Books like 'Barred Desires'
Readers who enjoyed Barred Desires by Ashley James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance young adult stepsibling college angst forbidden love new adult cheating forced proximity
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19 Days by Old Xian
The cute and funny adventures of a boy and his best friend. Also contains insert art of the characters by the mangaka. -
![Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsThe final round of the music festival tryout is about to begin, but that’s not the only source of tension in the band. Mafuyu, who’s been spending a lot of time at Ugetsu and Akihiko’s place, learns about the complicated history between the two and realizes that Haruki’s heartbreak is part of that romantic tangle... -
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![Autoboyography by Christina Lauren]()
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst forced proximity secret-relationship queer contemporary young adult m-m -
![Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 5 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsLove of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to each other—always brings them back together again... -
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![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu, キヅナツキ
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsLove of music unites the four members of the band Given: hotheaded guitarist Uenoyama, playboy drummer Akihiko, gentle bassist Haruki, and Mafuyu, a singer gifted with great talent and burdened by past tragedy. Their struggles and conflicts may drive them apart, but their bond to the music—and to one another—always brings them back together again... -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 3 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 3 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsStunningly handsome Kohei Sugihara was outgoing and popular with the girls at school. But when a sudden illness left him with partial hearing loss, he grew quiet and reluctant to engage with others. At college, a chance encounter with an ever-optimistic classmate named Taichi Sagawa helped Kohei open up once more. And over time, the two began to develop feelings for each other...Categorized as:
secret-relationship queer contemporary young adult m-m disabilities and marks length-medium -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsDue to the overwhelming success of I Hear the Sunspot, the sequel has finally arrived, I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness! How will this "more than friends, less than lovers" relationship evolve? --he can't hear . . . ? Because of a hearing disability Kohei is often alone. Taichi is outspoken and cheerful... -
![Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu]()
Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsNow that Given has an offer to record their debut album, each of the band’s members must decide whether to get serious about trying to go pro. Though Ritsuka doesn’t have a single doubt in his mind, Mafuyu isn’t ready to commit... -
![Check, Please!: Year Four by Ngozi Ukazu]()
Check, Please!: Year Four by Ngozi Ukazu
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 15 ratings -
![Restart After Coming Back Home by Cocomi]()
Restart After Coming Back Home by Cocomi
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsHotheaded Kozuka Mitsuomi left his home in the country for a sophisticated life in Tokyo. Unfortunately, at age 25, he’s fired from his job and returns home in disgrace. As he tries to rediscover himself, he meets Kumai Yamato, a man about his age who was adopted into his community while Mitsuomi was away...Categorized as:
queer friends to lovers new adult contemporary m-m young adult length-short first-in-series -
![Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa]()
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsAristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy. Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong. The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Lopez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce... -
![I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 3 by Mika .]()
I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 3 by Mika .
