Book picks similar to
The Betting Groom by Taylor Hart
romance
ebook
contemporary
hart-taylor
A Marriage Carol
Chris Fabry - 2011
Over time they have drifted apart; the sparks are dead. Marlee is convinced she married the wrong man, and Jake feels tied down to the wrong woman. Jake is distant and tired of being controlled, while Marlee is tired of being the only one trying to the save their marriage. They go to bed Christmas Eve, in separate rooms, each rationalizing... life is too short to be miserable... love shouldn't hurt like this... their marriage must end for happiness to return.But then something peculiar happens: The ghosts of Marriage Past, Marriage Present, and Marriage Future reveal to them their past choices and present realities, and how their future might look if they do not change their stories.Jake and Marlee experience a Christmas gift that will radically change their thinking and cause them to look at marriage not for what they can get out of it, but for what God can do in and through their marriage.
Going Rate for Mr. Right
Jessie Evans - 2016
That’s why she’s moving forward with her Happily Ever After solo, with the help of a sperm sample from a double PhD holder. At least that was her plan until the sperm bank sold her the wrong sample and she ended up deep in let-me-have-your-baby-batter negotiations with her unnamed donor. Her homecoming to Sapphire Falls is taking a hard turn for the sour, and that’s before her mother’s prize-winning rooster, Sampson the Third, makes it clear he’s out for blood—Yasmin’s blood.The first time Noah Riley visited his cousin, Mason, he fell hard for Sapphire Falls. So he’s not really surprised to find himself falling hard for a Sapphire Falls girl. The moment Yasmin races past him, chased by a demon rooster, his gut utters two words—yes and mine. He and Yasmin share an instant connection, but convincing this wounded woman to let him be her knight in faded blue jeans is harder than he ever imagined. Especially when he discovers she’s the woman who was accidentally given his sperm sample!Can Yasmin and Noah survive the attack of the killer poultry and find their way to you and me and baby makes three the old-fashioned way? Or will the scars from the past keep two destined lovers from their Meant To Be?
When Love Leads You Home
Jami Crumpton - 2019
After missing the Olympic team because of injury, and being shut out by her ‘winning is everything’ father, she’s built a career as a top notch, award-winning coach. When a serious student injury propels her to the outside of the gymnastics world, she finds herself broke and alone – until a bequest from a mysterious and unknown aunt takes her on an unexpected journey. Who was Aunt Winnie, and what does the equally mysterious and unknown Mr. Boudreaux have to do with it? Army veteran, Cole Boudreaux, has returned home a hero to Cardinal Point, Texas, but a few things went wrong with his homecoming. His fiancée cut him loose, and he lost his position as a police officer because a wartime injury left him nearly deaf. Then, the woman who was like a mother to him dies suddenly. Cole knows God has a plan, and if he could settle Winnie’s estate and grow his budding security business, he just might figure out what it is. Winnie’s niece is not making it easy. She’s rolled into town with a ton of baggage and secrets she’s not willing to share. Why is Jacey so distant, and why is she so determined to not let him in?
An Unexpected Valentine
Té Russ - 2021
F**k Nolan Griffin.That’s what Yasmin’s mantra has always been regarding him.It doesn’t matter how attractive she finds him, she has valid reasons to hate him, one of which being he stole her job.But when Yasmin runs into him on Valentine’s night, she quickly learns that when it comes to Nolan there’s more than meets the eye.
Oh, the Weather Outside Is Frightful
Susan May Warren - 2016
John never dreamed his epic summer as a smokejumper would end with a harrowing plane crash—one that crushed his pelvis and rendered him nearly an invalid. He wouldn’t have made it through the dark night of pain and danger without brave fellow smokejumper Hannah Butcher. In fact, if he were to admit it, he probably fell in love with her that night.He gave her the courage to reach for her dreams…Hannah Butcher had dreamed of being a smokejumper for years—but dreaming and doing are vastly different. During rookie camp, she would have given up if it hadn’t been for CJ St. John urging her on. She probably fell in love with him then—but especially when he held her hand and kept her calm during their terrifying survival.;A winter storm awakens their memories—and fears…When Hannah discovers that CJ plans on skipping out on their mutual friends’ wedding, she knows he’s been lying to her about his recovery—and determines to give him the same stubborn encouragement he’s given her by forcing him to attend. But when a blizzard detours them, and worse, they’re run off the road, they’ll have to face their darkest fears to survive. A Christmas story about the miracles that happen when the weather outside becomes frightful.Note: If you picked up this title in the Candy Cane Kisses Christmas Anthology, this is an extended version! Discover how CJ and Hannah fell in love...and continue their story after the storm is over!
