Book picks similar to
Coming Home by Teresa Purkis


lesbian
attempted-rape
abuse
coming-out

Standing Her Ground


M.E. Tudor - 2015
    Pastor Haverty, the lead pastor at their church, takes Jodi downstairs for a private consultation when Jodi breaks down during the session. Jodi starts to leave the Church after Pastor Haverty left her to gather herself. She is grabbed and dragged into one of the rooms and raped. Three years later, Jodi is happily raising her son, Bryan as a single mother. Suddenly, a strange woman starts stalking her. Her parents show up and demand to see Bryan after not hearing from them since she left home. When she refuses, they try to get custody of Bryan. Jodi goes to the ACLU for help. Her case is given to the former family judge, Jean Carlisle, who gladly takes the case pro bono. With Jean's help, Jodi is going to stand her ground against the people who would hurt her son and her. She will prove that a single lesbian can be a perfect mother. As the case to keep Bryan in Jodi's custody progresses, secrets, lies, humiliations, and fears will be revealed.

Texas Blues


Ashley Quinn - 2016
    Trying her best to hold it together in Chicago, she is battling both the effects of her mother’s death and the betrayal of her ex-girlfriend. Opting to throw herself into work and the gym, she at first ignores an invitation from her largely absentee father to take some time off at his estate in Texas. He may be the Chairperson of Foster Oil & Gas, but it doesn’t change the fact that he was never part of her life. Besides, she’s up for a big promotion and sees it as the solution away from her one-way track into deep depression. In many ways, Natalie Silva is the complete opposite of London. Where London is pale, Natalie is sun-kissed. In that dark space deep down where London is filled with regrets and bitterness, Natalie radiates warm light. As a Texas native and sort-of Southern belle, Natalie is compassionate, kind and raised with a healthy dose of Southern hospitality. She’s followed her passion for baking throughout her adult life and it’s led her to being a co-owner of Mission Bakery – A popular bakery and food truck she manages with her lesbian aunts and the occasional help from her best friend’s precocious daughter. After a years-old heartbreak, the one lesson she has taken through her life is to never fall for an outsider. You know the type – The mysterious, attractive out-of-towners who offer equal promise of passion and complications. London and Natalie are less than impressed with each other upon their first meeting. But fate and Texas have a very different and much more sensual plan for these two polar opposite women. In the sultry-hot summer heat, they will learn just as much about themselves and their lives as they will about each other…And it might just be everything they want.

Paying the Price


Julia P. Lynde - 2013
    She discovers her captor is Dareena, daughter of the Tendarian queen, who intends to return Meorie to Tendaria to stand trial for war crimes of four years ago.Dareena promises justice, but Meorie knows she will only receive vengeance. She is offered the choice of spending the voyage trussed like a turkey with an equally undignified delivery to the Tendarian palace, or she can accept a magical slave collar of obedience, to be removed upon delivery. She accepts the collar, binding her to obedience to Dareena.As the voyage progresses, Meorie attempts to defeat the collar while learning how deep the treachery towards her has extended. She also finds herself falling in love with her captor.This novella of 43,000 words, about 130 printed pages, is the darkest story Julia P. Lynde has written.

Scarcity


Kate Genet - 2011
    It comes with the territory and she's learned to be particular about her privacy. She's learned that keeping to yourself is always the best option. Until Scarcity turns up. Teresa's never met anyone like her and it worries her how much she likes the girl's presence. What happens when two desperate, needy worlds collide? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REVIEW "I thought this story was wonderful, showing two damaged women slowly opening up to each other. Kate Genet has a way of writing strong, vivid prose that gets under your skin. The light, the weather, and nature all figure strongly in her work. But then her earthy characters are also forces of nature! This isn't pretty writing, it's stark, sensual and gorgeous. I plan to read more of her work." - Gabriella West ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXCERPT ‘I’m Scarcity. Pleased to meet you, Teresa.’ She was smiling. Teresa looked at the outstretched arm. The girl’s hand turned out to be warm against her palm. Scarcity took a step forward and looked up at her. She was still smiling. ‘I gotta go. Thanks for the beer. I’ll come and see you again, shall I?’ She dropped Teresa’s hand and grinned, heading for the door before Teresa could answer. Teresa followed slowly. The blonde girl disappeared around the side of the house. ‘What sort of name is Scarcity?’ Teresa asked the empty yard. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kate Genet is a New Zealand author who enjoys writing books with strong lesbian characters. Even if they don't start out feeling all that strong, they've usually found their tenacity and self-assurance by the time she's done with them; characters you can like, admire, and wish you knew - maybe they're even a bit like you. With her interest in telling compelling stories she spreads herself across a few genres within lesbian fiction - supernatural suspense, adventure, science fiction and fantasy, and now romance. Keep up to date with her writing life and new releases by visiting her website at kategenet.com (coming January 2014). She also writes mainstream speculative fiction under the name Kate Hansen.

Spirit of the Dance


Mardi Alexander - 2015
    She pushes herself to rebuild her family’s legacy while battling the PTSD that threatens to overwhelm her.Local saddler and horse trainer Riley Johnson knows that to get along in a small town, one simply has to make the best of what life hands out. Riley’s philosophy is to keep life as uncomplicated as possible. And falling in love with Sorla is as complicated as it gets.As Sorla’s dream is realized, Riley’s predictable, safe world begins to unravel. Secrets are revealed as prejudice and ignorance run wild. Having only ever walked through life alone, Riley must now learn to trust another, as danger dances ever closer.

Endings


Stephanie Kusiak - 2012
    However, before she can start a new life in California, she has one important step left to take. Somehow she has to tell her childhood friend Marissa that a life without her wouldn't be a life worth living at all.

