Book picks similar to
The Despair of Strangers by Heather Topham Wood
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Conflicted
M.M. Koenig - 2013
Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs. On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her. There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …
Beyond the Pale
Jennifer Millikin - 2019
The three of us were inseparable, but growing up with two boys as your best friends comes with it’s own certain type of growing pains. As a child, Finn was wild and free, and grew up to be a devilishly handsome man with a smirk that frustrated me as much as it did other things to me. Brady was brave and loyal, and the kind of man he grew into didn't surprise me a bit: devoted and gallant, with a handsome, trustworthy face that made my heart beat faster. We went our separate ways for college, but now it’s eight years later and a pact we made back then has brought us back to our hometown. Back to the complicated situation we ran from. Back to the love triangle we never really escaped. I love them both, and it’s time for me to make a choice. I’ve always known one of them would be my forever, I just never knew which one. And I still don’t.
Kade (Wyoming Brothers Book 1)
Deann Smallwood - 2017
Lied to and taken to the cleaners by a beautiful blonde, Kade has learned a hard lesson and slams the door to any possibility of a woman in his life. Aren’t they all liars? And Hope, with her lie of omission about her background, unknowingly fits that description. Kade isn’t about to give her a chance to win his love and to convince him of her innocence. His beloved Double K ranch is doing just fine with the help of his seventy-eight-year-old Gran—the only woman he can trust. He sure doesn’t need Hope Jackson, a recently returned brother and baby girl, and three abused boys complicating things and resurrecting feelings long dead.
His Devil's Desire
Linzi Basset - 2017
“Me, indulge you? You should be so lucky. Oh no, this is all self-indulgence.” Rhone has ducked trouble many times. As an undercover agent, you see a lot of shit. But this time trouble came wrapped up in an alluringly seductive package. Samantha Frazer. She's good with her hands . . . er, at carving wood. She's even better with her mouth . . . huh . . . snippy little thing. Also, her aim is dead centre. She's gunning for his heart, in more ways than one. From the moment Samantha lays eyes on . . . um . . . all of him, she's hooked. Rhone Greer is mouth-watering. He's also one of the owners of Club Devil’s Cove and the most compelling Dom she’d ever met. He's hot, controlling and hungry . . . for her. Lust and manipulation make strange bed partners as Rhome and Samantha combust between the sheets. The game is on. Who will bite? Who’ll get devoured? Unbeknownst, a sinister plot is underfoot and everyone is a target. As ghosts from the past resurface, there is only one question to be asked. Who will live . . . who will die? Please note: This book has a cliffhanger ending.
Panty Dropper
Melanie Shawn - 2020
In our small town, the older generation of Comfort men were known for three things: hard work, boozing, and tragedy. Some believed the latter was due to a curse that doomed every male in our bloodline to lose his true love tragically. I was of the mind that our fates were in our own hands. With my father’s passing, my brothers and I were the new generation of Comfort men. We were also known for three things: fighting, flirting, and another F word that I’d never use in mixed company. My oldest brother was the fighter, my baby brother was the flirt, and that left me. I’d earned the nickname Panty Dropper by the time I was legally allowed to drink. It never bothered me much, until the day I laid eyes on a woman that made me want to be a better man. The only question was, would she see the real me, or would my past and the curse be too much…even for fate? Reagan “Runaway Bride” York That’s what people were calling me... Growing up with a single mom who cared more about her next boyfriend than things like paying the electric bill, I was determined to create a stable, respectable life for myself as an adult. And that’s exactly what I’d thought I’d done. I shared a condo overlooking Central Park with my fiancé, who was on the fast track to making partner at the law firm where we were both associates. And which just happened to be owned by his father. Cut to me walking in on the man I was going to marry, just weeks before our wedding, with his briefs--and I’m not talking about the legal kind--down around his ankles. Oh, and did I mention the pricy penthouse we shared was a gift from his parents? Talk about putting all my eggs in the wrong basket. In the blink of an eye, I found myself homeless, jobless, and ringless. My “fresh start” landed me in a small town, where the nights are hot and the men are hotter. Soon, I found my reputation and job were on the line once again…but this time, I had a feeling it might just be worth it.
