Books like 'Handy for You'
Readers who enjoyed Handy for You by Adele Buck also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary forced proximity mature couple competent heroine tall-heroine sunny hero sweet-hero
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Beginning of Forever by Catherine Bybee
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the story of two wine enthusiasts who ride the ups and downs of love in the vineyards of Tuscany.Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreams—a vineyard to run, a woman to marry...Categorized as:
forced proximity sweet-hero contemporary beta-hero super rich hero dual-pov length-medium m-f -
How to Be a Movie Star by T.J. Klune
Sequel to How to Be a Normal PersonA How to Be Novel Josiah Erickson wants to be a movie star. The problem with that is so does half of Los Angeles. But he’s on his way, what with memorable roles as a TV show background cadaver and a guy in a commercial for herpes medication. All he needs is his big break...Categorized as:
sunny hero forced proximity m-m contemporary humor friends to lovers queer found-family -
Hank by Cee Bowerman
Hank has worked hard to become the man he is today. He's a loyal friend and brother to the men in his club, a tough but caring employer, and a helpful neighbor to the older woman next door. He had one night of passion with a woman that ghosted him and she’s left a hole in his life that he just can't fill...Categorized as:
competent heroine tall-heroine sweet-hero mature couple contemporary length-short m-f usa -
Fore-Ever Yours by Bella Greene
A viral photo, a fake relationship, and one big problem.MatthewAll I wanted was a quiet few days.Instead, I get coffee poured on me, a gossip scandal, and a fake girlfriend.My agent insists this PR stunt will boost my career.Fake dating her for a few months? Fine. No problem.Except it’s definitely a problem.The more we fake this, the more I forget it’s not real... -
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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...Categorized as:
competent heroine tall-heroine sweet-hero humor new adult contemporary length-medium m-f -
Fire and Icing by Savannah Scott
Talk about making a bad first impression.The rookie at Waterford’s fire station literally hauled me out of my own home—over his shoulder. Was my kitchen on fire? Yes. Did I have it nearly contained? Also yes.And now he’s been tasked with making up for his overzealous rescue attempts by showing up to my bakery to grovel daily. And beg for my donuts...Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine sunny hero length-medium glimpses-kisses contemporary humor m-f -
The Perfection of a Moment by Kimberly Brown
“When I first saw you, I felt something I had never felt before. It was a mix of joy, excitement, and wonder. You are my adventure.”She was beauty and a mystery, and he wanted to know all there was to her.He was love in human form, and she wanted to experience all there was to him.The day Ximena Solomon met Hiram Moss, the last thing either of them were expecting was to find true love... -
Samson by Marie James
Who says you can’t fall in love at seven years old? I know I did. The love I felt for my babysitter, Camryn Davison at such a young age transformed over time. By the time I was a teen that love turned into fantasies I knew would never come true. By the time I saw her again at twenty-one I was determined to make those fantasies a reality... -
Lethal Pursuit by Kaylea Cross
Security Forces Lieutenant Maya Lopez is right at home in a war zone: she's been fighting all her life. A hard-won commission in the air force has brought her to Afghanistan, and if she plays her cards right, she could end up with an FBI job. It won't be easy, but that just makes her more determined. Jackson Thatcher is a protector in all senses of the word...Categorized as:
competent heroine sweet-hero suspense contemporary military sassy heroine men in uniform open-door -
500 First Editions by Maggie Gates
Romance author Willow Winslet believes the best in everyone, unless that one is Ryan Ford.What’s worse than being the only single person in your friend group? A hot guy in the checkout line mocking your boring Friday night.But Ryan Ford isn’t just anyone. To Willow, he’s an intolerable dating coach, an obnoxious podcaster, and a life-coaching con artist... -
The Dangers of Daydreaming by Karen Thornell
Finn Harrison is nothing like Gilbert Blythe… Right?Some people collect souvenirs—Lucy Sinclair collects disasters. So, she’s settled with traveling via the pages of her favorite books. But when a coveted promotion hinges on a trip to Prince Edward Island—home of Anne of Green Gables—she’s forced to swap fiction for the real thing.Finn stopped making plans the day his dad went to prison... -
Moonraker's Bride by Madeleine Brent
