Book picks similar to
If it Weren't for You by Dorothea Neamonitos
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Monarch Manor
Maureen Leurck - 2019
But sifting through the overwhelming collection of figurines, outdated appliances and dusty books, she finds something that captures her attention: a yellowed envelope of old photographs. In one, taken almost a century ago, a beautiful woman is seated with a young boy who looks uncannily like Erin's five-year-old autistic son, Will. Intrigued, Erin looks further into her family's history, and discovers parallels to her present day life. The boy in the picture, John Cartwright, was deaf. He and his mother, Amelia, are presumed to have drowned together in Geneva Lake, beside Amelia's family home. Named for the butterflies that flocked to its lush gardens, Monarch Manor still stands, though the once-grand Queen Anne house is now in ruins, slated for demolition. Seeking respite from her own exhausting battle to get the best care for Will, Erin delves even deeper into the past-unearthing a story that is both heartbreaking and surprising.Weaving Erin's and Amelia's narratives together, Maureen Leurck creates an unforgettable and moving novel of sacrifice and hope, and the way love between a parent and child can transform them both.Praise for Maureen Leurck's Cicada Summer"Rich with believable characters and an evocative setting, Leurck's novel is a gem." -Publishers Weekly"Leurck has crafted a perfect summertime story of love, loss, and second chances. . . . Readers of Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer will enjoy this beach read." -Booklist"A captivating novel about the power of redemption." -Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author
The Family Simon Boxed Set
Juliana Stone - 2016
Includes, TEAGUE, GRACE, & COOPER, in one great boxed set! TEAGUE Teague Simon is a man at a crossroads. He’s no good around people and spending time alone at the family cottage will hopefully ease his burden. What he doesn’t need is the woman next door poking around his business making things worse. And what he really doesn’t need are her two young children in his face. How can they help slay the demons that haunt him? Sabrina Campbell is barely surviving and doing everything that she can to hide that fact. She takes care of her kids and keeps herself busy. She’s not looking for anything other than the chance to forget. But when Teague Simon shows up, looking as haunted as she is, she’s drawn to his pain. His loneliness. She knows his scars run deep, but so do hers. She should stay away and yet she can’t. Can these two broken souls somehow heal each other? GRACE When love and pain collide, all bets are off… Grace Simon is a fixer. But fixing the men in her life has led to more heartbreak than she cares to admit to. She should know by now that some men are damaged for life. Yet Matt Hawkins awakes in her such a need to connect that it can’t be denied. Risking her heart might be the only way to help him, but it could also be the one heartbreak she will never get over… Matt Hawkins has never learned to deal with his painful past. He uses booze and women to forget and he sure as hell knows that ‘forever’ isn’t in his future. He’s no good for a rich girl like Grace Simon. Yet he can’t deny the powerful attraction between them and his desire to be with her. Does he push her away knowing he’ll only hurt her? Or does he take a chance and hope that she’s the key to slaying his demons… He runs, she hides. No one can do it forever… COOPER Most of America think they have Cooper Simon figured out–he’s the playboy with no morals and a taste for married women. Cooper’s fine with that because he’s got secrets he’d rather keep buried. Who knew that spending a few months in Fisherman’s Landing would screw with his head. Or meeting a woman unlike any he’s met before, would be the key to unraveling all of his secrets…and maybe his heart. After a horrific accident Morgan Campbell is grateful to be alive. So what if her life didn’t turn out the way it was supposed to? She lives quietly and keeps to herself. But meeting the most arrogant, infuriating, and sexy man will turn her world upside down. Because not only is Cooper Simon out of her league, he’d never be interested in someone like her. Can she be brave enough to step out of the box and reclaim the woman she once was? Or is she doomed to live in the shadows forever…
The contract
William Coleman - 2020
His first case is a simple one: follow the woman, Maddie, and get pictures of her having an affair.But nothing is that simple. Hawke is forced to intervene when the Maddie is almost kidnapped right in front of him. When it happens again, Hawke switches from stalker with a camera to bodyguard with a gun.The lawyer who hired him is not satisfied with the outcome or that Hawke is looking into who is responsible for the abduction attempts. He threatens Hawke to get him to back down, something not in the investigator’s nature.To protect Maddie, Hawke must take her along while following the few leads he has to identify who is responsible and why. The closer they get to the truth the more danger they find themselves in.Will they find who is out to get Maddie before it’s too late?
The Sunset Cove Collection: The Inn at Ocean's Edge, Mermaid Moon, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens
Colleen Coble - 2017
Someone--maybe everyone--is hiding something from Claire Dellamare, and it will cost her everything to drag the truth out into the light.
