Books like 'Not What I Expected'
Readers who enjoyed Not What I Expected by Jewel E. Ann also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny age difference from hate to love forbidden love single-mother independent heroine cold heroine secret-relationship
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Beard with Me by Penny Reid
‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story. No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty... -
![The Red Files by Lee Winter]()
The Red Files by Lee Winter
Ambitious Daily Sentinel journalist Lauren King is chafing on LA’s vapid social circuit, reporting on glamorous A-list parties while sparring with her rival—the formidable, icy Catherine Ayers. Ayers is an ex-Washington political correspondent who suffered a humiliating fall from grace, and her acerbic, vicious tongue keeps everyone at bay...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love cold heroine heroine sleuth mystery suspense f-f contemporary -
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![Falling for Mr. Bad by Melissa Foster]()
Falling for Mr. Bad by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s a badass musician and mechanic with no patience for overinflated egos. He’s a billionaire with no time for drama. Going head-to-head has never been so much fun...or so dirty. Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and loads of heart make this sexy enemies-to-lovers, close proximity, forbidden, workplace, small town standalone romance unputdownable... -
![Dirty Little Midlife (fake) Date by Lilian Monroe]()
Dirty Little Midlife (fake) Date by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsBrooding, grumpy Des has a problem. He needs a date to his family's Thanksgiving reunion for reasons he'd...rather not say.Single mother and all-around hot mess Mia has an even bigger issue: She can't afford her rent, and her new landlord Des is a major you-know-what.So, they make a deal. One simple weekend away in exchange for a serious rent reduction... -
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![The Guy on the Left by Kate Stewart]()
The Guy on the Left by Kate Stewart
It started with a lie. A night of blurred lines between a teacher and a student. I wasn’t her student, yet it was the single most defining night of my life. I’ve never been the man she thinks I am. Most people have no idea about the life I’ve lived or the words that ring true when it comes to me—still waters run deep...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love forbidden love cold heroine single-mother sports humor new adult -
![Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden]()
Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden
Sleeping with the enemy has never been so complicated. Twenty-eight-year-old Brooklyn Campbell is having a bad day. A speeding ticket, a towed car, and a broken heel are all working against her laid-back vibe. To top it all off, her birth mother, whom she's never met, has requested contact. The only bright spot is an impromptu date with a beautiful and mysterious brunette...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love cold heroine secret-relationship contemporary f-f humor dual-pov -
![Wicked Heart by Ivy Layne]()
Wicked Heart by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFinn Sawyer hates everything about being back in Sawyers Bend. He walked away from his family years before, living off his wits and skills in the kitchen, refining his craft as he worked his way across Europe. Then the father who left him for dead is murdered, and the will offers Finn a chance at his dream... -
![Quitting the Quarterback by Lisa Suzanne]()
Quitting the Quarterback by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA steamy Pro Football, Single Mom, Forbidden Doctor/Patient Romance from Amazon Top Ten Bestselling author Lisa Suzanne.I went to Vegas to celebrate my divorce, and the pro football star was there celebrating his new contract. I heard someone call his name, and I wasn't about to miss my chance to get with the man my ex had idolized... -
![Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas]()
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... -
![Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens]()
Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens
A hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcée who agrees to let her children play matchmaker.Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating...Categorized as:
single-mother age difference from hate to love contemporary office humor m-f height-difference -
![Three Reckless Words by Nicole Snow]()
Three Reckless Words by Nicole Snow
A runaway bride brings trouble and temptation to a stone-hearted single dad in this emotional and scorching hot romance by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.Is there any coming back after you blow your own wedding to pieces?I braced for the fallout when I left my emotionally unavailable groom.I expected the tears, the family wrath, the drama galore... -
![Attachment Theory by Kayley Loring]()
Attachment Theory by Kayley Loring
An actor, a model, and a younger man walk into a therapist’s office… They’re all Dylan Brodie. It’s only funny if you aren’t the single mom therapist he can’t stop flirting with. Dear Mr. Brodie, I hope this email finds you well. Your well-being and personal growth are of the utmost importance to me, as a therapist... -
![Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne]()
Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne
As a leading columnist for Stiletto , Grace Brighton has built a career warning women about rotten, cheating liars. She just never suspected her fiancé would be one of them. After Grace takes a heart-mending hiatus, her first assignment is to go on a couple of dates with a counterpart from the men's magazine Oxford and report her impressions. Grace 1... -
![Cop Daddy Next Door by Taryn Quinn]()
Cop Daddy Next Door by Taryn Quinn
Note to self: never ever lose your pants while at the town’s lookout point… I’m a former bad boy turned one of the newest cops in Crescent Cove. No matter what, I’m determined to earn the respect of my fellow cops—and my law enforcement family, including my older brother Brady—as the new guy.My new next door neighbor is also my new sister-in-law... -
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![Mister Billions by Cassie-Ann L. Miller]()
Mister Billions by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsBossy. Infuriating. Sexy as sin... I can't stand the man.And he's waiting for me at the altar.I'm up to my eyeballs in unpaid rent. So is half this town.Cannon Kingston is the devilish, arrogant billionaire with the power to save us all. But he wants something in return...My hand in marriage.The terms of our twisted contract are simple... -
![Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale]()
Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale
Mavis always assumed that she would be in a hospital with the good drugs when her time came. Not in the middle of the road, with no one around but the damn town mechanic that hated her.But there she was, having a rock star’s baby, with no one to rely on but the one that let it be known around every turn that she was a horrible person...Categorized as:
from hate to love single-mother contemporary humor pregnancy explicit-open-door audiobook -
![Runaway Bride's Guide to Love by Chelle Sloan]()
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... -
![Scrooge and the Girls Next Door by Melanie Jacobson]()
Scrooge and the Girls Next Door by Melanie Jacobson
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhen the sunniest woman in Creekville buys the house next to the grumpiest man on the street, sparks fly . . . and not just because she keep blowing his fuses...Paige Redmond has done everything the hard way, from her wild child past to being a single mother raising her own delightful wild child now. But since landing in Creekville, she's turned it all around...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love single-mother contemporary grumpy sunshine christmas humor clean -
![Single Mom's Guide to Love by Chelle Sloan]()
Single Mom's Guide to Love by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA sexy, marriage of convenience, one night stand, British hero romance from bestselling author, Chelle Sloan. GUIDE TO LOVE RULE #50: Love isn't always convenient. Sometimes marriage is.My name is Maeve Banks—Type A single mom; oldest daughter; and renowned interior designer for millionaire bachelors.And the new Mrs. Logan Matthews... -
![One Bossy Offer by Nicole Snow]()
One Bossy Offer by Nicole Snow
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsInheriting a bad-tempered boss brings the sweetest insanity in this roaring funny and shamelessly steamy grumpy-sunshine romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.Grandma left me the life of my dreams with one ginormous catch.Miles flipping Cromwell.Workaholic king of grumps. Control freak. Older billionaire next door... -
![The One I Love by Chelle Sloan]()
The One I Love by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA Sexy, Friends to Lovers, Secret Relationship, Small-Town Romance by bestselling author Chelle Sloan.I can’t remember a time when I haven’t loved my childhood best friend, Amelia.Her big brown eyes and beautiful smile have had a hold on me since we were teenagers.Hell, I even love her kids as if they were my own.Now, she’s divorced, and after twenty years, it’s time to make my move... -
![One Bossy Disaster by Nicole Snow]()
One Bossy Disaster by Nicole Snow
A wild twist of fate throws together two total opposites in this steamy and hysterical grumpy sunshine romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.Trust me, I'm not falling for a human porcupine.I don't do older men with baggage a mile long.Billionaires? Nope, I'm Miss Independence, thank you very much... -
![Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter]()
Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAn offbeat lesbian romantic comedy starring penguins, plotting, and payback.Muffin maker Olivia Roberts has had it with her awful exes taking advantage of her good nature. The theft of her nana’s beloved stuffed penguin is the absolute last straw.She puts up an ad at her local crime bookstore for a henchperson to help her enact a little mild revenge...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love cold heroine christmas contemporary office f-f humor -
![Collide by Piper Lawson]()
Collide by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMy hot professor’s past tore us apart. But he won’t give up on our future.I thought I knew who Sawyer Redmond was. I was wrong.But he’s fiercely determined to keep me, and I can’t avoid him. He’s everywhere—in class, at events, in my head.He forces me to discover a side of myself I never knew. One that terrifies me almost as much as it excites me.He says our secrets can bring us closer...Categorized as:
age difference forbidden love contemporary new adult humor length-short m-f audiobook -
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![Hauling Ashe by L.B. Dunbar]()
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 Secret by May Archer]()
The Secret by May Archer
