Books like 'The Friend Zone'
Readers who enjoyed The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny military friends to lovers friends-benefits men in uniform m-f tortured heroine independent heroine sassy heroine
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Ask Me If I Care by Lani Lynn Vale
Ares saw him for the first time at a Kilgore Police Department benefit dinner. She’d gone with her dad as his plus one. Hayes Greer had gone by himself and brooded silently across the same table as her, drinking whiskey and not saying a word.It only took that one time for her to become interested... -
My Bad by Lani Lynn Vale
Hoax knows two things very well. One, he’s not relationship material. Two, the nurse that treats him for erectile dysfunction is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, and practically has ‘the marrying type’ stamped on her forehead. Does that stop him from wanting her? No... -
Spark by Chelle Bliss
Nick Gallo works hard.He plays harder.And always steered clear of drama.Josephine Carmichael was born into Hollywood royalty.She is used to being in the public eye.She loves the finer things in life.But when Josephine’s stranded with the paparazzi and a crazy ex-boyfriend on her heels, Nick’s protective instincts kick in and he can’t walk away...Categorized as:
new adult insta-love m-f friends to lovers contemporary suspense humor length-medium -
The Lost Letters by Brittney Sahin, Joseph Cannata
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom Joseph Cannata and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brittney Sahin comes the love story of Jesse and Ella told from a unique perspective in this companion novella to the international bestselling novel The Broken One.Step back into the Falcon Falls Security world and experience it like never before...Categorized as:
military sassy heroine friends to lovers m-f humor tortured hero contemporary length-short -
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Any Day Now by Lani Lynn Vale
Amelia loves her good friend, Avery. So much so that she agrees to do the stupidest thing ever. A stranger photo shoot. You know the type. The photographer takes photos of two individuals. Two individuals that, until that day, have never met in their life. The moment she shows up at the photo shoot, she knows that she made a terrible decision... -
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... -
Star by B.B. Easton
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn 1999, I met my Prince Charming. He was the tall, tattooed, wickedly handsome bass player for the up-and-coming rock band, Phantom Limb. But, more importantly, he was mine. I knew it the moment he flashed me that shy, dimpled smile. And he knew it too. Hansel "Hans" Oppenheimer wore his heart on one sleeve and scrawled lyrics about me on the other...Categorized as:
new adult angst friends to lovers other-man-woman m-f contemporary rockstars cheating -
Scenes from the Hallway by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsYou know who I am. I swear too much, I crack too many jokes, and I got a thing for Kat Tanner; a messy thing, a distracting thing, a getting-in-the-way-of-everything thing; a thing that makes being in the same room with the woman torture. Sometimes it's the good kind. Mostly, it's not. What you don't know is how it all started...Categorized as:
new adult sassy heroine men in uniform friends to lovers m-f humor contemporary office -
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... -
Stone Cold Kiwi by Rosalind James
Let's inventory, shall we? State of my professional life: Brilliant, if counted in terms of sales of eight Poppy Cantwell children's books starring my often-confused blue hippo, Hazel; the very substantial proceeds from selling my Kiwi Adventures New Zealand glamping business; and any number of glossy magazine articles about my charmed existence...Categorized as:
sassy heroine strong heroine competent heroine sunny hero pregnancy sweet-hero m-f caretaking -
Stay Wild by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhat happens when your wandering heart is captured by your friend with benefits?ScarlettArcher Kincaid is supposed to be all the fun and none of the strings, but the longer I stay in Willow River, the more I feel roots pulling me to settle down.I plan to complete a one-year photography contract with Captured Moments, then move on to travel the world...Categorized as:
friends-benefits insta-love new adult strong heroine angst friends to lovers m-f humor -
Nobody Knows by Lani Lynn Vale
All he ever wanted was to matter to someone.What he didn’t know was that he did matter to someone.Someone that worried about him every single day that he was gone.Malachi Gabriel Gnocchi was missing for two years. Thanks to a mission gone wrong, not only had he been captured, but his best friend along with his fellow teammates had been taken, too... -
