Book picks similar to
He's Just a Friend: A Second Chance Summer Romance (Summer Romances Book 1) by Karly Stratford
romance
plus-size-fmc
novella
curvy
Running on Empty
L.B. Simmons - 2013
Beautiful and loving husband.Three gorgeous little girls. Successful career. The only thing missing was the white picket fence. I really wanted that fence. Three years ago, I lost that life. I lost my husband. And I lost myself. But, eventually, I found my way through the darkness. I’ve made peace with my new life. I have my girls, and that’s all that matters. They are my world. I have no illusions of ever falling in love again or getting whisked away on a white horse. But then he came back into my life. On a freakin’ motorcycle.There’s no way I’ll let him turn my life completely upside down. Absolutely no way. The question is…How long can I keep pretending that I’m happy with my life being right-side up?
Now and Then
Brenda Rothert - 2013
But then – in the years before she went to art school in Paris – she was a shy, awkward teenager with frizzy hair, a flat chest and a massive crush on the boy across the street, Cole Marlowe. Too bad her incredibly hot neighbor only had eyes for Layla.Cole is now a confident, laid-back attorney who’s even hotter than he used to be. He’s planning to stay single while working his way up the corporate ladder – until he’s knocked off course by a chance run-in with Emma.Everything is different between Cole and Emma now. He finally sees her in a way she only dreamed of, and their hot chemistry is fueled by a growing friendship. But Emma’s deception of her sister – who wants Cole for herself – and the secret Cole’s been keeping for more than a decade threaten to tear apart what’s only just begun. Because sometimes the only thing standing in the way of now is then.
More Than A Boss (The Heartland Series Book 1)
Jill Downey - 2019
Thirty-eight. Divorced. Alone.And lusting after her new boss.Zane Dunn is rich. Powerful. Confident.Also strictly off-limits.Working alongside him is a torture her long-suffering libido should win an award for withstanding.Resisting him will take every ounce of self-control she has.And then some.****Work and sex don’t mix.Ever. No exceptions. No exclusions.It’s a rule Zane Dunn lives and breathes by.As the head of a prestigious law firm, fraternizing with his employees never crossed his mind.But the new paralegal assisting on a high-stakes case has him questioning the boundaries he set. Allie is beautiful. Smart. Funny.And sexy as hell.Making her his is something he shouldn’t even consider.But some rules were made to be broken.More Than a Boss is a sexy, stand-alone romance that will appeal to fans of Nora Roberts, Bella Andre, and Melody Grace.
Blue Penguin Bay Box Set: Blue Penguin Bay Books 1-3
Serenity Woods - 2017
Book 1: As Deep as the Ocean When Mac asks Fred to marry him, he tells her it’s strictly business, just a way to access her father’s inheritance so they can save the vineyard. But what happens when they fall in love? Book 2: As Beautiful as the Bay Sam has come home to Blue Penguin Bay to help his father in the family bakery. He longs to escape, and when a freak storm hits the bay, it gives him the perfect opportunity. If only he hadn’t fallen in love with sexy chef Ginger… Book 3: As Timeless as the Sea Sandi is certain that lawyer Jace is hiding something. The only way to keep her heart safe is to end their fling now. But when you share a love as timeless as the sea, there’s always hope for a happy ending.
A Cowboy to Remember
Barbara Ankrum - 2014
But that was before they grew up and went their separate ways. Now, after a disastrous divorce and a career-changing accident, Olivia limps home, minus her mojo, her courage and her faith in love. She retreats to her parents’ ranch, determined to play it safe, but when ex-Army helicopter pilot Jake Lassen arrives to make good on their promise, he reignites passion and hope, two things Olivia had forgotten existed. Olivia resolves to keep Jake at arm’s length, even though the memory of his kisses keeps her up at night. She knows better than to let her heart get involved, but Jake is planning for the future. Their future. Can Jake convince her to risk it all one more time and really make this a fair to remember? *Previously titled A Fair to Remember
You Make Me Feel Brand New
Chicki Brown - 2013
She is single again, and romantic attention is as foreign to her as ancient Carthaginian cuisine. When she meets her new client, sports management agent Mac Sinclair, who is eleven years younger, Jan’s life takes a complete turnaround. She’s thrilled, but everyone in her life isn’t as pleased.
If You Love Me (Harmony Heights Book 1)
Danielle Burton - 2019
She would’ve been perfectly content with never seeing him again. Apparently fate had other plans. Malakai’s heart never quite forgot his first love. Even after ten years his pulse gallops at the sight of her. He never thought he’d get another chance, and he still might not with the stone wall she has up due to his past mistakes.
