Book picks similar to
Kiss Me Forever by Barbara Freethy


romance
contemporary
contemporary-romance
chick-lit

lost in texas


Sandy Appleyard - 2021
    The city girl in a strange predicament. The scoundrel that thinks fiancés come with a price tag.Never, ever date a client. That’s what I keep telling myself. Until Terence Daniels walks into my office. Fine. I caved. Biggest mistake of my life. Next thing I know I’m fleeing Louisiana, hunkering down with my best friend in Dallas. I’m starving, terrified, so confused, and I’m thinking…things just cannot get any worse. Until Kate’s car breaks down outside this bar that looks like their patrons kill women with sticks. We have no choice but to go inside. What I find in there is nothing that I would expect. What unfolds in the coming weeks are more mistakes. Better ones. And then one that I’ll forever call my favorite mistake.***After the day I’ve had, I’d sooner eat my boot than cook something. My brother Zack agrees, so we go to this hillbilly bar, where we keep a tab. One cranky woman and her sidekick show up, looking like lawyers among us cowboys, and we ask if we can help. The cranky one thinks we’re trying to steal her car, but the other one softens. All is fine and dandy until she hits us with something that would shock a groundhog back into his burrow until hell freezes over. The look in her eyes is what gets me. Fear. I can’t stand that in a woman. Especially this one, with the tough exterior, making out like she’s fine when inside she’s a crumbling mess. Never figured she’d turn things around like she does. Never figured I’d be the one to help her put it all back together. Never figured she’d see right through me yet show me the way in a way that nobody else has.…and for the life of me, I never figured that she’d inadvertently bring so much danger to the ranch.HEA (Happily Ever After)Ranch romanceCowboy romanceMedium heatCourse languageCliffhanger ending

Belle of the Ball


Pam McCutcheon - 2003
    But a wish at a magical rock formation is about to change all that, in a most a-MUSE-ing way. . . . The three Sullivan sisters, named for the Three Graces of Greek legend who embody beauty, charm and grace, don’t live up to their names. Belle is no beauty. Charisma lacks charm. And Grace is somewhat less than graceful. But this doesn't deter their ambitious mother from bribing three bachelors to escort them to Colorado Springs’ beautiful Garden of the Gods. When the girls overhear their escorts mocking how little they resemble their names, each girl makes a wish at the magical Three Graces rock formation. Belle wishes aloud for beauty, but only so she can use it as a weapon to punish the cads who hurt her sisters. Her true wish is for revenge. Handsome viscount Kit Stanhope regrets his rude remarks and apologizes to Belle. He’s surprised when she tells him that's not enough. If he truly regrets his behavior, he has to make her beautiful in time for the Founders’ Day Ball. Kit isn’t sure he’s up to the task. But, intrigued by the spirited Belle, he agrees to assist her transformation from an ugly duckling into a swan with the help of a mysterious Greek dressmaker with muse-like qualities. Unfortunately, Belle makes a rather awkward swan. Still, after a few embarrassing escapades, she masters the flirtatious language of the fan and takes the town known as Little London by storm. Belle soon finds herself falling for the viscount and his sinful mouth. It seems he returns her regard, but she can’t renege on her promise to humiliate him . . . can she? Will her secret muse grant the wish she voiced . . . or the one she holds in her heart? Note to readers: This title was originally published in 2003 by Zebra Ballad.

After the Sky Fell Down


Megan Nugen Isbell - 2012
    But when tragedy strikes, she is left to pick up the pieces of her now shattered life. As she tries to make sense of her new reality, life takes another startling turn, leading her down a path she never imagined. Through it all she finds comfort in a surprising companion who becomes her best friend and rock as she tries to rebuild her life. But when she unexpectedly meets someone, whose kindness and understanding offers her a chance at a fresh start, she struggles to move forward, afraid to leave her past behind. Will she be able to move on and find peace with her past in order to discover her future or will she let her past condemn her to a life of loneliness, unable to let go of a life that can never be?

Elly in Bloom


Colleen Oakes - 2012
    Louis. It’s not bad for a woman who drove away from her entire life just two years ago when she found her husband entwined with a red-headed artist. Sure, Elly has an embarrassingly beautiful best friend, a terribly behaved sheepdog and a sarcastic assistant who she simply calls “Snarky Teenager”, but overall her days are pleasantly uneventful. As a bonus, her new next door neighbor just happens to be an unnervingly handsome musician who has an eye for curvy Elly. Just when she feels that she is finally moving on from her past, she discovers that an extravagant wedding contract, one that could change her financial future, is more than she bargained for. With the help of her friends, staff and the occasional well-made sandwich, Elly bravely agrees to take on the event that threatens to merge her painful history with her bright new life, and finds herself blooming in a direction she never imagined. Elly’s voice, both charming and hilarious, will appeal to those readers who have been looking for a new voice in chick-lit, and will give women of all sizes the realistic heroine they’ve been waiting for.

