Books like 'Scratch the Surface'
Readers who enjoyed Scratch the Surface by Mary Calmes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
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Davo by N.R. Walker
When Fergus Galloway takes on a research trip to a tiny mining town in the far Western Australian outback, he’s as far from Sydney as he can get. Which is entirely the point. He arrives in Pannalego totally unprepared for the baking heat, unprepared for the people who call it home, unprepared for the craziness and the laughs... -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 2 by 945
This hit Boys’ Love webtoon/manhwa (comic) is coming to print in English for the first a full-color and Mature-rated romantic comedy about a convenience store part-timer and a handsome gangster!College student Yeo Eui-joon works the graveyard shift at a convenience store to pay his bills... -
Pieces of You by N.R. Walker
Dallas Muller has everything he never expected he’d have. He owns a successful motorbike mechanic shop in Newcastle, and he’s madly in love with his boyfriend of four years, Justin Keith.Justin has always struggled to find where he fit in, never realising his true worth or what it means to be loved—until he met Dallas...Categorized as:
queer sweet-hero working class hero m-m contemporary angst hurt-comfort length-short -
Love in Tuscany by Maya Jean, J.J. Mulder
Spend the summer in Italy for charity!Everyone deserves a second chance, including wedding photographers. They may even catch a picture of a doctor finding his opposite, yet somehow perfect, match. Fall in love in Tuscany, before hitting the road on an adventure with a stranger...Categorized as:
queer insta-love sweet-hero contemporary m-m age difference height-difference forced proximity -
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Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOrlando:No one intentionally starts out life trying to become a hired unaliver. Weeellllll, most people don’t. I come from a legacy of unalivers, though I think I might be the first one to make a career out of it. Accidentally... -
Bowling for Turkeys by Amy Lane
Milo Tanaka was not recovering from the mother of all breakups when his best friend barged into his home and gave him a dog. While Julia the dog doesn’t like squirrels, cats, turkeys, other dogs, or most humans, at least she gets him out of bed...Categorized as:
queer sweet-hero working class hero m-m contemporary christmas length-medium explicit-open-door -
Strong Enough by Cardeno C.
A Book in the Family Series When twenty-two-year-old Emilio Sanchez sees handsome Spencer Derdinger walking by his construction site, Emilio makes it his goal to seduce the shy professor. Getting Spencer into bed isn’t difficult, but Emilio soon learns that earning the trust of a man deeply hurt will take time and patience...Categorized as:
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A Nothing Special New Year by A.E. Via
New Year’s Eve is usually a night of fun and wild celebrations, but for a police officer, it can be the most dangerous night of the year. Officer Ellis Mason has worked as a beat cop on the streets of Atlanta for over eight years, and he knows what it takes to survive them...Categorized as:
insta-love queer sweet-hero contemporary m-m age difference men in uniform explicit-plentiful -
Starfighter Chapter 1 by HamletMachine
In an unknown time and place, there's a war going on in space and mankind has developed a system of fighting that includes two sides of a team. One person is the fighter who pilots the spacecraft and his partner is the navigator who directs the way. Navigators come from higher society and are mostly seen as privileged and intelligent...Categorized as:
sweet-hero queer contemporary length-novella explicit-open-door futuristic m-m possessive hero -
Every Saturday Night by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs a young single dad, my life’s all about raising my sweet baby boy. But every Saturday night while my family babysits, I get to go out, cut loose, and act my age. Hey, we all need a break from time to time.And every Saturday night, I keep winding up in bed with a gorgeous, Cuban-American motorcycle mechanic named Lucky... -
Maddie by Annabella Michaels
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter witnessing firsthand just how dirty and underhanded a life in politics can be, Maddie Vanderhorne steps off the campaign trail to follow his passion. Starting his own event planning business is the best decision Maddie’s ever made, quickly winning over his clients with his vibrant and outgoing personality... -
Waiting for the Flood by Alexis Hall
People come as well as go.Twelve years ago, Edwin Tully came to Oxford and fell in love with a boy named Marius. He was brilliant. An artist. It was going to be forever.Two years ago, it ended.Now Edwin lives alone in the house they used to share. He tends to damaged books and faded memories, trying to a build a future from the fragments of the past... -
Sweet as Pie by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 10 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:
insta-love queer grumpy sunshine m-m height-difference hurt-comfort contemporary length-medium -
Kissing Our Loves by Sammi Cee
