Book picks similar to
The Love Fakers by Maggie Dallen
romance
ya
young-adult
contemporary
Secret Girlfriend
Bria Quinlan - 2013
Overlooked at school and ignored at home, Amy holds tight to her few constants: running, painting, and her long-held crush on soccer god, Chris Kent. But as senior year nears, Chris doesn’t just notice her, he needs her.Amy will agree to almost anything to be with him.Everything is great—sort of—until Luke Parker shows up for soccer tryouts and sees through every one of Amy’s defenses. When Luke decides he wants Chris’s spot on the team and wouldn’t sneeze at the captain’s jersey either their rivalry spins out of control.It doesn’t help that Luke also wants the girl Chris kept hidden all summer: AMY.YA ROMANCE BY GOLDEN HEART FINALIST, BRIA QUINLAN
Puddle Jumping
Amber L. Johnson - 2014
Everyone thinks Colton Neely is special. Lilly Evans just thinks he’s fascinating. Once friends when they were younger, their bond is cut short due to her accident prone nature and they go their separate ways. Years later, they meet again and Lilly learns that there is something special about the boy she once knew, but she has no idea what it all means. And she’s not sure if she’s ready to find out. When he walks through the corridor of her school the first day of her senior year, she knows that it’s time to get to know the real Colton Neely. The more she learns, the deeper she falls. Their friendship grows into love, even as Colton does not express it in words. But one decision threatens to break down the world that Lilly has tried so hard to integrate into and she must figure out if the relationship can survive if they are apart.
Against All Odds
Kels Barnholdt - 2013
She used to dread the empty feelings, but now she depends on them -- being invisible is better than having to answer the questions, better than having to deal with the pain. She’s so numb that she doesn’t even care that her relationship with her father is now nonexistent, or that she only has one real friend left in the world. She has a system, one that works, and one that keeps her emotionally shut off. But the appearance of Nathan Daley threatens to ruin Victoria’s carefully constructed world.Nathan is arrogant, and a know-it-all, and so smart it makes Victoria sick. Not to mention he’s absolutely beautiful. But the worst part? He’s her new stepbrother. A stepbrother she doesn’t want, who came with a stepmother she doesn’t want. But before Victoria realizes it, she’s playing a dangerous game with Nathan. One that’s sexy, addicting, and forbidden -- but most of all, one that makes her feel alive again. Can Victoria come out of Nathan’s game a better person? Or will it destroy her once and for all? Find out in Against All Odds by Kels Barnholdt. **Against All Odds is for a mature YA audience due to sexual language and situations.**
Things Liars Say
Sara Ney - 2015
Greyson Keller didn't intend to lie; it just came out that way. So when the object of that lie shows up on her doorstep, she is confused, shocked, and embarrassed. Calvin Thompson is an Ivy Leaguer, attending University over an hour away, playing rugby and basically not giving a crap. So imagine his surprise when some guy named Greyson begins rumors online that they're dating -- the only logical solution is to drive an hour and confront him... Be there when Greyson and Cal finally meet face-to-face because. Sparks. Will. Fly. Yes, sparks fly. That's why this book is intended for those 17+ Foul language, and sexual content.
Love, Life, and the List
Kasie West - 2017
She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings, Abby isn’t going to take any chances.Which is where the list comes in.Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list, she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being.But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems . . . and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.
Flirting with Maybe
Wendy Higgins - 2013
When sophomore Ryan "The Kid" McPhearson makes the Varsity baseball team, he finds himself submersed into the life of upperclassmen, and falling in love with senior Brooke Bennet. To Ryan she's his dream girl, perfect. Maybe to the outside world a two-year age difference doesn't matter, but this is high school. Everything matters. Ryan soon realizes Brooke's life is not so perfect. He becomes her closest friend, her safe place to fall when she needs to escape. Ryan seems to be benched in the friend zone with no chance to bat.Time is both a curse and a blessing. It ushers Brooke away to college, and Ryan into the arms of his first girlfriend. It alters Ryan from a kid to a high school graduate, ready to venture to college himself. But when Ryan sees Brooke again he realizes there are some things even time can't touch.Though much has changed, one question still remains. Will the things that mattered in high school always stand between them?
The Avery Shaw Experiment
Kelly Oram - 2013
The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.
Crush
Lacey Weatherford - 2012
She’s beautiful, a senior, extremely talented, gets good grades, and is working her way toward her dream college to be a musical theater major. Everything is perfect.Hunter Wilder does not want a girlfriend—that would complicate his life way too much right now. He especially doesn’t want this girl, Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes, so how come he can’t keep his eyes off her? He tries to keep her at arms length, but fate seems to keep pushing them together. Before long, it’s obvious to everyone they’re crushing on each other. As sparks begin to fly, Hunter finds himself sinking deeper and deeper into hot water. Soon he’s scrambling to keep Cami from discovering his dark secret—one that can destroy their entire relationship.
