Books like 'An Ex for Christmas'
Readers who enjoyed An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny christmas friends to lovers new adult small town teacher-heroine m-f first-person-pov grumpy sunshine
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Wild Island Love by Melissa Foster
Sparks fly between a PR rep and an A-list actor who want nothing to do with each other.Leni Steele might be looking for love, but she’s definitely not looking to be someone’s fake date. Especially not one of the most infuriatingly handsome and annoyingly cocky actors on the planet, Duncan Raz... -
Suit by B.B. Easton
"Since when are you into guys in ties? You only like guys who look like they rob guys in ties. At gunpoint."It was true. By 2003, my type had been well-established. There might as well have been a giant sign on my heart that said, "Good Guys Need Not Apply."Which is exactly why I had to friend-zone Ken Easton... -
What Lovers Do by Jewel E. Ann
How did Scottsdale’s sexiest pet store guy get dumped by his wife, forced into shared custody of their dogs, and fall for Dr. Sophie Ryan, the world’s most unavailable bachelorette? What starts out as a disastrous first meeting involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.Fake phone sex. Dog park dates. And eighteen holes of golf...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult friends-benefits sweet heroine working class hero m-f humor christian -
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A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe BRAND NEW uplifting novel from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life.She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District... -
Flaunt by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsLooking for a Fake FiancéHave you ever wanted to prove someone wrong so badly that you could taste it?It doesn’t matter if they’re right. The fact that they had the audacity to go there is what counts.Hi. It’s me. I’m that person.The man I’ve been casually seeing told me I’m not “wife material” and I should “lower my expectations... -
Promise Me This by Karla Sorensen
Imagine this: an author with a raging case of writer’s block finds an unexpected source of inspiration in her grumpy, gorgeous new roommate. Sounds amazing, right? Except that new roommate is my childhood best friend. And Ian Wilder has been off-limits since I was five...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers fated-mates cold hero grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary sports -
Caught by Love by Melissa Foster
He’s set on pleasure, but she’s all business. Sizzling chemistry and a surprising connection set this sexy love story in motion. But is it enough to last forever? Find out and fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles.Archer Steele is one of the leading vintners on the East Coast... -
The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score
Ryan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency... -
Fall into Temptation by Lucy Score
"If we do this again, it won’t stop at kissing.” It was a dark promise... Beckett Pierce is the most eligible bachelor in the nosiest small town in upstate New York. But after his last girlfriend handcuffed herself to his porch and set his welcome mat on fire, he's not looking for any more romance. Even if it lands right in his backyard. And has miles of red hair...Categorized as:
small town friends to lovers working class hero cheerful heroine cold hero m-f humor contemporary -
Resolution by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a workplace romance between a grumpy, alpha architect and his new client—who just so happens to have the blueprint to bring him to his knees. Romance is not in Wade Mason’s portfolio. This is tragic...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine cheerful heroine cold hero m-f contemporary humor super rich hero christian -
One Day Fiance by Lauren Landish
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsI’m Poppy Woodstock.Romance author and wholehearted believer in Happily Ever Afters.A terminal case of writer’s block should be my biggest worry. Then I crash into him—literally—and fall into the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Connor Bradley.Thief, rebel… and my new neighbor.One slip with the bad boy next door, and my life becomes stranger than any fiction I could ever write... -
Together Under a Snowy Skye by Lisa Hobman
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAfter the heartbreak of a secret unrequited love, Millie Treadaway has finally found someone to spend her life with.Harry Rose is handsome, successful and treats her like a princess. That is until Millie presents her fiancé with a surprise birthday gift, and their future is suddenly doomed...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers m-f small town contemporary suspense humor length-medium -
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...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f sweet heroine humor contemporary dual-pov second chances -
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Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMusic sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend. Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers small town m-f contemporary christian humor length-medium -
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFamily, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change... -
The Lie by Karla Sorensen
Rule number 1 for the team owner’s daughter? Don’t date the players. Especially not hotheaded tight ends with tattoos and impulse control problems. That’s why Dominic Walker is completely off my radar. Sort of. Babysitting the team troublemaker when he’s forced to volunteer for the foundation where I work means I can’t exactly avoid him. I wish I had though... -
Forever Wild by K.A. Tucker
From the international bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes Forever Wild, a novella that continues the story of Calla's journey to the Alaskan wild and a life she never imagined for herself. The holiday season is upon Calla and Jonah, and with the mistletoe and gingerbread comes plenty of family drama...Categorized as:
new adult christmas grumpy sunshine contemporary humor found-family length-short open-door -
Tangle by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSparks fly between a die-hard romantic and a sexy cynic in this fresh, funny romance from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke. That cream-filled, caramel-topped doughnut should have been hers. Still, Haley Raynor can’t deny that the pastry thief with the dreamy blue eyes looks even more delicious...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers cheerful heroine friends-benefits m-f humor contemporary -