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsWhat are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance. Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine m-f humor contemporary audiobook -
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 friends-benefits m-f humor contemporary cheerful heroine audiobook -
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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 independent heroine m-f humor contemporary length-medium audiobook -
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... -
Holding on to Chaos by Lucy Score
“I want to be upfront with you. No surprises, no secrets. I want you, Eva. And I think you might be it for me.” Eva is a hot mess running from her past and doesn’t mind telling a fib or two to protect her secrets. It’s too bad that she moved to the nosiest small town in the world with Sheriff Sexy—the tall, built human lie detector...Categorized as:
insta-love men in uniform m-f sweet-hero tortured heroine humor contemporary small town -
Fun House by Lani Lynn Vale
Sometimes you need to crash a funeral to experience happiness. At least, Kissimmee Singh, aerial artist for Singh Circus, the most sought-after traveling circus of all time, keeps telling herself that’s why she crashes funerals. In reality, she’s lost and confused. Sometimes it’s nice to experience other people’s grief and be reminded that life isn’t as bad as it could be... -
Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire by Tru Taylor
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIn my expert opinion, every woman who’s been left at the altar should follow up that singularly humiliating experience by spending a week in paradise with a totally inappropriate—and totally sexy—stranger.Even better if you meet him at the bar of the resort hotel where your destination wedding and honeymoon were supposed to take place...Categorized as:
military new adult friends to lovers m-f contemporary humor super rich hero second chances -
Jed Had to Die by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThe happiest day of Payton Lambert's life was the day she graduated high school and watched Bald Knob, Kentucky get smaller and smaller in her rearview mirror. She wanted more for her life than a tiny town where everyone knows your business and you can’t find a decent cup of coffee for at least forty miles...Categorized as:
sassy heroine men in uniform friends to lovers new adult competent heroine sweet-hero m-f humor -
The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini
How many weddings does it take to fall in love?One year ago, Amelie had it all.Almost engaged to her high school sweetheart, close to her childhood best friend, and cooking at her dad's restaurant: her life was exactly what she’d ordered.Until Ian, an opinionated wedding-hater, popped up out of nowhere and proved she might like something off menu.***One year later, Amelie has lost it all...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f other-man-woman sweet-hero competent heroine sunny hero angst -
Dangerous Fling by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 19 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... -
The Billionaire's Angel by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe thought the fight was over until his heart was on the line. I thought coming home would solve all my problems. I’ve never been more wrong. After a decade in the military, I’m more at home in the desert than the mansion where I grew up. I want to pretend that six months as a captive didn’t change me, but ever since I escaped, I haven’t slept. Nightmares. Flashbacks... -
Mine To Love by Natasha Madison
Presley After my sisters’ disastrous weddings, I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay single forever. It doesn’t matter that I’m in love with my brother’s best friend. Or that Bennett and I shouldn’t even be friends with benefits. Until the positive sign tells me I’m pregnant. Bennett I fell in love with Presley when she was eighteen and asked me for a favor...Categorized as:
sassy heroine friends to lovers strong heroine pregnancy m-f contemporary humor explicit-open-door -
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Seatmate by Cara Bastone
I have exactly 5 hours and 10 minutes to get from Boston to New York City or the professional opportunity of a lifetime disappears. My only travel option? The second to last seat on a discount bus. Across from the bathroom. Wearing last night’s clothes (don’t ask). All worth it if I can make it in time.My nerves almost get the best of me, but then there he is, sitting down in the seat next to me...Categorized as:
independent heroine sweet-hero m-f sunny hero insta-love sassy heroine competent heroine caretaking -
Sinner by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSinner is the first book in the Reed Security Series. It is preceded by the series For The Love Of A Good Woman and it is recommended that the series be read in order, as characters from the first appear in the second. Cara I've been broken for six years...Categorized as:
friends to lovers military m-f other-man-woman contemporary suspense cheating bad boys -
Loved Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 15 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... -
Illicit – A Sizzling Boxed Set by Calinda B., Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOver 20 illicit romances with the sexy heroes and strong heroines you crave!Lose yourself in the world of hot hookups, where the stories run from sexy to downright scandalous and the characters will leave you breathless. In these pages, you’ll find tantalizing romance, rekindled flames, and forbidden trysts... -
Daddy on Duty by Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI’ll do anything for the cookie… I’m used to playing the field. But specialty baker Tabitha caught my attention the first time I tasted her…frosting. Suddenly I’m offering my services in any way I can. Need some furniture moved? Check.Followed by rogue ducks? Check.Weird noises late at night? Check. Except that late night when I’m on patrol and she calls for assistance, we fall into bed...Categorized as:
friends to lovers pregnancy insta-love men in uniform contemporary humor alpha male secret child -
Inflame by Tessa Teevan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsEasy going soldier Kale Montgomery, a self-proclaimed ladies man, has no plans of settling down, especially not with his best friend- the sexy, sassy schoolteacher Lucy Dawson. Their relationship, though unconventional, is mutually beneficial, and they wouldn't have it any other way... -
Incinerate by Tessa Teevan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsKnox and Charlotte's story. When Knox Wellington opens the door to Charlie Davenport, he's not expecting the fiery brunette with whiskey colored eyes and a feisty personality. Sparks fly immediately, even though their initial meeting is nothing but hostile... -
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... -
When You Least Expect It by Jessica Prince
The last thing Stella Ryan had time for was a man. With her family in trouble and looking to her to fix everything, romance and commitment were the furthest things from her mind. Until she ran into a man with a jawline that could cut granite and arms she wanted to lick like an ice cream cone. A man who made her forget the things that really mattered... -
Only With Me by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsLife was great. I loved my bachelor life and working my dream job with the Colorado Springs SWAT team. That all changed the day I stepped into her bakery. Her smile swept me off my feet, and her panna cotta was heaven. Cue my very traditional Greek family. Then all hell broke loose... -
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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... -
Can't Resist Him by Molly McLain, Sommer Stein
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 12 ratings*** SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE OF $2.99!*** Sometimes what you want and what you need are two very different things. Always relegated to the "friends with benefits" corner of small town River Bend, Jenny Riley is done giving the milk for free. Falling hard for a bad boy? Not in the plan, either. Sexy, emotionally-wounded Marine Reservist Brody Nelson just needs someone to lend an ear... -
The Crush by Karla Sorensen
You know that girl from your past that you can’t quite stop thinking about? The one that you pushed away because you had a goal that seemed so much bigger, so much more important than any crush you might have had?That’s Adaline Wilder for me.Nothing came before football. Not in college, and not in my five years in the pros...Categorized as:
strong heroine friends to lovers new adult angst independent heroine sassy heroine sunny hero m-f -
Enforce by M. Malone, Nana Malone
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI am the shadow that haunts the night. I am a hunter, a protector...a force for good...I am Jonas Castillo. And now that she’s mine, I’m never letting her go. If only she would let me protect her...Seeing the fear in her eyes, makes me want to do the one thing I’ve vowed never to do again… kill. But I’ll do anything to protect what’s mine. ** The finale of The FORCE Duet... -
Pop! by V. Kelly
A sex contract seemed like a good idea, until she fell in love. When Symone Esquire fails to woo her best friend into taking her virginity, his rejection is the catalyst that inspires her to create a sex contract with a local legend, a man nicknamed “The Cherry Popper”, to take her virginity instead... -
Sin by M. Malone, Nana Malone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI’m a bodyguard . I walk softly and carry a big...stick . Too bad I have no idea how to use it. I know what you’re thinking. How the hell do you end up a virgin when you live in a city known for easy access? But my focus is protecting the women of New York...not fulfilling my every desire. Then I meet her... -
