Books like 'Just a Heartbeat Away'
Readers who enjoyed Just a Heartbeat Away by Cara Bastone also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny age difference single-father friends to lovers slow burn sweet-hero competent heroine independent heroine working class hero
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First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
A hopeless romantic meets a demoralized radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem... -
![Dynamite by Emilia Finn]()
Dynamite by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.74 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey call us the devil twins - a fallacy and unfair assumption on everyone’s part.Well... mostly.My name is Luke Hart, and I’m the oldest of identical twin boys. Although I may be responsible for the ‘devil’ in our name, I have no urge to set the record straight and exonerate the innocent half of our pairing.There’s no point letting the truth get in the way of a good story.Right?Not so...Categorized as:
m-f found-family competent heroine independent heroine sports new adult humor length-medium -
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![Scenes from the Hallway by Penny Reid]()
Scenes from the Hallway by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsYou know who I am. I swear too much, I crack too many jokes, and I got a thing for Kat Tanner; a messy thing, a distracting thing, a getting-in-the-way-of-everything thing; a thing that makes being in the same room with the woman torture. Sometimes it's the good kind. Mostly, it's not. What you don't know is how it all started...Categorized as:
office working class hero friends to lovers m-f humor contemporary new adult sassy heroine -
![Craft by Adriana Locke]()
Craft by Adriana Locke
They’re not quite enemies. Not really friends. More like frustrated balls of sexual tension and neither will give in. Lance Gibson drives Mariah Malarkey absolutely crazy. He uses her office like a phone booth, takes cupcakes from the corner of her desk like she baked them just for him. She didn’t... -
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![A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland]()
A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThe BRAND NEW uplifting novel from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life.She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District... -
![Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster]()
Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster
She’s a romance writer who, against her better instinct, is finding love in the friend zone in a fun, sexy, and unpredictable romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.Who buys a cottage in a New England fishing village on a whim? A stressed-out, twice-divorced romance writer and single mother looking for a fresh start, that’s who... -
![Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell]()
Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell
The job was simple. Always answer the phone—no exceptions—then solve the caller’s catastrophe as efficiently as possible.The rules were simpler. They contact you, not the other way around. Never give them your real name, number, or any personal information not required to help a newly single dad keep his head above water.And never, ever get involved with a caller... -
![Filthy Little Midlife Fling by Lilian Monroe]()
Filthy Little Midlife Fling by Lilian Monroe
She's about to discover exactly what this hunky, small-town mechanic is hiding under the hood...I’m having a bad week.First, I get a call from my scumbag ex-husband asking for a favor. He wants to hire me to organize his new house.The house he’s sharing with his new wife.The one he cheated on me with.But the worst part? I’m so broke I might have to take the job... -
![Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin]()
Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin
A spicy, sassy, and swoony fake dating romantic comedy from Amazon Charts bestselling author Jennifer Millikin. A week on an island sounds like the stuff of beach dreams, but for Paisley Royce, it's a nightmare. Her little sister is marrying her ex-college sweetheart, and Paisley is serving as maid of honor. To add insult to injury, nobody will let Paisley forget she’s single... -
![Once Upon A Sure Thing by Lauren Blakely]()
Once Upon A Sure Thing by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsA sexy, standalone best-friends-to-lovers romance from #1 NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely! It's so easy being best friends with a gorgeous, talented, charming guy. Said no woman ever. Except me. My friendship with Miller is a sure thing — he’s my plus one, my emergency contact, and my shoulder to lean on... -
![Fiercely Emma by J. Bengtsson]()
Fiercely Emma by J. Bengtsson
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEmma, older sister of renowned rock star Jake McKallister, has crafted a quiet existence for herself. Fiercely independent, scorned at work, and indifferent to relationships, she’s spent the past decade trying to move on from the crime that shook her family to the core... -
![The Billionaire Book Club by Max Monroe]()
The Billionaire Book Club by Max Monroe
