Books like 'Better'
Readers who enjoyed Better by S. Walden also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult forbidden love age difference college angst nerdy-hero
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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:
angst college forbidden love new adult contemporary military friends to lovers love triangle -
The Cadence of Part-time Poets by Motswolo
Rated: 4.79 of 5 stars · 20 ratings“They’re… chaos,” Remus said firmly. “And chaos is—”“Rock and roll.”He looked at Sirius sharply, and for once, matched his grin. “Yeah.”“Maybe that’s my excuse then,” Sirius said. “I cause a bit of chaos now, and maybe one day, it’ll turn into rock and roll... -
A Sign of Affection, Vol. 4 by Suu Morishita, 森下suu
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 32 ratings“I WISH ITSUOMI-SAN WOULD TAKE ME INTO HIS WORLD…” Yuki, a deaf college student who’s led a relatively sheltered life, has just taken a huge step: She’s got a boyfriend! And he seems like a keeper: Itsuomi is a multilingual globetrotter who works hard, and he’s a knockout, to boot... -
Rebel by Rebecca Yarros
She’s Penna Carstairs. The Renegade they call Rebel. FMX-treme Magazine’s sexiest female athlete of the year.There’s no rule in extreme sports she hasn’t broken,No gender barrier she hasn’t demolished. She’s the woman I met in a bar in Vegas.The woman I illegally BASE jumped for.The woman I spent one insane, incredible night with.But now I’m screwed.Or rather…not screwed... -
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Hate Me by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Jillian Dodd comes the sixth book in the addictive Keatyn Chronicles series. Discover a breathless fairy-tale romance with swoon-worthy characters, suspense, and a glittering celebrity world... -
Art & Soul by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsI had always been the invisible art student in high school. Passed by. Glossed over. Unnoticed. Now I was Aria Watson…that girl. After one bad decision, and being labeled a slut, I was no longer unseen. I was the whore. The ignoramus. The tramp. I would never be invisible again. Particularly to Levi Myers...Categorized as:
angst forbidden love young adult contemporary friends to lovers pregnancy tearjerkers new adult -
Promising You by Allie Everhart
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhen Jade first arrived at Moorhurst College, she never imagined that the guy who helped her move in would end up being the guy she wants to be with forever. Now, seven months later, Jade and Garret are starting to talk about a future together. But the people around Jade are planting doubts in her mind, questioning her decision to be part of the Kensington family... -
Someone I Used To Know by Paige Toon
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSo much can change in half a lifetime… Then At fifteen, George is the foster brother Leah never asked for. As the angry, troubled boy struggles to come to terms with his circumstances, Leah finds herself getting drawn closer to him. Theo’s wealthy family have mysteriously pulled him out of boarding school and he’s now enrolled at the local state school with Leah and George... -
Gentry Boys by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 27 ratings“All my life I’d always known what the Gentry boys were. A set of fraternal triplets born to a depraved family, they were rough, sexy and wild as wolves..." DRAW They called us ‘those white trash Gentry boys’ until we believed that’s what we were. Our people squatted at the edge of a hellhole prison town for generations. The childhood we endured was the stuff of nightmares... -
The Man I Love by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 22 ratings"You never got over her. You just left." From author Suanne Laqueur comes an astonishing debut novel: a young man's emotional journey to salvage relationships destroyed in the wake of a school shooting. As a college freshman, Erik Fiskare is drawn to the world of theater but prefers backstage to center stage... -
Without You by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAlex and Will have spent months keeping their relationship hidden from their families. Getting caught prematurely causes them to admit their love for each other to their parents. One decision made by Alex's father changes her entire world, shattering her plans for the future...Categorized as:
college forbidden love contemporary friends to lovers cowboys young adult new adult length-medium -
Bring Me Home by Cassia Leo
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 36 ratings"Sometimes letting someone go is the ultimate act of love." Claire Nixon is a college student with a past full of secrets and heartbreak. She was saved once by her first love, and rock star, Chris Knight. But when she encouraged Chris to leave town to pursue his dreams, both Claire and Chris didn’t realize it would be the biggest mistake of their lives... -
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Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 5 by Mika Yamamori, やまもり三香