Playboy’s Reward by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt was supposed to be a favor between neighbors…When sexy-as-sin Harper Henderson launches profanities into the night sky from the balcony below mine, I intervene. I volunteer to be her date to her ten-year high school reunion. I may be a professional hockey player with a playboy reputation, but I’m also a good guy and I make an exceptional plus-one.Being Harper's fake date is easy... -
Somebody to Lean On by Jess Mastorakos
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDo I want to kiss my best friend? Yep. Always have. Too bad it’s not that simple.Jackson Wilson and I are long-distance co-guardians of our friends' daughter, and even though we're best friends and we're totally committed to Phoebe, this isn't a romcom where the best friends get together in the end.Unfortunately .But now, Phoebe and I have nowhere to go but Jackson's tiny Tennessee town... -
Trixsters Anonymous by Ahren Sanders
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSassy, dramatic, hot-headed are just some of the words used to describe me since the time I was born. A few little mishaps growing up and my mom has a running ‘Emerson Baker’ prayer circle, and I have the reputation of a spit-fire that won’t go away. I prefer the terms loyal, passionate, fiery, and possibly a bit impulsive...Categorized as:
military insta-love strong heroine m-f men in uniform sassy heroine humor contemporary -
The Candidate by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLust drove us together. Our differences are driving us apart. As the Republican Party’s front-runner for the White House in 2024, I’m the man the media praises for having a silver tongue. By day, I’m a very conservative, buttoned-up professional. By night, my wild side comes out to prowl, searching for something. I end up in The Black Room... and find her... -
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Writing Dirty by Alley Ciz
“I’ve always been her shelter in the storm.”Hockey players.MMA fighters. Rock stars. The boys in blue. Even sexy SEALs have all offered to slay my dragon—or in my case, my stalker. Why can’t they get it through their thick, stubborn heads that I can take care of myself? I’m no damsel!But..Categorized as:
new adult military friends to lovers m-f competent heroine independent heroine sassy heroine angst -
AWOL: Absent Without Love by Charity Shane
When you are handed a life line you grasp it tightly. For seventeen years, the Army has been Nakara Dakota Willer’s saving grace. Dakota has excelled, ranked and changed her life for the better. As a decorated Chief Aviation Officer, she encompasses the skillsets and fortitude to handle any challenges, except, Him.Omari Kreed is legacy...Categorized as:
military angst m-f friends-benefits insta-love pregnancy competent heroine independent heroine -
The Someday Girl by Julie Johnson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTHE SOMEDAY GIRL is the 95,000 word follow up to THE MONDAY GIRL. It concludes the angsty, addictive storyline of THE GIRL duet. I fell in love with a man who could not love me back. A man I will never deserve fell in love with me. Katherine Firestone has finally made it in Hollywood. New house. New car. New closet full of designer clothes. She's got it all. And yet..Categorized as:
new adult angst friends to lovers pregnancy other-man-woman humor contemporary love triangle -
Jasper by Lulu Moore
As Captain of an NHL team, I'm rich, successful and have women falling at my feet.I thought my life was perfect until a pint sized blonde checked into me one day, knocking my life off course.Wolfie Williams is sass personified. Beautiful, fiery, funny and oh so sexy. With every eye roll she gives me I become more and more wrapped around her finger, making me realise she is my missing piece...Categorized as:
insta-love new adult friends to lovers independent heroine m-f angst from hate to love slow burn -
Insatiable by Melanie Harlow
I didn’t mean to see him naked--it was an accident. It had to be, right? Because Noah McCormick and I have never been anything more than friends. In all the years I’ve known him, he’s never once laid a finger on me. And even though he was a cute lifeguard at 16 and a hotter-than-hell sheriff’s deputy at 34, he's always been that protective guy I could trust to keep his hands to himself...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst military men in uniform friends-benefits m-f humor contemporary -
My Ex's Baby by Taryn Quinn
Okay, so he wasn’t actually my ex. August is my best friend’s older brother, and he just went with me to Macy and Gideon’s wedding. You know, friends with no benefits.Then we ended up having sex at said wedding.At the reception, not during the actual ceremony. Hello, I have some manners.We agreed to not do it again. Until I thought I was pregnant. And instead of being upset, I was happy...
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