Book picks similar to
Rose and Jacob by Lexi Buchanan


romance
contemporary
low-angst
stand-alone

So Much It Hurts


Melanie Dawn - 2013
    All she wants to do is relax and rejuvenate on her weekend escape to the beach. Having a drink at the bar with the girls sounds like the perfect way to unwind. That is, until Kaitlyn hears a familiar voice from the stage that shakes her to her core. She grapples with her memory until Chris King, the lead singer of the band, walks up to her and eliminates the questions in her mind.Chris King…the misunderstood bad boy who once saved her in ways that no one else could. Kaitlyn’s friends beg to know the story behind this mystery man. Forced to revisit a painful past from which she has spent years trying to heal, Kaitlyn's recollection of Chris awakens intense feelings that she has kept buried deep inside her heart. Has time changed him, or is he still the same person Kaitlyn fell in love with so many years ago? Marriage vows are sacred, but temptation is a powerful thing.Seeing Chris again has caused a war between her head and her heart. In the end, which one will win the battle? Facing a difficult decision, Kaitlyn just wants to be sure of one thing when she walks away from this weekend—no regrets.This is an emotionally gripping story of love, loss, redemption, and hope. This Contemporary Romance Novel coming in Sept 2013!

Unexpected Reality


Kaylee Ryan - 2016
    That's what they say, but it's easier said than done.How do you expect a change so huge it rocks you to your core?How do you prepare yourself for an event that will alter your life forever?One breathOne secondOne minuteOne hourOne day at a time, you learn to live with your unexpected reality.

Longing for Yesterday: Reflections of Yesterday / Yesterday’s Hero


Debbie Macomber - 2020
    Now, twelve years later, Angie’s got a fiancé and a successful business of her own. She returns home to Groves Point, South Carolina, to repay the money and reclaim her family pride…and discovers that her feelings for Simon haven’t changed. But Simon is bitter over her betrayal. Can she make him see the truth?Yesterday’s HeroWhen marine biologist Leah Talmadge gets the chance of a lifetime—an expedition to study the rare whales off the Diamantina Islands—she can’t refuse. Even if it means temporarily marrying world-famous photographer Cain Hawkins. The governor of the islands won’t allow two unmarried people to live together, and they both desperately want to document the whales. So why not? Yet an invisible link exists between Cain and Leah…and both of them know they’ll never be the same!

Nothing like the First Time


Keren Hughes - 2014
    17+*Carly Summers and Greyston Sterling were each other's first kiss, first sexual experience, first love, first everything.They had a love that was made to last. That was until Grey took a job as a freelance photographer that took him to the other side of the world. When it came down to a choice between his career and his girl - he chose the career. He's travelled the world and seen sights he wished Carly was there to experience. He's had relationships along the way but nothing meaningful.Carly has had relationships but nothing that lasted. No-one could compare to Grey. Now, 10 years later, Grey's back in town and wants to see if they can rekindle what they had all those years ago. But how can they if he's engaged to somebody else?Nothing Like The First Time is a tale of how nothing compares to your first love. There are trials and tribulations Carly and Grey must overcome on their way back to each other... what if they can't get over the obstacles life throws at them?*This book can be read as a stand-alone or as part of The Sweet Romance Series*

As She Fades


Abbi Glines - 2018
    They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken.Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction. She tries to ignore her feelings, but she's not immune to Slate's charm. Slowly, they form a cautious friendship.Then, Crawford wakes up . . . with no memory of Vale or their relationship. Heartbroken, Vale opts to leave for college and move on with her life. Except now, she's in Slate's territory, and their story is about to take a very strange turn.

