Book picks similar to
I Heart Mr. Collins by Laelia Starla


first-in-series
book-shelf
contemporary-romance
high-school

Take a Breath


Jaimie Roberts - 2013
    Feelings which had been bottled up for so long are now bursting to get out. I can no longer hide the overwhelming emotions that flow through me.Unfortunately, neither can a serial killer on the loose dubbed “The Blonde Killer.” I am his obsession.And Jake, the senior detective in charge of the Major Investigations Unit, is responsible for catching the murderer.I’m scared, but I know Jake will do everything in his power to protect me.I feel things can’t get any worse.Until they do.

Dear Professor


Blaire Drake - 2015
    You’ve got me good, haven’t you?But guess what? I can play too. Grab the polish, because I’ve found your skeleton, and it's time to dust.I’ll see you in class.Oh and, Sir? I’m not wearing any panties.Love, DarcyP.s. you’re an asshole.

Dark Notes


Pam Godwin - 2016
    Maybe I am.Sometimes I do things I despise.Sometimes men take without asking.But I have a musical gift, only a year left of high school, and a plan.With one obstacle.Emeric Marceaux doesn’t just take.He seizes my will power and bangs it like a dark note.When he commands me to play, I want to give him everything.I kneel for his punishments, tremble for his touch, and risk it all for our stolen moments.He’s my obsession, my master, my music.And my teacher.

This is War: Travis & Viola, #1


Kennedy Fox - 2016
    His sculpted abs and gorgeous eyes are wasted on such an arrogant man, which makes me hate him even more.Even though I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, the feelings weren’t mutual and he’s made that very clear. He’s always loved getting under my skin and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed. I’ve succumbed to his manw**re ways, but that doesn’t change a thing.Because the King is about to get played at his own game—and lose.Checkmate, King.This is book 1 in the Travis & Viola duet and must be read first. Suggested for mature readers only.

99 Days


Katie Cotugno - 2015
    How I wrecked their whole family. Now I’m serving out my summer like a jail sentence: Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college, and be done.Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn’t finished. I’m expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it’s just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. “For what it’s worth, Molly Barlow,” he says, “I’m really glad you’re back.”Day 12: Gabe got me to come to this party, and I’m actually having fun. I think he’s about to kiss me—and that’s when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who’s supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who’s never going to forgive me.

Burying Water


K.A. Tucker - 2014
    Refusing to answer to “Jane Doe” for another day, the woman renames herself “Water” for the tiny, hidden marking on her body—the only clue to her past. Taken in by old Ginny Fitzgerald, a crotchety but kind lady living on a nearby horse farm, Water slowly begins building a new life. But as she attempts to piece together the fleeting slivers of her memory, more questions emerge: Who is the next-door neighbor, quietly toiling under the hood of his Barracuda? Why won’t Ginny let him step foot on her property? And why does Water feel she recognizes him?Twenty-four-year-old Jesse Welles doesn’t know how long it will be before Water gets her memory back. For her sake, Jesse hopes the answer is never. He knows that she’ll stay so much safer—and happier—that way. And that’s why, as hard as it is, he needs to keep his distance. Because getting too close could flood her with realities better left buried.The trouble is, water always seems to find its way to the surface.The top-selling, beloved indie author of Ten Tiny Breaths returns with a new romance about a young woman who loses her memory—and the man who knows that the only way to protect her is to stay away.

Accidental Witness


Sam Mariano - 2017
    We’d never spoken, but of course I heard the stories about his family. I know they’re dangerous. I know he’s dangerous. Vince never had a reason to notice me, anyway—until I inadvertently witnessed his first mob hit. His family doesn’t believe in leaving witnesses alive, but Vince seems different. He knows the best thing he can do for me is stay away, but something keeps drawing us together. Despite knowing the risks of getting mixed up with him, I can’t resist. Only problem is, Vince is a package deal—you don’t get him without getting swept up in his family’s dark games. Now entangled with a notorious Chicago crime family, will my life ever be mine again?**Obligatory trigger warning: While not wholly dark, this is a mafia romance with elements of DARK ROMANCE. There are no knights in shining armor to be found here.Sensitive content not recommended for those under 18, or those who loathe the dark romance genre. **This is a continuing story series. The story continues and evolves in each book until you get to the end.

