Book picks similar to
Learning To Swim by Trevor Hambric


romance
stand-alones
beach-reading-material
bb-book-club

Poacher


Leon Mare - 2012
    Poacher is an action-packed romantic thriller which gives the reader a glimpse of what the tourists never see - the real Africa. Sam is a man who puts his trust in the laws of nature rather than in those of man.The lucrative but dangerous trade in rhino horn and ivory has been re-classified to the status of organised crime.Sam lives as a hardened bachelor at the Nwanetzi outpost and has, for the first time in his life, fallen in love. He has a fiancée who loves him to distraction, and he is a contented man.All this changes when Linda enters his life. She is determined to make Sam her own, and she sets out to stalk him with the stealth of a hunting leopard.Sam Jenkins gives new meaning to the saying “Africa is not for sissies”.

Beneath Sunless Waves


Stephen Makk - 2014
    At the height of the Cold War, he fell for the enemy: Irina, a Soviet naval officer. The streets of Moscow are a world of subterfuge, but they must keep their secret from the KGB.When war erupts in the South Atlantic, Tom is forced to abandon Irina. With the Soviets on his tail, he leads his dive team into the most dangerous place on Earth: a shipwreck with live nuclear weapons. The task is illegal and deniable, but failure is not an option; millions of lives are at stake.With the British submarine HMS Sultan and the Soviet submarine Arkhangelsk facing each other down like gunfighters, Tom’s confronted with a harsh realisation: Irina’s on the other side, playing for the opposition. How can he choose? Will saving Irina lead to the failure of his mission? Can he lead his team to success against the odds?If you like the sound of ‘Jason Bourne meets The Hunt for Red October’, join Tom now in the most dangerous place on Earth.

The Rancher’s Virgin


Ava Walsh - 2017
     New York is Brie’s life. But when her mother suddenly dies, the 18-year-old doesn’t have a choice. She moves in with her family at a ranch in Texas to start over. Turns out that the ranch owner is one of the most gorgeous men she’s ever laid eyes on. But she has to forget about him. She’s too young and inexperienced for him, not to mention his son’s nanny. Little does she know that her aunt’s got it all planned out. Ranch owner Lance is every woman’s dream with his tousled hair and blue eyes. But underneath the muscles and sun-kissed skin, this wounded cowboy hides his scars. He’s focused on his work and his little son. He has no time for love. But everything changes when he sees Brie that first day, all curves, beauty and warmth. Is this wrong? Is this right? Despite their age difference and working relationship, Lance and Brie can’t deny the attraction. Will Brie be able to move past her loss and start her first relationship? Can Lance let his walls down and give into his feelings? Can they be a family and enjoy a simple life of love and joy together? The Rancher’s Virgin is a 58-page stand-alone story in a series of cowboy romance books, featuring cowboys and virgins. Other parts of the series (more coming soon!): The Cowboy’s Virgin The books each have an HEA and include stargazing, hot cowboys and steamy love scenes. Definitely intended for 18+ readers.

A Love Bred From The Block: A Standalone Novel


Antoinette Sherell - 2021
    

Before I Let You Go


Kimberly Brown - 2021
    With both of them being prominent, successful lawyers, she followed in their footsteps and set out to create a name just for herself. Her career has been the forefront of her life, coming before everything, including her once upon a time longtime friend and lover, Emerald Hampton. Their relationship suffered long ago due to her commitment to school and her career and his rising music stardom. Years have passed and Emerald has returned to claim the woman that was always supposed to be his. However, confronting old feelings means confronting old secrets.Emerald Hampton also known professionally as GEM has had success all over the world with his beautiful vocals. Even with all of his fame and fortune, he still feels like something is missing from his life. That something is Rhyon Capers, the woman he has loved since he was eight years old. After taking some time off from the industry, he ventures home to get his woman. While he knew he would not receive the warmest of welcomes from her, he was prepared to go put in work to make her his again. Will they be able to work through the dormant feelings and past secrets to rekindle a lost love, or will they have to accept that their time has passed?