Deeper
Blue Ashcroft - 2013
It’s a promise she made the day her boyfriend died in a water park accident, one she still blames herself for. Now she’s a senior lifeguard in a new town with a new pool and she’s just going to keep her head down and everyone safe. Until a mysterious guy follows her into the waves at the pre-season bonfire and kisses her senseless. It’s just one mistake, and Rain is determined to put it behind her, until the dark haired, blue eyed hottie turns out to be her new co-supervisor Knight Mcallister. Knight is hot, tatted, and carrying baggage of his own. He’s not happy about having Rain for a co-supervisor, and he’s even less happy about his attraction to her. But between lifeguard drama, hot underwater kisses, and a growing attraction between them that can’t be stopped, Knight and Rain are being pulled deeper into their pasts, and realizing that sometimes too much broken can make a relationship impossible.Then again sometimes it’s the broken parts of us that fit together best.
Whisling Island Series Books 1-3: Inspiring Women's Fiction
Julia Clemens - 2021
Sunset on Whisling Island - Meet Bess, Olivia, Deb, and Gen as they endure and overcome loss. A visit to the beautiful island just off of the coast of Washington State will change you. You'll laugh, cry, and rejoice with these wonderful women as they navigate through life.New Beginnings on Whisling Island - After darkness, there will always be light. A new beginning. Join the women of Whisling on this next thrilling and lovely chapter of their lives as they find purpose, love, and discover who they really are.Sisters and Sunrises - The women of Whisling are back! Through the mess and craziness of life's ever-present changes, the women continue to rely on each other. And they're reminded that even after the longest of nights, the sun always rises again.
The Lost Art of Reverie: (Aveline Book 1)
Rae Walsh - 2019
A long-forgotten dream. A new life in a spacious place.Corporate life has not been treating Katie Grace well. Suffering from extreme anxiety due to a recent incident at work, she learns that she has inherited her late grandmother's Victorian house in the lake town of Aveline, in the rolling hills of the Los Padres National Forest. Maybe a new start will be exactly what she needs.Hardware store owner Sam Grant remembers Katie from when they spent summers together, years before. Sam has determined never to get involved in a relationship again, but working on Katie's house renovations might put that resolve to the test.In Aveline, Katie allows herself to dream again, finding solace in creating food and a space for her new friends to gather. As members of the town welcome Katie, her heart begins to find safety, but will the events of the past repeat themselves?The Lost Art of Reverie is the first book in the Aveline Series, a collection of inspirational romantic stories with quirky, lovable characters, set in a fictional lake town in California. Perfect for fans of Jan Karon, Katherine Center, or Elizabeth Berg.
Catch a King: Five Kings
Stella Andrews - 2021
I found her. A woman with so much sass wrapped in a body that will be my downfall.She thinks she hates me, but hate doesn’t look at me like that.Beautiful, strong, and brave but her loyalty lies with another.She is to be auctioned and my brother is the only bidder.Then I discover the truth. She was brought here for a reason.My family will use her to bring our father’s killer down.Will I betray my own family to save her life?MillieIt was hate at first sight. I went undercover to find a killer. I found him.When he looks at me, I’m a hot mess.I don’t want to react to him; I don’t think I even like him, but my body has other ideas.Dark flashing obsidian eyes rip the breath from my body and leave me burning inside.The scowl on the face of what can only be described as a god among men is trying its best to scare the hell out of me and the fact this man is tall, broad, and wrapped in leather and evil intent, sends a message straight to my soul.My heart says he’s going to break you, my head says walk away.What if it's not my choice to make?
Five kings is the explosive new series by Stella Andrews.Five powerful men who belong to an exclusive club where membership requires you to leave your soul at the door.Someone is out to bring them down, and each book tells their story and the women that break them.A gritty Romance filled with twists, turns, suspense, and a bit of intrigue.If you like your books on the darker side, this series may be for you.Hot, dark, and twisted with romance running like a river of pleasure through its pages.
