Books like 'When I Grow Up'
Readers who enjoyed When I Grow Up by John Goode also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance young adult angst new adult queer
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Given, Vol. 2 by Natsuki Kizu
Love 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... -
![19 Days by Old Xian]()
19 Days by Old Xian
The cute and funny adventures of a boy and his best friend. Also contains insert art of the characters by the mangaka. -
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![Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu]()
Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu
I'm a junior on the Samwell men's hockey team now, and not only do I have new teammates and new responsibilities and new pies to bake. .. I've got a new beau. (. Remember me. ) Believe me: Dating a professional hockey player wasn't anything I expected to do in college. My parents don't know; my teammates have no clue. .. And Jack and I aren't sure that we want to keep it a secret. -
![Our Dining Table by Mita Ori]()
Our Dining Table by Mita Ori
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBoys’ Love Cooked To Perfection. Eating around other people is a struggle for salaryman Yutaka, despite his talent for cooking. All that changes when he meets Minoru and Tane—two brothers, many years apart in age—who ask him to teach them how to make his delicious food! It’s not long before Yutaka finds himself falling hard for the meals they share together—and falling in love! -
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![Given, Vol. 3 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 3 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 40 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... -
![My Love Mix-Up!, Vol. 9 by Wataru Hinekure, ひねくれ渡]()
My Love Mix-Up!, Vol. 9 by Wataru Hinekure, ひねくれ渡
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIn this warmhearted romantic comedy, a mistaken identity leads to a blossoming romance between two boys. Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she’s written the name of another boy—Ida—on it... -
![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 34 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... -
![Classmates Vol. 3: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura, Asumiko Nakamura]()
Classmates Vol. 3: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura, Asumiko Nakamura
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsTHE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH. Hikaru and Rihito are two high school boys in love. Things are going well for the couple and Hikaru is starting to daydream about a future together post-graduation. Rihito, however, is a bit more reticent, causing the two boys to fight. Will they make up and forge a way forward, or will they become nothing more than former classmates? -
![Given, Vol. 4 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 4 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 37 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... -
![Classmates Vol. 3: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura]()
Classmates Vol. 3: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsTHE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH. Hikaru and Rihito are two high school boys in love. Things are going well for the couple and Hikaru is starting to daydream about a future together post-graduation. Rihito, however, is a bit more reticent, causing the two boys to fight. Will they make up and forge a way forward, or will they become nothing more than former classmates? -
![Restart After Growing Hungry by Cocomi]()
Restart After Growing Hungry by Cocomi
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsThe touching Boys' Love romance that inspired a live-action film! (The sequel book to Restart After Coming Back Home. ). Hot-headed Kozuka Mitsuomi left his home in the country to try to lead a sophisticated life in Tokyo. Unfortunately, at age 25, he returns home in disgrace, having been fired from his job... -
![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 33 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: 4.58 of 5 stars · 15 ratings -
![Classmates Vol. 2: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura, 中村明日美子]()
Classmates Vol. 2: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura, 中村明日美子
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsSHELTER FROM THE COLD. Though Rihito’s always been a loner, lately he’s grown close to his classmate, Hikaru. The two of them have even fallen in love and tentatively started dating. But when Rihito’s mother ends up in the hospital, the stress of it all becomes too much for him. Hikaru wants to be there for Rihito, but can Rihito learn to open his heart and rely on another person? -
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![Classmates Vol. 2: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura]()
Classmates Vol. 2: Sotsu gyo sei by Asumiko Nakamura
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsSHELTER FROM THE COLD. Though Rihito’s always been a loner, lately he’s grown close to his classmate, Hikaru. The two of them have even fallen in love and tentatively started dating. But when Rihito’s mother ends up in the hospital, the stress of it all becomes too much for him. Hikaru wants to be there for Rihito, but can Rihito learn to open his heart and rely on another person? -
![시맨틱 에러 1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by Soori Jeo, 저수리]()
시맨틱 에러 1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by Soori Jeo, 저수리
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 24 ratings*시맨틱 에러(Semantic Error): 전산학상의 논리적 오류. 조장: 추상우. 발표자: 추상우. part1 자료 조사: 추상우. part2 자료 조사: 추상우. 자료 취합: 추상우. 발표 자료 제작: 추상우. 참여한 조원 명단: 추상우. 교양수업 과제에서 무임승차 조원들의 이름을 모조리 빼버린 컴공과 추상우. 그 때문에 이상한 선배와 엮이게 된다. 무임승차3: [덕분에졸업못하게생겼네나좀봐요후배님] 20:23. 해외 유명 대학원 유학을 앞둔 디자인과 장재영. 디자인 실력, 외모, 집안, 인간관계, 뭐 하나 빠질 데 없는 그가 추상우만은 어렵다. “사람은 감정의 동물이야. 네가 날 그렇게 무시하지만 않았다면 PPT 같은 건 웃어넘기고 말았을 텐데. ”...Categorized as:
queer new adult contemporary from hate to love m-m young adult grumpy sunshine length-long -
![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...Categorized as:
queer new adult contemporary friends to lovers m-m young adult length-short first-in-series -
![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... -
![Semantic Error (novel), Vol. 1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by J. Soori]()
Semantic Error (novel), Vol. 1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by J. Soori
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe heart-pounding novel that inspired the hit BL comic! Computer science major Sangwoo Choo lives by the following tenets: reason, routine, and rules. So when the rest of his groupmates flake on their class presentation, he deletes their names from the project without hesitation—inadvertently destroying one groupmate's plans to graduate and study abroad...Categorized as:
queer new adult contemporary from hate to love m-m grumpy sunshine young adult length-medium -
![Guide on How to Fail at Online Dating by Jiang Zi Bei, 酱子贝]()
Guide on How to Fail at Online Dating by Jiang Zi Bei, 酱子贝
The cousin that Jing Huan has been closest to since he was a child was labelled as “the other woman” in a certain popular online game: only after devoting herself did she know that the other party was a jerk with a girlfriend. After several days of being bullied online by people in the game, his cousin went abroad in a fit of anger and sorrow... -
![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. .. plus Daisy! -
![The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 1 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #1) by Shungiku Nakamura]()
The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 1 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #1) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame... -
![Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald]()
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA striking debut exploring the power of identity, community and the Scottish working class. This coming-of-age story is an incisive look at young masculinity and the way even the most fraught childhood is not without hope. Neither Finlay or Banjo can remember the last time they had a hug. Against all odds, 18-year-old Finlay has begun his nursing degree at Glasgow University... -
![Fence #10 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad]()
Fence #10 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 27 ratings -
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![某某 A Certain Someone by Mu Su Li, 木苏里]()
某某 A Certain Someone by Mu Su Li, 木苏里
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 14 ratings盛望搬进了白马弄堂的祖屋院子，一并搬进来的还有他爸正在交往的女人。. 他爸指着那个女人的儿子对他说：叫哥。. 桀骜不驯吃软不吃硬的制冷机（攻）x自认很金贵的懒蛋小少爷（受）. 盛望：我笔直。. 江添：我恐同。. 校园文，1v1+he. Sheng Wang moved into his ancestral home at White Horse Lane, along with the woman that his father was presently seeing. His dad pointed at that woman’s son and said to him: Call him ge (older brother)... -
![The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 2 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #2) by Shungiku Nakamura]()
The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 2 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #2) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame... -
![I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 4 by Okura]()
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 4 by Okura
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAs Hiroki comes home from school every day with new tales of friend Daigo's feats, Tomoko wonders about the future of her eldest's schoolboy crush... -
![Love Stage!!, Vol. 2 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou]()
Love Stage!!, Vol. 2 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIzumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator. But right now, he’s somehow found himself stuck doing a commercial with popular actor Ryoma Ichijo. To make matters worse, Ryoma makes the situation even more awkward by professing his undying love... -
![I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 by Okura]()
I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 by Okura
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA doting mother and her two beloved sons, one of whom she thinks is probably gay, go about their daily lives in this hilarious and heartwarming LGBTQIA+-friendly family comedy! The warm and loving Aoyama house continues to run like clockwork... -
![Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Something Like… series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush... -
![The Youth & Young Loves of Oliver Wade by Ben Monopoli]()
The Youth & Young Loves of Oliver Wade by Ben Monopoli
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA novel in stories, by the author of "The Cranberry Hush". At the heart of these twelve interconnected stories is Ollie Wade, a gay guy navigating life and love from age 13 to 28. At a middle-school dance, a boy keeps a secret from his date; on a subway platform, he realizes a young green-eyed stranger has the same secret... -
![A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor]()
A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 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 m-m young adult contemporary friends to lovers found-family length-medium -
![Fence #11 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad]()
Fence #11 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIt all comes down to this—the final match that will determine who makes the team, and who gets left behind. -
![Fence #9 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad]()
Fence #9 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 27 ratings -
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![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... -
![Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe Something Like… series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush... -
![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... -
![Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 11 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... -
![Tales from Foster High by John Goode]()
Tales from Foster High by John Goode
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKyle Stilleno is the invisible student even in his nothing high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad Graymark is the baseball star of Foster High. When they bond over their mutual damage during a night of history tutoring, Kyle thinks maybe his life has changed for good. But when you’re gay and falling for the most popular boy in school, the promise of love is a fairy tale, not a reality... -
![Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg]()
Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFrom Stonewall Award winner Bill Konigsberg, a remarkable, funny, sexy, heartbreaking story of two teen boys finding each other in New York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic. The first thing I noticed about C. J. Gorman was his plexiglass bra. So begins Destination Unknown... -
![Something Like Lightning by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Lightning by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNever stop running. No matter how often life trips you up, or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong. Kelly Phillips has been out of the closet since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he has never been short on friends or lovers... -
![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 queer m-m contemporary young adult friends to lovers length-short audiobook -
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![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:
new adult queer m-m friends to lovers young adult contemporary queer-awakening length-short -
![I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 文乃ゆき]()
I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 文乃ゆき
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 34 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...Categorized as:
new adult queer contemporary young adult m-m length-medium first-in-series standalone-first -
![Lending Light by Rose Christo]()
Lending Light by Rose Christo
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratings"Sometimes my imagination bleeds into reality. ". Eleven years ago a serial killer menaced the Nettlebush Indian Reservation. Rafael Gives Light is his son. A loner, Rafael relies on his startlingly overactive imagination to escape the distrust and vitriol of his peers. In the summer of 2000 an exceptionally blond boy moves to Nettlebush... -
![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. Now every day passes with such overwhelming sweetness it’s all they can do not to ask themselves, “am I allowed to be this happy? ”...Categorized as:
angst queer contemporary m-m young adult friends to lovers length-medium explicit-open-door -
![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 angst young adult contemporary m-m high-school friends to lovers length-medium -
![Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! by Claire Davis, Al Stewart]()
Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! by Claire Davis, Al Stewart
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFirst love - coming of age - family - acceptance. When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he's known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now - finally - the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace. Anthony is a red-haired force of nature...
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