Book picks similar to
The Surprise by Alice Ward


romance
contemporary
contemporary-romance
arc

Mine


Natasha Knight - 2020
    She was never supposed to walk into my club.  But she did.  I shouldn’t have looked twice at her.  But I did.  The criminal underworld is no place for a girl like her.  One night with Katerina isn’t enough, but men like me can’t afford to be weak.  So, I tell her to leave me behind.  She does, but not before she sees something she shouldn’t.  When she goes into hiding, it’s my duty to hunt her down.  I have a job to do, and she needs to disappear for good.  But four years later, Kat isn’t alone anymore.  And the little boy right beside her looks just like me.

Heartless


Michelle Horst - 2017
     He’s part of the screw crew. He’ll just use you and leave you. He’s ruthless and always gets what he wants. Just look for the trail of broken hearts and dreamy sighs and you’ll find him. “Hot as sin, Carter.” I don’t have time to fall head over heels for any guy. Besides, he’d never notice someone like me. I have a three step plan. Get through college. Get a job. Get my sister out of the hell hole I left her in. That’s all I have time for. That’s until I hear of the betting pool the guys started. Whoever screws me first gets the money. The moment Carter looks at me, I know it’s only because of the bet. I tell myself our first kiss is only for show. I hate my heart for falling for his irresistible charm. For one foolish moment, I actually want him to be my first earth-shattering love. All it takes for me to give in is a little attention, a cocky smile, and a fake promise of a happily-ever-after. When I’m surrounded by crumpled sheets and the smell of sex, I realize I let him have me for four hundred dollars. To save what little pride I have left, I pretend it didn’t mean anything, that he’s just one last screw before we all leave college. I’ve spent the last four years lying to myself. When I’m ready to take the final step of my plan, and save my sister, guess who walks through my front door? This is a full-length, stand alone, unrequited love/second chance romance. Note: The book ends at 77% with samples of Predator and Protector.

Deal Breakers


Laura Lee - 2015
    But she was also the hottest chick I had ever known. I thought it would be simple. I thought we'd have a good time, then pretend like it never happened. It turns out, I was an idiot. Now, she wants nothing to do with me, but I'm determined. I've spent the last five years without her and I refuse to waste another day. I have a solid plan. All of my figurative ducks are in a row. I'm going balls to the wall, and I'm not stopping until I win back the only girl I've ever loved. Too bad for me, Devyn Summers has been sitting on a secret that nothing could've prepared me for. *Deal Breakers is filled with lots of laughs, a sexy romance, and an overflowing swear jar. It's the first installment in the Dealing With Love series, but each one can be read as a standalone.

The Match


Winter Renshaw - 2021
    No daddy? No problem.That’s what anonymous donors are for …But when the fertility clinic accidentally sends me a letter addressed to a man whose ID matches my paperwork, I discover my child’s father is none other than world-renowned tennis champion Fabian Catalano—famous for his gorgeous face, chiseled abs, and broody, wildcard reputation. Only everything changes when the clinic calls us in for damage control—and Fabian drops the bombshell of the century. Turns out the intense Adonis wants to get to know his daughter. So I invite him to stay with us—temporarily.Ground rules and all. And our arrangement is simple … until it isn’t.Between 2 AM feedings and stolen kisses, my sweet little simple life has taken a very complicated left turn. But oh, baby. What happens next—is a game changer.

Knocked Up by the Dom


Penelope Bloom - 2017
    He gave me three things that night: His first name, the sweet taste of submission, and his baby. Now my Dom is back and this time he won’t stop until I’m his. Kylie One wild and reckless night changed my life three years ago. I got a taste of what it meant to be with a real man--how just a whisper could ignite my desire, and his commanding voice could have me kneeling at his feet in submission. He was my everything and I only knew him for a few hours. But like everything good in my life, it went up in flames. When I learned the truth about him, I ran as fast as I could. I’d like to think I would’ve stayed if I knew about the baby… but I doubt even that would’ve stopped me, not after what I learned. Damian It has been three years since she got away. Three f*cking years. I knew she was mine from the moment I saw her. I had to have her. To touch her. For one night, I owned her submission and she loved every second. I finally found her again. There’s not a chance in hell she’s going to slip away this time. Not again. Not ever. I’m going to bring her into my world. I’ll give her everything she wants and all the things she didn’t even know she needs. She’ll be crying out my name. She’ll be dreaming of spankings, handcuffs, and blindfolds. I’m going to dominate her in every way imaginable. Mind, body, and soul. Especially her body. But it’s not going to be as simple as I thought because she has a son now… my son. **As always, this is a totally SAFE, full length book with a happily ever after, no cheating, and plenty of steam. Bonus content included.**

Cheat Codes


Emily Goodwin - 2018
    Since the moment he saw her, he’s been denying his feelings for her, ignoring the void in his heart he knows only she can fill. Everything about them was wrong, the kind of wrong that felt so right. But none of it mattered. Not the terrible timing. And definitely not the mess it would create if Archer made a move on his best friend’s baby sister.It was supposed to be one night, but one night is all it takes to make everything more complicated, and they only have nine short months to sort it all out.No, none of it mattered. Until it did.