Muffins & Moonbeams
Elizabeth Maddrey - 2017
He’d much rather live in the online world of computer games where he can explore the galaxy and no one has to know he’s deaf. Ursula Franks designs websites during the day and spends her evenings battling alien races online where relationships are easy and uncomplicated. When she agrees to design a website for the local Community Supported Bakery, she has no idea that Malachi is the real man behind her online persona’s best friend and her own secret crush. As the two work together on the website, they uncover an attraction, but will they be able to put aside past hurt and insecurity to find love? Welcome to Arcadia Valley, Idaho, where a foodie culture and romance grow hand-in-hand. Join my friends and me as we release a book every month set in Arcadia Valley. You’ll enjoy meeting old friends and making new ones as each of the six authors’ books intertwine with the previous stories in this Christian romance series. Get started with Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley and follow along at Arcadia Valley Romance dot com to make sure you don’t miss any installments! Muffins & Moonbeams is the first full-length novel in the Baxter Family Bakery series set in Arcadia Valley. It follows the novella, Loaves & Wishes, that was introduced in Arcadia Valley Book 1, Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley. Get your copy today to spend more time baking with the Baxter family.
One Soldier: From Letters to Love
Christin Michelle Lovell - 2015
Four deployed soldiers. Four love stories—and they all begin with a letter. It started with One Letter. Kellie sent one letter into the Middle East and Sergeant Daniel Rodriguez was the one who answered. Despite an ocean between them, love blossomed. But can you truly love someone you've never met? It began with One E-Mail. Madelyn sent out one e-mail to the most feminine name on a list of deployed soldiers–SFC Taylor Russell replied. They exchanged e-mails for months, until somewhere along the way they stopped exchanging just words and began exchanging pieces of themselves. Their love blossomed quickly, but will it prove strong enough to survive the test of family? It happened One Christmas. Jane wrote a letter and Sergeant Brad Wilcox replied. Despite their age difference, they connected with their words. But when they finally came together, their differences became glaring. They'd already conquered distance, but will they be able to overcome the years between them–or will their time together be limited to one Christmas? It was sparked by One Note. Lauren sent a note of encouragement to her newest assigned soldier–Private Mason Carter was that soldier. Despite their attempts to remain guarded with one another, the walls fall fast, and then in the blink of an eye the unthinkable happens. No stranger to loss, Lauren is faced with a choice–run to him or run from him. Either way, their hearts will never be the same.
Birthday Suit
Lauren Blakely - 2019
Yeah. So there’s that. Look, it’s not like I didn’t know I screwed up by falling for her. Also, for the record, unrequited love sucks big time.And, I might have cut myself some slack by now, given everything that went down in the last few years, but Lulu just walked back into my life in a big way.***There are three things I've never been able to resist—my friends, my family, and chocolate.Leo Hennessy? He was nowhere on that list. He's been a true friend—a friend who walked through hell and back with me.Now, I'm stepping into my new future. I didn't expect it to include a riddle-filled, race-against-the-clock scavenger hunt across New York City.With Leo.Suddenly, I'm looking at this man with new eyes...But my life spun out because of a man once before, and I can’t risk my fresh start, no matter what the temptation. And Leo is most definitely a temptation of the sexiest, sweetest, and most dangerous variety. More irresistibly delicious than chocolate...
Trouble with the Guy Next Door
Holly Renee - 2017
From the author of Where Good Girls Go to Die, comes a fun, passionate friends-to-lovers romance that readers say "took all of my insecurities, wants, thoughts, fantasies, and needs and brought them to life." -Beauty and the BooksGuys like Tucker Moore don't date girls like me.His boring ol' washboard abs look like they were sculpted by the gods, and I have more curves than a backroad in a country song.He can charm the panties off anyone, but I am better off hiding behind my camera lens.He's my next-door neighbor and the definition of a bad idea.I have no business thinking about him, and I should have pushed him out of my dreams the moment he showed up.I'd have been better off not tempting him into anything more when I should have been walking straight into the friend-zone.Which I do, faster than he can say "Just friends."It doesn't matter that he spends more time in my apartment than his or that he smiles at me in a way that makes my stomach flip.That's just Tucker.Before I know it, he's my best friend.And completely off-limits.A weekend away is our downfall, and I pack my bag so full, I can't fit my logic.Because Tucker would be fine.But I'd end up in Trouble with the Guy Next Door.
It Had to Be Him
Tamra Baumann - 2015
But with another job lost and the gorgeous father of her daughter trying to make contact after disappearing three years ago, a break is definitely in order. Hopefully the little town filled with big, juicy secrets can help.After being off the grid for years, Josh Granger, a man with his own secrets, wants Meg and his daughter back. But first he has to get past townspeople as protective as a pack of rottweilers. He’s not the man Meg thinks he is, but he can’t tell her why…not yet.As Meg slowly warms to Josh, it’s clear the old spark is still there. But when his secret is exposed—along with Meg’s own shocking revelation—will it tear their family apart again, or bind them forever?
