Book picks similar to
Heat Wave by Barbara Delinsky


romance
delinsky-barbara
barbara-delinsky
harlequin

Separate Cabins


Janet Dailey - 1983
    Gard was convinced that fate had brought them together, and that they shared more than just the same last name.His passionate kisses seemed to burn his promise of forever into her heart. But Rachel had loved and lost once before. Should she believe Gard's tender vows for the future -- or had she fallen desperately in love with a man who wanted nothing more than a shipboard affair?

More Than Friends


Susan Mallery - 1993
    Jenny and Chase were more than friends, they were two halves of one whole, and nothing-but nothing-could put them asunder. — Until one summer night shattered Jenny's innocence...and the unspeakable drove Chase miles-and memories-away.Now adults, they were again more than friends. They were enemies...enemies whose long-ago promises echoed with pain, whose white-hot desire shimmered with despair-enemies bearing identical scars on two souls that ached to be one. Yet the chasm of betrayal gaped wide and deep... challenging their deathless love with immortal heartbreak.

The Write Match


Margaret Carroll - 2006
    That is until she falls into a cab with Wall Street player Mark Dawson III, who is gorgeous, funny...and engaged to be married.Mark Dawson's work may be risky business, but his loyalty to friends and family runs deep. He knows the wedding is a mistake, but it would be damaging to his fiancée and her career to call it off now. To make matters worse, Kit is covering their nuptials for her magazine and he can't seem to take his eyes off the lovely editor.With the big day less than two weeks away, Kit and Mark struggle to hide their growing attraction to each other from everyone, including themselves.

Paint Me Rainbows


Fern Michaels - 1981
    Her desperate flight took her deep into unfamiliar territory, and into the home and arms of Logan Matthews. But although the isolated retreat offered sanctuary, its rough, enigmatic owner did not. For Jill, nothing was safe around Logan - not her secrets, not her intimate desires, and least of all her loving heart.

Calamity Jayne Boxed Set


Kathleen Bacus - 2011
    Tressa is determined to prove there's more to this cockeyed cowgirl than meets the eye and she’s just been handed the perfect opportunity to get "Ranger Rick" and a skeptical citizenry to finally take her seriously. How? By solving a murder no one else believes happened...No one, that is, except the killer. CALAMITY JAYNE RIDES AGAINTressa’s off to the State Fair to work at her Uncle Frank’s ice cream concession stand. But when a soft-serve saboteur appears at the same time her cousin, Frankie, goes missing, it's another fine, sticky mess she's gotten herself into. With a string of malicious pranks, to scary, psycho dunk-tank clowns, two geriatric Jessica Fletcher wannabes, a dishy state trooper, and a sister who may have her eye on a certain ranger-type, and it's mayhem on the midway time. GHOULS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUNTressa thinks she on to a scoop when eccentric and reclusive bestselling writer, Elizabeth Courtney Howard comes to Grandville to finish her latest book. So, what's stopping Tressa from scoring this journalistic coup? Only the fact that the skeletons to uncover in this little exposé are all in a closet in Haunted Holloway Hall--a house only Norman Bates could love.CALAMITY JAYNE GOES TO COLLEGEAce cub reporter Tressa Jayne Turner is back in college and nothing’s going to stop Tressa from making the grade. Well, except for a wrinkled roommate rekindling an old flame, maid of honor madness run amok, a botched betrothal that’s more than just schoolyard gossip and a campus criminal out to teach the student body a lesson—one one crime at a time. Failure is so not an option.CALAMITY JAYNE HEADS WESTTressa Jayne Turner’s off to Arizona to see her gammy hitched. Her cousin’s keeping secrets, Ranger Rick Townsend is sending signals—more of the smokin’ than smoke variety—and it seems Tressa’s not the only person with an attachment to “Kookamunga”, the fertility figurine she picked up at a roadside stand. Throw in a washed-up actress out to kick-start her career, a suspect spiritual advisor, locals with a cause, and a ten-year-old who’s a chip off a certain ranger’s blockhead and it’ll be a vision quest to make Thelma and Louise’s southwestern spree seem like amateur night at the OK Corral. May the best spirit guide win.ANCHORS AWEIGHTressa Jayne is off on a post-wedding cruise. Good food. Warm beaches. Romantic sunsets. Nothing can take the wind out of Tressa’s sails this time. Nothing that is except this particular Love Boat has Iceberg ahead! written all over it. Why? It’s a lo-cal “biggest loser” cruise, Tressa’s bad-boy faux fiancé and his marriage-minded aunt Mo are stowaways, and Tressa’s barely got her sea les before a dastardly murder plot bobs to the surface and Tressa Jayne knows just how Capt. Jack Sparrow feels when the rum is gone. Yo ho ho and a bottle of V-8!

