Books like 'Like I Wished'

Readers who enjoyed Like I Wished by Charlie Novak also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  gay romance  friends to lovers  sports  bisexual  height-difference  athletes  queer  siblings-bff

  • Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

    Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    The Montgomery Ink saga continues in a seductive romance where a runaway bride and two best friends might just take the chance of a lifetime. Ethan Montgomery thought he had his life figured out until the moment he and his best friend met a woman in a wedding dress drinking wine out of a paper bag. He might work too many hours and always seems to put his family and friends first...
  • Hold 'Em Tight by Alisha Williams, Amber Nicole

    Hold 'Em Tight by Alisha Williams, Amber Nicole

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    They weren't kidding when they say life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, I think I have it all. My men. Happiness. Friends. Family. And the next, my whole life comes crashing down around me. Betrayal like I’ve never felt before consumes me. A heartbreak so gut-wrenching it hurts to breathe...
  • Sponsored links / Remove ads
  • Red Lined by Crea Reitan

    Red Lined by Crea Reitan

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Maybe you can order love online…. Julian. I’ve spent a short lifetime learning that what people say they want is rarely what they actually want. What I hope for is a relationship where both of us feel comfortable together. I think I finally find what I’m looking for in a mail order bride. Then he shows up...
  • Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Asher Williams is obsessed with love. His column is thriving, fellow students trust him with their relationship woes, and he’s on his A-game when it comes to matchmaking. At least, matchmaking other than his own. After a heartfelt letter written to his column, Asher is set on aiding the two love-struck heroes who desperately need his help...
  • Play Dead by Avery Cockburn

    Play Dead by Avery Cockburn

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The popular Scottish gay-romance series returns with this must-read novella! Colin’s wounds have finally healed. He’s ready for his big comeback on the football pitch and can’t wait to return to a normal life—especially the rampaging sex he and his boyfriend, Lord Andrew, once indulged in. But Andrew has his own invisible wounds...
  • Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Family comes first in all things. Whatever the cost. Ten had always heard the saying ‘Out of the mouth of babes,’ but he’d not expected it to hit home as it had. After a comment from their daughter, Ten and Jared find themselves pondering an addition to the family. Moving into the adoption process is nerve-wracking and riddled with anxiety—kind of like how the Railers have been playing of late...
  • Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair

    Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 11 ratings
    I thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out he’s helping me fall in love. Tyler. I have one rule when it comes to matters of my one and done. Consensually, of course. Fun with no complicated romantic feelings. Not that I’m built to experience those, anyway. After my car breaks down on a remote road, I follow a lumbersnack back to his creepy cabin for the cell service...
  • Love and History by Lane Hayes

    Love and History by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 16 ratings
    The sporty roommate, the professor, and a history lesson…. Holden-. Ezra might be the most annoying roommate ever. He’s loud, obnoxious, and full of himself. So what if he’s a tall, muscular, tattooed jock? His tendency to strip to his boxers in the kitchen while helping himself to my food isn’t endearing in the slightest. Nope. Ezra has to go...
  • Jumpstart by Riley Hart

    Jumpstart by Riley Hart

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    Motocross star, Beckett Monroe, is in need of some serious R&R. Not only to adjust to his new out-of-the-closet status, but in hopes of reigniting his passion for motocross. To his surprise, support shows up in the way of Christian Foster, his childhood best friend and first love. Spending time with Christian is the jumpstart Beck’s heart needs...
  • The Christmas Summons by Kelly Fox

    The Christmas Summons by Kelly Fox

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    From USA Today Bestselling Author Kelly Fox comes a Wild Heart Ranch Christmas novella. I’ve loved Gael Hernandez from the moment I laid eyes on him. We had a moment back in the summer, but he needed time to recover from the traumatic events that reshaped his family. It’s now Christmas, and I think my talented shoemaker is finally ready to let me love him for the rest of his life...
  • Breakout Year by K.D. Casey

    Breakout Year by K.D. Casey

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 13 ratings
    A newly traded, newly out third baseman on the cusp of his first major contract hires a fake boyfriend—not expecting him to be the former player who ghosted him years before. But as their star ascends in public, their feelings burn hot in private. .. threatening to expose what’s for the cameras—and what’s for real. Eitan Rivkin is used to being first...
  • Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Jesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more cliché...
  • Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander

    Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    From Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author R. G. Alexander, Book 3 in the Finn's Pub Romance series! Ever had a thing for the man next door? My sexy new neighbor is confusing the hell out of me. Elliot Ransom is a baseball player and a single dad, but he doesn’t know his butter beer from a snozzberry...
  • Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn

    Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn

    Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    “I don’t want options. I just want you. ”. Robert McKenzie has a secret. As the only straight player on an all-LGBT soccer team, he’s known to fans as “McWhatAWaste. ” No one would guess Robert’s actually bisexual. At twenty-one, on the verge of a brilliant career in video game design, he’s finally ready to be his true self...
  • The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 13 ratings
    The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…. Tommy. Help! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them...
  • All Bats are Off by Kelly Reynolds

    All Bats are Off by Kelly Reynolds

    Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 6 ratings
    Friends with Benefits meets Ted Lasso in this one-night-stand to lovers, gay baseball romcom set in the Pacific Northwest. If there's one rule every pro-baller knows, it's to avoid the press like the plague...
  • School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    When Colorado Penn finds an unexpected package on his front step, his life will be changed forever. Colorado Penn is living the dream. Starting goalie for the Arizona Raptors when in season, lead singer for a hard rock band when summer rolls around. He’s the quintessential free spirit who’s making sure he enjoys all the carnal blessings of his athleticism, and gritty singing voice...
  • Yesterday by Sarina Bowen

    Yesterday by Sarina Bowen

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    It’s been seven years since John Rikker left his childhood home in Michigan. Surely that’s long enough to scar over the wounds he received there. Or is it? Can Rikker survive a visit with his parents? And can Graham let him do it alone? (Only published in the Novella Collection "Extra Credit" - The Ivy Years 6 which contains all three novellas.
  • A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers

    A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Asher Williams is obsessed with love. Or at least he was, until it all came crashing down. He made a mistake. And even Asher himself, arranger of marriages and aider of lovesick hearts, doesn’t know how to fix it. And like every heroic quest, there are a few bumps in the road and dragons to slay...
  • Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    They were supposed to be a one-night stand, and then a weekend fling… a just-for-this-season affair… soulmates. When Chip met Jai during All-Stars weekend, their hookup should’ve ended there. At the time, it was no big deal. As the assistant coach for the Phoenix Ice Rays, Chip can’t be in a relationship with a player from his team. Lucky for him, Jai plays for the Red Zones...
  • Holiday Crush by Lane Hayes

    Holiday Crush by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 15 ratings
    The hockey has-been, the barista, and some holiday magic…. Court. Cut from the team, fired my agent…now what? This can’t be it for me. Unfortunately, the phone isn’t ringing. My best bet is to head home for the holidays and regroup. Problem: I don’t know what to do with myself. Helping out at the rink might be my ticket out of here, but nothing is happening fast enough. And then there’s Ivan...
  • Beautiful Temptation by Christina Lee

    Beautiful Temptation by Christina Lee

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Blair Anderson only thinks of Caden Bell as his best friend’s younger brother, a straight-laced jock still dating his high-school sweetheart. They are as different as night and day. Caden has always considered Blair an enigma, the way he lights up every room with his self-confidence and perfectly sculpted cheekbones. But since childhood they’ve drifted worlds apart...
  • Playing the Player by Beth Bolden

    Playing the Player by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Center Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend. He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet. But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets...
  • Knox by Laura John

    Knox by Laura John

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Knox Hanes has always kept his feelings for his older brother’s best friend, Gunnar, a secret. When Knox is forced from his home Gunnar invites him to live with him until things are sorted out. Trapped in close quarters, their hidden desires ignite, but the danger around them escalates, forcing them to confront their feelings and protect their newfound love...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Four years ago, he gave his heart to a rookie pitcher and struck out. Now, they have a second chance to get things right. No longer living on the streets and surrounded by men who supported him, Cody Marshall’s life was finally looking up. He hadn’t expected to hook up with anyone on his first spring training trip, but there was something about Nick Stone that called to him...
  • Skating to Him by Christie Gordon

    Skating to Him by Christie Gordon

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    I’m skating to the NHL while he’s running from his past. When we collide, am I brave enough to take the shot? Tyler. Hockey is my life. My ticket to the NHL is in sight, and I can’t afford distractions. Then Coach pairs me with Rowan, the new guy from Boston. He’s talented, sharp, and annoyingly irresistible. When he asks to hit the gay bar with me and my friends, I chalk it up to curiosity...
  • Rescue by Alison Hendricks