Born in a Mission in China, Lucy Waring finds herself with fifteen small children to feed and care for. The way she tackles this task leads to her being thrown into the grim prison of Chengfu, where she meets Nicholas Sabine - a man about to die. He asks her a cryptic riddle, the mystery of which echoes through all that befalls her in the months that follow..Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine sweet-hero contemporary suspense mystery historical hurt-comfort -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 2 by 945
This hit Boys’ Love webtoon/manhwa (comic) is coming to print in English for the first a full-color and Mature-rated romantic comedy about a convenience store part-timer and a handsome gangster!College student Yeo Eui-joon works the graveyard shift at a convenience store to pay his bills... -
A Risk Worth Taking by Jessica Joyce
Claire Ashford has always led a careful life—her family didn't nickname her Claireful for nothing. But after ending a relationship that was equal parts safe and unfulfilling, she recognizes just how much her caution has cost her and dedicates herself to leaving her Claireful ways behind. Her first chance to take a risk comes with a job opportunity in San Francisco...Categorized as:
forced proximity sweet-hero sunny hero insta-love contemporary christmas new adult m-f -
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Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a warm and romantic novel about a marriage in trouble, two conspiring kids, and the meaning of long-lasting love. After twenty years, the cracks in Lauren Reed’s marriage are showing. She and her husband, Jack, feel more like roommates than a loving couple...Categorized as:
forced proximity mature couple humor second chances small town contemporary length-medium audiobook -
The Wedding Menu by Letizia Lorini
How many weddings does it take to fall in love?One year ago, Amelie had it all.Almost engaged to her high school sweetheart, close to her childhood best friend, and cooking at her dad's restaurant: her life was exactly what she’d ordered.Until Ian, an opinionated wedding-hater, popped up out of nowhere and proved she might like something off menu.***One year later, Amelie has lost it all... -
Code of Ethics by April White
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThere are three things you need to know about Oliver:1) He’s a fabulously wealthy playboy who incidentally happens to be a code-writing genius,2) For maybe the first time in his life, he’s trying to do the right thing, and3) Someone wants him dead.Oliver’s life has already been saved once by the gorgeous yet grumpy “close protection specialist” provided by Cipher Security, Dallas... -
Before I Called You Mine by Nicole Deese
Lauren Bailey may be a romantic at heart, but after a decade of matchmaking schemes gone wrong, there's only one match she's committed to now--the one that will make her a mother. Lauren is a dedicated first grade teacher in Idaho, and her love for children has led her to the path of international adoption... -
Where We Found Our Passion by Natasha Bishop
KaiHow long do you have to be apart from someone before you can say you don’t know them anymore?How long does someone have to be out of your life before your every waking thought doesn’t revolve around them?Olivia Harding bulldozed her way into my life at twelve years old. She broke my heart at nineteen and I haven’t seen her once in the thirteen years since.She chose her career over me...Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine sweet-hero sunny hero contemporary angels black-mc sports -
Sterling Fight by L.B. Dunbar
These former friends might be faking their engagement, but revealed crushes prove there might not be anything fictional about their arrangement.In college, I often saw Judd Sylver in the library. He was a cool, broody type of guy who reminded me of a deeply tortured soul who might write poetry... -
Out of Focus by Cristina Santos
Can two people, brought together by chance and mutual need, overcome their differences and find a love that defies the odds?Rafael and Charlie are two souls destined to collide. He is a vibrant Brazilian CEO with a deep seated desire to find love. She is a British redhead navigating life in finance while trying to prepare for a potentially monotonous relationship... -
Love in Tuscany by Maya Jean, J.J. Mulder
Spend the summer in Italy for charity!Everyone deserves a second chance, including wedding photographers. They may even catch a picture of a doctor finding his opposite, yet somehow perfect, match. Fall in love in Tuscany, before hitting the road on an adventure with a stranger...Categorized as:
forced proximity sweet-hero queer contemporary m-m age difference height-difference insta-love -
The Risks of Reuniting by Aspen Hadley
Chloe Moore doesn't fly. Chloe Moore has always refused to step foot on a plane - a.k.a Death Bucket. Not happening. However, when she goes down a rabbit hole of self-help books after a painful breakup, she finds herself signing up for a humanitarian trip to Peru in order to rediscover herself by serving others...Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine sunny hero sweet-hero contemporary new adult humor length-medium -
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... -
