Books like 'Secrets in the Sand'
Readers who enjoyed Secrets in the Sand by Lauren Lee Merewether also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical young adult ancient times new adult angst m-f class difference friends to lovers hurt-comfort forced proximity
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Hunting for Silence by Robert Thier
British business mogul Rikkard Ambrose has departed London to face his arch-rival in a deadly game of espionage and intrigue at the Royal Court of France, leaving his lady love behind to knit socks and twiddle her thumbs... -
Storm and Silence by Robert Thier
Freedom – that is what Lilly Linton wants most in life. Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much! But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty... -
Storm of Bells by Robert Thier
Never do what you’re told, never boil your own head in vinegar and, most important of all, never ever marry a man—those have always been Lilly Linton’s principles for a happy, carefree life. So, how the heck did she end up engaged to multinational industrial magnate Rikkard Ambrose?Right now she’s too happy to care... -
Persuasion by Jane Austen
'She had been forced into prudence in her youth, she learned romance as she grew older' At twenty-seven, Anne Elliot is no longer young and has few romantic prospects. Eight years earlier, she had been persuaded by her friend Lady Russell to break off her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a handsome naval captain with neither fortune nor rank...Categorized as:
second chances love triangle class difference forced proximity men in uniform slow burn m-f angst -
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Long Live the Beautiful Hearts by Emma Scott
Never again would I allow my heart to become the plaything of someone else. Never again would I let a man (or men) come between me and my goals. Never again would I love without feeling the fullness of that love in return. Not until I knew it was real. And if that took me a lifetime to find, so be it...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers love triangle angst forbidden love war contemporary military -
A Light on the Hill by Connilyn Cossette
Seven years ago, Moriyah was taken captive in Jericho and branded with the mark of the Canaanite gods. Now the Israelites are experiencing peace in their new land, but Moriyah has yet to find her own peace. Because of the shameful mark on her face, she hides behind her veil at all times and the disdain of the townspeople keeps her from socializing. And marriage prospects were out of the question... -
The Hidden Prince by Tessa Afshar
From the bestselling author of Jewel of the Nile comes the thrilling tale of a woman who feels she has no future but soon discovers the fate of nations may rest in her hands.The beloved daughter of Jewish captives in Babylon, Keren is sold into Daniel’s household to help her family survive... -
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows
A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.“Treat yourself to this book, please - I can’t recommend it highly enough.” (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love)“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers... -
Waves of Mercy by Lynn Austin
Austin Returns with a Multi-Generational Historical NovelGeesje de Jonge crossed the ocean at age seventeen with her parents and a small group of immigrants from the Netherlands to settle in the Michigan wilderness. Fifty years later, in 1897, she's asked to write a memoir of her early experiences as the town celebrates its anniversary... -
Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 02 by Rei Tōma
Princess Nakaba of Senan and Prince Caesar of Belquat only married each other for the sake of peace between their two warring countries, but things take a surprising turn when Caesar finds himself falling for his strange wife! Caesar tries to get Nakaba to return his feelings, but she maintains that he is her enemy and that she hates him...Categorized as:
love triangle war slow burn young adult magic historical other-man-woman length-short -
A Bride's Story, Vol. 1 by Kaoru Mori, 森 薫
Acclaimed creator Kaoru Mori (Emma, Shirley) brings the nineteenth-century Silk Road to lavish life, chronicling the story of Amir Halgal, a young woman from a nomadic tribe betrothed to a twelve-year-old boy eight years her junior... -
Until the Mountains Fall by Connilyn Cossette
Recently widowed, Rivkah refuses to submit to the Torah law compelling her to marry her husband's brother and instead flees Kedesh, hoping to use her talents as a scribe to support herself. Without the protections of her father, Kedesh's head priest, and the safety of the city of refuge, Rivkah soon discovers that the cost of recklessness is her own freedom... -
The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd
An incredible story of dangerous and hidden friendships, ambition, betrayal, and sacrifice.The year is 1739. Eliza Lucas is sixteen years old when her father leaves her in charge of their family's three plantations in rural South Carolina and then proceeds to bleed the estates dry in pursuit of his military ambitions... -
Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette
A Story of Love, Desperation, and Hope During a Great Biblical Epoch Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all... -
