Book picks similar to
The LA Commandments by Gillian Duffy


chick-lit
contemporary-fiction
ebooks
for-review

Charmed by Claire: A Seriously Sweet Romance


Cindy Kirk - 2019
    Out of money and credit, she scrambles for a way out of the one-horse town. The only bright spot in her current predicament is a former flame.Tony Karelli knew Claire years earlier. That was before he turned his life around and became a minister. He’s shocked to see her and stunned when Claire gives everyone the impression that she’s his fiancée.Claire is amused by the charade and by Tony’s attempt to keep her at arms’ length. Before he can set the record straight, Tony finds himself seeing a different side of the pampered heiress and falling hard. But can he convince a woman who already has one stiletto out the door that she’s right where she’s meant to be?

Heartland Joy


Jessie Gussman - 2021
    He’d only left his family and the close-knit community of Mistletoe, Arkansas as a favor to his parents. They’d asked him to help the daughter of a friend who was in an accident.After arriving in Iowa, it doesn’t take long before Shawn invests in saving more than the woman’s farm. When he sees how the town avoids her, he decides to save her reputation, as well.Bridget Rawlings isn’t exactly considered a catch in Prairie Rose, Iowa. In fact, the locals all but shun her and her three children. A cloud of death and disaster seems to surround both her and her farm. After all, The Bad Luck Widow has already buried two husbands.Although she admires Shawn’s courage and willingness to help, Bridget doesn’t welcome his aid.What if the locals are right? What if she is bad luck? She’s not willing to risk Shawn’s life and prove them right.Then Shawn makes a very public surprise announcement. Will it solve Bridget’s problems, or break both their hearts?Books in the Sweet Haven Farm series:1. Heartland Joy2. Heartland Cheer3. Heartland Romance

Kick the Dust


Rhonda Forrest - 2019
    When I open them, I think it might really be there in front of me.’ After three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Liam Andrews is home safe in Queensland. His weekly life drawing class, full of colourful local artists, helps him manage his post-traumatic stress disorder. But he’s struggling to open up about a past that still haunts him. Belourine ‘Billy’ is an Afghan refugee who lost everything before arriving in Australia as a child. She finds joy in her daily swims in the lake. After years of upheaval, she’s still searching for a place to call home. But her past makes it hard to trust people. When Liam and Billy meet, they form an instant connection. But will they ever overcome the past? And will it be together? ‘Rhonda is one talented Aussie author….’ Chapterichi.com ‘When I read Rhonda’s work, I think "authentic". There is no pretence. No fakeness. Just raw, honest and beautifully crafted characters and dialogue.” The MadHatter Book Reviewer

Sparkles In Love


Sarah Gai
    Accident prone and unlucky in love. Her life has hit a stalemate. What better way to change things up than by playing Matchmaker. But Jess gets more than what she's bargained for. It also doesn't help that she lives next door to the worlds sexiest man. Fall in love with this tutu toting, pink wig wearing cutie and come along for the ride.

SOLD TO ME (Billionaire Romance)


Mia Carson - 2017
    Money can buy everything, including the rundown inn I need to complete my luxury hotel deal. Some old lady is refusing to sell the damn inn to me - I can't have that. I won't let her stop my plans even if it means pretending to be a guest at her inn. I drive to the middle of nowhere, ready to make a deal of a lifetime with her, but instead of an old frail lady, I meet a fiery, sexy, stubborn woman, unwilling to let go of her past. Until I show her just how much she needs to move on...with me.She tries to resist, of course, but she needs me more than she realized.And chasing her is quite a thrill.Owning her will be the ultimate prize. I won't let go - until the inn and its sexy owner belong to me.She, and the inn, will be sold to me!I am Daniel Stone, and no one says no to me. SOLD TO ME is a standalone, happily ever after romance novel with loads of steam and no fluff! This edition contains one extra full-length romance novel with even more steam!

Sweet Destiny: A Small Town Sweet Romance: A small town silver romance (Silver Fox Book 1)


Dean Hodel - 2019
    One thought love wasn't for him.Together they'll find an unconditional love that heals.Robert Parker has been in the army and traveled the world. He comes back to retire in a place called home. He is resolved to live his life alone, but fate has other plans. He meets a widow named Delilah Cade-- whose poise and quiet grace make him abandon any plan of bachelorhood.Delilah Cade has already known the love of a lifetime. When her husband passed, she dedicates her life to her family. Now her grandchildren need her to help out in the family business. She pairs up with Robert Parker-- a private and enigmatic man who reminds her that she's still very much a woman.When these two meet, their core values and beliefs will be put to the test. They will have to decide if it's worth putting aside their old ways to embrace a new life and a new love.Buy Sweet Destiny today!