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Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
Little else in life is as dangerous as fire jumping. Flying past towering pillars of smoke, parachuting down to the edge of an all-consuming blaze, shoveling and sawing for hours upon hours, days at a time, all to hold the line and push back against the raw power of Mother Nature. But there's also little else as thrilling - at least to Rowan Tripp...Categorized as:
sunny hero tall-heroine sweet-hero competent heroine suspense contemporary vengeance mystery -
Love Scammed by Rilzy Adams
It’s the blind date to end all blind dates.When Monae Alexander turns up to Miami International Airport to meet her best friend, Tempest, for their anti-Valentine’s Day girls’ trip to Turks and Caicos, she realizes she’s been scammed... -
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend by Kate Watson
It's not about the wedding, it's about the marriage...license.SeanWhen my ex cheated and begged me to take her back, I made a rash, too-public vow: the next woman I kiss will be my wife. It seemed like a good idea at the time—anything to stop being everyone’s second choice. The ultimate fallback guy. Then the Kayla Carville walks into my bar, all bold and stunning...Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine sweet-hero mature couple tall-heroine contemporary sports humor -
Hard to Break by Piper Lawson
Hard to Break is book 3 in the Denver Kodiaks spicy sports romance series. Miles and Brooke's story begins in Hard to Fake and concludes in Hard to Break...Categorized as:
sunny hero sweet-hero competent heroine sports basketball dual-pov contemporary new adult -
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... -
Mood Swings and Hockey Flings by Marika Ray, Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn the cutthroat world of professional sports, I’m the agent who always calls the shots. Until a decade-old feud with hockey superstar Banks Bennet resurfaces, and I’m forced to play nice. When his agent drops him and rumors of a trade swirl through the league faster than a puck on a breakaway, I find myself in the dreaded role of Banks’s new agent...Categorized as:
forced proximity mature couple hockey sports from hate to love contemporary office humor -
Not the Marrying Kind by Jae
Small-town florist Ashley Gaines loves her little flower shop and putting together the perfect bouquets for weddings and other happy occasions. Her own love life, however, is far from blossoming. Ash has decided that staying in the closet is safer than risking her heart again. Local bakery owner Sasha Peterson hasn’t had much luck mixing it up with romance either... -
The Last Key by Bethany Monaco Smith
What do you do when your best friend, who you’ve always wanted, comes home for your high school reunion? Start flirting with her, teasing her, and then tell her she’s sharing your bed, of course.From the moment Kennedy Baker moved in next door to me in middle school, she’s been my best friend. After a failed attempt at a kiss in eighth grade, nothing has ever happened between us...Categorized as:
forced proximity sweet-hero friends to lovers contemporary length-short m-f found-family california -
Eleven Eleven by Micalea Smeltzer
After my divorce, I decide to move across the country away from family and friends for a new start.What I don’t expect is him.He’s only supposed to be a one-night stand, but fate has other plans.The next time I see him it’s because I’m on a date with his dad... -
The Problem with Pretending by Emma Hart
From New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart comes a swoony, hilarious romcom about what happens when you find yourself snowed in at Scottish castle... with only one bed to share with your aristocratic fake boyfriend...Literally colliding with the hottest guy in the world and agreeing to be his date to his sister's wedding? Done... for some reason... -
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The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.Boom, done. Easy... -
Relationship Goals by Christina C. Jones
Everyone is a stranger at some point, right? Pulled by an explicable, undeniable thread of… something… Nick and Noah find themselves keen on becoming more. Hashtags and flights and late-night text sessions lead to a connection neither has experienced, or expected... -
Angel and the Neville Next Door: Friendship, Love and Second Chances (Sunshine Bay) by Jeanine Lauren
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsCan a cat person and a dog person find common ground? And maybe even love? Come to Sunshine Bay and find out!A year after a difficult marital separation, Helen learns her daughter Kim won’t be home for the holidays. She is staying in Ontario with her new husband and his family this year...Categorized as:
mature couple sweet-hero contemporary christian small town christmas second chances length-novella -
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... -
A Not So Merry Kiss-mas: A Sweet Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine Holiday RomCom by Abby Greyson