Wildwood Lodge
Jennifer Griffith - 2021
She has even booked the luxurious Wildwood Lodge for her "perfect Christmas" activities. At the last minute, though, she is forced to revise her guest list.It’s not all bad. In fact, one new lodger fits the Jayne’s first-snowfall wish for love. However, another guest turns out to be the hottest guy from her office--and her biggest critic.She catches one glimpse of him and thinks he’s there to ruin her week. He catches one glimpse of her and he’s ready to turn around and leave Wildwood Lodge.Jayne’s far too kitschy. He’s far too traditional. But can kitschy and traditional mix in the magic of Wildwood Lodge?Wildwood Lodge is book 1 in the Snowfall Wishes romance series by USA Today bestselling clean romance author Jennifer Griffith. The Snowfall Wishes series is three friends, one first-snowfall, and three wishes for true love.
Risking it all for Love
Kimberley Montpetit - 2014
Running away to New Orleans on a ballet scholarship, Jessica cringes when she thinks about confronting Pastor John and the community church--she doesn't want to talk about God, not after He took Michael, the boy she was going to marry ever since third grade. In the local scene of funky New Orleans, Jessica seeks out Madame LaBlanc, hoping Michael will absolve her of her guilt the night of the car accident in a seance, but the spirit world is silent and she fears the grief will drown her. Finally succumbing to family pressure, Jessica reluctantly returns for Christmas - and the little town of Snow Valley does Christmas BIG. When she visits Michael’s grave in the church yard, Jessica is shocked to meet handsome James Douglas, Pastor John’s nephew, who’s studying for the ministry. No, she is NOT going to be attracted to someone who wants to be a preacher! Definitely not compatible! But James Douglas is unlike any minister-in-training she's ever met. James can not only dish back Jessica’s finely-tuned sarcasm but understands grief all too well, turning Jessica’s world upside down. Can Jessica forgive herself for that terrible, fateful night? Can she take another risk on love? A fast-paced romance with humor, family dynamics, Christmas, and kissing.
Twelfth Knight
Jessica Bucher - 2019
Violet Noble loves a good challenge. That’s why her parents were so insistent on getting her and her twin brother, Sebastian, a scholarship to Shelfbrooke Academy. But when Sebastian bails on the plan, Violet is left alone in a strange land of rich kids and hot rugby players. When Violet discovers the academy’s online gossip forum, she finds the courage to comment... under her brother’s profile. Before she knows it, she's giving dating advice to the captain of the rugby team, Owen Duke, and flirting with his beautiful ex-girlfriend, Lily Thorn. Now, Violet is falling for Owen, and Lily is falling for fake-Sebastian, and everyone is miserable. Can Violet clean up the mess she’s made... and somehow keep her new friends in the process? Twelfth Knight is a modern retelling of the classic Shakespeare comedy. It’s the first book in the Shelfbrooke Academy series, a collection of retellings that promise to be a lot more fun than the originals!
The Christmas Contest
Theresa Sederholt - 2021
Hopefully, the enticement of winning his house and the magic of the holidays will lure in just the right person!
Holly Kirby was a bit shocked when she read the ad. The winner of the Christmas contest would receive a house! Knowing this might be some sort of scam, she still can’t help but imagine all the wonderful things she could do with a beautiful house on Nantucket. Holly decides to go ahead and enter, hoping that the Christmas angels will bring her a miracle.
Jack Anderson immediately knew something was wrong with his grandfather after reading the ad for the Christmas contest. Maybe it was time to take a break from work and pay him a visit. Somebody has to talk some sense into him! Only, when he gets there, he realizes Grandpa’s plan is already in full swing.
The clock is ticking but can Jack stop it in time, or will his family home be lost to him forever?
10 Ways to Survive Christmas with Your Ex
Shari L. Tapscott - 2019
For example, we shouldn’t run with scissors or take candy from strangers. But there’s another lesser-known rule, and it’s just as important as the ones you learned as a child: Never, never call your ex-boyfriend when your life is falling apart. But that’s exactly what I did. Isaac: What do you call it when your ex-girlfriend contacts you out of the blue on the very same day her mother invites you over for Christmas? Some would call it fate, others coincidence. I call it an opportunity. One I’m not going to pass up… Author’s note: 10 Ways to Survive Christmas with Your Ex is a fun and festive 26,000-word Christmas novella. It can be read as a standalone, or along with the other books in the series.