Valentine's Inc. Book 6. Clark ~ I wouldn’t change anything about my life. Adopting the child my sister gave birth to is the best decision I ever made. For all of us. Choosing to work for myself so that I can be an active part of his life—a no brainer. After four years, though, my friends may be right... -
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Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDaniel Hendricks wants a vacation. Ward Security’s accountant and resident code breaker just needs a little R&R from the chaos and usual shenanigans of the office. But what was supposed to be a sexy vacation hook-up explodes in his face when he’s mistaken for a rogue secret agent... -
Angel by Linden Bell
He was only supposed to be gay for pay. Angel I’ve never had sex before. And I've definitely never looked at a guy that way before. But with his brightly-colored hair and beautiful outfits, Rhys is hard to ignore--especially after I learn what he does for a living...Categorized as:
queer anal sex sweet-hero working class hero m-m length-medium contemporary new adult -
Money Shot by Eden Finley, Saxon James
FinnWhen my sister moves from Chicago to Edmonton to get married, I take the opportunity to follow her. My life has become a lonely existence, only ever having time for work. The closest thing I have to a relationship is a one-sided affair with Gunner–the hottest cam boy on the app Money Shot.This move will be good. It will allow me to slow down and sort out my priorities... -
Pretenders by Alexa Land
Doctor Wesley Bennett is desperate to find a date for his ex-fiancé’s destination wedding. So desperate, in fact, that he’s decided to hire an escort to pose as his boyfriend.That’s what he thinks, anyway.My roommate’s the actual escort, not me. He wasn’t available, so I stepped in. This job was just way too sweet to pass up.It should be easy...Categorized as:
insta-love queer m-m length-short contemporary fake relationship explicit-open-door audiobook -
Pieces of Me by N.R. Walker
Missing Pieces Series, Book TwoJustin's recovery is slow, but any step forward is a win in Dallas' eyes. Having always been a source of strength for Justin, even before the accident, Dallas is trying to find his feet again as he struggles to get some normalcy back in their lives...Categorized as:
queer sweet-hero working class hero m-m contemporary height-difference length-short hurt-comfort -
Reindeer Games by N.R. Walker
Reindeer Games Definition: activities to exclude outsiders Industrial-art student Leif Caldwell and his best friend win tickets to the hottest party in town, the annual masquerade Christmas gala at the upmarket nightclub, Evoque. Not a gig they could ever afford to attend or buy costumes for, so Leif makes their masks...Categorized as:
insta-love working class hero queer m-m age difference contemporary christmas tycoon -
Brad by Lucy Lennox
When Brad opens his Vegas hotel room door to find a hot police officer waiting on the other side, he assumes crazy Aunt Tilly has sent him a strip-o-gram. But instead of getting naked, Detective Gorgeous pulls out his cuffs — turns out, the badge and uniform aren’t just props, this cop is the real deal... -
Punch Drunk Love Vol. 1 by Moscareto
Get this Mature-rated Boys’ Love webtoon/manhwa in English print for the first time! A full-color romantic comedy about a soft man hoping for some hard love…and maybe getting it from the new guy at work.Seon-woo knows he’s painfully average in every way, but he can’t help pining for the hot new manager at work, Tae-moon... -
Cold Winter Nights by Sue Laybourn, Jay Aheer
Beauregard Stone lives a life of solitude in the snow-blanketed town of Windeville, Maine. The burly, gruff lumberjack is a man of few words and even fewer smiles. He hasn’t spoken much since his husband died eight years ago. Now, each day bleeds into the next as Stone loses himself in his woodshop and lumber- hauling business...Categorized as:
queer insta-love anal sex working class hero contemporary m-m childfree-couple height-difference -
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... -
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A Matter of Fact by Kate Hawthorne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsName – Rhys St. GeorgeAge – 37Relationship status – SingleLooking for – A way to make all of this rightBiggest regret – Callahan McMillianHobbies – Having money, making money, spending money, and wine... -
Montana Sky by R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen they spend time alone on a Montana mountainside will Tyler ever convince Martin that like sapphires, love is worth searching for? Martin’s name was the very last on a kill list. The son of a murderer, he’s had no childhood; lost in a horrific holding pattern of death that turned his heart to stone... -
Saving Hope by Annabella Michaels
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs a police officer in the small town of New Hope, Rhode Island, Lieutenant Mike Archer rarely sees more than the occasional drunk and disorderly. When a man tries to break into the vacant house next door, Mike is shocked to discover his best friend’s younger brother... -
Camera Shy by E.M. Leya, Sara York