The Billionaire Book Club Questionnaire #1: Who is your least favorite character in the book? Me—Caplin Hawkins. I am an absolute idiot. #2: Who is your favorite character? Gorgeous, addictive, insanely challenging Ruby. She’s smart, driven, self-confident, and so beautiful, she makes my chest ache. #3 What is your biggest takeaway from the story? Ruby Rockford and I are meant to be...Categorized as:
friends to lovers office m-f slow burn super rich hero humor contemporary length-medium -
![Bayou With Benefits by Erin Nicholas]()
Bayou With Benefits by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey are friends. Without benefits. Unfortunately.Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A model.Sure, she’s his son’s favorite person on the planet...Categorized as:
friends to lovers age difference slow burn single-father m-f contemporary firefighter multicultural -
![Trouble by Adriana Locke]()
Trouble by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsShe wants something real. He wants something now. Together they’re trouble in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s sexy and funny twice-in-a-lifetime love story. With his shameless grin and let’s-play swagger, carpenter Penn Etling leaves women wanting in Dogwood Lane. What do they get? Avery Perry knows: a one-night stand. She’s been there...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine m-f humor new adult contemporary length-medium audiobook -
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![Without You by Lacey Black]()
Without You by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTuckerI spend my days brewing beer for the popular Brew Crüe Beer Company and my nights devoted to being a dad. Raising a young child with special needs can be tough and stressful, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. He’s everything to me, and the reason I keep going. It’s him and me against the world, and I have no intention of changing that.Then, Kinsley McGregor walks back into my life... -
![Queen of Klutz by Samantha Garman]()
Queen of Klutz by Samantha Garman
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsChoose the best phrase to describe Sibby Goldstein's 1) Sucky. 2) Really sucky. 3) Major suck-fest. D) All of the above. I started my day with a boyfriend and a job. I ended my day with a bottle of tequila. I'll let you connect the dots. Somehow, I wound up working as a waitress at an Italian restaurant. I have no idea what I'm doing. And I'm not just talkin' about life... -
![Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen]()
Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen
Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Survival of the Thickest in Danielle Allen’s CURVY GIRL SUMMER, a smoking-hot, hilarious novel about the perils of online dating. “There’s got to be an easier way than dating. I want the shortcut. I just want to find my person and start our lives together.” After a one-night stand with her clingy ex, Aaliyah James has an this ain’t it... -
![Until It Was Real: an enemies to lovers small town romantic comedy by D.E. Haggerty]()
Until It Was Real: an enemies to lovers small town romantic comedy by D.E. Haggerty
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI need a fresh start – not a workplace feud with a grumpy CFO who thinks I’m an absolute disaster. But here we are. I knew my first day as a billionaire’s assistant was off to a bad start when I woke up in my car. In the parking lot. Drooling on myself... -
![Just a Little Secret by Carly Phillips, Erika Wilde]()
Just a Little Secret by Carly Phillips, Erika Wilde
He’s not just a bachelor up for auction …He’s her sexy birthday gift for the weekend.But will she be able to forgive him when she finds out he’s hiding more than a little secret?Georgia Brooks had no intention of bidding on a bachelor at the charity auction, but her sister has other ideas and gifts her with a man for her birthday weekend. But not just any man . . . Drew Daniels... -
![Flirt by Adriana Locke]()
Flirt by Adriana Locke
WANTED: A SITUATION-SHIPI’m a single female that’s tired of relationships ruining my life. However, there are times when a date would be helpful. If you’re a single man, preferably mid-twenties to late-thirties, and are in a similar situation, we might be a match.Candidate must be handsome, charming, and willing to pretend to have feelings for me (on a sliding scale, as the event requires)... -
![Heavy Petting by Erin Nicholas]()
Heavy Petting by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe’s her best friend.A reformed bad boy turned hot teacher.And after one spur-of-the-moment Vegas wedding... her husband. Jordan Benoit and Fletcher Landry have been best friends since they were six. He’s always been The Guy. When she needed picked up, cheered up, or lifted up — like literally, to see the stage at a concert — Fletcher was the guy... -
![Flipping Love You by Erin Nicholas]()
Flipping Love You by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe’s the tattooed bad boy her mama warned her about. She’s his hot mess — but mostly hot — next door neighbor. Until a two-night-stand gives them the surprise of a lifetime... Jillian Morris is a workaholic who forgets to watch the time. And to eat. And to change her shoes. And to keep even a house-plant alive. And to have any kind of a personal life...Categorized as:
age difference independent heroine working class hero m-f contemporary humor small town insta-love -
![Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan]()
Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel... -
![Flirting with Trouble: Wells Silver by Melissa Foster]()
Flirting with Trouble: Wells Silver by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsForgetting playboy Wells Silver was supposed to be easy. If only he didn’t make it impossible. Secrets are made on the sandy shores and in the sweet small towns of Silver Island, where friendships run deep, passions run hot, and the sexy Silvers are considered island royalty... -
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![Don't Fall for Your Best Friend by Logan Chance]()
Don't Fall for Your Best Friend by Logan Chance
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA wickedly, funny romcom that'll have you laughing and swooning one minute, and hot and sweaty the next. Follow along as Paxton and Hartford try to navigate a world they know nothing about--B D S M! I’ve always lived by one major rule, don’t fall for your best friend, and this is one rule I can’t break. I’m supposed to write an article about a topic so scandalous, I can’t even say it... -
![Fiona and the Fixer by Vanessa Vale]()
Fiona and the Fixer by Vanessa Vale
A bad boy fixer and a bombshell detective can work together on opposite sides of the law... or so I hear.I’m an overworked fixer who needs a break. When I’m asked to cat-sit in Coal Springs, I’m all for a few boring days.Except there is no break, and there’s no chance to be bored... -
![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...Categorized as:
age difference friends to lovers sweet heroine office single-father m-f humor contemporary -
![Pink Bits by J.B. Heller]()
Pink Bits by J.B. Heller
Did you know the medical term for a butt crack is intergluteal cleft? My name is Reagan, and spouting random facts like this one at inopportune moments is my affliction. I’m chronically awkward, socially inept and completely lack a filter. Believe it or not, men do not find these attractive traits...Categorized as:
friends to lovers working class hero m-f new adult humor contemporary neurodivergent length-short -
![Happy Place by Emily Henry]()
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends... -
![Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne]()
Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me.I feel like he’s falling for me, too.And then my ex shows up...Categorized as:
age difference friends to lovers m-f contemporary humor sports length-short audiobook -
![Without You by Lacey Black]()
Without You by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTuckerI spend my days brewing beer for the popular Brew Crüe Beer Company and my nights devoted to being a dad. Raising a young child with special needs can be tough and stressful, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. He’s everything to me, and the reason I keep going. It’s him and me against the world, and I have no intention of changing that.Then, Kinsley McGregor walks back into my life... -
![I Knew He Was Trouble by Amanda Schimmoeller]()
I Knew He Was Trouble by Amanda Schimmoeller
I’ve never needed help from anyone. I certainly don’t need it from the infuriating doctor next door.I loathe my uncivil neighbor and the loud music he blares before the sun has risen. Even the dogs I walk—for one of my four jobs—despise him.I’d be happy never seeing him again... -
![Suite on the Boss by Olivia Hayle]()
Suite on the Boss by Olivia Hayle
Fake dating my billionaire boss to get revenge on my ex? Yes please. But falling for him? That’s something I vowed never to do again. Isaac Winter is the fourth-generation owner of the legendary 5th Ave hotel that bears his last name. He’s at the top of New York high society… and I’ve just left it behind... -
![Dating-ish by Penny Reid]()
Dating-ish by Penny Reid
There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris: 1) She’s fed up with online dating, 2) She’s so fed up, she’s willing to forego the annoyance and consider more creative alternatives, and 3) She knows how to knit. After the most bizarre and irritating first date in the history of human kind, Marie is looking for an alternative to men... -
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![Salt Love by Marika Ray]()
Salt Love by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat do you do when you find out your husband’s cheating on you, your aunt just passed away in Florida, and your boss gave the promotion to your work nemesis, so you threaten him with bodily harm in the middle of a board meeting?Well, after getting escorted out of the building by security, I fly straight to Sunshine Key to deal with my aunt’s estate...Categorized as:
office found-family m-f contemporary grumpy sunshine mature couple humor 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... -
![Reservations of the Heart by T.B. Markinson]()
Reservations of the Heart by T.B. Markinson
Can two wounded souls find solace together? 41-year-old doctor Stella Gilbert used to have it all. Her career was on fire, and she had a picture-perfect family--until she was blindsided by her wife doing the unthinkable... -