Mistletoe Magic
Laura Ann - 2019
he was gone. Lane has loved Pierce, her best friend's brother, since she was in braces and pigtails, but he never knew she was alive. For years she endured being treated like just another kid sister, all the while wishing she could catch his attention, but knowing it would never happen. Pierce was too cool, too mature, too... everything! It was no wonder he left their hometown behind and never came back. Pierce watched Lane grow up next to his sister, never thinking twice about her until one very specific Christmas, when his thoughts became anything but brotherly. Scared by his feelings, he stopped coming home, keeping himself away from temptation. But when Lane agrees to a blind date for a Christmas Ball, Pierce realizes this just might be his chance. Can the magic of the season and the power of mistletoe help him in his cause? Or have Lane's girlish fantasies been left in the past? If you enjoy quick, swoony romances, then this series is for you! "Mistletoe Magic" is the first in a series of short, sweet Christmas stories that are "All About the Mistletoe". Follow Lane and her friends as they find love where they least expect it. The books can be read in any order. Check out the rest in this heartwarming series: Mistletoe Magic Mistletoe Mayhem Mister Mistletoe Mistletoe Mistake Mistletoe Memories Mistletoe Maverick Other books by Laura Ann The Overnight Billionaire Bachelors Her Billionaire Boss Her Billionaire Chef Her Fake Billionaire Boyfriend Her Billionaire Gardener The Billionaire's Best Friend Middleton Prep (Contemporary Romance with a Fairy Tale Twist!) A Home for the Ugly Duckling The Librarian and Her Beast Ms. Cinder's Prince Waking Ms. Briar A Date for the Goose Girl Running from the Wolf Ms. Frogg's Hidden Billionaire Saving Ms. Gothel A Billionaire for Ms. Snow Goldilock's Misunderstood Billionaire
12 Nights of Christmas
Kate AllentonSarah Hegger - 2018
However, most of the individual stories will be released separately. **Twelve bestselling and award-winning authors each bring you a sexy night of romance, fun and a little magic. ‘Tis the season for falling for the right guy!Two people stuck in an elevator, snowed in, on an all-night bus trip, locked in a store... Can a magical fruitcake be the special ingredient they're all looking for? **‘Tis the season for giving, too!**20% of the proceeds will be donated to the hunger relief organization Feeding America December 25: “Scrooge You” by MK SchillerChristmas is the worse time of the year for Eva. It’s nothing but a reminder of her tragic past. To make matters worse, her boyfriend invites his entire family over…so she goes into total Scrooge mode.When three ghosts visit her, will she be able to remember the joy in her heart and the true meaning of Christmas?December 26: “Unexpected Daddy” by Gemma BrocatoShe let him go to pursue his dreams without telling him she was pregnant. Five years later, he’s back in town and her secret’s out. Can they get over past hurts to seize a future for their small family?December 27: “The Meant to Be Girl” by Tawdra KandleWhen Ashley Webbar meets Zane Fletcher, the new lawyer in Burton, it's insta-lust . . . but she soon realizes he's already smitten with someone else, even if Zane himself doesn't seem to know it.Ashley is so busy matchmaking that she might miss out on her own happily-ever-after . . . if something or someone doesn't intervene first. This just might call for a Christmas miracle.December 28: “For One Night Only” by Carrie ElksWhen two strangers are stranded at a rest stop in the middle of Nowheresville—thank you, Mr. Bus Driver—they’re forced to spend the night together. Not that it’s exactly a hardship, thanks to the sizzling chemistry between them. But when morning, and rescue, comes, they both find themselves asking one question. Will they see each other again, or was their connection for one night only?December 29: “Best Friends for a Night” by Alice GainesEvery year, Steve has been cheering up his army buddy’s widow with popcorn and zany movies on the anniversary of her husband’s death. Will a little holiday magic make Steve and Hannah more than friends?December 30: “Entwined” by Kristi RoseDonovan survived combat, but can he survive being stranded over Christmas with the girl of his dreams? He swore he’d stay away from his best friend’s kid sister years ago, but after a near-death helicopter crash, this sailor knows second chances don't come around often. Loving Bailey would mean risking not only his friendship but his heart. And that would be one wound that would never heal.December 31: “Rekindled” by Stacy FinzThe last place Branna and Drex want to spend New Year’s Eve is stuck on a broken-down elevator, together. They’ve finally put their divorce behind them and don’t want to open old wounds. But fate and a fruitcake step in, making them question whether love could be better the second time around. January 1: “New Year’s Negotiation” by Kate AllentonWhen Detective Elizabeth Cross’s high