Book picks similar to
The Cowboy and the Girl Next Door by Janette Rallison
romance
contemporary
dnf
clean
Cupcakes and Cowboys
Lindzee Armstrong - 2016
She can’t stand actors, movies, or anything resembling the guy who ruined her life. So when Jase—best friend of her ex and A-list actor—shows up at the ranch to research an upcoming role, ignoring her past becomes impossible. Jase is desperate to escape Hollywood, and ranch life gives him a temporary reprieve. But ranching is starting to feel less like preparing for a role and more like the life he’s always wanted. And he can’t help envisioning Cassidy as his co-star. Can Jase convince this stunning cupcake shop owner that he’s really a country boy at heart? Devour this deliciously sweet romance today!
An Unlikely Alliance
Rachel John - 2017
Corrie loves the little girl and hopes to adopt her, but instead, she’ll have to stand by while Ella’s uncle steps in to take custody. If things aren’t awkward enough, there’s a chemistry between them that neither wants to acknowledge.Preston Ford can’t imagine instant parenthood, especially considering he just chickened out of proposing to his girlfriend. However, once he meets Ella, there’s no other choice. The time he spends with her and Corrie solidifies an alliance between the three of them, a plan to give Ella the stability she needs. But reality can sometimes turn the best of plans upside down. With more than one heart hanging in the balance, how long can their platonic teamwork really last? Romance has never been this complicated.
Four Chambers
Julie Wright - 2016
First she loses her scholarship, then she loses the apartment she’d wanted more than anything. But tragedy hits hardest when she loses her grandmother—the best friend Andra has ever known. She determines that Everett is a talisman of ill fortune. When Everett comes to work in her hospital and is applying for the same position she’d been working toward since residency, Andra believes him to be her personal poltergeist. The human heart has four chambers—four chances to get it right. Andra has only one chance left.
My Bodyguard Summer
Michelle Pennington - 2021
But it wasn't going to be easy.Not only did she have to convince Harlow to give up her busy schedule of interviews, fashion shows, and red-carpet events for the summer, she had to convince Jack Prescot to do something he'd sworn never to do again--guard a beautiful, single starlet with a propensity for falling in love.She also had to remind herself--repeatedly--that she wasn't interested in the handsome and perceptive bodyguard who paid way too much attention to her. Especially considering that Harlow was the one in danger.But as the long, sultry days in paradise melted into each other, their connection grew until she knew he was the one man who could save her from the shadows and secrets hidden in her heart.If only Harlow didn't need her.If only she was capable of love.If only danger wasn't rushing toward them like a tidal wave.With the perfect mix of clean romance, steamy kisses, and exciting suspense, this story is the next best thing to having your own luxury, beach-front mansion and a hot bodyguard to keep you safe.
Buck Wild
Lauren Landish - 2018
A rodeo cowboy in his prime, all he wants out of life is something to straddle. That’s why James is feeling a little restless, spending his summer off working his family’s ranch. That is, until a spirited and gorgeous veterinarian-in-training shows up and puts the cocky wild boy—and his ego—in place. Though she’s a feisty one, James is always up for a challenge.Sophie Stone has to admit it: James Bennett is a checklist of cowboy hotness—ruggedly handsome with piercing blue eyes, a hard-muscled body, and just enough swagger to make her toes curl. She thought she was done with her bad-boy phase, but exceptions must be made.How can Sophie possibly say no to a man who makes her heart buck like a bronco? And when their summer fling comes to an end, how can she possibly say goodbye?