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTrust is earned, but sometimes we form walls around ourselves to protect us from the pain, keeping others from getting close, and shielding us from the darkness that lurks around us. Charles has faced the worst of that darkness. Living on the streets from eleven years old, he learned to survive by trusting no one...Categorized as:
anal sex working class hero queer m-m abuse contemporary friends to lovers slow burn -
As I Am by E.M. Leya, Sara York
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKyle has struggled to protect his brother from the darkest things in life, but in doing so, they've lived on the streets, making a life for themselves away from those who would hurt them. It's taken years, but life is starting to look up for Ky. Still, he finds it hard to quit working the streets and the easy money it brings. Carson has everything he could want in life... -
Head Over Wheels Book 2 by Jayda Marx
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHarley - Life is great. I’m healthy and happy, enjoying every day with my sweet and sassy Finn by my side. Jake is graduating college and starting his new career, and in just a few weeks, Finn and I will be joined together as husbands. But it never fails that just when you least expect it, life will throw you a curve ball...Categorized as:
queer sweet-hero m-m contemporary length-medium sunny hero disabilities and marks audiobook -
My Brother's Enemy by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI never planned on falling for my brother’s mortal enemyWhen I first met Marcus, I had no idea he was the gangster who’d been waging a turf war with my older brother. He was just this gorgeous, sexy guy who was there for me when I needed a friend. By the time I found out the truth, it was too late—I’d already fallen for him... -
Payback by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat do you do when your ex-boyfriend breaks your heart? You get revenge, of course.It wasn’t just that my ex cheated on me. He also humiliated me and treated me like dirt. But I know how to get back at him.All I have to do is catch the eye of Malcolm Sterling—my ex’s dad, who happens to be a sexy, single silver fox. Since we’ve never met, he’ll have no idea who I am when I make my move... -
Room For Love by Quinn Ward
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA single dad, a small town, and one very persistent carpenter.LUKENoah needs my help. His house is a disaster—leaky pipes, warped floors, and enough structural issues to make any contractor cringe. Lucky for him, I love a good project.The problem? Noah himself.He’s all sharp edges and stubborn pride, with a permanent scowl that shouldn’t be attractive—but somehow is... -
Stronger Than Hope by Katherine McIntyre
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsOne man looking to set down roots, the other looking to leave…Fresh out of a relationship, Nate’s searching for a change—what better way is there than renovating his uncle’s old coffee shop in Chesapeake City? He has a new job, in a new town, and a new lease...Categorized as:
insta-love working class hero queer m-m contemporary bisexual second chances friends to lovers -
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Cherish by Tere Michaels
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSeveral years after the end of Duty & Devotion, Matt and Evan are living quietly in their Brooklyn home with the twins, Danny and Elizabeth. The older girls - Katie and Miranda - are off at college, Evan is about to be promoted to captain and things are calm. Briefly. Evan accidently learns that Miranda has a new boyfriend and is talking marriage after just three months of dating...Categorized as:
anal sex queer contemporary men in uniform m-m queer-awakening length-novella audiobook -
Newcomer by Ana Ashley
I lost everything in the fight for my daughter...So, with my tail between my legs and completely out of options, I ran back to Stillwater. The town that stole everything from me.The only silver lining is...Arlo.Arlo, who won my daughter’s heart with a simple gesture. Arlo, who charmed me before I even knew his name. And here I thought returning home was going to be yet another train-wreck... -
Play by Heart by Ariella Zoelle
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIason’s known worldwide for his romantic lyrics, but he never thought he’d fall in love. Will his luck change when the stars align to bring Orion into his life?Iason LeylandMy love songs may have made me famous, but they were beautifully written lies that hid the fact I’ve never loved anyone. I had almost given up hope of finding true love, but then I meet him... -
I Didn't Mean to Fall in Love by Minta Suzumaru
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsIn this Mature-rated Boys’ Love romance, a 30-year-old virgin finds himself falling for a charming flirt who doesn’t want anything more serious than a casual fling…or does he?Yoshino knows, at the age of 30, that he wants to be with men, but he doesn’t know how to find one. When he overhears some women at work talking about a gay bar, he realizes that for some people, it’s just that easy... -
Gordon's Lost Mittens by Della Cain, Kaytea Kat
