Book picks similar to
In The Now by Jennifer Ann Shore


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Life Lessons (Lessons of a Student Midwife #1)


J.E. Rowney - 2020
    All that stand in her way are anxiety, self-doubt, and three years of training. Can she overcome all obstacles and make her dreams come true?Life Lessons is a new adult chick-lit medical drama, with splashes of clean romance.Expect an unputdownable emotional page-turner that will take you deep into the life lessons of a student midwife.Violet wants to be a midwife, but she has struggled with anxiety throughout her teenage years.With her best friend Zoe at her side, she gets a place at University and starts training for her dream job.Can she overcome her fears and find the self-confidence to make it through her first year?Will Zoe's romance with their housemate spell dating disaster? Book one of the Lessons of a Student Midwife series.This book is a prequel to Ghosted, the bestselling novel.

Eight Years


Donna Schwartze - 2021
    An overly protective man. When their clashing wills put her quest in danger, will she sacrifice her love or her life?Millie Marsh is obsessed with finding the truth. Still mourning her beloved father’s passing, the fierce CIA agent has poured all her energy into solving the mystery of her real mother’s identity. So when she’s saddled with a designated protector on a dangerous mission that could finally give her the answers she’s sought, the driven woman barely spares the handsome man a second glance.Mason Davis doesn’t do relationships. But the jaded Navy SEAL’s latest assignment watching the back of a sweet, smart, and strong-willed operative has him ready to break his own rules. And undeterred by her apparent lack of interest, the relentless alpha male channels his strategic training into breaking down her defenses.Focused on the payoff of her years-long quest, Millie desperately tries to ignore her attraction to her companion’s well-muscled frame and hidden tender heart. And Mason fears that as they zero in on a terrorist cell, the first woman to touch his soul will fall to enemy fire.Will the duo’s red-hot chemistry scar them for life, or will they surrender to a happy ending?Eight Years is the thrilling first book in The Trident Trilogy of romantic suspense novels. If you like free-spirited heroines, smoldering tension, and edge-of-your-seat action, then you’ll adore this passionate page-turner“High heat and nail-biting suspense!!!!! I was sucked into Millie and Mason’s world within minutes! Brilliant storyline and such likable characters that you can’t help but fall in love with! Mason is just the right amount of tough alpha hero and a soft squishy heart that just might have met his match in Millie! Outstanding read!” Amazon Review“It’s been a while since I found a book that I couldn’t put down. Loved the storyline, the characters and the writing are very well done. I can’t wait to finish the series. Definitely recommend!” Amazon Review“This book deserves so much more then 5 stars. I literally couldn’t stop turning the pages. I had to know all about Millie’s life, how everything was going to turn out. I went right on to the second book. Such a nice escape.” Goodreads Review

Back to Your Love


Kianna Alexander - 2017
    As a hardworking businessman, mentor to troubled teens, and aspiring politician in his Southern hometown, the daily demands never let up. A weekend at the beach for his best friend's wedding is exactly what he needs. What he doesn't need is to run into the woman who broke his heart ten years ago.Imani Grant is more beautiful, confident and intelligent than ever, and their connection is still sizzling. But Imani harbors a secret that could destroy both their blossoming careers. She knows she has to keep her distance, but Xavier is determined to win back her heart--consequences be damned."A page-turner." --RT Book Reviews for This Tender Melody

Goodbyes and Second Chances


T.I. Lowe - 2014
    Some mistakes create accidental blessings. Jillian (Jewels) Whitman lives with her mistakes and tries to move past the biggest one of her life - Dillon Bleu - Rocker and once best friend. After saying goodbye to the lakeside trailer park of his youth, Dillon sets out to make something of himself only to discover all he needs is his Jewel. After hitting it big in the music industry, Dillon heads back to ask for a second chance. Only... Nothing is ever as easy as it seems... A southern tale of rags to riches where a man's worth is ultimately found in his heart.

Ruff House


Mellie Callahan - 2019
    She was the reason he stayed. Therapist Katie Mitchell’s dream to buy the property she’s leasing is finally within her reach. After losing her husband and high school sweetheart, the safe haven she intends to build will honor his memory – and ease the guilt she’s felt for years – in their hometown of Tradition, Texas. With funds in hand, the expansion of her animal-centered non-profit seems like a sure thing until a sexy stranger steps foot on her land, right in the way of her plans – and her life in a way that she isn’t ready for.Ex-Marine businessman Troy Montgomery is searching for an answer to the question left by his brother’s journal when he finds the perfect property for his foundation’s equine retreat. He wants it instantly – just like he wants the feisty woman who lives there. She speaks to the damaged cowboy beneath his polished exterior. But the more he pursues, the more he realizes she might hold the key to answers he doesn’t want – and a change he may not be ready to make.This means war. Or cohabitation. Or maybe healing for them both.

