Book picks similar to
While I'm Gone by Ana Simons


cheating
stay-away
contemporary
skimmed

Undercover Princess


Lenora Worth - 2018
    a modern day fairy tale Born to an Italian father and native Texas mother, Nico Lamon returns to Texas to launch an exclusive deal with the iconic Castle Department Store. Guilty for not being there when his father died, Nico has brought the House of Lamon back from the brink of bankruptcy. He devises a marketing gimmick that will benefit both the Castles and the House of Lamon: find the perfect woman to be the fashion line's spokesperson and to wear the gorgeous Valentine shoes he personally designed. When he spots Eleanor in the crowd, he won't stop until she's that woman. His woman. Eleanor Castle returns to Castle Department Store undercover as head of security, but she's really back to reclaim her heritage and save both the store and her aging father. Eleanor has a plan to stop her evil stepmother from her devious doings and she won't stop until she knows her face is safe. But when Nico spots her at a gala and decides she's the one who should wear the shoes and that she's also the one he wants in his life, Eleanor has to reevaluate her undercover plan. Nico slips a red shoe on her foot and captures her heart. How can she fall for a prince of a man without exposing herself and her bruised heart?

Twenty-One Trees


Linda Cousine - 2016
    Savannah May Holladay and her best friend from childhood, James “Birdy” Johnson, harbor many dark secrets. Birdy also has an undying love for Savannah that spans over two decades. Unfortunately for him, Savannah is a wealthy debutante engaged to the town’s most eligible bachelor—and Birdy is a truck driver. But after a nasty incident, Savannah wakes up in a hospital bed and can’t remember one thing about the past seven years—not her marriage to Birdy instead of her boyfriend, and especially not the birth of their four children. In what feels like an instant, she’s lost her perfect life and become an impoverished housewife. Savannah must struggle through her memory loss to recover some kind of love for her husband and children. Will Birdy’s unwavering devotion be enough to carry her through and bring back her lost years? Or could Birdy’s own secrets make matters even worse? Wealth, poverty, love, loss, and amnesia create a challenging road for Savannah May Holladay. Find out how she traverses these obstacles and unearths the hidden bonds with her childhood friend in Twenty-One Trees. Review "What would it be like to wake up and not remember the last seven years of your life? I can't even imagine! Not knowing my kids or my husband... Just thinking about it breaks my heart, especially because the last few years of my life have been the best. The love between Savannah and Birdy in this story is so sweet, even though they overcome seemingly impossible obstacles. The characters in Twenty-One Trees are so realistic. You will feel as if you know them personally and keep on turning pages just to find out what happens to them next. This is a love story like no other, in which true love conquers all. Another great novel by Linda Cousine!" -Ashley Emma, bestselling author of Fearless Author and Undercover Amish

Cree


H.J. Bellus - 2014
    A broken family, an asshole husband and the loss of loved ones have left me crying Uncle, and declaring a serious case of the Fuck-Its! I had my heart broken, stomped on and shattered before I ever started on my journey to find my little piece of happiness. With a bucket list, a '66 Ford and wild dreams, I set out on an adventure that changed my life forever. I found Cree… A pirate with a little princess and they swept me off my ever lovin' feet, filling my world with sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again. They forced my fragile heart to trust and love without fear. But the truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin everything you’ve worked to set right. All it takes is one final blow to the gut to end everything… Mature Content Warning. Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual content. Please note: this book was previously named My Now & Forever.

Speak From The Heart


L.B. Dunbar - 2013
    Back at her grandmother’s summer home, she’s only in Elk Lake City for a visit which can’t end soon enough. Especially when she can’t seem to get away from one grumpy repairman who shows up everywhere. Fortunately for him, his daughter is sweet even if she refuses to speak.Jess Carter is a hometown favorite and a hot single father. Sworn off love for several reasons, foremost is the silence of his daughter. His little one has a secret and he doesn’t know the why behind it. Unfortunately for him, his six-year-old has taken a liking to the beautiful new woman in town visiting her nana. And everywhere he goes, there she is, invading his space and his heart.While silence might be golden, the voice in lonely hearts refuses to remain quiet.** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED in 2014 as Sound Advice, Sensations Collection 1.

