Book picks similar to
Act Like We're in Love by Christi Barth


romance
contemporary
contemporary-romance
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Coffee, Tea, the Gypsy & Me


Caroline James - 2012
    She purchases Kirkton House a run down guest house and, with the help of a colourful cast of locals, establishes a thriving country house hotel. She opens during Fair Week, a 300 year old gypsy tradition hated by the locals and loved by every tinker and traveller in the country. Romance is the last thing on her mind, until the enigmatic John Doherty walks into her life...

Love in a Pawn Shop


Bonnie Edwards - 2013
    . .Dix is good with two out of three. She’s had it with dusty shelves, desperate people and her teenage brother. With Riley about to graduate, Dix is ready to buy her one-way ticket to Paris.Then sexy cop Dane Caldwell walks into her store on the hunt for stolen goods, and threatens her brother and her business.The worst threat is to Dix’s heart…if she loses that, she loses her dream.Dane soon realizes he’s found love in a pawn shop. Even the pit bull thinks he’s okay. Now all he has to do is convince Dix that love is more than just another complication.

Showmance


L.H. Cosway - 2016
    Having won an Oscar at the tender age of thirteen, he had the life many could only dream about. But his success came at a price, and after a short but fruitful film career, he chose to live a life of obscurity on a remote Scottish island. Almost a decade later he’s finally ready to make his return, starting with a lead role in a musical on London’s West End. As a choreographer’s assistant, Rose Taylor has always faded into the background. She watches shows come to life from the side lines, but has never craved the attention of stardom. When rumours begin circulating of Damon’s involvement in her latest gig, she doesn’t predict how she will be thrust into the limelight, nor how the mysterious and strangely introverted man will need her to teach him how to be a star again. Rose knows that show crushes don’t last. Actors fall for each other during the intensity of a production, often losing themselves in their roles. These kinds of affairs burn bright and then they fade. The question is, should Rose let herself shine with Damon, or guard her heart from being broken after the final curtain call?

Take Me Vol. 1


C.J. Thomas - 2016
     Painting was my expertise, but his angled sculpture just begged to be polished. It was my debut art show where I first laid eyes on billionaire Gavin Trapp. His intense stare and hard angles had me laying down the brush in lieu of the tool he had pressed up against my abdomen. He was a masterpiece and I’d be sure to test his stamina and see just how hard he really was. There would be no tapping out tonight. This billionaire had no choice but to take me. Mature audience only. 18+ This series consists of 5 total volumes and part 1 ends on a cliffhanger.

Simply Austin (The Jet City Kilt Series Book 4)


Gina Robinson - 2017
    Simply smart, funny romance! If you like men who look hot in kilts, the allure of the Scottish Highlands, and funny, poignant romance, then you’ll love Simply Austin, the romantic conclusion of Gina Robinson’s light, fun contemporary romance Jet City Kilt Series.Seattle physician Blair Edwards and cosplaying entrepreneur Austin MacDougall are finally in Scotland to film their promo teasers for the upcoming season of Jamie, the wildly popular TV series about Highland laird Jamie Sinclair. Austin and Blair once again meet up with the charming, charismatic actors from the show and face some of their biggest challenges yet as they confront two of their fiercest enemies. Will they finally get their happily-ever-after in the wilds of the Scottish Highlands?Find out why readers love Gina Robinson’s good guy heroes, the strong women they fall for, and their funny, witty, romantic stories. Scroll up and grab your copy of Simply Austin today! The Jet City Kilt Series Reading order:Although the Almost and Simply books can be read out of order, for the most reading enjoyment, read the Almost books first, followed by the Simply books.These two books must be read in order: Almost Jamie Almost Elinor These two books must be read in order: Simply Blair Simply Austin

Tattooed Hearts


Melissa Devenport - 2018
     They played with fire. Savannah, only 19 and from an well-respected family. Mike, older than her, well muscled, slightly rugged and from a completely different background. Both deeply in love. Far too deep! They met by coincidence one day when she needed a tattoo. He was the best artist around and the attraction was instant. In short time, their passion grew frighteningly strong. However, since life hadn’t spoiled them with the best of circumstances they soon found themselves in the middle of a hot complicated mess. A big secret did very little to improve the situation. If you are looking for a steamy book with fiery love scenes and an intriguing story, you found it. ***** Tattooed Hearts contains no cheating, no cliff-hangers and a HEA. It might not be suited for a younger audience due to the graphic storytelling.