Trouble by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsShe wants something real. He wants something now. Together they’re trouble in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s sexy and funny twice-in-a-lifetime love story. With his shameless grin and let’s-play swagger, carpenter Penn Etling leaves women wanting in Dogwood Lane. What do they get? Avery Perry knows: a one-night stand. She’s been there...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f humor contemporary independent heroine length-medium -
Queen of Klutz by Samantha Garman
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsChoose the best phrase to describe Sibby Goldstein's 1) Sucky. 2) Really sucky. 3) Major suck-fest. D) All of the above. I started my day with a boyfriend and a job. I ended my day with a bottle of tequila. I'll let you connect the dots. Somehow, I wound up working as a waitress at an Italian restaurant. I have no idea what I'm doing. And I'm not just talkin' about life... -
Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged!But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another...Categorized as:
new adult cheerful heroine cold hero grumpy sunshine small town m-f mystery contemporary -
Wishing on a Star by Mandy Baggot
A single mum. A superstar athlete. A Christmas like no other.Anna Heath is divorced, a single mum and trying desperately to keep her life in order. Despite her friends' best efforts, Anna has stopped looking for love and is determined to give her daughter, Ruthie, a Christmas to remember.Sam Jackman has just been dealt with life-altering news, and all he could think to do was run... -
Happily Letter After by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward
From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a love story about taking chances, and the surprises that come with them.My love story all started with a letter.Only it wasn’t from the man I’d eventually fall in love with. It was from his daughter. A sweet little girl named Birdie Maxwell who’d written to the magazine that I worked for...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers grumpy sunshine sweet heroine cold hero m-f humor contemporary -
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Snowflakes Over The Starfish Café by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWelcome to The Starfish Café - where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.Two broken hearts.Since she inherited The Starfish Café, Hollie has poured her heart into the business, striving to keep her mother's traditions and warm-hearted spirit alive... -
A Greene Family Christmas by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsPreparing a Christmas to remember is no small feat with a family the size of the Greenes. Especially, when the woman who has always been the planner down to every minute detail falls ill, only five days before the holiday.The family has no choice but to scramble to ensure that nothing is amiss. Cookies need to be decorated, gingerbread houses assembled and decorations to be hung...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary humor age difference length-novella -
Miles Ever After by T.L. Swan
Miles Ever After...Categorized as:
friends-benefits grumpy sunshine friends to lovers new adult m-f contemporary humor super rich hero -
My True Love by Melissa Foster
Can a man who resents the hand he’s been dealt and a woman who spends her days grateful for every little thing find true love in each other’s arms—or are their differences stronger than both of them? Find out in this funny, sexy, heartfelt romance, and fall in love with Grant and Jules on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, and midnight rendezvous...Categorized as:
friends to lovers grumpy sunshine small town cheerful heroine sweet heroine m-f humor military -
Rogue Wave by J. Bengtsson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA love story that survives the test of time. Keith McKallister is the king of the stoners. You know the type. Every school has one – the hot, fun, dopey guy beloved by the student body but despised by, well, just about everyone else. He spends his early mornings in the ocean and his days trying to get to class on time... -
Loved Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEven though they’d never dated, Lily Shaw always just assumed she’d eventually end up with Ben, the boy who’s been her bestie since they were toddlers. So she’s understandably shocked to learn he’s getting married—and having a child with his fiancée. Shocked…but not terribly upset. The truth is, she's been feeling butterflies every time she’s near a particular horse trainer on her parents’ ranch... -
Late Nights & Love Lines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe job was simple. Answer the phone, solve the single dad's dilemma, and move on.I'm the temporary solution.The fill-in.The short-term Single Dad Hotline Helper until a more suitable one can be found.I don't get attached, I don't stick around, and I certainly don't fall for the single dad.Until the job said, "Hold my beer," and tipped my world upside down... -
Some Sort of Happy by Melanie Harlow
Skylar Nixon is a twenty-seven year old failed actress with no Plan B. After a humiliating stint on a reality TV show crushes what’s left of her childhood dream, she finds herself back in her hometown with no money saved, no college degree, and no confidence she’s anything but a joke—a small town starlet who couldn’t hack it in the big city... -
Tie Me Down by Melanie Harlow
Just friends.That’s all Beckett Weaver and I have ever been.Sure, he’s a hot cowboy who left Wall Street behind to take over his family’s ranch. Yes, I’ve had a secret crush on him since we were seventeen. And who wouldn’t appreciate those strong hands, that massive chest, and the way he fills out a pair of Levis? He makes a girl sweat just looking at him . . . and I look. A lot...Categorized as:
friends to lovers grumpy sunshine sweet heroine small town friends-benefits m-f contemporary humor -
The Village Inn of Secret Dreams by Alison Sherlock
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAfter escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever.But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly.So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed... -
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Cheesy on the Eyes by Teagan Hunter
Dating is hard. Dating in a small town? Impossible.Leave it to my little brother to come back home announcing he knocked up his fiancée and the wedding has been moved…to next month.When he tries to set me up with one of his football buddies, I tell him I’ll be bringing my own plus-one.Only problem? I’m hopelessly single.Enter Sullivan Scott, AKA my hero... -
