Book picks similar to
Christmas in July by Rachel Maldonado


ff-romance
ff-short-story
lesbian-fiction

State of Grace


Everly James - 2017
    When the opportunity arises for her to be the campaign manager of a man running for the United States Senate, she can hardly believe her luck. What she doesn’t expect is for the woman of her dreams to be her political rival. When Rachel Callum meets Andie McIntyre, she has only one goal: to get this woman on a date. But Andie has other plans that don’t involve self-assured Rachel. When it turns out that Rachel’s new job is to take Andie down, Rachel is left with a choice: her ambition or romance? Can Andie and Rachel put aside their political views and find love? STATE OF GRACE is a full-length, standalone romance novel with steamy sex scenes, no cheating, and a happily ever after. It’s light on politics and heavy on love.

Baking Spirits Bright


Bryce Oakley - 2021
    Win Top Holiday Baker. Open my very own bakery here in Snowy Springs. That’s what I should be focusing on.Not Ariadne—“call me Ari”—Greco, the gorgeous celebrity chef judge of the competition. Even though Ari’s flirtations are irresistible, she’s basically off-limits, right? She’s a judge, which I think means it's actually illegal for me to even be her friend, and besides, she's only in town for a few days.Everything about Ari puts my dream in danger. But... it’s Christmas and Snowy Springs is magical at Christmas. And for elf’s sake, tonight, I don’t care that Ari kissing me under the falling snow does not fit into my plan.Surely a little Christmas fling could be fun and meaningless and not ruin everything I've worked so hard for, right?Get ready for a brand new series of holiday romances! The Snowy Springs holiday romances are fluffy, fun, and quick reads, complete with bad Christmas puns and merrily-ever-afters.

Journey's End


L.J. Maas - 2004
    Slaves and prostitutes had more rights than the average female. What if one woman had the power to change all that? One female warrior, Aedon, known as The Lion to her people, changes history in this alternate look at Ancient Greece.As terrible as she was strong, The Lion soon earned a reputation that caused women and children to cower in fear within her presence. No mortal man could match her in battle. Cursed by the Gods when she was still a teenager, a dark demon controlled the warrior's soul during times of battle to the point where she lost herself entirely. The darkness that fell upon her in battle turned her from honorable warrior, defending her homeland, into the evil Lord Conqueror.That was before Cassandra entered Aedon's life.

How To Wrangle a Woman


Susan X. Meagher - 2012
    It turns out that Brooklyn York is extraordinary. Yes, she has to be at work at 6 am, still…when you have to pay a perfect stranger very good money to be a human alarm clock it might be time to reassess. But Brooklyn isn't the most introspective person in town. She's much better at aiming pointed barbs at politicians and celebrities during her mornings on talk radio and her evenings on the college lecturecircuit.Kiri Klein rides to the rescue. She's very adept at helping celebs stay out of jail and rehab. Actually, Brooklyn is the easiest client she's ever worked with. The only problem is how to keep things strictly professional. Brooklyn is charming, generous and kind and Kiri begins to lose the battle. Maybe theycould have sex but keep it casual. That wouldn't be hard, would it? Well, would it?

Moonstone


Jaime Clevenger - 2016
    With a successful career in San Francisco and plenty of opportunity for casual relationships, the last thing Joy wants is to return to the small town she’d planned her whole life to escape. But family obligations pull her back home and it isn’t long before Joy runs into someone she’s always dreamed of seeing again—the first girl she ever imagined kissing. Kelsey West.Olympic dreams are a thing of the past for Kelsey. Now an out of work swim coach recovering from a bad relationship, she’s back home only long enough to get her life together. When she learns that Joy Henderson, the high school crush she never forgot, is also back in town, she can’t help but wonder if there’s a chance to rewrite the past.Time has changed their hometown. Time has changed Kelsey and Joy. But when it comes to two women who have never trusted love—has time changed them enough?

Frosting on the Cake


Karin Kallmaker - 2001
    The only problem is, her mouth-watering novels always leave you hungry for more. So, because you asked for it, more is exactly what's on the menu today!As a special treat, our gal-loving gourmet has whipped up a baker's dozen of scrumptious short stories - each one filled with your favorite characters and settings from her critically acclaimed bestsellers, In Every Port, Touchwood, Paperback Romance, Car Pool, Painted Moon, Wild Things, Embrace in Motion, Watermark, Making Up for Lost Time, and Unforgettable. Stories so rich with romance, we bet you can't read just one!

The Bridge ~ Inner City: Gargoyles


Victoria Cobretti - 2015
    O’Flanagan’s has become the hub of fae activity in the area under the watchful eye of Troll Evangeline Kane. But other sentinels of the city also frequent the bar, including Gargoyle Kalila Storm. When a string of robberies threatens mortals and fae alike, Kalila and her partner, Declan, must track down those responsible. But just when they think they’ve uncovered the truth, they find that the web of deceit stretches even further than they could ever have imagined. And as if that wasn’t enough, Kalila is at war with herself over her inexplicable new attraction to a mortal woman. This book is set in the same universe as The Bridge series by Erik Schubach.