Deserving Love (Nick & Lexi #1)


Kay Brody - 2015
    As the owner of a candy shop in historic Biltmore Village and a well respected member of the Preservation Society, she was happy with her place in the world. Until a friend of a friend comments on one of her Facebook posts and they begin to talk. Nick charms her in a way that throws her off guard. Though the two have never met, they rely on their own form of companionship to get through the stresses of their day. For Alexis, part of this stress involves a jerk named Evan Monroe — an out of state guy trying to build a shopping center in her precious historic village. Something she will fight to see stopped. Evan is a dealmaker. He has helped develop real estate projects all over the country. But none has ever been as difficult as the one he’s trying to get off the ground in Asheville, NC. Who would have imagined that a young woman who owns a candy shop would be his biggest obstacle yet? There’s no doubt about the fact that Alexis is tough and sometimes Evan feels like battling her is going to do him in. Thankfully he has found companionship in a fun and friendly lady named Lexi. Sure, their relationship hasn’t extended beyond chatting online but, even so, there’s something about her that just calms him and helps him to feel a little less lonely. As the battle between Evan and Alexis rages on, they discover that they have more in common than the land over which they are fighting. What will happen when they realize that friend and foe are actually one and the same? Will the battle to win a piece of land destroy the bond between two lonely hearts? And, in the process, obliterate the chances for a happy future together?

A Hero to Keep


Susan Gable - 2009
    So she lives, loves, and lets go. She’s not looking for a hero.But with custody of her traumatized six-year-old nephew on the line, she needs help. Charming Greg Hawkins, a comic book artist and art therapist insists he can coax Ryan into speaking again, enabling the boy to reveal what he saw the night of his mother’s death at his father’s hands. And though Shannon’s skeptical of Greg’s methods, there’s no denying that he brings light and color to their lives.Greg, one of twelve siblings, knows anything worth having is worth fighting for. If anyone can prepare Shannon for the upcoming battle, it’s Greg and his family.But will she fight to keep him, too?A Hero to Keep is a contemporary family drama romance set near Lake Erie, featuring the Hawkins Family.***This book was originally published under the title A Kid to the Rescue.***

Dear Internet: It's Me, Avery


Jennifer Ammoscato - 2015
    We all do it. Don’t try to tell me that you’ve never checked that weird mole on your thigh on WebMD. Or how to fold meringue on Epicurious. And, there’s no way that I’m the only one who clears her search history after looking up how to give a great bl— (Um, that last one’s not important.)" When newspaper reporter Avery Fowler discovers her husband is having an affair, the online help site HowTo.com is where she turns to navigate this challenging stage of her life. If the Internet is Avery’s information god, then HowTo.com is her Holy Grail. Its live chat option is like having a virtual life coach for the low, low price of $14.95 a month: Add into the mix a new boss whose managerial style calls to mind the Wicked Bitch Witch of the West—or the Anti-Christ—and the poor girl needs all the help she can get! The stakes rise and hilarity ensues as our heroine struggles to take control of her personal life and topple her boss after she learns Victoria’s guilty secret. With Clementine (virtually) in tow, our heroine tackles such tricky situations as dating after divorce, sex once nothing points north anymore, and how to cover attempted murder scenes (despite a paralyzing fear of blood) as the new and improved Avery Fowler 2.0.

Some Girls Do It: Limited Edition Boxset


May Sage - 2017
    Read about three badass ladies and the silly alpha males who think they can manage them. Each book is a standalone novella. Scrooge McFuck Piper Stone’s hunky, rude, entitled, Scrooge of a boss is pushing her buttons every day, but he’s taken it too far, this time. Saying she couldn’t take the holidays off was one thing; preventing her to go home to her sick child? Not happening. She has zero regrets when she resigns. Bennet McFinnley can’t believe his annoyingly perfect personal assistant has actually resigned from her cushy, highly paid position, and he intends to tell her exactly what he thinks about it. But when he gets to her place, he comes to realize he might not know Piper as well as he thought he had. Bring on the Psychobitch Lucy is a perfectly reasonable person, up until she isn’t. She bottles up incidents, willing to forgive and forget, but when someone crosses the line, she becomes what her friends have affectionately called The Psychobitch. There’s one person who has it coming; from their very first meeting, Trick Johnson, CFO of Harris Toys, has been a contemptuous ass to her, but she held her tongue… Until her boss asks her to work with him for a month. Trick has a huge problem. He has a life plan – a simple, straightforward plan – and the gorgeous ball-buster his best friend employs isn’t part of it in any way, shape or form. He’s managed to keep her out of sight and mostly out of mind quite successfully… Until Carter Harris makes them work together. Them Back Dimples Cali believed she was done with men - after what the last one has done to her, she has zero reasons to want to open her heart or her legs ever again. Then he happened. Wren Richards, genius with a scalpel in his hands, charming when holding a flute of champagne, is a mess outside of the public eye, and he knows it. He’s quite happy living in chaos, but when his friends ask him to take on a cute young woman who needs a break as a housekeeper, he takes the plunge. Everything should be alright - as long as he remembers to wear pants when she’s around.