More Than Sexy
Carly Phillips - 2019
One protective alpha male plus one curvy damsel in distress equals an instant attraction they can’t deny. Billionaire nightclub owner Jason Dare doesn’t stand a chance. From the moment he lays eyes on the luscious blonde stuck on the side of the road and realizes she’s in danger, he goes from playboy to bodyguard. Faith Lancaster’s sweet body won’t come to any harm on his watch. And watch Faith he does. He can’t take his eyes off her. Jason will stop at nothing to keep Faith safe. Even if it means moving her into his apartment and letting her into his once private life. Hiding from her past, Faith has spent the last year building her candy business into a profitable company while keeping to herself and staying under the radar … until she meets the delicious Mr. Dare. Alpha and irresistible, he awakens desires she has long denied. It doesn’t take her long to succumb to his charms and fall hard for the man. They both have their reasons for keeping things casual but when Faith’s past catches up with her, can Jason finally claim the woman meant to be his? A Sexy Series / Dare Standalone The Sexy Series: Book 1: Sexy Dare - ASIN: B07T86138D Book 2: Sexy Hers - ASIN: B07TCCL33N Book 3: Sexy Mine - ASIN: B07TDBMNBP
Faster
Deana Birch - 2018
The junior producer knows she's dodged a bullet. Because, despite his melt-your-heart chocolate eyes and rising fame, Jake Riley is not boyfriend material. And those messages he sends in the middle of the night get filed under, "drunk text, best to ignore," without delay.Twelve grueling years of paying dues has finally resulted in a hit song for Jake. But, knowing the new zeroes in his bank account come with as many ways to blow it, he craves stability. So, stocked with an arsenal of charm and a reminder of what happened against her front door, he persuades Louana to see him again the next time he's in town. Now, certain he's found the calm to his storm, he asks her for the previously unthinkable-monogamy.
He Loves Me Not
Christine Kersey - 2011
After all, she's barely met the two men it could be referring to. But as she begins to fall for the man with the striking blue eyes, the disturbing messages increase.Refusing to believe warnings from an anonymous sender, and trusting her own heart, Lily presses forward with her relationship, eventually coming to understand the meaning behind the messages as she fears for her life.He Loves Me Not does not contain any profanity or sexual content.
The Endgame
Cleary James - 2016
Now he's become her worst nightmare.Trapped in an abusive relationship with her controlling, obsessive boyfriend, Lisa is secretly saving the money to leave him and start a new life. Until then, she is resigned to playing the part of Mark's living sex toy. But with no job, she knows freedom is a long way off ... until she meets wealthy and devastatingly handsome architect Grayson Fielding.Lisa and Grayson are instantly drawn to each other, but Lisa keeps him at a distance, determined to ignore their magnetic attraction. She can't afford to get attached.However, when Mark's demands become intolerable, she proposes a deal that will give them both what they want. In exchange for the money she needs, she offers Grayson the only thing she has to give: herself.Will Grayson want her badly enough to agree to her terms? And if she lets herself get close to him, will she ever be able to walk away? With her life rapidly spiraling out of control, it's a chance she has to take.The Endgame is the first book of a two-part story, but works as a standalone novel. If you like Sylvia Day and E.L. James, you'll love this intensely erotic romance.
Drawing Lessons
Julia Gabriel - 2015
One that isn't an insta-love relationship, it builds with each lesson, making it much more romantic ... There are twists and turns in this story that one will not expect, which is a delightful surprise. Ms. Gabriel does an amazing job of making the reader want to turn every page and savor it." -- InD'Tale Magazine"Gabriel paints white-hot sex scenes."-- Kirkus ReviewsWhen you're enrolled in the school of hard knocks ...Marie Witherspoon can't catch a break. She's been dumped by her husband—a rising political star in Washington, DC—and humiliated by his gossip blogger mistress. Just when she's picked herself up and dusted herself off, her ex changes his mind and calls off the divorce.Falling in love with your teacher can't possibly make things any worse.There's just one hitch. Marie has rekindled an old hobby and her relationship with her new drawing teacher, French artist Luc Marchand, is way past the point of no return. With her heart on the line, she's prepared to do anything to keep from returning to her old life.Or can it?It's been twelve long years since Luc Marchand's life was shattered by a former student. Forced out of academia, he's walled off his heart and his career. Now he has a chance to revive both—if his past doesn't destroy everything for Luc and Marie.