Stockholm Diaries, Caroline,


Rebecca Hunter - 2015
    Caroline must choose what is safe or choose what her heart tells her is right.But what if her heart wants more than one thing?2015 Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction Finalist - Contemporary Romance"...beautiful debut novel..." - InD'tale Magazine, Feb 2016This is a stand-alone romance novel at 65,000 words with a HFN. Stockholm Diaries, Caroline 2 is the next episode in their adventure.

A Pretty Beach Christmas


Polly Babbington - 2020
    The delightfully romantic story continues as the town dresses up for Christmas and reels us in for all the festive feels. We follow along with the journey of Juliette Sparkles, resident midwife, who after a horrid divorce and a few years of ups and downs, suddenly has a very nice piece of luck come her way and she moves to Seapocket Lane.There’s the Pretty Beach Christmas Dance, all the weird and wonderful Pretty Beach Christmas traditions and, well, there may just be an ever-so handsome new resident in town. Will Juliette surprise not only herself, but all the locals in Pretty Beach and get everything she’s dreamt of this Christmas or will she end up back to square one?

Slip of the Tongue


Jessica Hawkins - 2016
    Nathan Hunt has her coffee waiting every morning. He holds her hand until the last second. He worships the Manhattan sidewalk she walks on. Until one day, he just…stops. And Sadie finds herself in the last place she ever expected to be. Lonely in her marriage.When rugged and sexy Finn Cohen moves into the apartment across the hall, he and Sadie share an immediate spark. Finn reveals dreams for a different life. Sadie wants to save her marriage. Their secrets should keep them apart, not ignite a blistering affair. But while Sadie’s marriage runs colder by the day, she and Finn burn hotter.Her husband doesn’t want her anymore.The man next door would give up everything to have her.Slip of the Tongue is a standalone contemporary romance. The second book in the series, The First Taste, is a standalone about a different couple.

Gloria


Jessica Lynch - 2019
    Growing up an only child, all she had was her grandmother. After Nana’s passing, Gloria thought she was the last one left in her family.Well, she is. Since Great Aunt Patti is dead and all.That’s okay. The nice lawyer who wrote her a letter assured Gloria that her great aunt lived a long, happy life in a small town that Gloria has never heard of. And now, as her next of kin, everything she owned belongs to Gloria.Including a house. Which sounds like a godsend to Gloria, who is eager to start her dream business and could use the extra cash.Only there’s a catch. Because of course there is. The house is hers—but only after she lives there for a year. One year in Hamlet and then Gloria will have enough money to follow her dream. Why not? It’ll give her time to work on her flavors. And it wasn’t like she had much going on for her in the city anyway.She’s moved in by Thanksgiving, ready to spend the holidays in her new home.So what if her new neighbor is the hottest guy she’s ever seen? Franklin is as grumpy as he is handsome, and he hates Christmas.Seriously.A year? Gloria will be lucky if she makes it to January. * Gloria is a small town Christmas romance set in Hamlet! It’s not explicitly part of the Hamlet series and for two reasons: the timeline and how different in tone it’s going to be compared to the other (darker, more suspenseful) books. Gloria will be a sweet, low-stakes, fluffy romance, similar to Hallmark Christmas movies, though it will feature characters and settings from the Hamlet books. You don't have to be familiar with those books to read this book—it's definitely a stand-alone—but it's also a bit of a prequel to that series, set a couple of years before the first Hamlet book Don't Trust Me.

Staying Grounded


Marianne Rice - 2017
    But after an altercation with a drunk passenger is posted on social media, he's forced to go on administrative leave until his name can be cleared. To get his wings back, he must attend anger management classes, and to avoid the media frenzy near his home base in Texas, he heads to Rocky Harbor, Maine. Responsible therapist Maggie O’Fallon wants a stable relationship with a man who’s not going anywhere… Maggie grew up with parents who were never around, physically or emotionally. Needing steadiness in her life and in a relationship, she only dates men with normal jobs. But when Graham walks into her office and flashes his charming steel-blue eyes at her, she's at a loss for words. Torn between her ethics and her heart, Maggie asks Graham to see a different therapist so they can explore the chemistry between them. He has everything she’s been looking for—except stability… Maggie touches something deep within Graham and he panics, pushing her away, too scared to face his feelings. But when a private investigator threatens to discredit not only Graham, but Maggie’s practice as well, he is faced with two choices. Fight…or take flight. Battling a lawsuit and his heart, Graham must decide what’s more important—the life he thought he wanted…or Maggie. Maggie might be the only thing that will ever help Graham Stay Grounded.