Beach House No. 9


Christie Ridgway - 2013
    After all, his agent hired her to help the reclusive war journalist write his stalled memoir. Instead, Jane finds a tanned, ocean-blue-eyed man in a Hawaiian shirt, hosting a beach party and surrounded by beauties. Faster than he can untie a bikini top, Griffin lets Jane know he doesn't want her. But she desperately needs this job and digs her toes in the sand.Griffin intends to spend the coming weeks at Beach House No. 9 taking refuge from his painful memories—and from the primly sexy Jane, who wants to bare his soul. But warm nights, moonlit walks and sultry kisses just may unlock both their guarded hearts….

Where the Heart Is


Jenny Gardiner - 2011
    After a call from a long-lost friend, she decides to embark on a road trip to revisit her past and along the way comes to realize that home really is where the heart is...(originally was titled House of Cards)

A Bride for a Billionaire Box Set


Lynne Graham - 2014
    Now, his ex-wife has returned to his desert and Zahir plans to banish her from his mind once and for all, beginning with reclaiming his wedding night!In The Billionaire's Trophy, when Bastian Christou sees his intern's photo on an escort website, he's stunned by both her double life and her stunning photo. Since Bastian has an ex-fiancée to keep at bay, Emmie Marshall might just be the best armor money can buy!In Challenging Dante, Dante Leonetti is convinced Topaz Marshall is after his family's money, and he's determined to seduce the truth from her lips. After experiencing Leonetti's ferocious reputation firsthand, will she be able to resist his legendary charms?

A Gift of Grace


Inglath Cooper - 2018
    He gave away his wife’s baby, born under the most tragic circumstances.Three years later he gets a second chance. All because Sophie Owens walks into his feed store with her little girl—a little girl who looks a lot like his late wife. But in order to get his second chance, he’ll have to ruin Sophie’s world.Perhaps, though, a gift of grace could save them both.Originally published in 2006.“A beautiful, intense, and superbly written novel.…This book will get into your heart and it will not let go….”—The Romance Reader’s Connection on A Gift of Grace

The Black Trilogy


Elise Noble - 2017
     After the owner of a security company is murdered, his sharp-edged wife goes on the run. Forced to abandon everything she holds dear—her home, her friends, her job in special ops—assassin Diamond builds a new life for herself in England. As Ashlyn Hale, she meets Luke, a handsome local who makes her realise just how lonely she is. Yet, even in the sleepy village of Lower Foxford, the dark side of life dogs Diamond’s trail when the unthinkable strikes. Forced out of hiding, she races against time to save those she cares about. With her husband’s killer still on the loose and her life in England a disaster, Diamond returns to the only thing she knows: work. As the star of Blackwood Security takes on enemies from the States to Syria, she finds the toughest battle is the one going on in her own head. Her training has equipped her to handle the most dangerous situations, but controlling her own emotions isn’t so easy. All she wants is justice, but can she repair her broken heart as well? Do you want sexy heroes and kick-ass heroines? Then grab The Black Trilogy and start reading today! Warning: Diamond isn’t polite. She’s got a filthy mouth to go with her dirty mind, and she doesn’t hold back. If you like your books a little milder, you may prefer the cleaned-up version of The Black Trilogy (no on-the-page sex and no swearing) available through my author page.

The Return of Rafe MacKade


Nora Roberts - 1995
    Bound to be. Trouble hung around Rafe MacKade like a bell around a bull's neck. Oh, he was as handsome as ever, with those devil's good looks the MacKades were gifted -- or cursed -- with. If a female had breath in her body, she couldn't help but look twice at that loose-legged stride that seemed to dare anyone to get in the way.And what about that newcomer, Regan Bishop? Pretty as a picture, but a little prim. Would she be impervious to the legendary MacKade charm?Sure didn't look that way....The MacKade Brothers: Looking for trouble -- and always finding it. Now they're on a collision course with love.

Her Last Temptation


Leslie Kelly - 2005
    Cat Sheehan is the wild child of the Sheehan family. But when her family bar closes, she decides it's time to straighten up. She's going to reform-and she's going to start by hooking up with a nice guy. But her resolution goes down the drain when bad boy musician Dylan Spencer walks in. Because he's a temptation no woman could resist.... Dylan has a secret. Not only is he not a bad boy...he's not a stranger, either. Though Cat doesn't recognize him, Dylan's been in love with her since high school. And for a chance to have Cat where he wants her- in his life, in his bed-he's willing to be whatever kind of man she wants...

