Book picks similar to
Hard Wood by Tara Crescent


romance
contemporary
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Rescuing You


Sarah Taylor - 2020
    I’m used to danger and taking risks.Who am I kidding? Relationships and getting close to women is something that really freaks me out.There’s something about the girl in the nearby apartment that is changing that though. I’m attracted to her. I want her, but not the commitment.So when she burns a pizza it’s a chance to get to know her a bit better.Will she accept an invitation to spend the night?Can I really be that guy who uses her for what I want and then dumps her?LucyMy life revolves around the school I teach at and nothing is more important to me than my job.I’m not the greatest cook however, which is why my pizza burned in the oven that night and how I met the cutest guy ever.Trouble is, he doesn’t want a full-on relationship and I understand his reasons.I was cool with a one night stand and was prepared to let him be and carry on with my life. But who am I kidding?I want him bad.But how do I get him without being pushy and needy?Are you craving a sweet insta-love story? No cliffhangers? Guaranteed HEA? Rescuing You is the perfect short, steamy read you've been waiting for.

Heat


Holly S. Roberts - 2016
    Heat turns to sizzle and hearts combust when they find themselves wanting more than a few hot nights between cool sheets. After a shoulder injury ends her respectable career as a police officer, Mak also known as Madison Abigail Kinlock turns to the seedy world of private investigations by default. Now her job consists of cheating douchebags and baby daddies dodging child support. Things can’t get much worse. Moon controls Arizona’s largest crime syndicate. His bronze skin and blue eyes leave a girl breathless even when that girl knows he’s bad news. Moon doesn’t give a flying fig what Mak thinks; he wants her—ex-cop, bad attitude, and all. How does she resist the dark side when her body craves Moon’s searing touch? Things only get hotter in Phoenix when Mak finds herself in a deadly situation and must turn to Moon for help. He’ll help but there’s a price.

Hidden Heart


Measha Stone - 2014
    He’s a man with determination.And after one evening with Jessica, he’s determined to claim her as his. Jessica is perfectly content keeping relationships casual. She’d rather fall in lust than love. And one glance at Royce- she’s definitely in lust. But Royce doesn’t kiss and bail. Jessica may try to hide behind a thick wall, but he senses the fires burning hot. If he has to break through kiss by kiss, he will.

Fierce


Rosalind James - 2015
     It was true that I had a lousy job. Not to mention a lousy apartment and too much responsibility, although it was a responsibility I wouldn’t have given up for the world. That still didn’t mean I needed rescuing, if that was what you’d call the situation I ended up in. And anyway, I knew that a multimillionaire Maori CEO with too many muscles, a tribal tattoo, and a take-no-prisoners attitude was way, way out of my league. So, no, I didn’t ask him to, but he rescued me anyway. Because Hemi was fierce. But you know what I found out? So was I. Note: This is the “book within a book” that Faith is writing in Just in Time: Escape to New Zealand. Hemi isn’t Will, but you may see some of Faith’s feelings about Will coming out...

Chase


Lane Hart - 2018
    He never wanted the responsibility that comes with being at the head of the table, preferring to leave that to his brother, Torin. But after an unexpected attack on the Kings sends his brothers on a path of vengeance, Chase will have no choice but to take on the burden of being the man in charge.Reporter Sasha Sheridan has steered clear of any and all bad boy bikers wearing the bearded skull for the last ten years. While investigating a story, she suddenly finds herself back in the crosshairs of the Savage Kings. Uncovering the secrets that the club's president is trying to keep hidden may very well put her life in danger. She may be able to handle the threat, but she can't escape the man who broke her heart.Chase hasn't forgiven himself for hurting Sasha and causing her an unbelievable amount of pain. He still wears her name on his chest, a reminder of the night that he wrecked his bike and everything the two of them had together. Now, with secrets, lies, bloodshed, and violence causing chaos in the club, Chase is determined to use his second chance with Sasha to keep her safe. He never imagined that the best way to do that would be to get her as far away from him and the MC as possible.This is an emotional story full of suspense and steamy scenes. While the main characters in this book will get a HEA, the struggles of the MC will continue to unravel throughout the series.

The Billionaire's Troublesome Triplets


Holly Rayner - 2020
    And what better way to celebrate than with the gorgeous American woman he meets by chance?On a dream getaway to Rome, Elise Johnson can’t believe her luck when a chivalrous and temptingly handsome stranger recovers her bag from a pickpocket. At first it seems as though one beautiful, romantic night together is all fate has in store for them—but in this case, one night is all it takes.Elise has barely gotten home when she discovers that Lucas’s so-called wonder-drug may not be as effective as he claimed. She’s pregnant, and Lucas is the father!With his company’s reputation at stake, Lucas faces a stark choice: cover up the pregnancy before it can become a scandal, or stand by the woman with whom he shared that fateful night in Rome.But the biggest surprise is yet to come. There’s not just one baby, but three!

