Book picks similar to
Behind the Strings by Courtney Giardina


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A Lot Like Home


Kathryn Cantrell - 2021
    Smooth-talking strangers need not apply...Navy Veteran Caleb Hardy is determined to atone for past mistakes by helping the old woman whose letters got him through his last deployment. When he and his band of brothers drop into her quirky, dying Texas town, only one thing stands in the way of his redemption.Superstition Springs native Havana Nixon is convinced letting a big developer into their tiny Texas oasis is the only way to save the town and she’s not about to let a newcomer—no matter how gorgeous—derail her plans. Especially after her aunt tosses out one of her famous “love predictions” matching her with Caleb, also known as the most disturbing man on the planet.Havana and Caleb can’t even compromise, let alone admit they’re falling for each other…or does one lead to the other?Small town military heroes—all swoon, no steamWelcome to Superstition Springs, the place where destiny is the ultimate matchmaker. All you have to do is believe.

In the Grasp: A Second Chance Sports Romance


Cadence Keys - 2021
    I thought I’d have more accomplished by now - like a wife and family - but for nine years I’ve held onto the memory of the girl who got away. Now she’s back and I’m more determined than ever to make her mine. For good this time.PaigeAfter years of working tirelessly, I just landed my dream job at the largest newspaper on the west coast. Unfortunately, that lands me in the same city as the man who broke my heart nearly a decade ago - the same one I’ve never really been able to let go of. When my editor assigns me to write an exposé on Jack, I’m forced to decide where my loyalties lie - with the career of a lifetime, or the love of my life.In the Grasp is the first steamy standalone contemporary sports romance in the LA Wolves series.

Undercover Bachelor


Maria Geraci - 2020
    Embarrassing? Hell, yeah. Then something even worse happens. The Twittersphere erupts with outrage, and single women everywhere suddenly want to date him. Maybe being hounded by hotties is a dream for most guys, but the attention has Sam fleeing his overzealous fans.Annie Esposito thinks love at first sight only happens in the movies. She’s been humiliated in love before, thanks to the Unfortunate Incident, as everyone in her small town still calls it. Even so, when her book club friends cancel their meeting in favor of watching a reality TV dating show, Annie can’t help but be drawn to the self-deprecating and charmingly witty Sam. On a whim, Annie writes Sam a letter pouring out all her pent-up feelings, never dreaming that he’ll actually read it.As the publicity surrounding the show becomes too much to handle, Sam goes to Annie’s hometown on a double mission: hide out from the press and meet the woman who wrote him the smart and quirky letter he can’t stop thinking about. Sam and Annie have a less than auspicious first meeting, but their instant chemistry makes Annie wonder if maybe happily-ever-after really does exist. Still, reality TV and reality are two very different things, and her scarred soul and Sam’s family obligations stand in the way of a Hollywood ending. Can she put aside her painful past—and can he learn to follow his heart—so they can create a real-life fairy tale together?

Her Billionaire Inventor


Dobi Daniels - 2018
    She’d been emotionally scarred from her last relationship and has just managed to pay off the mountain of debts she was saddled with.Now all she wants for Christmas is to rediscover Christmas joy—no love in the equation, and what better place than her hometown Dexington where she recalled spending the happiest times of her life. She is determined to stick with her plan and not even a chance encounter with Phillip—billionaire hospital heir and inventor, and the town’s most eligible bachelor—can change her mind.Until she discovers he is the boy she kissed in high school.Phillip Dexington is finally about to launch a new medical device after having his last invention stolen by his former girlfriend and sold to his archenemy. He’s determined that nothing must go wrong this time around—which means avoiding a relationship at all costs—and is content with spending Christmas with the children at the orphanage.But when Phillip runs into Sarah Nash, the girl who stole his heart in high school, his world flips upside down. She’s only in town for Christmas, and the time before the launch party is Phillip’s only chance at determining if she is the one.Will they open their hearts to the fullness of Christmas and give love a second chance, or will their trust issues rob them of a happily ever after?This is a sweet/clean emotional scars Christmas medical billionaire romance with no cliffhangers and a guaranteed HEA.

