Book picks similar to
A Desperate Experiment by Chelsea Burden


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Winter Surplus


Sicily Yoder - 2012
    The last three teachers found love and didn't stay at teaching for a full year.   Nathan has two special-needs children, and is a widower, so he needs a teacher that will stay put.   Abby has taken the job to help her blind season, but she has to keep pushing her selfish needs back as she finds Nathan very intriguing. However, Nathan is battling his affection for Abby because he can't see God answering both of his prayers: the prayer for a good schoolteacher and a good wife.   Will Abby stay focused as a schoolteacher, or will she let her heart slip away. Will Nathan be able to help keep Abby work-centered, or will his manliness make him error?

The Memory


Barbara Kaylor - 2013
    Now, due to a head injury from an auto accident, it is the only memory Elliot has of his life. Determined to find out why, he journeys to Geneva’s small hometown of Holly Park, Florida to confront her.Shocked by Elliot’s arrival, Geneva is forced to deal with emotions that have troubled her for seven years, including her secret crush on the man who fired her. Stepping out on faith, Geneva agrees to help Elliot regain all his memories, but is that what they really want? Confusion, uncertainty, and hidden desires challenge their efforts to do the right thing as they draw close to each other.

Waiting Under the Mistletoe


Elsie James - 2020
    She’s a Christmas miracle, but she’s also his best friends little sister. Can he earn her trust or will he be left waiting under the mistletoe?NoelSpending my time indulging in all things Christmas brings joy to my world.I never thought I’d move back to my small town, but an offer to turn my blog into a holiday baking show is one I can’t refuse.When my older brother’s best friend turns out to be the production manager, all is merry and bright.He’s tall, handsome, and I want to deck his halls.But can I learn to trust him?NickAfter losing my mom, I’ve always been a bit of a grinch during the holidays.But producing a holiday baking show means playing Santa and hiring new talent.When my best friend’s little sister finds her way onto my lap, I’m sure to be on the naughty list.Noel is curvy, sexy, and makes me believe in holiday magic.But can I convince her that my love is real or will she leave me waiting under the mistletoe?

Follow the Dawn


Rachelle Rea Cobb - 2020
    But when her father attempts to arrange an unsavory marriage, Anna learns that courage is sometimes found in adversity. Then she meets a boy and his father struggling in their relationship, and they tip her quiet world upside down.Captain Mathieu Tudder has run from responsibility, entrusting his young son’s care to another and devoting his Sea Beggar ship to the Dutch Revolution. After that cause fails, Tudder returns to England for the son he left behind. But his son seems to have given his heart to a unknown and quiet lady—a woman who reminds him of all he’s ever loved and lost.Will these two hearts—the battle-scarred and the broken—ever find true freedom?

A Summer Remade


Nicole Deese - 2015
    Joss Sanders needs an escape. Or maybe she just needs a reminder of a sweeter, simpler, and steadier time. But her family's vacation cabin isn't exactly how she remembered it as a child, and neither is the charming young man who lives next door.Change is everywhere, and if Joss doesn't learn to embrace it, she just might lose the second chance she needs the most.*A Summer Remade was previously published as part of the Just One Summer novella collection.*

A Cowboy Christmas: A Billionaire Cowboy Story


A.E. Easterlin - 2019
    Christmas marked the date my husband left our home and ran into the arms of his secretary. It happens so frequently and to so many women, it isn’t even interesting anymore. That is, until it happens to you. When it’s your husband asking for a divorce it’s a different story. It took time before I met Logan. Before I cuddled close to him, relieved, happy with my nerves on high. Before he tilted my chin so I could see into his eyes as he bent his head low to kiss me. Slow at first, building the burn, a stealthy kindling that caught fire and I wondered what it would be like to be loved by a man like him.

