Books like 'The Art of Growing'
Readers who enjoyed The Art of Growing by Jacqueline Ramsden also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary m-f-x queer childfree-couple fake relationship slow burn forced proximity
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Breaking Character by Lee Winter
Life has become a farcical mess for icy British A-lister Elizabeth Thornton. America’s most-hated villain stars in a top-rated TV medical drama that she hates. Now, she’s been romantically linked to her perky, new co-star, Summer, due to the young woman’s clumsiness. As a closeted actress, that’s the last thing Elizabeth needs...Categorized as:
queer childfree-couple slow burn fake relationship forced proximity f-f age difference cold heroine -
Mutual Benefits by H.P. Munro
Coming out to your loved ones is stressful, so when Hannah Melville’s family not only accept but celebrate her accidental announcement, it should be a relief. Which it would be, if Hannah was gay.Ashley West isn’t looking for a relationship. When she’s set up by her mother on a blind date, she’s ready to nip any expectations in the bud. She’s less prepared for her love interest to be straight...Categorized as:
fake relationship forced proximity queer f-f contemporary humor length-short friends to lovers -
Hopelessly Bromantic by Lauren Blakely
A sexy, passionate, utterly addictive, roomies-to-lovers MM romance from #1 NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely!Look, when I met the sexy, witty Brit on the streets of London last night, I had no idea who he was. He was just that hot guy I wanted to have a drink with so I asked him out for my first evening in town. One thing almost led to another... -
Perfect Rhythm by Jae
Pop star Leontyne Blake might sing about love, but she stopped believing in it a long time ago. What women want is her image, not the real her. When her father has a stroke, she flees the spotlight and returns to her tiny Missouri hometown. In her childhood home, she meets small-town nurse Holly Drummond, who isn’t impressed by Leo’s fame at all...Categorized as:
queer slow burn childfree-couple forced proximity f-f contemporary dual-pov asexual-heroine -
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The Summer of Our Discontent by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA fun summer read. Faith Leblanc is looking for that special someone, but her tactics have branded her somewhat of a womanizer. A few doors down, Rachel Chauvin is looking for the same, but her conservative style hasn’t yielded any keepers, either. Neither woman is willing to consider the other as a prospective partner, mostly because they’ve hated each other for nearly four decades... -
Call of the Alpha by A.E. Via
THIS 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... -
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... -
The Outcasts by Kelly Fox
From USA Today Best-Selling Author Kelly Fox comes two tales of love outside the gender norm.Jules:I’m a trans woman, and I’ve been searching for the love of my life for as long as I can remember. When I met Ginger, I knew I’d found the one. Aside from being gorgeous inside and out, she’s dedicated her life to giving back to the community.Our first kiss, however, ended in tears... -
French Kissing: Season Three by Harper Bliss
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsASIN B079Y3G6HS moved to the more recent edition Paris... City of lights, City of love... City of drama! It has been six months since Dominique and Steph came out publicly... -
Not for a Moment by Cheyenne Blue
Desperate situations call for desperate lies in this charming, fake-relationship lesbian romance.Andi Barrons has no time for kids or the chaos they bring—certainly not when she runs a high-end decorating business...Categorized as:
queer fake relationship forced proximity f-f friends to lovers angst single-mother length-medium -
Semantic Error 1 by Soori Jeo
Is this an Error or Love? Sangwoo Choo is a stickler for rules. So when his classmates free-ride on a group project, he doesn't credit them. But this prevents one senior, Jaeyoung Jang, from graduating. And like oil and water, Sangwoo and Jaeyoung don't mix. Can Sangwoo debug Jaeyoung — a semantic error in his perfect life? This volume collects episodes 01-15 of the webcomic Semantic Error... -
When We're Meant to Be by Skye Von Triessen
When Dr. Alexandra Edison’s world was ripped apart, the last thing she expected was to end up in a casual affair with Blake Westmore. Soon after she was forced to choose between her past and her present, when her strong sense of obligation forced her to leave the woman whom she shared one of the most unforgettable experiences with, and head back to L.A. to help the woman who broke her heart... -
June by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe daughter of Mandy Fay Harris is all grown up and like her mother, is a force of nature. She is ready to come into her own and take London by storm!She never expected what what she would find while searching in New York for a scout for her music label and the new relationships she would form.This is set in the same world as Music of the Soul but is a standalone book... -
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 -
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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... -
Seeing Red by Shon .
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI was only in Bliss Peak to do two See about my grandmother.WriteI wasn’t supposed to get to this town and show my behind. Literally.But I could explain. There was a bat. In my shower. And the threat of rabies was enough to have me sprinting out of my cabin to my only neighbor’s house, with just my towel and suds covering my body...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m-f friends to lovers contemporary african-american black-mc poly -
Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand
Realising 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...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer contemporary m-m boss & employee small town length-medium explicit-open-door -
Goddess of the Moon by Claire Highton-Stevenson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDiana Maddox is a creature of comfort, she plays by the rules and she likes things done properly. Now, she finds herself in a bit of a rut. Single after an almost decade-long relationship with Jason, who cheated on her, Diana is sharing a flat with her sister and nephew. Her friends have all married and had families of their own, so there's only one thing for it, Diana decides...Categorized as:
queer childfree-couple friends to lovers f-f contemporary queer-awakening length-medium -
Cover Story by Rachel Lacey
Rachel Lacey, author of Stars Collide, serves up a steamy tale of Hollywood fame and subterfuge about a glamorous actress and the sexy bodyguard posing as her girlfriend.Natalie Keane is one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies, but she’s paid a steep price for her fame. After she was stalked eight years ago, the ensuing media frenzy almost broke her...Categorized as:
queer fake relationship forced proximity contemporary f-f office length-medium bodyguard-heroine -
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... -
Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s never done love long-term. But will faking it lead to forever?Finch Lachlan works hard and parties harder. But tired of her siblings judging her fun-loving ways, the head veterinarian at her family’s zoo vows to prove she can make it past the third date. And maybe she can begin with the hottie who just seized her attention with a sizzling kiss.Chef, Frankie Benedetti, craves a fresh start... -
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... -
Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents' cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera. Unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, at first each feigns indifference... -
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:
slow burn fake relationship contemporary new adult humor length-short m-f glimpses-kisses -
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Wallflower in Bloom by Elise Kennedy
Painfully shy plant mom Violet Parker is about to experience the thrill of a lifetime when her TV crush lands on her doorstep.Desperate to rehab his public image after a PR disaster, actor / playboy Jack Grant needs a wholesome fake girlfriend for the summer. Violet, meanwhile, needs help stepping out of her comfort zone so her fledgling flower and plant shop, Bloom, will thrive... -
French Kissing: Season Five by Harper Bliss
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsASIN B07S73K4SR moved to the more recent edition Paris... City of lights, City of love... City of drama! With a year remaining on Dominique's first presidential term, the Laroche camp is gearing up for her re-election campaign. Dominique herself, however, doesn't seem so keen on going through it all again.Aurore and Solange's relationship has been on and off so many times, nobody can keep count... -
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... -
A Life Worth Living by Monica McCallan
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsNora Gallagher can begrudgingly admit that she and Gray Ferris are both stellar Philadelphia real estate agents, but that’s the beginning and the end of the similarities between them.Nora’s life has been in a self-imposed holding pattern for half a decade. Depending on people in her personal life only leads to disappointment, and she has no plans of making that mistake again...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer contemporary f-f office from hate to love age difference length-medium -
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 -
The Trip by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho wants to take a road trip with two old, bickering women and a complete stranger? Not Jill Savoy. She finds herself behind the wheel of her father’s sacred Winnebago anyway, responsible for her grandmother and adopted aunt, both of whom are mischievous teenagers in old bodies, and then there’s Shay. The last thing on Shay Macaluso’s mind was a vacation... -
Messy Ink by Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDane Chris is a great doctor, but he can’t heal me… I learned to look out for myself on the streets and in juvie. I’ve cleaned up my act, but it doesn’t mean that I’m about to start trusting a guy to stick around. Especially not a clean cut doctor like Chris. No wonder I ended things between us the first time around. I’m sure it’s for the best... -
Paper Love by Jae
Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan in this lesbian romance from best-selling author Jae. Susanne Wolff isn’t thrilled when her mother sends her all the way across the country to Freiburg to save her uncle’s stationery store from bankruptcy. Freiburg is too provincial for her taste, and besides, pen and paper are outdated anyway...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer childfree-couple slow burn f-f contemporary dual-pov from hate to love -
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:
slow burn fake relationship contemporary humor new adult length-short m-f glimpses-kisses -
Scaredy Cat by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBlake Taylor isn’t the queen of horror, but she’s certainly a member of the royal court. Blake has made a career out of writing novels that make her readers want to leave the lights on at night. What Blake’s fans and very few people realize is that Blake Taylor is scared of her own shadow and just about everything else... -
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Not Only One Bed by Sienna Waters
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNot falling in love has never been so hard...Trix Winchester has been promoted to head of romance acquisitions for London’s leading literary agent. The problem? Trix hasn’t believed in romance for years.Kel Bradshaw’s looking for a sugar mommy to pay her way through art school. But she just can’t bring herself to be mercenary enough to trick someone into it... -
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 -
A Lodge Affair by Rachel LaBerge
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIvy Lawson loves a to-do list, hates surprises, and the only outdoor activity she’s interested in is brunch on a patio. After catching her long-term boyfriend—and co-worker—cheating, she’s thrown into leading a high-profile client event at The Emerald Canopy Lodge. AKA: her nightmare destination. Ivy finds herself desperate and anxious to get her job done and leave the lodge as soon as possible...Categorized as:
forced proximity childfree-couple contemporary grumpy sunshine dual-pov humor length-medium m-f -
Just Jorie by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSome believe that special someone is out there just waiting to be found. Jorie Andolini is one of those people and has spent a lot of time envisioning that moment. She bumps into a woman at a grocery store, the woman drops a can of peas, Jorie picks it up, their eyes meet, and two souls connect... -
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... -
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... -
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 1 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Chako Hananoki thought she'd found happiness in a handsome fiancé, but when she realized a marriage to him would mean a total erasure of herself, she broke it off and moved back into her childhood home in the country -- only to find a strange man and young woman living there? She finds a way to coexist with them, but when her stalker fiancé follows her home, she declares to him (and accidentally...Categorized as:
slow burn fake relationship contemporary from hate to love length-short m-f glimpses-kisses -
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... -
Just for Show by Jae
When Claire, an overachieving psychologist with OCD tendencies, hires Lana, an impulsive, out-of-work actress for a fake relationship, she figures the worst she’ll have to endure are the messes Lana leaves around. It’s only for a few months anyway. And it’s not as if she’ll enjoy all those fake kisses and loving looks. Right? A lesbian romance where role-playing has never been so irresistible... -
Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison
I'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:
forced proximity queer m-m christmas contemporary grumpy sunshine age difference siblings-bff -
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Two is a Pattern by Emily Waters
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA charged lesbian romantic suspense set in the early nineties, with gripping twists, turns, and surprising secrets.A mission gone wrong leads to rising-star CIA operative Annie Weaver quitting her job and reinventing herself as a college student. But the CIA, desperate for her skills, refuses to let her go without a price...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer bisexual f-f age difference contemporary suspense length-short -
What a Tangled Web by Melissa Brayden
As winemaker at Tangle Valley Vineyard, Madison LeGrange relies on science and logic to make the best vintage possible. It’s also how she manages her life. But with her career in its prime, her accountant thinks it’s time she diversifies her income. Not a problem because her favorite café, the Bacon and Biscuit, is up for sale...Categorized as:
queer childfree-couple contemporary f-f dual-pov third-person-pov length-medium open-door -
Different Worlds by Lily Seabrooke
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNatasha Seychelle, heiress to the vast Seychelle Enterprise, has been on a crumbling road ever since losing her mother. Losing her friends, falling away from her work responsibilities, and sinking deeper into depression, rumors are she won’t be able to succeed the company at the end of the summer.Annelise Benson just lost her kitchen job and is in freefall...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer f-f from hate to love boss & employee contemporary new adult length-medium -
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 -
The Misfits of Copper County by May Archer
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen you burn down your contractor’s home… and kind of, accidentally invite him to move into yours.First things first, that fire was a fluke. A tragic, completely unintentional byproduct of high emotions, an ill-timed backyard grilling… and one very shirtless man.I only meant to confront Brewer—my maddeningly stoic contractor—about a few small concerns with the renovation of my historic money pit...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer m-m contemporary from hate to love humor length-medium audiobook -
Be True by Stella Starling
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 15 ratings"When we're in public, you're mine.” Outspoken, outgoing, and outrageously out, Trevor Rogers isn't one to say no when opportunity comes knocking. And jetting off to New York City to play the part of reclusive billionaire Logan Carter's boyfriend for a Valentine's Day publicity campaign? That's not just a yes, but oh hell yes...
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