Here are 71 books that Small Town Rumors fans have personally recommended if you like
Small Town Rumors.
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I’m the daughter of an Army drill sergeant, widow of an Air Force veteran, granddaughter, niece, and cousin to veterans who served during both World Wars, in Vietnam, and beyond. I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. One of my grandfathers suffered from PTSD and I’ll never forget a moment in my childhood when during a family picnic to welcome home my cousin from Vietnam, a car backfired in the street, and he dived under a picnic table for cover since days earlier he’d been in a war zone. I’ve visited VA hospitals where bitter veterans taunted each other for being a “cripple” and broke my heart.
This novel begins with a chance, intimate encounter five years earlier that has lasting importance for both Cameron Pope and Rusty Caldwell.
When they met, they didn’t even exchange names and he was a soldier about to be deployed. Now, she’s a federal agent and he’s returned home to his native Kentucky hoping to lead a simple, healing life. Instead, a kidnapping affects his family and Cam is thrust into the action. When Rusty arrives, the “soldier boy” has found his “angel” again.
It’s a fast-paced, exciting adventure but there’s a developing love between the two main characters. For me, it’s that second shot at love, that hope in the face of hopelessness, and the suspense kept me on the edge of my chair.
Army veteran Cameron Pope arrives back in Jubilee, Kentucky, for the first time in years. He barely has time to catch his breath when he becomes embroiled in a race of life or death for his little niece and a deadly hunt for the human traffickers who are destroying the peace of his mountain town. When he's reunited with Rusty Caldwell—a woman from his past he's never stopped thinking about—he wants to believe they can finally be together. But Rusty belongs to one of the rich families in Jubilee—the same rich folks…
I’m the daughter of an Army drill sergeant, widow of an Air Force veteran, granddaughter, niece, and cousin to veterans who served during both World Wars, in Vietnam, and beyond. I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. One of my grandfathers suffered from PTSD and I’ll never forget a moment in my childhood when during a family picnic to welcome home my cousin from Vietnam, a car backfired in the street, and he dived under a picnic table for cover since days earlier he’d been in a war zone. I’ve visited VA hospitals where bitter veterans taunted each other for being a “cripple” and broke my heart.
Saving Jake made me cry in places and warmed my heart in others. Sharon Sala (one of my favorite authors) handled this troubled veteran’s homecoming with skill and accuracy.
As Jake returns to his hometown to heal, he also finds love and a way to triumph over a bully from his past. I have a soft spot for veterans with PTSD because my late grandfather, Claude Roberts, suffered from it, long before it had a name or diagnosis. It made his life more difficult than should have been necessary, but he still loved his little granddaughter, “the kid” as he called me, very much.
Saving Jake made me cry in places and warmed my heart in others. Sharon Sala (one of my favorite authors) handled this troubled veteran’s homecoming with skill and accuracy. As Jake returns to his hometown to heal, he also finds love and a way to triumph…
"Sharon Sala is a consummate storyteller. Her skills shine in her Blessings, Georgia series. If you can stop reading then you're a better woman than me."―DEBBIE MACOMBER, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Welcome to Blessings, Georgia, the best small town in the South!
There is always hope as long as you can come home
After eight years in the Marines, Jacob Lorde returns to Blessings, Georgia, with no plans other than to hole up in his empty house and heal what's left of his soul. But with a charming next door neighbor and a town…
I’m the daughter of an Army drill sergeant, widow of an Air Force veteran, granddaughter, niece, and cousin to veterans who served during both World Wars, in Vietnam, and beyond. I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. One of my grandfathers suffered from PTSD and I’ll never forget a moment in my childhood when during a family picnic to welcome home my cousin from Vietnam, a car backfired in the street, and he dived under a picnic table for cover since days earlier he’d been in a war zone. I’ve visited VA hospitals where bitter veterans taunted each other for being a “cripple” and broke my heart.
This ranks as one of the best books I’ve read. It cut me to the heart, brought tears, and yet brought hope.
It’s a complicated story about a woman who waited years for the man she loved. Then she moved on and is about to marry a new love, Eric, when John returns. He dreamed of Ava during his captivity and thought they would pick up where they left off but it doesn’t happen. She’s forced to make a terrible, gut-wrenching decision and must live with it.
But the story ends with hope for John and the future and there’s a follow-up story called One Year Back that continues the story. Although Ava’s not a widow, she felt like one and as a widow, that resonated with me.
The most brazen terrorist attack in history. A country bent on revenge. A love affair cut short. A broken heart that never truly heals.
