Books like 'Happiness for Beginners'
Readers who enjoyed Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny age difference sweet-hero forced proximity disabilities and marks cold heroine nerdy-hero friends to lovers other-man-woman
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Peanut by Lucy Watson
A slow-burn friends-to-lovers standalone featuring Nick from Shortcake. Note to self: Next time your life falls apart, don’t hobble your broken ass back to your hometown to hide out. You think it will buy you time to glue yourself back together, but it won’t.Why not?Nicolas freaking MacGregor.You remember him, right? Your stepbrother’s best friend... -
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia
My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity m-f sweet-hero sunny hero slow burn single-father 20th century -
Beautifully Unexpected by Lily Morton
Sometimes love comes when you least expect or want it.Magnus Carlsen is determined to grow old disgracefully. At fifty-two, he doesn’t believe in keeping anything. Men, sofas, books—everything gets jettisoned, eventually. He’s divided his life into happy compartments. A successful trial lawyer, he spends his days lecturing jurors, exasperating judges, and striding arrogantly around courtrooms... -
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:
sassy heroine friends to lovers m-f humor military tortured hero contemporary length-short -
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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... -
The Merger by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsCrushes are harmless—unless they involve your best friend’s grumpy, off-limits brother. Gannon Brewer is the epitome of my type. He’s at least ten years older than me, emotionally unavailable, and highly disagreeable—a walking red flag in a tailored suit. But do I listen to that? No...Categorized as:
age difference m-f siblings-bff grumpy sunshine forced proximity contemporary humor office -
Maybe We Won't by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA sexy and soul-stirring novel about love, family, and rediscovering what matters most by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.When workaholic Boston attorney Deirdra de Messiéres is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she takes a two-month hiatus to show her boss just how much he needs her and heads home to Silver Island...Categorized as:
age difference friends to lovers grumpy sunshine humor contemporary tearjerkers length-medium -
Bayou With Benefits by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey are friends. Without benefits. Unfortunately.Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A model.Sure, she’s his son’s favorite person on the planet... -
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 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 sassy heroine strong heroine m-f humor contemporary independent heroine -
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... -
Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone
Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It's amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days...Categorized as:
sweet-hero friends to lovers nerdy-hero first-person-pov m-f siblings-bff shy-hero sunny hero -
Ick Factor by Morgan Elizabeth
Kat has never been on more than seven dates with a man before catching the dreaded ick. That’s all it takes to realize he’s not the one for her. It’s usually something small—the way he puts ice in his cup, drinks his coffee, or his preferred name in the bedroom, but it’s enough to make her realize she could never spend an eternity with him... -
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers.She's got a lot of baggage...literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real.For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but... -
My Brother's Forbidden Friend by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsI’ve gone from crushing on my brother’s best friend to wanting to crush him. Cameron Baker and I have a few things in common. The first being that we were both born and raised in our small Alaskan town. Second, is that we hide our feelings and keep our hearts closed off from anyone who could break them.But hiding my feelings is harder to do with Cam than most... -
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One Giant Leap by Kay Simone
Houston we have so many problems… Curtis “Launchpad” Larkin’s career as an astronaut has had its share of ups and downs. Alternately lauded as the single-handed savior of NASA and condemned as a reckless, hot-headed bully, Curt has been through the wringer of public opinion and come out on top... -
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:
friends to lovers grumpy sunshine age difference m-f christmas contemporary humor length-novella -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
Knockout by Jessica Prince
It wasn’t fair that the man I hated with a passion was so freaking gorgeous.Things in Layla Fox’s life were going great. She had a fantastic job, amazing friends, and a killer apartment. There was just one tiny glitch in all that perfect. Her upstairs neighbor was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome . . . and she hated the man with every cell in her body... -
Dare by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAustin Moore found his purpose in the military, but there was always something missing. He wanted what everyone in his family had…someone to call his own. But his life didn’t make it easy to find a soul mate, someone to be his forever.Sage Hill enlisted to follow in the footsteps of her father, but never wanted to be in his shadow...Categorized as:
age difference sassy heroine friends to lovers m-f military alpha male humor contemporary -