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m a good boy. I follow all the rules…until one day I don’t.As a little, I learned early on that there was an unspoken rule that daddies like to pick their boy, not the other way around. I’ve been following that rule ever since. Does it work for me? Sort of. I never have to play alone. But also…I never have a daddy of my own, either... -
Danny Hall Gets a Lawyer by Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey
Danny Hall is terminally single. That’s not surprising, given that he lives in the tiny township of Goose Run, Virginia, and the only other gay guys he knows live with him in his grandma’s house and are like brothers to him. It probably also doesn’t help his dating prospects that he works at a gas station...Categorized as:
queer anal sex sweet-hero working class hero m-m contemporary found-family length-short -
Summer Makeover by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsGregory: Maybe it’s odd that an astrophysicist would spend his weekend before a big conference cutting hair, but it's my creative outlet. Frankly, it's closer to community outreach with all of these pandemic styles.Speaking of which, a weird guy with a huge beard and crazy salt-and-pepper hair just walked in. He's got pretty eyes, I'll give him that. But sir, I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker... -
Billion Dollar Sugar Baby by E.M. Denning
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBachelor. Billionaire. Unlucky in love. Alex Schaffer is tired of rich playboys with ulterior motives.Broke. Tired. Trying to get by. Wren Collins just wants to look after his found family.Wren's life is about to go from rags to riches when Alex decides he wants Wren all to himself, and he's willing to pay any price... -
Coffee Shop Cupid by Lacey Daize
Tristan knows that no alpha will want him, so he needs to face the future on his own.Alphas have expectations from their mates, and Tristan knows he will never meet two of the biggest ones. He can't be bonded, as a previous bond has been severed, and he will never have children after losing his womb...Categorized as:
insta-love queer m-m omegaverse contemporary alpha male length-novella explicit-open-door -
Honeymoon Refrain by Harley Grace
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen his fiancé leaves him at the altar, Andrew Wellman runs straight to Bliss.After spending the last year of his life busting his butt on the new resort off the south coast of Florida, all Andrew has to do is stick the landing—a gorgeous wedding and a honeymoon to blow the socks—and everything else—off his groom-to-be... -
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Moonlight by Evie McGlynn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI was the most sought-after concert pianist in the world. Now I barely leave my apartment. Injury and addiction have taken their toll, and I can't seem to get my life back on track.My best friend wants to send me on a month-long vacation to the Moonlight Inn to get ready to play for his wedding. In New Jersey. The place where I almost died... -
Please Remember Me by Jacob Z. Flores
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSuccessful lawyer Santi Herrera couldn’t be happier with the direction his life is taking. Not only is he on track to becoming a partner in his law firm, but he’s planning his wedding to Hank Burton, a south Texas contractor who has made a name for himself despite his humble beginnings. The introverted, lone wolf Santi and the friendly, outgoing Hank complement each other perfectly... -
Hot Mess 1 by Stormy Glenn
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHot summer rain. That was the scent that drew me. The soulful amber-green eyes that begged to be loved kept me. One look and I knew I wanted Lany Harris to be mine. Convincing him of my good intentions might prove to be harder than trying to convince my superiors that someone was out to get us.I was obviously insane.Cinnamon and whiskey had a delicious scent and it was S.W.A.T. commander, Lt... -
Winnie Takes Paris by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe stylist, the absentminded professor, and a Parisian adventure… WinnieSomeone once said, when life gets you down and you’re feeling blue, you should brush yourself off…and go to Paris.Okay, maybe that was me. I said it and I don’t regret taking an oddball assignment to assist a British professor abroad. I could use a break from my life as an aspiring hair and cosmetic guru in LA... -
Make Music Together by Ariella Zoelle
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIt all started with a song. Two neighbors singing duets in the shower finally meet at an open mic night. Sparks fly, but will it lead to true love?Levi BenowitzThe walls in my new apartment are so thin that I can clearly hear my neighbor singing in his shower... -
Love Me Gently by E.M. Denning
Dusty Mack likes his quiet life, even if it means sometimes he’s lonely. He keeps busy with work and Dusty spends his down time being a shoulder for his newly single sister to cry on. Love is the last thing he’s thinking about, but after a splurge purchase, he can’t get the cute sales associate off his mind.Jason Robinson has his life figured out...Categorized as:
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