The Light Never Lies (Crater Lake Series)


Francis Guenette - 2014
    The young girl’s resolve is strengthened when she learns that Justin Roberts is headed there for a summer job at the local sawmill. Her sudden appearance causes turmoil. The mere sight of Lisa-Marie upsets the relationship Liam Collins has with trauma counsellor, Izzy Montgomery. All he wants to do is love Izzy, putter in the garden and mind the chickens. Bethany struggles with her own issues as Beulah hits a brick wall in her efforts to keep the organic bakery and her own life running smoothly. A native elder and a young boy who possesses a rare gift show up seeking family. A mystery writer arrives to rent the guest cabin and a former client returns looking for Izzy’s help. Life is never dull for those who live on the secluded shores of Crater Lake. Set against the backdrop of Northern Vancouver Island, The Light Never Lies is a story of heartbreaking need and desperate measures. People grapple with the loss of cherished ideals to discover that love comes through the unique family ties they create as they go.

The White Cuckoo


Annie Ireson - 2012
    Is destiny just the past, rewritten?

Shanghai Girl


Vivian Yang - 2001
    Shan Hai Gaaru". This 2011 U.S. edition features an excerpt of the author’s WNYC Leonard Lopate Essay Contest-winning new novel "Memoirs of a Eurasian". In the post-Cultural Revolution Shanghai of 1984, university senior Sha-fei Hong longs to study in the U.S. for graduate school, ostensibly to pursue the American Dream, but partly to escape her sexually-harassing Communist cadre stepfather. She meets the visiting Chinese-American businessman Gordon Lou, who has political ambitions and ties to the Chinatown underworld in the U.S. He takes Sha-fei to the American Consulate in Shanghai to look into studying in America. There, Sha-fei meets the intern Edward Cook, a young, Caucasian American lawyer who has a strong preference for all things Asian. Within a year, these three people of entirely different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds cross paths in New York. Value systems and self-interests clash. The curtain falls on a dramatic stage of ambition, sex, intrigue, and murder.

Skyfall


Saba Karim Khan - 2020
    Despite the worst of humanity every day – her madrassa running father selling her mother's body and beating her sister – Rania remains the 'Troublemaker', unable to give up on her dreams.When an Indian filmmaker encourages her to enrol in a music contest that can take her to New York, her dreams take flight. But even as she wins the hearts of her listeners, a family secret threatens to bring her life in Heera Mandi back in sharp relief, upending the new life she has built for herself.From the oppressive walls of religious hypocrisy to the orange jumpsuits of American prisons, Skyfall is a tender, piercing debut that teaches us the strength of human endeavour and our desire for love in a time of hate.

Chasing Rainbows


Kathleen Long - 2011
    Her husband leaves her for another woman, and her best friend announces an unplanned pregnancy at the age of forty-one. Bernie's behavior goes from acting out to out-of-hand, and she finds herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a confrontation at the cosmetic counter.When her mother discovers her father's book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded lessons in living might be exactly what she needs to survive. From dealing with her family's grief and bonding with her best friend's thirteen-year-old daughter, to dieting, dating and mindless almost-sex with the landscaper, Bernie discovers what her father always knew.In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don't.For Bernie, the singing is about to begin.

