Book picks similar to
Treasured in Turtle Bay by Jess Mastorakos


contemporary-romance
military
romance
contemporary

P.S. I Hate You


Winter Renshaw - 2018
     But you did notice. We spent one life-changing week together before you left, and we said goodbye on day eight, exchanging addresses at the last minute. I saved every letter you wrote me, your words quickly becoming my religion. But you went radio silent on me months ago, and then you had the audacity to walk into my diner yesterday and act like you’d never seen me in your life. To think … I almost loved you and your beautifully complicated soul. Almost. Whatever your reason is—I hope it’s a good one. Maritza the Waitress PS – I hate you, and this time … I mean it. AUTHOR’S NOTE: For a *limited time* the eBook version of P.S. I HATE YOU includes two bonus novels (ABSINTHE and DARK PROMISES). Rest assured P.S. I HATE YOU is still a full-length (~70k word) novel even though it might end around 33% on your device.

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Piper Lawson - 2016
    Just another twenty-something girl, living the dream. That’s what I tell myself every morning. That I’m successful, self-aware, and well-balanced. It's just a tiny fib. I would be all of those things, if I had friends who didn’t work with me at the bank. And if I made it to pilates more than once a quarter. And if watermelon slushies weren't the main source of nutrients in my diet. It wouldn’t hurt if I’d had sex in the last year, either. (My best friend insists Jorge the Nightstand Boyfriend doesn’t count.)But when you know where you're going, you don’t need to enjoy the ride. Right?Even if some teeny part of me did want to fool around, Max Donovan would be the last guy I’d call. Sure, he made the indie video game that broke the internet. And yeah, his eyebrow piercing’s sexy, in a ‘what-are-you-in-a-band?’ kind of way. And fighting with him gets me going faster than Jorge on bezerker mode…He’s still colder than a cactus and twice as prickly. And I’m not talking about his face, because the guy’s barely old enough to shave. It’d really be best if we just ignored each other. Which is a problem, because Max Donovan is my new biggest client.So what happens when the girl who lives to work meets the guy who was born to play?Game on.

The Hardest Fall


Ella Maise - 2018
    You smile, say hello. Should be simple, if you’re anyone but me. The first time I met Dylan Reed, I found myself making eye contact with a different part of his body. You see, I’m very good at being shy, not to mention extremely well-versed in rambling nonsense and, unfortunately, rather highly skilled at making a fool of myself in front of a guy I’m attracted to. At the time, I knew nothing about him and thought none of what I said would matter since I’d never speak to him again. Turns out, I was very wrong. He was the star wide receiver of the football team, one of the few players expected to make it into the NFL, and I ended up seeing him all over campus. I might have also propositioned him, run away from him, attacked him with a cooking utensil…and…uh, maybe I shouldn’t tell you all of it. It’s pretty normal stuff, things you’d expect…from me. Eventually, the time came when I couldn’t hide anymore—not that he’d have let me even if I tried. Before now, he never knew I was secretly watching him. Now that we see each other every day, he knows when I have a hard time looking away. It doesn’t help that I’m not the most subtle person in the world either. He smiles at me and tells me he finds me fascinating because of my quirks. I can’t even tell him that I think my heart beats differently whenever he’s around. He thinks we’re going to be best friends. I think I have a big thing for him, and the more I get to know him, the more I don’t care that I’m not allowed to be his friend, let alone fall for him. The thing is, that’s exactly what I’m doing—what we’re doing, I think. Falling. Hard.

Forbidden Ways


Karen Ann Hopkins - 2019
    This is the beginning of CJ and Joshua’s story. CJ West is an aspiring artist, nursing a broken heart. Still recovering from a brutal attack that nearly killed her, she needed to get away. The quaint, tranquil countryside seemed like the perfect place to start over. Joshua Miller is a widower, running a busy farm, and raising three children with help from his grandmother. He came to Blood Rock to escape the ghosts of his past that still haunt him. When CJ rents a cottage from Joshua, sparks fly, and their lives will never be the same again. Because a relationship between the two is strictly forbidden. He’s Amish and she’s an outsider. Even so, their passion for each other is intense and all-consuming. But how can they possibly be together? This is a timeless love story, where beliefs about duty, family bonds, culture, and way of life are challenged. And two people from very different worlds must decide if their deep, heart-wrenching love is worth the inevitable life-altering consequences.