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsOptimistic high schooler Suzume moves to Tokyo and finds her heart caught between two men!After arriving in Tokyo to live with her uncle, Suzume collapses in a nearby park where she had once seen a shooting star during the day. A handsome stranger brings her to her new home and tells her they’ll meet again... -
Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 11 by Mika Yamamori, やまもり三香
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsSuzume has moved to Tokyo and is living with her uncle. Mr. Shishio once again declares his love to Suzume, but this time around she can’t find it in her heart to trust his words. Instead she chooses to focus on strengthening her relationship with Mamura. But when Mr... -
Forever You by Allie Everhart
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsJade and Garret have a love story like no other. They’ve survived heartache, tragedy, and numerous forces trying to tear them apart, but through it all they’ve developed a love that will endure forever. Now it’s time to celebrate their love with a wedding... -
How The Heart Breaks by Stacey Marie Brown
He was her secret, her sin, the heart she couldn’t love.Emery Robert’s life is everything she wanted. Married to the love of her life, with a good job, and plans for a family in the future. But when Emery’s husband dies tragically, she is the one who stops living.Three years later, at the age of 30, she’s still struggling to move on...Categorized as:
age difference angst contemporary death high-school insta-love young adult explicit-open-door -
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Warmth in Ice by A. Meredith Walters
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsClay and Maggie have gone through the dark and come out on the other side. For the first time, they are on this journey together. Fighting for something they both need and can’t live without…each other. But a long distance relationship is hard. Particularly for two people who are still trying to build something solid on a shaky and troubled foundation... -
Torn Hearts by Claire Contreras, Madison Seidler
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 35 ratings**This novella is part of the Kaleidoscope Hearts Series, and is meant to be read in between Kaleidoscope Hearts and Paper Hearts (which releases September 10, 2015).** I met a boy once. He made my heart go into a frenzy every time he looked at me, and my knees go weak whenever he touched me. The beginning of our love was beautiful that even its demise was bittersweet. I met a girl once...Categorized as:
angst college contemporary friends to lovers cheating tearjerkers young adult pregnancy -
Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet Vol. 5 by Mika Yamamori, やまもり三香
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsAkatsuki Kibikino may be a celebrated novelist, but putting his feelings into words has always been a struggle. Kaneishi’s blatant advances toward Fumi put Akatsuki in the foulest mood—that much is obvious... -
Bittersweet Always by Ella Fields
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom bestselling author Ella Fields comes an all new standalone. An emotional new adult romance that proves love is worth fighting your demons for. Toby Hawthorne was an enigma. One I didn't factor into my college plans. I wasn't looking for love. I wasn't not looking for it either. And in that state of in-between, he found me. Unaware of the battle he fought everyday, I fell fast... -
Cheese in the Trap, Season 2 by Soon Ki
Having returned to college after a year long break, Hong Sul, a hard-working over-achiever, inadvertently got on the wrong side of a suspiciously perfect senior named Yoo Jung. From then on her life took a turn for the worse and Sul was almost certain it was all Yoo Jung's doing... -
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Pledge by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsIt’s a new year at Palm South University, and a new chapter for Cassie — who’s excited to take her relationship with Grayson to the next level. But when he asks her to make an impossible choice between him and Adam, loyalty will be tested, and hearts will be broken...Categorized as:
college angst age difference new adult contemporary young adult love triangle from hate to love -
Wherever You Are by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsI WILL RUIN HER. You know that old saying “opposites attract” — well, no one ever tells you what happens after the attraction part. Do opposites stick together forever? Or do they just self-combust? And then there’s the third option: someone or something forces them apart. Look, the third option isn’t happening to us. I will end the bastard who thinks he can keep me from her...Categorized as:
college angst new adult friends to lovers contemporary abuse young adult rich heroine -
August by trickology