Finding Hope's Ridge


Silver McKenzie - 2020
    However, he’s stunned to discover he still has feelings he can’t ignore for his sister’s best friend, the one woman in Hope’s Ridge who’s hated him since high school.When her business plans crumble overnight, Asha Jones is wrong to assume life can’t get any worse. She’s made an enemy of an influential local property developer, and the man who crushed her heart ten years earlier has returned to town. Sure, she can do her best to ignore Zane’s existence, but what will she do when her feelings resurface for him? She can’t go there again…can she?Zane needs to redeem himself and fight for a second chance. But is working with the man who wants to destroy Asha’s business a guaranteed way to reignite her hate - or could it be an opportunity to change her opinion of him?Finding Hope’s Ridge is the first story in the Hope’s Ridge small town series.

Unexpecting: Baby! Baby? Baby?!


Holly Kerr - 2012
    And she’s not happy about it."FINALLY! A pregnant woman who...Loved being Pregnant!"Kindergarten teacher/wine saleswoman Casey Samms has always wanted to be a mother. Now that the blessed event is actually going to happen, she's ready to give up the wine and chocolate brownies and prepare for the swollen ankles and sleepless nights.But she has no idea what to do about the father.Her plan for immaculate conception—or as close as she could get to it via sperm donor—is ruined by the one drunken night with her roommate J.B. and the expired condom that spoils everything.Who knew condoms had expiry dates?Sexy J.B., with his long list of past girlfriends, is the last person Casey expects to stick around for the morning sickness and doctor visits but this time J.B. isn’t running away. He's reading the baby books and asking the questions and that time when he touched her belly...Casey has nine months to get ready to do the baby thing on her own, but J.B. isn’t making a move to get out of the way.One night changed Casey’s life. Is J.B. ready to change as well?Find out how Casey deals with the unexpected in this sweet, laugh-out-loud, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy about second chances (and third...and fourth...)

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?

The Tillman Crush


Kelly Gendron - 2021
    His hold was firm.The next day, he vanished. After seven years, he’s back with a sexy smile, flirty eyes, and jacked muscles.Not that I care.Let him slather on the charm.I won’t give in to The Tillman Crush. Not this time. BRITT Sadie Holland. Beautiful. Smart.The untouchable girl next door.Growing up, I wanted her.To keep her at a safe distance, I was mean to her.Then, the accident happened.With my mom gone, my father turned to the bottle.So I left town the first chance I got.Now, I’m back and not just for Sadie.The other thing I want.Well, the girl I came back for might not like it.Still, I won’t stop until I get what I want.Not this time.

The Orchard Inn


A.M. Kusi - 2019
    He’s looking for his future. Will they take a chance on a love neither expected…Ella lives in constant fear. After seven years of concealing her whereabouts from an abusive ex, she gets an opportunity for a fresh start when one of the few men she trusts leaves her a charming inn. When a mysterious, charming guest tempts her to open her heart again, she fears the scars from the past will keep her from anything close to love.
Hardworking and successful, River has always wondered if something's missing from his life. And when he falls for the gorgeous proprietor of Orchard Inn, he knows the tattooed beauty is exactly what he needs. Moved by her pain, he encourages her to open up about her fears while he promises to stay by her side. 
But just as their irresistible passions bloom, Ella’s brutal ex returns to reclaim what was never truly his.
 
Can Ella and River fight off the past long enough to awaken a forever love?The Orchard Inn is the inspirational first novel in the Orchard Inn romance series. If you like strong heroines, kind-hearted heroes, and a dash of suspense, then you’ll adore A.M. Kusi’s uplifting tale.Buy The Orchard Inn to watch a couple heal with love today!

The Misadventures of Catie Bloom


Brooke Stanton - 2016
    He's a player ready to settle down. Can they fake it till they make it into each other's arms? Catie Bloom dreads being found out as a hot mess. So when the high-profile domestic goddess’s supposedly perfect life is scheduled for a TV special, she’s desperate to hide the slovenly reality while she scrambles to learn to cook and find a studly pretend hubby. And with her future on the line, she reluctantly accepts the office playboy’s lifeline to help her cover up the cracks and look the part… Sportswriter Sam Harding buries authenticity behind his breezy charm. And though he knows Catie’s less-than-tidy secret, he’s frustrated when his lady’s man reputation gets in the way of intriguing the one woman who holds his heart. So when he discovers her goose could be cooked, he jumps at the chance to stand in as her handsome prince. As Catie struggles with burned offerings, her growing attraction to Sam is a grease fire waiting to happen. While Sam worries if he keeps his desires hidden for much longer, he’ll lose his opportunity to move from bogus husband to the real deal. Is their passion about to be roasted, or can they whip up a gourmet romance?The Misadventures of Catie Bloom is the hilarious first book in the Bloom Sisters romantic comedy series. It’s a dash of Sophie Kinsella’s Can You Keep a Secret, with a helping of Christmas in Connecticut, and a recipe all its own, mixed into a delicious and romantic romp. Buy The Misadventures of Catie Bloom to set a table for two today!