Splash!: 9 Refreshing Romances Filled with Faith


Valerie ComerJan Thompson - 2015
    Come visit Scotland, Zambia, Australia, Canada, and several American states, including Alaska, in these inspirational romance novellas. You'll love each refreshing contemporary romance as the characters enjoy the water on hot summer days, whether it be in a river, lake, ocean... or a swimming pool! His Perfect Catch by Narelle Atkins, author of the Snowgum Creek series A holiday romance isn’t part of the plan when Mia Radcliffe temporarily moves to Sapphire Bay and lives next door to Pete McCall, her secret crush from years ago. Pete prefers the simple life. Can Mia leave behind her big-city dreams and settle with Pete in the seaside town? Sweet Serenade by Valerie Comer, author of the Farm Fresh Romance series Carly and Reed thrive on the rush of running rapids in a canoe until they capsize in both river and romance. Will secrets from the past drown their future, or can this idyllic summer romance lead to a lifetime of sweet serenades? More than Friends by Autumn Macarthur, author of the Love in Store series When nurse Catriona asks for help with her Vacation Bible School for disabled children, she never imagines how much could go wrong on a simple seaside day out — or that the colleague she's secretly loved for years might come to see her as more than his best friend's little sister. Love Flies In by Heidi McCahan, author of the Emerald Cove series He’s a seaplane pilot determined to honor his convictions. She’s a kayak guide who mocked his faith for sport. One small lakeside cabin in Alaska can’t house them both.  Testing the Waters by Lesley Ann McDaniel, author of the Madison Falls series After breaking up with her ultra-critical boyfriend, Teresa decides to reinvent herself. She meets a nice guy named Curt on the beach in Crescent Cove, Oregon, and tells him she’s Terése from Paris. Pretending to be someone else is fun until the unthinkable happens — she starts to fall for him. The Lifeguards, the Swim Team, and Frozen Custard by Carol Moncado, author of the CANDID Romance series Lifeguard Alivia Collins looks forward to another summer on the guard stand at the Serenity Landing Aquatic Center. This year, she’s going to have to keep herself from falling for the cute, new guard - or realize it’s time to give love another chance. Time and Tide by Lynette Sowell, author of the Lone Star Hearts series When out-of-work fashion journalist Karyn Lewis uses the summer to regroup on the coast of Virginia, she plans to lie low at Pine Breezes campground. She doesn't plan for her heart to be on a collision course with old friend Brodie Reed. They must decide if the past that looms between them will be too much for them to have a future together.  Draw You Near by Jan Thompson, author of the Savannah Sweethearts series Savannah artist Abilene Dupree keeps her personal life out of her commercial paintings except one. That one painting has now brought Londoner Lars Cargill back to the coastal town and into her art world. Can she hold him at bay before he invades her personal space and her heart? Orphaned Hearts by Marion Ueckermann, author of the Heart of Africa series His faith buried with his wife,  Simon devotes himself to raising his daughter

Dog Heart


Barbara Samuel - 2011
    She vowed she’d never speak to him again. And she hasn’t.Until he shows up with Staff Sergeant Thor, a German shepherd who had been injured in the same battle in which his handler—Marcus’s best friend-- was killed. Thor has a bad case of PTSD, and Marcus knows only Jessie can save the dog. But can Jessie bear the close contact with the man who broke her heart? And can even she heal a dog so desperately wounded? A tale of trust, second chances and respecting people for who they are. ORIGINALY PUBLISHED IN SEAL of My Dreams anthology

Porch Swing Girl


Taylor Bennett - 2018
    She has to get back to Boston before her dad loses all common sense and sells the family house. But plane tickets cost money—something Olive gravely lacks.With the help of Brander, the fussy youth group worship leader, and Jazz, a mysterious girl with a passion for all things Hawaiian, Olive lands a summer job at the Shave Ice Shack and launches a scheme to buy a plane ticket home before the end of the summer.But when Jazz reveals a painful secret, Olive’s plans are challenged. Jazz needs money. A lot of it. Olive and Brander are determined to help their friend but, when their fundraising efforts are thwarted, Olive is caught in the middle. To help Jazz means giving up her ticket home. And time is running out.

Christmas Miracle in July


R.M. Gauthier - 2016
    However, meeting one shop keeper changes his perspective and complicates his work even further. Grab a copy and take a trip through Christmas Town today!

Picnics & Promises: Six Delicious Summer Romances


Jan Elder - 2017
     MOOSED OPPORTUNITIES—JAN ELDER Rev. Samantha Evans loves Moose Creek, Maine, the land of moose and men, particularly her fiancé Eric Palmer. Forest ranger, Eric, strives to plan their wedding, but Samantha’s busy schedule, his interfering ex-wife, missing college students, and a pregnant moose, all conspire against him. Will their lives continue to be a series of Moosed Opportunities? ZARA’S FOLLY—CLARE REVELL British equestrian, Zara Michaels, heads south to convince TJ Greggson to sell his property to her developer father. Any way she can. TJ co-owns the stables, catering to disabled children—his life’s purpose. His brother wants to sell. TJ doesn’t. Can TJ help untangle Zara from her past follies, or will their secrets destroy them both? A POCKETFUL OF WISHES—MARY MANNERS As childhood neighbors, Jenna Palmer and Carter Stevens discover first love. When a cross-country job transfer separates them, they promise to one day find each other. Years go by and they lose touch until an accident causes their paths to once again cross. Can their promise stand the test of time, or will time crush their promise…and their love? SWEET DELIGHTS—CECELIA DOWDY Patty-Lynn is stunned when she runs into her wealthy ex-boyfriend, Sam. She’s still haunted by their painful breakup seven years ago. Recently widowed, Sam now wants to fix their broken relationship. Seeing Patty-Lynn, happy in her bakery, gives him hope. Can her prize-winning pie recipe sweeten his new business venture and heal their broken hearts? IMPERFECTLY PROVERBS 31—AUTUMN MACARTHUR The last thing geeky Samantha Rose planned for was the homemaking blog only her sister was ever supposed to see going viral. After a disastrous picnic, Daniel Novak, the cynical reporter dispatched to interview her, insists he must reveal the truth. But that could ruin everything, including their budding love. A COURTSHIP FOR CLOVER—MARION UECKERMANN Clover Blume’s chance of getting to know the groomsman escorting her to her sister’s wedding is threatened when he’s delayed. Jonathan Spalding’s money hasn’t managed to buy him one thing: a woman to love. Is the auburn-haired beauty partnering with him at his best friend’s wedding finding a way into his heart? What will it cost Jonathan to realize it profits him nothing to gain the world, yet lose his soul? And the girl.