Book picks similar to
The Real Thing by Diana Fraser
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contemporary-romance
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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?
Grace's Fake Groom
Francesca Lane - 2020
He's about to lose everything. Will a make-believe engagement solve all their problems?Grace Morelli needs to go home, but the timing couldn't be worse: She finally landed her dream job. Why had she promised her siblings she would take this month off to fulfill their parents' quirky last wishes in Colibri Beach?Chase Ryan walked in to his office on a Monday morning to find his entire staff gone. Everyone except a couple of new recruits, including the young woman he had yet to meet. He had tough decisions to make now. Not only had he been betrayed by a former business partner, but an even more pressing matter overshadowed him.When Chase delivers Grace some very bad news, she learns of what's at stake for him. Troubleshooter that she is, Grace finds a way to solve her problem--and his.But will Grace and Chase be able to untangle their hearts ... once the farce is over?In the Beach House Memories Series, the Morelli siblings inherit their parents' beach house in beautiful Colibri Beach--but there's a catch!
Chosen for Power
Kathleen Brooks - 2014
As the CEO of a corporate conglomerate, Elle is used to fighting off challengers. However, this new threat comes at a time when she finally lets her guard down to meet Prince Charming. And it’s unlike anything she’s been up against before. Drake Charles’s work on mobile technology has made him a wealthy, powerful man. But he quickly sheds the fame and publicity for a more private life, which earns him the label as a man of mystery. Drake adds to that mystery every year when he hosts a masquerade ball for charity. It’s also his best chance to find the one thing he really wants . . . true love. Having met behind masks of anonymity, Elle and Drake enjoy a whirlwind night of romance that leaves them both wanting more. But Elle must question everything and everyone as she battles to save her life and career. Can Elle trust Drake to help get her life back or will she lose everything?
Happy Endings
Chantel Rhondeau - 2015
Making his family's island resort a success is all that matters to this workaholic. Everything changes when he meets the beautiful new massage therapist ... Larissa Benner may have survived cancer, but its aftermath left plenty of problems besides the ever-looming fear of relapse. Her family nearly went bankrupt paying for her previous treatment. She desperately needs the full-time therapist position on the island and the benefits that come with it. The last thing she wants is problems with her boss, or a complicated office romance. It’s hard for her to resist Quinn’s charms — or his passionate side. However, Quinn is married to his job. The choice between love and work is tough for him to juggle, and has Larissa scared. If the cancer recurs, could she count on him to be there for her? Or would he leave her to face it alone, ending her relationship in tragedy?
Read, Write, Love at Seaside
Addison Cole - 2014
He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller — that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.Leanna’s come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can’t get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she’s just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.Read, Write, Love at Seaside is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you're looking for a spicier romance, pick up the steamy edition, Read, Write, Love, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.
Small-Town Secrets
Margaret Watson - 2006
About her husband Carter, who died in a car crash. About Gabe, who was driving the night Carter died. About her brother George's girlfriend. Gabe's return to Sturgeon Falls brings the secrets bubbling to the surface.Since Carter's death, Kendall's been too busy running a B&B, managing a cherry orchard and raising two girls to think about Gabe. But when he shows up at her B&B, memories come rushing back – including the crush she'd had on him.Can Kendall and Gabe face the past and find forgiveness? Or will the secrets bury them?
Beautiful Storm
Barbara Freethy - 2015
Now a news photographer in Miami, Alicia covers local stories by day and chases storms at night. In a flash of lightning, she sees what appears to be a murder, but when she gets to the scene, there is no body, only a military tag belonging to Liliana Valdez, a woman who has been missing for two months. While the police use the tag to jump-start their stalled investigation, Alicia sets off on her own to find the missing woman. Her search takes her into the heart of Miami's Cuban-American community, where she meets the attractive but brooding Michael Cordero, who has his own demons to vanquish. Soon Alicia and Michael are not just trying to save Liliana's life but also their own, as someone will do anything to protect a dark secret…
A Cowboy and a Promise
Pam Crooks - 2019
She’s good at what she does, and the ghost town vacation resort would look great on her resume, but it means tangling with the ex-military cowboy who is determined to stop her as soon as she arrives. Beau Paxton needs to sell the land and ghost town to save his family’s struggling ranch. He’s a formidable enemy to Ava’s determination, but the harder she works, the more his attraction for her grows. He doesn’t want to set aside his plans so she can succeed at hers, yet he finds himself doing just that... Will a promise bring a city girl and a sexy cowboy together? Or will a broken one drive them apart?
