Book picks similar to
Chasing River by LetThereBeScars


romance
forced-proximity
simping-for-the-man
made-me-sad

The Sweetest Oblivion


Danielle Lori - 2018
    . . Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was.Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint. They say first impressions are everything . . . In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena’s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he’s just as rude as he is handsome. She doesn’t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn’t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he’s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice.And he’s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she’s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another.Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don’t fall in love with a Made Man . . . right?This is a standalone forbidden romance.

Arrogant Devil


R.S. Grey - 2018
    Grey. Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot. When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin’ my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him. My opinion of Jack is marred by a dismal first impression, but his opinion of me is tainted even before I arrive. He’s heard I’m a spoiled princess there to take advantage of his goodwill. To him, I’m more trouble than I’m worth. Our button-pushing banter should get under my skin. His arrogance should be a major turn-off. Problem is, devils are known to offer their own form of temptation. Every one of his steely glares sends a shiver down my spine. Every steamy encounter leaves me reeling. Sure, it could be the Texas heat messing with my head, but there’s no way I’ll survive the summer without silencing him with a kiss and wrestling him out of those Wranglers. Who knows…going to bed with the devil might just be the salvation I’ve been looking for all along. ARROGANT DEVIL is a full-length romantic comedy of 93,000 words. For a limited time, I've also included an excerpt from my #1 bestselling sports romance THE SUMMER GAMES: SETTLING THE SCORE!

Love in The Time of Corona


Rilzy Adams - 2020
    The tension is sky high between them and things only get worse when they find out they've been exposed to the Coronavirus and are required to quarantine together in the apartment they've been "spite sharing" for the past three months. Alyssa is convinced she will murder Kingsley before the quarantine period is up and Kingsley is desperate for them to give their love another chance. What will happen now that there is nowhere to run or hide from the sparks that fly?

Set Me Free


London Setterby - 2016
    She ends up on a remote island off the Maine coast, where she befriends a bubbly shopkeeper, Claire, and becomes fascinated by Claire's son, big, brooding Owen Larsen, a woodworker who keeps to himself. Even the friendliest locals here are secretive--and Owen is at the center of their secrets. Still, Miranda loves the salt air, the craggy coastline, and, most of all, the work of the island's beloved local painter, Suzanna White. Miranda wants to stay--to claim a life of her own, to paint again. But the longer she stays, the more her fascination with Owen increases. Why is there a painting of his stern, handsome face in the art gallery by the beach? And why is everyone so afraid of him?

Lilah


Ashlyn Montgomery
    Not to mention the wildness and odd phrases she'd say every five minutes. He hates it. He hates how he can't stay away from it. He hates what she does to him; it's not like him to chase after some girl. She gets under his skin like no other.She'd never met someone with such a bad attitude. He's ill-mannered and menacing. The glare never seems to leave his face. Considering it all, she can't help but feel the attraction toward him. Dangerous attraction toward a seemingly dangerous man. Maybe it's the tattoos on his arm that gets her attention. Or maybe it's because she can tell there's hope for good under his rough exterior. And she's about to find that, whether he likes it or not. It's no secret that the two of them are complete and total opposites. ~~~"You like being called Sugar, don't you?" I tease, placing my toothbrush back after finishing. He does the same and gives me a side-eyed scowl. He grips my chin harshly and kisses me. My body temperature raises a good ten degrees and my right leg goes all wiggly. He pulls away. "You like it when I kiss you, don't you?" He teases the same way I did to him and I'm left blubbering. "I think both of our questions are rhetorical," I lower my voice up at him. His lip curls up into a smirk. ~~~

Bennett Mafia


Tijan - 2019
     The wealthiest of the wealthy sent their kids to our boarding school, and Brooke Bennett had been at the top, though I never quite knew why. She was fun and outgoing, but she kept quiet about her family. The only things she showed me were photographs of her brothers. I became fascinated with her second-oldest brother. Kai Bennett. He was the most of them all. Smoldering. Hypnotic. Alluring. Kai had eyes that pulled me in and a face that haunted my dreams. Then I met him. He came to our school with their father, and that’s when I learned what kind of family Brooke came from. They were mafia, and Brooke’s oldest brother was dead. Her father said accident, but Brooke said murder. Three months later, her father died, and Kai became the head of the Bennett Family. Brooke left Hillcrest for good, and that was the last time I saw her. Fourteen years later, I’m staring at her face on the television. Brooke is missing. Two days later, Kai Bennett kidnaps me. ** This is a 120k complete standalone. ** There is a bonus chapter from another book at the end.