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNyctophilia(n.) Love of darkness or night. Finding comfort in darkness.August Villin was a name people feared.Cruel and powerful, his anger was a storm that never went away.He was the monster that lurked in all of your worst nightmares, waiting for you to cross onto his dangerous path. But the gates of hell swing open and all hell breaks loose,When they cross paths... -
Losing Kyler by Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsCondemned to repeat the sins of the past... Faye thought losing her parents was the most devastating thing to happen to her, but she was wrong. Her uncle’s scandalous revelation has sent her into a tailspin, leaving her questioning her entire existence. Everything she believed is built on a lie. And the one person she shares a passionate, soul-deep connection with can’t be there for her... -
Captivate by Dylan Allen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe's on the edge of stardom. I'm on the edge of disaster. One night will change our lives forever... I was standing in the middle of a storm when Carter Bosh asks me to dance. I should have said no, but his outstretched hand and glittering green eyes were too tempting to resist. His touch sparked a fire inside of me. His kisses thrill and soothe at the same time... -
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The Song Remains the Same by Jovana Shirley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPhil “Kenna stood strong, taking my grief into herself. In that moment, if the world had truly threatened to fall, I had no doubt my Baby Girl would hold it up.” A pillar of strength, Kenna only grows stronger as time passes. I’ve known from the beginning that I was the weak link between us. Always, she’s risen above and beyond the darkness of the unknown that threatens to suck me down... -
椿町ロンリープラネット 4 [Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet 4] by Mika Yamamori, やまもり三香
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 18 ratings暁に抱きしめられたふみ。暁への恋を諦めようとしていたのに──。心は乱れたまま夏休みに突入!... -
Beneath His Stars by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsI met Adam Nova under the twinkling lights of a nighttime sky. He was hiding, but that gorgeous boy didn’t belong in the dark. Nevertheless it was where he lived; a different world than mine. I was Livingston Montgomery, Southern debutante. With the world at my fingertips, I was well on my way to being another spoiled socialite. But I didn’t want money. I didn’t want social status...Categorized as:
angst forbidden love suspense new adult contemporary alpha male friends to lovers virgin heroine -
Finding Now by Allie Juliette Mousseau
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter a tragic accident that plays on an endless loop in her mind, wild child Kate Jolie died inside. She now functions only through her rigid, ironclad routine, which keeps her mind and soul in check – balancing her in a dangerously precarious position between life and death Rocker and Master's student Sam North knows no limits and seeks out every challenge to conquer and defy... -
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Remember When by T. Torrest
Years before Trip Wiley could be seen on movie screens all over the world, he could be seen sitting in the desk behind me in my high school English class. This was back in 1990, and I cite the year only to avoid dumbfounding you when references to big hair or stretch pants are mentioned. Although, come to think of it, I am from New Jersey, which may serve as explanation enough...Categorized as:
college angst humor contemporary friends to lovers slow burn young adult high-school -
A Rival's Kiss by Maya Hughes
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWalking away would be the smartest decision, but no one’s ever accused me of being smart. Cold, determined, brutal, but never smart.Willa’s mine from the moment I rescue her. I protect her from a brawling crowd and she stares up at me like I’m her prince charming. No one’s ever looked at me like that. No one has ever dared to come that close... -
Tyson by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBrylee - It was supposed to be a one-time thing which quickly turned into two, and then three. Don’t ask me how, but now I can't seem count the times on one hand, let alone two. I'm in trouble. I never intended for this to be something more, but he has the ability to keep drawing me back in. He's coming for me. He's always wanted more, but this time, I don't think he's going to let me go... -
That Wedding by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsMarry the boy next door in this sweet contemporary romance by USA Today Best Selling Author, Jillian Dodd.The gorgeous engagement ring on my finger mimics my happiness. I feel so sparkly, glittery, and full of promise, because I absolutely know he's that boy. The boy I want to marry. My prince. My happily ever after.But then our pastor starts asking lots of questions... -
Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 143 ratingsHardships and heartache brought them together… now it will tear them apart. Layken and Will have proved their love can get them through anything; until someone from Will’s past re-emerges, leaving Layken questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. Will is forced to face the ultimate challenge…how to prove his love for a girl who refuses to stop ‘carving pumpkins... -
