Books like 'Carry the Ocean'
Readers who enjoyed Carry the Ocean by Heidi Cullinan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance young adult hurt-comfort new adult friends to lovers disabilities and marks neurodivergent shy-hero queer
-
Heartstopper: Volume Four by Alice Oseman
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fourth volume of HEARTSTOPPER, for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends... -
![Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman]()
Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series, featuring gorgeous two-color artwork. Nick and Charlie are in love...Categorized as:
virgin hero queer disabilities and marks found-family sweet-hero nerdy-hero angst friends to lovers -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders]()
To Catch a Firefly by Emmy Sanders
He was my beginning. And my never-ending... Ellis: There’s a lot I’ve never told my best friend. The fact that I love him. That I miss him every day he’s gone. That, sometimes, I ache for him with a ferocity that leaves me breathless.Lucky Buchanan tore into my life as a boy, wild and daring, my opposite in every way. He drew me in, stole my heart without trying...Categorized as:
neurodivergent friends to lovers queer sweet-hero virgin hero anal sex hurt-comfort slow burn -
![Heartstopper #1-4 Box Set by Alice Oseman]()
Heartstopper #1-4 Box Set by Alice Oseman
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. A four-book box set of Alice Oseman's New York Times bestselling Heartstopper series. Each paperback volume features beautiful two-color artwork.Now streaming on Netflix!Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer found-family young adult contemporary m-m mental illness glimpses-kisses -
-
![Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThe final round of the music festival tryout is about to begin, but that’s not the only source of tension in the band. Mafuyu, who’s been spending a lot of time at Ugetsu and Akihiko’s place, learns about the complicated history between the two and realizes that Haruki’s heartbreak is part of that romantic tangle... -
![Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove by E.L. Massey]()
Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove by E.L. Massey
As the headline-stealing captain of the Houston Hell Hounds, nineteen-year-old Alexander Price has one goal: the Stanley Cup. He’s got the talent. He’s got the drive. But he’s also got an anxiety disorder and his therapist on speed dial. And, oh yeah, he’s gay. And he’s not willing to hide it anymore... -
![Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsLove of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to each other—always brings them back together again... -
![The Art of Breathing by T.J. Klune]()
The Art of Breathing by T.J. Klune
Tyson Thompson graduated high school at sixteen and left the town of Seafare, Oregon, bound for what he assumed would be bigger and better things. He soon found out the real world has teeth, and he returns to the coast with four years of failure, addiction, and a diagnosis of panic disorder trailing behind him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst queer found-family nerdy-hero neurodivergent new adult hurt-comfort -
![Our Dining Table by Mita Ori]()
Our Dining Table by Mita Ori
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsBoys’ Love Cooked To PerfectionEating around other people is a struggle for salaryman Yutaka, despite his talent for cooking... -
![Given, Vol. 4 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 4 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsAs the band focuses on creating new songs and preparing for a music festival tryout, Haruki grows more and more intimidated by the talents of younger members Mafuyu and Uenoyama. Worried that he’s holding them back, he accepts his ex-girlfriend’s request to play in her band... -
![Fence, Vol. 6: Redemption by C.S. Pacat]()
Fence, Vol. 6: Redemption by C.S. Pacat
A mysterious new fencer arrives at Halverton in the newest chapter of the GLAAD Media Award-nominated sports comic, perfect for fans of Heartstopper.THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN RESET… EN GARDE! Return to the thrilling world of high-stakes, competitive fencing, with a brand new story featuring the beloved cast of characters from the original hit series...Categorized as:
queer found-family friends to lovers young adult sports contemporary from hate to love m-m -
![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsLove of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to one another—always brings them back together again... -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 3 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 3 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsStunningly handsome Kohei Sugihara was outgoing and popular with the girls at school. But when a sudden illness left him with partial hearing loss, he grew quiet and reluctant to engage with others. At college, a chance encounter with an ever-optimistic classmate named Taichi Sagawa helped Kohei open up once more. And over time, the two began to develop feelings for each other...Categorized as:
disabilities and marks queer contemporary young adult m-m secret-relationship length-medium -
![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsNow that Given has an offer to record their debut album, each of the band’s members must decide whether to get serious about trying to go pro. Though Ritsuka doesn’t have a single doubt in his mind, Mafuyu isn’t ready to commit... -
-
![Check, Please!: Year Four by Ngozi Ukazu]()
