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... -
Forever Wilde in Aster Valley by Lucy Lennox
When Miller Hobbs finds himself on a winter vacation in Colorado with the giant, exceedingly loud, Marian and Wilde families, he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself. He’s not really a Marian or a Wilde despite having DNA ties to both... -
Crankshaft by K.M. Neuhold
I don’t have time for a relationship, not even with the adorably dorky vet I can’t seem to stop bumping into… *sigh * pass the oil and lubeBetween running a garage full of beefed up, gear head mechanics and bailing my idiot brother out of trouble every other week, the last thing I have time for is a relationship...Categorized as:
insta-love queer working class hero m-m contemporary humor friends to lovers age difference -
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... -
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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... -
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... -
Get Frosted by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsFor years, Mik has wanted nothing more than to put coal in Rudy Snow's stocking.As former pro hockey players, they’ve been rivals for years. It started in Mik’s rookie season, when a reporter pitted him against his older brother's best friend. Rudy pushes Mik’s buttons like no one else, going out of his way to one-up him at every turn... -
Winter Waites by Lucy Lennox
Gentry Kane is a rockstar I've been half in love with my whole life. And now he's my patient.When Winter Waites knocks on the door to the snowy cabin where his next physical therapy patient awaits him, he has no idea his dream celebrity is on the other side. Gentry Kane is everything Winter has always fantasized about. But it was only a fantasy...Categorized as:
insta-love queer contemporary m-m rockstars christmas length-novella 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:
insta-love anal sex working class hero queer sweet-hero contemporary alpha male abuse -
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 -
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 -
Pretend You're Mine (The Protectors) by Sloane Kennedy
Landscape architect Devon Rhodes doesn’t know what to think when he overhears a heated conversation in his new next-door neighbor’s back yard, but when he decides to intervene, he definitely isn’t expecting the encounter to change his life forever... -
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 -
Angel by Linden Bell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe 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... -
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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... -
Undisputed by Aimee Nicole Walker, Nicholas Bella
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThere was once a time in my life where the only thing that mattered to me was fighting and winning. I’d step into that octagon with all the confidence in the world that I’d leave the victor. There was no challenge too great that I couldn’t handle. That was until I met a sassy and sexy reporter by the name of Aiden James and he flipped my world upside down... -
Throwing Hearts by N.R. Walker
A fun and sexy romance where the kiln isn't the only thing that's scorching hot.Leo Secombe loves his life, and he’s convinced himself he’s happy to be single. In his spare time, he keeps himself busy at a local LGBTQ centre that pairs a younger person with a community elder to help them feel included in today’s rainbow family... -
Deck the Fire Halls by N.R. Walker
Doctor Robinson O’Reilly is burned out. Exhausted, jaded, and disillusioned with the bureaucracy of his profession, he’s ready to throw away his entire career. Convinced to take a part-time position in a small town instead, he packs his medical bag for Hartbridge, Montana.Who knows, maybe the change of pace and mountain air will do him good... -
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... -
Lethal by Reese Knightley
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA traitor with stolen information.Adam Campbell, 33, blacklisted CIA agent, needs to get covert information into the right hands. Alone and on the run, his world suddenly stops when he discovers the identity of the Pegasus operative who is on his tail. Arranging a meeting just to gaze into the eyes of the man he’s always loved, Adam is set up and almost killed... -
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... -
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... -
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Breakaway by Kindle Alexander
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsGreer Lockhart set out to save the world from itself when he organized his first beach cleanup at the age of twelve. Now, as a uber-successful venture capitalist for eco-friendly startups, he doesn’t let anything get in the way of his goals—whether personal or professional. When a new fitness app schedules a site-wide cycle race, Greer’s competitive side won’t let him back down...Categorized as:
insta-love queer contemporary sports super rich hero m-m friends to lovers length-medium -
Once Upon A Christmas Song by Mary Calmes
Chris Gardner has a good life in New Orleans. He owns a club in the French Quarter, has a wonderful crew of people who call it home, loyal, caring friends, and even gets his kid fix by helping to take care of his chef’s daughter. What he doesn’t have is that special someone to share his days and nights with... -
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... -
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 open-door length-short -
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... -
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... -
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 -
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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... -
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... -
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 -
Cherish by Tere Michaels
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 23 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... -
Finders Keepers by N.R. Walker
Needing a change of scene, Griffin Burke moves from Brisbane to Coolum Beach to start a new job. The beautiful white sand, aqua-coloured ocean, blue skies, and summer breezes are everything he longs for. What he finds is a mud-covered dog, lost and hungry, with a nametag and a phone number... -
Through These Eyes by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsSix months after we last met Carter Reece and Isaac Brannigan, they're still very much in love. Moving in together, moving forward, life for these two is great until some life changing events occur. Isaac has a frightening setback and Carter's world starts to unravel. Things become even more complicated and start to change for both men when Isaac’s new colleague enters the picture...Categorized as:
anal sex queer contemporary disabilities and marks m-m hurt-comfort length-medium ableism -
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... -
Terribly Tristan by Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen it comes to dating, one and done has always been Tristan's rule—so what happens when once isn't enough?Leo Fisher is a sensible guy, with a sensible life. He's the picture of respectability, just like his parents raised him to be. But when he inherits a crumbling terrace house in Newtown from his uncle, he also inherits a tenant who turns his world upside down... -
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... -
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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 -
The Rockstar by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe first book in the sexy new bodyguard series set in the Package Deal World. Adam Spencer – “The Rockstar” Here’s what I know -- some people aren’t meant to find love. And as much as I want to be someone’s everything, that’s not meant for me. After a painful breakup, I channeled all my hurt into a song that has skyrocketed my band, Fallen Angel, to the top of the charts...Categorized as:
queer insta-love m-m friends to lovers contemporary hurt-comfort found-family length-medium -
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
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