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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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 -
![The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer]()
The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer
Tate Ward is the best coach in professional hockey, a hot single dad, one of the best players of all time, and my new boss—who likes everyone but me. The players will do anything for him, the media is obsessed, and the fans still wear his jersey. Everyone's in love with handsome, authoritative Coach Tate Ward—except me, and the feeling’s mutual... -
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![A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland]()
A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 21 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... -
![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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![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... -
![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... -
![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 -
![Without You by Lacey Black]()
Without You by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTucker. I 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... -
![One Last Play by Annah Conwell]()
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 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 -
![The Busiest Place You Know by Allison DeRosia]()
The Busiest Place You Know by Allison DeRosia
Grab a cup of coffee, find a spot by the fire, and come along with debut author Allison DeRosia as she takes you to Northern Michigan for this atmospheric small-town romance. A second chance romance between an author and her editor. Oh, and she just unknowingly moved in next door... -
![The Love Bus by Annabelle Anders]()
The Love Bus by Annabelle Anders
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsI thought my life was perfect—until I found out my co-host-slash-fiancé was cheating on me. Live. On. TV. Overnight, I went from rising star to cautionary tale. Hiding in bed sounded like a solid plan. But fate (and my mother) had other ideas. Enter: The Love Bus. One ticket. A bunch of retirees, and The Southwest Bucket List Tour I never signed up for. I just wanted to escape the mess... -
![Betting on the Best Friend: a Sweet Romantic Comedy by Melanie Jacobson]()
Betting on the Best Friend: a Sweet Romantic Comedy by Melanie Jacobson
I helped all my roommates find love. Now they want revenge. When my besties present me with a plan to find the man of my dreams, I pass. Easily. Until my recent ex of five years very publicly announces his engagement to someone he just met. If dating shows him I’m happy and thriving, I’m all in. But after half a dozen nightmare dates, I’m having doubts... -
![The Fear of Falling by Dana LeCheminant]()
The Fear of Falling by Dana LeCheminant
What happens in Italy…follows you home. Avery was supposed to be married by now—not stuck working alongside her ex-fiancé, pretending their failed relationship never happened. So when a solo trip to Italy introduces her to a charming stranger with a devastating smile, a no-strings-attached fling feels like the perfect way to remember there’s more to life than work and heartbreak...Categorized as:
office m-f slow burn competent heroine independent heroine sweet-hero humor glimpses-kisses -
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![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... -
![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... -
![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 -
![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... -
![The Last Thing by Bethany Monaco Smith]()
The Last Thing by Bethany Monaco Smith
What do you do when the one night stand you were never supposed to see again shows up at your door as your daughter’s new nanny—and she’s pregnant with your baby? Convince her it’s all fate and you’re meant to be together, of course. From the moment Hallie Baker’s eyes met mine across a New York City bar, she’s owned me... -
![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 ratingsTucker. I 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... -
![The Maverick of the Mountain by Tessa Klein]()
The Maverick of the Mountain by Tessa Klein
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsHe’s big. He’s bearded. AND HE HAS A CHAINSAW! ? You Only Live Once. .. My temporary tattoo feels more like a prescient warning than a gentle reminder after I nearly careen off an old mountain road during the worst storm I’ve ever encountered. I should’ve stayed in town. I should’ve thrown out the hand-drawn map the local gave me... -
![Betting on the Best Friend by Melanie Jacobson]()
Betting on the Best Friend by Melanie Jacobson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI helped all my roommates find love. Now they want revenge. When my besties present me with a plan to find the man of my dreams, I pass. Easily. Until my recent ex of five years very publicly announces his engagement to someone he just met. If dating shows him I’m happy and thriving, I’m all in. But after half a dozen nightmare dates, I’m having doubts... -
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![Just Add Happiness by Julie Hatcher]()
Just Add Happiness by Julie Hatcher
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the author of Not Quite by the Book comes a deliciously witty novel about second chances, secret identities, and the art of rising above life’s bitter moments. At forty-six, Sophie Bianco’s life is half baked—trapped in a controlling marriage and estranged from her critical mother... -
![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... -
![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... -
![Partnering with the Artist by Camilla Evergreen]()
Partnering with the Artist by Camilla Evergreen
Becoming millionaire comic artist Zakery Bachelor’s muse was not on my bucket list. Though, to be fair, neither was tumbling into his lap while running from my ex. At a comic con. In a furry costume disguise. When Zakery suggests we fake date for a month and make an appearance at a Creator’s Ball to prove something to my ex, I oblige for the sake of closure...Categorized as:
