Books like 'IOU'
Readers who enjoyed IOU by Kristy Marie also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny young adult college cold hero forced proximity alpha male grumpy sunshine new adult from hate to love
-
Five Ways to Fall by K.A. Tucker
Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change...Categorized as:
friends to lovers bad boys alpha male college new adult cheating dual-pov other-man-woman -
Kade's Game by C.M. Owens
We never go after what we want without circling around it at least a hundred times. Instead, we play games, try to work just the right angle, even when it's not necessary. You've heard Raya's version, and now it's Kade's turn. He had everything mapped out. His life was a series of strategy and games, all of which he was mastering... -
Anti-Stepbrother by Tijan
He told me to 'settle, girl.' He asked if 'something was wrong with me?' He said I was an ‘easy target.’ That was within minutes when I first met Caden Banks. I labeled him an *sshole, but he was more than that. Arrogant. Smug. Alpha. He was also to-die-for gorgeous, and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother...Categorized as:
new adult alpha male friends to lovers college sassy heroine bad boys cold hero dual-pov -
Crushed by Lauren Layne
Lauren Layne’s latest novel about the healing power of redemption tells the story of a crush gone wickedly wrong, proving that what you want isn’t always what you need. Growing up in New York, Michael St. Claire never expected to spend his twenties wearing cowboy boots. But that was before he learned about his real father, a total stranger with a family in Cedar Grove, Texas...Categorized as:
friends to lovers college alpha male bad boys new adult grumpy sunshine dual-pov other-man-woman -
-
Adrenaline by Penelope Douglas
**You ask. You receive!*** Have you read Bully and the rest of the Fall Away series? Would you enjoy having all the bonus content in one place? Adrenaline is approximately 36, 000 words of bonus scenes, deleted scenes, character conversations, and Q&As shared over the past few years and is mostly material not found in the actual books. Here, you'll find.. -
More Of Us by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBereft, betrayed, and broken the healing begins in the last installment of Laura Pavolv’s star-crossed lovers trilogy. Cruz Winslow broke me… Everything was so good, we were so right, but life managed to tear us apart—and Cruz shattered my heart in a million little pieces in the process. I know now that I need to figure out life on my own, find out who I am without him...Categorized as:
college from hate to love cheating other-man-woman contemporary rockstars vengeance young adult -
Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
Tilly in Technicolor is Mazey Eddings's sparkling YA debut about two neurodivergent teens who form a connection over the course of a summer.Tilly Twomley is desperate for change. White-knuckling her way through high school with flawed executive functioning has left her burnt out and ready to start fresh... -
Remember When 2: The Sequel by T. Torrest
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsYou know how sometimes, your high school crush grows up to be an insanely famous movie star? Okay, probably not. But I do. ~Layla Warren Back in high school, Trip Wiley’s fanbase only encompassed the denizens of the nothing little suburb of Norman, New Jersey. Ten years later, all that is about to change...Categorized as:
cheating friends to lovers college poor heroine other-man-woman m-f contemporary love triangle -
With This Heart by R.S. Grey
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsIf someone had told me a year ago that I was about to fall in love, go on an epic road trip, ride a Triceratops, sing on a bar, and lose my virginity, I would have assumed they were on drugs. Well, that is, until I met Beckham. Beck was mostly to blame for my recklessness...Categorized as:
friends to lovers college forced proximity m-f humor contemporary tearjerkers virgin heroine -
Brave: Wicked West Rejects by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsRELEASE DATE: December 8**May be read as a stand alone**✅ Enemies with benefits✅ VERY protective anti-hero✅ Major SPICE✅ Fiery heroineMicah Lyonne is the worst man I know. As children, we were constantly thrown together by our powerful parents.And we always despised each other.He was supposed to be the heir to a billion dollar empire...Categorized as:
from hate to love grumpy sunshine new adult friends to lovers m-f contemporary suspense death -
The Invitation by Vi Keeland
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsStella Bardot ist eine der talentiertesten Parfüm-Designerinnen in New York. Nachdem sie aber ihren Ex-Verlobten ausbezahlen musste, steht ihr kleines Geschäft kurz vor der Pleite. Als auch noch ihre Mitbewohnerin über Nacht verschwindet, braucht Stella dringend Ablenkung. Ihr bester Freund überredet sie kurzerhand, sich auf die High-Society-Hochzeit der Saison zu schmuggeln... -
Capture by Penny Reid
One week. Manhattan apartment. Super-hot ex-boyfriend. …What’s the worst that could happen? It’s been nine months since Kaitlyn Parker has seen or heard from Martin Sandeke—nine months and five stages of matter. She’s lived through the worst of first-love heartbreak, and is most certainly stronger (and less likely to hide in science cabinets) than ever before. But now Martin is back...Categorized as:
bad boys friends to lovers alpha male college sassy heroine new adult sweet heroine cold hero -
Nodame Cantabile, Vol. 1 by Tomoko Ninomiya
