Books like 'To Hold a Hidden Pearl'
Readers who enjoyed To Hold a Hidden Pearl by Fearne Hill also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance class difference secret-relationship queer angst grumpy sunshine caretaking office possessive hero
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Vow Maker by Lily Morton
Dylan Mitchell wants to get married. However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit. Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary humor age difference explicit-open-door -
Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper
For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work... -
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The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 3: The Case of Ritsu Onodera (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #3) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame. Ritsu's determined to leave all that in the past—but how can he when his boss is just as determined that they have a future? -
The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 3 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #3) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame... -
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Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox
I’m a lucky man and I know it. Kids from backwoods Georgia don’t land scholarships to Yale, but I did, and striking it rich–like, billions of dollars rich–with my best friends after graduation should have used up my luck for a lifetime. But luck struck again when I followed my passion into music...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine secret-relationship hurt-comfort m-m virgin hero contemporary super rich hero -
On Board by Jay Hogan
Leroy Madden is in trouble. Big, handsome, Fox Carmody trouble. Leroy has buried his attraction to the enigmatic fisherman in irritation and pointless bickering, keeping Fox at a safe distance. But with the troublesome man now living in Leroy’s house, it’s becoming impossible for Leroy to keep his true feelings hidden, or the fact that Leroy maybe isn’t so straight, after all...Categorized as:
cold hero angst small town secret-relationship queer grumpy sunshine caretaking hurt-comfort -
Fen by Barbara Elsborg
An indecent proposal leads to a future neither guy expected. Fen is broken but does his best to hide the cracks. His life-changing condition might have stolen his first love—ballet, but he’s kind to old ladies, good at his job, and his mum loves him, even if his famous father won’t acknowledge he exists. Ripley’s a top flight barrister who’s used to winning...Categorized as:
queer class difference grumpy sunshine caretaking hurt-comfort secret-relationship cold hero m-m -
Alfie: Part II by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMM Romance • Part 2 of 2 • Second Chances • Irish Mafia • Family • Hurt/Comfort • Age Gap • Revenge • Opposites Attract. When two broken hearts have reached their limits, it’s time for a mobster to play dirty in order to let the healing begin. Don’t worry, Alfie has a plan. That very second, the moment West said those words…I almost shattered. Again. I’d put myself out there... -
Best Supporting Actor by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Lights, camera…attraction! When Tag O’Rourke, struggling actor-slash-barista, meets Jay Warren, son of acting royalty, it’s loathing at first sight. Loathing…and lust. Tag’s dream is to act, but it’s a dream that’s crumbling beneath the weight of student debt and his family’s financial problems. If his career doesn’t take off soon, he’s going to have to get a real job...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort class difference secret-relationship queer from hate to love contemporary m-m actors -
Second Shot by Con Riley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecond Shot (Second Chance School #2). Welcome back to Glynn Harber School for another steamy, swoony romance between two bruised souls. Passion always leads to heartbreak for Hayden Novac. Nice guys always get picked last. That’s what my coach at a soccer academy once promised... -
Alone On the Water by MadLori
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSherlock Holmes never expected to live a long life, but he never imagined that it would end like this. - 7725 Words. Sorrow’s my body on the waves. Sorrow’s a girl inside my cave. I live in a city sorrow built. It’s in my honey, it’s in my milk. Don’t leave my half a heart alone on the water. Cover me in rag and bone sympathy. Cause I don’t want to get over you. -The National. -
