Book picks similar to
Barrow Sinister by Elsie Lee


romance
gothic
romantic-suspense
elsie-lee

Promises to Keep


Kathryn Shay - 2002
    They expect their differences will cause them conflict. What they don’t expect are the two women who blow their careful plan apart. Suzanna Quinn is the principal and hates being attracted to the new school psychologist. Worse, thirty year old Social Studies teacher Kelsey Cunningham is horrified by her feelings for Luke, her new “student.” But the very real threat of school violence from more than one student forces them to work together and face their feelings for each other. Suicide, gang warfare and bullying all play a part as this stunning drama unfolds.

Identity Crisis


Eliza Watson - 2018
    She learns they were placed in the Federal Witness Security Program when she was five years old. Her father was involved in an art forgery ring and testified against the mob. Brought up not to trust anyone, Olivia has a difficult time relying on U.S. Marshal Ethan Ryder to protect her, and to keep her secret. She fears her father may have continued his life of crime through her art gallery. She has little choice but to depend on Ethan when she realizes someone is now after her. Olivia’s search for the truth leads her and Ethan across the country to a family and a past she doesn’t remember. At the age of ten, Ethan witnessed a brutal murder. He vowed that when he grew up, he’d protect people in danger. Protecting Olivia is difficult when she won’t trust him. He soon realizes his desire to protect her goes beyond doing his job, but if his judgment becomes clouded by emotions, her safety could be jeopardized. Can Ethan and Olivia learn to trust each other when they uncover secrets that will change their lives forever? *This book was originally published under the name Eliza Daly.

Ghosts of a Beach Town in Winter (Halcyon Beach Chronicles, #1)


Kathleen Valentine - 2011
    The arcades, food stands, souvenir shops and tattoo parlors are boarded over for the winter but the bungalows tucked in the dunes are occupied by artists and transients looking for cheap rentals. She faces a long, cold, lonely winter but a bunch of old guys, that she calls The Geezers, begin regaling her with stories about the "old days" and about an ill-fated romance between the beautiful wife of a Boston mob boss and The Great Hercules, a sideshow strongman. She is also increasingly fascinated by an elusive roustabout who flirts with her and shows her the secret spaces in an old beachfront ballroom. As winter gets darker and deeper Layla's husband is both struggling with his writing and becoming suspicious of her behavior. What Layla doesn't know is that nothing is what it seems and her options are growing fewer every day. (Volume One of the Halcyon Beach Chronicles. Volume Two is Ghosts of a Lighthouse in Autumn.)

A Stitch in Time


Kelley Armstrong - 2020
    As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt’s house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination. Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting. William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago. As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.

Moonraker's Bride


Madeleine Brent - 1973
    The way she tackles this task leads to her being thrown into the grim prison of Chengfu, where she meets Nicholas Sabine - a man about to die.He asks her a cryptic riddle, the mystery of which echoes through all that befalls her in the months that follow...She is brought to England and tries to make a new life with the Gresham family, but she is constantly in disgrace and is soon involved in the bitter feud between the Greshams and a neighbouring family.There is danger, romance and heartache for Lucy as strange events build to a point where she begins to doubt her own senses.How could she see a man, long dead, walking in the misty darkness of the valley? And who carried her, unconscious, into the labyrinth of Chiselhurst Caves and left her to die?It is not until she returns to China that Lucy finds, amid high adventure, the answer to all that has baffled her.

Queen Of Hearts


Heather Graham - 1985
    Now Congressman Kiel Whellen is here, aboard the luxury liner on which she ekes out a living as a blackjack dealer. She is determined to hate him--until Kiel dares her to let passion make two hurting hearts care again. But also aboard is someone who could shatter Rhiannan's world--unless she fights for her future with the only weapon she has left, the power of a woman's love.

Shadows On The Water


Elizabeth Cadell - 1958
    Verney liked her cabin-mate, Lindy Barron. The pretty widow reminded her of her own daughter, as she watched the young girl gaily strolling the decks with Neil Harper. And she was happy both were bound for Lisbon -- Lindy to see her father, Neil to work for him -- until she saw they were falling in love.But ashore they arrived to a chilling reality. William Barron doesn't show up to meet his children when the ship arrives in Lisbon. Their father had vanished. There were evasive answers, threatening letters....and only Mrs. Verney -- and perhaps Neil -- to trust.When Mrs. Verney realises that she can't leave Lindy and Rex with no one to turn to, so she chooses to stay. But, in staying by her new friend, Kate missed her boat, uncovered a shocking murder plot in the very best circles of Lisbon, and, in the end, maybe a new love for herself.

Fall of the Trident (Season SEALs Book 3)


KaLyn Cooper - 2021
    His work hadn’t changed so it had become his life. He went from one command to another, wherever the Navy sent him.His world was focused on the SEALs he commanded…until the day in his exuberance over a highly complicated operation, he hugged his administrative assistant.Marta Merkel had been a force to be reckoned in the SEAL world. For over twenty-five years, since her SEAL husband had been killed on active duty, she could make or break a career.Even though they were single adults past fifty, she worked directly outside his office, controlling his work life.With years of baggage, could they make this work?

