Love Pros & Cons? Readers share 76 books like Pros & Cons...

By Sydney Logan,

Here are 76 books that Pros & Cons fans have personally recommended if you like Pros & Cons. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Outlander

Christine Jordan Author Of Sacrifice

From my list on immersed in a medieval world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I became fascinated with history when I moved to Gloucester in the nineties. The city is hugely historical from the early Roman settlers through to the industrial age of the nineteenth century. What is more fascinating is that many of the streets and buildings I write about still exist in the city today. I carried out extensive research when writing my first historical fiction novel to immerse myself in the medieval city as it would have been in 1497. When I came to write my second novel, listed below, the first book in the Hebraica Trilogy, I already had a good idea of the layout of the city. 

Christine's book list on immersed in a medieval world

Christine Jordan Why did Christine love this book?

I loved this book because it is another time-slip novel, but mostly because of the characters that Gabaldon has created. Claire is a strong woman both in the present time zoneā€“post-war Britainā€“and the Scottish Highland time zone of the seventeenth century and the uprising. You sense immediately that she is in danger as the story is told from her point of view. 

I loved learning about the lives of the Scottish highlanders, how the story moves from one-time zone to another, and how the characters overlap.

By Diana Gabaldon,

Why should I read it?

39 authors picked Outlander as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ā€¢ The first book in Diana Gabaldonā€™s acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.

One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBSā€™s The Great American Read!
 
Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldonā€™s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion andā€¦


Book cover of A Stone in the Sea

Dana Christy Author Of A Heart's Salvation

From my list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Why am I passionate about this?

A lover of suspense thrillers and all things horror, my first introduction to romance novels was during book club. I love a good Rom-Com but as a reader, I used to shy away from erotica or meet-cute alpha male novels. Now I devour romance novels but they need very specific things. Strong heroines and suspense...and yes, great love scenes. Sparking my passion for the romance-suspense mash-up, I took a personal story and turned it into a suspense-driven romance full of angst. With 2 published novels, I continue to read and write romance thrillers hoping to change the stigma of romance as ā€˜fluffā€™ and ā€˜smutā€™ and show the strength in love.

Dana's book list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Dana Christy Why did Dana love this book?

This book is the first in A.L. Jacksonā€™s Bleeding Stars series and I canā€™t say enough about how much I love it. Two very broken people, Sebastian Stone and Shea Bentley, kept me on the ledge, knots tight in my stomach, waiting for their story to unfold. Jackson does an amazing job at building the depths of these characters and developing the consuming, canā€™t-live-without, love affair. Iā€™m a true sucker for a story that is gut-wrenchingly beautiful. Both the characters have deep secrets, but Shea shows great courage and control over her life which I admire. Quick disclaimer: Jackson leaves a major cliffhanger so be ready to read book 2!

By A.L. Jackson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Stone in the Sea as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a single-mother rockstar romance...

As the lead singer of Sunder, I come with a reputation.
A bad one.
Iā€™m no stranger to trouble.
It follows me wherever I go.
So, I should have known Shea Bentley would be a problem. But this sexy Southern girl is all I can see.
Now, weā€™re both drowning in a sea of desire, sinking hopelessly into a world of lust.
But she has an inescapable past.
One that might destroy both of us . . .

A Stone in the Sea is book oneā€¦


Book cover of Solitary

Dana Christy Author Of A Heart's Salvation

From my list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Why am I passionate about this?

A lover of suspense thrillers and all things horror, my first introduction to romance novels was during book club. I love a good Rom-Com but as a reader, I used to shy away from erotica or meet-cute alpha male novels. Now I devour romance novels but they need very specific things. Strong heroines and suspense...and yes, great love scenes. Sparking my passion for the romance-suspense mash-up, I took a personal story and turned it into a suspense-driven romance full of angst. With 2 published novels, I continue to read and write romance thrillers hoping to change the stigma of romance as ā€˜fluffā€™ and ā€˜smutā€™ and show the strength in love.

Dana's book list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Dana Christy Why did Dana love this book?

This is the first book I read by Melissa Copeland, and it fits perfectly on my checklist for suspense and strong ladies. Her writing keeps you on the edge of your seat, dying to find out who Paige, the heroine, can trust. The plot twists were on point, and the chemistry between Paige and Sean had me over the moon. The strength she writes through Paige resonated with me and made it easy for me to accept all her choices. I highly recommend this novel as an example of a woman's survival and ability to find love in hard places.

