Books like 'Well Played'
Readers who enjoyed Well Played by Jen DeLuca also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny curvy heroine small town sweet-hero first-person-pov height-difference m-f friends to lovers cheerful heroine
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Becoming A Vincent by C.M. Owens
When you live in a place where “turbo speed” internet is a slight step above dial-up, men carry on nine-year beard-growing challenges out of stubborn pride, and your brothers do things like nail all your panties to the outside of your cabin just for funsies, you tend to be a little crazy. You can call it a "locational" hazard, if you will. That’s Tomahawk for you... -
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... -
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... -
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 m-f sweet-hero humor contemporary -
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:
friends to lovers m-f small town christmas contemporary suspense humor length-medium -
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:
friends to lovers small town m-f christmas 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... -
Rushing In by Claire Kingsley
She’s the one girl he can’t have. With his dimpled grin and devilish charm, firefighter Gavin Bailey is hot as a five-alarm fire and twice as dangerous. The youngest of five brothers, he’s the daredevil of the family. Until the unexpected strikes and he finds himself sidelined. Skylar Stanley’s life didn’t just fall apart. It exploded. Spectacularly... -
Flirt by Adriana Locke
WANTED: A SITUATION-SHIPI’m a single female that’s tired of relationships ruining my life. However, there are times when a date would be helpful. If you’re a single man, preferably mid-twenties to late-thirties, and are in a similar situation, we might be a match.Candidate must be handsome, charming, and willing to pretend to have feelings for me (on a sliding scale, as the event requires)...Categorized as:
friends to lovers first-person-pov working class hero sweet-hero m-f office contemporary humor -
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 m-f humor contemporary friends-benefits -
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... -
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My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh
A chance meeting. A hunky hockey player. A fake romance.Hardly an ordinary day in the life of Poppy Hart.My days usually consist of agonizing over my failing restaurant, worrying about my mountain of debt and nursing my broken heart.Everything changes when I bump into a man in the coffee shop and claim him as my new boyfriend...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers first-person-pov small town m-f contemporary humor christian -
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... -
Zane's Rebel by Loni Nichole
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFor once in his life, this strait-laced attorney is ready to throw caution to the wind. Too bad his sassy, rebellious soulmate refuses to take the risk.ZaneI take on the sassy-mouthed heiress’s case because she needs a good defense. She’s being sued by her father’s former business partner, who wants to destroy her. The odds in this small-town are stacked against her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers curvy heroine m-f contemporary humor alpha male virgin heroine length-novella -
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... -
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:
first-person-pov sweet-hero new adult m-f small town slow burn siblings-bff contemporary -
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... -
Dirty Talking Rival by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsDespite growing up in rival towns, Grady Rock and I were high school best friends.But now?Now, he's my biggest enemy. My dirty-talking, master-baking, grudge-holding, hot-as-sin enemy.All I wanted was to help my mom run her bakery after a family emergency left her unable to do it herself.Never mind that I can't bake. Or that I never wanted to move home again...Categorized as:
new adult m-f friends to lovers first-person-pov contemporary humor military dual-pov -
Jed Had to Die by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 34 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... -
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 -
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Show Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy... -
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 sweet-hero working class hero new adult first-person-pov contemporary college friends-benefits -
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... -
His Package by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHis package ended up inside my box. Calm down, perv. My mailbox. As soon as I saw what was inside, I knew two things: It belonged to my hot neighbor, and he had a dirty secret. Normally, I was more of a cat person. As in, if I had to choose who lives, I’m going to take the cat nine times out of ten. It’s not that I particularly like cats, I just don’t particularly like most people... -
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... -
Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley
Two high school BFFs reunite and endeavor to fix each other’s lives in this geeky romance from the author of Love, Comment, Subscribe.Tam Doan dumped her boyfriend after he threw away her gourmet cheese. Sure, it’s a little more complicated than that, but the point is, he had it coming...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult sweet-hero m-f contemporary multicultural humor open-door -
Snowed In by Catherine Walsh
Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas... -
A Not So Fictional Fall by Savannah Scott
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsI live for happily ever afters.And I'm finally meeting my favorite romance author in person! Only, all this time, I thought author, Amelie De Pierre, was a woman. It turns out, Pierre Toussaint is the man behind the books that make me weak in the knees.He could be the consummate book boyfriend with his dreamy hazel eyes, strong jawline, and those black-rimmed glasses. Not to mention that accent... -
In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes by Stephanie Archer
The deal is simple: he’ll wipe out my debt if I find him a wife.Holden Rhodes is grouchy, unfairly hot, and has hated me for years. Now we own an inn together. As we renovate the inn and practice his dating skills, I see a different side of him, though, and wonder if I was all wrong.When we add ‘friends with benefits’ to the deal, our chemistry is so hot the sparks could burn down the inn...Categorized as:
small town sweet-hero shy-hero friends to lovers m-f cheerful heroine working class hero slow burn -
A Collision of Stars by Georgia Stone