What He Wants


Tawny Taylor - 2012
    What he can't buy, he takes. When he sees Bristol Deatrich for the first time in over ten years, he knows he wants her. But there's a problem. Only complete possession of her mind and body will satisfy him. He's not sure the sweet little Bristol is ready for his brand of extreme carnal play.But that's not going to stop him from trying. After all, he learned a long time ago, nobody wins if they don't take risks. If this risk pays off, they'll both win.

Claimed Bride


Linzi Basset - 2018
     Penelope was not having a good week. First her newly minted ‘Ex’husband (she was going to get a t-shirt made) decided to drive off into the sunset (literally) and left her in a pile of shit (figuratively). She’d barely put some dirt on it (actually), when the most gorgeous man on planet Earth showed up and opened his stupid mouth. Alexander Sinclair—billionaire extraordinaire, real estate mogul, one part of Rogues of Manhattan trio, and all parts wrong for her! “I need a wife . . . and I don’t do pretend, Penelope.” Alex was not having a good week (either). First, his star employee took millions of investors’ money to his grave, leaving Alex to deal with a bloody mess. It got worse (liar!) when he went hunting for the wicked Mrs. Carver, but found a delicious little fire-cracker instead. Alex took one look at Penny and bid adieu to his brain (the one in his head at any rate!). How else could he explain his insane attraction for this sinfully-sexy-potentially-deceptive-caveman-invoking woman? Sparks fly as the Penny and Alex clash in a battle of wills . . . and tangle of limbs (you’ll see). But the Houdini embezzler is still at large and Alex will stop at nothing to keep Penny safe in his arms . . . as his claimed bride. Editor’s Note: Bring out the #PornCoc. Your week just got better!

Single Dad's Bride


Melinda Minx - 2017
    They say a tattoo artist with a dirty mouth can’t be a kickass father. Bullsh*t. But my lawyer says I need a wholesome bride to convince the judge. I know just the perfect girl—hell—I think she might even be a virgin. Only problem? She’s my sister’s best friend, and she hates my guts. When my best friend's brother asks me to marry him, I nearly slap him in the face. I’m pretty sure he’s teasing me—just like he always has—but marriage isn’t something to joke about. Not when I’m pushing thirty with no hope in sight. And not when I’ve always had a huge, stupid crush on him. Then he tells me he’s serious. He needs me to do it so he can keep his daughter. I have to refuse. He’s always treated me like crap, which makes my feelings toward him even more sad and pathetic. How can I not have a crush on him though? He’s always wearing a thin, tight undershirt that shows off his cut abs and broad shoulders, and despite what some people say about his chops as a father, he’s as sweet to his daughter as he is mean to me. Maybe I can say “yes.” I’d be doing it for his daughter, not for him. And I certainly wouldn’t be doing it with the sad hope that he’d look at me as anything other than his sister’s dorky friend—that he’d touch me and make me—no, definitely not that. **This is a full-length, standalone fake marriage romance. No cheating or cliffhangers, and a Happily Ever After is guaranteed!**

Translucent


Erin Noelle - 2014
    The day I watched my husband murder the woman who was pregnant with his child, my point didn’t just break, it exploded like a full magazine’s worth of hollow points firing through the barrel of a fully-automatic AK-47. Literally. I am no longer his American Princess, nor am I his slave. Now, I’m a murderer in hiding. My name was Bryleigh Carter Oliveira, and that was my story. Translucent is one woman's story of breaking free, starting over, and learning to trust again through willful submission.

Sugar & Spice


Phoebe Alexander - 2019
    Enticed by his father's bribe, he dons an apron to serve pastries in Cotton Candy Castle, one of the park's most popular attractions.He's tempted to blow his cover when he meets The Red Velvet Queen. Sure, she's a costumed character and the jewels in her crown are fake, but she's absolutely breathtaking. His desire only grows when he invents a baker's dozen reasons to visit her every day...enough visits to discover her sweetness comes with a side of spice.But they're both in disguise. The Queen is actually single mom Jolie Cox, who relentlessly struggles to make a living for herself and her sons. And Cy is actually her boss, not to mention heir to the corporate empire she despises.What will happen when their identities are finally unmasked?Sugar & Spice is Book 1 of the Spicetopia Series. Though the series can be read in any order, here is the preferred reading order:Book 1: Sugar & Spice (Cy and Jolie's story)Book 2: Virtue & Vice (Moon and Katja's story)Book 3: Fire & Ice (Neve and Enya's story)Book 4: Naughty & Nice (Micah and Natalie's story)

