Books like 'This Heart of Mine'
Readers who enjoyed This Heart of Mine by Brenda Novak also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary second chances poor heroine angst tortured heroine sweet heroine class difference single-father small town independent heroine
-
Worth It by S.M. Shade, C.M. Owens
What's the recipe to the ultimate disaster week? Three unruly friends. A wedding we shouldn't have been invited to. Two unexpected romances. A scoop of sexy. And a double scoop of chaos. Lydia is a good girl who is above revenge. Good thing she has us. No one cheats on our best friend and rides off into the sunset with his new bride... -
Beard Necessities by Penny Reid
Billy Winston’s family is going to see him happy and in love if it’s the last thing they do. No one deserves a happily-ever-after quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love, Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart almost twenty years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated...Categorized as:
angst second chances forced proximity sweet heroine dual-pov m-f tortured heroine humor -
Rewriting the Stars by Claire Kingsley
Firefighter Levi Bailey is used to being alone. Not that he’s lonely. How could he be, with a band of unruly brothers, and their wives and growing families. Maybe he’s the odd man out. The one brother who isn’t destined to be with his soulmate.Besides, he has her.She’s his Juliet, the only woman in the world he can’t ever have. To an outsider, it probably seems crazy... -
Consolation by Corinne Michaels
Natalie My life wasn’t supposed to be like this. I had a loving husband, a baby on the way, and a beautiful home. One second was all it took to destroy it all. One knock on the door ripped my perfect world apart. He said he’d come back. He lied. Then Liam returned and one night changed everything... -
-
Someone Like You by Marie Force
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe all-new Wild Widows Series about a group of grieving survivors who take Roni into their fold to help her cope with the loss of her husband. The group has only one requirement—members must be willing to entertain the possibility of a “Chapter 2,” as it’s called in widow circles, which means a second chance at love...Categorized as:
slow burn single-father dual-pov forced proximity second chances m-f contemporary friends to lovers -
Flirt With Me by Kristen Proby
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsFrom New York Times Bestselling Author Kristen Proby comes an all new novel in her beloved With Me In Seattle Series!There are two things Maeve O’Callaghan values more than anything else: her family and her career... -
The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAutumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer... -
The Billionaire's Secrets by J.S. Scott
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFormer rock star Xander Sinclair may be out of rehab, but he’s not out of the woods. Still haunted by his parents’ murders, he has secluded himself in his Amesport mansion and dodges any attempted contact from his two brothers. Struggling not to fall into relapse, he believes he’s battling his demons alone. That is, until Samantha arrives to work as his live-in housekeeper... -
Time by Penny Reid
From the New York Times Bestselling Author Penny Reid A (brokenhearted) physicist. Now an infamous (who is LITERALLY EVERYWHERE!! UGH!) musician. The worst has already happened. Mona has learned that she has nothing figured out and plans are meaningless. After leaving her in Aspen, Abram is now breaking sales-records, rising to rock star fame almost overnight. Mona can’t seem to escape him... -
The Candle Palace by Devney Perry
Sometimes a single flame can ignite a love that lasts a lifetime. Milo Phillips knows the meaning of pain. Suffering through the most intense physical agony of his life, he’s confined to a hospital bed to bear it alone. More than once, he wishes he’d died in the explosion that melted and mangled his skin...Categorized as:
forbidden love tortured heroine working class hero sweet heroine angst m-f caretaking hurt-comfort -
Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsBack home is the best place to start over in a heart-stirring Texas romance about friendship, second chances, and small-town scandals by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.Riverbend, Texas, doesn’t look like the crossroads of anywhere. But for four high school besties reuniting after twenty years, it’s a place to unpack a lot of baggage... -
Damaged! by J.S. Scott
The final book of the Walker Brothers Trilogy!!! What happens when your entire future is destroyed in moments? Dane My name is Dane Walker, and I'm entirely, irrevocably damaged. I lost my whole life in the plane crash that killed my father and left me scarred, both physically and emotionally, barely clinging to life in a hospital as the sole survivor of the accident. -
Catch a Kiwi by Rosalind James
Breathe, smile, and move on. When you’re writing the next chapter in your rags-to-riches-to-rags story, you need about a million quotes like that. I might be short on inspiration, but I had determination. That was it, except for a very young cousin and a very old campervan, but I was all about starting over...Categorized as:
m-f forced proximity strong heroine independent heroine poor heroine dual-pov caretaking slow burn -
RUSH by Emma Scott
