Book picks similar to
Beautiful: and Other Short Stories by Loretta Livingstone


books-reviewed
short-stories
stand-alone-books
03-november

The Potluck Club


Linda Evans Shepherd - 2005
    The Potluck Club (The Potluck Club, Book 1)

Frosting and Flurries


Kimberly Rae Jordan - 2016
     THE SWEETNESS OF HER LOVE—KIMBERLY RAE JORDAN James Dawson may have looked like the hero of one of the romances Erin Kirkland loves to read, but she quickly discovers that he is not the hero for her. After all, how can she have a happily-ever-after with a man who doesn’t believe in love or marriage? Who would have thought that a visit to his grandmother’s favorite bakery to order a cake for her ninetieth birthday would end up causing James to re-evaluate his whole life? Certainly not James Dawson. But following their rather disastrous first meeting, James is determined to show Erin that he is a better man than she’s first judged him to be. Erin doesn’t want to friend-zone James, but she’s not sure she can trust that the changes he’s making will be permanent. Can someone really go from totally dismissing love and marriage to embracing it so quickly? SUGAR AND SPICE—CECELIA DOWDY Sheila Parks is stunned when Mason Smith, the identical twin brother of her ex-boyfriend Reese, moves to Blue Spring and opens a bakery. Reese’s cruel breakup still bothers her and seeing somebody who looks just like him is a painful reminder of her predicament. Unemployed, Sheila needs financial help and it appears that Mason can assist her with her problem. Can she learn to trust a man who looks just like her ex? Mason is stunned when Sheila storms into his bakery, mistakenly thinking that he’s Reese. Mason is used to comforting his womanizing brother’s ex-girlfriends. A stutterer, Mason has always had a hard time socializing with others. However, he finds himself smitten with beautiful Sheila. Can he control his stutter so that he can ask Sheila to be his date to his grandmother’s Christmas birthday party? Both Sheila and Mason deal with past pains as they work together during the Christmas season. MOOSTLETOE —JAN ELDER Rev. Samantha Evans lands in Moose Creek, Maine, where parishioners chew up new ministers for breakfast. Happily, she also reunites with forest ranger Eric Palmer, her best friend from her teenage years. With Samantha’s career on the line, Eric must save her job and rescue his own shattered heart in the process. But how does Matilda the moose factor into the mix? THE HECTOR CLAUSE—CLARE REVELL The last thing Brie Dalgleish expected her boss to do was ask her to play an elf in the toy store grotto. She's even less enthusiastic when she discovers Santa is the same bloke who drove his car through a puddle the previous evening, completely soaking her. Hector Clause is playing Santa in the family owned toy store under sufferance as a favor to his grandfather. He'd rather be in a nice safe office, using his law degree, than playing Santa in a shop full of squealing kids. Even if the chief elf is on the cute side. With the store's centenary fast approaching, the anniversary party is abruptly cancelled. Hector resolves to celebrate anyway, but isn't prepared for the curveball he finds headed his way. GINGER & BRAD’S HOUSE—MARION UECKERMANN When Brad O’Sullivan is unfaithful to Ginger Murphy, she escapes to Australia for five long years. During this time, Brad’s shotgun marriage fails. Besides his little boy, Jamie, one other thing in his life has turned out sweet and successful—his pastry business. Ginger returns to Ireland, when her mother’s diagnosed with heart failure. She loves being a wedding flautist but fears bumping into the wedding cake chef she tries to avoid.

Caribbean Crossroads


Connie E. Sokol - 2012
    Hard. Swearing off men and relationships, Megan is coaxed into performing on a cruise ship where she meets the star performer, Bryant Johnson. Handsome and charismatic, he looks like trouble, but she can't deny the intense attraction between them. Urged to find a wife and run the family lumber business, Bryant is torn between his family's expectations for his life and his own. However, when he meets spunky, but love-skittish Megan McCormick, settling down doesn't look so bad. Just when Megan begins to trust again, and Bryant makes some big decisions regarding his future, her former fiance returns with a malicious surprise, taking Megan and Bryant to their own CARIBBEAN CROSSROADS.