Sophie's Search (Search the North Country Book 1)
Sherri Gallagher - 2017
If only he didn't hate her. Widowed and buried in debt, Sophie Stearns is not going to pin her dreams on a man again - even if Patrick O'Brien is the man of her dreams. Making her environmental engineering company a financial success is her only hope for a secure future. Patrick O'Brien learned the hard way city girls will rip a man's heart out to get what they want. After his ex-wife's betrayal, he bolted to the Adirondacks to lick his wounds and forge a new life protecting the fragile mountain ecosystem from development. The best way to stop the newest threat, Shopsmart is to shutdown their environmental engineering contractor, Sophie Stearns. When a saboteur destroys Sophie's project and threatens her life, only Patrick's intervention can save her business. But Patrick must decide which is more important: his principles or his need to protect the Adirondacks. With the project deadline looming, Sophie must choose between using Belle to rescue a special needs child or saving her fledgling business. Will their choices lead to love or loneliness? About the Author: Sherri Gallagher is passionate about canine search and rescue, delighting readers with her keen understanding of the singular trust between dog and handler. Her teen novels, Turn, Go Find, and Bark Alert have hit the Amazon bestsellers list for multiple weeks. Her unique experiences as a woman engineer, business owner, and canine handler come alive on the pages of her latest series, Search the North Country. Sophie's Search is the first of a four-book series.
For One Night (Redemption Hwy 10) (The Daly's Book 3)
Leaona Luxx - 2019
That’s all this was supposed to be. I came to Sin City with my best friend to celebrate my much-needed divorce. For once, I want to be the one with no care about tomorrow. That’s when he catches my eye. I watch as he works the room, and the women in it. He’s everything I hate in a man, but the epitome of what we all want. Sexy. Confident to a fault, and a smirk that will melt your panties. He’s everything my ex-husband is. As our eyes meet, I decide to give him a dose of his own medicine, show him how it feels to be used. Tonight, I’ll be the woman everyone stares at when she enters the room. The one I am in the boardroom, who takes no prisoners. I’ll be the one to bring him to his knees and leave him just as fast. I’ll be that woman. For One Night
A Trade for Good (A Trade for Good, #1)
Bria Daly - 2014
One of her debts is with the owner of a landscaping company. Could she pay him back in services? He seems nice enough...Excerpt:As soon as Jeff walked into his office, he knew something was amiss because it was Monday morning and Todd and Alan were all smiles. When he stepped in, Mitch seemed to come out of nowhere, slapping him on the back and telling him what a glorious Monday morning it was.In his seven years working with Todd and Alan, Jeff had never seen them smile; he didn’t even know they could smile. And as for Mitch ... he must have smelled too many of those weeds they were taking out of their clients’ yards.Completely dumbfounded, he turned the corner into his office and immediately realized it wasn't weeds or weed. The reason behind the smiles on and the cheery disposition of these clowns on this glorious Monday morning took another shape altogether.Stumbling into his office after being caught off guard and slapped on the back, he was immediately greeted by the most gorgeous, ass-thetically pleasing tush in tight jeans he had seen in a long, long time.He wondered what the face looked like and quickly decided it didn't really matter as he focused on her assets while she was bent down shuffling through some papers and totally unaware of the eight eyes boring through her. Four pair of eyes who should have been working on something, but couldn't disengage.The fact that she was rummaging through his papers didn’t immediately register.The woman turned around without looking up and carried a stack of papers to a file cabinet that had come with the building and had never been used. As far as he could recall, the cabinet had never been opened, and so far, had been used as a shelf for a silk plant his mother gave him as a gift when he started the business.To his dismay, the plant was now in the trash bin next to the file cabinet. That hurt.The woman was oblivious to the attention she was getting and after depositing the stack of papers in a neat pile in the top drawer of the file cabinet, she turned around to see a gaping Jeff standing before her.The first thing Jeff thought before hinging his jaw back into place was that the woman's front-side was just as pretty as her backside. She looked to be in her early thirties, and not only wore the jeans very well, but the white t-shirt she had on was filled out in all the right places and looked like an advertisement for trouble.She was petite, but disproportionately bigger where it really mattered. Her hair was tied with one of those elastic fabric bands his nieces always wore, and her eyes were as green as the silk plant had once been.Jeff gave himself a few seconds before giving in to reason. Regretfully, he decided it was time to put an end to his enjoyment - nice tush or not. After all, this was his office, he was the boss, and he had no idea what the hell was going on.“What did you do to my plant?!” was somehow the first thing that came out of his mouth. As if realizing how stupid his remark was, Jeff rather forcefully shoved his amused employees out of the way and out of his office.She looked down at the trash bin he was pointing to, and she suddenly seemed very confused when she looked up to see his expectant and slightly flushed face.“It’s dead. I don't think it can be saved, so I threw it out." Bending down to get it, she added, "I can put it back up he ..."Now that really hurt. Not to mention the fact that her bending down again completely disarmed him.“How can silk be dead?” he snapped.“That was silk?" she replied smiling. "Wow, I never met anyone who could kill silk before.”Jeff tried to ignore the chuckles coming from the room next door, but just as he was about to snap at them, the intruder...