Mermaid Moon
Mallory's mother died fifteen years ago. But her father's last words on the phone were unmistakable: "Find . . . mother." As answers begin to fall into place, Mallory realizes her search is about more than finding her father's killer--It is also about finding herself again . . . and possibly about healing what was broken so long ago with Kevin. She just has to stay alive long enough to put all the pieces together.
Twilight at Blueberry Barrens
"I need you to keep these girls safe . . ." Kate Mason is faced with fields that have stopped producing, an attractive tenant who brings dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family, an uncle who has escaped prison, and a local stalker. With threats swirling from multiple directions, she wonders if her blueberry fields will ever flourish again . . . or if this twilight is her last. Set on the beautiful coast of Maine, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens brings together suspense, romance, and the hope that one day new life will come again."The tension, both suspenseful and romantic, is gripping, reflecting Coble's prowess with the genre." --Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Incredible storytelling and intricately drawn characters. You won't want to miss Twilight at Blueberry Barrens."
--Brenda Novak, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Return of the Dragons Books 1-3 (Return of the Dragons, #1-3)
Rinelle Grey - 2021
This three book bundle of paranormal, dragon shifter romances features dragon princes who've been asleep for three hundred years, forbidden love, and fated mates. Contains the following stories: Bound to the Dragon Prince Waking a sleeping dragon prince with a kiss seemed like something out of a fairy tale. Only this dragon shifter needs far more than just a kiss. Lure of the Dragon ShifterDragon shifter Wayrian is attracted to the hot human cowboy the goddess claims is her fated mate, but that’s a deal breaker for her grandfather, who wants her to impress the new dragon prince… Sleeping Dragon Prince Sleeping Beauty never looked this hot! It’s finally Lisa’s turn to wake her very own dragon prince with a kiss (and more), but with a battle raging outside, things quickly turn sour.
Guardian
Katrina Kahler - 2015
- He seemed like Ella's dream guy...fun, handsome and loving, but there was a darker side to Taylor. Ella was head over heels in love with him...until his jealous aggressive streak destroyed their relationship. Luckily for Ella, her guardian angel protects her from his darkness...until one day when he is forbidden to intervene. - A totally compelling story that you won't be able to put down.
The Tears of Monterini
Amanda Weinberg - 2020
1921. Yacobo Levi, an intellectual dreamer, works in the family bookshop. Angelo Ghione, a contadino, makes good wine by singing to the grapes. Lifetime best friends, their Jewish and Catholic families live side by side amidst a backdrop of village communal life, Etruscan tales and the growth of Benito Mussolini. Born on the same day, their children grow up and fall in love. When the 1938 racial laws are passed, the love between Bella and Rico thrives amidst and perhaps because of the fear and uncertainty. When Angelo discovers their liaison he suggests they marry but life is complicated and tensions simmer beneath the surface of love and friendship. When war is declared on the day of Bella's wedding to Michele a fellow Jew, the peaceful village they live in is torn apart, and the Levis find themselves displaced and fighting for their lives. Will life ever be the same again?The Tears of Monterini is a story of love and betrayal, loyalty and friendship. Inspired by true events in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, this beautifully written debut will appeal to readers interested in history, Italy, romance, family dynamics and conflict.
What are the Chances
Brittany Taylor - 2019
I thought I’d leave the red-headed stranger with dark green eyes behind and good freaking riddance. Except he’s not even close to being gone. Mason McConnell is everywhere, drawing me in, like an invisible thread. I just hope that string doesn't snap and break my heart. Mason: Two weeks was all I needed to go home, spread my cat’s ashes, and visit my brother. But one foolish decision at the airport managed to throw all my plans off track. Somehow, I had unknowingly cast the line, and Charlotte Kelley took the bait. The chatty, prying American somehow had a way of bringing me back to life. I didn’t want her under my skin, and I certainly wasn’t expecting her to make her way into my heart, yet once she did, I didn’t want her to leave. But with one secret wedged between us, I'm not sure I have the right to ask her to stay.
Once Upon a Lie
Michael R. French - 2016
Jaleel Robeson, a gifted, eighteen year-old black man, falsely accused of murdering his father in a small Texas town, is on the run. He assumes a new identity in 1980s Los Angeles as a successful student on his way to college. Alexandra Baten, a restless sixteen year old white girl, lives in a privileged Toluca Lake family but feels trapped by her parents' values. One weekend, she rides her bike into a run down neighborhood, meeting a young black man selling lemonade. Thus begins a friendship between opposites, at least on the surface, but they learn they have more in common than they imagine. Told from each character's point of view in alternating chapters, we become involved in a gripping tale of two Americas where discontent and violence always lurk under the surface. When they erupt, no one is safe. Once Upon a Lie is both a family drama and a crime drama, as well as an exploration of interracial love, mother-daughter relationships, and redemption through courage.