m-f found-family office sweet heroine working class heroine slow burn sweet-hero forced proximity -
![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... -
![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... -
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![Red Flags Only by Storm Sterling]()
Red Flags Only by Storm Sterling
Jove Rogue is a certified maniac. And… also my pen pal? Which is, uh, cool. Totally cool. Really. No panic attacks here! It’s not like I thought my pen pal and closest confidant was a girl or anything. Obviously I knew it was our small town’s walking red flag - and not the cute kind that comes on mailboxes. No, no. Jove is not cute. For one, no one that huge would ever be considered cute... -
![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 -
![This Time, Next Year by Ruby Barrett]()
This Time, Next Year by Ruby Barrett
Nora hates two New Year’s Eve parties (too loud, too late) and her friend group frenemy, Finn (too tall, too argumentative). Then one New Year’s Eve, their friends enforce the “everyone has to kiss someone at midnight” rule and Nora and Finn begrudgingly lock lips. And something about that kiss makes Nora rethink that Finn’s mouth might be good for something other than pestering her... -
![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 -
![Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, Vol. 1 by Jinushi]()
Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, Vol. 1 by Jinushi
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAn overworked salaryman and a mischievous cashier with a dual personality form an unexpected bond in this sweet-and-sour comedy! At age forty-five, office worker Sasaki has had enough of the corporate grind. His only solace is smoking—and the friendly smile of supermarket cashier Yamada. When Sasaki can't find Yamada after a particularly trying day, a striking woman invites him to smoke with her... -
![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... -
![Honeysuckle Breeze by B.R. Goodwin]()
Honeysuckle Breeze by B.R. Goodwin
Would you rather know what your best friend’s lips feel like against yours but get ghosted immediately after… or never even taste the possibility of forever? What could be worse than inconveniently falling for your long-distance best friend? How ‘bout sharing an unexpected, but magical, Christmas kiss with him, then being ghosted ever after…... -
![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 -
![A Change of Heart by Hannah Ellis]()
A Change of Heart by Hannah Ellis
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe was never meant to fall for her best friend’s brother. .. Seren has had a soft spot for her best friend’s brother for as long as she can remember. But when she starts to see Kit as more than just a friend, she knows she’s on dangerous ground. Avoiding him is probably her best course of action, but that’s easier said than done when you live on a tiny island... -
![Just Wanted You to Know by Kait Nolan]()
Just Wanted You to Know by Kait Nolan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLivia Applewhite needs a change. Her awful boss has made the job she used to love a serious drag. On top of that, it seems everyone around her is paired off in romantic bliss. It's enough to give a girl a complex. Hoping a change of scenery will give her new perspective, she sets off for a two-week trip to Tennessee to visit her favorite cousin... -
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![The Candidate by Alice Ward]()
The Candidate by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLust drove us together. Our differences are driving us apart. As the Republican Party’s front-runner for the White House in 2024, I’m the man the media praises for having a silver tongue. By day, I’m a very conservative, buttoned-up professional. By night, my wild side comes out to prowl, searching for something. I end up in The Black Room. .. and find her... -
![Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray]()
Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray
I have my fresh start in a new town, this time a widow with a preteen daughter who rolls her eyes enough to make them stay that way. Too bad my past mistake is also here to greet me. Daxon Hellman. Town a-hole. Hot young contractor hired to build my house in the woods. It’s only when I’m face-to-face with him for the first time that I realize he’s the mystery man from two years ago... -
![The Barista's Guide to the Perfect Steam by Valerie Pepper]()
The Barista's Guide to the Perfect Steam by Valerie Pepper
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJodi Bristol knows three things for bad things happen to good people; college girls order the most complicated coffee drinks; and Price Joseph will never see her as anything other than the barista who makes his vanilla oat-milk lattes... -
![Space Age: Houston, Prepare to Launch by Sara L. Hudson]()
Space Age: Houston, Prepare to Launch by Sara L. Hudson
NASA Flight Surgeon Dr. Rebecca Sato has earned her dream job. Now she’s ready to explore the next frontier…. having a family. While responsible for the health of astronauts who fly through space in the International Space Station, her feet are firmly planted on the ground. But at thirty-six, the men on her radar are either intimidated by her intellect or not interested in having kids... -
![Cinnamon Roll Set Up by Genny Carrick]()
Cinnamon Roll Set Up by Genny Carrick
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsGive me a book boyfriend over a real guy any day. After the way my parents destroyed their marriage, I prefer my romance fictional—for myself, anyway. When my best friend, Miles, needs a date to an awards ceremony, I'm more than willing to set him up. I’m his ideal matchmaker because I know the shy bookstore owner better than anyone, and I'm completely impartial... -
![The Chameleon Effect by Joe Arden]()
The Chameleon Effect by Joe Arden
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLights. Camera. Action…. I've got everything it takes to make it in Tinseltown: confidence, charisma, and a killer chin. Now all I need is a chance. But Los Angeles is full of hot, young hunks, and talent might not be enough to separate me from the cookie-cutter crowd. Well, you know what they say: fake it till you make it. So I devise a wild scheme to get noticed...
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