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI want to know, but. .. . .. if I ask, there's no way we can go back. Childhood best friends. Two halves of a whole. Yamato and Kakeru. After spotting what seemed to be a romantic encounter between Kakeru and Akane, Yamato's jealousy overflowed-and the rift between them grew even deeper... -
![The Haircut by Alice Oseman]()
The Haircut by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOnce again we spend some time with 25-year-old Charlie and 26-year-old Nick. .. plus Daisy! -
![Pictures of You by Leta Blake]()
Pictures of You by Leta Blake
Growing up gay isn’t easy. Growing up gay in Knoxville, Tennessee is even harder. Eighteen-year-old Peter Mandel, a private school senior—class of 1990—is passionate about photography. Peter doesn’t have many friends, preferring to shoot pictures from behind the scenes to keep his homosexuality secret...Categorized as:
new adult cheating friends to lovers angst other-man-woman secret-relationship queer m-m -
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![某某 A Certain Someone by Mu Su Li, 木苏里]()
某某 A Certain Someone by Mu Su Li, 木苏里
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 14 ratings盛望搬进了白马弄堂的祖屋院子，一并搬进来的还有他爸正在交往的女人。. 他爸指着那个女人的儿子对他说：叫哥。. 桀骜不驯吃软不吃硬的制冷机（攻）x自认很金贵的懒蛋小少爷（受）. 盛望：我笔直。. 江添：我恐同。. 校园文，1v1+he. Sheng Wang moved into his ancestral home at White Horse Lane, along with the woman that his father was presently seeing. His dad pointed at that woman’s son and said to him: Call him ge (older brother)... -
![You Are Not Me by Leta Blake]()
You Are Not Me by Leta Blake
Follow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage. After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It's the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer...Categorized as:
new adult angst friends to lovers forced proximity other-man-woman cheating queer m-m -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino
Because of a hearing disability, university student Kohei had made a habit of distancing himself from those around him. But after meeting the exceedingly cheerful Taichi, he gradually begins to embrace a more positive outlook on life. Kohei eventually begins to see Taichi as more than a friend, and after he finally confesses his love to Taichi, the feelings become mutual...Categorized as:
secret-relationship queer contemporary young adult m-m disabilities and marks length-short -
![The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley]()
The Dove in the Belly by Jim Grimsley
At the University of North Carolina, Ronny's made some friends, kept his secrets, survived dorm life, and protected his heart. Until he can't. Ben is in some ways Ronny's opposite; he's big and solid where Ronny is small and slight. Ben's at UNC on a football scholarship. Confident, with that easy jock swagger, and an explosive temper always simmering. He has a steady stream of girlfriends...Categorized as:
angst friends to lovers new adult college queer secret-relationship young adult contemporary -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsKohei is a college student who, because of his hearing loss, tends to distance himself from others. His attitude starts to change after he crosses paths with an ever-optimistic classmate named Taichi. And over time, the two begin to develop feelings for each other... -
![Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe Something Like… series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush... -
![A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor]()
A Tremendous Amount of Normal by Chase Connor
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNoah is normal. He’s full of normal. His older brother Will tells everyone all of the time. Even if they don’t believe him. Noah doesn’t understand why kids in school call him a “retard. " He’s not intellectually disabled. In fact, he’s very smart. But a lot of people call Will a fag—so maybe it’s kind of like that. Neurotypical people don’t always make sense...Categorized as:
queer new adult friends to lovers m-m young adult contemporary found-family length-medium -
![Love Stage!!, Vol. 4 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou]()
Love Stage!!, Vol. 4 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIzumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator. Mega otaku Izumi and famous actor Ryoma have finally confirmed their feelings for one another... -
![Know Not Why (Know Not Why) by Hannah Johnson]()
Know Not Why (Know Not Why) by Hannah Johnson
Howie gets a job at Artie Kraft's Arts 'N Crafts hoping to score with his lady coworkers. After all, girls love a sensitive guy, and what's more sensitive than dedicating your life to selling yarn and . .. stuff? (Okay, so maybe it'd be a good idea to actually learn what one sells at an arts 'n crafts store. ) But things don't go exactly according to plan...Categorized as:
friends to lovers college new adult queer queer-awakening contemporary from hate to love slow burn -
![Fence #9 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad]()
Fence #9 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 27 ratings -
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![I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 6 by Mika .]()
I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 6 by Mika .
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTime rewinds to Kakeru and Yamato’s elementary school days, when they first met each other. While their personalities are near-exact opposites, they grow closer with each day they spend together. Soon, Kakeru learns more about Yamato—that his father fell into a coma after an accident, and even about a certain secret that he’s hiding. .. -
![I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino]()
I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKohei Sugihara, college student with hearing loss, and Taichi Sagawa, his ever-optimistic former classmate, met in a chance encounter that ignited an undeniable spark that would eventually blossom into love. Now it’s spring and as Kohei nears graduation, his search for a job begins. Meanwhile, Taichi finds himself in charge of someone new at work... -
![Love Stage!!, Vol. 3 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou]()
Love Stage!!, Vol. 3 by Eiki Eiki, Taishi Zaou
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsIzumi Sena is an average guy born into a family of famous celebrities. A college student and total otaku, he works hard every day with the goal of someday becoming a manga creator. -
![I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 2 by Mika .]()
I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 2 by Mika .