Saved by Love (Bachelor Billionaire Kids #1)


Sharon Cummin - 2017
    He had a huge decision weighing heavy on him. What was he going to do with his future? His father had been convinced since the day he was born that he was going to take over the family business. Both of his parents were software developers, and their company was doing very well. There was only one problem. Gavin couldn't stand software development and wanted no part of the company. He wanted to join the service to help people and keep his family and the rest of the country safe. The only thing he had to do was find a way to tell his parents. Gavin stood up and looked down the table at all of the people he loved. There were five families, and between them, they owned seven houses on one stretch of a Hawaiian beach. It was their last night there, and Gavin knew he needed the support of everyone around him when he told his parents what he'd chosen to do with his life. He instantly saw concern cross his mom's face, but he had to do it. There was no going back. "I'm joining the service," he said. It didn't take long for his father to get to his feet and all of the chatter to fill the empty space between them. "I'm joining too," Gavin's best friend Jack announced. By the time everyone calmed down and both of their families accepted their decisions, Gavin was beginning to feel a little better about things. There was only one person that wasn't going to let it go that easily. That person was Gracie. Gavin was taking her brother, and that was not okay. When Jack told Gracie he wanted her to write to Gavin each time she wrote to him, she was not happy. Gracie was going to write him, but she wasn't going to make it easy. Little did Gracie and Gavin know that those letters were going to change their lives forever.

Sass


Laramie Briscoe - 2016
    I even watched him fall in love with someone else and almost get married. A year ago, when he walked into his house and found his fiancée’s face in his best friend’s crotch, his life changed forever and it hasn’t been the same since.On his first night out since the horrible incident, we run into the ex-skank. Seeing the devastation in his eyes, I made a promise that I would help him get over her. I told him that a pretend relationship between us would work. It would help him move on.I didn’t count on my heart or his getting in the way. And I sure as hell didn’t count on not being able to tell when pretend turned to reality. When it all implodes, the only thing left is the truth. Sometimes though, the truth? It hides and we have to dig deep to find it. To make it come to the surface, we have to give it a little talking to. We have to give it a little Sass.

Covet


Janet Nissenson - 2016
    She was the only woman he wanted…but the only one he couldn’t haveIan Gregson had been born into wealth and power – one of the privileged heirs of the top luxury hotel chain in the world. To the outside world, he was seemingly the man who had everything – money, prestige, good looks, charisma – a man who could have any woman he desired. But the only woman he’d ever truly coveted was forbidden to him for far too many reasons to count – her youth, her employment within his company, and especially her commitment to another man. Tessa Lockwood’s young life has been one of deprivation, misfortune, and heartbreaking loss. Working for the Gregson Hotel Group offers up a glimpse into a world she had never before imagined – one of affluence, sophistication, and splendor. And meeting the suave, elegant Ian Gregson for the very first time awakens feelings in her that she struggles to repress, never imagining that a man like him could find a nobody like her attractive. Ian and Tessa fight their feelings for the other, knowing that a relationship between them can never exist. But when matters of the heart are involved, things are never quite that simple. How long will both of them be able to hold on before betraying their forbidden attraction to each other? Or will they be destined to remain forever apart?

Give In


Layla Frost - 2018
     I knew I shouldn’t. It was a mistake. Wrong. Forbidden. A glimpse of heaven before a depraved angel led me to hell. One email was all it would take to end the torture. A simple email, dropping Eden Wilder from my class and my life. But I couldn’t do it. I was selfish—taking any bit of her I could. That’s how addictions start. You give in just a little. Just once. Before long, your obsession has grown into a violent storm, shrouding you in darkness as it consumes your thoughts. Consumes your whole damn life. And everything you’ve worked for is gone. But you honestly don’t give a f*ck. You’d serve your soul up on a silver platter for your addiction. And she was mine. Warning: Recommended for readers 18+ due to strong adult language, themes, and a stalkerific hero who puts the FUN in dysfunctional. Enjoy!

