Books like 'Hard Facts'
Readers who enjoyed Hard Facts by Penny Clarke also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny new adult fake relationship nerdy-hero friends to lovers independent heroine rich heroine college cold hero
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Reshuffle by Emilia Finn
The first round is for practice. The second round is for keeps. She was everything Ben ever wanted. But time, distance, and jealousy made it impossible. Now they’re adults, Evie’s back in town after college graduation, and Ben never once let go of what he knew was meant to be... -
Suit by B.B. Easton
"Since when are you into guys in ties? You only like guys who look like they rob guys in ties. At gunpoint."It was true. By 2003, my type had been well-established. There might as well have been a giant sign on my heart that said, "Good Guys Need Not Apply."Which is exactly why I had to friend-zone Ken Easton... -
Scenes from the Hallway by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsYou know who I am. I swear too much, I crack too many jokes, and I got a thing for Kat Tanner; a messy thing, a distracting thing, a getting-in-the-way-of-everything thing; a thing that makes being in the same room with the woman torture. Sometimes it's the good kind. Mostly, it's not. What you don't know is how it all started...Categorized as:
new adult sassy heroine friends to lovers rich heroine m-f humor contemporary office -
Stay Wild by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhat happens when your wandering heart is captured by your friend with benefits?ScarlettArcher Kincaid is supposed to be all the fun and none of the strings, but the longer I stay in Willow River, the more I feel roots pulling me to settle down.I plan to complete a one-year photography contract with Captured Moments, then move on to travel the world...Categorized as:
new adult strong heroine angst friends to lovers m-f friends-benefits humor insta-love -
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She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsWhat are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance. Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine m-f humor contemporary audiobook -
REGRET by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.72 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsPreston Danes was born and raised on the streets.Unloved. Unwanted. And quickly discarded.Now he’s a man on the verge of a new career when the infamous Checkmate Security offers him a job.They want to shut down a mafia family, and they need the assistance of a skilled hacker to get the job done.Preston knows code like others know their left hands. He’s perfect for the job... -
Trouble by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsShe wants something real. He wants something now. Together they’re trouble in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s sexy and funny twice-in-a-lifetime love story. With his shameless grin and let’s-play swagger, carpenter Penn Etling leaves women wanting in Dogwood Lane. What do they get? Avery Perry knows: a one-night stand. She’s been there...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers independent heroine m-f humor contemporary length-medium audiobook -
Queen of Klutz by Samantha Garman
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsChoose the best phrase to describe Sibby Goldstein's 1) Sucky. 2) Really sucky. 3) Major suck-fest. D) All of the above. I started my day with a boyfriend and a job. I ended my day with a bottle of tequila. I'll let you connect the dots. Somehow, I wound up working as a waitress at an Italian restaurant. I have no idea what I'm doing. And I'm not just talkin' about life... -
Dangerous Fling by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHe's her rock star crush, her go-to fantasy, and he's offering to make all her dreams come true... Rock star Malcolm Strong is used to being in control. Of the band. Of his feelings. Of the woman he has tied to his bed. He never gets close enough to get hurt. He never wants to. Until Lacey. The sassy brunette is working on the band's latest music video... -
Rogue Wave by J. Bengtsson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA love story that survives the test of time. Keith McKallister is the king of the stoners. You know the type. Every school has one – the hot, fun, dopey guy beloved by the student body but despised by, well, just about everyone else. He spends his early mornings in the ocean and his days trying to get to class on time... -
Mine To Love by Natasha Madison
Presley After my sisters’ disastrous weddings, I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay single forever. It doesn’t matter that I’m in love with my brother’s best friend. Or that Bennett and I shouldn’t even be friends with benefits. Until the positive sign tells me I’m pregnant. Bennett I fell in love with Presley when she was eighteen and asked me for a favor...Categorized as:
sassy heroine friends to lovers strong heroine m-f contemporary humor pregnancy explicit-open-door -
Show Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy... -
Cocky Senator’s Daughter: Hannah by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsHANNAH COCKER Every man I've dated in this city has either bored me or hurt me. When Sofia Sol, my crazy cousin, offers a ride on the back of her Harley with no destination in mind besides out-of-Atlanta, what do you think my answer is? I'll give you one guess. TOBIAS KYRKOS Life doesn't ever hand you what you want. You have to take it... -
Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott
A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip.It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron .Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound.He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man... -
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Playing Dirty by Mickey Miller
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI'm going to teach Andrea to play dirty...she just doesn't know it yet. Jake Pulling in eight figures a year as star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, there's no shortage of parties, booze, and women. I'm a beast on the mound and between the sheets but when my social media presence becomes a major problem, the team’s owner brings in a PR expert to clean up my image... -
Tight Spot by Stacey Lynn
When a fake relationship feels a little too real…. I’m in a Tight Spot. I’m not a nice guy. I’m too rude. Too gruff. I want to be left alone and stay in my lane as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Too bad management has a sudden problem with my image and all the fines I’ve been racking up. Now I’m told I need to settle down, shape up…or they’re shipping me out... -
The Plan by Karla Sorensen
Have you ever fake dated your bodyguard? I don't recommend it. Especially if he's anything like Erik Wilder: former football player, world class know-it-all and unapologetic grump. To be clear, I didn't want a bodyguard (hence the fake dating idea). Most days, I can’t figure out why he wants the job either. We drive each other insane, probably because we’re as opposite as two people can be... -
What the Heart Learns by Jessica Gadziala
Liam has always preferred spending his life inside books, only looking up to occasionally growl at customers in his shop. Until the day someone new comes to town. A woman who could keep up with him, someone who sees beyond his guards, who makes him want something decidedly non -fiction for a change. The only problem is, Riley has a secret. One that just might tear them apart...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine nerdy-hero cold hero new adult humor contemporary length-short -
Reset by Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFormer soldier Ryan Granger’s life has become all about numbers:13 months since he was shot in the head7 months spent in a coma6 months since he woke, a changed man5 hours since he’d been kidnapped4 minutes since he’d opened his eyes in an underground cavern3 minutes since he’d heard a woman calling for help…Two strangers trapped together.One impossible way out... -
Outta My League by Ali Parker, Weston Parker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe way she looks, smells, laughs is killing me.I fell in love with my sister’s best friend. To top it all off, she’s brilliant. And I’m failing Chemistry.Of course, when I get her help, she’s laidback about it. Charming and helpful as always, like she doesn’t know how much I want her. I’ve got to play it cool and let her see a different side of me... -
Perfect Match by Eliza McLane
They couldn't be more different, but wild-at-heart (and in bed) Rose and sweet-but-square Tyler have to make it through a romantic Valentine's weekend to win the prize at the end - all while proving they're certainly, definitely,really not the perfect match the dating app proclaims them to be..Categorized as:
forced proximity praise-kink m-f shy-hero nerdy-hero strong heroine female-rake humor -
The Roomie Rulebook by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOliver is my best friend's older brother. He's brooding, bossy, and painfully off limits. But all rules are off when I move in as his new roommate. When I need a place to crash, I go straight to the guy I know best. My best friend's older brother, Oliver. Who's right in the middle of enjoying his alone time. No big deal, right? It's not like I'm going to die of embarrassment... -
ICED by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsOliver Ice, one of Boston University’s notorious hockey players, has been on my radar since I slammed into his rock-hard body during my first week of college, three years ago. He helped me to my feet, muttered an apology, and ran off after his girlfriend, dashing my hopes of a happily ever after. Now, he’s the bartender where I work, and this time, very much single... -
The Crush by Karla Sorensen
You know that girl from your past that you can’t quite stop thinking about? The one that you pushed away because you had a goal that seemed so much bigger, so much more important than any crush you might have had?That’s Adaline Wilder for me.Nothing came before football. Not in college, and not in my five years in the pros...Categorized as:
sports strong heroine friends to lovers new adult angst independent heroine sassy heroine m-f -
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Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 9 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Roa invited Chako and Isshin to her parents' house as a thank-you to Isshin for protecting her from an attacker at the tea festival in Fukuoka. While there, Chako gets drunk and sneaks into Isshin's room, wearing pajamas borrowed from Roa... -
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 8 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Roa, a popular live streamer who views Isshin's bottled tea, Chako, as a rival, lost control, and Hananoki-en faced backlash! On top of that, they now have to compete with Roa, who is also a tea maker, in a national competition...Categorized as:
new adult m-f slow burn fake relationship contemporary humor length-short glimpses-kisses -
Playboy’s Reward by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt was supposed to be a favor between neighbors…When sexy-as-sin Harper Henderson launches profanities into the night sky from the balcony below mine, I intervene. I volunteer to be her date to her ten-year high school reunion. I may be a professional hockey player with a playboy reputation, but I’m also a good guy and I make an exceptional plus-one.Being Harper's fake date is easy... -
Deja Brew All Over Again by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrouble has always had a way of finding me, but I never expected to be carjacked by a hot girl in a wedding dress.As the official family screw-up, not many people count on me for anything but a good time. But Maisy Romero and her little brother need a knight in shining armor, and they need him yesterday... -
The Candidate by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLust drove us together. Our differences are driving us apart. As the Republican Party’s front-runner for the White House in 2024, I’m the man the media praises for having a silver tongue. By day, I’m a very conservative, buttoned-up professional. By night, my wild side comes out to prowl, searching for something. I end up in The Black Room... and find her... -
Play Maker by Nikki Hall
Friends without benefits. For now.MacLast year, I only wanted three things out of a good time, a date with Wonder Woman, and a shot at playing and singing in the same Superbowl. This year, I can’t bring myself to care. Until Blue. The quiet girl with the rainbow hair refuses to let me suffer alone, and I’m starting to think losing everything is worth finding her... -
Jasper by Lulu Moore
As Captain of an NHL team, I'm rich, successful and have women falling at my feet.I thought my life was perfect until a pint sized blonde checked into me one day, knocking my life off course.Wolfie Williams is sass personified. Beautiful, fiery, funny and oh so sexy. With every eye roll she gives me I become more and more wrapped around her finger, making me realise she is my missing piece...Categorized as:
slow burn sports new adult friends to lovers independent heroine m-f angst from hate to love -
Falling for My Enemy by Claire Kingsley
“I thought if I could crack the code to falling in love, maybe someday it would work for me.”Corban Nash is a self-proclaimed data nerd with a sexy half smile and a set of abs that leave girls drooling. He developed a theory he claims will make two people fall in love. And after numerous tests on friends and family, it’s been successful for everyone who’s tried it... -
10 Dates by Emily James
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJoanie Fox can't wait to settle down and marry the man of her dreams. However, when her engagement starts to look more stalemate than soulmate, her best friend stages an intervention sure to make even the most hardened, serial daters wince: 10 Dates in 10 Days... -
Empty Net by Teagan Hunter
I have two goals this season:1. Stop enough pucks to get the Seattle Serpents to the playoffs.2. Don’t fall for my fake fiancée.When Lilah Maddison’s mother keeps trying to set her up on dates she’s not interested in, she blurts out that she’s already seeing someone. The problem? She’s single.So, I step in to help and agree to pretend to be her boyfriend for an event... -
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Talk British to Me by Robin Bielman
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAs the Dating Guy on L.A.‘s top morning show, I give the single guy’s perspective on dating, love, and sex—and I give great advice. Everyone’s hooking up…well, except for me. Sure, I can get any woman I want, but I’ve got a “no relationship” clause in my contract and the only woman I want has “relationship” written all over her. Probably stamped on her ass, too... -
The Perfect Play by Cookie O'Gorman
She’s playing to win.Okay, so I probably shouldn’t have made that bet with Emmy. But come on! She was challenging me. Attract a guy in seven days? No problem.Well…maybe just one.The guy she chooses is her brother, Chase O’Brien aka golden-boy-Virgin and star pitcher for the Wolves. Unlike most guys, Chase seems immune to my charms—but I’ve always loved a challenge.He’s playing for keeps... -
Mine To Hold by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsAre you ready for The Southern Wedding Series?Things are supposed to go smoothly on your wedding day.Aren't they?Shelby I got a love letter the night before I was supposed to marry the love of my life.Except the letter wasn't for me.My future husband had written it to someone else. Weston (Ace)Standing at the altar to watch my best friend get married was an honor...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers new adult m-f contemporary humor cheating other-man-woman -
Behind the Plate by J. Sterling
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsChance Carter is the son of local baseball legend, Jack Carter. Now in his junior year at Fullton State, Chance is facing challenges he never saw coming. Failing a class will stop his draft season short, making him ineligible to play and pushing his goal of professional baseball even further away.In steps Danika, a mouthy tutor from New York, who only wants to help him pass his class.. -
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 5 by Umebachi Yamanaka
After her childhood friend, Jin, confessed his feelings for her, Chako tells him she and Isshin understand their feelings for each other. However, Chako realizes she hasn't received a proper answer to her confession… Isshin's texts are blunt, and he doesn't come back on weekends...Categorized as:
new adult m-f slow burn fake relationship contemporary humor length-short glimpses-kisses -
The Race by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI like it fast. She likes it faster. Who will win this race? As founder and CEO of UnCaged Fitness, I sponsor some of the hottest fitness properties around. Top female athletes and models beg for my attention. I’m rich. I’m ruthless. And when it comes to my business, I don’t play around. Until Emma James and her beautiful curves comes to Daytona... -
Going All In by Ali Parker, Weston Parker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing the nice guy leaves me open to being a rebound romance.Which I’m not interested in. I’ve got better things to do.Like taking my spot on the NBA draft picks. It’s all that matters to me.Love has never been on the radar. I’m too focused for all that fluff.Then life slows me down. Way down.An injury at the end of the spring semester has me working my way back to full health all summer long... -
The Tropical Romance Test by Lila Monroe
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFall for the sizzling new rivals-to-lovers rom-com read from USA Today bestselling author, Lila Monroe! Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, Ali Hazelwood, and Emily Henry.Josh Carlyle is charming, sexy as hell, and the perfect destination wedding hookup... At least, that’s what I think when I touch down in paradise with four days to pull off a lavish ceremony fit for Hollywood royalty... -
Hero's Risk by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNine years ago, Celine Hernandez broke my heart. Eight years ago, she stomped on it for good measure. When Celine moved to LA after high school, I enlisted in the Marines.After an honorable discharge, I’m home, in Tennessee, living out my dream as a professional hockey player. Now, she’s back in our hometown, filming a movie, and reminding me of a past I’ve tried to forget...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers strong heroine contemporary military humor christmas -
One Timer on Top by London Casey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDON’T SLEEP WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND’S EX. Okay. I get that. I respect that. But what about sleeping with your biggest rival’s ex? And… what about marrying her…?* * *I caught my boyfriend enjoying some “oral service” from another woman. Dumping him is easy. Getting rid of him his almost impossible since I work in PR and he’s one of my clients. (Yeah, I know, don’t mix business with pleasure... -
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The Gambler: The Wedding Pact #3 by Denise Grover Swank
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsBook three in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling series by Denise Grover Swank. Libby St. Clair believes in fate—so much so, she’s willing to pin everything on a curse a fortune teller placed on her and her two best friends when they were kids...Categorized as:
fake relationship friends to lovers new adult humor contemporary length-medium audiobook -
All the Wright Moves by K.A. Linde
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA sexy brother's best friend roommates romance set in the world of the Wrights from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde…When I moved in with my brother’s best friend, I thought it was temporary.Weston Wright would be in LA with my brother for six months. I’d get the place to myself to get back on my feet. A perfect plan.Until he comes back and asks me to stay...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst forced proximity new adult m-f contemporary alpha male humor -
Be Still My Racing Heart by Madison Love
This is a dual POV, kisses only, sports romance in the Sweet Sports Kisses Series. A reformed bad boy, an heiress with a secret, and a forbidden love. Blake Groomed to run my father’s company, I dream of flying down the speedway. Not "flying" a desk.Forbidden from chasing my dream, I spend my free time helping kids chase theirs while waiting for fate to claim me... -
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 2 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Somehow Chako ended up as a fake couple with a mysterious man called Isshin, who works for her family's tea farm. To save their struggling tea farm, the lie mustn't be revealed..Categorized as:
new adult m-f slow burn fake relationship from hate to love length-short contemporary humor -
Thanks For Last Night by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsA sexy new friends-to-lovers standalone!Let me list the reasons why dating a sexy, charming, pro hockey star is a bad idea:1. He’s one of my closest friends2. All our friends are friends3. The wounds I’ve got from past relationships go deep. And so do his.We’re both devoutly single -- it’s just safer for the heart that way... -
Heartthrob by Katie McCoy
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMove over, Colin Firth - there’s a new Darcy in town! Jax Hawthorne is Hollywood’s sexiest bad boy. I’m a glorified secretary who thinks color-coding my library is a wild Friday night. So when he shows up after all this time wanting to make good on our childhood deal to tie the knot, it’s not because he can’t resist my perfect credit score...
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