Book picks similar to
A Safe Place by Xenasgrrl


fanfiction
angst
free-online
romance

Those Who Wait


Haley Cass - 2020
    It would be a lot simpler if she could pinpoint exactly what she should do when she graduates in less than a year. Oh, and if she could figure out how to talk to a woman without feeling completely hopeless, that would be great too. Charlotte Thompson is very much the opposite. She's always had clear steps outlining her path to success with no time or inclination for romance. Her burgeoning career in politics means everything to her and she’s not willing to compromise it for something as insignificant as love. Fleeting, casual, and discreet worked perfectly fine. When they meet through a dating app, it's immediately clear that they aren't suited for anything more than friendship. Right?194,000 words

Being Hers


Anna Stone - 2018
    By day, she studies at law school, and by night, she serves drinks at an exclusive club to afford her tuition. But the hard-working Melanie will never admit her true desire: to escape from her fast-paced, high-pressure life, if only for a moment. When Melanie meets Vanessa, a glamorous executive and a regular at the club, she is drawn to the enigmatic black-haired woman. Vanessa is relentless in pursuing what she wants—and what she wants is Melanie. Soon, Melanie finds herself caught up in Vanessa’s sensual games of submission, power and control. Melanie insists that her affair with Vanessa remains purely physical. But as her limits are tested, so is the line between lust and love. When ghosts from the past reappear, both women must face their deepest fears. Can Melanie surrender her everything to Vanessa, or will old wounds prove too great?

Cadence of My Heart


Keira Michelle Telford - 2014
    But at the same time, she hadn’t been able to overlook the magnitude of the responsibility. Hadn’t been able to overlook it, nor come to terms with it.”***** Being sixteen years old and destined to marry the boy your mother picks out for you sucks. Being sixteen years old, gay, in love with your new nanny, and destined to marry the boy your mother picks out for you sucks worse—and it’s not so great for the nanny, either.Thirty-three-year-old Marlee Meeks isn’t exactly sure how long she’s harbored romantic feelings for her young charge, Cadence Ashlock, but by the time they share their first forbidden kiss, she knows their lives have become dangerously entangled.*************************************Cadence of My Heart is an erotic romance.***Contains graphic & explicit language***

Jericho


Ann McMan - 2010
    Her plans to hide out and heal her wounds go by the wayside as she gets drawn into the daily lives of the quirky locals and becomes fast friends with Maddie Stevenson, the enigmatic physician who has returned to the backcountry community to take over her late father’s medical practice.Ann McMan weaves a story of life and love in the beautiful mountains of Virginia.

Sanctuary


I. Beacham - 2009
    The only obstacle is her attraction to the woman she has vowed to destroy.Young Cate Canton dreams of becoming a designer and running Seraphim, the Boston fashion house her late mother started. Born into a loving family, and with everything to live for, she loses it all when misfortune and tragedy strike. In the aftermath of betrayal, Cate vows to reclaim her destiny. Fueled by revenge, she becomes a ruthless businesswoman with her own successful fashion empire, plotting to one day take over her mother’s business by any means necessary.But one person stands in her way—Dita Newton, the beautiful, gifted designer who now runs Seraphim. Cate will need to crush her lifelong adversary to succeed, but Dita strikes back in the most unexpected way—by stirring Cate’s fragile, hidden heart. A contemporary high-stakes drama between two driven, passionate women.

The X Ingredient


Roslyn Sinclair - 2019
     Laurie Holcombe is out of a job, out of luck, and out of time. When a prestigious law firm hires her as an assistant to one of its senior partners, it feels like she might finally get back on her feet. All she has to do is put up with the whims of her infuriatingly icy boss, Diana. How hard could that be? Diana Parker is Atlanta’s top lawyer and isn’t afraid to let everyone know it. She’s driven, ruthless, demanding, and stuck in a failing marriage. Too bad she can’t run her personal life as well as she runs her ordered office. When a young assistant shows up with bright blue eyes, a cute Southern accent, and a streak of pink hair, Diana’s sure she’s all wrong for the job. And yet something seems to be pulling her and Laurie Holcombe together, drawing them into a secret, thrilling dance that’s far too dangerous for a boss and employee. Can they make rules for this powerful attraction, a way to keep each other at arm’s length? But how do you resist the irresistible?

Ask, Tell


E.J. Noyes - 2017
    Army surgeon deployed to a combat hospital in Afghanistan. She is also one of the thousands of troops who are forced to serve in silence because of the military’s anti-gay policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).”Usually driven and focused, Sabine finds that battles raging both inside and outside the perimeter walls are making it more and more difficult for her to deal with her emotions. Dealing with loss and mortality, lack of privacy, sleep deprivation, loneliness and the isolation forced on her by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” are all taking their toll. Plus, her long-term relationship with a civilian back home is quickly becoming another casualty of war.Colonel Rebecca Keane is an enigmatic career officer who runs the surgical unit like clockwork. Well liked and respected by those who work with and under her, she walks a fine line to preserve the military’s chain of command while connecting with those under her care and supervision. Sabine knows the Colonel is way off-limits, but can’t help fantasizing about her. Especially when she starts picking up unspoken cues—a stolen glance, a secret smile, an “accidental” brush of hands. Or is it just wishful thinking? After all, Rebecca’s wedding ring shines almost as brightly as her deep blue eyes…Genre: RomanceEditor: Cath WalkerCover Designer: Judith Fellows