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Between the Wild Branches by Connilyn Cossette
Ten years ago Lukio fled Kiryat-Yearim, where he'd been adopted by the Levite family who guarded the Ark of the Covenant. Feeling betrayed by everyone, he returned to his birthplace in Philistia to become a famous fighter. Now the champion of Ashdod, Lukio has achieved every goal with the help of his ruthless cousin...Categorized as:
ancient times new adult m-f second chances tortured hero fighters super rich hero class difference -
Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster
Raised in a bleak orphanage without even a name from her parents, this modern girls' fairy tale tells the story of Jerusha Abbott, a plucky young woman without ties and unsure of her future. After a visit from the trustees of the orphanage, Jerusha is told that one of the trustees sees in her the potential of a writer and wishes to be the patron of her college education... -
You Are Not Me by Leta Blake
Follow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage. After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It's the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer...Categorized as:
new adult angst slow burn friends to lovers forced proximity cheating m-m young adult -
Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz
On a bitter December day in 1785, Silas Ballantyne arrives at the door of master blacksmith Liege Lee in York, Pennsylvania. Just months from becoming a master blacksmith himself, Silas is determined to finish his apprenticeship and move west. But Liege soon discovers that Silas is a prodigious worker and craftsman and endeavors to keep him in York...Categorized as:
new adult m-f love triangle secret child forced proximity disabilities and marks war strong heroine -
Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 12 by Rei Tōma
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsPrincess Nakaba of Senan and Prince Caesar of Belquat only married each other for the sake of peace between their two warring countries, yet the two develop feelings for each other while political forces threaten to tear their world apart. With Caesar's departure to Belquat the couple separates... -
Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon
When Josie Jensen, an awkward 13-year-old musical prodigy crashes headlong into new-comer Samuel Yazzie, an 18-year-old Navajo boy full of anger and confusion, an unlikely friendship blooms. Josie teaches Samuel about words, music and friendship, and along the way finds a kindred spirit...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers forbidden love war angst second chances m-f contemporary -
Training the Duke by Alexa Aston
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAn army officer who has returned to his childhood home . . .An earl’s daughter forced to earn her own living . . .Two damaged souls who find friendship . . . and love . . .Lieutenant-General Cyrus Cressley’s head wound leaves him blind in one eye and unsuited to lead men into battle... -
The Selection Series Collection by Kiera Cass
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe first four books in Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series are now available in one ebook collection!For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon...Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f forced proximity class difference slow burn young adult dystopian historical -
Voice of the Ancient by Connilyn Cossette
As the eldest son of a Levite and a Philistine, Avidan is torn between his duty to his family legacy and the desire for something more. When Ammonites attack the city of Yavash-Gilead, he takes the opportunity to fight with his cousins for the newly crowned King Saul. But when one of the cousins goes missing during the battle, Avidan stays behind to search for him in hopes that he's still alive...Categorized as:
ancient times new adult m-f war forced proximity friends to lovers slow burn competent heroine -
Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker
”An immediate hit. A resounding success for Walker, whose talent for emotional intricacy and smart wit elevate the standard of excellence in the genre.”—Booklist, starred review”Miss Newbury’s List is a gentle, moving, romance novel that’s inspired by kindred companionship and crossroad reckonings.”—Foreword ReviewsBefore Rosalind weds, she wants to experience ten things...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult m-f slow burn strong heroine tortured hero fighters angst -
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The Favorites: A Novel by Layne Fargo
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 66 ratingsTo the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult cheating love triangle angst contemporary sports ice-skating -
Stay With Me by Mila Gray
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsDidi Monroe’s waited her whole life for the type of romance you see in the movies, so when Hollywood heartthrob Zac Ridgemont sweeps her off her feet, Didi believes she might finally have met the one. While Zac’s away filming for the summer, Didi begins her internship at a military hospital in California. There, she meets wounded Marine Noel Walker...Categorized as:
new adult forbidden love love triangle war contemporary military young adult from hate to love -
