Book picks similar to
The Will by Mardria Portuondo


short-story-novella
spice
couldn-t-make-myself-complete
gave-up

Necessary Sacrifice


Noelle Winters - 2017
     Running a domestic violence shelter keeps Emma Stevens on her toes, and serves as a living reminder of her mother’s legacy that falling in love can hurt you in more ways than one. But when one of her clients is murdered, Emma comes face to face with a detective who makes her question her resolve to remain safely unattached. Reeling from her wife’s death, Nick Tanner fled her life as a homicide detective in the big city. But when a brutal murder rocks the police department in sleepy Battle Creek, she isn’t prepared for the haunting memories, or complications, it brings - especially stubborn therapist Emma, who is determined to solve the case all by herself if she has to. But when Emma becomes the target for a killer, both their lives - and the love building between them - are put in danger. Is it better to love with the risk of losing, or not love at all?

Destiny's Bridge


Carrie L. Carr - 2000
    When her car is washed into a rising creek, it could be the last thing she does. Lexington (Lex) Walters has run the Rocking W Ranch for the last ten years, alone except for hired hands and her feisty housekeeper, Martha. She doesn’t have the time or inclination for dating, but when fate drops a beautiful woman into her path, how can she resist? With the bridge out of service and the weather against them, Lex and Amanda work together to take care of the ranch. When they stumble across a group of rustlers also stranded by the weather, will the stress destroy their budding relationship?

One Simple Refrain


Nancy Ann Healy - 2021
    Jillian Byers only considered two careers: indie rock sensation or physician. Both dreams led her to Los Angeles. She never plotted a course that led back home. With her father’s health declining, Jillian picks up her life and returns to Crystal, Maine. At first, it seems time has stood still in her hometown. It doesn’t take long for Jillian to realize nothing is quite the way she remembers. Returning to life in rural Maine never occurred to Marjorie (MJ) Willard. A successful professor, MJ finds herself at a crossroads after a painful divorce. Her mother suggests MJ move back to Crystal with her seven-year-old daughter, Chloe. Needing an escape, MJ agrees. She never dreamed she’d come face to face with her high school crush. Life gets interesting when MJ collides with Jillian Byers at their thirtieth high school reunion. An unexpected friendship helps Jillian and MJ cope with loss, change, and a few secrets from the past. Finding the way home summons a million questions and some interesting discoveries. There’s no greater surprise than falling in love. Sometimes all it takes to make sense of the world is One Simple Refrain.

From Heel to Heart


Amy DeMeritt - 2019
    But something is missing from her life. Love and family. But few women are interested in starting a family at her age, especially when they’re focused on their careers. With her heart still on the mend from the tragic loss of the love of her life several years ago, Elli Voss is nearly out of hope that she’ll ever find love again. And she’s even less hopeful that she’ll be able to have children to train as her heirs to take over the family tailor and repair shop that’s been passed down in her family for several generations. After a chance encounter and a promise to grab a cup of coffee soon, they may have just possibly found exactly what they’ve been looking for.

Avalanche


Stephanie Shea - 2020
    It's taken five years to piece herself together, especially since the last time they'd seen each other was at Drew's wedding.Drew Dimitrov has officially been dubbed the model world's new it-girl. In a career-defining moment, she has been given her first nude photoshoot at Luxe magazine, and Blake just happens to be the photographer.It's a reunion neither expects.But can anyone stop an avalanche once the ice begins to fall?

Naughty List: A Short Story


K.C. Luck - 2018
    When the only romance in her life consists of Hallmark movie marathons, she’s pretty sure things could not get more discouraging. When a knock sounds at the door, Holly suddenly finds herself face-to-face with a stranger. A hot, handsome butch named Nic. When the chemistry sparks between them, Holly is faced with a tantalizing new dilemma – will she be naughty or nice? Need a little something to warm you up for a spell on a cold winter’s night? This steamy short story is exactly what you need. *** Includes a preview of KC Luck’s full-length novel “Welcome to Ruby’s” ***

Somewhere Between Love and Justice


S.W. Andersen - 2015
    Stripped of her innocence at the tender age of thirteen, she's grown into a woman with nothing to lose and one thing on her mind. Justice. With her horse, her guns and a plan, the gunslinger takes to the trails of the old west in search of those who wronged her family. A trusted friend shares the quest for justice, but wants so much more. However, another silently holds Sarah's heart. Little does Sarah know, the woman, Jo, who graces her dreams has a past of her own and has spent the last year wishing for the return of the mysterious gunslinger who stole her heart. When Sarah's path takes a disastrous turn, the pair reunite. Now the gunslinger has to decide if she will open herself up to love or let her thirst for vengeance lead her down a path of no return. Choosing between love and justice was never part of her plan.

