Books like 'Heartwood'
Readers who enjoyed Heartwood by J.H. Croix also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary sports m-f second chances friends to lovers office small town independent heroine sweet-hero sunny hero
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Time by Penny Reid
From the New York Times Bestselling Author Penny Reid. A (brokenhearted) physicist. Now an infamous (who is LITERALLY EVERYWHERE! ! UGH! ) musician. The worst has already happened. Mona has learned that she has nothing figured out and plans are meaningless. After leaving her in Aspen, Abram is now breaking sales-records, rising to rock star fame almost overnight. Mona can’t seem to escape him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f sweet heroine second chances neurodivergent humor new adult contemporary -
Sunrise over Strawberry Hill Farm by Alison Sherlock
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsPre-order the BRAND NEW romance from Alison Sherlock She drives a tractor. He arrives in a red Ferrari. What could possibly go wrong? Flora Barton is desperate to save her family home Strawberry Hill Farm. She only needs one thing - a great business idea to keep the farm afloat! So, when Nico Rossi arrives from Italy with a crazy plan to save the farm, Flora should be overjoyed... -
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The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsAutumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer...Categorized as:
pregnancy small town second chances m-f humor contemporary audiobook first-in-series -
Pretty It Up by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsDescription. Sometimes love just isn’t enough, or is it? Lana Gold, one of the Donovan triplets, found her one true love in college but lost him when the life he’d dreamed of became reality. Being an outsider looking in and so far away from her family and hometown took its toll on Lana and her marriage until she’d finally had enough and left it all behind...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers second chances contemporary alpha male multicultural length-short -
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The Billionaire's Secrets by J.S. Scott
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsFormer rock star Xander Sinclair may be out of rehab, but he’s not out of the woods. Still haunted by his parents’ murders, he has secluded himself in his Amesport mansion and dodges any attempted contact from his two brothers. Struggling not to fall into relapse, he believes he’s battling his demons alone. That is, until Samantha arrives to work as his live-in housekeeper...Categorized as:
independent heroine sweet heroine m-f contemporary super rich hero length-medium audiobook -
A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThe BRAND NEW uplifting novel from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life. She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District... -
Twenty-Two by Toni Aleo
When Lucas Brooks was traded to the Nashville Assassins over a decade ago, he was a brash, brawling hothead without an anchor. Well, four kids and a smokin' hot wife will weigh you down real fast, but Lucas wouldn't change a minute of his happily ever after. During an epic, end-of-season quest for the Cup, changes appear on the horizon, and suddenly, there's a plot twist in Lucas's fairy tale. -
Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsBack home is the best place to start over in a heart-stirring Texas romance about friendship, second chances, and small-town scandals by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown. Riverbend, Texas, doesn’t look like the crossroads of anywhere. But for four high school besties reuniting after twenty years, it’s a place to unpack a lot of baggage... -
Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor
My requirements for a man are simple. Must love books. Must NOT love hockey. Which is why I will never be interested in my neighbor, the aloof and mysterious Felix Jamison, no matter how many books I see him hauling into his apartment. Unless he loses his pro hockey skates, I’m out. But then he shows up at my symphony concert. And I catch the sweet strains of Dvorak floating across the hall... -
The Consolation Duet Books 1-2 by Corinne Michaels
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLiam wasn't supposed to be my happily ever after. He wasn't even on my radar. He was my husband's best friend-forbidden. But my husband died and I fell in love with Liam only to be left shattered into a million pieces. Again. I want him. I need him. I yearn for him, but he's gone. Now I have to decide if it's him I love or if he was just the consolation prize all along. -
Season for Love by Marie Force
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsHis idea of permanence is the VW van that takes him from one gig to the next. . . Owen Lawry has made a living as a traveling musician and enjoys his footloose and fancy free lifestyle... -
Landon & Shay - Part Two by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsOnce upon a time, I fell in love with a boy. A beautiful, broken boy who had his own world of struggles. People warned me against our love, but I didn't listen. We looked weak. Young, foolish. Dangerously in love. We didn't care. In order to keep our hearts protected from the opinions of others, we became each other’s secret. We shared stolen moments. Tender touches. Secretive embraces... -