Micah Constantine Ross is a cocky, provoking little... yeah. And I swear, I'd think that even if his family's business wasn't my biggest competition. It's time someone taught the man a lesson or two about life. At least that's what I tell myself when I offer him a job. Call it my good deed for the year... maybe the century. But now he's in my shop. In my space. In my every damn thought...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love secret-relationship m-m humor contemporary office queer -
![Charity Case: The Complete Series by Piper Rayne]()
Charity Case: The Complete Series by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThese three women are the toughest juries they’ll ever have to plead their case to.THIS BOX SET INCLUDES…Clean Slate (Charity Case #0.5)Moving two thousand miles away wasn’t my plan, but when family needs you, you come. Before I can head back to my hometown of Chicago though, I have two men to say good-bye to. Neither one of them will be happy to hear the news... -
![A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight]()
A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight
Ella Gardner is a high school English teacher and former volleyball star who lost out on her chance to play in college when she became pregnant with her daughter in her senior year of high school. Fed up with the direction of her life, she acknowledges her sexuality at thirty-five and decides to try online dating...Categorized as:
age difference single-mother humor f-f queer length-long contemporary third-person-pov -
![The Wild Card by Cassie-Ann L. Miller]()
The Wild Card by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be harmless. One fake date with a football player.Except Harry Westbrook is the exact opposite of harmless. My first mistake? Underestimating that boyish smile, those playful eyes, the charming words on those perfect lips. He claims to have a crush on me. But, as hot as he is, I'd bet he's scheduling booty calls like a dentist booking teeth cleanings... -
![The Love Interest by Kayley Loring]()
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 secret-relationship contemporary humor grumpy sunshine m-f length-medium audiobook -
![Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart]()
Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart
If you ask Mia Madden, the road to dating hell is paved with suspiciously hot online profiles. Take tonight’s date, for example. Alex Conroy’s whole “boardroom in the streets, lumberjack in the sheets” thing totally works for her, but his profile did not convey that he represents everything she loathes about corporate hustle culture. He’s not even worth her bottle of purse wine... -
![Next In Line by Amy Daws]()
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... -
![A Co-Worker's Crush by Piper Rayne]()
A Co-Worker's Crush by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt took me a long time to realize I shouldn’t date the women I work with. It cost me three tattoo guns, a job, five motorcycle tires, and I’m not even counting the t-shirts I never got back. It feels different with Frankie but she comes with a little daughter and a crap load of other baggage. I’m not the guy you take home to your parents, let alone your child... -
![Washed Up by Kandi Steiner]()
Washed Up by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsIt was just another day in the Emergency Department -- until she was wheeled in through the doors.Amanda Parks, my childhood best friend's mom who I may or may not have secretly kissed before leaving for college.I haven't seen her in over a decade, and in so many ways, she hasn't changed. Same killer curves.Same hypnotizing eyes.Same reaction from my heart when I see her... -
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![The Even Odder Couple by Julie Christianson]()
The Even Odder Couple by Julie Christianson
Spencer Crane thinks I’m a human tornado.I think he’s a calendar app come to life.While he schedules? I spin-out.When I spontaneously combust? He overcompensates.And this is why convincing my new boss to hire him is a completely brilliant idea.You see, workplace romance is forbidden, but attraction between total opposites like Spencer and me is a non-issue.I repeat: Non. Issue... -
![Kind of a Hot Mess by Lili Valente]()
Kind of a Hot Mess by Lili Valente
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI'm a hot mess single mom with no time for players…or anything else. He's a wounded NHL star stuck in the small town he's fought to escape. So we strike a deal to become roomies--Aaron will babysit my little boy to help me through the busiest catering season of the year. In exchange, I'll give him a place to heal away from his overbearing family... -
![Quitting the Quarterback by Lisa Suzanne]()
Quitting the Quarterback by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA steamy Pro Football, Single Mom, Forbidden Doctor/Patient Romance from Amazon Top Ten Bestselling author Lisa Suzanne.I went to Vegas to celebrate my divorce, and the pro football star was there celebrating his new contract. I heard someone call his name, and I wasn't about to miss my chance to get with the man my ex had idolized... -
![A Player's Guide to Catching Feelings by Ava Wakefield]()
A Player's Guide to Catching Feelings by Ava Wakefield
A billionaire shortstop, a waitress who loathes him, and a disaster that has them stuck under one roof.AveryIt's bad enough I work doubles at Clearway Park just to raise my baseball-obsessed brother.The last thing I need is Nash Fontaine—Chicago's most entitled athlete—as his new mentor.And imagine the horror when our house is on the fritz and he offers his mansion as a temporary fix... -
![Flutter by Carrie Aarons]()