![Insta Family by Jen Atkinson]()
Insta Family by Jen Atkinson
Meeting your birth family is nerve-racking. So, it’s helpful when tall, dark, and lovable shows up to hold your hand.Coco had never planned to find her birth parents. But when Jude finds her—confessing that he knows her birth mother and he wants to set up a meeting, it’s suddenly all she can think about. Okay… maybe not all she’s thinking about. The messenger, Mr... -
![Undeniable Temptation by Eden Summers]()
Undeniable Temptation by Eden Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHaunted by a kiss. With his destructive marriage behind him, Ryan Bennett can no longer deny his insatiable attraction to the one woman in control of his future. He needs her. Craves her. She’s the only glimpse of happiness through the building drama in his life and yet one drunken kiss has pushed her further away. Tormented by what’s at stake... -
![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:
age difference office m-f contemporary forced proximity grumpy sunshine humor glimpses-kisses -
![When the Time Is Right by M. Mabie, Aly Martinez]()
When the Time Is Right by M. Mabie, Aly Martinez
Fate doesn’t always happen overnight. Hudson Bradley is the cockiest, most stubborn, hard-headed man I’ve ever known. And for fifteen years, he’s been my brother's best friend. But lately, what I’m feeling for him isn’t friendship at all... -
![That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson]()
That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson
My dream job just got snapped up by the one man who rejected me…That’s right. I’m an unemployed twenty-something stuck sleeping on my grandmother’s old futon while Hudson Blaine, the guy who shot me down, gets to manage The Beachfront Inn.Talk about life being unfair.I’m about to flee town with what’s left of my pride when Mr. Rejection begs me to stay... -
![Shameless With Him by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
Shameless With Him by Carrie Ann Ryan
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan completes a sexy contemporary series with an unrequited crush on the bad boy next door.Caleb Carr might have once been ready for commitment, but when the unexpected slams into him with the force of a two-ton truck, he knows he has to run away from anything that might be important... -
![An Unexpected Chance by Melanie Moreland]()
An Unexpected Chance by Melanie Moreland
Simon Fletcher is a busy single dad. Between bringing up his daughter and moving cross-country to start a new life, he’s focused on making a fresh start for them.Amy McNeil isn’t in his plans.But the pretty, wild, and free woman who has caught his eye is so different from his cold, removed ex-wife, he can’t help himself. He’s drawn to her. Her warmth. Her light... -
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![One Last Play by Annah Conwell]()
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers age difference m-f teacher-heroine single-father teacher-hero sports humor -
![She Loves Me by Melissa Foster]()
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhat are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance. Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine m-f humor contemporary sassy heroine strong heroine audiobook -
![The Project by R.L. Mathewson]()
The Project by R.L. Mathewson
From New York Time’s bestselling author of the Neighbor from Hell series comes a heartwarming romantic comedy about the only thing that matters when you’re about to lose everything that you’ve ever wanted. The one person that you can’t live without...Categorized as:
office friends to lovers sweet heroine independent heroine competent heroine m-f contemporary humor -
![Tussle by Jacob Chance]()
Tussle by Jacob Chance
“Why haven’t we had sex?” When Jesse Gunn, one of the biggest stars of World Class Wrestling, voiced that million dollar question, yet again, I was stunned. After turning him down countless times, I thought eventually he'd give up. Unexpectedly thrown together for a work project, my mind went to places I’d never allowed... -
![Love Letters to Christmas by Camilla Evergreen]()
Love Letters to Christmas by Camilla Evergreen
He's the best mail lead around, and I'm just his childhood friend turned roommate...I've spent my life battling to manage my parents' impossible expectations and trying to catch the eye of Brian Single, a man whose head only turns for mail...Categorized as:
office friends to lovers m-f slow burn found-family sweet heroine sweet-hero contemporary -
![Never Fall for the Bride's Father by Julia Kent]()
Never Fall for the Bride's Father by Julia Kent
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsPower outages. Runaway brides. Collapsed wedding cakes. Tainted caviar. Handsy grooms. And the always jealous MILs who wear white.No wedding catastrophe can faze Katie Gallagher, because when you plan for the worst, you deliver the best.The best wedding ever.Her company, Wedding Protectors, Inc., promises happily ever afters. Guaranteed. Whatever it takes...Categorized as:
age difference m-f slow burn sweet-hero competent heroine sassy heroine from hate to love humor
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