Books like 'The Reality of Us'
Readers who enjoyed The Reality of Us by Vanessa North also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance queer grumpy sunshine forced proximity
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Snow Fairy by Tomo Serizawa, 芹澤知
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsWhen Hokkaido-born Haruki meets animal photographer Akihito and finds out his accommodations have fallen through, he offers his home as a shelter for the winter. A city slicker, Akihito is smart, charming, and a smooth conversationalist; the polar opposite of country boy Haruki. Despite their differences, Akihito wants to close the gap between the two of them, before the snow thaws in the spring... -
![Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox]()
Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsI’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 m-m virgin hero contemporary secret-relationship hurt-comfort super rich hero -
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![On or Off, Volume 3 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #3) by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 3 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #3) by A1
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsWinner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards Ahn Yiyoung is hard at work building a startup with his college friends, knowing that a successful product could change all of their lives... -
![Vow Maker by Lily Morton]()
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:
grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary humor age difference hurt-comfort explicit-open-door -
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![Boyfriend Goals: Special Edition by Riley Hart]()
Boyfriend Goals: Special Edition by Riley Hart
MiloUnusual. Quirky. Different. I’ve heard it all. I’ve accepted I’m not for everyone. Maybe not anyone.When I find out I inherited a bookstore and apartment on a small East Coast island, I jump at the chance for a new life.Turns out, I’ve also inherited a sexy, tattooed guy who not only rents the space next to my store for his tattoo parlor but my apartment too... -
![Call of the Alpha by A.E. Via]()
Call of the Alpha by A.E. Via
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsTHIS IS THE THIRD INSTALLMENT IN THIS SERIES and CAN STAND ALONE. The Story of ALPHA, CALL, OMEGA & LION ALONG WITH A COUPLE OTHER FAVORITES It’s been a couple years since Commander John Marion – the US Navy’s most decorated SEAL – hung up his dog tags, choosing his cherished Alpha over war... -
![Sweet as Honey by Lucy Lennox]()
Sweet as Honey by Lucy Lennox
When I rode my bike into Aster Valley, it was supposed to be temporary. A quick, relaxing visit with friends. No entanglements. Zero drama.But then I saw the bumblebee being harassed on the side of the highway. More specifically, I saw Truman Sweet, Aster Valley’s resident botanist, spice merchant, and bee-costume enthusiast, being harassed... -
![Outside by Nicky James]()
Outside by Nicky James
Twenty years ago, the crash gates slammed shut on Bishop Ndiaye’s life when he was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit. His life became a waiting game while he sat on death row in one of the country’s worst prisons waiting for his warrant to be signed and his inevitable walk to the death chamber.But it never happened...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m multicultural contemporary black-mc length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Fairy Cakes in Winter by Lane Hayes]()
Fairy Cakes in Winter by Lane Hayes
A grumpy baker, a quirky ad man, and a recipe for forever…ScottSo this cute guy sits next to me on the plane and proceeds to talk my ear off for hours. Not good. I don’t like talking and I don’t like strangers. But Theo’s sweet, smart, and sexy—the perfect distraction from business woes and personal worries.Okay, things got overly friendly, but we’re adults and we know the score...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine queer m-m age difference contemporary bisexual length-short explicit-plentiful -
![Second Shot by Con Riley]()
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... -
![Wheels Down by Beth Bolden]()
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShaw isn’t his friend—until Ross discovers he’s so much more. Ross Stanton is having a bad week—a bad month—really, a bad year . But the last thing he wants, after the betrayal of his friend and business partner, is for anyone else to know just how much he’s fighting for survival...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m friends to lovers contemporary hurt-comfort length-medium -
![Off Duty Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe]()
Off Duty Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHazard and Somerset: Off Duty Volume 2 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“John-Henry Somerset: Sold!”Somers enters a charity bachelor’s auction without telling his boyfriend. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty.“Pretty and Pink and Perfect”Hazard plans a toddler’s birthday party. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty... -
![The Idiot by Dianna Roman]()
The Idiot by Dianna Roman
You can't pick who you love...nor can you run from them.Murphy Malone loves his orchard, his mother, and his dog. Life is great until he can't stop thinking about what he's missing—someone to share it all with. When he realizes that his love for his best friend, Jesse Carver, runs deeper than the bonds of friendship, it just makes things worse...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine queer m-m queer-awakening friends to lovers contemporary bisexual -
![Wicked Heat by Ella Frank]()
Wicked Heat by Ella Frank
