Book picks similar to
Taking Charge by Rebecca Barber
romance
contemporary
rebecca-barber
freebie
The Inn at Cranberry Cove (Cranberry Cove Series Book 1)
June Foster - 2020
She’s inherited her aunt’s B&B and is determined to carry on her legacy. Upon preparing for guests, she learns of a century-old tale of treasure within the inn. Many have searched for the illusive gems but to no avail. She discovers a man working on the inn’s grounds, but is he the gardener Gina Price hired? Perhaps he’s searching for the hidden treasure.James Atwood, corporate executive, works in the Atwood’s thriving cranberry business. Tragedy strikes, and he’s numb and riddled with guilt. Befriended by Gina Price, he finds solace working evening and weekends in the fresh earth, fescue grass, and aromatic blossoms of the inn’s gardens, helping to divert his mind from his dishonest cousin Robert, bent on destroying the Atwood business. He continues tending the grounds after Gina passes, and the new owner believes he’s a gardener. After she calls late one night upon hearing a prowler, James races to her rescue and discovers his feelings are more than protective.Ashton’s first guests, the Claxton’s, appear out of nowhere saying they’ve had reservations for a year though she finds no record of a deposit. She chalks the failure up to faulty accounting before she arrived. When an elusive intruder continues to make frightening midnight visits, Ashton fears for her own safety and that of the Claxtons. But then, their odd comings and goings cause Ashton to wonder. Are they really vacationing visitors from California, or do they have other motives for staying at the inn?Can two people allow the majestic northwest and fragrant coastal air heal their wounded hearts? Will they discover the secret of The Inn at Cranberry Cove?
The Cowboy Finds a Family
Anne McAllister - 2021
Stubborn.Mace Nichols is an ‘I’ll die with my boots on’ cowboy. Old-school. Tough, silent and honorable. Which is why he’s leaving his wife, Jenny. She has helped him build his dream—the Montana ranch they loved. Now he can’t give her the family she’s always dreamed of, so he has no choice: he needs to set her free. It makes perfect sense to him.It doesn’t make a bit of sense to Jenny! She loves her stubborn, bull-headed husband. She admires his courage, his tenacity and his determination to always Do The Right Thing—even if, in this case, it is the stupidest thing he’s ever done.Mace is right—Jenny has always wanted a family. But she wants a family with Mace! How can she convince the most honorable, stubborn man in the world what really matters in life? First published as A Cowboy’s Tears
Lucy's Hearth
M. Lee Prescott - 2019
Her new neighbor back east, Richard is a self-made billionaire who goes after what he wants, and he wants Lucy. Back home in New England, they begin a white hot love affair. As the heat pumps up, Lucy tries to step back, scared she is in too deep, too fast. Will this gorgeous Morgan man let her go? And, in pulling away, is she giving up a dream of happiness she never thought possible? As Lucy and Richard’s love story unfolds, join another branch of the Morgan family in this first book of Morgan’s Fire!
Different With You
E.H. Lyon - 2022
I’m slowly putting the mess of my soon-to-be divorce behind me. Not to mention figuring out how to juggle being a single dad. But when I accidentally nearly kill my parents’ dog, the dog isn’t the only one with a whole new dilemma, because I come face to face with the woman I once kissed during my hormonal teenage years.It just so happens that veterinarian Dr. Abby Call is also riding the post-divorce train. What started off years ago, as a teenage crush, could easily become something much less innocent between two newly single adults. Now we just need to find out if we’re nothing more than each other’s rebounds or if this is our second chance at love.Throw in my four-year-old son, my meddling mother, and an overprotective Labrador, and our budding romance is only about to get more complicated.
Different With You is the first sweet and sexy standalone novel from the Matchbox series. Readers who love small town, single parent, and friends to lovers romance may just fall for Lucas! This story is low on angst and a feel-good romance ideal for your beach read list.
Finding You
Leah Busboom - 2020
One caring and nurturing small town.Will Hailey and Quinn find their happily ever after in Connor’s Grove?Hailey Summerville is in debt up to her eyeballs, unemployed, and homeless. She’s looking for a fresh start in tiny Connor’s Grove and maybe a romance she’s never had time for before.Quinn Connor fled back to his hometown, injured in a car accident and disillusioned with big-city corporate law. His fiancée broke up with him, making him swear off women forever.Through simple acts of kindness, the quirky people of Connor’s Grove show Hailey and Quinn what it means to belong in a community where people care about each other, know everyone’s business and believe in matchmaking. Theirs is a story about finding love and a new purpose in life.Book 1 in the new Connor Brothers series. You can enjoy it as a stand-alone novel, but you’ll want to find out what happens next in this series of small-town, clean and wholesome romances.
Worth Waiting For
Jax Burrows - 2019
No strings sex. But there were consequences.
