Book picks similar to
The Ornament by Kasey Martin


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Kandi's Crush


Michelle Karise - 2019
    This summer was supposed to be my pre-graduation reward, doing nothing but catch up with all the fun my friends had while my nose was to the academic grindstone.Instead, I’ve been guilted into helping out with the family’s cleaning business. At least there’s a consolation prize. My client is fabulously successful, insanely rich Chadwick St. Clair. We have sort of a history. As a pigtailed kid, I lived to torment him. When I grew old enough to notice his hard-as-steel body, warm eyes, and gentle voice that talked me through some hard times, I crushed on him. Hard.My first glimpse of him in three years proves nothing has changed. He still makes my mouth water, my hands shake. But our history—and his reputation as a playboy with broken hearts from New Orleans to DC—isn’t the only thing standing between us. And a summer of breathless kisses and addictive encounters may not be enough to build a lasting love.

Secrets, Lies & Family Ties


Sylvia Hubbard - 2007
    Reluctantly, he is convinced to go to his high school reunion, but upon meeting the mysterious woman, Ezekiel forgets what he wants and focuses on what he desires. Too bad he won't be able to keep her. When Grae is given the opportunity to sleep with the man of her dreams since high school without him knowing her identity, this shy reclusive young woman steps outside of her shell and transforms herself into the woman of his dreams. From the author that brought readers the steamy sensual noir, MISTAKEN IDENTITY, other books by Sylvia Hubbard can be purchased or downloaded at her website: www.sylviahubbard.com

Heart's Conquest


Andromeda* - 2017
    Forced to find a way to survive in this savage world, her world changed when she discovered a great hidden power. A power she tried to run from… Alrik was the son of the most powerful Jarl in their land, and he's set to become his father’s heir. However, when a foolish decision was made, the family that he knew was ripped apart which forces him to leave with his mother. We always return to where we come from… Rashida and Alrik swiftly discovered that no matter what they did, no matter who tried to get in their way; the gods were always in control. From heart stopping passion, to bloody battles, to the call of vengeance that thundered in their ears, they are forced to confront their worst fears, and greatest desires. A new era is coming to their world. A world where Fire and Blood shall reign...where powerful Magic shall come alive.

Fatal Deception


S.R. Burks - 2010
    Retired young, he has devoted his life to his daughter, but she will soon leave for college. His brother thinks he should make plans for the future, but suddenly more serious concerns befall the family. Two new women have entered Marc's life: a blue-eyed, short-tempered journalist, and a beautiful new neighbor with soft mocha skin and delicate features that mimic those of his beloved late wife. Both women have secrets... but one is out for murder.

Trippin' Off A Crazy Hood Love


Kelly Marie - 2018
    There are no women who would do anything to have a balling boss or street king. And there are no dope boys! This is a story about love and how unpredictable it really can be. Meet Immanuel ‘Manny’ West, a pretty boy, ladies’ man, who prides himself on bagging the baddest women Harlem has to offer. He is a player and makes no apologies for it. His reputation as the man who loves too many bitches to settle down doesn’t stop women from throwing themselves at him. He knows he has a rep to keep and would rather die than be seen with a chick who wasn’t up to his standards… that was until he crossed paths with Rai-Elle. Rai-Elle isn’t your typical hood beauty that catches all the niggas’ eyes, the one who the bad boy sees and just has to have no matter what. No, Rai-Elle or just Rai, as she liked to be called, spent most of her life being invisible. And when people did see her, they saw a dude from her tomboyish looks and swag. What started out as a defense mechanism ends up being the same thing that Manny likes about her, even though he doesn’t want to. Will he knock down that wall she so desperately hangs on to or will he allow his friends, his rep and the pressures of life to walk away from the one woman who may not look like she fits him but is everything he ever needed nonetheless? Then there is Gideon West, Manny’s younger brother, who is following in his brother’s footsteps of having the baddest females on his arm. One day he comes across Lyriq, a chick who could never get the time of day from him just from how she looked and dressed. A friend dares Gideon to talk to her, and not being one to back down, he accepts the dare. But unintentionally, he ends up falling for Lyriq in a way he never saw coming. But what happens when Lyriq discovers the truth just as Gideon finds himself unable to live without this girl? Find out what happens when these two brothers encounter women they never thought they would even look twice at and try to deal with the way they are trippin’ off a crazy hood love.