Seductive Secrets


Carrie James Haynes - 2012
    Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England’s most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father’s name. For years, she has been hidden away from all prying eyes, given a new identity and told to forget who she was. But strange things have been happening causing old rumors to once more be whispered.Long has Lord Julian Casvelyn lived with guilt brought on when his brother was murdered by England’s most infamous traitor. But one eventful night has changed everything Lord Julian believed about his brother’s death. Never did he suspect the woman he has just saved from certain harm is the daughter of that man. Now Julian is caught in midst of a conspiracy and desire for that woman.Thrown together by fate, the two search for answers long denied them and along the way discover a love that can free them both.Previously published as Daughter of Deceit under Carrie James Haynes

Meant for Her


Amy Gamet - 2012
    Ordered to the scene of a fiery homicide, Navy officer Hank Jared wants nothing more than to wrap it up and get to his sister's wedding. His sense of duty won't let him walk away from a case, even if he can't figure out why his boss insisted he handle this one personally.When the key to a safe deposit box is found among the ashes, Hank finds himself staring at two pieces of paper--on one is a coded message, on the other, a name that will change the course of his entire life.Julie Trueblood wouldn't trust a Navy man if he handed her a life jacket on board a sinking ship. Her father was a cryptologist for the Navy, who went into hiding a decade earlier to avoid charges of treason. In his absence, Julie was harassed and interrogated by Naval officers who believed she was a traitor, just like her father.Hank tracks Julie down and confronts her with the cipher. She can't stand what he represents and sends him away, insisting she knows nothing about the message. But when she realizes someone is after her, Hank is the only person she can ask for help. He finds the perfect place to hide Julie, right by his side, pretending to be his girlfriend at his sister's wedding. Now he just needs to remember their relationship is all an act.The coded message brings Hank and Julie together, but its secrets hold the power to tear them apart. Guided by her generous and quirky Aunt Gwen, Julie will gather the courage to unravel the cipher that was meant for her to decode, as she learns to trust the man she was meant to love.

Reese's Cowboy Kiss: Witness Protection - Rancher Style: Blake's Story


Kimberly Krey - 2014
    Now she must leave her friends and family to enter a protection program on Emerson Ranch. A group of good-looking cowboys awaits her, but Reese has her eye on Blake Emerson, the one man too busy with the ranch to give her a chance. Blake Emerson has no time to go lookin' for love. He's got a ranch to run, positions to fill, and an ache in his heart from love gone wrong. So when he agrees to harbor a witness to help on the ranch, Blake assumes his first two problems are solved. But he never dreamed his new guest would be a woman. One he was destined to lose his heart to. With sparks burning hot and danger around the bend, one question lingers in his mind: Has he only added to his list of troubles, or has Blake just found the woman of his dreams?

A Sexy Journey


Jasinda Wilder - 2012
    I grew up in a small town, dated my high school sweetheart all the way through college, and married him. I even waited until our wedding night for my first time. Yeah, that kind of good girl. Finding my husband in bed with the church secretary came as quite a shock, needless to say. Finding out he'd slept with just about every female in town was an even bigger shock.Discovering those dirty little secrets is what sent me on a journey that I will never forget. ** This erotic romance novella is for adults only! Contains super hot, one-on-one sex between two great characters.**

Down on Love


Jayne Denker - 2013
    And will share it with you. Even if you don’t ask.Georgiana Down isn’t interested in romance, thank you very much. Newly single after escaping a toxic, emotionally abusive ex, George is perfectly happy being alone, running her successful blog, Down on Love, where she gives gloves-off advice to the lovelorn. And baking the occasional pie as, you know, therapy. When her sister Sera wages a campaign to get her to return to their small hometown of Marsden, a place George had fled fifteen years earlier, it’s the last thing George wants to do. But the pull of family is strong...and no one ever truly escapes the eccentric, insular, odd little town in the heart of New York’s Catskill Mountains. Maybe she can cope if she avoids gossipy neighbors...and one particular Marsden resident who broke her heart years ago...Casey Bowen would know George Down’s unusual pink car anywhere...but he never expected to see it tearing through the streets of Marsden long after George left town and never looked back. Casey manages to escape with his toes intact, but his heart is another matter. As a teenager, Casey had been fascinated by the ethereal, mysterious George, but he never made a move on his friend’s younger sister...until one fateful night....After that, everything went sideways, and George and Casey went on to live very different lives.Now they’re both back in Marsden, both single...and the attraction is still there. George and Casey could have a second chance at happiness...as long as their meddling neighbors don’t screw everything up.