Cured


Stacy Eaton - 2018
    For six years, Ember has closed off her heart, moving from one man to another, trying to feel something other than her own pain and guilt. Colt Barnes is a plastic surgeon who strives to give people a better quality of life, especially children. The night he watches Ember leave the bar with another one-night stand, he resolves to offer up a challenge to get her to view herself in a new light. Little does he know that the challenge will change both their lives, but when Embers’s secret is exposed, will Colt be able to accept it and trust her, or will Ember go back to her old ways and leave Colt broken? Love Medical Romance? Check out the rest of the Heal Me Series for sexy romances that will warm your heart as they deal with life-altering medical and psychological issues. While each book in the Heal Me Series is a stand-alone book, the characters cross between books and are best enjoyed by reading them in order. Cured, Book 1 Revived, Book 2 Mended, Book 3 Rescued, Book Eaton's romances are perfect steamy romances for fans of Melissa Foster, Carly Phillips, Mona Risk, Leanne Banks, Mimi Barbour, Carolyn Brown, and Lexi Blake and other small-town romance fans. The characters are flawed and real, dealing with real-life issues and overcoming real-life odds and earn their happily ever after.

Taming her Wild Heart


Aurora Hanson - 2020
    At the same time, she will need to deal with a big secret that makes everything even more difficult. The moment she feels completely trapped, an unexpected event will give her hope again. Is there any chance for her to escape this arranged marriage and find her own happiness? If her plan fails, Tilly Jean and her sister will end up miserable and heavy-hearted... Jackson West has spent his whole life traveling around the country, working different jobs to make his living. Love and an affectionate relationship have never been an option for him. His fate though will change dramatically when he meets Tilly Jean. He will be the savior she has been looking for. The future, however, still holds many surprises for them. How will he react when his true intentions will be revealed and his relationship with Tilly Jean will be at risk? When Jackson and Tilly Jean think that the storm is over, life will have different plans for them. As the truth is revealed everything will fall apart and they will have to face the consequences. Could Jackson intervene and fix what seems to be irreversibly destroyed? Will love finally prevail and show them the path to happiness? "Taming her Wild Heart" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Love at Coco Bay


Kirsty McManus - 2021
    With a recent promotion from receptionist to co-assistant manager—not to mention the ongoing opportunity to live and work with her best friends—everything is perfect.Well, except for one tiny thing. Sasha has never had much luck in the boyfriend department, and the only guy she’s ever been interested in is event planner Dash, a Channing Tatum lookalike who is oblivious to her affections.But when a resort guest insists that Sasha work with Dash on an upcoming wedding, they are suddenly thrust into a three-month-long high-pressure environment. Sasha can no longer hide from Dash, and Dash has no option but to get to know Sasha.As expected, things get off to a rocky start, and when a mystery investor arrives at the island, the situation only gets worse. Sudden changes in the corporate hierarchy and bizarre managerial decisions mean that not only the wedding, but the entire resort’s future is in jeopardy.Can Sasha survive the chaos, make the wedding a success, and end up with her dream guy?She’s going to try.

Dating Disaster with a Billionaire


Elizabeth Lynx - 2020
    The reason I shouldn’t? I was a walking, talking, dating disaster.My name’s Marika. I ran a coffee shop in a small town. Things were fine until that fancy resort, The Blue Spot, that catered to the wealthy moved in down the road. They stole all my customers with their posh coffee shop open to the public.How could I compete with the rich and powerful? Perhaps if I entered their Win a Date with a Billionaire contest, I could win enough money to help my business. I wouldn’t tell them about my horrible dating history or especially about that one guy who ended up in the hospital. They didn’t need to know that, did they?As a VidTube star, most people had heard of me. I was Jokin’ James. Everyone except the woman I was falling for, Marika. I had been coming by her coffee shop for almost a year, but she had no idea who I was or that my brother owned the resort that was stealing her customers.We were friends, but I wanted more. I was all ready to ask her out when she entered the contest my brother was running. Not only that, but the resort wanted me to be a part of the contest. Now she would discover that my family owned The Blue Spot. And worst of all, that I wasn’t from that small town at all. That I was a celebrity billionaire.A sexy, funny, small-town billionaire romance involving mistaken identity, dating disasters, and a picnic so bad even the ants ran in fear.

Lianne


Mona Ingram - 2017
     Following in her late husband's footsteps, Lianne visits the spectacular Cornwall coast of England where she begins to find herself again. What she doesn't plan for is a growing attraction to a local man... and his dog. But when he disappears unexpectedly, she returns home and puts all of her energies into revitalizing her home town. But memories of those golden days linger, igniting her desire to love again. Mona Ingram is the author of over forty sweet, clean romances full of hope, inspiration and happily ever afters. For a complete list of Mona's books, visit her website at monaingram.com