Someone to Love Me


Tory Richards - 2011
    Both are tortured souls struggling to go on in life, only to discover survival can be found in each other's arms. Excerpt - Luke stood quietly, staring down at his bed. He didn’t believe in fairy tales, yet there she was, Sleeping Beauty all rolled up in his blankets, and snoring softly. Charlie was on her side, all but her head hidden beneath the quilt, her nose turned up toward the opening. His mouth curved into a smile. He was crazy crawling beneath the covers with her. He’d probably survive the night better sleeping out in a snowdrift in the buff. His attraction for her bordered on the edge of what he should do and what he wanted to do. For the hundredth time that evening, he berated himself for not stopping to think where she’d have to sleep when he’d invited Swanson to stay. Luke knew either way he was going to pay the price. He didn’t want to feel anything for Charlie, but she’d managed to get under his skin without even half-trying. They were two tormented souls reaching out to one another, and Charlie was providing an easy way out of the dark void he’d built around himself. And she reminded him that he was a man of flesh-and-blood and wants. He’d waited as long as he could before excusing himself and coming to bed, and not because he’d wanted to give Charlie enough time to fall asleep. Luke knew it was going to be a long night, realized, too, that he couldn’t put off the inevitable. A heavy sigh escaped him as he reached for the edge of the covers and pulled them back. Charlie stirred slightly and moaned when the cold touched her warm body, reaching out blindly for the quilt in Luke’s hand. He quickly slid in next to her and brought the covers with him, clenching his teeth in agony when Charlie burrowed against him like a lazy cat seeking the warmth of his body. Alarm bells went off when she tucked her fanny into the hollow of his body. He groaned low and counted to ten, then to twenty before deciding he could count to a million and it wouldn’t make any difference. He cursed his stupidity for even thinking he could lie next to Charlie and remain in control. It didn’t take long before his body began to respond to her. An eternity slipped by as he lay there barely taking in air, listening to her soft breathing. His nose was in her hair and nothing could stop him from inhaling deeply. Her delicate fragrance sent his senses into overdrive. Everything about her captivated him and made him want her. Why wasn’t she snoring loudly? Why didn’t she look like an old hag when she was sleeping? He closed his eyes and relaxed as much as he could with a tempting woman snuggled against him. His cock was as hard as a steel rod, but Charlie’s steady breathing convinced Luke she was sleeping soundly and unaware of his state. However, in the next instant he cursed the devil. She was sleeping, but her body seemed very much aware of his presence pressing against him in all the right places. A silent invitation that encouraged his excitement to grow to unbearable degrees. Before he thought about the wisdom of what he was doing he thrust against her. She thrust back. He groaned low and clenched his teeth. Luke realized he was growing weak. A man could only take so much. And he was a hungry man. A soft whimper escaped her; his body shuddered at the sound of her hunger. Hell, he was painfully conscious of the fact that all he had to do to slip inside the warmth of her body was to push her robe aside.

Stolen Breaths


Pamela Sparkman - 2014
    Sometimes pain lies underneath, buried so deep that for a moment you let yourself forget – until you can’t. I didn't realize how numb I was until I started feeling again, and he made me feel – everything. Cooper Hudson came into my life when I needed him the most – twice. This is my story. This is the story of us. “It was funny how you never really realized how lifeless you were until someone came along and gave you that shock to the chest that forced your heart to start beating again.”Note: This is a true love story. It is a story about overcoming tragedy and circumstance. It's about learning to heal through the heartache when you would rather hide from it. Lily and Cooper meet, and nothing is ever the same.

People We Meet on Vacation


Emily HenryEmily Henry - 2021
    Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read, a sparkling new novel that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations.

Kiss Cam


Anie Michaels - 2017
    She’d earned a promotion, was living the dream as a single gal in a big city, and treated herself to one of her favorite things – a professional basketball game. In Riley’s opinion, nothing ruined a good basketball game like the halftime gag, the Kiss Cam. When the camera lands on her and the sexy stranger in the next seat over, peer pressure from the arena forces them to kiss. It was supposed to be quick, meaningless, and comical. Instead the kiss was hot, delectable, and left her reeling. It hadn’t been a great night for Camden Rogers, son of Portland’s mayor. On a date with a woman he didn’t care for out of obligation to his politician father, meeting the sassy and intelligent Riley was the last thing he expected. Kissing her, however, was the hottest thing he’d ever experienced. Never one to back down from a challenge, convincing his hesitant kissing partner they could be more would be his biggest accomplishment yet. They came from two different worlds, a divide Riley was sure they couldn’t overcome, but Camden was convinced she was the one. Will Riley be able to let her guard down and let Camden in? Or will the Kiss Cam be their only sexy encounter? Author's Note: Kiss Cam was originally published in June of 2016 as a 19,000-word novella in the Passion in Portland anthology. I have added 55,000 new words and expanded the story into a full-length novel. If you read the original novella, you will not want to miss out on the expanded story. 18+ for mature content.

