Book picks similar to
Down to Business by J.C. Alexander


new-adult
college
romance
contemporary-romance

The Trouble with Goodbye


Sarra Cannon - 2013
    She’s always been the girl who does what she’s told. Except that time two years ago when she shocked everyone in the small town of Fairhope by breaking up with the richest guy in town and heading off to Boston to follow her dreams.It was the single most exciting thing she’s ever done for herself, and it felt like the start of something big…Until one terrifying night ripped it all away.With no place else to go, Leigh Anne heads home to reclaim what’s left of her old life. On the outside, she seems like the same reliable girl everyone knows and loves. But deep inside, she’s hiding a terrible secret.That’s when she meets Knox Warner, a troubled newcomer to Fairhope. His eyes have the same haunted look she sees every day in the mirror, and when she’s near him, the rest of the world fades away. But being with Knox would mean disappointing everyone all over again.If she wants to step back into that old life, she has no choice but to say goodbye to him forever.Only, the Trouble with Goodbye is that sometimes it’s about courage and sometimes it’s about fear. And sometimes you’re too broken to know the difference until it’s too late.

Mirage


Ashley Suzanne - 2013
    Two sets of best friends embark on a new adventure together, forming life long bonds. Mira and Danny are looking forward to their future as husband and wife. Everything was going according to plan. That was until tragedy struck them on graduation night leaving three broken people to pick up the pieces. Skylar has always stood in the background, watching his best friend begin a life with the woman he fell in love with until he can no longer keep a distance. Right when Mira thinks her life is back on track it spirals out of control. What if everything you thought you knew was nothing more than a mirage?This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00ESL6T52.

No Reverse


Marion Croslydon - 2013
    No need to say: their shotgun wedding was low-key. But when there was no baby anymore, they went their separate ways.Five years later, Josh has breezed through Georgetown and is about to finish his post-grad degree at Oxford University. He is set to join a lobbying group on Capitol Hill, owned by his new fiancée’s father. For Josh, the sky is now the limit… only he must first take care of a tiny legal matter: technically, he’s still married to the girl who broke his heart. Meanwhile, Cassie has been waiting tables in Steep Hill to pay for her sick grandmother’s care. On the day of the old lady’s funeral, Cassie is served with two sets of papers. Josh is asking for a divorce. Her heart squeezes, but, well, he moved on a long time ago. But the second envelope shakes Cassie to the core. So, for the first time, she leaves Kansas and heads to good ol’ England.There, Cassie finds that Josh has not just “moved on,” he’s freakin’ engaged to some blue-blooded heiress. The feelings Cassie had buried deep rush back to her. But no matter if he keeps thrusting the divorce papers under her nose, she needs him to save the only person she loves more than Josh, more than life itself…

Full Court Press


Ashley Rose - 2013
    They share a love for basketball, and he is tall, brooding and gorgeous. Soon, he is showing her new moves, both on and off the court, but he lets her know in no uncertain terms that he wants to keep it casual. However, soon their physical relationship heats up, they venture into the world of light domination, and a fragile trust grows between them. Beck has a dark secret that he's never shared with anyone, and when Carmondy takes matters into her own hands and discovers the truth, Beck feels betrayed. Can she convince someone who's never let anyone in that it's ok to ask for help? And when he realizes that he's pushed her out of his life completely, can this dominant bad boy learn that when you love someone, sometimes you have to submit?

Broken


Annie Jocoby - 2014
    Look in the Urban Dictionary under that word, and his name will no doubt be mentioned. The only qualifications that he looks for in a bed-mate is that the person is hot and breathing. Mainly hot. He has no desire for an emotional connection with another person, and that's the way he lives his life. He has his fabulous wealth and his reputation as a premiere architect, and that's enough for him. Until Scotty James. Scotty is a graduate student at Columbia University in New York City. She's broken from traumatic experiences from her years in foster care and homelessness. She has a vulnerability that is intoxicating to Nick, because, deep down, he knows that he is as broken as she. When Nick pursues Scotty, it seems that she is the only woman who doesn't want to be with him. At first she's a challenge, but Nick soon finds himself falling in love for the first time in his life. With a woman who wants nothing to do with him. Can Scotty overcome her trust issues and fear to let Nick in? Or will she prove to be too broken to trust?