Tess in Boots


Courtney Rice Gager - 2014
    But she doesn’t plan on running her boyfriend off by bringing up the topic of marriage before he’s ready. And she doesn’t plan to lose her job on the day she’s set to receive a huge promotion. So when her perfect world unravels, Tess makes a new plan: disappear.Tess packs her bags and leaves her city apartment for a remote vineyard in North Carolina. At first, she’s put off by the slow pace of small-town life in the South. She’s especially irritated by Thatcher, the vineyard’s smart-mouth, dimple-faced farmhand. But she soon begins to appreciate the area’s charm, and Thatcher’s charm, too. She even swaps her trademark heels for a pair of cowboy boots. As Tess spends more time getting to know Thatcher, she finds herself loosening her grip on her old life little by little. Unfortunately, things on the vineyard aren’t as simple as they seem. There’s a secret here, and when the truth comes to light, Tess is forced to reconsider every plan she’s ever made.

Merry Humbug Christmas: Two Tales of Holiday Romance


Sandra D. Bricker - 2013
    Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year. In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell", a Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow's answer to this year's quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she's rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe. In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer", Reese's guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian's family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws' family cabin ablaze, she's pretty sure there won't be even ONE golden ring in her future.

Breathing on Her Own


Rebecca Waters - 2014
    An icy road and a sharp turn leave one woman dead, another clinging to life. While two families grieve, details emerge that reveal Molly’s daughter was driving under the influence. As she prepares her daughter for the prospect of a vehicular homicide lawsuit, Molly discovers her oldest child is not the only one injured and forced to deal with past mistakes. If it’s true that time heals all wounds, what are we to do with our scars?

Finding Hope


Elizabeth Diaz - 2015
    Then life took an unexpected turn. Can Olivia find hope in the midst of her darkest hour? When Olivia Martinelli, a naive nineteen-year-old, moved out on her own, she never could have imagined what direction her life would take. A life-changing decision, a betrayal of trust, and a painful consequence leave her devastated. Will Olivia find the strength she needs for the journey ahead?

Comfort & Joy: The Christmas Lights Collection 2018


Alana Terry - 2018
     Alana Terry- A missing child. A single mom. An Alaskan trooper. There's more to fear this winter than just the cold. Toni Shiloh- Can a bookstore owner looking for swoon-worthy romance and a mechanic hesitant to trust his heart find love that will last? Cathe Swanson- Scrap quilts, bridal gowns, an old Swedish homestead, and a family mystery. What more could you want from a Minnesota Christmas romance? Chautona Havig- When Mitchell Bogaert's inheritance involves a ghost story, that's bad enough. His Christmas is looking ghastly on more than one score, though. For more about each book, read below for each title's synopsis. Alana Terry:Frost Heaves-- A single mom. An Alaska state trooper. And more to fear than just the cold … When Jade’s daughter turns up missing, all suspicions point to the cult Jade escaped from when she was just a teen. Are members of Morning Glory retaliating against Jade’s child? Or are their intentions even more sinister than simply revenge? A fast-paced thriller set in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness from award-winning Christian suspense author Alana Terry. Toni Shiloh: Deck the Shelves -- Kendall Jackson is the proud owner of Heartfalls’ bookstore, The Cozy Shelf. Her life is one straight out of the pages, except she’s missing that leading man. Although she has a crush on the handsome auto mechanic, Quinton Hendricks, Kendall wants an old-fashioned type of romance—the stuff swoon-worthy romance books are made of. But Quinton seems to need a little prodding. Something about Kendall sparks hope in Quinton Hendricks that love could be his again. Only being abandoned by his ex-wife has made him cautious to the point of non-moving. Can two people hesitant on second chances find love as they Deck the Shelves? Cathe Swanson: The Christmas Glory Quilt -- Scrap quilts, bridal gowns, an old Swedish farmhouse and a hidden family heirloom. What more you could you want in a Minnesota Christmas romance? Penny Anderson has a dream – she’s going to be an exclusive bridal gown designer, and she won’t held back by dyslexia, a rural location or the doubts of others. Brian Michaels has waited seven years for Penny to see him as man instead of just a childhood friend. Can he work up the courage to speak before the tall, dark and handsome business consultant sweeps her off her feet? Aunt Violet is interested in only two things: Genealogy and quilting. As she chronicles the family history in a series of patchwork quilts, she comes to peace with her own past. Chautona Havig: The Ghosts of New Cheltenham-- Mitchell Bogaert hasn’t done much with his life in the four years since college, to which his negative-digits bank account and credit score will attest. So when news of an inheritance from a man he hasn’t seen in years arrives on the same day as his eviction notice, Mitchell considers the odd terms of the will to be a no-brainer. Sure, he’ll move into a building in the tourist village of New Cheltenham.