By Melissa Copeland,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Solitary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Everyone has an ex they regret. Mine just happens to be a notorious Dutch arms dealer. I've spent years running and hiding from David, but he's finally grown tired of tormenting me. Now he just wants me dead. With no more friends and family left alive, and no one out there I can trust, it's starting to look like my time has finally run out. Until I meet Noah, a persistent stranger with secrets of his own. My efforts to hide from David are failing. So when Noah offers his help, I'm not exactly in a position to decline. Butā€¦


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Book cover of The Ballad of Falling Rock

The Ballad of Falling Rock by Jordan Dotson,

Truth told, folks still ask if Saul Crabtree sold his soul for the perfect voice. If he sold it to angels or devils. A Bristol newspaper once asked: ā€œAre his love songs closer to heaven than dying?ā€ Others wonder how he wrote a song so sad, everyone who heard itā€¦

Book cover of Hopeless

Dana Christy Author Of A Heart's Salvation

From my list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Why am I passionate about this?

A lover of suspense thrillers and all things horror, my first introduction to romance novels was during book club. I love a good Rom-Com but as a reader, I used to shy away from erotica or meet-cute alpha male novels. Now I devour romance novels but they need very specific things. Strong heroines and suspense...and yes, great love scenes. Sparking my passion for the romance-suspense mash-up, I took a personal story and turned it into a suspense-driven romance full of angst. With 2 published novels, I continue to read and write romance thrillers hoping to change the stigma of romance as ā€˜fluffā€™ and ā€˜smutā€™ and show the strength in love.

Dana's book list on romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat

Dana Christy Why did Dana love this book?

This bookā€¦ Wow! I read it in one night. No joke. Could not put it down. Colleen Hoover has hit the mark with many #1 selling novels, but this particular novel was a favorite for me. Not many YA romances are this thrilling but Hooverā€™s writing and story building have a way of drawing you in. The flashback memories give you snapshots of why Sky Davis never feels anything for a guy, without giving away the BIG reveal. When she meets Dean Holder, her attraction to him is jarring because sheā€™s used to feeling nothing. The reason why sheā€™s drawn to him was such a thrill ride of suspense, drama, pain, and real love. If youā€™ve never read a Colleen Hoover novel, start with this book.

By Colleen Hoover,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hopeless as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us comes the beginning of Sky and Dean's passionate love story - where well-kept secrets threaten to open wounds of a dark past.

Would you rather know a truth that makes you feel hopeless, or keep believing the lies?

Beloved and bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with the spellbinding story of two young people with devastating pasts who embark on a passionate, intriguing journey to discover the lessons of life, love, trust - and above all, the healing power that only truth can bring.

Sky, a senior inā€¦


Book cover of The Last Mrs. Parrish

CJ Vermote Author Of Do I Know You

From my list on suspense with a splash of paranormal.

Why am I passionate about this?

My love for reading suspense helped me develop the desire to write novels. It is as if I always have a movie in my head, so why not write them out. I have dyslexia, and reading along with learning is a challenge, but both have become my escape. Iā€™ve always been fascinated by how a good suspense plays out and the relief that comes with the resolution. I added the paranormal world because I had a NDE (near death experience) in the 80s and became open to the paranormal. I became unafraid and see the paranormal as good. 

CJ's book list on suspense with a splash of paranormal

CJ Vermote Why did CJ love this book?

I have been subjected to the control of a narcissist and reading this book was something I felt deep. 

Liv Constantine brought forth the reality of what the outside world sees in a marriage, compared to what goes on behind closed doors. The control a spouse can have on a loved one puts a different spin on love.

I couldnā€™t help but feel the love grow and wonder what could go wrong when two people are so happy together. Having another woman setting up a plan to steal a husband made her despicable, but in the end, it became an amazing escape for one Mrs. Parrish. 

I felt so connected to the character in this book, not as a victim but as a woman who regained her strength and escaped.