The Souvenir


Emma Nichols - 2016
    Snark and heart make The Souvenir a novel that will leave readers desperate for more. Wren Jacobs—a twenty-something corporate trainer— would like to announce the birth of her baby, Taylor, named after the artist singing "Bad Blood" during the conception. Mother and child are adjusting nicely and ready to welcome visitors, especially the father, Brady Conner. Despite a few too many misunderstandings, Wren never stopped loving Brady…and would love the opportunity to thank him for her souvenir from their relationship who weighed in at a whopping 8lbs 5oz, effectively ruining her after an unintentional natural delivery. Taylor's birth will forever remind Wren of the first day of summer, the last time she was ever able to wear a bikini, and that she'll probably never go to a bar again. Follow Wren and Brady as they navigate through the tricky dating scene in this touching romantic comedy, and fall in love with the souvenir of their relationship.

Let Me Be the One


Lily Foster - 2014
    Her boyfriend? The guy who came off as sweet and devoted, the life of the party? Try obsessed, out of control and hell-bent on ruining her life.One year later, a new and improved Darcy Donovan is back on campus and she’s got a plan. That plan doesn’t include Tom Farrell, or any other guy for that matter. He’s surfer-boy hot and he talks a good game, but don’t they all?Hell to the yes…She’s back.Going after his friend’s girl is wrong, but Tom is too hung up on Darcy to care. Screw principles, screw ethics, screw the bro code. An hour in her presence would lead the best of men to veer off the high road.And he has his work cut out for him. She still thinks he’s a joke, nothing more than a walking, talking one-night stand. What she doesn’t know is that Tom has spent the past year changing his ways. He’s not all talk, and he’ll do whatever it takes to prove it.But when a menace from Darcy’s past resurfaces and Tom’s past comes back to bite him hard, their one shot at happily ever after may be shot to hell.What you don’t know? Turns out that it can hurt you.Let Me Be the One is the first book in Lily Foster's Let Me series. Gripping and emotional, these stand-alone romances are intended for the 18 and older crowd due to mature language and sexual content.

Private Message


Danielle Torella - 2013
    Believe it or not, she’s never had a decent kiss. The aspiring Seattle painter and photographer is still recovering from the trauma of being beaten and nearly raped at a rock show nearly three years before. So she keeps life simple: she goes to school, goes to work in a coffee shop, goes home, goes on living.But then Ben’s naked body crashes—almost literally—through Tess’s wall against the world. Ben is doing his dad’s art-teacher girlfriend a favor when he agrees to pose nude for her drawing class. But what he draws is the interest of the irresistible punk-looking girl—and it’s interest he reciprocates, with interest. Their sexual chemistry is too much to resist. But it’s when they have their clothes on that their heat quickly slips on ice. Ben’s womanizing history is one thing, but it’s history of another kind—related to that fateful night at the rock show—that threatens to tear the young lovers apart forever.

April Showers


Karli Perrin - 2013
    When April enrolls at Manchester University, it feels like a whole new life. New city, new house, new friends...new crush. Isaac Sharpe is the hottest guy on campus - with an even hotter reputation. After a chance meeting, April quickly finds herself wrapped up in all that he is. But what if all that he is isn't what it seems?Caught up in a battle between what she wants and what she thinks she needs, April meets Lukas Roberts. Lukas is the security blanket that she craves so desperately and she finds solace in their friendship. But what happens when she finds more than she bargained for? April has always been a big believer of fate, but will she learn that she's in control of her own destiny before it's too late? Join April as she embarks on a life changing journey of love and loss, which will have you laughing and crying until the very end.