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIf I asked you. .. . .. would it change the way we are now. .. ? Childhood best friends. Two halves of a whole. Yamato and Kakeru. Since he believed that the handsome, popular Yamato would never feel the same way, Kakeru was stunned when Yamato admitted he would be upset if Kakeru got a girlfriend... -
![Flower Shop by Alice Oseman]()
Flower Shop by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA little story set in an alternate universe about how one man asked out a kind florist. .. -
![Boyband Crush by Alice Oseman]()
Boyband Crush by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA little crossover mini-comic between Heartstopper and I Was Born For This. -
![Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Stories: Volume Two by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe Something Like… series is drawing to a close! Before it ends, reunite with favorite characters and meet others for the first time in this special collection of fourteen stories. Highlights include Something Like Champagne, in which Marcello searches for the truth behind a drunken vision. In Something Like Bunnies, a young Jace Holden struggles with his first crush... -
![Jackass! by Scarlet Beriko]()
Jackass! by Scarlet Beriko
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsWhen the panty hose go on, all bets are off between these best guy friends! Practical Keisuke’s incredibly handsome best friend Masayuki has always rubbed him just a little bit the wrong way... -
![Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThis isn’t a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight. My name is Nathaniel Courtney and I’m a survivor. I didn’t let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I’ve weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable... -
![fawn by Nash Summers]()
fawn by Nash Summers
Heaven is rays of sunlight dancing slowly on wheat stalks. It's wind twirling itself around chimes hung from low tree branches, and robust bursts of scent and color, far beyond anything describable with words. Heaven is a flightless crow, a promise of forever tied to a necklace, and hidden love letters tucked away safely inside a tree... -
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![Dream of a Waking Man by John Goode]()
Dream of a Waking Man by John Goode
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsWith high school long behind them, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark are sharing a life, together, content, but happy? Kyle seems to have given up that spark that made him who he was and Brad is worried it may never come back. When an email from a gay teen asks Kyle for help, he has to choose between his comfortable life of sleeping his life away, or waking up and doing something about it. -
![Perfectly Us by Jaclyn Osborn]()
Perfectly Us by Jaclyn Osborn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne summer. Two hearts forever changed. Alex is magnetic. His vibrant personality and easy smiles draw people toward him. No one would guess he’s secretly hurting. Shiloh is quiet. His social awkwardness and anxious mind make it hard for him to make connections. He’s always felt different. A little broken. When these two meet, they recognize something in each other...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers queer m-m contemporary young adult length-short audiobook -
![The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter]()
The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else. But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer queer-awakening m-m young adult contemporary length-short -
![When I Grow Up by John Goode]()
When I Grow Up by John Goode
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAfter graduation, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark move to California to pursue their dreams. But high school sweethearts are called that for a reason, and their love rarely stands up to the test of time. As money, school, sex, and jealousy test their relationship to the breaking point, Kyle and Brad fight to hold on to the love that brought them together... -
![Diamonds by Nash Summers]()
Diamonds by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMaps’ kingdom is crumbling before his eyes. His parents are forcing him to get a job, there’s a new kid at school who won’t stop staring at him, and his best friend is too busy thinking about girls to help Maps deal with his real problems. Worst of all,. Maps is lost. And none of the roads on his map are leading to Lane. -
![Regretting You by T. Ashleigh]()
Regretting You by T. Ashleigh
Tyler-. Some days I wish I’d never met Gregory Baldwin. Then there are days when I feel like I’ll die if he’s away for too long. It’s like I’m addicted to him. Addicted to the attention he gives me and what he does to me in secret. He has lips made for sin and a body I can’t keep my hands off of, but mostly, I know he has a heart. That’s what keeps me coming back...Categorized as:
college secret-relationship friends to lovers new adult angst queer from hate to love contemporary -
![Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen]()
Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen
Tiny and adorable when they first met, Rui—still just as adorable—now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed. Now every day passes with such overwhelming sweetness it’s all they can do not to ask themselves, “am I allowed to be this happy? ”...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst queer contemporary m-m young adult length-medium explicit-open-door -
![I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 5 by Mika .]()
I Cannot Reach You, Vol. 5 by Mika .