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTo be blind is not miserable; not to be able to bear blindness, that is miserable. --John MiltonCharlotte Conroy, Juilliard-trained violinist, was on the cusp of greatness when tragedy swooped down on dark wings, crushing her hopes and breaking her heart. The music that used to sing in her soul has grown quiet, and she feels on the verge of setting down her violin for good...Categorized as:
male-pov angst hurt-comfort dual-pov new adult grumpy sunshine contemporary length-long -
-
Flipping Love You by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe’s the tattooed bad boy her mama warned her about. She’s his hot mess — but mostly hot — next door neighbor. Until a two-night-stand gives them the surprise of a lifetime... Jillian Morris is a workaholic who forgets to watch the time. And to eat. And to change her shoes. And to keep even a house-plant alive. And to have any kind of a personal life... -
Shelter for Sophie by Susan Stoker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s shy, he’s stoic…not the hardest personality traits to overcome, but Sophie Carson and Roman “Chief” Proudfit have their work cut out for them. Sophie has a crush on the silent-but-studly firefighter next door. She’s been pining away silently while secretly helping the hardworking man by mowing his lawn—which he thinks is being done by her nonexistent husband and/or boyfriend... -
Kissing My Brother's Bride by Molly McLain
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMy brother’s fiancée should have been mine. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. Linc was running late for their first date and he begged me to stand in until he could get there.I only went to tell the girl to run. To warn her about my brother’s selfish ways and promise she wanted no part of it.But then I saw her...Categorized as:
forbidden love dual-pov strong heroine m-f friends to lovers contemporary new adult length-medium -
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts
#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac—the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut's premier wedding planning companies. Parker Brown turned the quartet's childhood game of Wedding Day into their dream jobs... -
Claim by Janet Nissenson
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe final book of the Splendor trilogy – the conclusion, but never the ending, to a love story for the ages All of luxury hotel heir Ian Gregson’s dreams are finally coming true. Soon he will be able to claim the beautiful woman he longed for from afar for more than two years, and she will belong to him for all time... -
Until Trevor by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Trevor Mayson had his life planned out - make the family business successful and play the field for a few more years before eventually settling down. Then he sees her. Liz Hayes was beautiful, shy and everything that he could ever want...but she didn't fit into his plans. After Trevor painfully rejects her, Liz finally starts to move on, but Trevor is finding it difficult to truly let her go... -
Eleanor & Grey by Brittainy C. Cherry
Greyson East left his mark on me. As the young girl who first fell for him, I didn’t know much about life. I did know about his smiles, though, and his laughs, and the strange way my stomach flipped when he was near...Categorized as:
angst second chances forbidden love sweet heroine slow burn single-father dual-pov m-f -
Wedding at the Riverview Inn by Molly O'Keefe
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAn emotional tale of a magical inn, a wedding gone terribly wrong and a woman searching for a second chance.Alice has hit rock bottom. Once a Michelin-starred chef, she is now drowning in debt, working the line at a chain restaurant and drinking too much. The last person she ever expected to come knocking with a job offer and a fresh start is her ex-husband, Gabe... -
Controlled Burn by Marie James
As the mechanic for Blackbridge Security, when I make a mistake things don’t work properly.Correcting that mistake is the only way to get things operational.I meet issues in my personal life with the same mindset.How was I to know the woman I’ve been flirting with at the gym is the same woman I called a noise complaint on?I got her kicked out of her condo.My first response: Move in with me...Categorized as:
m-f dual-pov angst height-difference forced proximity slow burn independent heroine strong heroine -
Wallflower by Jessica Prince
She’d spent her entire life as a wallflower, hiding from the rest of the world.Willow Thorne had gotten really good at blending in with the wallpaper. The shy, quiet little mouse was more comfortable spending her days in her protective little bubble. Then she met a big, burly mechanic who looked really good on a motorcycle and made her feel things she’d never felt before...Categorized as:
sweet heroine m-f shy heroine working class hero dual-pov small town contemporary alpha male -
-
Rumor Has It by Jill Shalvis
He’ll help unleash the new woman in her… Special Ops soldier Griffin Reid doesn’t exactly have happy memories of growing up in Sunshine, Idaho. He’s only come back to recover from a war injury, and while he refuses to admit he’s in a weakened state, he finds comfort in the last person he’d expect. Kate Evans teaches fourth grade science in Sunshine, the place she’s always called home... -
Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart
If you ask Mia Madden, the road to dating hell is paved with suspiciously hot online profiles. Take tonight’s date, for example. Alex Conroy’s whole “boardroom in the streets, lumberjack in the sheets” thing totally works for her, but his profile did not convey that he represents everything she loathes about corporate hustle culture. He’s not even worth her bottle of purse wine...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov forbidden love m-f humor contemporary grumpy sunshine from hate to love -
More to Give by Terri Osburn
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsCallie Henderson had to fight to put her tragic past behind her, but now the up-and-coming player in the hospitality industry is well on her way to happiness. She has her sights set on the lead renovation position at the Sunset Harbor Inn - an inn that just happens to be owned by Sam Edwards, the man who comforted her in her grief and gave her one night of passion before walking away... -
Guarding Alexandria by Megan Fall
Mario is a criminal. He's tough, he's rich, and he's feared. He gave up everything to become the man he is, even the love of his life. Alexandria is desperate. Her dad just died of cancer, and she had to sell everything to pay the bills. With no options left, and no one to turn to, she decides stripping is all she can do... -
Stealing Hearts by Lex Martin
A marriage of convenience might save his ranch, but will it break her heart?I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love Rhett Walker, which is complicated since he’s ten years older and my brother’s best friend. After a falling out, we didn’t speak for years—until today, when he found me sleeping in my car, threw me over his shoulder, and dragged me “to safety... -
Heartstring by Ana Ashley
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMikIf I had a dollar for every mistake I made… But there’s only one mistake I regret.Breaking my promise to the only person who ever understood my need to get away from a future I didn’t want…Tyler.I’ve reached many hearts through my music, but the only one I’ve ever wanted might be lost to me forever.TylerFool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…Mik broke a promise a long time ago...Categorized as:
second chances angst single-father hurt-comfort m-m contemporary friends to lovers queer -
Take Me to the Valley by Kaci Rose
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe’s her brother’s best friend. She’s never had a thing for single dads or younger men… until him. Evan I’ve built my life around two things: protecting my daughter, Skye, and serving Whiskey River as a detective. Love? It’s off the table. I can’t have both—it’s not fair to Skye, and I’ve already been burned once... -
Vicious Tycoon by M. Robinson
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA Hollywood love story, second chance romance from Wall Street Journal & USA Bestselling Author M. Robinson Bailey McGraw Pierce is Hollywood’s sweetheart, and I’m their bad boy. She’s everything I’m not. Proper. Composed. Polite. Little Miss Goody Two-shoes can do no wrong in the limelight. That’s who she is to the world and her family...Categorized as:
forced proximity second chances forbidden love angst possessive hero dual-pov m-f office -
That One Touch by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe’s a single dad. The father of her student. And the chemistry is off the charts… After an accident ends her big city ballet career, Cassie Simons is ready for a brand new start, moving to a small town to help run her best friend’s dancing school. From the moment she meets her new students she knows she’s made the right choice... -
The Chocolate Touch by Laura Florand
La Vie en Chocolat Dominique Richard's reputation says it all--wild past, wilder flavors, black leather and smoldering heat. Jaime Corey is hardly the first woman to be drawn to all that dark, delicious danger... -
-
Fumbled by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsAs a pro football player, I’m known for scoring both on and off the field. But all that changes when a tragic accident leaves me as a single dad to a little girl. With both our lives flipped upside down, I’m scrambling to balance my career while supporting the needs of a girl who just had her life torn apart...Categorized as:
dual-pov forced proximity single-father m-f sports contemporary athletes from hate to love -
Saved By The Mechanic by Cassi Hart
RayAs a mechanic in a family full of lawyers, I’m used to being the black sheep. All I want in life is to run my auto repair shop with my trusted employees and live my life in peace. That peace is shattered when a gorgeous girl with innocent green eyes filled with fear shows up at my shop. It’s clear she’s hiding from someone. There’s something about the girl that thaws my cold, lonely heart... -
Found by the Mountain Man: An OTT Mountain Man Romance by Sadie King
I’ve been an orphan, a delinquent, a soldier, and a sniper. But I’ve never been in love, until I stumble upon the lost girl sheltering on my land.She’s battered and bruised with scars on the inside.I take her in, I heal her. And when she tells me about her past. I do what I do best.Whatever it takes to protect her.I was a sniper in the army. But I’m not looking for redemption...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort m-f caretaking forced proximity tortured heroine possessive hero male-pov dual-pov -
Wright that Got Away by K.A. Linde
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA sexy second chance rockstar romance set in the world of the Wrights about Campbell & Blaire from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde…Campbell Abbey is the lead singer of the biggest band in the universe right now.He’s also the boy I fell in love with in high school when no one knew my name...Categorized as:
second chances angst forced proximity slow burn m-f contemporary new adult from hate to love -
Hold on to Hope by A.L. Jackson
A best friends-to-lovers, stand-alone romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson . . . Evan Bryant wasn't your typical hero. But he was mine. Broken by the worlds’ standards, he was still the strongest boy I would ever know. My best friend. The boy I’d given everything to. My heart, my body, and the promise of forever. The day I’d needed him most, he walked away... -
Where We Belong by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Claudia Burgoa comes a best friend’s little sister, single dad romance featuring a hot doctor and his sweet little daughter. I’ve been in love with Benedict Farrow since I was fourteen years old.He’s my older brother’s best friend.One night we almost crossed that line.One night I almost got everything I wanted... -
Love at a Funeral and Other Awkward Conversations by Sophie Andrews
Death is an awkward matchmaker…When my brother suddenly passes away, shattering my family, I’m left to pick up the pieces.Then Vince Mancini knocks on my door. My brother’s best friend from high school—and the boy I loved—is a funeral director, and he promises to answer whenever I call... -
Be Mine This Time by M.A. Clarke Scott, MaryAnn Clarke
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFrom the award-winning author of The Art of Enchantment, comes Be Mine This Time, a compelling, heart-warming story of second chances, divided loyalties and the power of love to heal the wounds of the past. Vancouver family mediator Kate O’Day adores her work in couple’s reconciliation, despite her own tragic history with relationships... -
Yuletide With the Mountain Man: Log Cabin Christmas by Naomi Leblanc
After six months apart, Ava can’t wait to spend the holidays in a log cabin with her boyfriend of two years, and she believes a proposal would be the perfect Christmas gift.But things go awry when a stranger shows up, claiming to have booked the same cabin for the same dates. Orion had planned a boys’ trip with his brother, whose job as a pilot had kept him out of the country for a year...Categorized as:
m-f forced proximity small town dual-pov contemporary length-novella christmas explicit-open-door -
The Feud by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs the oldest of his siblings, Ethan Blackburn bears the weight of responsibility for the day-to-day operations of Blackburn Farms, the largest Saddlebred breeding and training facility in Kentucky. Serious, gruff and solely focused on the success of the family business, Ethan isn’t one to mince words or waste time on anything that doesn’t further his interests... -
-
Not Quite Over You by Susan Mallery
Susan Mallery, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold romances, proves there’s nowhere better than Happily Inc to rekindle first love. Silver Tesdal has a head for business and a mouth made for kissing, and banker Drew Lovato has his eye on both. But ever since he was dumb enough to let her go, she’s kept him at a distance... -
Fearless In Love by Bella Andre, Jennifer Skully
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsMeet the Maverick Billionaires―sexy, self-made men from the wrong side of town who survived hell together and now have everything they ever wanted. But when each Maverick falls head-over-heels for an incredible woman he never saw coming, he will soon find that true love is the only thing he ever really needed.. -
Flow by Kennedy Ryan
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsIn 8 years, Marlon James will be one of the brightest rising stars in the music industry. Bristol Gray will be his tough, no-nonsense manager. But when they first meet, she’s a college student finding her way in the world, and he’s an artist determined to make his way in it. From completely different worlds, all the things that should separate them only draw them closer...Categorized as:
dual-pov angst forbidden love strong heroine contemporary new adult friends to lovers multicultural -
That One Regret by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsKeeping away from Michael Devlin should be easy. He’s too old for her. Too jaded. And completely forbidden. The only problem is, he rocks her world… When Grace tries to steal Michael’s cab in the middle of a torrential downpour, their chemistry is instant. And after one unforgettable night in his hotel room, it looks like life is finally going her way...Categorized as:
forbidden love forced proximity second chances small town m-f age difference contemporary sports -
Only Him by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsSometimes your first love deserves a second chance. He was my first crush, my first kiss, my first everything. But I’m not a lovesick teenager anymore, and I’d never let that cocky troublemaker break my heart again. So when he shows up out of the blue asking me to have dinner with him “for old time’s sake,” I say I will... -
Real Good Duet by Meghan March, Elena Wolfe
Real Good Man Fall for a woman over text messages? No way in hell.Reality can never be as good as the fantasy, right?Wrong. It's better.Banner Regent is smart, funny, and she's so far out of my league, she might as well be royalty.I'm a mechanic from Kentucky. She's a New York City party girl.We were never supposed to meet, but one text started something neither of us saw coming...
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.