Sin's Temptation


Evie Harrison - 2016
    Time and time again he's lived up to the nickname the press calls him, Mr. Sin. This confirmed bachelor has no intention of ever settling down. That all changes during a visit to one of his Erotic Bent sex stores when he spots eighteen-year-old Natalie Farrar in aisle six. The dark haired beauty has him ensnared in the blink of an eye. The attraction between them is palpable and within minutes Jordan knows there's nothing he won't do to claim and keep her by his side forever. Sin's Temptation is Book One in the Erotic Intentions series. Each story will be a standalone full of page-melting heat courtesy of alpha men claiming their women. No cheating. No lying. No deceit. Just true love and an abundance of steam. These books deal with insta-love and are heavy on the sexy times. *please note that Sin's Temptation was previously published with my pen name Evie Harrison in 2016*

Cocky Bastard


Penelope Ward - 2015
    When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours. My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense.I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.Author's note - Cocky Bastard is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Rockstar Daddy


Taryn Quinn - 2017
     Wait, let me back up. I'm Kellan McGuire, and I'm a rockstar in hiding, at least for the weekend. Enter Maggie Kelly, the famed Kelly virgin - AKA my small hometown's favorite good girl. Did I mention she's really good? And I'm so...not. Except Maggie isn't a virgin any longer. She actually just went through a rough breakup due to her ex's penchant for strippers.  And I don't want to be a rockstar this weekend. Not with her. I just want to be Kellan, the wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood. The guy who shows her all the dark, dirty things she never dared to dream. In return, she gave me something I never dared to dream about either - a baby. A family. Our family, if I can convince her I'm worth the risk. Author's note: this book may be called Rockstar Daddy, but the emphasis is on lots of babymaking practice, laughter, a few tears, and a serious case of insta-love.

Baby Daddy


Kendall Ryan - 2018
    Awkward, right?At thirty-five, my life hadn’t taken the path I thought it would and I was tired of waiting—I wanted a baby. And I was ready to take matters into my own hands to make it happen.After our ill-fated elevator encounter, Emmett insisted on taking me to dinner—he also insisted on something else—that I ditch my plan involving a turkey baster and let him do the job. He would be my baby daddy. He was a wealthy and powerful CEO with little interest in diapers or playdates. And since he didn’t want kids, I’d be on my own once his bun was in my oven, free to go my own way.But once his baby was inside me, it was like a switch had been flipped, and I got a whole lot more than I ever bargained for. This full-length standalone contains a hot, swoonworthy hero, lots of playful banter and some hot baby-making s-e-x! Enjoy.

Her Best Friend's Dad


Penny Wylder - 2017
    Moving back home was never my plan. Except here I am, struggling under my evil step-mom's crushing thumb while I look for work. I feel just like Cinderella, but I never expected my best friend's DAD to be my prince. He's just as hot now as he was when I was a teen; maybe hotter. He's also rich and powerful, and when he offers me a job working under him at his company... I can't say no. I don't WANT to say no. All our flirting is bad enough--we can't get caught, my best friend would hate me--but then we go too far. Hiding our relationship was one thing... How the hell do I hide a baby? Penny Wylder's first full length novel! It's all the fun and filth you expect, just a lot more of it! This story has a romantic core and a happily ever after that will make you melt.

Hot Cop


Laurelin Paige - 2017
    don’t worry, I’m a bit of an expert in that department.There’s nothing ‘thin’ about my blue line, if you catch my drift, and trust me, I know how to put those handcuffs to good use.***Livia Ward wants a baby before she’s thirty.  And even though Officer Chase Kelly is exactly the kind of cocky jerk this librarian has sworn off, he is undeniably hot.  Both of them think they can give each other what they want—a few nights of fun for Officer Kelly, a no-strings baby for Livia—but this hot cop is about to learn that sex, babies, and love don’t always play by the rules.

A Ruthless Proposition


Natasha Anders - 2016
    It’s a mistake—a steamy, mind-blowingly satisfying mistake. But a few nights of passion with the superwealthy bad boy prove to have long-term effects when Cleo’s world is unexpectedly turned upside down.Dante has cultivated an enviable, jet-setting lifestyle: beautiful women, exotic destinations, and luxury without limits. He’s not looking to be domesticated, and certainly not by his assistant—even though he can’t get her out of his mind. Still, he knows he has both the responsibility and the financial means to help Cleo.Though Cleo has no interest in Dante’s money, her lack of prospects gives her little choice but to accept his help. But living under the same roof, Dante discovers he wants more, and if Cleo lets down her guard, she just might find what her heart’s wanted all along.

The Pickup


Nikki Ash - 2019
    The world decides for us. But I disagree.I believe love is a decision. Who we love, how we love. It’s in our control - in our hands.I grew up having no clue about the true meaning of love. Money. Cars. Houses. Status. Fame. That’s what love means to the people around me.It wasn’t until the woman I picked up in a bar came back into my life and showed me love can be so much more.So, what’s the problem?The woman I’m falling in love with believes in fairytales. She compares everything to a storybook and wants the happily-ever-after.So while she’s stuck on recreating stories that have already been told, page by page, I’m showing her it’s time we write our own book.Nobody ever said the journey of falling in love would be easy, just that it would be worth it. The Pickup is a standalone sports romance.

Tycoon


Katy Evans - 2017
    This hot. This difficult.Aaric Christos was a guy who protected me. Wanted me. Maybe even loved me.That man is gone.In his place is the most powerful real estate tycoon in the city.He’s a cold, ruthless, aggressive businessman.The only one who can save me and my startup from ruin.It takes every ounce of courage to put my pride aside and ask for his help.I didn’t expect him to offer it easily.And he doesn’t.Instead, he vets me harder than he’s vetted anyone.Don’t invest in what you don’t know, he says.He's assessing every piece of me, to the point I've never felt so bare.I yearn for the boy I once knew, whose touch once craved me.Putting it all on the line will be worth it, I tell myself.Until I realize—too late—that some risks are not worth taking.