Book picks similar to
Dork To Dirty by Karen Raines


first-reads
freebie
romance
contemporary-romance

Vampire Vacation


C.J. Ellisson - 2010
     Meet Vivian. She's a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sensuality, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true. Vivian knows the best performance requires perfect timing, but the powerful vamp is put to the test when she discovers a corpse in a locked guestroom minutes before the next arrivals. Always cool-headed, Rafe hides the body, convinced he and Vivian can find the culprit without disturbing their guests. Juggling the increasingly outrageous demands of their customers while tracking a killer isn't easy. Will their poking and prodding give them the answers they need, or will it uncover secrets Vivian would kill to protect? The V V Inn, in reading order: Vampire Vacation, Book 1 The Hunt, Book 2 Big Game, Book 3 Death Times Two, Book 4 ~ A Grim Reality and V V Inn novel co-authored with Boone Brux Blood Legacy, Book 5 Sharpen the Blade, Book 6 Blood Reckoning, Book 7 (late 2017) Prequel Stories: Death's Servant, Before the V V Inn Book One (Jon's Tale)

His Every Whim


Liliana Rhodes - 2012
    Easier said than done for Ashley who finds herself inexplicably drawn to the gorgeous stranger. When she decides to spend the evening doing things she normally wouldn't--like letting herself be seduced by this enigmatic man she only knows as Xander--she unknowing opens her world up to the lavish lifestyle of beautiful mansions, fast cars, and expensive clothes, because when billionaire Xander Boone wants something, he gets it. Part of his worldAs Ashley enters Xander's world of champagne and lavish gifts, they find themselves unable to deny the attraction they feel for each other. But when Xander's past comes back to haunt him, will he follow his heart or run from the feelings he has for her.

The Negotiator


Avery Flynn - 2017
    Free spirits with personal boundary issues, excessive quirks, or general squeamishness need not apply. Salary negotiable. Confidentiality required.Workaholic billionaire Sawyer Carlyle may have joked he needed a “buffer” from their marriage-obsessed mom, but he didn’t need a waiting room filled with “candidates” to further distract him. (Thanks, bro.) But when a sexy job applicant shooes his mom and the socialite in tow out of his office, Sawyer sees the genius of the plan. And the woman. In fact, Miss Clover Lee might just get the fastest promotion in history, from buffer to fake fiancé…This “free-spirit” might look like hot sunshine and lickable rainbows, but she negotiates like a pitbull. Before Sawyer knows what hit him, he’s agreed to give up Friday nights for reality tv, his Saturdays for flea markets (why buy junk still baffles him), his Tuesdays and Thursdays for “date nights” (aka panty-losing opportunities if he plays his cards right). And now she wants lavender bath salts and tulips delivered every Monday? Yup, she’s just screwing with him. Good thing she’s got this non-negotiatable six-weeks-and-she’s-gone rule or Sawyer may have just met his match…

Twenty-one Truths About Love


Matthew Dicks - 2019
    But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances he wants to do something special.Dan is an obsessive list maker; his story unfolds entirely in his lists, which are brimming with Dan’s hilarious sense of humor, unique world-view, and deeply personal thoughts. When read in full, his lists paint a picture of a man struggling to be a man, a man who has reached a point where he’s willing to do anything for the love of his life.

Going Cowboy Crazy


Katie Lane - 2011
    Bramble, Texas is the only place she can find them . . . as well as Hope, the identical twin sister she never knew she had. But the townsfolk reckon that shy city-girl Faith is really her long-lost sister Hope, back in Bramble at last. And they're fixin' to do whatever it takes to heat things up between her and Hope's long-time flame, Slate Calhoun. If that means rustling her car, spreading rumors like wildfire, and reining in some explosive secrets, well, there's no way like the Lone Star way . . . But Slate's no fool. The woman in his truck may look like Hope, yet the way she feels in his arms is altogether new. He's determined to keep this twin in his bed and out of his heart. Trouble is, the real Hope is headed home, and she's got her own designs on Slate. If Faith wants to avoid heartbreak, she'll have to show a certain ruggedly handsome cowboy that this crazy-impossible love is worth fighting for.

Gage


Tess Oliver - 2014
    But his side business of breaking colts at the small Montana ranch he inherited from his grandfather doesn't earn him enough money. He has his mind set on running The Raven's Nest, a popular bar and restaurant near his ranch. The original owner has died and Gage is waiting for it to be put up for sale. But there is a five-foot-four, brown eyed, obstacle in his way, an obstacle with lips made for sin and a voice made for breaking hearts. And Summer Donovan is one road block Gage Barringer won't be able to find a way around.Gage is part of The Barringer Brothers series but can be read as a standalone.