Mine for Tonight


J.S. Scott - 2012
    Needing nothing less than a miracle to save her, Kara gets rescue from an unknown, unlikely and overwhelming source. Billionaire Simon Hudson makes her an offer that is impossible to refuse, but terrifying to accept from a man that she's never met. Will the handsome, alpha billionaire really be a solution to her problems, or will he end up being a major complication and a danger to her emotional sanity?Reclusive billionaire Simon Hudson would rather be behind a computer creating computer games than rubbing elbows with the elite and he knows exactly what he wants...until he meets Kara Foster. Something about Kara touches Simon in ways he's never experienced and definitely doesn't like. For over a year, Simon watches over Kara, but stubbornly refuses to admit his desire to possess her, not even to himself. But when she ends up in a situation that could very well be her destruction, Simon steps up to help her, not realizing that in saving Kara, he might very well be salvaging his own soul."Mine For Tonight" is book one of "The Billionaire's Obsession" trilogy. Books in this trilogy do not stand alone and need to be read in order. They include:Mine For Tonight - Book 1 "The Billionaire's Obsession"Mine For Now - Book 2 "The Billionaire's Obsession"Mine Forever - Book 3 "The Billionaire's Obsession"This is an erotic romance and is not intended for YA readers. It contains graphic language, explicit sex (including bondage) and other subjects not appropriate for YA readers.

Harvest Wishes


Jessica Anne Renwick - 2021
    No job. A looming court date to face her abusive ex-husband. Worst of all, she’s had to move back in with her parents. But just when Madison Talbot thinks things can’t get any worse, she bumps into her high school sweetheart—literally. Romance is the last thing Madison needs, especially with the man who once left her high and dry—so she keeps telling herself.Dylan Stewart returned to Cedar Lake to be with his family after an unimaginable tragedy and is set on staying for good. When Madison moves back to town, he’s got one more reason to make his work-from-home arrangement stick. As the guy who broke her heart first, can he help her see him in a new light?After reconnecting over festival planning at the Starlight Inn, old feelings between them spark to a flame. But between family meddling and the wounds from Madison’s traumatic past, the ties between them soon begin to unravel.Can these two learn to face the world together, or are they doomed to repeat their past mistakes?

Stone Cold


Cheryl Douglas - 2013
    He’s everything a girl from the wrong side of the tracks would be foolish to hope for, but Drake helps her realize she can have a life worth fighting for… until she makes a mistake that could cost her everything.Anyone stupid enough to betray Drake is destined to pay the price, especially when the culprit is wearing his engagement ring. He thought he could trust Cassidy, but when she proves him wrong he vows to make her pay.Revenge is sweet, but redemption is sweeter.

Her Dakota Man


Lisa Mondello - 2013
    She'd left South Dakota years ago because she couldn't bear to watch the man she loved loving another woman. But now she knows the truth. She'll keep the promise she made to a friend, but will Logan understand when he learns the truth? More important, can they again recapture the passion that had been between them all those years ago? He needed to face the past to get the love of a woman he thought he'd lost... Everyone knows that the Dakotas didn't get the name Badlands for nothing. Harsh weather and rough living are a way of life. But single dad, Logan McKinnon, had seen more than his share of bad times after the death of his wife a year ago. The last thing he needs is Poppy Ericksen, an old flame and his late wife's best friend, showing up unannounced to help after devastating floods nearly washed away their hometown. With no place to stay in town, he has no choice but to offer her a bed at his house. But can he live under the same roof with a woman he'd once loved passionately without feeling he's betraying his late wife?

Love in Between


Sandi Lynn - 2013
    That was until I found my fiancé having sex with my sister in the church moments before I was supposed to walk down the aisle. I grew up with a famous rock star father who was nothing but a womanizer who cheated on my mother every chance he got. Cheating and lying was all I ever grew up with and I vowed never to live the life my mother did. Wanting to start a fresh new life, I moved from Seattle to Santa Monica to focus on my passion for photography. No men. No lies. No hassles. No love. Until I met Luke Matthews.My name is Luke Matthews. A year ago, I lost the love of my life, my fiancée, in a tragic car accident. My life and all my dreams died with her that day, and I do nothing now but exist and play my guitar to try and ease the pain. My love was taken away and that was something I would never get that back. Then I met Lily Gilmore.What happens when the lives of two people who no longer believe in love are suddenly changed by fate?

Alexander & Rebecca


Marianne Knightly - 2015
    So seriously, in fact, that he’s followed duty over pursuing the woman he’s loved for years. However, now it’s time for him to marry, and he’s tired of waiting. He’ll pursue her despite royal objections, and despite her own.A commoner falling in love with a prince.Rebecca Campo loves her work as chief of staff to Princess Catharine, her friend and Prince Alexander’s twin sister. Alex is every woman’s dream, and it comes as a shock when he seems to want her. Even after their passions overtake them, Rebecca still doesn’t believe they’re meant for forever because she’s only a commoner, not a future queen.An unexpected threat that can destroy them both.When a death threat is made against Alex, the whole family goes on alert. What no one counted on, however, was Rebecca getting caught in the crossfire.This novel features an older virgin and the future king who wants her, a royal family that loves one another (even while they annoy each other), and a look behind fictional palace walls.*This is a standalone book in the series with no cliffhanger, and features sexy scenes and swearing. Emotional trigger warning: discussion of potential assault.* * *Meet the Royals of Valleria, a country as old as the fall of the Roman Empire. The reigning king and patriarch rules with his beloved queen. Nine children, now grown, ranging from the eldest twins to the youngest son, watch over the country they love and care for. Bound by honor, duty, and loyalty, follow their lives as they fall in love, face tragedies, and triumph against the evils facing them.