Not a Strong Enough Word by Allie Samberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsScarlett Frye was once a literary genius. With two bestselling novels, a million-dollar book deal, and a love story of her own, she had it all—until the pressure broke her. Five years ago, she canceled her book tour, shredded her contract, and disappeared. She left everything behind, including Ryan Whitlock, the editor who believed in her… and the man she loved... -
Happily Evan After by Kat Baxter
She’s scared to fall. He’s ready to catch her. MARLEY. It was one night. No names. No strings. Just the kind of reckless escape I never let myself have—until him. Now he’s standing in my clinic, smiling like he doesn’t remember me. Which is fine. Because Evan Cartwright is too young, too charming,. and way too dangerous to my heart. EVAN. I knew it was her the moment I saw her... -
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Dirty Toe Drag by Toni Aleo
Stella Brooks is a woman who knows what she wants. From her first glimpse of Paris Fashion Week at the tender age of eleven, she has only ever wanted to be a designer. Hardworking and dedicated, she knows she can make a success of it. Until…she is driven to trade fashion for frosting, a move that makes her soul sing but shakes her confidence in her decision-making to her core... -
Tight End by Fiona Davenport
Raiden Shaffer never cared about press conferences…until a gorgeous reporter caught his interest with a single question. One night with Marissa Crane wasn’t enough, but she slipped out before sunrise—leaving behind a note and an obsession he couldn’t shake. Marissa wasn’t supposed to fall for the Nighthawks’ tight end before leaving the country for a month...Categorized as:
sports sweet-hero pregnancy contemporary explicit-plentiful virgin heroine possessive hero -
Changing Lines by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsClaire and Jude Sinclair have been living the perfect life for the last ten years. Blissfully in love, professionally successful, happily married… They have everything they want—except a baby to make their family complete... -
Path To Realization by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAsher Pryce hides behind a wall of secrets he's spent most of his life building up. How else is the adopted child whose birth parents run a drug cartel supposed to fit in? He's notorious for his overconfident swagger and total lack of patience for bullshit - a master of masks. The one thing in his life he can't fake? His feelings for his best friend's twin sister... -
Captive by Brenda Rothert
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTwo years ago, Jason and Kate Ryker were brought together by grief and bound to one another by love. Now married, they’re confronting their fears together. But heartbreak finds them again, and the ties that bind Kate and Ryke are tested as she struggles against fear and sadness. As a grief counselor, Kate understands all too well the pain of her clients... -
A Smoky Mountain Hockey Holiday by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOne chalet in the Smokies. Four loving families. While all the grandbabies are on Santa’s Nice List, a few of the adults are getting coal in their stockings. But no matter their status with the man in the red suit, Elli Adler will spoil each and every one of her favorite people with love and holiday cheer... -
In the Crease by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsJensen Monroe is a unicorn. As handsome as any model, as polite as can be, a goalie of unmatched skill, and the best friend anyone could ask for. But he longs for a particular special someone to make his life complete. He’s been in love with Wren since he was a teenager, but as his best friend’s sister, she’s always been off-limits...Categorized as:
sports pregnancy friends to lovers m-f hockey contemporary rich heroine siblings-bff -
I Want to Hold Your Hand by Marie Force
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsFor the Abbott siblings, the Green Mountain state has always been an idyllic place to call home. But it isn’t until they open themselves up to love that they’ll truly discover how fulfilling life can be…... -
Wild Heart by Beth Ehemann
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFor Lawrence “Viper” Finkle, hockey isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life. Since the first time he stepped onto the ice at just eight years old, he knew what he was meant to do, and he does it well. When his career takes an unexpected hit, and his relationship is pushed to the breaking point, he’s left sidelined and wondering what his future holds... -
Juicy Rebound by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsChandler Moon’s career as a defensemen for the IceCats is on fire. However, his marriage has gone up in flames…literally. He’s resigned himself to the single life and being the best dog dad he can be, but he still holds out hope that one day he’ll find “The One. ” So, imagine his surprise when he runs into “The One Who Got Away. ”. Amelia Justice. His best friend’s baby sister... -
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The Chase is Over by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsYou are cordially invited to the wedding of Shelli Adler and Aiden Brooks…. Shelli has been planning her wedding to Aiden in her scrapbook since she was old enough to wield a glue stick. And now that day has finally arrived... -
Huge Pucking Play: A Silver Fox Hockey Romance by Alix Vaughn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLost in Vegas with no phone, no money, and no way to find my friends, I ended up in the arms of a silver fox. He left me breathless—and pregnant. Garrett “Huge” Hughes lives up to his nickname in more ways than one—if you know what I mean. I’ve always had a thing for older men, and he is as hot as they come—devastatingly handsome and an absolute master between the sheets... -
Midnight by Sharon Sala
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Sharon Sala is a consummate storyteller. " —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author. Crossroads, Texas, is a town of second chances in this new small town romance series from Sharon Sala, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Blessings, Georgia series. Asher Kingston is a special investigator for the Texas Attorney General's office in Austin, TX... -
Affirmation by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThings are off, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Some things, however, are the same. For example, the sex with Matt is just as nuclear and consistent as it always has been. Still… I feel like I’m holding onto Matt with my fingertips, like he’s on the verge of slipping away and I don’t know what to do... -
Irresistible Revenge by Amanda Bentley
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou’re going to think I’m a shitty person, and I can’t say I’d even blame you. But before you make a snap judgment, let me help you understand. You see, I slept with my coworker. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Okay…and? Well, I slept with my coworker, but I still had a boyfriend. “How could you? ”. “That is WRONG. ”“(insert choice expletives here)! ”. I know. You’re right. It is... -
Second Time Around: Made for Loving You / When You Got a Good Thing / You Were Meant for Me by Kait Nolan
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSettle in for a major binge read of this collection of second chance romances! MADE FOR LOVING YOU. When Paisley becomes the target of malicious harassment, the police have no suspects, no leads, no way to make her feel safe. As her stalker escalates, she turns to the one guy she knows can protect her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers pregnancy m-f contemporary anthologies super rich hero length-long -
Long Shot by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWelcome to Fort Lauderdale. .. where the days are hot and the Knights are hotter. Jace:. I never expected to make it up to the big leagues. But now that I’m here, I’m never going back down. I will out-work, out-train, outdo every other guy on the Knights if that’s what it takes. Not even a shark attack will get in my way… but the sexy surfer chick who rescues me just might. Tawny:... -
Savor You by Kristen Proby
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn the next sizzling romance in Kristen Proby's New York Times bestselling Fusion series, two celebrity chefs compete in a culinary competition, but resisting each other will prove to be the greater challenge. Cooking isn't what Mia Palazzo does, it's who she is. Food is her passion . . . her pride . . . her true love...Categorized as:
friends to lovers second chances pregnancy contemporary alpha male length-medium audiobook -
Foul Play by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Phantoms are back with a vengeance… and the City of Angels will never be the same. When the world's top supermodel’s friend zones you, what's a determined hockey player supposed to do? Change her mind. But it’ll take more than a trick play to convince her. Cheyenne is more than a stunning beauty; she's a part of my life, my bed, and now my heart... -
Van by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTemptation could destroy everything he’d spent his career building…. Professional hockey player Jean-Michel Vander is living the dream…. And the Las Vegas strip is a long way from the small town in Quebec where he grew up. He works hard but he plays harder, especially in the off-season. The sexy redhead he spots doing a striptease in a Paris nightclub is all kinds of fun...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers hockey friends-benefits contemporary new adult length-medium -
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The Carolina Cold Fury Hockey Series by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDiscover the series that led Violet Duke to rave, “Sawyer Bennett never fails to deliver heroes I fall hard for and heroines I adore. ” Featuring the chiseled bad boys of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team, these electrifying romances are melting hearts, one reader at a time. And now the first four novels are available in one sizzling ebook bundle:. ALEX. GARRETT. ZACK. RYKER... -
Hot Shot by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to Fort Lauderdale—where the days are hot and the Knights are hotter. Wolf:. I’ve been in love with the same girl since we were seventeen. Back before our careers took off and pulled us away from one another. No amount of fame, money, or puck bunnies could ever replace Scarlett. But she has a mind of her own, and dreams that don’t include me...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers pregnancy hockey contemporary alpha male athletes length-medium -
Smokeshow by Raine Miller
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBe "just friends" with a smokeshow like her? That's pretty much a p#cking impossible ask. —Tyler Lockhardt, VEGAS CRUSH. I'm just over here minding my business playing hockey for the Crush when the. SMOKESHOW. of my dreams turns up and seriously rocks my world. For real. Beautiful, smart, and so incredibly sweet I cannot help myself from wanting to get to know her a whole lot better... -
Switch and Score by Dulcie Dameron
