Books like 'What Hurts Us'
Readers who enjoyed What Hurts Us by Maggie Gates also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny multicultural m-f fake relationship forced proximity grumpy sunshine first-person-pov dual-pov competent heroine
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Forever Starts Tonight by Karla Sorensen
It’s no secret that I’ve been in love with Jax Cartwright for half my life. A terrible decision, really, and not just because he’s my brother’s best friend or he’s ten years older than me. Thanks to an overprotective family, he’s ignored me for years, but still, I can’t get his grumpy a** out of my head...Categorized as:
m-f cheerful heroine cold hero dual-pov grumpy sunshine competent heroine contemporary humor -
![Made For You by Natasha Madison]()
Made For You by Natasha Madison
From Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Madison comesA brand new stand-alone enemies-to-lovers grumpy/sunshine sports romance.A spin-off from the Only One seriesVivienneI did the last thing I ever expected to do. I bought a boat. A beautiful boat that was all mine to spend the summer on.Only thing I was looking forward to was the calm being on the water brought me...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov grumpy sunshine cold hero m-f contemporary sports athletes -
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![Lavender's Blue by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer]()
Lavender's Blue by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer
From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the first book in a new trilogy... -
![Resolution by Adriana Locke]()
Resolution by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a workplace romance between a grumpy, alpha architect and his new client—who just so happens to have the blueprint to bring him to his knees. Romance is not in Wade Mason’s portfolio. This is tragic...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine cheerful heroine cold hero m-f contemporary humor super rich hero christian -
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![The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score]()
The Mistletoe Kisser by Lucy Score
Ryan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency... -
![Twenty-four Three by K.C. Mills]()
Twenty-four Three by K.C. Mills
A shot in the dark.A mistaken identity.A undeniable attraction.An injured hitman finds himself depending on a stranger and for Carter Reed trust is not something he’s willing to extend. Unfortunately when it comes to McKenna Smith, Carter can either allow her to be his saving grace or risk loosing something more precious than trust…his life.Stakes are high... -
![One Day Fiance by Lauren Landish]()
One Day Fiance by Lauren Landish
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsI’m Poppy Woodstock.Romance author and wholehearted believer in Happily Ever Afters.A terminal case of writer’s block should be my biggest worry. Then I crash into him—literally—and fall into the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Connor Bradley.Thief, rebel… and my new neighbor.One slip with the bad boy next door, and my life becomes stranger than any fiction I could ever write... -
![She Loves Me by Melissa Foster]()
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 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:
independent heroine strong heroine m-f humor contemporary friends to lovers sassy heroine -
![Rest In Pink by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer]()
Rest In Pink by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer
From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the second book in a new trilogy.Liz Danger is a ghostwriter, stuck in her old hometown for the summer, and trying to get her widowed ex-boyfriend off her leg. Good thing she has Vince Cooper, her recurring one-night stand living down by the river in his old diner car...Categorized as:
m-f small town men in uniform dual-pov first-person-pov cold hero independent heroine contemporary -
![The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown]()
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFamily, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change... -
![The Lie by Karla Sorensen]()
The Lie by Karla Sorensen
Rule number 1 for the team owner’s daughter? Don’t date the players. Especially not hotheaded tight ends with tattoos and impulse control problems. That’s why Dominic Walker is completely off my radar. Sort of. Babysitting the team troublemaker when he’s forced to volunteer for the foundation where I work means I can’t exactly avoid him. I wish I had though... -
![Come Back to Bed by Kayley Loring]()
Come Back to Bed by Kayley Loring
Dear grouchy neighbor: I’m considering your offer and need clarification before proceeding. Despite being an artist, I think you know that as a busy New Yorker, I am also practical and straightforward. That said, I need to make sure you know that this could never turn into anything serious...Categorized as:
m-f independent heroine cold hero first-person-pov dual-pov humor contemporary friends-benefits -
![Ick Factor by Morgan Elizabeth]()
Ick Factor by Morgan Elizabeth
Kat has never been on more than seven dates with a man before catching the dreaded ick. That’s all it takes to realize he’s not the one for her. It’s usually something small—the way he puts ice in his cup, drinks his coffee, or his preferred name in the bedroom, but it’s enough to make her realize she could never spend an eternity with him... -
![Jameson Fox by Nina Levine]()
Jameson Fox by Nina Levine
Rule number one if you’re going to fake marry a billionaire: only marry him if you like him and he likes you. Everything is too hard if you hate each other.Jameson Fox is the most infuriating, arrogant, frustrating, presumptuous, self-important alphahole I have ever met.He stole my company from me five years ago. Now, he’s made me an offer I can’t refuse: fake marry him, and he’ll give it back... -