Perfectly Oblivious
Robin Daniels - 2017
Unfortunately Bebe seems to be immune to his flirty charm and good looks, which means one of two things: a) she’s completely oblivious to how he feels, or b) she’s just not into him. If that’s the case, declaring his love would be disastrous for their friendship. Bianca Barnes (Bebe) has a huge problem: the universe hates her. Every time she admits feelings for a boy, he ends up falling for her sweet, popular, and beautiful sister Beth. To avoid a broken heart, Bebe has sworn herself to secrecy. Nobody can know how she feels about Cam…Ever! Neither person wants to confess their feelings, but the universe has its own plan. Out of the blue, Bebe is courted by a secret admirer. Cam has to step up his game and Bebe has to make a choice. Play it safe and accept the affections of her mystery man or challenge fate and take a chance on the boy she loves. Content Description: This is a stand-alone YA contemporary romance with companion novels to follow. It contains minor language, innuendo, crude humor and steamy tension but is generally very clean. No sex. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Accidental Hero: Hometown Heroes A-Z (Born In Texas Book 1)
Jo Grafford - 2021
Sure the chemistry between them is real, but the timing is off — way off!
Army Ranger Matt Romero allows his ex-fiancée to pressure him into leaving the military during a whirlwind relationship, only to be dumped by her at the altar. During a road trip across Texas for a job interview, he stops to rescue an injured woman from a collision. Her intriguing plea before the ambulance arrives makes him linger in town a few extra hours.Bree Anderson and her brother, Brody, are barely keeping their ranch afloat after a failed joint business venture with her ex-fiancé. So she is livid when she wakes from a coma to discover that her brother has talked the stranger who saved her life into becoming their newest investment partner. And not the long-distance kind, either.Despite their instant attraction, neither Matt nor Bree is quick or willing to take a second chance at love. Or even give each other the benefit of the doubt. Brody works like crazy to keep the peace between them, but there’s only so much one partially paralyzed cowboy can do. All too soon Matt and Bree realize they’re fighting more than an unwanted attraction, and flushing out the secret saboteur plaguing their ranch is going to directly depend on their ability to learn to work together — despite the sparks flying between them. Or maybe because of them?
10 Ways to Survive Christmas with Your Ex
Shari L. Tapscott - 2019
For example, we shouldn’t run with scissors or take candy from strangers. But there’s another lesser-known rule, and it’s just as important as the ones you learned as a child: Never, never call your ex-boyfriend when your life is falling apart. But that’s exactly what I did. Isaac: What do you call it when your ex-girlfriend contacts you out of the blue on the very same day her mother invites you over for Christmas? Some would call it fate, others coincidence. I call it an opportunity. One I’m not going to pass up… Author’s note: 10 Ways to Survive Christmas with Your Ex is a fun and festive 26,000-word Christmas novella. It can be read as a standalone, or along with the other books in the series.
Loving Cara
Kristen Proby - 2014
(And all that outside manual labor has done wonders for sculpting his six-foot-three body, too.) But as sure footed as he is when it comes to the ranch, Josh doesn’t know anything about how to deal with an adolescent boy—so when his twelve-year-old nephew, Seth, is dropped off on his doorstep, looking scared and acting surly as hell, Josh knows he needs help in straightening him out.Cara Donovan loves her quiet life as a teacher in her sleepy hometown, so she jumps at the chance to make a little money over the summer as a tutor. But when she learns she’ll be teaching Josh King’s nephew, Cara’s sweet summer job gets a little bit hotter. Cara tries to focus all her attention on tutoring Seth, but Josh proves to be a delicious distraction, while Josh’s memories of the shy girl he once teased in high school are nothing like the beautiful woman he’s facing now. Can he persuade her that there’s more between them than a summer fling?
Arrogant Devil
R.S. Grey - 2018
Grey. Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot. When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin’ my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him. My opinion of Jack is marred by a dismal first impression, but his opinion of me is tainted even before I arrive. He’s heard I’m a spoiled princess there to take advantage of his goodwill. To him, I’m more trouble than I’m worth. Our button-pushing banter should get under my skin. His arrogance should be a major turn-off. Problem is, devils are known to offer their own form of temptation. Every one of his steely glares sends a shiver down my spine. Every steamy encounter leaves me reeling. Sure, it could be the Texas heat messing with my head, but there’s no way I’ll survive the summer without silencing him with a kiss and wrestling him out of those Wranglers. Who knows…going to bed with the devil might just be the salvation I’ve been looking for all along. ARROGANT DEVIL is a full-length romantic comedy of 93,000 words. For a limited time, I've also included an excerpt from my #1 bestselling sports romance THE SUMMER GAMES: SETTLING THE SCORE!