Check, Please!: Year Four by Ngozi Ukazu
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 14 ratings...Categorized as:
queer found-family friends to lovers new adult sports contemporary hockey young adult -
![Restart After Coming Back Home by Cocomi]()
Restart After Coming Back Home by Cocomi
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsHotheaded Kozuka Mitsuomi left his home in the country for a sophisticated life in Tokyo. Unfortunately, at age 25, he’s fired from his job and returns home in disgrace. As he tries to rediscover himself, he meets Kumai Yamato, a man about his age who was adopted into his community while Mitsuomi was away... -
![Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa]()
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsAristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy. Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong. The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Lopez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce... -
![The Haircut by Alice Oseman]()
The Haircut by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOnce again we spend some time with 25-year-old Charlie and 26-year-old Nick.. -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsKohei is a college student who, because of his hearing loss, tends to distance himself from others. His attitude starts to change after he crosses paths with an ever-optimistic classmate named Taichi. And over time, the two begin to develop feelings for each other... -
![Gives Light by Rose Christo]()
Gives Light by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 32 ratings"Skylar is my name, tragically." Sixteen-year-old Skylar is witty, empathetic, sensitive--and mute. Skylar hasn't uttered a single word since his mother died eleven years ago, a senseless tragedy he's grateful he doesn't have to talk about...Categorized as:
friends to lovers disabilities and marks angst shy-hero queer contemporary multicultural m-m -
![I Hear the Sunspot, Vol. 1 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot, Vol. 1 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBecause of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words cut through Kohei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart... -
![You Are Not Me by Leta Blake]()
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... -
![Shelter the Sea by Heidi Cullinan]()
Shelter the Sea by Heidi Cullinan
Some heroes wear capes. Some prefer sensory sacks. Emmet Washington has never let the world define him, even though he, his boyfriend, Jeremey, and his friends aren’t considered “real” adults because of their disabilities... -
![I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 文乃ゆき]()
I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 文乃ゆき
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsBecause of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words cut through Kohei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart... -
-
![I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKohei Sugihara, college student with hearing loss, and Taichi Sagawa, his ever-optimistic former classmate, met in a chance encounter that ignited an undeniable spark that would eventually blossom into love. Now it’s spring and as Kohei nears graduation, his search for a job begins. Meanwhile, Taichi finds himself in charge of someone new at work... -
![Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen]()
Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen
Tiny and adorable when they first met, Rui—still just as adorable—now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst queer contemporary m-m young adult length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Flower Shop by Alice Oseman]()
Flower Shop by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA little story set in an alternate universe about how one man asked out a kind florist.. -
![A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor]()
A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNoah is normal. He’s full of normal. His older brother Will tells everyone all of the time. Even if they don’t believe him. Noah doesn’t understand why kids in school call him a “retard." He’s not intellectually disabled. In fact, he’s very smart. But a lot of people call Will a fag—so maybe it’s kind of like that. Neurotypical people don’t always make sense...Categorized as:
queer new adult friends to lovers found-family m-m young adult contemporary length-medium -
![Boyband Crush by Alice Oseman]()
Boyband Crush by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA little crossover mini-comic between Heartstopper and I Was Born For This... -
![Know Not Why (Know Not Why) by Hannah Johnson]()
Know Not Why (Know Not Why) by Hannah Johnson
Howie gets a job at Artie Kraft's Arts 'N Crafts hoping to score with his lady coworkers. After all, girls love a sensitive guy, and what's more sensitive than dedicating your life to selling yarn and ... stuff? (Okay, so maybe it'd be a good idea to actually learn what one sells at an arts 'n crafts store.) But things don't go exactly according to plan...Categorized as:
friends to lovers slow burn new adult queer contemporary from hate to love college m-m -
![Jackass! by Scarlet Beriko]()
Jackass! by Scarlet Beriko
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsWhen the panty hose go on, all bets are off between these best guy friends!Practical Keisuke’s incredibly handsome best friend Masayuki has always rubbed him just a little bit the wrong way... -
![I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 1 by Mika .]()
I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 1 by Mika .