By Liv Constantine,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Last Mrs. Parrish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Deliciously duplicitous. . . . equally as twisty, spellbinding, and addictive as Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl or Paula Hawkins's The Girl on the Train."-Library Journal (starred review)The mesmerizing debut about a coolly manipulative woman and a wealthy "golden couple," from a stunning new voice in psychological suspense.Some women get everything. Some women get everything they deserve.Amber Patterson is fed up. She's tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more-a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone in the exclusive townā€¦


Book cover of Loves Music, Loves To Dance

Lisa M. Lucero Author Of Waves Crashing

From my list on thrilling, creepy tales of mystery and suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a former journalist who has written for several newspapers in Kansas and Texas. Ever since I was young, I had an incredible imagination, a love for storytelling, and an adventurous spirit. I started writing my first novel Waves Crashing, a suspense romance, when I was a senior at McPherson High School; then I worked on it some in college, and it was published in 2019. I'm also the author of the science fiction novels The Death Firm and The Re-Creation of the Death Firm. I'm currently working at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, as an administrative assistant in data and records. I plan on starting to write my fourth novel in 2023. 

Lisa's book list on thrilling, creepy tales of mystery and suspense

Lisa M. Lucero Why did Lisa love this book?

Thereā€™s nothing scarier than answering personal ads to a complete stranger in my opinion. Women in Loves Music, Loves to Dance who answers a personal ad find themselves the next victim of a serial killer. What makes this particularly frightening is that the situation actually happens in real life. This book might make you rethink answering that personal ad in the newspaper or online. Thatā€™s what makes this book a nail-biter and keeps you up until all hours of the night. It is a fun read, and I highly recommend it. 

By Mary Higgins Clark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Loves Music, Loves To Dance as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York's trendy magazines are a source of peril when a killer enacts a bizarre dance of death, using the personal ads to lure his victims in bestselling author Mary Higgins Clark's Loves Music, Loves to Dance.

After college, best friends Erin Kelley and Darcy Scott move to the city to pursue exciting careersā€”Erin is a promising jewelry designer and Darcy finds success as a decorator. On a lark, Darcy persuades Erin to help their TV producer friend research the kinds of people who place personal ads. It seems like innocent fun...until Erin disappears.

Erin's body is found on anā€¦


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Book cover of The Flower Queen: A 1970's Suspense Romance

The Flower Queen by Kay Freeman,

It began with a dying husband, and it ended in a dynasty.

It took away her husbandā€™s pain on his deathbed, kept her from losing the family farm, gave her the power to build a thriving business, but itā€™s illegal to grow in every state in the country in 1978.ā€¦

Book cover of Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man: The Early Years

Graham Rust Author Of By Faith and Love: A Memoir

From my list on the artist and the art of living.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been an avid reader from an early age and painting has been my life's work since attending art school from the age of sixteen. Having painted the largest mural in a private house in the 20th century, over a period of fourteen years since 1968, it has been a great privilege to live as part of the families in so many diverse and beautiful houses in Britain, Europe, The Middle East, and The Americas. Many of the interesting people that I have met along the way have greatly enriched my being and I am particularly intrigued by the way that chance encounter shapes one's life. Serendipity is all!

Graham's book list on the artist and the art of living

Graham Rust Why did Graham love this book?

The best tale and totally mesmerizing story of the confidence-man Felix Krull, who developed the art of subterfuge and deception to a phenomenal degree.

Escaping from a childhood of poverty he eventually rose to mingle with the highest echelons of European society. Helped by being young and good-looking Krull was irresistible to women, of which he was not slow to take advantage.

This chameleon-like quality enabled him to adapt to countless situations and to pursue his career as a highly gifted swindler impervious to the conduct and morals of normal humankind.

When, eventually, the Marquis de Venosta makes him a proposal he cannot refuse - his world changes.

A bewitching experience.

By Thomas Mann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Confessions of Felix Krull, Confidence Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Recounts the enchanted career of the con man extraordinaire Felix Krull--a man unhampered by the moral precepts that govern the conduct of ordinary people.


Book cover of Heist Society

Leila Sales Author Of The Museum of Lost and Found

From my list on kids doing things only grown-ups could do.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m the author of a number of books for kids and teens, many of which imagine young characters having more influence than you might expect. My book The Museum of Lost and Found is about an 11-year-old girl who secretly curates a museum. The Campaign is about a 12-year-old who runs her babysitterā€™s campaign to become mayor of their town. And This Song Will Save Your Life is about a 16-year-old who secretly becomes an underground DJ. These characters have realistic and relatable kid problems, emotions, and relationshipsā€”but they also get to have responsibilities and power well beyond their years. 

Leila's book list on kids doing things only grown-ups could do

Leila Sales Why did Leila love this book?

You describe a book as ā€œOceanā€™s Eleven for teens,ā€ and I am a hundred percent in.

Like most heists, this one has the cat burglar and the genius hacker and the femme fatale and the getaway driverā€”except this time, theyā€™re all teenagers. What a dream!

