Books like 'Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go'
Readers who enjoyed Leaving's Not the Only Way to Go by Kay Acker also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary lesbian romance queer bisexual slow burn neurodivergent small town competent heroine independent heroine single-mother
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When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass
Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that...Categorized as:
single-mother competent heroine career professional bisexual slow burn queer f-f contemporary -
![On the Same Page by Haley Cass]()
On the Same Page by Haley Cass
Riley Beckett met Gianna Mäkinen – drop-dead gorgeous influencer, trilingual, daughter of world-famous models, yes, that Gianna Mäkinen – their first year at Boston University, and it changed everything for the both of them...Categorized as:
queer bisexual slow burn independent heroine competent heroine friends to lovers f-f contemporary -
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![Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton]()
Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton
Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching romcoms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence – pure escapism and cinematic perfection...Categorized as:
queer slow burn bisexual neurodivergent competent heroine independent heroine contemporary humor -
![Just Three Words by Melissa Brayden]()
Just Three Words by Melissa Brayden
Sometimes the one you want is the one you least suspect... Accountant Samantha Ennis craves order and structure. As the bookkeeper at the boutique advertising agency she owns with her three best friends, it’s her job to apply logic to the chaos. When one of those best friends, laid back Hunter Blair, moves in to share her loft apartment, Sam’s carefully organized world is thrown wildly askew...Categorized as:
bisexual queer f-f contemporary friends to lovers forced proximity length-medium open-door -
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![These Thin Lines by Milena McKay]()
These Thin Lines by Milena McKay
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSome lines should never be crossed...In the heart of Paris, Chiara Conti is a Queen trapped in an Ivory Tower of haute couture, fortune and lovelessness. Lonely and dejected, she’s longing for inspiration, for direction, for understanding.When Vi Courtenay falls at her feet, losing her shoe like a veritable Cinderella, events are set in motion that will unravel their carefully fashioned lives... -
![Better Than Expected by Haley Cass]()
Better Than Expected by Haley Cass
Hannah Dalton had a lot of expectations in her life. Growing up watching her mother struggle for everything they had, she resolved to make sure she did everything she could to make those hardships worthwhile... -
![If the Shoe Fits by E.J. Noyes]()
If the Shoe Fits by E.J. Noyes
Jana Fleischer loves her life—wonderful family, best sister in the world, awesome soon to be sister-in-law, fabulous job, and a never-ending stream of men to chew through and spit out...Categorized as:
bisexual competent heroine career professional queer f-f forced proximity contemporary caretaking -
![Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake]()
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are all coupled up, her siblings have partners that are perfect for them, her parents are still in marital bliss. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. So what if she usually cries in her Lyft on the way home. So what if she misses her friends, who are so busy with their own wonderful love lives, they don’t really notice Iris is spiraling...Categorized as:
bisexual slow burn small town queer competent heroine neurodivergent contemporary f-f -
![The Forever and The Now by K.J .]()
The Forever and The Now by K.J .