Only For You


E.L. Todd - 2013
    Penelope was the love of his life, the woman of his dreams. Scarlet knew how far her best friend was going to fall and she had to catch him. Scarlet became Sean’s rock and helped him through a very painful breakup, but her own hidden desires bubbled to the surface in the process. When they finally gave in and slept together, she thought it was the start of their new relationship. Unfortunately, Sean didn’t feel the same.Humiliated and heartbroken, Scarlet moved across the country and found what she least expected. She rekindled her damaged relationship with her brother, who she hadn’t spoken to in a year, and her brother’s best friend was attractive and interesting. Their relationship was natural and unforced, and she was immediately drawn to him. Would she be able to get over Sean, forget about him, by sleeping with Cortland, or would that just be another repeated mistake?THIS IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER*Recommended for mature audiences 17+ due to strong language and sexual content.*

A Beautiful Struggle


Lilliana Anderson - 2012
    She has a very full life attending university to study a law degree, training for triathlons and now she is working part time as well. She couldn't possibly find time for a relationship, especially after her last one ended so catastrophically.Right now she is content focusing on work, study and training while hanging out with her best friend David Taylor, a womanizer with a heart of gold that would do anything for Katrina – except watch her get hurt again.That is, until the dashing Elliot Roberts, a junior solicitor from her work, shows an interest in her despite their office’s ‘No Dating’ policy. Katrina struggles with following her heart or following her mind and has trouble seeing where her heart truly lies in this gripping romantic drama.

Crossing


Stacey Wallace - 2013
    Being a Plain Jane with a mouth on her hasn’t exactly served Dani well in the guy department. In fact, she’s had nothing but one night stands. Still, she lets go of her insecurities and falls for Liam, despite feeling like he’s holding something back.When Dani finally discovers Liam’s secret, she must learn the true meaning of accepting the ones we love for who they are, or risk losing the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

Glass Hearts


Autumn Doughton - 2013
    No matter how much she studies, Ellie Glass can't prepare for every aspect of life. A fact she realizes after a chance encounter with a young musician leaves her scrambling to speak in coherent sentences. Scruffy, long-haired, and undeniably sexy, Ben is the exact opposite of her type. So why is it that Ellie can’t stop thinking about him?When fate intervenes and the two are thrown together for a second time, Ellie gets more than she bargained for. With the help of her friends and a newfound romance, she begins to redefine herself and slowly realizes that happiness isn't something you can plan for. This is the captivating story of an undeniable attraction, the choices that we make, and ultimately, the unexpected power of love.**Formerly published under the title On an Edge of Glass**

Dangerous


Suzannah Daniels - 2013
    Since then, his life has spiraled out of control. He's been kicked out of private school, deemed a disappointment by his father, and forced to endure his own guilt, anger, and grief. The last thing he wants is a relationship with someone who will have expectations of him. But once he's enticed by the shimmering-pink lips of the oh-so-popular, academically-excelling, straitlaced hottie from his new school, he knows he's in trouble. Seventeen-year-old Dara Golding has one goal for the summer: make enough money to buy a car, so that she can drive to school her senior year. After starting a new job, she realizes that she'll be working with the brooding, motorcycle-riding, bad boy who started attending Quail Mountain High last year. With his less than stellar reputation, he's everything she's afraid of...and that makes him dangerous. Their undeniable attraction has Stone struggling with his inner demons. As Dara slowly allows Stone to claim her heart, a little white lie to cover an ugly truth could determine whether she's his savior or the final straw that will break his sanity.

Hope's Chance


Jennifer Foor - 2012
    A Hope and a Chance is based on the story formally known as Hope's Chance with changes/updates to some character names and information.When Hope's parents divorced two years ago, her life was turned upside down. To pass the time and avoid family issues, she took extra classes and graduated six months before turning eighteen. After being estranged for more than a year, her father moves back to their hometown. Hope is reluctant to visit him for the first time, but her mother insists. The visit to his new mansion is not what she expected until she meets the secret guy living in the pool house.A year ago, Chance Avery was on his way to a law degree courtesy of Penn State University, but something terrible happened. Chance has lost everyone in his life, except for his sister. When she moves to Virginia, he has no choice but to come along. With an agreement to renovate the Mansion, he gets to live in the pool house on the property. His life is boring and meaningless, until one day someone comes barging in his door.When Hope and Chance run into each other again, they end up spending the night together, thinking they never have to see each other again. Then Hope finds out she has to move in with her father, who has already warned Chance that he is not allowed to touch his daughter.Staying apart is a lot harder than either of them expected, and soon their feelings intensify to a breaking point, leaving them helplessly in love with one another. Will they be able to hide their relationship until Hope turns eighteen?