Hero


Ronni Meyrick - 2016
    Returning home from Afghanistan injured makes her evaluate her life. After her husband’s strange behaviour, she realises the only people in her life she can count on to help with her recovery are her twins, her parents, and all the medical teams she finds herself surrounded with. Could a chance encounter with an old school friend turn her life around? As a physiotherapist at a military rehabilitation centre, Carrie Spencer treats all kinds of people and injuries. She just didn’t ever consider running into an old school friend, and end up treating her. In the midst of an abusive relationship, Carrie is struggling to decide how she needs to act to safeguard herself and her boys, Charlie and Richard. Jackie is her bright light in a dark place, and Carrie begins to rely on her friend more and more as she comes to terms with what she must do. Everything comes to a head at a party held at Jackie’s house…the only question is—Will Carrie do the right thing and turn her back on her relationship, or will she follow her lover and suffer more of her abuse? When a friendship turns to more and two hearts beat as one, is it possible for that bond to be torn apart?

Her Pretend Christmas Date


Alexa Woods - 2020
    Too bad, her mom didn’t get the memo and regularly bombards Laney with requests for grandbabies. When her mom promises to stop nagging for a year if Laney brings a date to her brother’s Christmas wedding, Laney agrees. A fake date, one night of deception for a year of peace? Yes, please!Morgun Hewat knows exactly who Laney Sterling is— the bitch who stole Morgun’s dream job. OK, so stole is an exaggeration, and if Morgun is honest, Laney isn’t a bitch, but a tough, hard-working, and gorgeous woman. Not that Laney is attracted to Morgan. No, not at all. The only reason Morgun agrees to be Laney’s fake date is to get a foot up in the photography industry. Nothing more.A win-win situation. A practical deal. Zero emotions involved. Until the actual date. Because when sparks fly between the two women, Morgun has to decide how hard she’s willing to work to melt the walls around Laney’s heart. As for Laney, for once, she’s not so sure that choosing her career over love is the right choice.Will a Christmas miracle happen and bring these two women together?

Brilliant


Ann Roberts - 2007
    What happens when two strong willed women meet and are forced to find common ground?Respected sociology professor Diane Cole has written the book on love. Every matter of the heart is neatly explained, and Diane’s life spins in a smooth circle. At her fortieth birthday party a beautiful young stranger named Ronnie Frost surprises her with a kiss, and the predictable story that is Diane’s life is complicated further when Ronnie appears in one of her classes.Diane finds her views on love challenged by her own heart, as she fights the attraction she feels for a woman half her age, a woman who is brilliant in every way.

She's The One


B.L. Miller - 2007
    Looking or not, she finds it, and her routine life is turned upside down. Sure that Nicole feels the same, Laurel takes a chance. Will her heart be broken in the process? Nicole feels the pull, and wants to give in, but she's been hurt in the past and has a rule to never date anyone she works with. Can Laurel get through this roadblock and convince Nicole, She's The One?

Stone Walls


Kate Sweeney - 2012
    She had everything—fame, endorsements, and any woman she wanted. All was good until a tragic accident put everything in perspective. Tyler was forced to do some serious soul searching, and she was never forced to do anything.RN Rachel Whitaker was no stranger to disastrous circumstances. She left England because of them, hoping to hide in obscurity behind the stone wall she had quietly constructed brick by brick, but taking care of the convalescing arrogant skier was not helping.They annoy each other, help each other, and fight each other on a daily basis and hopefully, find love—before they kill each other.

Awakened


Cara Malone - 2017
    What she never expects is to find herself working with Morgan Park, a mesmerizing woman who turned her world upside down when they met one year before.A lot can change in a year, though, and Morgan is a different person now. She’s reserved and sullen, trying to get over a broken heart that came with a heavy dose of guilt after her troubled girlfriend, Allison, disappeared with nothing more than a vague goodbye note.Thrust together in the cramped quarters of a cubicle, Morgan and Leah can’t deny – or resist – the forces of attraction driving them together. Morgan even begins to think she can find happiness again... until Allison blows back into town with a terrible secret that threatens to tear Morgan and Leah apart forever.Is the mystery of Allison’s lost year enough to destroy Morgan and Leah’s chance at love?

Pioneer Hearts: A Lesbian Western


Becky Harris - 2020
     It was supposed to be a simple trip into town. Once a year. Get supplies. Ignore the jeers and jibes from townsfolk who didn't want to understand her. Ignore how everything reminded her of Suzanne. She wasn't expecting Jeane. A damsel in distress out on the prairie? A broken down wagon and three men who meant no good closing in on her? Belle knew frontier life could be harsh, and sometimes that meant dealing with rabid animals. Only now she's stuck with Jeane. And the more time they spend together traveling back to her homestead, the more she can't get this woman out of her mind. The more she starts hoping, against all reason and hope, that maybe she can find something like what she had with Suzanne. Two women, alone together on the frontier where they can truly be themselves, learning to love again. Pioneer Hearts is a 68,000 word western about two women coming together to deal with life on the harsh American frontier, and learning that maybe there is more to life than survival!

Come Back To Me


Maria Jackson - 2017
    A chance encounter with her older sister's best friend leaves her speechless. Back in high school, Callie was a million times cooler than Robyn could ever hope to be. So why does she suddenly want to hang out with Robyn? Callie's left behind her guitar-playing days, and the lifestyle that went along with them. These days, she spends all her free time with her energetic puppy. When she runs into Robyn, she's instantly drawn to her changed, confident new self. And although Callie always thought she was straight, Robyn is... hot? As the two women spend time together, Robyn's years-old crush intensifies - and Callie's certainty about her orientation falters. But if they admit their feelings for each other, will the present be able to overshadow their past?