    Rescue by Alison Hendricks

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "I don't need you to rescue me. ". Tiberius "The Beast" Caulville is the bad boy of the NFL: an arrogant PR nightmare who doesn't care about his public image. But when an off-season fight lands him in hot water, he's forced to hide out in Hidden Creek and clean up his act with the help of the one person who doesn't buy it...
  • Betting Brett by Joy Danvers

    Betting Brett by Joy Danvers

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Brett is seriously clueless. He’s a great friend and a great father to his little girl, but how could he not realize after all this time that I’m gay? And I’m in love with him? I know I’ve never said anything, but I feel like I’m pretty obvious. Now I messed up and made a tipsy bet with him about a blow job that I really don’t want to take back. I’m not sure if it was a mistake though...
  • Nauti or Nice by Ava Olsen

    Nauti or Nice by Ava Olsen

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Being a first officer on board the superyacht Now, Voyager is a dream come true. And my personal life? I’m in and out and on to the next port, so to speak. I don’t have the inclination for a boyfriend. So when my boss asks me to work over the Christmas holiday, I’m happy to say yes. And then Kiernan Doyle arrives. The Irish bodyguard is a brawny grump with sad eyes and a shy smile...
  • Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    His heart says no, but his body says yes. Liam Donnelly's honed, athletic body craves something he can't have. Not when the last time ended in disaster. Now, the Dublin Rugby player is seeking redemption with a new team in Edinburgh. His fresh start is going strong, but one look at Chef Lachlan MacLeod's inked forearms and whiskey-colored eyes and he's tempted by far more than what's on the menu...
  • Stronger Than Longing by Katherine McIntyre

    Stronger Than Longing by Katherine McIntyre

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    Return to small-town Chesapeake and fall in love with the single-dad bad boy who keeps breaking hearts, and the adorable geek who can't help but fall head over heels for his brother's best friend. For one night with the man of his dreams, Taran's willing to break all his rules. .. .. Taran's always been the reliable one. Safe. Which is why he keeps getting dumped by the assholes he dates...
  • Night Shift: Dirty Things Happen in the Dark by Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo

    Night Shift: Dirty Things Happen in the Dark by Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo

    Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Summer in the Big Easy is hot. Inside Tulane Medical Center the temperature is on the rise. Six never before released stories that will leave you breathless. Dirty things happen in the dark. Off Duty. Sawyer Bennett. A member of the New York Fire Department, single father Tim Davis is about as tough as they come...
  • Triple Play: An M/M/M Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Triple Play: An M/M/M Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    When Eric is unable to help his friend recover, he has to put his feelings aside for a second time. He never imagined the man who could help would be the glue that bound them together. Drew Jackson had it all: a family who loves him, a tight circle of friends, and he’s a rising star with the Milwaukee Mavericks...
  • Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart

    Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart

    Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    Lincoln. I’ve done a good job getting over my past. I’m not only proud of who I am, but revel in it. Still, I don’t let myself get too close to people. With closeness comes questions and those pesky feelings, and I’m having none of that. I’ve got a great job, friends, I’m cute and twinky, and my bed’s never empty. What more do I need? Except I can’t stop sleeping with Rush Alexander...
  • Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    No one expected the loudmouth of the team to be hiding in the biggest closet of them all. When he’s paired with someone who just wants to keep his head down and play the game, sparks are going to fly. Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief...
  • Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief. With so many of his teammates coming out of the closet and living healthy lives, it’s getting harder for him to keep the secret only one other person knows: that he’s not as straight as everyone assumes when they see him out with his hot girlfriend...
  • My Best Friend's Brother by K.C. Wells

    My Best Friend's Brother by K.C. Wells

    Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    My best friend’s younger brother is all grown up. And gorgeous. Casey’s off limits. Forbidden. But that just makes me want him more. Rylan. I’ve watched Casey grow up. I never imagined how the sweet, scrawny kid would turn into a hot muscular man. A hot guy who just came out. Casey torments my thoughts. And my dreams. I need to stay far, far away from my best friend’s kid brother...
  • Retaking the Shot by Kimberly Knight, Rachel Lyn Adams