Playing with Fire


Emma Doherty
    But, when her brother’s gorgeous friend moves in with them while he completes a summer internship, her goal changes. Suddenly the only thing she wants this summer is him.She wants him even more when her brother warns her off him, and even more than that when Livy tells her it’s a bad idea. Then when he starts dating one of her brother’s friends? Well, that makes him irresistible.Because that’s the thing about Sophie—she’s always wanted what she can’t have.

The Long Walk (The Bridge #2)


Jill Cox - 2018
    And when a childhood dream bubbles up through the cracks in her life, Meredith can’t help but wonder if this new path was her true destiny all along.From Ireland to Oregon, from Paris to Shanghai, follow Meredith into a future she never imagined. Because sometimes, the story is more important than the ending.This sequel to THE BRIDGE is a sweet contemporary romance, perfect for fans of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION or L. M. Montgomery’s ANNE OF THE ISLAND.CONTENT WARNING: THE LONG WALK contains multiple scenes addressing death, grief, and mental health issues (depression, PTSD, and accident-related trauma).

Always a Will and a Way


Barbara Gee - 2014
    Their comfortable routine is interrupted when her late husband’s parents contact her out of the blue, after nine years of total silence. Promising to explain everything, they request that Kelly bring James to visit them at their Texas ranch. It’s the last thing Kelly wants to do, yet she feels an unexplainable prompting to go. With the fervent hope that the visit will be good for James, she books the plane tickets and prepares herself for a very uncomfortable week. Heading into “enemy territory", the last thing Kelly expects is to meet a man who leaves her breathless, the first man to turn her head since she lost her husband. A relationship with Will Connor seems totally out of reach, but the handsome young cowboy refuses to let Kelly’s fears keep them from exploring what God might have in store for them. As they overcome obstacles and start to see a future together, one final snag causes Kelly to question their happy ending. Is Will actually better off without her? Is she strong enough to give him up?

Things We Never Got Over


Lucy Score - 2022
    Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Savage in the Sheets: A Friends-to-Lovers Romance (Savage in Love Book 1)


Lark Anderson - 2020
    Now I know why I never make it past date five.Jenna Savage here. Attorney. Reality TV watcher. Hopeless romantic. Forever alone…If only I could deprogram the aggressively bland bedroom habits I’ve adapted out of my system and become the savage I’m meant to be.Of course, in order to do that, I need help. And who better to be my mentor than Weston Singer, my best friend and a total stud.We lay out the rules, determined to maintain our friendship during my ‘training.’ But wouldn’t you know it, my heart has other plans.Now, I’m hopelessly in love with a man who has always been a love ’em and leave ’em type of guy. I should have seen this coming.Is it possible he could feel the same way?Or am I doomed to forever long for a man I can never have?Savage in the Sheets is a standalone romantic comedy novella that fits into the bigger Savage in Love world! If you LOVE to laugh! If you CRAVE a sexy SIZZLE! And if you HATE cliffhangers—this book is for you!

Love to Hate You


Jo Watson - 2018
    (Except for one wild night in the backseat of a stranger's car!) But what happens when that bad boy turns out to be her new boss? And what happens when he wants more than one night...and he can be very persuasive...

This is a Love Story


Jessica Thompson - 2012
    It's because of a squirrel on water skis...She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,Don't.Fall.Into.Them.Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else.

Lessons Learned: A sequel to Teach Me


Amy Lynn Steele - 2014
    Two years later all of Allison's dreams seemed to be coming true. She had survived major heart surgery, gotten married to the man of her dreams, and was accepted to one of the top literary schools in Southern California. It wasn't until her best friend, Christina Harper, revealed she was pregnant that Ali began to feel a void in her life. As desire for a family grows, so does the realization that with her heart condition having a child could mean losing her life.

Will You Still Want Me?


B. Love - 2018
    Seemingly unfazed while I was on the verge of shattering from shame, a broken spirit and crushed pride. I thought it hurt so much because I loved Rodney, but the past six months have shown me that it wasn't my heart that took the biggest beating. It was my pride." - Parker Graham It took six months for the ice around Parker's heart to freeze. Can Kane warm her up to his love in one week? Or will he be yet another source of pain that causes the ice and disappointment that can only be felt because of love to remain? *Please note: This is a novella with explicit content and language.*