Something New


Skylar Hill - 2017
    The renowned tattoo artist has a face to die for, a body to kill for, and a way with ink that’s unmatched. He’s back in his hometown for the first time in years, finally ready to open Exile Ink, the tattoo studio of his dreams. When he sees a friend with a new piece—a watercolor tattoo done with such skill even he’s impressed—James has to meet the artist. Cam Ellison hasn’t had an easy life. Orphaned just after her eighteenth birthday, she’s done everything she can to keep her and her little sister going. Even if it means working under a tyrannical boss who doesn’t appreciate her tattooing style. After all, a paycheck is a paycheck. When James sets up an appointment as “Jay,” Cam has no idea she’s about to meet a man whose tattooing she’s admired for years. She never imagined he’d want a tattoo designed by her, or that when they’re face to face, sparks don’t just fly, they sizzle. After a steamy session in one of the private tattoo rooms, it’s impossible to deny the pull between them. James is a man who knows what he wants, and he’s all in, but Cam’s got a lot to lose. Is she willing to risk everything—her heart and her career—on the man behind the ink? SOMETHING NEW is the first book in a trio of steamy novellas telling James and Cam's love story, followed by SOMETHING RIGHT and concluding with SOMETHING REAL. With a Skylar Hill book expect a touch of angst, a bit of sweetness, and a lot of steaminess. You'll never find a hero or heroine cheating and every novella--series or standalone--ends with a HEA or HFN....guaranteed! The Exile Ink Series: James and Cam SOMETHING NEW (Book 1) SOMETHING RIGHT (Book 2) SOMETHING REAL (Book 3)

Thursday's Child


Sandra Brown - 1985
    She has been hailed by Rendezvous magazine as an author whose “larger than life heroes and heroines make you believe all the warm, wonderful, wild things in life.”Sexy, funny, and wonderfully romantic, here is the unforgettably sensuous story of a woman too smart to fall in love — and the man determined to prove her wrong.Thursday’s ChildAllison Leamon knew that pretending to be her identical twin sister was a bad idea. For although the two redheads looked exactly alike, they couldn’t be more different. How could a no-nonsense scientist like Allison possibly fool anyone into thinking that she was the bubbly, vivacious Annie?Trading her sensible shoes for strappy sandals, her eyeglasses for contacts, and her lab smock for a chiffon dress, Allison was determined to try her best. Her first challenge was a dinner date with Annie’s fiancé, Davis. But what Allison didn’t expect was the presence of Davis’s best friend. Allison was far too logical to believe in love at first sight, but there was nothing logical about the way she was responding to Spencer Raft. The dark-haired, blue-eyed mystery man had an assurance that Allison found positively maddening.And by the end of the evening, she couldn’t help feeling that Spencer had been attracted to a carefully constructed illusion. She was certain that the handsome adventurer wouldn’t give her a second look if he knew her as she really was.But Spencer Raft was a man of many talents — and seeing below the surface of things was one of them. He sensed the flesh-and-blood woman beneath the elaborate charade, and after years of wandering the world in search of excitement, he knew he had finally found what he had been looking for.But first this incurable romantic had to convince an intractable skeptic that there was more to love than what she could study in a laboratory. And what better way than to propose a passionate experiment of his own?On board his yacht, Spencer and Allison would fulfill their wildest fantasies and deepest desires; but when their blissful idyll was over, would it all prove to be no more than a pleasant interlude — or the real thing?

Walk through my Door


Anthony Bryan - 2015
    As you come across embedded QR codes, scan the code with your device and instantly hear the song which the author wants you to listen to at that precise moment in the book! EPE and this amazing story come together to give you a reading experience unlike any other!No billionaires, tattooed bad boys, or beautifully proportioned models....just real people!Anthony's goal with 'Walk Through My Door' is to give you a story you can feel to the very depths of your soul. He tapped into those common traits, hopes, dreams, and insecurities found in all of us to create a pair of leading characters who are real. You'll see yourself in Lauren as you feel her happiness and her struggles. As for Adam, let's just say your new book-boyfriend is waiting to meet you!

Longing for You


Kelli McCracken - 2015
    This time, he's fighting for her heart. Theo McCabe has it all—a record deal, a future tour, and any woman he desires. Almost. In truth, the only person he's ever wanted is Cassie. Too bad a fight his senior year stole his chance to be with her. She never knew he'd fought to protect her or that any woman he'd met since would never be enough. Cassie Clarke doesn't believe in fairytales. Happily ever after didn't exist, and love was a four-letter word she refused to say. Besides, being single had its perks. So did working at a recording studio. Yet the moment she and Theo cross paths again, she can't help but feel drawn to him. Though Cassie doesn't want to fall for Theo, the more time she spends with him, the more she worries there's no turning back. Theo is desperate to have one night with Cassie, but doing so means risking more than his career. It means exposing his heart to the only woman who could break it. After all, he's not the only man in Cassie's life. Longing for You is the first installment in the Touched by Magic Series. If you like second chance romance novels blended with humor, heat, and hope, then you'll love Kelli McCracken's captivating look at finding love where you least expect it.