    Retaking the Shot by Kimberly Knight, Rachel Lyn Adams

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    “Ford, stay with me. ”. Those were the last four words Ford Mahoney heard Emmett Cooper utter before everything went dark. When Ford wakes up in the hospital, it doesn’t take long for him to realize he needs to confront the demons of his past. Meanwhile, the event of that night leaves Coop envisioning a better future for himself...
  • Shadow and Light by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Shadow and Light by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Is it easier to fall into the shadows than hold onto the light? Injured in a horrific car accident by a man who made him feel like nothing, Henry was left with life threatening injuries, crippling self doubt, and his career as a hockey player destroyed...
  • Clip by Charity Parkerson

    Clip by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Luka was nothing more than a job to Brady… until he wasn’t. When the owner of the Phoenix Ice Rays starts receiving death threats, the first thing he does is hire Brady to protect his son, Luka. It’s a move that leaves Luka less than thrilled. Ever since moving out on his own six years earlier, he’s come to embrace the silence of his workaholic ways...
  • Biscuit in the Basket by Kit Oliver

    Biscuit in the Basket by Kit Oliver

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Every love story needs its happily ever after - and then even more. Biscuit in the Basket follows Sebastian and Gil through the week after their first story ends in Light Up the Lamp. In this novella, they settle into their new lives, get their feet under themselves, and start to build their future...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Four years ago, it took no time at all for Cody Marshall to fall for the rookie pitcher at spring training. While their lives were nothing alike, Cody understood Nick Stone’s insecurities and pain. And then… Nick left. Eventually, Cody found his own passion and landed a dream internship with the Mavericks. His life was finally turning around. And then… Nick came back...
    Categorized as:
    athletes  sports  queer  m-m  contemporary
  • Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Loving You: Book Four. Can friends turned occasional lovers move beyond past mistakes and wrong assumptions to build something that can last? Quiet bookworm Shane has a big secret—one he’s kept for fifteen years. AFL superstar Ambrose Jakoby grew up next door to Shane. They were close friends, and Shane supported Ambrose through school. One night, everything changed...
  • Pole Position by Charlie Novak

    Pole Position by Charlie Novak

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Pole position gives a driver the best chance at winning, but can there be a winner when a long-term relationship is on the line? Mateo Llorente was born to be Formula 1 World Champion. Charming, handsome, and incredibly talented, Mateo is everything a champion should be...
  • Tell Me Lies by Hinsel Meyer

    Tell Me Lies by Hinsel Meyer

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Drew. A wedding planner moves to Las Vegas to start a new business…. Does that sound like the start of a bad joke? Well it’s my life...
  • Fool's Gold by Sarah Madison

    Fool's Gold by Sarah Madison

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Eight years ago, Jake Stanford had it all: a spot on the U. S. Olympic Equestrian Team and the love of his life, Rich Evans. A tragic accident wipes out everything in the blink of an eye. Hard work and sacrifice get him another shot at Olympic Gold, but only if he puts his past behind him and agrees to work with Rich again...
    Categorized as:
    sports  athletes  queer  m-m  contemporary  length-short  usa  virginia
  • Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow

    Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "The weirdest part about kissing my best friend is that it isn't weird at all. ". Drew Riordan is excellent at compartmentalization. It's the only way he's managed to survive three years at Bellamy university—and on the crew team—and how he's made peace with staying in the closet for the foreseeable future...
  • Curve Ball by Sloan Johnson

    Curve Ball by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Jason Klein’s living with the fallout from a decision he knew was the right one at the time. He never told anyone about the love of his life, which left him to mourn alone when he found out the man he gave his heart to had been killed in combat. Now, his heart has had time to heal, but he’s not sure he’s ready to let himself move on. Until he meets Cam Morgan…...
  • Canning the Center by Tara Lain

    Canning the Center by Tara Lain

    Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Six foot seven inch, 300 pound Jamal Jones loves football, so when he finds out the ultra-conservative owner of his new pro football team fired their current center because he’s gay, bisexual Jamal decides to stay in the closet and hang with the females...
  • Boys of Summer by A.E. Wasp

    Boys of Summer by A.E. Wasp

    Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Teammates, roommates, friends with benefits. What could go wrong? Boys of Summer is a book about finding the perfect person to ride shotgun with on the crazy road trip called life. It contains a Dolly Parton lookalike, an unfortunate deer versus car incident, and poorly-timed epiphanies. Everybody leaves. That was the first lesson Thunder goalie James McVicker ever learned...
Like I Wished by Charlie Novak
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.

Get recommendations by genres & tropes

Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences

romance book finder

Looking for more inspiration? Enter another book title to get more suggestions on what to read next.

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

romance book finder preview 1
romance book finder preview 2
romance book finder preview 3