Book picks similar to
On a Hot August Afternoon by Bridget Straub


cheating
romance
marriage-and-family
trust-issues-in-review

The One Who Got Away


Jessica Goodwin - 2011
    Reunited after many years and many changes, Lucy and Jackson find themselves caught in a dilemma. Both of them are struggling with the fact that their old feelings for each other have been reawakened… And now both of them are involved with other people. Should Lucy stay in a comfortable, routine relationship with her boyfriend, Matt, even though he doesn’t make her feel the way Jackson does? Should Jackson keep going with the flow in his marriage to Sloane, his overbearing wife who is pressuring him to start a family?What begins as a friendship rekindled leads to a romance caught on fire as Lucy and Jackson question the decisions they made in their younger years and wonder if they are truly meant to be together.

Rumor Has It


Elisabeth Grace - 2013
    Every man in your life abandons you, but who knew a one-minute clip of your latest doomed relationship would brand you a slut, prevent you from getting your perfect job, and force you to keep doing the one thing you swore you’d never do again…live with your mother.But staying with mom and her latest boy-toy (is this husband number four or five?) until your life turns around might not be all bad. Especially when you fall – literally – at the feet of a sexy, green-eyed stranger who offers you freedom and a life of luxury on a gold-rimmed platter.There’s only one little problem – the man of your dreams is none other than Mason Nash, the latest hip-hop star busting up the music charts. Fame and fortune are his calling cards and he’s vying to steal the show on a new reality TV series that will catapult him into mainstream stardom. Hello spotlight.The man behind the famous persona is perfect for Ellie in every way, but can she overcome the ugly pitfalls that come with Mason's celebrity status? Or will she be forced to choose between the man she loves and the independent life she longs for? After all, fame and fortune aren’t always what they seem and not all publicity is good publicity…***Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.***

The Other Woman


Patricia Kay - 2001
     From the Amazon.com review of the print edition of THE OTHER WOMAN: Family obligations, including his mother's tenuous health and his father's desperate financial straits, kept lawyer Adam Forrester from marrying the woman he loved. Now, almost twenty years later, when Adam literally bumps into children's book editor Natalie Ferrenzo on the street in Manhattan, he cannot bring himself to leave her again to return to his empty, unfulfilling marriage to the daughter of his overbearing boss. And Natalie is equally incapable of saying goodbye to the only man she ever loved--and still loves. But Adam's manipulative wife Julia connives to keep Natalie and Adam apart, playing on Adam's over-developed sense of responsibility and guilt. Years pass with Adam and Natalie managing to content themselves with stolen hours and illicit meetings while they count their blessings. However, Natalie receives life-changing news and she knows she can no longer continue her relationship with Adam as it stands. Once more the lovers are separated by circumstance. Will true love triumph or will Adam be compelled to continue to sacrifice his and Natalie's happiness on the altar of familial loyalty? Kay weaves a captivating tale full of moral gray areas and characters you love to hate. You won't want to put this one down! --Alison Trinkle PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR PATRICIA KAY: "A stunning book from a master storyteller. Patricia Kay writes from the heart about matters that touch us all." -- Susan Wiggs, NY Times bestselling author "A beautifully written compelling story you won't be able to put down." --- Georgia Bockoven, USA Today bestselling author "If you love LaVyrle Spencer, you'll love Patricia Kay." --- Deborah Smith "Wonderful . . . (a) sparkling romance." --- Eileen Goudge "Kay's writing is solid, and her narrative swiftly reaches a satisfying finish." -- Publisher's Weekly "Patricia Kay writes from the heart about people we come to love." --- Christina Dodd, NY Times bestselling author "Heartrending and touching . . . Ms. Kay never fails to deliver this kind of story." -- Amanda Kilgore, Huntress Reviews "This marvelous story is full to bursting with winning characters, special moments, and most of all, hope, faith, and the rejuvenating power of love." --- Romantic Times Magazine "An intriguing story of love at first sight." --- Houston Tempo Magazine "There are deep questions about relationships and serious character growth evident in this story, which is also warm, sensuous, and excellent entertainment." --- Rendezvous magazine "A warm, tender, beautifully written love story with an emotional punch that only Patricia Kay can deliver." --- Amanda Stevens, USA Today bestselling author PATRICIA KAY is a USA Today bestselling author of more than 50 novels of romance and women's fiction. Her December, 2000 novel, THE WRONG CHILD, was nominated for a RITA award, which is the most prestigious award given to romance/women's fiction writers by the Romance Writers of America. An acclaimed teacher who taught writing classes at the University of Houston, she now teaches exclusively online. Born in Ohio, she and her husband have lived in Houston, Texas since 1969. To find out more about her, her books, and her writing classes, visit her website at www.patriciakay.com.

Strings Attached


Mandy Baggot - 2011
    She's going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitious owner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she's determined to succeed in business where she's so far failed in her personal life. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake's after-show party her life suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic.Magnetically drawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must know about. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life than he's telling her?Things hot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and her integrity very soon becomes compromised. With celebrity obsessed colleague Marisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life can George keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally get in the way?'a plot twist straight out of Dallas' - Jane Holland - formerly Embrace Books

Lifeless


J.M. LaRocca - 2013
    Feeling used and heartbroken, she decides it’s time to take her best friend Jules’ advice to move to Atlanta and live with her. There, Jules helps her get a job at Entertainment Atlanta, where she works as an entertainment insurance agent. It’s not Scarlett’s dream job, but it’s better than not having a job at all, and who would mind working with famous people, right?Then she gets assigned to EA’s newest client, Kade Evans, rock star turned actor. Not only is he a drug addict, he’s also known for never dating the same girl twice. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, has an amazing voice, and good acting skills, but he’s also arrogant and intense.At their first meeting, the chemistry between them is undeniable. The love that comes later is unexpected.But Kade’s life is full of secrets. His past has now intruded on his present and when Scarlett finds out what his secrets are, the real deception begins.Part 1 of 2

A Song for Julia


Charles Sheehan-Miles - 2012
    Six years later, he’s still at odds with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother. The only relationship that really matters is with his younger brother, but watching out for Sean can be a full-time job. The one thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success.Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again, especially when it comes to a guy. When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear everything apart.