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe son of a famous pianist, music student Shinichi Chiaki dreams of studying abroad and becoming a conductor like his mentor. Unfortunately, his fear of flying grounds his lofty plans! As he watches other classmates achieve what he has always wanted, Shinichi wonders if he should quit music altogether. Then one day he meets fellow student Megumi Noda, also known as Nodame... -
An On Dublin Street Christmas by Samantha Young
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsBraden Carmichael and Jocelyn Butler share their first Christmas together as a couple, exchanging meaningful gifts and spending time with family... -
-
Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
In this charming and poignant novel that “oozes charm and wit and speaks beautifully about friendship and love, and the differences between the two” (Laura Pearson, author of I Wanted You to Know ), teenager Emmie Blue releases a balloon with her email address and a big secret into the sky, only to fall head-over-heels for the boy who finds it...Categorized as:
friends to lovers other-man-woman m-f sweet heroine contemporary humor young adult love triangle -
I Need You To Hate Me by Genicious
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA passionate and enthralling college romance. Two damaged souls on a path to obliteration. When they collide, will they heal each other, or are they damaged beyond repair?What’s worse than losing someone you love? Blaming yourself for their death. Two years after a devastating accident, Calla is still full of guilt. But beyond the blame, other demons are prowling. Post-traumatic stress disorder...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary military humor young adult -
That Wedding by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsThe gorgeous engagement ring on my finger mimics my happiness. I feel so sparkly, glittery, and full of promise, because I absolutely know he's that boy. The boy I want to marry. My prince. My happily ever after. But then our pastor starts asking lots of questions. His parents say I haven’t dealt with my past. I have horrible wedding disaster dreams. I can’t find the perfect dress... -
Painless by Devon Hartford
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAt last! The exciting, steamy, action packed conclusion to the Story of Samantha Smith. Painless follows Samantha through the remainder of her first year in college at sunny San Diego University. Oh, and what about that hot hunk Christos Manos? When we last left him, his life balanced on the brink of disaster... -
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Volume 1 by Mashiro
The award-winning manga that inspired the anime My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999Sometimes love is like an endgame boss.College student Akane has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Heartbroken, she decides to quit the online RPG they used to play together—but instead of deleting her account, she logs in and battles low-level enemies to relieve her stress and hurt feelings...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers sweet heroine cheerful heroine cold hero contemporary young adult humor -
That Wedding by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsMarry the boy next door in this sweet contemporary romance by USA Today Best Selling Author, Jillian Dodd.The gorgeous engagement ring on my finger mimics my happiness. I feel so sparkly, glittery, and full of promise, because I absolutely know he's that boy. The boy I want to marry. My prince. My happily ever after.But then our pastor starts asking lots of questions... -
A Love Song for Dreamers by Piper Lawson
He said I taught him how to dream.Maybe he taught me, too.But when fate brings the strongest man I know to his knees, dreams aren’t enough to save us.But true love doesn’t fade to silence after a single verse.Tyler and I have one last chance.And the power to decide how this ends.A tragedy for the ages.Or the perfect ending to the most beautiful song ever written...Ours...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f contemporary young adult humor length-short open-door -
The Smirking Jerk by DarknessAndLight
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 11 ratings“I’m in love with you.” How many times would I have to think about this, how many times, before she could hear it, feel it, see it in my eyes? “I’m in love with you.” How could I make her see without telling her, without scaring her off… without losing her. I couldn’t lose her... -
Playing With Her Heart by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom the NYT & USA Today Bestselling romance author, a sizzling and addictive story of a woman with a broken past and the man who can’t fight his attraction to her… Twenty-three year old rising theater star Jill McCormick has built a life out of pretending. Pretending she’s happy, pretending she’s not haunted by the dark secret that shattered her world six years ago...Categorized as:
alpha male possessive hero dual-pov m-f humor young adult contemporary tortured heroine -
The Deal Dilemma by Meagan Brandy
Ever wonder what would happen if you bribed your brother’s ex-best friend to pop your cherry?Yeah, me either, but I did it anyway. Now the moody man is madder than ever, but I came prepared to strike a deal. One he can’t refuse…Crew Taylor is the picture of perfection, if gruff, grumpy, and prone to throw a punch is your type... -
-
The Bad Boy, Cupid & Me by Slim_Shady
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsReece smirked, "Trust me Chloe, the Good Girl always falls for the Bad Boy."Chloe Armel is a Good Girl.She never gets in trouble, gets excellent grades and is loved by everyone.Enter Reece.Wild, badass and has an ego that honestly couldn't get any bigger.He gets into fights, breaks every single rule and couldn't care less about the consequences that come with it... -
Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce
From the author of the nationally bestselling Dungeons and Drama comes another gaming romance that's sure to win you over!After moving to a new high school, Quinn is desperate for friends, so she joins a D&D group with their own livestream and serious rules—most no dating fellow party members... -
A Love Song for Rebels by Piper Lawson
I swore I’d never fall for a rockstar. He swore he’d never become one.Tyler didn’t mean to break my heart. He did it anyway.Now, I’ll never play by anyone’s rules but mine.When he shows up in the last place I expect, with a confession and a promise…There’s going to be a reckoning.Because the naive girl he shattered is gone.And the woman in her place is ready for a fight...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f contemporary young adult humor length-short open-door -
Taken With Trouble (Caught in Chaos) by Jenessa Fayeth
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSerena CruzBeing taken hostage by a criminal was not on my agenda for the week. The plan was to catch Liam Hawthorne, the billionaire con artist, and finally prove myself and gain the attention of my boss.Liam caught me instead.Forget the bounty, I’m killing him. However, it’s proving a rather difficult task–especially when he convinces me to help him...Categorized as:
from hate to love grumpy sunshine forced proximity dual-pov humor contemporary suspense mystery -
Jock Rule by Sara Ney
Kip Carmichael is no pretty boy. He's a rough. Dirty. Giant. Hair so unruly, and a beard so thick, his friends on the team call him Sasquatch. The first time Sasquatch lays eyes on Theodora "Teddy" Johnson across the keg at a party one night on Jock Row, she'd been relegated to the sidelines by her jock-hungry "friends... -
Strum Your Heart Out by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSpecial new release price of 2.99. Price goes up 11/23 Best friends aren't supposed to fall in love. College senior Kara Kendrick is not about to let lust ruin a good friendship. Yes, her rock star guitarist best friend Drew Denton is stubborn, over-protective, and quick to threaten violence on anyone who hurts her. He's also the only person she's ever trusted. He makes her laugh... -
Betting on You by Lynn Painter
From the New York Times bestselling author of Better than the Movies , this swoon-worthy rom-com in the vein of She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a bet while working at a waterpark... -
Sincerely, Arizona by Whitney G.
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsJust friends. We’re just friends. No, wait...Categorized as:
friends to lovers college new adult sassy heroine possessive hero dual-pov m-f young adult -
The Dealmaker by Jessica Peterson
Hating and dating: I didn’t realize they’re two sides of the same coin until I meet him. Theo Morgan.One of Wall Street’s highest-paid traders, he may be hot as sin in his five-thousand-dollar custom-made suit and six-figure SUV. But Theo is the bane of my existence. He’s arrogant, rude, and as brash as they come.As our bank’s newest star hire, he’s also after the same promotion I am...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity alpha male m-f humor contemporary young adult forbidden love -
Mason by Michelle Heard
"You’re my assistant." The magic words every girl at Trinity Academy is dying to hear. But I’m the one who gets stuck with Mason Chargill, the star of most women’s fantasies but my nightmare. One of the heirs to CRC Holdings, he might be dangerously gorgeous, but his cold and callous demeanor makes him an ice prince...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love alpha male college super rich hero humor tortured hero young adult -
-
The Bad Boy, Cupid & Me by Slim_Shady
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsReece smirked, "Trust me Chloe, the Good Girl always falls for the Bad Boy."Chloe Armel is a Good Girl.She never gets in trouble, gets excellent grades and is loved by everyone.Enter Reece.Wild, badass and has an ego that honestly couldn't get any bigger.He gets into fights, breaks every single rule and couldn't care less about the consequences that come with it...Categorized as:
bad boys new adult friends to lovers from hate to love young adult high-school contemporary humor -
Tame This by Hadley Quinn
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKISS THIS continues with Jay’s story, a rebel of his own sort with the need for freedom and unfiltered opinions. His days of unruly behavior and risky decisions have dealt him a hand that he’s still trying to overcome as he seeks to accomplish his business dreams. But the hits keep adding up...Categorized as:
alpha male friends to lovers bad boys possessive hero college poor heroine m-f humor -
Rock Candy Kisses by Addison Moore
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsAnnie Edwards was born deaf, but she’s never let that define her. She’s settling in as a freshman at Whitney Briggs University, loves her dorm, her roommate, her classes, but something feels as though it’s missing—enter Blake Daniels. He’s everything Annie is not—a rocker, a player, a college dropout... -
Beauty and the Bachelor by Kelly Oram
Beauty and the Beast meets The Bachelor.Thanks to a stipulation in his late father's will, billionaire CEO Sebastian Monroe has one year to find a wife he loves who loves him back, or he will lose control of his family's company. The change could destroy the company and the lives of all its employees... -
Do You Do Extras? by Nikki Ashton
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTake a normal girl, a Hollywood star, a mean foul-mouthed agent and a pink glittery sex toy and you've got Do You Do Extras? - but remember what happens on set stays on set.Grantley James is Hollywood's newest action hero. He's got the looks and the body but can barely crack a smile.Phoebe Drinkwater is an extra on Grantley's new film... -
