Books like 'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea'
Readers who enjoyed The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Elizabeth O'Roark also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny forced proximity famous heroine forbidden love from hate to love rich heroine love triangle secret-relationship m-f
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Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or NotLenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost...Categorized as:
found-family grumpy sunshine forced proximity hurt-comfort m-f new adult angst tortured heroine -
![Beard Necessities by Penny Reid]()
Beard Necessities by Penny Reid
Billy Winston’s family is going to see him happy and in love if it’s the last thing they do. No one deserves a happily-ever-after quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love, Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart almost twenty years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated... -
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![Laws of Physics by Penny Reid]()
Laws of Physics by Penny Reid
One week.Home alone.Girl genius.Unrepentant slacker.Big lie.What’s the worst that could happen?Mona is a smart girl and figured everything out a long time ago. She had to. She didn’t have a choice...Categorized as:
forced proximity new adult m-f angst grumpy sunshine from hate to love forbidden love slow burn -
![Falling for Mr. Bad by Melissa Foster]()
Falling for Mr. Bad by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s a badass musician and mechanic with no patience for overinflated egos. He’s a billionaire with no time for drama. Going head-to-head has never been so much fun...or so dirty. Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and loads of heart make this sexy enemies-to-lovers, close proximity, forbidden, workplace, small town standalone romance unputdownable... -
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![Time by Penny Reid]()
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:
new adult m-f sweet heroine angst from hate to love humor contemporary friends to lovers -
![Enticing Her Love: Sutton Steele by Melissa Foster]()
Enticing Her Love: Sutton Steele by Melissa Foster
Pro: Stuck sharing a bed with my hot, broody boss Con: He’s trying to get me fired Discovery Hour reporter Sutton Steele spends her days trying to keep her job, while her insanely hot, infuriating boss, Flynn Braden, would love nothing more than to see her gone... -
![One Day Fiance by Lauren Landish]()
One Day Fiance by Lauren Landish
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsI’m Poppy Woodstock.Romance author and wholehearted believer in Happily Ever Afters.A terminal case of writer’s block should be my biggest worry. Then I crash into him—literally—and fall into the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Connor Bradley.Thief, rebel… and my new neighbor.One slip with the bad boy next door, and my life becomes stranger than any fiction I could ever write... -
![Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas]()
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers.She's got a lot of baggage...literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real.For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but... -
![Tempt Me Forever by Layla Hagen]()
Tempt Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsTwo enemies. One bed. What could possibly go wrong? Our new general manager is the most difficult man on the planet. The night before Drake begins working at my family's hotel, he finds me in the bar, trying to get rid of a boring date. But the guy won’t take even a not-so-subtle hint. Then Drake surprises me and comes to our table, but only to reprimand ME about dating in our workplace...Categorized as:
rich heroine from hate to love m-f found-family forced proximity contemporary humor super rich hero -
![The Hating Game by Sally Thorne]()
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love. Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome. 2) A person’s undoing 3) Joshua Templeman Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office... -
![The Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman]()
The Green Valley Vineyard by Lucy Coleman
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA beautiful vineyard. A new beginning. A summer that will change their lives forever...Linzi arrived at Green Valley Vineyard nine years ago, in need of a fresh start. In the lush emerald countryside and ripening grapes, she finally has a place to call home.But Linzi's world is rocked when the owner announces he is retiring, and his grandson is taking over... -
![Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas]()
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
![Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne]()
Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne
As a leading columnist for Stiletto , Grace Brighton has built a career warning women about rotten, cheating liars. She just never suspected her fiancé would be one of them. After Grace takes a heart-mending hiatus, her first assignment is to go on a couple of dates with a counterpart from the men's magazine Oxford and report her impressions. Grace 1... -
![Just One Taste by Carly Phillips]()
Just One Taste by Carly Phillips
One grumpy billionaire.One sassy-sweet supermodel.Add in a tropical private island paradise.What could go wrong?As owner and CEO of Dirty Dare Spirits, thirty-three year old, Asher Dare has it all. Money. Power. Women whenever he wants. A private island retreat when he doesn’t. People he trusts? He can count those on one hand... -
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![The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini]()
The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini
How many weddings does it take to fall in love?One year ago, Amelie had it all.Almost engaged to her high school sweetheart, close to her childhood best friend, and cooking at her dad's restaurant: her life was exactly what she’d ordered.Until Ian, an opinionated wedding-hater, popped up out of nowhere and proved she might like something off menu.***One year later, Amelie has lost it all...Categorized as:
new adult m-f other-man-woman forced proximity sweet-hero forbidden love sweet heroine angst -
![Show Me Forever by Layla Hagen]()
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... -
![Anger Banger by S.M. Shade]()
Anger Banger by S.M. Shade
The residents of Happy Haven Trailer park have been waiting for this for a long time. The slumlord who abandoned this place and let our homes deteriorate has been court ordered to live here while making repairs. Imagine our surprise when the guy who shows up to move in to the dilapidated trailer across the street isn't the sixty year old man we expected, but his son... -
![Sail by M. Mabie]()
Sail by M. Mabie
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThis isn’t just a two-year long one-night stand. It’s my life. This is my life. Our life. It isn’t just some careless affair. I’ve made the worst decisions a woman could, but I’ll earn my second chance. She can try keeping all the guilt for herself, but I’m just as much to blame. Loving Casey wasn’t my biggest mistake. Fighting it for so long was... -
![Fake Around and Find Out by S.M. Shade]()
Fake Around and Find Out by S.M. Shade
An enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship romantic comedy.The Happy Haven Trailer Park is not where I hoped to be at age twenty-five.Circumstances have left me without a job or a car in a small town where work is scarce. When my insufferable neighbor approached me with a very indecent proposal to co-star in his videos on the Lonely Hands app, I had to resist the impulse to punch him in the mouth...Categorized as:
from hate to love grumpy sunshine new adult found-family humor contemporary dual-pov length-medium -
![Collide by Piper Lawson]()
Collide by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMy hot professor’s past tore us apart. But he won’t give up on our future.I thought I knew who Sawyer Redmond was. I was wrong.But he’s fiercely determined to keep me, and I can’t avoid him. He’s everywhere—in class, at events, in my head.He forces me to discover a side of myself I never knew. One that terrifies me almost as much as it excites me.He says our secrets can bring us closer...Categorized as:
new adult age difference forbidden love m-f contemporary humor length-short audiobook -
![JINXED by Emilia Finn]()
JINXED by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDrakeThey call me a flirt. ‘Detective Sl()ts-A-Lot’ when they’re feeling frisky, because my morals are loose, and my choice in women, according to the haters, is unfussy.But they don’t know I’ve been watching her.Waiting for her.The problem is, she’s half my age, and has no business being with a man like me.***RoryThey call me clumsy.Jinxed.And when they’re feeling a little dramatic, doomed...Categorized as:
age difference forced proximity angst new adult suspense humor contemporary length-medium -
![Hauling Ashe by L.B. Dunbar]()
Hauling Ashe by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLife might be a highway but the last thing this grumpy silver fox expected was a cross-country road trip with a ray of sunshine."My sister is driving to California. She could give you a ride.""What?" Tucker Ashe and I say in unison.Mae FoxSurely, my older sister has lost her mind. There is no way I'm driving her insufferable – albeit sexy silver fox – boss two thousand miles... -
![Steal by Rachel Van Dyken]()
Steal by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 23 ratings**Release day special 99 cent, jumps to $3.99 after 24 hours** Steal, the follow-up standalone rockstar romance to the #1NYT Bestseller Keep… It's easy to lose yourself in someone you love...Categorized as:
angst new adult from hate to love famous heroine humor contemporary office length-medium -
![Charity Case: The Complete Series by Piper Rayne]()
Charity Case: The Complete Series by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThese three women are the toughest juries they’ll ever have to plead their case to.THIS BOX SET INCLUDES…Clean Slate (Charity Case #0.5)Moving two thousand miles away wasn’t my plan, but when family needs you, you come. Before I can head back to my hometown of Chicago though, I have two men to say good-bye to. Neither one of them will be happy to hear the news... -
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![Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant]()
Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHigh school teacher Brooklyn Briggs has always been great with chemistry but terrible with relationships. When a guy drops into her life—literally—and offers to coach her into getting a date with her longtime crush, she's willing to accept any help she can get.Even if her new flirting coach is her brother Houston's best friend, the guy who drove her crazy all throughout high school...Categorized as:
forced proximity from hate to love multicultural m-f contemporary siblings-bff dual-pov humor -
![She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant]()
She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant
Micah Taylor is an eternal optimist, but with every first date that fails, her faith in true love weakens. When offered the chance to help reopen the lodge where her parents were married, Micah is determined to prove her worth and show her boss that she has what it takes to be a great event planner...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine age difference m-f contemporary humor office glimpses-kisses -
![Happily Letter After by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward]()
Happily Letter After by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward
From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a love story about taking chances, and the surprises that come with them.My love story all started with a letter.Only it wasn’t from the man I’d eventually fall in love with. It was from his daughter. A sweet little girl named Birdie Maxwell who’d written to the magazine that I worked for... -
![Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 6 by Umebachi Yamanaka]()
Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 6 by Umebachi Yamanaka
Chako works hard every day to take care of Isshin’s tea farm. One day, a huge typhoon hits the Kanto area! A pole blown off by a strong wind falls on Chako as she is checking the farm alone... -
![Deal Takers by Laura Lee]()
Deal Takers by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMY DICK CAN BE A REAL BASTARD SOMETIMES. When he takes charge, I’ve been known to do a lot of stupid shit, despite the fact that I have a genius IQ. Case in point: How I met the woman of my dreams. Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I don’t regret that moment of idiocy one bit... -
![Kiss Me Forever by Layla Hagen]()
Kiss Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsLast night, he was a sexy stranger I couldn't get enough of.Today, he's my new boss, who I can't seem to please.Bad luck seems to follow me. Last night, I grabbed a drink at the bar near my new workplace.I met the most sophisticated man when he “stole” my table. We bantered and danced, and I went home with a stranger for the first time in my life... -
![The Love Interest by Kayley Loring]()
The Love Interest by Kayley Loring
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsDear Fiona,I hope this letter finds you well—and by well, I mean significantly less infuriated than you were yesterday. I’ve wanted to continue our conversation from the night we met, but there are so many things I can’t say or do, now that I’m your professor.As an anonymous letter writer, I can give you some idea of what I have planned for us, once the year is over...Categorized as:
age difference grumpy sunshine secret-relationship m-f contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
![Let's Make a Scene by Laura Wood]()
Let's Make a Scene by Laura Wood
The companion novel to Laura Wood’s Under Your Spell follows Theo Eliott’s best friend Cynthie Taylor as she’s pulled back into a fake PR relationship with Jack Turner-Jones, the one costar she swore she’d never work with again.When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity slow burn famous heroine m-f contemporary humor length-medium -
![The Plan by Karla Sorensen]()
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... -
![Undesired Lust by Eden Summers]()
Undesired Lust by Eden Summers
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey used to be the perfect team. Two years ago, songstress Sidney Higgins ruined her life by sleeping with not one, but two of the famous Reckless Beat men, Mason Lynch and Sean Taiden... -
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![Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart]()
Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart
If you ask Mia Madden, the road to dating hell is paved with suspiciously hot online profiles. Take tonight’s date, for example. Alex Conroy’s whole “boardroom in the streets, lumberjack in the sheets” thing totally works for her, but his profile did not convey that he represents everything she loathes about corporate hustle culture. He’s not even worth her bottle of purse wine...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine from hate to love new adult forbidden love m-f humor contemporary -
![Worth the Shots by Heather M. Orgeron]()
Worth the Shots by Heather M. Orgeron
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHE’S COUNTRY MUSIC’S BAD BOY… COULD SHE BE THE GIRL TO FINALLY TAME HIM?Born into a life of wealth and privilege, Veronica Vanderbilt has never wanted for anything. Aside from a man, that is…Thanks to her overprotective father, Ronnie’s lovelife is non-existent. Attending a prestigious music school in Nashville seems like the perfect solution...Categorized as:
found-family from hate to love angst hurt-comfort contemporary virgin heroine humor audiobook -
![Passenger Princess by Morgan Elizabeth]()
Passenger Princess by Morgan Elizabeth
A sexy, Bodyguard, Grumpy/Sunshine, Celebrity romance from best-selling author, Morgan Elizabeth.Who knew applying to be the next Miss Americana while you’re drunk on tequila would actually get anywhere? But that’s exactly what happened to Ava when she wanted an excuse to promote her best friends’ new businesses... -
![The Even Odder Couple by Julie Christianson]()
The Even Odder Couple by Julie Christianson
Spencer Crane thinks I’m a human tornado.I think he’s a calendar app come to life.While he schedules? I spin-out.When I spontaneously combust? He overcompensates.And this is why convincing my new boss to hire him is a completely brilliant idea.You see, workplace romance is forbidden, but attraction between total opposites like Spencer and me is a non-issue.I repeat: Non. Issue... -
![A Fish Out of Water by Savannah Scott]()
A Fish Out of Water by Savannah Scott
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI knew trying to make a fresh start on Marbella Island would mean reinventing myself.I'm only here while I work my way up to my dream role in a major motion picture in Hollywood.Which explains why I took a role playing a mermaid in the island production of In So Deep . What I didn't count on?Ben. The charmer who just took a job as a water sports instructor.Everyone loves Ben.Everyone but me... -
![The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker]()
The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker
In which experienced West End actress Freddy Carlton takes on an Austen-inspired play, a scandal at a country estate, an enthusiastic search for a passion outside of acting…and the (some people might say icy*) heart of London’s most feared theater critic... -
![Flowers and Financiers by Alina Jacobs]()
Flowers and Financiers by Alina Jacobs
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn my defense, I never claimed to be professional...At least that’s my excuse for why I mistook a billionaire for a waiter, made off-color comments and accidentally dumped a plate of food all over him.Embarrassing myself is a daily occurrence, just like my unpaid bill notices.But being in a wedding instead of planning one is not...Categorized as:
from hate to love grumpy sunshine forced proximity m-f contemporary super rich hero humor suspense -
![The Monday Girl by Julie Johnson]()
The Monday Girl by Julie Johnson
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 14 ratings** DON'T MISS THE REDUCED $2.99 INTRO PRICE! ** Katharine Firestone is a bit of a mess. Between an acting career that’s never quite made lift-off to stardom, a pathetic love life of online-dating-app losers, and a maxed-out balance on every one of her credit cards, things can’t get much worse...Categorized as:
new adult angst love triangle other-man-woman m-f humor contemporary friends to lovers -
![Against the Rules: A Coach's Daughter College Football Romance by Bree Hayden, Morgan Waddle]()
Against the Rules: A Coach's Daughter College Football Romance by Bree Hayden, Morgan Waddle
After a famous football coach caused my parents' divorce, I have a rule against dating athletes. When I asked, the cute guy I'm talking to is adamant, no sports.Until I met my stepdad's star defense player. Him.Tattooed, scarred, so gorgeous, King was who I wanted to take my v-card until I saw the jersey on his back.After a tiny clothes-ripping incident in a storage closet, it's done between us... -
![Mine To Hold by Natasha Madison]()
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 new adult other-man-woman m-f contemporary humor cheating friends to lovers -
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![Misconception by Julia Wolf]()
Misconception by Julia Wolf
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI know rock stars. I grew up in the business, and now I make a living managing their tours. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.Lots and lots of ugly.All that ugly is why I’ve sworn off dating rockers, but sleeping with them, well...I’ve been known to make the occasional exception.One sultry night in Vegas, Mo Aronson, lead singer of Unrequited, becomes one of those exceptions...Categorized as:
multicultural age difference secret-relationship m-f contemporary humor length-medium -
![Matcha Made in Heaven, Vol. 5 by Umebachi Yamanaka]()
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 love triangle contemporary humor length-short fake relationship -
![Borrowed by Victoria Ashley]()
Borrowed by Victoria Ashley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI was never supposed to want to keep her.She was meant to be borrowed.Mine for six days and not a day longer.She doesn’t belong to me.She belongs to someone else.My brother…The closest person I have outside of the screaming fans and paparazzi—a constant in my new life— other than the whiskey I drown myself in to numb the pain left by someone else...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity angst new adult m-f super rich hero humor contemporary -
![Kissing Games by Evie Alexander]()
Kissing Games by Evie Alexander
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe might have made it to Hollywood, but he’s about to show her what she’s missed…When actress Valentina arrives in Scotland to film Braveheart 2, she’s at breaking point. Driven by demons, she’s worked without a break since she was a teen and can’t stop now. Everyone she loves depends on her. But something’s missing. Despite all the glitter and glamor, she’s never really lived... -
![Juicy Pickle: A Deserted Island with the Boss Romantic Comedy by J.J. Knight]()
Juicy Pickle: A Deserted Island with the Boss Romantic Comedy by J.J. Knight
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCan you imagine getting stuck alone on a deserted island with the person you hate most in the world? And no end in sight?Well, that’s me. Bailey Johansson, former assistant to the absolute worst boss ever to boss in the boss world. Stranded on a tiny island owned by a cruise line in an abandoned party hut.In a tropical storm.This is not a love story.It’s not a tale of redemption or heroism...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity new adult m-f contemporary humor length-medium first-person-pov -
![Three Little Words by Jenny Holiday]()
Three Little Words by Jenny Holiday
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsGia Gallo is officially in bridesmaid hell. Stranded in New York with her best friend's wedding dress, Gia has six days to make it to Florida in time for the ceremony. And oh-so-charming best man Bennett Buchanan has taken the last available rental car. Looks like she's in for one long road trip with the sexiest - and most irritating - Southern gentleman she's ever met..Categorized as:
sassy heroine forced proximity famous heroine m-f humor contemporary tortured hero length-medium
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