Book picks similar to
Hearts Over Bellham by Danita Cahill


contemporary-romance
short-story
romance
k-5-7

Love, Chocolate, and Beer


Violet Duke - 2014
    After moving his chocolate shop, and newly single life, to the quirky town of Cactus Creek, Luke wants nothing more than to devote all his energy into making his business a success—by taking the romance market by storm. But his grand plans get thrown for a loop when he locks horns with the feisty beer-brewing beauty next door who calls his ‘romantic idealism’ a load of fairytale bull. Soon, driving the woman sparking nuts becomes another wickedly fun priority he simply can’t get enough of.In his defense, she’s addictively easy to incite…and plain impossible to resist.Beloved local brewmaster Dani Dobson is beyond riled up. It’s bad enough the new shop owner in town comes locked and loaded with both a distractingly rugged charm and sexy flashing dimples, but the whole only-in-the-movies variety of romance he’s selling—the kind her world has been crushed by before—is really doing a number on her allergy to unrealistic clichés. What’s worse, he’s created an annoyingly clever ad campaign that dubs ‘beer joints’ like hers as the “cave where romance goes to hibernate.” The nerve of that man.Combustible chemistry or not, damn it, this means war. The stakes…very likely, her heart.

Storm Front


Rachel Curtis - 2013
    She's just as attracted to his sexy intensity and humor as she used to be, but she's not a silly girl anymore. Sure, she might enjoy a one-night-stand, but she's never going to fall for him. Not again.Always forced into the public eye because of his business dealings and high-profile relationships, Michael doesn't trust journalists, and he doesn't trust women. Allison is both, which means he can never surrender to his tumultuous feelings for her, even though they only rage stronger when the storm finally ends.

His on the Rebound


Fiona Murphy - 2016
    I’m going to hell. I can hear the nuns now, condemning me, and I deserve it. How could I have let Maxwell Brandt kiss me? A man I found disgusting at the way he treated woman—as if they were disposable, to be used then thrown away. It didn’t matter who he was, or how much money he had. He was a horrible person. Who the hell am I kidding? I’m just as bad because I let him kiss me. Then I did the unthinkable and kissed him back, with a hunger I’ve never felt before. All of this while my fiancé was in the same house. It was a horrible mistake, one that can never happen again. I love Kevin. I want to make a life with him, not be used by a man who won’t remember my name a month from now. What Kevin and I have built is real and I’m not throwing it all away. It didn’t matter if no other man, including Kevin, had made me feel the way Max did, it was wrong. Despite the fact Max keeps coming back to entice me, I stand firm. I won’t cheat on Kevin. I won’t become that person, no matter how badly my body wants him. I don’t want to want him. Until the moment he drops a bomb that destroys everything. Kevin has been cheating. His words destroy the illusion I’ve been hiding behind, because I know he’s telling the truth. Knew it in the way Kevin has gradually been pulling away... late nights out with the guys, his disinterest in me, and the way he’s twice pushed back the date of the wedding. I hadn’t wanted to believe, had been willfully blind to preserve the promise of a future with a man I believed I loved. All I want is to hide and lick my wounds, but Max won’t let me. With Kevin gone, he demands I fulfill the promise of that kiss. I don’t understand how a man like him wants a plus size woman like me, when my own fiancé refused to date me before I lost weight. Yet, he does, refuses to go away. In a rush of anger, pain, and hunger, I give in. The feeling of being wanted by a man like Max wiping away the humiliation of Kevin’s betrayal. Maybe a fling, a rebound affair, is exactly what I need. No promises, no expectations, and no broken heart. At least, that’s the way it started. Max Out of curiosity, to get a look at the fiancée who put up with a cheating weasel like Kevin Jarvis, I find myself looking into the bright green eyes of a woman who makes my body hard with longing. Then the weasel does the unimaginable and introduces green eyes as his fiancée. Even though she looks at my hand like it’s a grenade about to go off, she takes it and we both feel the attraction. We’re both in deep shit now, because I know she feels what I feel and I’m about to go after her, fiancé or not. I don’t care if she stays with Kevin. I just want her body. Besides, it won’t last long, desire never does and I don’t want her clinging after it’s over. Only, the bitch keeps pushing me away, denying us both the satisfaction our bodies crave. Her sanctimonious refusal as she uses Kevin and her engagement ring as a shield pisses me off. I didn’t want to drop a bomb, but if it gets me what I want, her in my bed, then I’m not going to flinch from it. I need her to satisfy this craving that’s eating me from the inside out. I’ll make her pay for making us both wait. I’m not her ex, and I’m sick of paying for his stupidity. Her body makes my body ache and I want her exactly as she is. Only, inch by inch I’m consumed by my need. I warn myself to pull away, sure this won’t last, can’t last. But letting go isn’t an option, no matter how hard I try.