Everybody Needs a Hero


KC Luck - 2022
    

Sweet Temptation


Spencer Pearson - 2020
    Harper, the woman she'd been crushing on for the last three years.After five years of teaching accounting at the same college as her brother, Lauren Harper was finally settling in.She'd left behind a high paying, high stress job at an accountancy firm, and although teaching didn't pay nearly as well, she was starting to enjoy the simpler things in life, like sipping on a whiskey while she played cards at a local casino.When one of her students sits down at her poker table, it piques Lauren's curiosity. It wasn't unusual for students and teachers to mix in such a small town, but for some reason, she didn't expect to see Riley playing poker.Lauren had been badly burned by a student in the past, and there was no way she was going there again.No way. Under no circumstances.That's what Lauren keeps telling herself anyway, but as the two get to know one another, Lauren finds herself being drawn to the younger woman.How bad would it really be to date a student?

Just What The Doctor Ordered


Lydia Rose - 2015
    It wasn't long before an attraction between the two women became evident. Both women refused to acknowledge the attraction because Alex was Rachel's employee and Rachel was Alex's boss. If the relationship did not work out, it would become awkward in the office. The harder the women tried to ignore their feelings, the deeper the feelings became. Add to the mix a mother who does not want her daughter dating "the help" Can two women from different backgrounds have a relationship that can stand the test of time?

When Sparks Fly


Kristen Zimmer - 2021
    I can barely see her, but I feel her. She pushes me up against the wall and we kiss harder than we ever have before. I’ve been waiting so long for it to happen, and finally, it’s going to. Then the bedroom door flies open, and someone screams her name…Britton Walsh has never had a home. After a lifetime in the care system, she doesn't expect she’ll ever find one. But beginning her senior year with new foster parents in a new city, means starting over yet again. Tom and Cate Cahill seem okay. The hitch? Their daughter, Avery.Beautiful, popular and cool, Avery is everything Britton is not. She’s all Britton could ever ask for in a sister, or even a friend––but having survived without either for so long, Britton knows the way her heart races whenever Avery enters the room can only mean one thing…But Avery has a secret. Something that is eating away at her and stopping her letting anyone in, least of all Britton. Will Avery’s insistence on punishing herself for a mistake in her past make Britton's last year of high school, and finding a place to call home, impossible? Can two such different people ever find common ground, friendship, or maybe even something more?

Comfort and Joy (A Holiday Romance Novella)


Karin Kallmaker - 2012
    She's not counting on futures -- or meeting a woman like Tyna.15,500 words.**Please note: this novella was originally distributed by Bella Books starting in 2012. The differences between versions are minor. Please don't buy it twice! See the official URL for more info.**

Pining & Loving


Emma Sterner-Radley - 2019
    Which one carries the highest cost? And what price is worth paying? The quiet, tough Aya Lawson has been forced to leave her career as a professional boxer behind and now scrambles for a purpose. Gwen Davies is a chatty barista, and artist in her free time, who lives with clinical depression. They both have battles to fight but they also have something else in common - pining over the woman of their dreams. When daydreams one day meet reality, things get complicated. Is it best to stay with what’s safe? Or to fall and maybe break? If they do take the chance and break, who will get back up?

State of Grace


Everly James - 2017
    When the opportunity arises for her to be the campaign manager of a man running for the United States Senate, she can hardly believe her luck. What she doesn’t expect is for the woman of her dreams to be her political rival. When Rachel Callum meets Andie McIntyre, she has only one goal: to get this woman on a date. But Andie has other plans that don’t involve self-assured Rachel. When it turns out that Rachel’s new job is to take Andie down, Rachel is left with a choice: her ambition or romance? Can Andie and Rachel put aside their political views and find love? STATE OF GRACE is a full-length, standalone romance novel with steamy sex scenes, no cheating, and a happily ever after. It’s light on politics and heavy on love.

Dreaming of Paradise


Emma Collins - 2019
    Years of working hard and saving were finally going to pay off. She'd avoided serious relationships, knowing her passion for surfing was the main focus of her life right now, but when she meets Jenna, the attraction is instant, and Hayley starts to wonder if she can have both: a successful business and a relationship.Too bad Jenna's at least ten years older than her and completely out of her league. She'd also be going back to New York in three months.Read this lesbian age gap romance for free with Kindle Unlimited.35,000 words; novella