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![Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid]()
Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged!But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another...Categorized as:
cheerful heroine cold hero dual-pov grumpy sunshine small town competent heroine m-f mystery -
![One In Vermillion by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer]()
One In Vermillion by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer
From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the third book in a new trilogy.Liz Danger is stuck in her hometown of Burney, Ohio, because her insane employer has rented a house there for the summer, which means she has three more months of trying to get a copy edit done, babysitting a seven-year-old, and figuring out what to do with three hundred and ninety-two teddy bears...Categorized as:
m-f small town independent heroine men in uniform cold hero dual-pov first-person-pov humor -
![One Bossy Disaster by Nicole Snow]()
One Bossy Disaster by Nicole Snow
A wild twist of fate throws together two total opposites in this steamy and hysterical grumpy sunshine romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.Trust me, I'm not falling for a human porcupine.I don't do older men with baggage a mile long.Billionaires? Nope, I'm Miss Independence, thank you very much...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine tortured hero dual-pov m-f humor super rich hero contemporary -
![Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas]()
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
![Catch a Kiwi by Rosalind James]()
Catch a Kiwi by Rosalind James
Breathe, smile, and move on. When you’re writing the next chapter in your rags-to-riches-to-rags story, you need about a million quotes like that. I might be short on inspiration, but I had determination. That was it, except for a very young cousin and a very old campervan, but I was all about starting over...Categorized as:
m-f forced proximity strong heroine independent heroine dual-pov multicultural contemporary humor -
![Knockout by Jessica Prince]()
Knockout by Jessica Prince
It wasn’t fair that the man I hated with a passion was so freaking gorgeous.Things in Layla Fox’s life were going great. She had a fantastic job, amazing friends, and a killer apartment. There was just one tiny glitch in all that perfect. Her upstairs neighbor was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome . . . and she hated the man with every cell in her body... -
![Fraudulently Ever After by A.R. Casella, Denise Grover Swank]()
Fraudulently Ever After by A.R. Casella, Denise Grover Swank
She’s cursed to live out romance tropes gone wrong. As a millionaire bad boy looking for a fake girlfriend, he is one. They’re a disaster in the making...and each other’s last hope. Tina I’m cursed.Yes, really. I broke a boy’s heart because he wasn’t romance hero material, and his nonna cursed me to live out my favorite plotlines...without the happy ending... -
![LOUT by Cee Bowerman]()
LOUT by Cee Bowerman
After a lifetime of taking care of everyone around him, Lout prepares to take on even more responsibility. A chance meeting at a friend's house introduces him to a beautiful woman he can't get off his mind...Categorized as:
multicultural m-f dual-pov first-person-pov competent heroine humor bikers length-medium -
![This Is Love by Melissa Foster]()
This Is Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsFall in love in Harmony Pointe, where hearts are lost, found, and sometimes misplaced…and everyone get a happy ever after. If a woman can’t find love in the quaint town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them—whether they’re looking for it or not. Here, the remaining single Dalton siblings are about to discover that they’re next in line to get swept away by love...Categorized as:
strong heroine tortured hero forced proximity m-f humor contemporary sassy heroine alpha male -
![Perfect Match by Eliza McLane]()
Perfect Match by Eliza McLane
They couldn't be more different, but wild-at-heart (and in bed) Rose and sweet-but-square Tyler have to make it through a romantic Valentine's weekend to win the prize at the end - all while proving they're certainly, definitely,really not the perfect match the dating app proclaims them to be..Categorized as:
forced proximity praise-kink m-f dual-pov first-person-pov cheerful heroine strong heroine humor -
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![I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones]()
I Think I Might Love You by Christina C. Jones
Jaclyn Love is a magnet for trouble - it seems to follow her wherever she goes. Unfortunately for Kadan Davenport, she also seems to be a magnet for him - even after a disastrous first impression that leaves him - literally - black and blue. Jaclyn is busy trying to find some sort of balance, and Kadan is just trying not to get swept up in the chaos... -
![Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott]()
Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott
A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip.It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron .Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound.He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man... -
![A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans]()
A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...There's always time for tea... unless you've lost your teapot…Cleo Jordan has only ever wished for one thing – to open her own teashop in memory of her lovely gran...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity small town found-family contemporary humor length-medium -
![Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant]()
Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHigh school teacher Brooklyn Briggs has always been great with chemistry but terrible with relationships. When a guy drops into her life—literally—and offers to coach her into getting a date with her longtime crush, she's willing to accept any help she can get.Even if her new flirting coach is her brother Houston's best friend, the guy who drove her crazy all throughout high school...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov multicultural m-f contemporary siblings-bff from hate to love humor -
![Boomerangers by Heather M. Orgeron]()
Boomerangers by Heather M. Orgeron
Boomerangers [boo-muh-rang-ers] noun, informal: an adult that moves back home to live with a parent after a period of independence. Spencer I love sex. I love the power, the intimacy, the euphoria it brings. Too bad I’m not having any . . . You’d think as New Orleans’ most renowned sex therapist that I’d be swimming in single men. In a way, I am . .Categorized as:
dual-pov first-person-pov m-f independent heroine small town friends to lovers humor contemporary -
![Grumpy the Bear by Marika Ray]()
Grumpy the Bear by Marika Ray
He’s a tattooed, blue-eyed jerk who has no business being a single dad. He’s also my next-door neighbor, and after negotiations, my grumpy employer for the summer.I don’t put up with cocky males normally and I certainly won’t put up with that man making noise at all hours of the day and night while he builds his glamp-ground...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine strong heroine small town cold hero m-f dual-pov first-person-pov men in uniform -
![Sweet Sunshine (the Pembrooke series) by Jessica Prince]()
Sweet Sunshine (the Pembrooke series) by Jessica Prince
She’s a romantic at heart. Chloe Delaney had three very specific wishes, growing up. She wished to stay settled in the small mountain town of Pembrooke, where she grew up, to one day be her own boss, and to fall in love with a man who would be willing to go to the ends of the earth for her...Categorized as:
m-f grumpy sunshine small town cheerful heroine competent heroine cold hero dual-pov humor -
![Flirting With Forever by Claire Kingsley]()
Flirting With Forever by Claire Kingsley
He’ll break all her rulesNora Lakes is sophisticated, successful, and happily single. Career problems aside, her life is fine the way it is, thank you very much. Sure, her best friends are all moving into a new season of life—full of husbands and babies and white picket fences. But that’s not what Nora wants. Neither is the gruff, tattooed guy next door. Tattoo artist Dex St... -
![Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn]()
Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn
Buying a lotto ticket with her two best friends didn’t change Zoe’s life. Only following her heart would do that... Sure, winning the lottery allows Zoe Ferris to quit her job as a cutthroat corporate attorney, but no amount of cash will clear her conscience about the way her firm treated the O’Leary family in a wrongful death case... -
![Home Is Where You Park It by Marika Ray]()
Home Is Where You Park It by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a giant of a man who grunts for words and barks out orders, yet circumstances require I be his fake girlfriend and spend the weekend with him in an isolated cabin.And of course there’s only one bed. Just my luck…But I need this commission check that only Boston can guarantee me...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity small town m-f contemporary from hate to love humor military -
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![The Plan by Karla Sorensen]()
The Plan by Karla Sorensen
Have you ever fake dated your bodyguard? I don't recommend it. Especially if he's anything like Erik Wilder: former football player, world class know-it-all and unapologetic grump. To be clear, I didn't want a bodyguard (hence the fake dating idea). Most days, I can’t figure out why he wants the job either. We drive each other insane, probably because we’re as opposite as two people can be...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine cold hero m-f contemporary humor sports age difference -
![Man Handle by Vanessa Vale]()
Man Handle by Vanessa Vale
What happened to my life? One minute I’m just a single dad and fire chief. The next, I’m Mr. January. That’s right, Georgia from Georgia’s been hired to organize the annual fundraiser. The former pageant queen’s not satisfied with a chili dinner. No. She came up with the crazy idea of a firefighter calendar. With puppies and kittens. The department’s gone crazy over the idea. And her... -
![No More Secrets by Lucy Score]()
No More Secrets by Lucy Score
“I can’t wait anymore.” His mouth claimed hers in a storm of heat and power. Carter Pierce is a man who believes in signs. He just doesn't know what to do with this one. In the small town of Blue Moon Bend, where everybody is a matchmaker, Carter wants to be left alone to tend the family farm. After returning from Afghanistan with scars, his only goal is recovery... -
![Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart]()
Some Kind of Blunderful by Livy Hart
If you ask Mia Madden, the road to dating hell is paved with suspiciously hot online profiles. Take tonight’s date, for example. Alex Conroy’s whole “boardroom in the streets, lumberjack in the sheets” thing totally works for her, but his profile did not convey that he represents everything she loathes about corporate hustle culture. He’s not even worth her bottle of purse wine...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine dual-pov m-f humor contemporary from hate to love new adult -
![In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes by Stephanie Archer]()