Rumor Has It


Elisabeth Grace - 2013
    Every man in your life abandons you, but who knew a one-minute clip of your latest doomed relationship would brand you a slut, prevent you from getting your perfect job, and force you to keep doing the one thing you swore you’d never do again…live with your mother.But staying with mom and her latest boy-toy (is this husband number four or five?) until your life turns around might not be all bad. Especially when you fall – literally – at the feet of a sexy, green-eyed stranger who offers you freedom and a life of luxury on a gold-rimmed platter.There’s only one little problem – the man of your dreams is none other than Mason Nash, the latest hip-hop star busting up the music charts. Fame and fortune are his calling cards and he’s vying to steal the show on a new reality TV series that will catapult him into mainstream stardom. Hello spotlight.The man behind the famous persona is perfect for Ellie in every way, but can she overcome the ugly pitfalls that come with Mason's celebrity status? Or will she be forced to choose between the man she loves and the independent life she longs for? After all, fame and fortune aren’t always what they seem and not all publicity is good publicity…***Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.***

One Night on the Island


Josie Silver - 2022
    The remote Irish island she's booked is a far cry from London, but at least it's a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career.Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can't bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates.Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don't know how they're going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other's company quite as much as they thought they would... Written with Josie Silver's signature warmth, charm and insights into the human heart, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need.

My Paper Heart


Magan Vernon - 2012
    Dating one of the hottest guys in the biggest fraternity? Done. Failing out of College? Oops... When Libby Gentry's parents receive the letter that she's failed out of school, Libby is forced to pack her Prada bag and head to work for her great aunt in rural Louisiana. Nothing about tiny Elsbury, Louisiana, entices her until she locks eyes with the southern charmer, Blaine Crabtree. Libby is used to getting what she wants and Blaine is no exception, but as the two grow closer, bigger problems arise. Libby doesn't know how much more pain her already paper-thin heart can take and when new opportunities in Chicago pop up she is presented with a difficult situation: wait for her redneck Romeo, or move on.

Wicked White


Michelle A. Valentine - 2015
    The phony people, the meaningless one-night stands: he doesn’t want any of it anymore. Quitting in the middle of a sold-out tour, Ace sets out to find some place—any place—where he can be alone.Aspiring singer Iris Easton’s life has never been easy. First, her mother walked out on her when she was a kid. Now she’s buried in debt, weeks after losing her beloved grandmother. When a mysterious and sexy new guy moves in next door, Iris can’t help but be drawn to his soulful gaze. She can tell there’s something from his past haunting him—something he’s not telling her.Just as Ace starts falling for Iris, the media go on a worldwide hunt to find the missing rocker. Will true love conquer all, or will the truth be the very thing that tears the couple apart?Join Michelle's Facebook Reader Group: Valentine Vixens

No Attachments


Tiffany King - 2013
    She knows she left behind a trail of pain, but in the long run, her betrayal will hurt less than the truth. She now has one goal: Live life to the fullest with no regrets and no attachments. She has high hopes that a move to new surroundings will provide the escape she desires, but what Ashton doesn't count on is how fate always seems to find a way to screw up any good plan. Sometimes, when love comes knocking, the pull is too strong not to answer. Suddenly, what she thought she wanted to escape from is what Ashton now wants more than anything.Nathan Lockton has one mission: find his target and complete the task he was hired to do—no attachments and no emotion necessary. He's done it over and over again. What he thought was a typical lost-and-found job has turned into a life examining moment as Nathan is forced to deal with something he has always ignored--his feelings. Now faced with a decision, Nathan must choose to either follow his heart or complete the job.Love can come when you least expect it. The question is: If the odds are stacked against you, how far are you willing to go for the one you love?Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations, language and mature subject matter.

Single Dad's Waitress


Amelia Wilde - 2017
    Valentine is serving up the exact opposite at the Short Stack Café.She’s a disaster waiting to happen—a gorgeous, irresistible disaster.Ryder can’t risk his newfound stability on a whirlwind like Valentine. He definitely can’t risk his heart. But one taste of her has him willing to pick up the tab, no matter the price.(Previously titled Over Easy.)