school crush and star of all of her what-ifs shows up at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve ready to take her on a trip down memory lane, she’ll have to decide if this is a second chance at having her happily ever after or the start of another broken heart.January 2: “Playing House” by Kim GoldenCassie Delk isn’t having the best holiday season. With her ex-husband about to get remarried, she’s not very excited about still being single. The last thing she expects is for a second chance at love to turn up on her doorstep.January 3: “Book of Love” by Cd BrennanHey, wait a minute, Mr. Postman! Where's your Christmas spirit?Nothing infuriates Melanie more than the one-armed, ex-army hunk who chucks her mail at her book shop door. When Nick delivers a special package at the end of the day, she's ready to give him what for. Except a blizzard strands them together, and the fruitcake delivery sparks magic between them instead. Now, Melanie isn't sure what she wants to give him—a piece of her mind or all of her heart.January 4: “A Winter Wonderland” by Rebecca HunterComing face-to-face with her first love after ten years is a reminder of everything Selena left behind when she moved from Delilah’s Cove. And an evening with Jace is even more dangerous when mixed with a little magic… January 5: “Wild Honey” by Sarah HeggerTwo people who couldn’t be more different. One elevator, a dark and stormy night, and a magical, bourbon-laced fruitcake. What could go right?
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Skye Moon - 2020
Tierney was just trying to make it through the holiday. Neither of them knew that they were just what Santa ordered for the season.
3 Christmas Regency Romances: The Duke, the Earl, and the Joker
Charlotte Darcy - 2017
A Christmas to Remember Juliet Whitehall, is the eldest daughter of the Earl of Forbes. Being clumsy and tongue-tied she is in no rush to find a suitor. Who would risk taking on such a jinxed wife? Her clumsiness would only get worse when the Duke of Richfield comes to stay at their family home and of course he was coming for Christmas. Edward Burton, had lost his father, and suddenly found himself with the title of the Duke of Richfield. After being invited to stay with the Earl and Countess of Forbes, for the Christmas period, he found himself being cast in the role of a Duke in a play. He is hesitant in his role but then disaster strikes. Can a Christmas Miracle bring two unlikely and yet perfect people together in this sweet Regency romance? Christmas Masquerade Kate Whitehall, lost her joy for Christmas, when her sister Juliet married and left home. Life seemed duller. Christmas, was going to be even worse, until a friend suggested they attend a few masquerade balls. Dressed up, and behind a full mask, Kate was able to let go of her sadness just a little but could still not find the joy in the season. That was, until the man in the terrifying black mask engaged her in conversation… interesting conversation. His deep voice, strong body, and obvious intelligence became something Kate wanted more of. Yet he disappeared, not returning when he said he would. Left a little distraught she must wonder why he had shunned her? Had she done something to offend him? She cannot get him out of her mind and wants to know who was the man in the frightful mask …and would she get to meet him again?” Find out in Christmas Masquerade. The Best Time of Year Stella Lawson had played an integral part in arranging the courtships, leading to the marriages of her best friends, the sisters Juliet and Kate Whitehall. This year at Christmas, all was not going well. Their brother and a dear friend to her also, Adam Whitehall, was being pushed into courtships by his dear mama, with ladies he didn’t even know. Ladies he didn’t want to know. Stella agrees to aid him in putting off his mother’s future consorts by persuading them that Adam is a buffoon. Yet the more she helps, the more Adam seems like the perfect man, it’s a pity he’s only a friend… or is he? Find out in this collection of sweet Christmas romances.
Before I Called You Mine
Nicole Deese - 2020
Lauren is a dedicated first grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption. To satisfy her adoption agency's requirements, she gladly agreed to remain single for the foreseeable future; however, just as her long wait comes to an end, Lauren is blindsided by a complication she never saw coming: Joshua Avery.Joshua may be a substitute teacher by day, but Lauren finds his passion for creating educational technology as fascinating as his antics in the classroom. Though she does her best to downplay the undeniable connection between them, his relentless pursuit of her heart puts her commitment to stay unattached to the test and causes her once-firm conviction to waver.With an impossible decision looming, Lauren might very well find herself choosing between the two deepest desires of her heart . . . even if saying yes to one means letting go of the other.