A Time to Give


Kathryn Shay - 2005
     In a TIME TO GIVE, Ben Cassidy has lost everything. A former CEO of a company he built and benefactor of a soup kitchen he started, he was tricked by an unethical vulture capitalist who cheated him out of everything. Ben hit the skids, but now is trying to get his act together. He allows himself to go to the soup kitchen as a guest once a week because it’s the single thing left of his accomplishments. Emily is a volunteer at the soup kitchen and attracted to Ben from day one. But she suppresses her feelings because he’s a guest. For months, she keeps her distance but one night, when she gives him a ride home, they end up in bed together. That one encounter changes everything between them until Ben learns two things: she’s the daughter of the man who destroyed him. And she’s also pregnant. Follow these two people in their struggle to accept each other, their circumstances and the deep attraction they share. Poignant scenes involving all the characters reveal how difficult it is to repair broken promises and unrealized dreams. If you like stories about secret babies, reunion of lost loves, and wounded heroes, follow the full series, which can be read in any order: A TIME TO GIVE, Book 1, JUST ONE NIGHT, Book 2, BE MY BABIES, Book 3. *Originally published in 2005, this book has been revised, updated and modernized. Reader praise: “Writers like Kathryn Shay are the reason why I buy romances. She has the unique talent of inviting a reader to get lost in the pages of her stories. One of the things that always draws me to any Kathryn Shay's books is the fact that her characters always feel real.” “The dynamic of Emily being torn between her father and husband gives depth to an already well-written love story.” “A TIME TO GIVE has all the stuff of a delicious Christmas love story.”

The Merry-Go-Round


Donna Fasano - 2009
    However, her life quickly turns into a three-ring circus: her hypochondriac father moves in, her ex is using her shower when she’s not home, and her perky assistant is pushing her out into the fearsome dating world. She also has to decide if the dilapidated barn and vintage merry-go-round she was awarded in the divorce settlement is a blessing or a bane. As if Lauren’s personal life isn’t chaotic enough, this slightly jaded attorney is overrun with a cast of quirky characters who can’t stay on the right side of the law. What’s a woman to do? She can allow life to spin her in circles forever. Or she can reach out and grab the brass ring.About the authorDonna Fasano is an award-winning, best-selling author whose books have sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide. “. . .complex, funny, and realistic. . .” ~Wilmington News Journal Book ReviewThe Merry-Go-Round is an utterly charming romantic comedy that pulled me in right from the start. Award-winning author Donna Fasano skillfully weaves a story consisting of funny, imperfect characters, love lost and found, sexual attraction, and an old merry-go-round. Told with humor and honesty, this novel is an entertaining and satisfying read. I highly recommend it! ~ Karen McQuestion, author of A Scattered Life

To Love Again


Lillianna Blake - 2015
    Her children recognize the defeat and sadness in her eyes and she knows that her kids deserve to see their mother happy. When Nicole follows the suggestion of a friend to go on a spa getaway during a time that her children are away with their father, she does so believing that it might lead to the self-discovery she is seeking. What she ends up finding at the Cielo Spa & Resort is much more than what she bargains for. What she ends up finding at the Cielo Spa & Resort is Gavin Bell. Gavin Bell is a successful businessman who only cares about his clients and getting the job done—it’s how he’s always defined his life and it’s also the thing that led to the downfall of his marriage. But he hasn’t found a good reason to change his ways—it helps him to ignore any hints of loneliness or regret about his past mistakes. When Gavin’s boss and best friend sends him away to a spa in the mountains for a break from work, Gavin is anything but pleased about it. He decides that he’ll spend the time in his room on his computer working, but while checking in, he meets a woman that he can’t get out of his mind. Both deceived about the Cielo Spa & Resort by well-meaning friends, Nicole and Gavin find themselves amongst individuals looking for love—a fact that neither of them is pleased about. They’ll make the best of a night—or two, if a shared meal convinces them that an initial spark just might be turning into something more. *** The Forty and Free series features women finding themselves and love again. Many of these women will overcome the obstacles, fears and pain brought on by past heartbreak. Others will undergo a shift within themselves as they make room for unexpected love in their lives. Forty and Free series: Book 1: To Love Again Book 2: To Trust Again Book 3: To Hope Again Book 4: To Try Again Book 5: To Thrill Again Book 6: To Dream Again Book 7: To Feel Again Book 8: To Live Again

Royal and Ruthless: Innocent Mistress, Royal Wife / Prince of Scandal / Weight of the Crown


Robyn Donald - 2009
    so using her to avenge his sister’s death will be sheer pleasure! Until he discovers that Lexie is a virgin. Now, out of duty and honour, he must propose... PRINCE OF SCANDALPrince Raul of Maritz resents the duty by which he must wed Princess Luisa Hardwicke. But the princess unexpectedly heats Raul’s blood... and he anticipates their wedding night with an excitement he never imagined he’d feel... WEIGHT OF THE CROWNNotorious playboy Prince Lysander Kahani is putting his bad ways behind him now he’s caring for his orphaned nephew. But one glance at buttoned-up nanny Alyssa Dene and he’s determined to make Alyssa a royal offer she won’t refuse...

If I Tell


Janet Gurtler - 2011
    people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a one night stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving.Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?