Catching Caroline


Megan Nugen Isbell - 2017
    The small town is quiet and safe and the only home Caroline has ever known. Nothing ever changes in Silver Falls. At least that’s what Caroline thinks until it does. What she expected to be a typical summer, turns out to be one she will never forget when Adam DeLain suddenly returns to Silver Falls. Since they were kids, Adam and Caroline’s brother have been best friends, but it’s been years since Caroline has seen him, not since he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and embarked on a career in baseball, leaving his hometown behind. Caroline doesn’t know why Adam has suddenly come home, but she knows neither of them is the same person they were all those years ago when Adam disappeared from their lives. He’s no longer just her brother’s best friend and she’s no longer a little girl. What will happen when the worlds of a baseball player and a girl from the small town he left behind come together, truly seeing each other for the first time? Find out in Catching Caroline, the first book in the Silver Falls Series.

Worth the Wait


Sophia Sinclair - 2019
     Molly Miller is an overworked and underpaid librarian struggling to raise her three kids herself. The only romances she has time for are the novels she returns to the shelves. Then one day, David Conrad walks into the Fairview Public Library. He looks just like the sexy pirate on the cover of a romance novel her best friend, Lori, has been reading, so they secretly refer to him as The Pirate Man. But the truth is even stranger. His appearance means old secrets are about to be revealed, and not everyone in town will be happy about that. Who is David Conrad? David immediately rubs Molly the wrong way. But she somehow keeps getting entangled with him in ways she can't seem to avoid. He claims to be descended from a prominent Fairview family that was brutally murdered in the 1950s. The Conrad murders were never solved, and now that a Conrad is back in town and asking questions, the people of Fairview are in for some surprises. So is Molly. Who'd have thought an irritating Pirate Man could capture her heart? Review of Worth the Wait: I cannot say enough about this book! I love the whole librarian single mom angle and meeting up with “The Pirate”??!! So much YES! Sophia Sinclair creates this small town feel with real characters that have so much depth that you can’t help but fall in love with. Molly not only tackles being a single parent, but also issues with her beloved library and her crazy awful landlord! It’s real and I absolutely loved that it was such a big part of the story. Then, she meets this mysterious stranger who is new in this small town (we all know how that goes) and he shakes things up in her already chaotic life. They have this love/hate relationship that they have to struggle through.

Bad For You


Weston Parker - 2021
    No peasant for her perfect son.She made sure to boot me out of his life when we were in high school and falling quickly in love.So I did what any respectable girl would do—I broke his heart and let him leave.Now the handsome billionaire is all grown up and back in our hometown where I never left.Seems the military did some good with him. He’s a hotshot pilot with a playboy attitude to boot.Being the heir to the most revered aviation company in the world doesn’t hurt either.However, he’s very different when it comes to me.That same flame that burned bright when we were kids is there, scorching me all over again.And he’s one of the good ones. He’s helping raise money for the local school I teach at.Unfortunately, my current boyfriend is the principal at the school—my boss.I can’t seem to shake my first love no matter how hard I try.But I need to. His mother was right—I’m bad for him.Every good girl deserves a bad boy. ~ Weston

The Suite Life


Brooke St. James - 2018
    I had been traveling, and for the last twenty-four hours, sleep had evaded me. I knew I looked terrible, and I was relatively sure I didn't smell so great, either. It was not the most ideal moment to make a first impression. On a normal day, I wouldn't be so torn up about it, but today was different. This was the day I met Taylor. He was a gentleman in every way. I was instantly taken aback by his vintage look and charm. It was almost like he had stepped out of the past. I would only be in Boston for two days before traveling again, and I was determined to get a second chance at a first impression.

Christmas At First Sight


Trevor McCall - 2019
    The self-made author, and podcaster, accepts a bet from the mayor of a tiny town in New Hampshire to see if she can resist its Christmas charm. She never expected the owner of the local bed and breakfast, Eli Ryder, and his eleven-year-old daughter, Lucy, to be the charms she wouldn’t be able to resist. Unfortunately for Eli, Paige isn’t ready to fall in love with him, or Christmas, at first sight.

Meet Me Halfway


Dee Lagasse - 2020
    Carina Domenico loves four things: her daughter, her big Italian family, cappuccino, and her food blog Halfway Homemade--but not necessarily in that order.When Halfway Homemade is picked up by a major television network, Carina's world changes overnight.But the one thing that doesn't change, thanks to a single earth-shattering heartbreak, is Carina's view on dating.As she starts to feel something for Ryan West--the attractive British producer of her show--she tries her hardest to evade both him and her unwanted feelings.Carina Domenico loves four things--and Ryan West is not on that list.At least, that's what she keeps telling herself.