The Cowboy's One and Only


April Murdock - 2020
    If you see the good in the change, it can make all the difference. Acceptance takes longer for some than others. Logan Thackston wasn't dealing with the changes that were coming well. In fact, he was choosing to be involved only when absolutely necessary. In the middle of his worry and annoyance about what felt like turmoil in his family, he met a woman who turned out to be his lifeline. Frankie Mills has been sent to live with her grouchy uncle while her parents jaunt around the world. The small town of Sagebrush, Texas was vastly different for a young woman than it had been for a child. The adventures didn't live up to her pleasant memories. And Uncle Elmer seemed more crusty than she remembered. Frankie and Logan met by chance and made a date the very night they met. They both felt the sparks. Their first date was a rock climb up Logan's favorite spot that lasted hours longer than planned. By the time they made it to Frankie's house, trouble was brewing. And from there, trouble was always near the surface. Though there was an intense pull to each other, it couldn't be permanent. Frankie would go back to Richmond one day - probably sooner rather than later. So they kept things simple. Easy. But were either of them happy to settle for this tepid friendship? When an accident changes the balance between them something snaps. The balance they'd created to survive the unknown was shattered. There were more unknowns now than ever before. While Logan tries to heal, will he be able to figure out what he really wants with Frankie? And when he does, will his plan be one that would work for everyone - including his family and hers, too? ~ ~ ~ Meet the family of ranchers in this book 1 as they do all they can to make their ranch thrive while making life meaningful. Each story in the series has a happy ending and no cliffhangers. Each book will have one brother finding love and a happily ever after.

Working Men Series Books One to Three: The Mechanic, The Carpenter, The Bartender


Ramona Gray - 2019
     If you’re looking for quick, one-handed (ahem) reads with insta-love, over-the-top alpha, blue-collar men, then the trope-alicious Working Men series is for you! The Mechanic Lily I grew up with everything I ever wanted. Wealth and privilege, and an attitude that practically screamed “I’m better than you”. Only, things went wrong and now I have nothing. The people in this town don’t give a damn that I live in a broken-down trailer and am one sandwich away from starving. They figure I got what I deserve. They’re not wrong. Now, I’m standing in front of the town’s sexy-as-sin mechanic, Jack Williams, and offering to let him… do things to me with those big, dirty hands of his, in exchange for car repairs. Things that the old me would be horrified by. I should be ashamed. Instead, all I can think about is how good it would feel to have Jack touch me. Jack I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Raised by a man who liked to talk to me with his fists and didn’t give a damn if I lived or died. Taking care of myself is my number one priority, and I’m not interested in other people’s troubles. Especially trouble in the form of a stuck-up, former rich girl like Lily Carson. It’s not my problem her money, family and friends are gone. Only, she’s standing in my repair shop offering me something I’ve wanted for a very long time. One touch of her soft skin and I’m lost. Lily belongs to me now, and I’ll make damn sure she and everyone else in this town knows it. The Carpenter Madison He says it’s wrong. He says we can’t be together. But I’ve been in love with carpenter, Jacob Marken, for years and I’m tired of waiting. I don’t care about the age difference. I’m doing everything in my power to make Jacob see that we belong together. I want to be with him. And what I want, I get. Jacob She’s a temptation I need to resist. Before my best friend died, I promised I would take care of Madison, not try to take her to my bed. When Madison asks me to build her some bookshelves, I can’t resist. Being alone with her is a very bad idea. I can’t be with her. I shouldn’t be with her. But what Madison wants, Madison gets. And now that she’s mine, I’m never letting her go. The Bartender Rachel Being a twenty-three-year-old virgin isn’t the worse thing in the world. Being a twenty-three-year-old virgin in love with a man who doesn’t know I exist? Tragic, right? Local bartender, Ren Parker, might not be into librarians with questionable fashion taste, but it doesn’t stop me from fantasizing about getting him alone in the library and breaking all the rules about quiet time. But, a girl’s gotta be realistic, and I can’t stay a virgin forever. Picking up a nice guy at the bar to take my v-card is surprisingly easy. That is, until Ren discovers what I’m doing. Suddenly, the man I thought wouldn’t give me the time of day, has his hands all over me until my insides are shaken and stirred. He says my virginity belongs to him and I’m more than happy to prove him right. Ren I’ve wanted Rachel Banks from the moment I saw her.

Her True Blue


Sierra Hill - 2019
    Join the authors of Flirt Club with The Fireworks Series of stories that celebrate summertime, BBQs, and all things that end with a bang! Where will you be when the fireworks go off?She’s a big-city girl that ignites his small-town heart. Jordana Bolton is Milltown’s newest resident, seeking solace and a fresh start in the small mountain town, hundreds of miles away from the big city elements she’s running from.After a robbery at gunpoint leaves her shaken, the new bank manager and part-time animal rescuer, Jordana finds out that you can’t always outrun crime or your past. Officer Cord Clawson was raised in a family of police officers, where tradition is to protect and to serve their small town. As a returning vet and cop, Cord is first on the scene of the bank robbery, where he finds Jordana, the beautiful bank manager who he’s had his eyes on for weeks, injured and in shock. From that moment on, he vows to protect her from any future harm.Cord doesn’t expect to fall so hard or so fast for the sweet animal-loving city-girl, whose secret past seems to follow her, putting her life in danger. Can Cord be the one to rescue this explosive firecracker and be her true blue forever?

Finding Allie


Meli Raine - 2015
     My stepfather turns out to be a rival drug dealer, and I'm pretty sure he killed my mom two years ago. I'm not supposed to fall in love with Chase. He's not supposed to know I even exist. But when he finds me, he can't let go. And when I find myself in his arms? I hold tight. I have to. Because if I don't, I might just die. * * * Read all three books in the Breaking Away series: Finding Allie Chasing Allie Keeping Allie With or without him.