RyanKind, caring, and protective. Those are the three qualities I’m looking for when it comes to my dream man. In a city as big as Chicago, you wouldn’t think he would be that hard to find, right?Wrong.Sure, my boss found a super-sexy detective and my best friend fell madly in love with the most eligible bachelor around...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine queer contemporary m-m firefighter men in uniform friends to lovers cold hero -
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![Malicious Compliance by E.M. Lindsey]()
Malicious Compliance by E.M. Lindsey
My life is good. I work from home, I answer to no one, and I pay my rent on time. In short, things are peaceful and solitary—exactly the way I like them. Yes, my apartment might be a dump with paper-thin walls and plumbing issues, but it’s mine all the same. And then he moves in...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine queer m-m from hate to love contemporary humor christmas -
![Lust Hate Love by Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine]()
Lust Hate Love by Ella Frank, Brooke Blaine
USA TODAY bestselling authors Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank continue the story of sexy Fallen Angel rockers Killian and Levi in LUST. HATE. LOVE. As the sexy, charismatic bassist for world-famous rock band Fallen Angel, whatever Killian Michaels wants, Killian Michaels gets...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m contemporary rockstars office length-short explicit-open-door -
![Lost And Found by Aiden Bates]()
Lost And Found by Aiden Bates
I’m going to die on this cliff with only a bobcat kitten for company. I’m sure of it until the hottest man I’ve ever seen swoops in and makes me leap.Eli’s made for danger, and he dedicates his life to finding desperately stranded hikers like me.He’s too perfect to be true.I’ve fallen hard before and ended up bruised and battered.I have to resist him... -
![Off Duty Volume 3 by Gregory Ashe]()
Off Duty Volume 3 by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLife happens when you’re not looking. Unfortunately, so do a lot of other things.Hazard and Somerset: Off Duty Volume 3 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“If Your Friends Jumped Off a Bridge”Hazard is going to get Evie the perfect toy for her birthday, no matter what. This story takes place before Relative Justice... -
![Our Favorite Songs by Anita Kelly]()
Our Favorite Songs by Anita Kelly
Restless and disillusioned with his life, Aiden McCarstle is ready for a night out at The Moonlight Café with his best friend Penelope: one night to not think about how much he hates grad school, to watch queer people make fools of themselves singing karaoke. A simple, reliable escape...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity queer contemporary from hate to love m-m second chances anal sex -
![One Last Wish (Home for the Holidays) by Alex J. Adams]()
One Last Wish (Home for the Holidays) by Alex J. Adams
BlairHeading home for the holidays was the last thing I wanted to do. I had plans. Plans that didn’t involve visiting the back of beyond.But a call from mum two weeks before the holidays put paid to said plans. Grandpa was sick and wanted to see me. He’d been a big part of my life growing up and I wouldn’t deny him that. He’s got a list too. Not a bucket list, he didn’t like that name...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary second chances christmas death -
![녹색전상 1 by JAXX, 잭스]()
녹색전상 1 by JAXX, 잭스
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratings초고층 빌딩으로 가득한 섬. 조각 전공생 매튜 레이너는 우연히 마주친 진청우에게 작품의 모델이 되어 달라 제안한다. 조직을 일으켜 세운 사나운 개, 섹스 중독자. 진창을 구르며 끊이지 않는 통증과 불면에 시달리던 신해파 간부 진청우. 맹목적으로 달려드는 매튜에 기이한 호기심을 느낀 진은 제안을 수락하는 대신 조건을 내건다. "모델을 서 주는 동안, 넌 내 말에 무조건 복종한다." 두 남자는 서로 다른 욕망을 감춘 채 거래를 시작한다... -
![The Fortunate Son by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
The Fortunate Son by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIvan Gallagher’s first and only attempt at love nearly cost him everything—his reputation, family, and even his freedom. Needing an outlet for his pent-up passion, the gruff foreman turns his beekeeping hobby into a successful business. Just when he’s on the verge of taking his liquid gold to the next level, a granted favor transforms his orderly life into a sticky mess...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity queer m-m suspense age difference hurt-comfort contemporary -
![Mistletoe Kisses by Lee Blair]()
Mistletoe Kisses by Lee Blair
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…until you get laid off.The fastest way to trigger my anxiety is losing my job at the holidays. Fortunately, I can always count on my platonic bestie to keep me grounded. Except our commiseration drinks lead to planning pre-Christmas vacays for each other, so instead of grounding me, my bestie sends me flying to Dahlia Springs, Oregon...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity christmas m-m contemporary suspense length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand]()
Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRealising your new boss is the adult star you fancied as a teenager? Awkward.In the snow-kissed Swiss Alps, Adrian’s world is a high-wire act of old-world charm and new-world problems at the Gletscherhaus Hotel. Enter Eric, an undercover London songwriter, seeking a mental break in a place where the Wi-Fi is as patchy as his past relationships... -
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![Finished by Cara Dee]()
Finished by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBook 5 of 5 | Romantic Suspense | Hurt/Comfort | Trauma | Age Difference The Auctioned Series is a journey packed with action, nail-biting suspense, family, and love. In Gray and Darius’s fight for freedom and a future where they aren’t haunted by the ghosts of their pasts, they’ll make you laugh, cry, possibly yell at your e-reader, and swoon just a little bit...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine queer military m-m age difference contemporary found-family length-novella -
![The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer]()
The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.Boom, done. Easy... -
![Lights, Camera, Passion by Isabel Lucero]()
Lights, Camera, Passion by Isabel Lucero
Playing a lead role in a book-to-movie adaptation with a wild fan base? Sign me up! The only downside is that I’m cast alongside Jacoby “Heartthrob” Hart—Hollywood’s golden boy. If only they knew he was an uppity, pompous snob.We don’t get along, and if you’re reading the tabloids, you’d assume it was because I “stole” his girlfriend, but they have it all wrong... -
![Got Me Merry by Casey Cox]()
Got Me Merry by Casey Cox
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsCan my best friend get me to enjoy the holidays? Ho... Ho... Um…No? Christmas just isn't my jam. The crowds. The cold. That Mariah Carey song blasting everywhere I go. Thanks, but no thanks.Don't get me wrong. I'm no Grinch. The holidays are awesome if you have a great family and money to shower them with gifts. Unfortunately for me, I have neither of those things...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine queer friends to lovers contemporary college humor m-m mature couple -
![Tough Love by Dianna Roman]()
Tough Love by Dianna Roman
A little learning is a dangerous thing – Alexander PopeDamiano’s parents have never had any faith in him, so it’s no surprise when his new boss doesn’t either. He’s determined to prove Graham Brandt wrong though, if only he could stop pushing the man’s buttons and dreaming about tearing them off... -
![A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley]()
A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA second chance with his brother’s best friend also comes with a deadline. Three years after inheriting his family farm, an accident forces Stefan Luxton to rethink his future. Turning his farm into a five-star wedding venue is one goal. Another is to reconnect with Marc, who Stefan loved but let slip away to the city...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m age difference friends to lovers hurt-comfort contemporary found-family -
![Game On by Amy Aislin]()
Game On by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen he broke off his engagement to his team captain's brother the day before their wedding, Jamie Jamieson swore he'd never get involved with anyone associated with a teammate again. Getting traded to the Orcas is a chance at a fresh start, but one glance at his new housemate, and Jamie knows he's in way over his head.Dorian is his new coach's cousin. And his team's social media coordinator...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine queer m-m sports friends to lovers hurt-comfort height-difference -
![Scene Queen by Charlie Novak]()
Scene Queen by Charlie Novak
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNote to self: just because he's hot and funny doesn't change the fact he's annoying AF.Hooking up with my irritating as hell neighbour wasn't on my agenda for the week, even if he is ridiculously gorgeous with a smile that lights up my life. His music is too loud, he’s too nosy… but I can’t stop myself from wanting more than a taste...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity queer m-m contemporary hurt-comfort sports length-medium -
![The Birthday Manny by Sammi Cee]()
The Birthday Manny by Sammi Cee
Here’s the deal, not everyone understands why an almost twenty-eight-year-old man is happy taking care of other people’s children, but I am.Do I love being single? No, but what’s a guy to do?Then I met Kevin Wadsworth. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. He’s older than me, smaller than me, and needs a little bit of care...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m single-father boss & employee humor contemporary age difference -
![Winning Big by Athena Steller]()
Winning Big by Athena Steller
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWelcome to Sin City! Home to the newest Daddy/ little collection from author Athena Steller. Dom I’m sick. I don’t want to be, but my stupid body betrayed me and now I’m forced to have weekly dialysis treatments as I wait to see if I will ever get a new kidney. I’ve been managing. Poorly but that doesn’t mean I needed the hot bossy cop to take over... -
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![Christmas Wishes by Lee Blair]()
Christmas Wishes by Lee Blair
Say it ain’t snow!After my bestie and I got laid off during the holidays, we drunkenly decide to plan a surprise vacation for each other. Knowing how much I hate snow, he sends me to sunny Arizona with my swim briefs and a dare. I’m supposed to finally start the beauty influencer accounts I’ve been talking about for years.Did you know there are parts of Arizona where it snows? I didn’t...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity grumpy sunshine christmas m-m contemporary height-difference hurt-comfort -
![Sapphire Dawn by C. Travis Rice, Christopher Rice]()
Sapphire Dawn by C. Travis Rice, Christopher Rice
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsUnder his pen name, C. Travis Rice, New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice offers tales of passion, intrigue, and steamy romance between men. The fourth novel, SAPPHIRE DAWN, once again transports you to a beautiful luxury resort on the sparkling Southern California coast where strong-willed heroes release the shame that blocks their hearts’ desires...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity contemporary m-m fated-mates hurt-comfort office length-medium -
![Thawed Out by Jodi Payne, BA Tortuga]()
Thawed Out by Jodi Payne, BA Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThawed Out is an opposites attract, second chance romance featuring an established couple on the edge of divorce, a ferocious snow storm, precocious children and a healthy dose of holiday magic.Kiren knows there is a storm coming when he goes to the cabin to deliver divorce papers to his husband Flynn, but he doesn’t plan to stay long... -
![Santa: A Cultural Hegemony by Gregory Ashe]()
Santa: A Cultural Hegemony by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHazard & Somerset deal with Santa... -
![Wood & Wonders by Duckie Mack]()
Wood & Wonders by Duckie Mack
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 4 ratingsTheo is widowed and lives a reclusive life in the mountains. Twice a month he goes to Heartcraft Market where he sells his wood carvings.Onyx is a pop star who has skyrocketed into fame. After a whirlwind tour, they are ready for a break and book a cabin in the mountains for some down time...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer grumpy sunshine age difference m-m hurt-comfort contemporary humor -
![To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill]()
To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis 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 contemporary m-m length-medium virgin hero friends to lovers hurt-comfort -
![Becoming Light by Riley Nash]()
Becoming Light by Riley Nash
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen people meet me, they see a bright faced, happy-go-lucky kindergarten teacher who will do anything to support his friends. Not everyone knows the struggle I’ve faced to become the man I am today. Now it’s finally time for the gender-affirming surgery I’ve been dreaming of for years...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort age difference m-m contemporary lgbtqia hate -
![Wild Goose Chase by K.M. Neuhold]()
Wild Goose Chase by K.M. Neuhold
When opposites attract, falling in love can feel like a Wild Goose Chase.I know it’s wrong to check out my best friend’s twin brother. It’s definitely against the bro code to shove my tongue down his throat. Screw it, one little passionate, sun soaked, all-consuming fling won’t hurt anything. Will it?Pete doesn’t think he’s fit for island life, but he doesn’t know Palm Island like I do...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine queer m-m secret-relationship contemporary siblings-bff small town -
![Suited For You by Aiden Bates, Ali Lyda]()
Suited For You by Aiden Bates, Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe’s smug, conceited … and hot as hell … Becoming a partner at Caldwell and Holton will be the crowning achievement in my hard fought career. There’s just one problem. One arrogant, materialistic, flashy problem: Saint Caldwell. Unlike me, he’s never had to struggle for anything a day in his life … or so I think. But there’s more to the man than a showy Porsche and killer smile... -
![Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison]()
Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI'm the grinch who saves Christmas … Yep, you read that right. Every year I save Christmas--and Christmas Falls--by organizing a massive festival that sustains tourism for our little town. But it turns out when Christmas is your life 24/7, the shine wears off the twinkly lights after a while...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity queer m-m christmas contemporary age difference siblings-bff -
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![Sweet as Pie by Beth Bolden]()
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:
grumpy sunshine queer m-m height-difference hurt-comfort insta-love contemporary length-medium -
![Game On by Riley Hart, Devon McCormack]()
Game On by Riley Hart, Devon McCormack
CARTER Relationships--who needs 'em? As a personal-assistant-extraordinaire to one of the top PR firms in Los Angeles, I've dedicated most of my life to errand-running and people-pleasing. But when it comes to men, as much as I love to please them in the bedroom, I'm way too busy to give more than that. Fortunately, as far as my options go..Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m humor contemporary from hate to love friends-benefits explicit-open-door -
![Fly Away Home by Felice Stevens]()
Fly Away Home by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMaybe Colson Delacourt teasing those nosy ladies in the coffeeshop with the plot of his next murder mystery was a bad idea. But does that mean he deserves to be arrested for attempting to kill his elderly neighbor? Why won’t the police believe he has nothing to do with her getting hurt? That detective Harper Rose won’t listen to him—he’s so annoying and arrogant. And sexy and gorgeous...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity m-m contemporary hurt-comfort humor dual-pov from hate to love -
![The Healer by Courtney W. Dixon]()
The Healer by Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTo heal the body, you must first heal the soul.JoséI lost everything. My parents were murdered, my best friend was sent to prison for a drug deal gone wrong, and eventually, my grandmother, who raised me since I was fifteen, died. I have been living life day to day to make a good life away from gangs and violence. As a nurse, I can finally do something meaningful... -
![Naughty & Nice by DJ Jamison]()
Naughty & Nice by DJ Jamison
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhy can't I forget your kiss...Dear Quinn,Why must I have these feelings for you? You're my ex-stepbrother, and nothing will change that truth, no matter how many letters I write. I never expected to see you again--or to rescue you from the side of the road in a blizzard. I didn't think you would ever like me, much less kiss me in a steaming hot tub on a snowy night... -
![Paper Snowflakes by Sammi Cee]()
Paper Snowflakes by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWho knew a white-out could bring two men clarity? Cameron - There’s something about an older man that drives me wild, but when he’s an amazing father too... swoon-worthy...
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