Hauling Ashe by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLife might be a highway but the last thing this grumpy silver fox expected was a cross-country road trip with a ray of sunshine."My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride.""What?" Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.Mae FoxSurely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I'm driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles... -
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:
friends to lovers m-f other-man-woman forced proximity sweet-hero sunny hero contemporary humor -
Owen North by Nina Levine
A steamy forbidden office romance from USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nina Levine.My one-night stand is my new boss.I met him at the society wedding of the year.The man every woman in New York wants.He's rich.Devastatingly good looking.Charming.Mr. I-Could-Blow-Your-Mind.And yes, he did blow my mind.It was just supposed to be one night.I told him I don't date...Categorized as:
sassy heroine friends to lovers m-f office contemporary humor super rich hero alpha male -
Runaway Bride's Guide to Love by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA swoony, age gap, brother’s best friend, runaway bride romance from bestselling author, Chelle Sloan... -
Give Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe was my first love. Now he's my roommate. And he won't stop until he wins me back.Conned out of my business I have no other choice but to move back home to Chicago. I’m determined to rebuild everything, but I’m so broke that I can’t even afford to pay rent.Then my first love, Sam Maxwell, unexpectedly pops back into my life and turns out to be my knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity m-f humor super rich hero contemporary length-short -
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This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother...Categorized as:
siblings-bff first-person-pov sweet-hero m-f forced proximity slow burn contemporary new adult -
This Is Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsFall in love in Harmony Pointe, where hearts are lost, found, and sometimes misplaced…and everyone get a happy ever after. If a woman can’t find love in the quaint town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them—whether they’re looking for it or not. Here, the remaining single Dalton siblings are about to discover that they’re next in line to get swept away by love...Categorized as:
sassy heroine strong heroine forced proximity m-f humor contemporary alpha male tortured hero -
Just One Taste by Carly Phillips
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsOne grumpy billionaire.One sassy-sweet supermodel.Add in a tropical private island paradise.What could go wrong?As owner and CEO of Dirty Dare Spirits, thirty-three year old, Asher Dare has it all. Money. Power. Women whenever he wants. A private island retreat when he doesn’t. People he trusts? He can count those on one hand... -
A Secret for a Secret by Helena Hunting
From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sassy heroine age difference shy-hero m-f forced proximity slow burn sunny hero -
Break the Rules by Roxie Noir
She’s my best friend’s kid sister. Now she’s not a kid any more. As a forest ranger, I believe in the simple life. I prefer cabins to apartments, trails over freeways, and trees to people. My life is orderly, predictable, and quiet. Until it’s hit by a woman I never saw coming -- Hurricane June. She’s fierce. She’s feisty...Categorized as:
friends to lovers siblings-bff shy-hero grumpy sunshine m-f sweet-hero nerdy-hero sassy heroine -
Perfect Match by Eliza McLane
They couldn't be more different, but wild-at-heart (and in bed) Rose and sweet-but-square Tyler have to make it through a romantic Valentine's weekend to win the prize at the end - all while proving they're certainly, definitely,really not the perfect match the dating app proclaims them to be..Categorized as:
forced proximity m-f first-person-pov shy-hero nerdy-hero strong heroine humor contemporary -
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 m-f contemporary humor pregnancy explicit-open-door -
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... -
Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me.I feel like he’s falling for me, too.And then my ex shows up... -
Next In Line by Amy Daws
What happens when the cute mountain man you made out with in an ice fishing shack turns out to be your brother’s best friend? A whole lot of awkward, that’s what. Maggie’s mind is reeling when she discovers the guy she became tangled up with at Marv’s Bait & Tackle isn’t a stranger like she thought...Categorized as:
friends to lovers age difference forced proximity siblings-bff m-f humor contemporary dual-pov -
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Perfectly You by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsUSA TODAY Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa brings us a light-hearted small-town romantic comedy full of a swoon-worthy billionaire, single dad romance, and big laughs. I need a massive break.So long to my cheating boyfriend and betraying roommate.Goodbye hectic emergency room and long hours... -
Jolly & Jaded by D.J. Krimmer
Her tireless holiday spirit is like a snowstorm in summer-overpowering, all-encompassing, and a wonder to behold...Categorized as:
siblings-bff m-f grumpy sunshine disabilities and marks contemporary humor length-novella open-door -
The Love Interest by Kayley Loring
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsDear Fiona,I hope this letter finds you well—and by well, I mean significantly less infuriated than you were yesterday. I’ve wanted to continue our conversation from the night we met, but there are so many things I can’t say or do, now that I’m your professor.As an anonymous letter writer, I can give you some idea of what I have planned for us, once the year is over...Categorized as:
age difference grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary humor secret-relationship length-medium -
The Scientist by Kristen B. Cole, Margo Lipschultz
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen an outgoing musical maven meets the enigmatic neuroscientist next door, will their worlds clash in a dramatic showdown of art versus science, or will they discover that love is the ultimate experiment worth conducting?When celebrated Broadway composer Hadley Olivier’s best friend receives a life-threatening diagnosis, Hadley says goodbye to her beloved home in NYC and sets off to the West...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary humor menage length-long -
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...Categorized as:
age difference forced proximity grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary humor sports from hate to love -
Double or Nothing by Cindy Steel
My best friend’s older brother is back in town.Do I care? Not one bit. Logan may have been my childhood crush, but I’ve always been little Tessa to him. Not to mention, he’s turned into a shallow flirt and I’m not looking to get played again.What’s the problem, you ask? (Besides all the flirting... -
She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant
Micah Taylor is an eternal optimist, but with every first date that fails, her faith in true love weakens. When offered the chance to help reopen the lodge where her parents were married, Micah is determined to prove her worth and show her boss that she has what it takes to be a great event planner...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine age difference m-f contemporary humor office glimpses-kisses -
The Worst Wedding Date by Pippa Grant
He’s a tattooed shirtless bad boy. My best friend’s brother. And the jerk on the other side of my bed.I didn’t know bridesmaid was code for babysitter for the bride’s brother , but if that’s what my best friend needs of me for her dream wedding to go off without a hitch, that’s what I’ll do.Even if Theo Monroe has been a pain in my rear since third grade... -
Falling for My Enemy by Claire Kingsley
“I thought if I could crack the code to falling in love, maybe someday it would work for me.”Corban Nash is a self-proclaimed data nerd with a sexy half smile and a set of abs that leave girls drooling. He developed a theory he claims will make two people fall in love. And after numerous tests on friends and family, it’s been successful for everyone who’s tried it... -
Summer Tease by Martha Keyes
Falling for a Palmer would be the ultimate crimeWild horses couldn’t drag me back to the small island where I grew up, but you know what can? Making sure the Palmer family–aka the worst neighbors ever–show appropriate respect to the newest resident of their retirement center: my grandma. But as soon as Grams moves in, her shenanigans put her at risk of being kicked out... -
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Deal Takers by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMY DICK CAN BE A REAL BASTARD SOMETIMES. When he takes charge, I’ve been known to do a lot of stupid shit, despite the fact that I have a genius IQ. Case in point: How I met the woman of my dreams. Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I don’t regret that moment of idiocy one bit... -
Pining For You by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’ve been in love with my best friend since the day I met her freshman year of high school. She was a halo of sunshine on a rainy day, pulling me out of the shadows and making me feel like life was one big roller-coaster ride of excitement. Until the day we graduated and she left on the back of a Harley with some guy who didn’t deserve her, middle fingers in the air...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity m-f contemporary marriage of convenience humor length-short -
Billionaire Boss by Julie Capulet
Our deal was simple. One night. Fake names. No strings attached.Until it turns out he’s my new boss...I couldn’t believe my luck when I got sent to a work conference in Hawaii. Living the dream after years of pulling myself up by my bootstraps.The sand, the palm trees and the blue water were straight out of a romantic fantasy.So was the guy at the beachfront bar, let’s be honest. Blue eyes... -
Give & Take by Claire Wilder
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI shouldn’t be thinking about him.Even though he tells me he can’t stop thinking about me.I’m turning 41.He’s 26.I’m a serious person.He’s fun-loving and carefree.It’s all wrong. But every time Raphael LaForest looks at me, it feels so, so right. Just a glance and my whole body melts. The simple brush of his hand on mine and every last nerve ending is on fire.But that’s not all...Categorized as:
age difference m-f grumpy sunshine forced proximity cold heroine sunny hero small town contemporary -
Tight Spot by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI don’t date football players.I’m not interested in the ones who are a decade older than me. I want nothing to do with the ones who play on the same team as my brothers, and I certainly avoid the ones who spend more time in strip clubs than kids’ clubs... -
Summer Hate by Melissa Ivers
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe was the last person I wanted to see on my girls trip, let alone share a room with.Donovan Fitzroy is grumpy. Irritable. Annoyingly perfect. And as handsome as he is uptight. He’s also my best friend’s older brother.My bestie promised me a relaxing week at her family owned resort, but when I got there all I got was an apologetic phone call and a promise that her brother would take care of me...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers sassy heroine siblings-bff m-f humor second chances alpha male
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