Catch Me


Jennifer Probst - 2012
    Tara shows him a raw passion and honesty he’s never encountered. For the first time, Rick wants more than one night, but he needs to catch her first... Tara Denton escaped a brutal past and needs one night with a stranger to get beyond her sexual and emotional limitations. On the brink of recovering her strength and independence, she wants nothing to do with a relationship. But Rick Steele does more than rock her body…he rocks her heart. Tara has to make a choice, but is she ready to get caught? What’s your secret desire for one perfect night? Welcome to the mysterious FANTA-C agency where everything, and anything goes…

Razzmatazz


Patricia Burroughs - 1989
    Alternate cover edition for ASIN B00HCQLZTAWhen small town girl Kennie Sue Ledbetter wakes up in a Reno hotel between two guysin rumpled tuxedos, she thinks things can't get any worse.When she steps on the wedding bouquet and sees the ring on her finger, she knows thingscan't get any worse.But then she finds out she's married to the guy who won her in a coin-toss in front of the wedding chapel, and 'worse' has a name and a face: Alexander Carruthers, the gorgeous silver-tongued devil who believes in love at first sight, in fate, and in doing whatever it takes to keep her—Even if that means following her back to Texas and letting all the good people in Tahoka Springs know what she did on her summer vacation.He’s Lear jets and high society charity balls.She’s Ford Pintos and rodeos.She won’t fit into his world and he sure won’t fit into hers.This spells disaster—calamitous, embarrassing, tempting-as-sin disaster....But can it also spell love?

Hot as Hell


Julie Ann Walker - 2016
    When the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan where she works comes under attack by terrorists, there is only one man she knows who would move heaven and earth to rescue her: Michael "Mad Dog" Wainwright.

When We Touch


Brenda Novak - 2012
    Olivia Arnold is arranging the festivities ... It's the hardest thing she's ever done ... Because SHE should be marrying Kyle Houseman ... After all ... until fairly recently ... Kyle and Olivia were together ... for more than a year ... But her jealous sister, Noelle ... stole Kyle away ... and now ... Noelle's pregnant ...All their friends in Whiskey Creek know as well as Olivia does that Kyle's making a mistake. His stepbrother, Brandon, knows it, too. But Kyle's determined to go through with it, for his child's sake.Olivia's devastated, but surprisingly Brandon ... the black sheep of the family ... is there to provide comfort and consolation. The intensity between them, both physical and emotional, shows Olivia that maybe Kyle wasn't the right man for her ... But is Brandon!!!?!

Indulge


Angela Graham - 2014
    Raising him alone, Logan finds his only joy in spending time giving Oliver the childhood he deserves. But every other weekend, he allows himself the chance to live as a man—a man with deeper desires. Logan knows what he likes, what he wants, and what he needs. He has no interest in dating and believes there’s no risk worth taking for romance, but his casual sexual escapes rarely leave him satisfied.It takes an unexpected decision from his sister Julia and a road trip to the small town of Harmony with his best friend, Caleb, to open Logan’s eyes to new opportunities outside his programmed world. Its not what he expects, but Logan’s always looking to indulge.This can be read as the first in the Harmony series or anytime during the series. It is not a mandatory read to enjoy the series, simply a companion read. This novella is Logan's story of how he ended up living in Harmony and right next door to the woman that would forever change his life.