No More Secrets


Lucy Score - 2019
    He just doesn't know what to do with this one. In the small town of Blue Moon Bend, where everybody is a matchmaker, Carter wants to be left alone to tend the family farm. After returning from Afghanistan with scars, his only goal is recovery. He doesn't need any distractions, and definitely not one with silver-blonde hair and lips that beg to be kissed. Summer Lentz is a journalist from the city sent to interview Carter and his family. She's out of place in the small town, with her designer wardrobe and workaholic lifestyle. She asks too many questions and doesn't take no for an answer, threatening to destroy the peace and balance that Carter has been working towards. She thwarts every attempt Carter makes to retreat back inside himself, somehow bringing him closer to being whole again. Summer has secrets of her own, but she never planned to open up to anyone - let alone the scowling, secretive farm owner whose story she's after. But as she gets drawn into the community, she starts to realize that she can't stay closed off forever. And what's more, she doesn't want to. As Carter and Summer grow closer, will they be able to push past the secrets that are holding both of them back?

Ignite


Tessa Teevan - 2013
    One to the Army; the other in a tragic car accident. Two years after the latter, a ghost from the past reappears, igniting feelings in Alexa she’d thought long dormant.Jace McAllister has spent the last ten years in the Army, defusing bomb after bomb, trying to forget the girl who once set his world on fire. For him, she’s always been the one who got away. After a not-so-chance encounter places her back in his line of sight, he’s locked eyes on target, and won’t let her go without a fight.Ten years ago their chemistry smoldered, and now the sparks threaten to light a fuse leading to an explosion between them even Jace can’t control. Not that he wants to. But when love has slipped through your fingertips before, how can you trust it will once again remain?Will Alexa’s fear of love and loss destroy their second chance at a beautiful future before it can even begin?

Well...THAT Was Awkward


Megan Montgomery - 2020
    Medallion!John and Em meet on the boardwalk as the moonlight dances off the Chesapeake Bay.She thinks he’s gorgeous and comes down with a case of instalove.He thinks she’s a panhandler and gives her five dollars.The embarrassment is enough to send Em running for a life makeover. The only problem is, she’s spent the last decade looking after everyone else in her little town and now she’s totally forgotten how to self-care.Adding to that garbage heap of a situation is tonight’s blind date.Of course it turns out to be the man who mistook her for homeless. And, of course, he’s a Navy test pilot stationed a stone’s throw away from her antiques shop. All the whiskey and chocolate in the café can’t help the awkwardness between Em and this cold and stoic modern-Mr. Darcy.Fortunately, their tiny, tight-knit community won’t let one (or two) bad nights come between what everyone knows might just be an uncannily perfect couple.When they both let down their guard, Em and John’s chemistry creates more sparks than a jet's afterburners, but there’s a lot to lose if she tries—and fails—at this relationship.Unless she decides to trust John to help her navigate, Em might be stuck circling the runway in a loveless holding pattern.