Next Door Neighbors. A Blind Match. And a Kiss That Melts the Ice. MelMy neighbor’s easy on the eyes, but his blaring music and clanging weights keep me awake. Michael Matthews is all charm and good vibes—qualities that drive my sleep-deprived self up a wall; even if his smile does spark an annoying flutter.MikeCole’s been raving about Noelle's best friend since they started dating...Categorized as:
forced proximity sweet-hero sunny hero humor length-novella glimpses-kisses contemporary m-f -
Dr. Aster by Raylin Marks
I thought I had it all. She showed me just how wrong I was…Being a cocky, playboy, billionaire doctor is every bit as amazing as you’d expect. Or, itwas, at least. Until I met her.Dr. Mikayla Smith is everything I’m not—sassy, sunshiny, and idealistic. She’s also a much-younger resident at my hospital, which means she’s forbidden fruit. I should’ve left her alone.But I didn’t...Categorized as:
tall-heroine sunny hero forced proximity sweet-hero competent heroine contemporary length-long m-f -
Guarding Teagan by Kaylea Cross
She’s out for justice.Teagan Kim is on a mission to find her cousin’s murderer, the same one she suspects nearly killed her. She’s used to operating on her own, but the DEA assigns her a bodyguard for a job she’s handling—and he turns out to be the man she had a one-night stand with the last time she was in town. Now they’re forced to work together as she hunts down a murderer... -
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...Categorized as:
competent heroine sunny hero humor contemporary age difference m-f independent heroine cold heroine -
Bikini Dawn: An Unconventional Romance by Michael Dalton
Things are always darkest before the dawn. A decade of living alone and broken-hearted has transitioned into a relationship with two beautiful, complex women, with rewards I could never have anticipated. After nearly a year together, Lexie, Olivia, and I are deeply in love and starting to plan a future together...Categorized as:
mature couple sweet-hero queer length-medium explicit-open-door poly m-f-f age difference -
Red, White, and You by Ash Keller
This Fourth of July, I'm declaring my independence from love. Too bad nobody told Phoenix Wood.Gigi Hart has two goals this summer: keep her bakery stocked with red, white, and blue cupcakes, and avoid anything—or anyone—remotely connected to her health-obsessed family and their fitness empire, Hart Health...Categorized as:
competent heroine sweet-hero sunny hero humor contemporary m-f grumpy sunshine from hate to love -
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Summer of Love by Sophie Thomas
Clara Henry wasn’t supposed to need a plus one for her best friend’s wedding. She was already dating one of the groomsmen, and he was supposed to be her fiancé by the time the wedding rolled around.But Drew ruins Clara’s proposal plans and breaks up with her instead, leaving the plus one position open and ready to use.Enter Jesse Bounds... -
Stubborn Heart by A.K. Evans
The Westwood Company is expanding. Leading the charge is Wyatt Westwood, and he’s as determined as ever to see it through. His dedication, work ethic, and commitment to his career have propelled him through the ranks of the company, where he now sits just one notch shy of CEO. Unfortunately, one small problem has brought the expansion to a grinding halt, and it’s up to Wyatt to fix it... -
Southern Snow by B.R. Goodwin
For the last three years, Georgia has called the quirky southern town of Sugartree home, dutifully moving back to manage her parent’s coffee shop after her father suffered a heart attack and finding contentment in her busy schedule and the occasional shenanigans of her three younger siblings...Categorized as:
competent heroine sweet-hero sunny hero christmas christian contemporary humor length-short -
The Guy at The Wedding by Katherine Center
It's the story of the night Jake and Helen (the main characters in Happiness for Beginners) first met.The first time Jake ever sees Helen, he's crashing her wedding with her little brother, Duncan—and Jake glimpses her for the first time as the boys burst into her dressing room without knocking just as Helen is adjusting the garter under her wedding dress... -
Family Blessings by LaVyrle Spencer
Out of the deepest grief comes the greatest love ... Lee Reston, a widow in her mid-forties, had a full and rewarding life with her three incredible children and a thriving florist business. And like most of us, Lee never imagined how she would cope if that which was most precious was taken from her .. -
Empty Net by Teagan Hunter
I have two goals this season:1. Stop enough pucks to get the Seattle Serpents to the playoffs.2. Don’t fall for my fake fiancée.When Lilah Maddison’s mother keeps trying to set her up on dates she’s not interested in, she blurts out that she’s already seeing someone. The problem? She’s single.So, I step in to help and agree to pretend to be her boyfriend for an event...Categorized as:
competent heroine sunny hero sweet-hero forced proximity hockey sports contemporary humor
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