Ava
I knew on the day of the attack that our lives were changed forever. What I didn’t know then was that I’d never see John again after he deployed. One day he was living with me, sleeping next to me, making plans with me. The next day he was gone. That was five years ago. The world has moved on from that awful day, but I’m stuck in my own personal hell, waiting for a…
I’m the daughter of an Army drill sergeant, widow of an Air Force veteran, granddaughter, niece, and cousin to veterans who served during both World Wars, in Vietnam, and beyond. I am a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. One of my grandfathers suffered from PTSD and I’ll never forget a moment in my childhood when during a family picnic to welcome home my cousin from Vietnam, a car backfired in the street, and he dived under a picnic table for cover since days earlier he’d been in a war zone. I’ve visited VA hospitals where bitter veterans taunted each other for being a “cripple” and broke my heart.
This is the most recent of the books I’ve picked, just released in May 2023. When I read the jacket blurb, I knew I’d have to read it since it was another story about a troubled veteran suffering from PTSD and a woman forced by circumstances to return to her hometown.
I like second-chance romance stories and that’s an element here, along with Jax’s PTSD issues. He’s isolated himself from most people except a few family members, but some old sparks ignite when Natalie returns home. Jax needs to find some forgiveness and redemption before he can move forward and that’s where Natalie comes in.
Natalie Tuttle fled her hometown—and its humiliations—for big-city life. When she must return after her mother falls ill, the last person she wants to see is Jaxon Stringfellow, the onetime friend who shattered her heart. But military veteran Jax is so much more than the boy he once was. And he’s coming to terms with his own demons. Can Nat grant him the forgiveness he seeks…and so much more?
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Although I have never been faced with an unwanted pregnancy, I lived through an era when women did not have easy choices available to them. Abortions were illegal while there was also tremendous stigma attached to those who choose to give their babies up for adoption or even decided to raise their babies without a male involved. Many times, the family of origin refused to support these women, turning their back on them. Most often, the men were not held accountable and disappeared with no further responsibilities.
A young woman, Callie finds herself needing to stay at Finn’s ranch as her nephew needs protective custody having witnessed a violent murder. Rather than going into Witness Protection she finds solace and help with the man she served in Afghanistan with (he a sniper; her, his spotter). As they fall in love now that they are not restricted by their career in the Army, they expand the family, aiding the woman who sold Finn the ranch, making a home for Callie’s nephew and three siblings he befriends at school who are trapped in the foster care system. Family is at the heart of this book as Callie and Finn fall deeply in love, overcoming their fears and anxieties when it comes to trusting and committing to someone in a deep, fulfilling relationship.
A long-standing feud, an unlikely love story, and New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown's Texas twang make for a lively Christmas romance at the ranch! Perfect for fans looking for their next Christmas classic:Romance between old friendsLots of hot cowboy lovin'Characters that jump off the pageWacky, small-town neighborsAuthentic Southern voice and inimitable sassOut of the army and looking for some peace and quiet this Christmas, former sniper Finn O'Donnell heads to the sleepy town of Burnt Boot, Texas. But Finn hasn't spent even one night at his new ranch when an army SUV pulls into the driveway and a…
My life was turned upside down because of a devastating divorce, becoming an empty nester, and my job as a theology professor ending. The identity crisis was real because the doing that gave me purpose was gone, yet God had a lesson and a purpose. I realized that what was left was more than what left me, and I understand that the key to resilience is your spiritual foundation. I believe the crown you wear is the treasure; elevation begins head first. Today, I empower women to live life confidently, on their terms, with peace and financial security. I help women reframe their stories, reinvent themselves, and reimagine their future.
I am a fan of making sure my financial house is in order. As life happens, we sometimes find ourselves heartbroken. Too many have faced the divorce scenario and lost because of tear-stained pillows. Landers encourages thought-provoking questions in a way that you are very prepared not only for the divorce process but also for what comes after.
Many divorced women end up in poverty because they are unaware of the finances, are blinded when the ex has hidden funds, and are distraught emotionally that they hold onto marital property they can’t afford. I love this book because it explains what is needed to make the right decisions in a crisis situation so that you come out in the best possible position.
UPDATED 2020 VERSION. Divorce is an emotional rollercoaster. And if you’re a woman going through a divorce, you may not be thinking about financial matters, such as how your assets might get divided, tax liabilities, and what your living expenses might be ten years from now. But, here’s the problem: the decisions you make both before and during your divorce will directly impact the rest of your life, for better or for worse. Thinking financially is not always easy. But, it is possible, especially if you have some help. Anyone, no matter how savvy, can benefit from expert advice when…
Since the ripe old age of four, I’ve loved the DJ. The first? My father, whose in-demand mix of music became the staple party starter in our Jamaican-American community on 176th Street in the Bronx. I’d be at his knee watching him spin vinyl records on his turntables at home or carrying album crates for a club party. I have three loves: music, books, and romance. It seemed preordained that I'd become a writer and incorporate music. I wrote my first book in 2005. Twelve titles later, music, books, and anything romantic still top my list. I hope you enjoy the one I’ve cultivated just for you.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the legendary McClain Brothers series, everyone’s favorite and mine. The name Big South will forever be seared into your mind and heart, and his queen Jo Walker is so dynamic. Wait until you see her in action!