The Forgotten Child


Lorhainne Eckhart - 2011
    But what he got was a woman who shook his lonely bitter world upside down, and touched him in a way no other woman could. Emily Nelson, a courageous young mother, ends a loveless, bitter marriage and strikes out on her own. She answers an ad as a cook and live-in caregiver to a three-year-old boy on a local ranch. Ranch owner Brad Friessen hires and moves in Emily and her daughter. But Emily soon discovers something's seriously wrong with the boy, and the reclusive, difficult man who hired her can't see the behavior and how delayed his son is. So Emily researches until she stumbles across what she suspects are the soft signs of autism. Now she must tell him, give him hope, and help him come to terms with this neurological disorder-to take the necessary steps to get his child the help he needs. As their lives become intertwined, their attraction is unavoidable-a connection sparks between them. But just as they're getting close, Brad's estranged wife, Crystal, returns after abandoning the family two years earlier. Among the shock and confusion is one disturbing question Brad can't shake: How does Crystal know so much of his personal business, the inner working of the ranch, and Emily's relationship with his son? Crystal must've had a plan, as she somehow gains the upper hand, driving a wedge in the emotional bond forged between Brad, Emily, and the children. The primary focus for care and therapy of three-year-old Trevor is diverted. The lengths to which Crystal will go, the lies, the greed, just to keep what's hers, are nothing short of cold and calculating. Emily's forced out of the house. Brad fights to save his boy, to protect what's his, and struggles over his greatest sacrifice-Emily, and the haunting question: Has he lost her forever?THE OUTSIDER SERIES: The Forgotten Child (Brad & Emily) A Baby And A Wedding (An Outsider Series Short) Fallen Hero (Andy, Jed & Diana) The Search (An Outsider Series Short) The Awakening (Andy & Laura) Secrets (Jed & Diana) Runaway(Andy & Laura) Overdue (An Outsider Series Short) The Unexpected Storm (Neil & Candy) The Wedding (Neil & Candy) Or grab The Outsider Series: The Complete Omnibus Collection which includes all the books and short stories in this in this romantic saga. THE FRIESSENS: A NEW BEGINNING: The Deadline (Andy & Laura) The Price to Love (Neil & Candy) A Different Kind of Love (Brad & Emily) A Vow of Love, A Friessen Christmas

Light My Fire (Big City Heat #1)


Misha Carver - 2016
    I can’t be falling for him. No freaking way... ,. Alexandria I’ve been the acting chief at this station ever since they let Larry go. There’s no reason why they shouldn't make my position official. I’m a seasoned firefighter and I’m the best man for the job. Besides, I need the raise that comes with the promotion. It's the only way I'll ever be able to afford to leave my alcoholic husband and put my daughter in a private school. The last thing I need is someone coming along and screwing it all up. Chance When they asked me to leave my small town fire hall and head on out to the big city, I wasn’t keen on the idea. I can think of a million places I’d rather be. But, the ex-wife’s harassing phone calls and visits finally did me in. Before I knew it, I was starting a new life fighting fires in Karawa, New York. It's too bad one of the men on my team keeps challenging my every move. Only, it's not a man. It's the girl I've had a crush on my whole life, the girl I grew up next door to, the one I went all through school with. Sparks fly, tension explodes, and flames ignite. Will muscular Chance Friedman win the heart of the girl he’s always dreamed about? Or will curvaceous and sassy Alexandria O’Neil come out on top? ***Note: There is no cheating in this story*** Interview with the author What makes the Big City Heat series special? This series is special to me for several reasons. I set out to write a firefighter romance series about an alpha chief who ran a tight ship, and Chance was born. While I was mulling through the story in my head, the character of Alexandria came along. I suddenly had a strong female heroine to keep him on his toes. More than anything I wanted the series to reflect real life situations that people sometimes find themselves in, while still keeping it an enjoyable read. At the same time, it’s full of action, suspense, and romance – the kinds of things that keep me turning the pages. What order should I read the books in? Big City Heat is a serial. To get the most out of your reading experience it's best to read them in the following order: • Light My Fire • I’m On Fire • Ring of Fire There may be more titles coming in the series depending on where the characters take me. Maybe Chance and Alexandria have more of their story to tell, or maybe one of the other characters in the station house will warrant a spin-off in the series. Why should I buy this book? If you love firemen and you’re looking for a romance with twists and turns, this is it. There’s action, drama, love, and the list keeps going. Tags: firefighter, contemporary, beautiful, single mother, romance, fiction, series, BBW, curvy, angst, enemies to lovers, rich, billionaire, fireman, firemen, hero, disaster, rescue, alpha male, hero, literature, women’s fiction, love story, hea, angst, love, lust, edge, hea

