect. Law is determined to discover who is sending him anonymous letters claiming he’d fathered a son he knows nothing about. Showing up at the Hibbs’s return address from the letters seemed like a step in the right direction. Marnie swears she isn’t the guilty party, but when Law meets her son, it’s like a one-two punch to his solar plexus. The boy is nearly the spitting image of Law. Law can’t remember sleeping with Marnie—then again, he can’t remember much about his crazy past. But there’s more to it than that: Marnie claims the boy isn’t biologically hers. As the tension between them becomes unbearable and the attraction undeniable, Marnie is forced to reveal a long-held secret...one that might cause her to lose both the boy she loves more than anyone—and the man she desires more than anything.From the Hardcover edition.

Hers for the Weekend


Tanya Michaels - 2004
    . . Piper Jamieson needs a man. And not just any man. She needs someone to play her significant other when she heads home for her family reunion. Thanks to a self-imposed period of celibacy, she has no prospects. . .except for her sexy best friend, Josh Weber. Since there's nothing between them, kissing him will be a breeze, right? But he wanted her permanently! Spending an entire weekend with Piper sounds perfect to Josh. . .it's the whole family thing that doesn't. Lately his dates haven't been as exciting as they used to be, and he knows why. His best friend's been on his mind--day and night. But Piper has made it clear she's not looking for a relationship. Luckily, he's hers for the weekend, and he has three full nights to change her mind!

Her Sexy Valentine


Stephanie Bond - 2010
    Still, she's tempted to rethink that when rugged coworker Luke Chancellor shows her--in mind-blowing detail--exactly what she's been missing. But when he asks for a real date, Carol runs like hell....And stumbles back into the exact same day--including out-of-this-world sex with luscious Luke!Talk about no-strings sex. Except...Carol soon realizes she wants more than multiple one-night stands. She just has to figure out how to wake up with Luke in a new day...before time--and all that afterglow--runs out.

The Italian's Bedroom Deal


Elizabeth Lennox - 2010
    But Clarissa Montgomery isn't like the women who pursue him with relentless persistence. She only wants something he's not willing to give her - a casual affair. He'll stop at nothing to get Clarissa to agree to become his wife, including using the red-hot attraction the two of them feel for each other.

Irresistible Attraction


Brenda Jackson - 2017
    So when she runs into him in New York City on business, they both see this as an opportunity to explore their undeniable attraction. But can a whirlwind of passion turn into long-lasting love?

Thirty-Two Going on Spinster


Becky Monson - 2012
    She has no social life, hates her job, and lives in her parent’s basement with her cat, Charlie.With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia’s mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?

Breaking the Rules (Uniformly Hot!, #14)


Tawny Weber - 2011
    James, U.S. Army Sergeant First ClassCurrent Status: On leave after a year in Afghanistan.Mission: Take some R & R. Check up on a buddy's little sister.Obstacle: Sophia Castillo. Independent, stubborn...and hot enough to make him forget she's anybody's "little sister"Max may be off duty, but he still has one last job to do. He's promised to look in on--but not fool around with --his best friend's kid sister. Only once he meets Sophia, all thought of keeping his hands to himself go out the window.Sophia, however, has different ideas. A recent widow, the last thing she needs is another man telling her what to do. Even if that gorgeous man leaves her drooling in a puddle of lust....It's a battle of wills. Who will end up on top? Max breaks every rule in the book to keep Sophia in his bed. After all, all's fair in love and war.And Max is counting on life with Sophia being a little bit of both.

Legally Mine


Kate Hoffmann - 2004
    But she isn't laughing when he shows up on her doorstep six years later with a proposal. So what's a girl to do? Step 1: Move in With Him Jane makes herself at home and demands an engagement ring, to boot. But Will just welcomes her with open arms - into his house and his bed - and buys her a three-carat rock, too! Step 2: Make Liver for Dinner The dog won't eat the dinners Jane prepares, yet Will chokes them back, and still wants Jane for dessert! Step 3: Redecorate in Pink Even pink towels, throw pillows and curtains don't faze Will. So how can Jane prove marriage is all wrong, when everything Will does is so right? Especially what he does to her...

I Want It That Way


Ann Aguirre - 2014
    But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

The Firefighter's Baby


Alison Roberts - 2005
    But when an abandoned baby-- his baby-- is left at the station, the handsome firefighter is out of his depth. The only person he can turn to for help is paramedic Laura Green. Laura's not Jason's type--he's always liked glamour girls. But as they care for baby Megan together he learns that there's more to Laura than he'd ever imagined--including depths of passion...But what will happen when the baby's mother comes back?