Category Archives: Contemporary

Fever Dream by Elsie Silver

Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance. Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, she’s the last woman who should pique his interest. Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Drugging for attempted sexual assault
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Blackmail

Saved by a SEAL by Cat Johnson

Zane Alexander was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but the rebellious bad boy traded it, along with his share of the family fortune, for a Navy SEAL trident and freedom from his controlling father. Ten years later, Zane’s teammates are depending on him to secure the startup capital they need to open their security company and he’s gambling on his skills at covert operations to get it. For a million dollars he’ll fake interest in Missy Greenwood, the Senator’s daughter his father wants him to date in exchange… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Kidnapping
  • War themes
  • Terrorism

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect. The only problem? The weekend is shaping… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Parental divorce

Savage Lover by Sophie Lark

Two people who believe they’re unworthy of love… until they meet each other. Camille Rivera is drowning. Her father’s sick, her brother’s in deep with a dirty cop, and her mechanic shop is failing. Nero Gallo is the neighbourhood psychopath. As vicious as he is gorgeous, Camille has watched him burn through every girl in a ten-mile radius, breaking hearts and never, ever getting attached. Which is why she can’t believe it when Nero saves her from a seriously sticky situation. They’ve lived next to each other all their lives — is it… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Parental abandonment recounted
  • Death of a mother
  • Organised crime

Sasha Masha by Agnes Borinsky

Alex feels like he is in the wrong body. His skin feels strange against his bones. And then comes Tracy, who thinks he’s adorably awkward, who wants to kiss him, who makes him feel like a Real Boy. But it is not quite enough. Something is missing. As Alex grapples with his identity, he finds himself trying on dresses and swiping on lipstick in the quiet of his bedroom. He meets Andre, a gay boy who is beautiful and unafraid to be who he is. Slowly, Alex begins to realize: maybe his name isn’t Alex at all. Maybe it’s Sasha Masha.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Transphobia & deadnaming
  • Coming out themes

Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh

Manny Dogra is the beautiful young CEO of Breakup, a highly successful company that helps people manage their relationship breakups. As preoccupied as she is with her business, she’s also planning her wedding to handsome architect Adam Jamieson while dealing with the loss of her beloved parents. For reasons Manny has never understood, her mother and father, who were both born in India, always wanted her to become an “All-American” girl. So that’s what she did. She knows next to nothing about her South Asian heritage, and that’s never been a problem—until her… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism & colourism
  • Alcohol consumption

Santa’s Helper by Shae Sanders

A chance encounter at the mall sets off sparks between Felina and Julian. He’s Santa, and he needs a Mrs. Claus…

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Divorce due to infidelity (ex-partner)
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a father recounted

Samira Surfs by Rukhsanna Guidroz

Samira thinks of her life as before and after: before the burning and violence in Burma (now Myanmar), when she and her best friend would play in the fields, and after, when her family was forced to flee. There’s before the uncertain journey to Bangladesh by river, and after, when the river swallowed her nana and nani whole. And now, months after rebuilding a life in Bangladesh with her mama, baba, and brother, Khaled, there’s before Samira saw the surfer girls, and after, when she decides she’ll become one. With Khaled’s help… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Death of a grandparent
  • Drowning mentioned
  • Refugee experiences
  • Poverty

Saint Iggy by K.L. Going

When Iggy Corso gets kicked out of high school, there’s no one for him to tell. His mother has gone off, his father is stoned on the couch, and the phone’s been disconnected, so even the social worker can’t get through. Leaving his public housing behind, Iggy ventures into the world to make something of his life. It’s not easy when you’re sixteen, have no skills, and your only friend is mixed up with the dealer who got your mom hooked. But Iggy is . . . Iggy, and he has the kind of wisdom that lets him see what no one else can.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Parental abandonment & neglect
  • Infidelity
  • Parent with substance addiction
  • Alcohol consumption and recreational drug use & abuse
  • Murder
  • Gun violence
  • Police brutality