One summer. One bucket list.No one would ever call Ava Monroe a people person, which is unfortunate, as a barista in a busy London coffee shop. Bored, cynical and deathly sarcastic, she’s built up walls for a reason. Despite attempts from her best friend to shake up her routine, Ava refuses to do anything to disrupt her carefully curated life...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult first-person-pov curvy heroine slow burn contemporary humor dual-pov -
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The Beekeeper at Elderflower Grove by Jaimie Admans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHer new start is about to bee-gin!Having moved into her mum’s spare room after a disastrous break-up, Kayleigh Harwood is desperate for a fresh start...Categorized as:
friends to lovers small town new adult contemporary mystery forced proximity humor length-medium -
The Learning Hours by Sara Ney
He's not a douchebag; but that doesn't stop his friends from turning him into one. MY FRIENDS WANT ME TO GET LAID. So much so that they plastered my ugly mug all over campus, in bold printed letters: Are you the lucky lady who's going to break our roommate's cherry?Him: socially awkward man with average-sized penis looking for willing sexual partner. You: must have a pulse...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers slow burn cheerful heroine shy-hero sweet-hero m-f first-person-pov -
The Fast Lane by Sharon M. Peterson
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA totally hilarious friends-to-lovers, brother’s best friend romantic comedyHe’s the only person who can give me a ride to my brother’s wedding, and he’s also the one man I absolutely CANNOT have feelings for. My brother’s best friend is strictly off limits… Isn’t he?I should have known my mom would go totally overboard packing for my brother’s big day...Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f small town sweet-hero first-person-pov contemporary humor length-medium -
My Fake Fiance by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI never felt truly desired by a man—until him.The second he stepped foot into my small town Alaskan inn, his gaze swept over my curvy figure with desire, igniting a flame I thought was dead. He flirted with me, and I might’ve left two chocolates on his pillow at turndown, but that’s where it stayed. Over the years, he’s floated in and out of town while a friendship developed between us... -
Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she's got Paul Haggerty's business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands... -
Them by Carey Heywood
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFirst comes love, then comes marriage, then comes… As Will and Sarah Price settle into being Mr. & Mrs., they meet a stumbling block neither of them anticipated. All of their friends are starting families of their own, but not them, and not for lack of trying. For them, their dreams of a happily-ever-after always included a baby... -
Return to Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsKaylee Sloan’s home is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.Determined to escape distractions, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River...Categorized as:
friends to lovers cheerful heroine small town m-f christmas contemporary military humor -
Work Song by Danielle Allen
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen society tries to put you in a box, knock the walls down. –Tati Green “You have a pretty face” is such a back-handed compliment. It’s like telling me that my face is beautiful, but the rest of me is not. Despite what society says, my curves are hot. My love life, on the other hand, is not. My mom says I’ll never find love because of my weight... -
Take A Number by Amy Daws
Dean is certain that fake dating the cute owner of his new bakery investment could be messy…but messy can be fun. Norah Donahue wants bakeries not babies, but her matchmaking mother won’t stop trying to play Cupid. Dean Moser is a cocky stock market savant whose friends are all settling down, leaving Boulder’s infamous ladies’ man all alone...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers m-f first-person-pov contemporary humor office friends-benefits -
Not the man I thought he was: A feel good Romantic Comedy by Phoebe MacLeod
Madison reckons she’s a pretty good judge of character.When a disaster at work brings professional photographer Toby into her life, she has him all worked out within minutes. As their work collaboration blossoms into friendship, her preconceptions about him are only strengthened...Categorized as:
m-f height-difference shy-hero sweet-hero first-person-pov humor length-medium behind-doors -
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The Candidate by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 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... -
Love Off-Limits by Jenny Proctor
Tyler is hard enough to resist. Put a baby goat in his arms? Oh, I’m a goner.Romance is the last thing on my mind when I meet Tyler at a wedding.Yes, he’s gorgeous. Yes, we have instant chemistry.But I can’t go there with him. I’m too busy convincing my skeptical parents I’m ready to run our family farm to give Tyler’s smoldering smile a passing glance.Fine. I glanced. And possibly . . . kissed...Categorized as:
friends to lovers slow burn m-f contemporary humor christian behind-doors length-medium -
The Best Friends' Playlist: A Sweet Romantic Comedy by Jessica King
I’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... -
When Fate Breaks by Nikki Witt
Do you believe in fate?It’s a simple question…unless you’re a strict life planner and serial overthinker like Annie Jacks. It’s a good thing she finally has it all figured out. Now twenty-eight and two months away from her wedding, Annie has found herself moving into the home of her dreams with her fiancé. The only issue with the move? The house has an old dilapidated greenhouse in the backyard...Categorized as:
friends to lovers small town slow burn sweet-hero suspense humor contemporary second chances -
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 8 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Roa, a popular live streamer who views Isshin's bottled tea, Chako, as a rival, lost control, and Hananoki-en faced backlash! On top of that, they now have to compete with Roa, who is also a tea maker, in a national competition...Categorized as:
new adult m-f slow burn contemporary humor length-short fake relationship glimpses-kisses -
Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsFOUR YEARS AGO, AIR FORCE SWEETHEARTS FRANCI DUNCAN AND SEAN RIORDAN REACHED AN IMPASSE. SHE WANTED MARRIAGE AND A FAMILY. HE DIDN'T. BUT A CHANCE MEETING PROVES THAT THE BITTER BREAKUP HASN'T COOLED THEIR SIZZLING CHEMISTRY. Sean has settled down in spite of himself --- he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again...Categorized as:
slow burn small town cheerful heroine career professional m-f contemporary pregnancy second chances
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