The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg


Kelly Ethan - 2020
    Let the mayhem begin… Xandie Meyers thought all her troubles were over when she moved to Point Muse, Maine. Instead, she inherited her great-aunt’s supernatural library and a snarky, talking cat. Not to mention a family of chaos-causing witches, furry law enforcement and a card-carrying demon from hell…and a dead body. Xandie Myers is suspect number one and she has no clue who’s targeting her. Sherlock librarian needs to swing into action and sniff the real killer out before she becomes the next victim—or ends up in jail for murders she didn’t commit. Can Xandie survive long enough to navigate her freaky new world? Or will things that go bump in the night have her for a midnight snack? If you like snarky dialogue, murder and mayhem, then you’ll love book one in Kelly Ethan’s Point Muse Mysteries, a new cozy paranormal mystery series. Unlock the mayhem of The Killer Knight and the Murderous Chairleg today!

Stuck in the Middle


Virginia Smith - 2008
    Meanwhile, Joan is stuck at home with Mom and her aging grandmother. Not exactly a recipe for excitement—or romance.When a hunky young doctor moves in next door, Joan sets out to catch his eye. But it won’t be easy. Pretty Tori flirts relentlessly, and Joan is sure that she can’t compete. But with a little help from God, Allie, and an enormous mutt with bad manners, Joan begins to find her way out of this rut and into the life she’s been hiding from.Book 1 of the Sister-to-Sister series, Stuck in the Middle combines budding romance, soul searching, and a healthy dose of sibling rivalry that is sure to make you smile.

Shadows of the Past


Patricia Bradley - 2014
    When she finally has a lead on his whereabouts, Taylor returns home to Logan Point, Mississippi, to investigate. But as she is stalking the truth about the past, someone is stalking her.Nick Sinclair pens mystery novels for a living, but the biggest mystery to him is how he can ever get over the death of his wife--a tragedy he believes he could have prevented. With his estranged brother the only family he has left, Nick sets out to find him. But when he crosses paths with Taylor, all he seems to find is trouble.

Somebody's Sinning In My Bed


Pat G'Orge-Walker - 2009
    In the tradition of Victoria Christopher Murray, G'Orge-Walker moves in a stunning new direction with this powerful, thought-provoking novel about a fallen woman's path to redemption.

God Bless the Broken Road


Jennifer Graeser Dornbush - 2017
    She feels robbed and is angry at God, and she doesn’t know how to help her nine-year-old daughter Bree through her grief. Where, Amber wonders, are the Sunday dinners, the picnics, the bike rides, the time together they should be enjoying as a family? Instead, Amber is left with a folded flag and an empty heart. Cody Jackson has a death wish. Or at least that is what his manager thinks, as Cody pushes his race car and his luck in every race. Is he hiding something, or just daring God and other racers to end the path of destruction he finds himself on as he rounds the last turn? When Cody encourages Bree to join in a Derby car race for local youth, she finds a way to channel her grief into something good—and she likes that her mom and Cody are starting to become friends—or maybe something more. Cody invites Amber and Bree to see him race, but as they watch Cody narrowly escape a devastating crash, she realizes she can’t lose another person in her life. It’s better to be alone than feel that type of grief again. But when Amber hits rock-bottom, she cries out to God and asks for help. With her faith, her life, her family, and her heart hanging in the balance, Amber is forced to decide between the broken road she knows so well and trusting that God will provide a new path.

The Watch on the Fencepost


Kay Dibianca - 2019
    . .     This award-winning mystery/romance is the ultimate puzzle!      A mysterious gold watch propels Kathryn Frasier into a quest to prove her parents' recent deaths were not an accident. But when she solves the mystery behind the watch, she uncovers a dark family secret and stumbles onto a trail of cryptic clues that lead her to a remarkable cast of characters, all of whom had a connection to her parents: an actress with a talent for disguises, a politician with a secret of his own, and a handsome businessman who shows a sudden romantic interest in Kathryn.            But can she solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim?

Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined


Rachael Anderson - 2014
    He has a great support system, a promised promotion is on its way, and he's finally getting the hang of this single father thing. But when the job falls through and his neighbor's matchmaking efforts become more aggressive, Noah is in for yet another unwanted detour. With his career and two spirited daughters to worry about, he doesn't have time for dating—especially not someone like Cassie Ellis, his girls' beautiful and sophisticated dance instructor, who is about as open and approachable as a brick wall. Rough around the Edges Meets Refined is about two people who think they know exactly what they want but who have no idea what they really need. It's about learning that people aren't always what they seem and that sometimes life’s detours take you exactly where you need to go.