The Boy in the Woods by Katherine A. Ganzel
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA mysterious and poignant coming of age novel set in the late 1950’s, with the same classic feel as A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. After a devastating accident takes Jess's parents, a cold and controlling uncle is the only family she has left. Ripping away everything she’s ever known, he takes her far from her home in the big city to live on the rural family estate...Categorized as:
class difference secret-relationship historical young adult 20th century length-epic -
Scarab in the Storm by Lauren Lee Merewether
Egypt is divided and conspiracy runs deep--the boy King Tut inherits a nation of chaos, and his wife, Queen Ankhesenamun, is desperate to earn his trust.Pharaoh Tutankhamun must decide Egypt's path amid political turmoil and corruption while Queen Ankhesenamun struggles to convince Pharaoh that their lives are at stake... -
Annie, Between the States by L.M. Elliott
Annie Sinclair's Virginia home is in the battle path of the Civil War. Her brothers, Laurence and Jamie, fight to defend the South, while Annie and her mother tend to wounded soldiers. When she develops a romantic connection with a Union Army lieutenant, Annie's view of the war broadens. Then an accusation calls her loyalty into question... -
Emma (Manga Classics) by Jane Austen
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 86 ratingsJane Austen's classic novel Emma is a timeless story of love, friendship, and self-discovery. Set in the small village of Highbury, England, during the early 19th century, the novel follows the story of Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy and beautiful young woman who is determined to make her own way in the world... -
The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 1 by Kairi Yura, Sai Yukino
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsShurei Hong, destitute but of noble birth, has always dreamed of working as a civil servant in the imperial court of Saiunkoku, but women are barred from holding office. The emperor Ryuki, however, refuses to take command, leaving everything to his advisors. Shurei is asked to become a consort to the emperor to persuade the ne’er-do-well ruler to govern... -
The Centurion's Wife by Janette Oke, Davis T. Bunn
Janette Oke has dreamed for years of retelling a story in a biblical time frame from a female protagonist's perspective, and Davis Bunn is elated to be working with her again on this sweeping saga of the dramatic events surrounding the birth of Christianity...and the very personal story of Leah, a young Jewess of mixed heritage trapped in a vortex of competing political agendas and private trauma... -
The Call of the Sea by Sian Ann Bessey
A Viking Historical RomanceOn the eve of her betrothal to a nobleman she’s never met, Rhiannon seeks comfort on the shores of the sea she loves so well. But instead of offering peace to her uneasy heart, the ocean heralds doom with the arrival of dreaded Viking ships. A vicious raid leads to the death of her beloved father and leaves Rhiannon’s life in tatters...Categorized as:
new adult m-f forbidden love hurt-comfort slow burn war competent heroine independent heroine -
Words Composed of Sea and Sky by Erica George
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMichaela Dunn dreams of getting into an art school, but when her stepfather refuses to fund a trip there for a poetry workshop, Michaela enters a local contest searching for a poet to write the dedication plaque for a statue honoring Captain Benjamin Churchill, a whaler who died at sea over one hundred years ago... -
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Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes
Private Matthew Petticrew arrives in France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces, an arrival which a war-weary France desperately hopes will help to end the turmoil. Having faced unthinkable things on the front, he is captivated by the sound of a lullaby, sung by a voice so pure he knows he must have imagined it... -
Egypt's Second Born by Lauren Lee Merewether
Bullied by his brother and disregarded by his father, young prince Amenhotep seeks to belong.Not expected to live as a babe, Amenhotep beats the odds only to find a life always in his brother's shadow and cast out from his father's glory... -
New Storm Rising by Robert Thier
This was NOT how Lilly had expected her honeymoon to go. Ever since their ship left the shore, she has been feeling dizzy, irritable and nauseous...and what the heck are these strange cravings she keeps having? Her brand-new husband is no help either. Suddenly, stoic, icy billionaire Mr Rikkard Ambrose has turned into a moody, overprotective caveman... -
The Substitute Bride by SweetBlunch
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe’d just have one problem in life…Nikos Pallis doesn't want a wife. The gorgeous Greek billionaire was notoriously known for having torrid but short affairs. Now his father had just announced that his bride will arrive soon to honor their wedding! His father had arranged his marriage without him knowing it... -