In Your Dreams, Holden Rhodes by Stephanie Archer
The deal is simple: he’ll wipe out my debt if I find him a wife.Holden Rhodes is grouchy, unfairly hot, and has hated me for years. Now we own an inn together. As we renovate the inn and practice his dating skills, I see a different side of him, though, and wonder if I was all wrong.When we add ‘friends with benefits’ to the deal, our chemistry is so hot the sparks could burn down the inn... -
![Her Wild Lumberjack by Clara King]()
Her Wild Lumberjack by Clara King
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe’s an ex-convict who just got out of prison.She’s the daughter of the sheriff who put him there.HazelBig, inked, and grumpy as heck, Ronan Black isn’t your typical Prince Charming.My dad says he’s trouble. He warns me to stay away.But when a flood leaves me stranded at Ronan’s cabin, I decide to judge him for myself.Turns out, there’s a heart of gold buried beneath his tough exterior...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine dual-pov praise-kink m-f age difference humor virgin hero -
![Espresso Your Love (The Coffee Loft: Fall Collection) by Bella Greene]()
Espresso Your Love (The Coffee Loft: Fall Collection) by Bella Greene
Welcome back to The Coffee Loft, where a new round of stories has been brewed especially for you.Those of you stopping by to visit again, we’ve missed you. The feeling of home is the same that you loved before. If it’s your first time, prepare to be swept off your feet.While our menu hasn’t changed, we think you’ll be pleased with the fall favorites we’ve added... -
![The Agent by Kimberly Kincaid]()
The Agent by Kimberly Kincaid
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNothing rattles stone-cold FBI Agent Kai Roman. Not chasing down ruthless criminals. Not the grief of losing his wife years ago. Not even inadvertently being caught in the middle of a bank robbery. Except Camila Garza is right beside him when danger strikes, and suddenly he’s the only person who can protect the off-limits beauty. No matter how much her older brother hates him... -
![Duke-ing it Out by Jami Albright]()
Duke-ing it Out by Jami Albright
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIt’s game, set, and match when this pro football player turned trainer squares off against a gorgeous tennis player with an attitude as big as Texas. Duke Wayne returns to his hometown for one reason and one reason only—reckless pro tennis star Sienna Ramsey has lost her ever-lovin’ mind. His feisty client is ready to throw her career away in favor of a simple life... -
![Pretend for Me by Swati M.H.]()
Pretend for Me by Swati M.H.
I botched a broody billionaire’s haircut, and what did he ask from me in repayment?That I become his fake fiancée!In my defense, my new migraine meds had packed quite the drowsy punch that morning. One minute I was trimming his GQ-worthy locks, and the next, I'd given him a side shave that would make a Marine jealous... -
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![The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score]()
The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
From the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over She'll save Christmas just to spite him… There's only one thing standing in the way of Cat King saving Merry, Connecticut's Christmas Grumpy town manager Noah Yates. Single dad Noah takes his responsibilities seriously... -
![The Brood by Devney Perry]()
The Brood by Devney Perry
The last thing Wilder Abbott needs is a houseguest. Solitude has been his stoic companion for nearly a decade. He prefers to brood over his mistakes in seclusion. Besides, he gets enough social interaction as a high school science teacher in Calamity, Montana.But when his oldest friend calls, begging for a favor, Wilder begrudgingly agrees... -
![Ale's Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart]()
Ale's Fair in Love and War by Sylvie Stewart
An Enemies-to-Lovers RomanceHollis Hayes is the worst neighbor in the entire history of neighbors.She’s also the hottest.F.M.L.I don’t have time to fight with the dog groomer next door. There’s a brewery to run, siblings to rein in, and a mom to look after. So if Hollis thinks I’ll roll over and let her drive me out of business, she’s not nearly as smart as she thinks she is... -
![Hard Knock Hero by Hannah Shield]()
Hard Knock Hero by Hannah Shield
He's nobody's hero...except hers.Out of all the diners in all the small towns, he had to walk into mine.Aiden Shelborne has left his Army days long behind. He’s out of the warrior business. And he never meant to stop in Hartley, Colorado at all. But when trouble comes for a woman he’s just met, he finds himself stepping in.Jessi Novo didn’t ask Aiden to play her savior... -
![The Fake Wedding Project by Pippa Grant]()
The Fake Wedding Project by Pippa Grant
Romeo and Juliet meets Hallmark Christmas movie in this steamy romp about star-crossed nonlovers caught up in a fake romance that could change everything they know in a real big way.Faking an engagement to my secret high school crush was not on my to-do list when I landed for a short visit home. But when Amanda Anderson announces that she’s my fiancée, I take a leap and play along with the farce... -
![Best Frenemies by Max Monroe]()
Best Frenemies by Max Monroe
Going tit for tat with the man you hate is all fun and games until things get literal…and the jerk sees you naked.My beach getaway was only supposed to include three relaxation, wine, and fun in the sun.Mack Houston, on the other hand, should have never— ever— been involved.In no uncertain terms, he’s the bane of my existence.The thorn in my side.The sexy Mr...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine dual-pov m-f from hate to love office contemporary humor
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