Cop of the Year


Kathryn Shay - 1998
    Her specialty is troubled teenagers. A teacher in a public school for years, she knows kids and the men and women who teach them!"In COP OF THE YEAR master storyteller Kathryn Shay pens an emotionally powerful tale that leaves you breathless. Woven into this riveting plot are wonderfully written characters that grab your heart and don't let go. Bravo Ms. Shay!" RT Book Reviews***Winner of Best Superromance of the Year, the Golden Leaf Award and the Desert Quill Award as well as numerous 5 star ratings from reviewers.***The last thing by-the-book Captain Mitch Lansing wants to do is work in a high school classroom to improve relationships between at risk kids and the police department. Mostly, he doesn’t want to deal with teenagers. But when he meets unorthodox teacher, Cassie Smith, his world goes off kilter. So does Cassie’s. She's totally against all he stands for, so why is it she finds herself attracted to him? The further they go into the year, the more they’re drawn to each other. And the more the kids also come to care about Mitch. However, because of his past in Vietnam, he tries to distance himself from everybody. He can’t, and he must learn to accept Cassie and her kids into his life. With several highly emotional scenes and deeply moving situations, this story will go straight to your heart.Praise for COP OF THE YEAR:“Kathryn Shay writes from the heart! Her stories are about real people with real lives. You will laugh and cry with her characters. COP OF THE YEAR is sure to be one of the best books to hit the shelves this year!” The Literary Times“Prepare yourself for a fabulous emotional ride that will have you reaching for the tissues and leave you with a renewed sense of hope.” Genie Romex Reviews“Kathryn Shay has penned a most unusual novel. The teacher/cop relationship feels natural enough, and the dialogue is a standout. But oddly enough, though I found the romance to be satisfying, it's the secondary characters of the kids I remember most from the story. The teenage pregnancies, the gang involvement, the drug usage all are a part of today's high school scene, but Shay makes this a story of hope, not despair. The ending almost brought me to tears. Three cheers!” The Romance Reader“Ms. Shay writes a strong and compelling dissertation on a very real and complicated social issue of our time, weaving in an unforgettable, touching love story.” Old Book Barn GazetteIf you like books about cop romances, teacher romances and teacher student relationships, be sure to read the rest of this high powered series, BECAUSE IT’S CHRISTMAS, COUNT ON ME, BETWEEN TWO WORLDS and IF YOU WERE MINE.

A Needful Heart


J.M. Madden - 2012
    He’s not relationship material, but he doesn’t expect it to get that far. He just wants to talk to her, man to woman, and put himself out of his misery once and for all. Things never go as planned, though, and when fantasy crashes and burns into reality, Gina pays the price.Gina doesn’t blame Matt for her injury, but she is appreciative when he steps into her crazy life to help out. Proximity fires sudden attraction between them and Gina can’t believe she’s overlooked the sexy carpenter for this long. Tattooed and intimidating, he’s not the type she’s normally drawn to, but something about him tugs at her heartstrings.When an explosive situation develops and they have to save a little boy, Matt loses control of his tightly held anger. Though his heart aches, Matt walks away, both for Gina’s safety and his own sanity. It’s up to Gina to convince him love can heal any heartache.

Hannah's Holiday Wish


Sophie Mays - 2019
     ♥ When Hannah Wyatt returns home to her family's Colorado ranch for the holiday season, she thinks the biggest surprise is the early inheritance of land parcels that her parents are gifting her and her four siblings. Little does she know that her pen-pal from the UK is about to add to the exciting homecoming! Especially when she realizes that the British friend she thought she knew, is ready to unveil a surprising twist…one that has the ability to throw an additional wrench into Hannah’s new life equation... ~From sweeping scenery to trusting-your-heart life decisions to magical snowstorms~ Join Hannah and her family as they navigate the long holiday season: A fun and bumpy ride starting with a heartwarming Thanksgiving, snowshoeing through a perfect Rocky Mountain Christmas, and into what just may be a very, merry New Year!

A Lot Like Home


Kathryn Cantrell - 2021
    Smooth-talking strangers need not apply...Navy Veteran Caleb Hardy is determined to atone for past mistakes by helping the old woman whose letters got him through his last deployment. When he and his band of brothers drop into her quirky, dying Texas town, only one thing stands in the way of his redemption.Superstition Springs native Havana Nixon is convinced letting a big developer into their tiny Texas oasis is the only way to save the town and she’s not about to let a newcomer—no matter how gorgeous—derail her plans. Especially after her aunt tosses out one of her famous “love predictions” matching her with Caleb, also known as the most disturbing man on the planet.Havana and Caleb can’t even compromise, let alone admit they’re falling for each other…or does one lead to the other?Small town military heroes—all swoon, no steamWelcome to Superstition Springs, the place where destiny is the ultimate matchmaker. All you have to do is believe.