Battle Scars


Meghan O'Brien - 2009
    Ray McKenna returns from the war in Iraq to find that she had attained unwanted celebrity status back home. As the only surviving American soldier of a well-publicized hostage crisis, she is the center of attention at a time when all she wants is solitude. Struggling to overcome the fear and anxiety that plague her, she relies on her psychiatric therapy dog Jagger to help her through the vicious symptoms of PTSD. Veterinarian Dr. Carly Warner hasn't yet figured out how to open her heart to the possibility of falling in love again after the death of her longtime partner. When Ray McKenna walks into the North Coast Veterinary Clinic with Jagger, she and Carly begin a friendship that takes them both by surprise. Brought together by their shared love of dogs, Ray and Carly discover that they are both capable of moving forward, if only they are brave enough to try

Tiopa Ki Lakota


D. Jordan Redhawk - 2000
    But the tribal shaman has a vision that Anpo is wicakte - a two-souled person embodying both male and female spirits. She will become a great warrior and a great asset to her people. During a vision quest, Anpo finds that her life will be intertwined with the lives of a sacred white buffalo and a pale skinned woman with yellow hair, yet both will be wounded by her actions. Kathleen McGlashan Stevens has been captured by renegade Indians, and thrust into a terrifying and foreign culture where she must learn to survive. The sacred white buffalo brings Anpo and Kathleen together. As their relationship develops, Anpo wonders: Can she change her destiny, or is she fated to wound the woman she loves?

And Playing the Role of Herself


K.E. Lane - 2007
    Her sometimes-costar Robyn Ward is magnetic, glamorous, and devastatingly beautiful, the quintessential A-List celebrity on the fast-track to super-stardom. When the two meet on the set of 9th Precinct, Caid is instantly infatuated but settles for friendship, positive that Robyn is both unavailable and uninterested. Soon Caid sees that all is not as it appears, but can she take a chance and risk her heart when the outcome is so uncertain?

Forbidden Melody


Magnolia Robbins - 2018
    With a renowned jazz musician for a father and a world-famous mentor growing up, she is convinced her path is easy. Until her world is suddenly silenced when she loses her hearing. Juliet Hamilton is a prodigy violinist. First chair for nearly fifteen years in the New York Philharmonic and a professor at the conservatory, she is engulfed in her career with no time for distractions. Especially not a beautiful young graduate student with a spirited personality that challenges her every step.When Emma and Juliet’s paths cross in the classroom, their connection is undeniable. When their music comes together, it is unstoppable. The bond they begin to form threatens to challenge more than just their opinions of music. Friendships, ethics, and careers are tested as Emma and Juliet find themselves lost in a concerto of fiery passion and heartbreak. 105,000 words

Winter Nights


Laura Conway - 2017
     The last person she expected to form a friendship with was her former high school English teacher, but when she runs into Elizabeth Fitzgerald, their connection is instant. Natalie's crush from fourteen years ago is as beautiful as ever and recently divorced. Natalie struggles to push those old feelings aside and focus on their new friendship, but when Liz tells her the reason for her divorce, she finds it harder and harder to stay away, especially on those long winter nights.

Love Waits


Gerri Hill - 2010
    Gina Granbury hasn’t thought about Calloway High in twenty years, but the arrival of the invitation to the class reunion brings back memories of Ashleigh and the betrayal that drove them apart.With no real choice, Ashleigh has to go the event, hoping that it’s not the one reunion that Gina decides to attend after all these years. Gina had expected to dismiss the possibility as easily as she has during all the years since, but the curiosity is suddenly strong. Her long-broken heart has never mended, but that’s no reason to go back in time…is it?Twenty years seem like yesterday in this latest passionate story from Golden Crown award winner Gerri Hill.

Past Imperfect


Fletcher DeLancey - 2002
    But her newest responsibility turns out to be more of a handful than she ever dreamed, challenging her to adapt to an ever-changing role while dealing with an alien race whose culture hides a secret.120,000 words

Pitifully Ugly


Robin Alexander - 2010
    Kalen, Shannon’s overly social sister, is determined to play match-maker and find a special someone for her sister. After a disastrous date with one of Kalen’s recent selections, Shannon decides to take her love life back into her own hands by joining the local lesbian cyber match-maker.Mid thirties, still single, house broken but rabid. If you’re looking for something different then I’m your girl. Write me if you dare... P.U. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to build her profile after consuming half a bottle of her favorite wine... or to use a picture of herself at the age of six - after she had cut her own hair-as her online profile photograph.Hiding behind the online persona of Pitifully Ugly, Shannon finds the courage to meet new women and face the disaster called dating. As her charming personality surfaces, Shannon’s search for the perfect match may be closer than she realizes.