The Best Friends' Playlist by Jessica King
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI’m in love with my best friend. The problem? He doesn’t love me back.Five years ago, on the night of our high school graduation, I handed Jordan my heart, and he handed me a country song's worth of heartbreak and rejection.Now, after returning to my hometown for an internship, I find that despite my delusional fantasies, Jordan’s feelings remain the same. I’m still buddy-buddy Paige... -
The Ones We Remember by Katie Golightly
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsColin Hartrick is back. Even after five years away from his hometown, nothing could ever make him forget his family or the girl he left behind. The ghost of his eighteen-year-old, grief-stricken self never fails to remind him of how much he lost. Despite every memory and all the lingering feelings that sparked from their intimacy experiment, the girl of his dreams now wants nothing to do with him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers dual-pov new adult grumpy sunshine young adult contemporary high-school humor -
Wingman [Woman] by Bella Jewel
This book is a standalone - it is FULL length novel and is not a serial. It has no cliffhanger and contains a Happily Ever After. From USA Today and Amazon Top 20 Bestselling Author. What can I say about Reign Braxton? King of sex. Jealous. Possessive. Obsessed. Gorgeous. Those are the first thoughts that come to mind when describing the sex extraordinaire that is my new boss...Categorized as:
cheating bad boys alpha male friends to lovers possessive hero sassy heroine other-man-woman m-f -
More Than Water by Renee Ericson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsIt doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t feel wrong. It just...feels. EJ Cunning, an art history major, dates musicians. Foster Blake, a chemical engineering major, can’t sing a tune. They’re not each other’s type. They’re coworkers. Then, one night leads to sex—sex between friends—which leads to an agreement. It all seems so simple—but nothing ever is. Many layers build a person’s facade... -
Lucky Star by Susannah Nix
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA lonely barista’s dreams come true when her celebrity crush asks her to pose as his fake girlfriend for the paparazzi. Boone Sheridan is a TV heartthrob with a public relations problem. He needs to clean up his image and create a distraction ASAP... -
-
Guarding the Goalie by Jacob Chance
The first time I met Murphy, the goalie of the Coyotes hockey team, I thought he was the most attractive man I’d ever seen.The second time, we shared a wild night and I never planned to see him again.Imagine my surprise when I showed up for a work meeting only to find out Murphy was my new client.He needed a bodyguard to pose as his live-in girlfriend, and I was perfect for the job...Categorized as:
sassy heroine forced proximity alpha male friends to lovers m-f suspense humor sports -
The Good Girl & the Bad Boy by M.L. Collins
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat happens when Jackson High’s Good Girl and Bad Boy are forced to work together? I’ll tell you:I destroy his guitar. (Accidentally!)He uses my guilt to trick me into doing his work.For three weeks!Until I find out he lied. Oh, heck no. This bad boy has crossed the wrong girl.I call him out on it. In front of the whole school.Check mate, bad boy. “It feels good to be bad,” he whispers...Categorized as:
from hate to love new adult m-f young adult contemporary high-school humor length-short -
The Dare by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsBoring Beth Lynn has always lived up to her nickname… until she wakes up in a hotel bed next to a sexy as sin state senator she re-connected with at a wedding the previous night. The biggest problem? She can't seem to remember anything about the night before except for crying into a box of cookies, and she’s pretty sure Grandma Nadine slipped something in her drink...Categorized as:
alpha male college friends to lovers new adult forced proximity dual-pov young adult contemporary -
New Storm Rising by Robert Thier
This was NOT how Lilly had expected her honeymoon to go. Ever since their ship left the shore, she has been feeling dizzy, irritable and nauseous...and what the heck are these strange cravings she keeps having? Her brand-new husband is no help either. Suddenly, stoic, icy billionaire Mr Rikkard Ambrose has turned into a moody, overprotective caveman... -
Finally, Forever by Katie Kacvinsky
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAuthor's Note: Can be read as book three of the First Comes Love series , or as a standalone . College baseball player, Gray Thomas, had to go far out into left field to find a girl like Dylan, the ex-love-of-his-life. More than a year later, literally at a crossroads, they find each other together on a journey that is a pause between a painful past and an uncertain future... -
Looking to Score by Carrie Gray, Coralee June
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsHe’s like literally the worst. Oakley Davis is the star running back at our University, and the reason I’ve broken my vow to avoid the college party scene. Thanks to a mixup with my advisor, I’m now serving my Public Relations internship as a glorified babysitter to the party-hard football players.Specifically, Oakley.He’s impossible to manage...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love college bad boys friends to lovers alpha male m-f sports
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.