When Dr Casey O'Connor returns to his home town of Leytonsfield to take up the post of trauma consultant, the last person he expects to see is the woman who has haunted his dreams for the past four years.Staff Nurse, Lexi Grainger, has made a home for herself and her daughter in Leytonsfield. She is happy with her life as A&E nurse and single mother. Now everything is about to change.If you enjoy medical dramas, second chance romances, and secret baby stories, then you'll love this series starter, Book One of "The O'Connors".
Lies Unspoken
Lisa De Jong - 2014
My new roommate, Blake, is a jerk—an unemployed artist with a chip on his shoulder. I can’t stand him unless his hands are on me. He makes me desperate for him, and everything he makes me feel. And then there’s my new boss, Pierce--successful, charming, and extremely good-looking. He goes after what he wants, but what does he see in me? I try to stay away, but I end up in the arms of exactly who I was hiding from. And when I find out what’s being hidden from me, my heart twists in ways it never should.I thought I knew him.I didn't. The way he kissed me.The way his hands traveled every inch of my skin.I thought it meant something, but as it turns out, it was all lies unspoken.
Let's Be Frank
Brea Brown - 2014
When his obnoxiously perfect older brother, Nick, announces his engagement, Nate decides he’s ready to do whatever it takes to secure his own happily-ever-after.But he has no idea how wacky “whatever it takes” can get. Before he knows it, his next blind date has helped herself to his name, his gender, and details of his life to fuel a wild scheme—and he finds himself falling into it. After all, if his own life is a bust, why not try on someone else’s? What could possibly go wrong?“An irresistible tale about finding love where you least expect it.”
Retro
Emma James - 2014
There is no cheating, only love and gorgeous men.
Charlie's Whiskey
Harlow Brown - 2017
If only temporarily, the abuse bestowed upon her by her boyfriend halts for the time that she is behind the plate. Hensley has been her boyfriend for three years and the relationship progressed into a domestic nightmare. Realizing this, Charlie does what she needs to do to protect herself.Whiskey Williams is a patched member of the Chosen Legion motorcycle club. He finds himself running from a dark and dirty past, looking for a new start. He relies on his brothers from the mother charter to help him. Once he arrives in Rudy, he sees Charlie and knows something has to be done to help her. However, seeing as she is fresh out of her abusive relationship, she wants nothing to do with men.Will the attraction between the two be enough to make Charlie give the troubled biker a chance? Or will he strike out?The game of love is not as easy as three up, three down.
Look After You
Elena Matthews - 2014
Well, that’s what twenty-eight-year-old Ava Jacobson thought. Instead, she has to sit back and watch her daughter fight for her life, while her fiancé is fighting a messy war in Afghanistan. As her vulnerability hits an all-time low, she finds comfort in an unexpected pair of intense, green eyes. Eyes that belong to her daughter's doctor, Dr. Ashton Bailey. Although she tries to fight against her new-found feelings for Ashton, the pull between the two is so strong it proves impossible for her to stay away. When Ava is convinced things can’t get any worse, a single call changes everything, with news that will irreversibly shake her world forever.Warning: Recommended for ages 18+ due to heavy subject matters of rape and suicide. Also includes violence, explicit language and sexual situations.
Abe: Four In Hand
M.J. Fields - 2014
After working tirelessly for over a year, he takes a week off to enjoy the sand, surf, and bikini-clad women of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After all, he's earned it. When a brief interlude with a flight attendant in her hotel room goes awry, Abe heads to a rental home with a private beach. While floating naked in the pool, he learns a guest house on the property is also occupied. So much for rest and relaxation. Ever the gentleman, Abe tries to make the most of his misfortune and offers to make the beauties staying on the property some dinner.It's senior year and Nikolette (Nikki) Bassett is a few days late for her last college Spring Break with her four best girlfriends. When she arrives, all these ladies can talk about is the guy next door. And once Nikki gets a look at him, she knows what they mean. Fresh from an afternoon of surfing, Nikki can hardly believe her eyes when Abe approaches. The sexual tension and banter between the two of them leads to steamy hot sex on the Atlantic shore. It's only a Spring Break fling, and both Abe and Nikki know better than to make it out to be more than that. Or do they?Abe’s calm demeanor changes once he has a taste of Nikki. That night, no location is safe. He takes her on the beach and ravages her in his bed. But despite their mind-blowing sex, Abe's taste for ultimate control in the bedroom makes Nikki uneasy. Nikki's just getting over a heartbreak and she can't afford to let Abe in. So, she pushes aside her budding feelings and leaves Florida and Abe behind without a backwards glance.Not used to being dumped and afraid to admit how much it hurts, Abe cuts his losses and heads back to Steel Inc., resuming his role at the top, pouring his heart and soul into his work. But Nikki Moore won't be forgotten so easily. Her taste, scent, voice, the noises she made when he brought her to ecstasy, the way she tasted on his tongue, and felt under his touch haunts him. Always fighting for control, Abe tries to push Nikki far into the back of his mind, as he fucks the rented women he had grown accustom to.But Karma is a bitch, and Abe blames her for Nikki leaving him the way she did. So when Nikki shows up unexpectedly, Abe welcomes Karma with open arms.Control has left the building and safety of one's heart is no longer strong enough to stop what happens next.