Christmas Romance Collection: 3 Contemporary Romances


Jennifer Youngblood - 2018
     Love on the Rebound Add a little Aloha to your Christmas this year! When Everly Watson takes her young son Jordan to Hawaii, she’s not just celebrating Christmas but also searching for answers surrounding a tragedy from her past. She doesn’t expect to be faced with a tsunami threat her second day on the island. Nor does she count on meeting the famous Christian Ross, superstar of a hit action-movie series. Sparks fly as Everly and Christian have an instant attraction. But things spiral out of control when Everly realizes someone is following her and watching her every move. Christian soon finds himself drawn into Everly’s complicated world of betrayal and deceit and feels the need to protect her from a perilous threat. Can Christian and Everly’s newfound love withstand the growing obstacles? Or are they doomed to keep reliving the heartaches of the past? Loving the Movie Star Actor Blade Sloan gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he lands a leading role in the new Jase Scott action movie, co-starring with Hollywood megastar Christian Ross. Too bad Blade’s having stress issues brought on by a longtime stalker who’s getting more aggressive. If Blade can’t find a way to loosen up on set and perform to the best of his ability, he’ll lose everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. Dani Fairchild is trying hard to turn over a new leaf and transcend into adulthood. Yes, she may have been irresponsible in the past when she jilted billionaire Liam Barclay and ran off with a surfer, but that’s all behind her. Dani has a food blog she wants to take to the next level, and she’s holding down a full-time job. Granted, being a receptionist isn’t her dream job by any means, but hey, it’s a start. Too bad she can’t keep her big mouth shut and gets fired when the boss acts like a jerk. An unlikely encounter on the public bus brings Blade and Dani together where sparks fly and attraction sizzles. But Dani isn’t having it. No matter how charismatic Blade is or how good he looks with his chiseled abs and piercing blue eyes she’s vowed to never again get involved with someone who doesn’t live on the island permanently. Long distance relationships are a kick in the pants, and she’s tired of being hurt. Home alone for Christmas while Samantha and her family go to the mainland, Dani settles in for a quiet, predictable holiday. But fate has other plans when Dani and Blade are unwittingly thrown into a cycle of events that lead to a heart-pounding climax. Can Dani and Blade find a strong enough love to sustain them in the face of danger? Or will the stalker win in the end? False Identity Believe in miracles … believe in hope … believe in love. It's Christmastime, and Chancy Hamilton can’t bear the thought of spending the holidays without her late husband Max who died in a plane crash. When Chancy and her teenage son, Travis, have an argument, Travis storms out of the house and ends up in the wrong part of town where he is attacked by a group of thugs. When a homeless man comes to his rescue, he invites the man home to have a meal with his mom and little sister. Gabe Jones is not like any other homeless man Chancy has ever seen—he’s confident, intelligent, and devastatingly handsome. Jake, Chancy’s boyfriend, takes an instant dislike to Gabe and warns Chancy to stay away from him.

Second Chance with a Firefighter


Ellie Hall - 2019
    Will he get a second chance with his first love? Sadie Collins has spent more hours than she'd like to admit rehearsing what she'd say when she came face to face with her ex again. It is not, "I’m stuck.” After the rescue, her day goes from bad to worse when her boss discovers a glaring error in a project that she was in charge of. Worse, the mistake is mortifying. Tripp Hawkins returns to Hawk Ridge Hollow after several years to find much is the same in his hometown: the quaint village, good friends, and the world-class ski resort owned by his family. Almost everything is the same except the girl he’d once called his sweetheart. Sadie plans to spend Valentine’s Day alone. She has enough responsibility as it is. A romcom plus some chocolate sounds like the perfect date. Tripp wants nothing more than a second chance with the girl who stole his heart and he’ll do anything to win her back. But it might be too late. Has she moved on? Or did she never let go? This is book 1 in Rich & Rugged, Hawkins Brothers Romance series. Each book stands alone but reading them in order provides a deeper, richer experience. It is a sweet, “clean and wholesome” romance without swearing or mature content and contains a HEA.

Under the Summer Mistletoe


Stacey Weeks - 2019
    A disastrous trip including lost luggage and a body search at security sends him to the variety store to replace his toiletries. All he wants is to relieve the pounding in his head, play a little bluegrass, and find a “plus one” to ward off any matchmaking attempts by his friends. Then Holly Ferguson, the cashier from a local variety store, accuses him of theft, and his bad day gets worse.Can a stolen moment under the summer mistletoe turns everything around? Get a glimpse into the characters and world of Mistletoe Meadows in this complimentary micro-read.

Finding Hope's Ridge


Silver McKenzie - 2020
    However, he’s stunned to discover he still has feelings he can’t ignore for his sister’s best friend, the one woman in Hope’s Ridge who’s hated him since high school.When her business plans crumble overnight, Asha Jones is wrong to assume life can’t get any worse. She’s made an enemy of an influential local property developer, and the man who crushed her heart ten years earlier has returned to town. Sure, she can do her best to ignore Zane’s existence, but what will she do when her feelings resurface for him? She can’t go there again…can she?Zane needs to redeem himself and fight for a second chance. But is working with the man who wants to destroy Asha’s business a guaranteed way to reignite her hate - or could it be an opportunity to change her opinion of him?Finding Hope’s Ridge is the first story in the Hope’s Ridge small town series.