Broken Hill High
Sheridan Anne - 2019
He’s made it his personal mission to make my life a living hell and now my parents expect me to go and live with the guy for the foreseeable future. No thanks. I’d rather gouge out my eyes with a toothpick than live with him and his little brother, Jesse. Only problem is, they have my parents wrapped around their little fingers, thinking they’re the good little boys they pretend to be. But I know better, and so does the rest of Broken Hill High.Nate Ryder is not to be messed with. He’s a bad boy through and through. A bully. A guy who doesn’t care who he has to step on to get what he wants. He’s the devil and he knows it.Now that devil is my roommate.I better hold on tight because this is going to be one bumpy ride. One where I can guarantee that I won’t come out the same.Dive in to the world of Broken Hill High and meet your new favorite bad boy. This is one wild read you don’t want to miss.WARNING: The Broken Hill High Series is a four book New Adult Romance filled with LOL moments, teenage angst, and of course, all the swoon worthy moments I know you’re all dying for. This series is recommended for mature readers due to cursing and sexual content. If this offends you, then steer clear of this bad boy romance!For everyone else, dive in and have fun!
Flat-Out Matt
Jessica Park - 2013
Now go deeper into Matt's world in this FLAT-OUT MATT novella. Live his side of the story, break when his heart breaks, and fall for the unlikely hero all over again.Take an emotional skydive for two prequel chapters and seven FLAT-OUT LOVE chapters retold from his perspective, and then land with a brand-new steamy finale chapter from Julie.Author's Note: Two chapters, The Sleepover and Keep Going, contain more mature content than Flat-Out Love (Keep Going, in particular), and were written based on reader demand. They wouldn't have fit in well with the original Flat-Out Love, but given that this is a fan-driven companion piece, I think they work. While the content here is upped a bit, the scenes are tastefully done. (So, you know sorry to those who wanted lewd and graphic.)
Art & Soul
Brittainy C. Cherry - 2015
Passed by. Glossed over. Unnoticed. Now I was Aria Watson… that girl.After one bad decision, and being labeled a slut, I was no longer unseen. I was the whore. The ignoramus. The tramp.I would never be invisible again.Particularly to Levi Myers. He was the odd boy with the beautiful soul who accepted and understood the broken girl inside me.Falling in love wasn’t the plan. But how could I resist his promises of hope? Of forgiveness? Of a future I had stopped dreaming of?We were shattered. We were scarred. We were something strange and beautiful.We were two lost souls holding on to the only thing that could keep us together. Each other.
The Stillburrow Crush
Linda Kage - 2010
But that's never concerned her before. Her life revolves around her writing, and she loves her job as the student editor of the school paper.But when she gets assigned to interview the football team's beloved quarterback, she takes one look into Luke Carter's blue eyes and is a goner. Suddenly, she doesn't like her lowly rank so much. Then her dreamy, popular crush surprises her when he starts to act as if he likes her in return. But there's no way Luke Carter could possibly ever like a nobody like Carrie Paxton. Is there?
The One for Me
Layla James - 2012
Her parents announce their divorce and her boyfriend, Hayden, of a year breaks up with her for long legged hottie, Holly, all in one week. Katy’s luck might as well be buried with her dignity, when she is partnered up with Avalon High School’s own bad boy Liam Erickson.Katy follows Liam after he ditches her to go to a party, where she finds Hayden and Holly swapping spit in her face. Furious, Katy kisses Liam to get back at Hayden, leaving her with a re-bound girl and new class hoe reputation. Determined to save the last bit of her reputation, she proposes Liam a deal, a good reputation with his teachers, if he will ‘pretend’ to be her boyfriend, to stop the rumors. Katy deals with her parents’ divorce, her reputation being ruined and finds herself having more in common with Liam than she ever imagined. By the end, Katy can’t tell who is ‘pretending’ and who isn’t.
Ace of Hearts
Ella Goode - 2019
High marks in all her classes are the path to being a cardiothoracic surgeon like her beloved stepdad. She has no plans on falling for anyone, especially not the hot jock who keeps staring at her. The athletes at FU High have the worst reputation and she refuses to let one climb into her jeans—no matter how nice Owen “Fast” McCoy seems. It only takes one look for Owen to know that Alice “Ace” Alister is the girl for him. He’s eighteen but he knows what he wants—a successful football season and the new transfer. He’ll do whatever it takes to achieve those goals from extra practices to joining the sewing club. He won’t give up until he becomes the ace of her heart.
Jesse's Girl
Miranda Kenneally - 2015
So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?