HOLDEN (Billionaire Bastards, Book Three)


Ivy Carter - 2017
     A gold Rolex on his wrist. A custom-tailored suit designed to highlight every single muscle. A different model each week, all clutching his arm with perfectly manicured nails and Botox smiles. There is no way I could ever be with a man who is a) way out of my league b) richer than anyone I’ve ever met c) would hate me on sight if he knew whose daughter I am. But I’m mesmerized by the way Holden looks at me, like he could gobble me up in one wolfish bite. I’m mesmerized by thoughts of his mouth pressing against mine, how those taut muscles beneath his suit would feel against my naked skin. He can be brooding and cold, then explode into violent rage when provoked. His unpredictability is an asset in his business, but makes it impossible for him to have any kind of stable romantic relationship. He wakes up in cold sweats at night, coming out of horrific vivid nightmares where he sees violence played out over and over again. He still lives with the guilt of a horrible secret—a secret he’s never told another soul. I want to get through to him, want to be the one to save him. If he doesn’t reveal his demons, he’ll break my heart. If he does, I might be too scared to stay. Either way is a dead end. Because when it comes right down to it, my heart knows the truth. Holden Quinn is a cold, billionaire bastard. And that’s all he’ll ever be…

Troika


Adam Pelzman - 2014
    A "brilliant, astonishing modern love story"* and an acclaimed literary debut...A young Cuban woman passes her nights dancing in a seedy Florida strip club; a Russian orphan loses everything, then builds a new and prosperous life for himself in New York; a woman struggles to maintain her dignity and hope after a life-changing accident—these are the three members of the troika whose story is told in this dazzling literary debut.Their lives unexpectedly intertwined, Perla, Julian, and Sophie discover a world—a way of life—that forces them to challenge their definitions of commitment, love, and trust, a world that heals old wounds and inspires them to transform tragedy into beauty."What a great gallop through the landscape of the human heart, what a brilliant, astonishing modern love story, what a beautiful pair of heroines, what an amazing journey from the plantains of Little Havana and a Fort Lauderdale strip club to Fifth Avenue and East Hampton, what a ride to a complex and satisfying redemption, what a glorious testimony to the way damage can become a lovely destiny, what a book!" —*Susan Cheever

Beauford Bend


Alicia Hunter Pace - 2016
    Haunted by the tragic fire that orphaned them years ago, the boys left town to find fame and success. Now they're coming home. But surprising revelations about that fateful night--and the love of a few good Southern women--will heal their hearts and change their lives forever.Forgiving Jackson: When a devastating fire at one of his concerts reopens old wounds for country superstar Jackson Beauford, he heads home for some peace and quiet--only to discover that stubborn Southern magnolia Emory Lowell has planted herself at his family estate, bringing chaos in her wake.Nickolai's Noel: An ice storm traps hockey pro Nickolai Glazov with quilt shop owner Noel Verden one fateful Christmas. As these two strong-willed folks fall in love then fall apart, they'll learn that home is the place you hang your heart (not just your quilt or your hockey stick).Reforming Gabe: Once the NFL's best wide receiver, Gabe Beauford's been dropping the ball this season--literally. After his team loses the Super Bowl, he heads back to Beauford to hide and brood, but crossing paths with independent and talented jewelry maker Neyland MacKenzie puts a new gleam in his eye. She needs saving, and he needs a project... But will his not-so-deft touch ruin her dreams and their chance at real love?Redeeming Rafe: Bull riding, cliff diving, plane jumping--if it makes most men quake in their boots, Rafe Beauford does it eagerly. But his wild lifestyle comes to a halt when he discovers he's the father of toddlers. Taking his twin girls back to Beauford, he plans to leave them there to grow up with a nanny, but the woman he hires, widowed mom Abigail Whitman, is determined to show him the importance of family--and love.Heath's Hope: Ambitious and career-minded Hope MacKenzie left Heath Beckett with a bleeding heart years ago. Now she's back in town because her family's bank needs her desperately. When she gives a personal loan to the women who own the local knitting shop without consulting Heath, who has helped them with their finances for years, the two must work together to ensure the ladies' business plan is in tip-top shape. But will sharing their time lead to deeper feelings being re-awakened?Healing Beau: Sick of being babied his whole life, youngest brother Beau joined the army as soon as he could. He thought he'd be a lifer, but an injury sends him back to Beauford without peace or a purpose. Knowing he can't heal until some truths come to light, his old friend Christian Hambrick, who always held a torch for him, wages a full-scale war on the past--and emerges with the secrets about what really happened the night of the fire.Sensuality Level: Sensual