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBron McIntyre, forty-two, has it all together. Terrific job. Loving family. No desperate need for a girlfriend but would be interested if one came along. Bron McIntyre is Teflon.Kate Agostino, forty-eight, is not Teflon. Yes, she has a terrific job. But a loving family? Not really. And her personal life is rapidly disintegrating and turning into dust... -
![Reality In Check by Emily Banting]()
Reality In Check by Emily Banting
From the multi-award-winning, best-selling author of Broken Beyond Repair comes a new sapphic celebrity ice queen romance — read as a standalone or as the second book in the South Downs Romance series.Sculptor Arte Tremaine is thrown into the hospitality industry when her beloved late grandmother bequeaths her and her sister a charming yet rundown country hotel with zero guests... -
![The Summer of Our Discontent by Robin Alexander]()
The Summer of Our Discontent by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA fun summer read. Faith Leblanc is looking for that special someone, but her tactics have branded her somewhat of a womanizer. A few doors down, Rachel Chauvin is looking for the same, but her conservative style hasn’t yielded any keepers, either. Neither woman is willing to consider the other as a prospective partner, mostly because they’ve hated each other for nearly four decades... -
![Beyond Any Experience by Anne E. Terpstra]()
Beyond Any Experience by Anne E. Terpstra
Olivia Northman’s world shattered the day she lost her wife to a drunk driver. Three years later, she still struggles with grief and the demands of being a single parent to their autistic son, Ben. After her first attempt at a new relationship crumbles, she retreats to the simple, the predictable. It’s what’s best for her son, and her heart.Ellie Vasquez isn’t simple or predictable... -
![Say Cheese by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Say Cheese by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
A spicy age gap romance where one night of passion could lead to a lifetime of love...Categorized as:
queer small town competent heroine career professional f-f office from hate to love age difference -
![Impulse Buy by Jae]()
Impulse Buy by Jae
Prickly emergency physician Regina has never liked romantic gestures, but when her girlfriend, ER nurse Ellie, surprises her with a gift right after Valentine’s Day, rejecting it is not an option.Little does she know the impulse buy will have unexpected consequences.“Impulse Buy” is a short story sequel to Jae’s lesbian romance Bachelorette Number Twelve... -
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![The Devil Inside by Ali Vali]()
The Devil Inside by Ali Vali
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsBrains, guts, and ruthless ambition should be enough to come out on top in any fight. Except when the battle is over love, all bets are off. Derby Cain Casey was groomed from birth to take the reins of the Casey family enterprises, which just happens to be one of the major crime organizations in New Orleans... -
![Vanessa: A Mrs Middleton Novel by Melissa Tereze]()
Vanessa: A Mrs Middleton Novel by Melissa Tereze
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey are made for each other. But can their love survive the ultimate test? After her white-roses-and-sunflowers wedding, Vanessa is living a dream. Her cold, lonely house finally feels like a home. She has her beautiful Emma to love for the rest of her life, plus a daughter and a grandchild to grow old with. What could go wrong?Plenty, her persistent insecurities whisper... -
![Spindrift by Anna Burke]()
Spindrift by Anna Burke
Can a hot summer fling mend the hearts of two broken women?Morgan Donovan had everything she ever wanted: a dream job as a large animal veterinarian, awesome friends, and a loving and supportive fiancée. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancée dumps her after realizing that Morgan’s job will always come first...Categorized as:
queer small town f-f length-medium contemporary north-america dual-pov explicit-open-door -
![If You Kiss Me Like That by Harper Bliss]()
If You Kiss Me Like That by Harper Bliss
Sometimes love shows up where you least expect it.Ashley ‘Ash’ Cooper is still reeling after her recent divorce, throwing all her energy into her job in The City. When she’s seated next to one of her mother’s friends at a family party, falling in love is the last thing on her mind.After losing her husband many years ago, Gloria Young rebuilt herself as a single parent...Categorized as:
single-mother career professional queer bisexual f-f contemporary rich heroine length-medium -
![Pieces of Us by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Pieces of Us by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
The nanny is hot for her boss, but she’s been burned falling for a straight woman in the past. Julianna Bristol is on the brink of success as her fledgling video game design company goes after the opportunity of a lifetime. But her ex-husband is intent on making her fodder for late-night comedy...Categorized as:
queer bisexual slow burn competent heroine single-mother career professional f-f length-medium -
![A Very Miller-Cooper Wedding by Erica Lee]()
A Very Miller-Cooper Wedding by Erica Lee
Charlie Miller and Reagan Cooper have been through a lot in the three years since they started dating. What started as a fake dating scheme between Reagan and Charlie’s brother, Jamie, turned into an everlasting love affair between Charlie and Reagan instead.Now the two are engaged and finally ready to plan their dream wedding. The countdown is on - one year until their big day… finally...Categorized as:
queer small town competent heroine f-f contemporary christmas length-short explicit-open-door -
![June by Erik Schubach]()
June by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe daughter of Mandy Fay Harris is all grown up and like her mother, is a force of nature. She is ready to come into her own and take London by storm!She never expected what what she would find while searching in New York for a scout for her music label and the new relationships she would form.This is set in the same world as Music of the Soul but is a standalone book... -
![From Fan to Forever by Tiana Warner]()
From Fan to Forever by Tiana Warner
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAn age-gap lesbian celebrity romance about how much you’d risk to have your dream.Talented A-lister Cate Whitney is the gorgeous middle-aged movie star almost every lesbian has a crush on.Rachel Janssen, an introverted medical physics student, is no exception. So when her celebrity crush starts filming near her Vancouver apartment, she can’t believe her luck... -
![Aubrey McFadden is Never Getting Married by Georgia Beers]()
Aubrey McFadden is Never Getting Married by Georgia Beers
All of Aubrey McFadden’s college friends are tying the knot, and she’s been invited to five weddings. Five. In one year. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate so much love and romance?Aubrey, that’s who.She’s going anyway, of course. It’s not her friends’ fault her college boyfriend left Aubrey on the day of their wedding. Lies, selfishness, unhappy surprises…no, thank you...Categorized as:
queer bisexual slow burn small town competent heroine single-mother contemporary f-f -
![Jericho by Ann McMan]()
Jericho by Ann McMan
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWelcome to Jericho, Verginia.Librarian Syd Murphy flees the carnage of a failed marriage by accepting an eighteen-month position in Jericho, a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. Her plans to hide out and heal her wounds fall by the wayside as she gets drawn into the daily lives of the quirky locals... -
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![Open Tab by J.A. Armstrong]()
Open Tab by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFallon Foster serves up more than the most potent drinks at Murphy’s Law, the local pub in Whiskey Springs, Vermont. Fallon is the keeper of the town’s secrets. She’s heard tales of broken hearts, torrid affairs, closet cases, and the dreams of hopeful romantics. With a sensitive ear and a warm bed, Fallon is a legend in her small town. One thing still eludes her—love... -
![The Awkward Truth by Lee Winter]()
The Awkward Truth by Lee Winter
This funny opposites-attract lesbian romance digs up the awkward truth about what really matters in life.Ambitious ice queen and corporate lawyer Felicity Simmons has spent her life focused on one thing: scuttling up the career ladder. She’s achingly close to taking charge of a media empire for her boss when she’s sent to investigate a South Bronx charity that helps homeless people’s pets... -
![Perfect Rhythm by Jae]()
Perfect Rhythm by Jae
Pop star Leontyne Blake might sing about love, but she stopped believing in it a long time ago. What women want is her image, not the real her. When her father has a stroke, she flees the spotlight and returns to her tiny Missouri hometown. In her childhood home, she meets small-town nurse Holly Drummond, who isn’t impressed by Leo’s fame at all...Categorized as:
queer small town slow burn career professional competent heroine f-f contemporary dual-pov -
![Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford]()
Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s never done love long-term. But will faking it lead to forever?Finch Lachlan works hard and parties harder. But tired of her siblings judging her fun-loving ways, the head veterinarian at her family’s zoo vows to prove she can make it past the third date. And maybe she can begin with the hottie who just seized her attention with a sizzling kiss.Chef, Frankie Benedetti, craves a fresh start... -
![Mercy by Max Ellendale, Victoria Miller]()
Mercy by Max Ellendale, Victoria Miller
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsEx-rock star, Dusty Song, abandons her music career to become a U.S. Marshal tasked with safeguarding vulnerable people from the criminals set on silencing them. When Dusty first encounters the illustrious Honorable Judge Bidwell, she sees a woman marked by the cases she's tried. Years later, Dusty remembers the strong-willed, audacious woman as the unlikeable star of the courtroom...Categorized as:
queer career professional single-mother f-f contemporary bodyguard-heroine north-america usa -
![Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet Morley]()
Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet Morley
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsAJ Beckett is just trying to get Parker, her seven-year-old autistic daughter, through life in one piece. As a paramedic, AJ puts others’ needs above her own; in her personal life, she keeps everyone an arm’s length away. That distance disappears when a chance run-in with actor Melanie Cooper leaves her sticky, angry, and fed up.Melanie Cooper has just signed her last movie... -
![Paradise Pride by Lise Gold]()
Paradise Pride by Lise Gold
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLondon-based casino manager Meghan has no expectations of her two-week holiday in Spain; she’s just tagging along with her friend who’s visiting her love interest. When they arrive at a deserted hotel due to a booking fault and her friend leaves to see her boyfriend, she’s left with the bartender who stays on for the night... -
![A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight]()
A Perfect Fit by Kellan McKnight
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsElla 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:
single-mother queer age difference humor f-f length-long contemporary third-person-pov -
![Unforgettable You by Chelsea M. Cameron]()
Unforgettable You by Chelsea M. Cameron
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAccording to my mother, I ruined my life the minute I quit ballet in college and destroyed her dreams of having a professional dancer in the family. My steady bartending job, friends, and fanfic hobby weren’t good enough apparently. Not that I cared what she thought anymore. Mostly. Things had been pretty conflict-free up until my new neighbor showed up and threw everything into chaos... -
![Popcorn Love by K.L. Hughes]()
Popcorn Love by K.L. Hughes
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA prominent figure amongst New York City’s fashion elite, Elena Vega is a successful businesswoman and single mother to an adorable three-year-old son, Lucas. Her love life, however, is lacking, as those closest to her keep pointing out.At the persistent urging of her closest friend, Elena reluctantly agrees to a string of blind dates if she can find a suitable babysitter for Lucas...Categorized as:
bisexual single-mother queer f-f contemporary age difference boss & employee length-medium -
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![The Loudest Silence by Olivia Janae]()
The Loudest Silence by Olivia Janae
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsKate, an up and coming cellist, is new to Chicago and the ‘Windy City Chamber Ensemble’. During her first rehearsal, she is surprised and intrigued to meet Vivian Kensington, the formidable by reputation board president who also happens to be…deaf.As Kate treads the waters of a rocky relationship with the young and foolhardy Ash, she develops a tentative friendship with her cold-hearted boss...Categorized as:
bisexual single-mother queer f-f contemporary disabilities and marks angst age difference -
![In Development by Rachel Spangler]()
In Development by Rachel Spangler
From a young age, Cobie Galloway made a career of playing the girl-next-door on the silver screen. Only, she's not a teenager anymore. Ready to challenge herself artistically and earn the part she's always dreamed of, she's forced to face the realization that in order to win the roles afforded to edgier actresses, she might first have to audition by playing someone edgier in her day-to-day life... -
![Love Next Door by Rachael Sommers]()
Love Next Door by Rachael Sommers
A sweet toaster-oven lesbian romance that asks whether the one we’re meant to be with might be right under our nose.Reserved tattoo artist Riley Foster has just moved apartments and can’t take her eyes off the single mom who lives next door...Categorized as:
queer competent heroine single-mother bisexual friends to lovers f-f contemporary queer-awakening -
![The Secret of St. Claire by Robin Alexander]()
The Secret of St. Claire by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLighthearted romance, sweet and funny.Idyllic, quaint, and straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting is St. Claire, Louisiana—at least on the outside. Beneath the veneer, it’s anything but. That’s the secret of St. Claire. Born and raised in St. Claire, Lindsay Juneau’s life was seemingly full raising a six-year-old daughter and caring for her widowed mother... -
![The No Kiss Contract by Nan Campbell]()
The No Kiss Contract by Nan Campbell
Despite being the youngest partner at her firm, corporate attorney Davy Dugan is gunning for a recently vacant name partnership—it would mean finally having the power to make a real change in her conservative workplace. But eighty-hour workweeks don’t allow any time with her much younger half-sister, Tally, who doesn’t seem to need Davy in her life anyway... -