I just love a good heist story. They have to be so carefully crafted, so tightly plotted, and as a writer I really admire any storyteller who can do that. All three books in the Heist Society series are remarkable feats of plotting and pacing. I got to see Ally Carter give an author talk once, and she spoke about just how hard it is to write something that looks this easy. Thatā€™s so true; it really stuck with me.

By Ally Carter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Heist Society as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

From the international bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls series

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie travelled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own - scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind.

But now her dad's life is on the line, and Kat must go back to the world she tried so hard to escape...


Book cover of Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake

Shawn LĆ©on Nowotnik Author Of F*ck Happiness: The Search for Meaning in a World Gone Mad Chasing Happiness

From my list on lessons on life and leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

From a young age, I was captivated by art, music, film, and literatureā€”constantly craving more from these creative mediums. Growing up in a lower-income, working-class home, I was surrounded by blue-collar workers, many of whom couldnā€™t attend college due to financial limitations. I learned early on that the richest education comes not just from books but from the stories of others and the world around us. Always feeling I had my own story to tell, I transitioned from steel worker to talent agent in Hollywood. But despite my success promoting others, something was missingā€”my own narrative. After a tragic loss, I reevaluated my path and chose to become a psychotherapist and author.

Shawn's book list on lessons on life and leadership

Shawn LĆ©on Nowotnik Why did Shawn love this book?

This was the first book I ever read from start to finish, and it opened my eyes to adventures beyond my own neighborhood. It also illuminated the complexities of human nature and how psychology influenced my mindset and outcomes.

This book inspired me to leave my job as a steelworker and take a leap into Hollywood, even though I didnā€™t know a single person there. Over the next two decades, I achieved what seemed impossibleā€”thanks to this book!

By Frank W. Abagnale, Stan Redding,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Catch Me If You Can as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The story of Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Ringo Monjo, one of the most daring con men, forgers, impostors, and escape artists in history. Dubbed "The Skywayman", he was known by the police of 26 foreign countries and all 50 states in America, living a sumptuous life on the run. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as a member of hospital management, practised law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forgedā€¦


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Book cover of Spirit of the Amaroq: A Story of Salvation

Spirit of the Amaroq by James Charles,

After a traumatic event, Jack Douglas hikes across America. In North Dakota, he finds work on an oil rig until a violent turn of events forces him to seek seclusion in the Alaskan wilderness where he's stalked by the mythical Amaroq wolf. 

In Nome, Jack takes a job on aā€¦

Book cover of The Shill

Steven Jankowski Author Of Below the Line

From my list on noir crime with characters that arenā€™t detectives.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a screenwriter Iā€™ve always enjoyed noir stories, whether books or movies. Stories where the characters are not your squeaky-clean ā€œgood guys.ā€ I like to see ā€œordinaryā€ people; people who are flawed (like all of us), or maybe with a shady past, who are swayed or manipulated by dire circumstances into doing something they would not ordinarily do. I enjoy stories with unique, interesting characters that are not your run-of-the-mill private eyes, and whose moral compass might be a bit off. I particularly like stories where characters are forced to become investigators because of a situation they are thrust into, whether by accident or by their own dubious actions. 

Steven's book list on noir crime with characters that arenā€™t detectives

Steven Jankowski Why did Steven love this book?

In this first book of The Shill Trilogy struggling actress Jane Innes is seduced by a handsome new arrival in her acting class. He admits heā€™s a con man and needs Jane to pose as a rich, carefree heiress to fulfill his intricate scam. I loved this book because Jane, being desperate for money, and love, agrees to help the con man that has seduced her. Is it love or money the reason she agrees? I believe there is no black and white, good or evil in characters when it comes to morals. I enjoy stories that show us the gray in us, and how one can be swayed to the dark side through desperation if given the right opportunity.

By John Shepphird,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Shill as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Struggling actress Jane Innes is seduced by a handsome new arrival in her acting class. He makes a proposition. He admits heā€™s a con man and needs Jane to pose as a rich, carefree heiress to fulfill her part in his intricate scam.

Would you agree? Or run the other way?

All goes as planned until Janeā€™s true identity threatens to surface and their scheme begins to crack at the seams.

It all leads to a tangled maze of deception, depravity and murder.

THE SHILL is part one of a trilogy from Shamus Award winning author, John Shepphird.


Book cover of Outlander
Book cover of A Stone in the Sea
Book cover of Solitary

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