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Set in a topsy-turvy world like a holiday revel, this comedy devises a romantic plot around separated twins, misplaced passions, and mistaken identity. Juxtaposed to it is the satirical story of a self-deluded steward who dreams of becoming “Count Malvolio” only to receive his comeuppance at the hands of the merrymakers he wishes to suppress... -
The Well by Stephanie Landsem
In the rich tradition of Francine Rivers’s Lineage of Grace series, comes a beautiful retelling of the biblical story of the woman at the well—bringing to life this poignant young woman struggling to survive love and heartbreak... -
The Sun, the Earth & the Moon by Larry Benjamin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen seventeen-year-old Thomas arrives for his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania, he thinks he is ready for anything. Anything arrives quickly in the form of Dondi Whyte. Dondi is handsome, glamorous, and rich—everything Thomas is not. Is Thomas really ready for anything?Thomas falls helplessly in love with Dondi and the two begin a love affair...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort angst new adult love triangle m-m historical contemporary -
What Binds Us by Larry Benjamin, Richard Magnus
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings7 hrs 1 minThomas Edward is only a teenager when he escapes his working class neighborhood. He's ready for anything—except the arrival of Donovan Whyte in his life. Sophisticated and dazzlingly handsome, Dondi quickly becomes the center of Thomas Edward's universe, introducing him to a world full of drama, passion and feuding families...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort angst new adult love triangle m-m historical contemporary -
A Girl Called Foote by A.E. Walnofer
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsYoung Jonathan Clyde causes mischief for everyone at Whitehall, the stately home of his privileged ancestors. As he matures, however, he comes to despise the vanity and conceit surrounding him. Misfortune requires Lydia Smythe, an exceptionally clever farmer’s daughter, to seek employment at Whitehall. As a parlor maid, she feels stifled and harried by those over her...Categorized as:
strong heroine class difference historical young adult regency victorian length-medium -
Codebreaker by Jay Martel
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis original, interactive thriller from debut author Jay Martel follows a brilliant teenage girl as she races across D.C. to decode the clues her father left behind, which may just be the key to saving the country from a devastating tragedy.Mia Hayes has peaceful plans for the summer―find a part-time job at a coffee shop and work on her college applications...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity mystery young adult historical length-medium audiobook -
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Becoming Lady Lockwood by Jennifer Moore
Amelia Beckett is delighted to be a widow. Married by proxy to a man she'd never met, Amelia recognizes that a fortuitous entry into widowhood frees her from meddlesome chaperones and matchmakers. Heiress to her mother's sugar plantation in Jamaica, she happily anticipates working in a man's world, with the additional credibility of her new title: Lady Lockwood...Categorized as:
independent heroine new adult m-f forced proximity slow burn war competent heroine strong heroine -
Love Show by Audrey Bell
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsHadley Arrington is the career-driven editor-in-chief of her university’s prestigious newspaper. Jack Diamond is a laidback student whose good looks have made things even easier than they need to be. She’s the girl who came out of nowhere and kissed him in the rain. He’s the boy who made her do something crazy...Categorized as:
strong heroine war friends to lovers independent heroine m-f young adult contemporary historical -
Miss Adeline's Match by Joanna Barker
Miss Adeline Hayes is the perfect lady’s companion: pleasant, conversational, and unceasingly proper. But when her closest friend, Charity Edgeworth, breaks off her arranged marriage without explanation, even Adeline’s superior skills are put to the test... -
Pursuing Miss Hall by Karen Thornell
Nathaniel Blake has been in love with his best friend, Meg, for as long as he can remember. Though a gentleman himself, his status in Society is inarguably below Meg’s own. Determined to avoid the label of “fortune hunter,” Nathaniel has long concealed the feelings of his heart... -
The Children of Freedom by Marc Levy
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA remarkable story of struggle and survival in World War II by France's No. 1 bestselling novelist Early in 1942, two young brothers join a Resistance group. All the members of the group are young, most of their families came from elsewhere in Europe or North Africa and all of them are passionately committed to the freedom of France and Europe... -
Love Unseen by Rachel Kelley Stones
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHannah Hadley is a permanent fixture in London Society and well on her way to becoming a spinster. Despite her beauty and kind disposition, Hannah has accepted the harsh reality of her situation: she will never marry. Continually affected by an illness from her youth, Hannah acknowledges her chances of entertaining potential suitors, at least respectable ones, is slim...
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