![The Secret Pond by Gerri Hill]()
The Secret Pond by Gerri Hill
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsGrieving over the loss of her family and feeling like her life is unraveling, Lindsey McDermott quits her job, gets a puppy and retreats to her grandparents’ home in the Texas Hill Country. She spends her solitary days walking childhood trails and reminiscing, trying to reconcile the conflict within her as she struggles with survivor’s guilt... -
![Awakenings by Susan X. Meagher]()
Awakenings by Susan X. Meagher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDespite the questions of her roommates and the objections of her fiance, Jamie Evans persists in enrolling in a college course that seems an odd choice for a young woman of her background. What no one can know is that the course, The Psychology of the Lesbian Experience, will propel Jamie onto a journey of self-awareness and realization... -
![Saving Mia by Anna Stone]()
Saving Mia by Anna Stone
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsTo break free, she auctioned off the one thing she’s been saving...Mia Brooks needs money, fast. Deep in debt to help pay her sister’s medical bills, her loan shark is coming to collect. Her solution? Auctioning off the one thing she’s been saving—herself.The highest bidder is Cassandra Lee, self-made businesswoman and CEO... -
![Paper Love by Jae]()
Paper Love by Jae
Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan in this lesbian romance from best-selling author Jae. Susanne Wolff isn’t thrilled when her mother sends her all the way across the country to Freiburg to save her uncle’s stationery store from bankruptcy. Freiburg is too provincial for her taste, and besides, pen and paper are outdated anyway...Categorized as:
competent heroine queer slow burn bisexual f-f contemporary dual-pov from hate to love -
![I Do by Cheyenne Blue]()
I Do by Cheyenne Blue
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA fabulous twin-swap lesbian romance where the toaster oven could double as a wedding gift.Accountant Allie Lane would do anything for her injured twin sister, including pretend to be her to save Sophie’s fledgling event-planning business. All Allie has to do is fake being a lesbian for a few weeks and co-ordinate a rural gay wedding festival. Simple... -
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![Lightning Strikes Twice by Erik Schubach]()
Lightning Strikes Twice by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsReturning home to Seattle from a twenty year absence in London...Victoria discovers that time has not erased her feelings for an unrequited love. It soon becomes obvious that with true love, lightning can sometimes strike twice.This is set in the same world as Music of the Soul but is a standalone book... -
![Making It: A Novel by Laura Kay]()
Making It: A Novel by Laura Kay
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the author of Wild Things comes a heartwarming and relatable queer rom-com about an isolated young woman whose artistic celebration of her pet chinchilla suddenly launches her into the professional art world, reality TV fame, and first love.Isobel's life is just her, her mum, and her pet chinchilla, Abigail, in their council flat on the Kentish coast... -
![Just Jorie by Robin Alexander]()
Just Jorie by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSome believe that special someone is out there just waiting to be found. Jorie Andolini is one of those people and has spent a lot of time envisioning that moment. She bumps into a woman at a grocery store, the woman drops a can of peas, Jorie picks it up, their eyes meet, and two souls connect... -
![Heart Block by Melissa Brayden]()
Heart Block by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHappily ever after is easier said than done… Sarah Matamoros can’t complain. After immigrating from Mexico when she was nine years old, she’s content with the life she’s made for herself in sunny San Diego. She works hard at her mother’s housecleaning service by day and spends the evenings with her quirky eight-year-old daughter, Grace... -
![That Woman Next Door by Harper Bliss]()
That Woman Next Door by Harper Bliss
Sometimes what you're running from is exactly what you needOlivia Chevalier is perfectly happy living a quiet life of solitude with her two cats in the tempestuous countryside of Brittany.Olivia’s peace is disrupted when heartbreaker extraordinaire Marie Dievart moves in to the holiday home next door after an event at work makes her flee her everyday life... -
![Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić]()
Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo women deal with modern themes of sex, relationships, and fetishism in this erotic romantic comedy."MERCY," Part Three. Loving someone means building a shrine within your heart dedicated to them. A shrine made of good memories and treasured moments. As the mercy arc reaches its third volume Anne is about to find the shrine of her heart ransacked by none other than the person it was devoted to...
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