A Fair of the Heart
Donna Marie Rogers - 2011
When handyman Caleb Hunter stops by for a haircut, he’s like the answer to her prayers—and the attraction is instantaneous. Too bad her troublesome ten-year-old son isn’t quite as thrilled to have Caleb hanging around.Old wounds have kept Caleb from returning to Redemption permanently. When he receives word of his mother’s unexpected death, guilt and regret bring him home again, but will the love of a good woman keep him there? Lauren excites Caleb like no woman ever has, but she’s a package deal, and he’s not sure he’s prepared to take on a ready-made family.
The Sheriff's Baby Bargain
Susan Lute - 2020
Marshal-turned-Sheriff Taylor James can trace her family back to the original thirteen Marshals appointed by George Washington. She’s good at her job, but once they find out she’s the local law, she can’t get even one of her dates to stay past the appetizers. Her plan? Convince good friend and hot neighbor Dr. Gabriel Adams to give her dating lessons since his dance card is always full.A survivor of childhood leukemia with no guarantee his remission will last, Gabe lives by two rules: Don’t get emotionally involved and don’t let his well organized life spiral out of control. When he’s given a baby, with his name on her birth certificate, he needs Taylor’s help. But dangling dating lessons in exchange? If that will get the dedicated sheriff to lend a helping hand, could it be a bargain worth making?
Christmas in Peakview Box Set
Jill Haymaker - 2019
If you love small town western romances you'll love these stories of hope and second chances. COLORADO COWBOY CHRISTMAS Cynthia Welch has made a name for herself as one of Chicago’s top divorce attorneys at the expense of her personal life. Burnt out, she heads to Peaktop Guest Ranch for a couple of months of solitude over the holidays. AJ Coulter, a cowboy from Wyoming, has been a loner and a drifter ever since his divorce and his teenage daughters leaving for college. He finds a temporary job at Peaktop Ranch as the head wrangler. When their paths cross, Cynthia begins to question her life in Chicago, and AJ struggles to find a way to keep her in Colorado. Can the spirit of Christmas bring these two people from very different worlds together and help them find their way to true love? COLORADO GOLDEN SUNRISE Forty-three year old, Kelly Charm, feels her life slipping away in Prairie, Nebraska. A single mom, she longs for a better life for herself and her teenage son, Ethan. Having scoured online job ads for months, she finally finds an ad for a hardware store manager in picturesque Peakview, Colorado and decides to take a chance. Forty-six year old, Jake Midnight, is Peakview County’s most beloved EMT. He’s the best at what he does—professionally, that is. After a failed marriage, which ended over twenty years ago, he’s put his personal life on hold. He’s content to live alone. That is if you don’t count his three horses, two dogs, five cats, and two pigmy goats. When the unfamiliar high altitude of the Colorado Rockies causes Ethan to have an asthma attack, Jake is quick to jump to the conclusion that Kelly is an irresponsible parent. Kelly is furious at the arrogance of this man who know nothing about her or her son. Sparks fly, but there’s no denying the underlying attraction that sizzles between them. The warmth of the holiday season has been known to melt hearts, even one’s which have been closed for years. A PEAKVIEW CHRISTMAS Only five days until Christmas, and FAITH OWENS has had enough. Not willing to spend one more holiday with her abusive, alcoholic husband, she loads her two young daughters, Gracie and Hope, in her car and leaves her life in Scorpion, New Mexico behind. Newly divorced, ZANE WILDER, faces his first Christmas without his son, Ace. He can’t wait for the holiday to be over. To escape sitting home sulking, he travels from Montana to Colorado to spend the week training his young horse, Storm Cloud. When their paths collide at Hearts Haven Bed and Breakfast near scenic Peakview, Colorado, they find more than a place to rest. Two lonely, cautious hearts are brought together by the magic of Christmas, with a little help from Violet Crandall or maybe Santa himself. Will their budding romance continue when the holiday ends? Can two broken families find the missing pieces that lead to happiness? This Christmas, come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has a chance at love.
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.