Pretty;
Amber Lacie - 2016
Will they be able to build with the pieces of their hearts they have left, or will their love crumble and fall, leaving them both completely shattered?Author's Note: The novel contains adult situations that are meant for 18+ and graphic situations such as rape, abuse (including sexual), neglect, suicide and drug abuse.
Blitzball
Barton Ludwig - 2018
A predominantly white Reichfield High has lost every game in the last few years to the North Prep, a school with mostly Mexican, Brazilian, and Filipino students. For the first game of the season, however, Addie and his teammates are confident that they will win—because they’ve personally made sure the lead player of the opposite team will be unable to play.Addie and his supremacist and misogynistic friends are ill-prepared for what comes next, though. They are defeated by Shaylee, the best soccer player North Prep has ever seen—who also happens to be a girl. Given an exception, Shaylee is allowed to compete in a team of all boys.Unable to accept defeat, Addie is convinced that Shaylee must be using illegal methods to beat the Reichfield team. He sets out to expose her, but discovers instead that he has secrets of his own…Learning the dark history of his own origin and of the powers that be, Addie and his unlikely new friends must work together to challenge the corrupt, racist and fascist ruling class who could destroy society as they know it.
Toxic
Nicole Blanchard - 2017
A criminal.As a prison nurse, I knew the rules: do my job, don’t get involved, and never let a prisoner get under my skin.I broke all three.My passion, my obsession, my addiction. I risked my entire life so we could be together.I thought helping him escape from prison would be the hard part.It turns out when you fall in love with a villain, you also turn into one.
The Secrets my Husband Kept: A Standalone Novel
Loryn Landon - 2020
Justin was staying out later than usual, spending all of his free time with his boys, and just shutting her out of their relationship, then later their marriage. When she finally finds out what has been causing her husband to neglect their marriage, things go completely left! Justin exudes the epitome of a manly man. Having been an athlete throughout his younger years, then once he graduated from college, he chose to become a fire fighter. Ava is the love of his life, but he doesn't feel completely satisfied with just her. He loses his urge for temptation and steps out on his marriage to Ava, but it's not with another woman as his wife suspects. Getting caught up in his temptations, be becomes sloppy and winds up getting caught up.Will Justin be able to convince Ava that she is the only one for him in order to keep his secret hidden? Find out in this riveting standalone, The Secrets My Husband Kept.
Highland Shifters Box Set
Sky Winters - 2018
Her luck might change when she is kidnapped by a clan of wild man, led by the enigmatic and handsome James Macadam. Book 3: Lord of the Wolf Betrothed to a mysterious Scottish lord, lady Bethia wants nothing to do with him. But when she is kidnapped and held for ransom, will he come to her defense? Book 4: Clan of the Cave Wolf No longer able to bear her husband’s cruelty, Lady Catriona decides to shame him, by freeing the captive in his camp. But she has no idea the beast she has unleashed! Plus bonus highland shifter stories.. including Dragons! Warning: Super steamy scenes. 18+ only. This is a box set of short stories ranging from 10,000-30,000 words.
On the Dotted Line
Kim Carmichael - 2015
Faced with a list of specific goals he must achieve in order to earn control of his family’s banking empire, he’s accomplished each task and triumphed. One item remains on his list. He must marry by his thirty-third birthday and stay married for one year. However, when his so-called fiancée leaves him on the courtroom steps only hours before his deadline, he realizes he might lose for the first time in his life, and a Van Ayers never fails.Taught to rely on the universe for answers, Willow Day has always struggled in the material world, specifically her lack of material. With her small holistic store near foreclosure and without a home, she must do anything within her power to make the business work and take care of the woman who raised her. When the rude, yet gorgeous, Randolph the Third offers to fix all her troubles in exchange for one year of her life, she opens her mind and takes a chance.It’s the battle of the mystical over the money. Between a hidden pet who looks more like a cotton ball, performance artists with wings, and a woman who spouts advice like a living fortune cookie, everything from restaurant reservations to a trip to celebrate the winter solstice create clashes for the couple as they learn how to fit into each other’s worlds. With both their futures at stake, they must learn to accept reality, what the fates have dealt them and the consequences of falling in love from the moment they decided to sign on the dotted line