Chasing River by K.A. Tucker
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsArmed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude. Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled... -
The Secret Ex-Boyfriend by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 27 ratings"Don’t have a best friend that’s a girl" — this was the advice from my older cousin. I didn’t take it. Because he followed with, "friends don’t f*ck friends. And you’ll want to f*ck her." It was terrible advice. My cousin should’ve told me that being best friends with Baylee Wright — since she was twelve — would be the best and worst decision of my life...Categorized as:
angst forbidden love sports new adult contemporary friends to lovers young adult dual-pov -
180 Seconds by Jessica Park
Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds… After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, Allison is determined to keep others at arm’s length. Adopted at sixteen, she knows better than to believe in the permanence of anything... -
The Ever After of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Temptation of Lila and Ethan comes a story of change, hope, and unbreakable vows. The day Ella has waited for is just around the corner. It's the day she'll marry Micha, the love of her life, the light that guided her out of the darkness... -
Volatile by Avylinn Winter
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBook 1 in the Treacherous Chemistry series Like a depressed moth drawn to a wild flame, Chris hoped that flame would brighten his life, not burn him alive. Chris Sinclair fades into a gray world after losing his mother to cancer. When forced to attend a concert, as a last attempt to coax him out of his shell, he discovers that life might not be as bleak as he first thought... -
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Cruel Hate: A College Sports Romance by Isla Vaughn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKnocked up by the QB.Harassed by punt bunnies. Falling for the enemy isn’t an option here. I threw caution to the wind and my v-card at the one man I can’t stand. What did that get me? Pregnant. Now, we’re both screwed. Mr. Superstar wants the punt bunnies off his back. I want my parents off mine. To do that, he proposes a fake relationship... -
Penalty to the Heart by Ivy Fox
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsNever fall in love with a client.I care deeply for all my patients, but falling in love with one was never a risk.My heart had closed up shop years ago.As the Boston Guardians' in-house therapist, I was perfectly content helping athletes deal with their pain and trauma, happy to see others thrive and overcome life's obstacles.I was content…until I wasn't... -
More Than Water by Renee Ericson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsIt doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t feel wrong. It just...feels. EJ Cunning, an art history major, dates musicians. Foster Blake, a chemical engineering major, can’t sing a tune. They’re not each other’s type. They’re coworkers. Then, one night leads to sex—sex between friends—which leads to an agreement. It all seems so simple—but nothing ever is. Many layers build a person’s facade... -
More Than Water by Renee Ericson
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsIt doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t feel wrong. It just...feels. EJ Cunning, an art history major, dates musicians. Foster Blake, a chemical engineering major, can’t sing a tune. They’re not each other’s type. They’re coworkers. Then, one night leads to sex—sex between friends—which leads to an agreement. It all seems so simple—but nothing ever is. Many layers build a person’s facade...Categorized as:
college angst nerdy-hero friends to lovers tortured heroine slow burn sassy heroine office -
Love, in Spanish by Karina Halle
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 29 ratings"She sat beside me on the bus – and she changed my whole life." Successful, wealthy and absurdly handsome – Spanish ex-football player Mateo Casalles seemed like he had it all. A high-society wife, an adorable little girl, and flashy apartments in Madrid and Barcelona only sweetened the deal...Categorized as:
age difference forbidden love college angst young adult contemporary alpha male tycoon -
Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli, Adam Silvera
Ben has spent his first year of college working on his fantasy manuscript with his writing partner Mario, who is a great Spanish tutor, and an even better kisser. So why can’t he stop thinking about the fact that Arthur’s back in town two years after they called it quits?Arthur is in New York for a dream internship on Broadway, with a boyfriend back at home that he couldn't be happier with...
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