Incapable: If I Fall In Love Again


A.J. Dix - 2017
    But, being a woman in a male-dominated field, there was no room for 808s and heartbreak, so Dej shook that hurt off and continued to work to be one of the best on-air sports broadcasters that Oakland has ever seen. Meet Saieed Bishop, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, with his mother and older brother, Semaj. Since he was able to hold a ball, Saieed had dreams of being in the NBA. And now, at twenty-six, he’s finally living out his dreams, and feels like he has everything he could ever want, until he meets Dej. Something about the dark chocolate beauty pulls him in, and he works overtime to make sure her heart didn’t turn to ice. Dealing with an overprotective mother, and a schedule that doesn’t leave much time for love, can Dej and Saieed overcome these obstacles as a couple, or is the scale tipped too far against them?

The Opposite of Normal


Judy Mollen Walters - 2014
    What he gets instead is just the opposite. His daughter, Hannah, twelve, struggles with grief, loneliness, and what it means to be Jewish as a Chinese adoptee. She wants to fit in, but that's difficult in their new mostly white and Christian town--so she decides to secretly convert. His son, Aaron, a senior in high school, is applying to Ivy League schools and counting down to when he can leave the small town--until he discovers a shocking secret that threatens his entire future. Lurking in the shadows is a pastor who says he just wants to support the kids in his congregation, but is that all he really wants? The Opposite of Normal is about what it means to love and accept, what it means to do the right thing, and what it means to heal after loss.

Billionaire's Unknown Baby Daughters


Britney Brooke - 2018
     My company was my image. My lifeline. My constant. So when it was going down in flames, I had to act. I had to keep the foundations strong. And to do that, I needed a Hail Mary… Who just happened to be my ex. It was by chance we met again. And by design that we kept meeting. I played Mr. Charming. I knew Olivia would fall just as hard again. And I played it to my advantage. Only thing I didn’t quite consider… Falling for her right back. I flaunted our relationship to the media, Who ate it up like candy. It was too easy. Too perfect. But then Olivia dropped a bombshell. Four-year-old twin girls. My baby daughters. I lost control. Despite her secrecy, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. So when Olivia found out about how I used her to better my image… Well, now, I’m not sure if we can survive the fallout… This is a steamy BWWM romance that includes a rugged billionaire, his beautiful ex-lover and the secret babies that may just bring them back together.

Her Goon, His Eden


Aubreé Pynn - 2020
    After she defies the path that her father wants her to take, she ends up at Paradise, a strip club in the heart of New York City. Paradise fuels the city and is bound to tempt her until she breaks. Rich is a ruthless ruler running New York and has no plans of stopping. With his father ready to step down, Rich is trying to secure all the resources he can while weeding out the weak links in his team. After what appears to be an accidental moment between Zola and Rich, she becomes a marked woman. Rich willing becomes a man captivated with her. With Rich reacting on impulse, Zola is trying to navigate through life and keep Rich at bay. But can budding feelings and an offer of a lifetime finally put them exactly where they’re fated to be? Find out in Her Goon, His Eden.

Coasts of Christmas Past: From the Tales of Dan Coast (From the Tales of Dan Coast - No. 3)


Rodney Riesel - 2014
    But when uninvited, unexpected guests arrive and throw a wrench into his holiday plans he is forced to sober up (slightly), and throw on a smile. Just when it seems nothing else could go wrong, a close friend is injured in what appears, to the police, to be a drug deal gone bad. Dan Coast and his sidekick, Red jump into action to find the truth while their friend lays unconscious in the hospital.