Running Wild


Sara Jane Stone - 2016
    . .Noah Tager has always played by the rules and proudly wears the label ‘Local Hero.’ But before he leaves to become one of The Few, The Proud, The Marines, he wants to turn his fantasies into reality with the one woman who has always been off limits.He’s always been a challenge…When it comes to her less-than-stellar reputation, Josie Fairmore is ready and willing to cross over into nothing-left-to-lose territory, if it leads to an all-night ride with the man of her X-rated dreams. With her big brother leaving in the morning to ‘Be All He Can Be’ in the Army, Dominic will never find out about her fling with his best friend Noah.But one wild ride together doesn’t change the fact that Noah’s leaving in the morning—and he’s taking Josie’s heart with him.

The Hunt


Evie Platt - 2014
    A Roman goddess wants him dead, for one. A terrifying Greek goddess desires a key he possesses. And his safe-and-sound hideout on Earth? Some bloody vampire has decided to take it for his own. Fortunately, Gareth finds help in the unlikeliest of women. Undercover officer Ginger Lorris has never believed in the supernatural. But after meeting the mysterious Gareth Cane, whose eyes sometimes shift to a smoldering gold and skin to a blistering white mane, belief is easy to come by. Still, discovering the drug dealer she's hunting is actually an ancient vampire who threatens her family, Gareth's life and all of Earth is a little bit hard to swallow. To survive, Gareth and Ginger will need the help of a vampire-hunting werewolf, the cooperation of a Greek goddess who has her own agenda, and perhaps even the sacrifice of something neither of them can conceive.

A Shenandoah Christmas: A Novella (Winds of Change)


Lisa Belcastro - 2014
    His Christmas wish is to marry the woman he loves. But where has she gone? Andrew Roberts hasn’t felt such anticipation for Christmas day since he was five years old. This year he has plans, life-changing plans. He is going to propose to Allyson Flanders, the woman of his dreams. He’d lived his first thirty years as a confirmed bachelor, contented with dating, managing the family’s fleet of ships, fishing, and sailing anywhere he wanted, whenever he wanted.Until . . .One date with Allyson, and Andy was hopelessly caught by the smartest, kindest, most beautiful woman he’d ever met. He had no complaints. Life with Allyson was better than anything he’d ever imagined. They spent hours of every day together, casting lines into the waters off the shore of Martha’s Vineyard, talking, laughing, and dreaming. He hadn’t spent a day without being in Allyson’s company.Until . . . Something happened after Thanksgiving. Something he can’t figure out. Something he can’t name. But that something has created more distance than a two-month sail from Vineyard Haven Harbor to Sri Lanka. Allyson had no time for him, barely spoke to him, and made secret plans without him.The diamond and sapphire ring resting in the black velvet box looked lonely, but not as lonely as Andy felt. Where was she spending her time? Why didn’t she return his phone calls? Had she found someone else? Was there any hope his Christmas wish might still come true? A Vineyard RomanceRomance, Faith, and Adventure on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard

Sweet Christmas Kisses 5


Beate BoekerRoxanne Rustand - 2018
     Sweet Christmas Kisses 5 brings you contemporary romances that celebrate the joy of the season around the world, including snowy Maine and the sun-kissed skies of Florida, the mountains of Colorado to small-town Illinois and Virginia, New York to San Francisco, and even the glittering lights of Paris and the old-world charm of Florence. Sweet Christmas Kisses 5 features nine all-new, standalone novellas that will make you smile and warm your heart with the Christmas spirit.

Worth the Risk


Robin Bielman - 2012
    But now he's back in her life, and ready to steal a heritage protection contract that could make or break her career--if he doesn't steal her heart first. Samantha's vowed to hate him, but it's more than anger heating the competition between them. With sparks flying across the conference table and sizzling in every touch, Dean proposes a weekend liaison. Anything to have Sam again; anything to get her out of his system. But the unresolved feelings between them complicate both their personal and professional lives, and one wild weekend could turn into a disaster that would destroy the one job that means more to Samantha than anything. For a shot at love...is it worth the risk?