Star of Bethlehem


Sarah Daltry - 2013
    He's not the leader of a MC. He isn't a billionaire. Lily's not the daughter of a mob boss, or a stripper, or a virgin with a BDSM fascination. They're just regular college kids, who somehow found each other in the middle of all the crap and chaos of growing up. "With you, Jack, it was the first time I ever felt real. It was the first time anyone looked at me and saw substance. It was the first time I wanted to make someone see me." Jack and Lily have navigated his past, her desire to move on from her family's demands of her, his depression, and her loneliness. Now, on New Year's Eve, they have an entire year laid out ahead of them. First, though, Jack needs to meet Lily's family, to be welcomed into her life. It's intimidating, but with a sweater that is way too hot and his grandmother's ugly car, he arrives at Lily's gleaming house on a hill, ready to open himself up completely to her. Inside the perfect, sparkling house, Lily waits for the boy she has come to love. But Lily's house and family are a lot like her - shiny and pretty on the outside, with a sad emptiness on the interior. Lily wants to give Jack the one thing he has always dreamed of - family and love - but can she keep him from seeing how hollow a lot of the picture perfect life he fantasizes about really is? This is a novella length work that follows Forget Me Not and Lily of the Valley.

The Devil's Due


Vivian Lux - 2014
    But I knew what I was in for if I returned. The devil I knew versus the devil I didn’t. I made my choice. I would rather dance with the devils I didn’t know. When Lainey decides to leave Flint Springs, she doesn't look back. With her arms around the mysterious and terrifyingly sexy Cade Turner, she is ready to leave her abusive stepfather and go-nowhere life behind. She's ready for the excitement and thrill of the open road. But the world of the outlaw motorcycle club, The Devil's Due, is more than Lainey bargained for. Flung into the midst of a violent gang war, Lainey discovers secrets from Cade's past that threaten her newfound love. And when she meets the sadistic club president, Lainey must make a desperate bid to save an abused captive, the man she loves...and herself. This book is a dark erotic romance and deals with serious themes including violence, coercion and murder. Note to readers: This is the hit Devil's Due Motorcycle Club Saga, seamlessly edited into a complete novel.

Tattooed Hearts


Melissa Devenport - 2018
     They played with fire. Savannah, only 19 and from an well-respected family. Mike, older than her, well muscled, slightly rugged and from a completely different background. Both deeply in love. Far too deep! They met by coincidence one day when she needed a tattoo. He was the best artist around and the attraction was instant. In short time, their passion grew frighteningly strong. However, since life hadn’t spoiled them with the best of circumstances they soon found themselves in the middle of a hot complicated mess. A big secret did very little to improve the situation. If you are looking for a steamy book with fiery love scenes and an intriguing story, you found it. ***** Tattooed Hearts contains no cheating, no cliff-hangers and a HEA. It might not be suited for a younger audience due to the graphic storytelling.

The Pregnancy Test


Erin McCarthy - 2005
    But not when it's the bright, glaring stripe staring back at me on the pregnancy test. Then, pink is the colour of major oops, of morning sickness, of boyfriends who seemed decent but now are part of some Jerk Witness Protection Program. Still, I've got a few things going for me-bitter humour, a divine right to eat till I'm the size of Marlon Brando, and good friends who've managed to get me a job interview with one Damien Sharpton: in need of a personal assistant, and some say, a good, swift kick in the arse. If you want to make a lasting impression, by all means, toss your cookies in your future boss's wastebasket, which is located directly between his excruciatingly sexy legs. Apparently, Mr. Gorgeous-But-Unbearably-Anti-Social must like personal assistants who violate his trash can, because I got the job. And if I can avoid him via text messaging for the next seven months of health insurance, everything will be just fine. Except that he's just asked-no, insisted-that I go with him on a business trip to the Caribbean. Gulp. Ordinarily, this would be cause for celebration. Ordinarily, I'd shave my legs, pack my bikini, revel in day-glo drinks and my seething lust for Mr. Swarthy-And-Secretive. But there's nothing ordinary about this situation...which means it could be absolutely extraordinary...

Love You, Always


Cristin Cooper - 2015
    Forced to move forward with her life, Anna was reeling as she enrolled in college. There she made a friend who had been there and done that, hired a sexy younger man to tutor her in math, who also taught her how to have fun again, and she met a man to love her, whether she wanted him to or not. The lessons in life Anna received over her first year of college gave her the strength to live again.