Valentine's Hearts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWill broken hearts replace the wedding they dreamed of? Ryker's heart has space for three things—his family, hockey, and Jacob. As their wedding grows closer, it seems that nothing can stand in the way of an idyllic celebration, surrounded by friends and loved ones... -
Old-Fashioned Cupcake with Cappuccino by Sagan Sagan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThirty-nine-year-old Nozue went from living a routine, melancholic life of sleep and work to spending his days in bliss with Togawa, his younger subordinate. Now six months into their relationship, the two have graduated from dates at a pancake shop to spending their nights together... -
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Between the Teeth by Taylor Fitzpatrick
In the final installment of the Between the Teeth trilogy, David has the fresh start he’s always wanted. He’s on a better team, one that doesn’t depend on him for their wins and blame him for their losses. In a better room, with teammates David might even consider friends. It doesn’t make any sense for David to feel more out of his depth than ever... -
Red Flagged by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEx-US Marshal turned Cooper Springs Chief of Police, Andre Dear isn’t looking for love. He’s too busy hunting a killer. The last person Andre expected to see in Cooper Springs was Dante Castone. He left Dante and the rest of his old life behind him when he moved to Washington State and what he thought would be a quiet job in a small town by the ocean... -
Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA Jory and Sam Thanksgiving Ficlet. -
Heartstring by Ana Ashley
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMik. If I had a dollar for every mistake I made… But there’s only one mistake I regret. Breaking my promise to the only person who ever understood my need to get away from a future I didn’t want…Tyler. I’ve reached many hearts through my music, but the only one I’ve ever wanted might be lost to me forever. Tyler. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…. Mik broke a promise a long time ago...Categorized as:
angst hurt-comfort queer second chances m-m contemporary friends to lovers single-father -
FOG[电竞] by Man Man He Qi Duo, 漫漫何其多
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings现代电竞+男神VS男神. 医疗师攻X突击手受. 【主角配角均无原型,谢谢大家】. ---. Yu Sui and Shi Luo met each other when they were much younger. One was a pro-gamer, a widely-renowned, best of the best, in-game medic. The other was an e-sports newcomer who was just starting out. The two originally played for the same team, during which their relationship became increasingly deep. But things did not go as expected... -
French Martini by Mia Monroe
Maybe asking my burly golden retriever contractor to be my fake fiance was a bad idea. But as the saying goes, desperate times and all that. Listen, getting married again sounds about as fun as a shopping spree in a dumpster, so dating is definitely off the table. I’ve resisted Oakley’s tempting presence, knowing it can only lead to trouble, and I don’t need any more of that... -
Only the Flower Knows 3 by Rihito Takarai
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsZwischen Misaki und Arikawa hat es endlich richtig gefunkt und sie haben sich am Bahnhof geküsst! Als Arikawa ihm daraufhin anbietet, bei ihm zu übernachten, willigt Misaki zwar ein, doch er ist richtig nervös und dabei so süß, dass Arikawa seine Finger nicht von ihm lassen kann. Nach dieser ersten gemeinsamen Nacht sucht Misaki ein letztes klärendes Gespräch mit Kawabata... -
To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill
This isn’t a romance about chiseled, lantern-jawed college kids boasting V-cut abs. There are no marathon steamy sex sessions, not without having at least one nebulizer on standby anyway. Marcel Giresse, the thirty-six-year-old Director of Finance at the French Ministry of Justice, is happy to leave all that nonsense to his oldest friend Lucien, the sixteenth Earl of Rossingley...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort contemporary m-m length-medium virgin hero friends to lovers -
Saint Jude's Kitchen: M/M Contemporary Romance by Johannes T. Evans
After an injury stops him working, a failing deckhand gets a new lease on life. 20k, rated M, cis M/M romance and light comedy! Themes around cooking and nurturing, identity and sense of self, and complex family dynamics. Content warnings for emotional abuse and implied physical abuse, some racial microaggressions, severe social anxiety, self-esteem issues...Categorized as:
queer caretaking small town class difference m-m length-novella contemporary queer-awakening -