Without You Here


Carter Ashby - 2014
    But when she walks into a country tavern, her attention is immediately redirected to the sexy, older man at the bar. He looks lonely, and sad, and absolutely mouth-watering. Ettie can’t wait to put a smile on his face.For the first time in two years, Wyatt finds himself jolted out of his grief—and by a spunky, vivacious young woman who somehow sees right into his soul. What follows is a passionate weekend full of more life, laughter, and pure joy than he experienced in twenty years of marriage. Wyatt thought one weekend was all he had to give, yet in the days that follow, he can’t help dreaming up a future with Ettie. And then a chance meeting shatters his hopes, leaving him more lost than ever. Now Ettie must decide whether to walk away, or to fight for the love she knows they both deserve. Without You Here is the sexy, heartwarming story of overcoming grief, embracing love, and learning to live in the moment.

One Night with Hemsworth


Eden Finley - 2016
    No amount of alcohol can drown that out, but taking home the hot brunette at the bar is a good enough distraction. That’s all Paige is meant to be—a distraction.Paige Minor is too busy studying for her law degree and getting over a bad breakup to care about finding another boyfriend. All she wants is one night of careless fun with a complete stranger. Cole seems like the perfect candidate. When Cole goes to pick up his son from his ex’s perfect house, with her perfect fiancé, and perfect new life, the last person he expects to see is Paige. She definitely shouldn’t be the one opening the door. As he stares at the person who was in his bed less than twenty-four hours earlier, a single thought occurs to him: I just slept with my ex’s new stepdaughter.**********One Night with Hemsworth is the first book in a series, but can be read as a standalone. No cliffhanger!

All In: Double or Nothing


Lane Hart - 2014
    How could they have known that they would both meet Lauren, the woman of their dreams, on the exact same day? Caught up in a confusing love triangle, Lauren can't stop thinking about Tyler, but at the same time, she also finds herself falling for Caleb. Since neither man is willing to give up on Lauren, they decide to take a gamble and share her until she chooses one of them. All bets are off, and emotions run high when these two men end up in a no-holds-barred game where the winner takes all. WARNING: THIS BOOK IS FOR 18+ ONLY DUE TO THE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT, INCLUDING M/F/M SCENES AND ADULT LANGUAGE. DOUBLE OR NOTHING IS A SUSPENSEFUL LOVE TRIANGLE AND INVOLVES CHEATING.

This Much is True


Katherine Owen - 2013
    A ballerina who lies. A baseball player who believes her. Well, the truth changes everything. Tally Landon just wants to escape her tragic story if just for one night. She doesn't count on meeting Lincoln Presley, Stanford's baseball wonder, but plans to add him to her long list of one-night stands. That's the plan. Lying to him about her age and her name is just a part of her don't-get-emotionally-attached style. She doesn't count on being found out, nor on ever seeing Linc again or falling in love. Lincoln Presley's life is all mapped out. There is only baseball. With the major leagues circling their favorite prospect with a lucrative offer, he cannot afford to mess up. And, he doesn't; until he meets up with the girl he saved from the burning wreckage on the 101 on Valentine's Day months before. By the time he learns her real name and of all the lies she's told, he's in far too deep to ever really let her go. When fame and lies tear them apart, one truth remains; and fate, most definitely, has a different set of plans. This much is true.Author's Note: A coming of age story? Could be. A powerful love story? Most definitely. An unforgettable read? Most likely. Intended for mature audiences, ages 17+? Absolutely. This best selling new adult contemporary romance novel will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride and is the first book (which should really be two books) in the Truth In Lies series, but it can be read as a standalone. It is 432 pages long in 12-point type so carve out some time.