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsYamato and Kakeru. Childhood best friends, complete opposites, wholly in love with each other. After Yamato’s confession, Kakeru resolved to face his feelings—once and for all! More aware of Yamato than ever, Kakeru agonizes over his true desires, the pair somehow end up on a Christmas date. Can Yamato’s affection reach Kakeru? -
![My Summer Of You: Vol. 1: The Summer Of You (君は夏のなか (Kimi wa natsu no naka) #1) by Nagisa Furuya]()
My Summer Of You: Vol. 1: The Summer Of You (君は夏のなか (Kimi wa natsu no naka) #1) by Nagisa Furuya
A wistful summer blossoms between two high-school boys finding themselves and each other through a shared love of movies in this moving, dramatic, two-volume BL romance series, perfect for fans of Seven Days, Given, or I Hear the Sunspot. Chiharu Saeki and Wataru Toda are two high school students who share a common hobby: They love to watch movies...Categorized as:
friends to lovers secret-relationship queer young adult contemporary m-m high-school length-medium -
![Maps by Nash Summers]()
Maps by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIf Maps ruled the world, his best pal Benji would be court jester, and every day would celebrate a new experiment. No, scratch that. If Maps ruled the world, his best pal would still be living next door, and there wouldn’t be any gap-toothed new guy staring at him as if he’s bonkers. Pity Maps doesn’t rule the world . . .Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer queer-awakening young adult contemporary m-m bisexual -
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![Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister]()
Cinderella Boy by Kristina Meister
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBeing perfect isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sixteen-year-old Declan is the perfect son . . . except for one tiny issue. When his sister Delia comes home to find him trying on her clothes, he fears her judgment, but she only fears his fashion choices...Categorized as:
queer friends to lovers angst young adult contemporary m-m high-school length-medium -
![Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! by Claire Davis, Al Stewart]()
Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! by Claire Davis, Al Stewart
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFirst love - coming of age - family - acceptance. When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he's known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now - finally - the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace. Anthony is a red-haired force of nature... -
![Volatile by Avylinn Winter]()
Volatile by Avylinn Winter
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBook 1 in the Treacherous Chemistry series. Like a depressed moth drawn to a wild flame, Chris hoped that flame would brighten his life, not burn him alive. Chris Sinclair fades into a gray world after losing his mother to cancer. When forced to attend a concert, as a last attempt to coax him out of his shell, he discovers that life might not be as bleak as he first thought... -
![String Boys by Amy Lane]()
String Boys by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeth Arnold learned at an early age that two things in life could make his soul soar—his violin and Kelly Cruz. In Seth’s uncertain childhood, the kindness of the Cruz family, especially Kelly and his brother, Matty, gave Seth the stability to make his violin sing with the purest sound and opened a world of possibility beyond his home in Sacramento... -
![Sheets by Sareyen]()
Sheets by Sareyen
[BxB] Waking up next to someone after having a little too much to drink was no new, riveting story in this day and age. Waking up next to another boy, when you were also a boy, was a little more interesting, but still nothing to write home about. But waking up in Nico Beckett's sheets? To Wesley, it was a nightmare come to life. ~~~... -
![Loud Places by A.E. Jensen]()
Loud Places by A.E. Jensen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“You’re my best friend in the whole wide world, Matty. ”. Three years. It’s been three years since Ethan last saw or heard from his best friend. Three years since Matty ran away. Now that high school is over, nothing stands in the way anymore. Ethan is ready to embark on this journey cross country to find Matty...Categorized as:
angst friends to lovers queer m-m hurt-comfort young adult contemporary length-medium
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