Manhattan Cinderella


Kate O'Keeffe - 2019
    An heir to a music kingdom. A chance for a fairy tale ending.22-year-old New Yorker Gabriella Davis aspires to be pop music's next big thing. Desperate to protect her kid sister, she's got to succeed. But first, she needs to get away from her narcissistic stepmother who has her working her butt off as assistant to her band.Super-hot singer Cole Grant is a country boy at heart, so when he leaves his native Tennessee for New York, he's about as comfortable as a deer on ice. He's determined to make the most of this chance of a lifetime, but with the explosive family secret Cole needs to keep, this is one opportunity that might just blow up in his face.A taxi, a lost shoe, and a chance meeting bring Gabby and Cole together. Their attraction is instant. But with so much at stake, neither one is in the market for love.When City meets Country and fame and fortune beckon, can they open their hearts to one another? Or will the secrets they hold keep them from finding their happily ever after?Manhattan Cinderella is a sweet and sexy contemporary romance retelling of the Cinderella story for fans of Lauren Layne. This book is a little sexier than my other "chick lit" titles, such as the Cozy Cottage Café series, but with my same light-hearted, feel-good tone.

Chancing Hope


Lisa Slater - 2018
    If only Kerwyn could apply those same qualities to his relationship with the vibrant Mable Conner, who just happens to be his long-time childhood best friend. Haunted by the pain his father endures at the loss of his mother, Kerwyn feels determined to not make the same mistakes. He decided to set her free a long time ago, but can he? Should he? Mable Conner has big dreams, but growing up is hard, and life is demanding big changes. Desperately in love with her best friend, Kerwyn, how does she get him to sees her as the woman she is becoming, and not the little girl he grew up with? Also, wants to be a singer more than anything, and she’s got the voice and spirit to make it happen. With the right opportunity, anything could happen. But would leaving to sing mean leaving Kerwyn? Does he even care if she stays or goes? When mysterious, loner Devin Hill, begins interfering, the changes quickly become an eerily, unstoppable force. To Kerwyn, Devin could be a dangerous threat. To Mable, Devin could be an opportunity. The changes they encounter may not be what either of them had expected. They both may just be left to Chancing Hope. Max Van Zile, editor with Editing for Authors, writes about Chancing Hope, “Chancing Hope is one of my favorite books I’ve done working for this company.” Regarding a miscreant character, Mr. Van Zile writes, “He ends up becoming the single best and most memorable villain in any Editing for Authors book I’ve worked on.” Chancing Hope is a very coming of age, heart felt novel with emotional twists.

Gloria


Jessica Lynch - 2019
    Growing up an only child, all she had was her grandmother. After Nana’s passing, Gloria thought she was the last one left in her family.Well, she is. Since Great Aunt Patti is dead and all.That’s okay. The nice lawyer who wrote her a letter assured Gloria that her great aunt lived a long, happy life in a small town that Gloria has never heard of. And now, as her next of kin, everything she owned belongs to Gloria.Including a house. Which sounds like a godsend to Gloria, who is eager to start her dream business and could use the extra cash.Only there’s a catch. Because of course there is. The house is hers—but only after she lives there for a year. One year in Hamlet and then Gloria will have enough money to follow her dream. Why not? It’ll give her time to work on her flavors. And it wasn’t like she had much going on for her in the city anyway.She’s moved in by Thanksgiving, ready to spend the holidays in her new home.So what if her new neighbor is the hottest guy she’s ever seen? Franklin is as grumpy as he is handsome, and he hates Christmas.Seriously.A year? Gloria will be lucky if she makes it to January. * Gloria is a small town Christmas romance set in Hamlet! It’s not explicitly part of the Hamlet series and for two reasons: the timeline and how different in tone it’s going to be compared to the other (darker, more suspenseful) books. Gloria will be a sweet, low-stakes, fluffy romance, similar to Hallmark Christmas movies, though it will feature characters and settings from the Hamlet books. You don't have to be familiar with those books to read this book—it's definitely a stand-alone—but it's also a bit of a prequel to that series, set a couple of years before the first Hamlet book Don't Trust Me.

Fall for Me


Heather Slade - 2017
    When his plane was shot down months later, right before the birth of their daughter, Liv’s world shattered. She returned to her parents’ isolated ranch in Colorado to raise her daughter alone. One year led into the next, and before she knew it, her daughter was grown and gone—leaving Liv bored and cranky. She finds herself spending too much time on social media feeds, cyber-stalking the hot guitar player she met at a concert over the summer.Ben Rice recognized her as soon as he saw her sitting at the bar. Liv, that was her name, and fate kept bringing them together. The first time he saw her, after his band CB Rice opened at Red Rocks, he watched her. She loved music—and she felt it. Not everyone did. She danced, she laughed, she smiled, she lived. That was why he remembered her name when he introduced himself at the end of the show. “I’m Liv,” she’d said. And he was ready to. He’d endured too many struggles in the last few years. He’d worked hard to keep the band going, and he wasn’t going to give up. With a new record about to be released, this was their year—he could feel it. Used to getting what he wants, Ben pursued the reluctant Liv. But knowing he wanted more from her than she was willing to give, she told him following a man around the globe wasn’t in the stars for her. Been there, done that, retired the t-shirt. She had her own stars to chase this time.When those stars fall around her feet, and Ben refuses to let her sweep them up alone, how could a girl not love him? And when she does, how can she let him go? A better question is how can she ask him to stay when she sees how bright his future could be without her?This is book can be read as a standalone with no cliffhanger.