From the moment I pressed play, I always had this book in my ear. I just couldn’t stop. The way this story is developed, the surprises, and the seemingly hopeless hardships that this couple faces, wow! I just kept rooting for them the whole time. I was completely addicted, but this isn’t unusual for me and my love of ANYTHING Alexandria House. Another epic read.
Trying to put past hurts behind you is hard when your ex is a fool, but buoyed by child support and alimony, Jo Walker is moving forward with her life, pursuing a career, raising her little girl, and trying to live in peace. She believes she has all the bases covered in her world. But what about her heart? Rap legend Everett “Big South” McClain is divorced, too, knows all about failed relationships, and has relegated his love life to casual connections rather than pursuing something real. That is, until he lays eyes on Jo. She’s exactly what he never…
Some men need killing. Whether monsters, serial killers, or husbands, women often face off with danger and must put a stop to it. How they do that fascinates me as a former psychotherapist. Must her life be in imminent danger, his finger depressing the trigger, for her to shoot? What if he terrorized or stalked her, but at the moment of death, she sneaks up on him? What if this guy killed her family, and she seeks revenge? Where we draw these lines in fiction informs who we are as humans and the very nature of our souls. And each of the books on my list, prism-like, reveals a separate facet.
In the 1990s, books and movies began cropping up about spousal abuse. And domestic violence. It was as if a mass awakening were taking place that queasily asserted: just because you fed the dude a piece of white-slicked cake, he doesn’t have the right to cause you to put on makeup because you have a black eye or wear long sleeves on hot August days, or give in to sex whenever he’s in the mood.
This book was a part of that awakening, and my hat is off to the author for her brave, don’t-look-away examination of Sara and Martin’s relationship. I was rooting and cheering for Sara so loudly that my throat still feels raw thirty years later.
'Sara slept with the enemy but survived. She was one of the lucky ones. Any woman contemplating leaving a violent relationship would do well to read this book' - Erin Pizzey. She is a stranger in a small town. She changed her name. Her looks. Her life. All to escape the most dangerous man she ever met. Her husband.
I am a former wildland firefighter, so I am passionate about writing about it. I’ve included several personal experiences in my books, and I learned integrity and an outstanding work ethic with the firefighters who trained me in the wildland fire community. I met my husband on another fire crew, so I had to write these fire stories in the romance genre. I have friends who also met their spouses in the world of firefighting, and I loved their romances. While not all wildfire stories in real life may have happy endings, I choose to write these as romances because a happily-ever-after is required for the romance genre.
This author is a former NYC firefighter and a terrific writer. This book is well written, with plenty of action in the firefighting world in New York City and plenty of heat for the slow-burn romance.
The heartfelt emotion this author writes is so realistic that she had me laughing and crying along with her characters. Now and then, I like to read a steamy romance, and this one more than delivers on that score. I’ll read anything this author writes.
He's reckless. She's hiding behind a lie. They seem destined to be, but could easily crash and burn.
As one of New York's Bravest, Dylan Hogan is notorious for his recklessness, but ask him to put his heart on the line and he couldn't be more cautious. After narrowly escaping death, he meets Autumn outside her burning apartment and instantly feels a connection that intrigues and terrifies him. He feels alive for the first time in over a decade, but she seems as adamant about pushing him away as she is about holding him close.
I’ve been fascinated by the Civil War ever since I was a kid, traipsing through battlefields and digging up old Minie balls and bullets from the backyard where my dad played when he was younger. The war was America’s defining moment, in many ways more important than the Revolution itself, setting the stage for our continuing evolution as a nation. But often, the history we’re taught is incomplete and imperfect. As a journalist who’s done some prize-winning investigative work, I like to use those skills to peel away the cobwebs of history to find the untold stories that are too often hidden from view.
This is not really a Civil War book, but a meditation on how history (including the Civil War and Reconstruction) impacts our culture today, penned by a journalist hiking the 200+ miles from Washington, D.C., to New York City.
Beautifully written, with a gentle conversational tone, I felt like I was hiking along with him as he talked about the scenery, history, philosophy, and his own impending sense of mortality (the hike was during a respite from a long-running bout with cancer). One of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
“American Ramble is a dazzling mixture of travelogue, memoir, and history. At times profound, funny, and heartbreaking, this is the story of a traveler intoxicated by life. I couldn’t put it down.” — Nathaniel Philbrick
A stunning, revelatory memoir about a 330-mile walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City—an unforgettable pilgrimage to the heart of America across some of our oldest common ground.
Neil King Jr.’s desire to walk from Washington, D.C., to New York City began as a whim and soon became an obsession. By the spring of 2021, events had intervened that gave his desire greater urgency.…