Snowflake Wishes
Kasey Stockton - 2019
When a handsome stranger shows up just before Christmas should she trust his marketing advice or keep doing things her own way?Jake Tyler has two motivations for traveling to the tiny town of Holly Springs: he needs to learn why his parents have kept him from his grandmother his whole life, and he’s got orders to evict a diner owner from his family’s building. But when he meets Madison, the charming woman running the diner, he realizes that he has a real shot of helping her keep her business. If only he can keep his motives a secret.But as feelings begin to develop, will Madison and Jake find a way to come together in order to save the diner, and themselves?
Finding June
Shannen Crane Camp - 2012
It's even harder in the world of Hollywood, which is where sixteen-year-old June Laurie dreams of being. Thanks to the constant training from her agent/grandmother and the support of her best friend Joseph, June is positive she's ready. But is an innocent little Mormon girl like June ever really ready to be cast as the love interest for the country's hottest star, Lukas Leighton? When June lands a role in Hollywood's most popular crime drama, Forensic Faculty, she finds herself caught off-guard by the fast-paced world of tabloids and paparazzi, and swept off her feet by her gorgeous co-star. Now June must decide what she's willing to give up to achieve the title of Hollywood starlet—or more importantly, what's too sacred to lose.
While You Were Speaking (Harvest Ranch Romance, #11)
Maria Hoagland - 2021
♥ ♥Lucy Morrowitz has two dreams. First, to reopen the Starlight Drive-In Theater left to her by her parents. And second, to marry her celebrity crush—renowned motivational speaker Carter Hughes. Neither goal is remotely attainable, and she’s fine with that—they’d never been more than a lark—until her co-worker, WHHR’s morning drive DJ Crew Keller, convinces the Harvest Ranch community to rally around Lucy in saving the small-town landmark. Then, when Carter Hughes accepts her Hail Mary of an invitation to give the kickoff speech at the Harvest Ranch spring cleanup, suddenly, neither of her dreams feels quite as far out of reach.Zachary Hughes, on the other hand, has never been much of a dreamer. He doesn’t have glamorous a job as his brother, but it’s steady and reliable, even if he doesn’t love it. He’s not as well-known, either, but he’s never been one to seek attention. In fact, there’s nothing Carter has that Zach envies—until he meets his fiancée. Because of her, Zach finds himself reaching for more: A job he looks forward to every day, rather than settling for the family business. A town where he’s known, and not just as Carter’s little brother. And the perfect person to spend his life with—someone who laughs with him, challenges him, accepts him, loves him. Someone like Lucy.And yet, are these the kind of dreams that will bring either one of them happiness? Perhaps the motivational speakers are right—Lucy and Zach can reach your dreams. They just have to make sure they’re reaching for the right ones.♥ ♥ Enjoy this fresh take on a classic '80s rom-com. A small-town, sweet forbidden romance that has you dreaming of an evening spent at the drive-in with your sweetheart. ♥ ♥
Shine Not Burn
Elle Casey - 2013
Determined to move on from a bad break-up, she joins her girlfriends for a wild bachelorette weekend in Las Vegas, promising to let her hair down just this once.Vegas is a blur of cocktails and blackjack, and in the middle of it all she meets Mack, a real-life cowboy with a winning hand and an irresistible body. They get lucky in the casino and luckier back at the hotel, a hot night of passion that was definitely not part of Andie’s life plan.By dawn Mack is gone and all she has to remember their one-night romance is a hangover and a pile of casino chips. Or so she thinks…
Revised edition: This edition of Shine Not Burn includes editorial revisions.
Running Barefoot
Amy Harmon - 2012
Josie teaches Samuel about words, music and friendship, and along the way finds a kindred spirit. Upon graduation, Samuel abandons the sleepy, small town in search of a future and a life, leaving his young friend behind. Many years go by and Samuel returns, finding Josie in need of the very things she offered him years before. Their roles reversed, Samuel teaches Josie about life, love, and letting go. Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings.