Books like 'The Start of Something'
Readers who enjoyed The Start of Something by Miranda Dickinson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny military suspense grumpy sunshine single-mother dual-pov
-
Beard Up by Lani Lynn Vale
Ghost [gohst] noun: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied, vague, shadowy spirit wandering among or haunting living persons; a mere shadow or semblance; a trace. That noun sums up Ghost and what his life has become with painful precision. He is barely living, merely existing but never thriving. There wasn’t much that could pull him from the darkness he willingly inhabits…except one thing... -
Rewriting You by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsI’m a mom to teenagers… I’m also my late husband’s executioner.He was an abusive man on the fast track to devastation. He hung me from a fancy chandelier to die. Had my saviours driven the long way home, I wouldn’t be here today to tell my story. It’s been a long road since then, but my children and I have finally moved back to town. It’s time to lay some ghosts to bed... -
Targeted by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHunter Townsend loves his new home in the small town of Shadows Landing. It’s his sanctuary when he comes home from a mission as part of his Special Forces team. Maggie, the infuriating, monogram loving, bright color wearing, cuter than she should be woman, who loves to tease him was the only issue in Shadows Landing. Until a mission goes wrong . . -
Only for You by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsLove only works when your heart is in the right place. Hers could be right next door… Single mom Bridgette Dalton doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses—not even in her own flower shop. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t noticed Bodhi Booker. Her ruggedly handsome next-door neighbor would be the perfect candidate for a no-strings fling... -
-
Marriage and Murder by Penny Reid
The Devil is in the details . . . Cletus Byron Winston wishes to marry Jennifer Anne Donner-Sylvester (aka The Banana Cake Queen) posthaste! He’s spent the last year wanting nothing more than for the celebrations to be brief, libations flowing, and BYOB (bring your own blueberries)... -
Bishop by Marie James
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn the grand scheme of things five years isn’t a very long time. It goes by in a blink, literally. Waking up with no recollection of the last five years is devastating. The woman I remember loving is with someone else. The only family I had is gone, and I’m forced to relive those losses all over again...Categorized as:
military suspense single-mother humor bikers alpha male tortured hero forced proximity -
I Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsEllodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.Easy, right?Wrong.She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes...Categorized as:
suspense military forced proximity contemporary humor from hate to love length-medium m-f -
Wicked Heart by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFinn Sawyer hates everything about being back in Sawyers Bend. He walked away from his family years before, living off his wits and skills in the kitchen, refining his craft as he worked his way across Europe. Then the father who left him for dead is murdered, and the will offers Finn a chance at his dream... -
Rescued by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsKane Townsend was with the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit until one case changed everything. Hampered by the red tape preventing him from saving an innocent life, Kane left the FBI and started his own private contracting company. Kane was called in to rescue people all over the world when the government couldn’t or wouldn’t get involved... -
The Last Exchange by Charles Martin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 30 ratings“Here’s the catch—even if I make it out of here alive, I need a reason to breathe again.”When MacThomas Pockets finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces, he was hired to consult for a film director to finesse some scenes that weren’t working. In a twist he never saw coming, he ended up moving to L.A. to work as the bodyguard for movie star Maybe Joe Sue... -
Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIt’s not every day you meet a man at the bar, stare at him for hours, and then right when you decide to make a move, he gets up to leave. Worse, when you follow him outside, you see him completely change his appearance by shucking a wig and a button down shirt, dropping them into the nearest trash can... -
Forever Notorious by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.79 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAbigail Mueez knows all about being something you’re not. Everyone knows she works security in Washington D.C., but that wasn’t exactly the truth. There are many layers of deception in Abby’s life from her job to the man she’s with—a man she doesn’t have time to fall in love with when her life and so much more was on the line. Too bad she didn’t tell her heart that... -
That Day by Karen Deen
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA day, like no other.They happen once in a lifetime, they say.So why am I 'lucky' enough to have more than one? Here I am living life, minding my own business.Until the man I'd been fantasizing over for a year.Ends up in my bed. The sensual words he whispers late at night.His touch on my skin, ignites my inner vixen.Making me want things I've only ever written in words... -
Command Indecision by Camilla Chafer
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA young woman is dead. Her supposed killer is in custody. And Private Investigator Lexi Graves is on the warpath. Lexi Graves finally feels like she’s got her life on track. She’s got a job that is made to measure and the perfect boyfriend but all it takes is a few shocking minutes for everything to start falling apart... -
-
Charlie Foxtrot: An OPS Protector Romance Novel by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMummies.Yeah, you heard me right. That’s my next job—protecting a mummy.It wouldn’t be a problem, except someone doesn’t want this particular mummy to make it to the museum.Not to mention one of my teammates thinks this particular mummy is cursed.On top of this ridiculous job, I’ve also met the most gorgeous woman in the world... -
Rafe by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe true measure of a man is not in the mistakes he makes…but in how he handles those mistakes. Rafe Walker gained fame while in the Army when he was photographed for a Military Calendar. Afterward, modeling contracts rolled in but he found his life in California lacking and longed for a change... -
Mountain Daddy's Fate: A Mountain Man's Baby, Second Chance Romance (Mountain Men of Liberty) by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 11 ratings"Let me get this straight... you dumped me twelve years ago. Now, you need my protection from the man you're about to marry?"How is this my life!?!Three things I know about Eli:1. I broke his heart over a decade ago.2. The reason I left him was unspeakable. A secret I've kept hidden all these years.3. Even though I'm engaged to another man I'm still madly in love with him... -
YOLO by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGarrett Carter knew the moment he saw her years prior that she was the one. His one, however, had a fiancé. And she was rich. She also lived out of state. So what other option did he have but to let her go? Years later, he sees her again at her worst. Her husband-to-be has stranded her on a hiking trail with a head wound, convinced she’s faking her blindness...Categorized as:
suspense military contemporary humor super rich hero office from hate to love length-medium -
Engaging the Billionaire by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIf we can’t outrun the past, we won’t have a future. The rock on her hand is real, but our engagement is a fake. Once upon a time, I dreamed of buying her a ring, until everything blew up in my face. That was the past, and this is business. At least, it is until I kiss her. It's supposed to be part of the act — and it is — right until my lips touch hers. I forget where we are... -
Join the Club by Lani Lynn Vale
There are a few lessons one has to learn for themselves. Then there are the lessons that most people don’t have to learn because it’s just not done. For instance, most people know instinctively that they shouldn’t crave the mother of their brother’s child. Bourne Pena isn’t most men... -
Nuclear Option by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe exciting and thrilling conclusion to Cash and Eva’s story, and the second book in the OPS series! The military defines a Nuclear Option as a drastic step or last resort, and I’m about to take it. Cash I am an expert marksman, engaging the enemy from afar. You’ll never see me coming because I’m that good. Even a sniper can be drawn out of hiding... -
Not a Role Model by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsYou better watch out for people that bounce back from everything that’s meant to destroy them.Those were the words that Coreline King learned to live by when it came to dealing with Tide ‘Rook’ Crow, member of the Battle Crows MC, general surgeon, and all-around jerk who lived to make her life a living hell...Categorized as:
dual-pov suspense military from hate to love contemporary bikers alpha male pregnancy -
The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 24 ratings"The perfect escape for readers wanting to get away."—Booklist One woman takes the vacation of a lifetime in this poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold a family together from #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery.Single mom Robyn Caldwell needs a new plan for her future. She has always put her family first. Now, with her kids grown, she yearns for a change... -
The Keeneston Roses by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe Bluegrass book everyone has been asking for is finally here. The Rose sisters have survived the lows and enjoyed the highs throughout their lives. See what events shaped Keeneston's most beloved siblings. Lily Rae Rose has been headstrong since she was a child. She was the oldest, after all. Maybe that’s why she fell for the bad boy next door... -
-
Clap Back by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBeing a twin is great. What isn’t great is having the hots for the same woman your twin does. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. Since Auden Carter made that mistake in his teens, he’d promised himself never to do that to his brother again. Hence why he’s tried so hard to stay away from Maven, the sexy bakery owner that seems to have been put on this planet to tempt him... -
Wrath by L. Wilder
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWall Street Journal and USA Today Best Seller L. Wilder brings you a new addition to the Satan’s Fury MC series.Stitch was stepping down.And he was preparing me to take his place.He’d seen the darkness in me.He knew I could use my demons the way he’d used his.And he was right.I used them, and I used them well.They’d helped me keep everyone at a distance— including her... -
GRAY WOLF SECURITY, Texas: The Complete 6-Books Series by Glenna Sinclair
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFree with Kindle Unlimited... Enjoy the complete Volume 2 of the Gray Wolf Security series. Romance, Suspense, Mystery and a touch of Comedy. 6 Books. No Cliffhangers. More than 1,000 pages :) Book 1: Defending Tierney I never wanted to be anything other than a defense attorney... -
Mountain Man's Accidental Surprise: A Secret Baby Romance (Mountain Men of Liberty) by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 13 ratings"I'm ready for my private striptease lover boy." My best friend's bachelorette party had to be amazing. Lucky for me, my hired stripper blew everyone away. And I was quite smitten myself. Later that night, he gave me a private show. One I'll never forget. But now, no can know our secret. Because the life of my unborn baby literally depends on it... -
No Cap by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsYou know when you see that big red flag, and you think to yourself, I should probably not go anywhere near there? Yeah, Quincy Carter ignored that big red flag. He walked right up to that red flag, waving blatantly in the wind, and kissed the holy hell out of her. Sure, he probably should’ve arrested her for breaking a restraining order...Categorized as:
suspense military dual-pov contemporary humor from hate to love first-person-pov length-short -
More than Beauty by Olivia Michaels
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsRetired Navy SEAL and movie buff Eric Armstrong is living the dream -- working as a bodyguard and kennel master for Watchdog Security in Los Angeles. Sparks fly when he tangles with the beautiful and headstrong Samantha Collins, daughter of the biggest actress in Hollywood, during an impromptu assignment... -
The Billionaire's Angel by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe thought the fight was over until his heart was on the line. I thought coming home would solve all my problems. I’ve never been more wrong. After a decade in the military, I’m more at home in the desert than the mansion where I grew up. I want to pretend that six months as a captive didn’t change me, but ever since I escaped, I haven’t slept. Nightmares. Flashbacks... -
Tomas's Trials (SEALs of Honor) by Dale Mayer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTomas is excited about this new direction in his life. Working for Levi allows him to use his vast array of skills in new and varied ways. He doesn’t expect to be sent undercover in a supremacy group, loaded with weapons. Yet what he finds is much more complicated than that... -
Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSelf-Licking Ice Cream Cone is book 12 in the OPS series and should be read in order.I never should have grown out my hair. That’s where this whole thing started. I was too rigid. Too organized. And nobody failed to point that out to me.So, I grew my hair out to prove them wrong.Now I had a fake career as a model, all in the name of keeping a woman named Juliette safe... -
On the Double by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEdward Markinson.You’ve read about them in Reed Security.You’ve come to know a little about who the men of OPS are.But everything you thought you knew is a lie—smoke and mirrors.The truth of OPS is hidden deep inside, waiting to be revealed.Owens Protective Services.Defend. Investigate. Secure... -
-
Celebrating Love by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSaints Protection & Investigation A private investigation business, pulling together men from the CIA, FBI, ATF, DEA, Border Patrol, SEALs, and police, devoted to the missions that no one else wanted or could solve. Nick Stone - a stoic, dedicated FBI agent. His life was neat and orderly, just the way he liked it... -
Loved Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEven though they’d never dated, Lily Shaw always just assumed she’d eventually end up with Ben, the boy who’s been her bestie since they were toddlers. So she’s understandably shocked to learn he’s getting married—and having a child with his fiancée. Shocked…but not terribly upset. The truth is, she's been feeling butterflies every time she’s near a particular horse trainer on her parents’ ranch... -
Out On a Limb by Josie Watts, Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsNever work for your family. Especially when that family consists of an octogenarian going through a mid-life crisis.Now, instead of running Sweet Side Gardens, my grandad's popping little blue pills and sneaking into closets with my friends’ grandmas…Leaving me to handle everything else.And I was doing a pretty good job up until the night I found myself dangling from a tree.Topless...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine dual-pov suspense humor office friends to lovers contemporary heroine sleuth -
The Five Minute Mistake by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe's my instructor. He's off limits.And he's the twist I never saw coming.On paper, Nash Jennings is intimidating as hell. Former Navy SEAL, notorious loner, and the grumpiest sniper on the West Oaks SWAT team. But I don't buy it. I think he's actually a nice guy under that armor he wears, and I'm determined to draw him out. Make him my friend. Perhaps even make him smile...Categorized as:
suspense military grumpy sunshine humor contemporary age difference mystery alpha male -
Quit Bein' Ugly by Lani Lynn Vale
There’s a crush, and then there are the type of feelings that Croft Cruisie evokes from a person.He’s everything that any straight woman would want: tall, handsome, charismatic, muscular, and sweet...Categorized as:
military suspense contemporary humor friends to lovers m-f length-short explicit-open-door -
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... -
Beach Please by Melanie Summers
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA hilarious and heartwarming story that’ll have you snort-laughing, swooning, and sighing with happiness… Lola Gordon's dreams of a thriving surf shop were shattered when her ex vanished with all the money in their business account, leaving her on the brink of losing everything... -
A Blind Date for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsBlind dating for the digital age. What could go wrong?When my best friend asks me to test his new dating app, I'm not sure it's a good idea. After all, I'm moving out of the country in six months. What's the point?But he insists it's just to help him out, so I give it a shot. Plus, the mystery of it is kind of fun... -
Kat, Knight Watch by Danielle Norman
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI never believed in love at first sight...Until the ATM ate my debit card, And Jackson Boudreaux stepped in to save the day. All business, in his nine to five banker suit--I couldn’t help but wonder what he was hiding under that perfect form. I was leather and handcuffs. He was ties and cuff-links, But it didn't matter that we were from two different worlds... -
Good Time Boyfriend by Carrie Ann Ryan
A new town. A new bar. A new life.At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.I moved to Denver to try to piece my family back together, but I have no idea how to do that.Then the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen walks into my bar, and I think things are looking up.She needs a fake boyfriend for the night and I’m all too eager to play along... -
-
Gray Wolf Security: Wyoming by Glenna Sinclair
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFree with Kindle Unlimited... Enjoy the complete Volume 3 of the Gray Wolf Security series. Romance, Suspense, Mystery and a touch of Comedy. 5 Books. No Cliffhangers. More than 1,000 pages :) HANK I’m a cowhand... -
Far From Destined by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan continues her sexy new contemporary stand-alone series with a broken heart and the shattered soul that can heal them both.Macon Brady remembers every moment he lay on the ground, a bullet in his chest, his life bleeding out with each pulse. Yet his nightmares aren’t the only thing keeping him up at night... -
SEAL INVESTIGATIONS: A 5-Books SEAL Romance Series by Lola Silverman
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE COMPLETE SERIES, now FREE with Kindle Unlimited. 5 books and NO cliffies! Book 1: JASE I did not work my ass off to become a Navy SEAL because I had a desire to add the title of “nursemaid” to my resume. So when my commanding officer requested that I go check up on his baby sister, I was understandably less than thrilled... -
Bayou Sweetheart by Lexi Blake
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSparks fly in Louisiana's Butterfly Bayou when a Hollywood starlet falls for a local deputy in a small-town contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake. After leaving the military, Major Blanchard moved to Papillon, Louisiana, to be with his aging father, where he's taken a deputy position with the sheriff’s department... -
Air Force Hero by Weston Parker
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThere’s only been one woman for me, and she’s never truly been mine. But I don’t have much time for anyone anyway, with my focus on my career. I’m a military man through and through, from generation to generation. This one girl, though. She stole my heart when we were kids, but it’s taboo, forbidden. She’s my best friend’s little sister, and he’d kill us both... -
Sterling Brick by L.B. Dunbar
Love wasn’t part of the blueprint when high school sweethearts reunite in their small town. But this former military man never forgot the girl he left behind and he’s more determined than ever to rebuild their relationship brick by brick and heart by heart.Getting locked in the men’s restroom during my mother’s funeral wasn’t exactly how I expected to run into my high school sweetheart...Categorized as:
military dual-pov single-mother humor small town contemporary mature couple explicit-open-door
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.