Adam
Jennifer Ashley - 2015
He settles in to heal at his family's ranch, where his four brothers, famous trick riders, train horses.Adam is stunned to find Bailey Farrell working there—she was the shy girl who'd helped Adam graduate high school so he could run off to Hollywood. Except the budding Bailey, with whom Adam had a brief but intense affair, has blossomed into a beautiful woman. Now the sparks that had once ignited between them threaten to explode.Adam is beaten-up, broken-down, and has lost his nerve—the stunt that injured him also killed his best friend. The only one he can turn to is Bailey, but will Bailey, who has come back to Riverbend to lick her wounds after a painful divorce, be willing to help him again?Book 1 of Riding Hard. A 230-page (approx) novel—20 chapters, plus bonus sneak peek at Grant's book and a recipe for Mrs. Ward's Harvest Pie.
Chance for Love
Ann B. Harrison - 2015
Only thing is, it also stipulates marriage. Down on her luck with more debt than she can manage after the death of her parents in a vehicle accident, she takes the plunge and commits for twelve months. Chance is sick of the high life he's led for years as a top International Bull Rider. The glitz and glamour aren't what he wants. After an accident leaves him unable to return to the tour, he decides now is the time to do what his heart has been yearning for - marry a down to earth country girl and raise bulls on his ranch, with the hope of bringing his brothers back together. Little did he know that an advertisement would bring him a sassy talking Australian bride to turn his world up side down... Will Callie return home after her contract is up, or can Chance convince her to say I do forever?
My romantic comedy - Once upon a time (Book 1)
Mary Kelly - 2012
Whether it be When Harry Met Sally, Two Weeks Notice or Roman Holiday, they all make me dream and believe that everything is possible in life. In order to convince my friends that they are wrong to be cynical, it is decided: I am going to test the scenarios of my favorite romantic comedies in real life. What better way to prove that I’m right? Whether your favorite romantic comedy happens to be Serendipity, You’ve Got Mail, or Down with Love, it’s highly likely that I’ve tried them out, and that I can inform you about their effectiveness. To begin with, I choose Clueless, the most timeless of romantic comedies. After all, I could use some good karma, and to find love for my sister or my best friend seems like a good start to me. Follow me, and who knows—maybe you too, will be inspired to find your own happy ending. EXCERPT 1 Matt takes us to a nice bistro and he recommends that we taste the grilled chicken. The truth is, I’m not very hungry, but I’m not going to show that I’m disturbed in front of his girlfriend, so I eat with a hearty appetite. “It’s great to see that rumors didn’t affect your appetite.” “Matt,” protests Elina, but I don’t give her the chance to defend me. I can manage by myself. “Let him talk. I’m used to it. It would be good, however, if you’d tell me what you’re scheming.” “You said you needed someone to sort out your reputation. What better way than being seen with my fiancée and me?” “Unless they now think that I’m after a rich man with a fiancée.” Elina bursts out with laughter. “I didn’t consider that,” chuckles Matt. “Do you think I should change my plans?” “I don’t think you should help me at all,” I whistle, although deep down I’m happy he took the time to defend me. On the other hand, there are two sides to every coin, and I’m not very happy about being forced to have lunch with his girlfriend. If only she were a bit unfriendly, then I’d feel less guilty about disliking her. EXCERPT 2 When we enter the room and I see Lisa, who has arrived despite my prayers, I feel immediately threatened. How is it possible that photos don’t do justice to someone? I always look prettier in photos because I try to take my picture when I’m at my best. But this girl, if in photos she’s beautiful, in real life she is … stunning. I feel Matt’s hand tighten on my shoulder. “Matt!” She pounces on him and kisses him on the lips. I didn’t know that an ex-fiancée had the right to do that. “Lisa, nice to see you again.” Matt puts his hand on her arm, which I don’t think is necessary either. “Erin.” I’m not sure that the way he says my name indicates any particular attachment between us. “This is Lisa. Lisa, this is Erin.” Not my girlfriend, nothing, just Erin. I take her hand and I am of course delighted to meet her. “Matt told me all about you.” “Everything? Really?” She turns towards Matt to play the couple who has secrets to share. Maybe I don’t go out with men often, but I’ve seen so many romantic movies that I know all the ruses an ex-girlfriend can use. “Oh, I’m certain that even if he didn’t already tell me everything, he will sooner or later. Matt can’t resist my interrogation methods.” If she wants to play this game, I can, too. Matt tightens his grip on my hand; I bet that it isn’t to show that he’s proud of me. I remind you that you have no right to be possessive, you aren’t really dating Matt, whispers my voice of reason.