Remember Me


Bryce Taylor - 2017
    She might be more than successful, her body more than sinful and enough offers from the right kind of girls to satisfy anyone, yet there has always been something missing. Until Jo re-appears one day. In need of a friend. --------------------------------------- A short story I wrote earlier this year after catching sight of someone I hadn't seen in fifteen years, the instant recognition that makes you question your sanity.

Love on The Westside


Riley West - 2020
    ASIN B08TRNQJXK moved to the most recent edition

The Fifth Stage


Margaret A. Helms - 2003
    She muddles through daily routines, her only respite coming in the form of a harmless crush on Rebecca Greenway. Claire believes that the sexy restaurant manager is safely unavailable. But when Rebecca shows signs of interest, Claire's past unravels, revealing an immeasurable love and a dark secret. .an outstanding contribution to lesbian fiction. Author Margaret A. Helms deftly alternates past and present events in the life of Claire Blevins to build an enthralling and intriguing story. Her rich prose, compelling plot, lively pace, and strongly-drawn characters make The Fifth Stage an outstanding contribution to lesbian fiction. -- Nann Dunne, editor and publisher of Just About Write (www.justaboutwrite.com), author of The War Between the Hearts, and other stories.

Those Who Wait


Peggy J. Herring - 1999
    Secretly in love with Cheryl for years, Elaine hopes she'll finally have a chance to win Cheryl's heart. But will she? Mickey's fling will soon be over and she'll want Cheryl back...in the worst way.

Different Worlds


Lily Seabrooke - 2020
    Losing her friends, falling away from her work responsibilities, and sinking deeper into depression, rumors are she won’t be able to succeed the company at the end of the summer.Annelise Benson just lost her kitchen job and is in freefall. With rent looming and college tuition still to save for, she’s desperate enough to take a sketchy job offering more money than should be possible. But the summer caretaker position she signs up for gets tricky when it turns out she’s a tool used to try shaming Natasha Seychelle herself into reforming.The two come from vastly different worlds and clash in an ugly meeting that sets them head to head. Annelise’s dedication to completing a job is too strong for Natasha to shake her off, but—maybe, just maybe, they’ve come together for a reason.Different Worlds is a 100k enemies-to-lovers slow burn romance featuring a class difference romance, themes of grief and loss, comfort and healing, and lots of sentimental emotional fluff. Content warnings for depression, loss of family, references to self-harm, and one really nasty uncle. Oh, and sapphic flirting. Don’t read this book if you hate seeing girls flirting with each other. Definitely not.

The Goode Vet


J.J. Arias - 2020
    . . and her heart.Vanessa is content being America’s favorite reality TV veterinarian and living in her gated, island community. That all changes when a new neighbor bulldozes into her life. Literally.When Ronny wins the lottery and buys a dilapidated mansion in an exclusive south Florida town, she doesn’t expect the difficult woman next door to impede her plans of turning the home into a dog sanctuary.Can Vanessa and Ronny move beyond having gotten off on the wrong foot to nurture the spark they felt on their first meeting?Hit the jackpot with this fun enemies-to-lovers romance featuring swoon-worthy leads and a gaggle of four-legged friends!The Goode Vet is a SHORT STORY in the bestselling Goode Girl lesbian romance series, telling the stories of women loving women in and around a small, all-women’s college in Florida. Books can be read in any order.

Perfect Together


Christine L'Amour - 2018
    Lily has a small apartment, a family who kicked her out, and a son she loves, but with no support her life seems to be crumbling around her. When the two of them meet, sparks fly—but will that be enough? Lily is adamant she can do everything alone and Kat seems unwilling to talk about her life? When Lily’s relative tries to contact her and Kat’s homophobic sister wants to be back in her life, how will Lily and Kat find time for each other? Please Note: This book contains adult language & steamy adult activities, it is intended for 18+ Adults Only. Novel, approx. 35,000 words in length. HEA (happy ever after ending). Does not end with a "cliffhanger." Themes include: Urban, Single Parent, Single Mother, Middle-School Teacher, Young Adult, Neighbor Romance, Newborn.

Unbroken


Natalie Debrabandere - 2015
    Fresh from an abusive relationship, the British surgeon wants nothing but peace, solitude, and time to indulge in her passion for painting. Kristan Holt is a kayak instructor and a helicopter pilot. Handsome and charismatic, she owns the park and the Activity Centre, and when the beautiful doctor literally knocks her off her feet one morning in the café, she leaves an indelible mark on her heart. When both women fall in love it looks as if both have finally found the missing piece in their lives. But someone will stop at nothing, including murder, to deny them the future that they want.

Twice Upon a Train


K.A. Moll - 2019
    Keegan Wade is the Chief of Trauma Surgery, a rising star at NYC General. She's immersed 24-7 in work that she once loved. No one waits for her at home and she has nothing to offer. Anxiety has her in a choke hold and she'd give anything to sleep more than two consecutive hours. At the urging of a friend, she takes a long overdue vacation, a cross country trip on a restored steam train, in hopes that time away from the pressures of her job will solve her problems.At 39, Willow Lord is a recent college graduate, a social worker in desperate need of a job. Divorced nine years, she's lived in poverty, saving coins to buy cat food. Next month, the first payments on her student loans are due. She has no time for a vacation, but when her friend, a friend who won't take 'no' for an answer insists, she sends out resumes, and boards The Frisco Express—New York City to California.As young teens, on a steam train, these two women fell in love. And on a steam train, twenty-six years later, they're given a second chance. But the years have taken them to drastically different places. Can they straddle their worlds and seize it?