Dauntless by Victoria Denault
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe’s everything I’ve ever wanted, at the worst possible moment. One and done. That’s always been my motto when it comes to guys, because I’m not about to pull someone else into the closet my parents have locked me inside. I’ve been waiting years to claim my inheritance and live the life I want to live–out, free, and oh yeah, rich...Categorized as:
secret-relationship angst queer m-m contemporary friends to lovers length-short audiobook -
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Only the Flower Knows 2 by Rihito Takarai
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsZwischen Misaki und Arikawa scheint nach dem verhängnisvollen Kuss alles wieder normal zu sein, aber es macht Arikawa fertig, dass er ständig an seinen Kommilitonen denken muss. Denn er weiß einfach nicht, wie er sich Misaki gegenüber verhalten soll. Als dieser sein Handy im Labor vergisst und es klingelt, geht Arikawa aus Neugier ran... -
Liberating Love by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAiden. Finding out the man I slept with is my friend’s father is terrifying, but maybe forgivable since I didn’t know who he was… right? But falling into bed with him again… and again and again is probably not excusable. Maybe if Delaney got rid of his miles of muscles and stopped being so sweet to me, I could stop. I need to stop. If only I had the willpower—or the desire...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort secret-relationship queer m-m contemporary age difference humor forbidden love -
Let Your Heart Be Light by J.R. Lawrie
FOR SERVICES RENDERED. Dr. David Christmas has heard every joke in the book when it comes to his name. Weary of the festive season and from his long shifts in the emergency room, David is also tired of his lonely single life. His only hope for Christmas is a glimpse of the shy but gorgeous neighbour who lives above him...Categorized as:
queer class difference grumpy sunshine caretaking hurt-comfort cold hero m-m age difference -
A Taste of Christmas: An M/M Holiday Romance by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMitch Jensen has just missed the most important interview of his career. An outrageous suggestion to meet Everett Remington at his family’s home in upstate New York irrevocably changes Mitch’s life... -
The Miracle by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAsh and Drew are back in a heart warming holiday story! With both Chanukah and Grandmother Esther’s ninety-fifth birthday approaching, the latkes are ready, the presents are wrapped, and bring on the delicious dinner. Ash Davis has a gift for Esther, and he hasn’t even told Drew what it is... -
The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal. At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating...Categorized as:
angst hurt-comfort queer m-m contemporary age difference length-long first-in-series -
Perfect by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAdoption is hard. Paperwork and more paperwork, lawyers and more lawyers and it seems like begging and choosing. .. .all to get your heart broken when the expectant mother backs out. Not wanting to go through that again, or put Morgan through it again; they opted out. Unfortunately, the new guy didn't get the memo and they were chosen by expectant young mother, Haley... -
Blue Skies by Nic Starr
Coming to Collier’s Creek is the best decision they’ll ever make. When Kit arrives in the small town of Collier’s Creek, he's searching for a change of scenery and the solitude to help him overcome his writer's block. All he wants is to be left alone to finish his novel. Felix was born in Collier's Creek, with no plans to return...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer age difference m-m contemporary friends to lovers suspense -
Rotgut Gin by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThis is a freebie Sinners series short written for Hop Against Homophobia, Bi- and Transphobia. -
Sweet as Pie by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLuca Moretti is grumpy—and he wouldn't have it any other way. Wrangling six—Italian—siblings and the family's restaurants would make anyone cranky. But when his mother requests that he save his aunt’s struggling Italian deli in charming, picturesque Indigo Bay, he has no idea that he's about to get an overdose of sweetness...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort queer m-m height-difference insta-love contemporary length-medium -
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Black by Quin, Perin.