Liquid Regret


M.J. Carnal - 2014
    He’s talented, he’s gorgeous, and he’s spinning completely out of control. His dark past is threatening to ruin everything he’s worked so hard for. When a story leaked to the press has the power to clean up his image, he doesn’t see another way out.Mia Lee has spent the past year forgetting about the week that changed her life forever. A chance encounter brings her face to face with the man who has the power to break her heart all over again. She wants the fairytale, but Damien Reynolds is no prince. How far is she willing to go to live out her dream of the perfect relationship?Being famous comes with a price. The paparazzi are hungry, late nights are filled with women lining up waiting for their chance, and danger lurks around the corner. Sometimes the best security detail in the world can’t change what’s already been set in motion.Losing what’s most important has the power to shatter the future. In a world full of darkness, can Damien chase away his demons before it’s too late? After a loss that rocks him to the core, can he take a chance on love again? Or will his past be what truly defines him?

A Twist of Fate


T. Gephart - 2013
    She is an energetic and impulsive soul whose passions sometimes control her life. Through a twist of fate she is chosen to represent a famous client, catapulting her into a new life in New York – fulfilling her in a way that she had never imagined.When Lexi meets Alex, sparks fly. Their chemistry is explosive and they can’t get enough of each other. Her role as the PR manager for his band, Power Station, means that they have to keep their arrangement secret and this proves to be a complication for both of them.The story follows the twists and turns of six months in Lexi’s life, exploring the complicated rules she creates to govern her relationships and the friends that help her realize that life is more fun when you throw out the rulebook and that love is a major part of being happy.

Breaking Point


Emma Darcy - 1992
    When he proposed, she'd been deliciously happy - happy to give up her job without a second thought, and devote herself to decorating their beautiful new home in Sydney's most prestigious neighborhood.She hadn't realized then that the only intimacy he wanted with her was in their bed. Rafe put business - including his cool blond personal assistant - first.Tanya was not about to spend the rest of her life waiting for a man who thought another woman was more important than his wife. The honeymoon was over. The marriage was at the breaking point.(Out of Print)

Saving Grace


A.D. Justice - 2017
    Keeping those promises would be a challenge, no doubt. But all I had to do was uphold my end of the deal then walk away without a backward glance. Somewhere along the way, our charade became my reality. With each day that passes, I realize time is once again my enemy. I can’t lose her a second time. I’ll never walk away—she healed my soul. Saving Grace is now my only hope.

Bait


M. Mabie - 2014
     She was the best kind of trouble. The kind that was so wrong, it felt right. I’ve tried and failed to stay away from him. I’ve done everything in my power to make her mine and keep her. He’s almost impossible to say no to. She never tells me yes. We’re always fighting. When we’re not fighting, we’re… well… making up. He makes me laugh so hard. I miss her laugh the most. I'm a liar. She knows the truth, but won’t admit it. Sometimes, I wish I'd never met him. I wish we could meet all over again. I'd do better. His girlfriend knows. The guy she’s with is a fool. I’ll never love anyone like I love him. She doesn’t love me enough to choose us. It was the wrong place. It was the wrong time. It should have been him. It will always be her. This book contains adult situations and is recommended for adult readers.

Sentenced


L.L. Collins - 2015
    An ex-con with a bad attitude and a controlling demeanor that somehow made the women flock to my bed but never my heart. It was unavailable for possession.THE TEMPTATION: She was just supposed to be a two day hookup. But one taste of her and I knew I was in danger of never getting enough. She had her own demons to contend with, and dealing with my own was hard enough. I won't allow temptation to take control of me.THE SENTENCE: I'd given myself a life sentence a long time ago, and she made me want things I wouldn't allow myself to have. Giving into it just might destroy us both.

Thoughtless


S.C. Stephens - 2009
    When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart.Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes... and none of them will ever be the same.

The Distant Shore


Mariam Kobras - 2012
    There's nothing like finding a letter on your breakfast table informing you have a teenage son you knew nothing about, but that's what happens to international rock star, Jonathon Stone. He drops everything to find the boy, and his mother the girl he loved so many years ago who left him when his rock n roll life became too much for her to bear.Seeing her is like falling in love all over again, and everything seems perfect, until someone sets out to destroy their idyllic life.

Sweet as Sin


J.T. Geissinger - 2015
    She has absolutely no interest in rock ’n’ roll, but in order to pay the mortgage, she agrees to work on the set of a rock video for the world-famous rockers known as Bad Habit…which brings her face-to-face with Nico Nyx, lead singer of Bad Habit and Adonis in the flesh.However, the fiercely independent Kat isn’t impressed by the hard-living, womanizing rock star. But when Nico’s model girlfriend shows up to the set drunk and Kat is tapped to replace her as the video’s sexy bride, her combustible chemistry with Nico suddenly threatens to consume the set. Nico feels it, too—and becomes determined to win Kat over, body and soul. Yet behind his rock god swagger, Nico hides a dark secret. Can he rock Kat’s world forever, or will he just break her heart?