When a sibling switch goes awry, blackmail is the only way out. Professional figure skater, Jude Forshtay, would do anything for his twin brother, Joel. But when Joel hurts himself, incurring an injury that could affect his future career plans, he asks the impossible of his twin: replace him on the Denver Dragons until Joel is able to play again...Categorized as:
hockey sports neurodivergent contemporary from hate to love length-medium glimpses-kisses -
Slammed by Victoria Denault
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNot every goalie plays it safe. .. As a publicist for the San Francisco Thunder hockey team, Dixie Braddock is too busy rescuing the players from trouble to get into any of her own. Except, of course, when it comes to the super hot new goalie... -
That One Touch by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe’s a single dad. The father of her student. And the chemistry is off the charts…. After an accident ends her big city ballet career, Cassie Simons is ready for a brand new start, moving to a small town to help run her best friend’s dancing school. From the moment she meets her new students she knows she’s made the right choice... -
Winning Whitney by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHot shot hockey player Jake Curruthers has a plan – focus on his game and avoid distractions. He's succeeding at the first. The Alaska Blizzard has been on the upswing lately, but his focus shifts when the heart-stopping blonde from his past shows up in Anchorage. Yeah, his head is definitely not in the game anymore... -
Chance Encounters by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThere are three kinds of nerdy women in the world. - The Sexy Nerd. - The Confident Nerd; and. - The So-Socially-Awkward-it’s-Painful-to-Watch Nerd. You can probably guess which one I am. After witnessing me making a fool of myself, Chance Hoffman decided to take pity on me. He’s smart, sexy, charming, and totally out of my league… and for some unexplainable reason, he wants to help me... -
Breakaway by Emily Silver
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFinding out my fiancé is cheating on me? Not how I imagined my wedding day…. Gorgeous white dress. Champagne. Husband. All of that goes out the window when I overhear a call between my fiancé and another woman. Hurt and angry, I turn to the only person I can trust—my fiancé’s brother. Dax. Otherwise known as my best friend. I run. And take him with me... -
Chasing The Goal by Emily Campbell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA tender slow burn, friends to lovers romance with depth, laughs, and a pinch of spice. Chasing the Goal is a story of showing up, stepping in, and falling hard—when only love plays for keeps. Mallory Quince has her hands full, balancing a demanding career as the Hellblades’ newest athletic trainer, keeping her messy dating life in check, while avoiding any and all complications... -
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Forget Me Not by Brenda Jackson
Brenda Jackson welcomes you back to Catalina Cove, where love is waiting to be reclaimed…. Ashley Ryan never doubted that her husband, Devon, was the love of her life. Even now, three years after Devon died in a car wreck while on a business trip, Ashley can’t bring herself to move on... -
Doors by Clover Down
Levi He is a professional cuddler. He’s always been good with people and after a rough youth, he understands loneliness and pain. Or he thought he did until he knocked on Noelle Shaw’s door. He could never have prepared for meeting her—not for the storm in her eyes or the way she constantly surprises him. Levi thought he was there to help her, but maybe he had it backward... -
Ghost Dance by Catherine Gayle
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Catherine Gayle presents another novel in the sexy Tulsa Thunderbirds hockey romance series. He had it all. And lost it in an instant. The night Dmitri Nazarenko won hockey’s Holy Grail, he lost more than he ever bargained for. With a world of guilt weighing him down, Dima can never forgive himself for his tragic misjudgment... -
A Friendly Wager by Ajme Williams
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy next-door neighbor is wifey material . Calm down. .. I’m not proposing to her. A fake engagement will do for now. My mother won’t get off my back. As a star hockey player love isn’t on the cards for me. Not now, not ever. I had a one-night stand with Ruby a decade ago. But that shouldn’t come in the way of our ruse. I doubt she misses the way I made her shake when I took her v-card...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers second chances contemporary new adult secret child length-medium -
Slow Burn by Pamela Clare
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsVictoria Woodley is done with men. Fresh off a dating nightmare, she flies from her home in Chicago to Scarlet Springs to take part in her best friend’s wedding. Who picks her up at the airport? Eric Hawke. Of course. She made a fool of herself over him last time she was here. He’s cocky, charming, and sexy as sin...Categorized as:
sports small town friends to lovers m-f contemporary cheerful heroine rich heroine length-medium -
Recovery by L.B. Simmons
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsI have the perfect life. I’ve finally found my happy ending. I fought through the loss of one husband, lucky enough to be given a second chance at a lifetime of happiness. Settling into our new lives, however, may not be as easy as it seems...
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