The Little Cottage by the Sea


A.L. Jambor - 2016
     A short story by A.L. Jambor When Meg’s sister dies, she is devastated. The last of three children, Meg misses her siblings and has never felt so alone. She’s an author, but her emotional state hinders her ability to write, and she can’t sit in front of her computer without trembling. A trip to Port Revere, MA recalls memories of the summers spent there with her family when she was a girl, and Meg decides to buy the Christmas Cottage, an abandoned little house on a bluff near town. She refurbishes it, and with the help of her nephew Zack, starts to come out of her shell. But then the holidays, a time for families and celebrations, arrive, and Meg must again face her loneliness, and guilt over something she can't forgive herself for – she wasn’t there when her sister died and never had a chance to say goodbye. With the cottage almost completed, Meg has one last thing to do; she has to find out if her plumbing is up to snuff, and arranges for a plumber to visit the cottage. On Thanksgiving Day, she is sipping a cup of coffee when someone knocks on the door. She looks out the window and sees an old man, an old truck, and an old dog. Lettering on the truck announces that Angus O’Malley, Plumber Extraordinaire, is standing on her doorstep. What she doesn’t know is that Angus is on a mission and that his appearance heralds the beginning of something wonderful, and the best Christmas Meg has ever had. The Little Cottage by the Sea was formerly published as The Christmas Cottage. The content has not changed. It is a short book of 20,000 words.

All Out of Love


Siera London - 2019
    In this small town of everyday charm and colorful characters, Hank believes he's found the one, but is Kelby all out of love? Hank has it bad for third-grade teacher, Kelby Springfield. The single dad has been trying to get next to the reclusive beauty for months, so when she suddenly demands a kiss he’s determined to win her heart out of the starting block. Kelby’s relocation to the small town of Endurance is strategic, not for romantic notions of finding a Mr. Right who’s all wrong. When a colleague’s good intentions lands Kelby in the arms of all-around good guy, Hank Stewart—her heart races faster than her common sense. Hank is convinced he and Kelby have a running start on forever, but is she all out of love?

Second Chances


Riley Jordan - 2020
    Things are going well; their mutually held animosity gave way over the years to respect and cooperation, something that can’t be said about their parents nor a certain overprotective best friend who takes holding a grudge to a whole new level.There is still tension among their families and friends, but the only thing they’re concerned about is making sure they’ve created the best life for their son.However, something else suddenly enters the picture. Something neither of them saw coming.Love.Love?Didn’t they learn anything the first time around?The stakes are much higher and, if things go bad, it’s guaranteed to destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to build.Should they keep old feelings buried and focus solely on their son? Or should they throw caution to the wind and give love a second chance?

Christmas Without You


Celeste Granger - 2020
    Being married to the love of her life is Wren’s dream, and it’s finally coming to fruition. She’s excited about their upcoming holiday vacation to the Swiss Alps. Phillip, a commercial airline pilot, maintains a hectic schedule, but he promised Wren the Alps. He promised uninterrupted time together to kindle their loving relationship.But Phillip can’t keep his promise, again, a reminder of all the other promises he’s failed to keep. That disappointment causes Wren to go home for the holidays instead. To her surprise, best friend, Torrence Edison, makes the same decision. Their reunion is a pleasant distraction. Emerging desire threatens to cross the friendship line when Torrence’s suppressed desire rises to the surface. His impassioned yearnings for Wren are hard to contain; yet, Torrence doesn’t want to push her to a place she’s not willing to go.Wren is surprised by her own eager response to the man that has always been there for her. She has a decision to make; hold on to the promise of forever or risk it all with someone who’s kept every promise he’s ever made.This is a standalone with an HFN/HEA.

A Chance at Destiny


Lilah K. London - 2014
    Destiny is black. They are both poor . He is from a trailer park on the outskirts of town. She lives in the city housing project. Both have mother's who are drug addicts. They have known each other all their lives. They have competed both in and out of the classroom. They both know the only way out of their poverty is hard work and education. The only problem, is neither of them have the family money to support them. Until .....they find a scholarship for married couples. Join these high school rivals on their journey. From competition to learning the art marriage and love.