Book picks similar to
The Rose Ring by Lucie Ulrich


romance
christian-romance
marriage-of-convenience
contemporary

Slanted


H.L. Wegley - 2019
    When she finds an orphaned girl, Sam, hidden in some bushes along the Rogue River, in an instant, a bond is formed. AJ quickly learns that Sam's and her guardian's lives are in danger from a team of hired killers. But AJ commits to helping eight-year-old Sam. A competitive athlete, AJ Scott isn't one to quit, give up, or do anything halfway, not even when she and Sam end up in a road race with killers in pursuit.When Hunter Jones's cousin dies, he becomes eight-year-old Samantha Wilson's guardian and sets aside any pursuit of personal happiness. Sam becomes his lot in life, and he loves her dearly. But Hunter, a big data analyst, will soon release a research report proving that the largest Internet search engine in the world is being used by its owners to influence American political thought with the intent of controlling elections. He hints at his findings in a radio interview and the news goes viral. Within hours, a team of hired killers attacks Hunter and Sam, intending to eliminate them and steal his research findings. Hunter hides Sam and eludes the killers. But when he returns, Sam is gone. Enraged, Hunter Jones will storm the gates of Hades to get her back, and whoever took her will pay a steep price.Set in Southern Oregon, Seattle, Washington DC, and Eastern Oregon, near Paulina Lake, Slanted is a gritty, high-action, romantic suspense adventure about commitment, sacrifice, love and faith.

So Not Happening


Jenny B. Jones - 2009
    Problem is, it's right where God wants her.Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy's MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model.When Bella's mom falls in love with a man she met on the Internet--a factory worker with two bratty sons--Bella has to pack up and move in with her new family in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm no less!Forced to trade her uber-trendy NYC lifestyle for down-home charm, Bella feels like a pair of Rock & Republic jeans in a sea of Wranglers.At least some of the people in her new high school are pretty cool. Especially the hunky football player who invites her to lunch. And maybe even the annoying--but kinda hot--editor of the school newspaper.But before long, Bella smells something rotten in the town of Truman, and it's not just the cow pasture. With her savvy reporter's instincts, she is determined to find the story behind all the secrets.How can a girl go on when her charmed life is gone and God appears to be giving her the total smackdown?

A Reason to Run


Christina Coryell - 2014
    When life handed her complications, she buried herself in capturing them on paper and crafting a perfect narrative. The fact that her latest novel was currently sitting at the top of the bestseller lists let her know she had succeeded—not that anyone else noticed, since she hid behind a pen name.It had been tempting to step away from the anonymity at times, but not on days like that one. Not when the humiliating video of Peter proposing was going viral and her name was spreading through peoples’ homes like wildfire. Her inclination to run felt justified, especially when she cloaked it with novel research. The change of scenery should offer the perfect quiet backdrop to finish the manuscript on time.Of course, she hadn’t factored in an unintended clash with local bachelor Cole Parker. His charming smile and witty demeanor leave her intrigued, even though circumstances seem determined to keep him at arm’s length. Despite distractions, can the two of them find a common bond to tie everything together and construct the perfect story?

Room at the Top (Pacific Avenue #1)


Kristin Billerbeck - 2020
    She’s always told herself her father can keep his wealth and his acknowledgement of her and her twin sister. She’s surrounded by her noisy but lovable Italian family, and that’s all she needs.When she and Gia receive the news their fraternal grandfather has left them something in his will, they meet their three half-sisters for the first time—and receive the astounding news of a massive inheritance. But Sophia can’t celebrate yet, not when she and her sisters hear the conditions attached to the money. The “real” daughters loathe Sophia and Gia on sight—and the feeling is mutual. But they have to work together if any of them hope to inherit the obscene amount of money left to them. They must live together and restore the large mansion in Pacific Heights for an entire year. Otherwise the entire estate will go to charity.Gia tries to convince Sophia they have to walk away, but Sophia isn’t so sure. For once, their mother might get a chance to rest instead of working every minute. She could help a lot of families in her job as a social worker too. It’s tempting. And once she catches sight of Joel Edgerton, she can’t resist the temptation to get involved in her unwanted family.The path to happily-ever-after is fraught with missteps and the treacherous waters of sisterly undercurrents. Can Sophia persevere when everyone seems to be against her, even her own twin?