52 Reasons to Hate My Father


Jessica Brody - 2012
    After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

Twenty Miles per Cookie: 9000 Miles of Kid-Powered Adventures


Nancy Sathre-Vogel - 2011
    The next, we were anything but.Perhaps it was a midlife crisis, or maybe just a simple plea for a life less ordinary, but one day we realized the American Dream wasn't the be-all and end-all we had hoped it was and decided to throw caution to the wind. We took off with our eight-year-old twins to explore our country on two wheels.Throughout our twelve-month, 9300-mile journey through nineteen US states and five Mexican states, we four adventurers discovered a side of life seldom portrayed on the nightly news or in the morning paper. Total strangers reached out and embraced us, showing us a kinder,gentler side of humanity than the news would lead you to think existed. Those Road Angels enriched the lives of weary travelers by offering a warm shower, a soft bed to sleep in, or a hot meal after a full day on the road.Life on the road provided unlimited opportunities to meet ordinary people – rich and poor, American and Mexican, city dwellers and countryfolk – and all four of us learned to appreciate the individuality of the wide variety of people we encountered. (from the book's official webpage)

Covington Investigations: 3-Books Private Security Series


Clara Kendrick - 2017
    Lots of suspense, mystery, and romance. No cliffhangers! Book 1: When private investigator Oliver Covington meets mysterious, beautiful Nora Thomason at a party, they have an instant, undeniable connection. Though they part without getting each other’s names, neither one of them can stop thinking about what happened between them. Little does Oliver know that his next job will involve solving the puzzle that will unlock Nora’s painful, dark past. He is assigned the task of following her by her fiancé, and when she is attacked in an alley one day, Nora becomes curious of Oliver’s real identity and does some investigating herself. She flees when she finds out that he is an investigator, afraid that he has been sent to find her by the people who are after her from her past. Oliver follows, and together he and Nora are forced to face the man who is trying to destroy her life while they fight their growing attraction for each other. Book 2: Charlotte Covington doesn’t know exactly what to expect when she is hired by handsome artist Sam Kensington to investigate the murder of his socialite father, Roger. She is hesitant to take the job—Sam is much too charming for her, something that she knows is a dangerous trait in a man. She is drawn in by him and the undercover nature of the job, and poses as his fiancé for a week at an exclusive artists’ retreat in the countryside. Things grow heated between Charlotte and Sam as they investigate the death of his father, though she tries her best to resist his charms. When a tragedy strikes at the retreat, Sam’s innocence is thrown into question, and Charlotte is forced to confront her feelings for him despite the danger he might pose to her. Book 3: Aiden Covington enjoys a challenge, so when he is given the challenging case of tracking down the necklace of a former Hollywood starlet, Olivia Darling, he is more than willing to take on what he’s told will be a hard case to solve. What he isn’t willing to do is fall for Olivia, though from the moment he meets her he feels himself unraveling under her charms. Aiden tries his best to fight the simmering tension between himself and Olivia, especially when he finds out that she’s not exactly the person he thought she was. While Aiden and Olivia unwrap the mystery of a dangerous secret society known as the Celestials, Aiden tries to keep his distance from Olivia, who finds it hard to take no for an answer when it comes to the sexy private detective.

Playing with Power (Book 5)


Adele Huxley - 2014
    MyBFC is on the brink of launching and Lauren has to decide if she is willing to leave New York City to make it a reality.Someone isn’t happy with the choices she’s making. With a violent and invasive stalker tracking her every move, Lauren turns to the only person who she knows can protect her, Damon Kael. Can she resist the power he has over her?Sparks fly when Landon finally confronts Nick and Parker finally takes it too far.Can she find the inner power she needs to demolish those who stand in her way? Will she find Damon or Landon at her side?

Officer Slater


Flora Madison - 2021
    With my past, it's the last place I should be working.If I'm ever going to move out of my sister's house and gain my independence, I'll have to take the risk.It doesn't hurt that Officer Slater is tall, dark and inhumanly handsome.It's harmless, though. A cop like him could never fall for a woman like me.Slater:The minute I lock eyes with the curvy, raven haired beauty I know she's meant to be mine.It's been so long since I've even considered letting a woman into my life.There's something about Melinda, and the strangest thing?I feel as though I've seen her before.I'll take it slow, but Melinda will soon see; I always get what I want.And I want Melinda, no matter what skeleton's are hiding in her closet.The Mountain Man Police Force books are sweet and spicy one hour romance reads, featuring alpha cops and the curvy women of their dreams. While they read as a stand alone short romances, all of the books are interconnected and tell the tales of the men of Steel Creek Police Force as they fall head over heels in instalove. As always, these stories are steamy but safe! There's no cheating and no cliffhanger. Just a swoon-worthy HEA to melt your heart. They're the perfect one hour short romance read for your coffee break or when you need a quick high heat escape read. Insta Love Forever!