All I Want For Christmas


Tracey Mayhew - 2018
     Three years on, she returns to help Holly Richards, her best friend and business partner, through her own rough patch and quickly finds herself falling back into village life as if she’s never been away. But a chance meeting with a handsome stranger soon has Jess confronting her own ghosts of Christmases past and she finds herself accepting his offer to help her rediscover her Christmas spirit. Can friendships, both old and new, help restore Jess’ faith in Christmas and will she find love along the way? Discover the wonder of Christmas with this endearing romance, perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Debbie Macomber, Trisha Ashley and, of course, all things Christmas!

Trusting Jake


Lauren Giordano - 2015
    In need of a jumpstart. Tired of playing by other people's rules, the widowed single mom guards her new freedom by keeping her deadbeat husband alive... in name only. But meeting Jake Traynor gives her hope and makes her question the merits of lying. Will he break down the fortress around her heart? Love under construction: Falling for a married woman was never in the blueprint. The definition of responsible son, executive Jackson Traynor is driven to prove his father right. Jake runs the family construction company. The workaholic millionaire is all business. No pleasure. Until assisting a beautiful redhead with her broken down car reminds Jake what he wants. But what if the only person you want is the one you can never have? Battling their deepening attraction, Jake must question everything he's ever believed -- because Jen and her kids are the family he's always dreamed of. Jenna must choose between a safe life and the one of her dreams. When Jake's company is threatened, she will risk everything to protect him -- even if it means exposing old secrets.

Meant to Be


Melody Grace - 2017
    Now discover the romance, laughter, and happily-ever-afters waiting for you in her new series, Sweetbriar Cove!Poppy Somerville believes in happily-ever-after. It’s the reason her romance novels have won devoted readers all over the world—and why she’s broken off her engagement just weeks before the wedding instead of settling for less than true love. Escaping to her aunt’s beach cottage in Sweetbriar Cove, Poppy is looking for inspiration to end her writer’s block and finish her new book. She just wasn’t counting on the handsome, gruff contractor making such a racket next door…Cooper Nicholson doesn’t believe in soul-mates. He thought he’d found his forever once, and the world proved him wrong, so when the cute brunette comes storming over and demands he keep the noise down, romance is the last thing on his mind. But his new neighbor is full of surprises, and soon, their chemistry is too hot to ignore. As they grow closer, they discover fiction has nothing on the plot twists life has in store. But will Cooper find a way to let go of the past and risk his heart again? And can Poppy find her happy ending — on and off the page? Find out in the new sweet and sexy small-town romance from New York Times bestselling author, Melody Grace!

Men and Martinis


Delancey Stewart - 2013
    They've got killer jobs, killer clothes, and each other -- what could go wrong? Everything, and usually in most hilarious way possible. The first Girlfriends of Gotham's book follows the life of NYC newcomer Natalie Pepper. She's a California girl, a fish out of water, and she's going to make it on her own in the big city despite a massive crush on a coworker (a no-no), a boss that can't seem to get her name right, and a group of friends creating all kinds of chaos of their own. If you loved Bridget Jones and miss Sex and the City, this laugh-out-loud series will scratch that itch. Dive in today!

Lost in Us


Layla Hagen - 2014
    But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound... The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking.Electrifying.And best not repeated. James is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely, and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes opposites are perfect for each other. James is everything her damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the power to shatter her. Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.

Lianne


Mona Ingram - 2017
     Following in her late husband's footsteps, Lianne visits the spectacular Cornwall coast of England where she begins to find herself again. What she doesn't plan for is a growing attraction to a local man... and his dog. But when he disappears unexpectedly, she returns home and puts all of her energies into revitalizing her home town. But memories of those golden days linger, igniting her desire to love again. Mona Ingram is the author of over forty sweet, clean romances full of hope, inspiration and happily ever afters. For a complete list of Mona's books, visit her website at monaingram.com