Under His Control: The Complete Series


Alexa Davis - 2015
    Natalie Jacobs is a reporter trying to do a story on the panty dropping Dante Devereaux, a billionaire computer hacker who sells foreign government secrets to the CIA. This story could make her career and she’s willing to do anything to get it, even if it means sleeping with the enemy. The only problem is men aren’t ever into her so getting the story could be difficult.Dante Devereaux is a cocky alpha male who isn’t scared of anything, even the FBI investigating him for selling the United States government’s secrets to foreign governments. He knows he can do whatever he wants since he has the power to hack anyone or anything and benefit from the information and that includes Natalie Jacobs who he will do everything possible to take control of...in and out of his bed. Little do they know that they are both completely different people than they thought.*This sexy alpha billionaire romance is perfect for fans of Cassie Cross, Hannah Ford, Deborah Bladon and J.S. Scott*

Please Don't Feed the Mayor


Sue Pethick - 2019
    . .Shep wins by a landslide.A lover of democracy and dog treats, Shep is rapidly earning the goodwill of Fossett's citizens. Tourists are streaming in and everyone wants to glad-paw the new mayor. Suddenly Melanie and Shep are media darlings, with requests for interviews, game shows, and personal appearances through the roof. But there's trouble in paradise. Determined to win back his former wife, Bryce MacDonald discovers a rival in tabloid reporter Chad Cameron, who's in Fossett to dig up dirt on Melanie and Shep. He finds a willing co-conspirator in the malcontent who lost the election. Hounded by the press and desperate to head off a potential dog-napping, Melanie unwittingly puts herself in danger. Shep comes to the rescue, proving his mettle to save his faithful human at the risk of his own life . . . and new political career.Acclaim for Sue Pethick's Pet Friendly "Quirky and endearing . . . This is a light, heartwarming read perfect for a wintry afternoon at home or a sunny beach vacation."--RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

Made to Love You


Sheryl Lister - 2015
    As they spend an unexpected two weeks together beneath the Caribbean sun he knows he wants more. Can he learn to forgive and reclaim the only woman who's claimed his heart? Floral shop co-owner Vivian Michaels believes she has finally put her past to rest. But when a wedding in Jamaica brings her face-to-face with the man she loved and had to leave behind, she realizes that she never stopped loving Devin. Every kiss reminds her of what she's missed, and perhaps what she can still have if she would only trust him with the truth. **This is a novella, work of approximately 37k words**

The Headmaster


Tiffany Reisz - 2014
    Stern, enigmatic Edwin Yorke simmers with a heat Gwen longs to unleash. But Edwin knows all too well that forbidden love can end in tragedy….

A Love So True (The Billionaires of Sawgrass, #3)


Delaney Cameron - 2020
    He's loved her since high school. She's holding on to the past. He's worked hard to overcome his. Brooks knew better than to fall in love with Jaclyn. She's a trust fund kid, and he's from the wrong side of the tracks. Guys like him never end up with girls like her. His head understood the rules. His heart was another story.

Bagels & Salsa


Lara Reznik - 2018
    As the Son of Sam and a scorching heat wave plague New York City, Laila Levin, a Jewish sociologist from Long Island, meets Dr. Eduardo Quintana while giving a speech on the epidemic problem of teenage pregnancies. Laila is relationship-shy after a disastrous marriage, and Eduardo has never completely recovered from his high school sweetheart’s desertion. He is finishing up a residency in New York City and plans to open a family practice near his hometown in New Mexico.The unlikely pair share strong family values and an interest in helping prevent teen pregnancy. Their mutual passion is so intense it stuns them both. After a brief courtship, Eduardo persuades Laila to accompany him to his family ranch near Española, New Mexico, a rural area with one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in North America.  Once in New Mexico, Laila is blatantly rejected by Sylvia, Eduardo’s controlling mama. Sylvia desperately wants Eduardo to marry Violet, his high school sweetheart. Violet has just returned to New Mexico after a failed flight attendant career, and a walk on the dark side of Hollywood. Her mama and Sylvia cook up a plan to get rid of Laila and reunite their children. The Quintanas hold a large pig roast and invite a menagerie of tattooed cousins, rodeo stars, and mariachis, where the drop-dead gorgeous Violet makes a grand entrance.In the midst of the pandemonium that results, a shocking family secret is revealed, and Laila and Eduardo’s love for each other is severely tested. Can their relationship survive the fierce clash of cultures, the murderous intentions of a Son of Sam copycat who has stalked Laila from New York City, and their own uncertainties about the upheavals that their union will cause in their lives?

Coming to Rosemont


Barbara Hinske - 2012
    Dealing with the financial and emotional wreckage left in Paul's wake, she is stunned to learn he inherited an estate known as Rosemont in the seemingly-serene Midwestern town of Westbury. Seeking a fresh start and a quiet, solitary life, she moves halfway across the country to make Rosemont her home. Before she can unpack her first box, she's knee-deep in a battle against political corruption, where defeat and retreat are not an option. Still bearing the scars of betrayal, will she find joy, romance and possibility in Westbury?Coming to Rosemont is the first book in the Rosemont series.