Flutter by Carrie Aarons
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe can’t stand her, and best believe, the feeling is mutual. Her life is the complete opposite of what he desires. So, why can’t they keep their hands off each other? Forrest Nash is a smug know-it-all... -
![Irish Rebel by L.K. Shaw]()
Irish Rebel by L.K. Shaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaitlínAfter finally convincing my over-protective family to let me visit my uncle in Dublin, I know this may be my only chance to experience everything I’ve always wanted: Adventure. Excitement. Freedom.Until I’m introduced to the man assigned to be my bodyguard. With his silver-flecked hair and wicked scar, Roarke radiates power and danger. Everything I’m drawn to...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love mafia forced proximity contemporary suspense alpha male humor -
![Two Wrongs Made Right by Ali Parker]()
Two Wrongs Made Right by Ali Parker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJust because my brother found love doesn’t mean I have to.I’d rather focus on other things.Like money.It never gives you sleepless nights that drive you insane.But the single mom I hooked up with at my brother’s wedding?She’s got me sweating.I can’t get her out of my head.Those curves.That smart mouth.She’s the right kind of trouble.But I’m the wrong kind of guy.Or not.She’s been wronged before... -
![Ella Gets the D by Tanvier Peart]()
Ella Gets the D by Tanvier Peart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe end of my marriage was the beginning of my happily ever after. What happens when you hear your husband putting dents in your mattress with another woman?Leave and never look back!Easier said than done when you're a stay-at-home mom, share two kids with the no-good cheater, and have a savings account that laughs in your face on the daily...Categorized as:
age difference single-mother found-family sports forced proximity contemporary black-mc humor -
![Give & Take by Claire Wilder]()
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 cold heroine single-mother small town contemporary humor length-long m-f -
![Third and Long by K.T. Quinn]()
Third and Long by K.T. Quinn
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTHIRD AND LONG is a scorching sports romance filled with humor, suspense, and football-related excitement...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love new adult humor sports super rich hero contemporary strong heroine -
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![A Make Out to Remember by Dulcie Dameron]()
A Make Out to Remember by Dulcie Dameron
There’s nothing more damaging to one’s ego than realizing your Mystery Midnight Make Out Partner from two years ago has no recollection of you…Britta Gracen is happy for her bestie, Liss, and the once-in-a-lifetime love she found with pro snowboarder, Alden Beaumont.It’s Alden’s friend, Cash, that gets under her skin…Why? Because two years ago after a concert, she and Cash kissed.Not once...Categorized as:
from hate to love age difference dual-pov forced proximity sports mystery contemporary humor -
![Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray]()
Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray
I have my fresh start in a new town, this time a widow with a preteen daughter who rolls her eyes enough to make them stay that way. Too bad my past mistake is also here to greet me.Daxon Hellman. Town a-hole. Hot young contractor hired to build my house in the woods.It’s only when I’m face-to-face with him for the first time that I realize he’s the mystery man from two years ago...Categorized as:
age difference independent heroine cold heroine humor contemporary m-f competent heroine sunny hero -
![The Innkeeper by Rebecca Sharp, Samantha Cook]()
The Innkeeper by Rebecca Sharp, Samantha Cook
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsElouise ‘Lou’ Kinkade is happy that all her siblings have found love. She’s less than happy that now all they want is for her to do the same. Lou doesn’t have time for romance; she has a business to run. And that business was shooting to success when a Hollywood degenerate takes a drunken tumble down her stairs... -
![Thick by Scott Hildreth]()
Thick by Scott Hildreth
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBOBBI - Tate Reynolds was muscular, tattooed, and handsome. Seeing beyond his physical attributes allowed me to understand that the man beneath all the muscles was a compassionate, kind, and understanding romantic. I wanted him so bad I could taste it. There was only one real problem. He was an inmate in prison. And, I was a prison guard. TATE - Bobbi Madden was gorgeous... -
![Mr. Bloomsbury by Louise Bay]()
Mr. Bloomsbury by Louise Bay
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsHe's cold, rude and undeniably arrogant.That’s how Andrew Blake's best friends describe him.Bad luck for me that I’m his new assistant.Nothing I do is good enough.The more I try and please him, the more he ignores me.I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a heart in that tall, hard, gorgeous body of his... -
![Big, Bossy Surprise by Lilian Monroe]()
Big, Bossy Surprise by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBonnie Delmar should be grateful for her new job.And she is! Being a nanny to a billionaire is a good gig. She’s more than grateful for the opportunity to work for Arlo Noble…until she meets himThat broad-chested, dark-haired, dark-eyed hunk?Yeah…she slept with him. Awkward.But the worst part?Judging by the blank look on his face, their mind-blowing night didn’t register as a blip on Arlo's radar...
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