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsNo matter how much time we spend together, I’ll never become special to you.Childhood best friends. Two halves of a whole. The cool, smart one who’s good at almost everything, and his average, dorky friend who struggles to do anything right—Yamato and Kakeru. Always by the other’s side, but not together in the way they truly want to be... -
![Dream of a Waking Man by John Goode]()
Dream of a Waking Man by John Goode
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsWith high school long behind them, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark are sharing a life, together, content, but happy?Kyle seems to have given up that spark that made him who he was and Brad is worried it may never come back. When an email from a gay teen asks Kyle for help, he has to choose between his comfortable life of sleeping his life away, or waking up and doing something about it... -
![Perfectly Us by Jaclyn Osborn]()
Perfectly Us by Jaclyn Osborn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne summer. Two hearts forever changed.Alex is magnetic. His vibrant personality and easy smiles draw people toward him. No one would guess he’s secretly hurting.Shiloh is quiet. His social awkwardness and anxious mind make it hard for him to make connections. He’s always felt different. A little broken.When these two meet, they recognize something in each other...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers queer m-m contemporary young adult length-short audiobook -
-
![The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter]()
The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else. But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer m-m young adult contemporary queer-awakening length-short -
![When I Grow Up by John Goode]()
When I Grow Up by John Goode
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAfter graduation, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark move to California to pursue their dreams. But high school sweethearts are called that for a reason, and their love rarely stands up to the test of time. As money, school, sex, and jealousy test their relationship to the breaking point, Kyle and Brad fight to hold on to the love that brought them together... -
![Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis isn’t a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight. My name is Nathaniel Courtney and I’m a survivor. I didn’t let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I’ve weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable... -
![Seven Days: Monday–Sunday by Venio Tachibana, Rihito Takarai]()
Seven Days: Monday–Sunday by Venio Tachibana, Rihito Takarai
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsThe rules were clear: they could date for a week. But someone forgot to tell love!On a whim, high school third-year Yuzuru Shino asks out first-year Toji Seryo, who is notorious for being a weeklong lover—he’ll date the first girl to ask him out Monday morning and then promptly dump her by the following Monday! The boys start dating, and by Tuesday, the first inklings of attraction hit... -
![Don't Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble]()
Don't Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSome people spend their whole lives looking for the right partner. Nate Schaper found his in high school. In the eight months since their cautious flirting became a real, honest, tell-the-parents relationship, Nate and Adam have been inseparable. Even when local kids take their homophobia to brutal levels, Nate is undaunted. He and Adam are rock solid. Two parts of a whole. Yin and yang... -
![Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister]()
Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBeing perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sixteen-year-old Declan is the perfect son . . . except for one tiny issue. When his sister Delia comes home to find him trying on her clothes, he fears her judgment, but she only fears his fashion choices...Categorized as:
queer friends to lovers angst young adult contemporary m-m high-school length-medium -
![The Metalhead Next Door by Mamita]()
The Metalhead Next Door by Mamita
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsImpoverished graduate student Kento nearly freezes to death outside his new cheap (unheated) apartment during a blizzard. Luckily, he’s saved by neighbor Soushi, a quiet and somewhat frightening young man who dresses in all black. Although he exudes an aura that screams “keep away,” his eyes, hidden behind long rocker hair, plead for something else... -
![The Long Way by DomLuka]()
The Long Way by DomLuka
Note: Book cover incorrectly titled.After tragedy strikes at home and he loses a special friend, is betrayed by someone he trusts and his father discovers he's gay, Owen Dovan moves in with the brothers he hasn't seen in two years. Even in a loving environment things aren't always easy...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort angst m-m young adult contemporary high-school explicit-plentiful -
![The History of Us by Nyrae Dawn]()
The History of Us by Nyrae Dawn
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSometimes it's not about coming out, it's about settling in.Eighteen-year-old Bradley Collins came out a year ago and hasn't looked back since. Who cares if he doesn’t know any other gay people? Bradley has friends and basketball—that’s all he needs. Even if that means always sitting on the sidelines when the guys go out looking for girls... -
-
![Volatile by Avylinn Winter]()
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... -
![String Boys by Amy Lane]()
String Boys by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeth Arnold learned at an early age that two things in life could make his soul soar—his violin and Kelly Cruz. In Seth’s uncertain childhood, the kindness of the Cruz family, especially Kelly and his brother, Matty, gave Seth the stability to make his violin sing with the purest sound and opened a world of possibility beyond his home in Sacramento... -
![Loud Places by A.E. Jensen]()
Loud Places by A.E. Jensen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“You’re my best friend in the whole wide world, Matty.”Three years. It’s been three years since Ethan last saw or heard from his best friend. Three years since Matty ran away. Now that high school is over, nothing stands in the way anymore. Ethan is ready to embark on this journey cross country to find Matty...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort angst friends to lovers queer m-m young adult contemporary length-medium -
![My Summer Of You: Vol. 2: The Summer With You (君は夏のなか (Kimi wa natsu no naka) #2) by Nagisa Furuya]()
My Summer Of You: Vol. 2: The Summer With You (君は夏のなか (Kimi wa natsu no naka) #2) by Nagisa Furuya
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter graduating from high school, Chiharu returns to Tokyo to start university, and spend another summer with his now-boyfriend Wataru. The two boys might be busy with their part-time jobs and schoolwork, but they’re living in the same city again at last, which sets off new sparks and adventures... -
![The Two Lions by Nagisa Furuya]()
The Two Lions by Nagisa Furuya
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsTo escape his reputation as a misunderstood loner, Leo attends a university far from home. His attempts at making friends aren't going so well until he meets someone who recognizes him--friendly and laidback Junpei, who went to the same high school as he did... -
![Extras All For The Game by Nora Sakavic]()
Extras All For The Game by Nora Sakavic
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEXTRAS ALL FOR THE GAME NOTE FROM TRANSLATORS: Nora uploaded extra content about the trilogy to her Tumblr page Korakos. You will be able to find information about the life of the Foxes after The King's Man, Andrew and Neil's content, Renee's past and things that you probably wondered when reading the trilogy...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
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.