Not This Time


Leah Atwood - 2016
    With the engagement and wedding off, the constant parade of sympathetic platitudes made it impossible to forget she’d been jilted. Needing an escape, she moved to her aunt’s lake house for the summer. Drew Sullivan’s return to Jasper Lake one hot summer day had everyone talking, but he wasn’t giving answers. His plans didn’t include romance, but neither did they include Amie Sullivan. Fortunately for him, he’d learned to be flexible. Romance blooms, but when Amie discovers Drew’s secret, will the trust between them be irrevocably broken? Please note: this is a significantly revised edition from that which appeared in the Whispers of Love collection.

Vanish


Lynn Shannon - 2018
    She gets out to render aid but is attacked and drugged. When she wakes, she's back inside her vehicle and the woman--along with the assailant--have vanished.Todd Duncan is shocked by the vicious assault and the haphazard investigation. Unlike the police, he believes Janet. She's driven to find the woman regardless of the risk and, although Todd's in town temporarily, he's not leaving his friend to do this alone.Yet the more they dig into the mysterious woman's identity, the deadlier the threats become. Someone is determined to keep what happened that night a secret, and if they have to kill to do it...So be it.

Beneath the Surface


Lynn H. Blackburn - 2018
    She thought she'd left her troubles behind when she moved home to Carrington, North Carolina, and took a job in the emergency department of the local hospital. But when someone tampers with her brakes, she fears the past has chased her into the present. She reaches out to her high school friend turned homicide investigator, Ryan Parker, for help.Ryan finds satisfaction in his career, but his favorite way to use his skills is as a volunteer underwater investigator with the Carrington County Sheriff's Office dive team. When the body of a wealthy businessman is discovered in Lake Porter, the investigation uncovers a possible serial killer--one with a terrifying connection to Leigh Weston and deadly implications for them all.Dive into the depths of fear with an exciting new voice in romantic suspense. Award-winning author Lynn H. Blackburn grabs readers by the throat and doesn't let go until the final heart-pounding page.

Cover of Darkness


Sian Ann Bessey - 2002
    While Fran spends her days sketching the majestic Welsh mountains, castles, and the picturesque sea, Megan explores the historical sites and landmarks that dot the countryside. The two women soon discover that there are other Americans staying at their hotel. Initially, Joe Marks and Richard Garrett come across as perfect gentlemen. But soon, it will become terrifyingly obvious to both Megan and Fran that appearances can be deceiving. Sian Ann Bessey follows her best-selling novel Forgotten Notes with a breathtaking story about an innocent vacation that becomes the adventure of a lifetime. Filled with international intrigue, action, espionage, faith, and prayer, Cover of Darkness is a page turning thriller that you will not be able to forget.

Baited


Lori G. Armstrong - 2014
    With her partner Kevin off on assignment, she’s lured into taking a case involving a missing fisherman. Nothing about the man’s disappearance is as it seems. Although Julie is no stranger to the dark currents that churn below the surface, can she count on her friend Jimmer, and her lover Tony Martinez, to keep her from getting in too deep?

The Engagement Plot


Krista Phillips - 2017
    And now the big-wig CEO is back on Hanna’s home turf in Minnesota and wants her to forgive him? Fat chance of that. But life is swirling around faster than snow in a blizzard, and despite her objections, teaming up with William seems like the only option to rescue her reputation.                William has never regretted anything more than the day he gave that ill-fated interview for the reality show, The Price of Love. But while he can’t change the past, he’s determined to fix the future. He just needs to convince Hanna to forgive him—and pretend to be engaged with him. Simple, right? When the media erupts with even worse accusations, teaming up and pretending to be engaged seems to be the only way to salvage their reputations.  Despite the media frenzy that swirls around them, an attraction neither of them can fight off begins to surface. Could this love run deeper than a scandal, or will old wounds tear them apart once and for all?  When all seems lost, it’s only with help from above that Hanna and Will may find their happily-ever-after.

Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor


Melanie Dobson - 2015
    Libby, a free spirit who can't be tamed by her parents, finds solace with her neighbor Oliver, the son of Lord Croft of Ladenbrooke Manor. Libby finds herself pregnant and alone when her father kicks her out and Oliver mysteriously drowns in a nearby river. Though theories spread across the English countryside, no one is ever held responsible for Oliver's death.Sixty years later, Heather Toulson, returning to her family's cottage in the shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor, is filled with mixed emotions. She's mourning her father's passing but can't let go of the anger and resentment over their strained relationship. Adding to her confusion, Heather has an uneasy reunion with her first love, all while sorting through her family's belongings left behind in the cottage. As Heather digs, she finds a mysterious journal that belonged to a woman she never knew and it contains clues that lead to the truth about a mysterious drowning decades ago. What she uncovers will change everything she thought she knew about her family's history. Award-winning author Melanie Dobson seamlessly weaves the past and present together, fluidly unraveling the decades-old mystery and reveals how the characters are connected in shocking ways. Set in a charming world of thatched cottages, lush gardens, and lovely summer evenings, this romantic and historical mystery brings to light the secrets and heartaches that have divided a family for generations.

Dodge the Bullet


Christy Hayes - 2011
    But Sarah doesn’t know a Colorado Senator has earmarked her ranch for purchase and he’ll do anything to get it. Unwilling to sell, she dismisses his continued offers and moves ahead by improving the land with the help of a sexy stranger. A.J. Dodge is a man with a past. He’s returned to his hometown ready to set down roots and make things right with his family and whatever anyone else thinks he doesn’t give a damn. Until his old friend Tommy Thornton asks a favor, a favor he can’t refuse, and Dodge becomes involved with the beautiful widow Sarah Woodward. She’s alone with her young sons on a dilapidated ranch she’s determined to get up and running with or without his help. Under pressure to deliver the Woodward ranch to a land developer with shady connections, the senator sets in motion a dangerous plot to convince Sarah to sell. Dodge will risk everything to protect Sarah and the boys including his heart.

Full Disclosure


Dee Henderson - 2012
    As the Midwest Homicide Investigator, she is called in to help local law enforcement on the worst of cases, looking for answers to murder. Hers is one of the region's most trusted investigative positions. Paul Falcon is the FBI's top murder cop in the Midwest. If the victim carried a federal badge or had a security clearance, odds are good Paul and his team see the case file or work the murder. Their lives intersect when Ann arrives to pass a case off her desk and onto his. A car wreck and a suspicious death offer a lead on a hired shooter he is tracking. Paul isn't expecting to meet someone, the kind that goes on the personal side of the ledger, but Ann Silver has his attention. The better he gets to know her, the more Paul realizes her job barely scratches the surface of who she is. She knows spies and soldiers and U.S. Marshals, and has written books about them. She is friends with the former Vice President. People with good reason to be cautious about who they let into their lives deeply trust her. Paul wonders just what secrets Ann is keeping, until she shows him the John Doe Killer case file, and he starts to realize just who this lady he is falling in love with really is...

Whisper If You Have To


Staci Stallings - 2014
    Alison Prescott has collected a boatload of them in her short lifetime. Moving to a new school in a new town was supposed to fix everything; however, when she meets a new set of friends, keeping those secrets might just ruin everything. Chad Dourozette has the world by the tail as his crazy T-shirts proclaim every day, but Chad has deeply held secrets of his own. When Chad meets Alison whose life looks absolutely perfect from the outside, will he have the courage to try to win her heart, or will the secrets they both carry keep them apart forever? A new adventure from #1 Best Selling Christian Romance Author, Staci Stallings begins now... "Staci's books are Christian romance at its very best!"

Missing Pieces


Jeni Grossman - 2009
    Yet when terrorist attack her entourage, a perilous pollitican plot is revealed. Al Qaeda henchman Aboud is hunting the statue to fulfill an ancient prophecy that would grant the extremists ultimate power over Islam. The CIA has gone undercover in Zeugma to prevent this coup. The safety of the free now hinges on the cooperation of Americans and Turks. With the help of native guide Asena. Dulcey navigates the power struggles and cultural clashes that arise as the dig progresses. But as tensions mount outside and inside the excavation camp, she struggles to distinguish friends from enemies. In a pulse-pounding race to secure the goddess, Dulcey learns the value of honor, family, and heritage as she risk her life to preserve her most precious treasures.