ABE, is the first in the TIES OF STEEL series from bestselling erotica author MJ Fields. It is a spin-off of the bestselling MEN OF STEEL series featuring the Steel brothers: Jase, Cyrus, Zandor and Xavier.
The Light in the Wound
Christine Brae - 2013
When Jesse Cain enters her life, she falls hopelessly in love with him, and every sadness she’s ever felt is washed away by his intensity and passion. But people change as they grow up. Things can never stay the same forever.Jesse and Isabel fight to stay together, determined to hold on to what they once had. Isabel wonders if a second love can ever be enough to make her forget her first.*Kindle version also available
Ava- Brewing Chemistry: Rosalind Brewery Series Book 1
Palmer Jones - 2020
Deploying without having one night, one kiss, would be a major regret.”Ava Sanderson doesn’t “do” casual dating.She wants to date one man, not a dozen. Sleep with one man, not a dozen.And after switching from her decade long career in chemistry to co-owning Rosalind Brewery with her two best friends, swearing off all forms of dating is easier than taking the risk. Because when Ava falls for a guy…she falls hard.Jake Rossi needs a distraction for the next two months before he deploys back to the dessert or to wherever the Army wants to send him. A couple of months as a maintenance man at the Rosalind Brewery seems like an easy job.Until he meets Ava.The woman is wicked smart, doesn’t have a clue about construction, and fights him at every turn. Jake can help- if she lets him.But that’s not all Jake wants. He wants a date.One date before he deploys.Before he leaves Asheville and never returns.Brewing Chemistry: Ava, Book One in the Rosalind Brewery Series, is a full-length romance novel full of laughter, sexy bits with a hunky soldier, and a satisfying happily ever after.Rosalind Brewery Series:1) Ava2) Reese (release date 8/14/2020)3) Frankie (release date 9/4/2020)Other Series by Palmer JonesA Southern Kind of LoveO'Keeley's Irish Pub
The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch: Books 1-3
Shanae Johnson - 2018
The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch series features Wounded Warriors, the women they fall for, and the loyalest pack of dogs you’ll ever meet! ON HIS BENDED KNEE Sgt. Dylan Banks lost more than just his leg in the war. His fiancée and family turned their backs on him as well. Now, he’s determined to create a safe place where wounded warriors like himself can heal. But a hidden zoning law requires all residents of the Purple Heart Ranch to be married. To save his dream, Dylan and his men will have to tie the knot—but can a man with such deep scars inside and out believe in love again? Maggie Shaw lost both her job as a veterinary technician and her apartment on the same day. Who knew her unreasonable landlord would kick her out for being four dogs over the one pet limit? Now, she and her gang of special-needs dogs are in trouble. Fate puts her in Dylan’s path with a proposal that seems too good to be true—but can her heart bear a loveless marriage of convenience? Dylan yearns to reach out for Maggie’s healing touch, but he keeps his distance, convinced his wounds are too deep for her embrace. Maggie sees past Dylan’s injuries, but if she fails to capture his heart they both could lose it all: her beloved animals, his ranch, and each other. HAND OVER HIS HEART Francisco DeMonti has always been a man with a plan. Though his last plan led to his entire squad being wounded on a mission in Afghanistan. Now he’s seeking redemption by getting all the men in his unit hitched so they can stay together and heal. But his own heart is under lock and key due to the shrapnel around it that could kill him at any moment. After years of scraping and saving, Eva Lopez finally steps foot onto a college campus only to be yanked away by the mean streets she came from. A local gang threatens her family’s safety until a wounded veteran offers a reprieve: marry a soldier in exchange for protection and the freedom to attend school. Fran has every intention of directing Eva towards one of his brothers in arms, men who aren’t in danger of a sudden death, but he can’t resist the brainy brunette and proposes to her himself. He’ll protect her for as long as he breathes, but falling in love is futile for a man with a ticking time bomb in his chest. Eva can’t help falling for the man who is making her dreams come true, but when he keeps her at arm’s length, can she convince him to make this marriage more than a convenience no matter how much or how little time they have left? OFFERING HIS ARM Reed Cannon may be a numbers guy but being minus one arm due to enemy fire hasn’t slowed him down. Now he’s faced with a new challenge—find a bride so he can stay on the rehabilitation ranch that has given him and his squad back their lives. Reed turns to a dating app to narrow down the selection of potential brides. The woman who matches him nearly 100% is accessible online, but out of reach in reality. Sarai Austin has done the impossible, she’s found a great guy online. The problem is now he wants to meet in person, and Sarai's not ready for IRL. Her profile picture was taken three years and thirty pounds ago. To hide her weight issues, she tells Reed she’s out of town on business.