Bon Bon Beauty: (Plus Size Romance Series)


Lynn Cooper - 2015
    Now a strong, independent woman and owner of the Bon Bon Beauty Parlor, she is determined to live her life alone. Having spent years constructing a steel cage around her heart, she vows to never let any man get too close. Her mama made that mistake, and it ended in tragedy. Saffron isn’t about to let the same thing happen to her. She is content to bury herself in romance novels, dreaming of the swaggering, shirtless heroes on the covers. That is enough for her until the morning her eyes flutter open to find the sexiest man she has ever seen hovering over her. He is tending to her, protecting her and, before she can blink, he is trying to steal her heart. Parker Sloan grew up in the lap of luxury. He has every advantage but little freedom. From the day he was born, his parents have had his entire life mapped out. His domineering father—Dr. Nate Sloan—insists his son attend medical school, pursue a career in cardiology and get engaged to a self-centered socialite. But, Parker has other plans. Against his parents’ wishes, he becomes a paramedic. One fateful morning he takes an emergency call that lands him smack in the middle of a beauty parlor. It is there he meets the sweet and beautiful Saffron Butler. From the moment he looks into her big brown eyes, he is a goner. In their dark, chocolatey depths, he can clearly see their future—a lifetime of love and happiness spent in each other’s arms. Wooing Saffron won’t be an easy task. But it is one he is determined to accomplish. Failure isn’t an option. He will do whatever it takes to gain her trust and win her affections. Bon Bon Beauty is part of the Plus Size Romance Series. Each book is a standalone with no overlapping characters, storylines or cliffhangers. This series is a perfect combination of romance, steamy love scenes and humor. The stories are sensual and romantic, uplifting and lighthearted. Feel-good reads that leave you feeling great!

Summer at Sea


Beth Labonte - 2015
     Have you ever helped your parents pack for a weeklong cruise? No? I didn't think so. So shut it. So begins vacation for Summer Hartwell - twenty-six years old, living with her anxiety-ridden parents, and unwillingly booked by her brother on a weeklong cruise to Bermuda. Despite the nightmare of being trapped aboard a cruise ship with Mom and Dad, Summer sees a rare opportunity to fulfill The Prophecy – her mother’s declaration that she will live at home until she gets married. With two thousand passengers onboard, at least one of them must be husband material, right? The only problem is Graham Blenderman – her brother’s best friend who is joining them for the week, in all of his tall, blonde, extroverted glory. Graham doesn’t believe Summer needs a husband in order to break free from her parents. He thinks she just needs a little bit of nerve. And to Summer’s introverted horror, he’s willing to spend the entire week proving that he’s right.

Huck


Eve London - 2021
    At least it does in my world. Looks like my world is changing for the better. That’s if I can convince her that the heat between us is more than just the aftereffects of the fire.BreeI’ve been alone and struggling for so long and I hoped my move to Mountain View would be a fresh start. Now my daughter and I have lost of everything we owned while finding a hero in the process. Things are starting to smolder between Huck and I but will the flames extinguish as fast as they took.

The Key to a Lord's Heart


Alice Kirks - 2020
    However, she is far more fascinated by reading than attending balls, while holding a book club meeting to discuss the latest in English literature makes her the happiest. Even though her passion for books had always been embraced by her parents in the past, her father is now fed up with her churlish refusals to settle down and decides to take matters into his own hands. Could her one chance at true love be among the sea of men her father invites to win her hand?Henry Beckham has never been the one to seek the attention of ladies. He is content with living his life the way he pleases and a wife would only get in the way. His parents have different expectations, though, that include him producing an heir to carry on the family legacy. Henry is inevitably introduced with the terrifying ultimatum of marrying by the end of the year or forfeiting his title and fortune to his younger brother. All seems to be lost for him, until he receives an intriguing invitation from Lord Bolingbroke to attend a book club meeting in order to win his daughter's hand. Could this unknown woman secure his fortune and capture his lonely heart?They have both expected a completely different life, one without love and romance. Now that every one of their dull expectations has given place to the profound revelation of true love, they are in awe of what they had been missing all along. Regardless of how undeniable their connection is, it is also tainted by dark secrets and contrasting priorities. Will Henry manage to break down Helena's walls and win her heart? Will the powerful light of their romance dissipate the threats that lurk around?"The Key to a Lord's Heart" is a historical romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

The Hunter


Brenda Jackson - 2017
    is about all she can handle. But when circumstances throw them back together, Mallory's about to learn that the "P" in P.I. stands for playa...but even the baddest boys around can be tamed.