Dating Disaster with a Billionaire


Elizabeth Lynx - 2020
    The reason I shouldn’t? I was a walking, talking, dating disaster.My name’s Marika. I ran a coffee shop in a small town. Things were fine until that fancy resort, The Blue Spot, that catered to the wealthy moved in down the road. They stole all my customers with their posh coffee shop open to the public.How could I compete with the rich and powerful? Perhaps if I entered their Win a Date with a Billionaire contest, I could win enough money to help my business. I wouldn’t tell them about my horrible dating history or especially about that one guy who ended up in the hospital. They didn’t need to know that, did they?As a VidTube star, most people had heard of me. I was Jokin’ James. Everyone except the woman I was falling for, Marika. I had been coming by her coffee shop for almost a year, but she had no idea who I was or that my brother owned the resort that was stealing her customers.We were friends, but I wanted more. I was all ready to ask her out when she entered the contest my brother was running. Not only that, but the resort wanted me to be a part of the contest. Now she would discover that my family owned The Blue Spot. And worst of all, that I wasn’t from that small town at all. That I was a celebrity billionaire.A sexy, funny, small-town billionaire romance involving mistaken identity, dating disasters, and a picnic so bad even the ants ran in fear.

After All


Karina Halle - 2017
    Light, fun and sexy as sin, it's the PERFECT SUMMER READ. From the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Pact and Before I Ever Met You. Emmett Hill is the perfect gentleman. At least that's what his PR team wants the world to think. Tall, handsome, and wickedly charming, Emmett is in the midst of a career comeback, having landed the role of a villain in a popular TV show. The only problem is, Emmett has come a long way from the "nice guy" characters he used to play and his old squeaky clean image is quickly being tarnished by bar fights, womanizing and bad boy behaviour. Considering he's two years shy of forty, it's an act he needs to drop. And fast. Enter Alyssa Martin. At twenty-eight, Alyssa is tired and ready for a change. Her job as office manager has grown stagnant and unfulfilling, while she's become continuously frustrated with Vancouver's lackluster dating scene, always searching for Mr. Right in a city of Mr. Wrongs. When Emmett and Alyssa's paths cross at a mutual friend's wedding, their chemistry is off-the-charts hot, culminating in a steamy one-night stand. What neither expected was for the media catch wind of their coupling - and run with it. Now Emmett has to convince Alyssa to date him for the sake of his image. Her curvy, cute and "normal" persona is just the ticket to smoothing out his reputation, while Emmett provides Alyssa with the excitement and change her life has been lacking. The only problem is, the two fight like cats and dogs outside of the bedroom. And considering their arrangement is just for show, they shouldn't be in the bedroom with each other anyway. Right? Try telling them that.

Only with You


Lauren Layne - 2014
    . . Cocktail waitress Sophie Dalton doesn't exactly have a life plan. She's perfectly happy being everyone's favorite party girl. But when a Las Vegas bachelorette party goes awry and an uptight businessman mistakes Sophie for a prostitute . . . well, Sophie wonders if it's time to reevaluate her priorities. Swearing off her thigh-high boots for good, Sophie slinks back home with damaged pride-and a jackpot of a hangover.Yet what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there. On a trip to Seattle to open a new office, Grayson Wyatt meets his latest employee-who turns out to be the same woman he recently called a hooker. Wealthy and gorgeous, Gray is a man used to getting what he wants. And it doesn't take long to figure out that smart, sassy, sexy Sophie is everything he's been looking for. As their late nights at the office turn into hot morning-afters, they realize their Vegas misunderstanding may lead to the real thing . . .

Secrets of Sunbeams


Valerie Comer - 2016
    especially if your neighbor is a goat.Eden Andrusek knows she should have fixed her fence last week. It's too bad her runaway goat makes a less-than-ideal first impression on her new neighbor, who turns out to be cute, brilliant… and a little uptight.
Solar architect Jacob Riehl is furious when he returns outside to find a goat eating his presentation. As someone who likes everything in its place, he has little sympathy for a farm animal in the city or its tattooed owner, but there's something about the lovely Eden that captures his attention.
What will it take to win over a man whose only pet was a goldfish? And how long can Jacob and Eden go without addressing the goat in the room?