Dangerous Fling by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHe's her rock star crush, her go-to fantasy, and he's offering to make all her dreams come true... Rock star Malcolm Strong is used to being in control. Of the band. Of his feelings. Of the woman he has tied to his bed. He never gets close enough to get hurt. He never wants to. Until Lacey. The sassy brunette is working on the band's latest music video... -
A Guy Like Him by Amanda Gambill
Skylar is the kind of girl who knows exactly how many seconds it takes to read this summary. She knows exactly what her perfect future looks like and how to get there because her dad has already defined it for her and her older sister has already paved the way...Categorized as:
m-f working class hero friends-benefits new adult first-person-pov contemporary college sweet-hero -
Pink Bits by J.B. Heller
Did you know the medical term for a butt crack is intergluteal cleft? My name is Reagan, and spouting random facts like this one at inopportune moments is my affliction. I’m chronically awkward, socially inept and completely lack a filter. Believe it or not, men do not find these attractive traits...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers working class hero m-f humor contemporary neurodivergent length-short -
Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott
A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip.It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron .Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound.He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man... -
A White Christmas on Winter Street by Sue Moorcroft
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen Sky Terran returns to the village of Middledip after losing the job she loves, she anticipates a quiet Christmas getting used to her new life. However, the annual street decoration competition is coming up and this year, the residents of Winter Street are determined to win.As she is pulled into the preparations, Sky quickly grows to love the quirky, tight-knit community she is now part of... -
Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant
If people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine.His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame.When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing.He’s a total cynic when it comes to love...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers grumpy sunshine cold hero m-f first-person-pov humor sports -
Kitty Valentine Dates Santa by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSpin the wheel. Date the guy. Write the story. Fall in love? Six years ago, Kitty Valentine took the book world by storm when her sweet debut romance hit number one on the Best Sellers List, which was followed by a string of successful releases. Her latest novel, however, totally bombs, causing her editor to suggest she write much sexier books... -
The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 24 ratings“Mallery is an expert at writing about strong women, their friendships, and their romances.” —Booklist Susan Mallery, author of the Fool’s Gold romances, cheerfully invites you to Wishing Tree, where Christmas comes to life… The Somerville sisters believe in love, but they’ve lost faith it will happen for them. Reggie hasn’t been home since the end of the world’s shortest engagement...Categorized as:
new adult christmas small town contemporary humor pregnancy single-father length-long -
Sweet Sunshine (the Pembrooke series) by Jessica Prince
She’s a romantic at heart. Chloe Delaney had three very specific wishes, growing up. She wished to stay settled in the small mountain town of Pembrooke, where she grew up, to one day be her own boss, and to fall in love with a man who would be willing to go to the ends of the earth for her...Categorized as:
m-f grumpy sunshine small town cheerful heroine sweet heroine cold hero humor contemporary -
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The Nanny and the Nerd by Krista Sandor
Three things NOT to do when nannying for a video gaming mogul (aka the hottest nerd on the planet): #1 Do not get lost in his dreamy green eyes. #2 Do not salivate over his rock-hard abs. #3 No matter what happens, do not fall for his super-nerdy dirty talk! Penny Fennimore is not winning at life...Categorized as:
new adult grumpy sunshine sweet heroine cold hero m-f humor contemporary super rich hero -
Just My Type by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsLive in the best small town in the world? Check. Have the greatest job ever working on my family's pumpkin farm? Check. Marry the town pharmacist and have a nice, quiet life with our son? Check-check. "Oh, I'm sorry...Categorized as:
friends to lovers cold hero m-f humor contemporary insta-love single-mother length-short -
The Pocket Pair by Emma St. Clair
Do I have feelings for my sister's best friend? Of course not. That would be stupid, considering my sister once threatened to castrate me if I ever hurt Val. Hurting her is the last thing I want to do, which is all the MORE reason I can't have feelings for her. Val deserves the world, and I'm NOT the man who can give it to her... -
The Plan by Karla Sorensen
Have you ever fake dated your bodyguard? I don't recommend it. Especially if he's anything like Erik Wilder: former football player, world class know-it-all and unapologetic grump. To be clear, I didn't want a bodyguard (hence the fake dating idea). Most days, I can’t figure out why he wants the job either. We drive each other insane, probably because we’re as opposite as two people can be... -
The Roomie Rulebook by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOliver is my best friend's older brother. He's brooding, bossy, and painfully off limits. But all rules are off when I move in as his new roommate. When I need a place to crash, I go straight to the guy I know best. My best friend's older brother, Oliver. Who's right in the middle of enjoying his alone time. No big deal, right? It's not like I'm going to die of embarrassment... -
Welcome To Winterville by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe's the kind of man who always gets what he wants. But this time she's going to make him work for it...When a ruthless company buys Holly Winter’s small home town, she’s determined to stop them.But then she comes face to face with the CEO. Josh Gerber is handsome, smooth, and disgustingly successful. He’s also the man that Holly spent a night with eight years ago...Categorized as:
christmas m-f small town from hate to love contemporary humor super rich hero length-medium
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