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Meow! ”. There it was. The sound that made my knees buckle. He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded. With those cat ears, in his hair. And the tail, that he flicked. A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything... -
Never Enough by E.M. Denning
Tommy Parker has everything under control. He's made it through almost four years of University without revealing the secrets of his tumultuous home life. He has his eye on the prize but he can't turn down a party invitation from his friend Shawn. Even though it's not his scene Tommy finds he doesn't mind being the subject of Vince Barnett's attention. Vince Barnett is ready to move on... -
Winning the Season by Beth Bolden
Coach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life. First with football. Then with Scott Callaway. But Scott isn’t just the one who got away. He’s the one person—the one man—Asa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be. Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction...Categorized as:
office grumpy sunshine secret-relationship angst hurt-comfort queer sports friends to lovers -
Queried Sick by Dallas Smith
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFor fans of Casey McQuiston and Always Only You, Queried Sick is a slow-burn romance about two bisexual disasters finding love while working at a publishing company during the pandemic—complete with grumpy/sunshine vibes, found family, and an attention-seeking cat. Social distance makes the heart grow fonder…...Categorized as:
office grumpy sunshine queer contemporary friends to lovers m-m new adult length-medium -
On the 2 by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFirst rule of riding the. Don’t talk to strangers. Don’t even look at anyone. But what if they’re grouchy and gorgeous and you’re sitting right next to them? I always did like a challenge. I want to turn that frown upside down, but he barely looks at me. I take a chance and poke the bear, and to my shock, he plays along and growls back...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine class difference cold hero queer m-m age difference contemporary height-difference -
Cort—Unbreakable by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCort. I spent years waiting for someone who never put me first. He took my love, took me for granted. Took my heart. Now I’m on my own. Living life my way. The crowd only sees my smile. Never my loneliness and pain. I need someone to need me. When I meet another lost soul my friends try to warn me. He’s a liar. A user. Homeless. Heartbroken. He’s all that and more... -
Lovely Allergen by Zhichu, 稚楚
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSong Yu has three requirements for Yue Zhishi:. – You cannot call me gege in public. – We won’t do anything together in public. – You cannot let other people know you live with me. Yue Zhishi has always been obediently following these rules. They were practically strangers at school... -
Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"A Seven Days Story". Can a person's life change in just one day? How about seven? Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind... -
The Hideaway by Rosalind Abel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLavender Shores’s resident tattoo artist, Connor Clark, looks the part—six foot six, musclebound, and covered in ink—and most definitely doesn’t blend in. Grafted into the Bryant family as a teenager to escape his abusive father, the Bryants saved his life, but Connor has never truly felt a part of the founding family royalty... -
Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSpecial Edition Book Art - Paperback only. Two desperate encounters led to a dating arrangement. One for money. The other for sexual exploration. Kel. I tried to save Ohana Surfing Club, a surf shop my father and I owned... -
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Once Broken, Twice Loved by Romeo Alexander
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the man who left you broken-hearted reappears with a child in tow, do you slam the door or let the past come flooding back? He left me broken . He walked out of my life ten years ago with no explanation, and I fell apart. Ian, the only man I’ve ever loved just walked back into my life…with his sassy, eleven-year-old daughter, Ayla, who’s deaf. Yes, I can do the math...Categorized as:
angst hurt-comfort queer single-father second chances m-m contemporary from hate to love -
The Pro vs The Fan by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBook 3.Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort angst friends to lovers m-m contemporary dual-pov -
Worlds Away by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDoes love stand a chance between two men from different worlds, when they’re both being pulled in opposite directions? Sawyer MacNeil is looking for answers. His time in the Army didn’t go as planned, and he’s still reeling from the end of a relationship that never should have happened in the first place... -
Wonderland by Jude Ouvrard
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsLucas Colton is far too young to go through all this pain but meeting poetry teacher, Preston Davidson, changed everything. His life went from heartbreak to joyful and then, from friendship to love. The impact Preston had on Lucas’ life was mesmerising. What would you do if you knew you may not have a tomorrow? -
Before I Fall by Joelle Lynne, Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWho’s going to catch me when I fall? Evan. Everything has been taken from me. My home, my family, and the love of my life. Raising a child on my own isn’t how I envisioned my young life full of hopes and dreams. Now, my youth is gone, too. I had been drowning with no way out until him. The one man I didn’t expect to hold my head above water... -
Bouquets & Belonging by Duckie Mack
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMarley is a hopeless romantic who loves his job. Flowers make him happy, and he gets great joy out of the delight they bring to others. He has a standing flower shop as well as a regular booth at the Heartcraft Market. Derek is an overworked businessman. His work consumes his life, both in the office and at home...
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