Books like 'The Real Thing'
Readers who enjoyed The Real Thing by Elle Keaton also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance suspense mystery small town age difference christmas forced proximity friends to lovers boss & employee
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Click by Nora Phoenix
He doesn't just want the friendship or the benefits. He wants it all.Rhett, the White House photographer, is tired of everyone treating him like he’s fragile. He wants a life of his own. Punch his V-card. A boyfriend.Making new friends is a good first step, even if it’s with his boss, Calix, who’s fifteen years his senior. Calix is kind and protective, and he encourages Rhett to spread his wings...Categorized as:
age difference mystery friends to lovers suspense boss & employee queer m-m contemporary -
![Run and Hide by Alan McDermott]()
Run and Hide by Alan McDermott
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsThis book was previously published by Thomas & Mercer, an Amazon Publishing imprint. Please check your downloaded Kindle books before purchasing.There’s only so long you can run for your life.Eva Driscoll is used to chasing down bad guys, but now the bad guys are chasing her. She knows they won’t stop until she’s dead... -
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![Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford]()
Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA Cole McGinnis Mystery Former LAPD detective Cole McGinnis’s life nearly ended the day his police partner and best friend Ben Pirelli emptied his service weapon into Cole and his then-lover, Rick. Since Ben turned his gun on himself, Cole thought he’d never find out why Ben tried to destroy him. Years later, Cole has stitched himself back together... -
![Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan]()
Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA visit to a pancake shop leads to an unexpected May-December romance that breathes life into the monotonous routine of an older salaryman.The daily grind both soothes and troubles older salaryman Nozue, until an unexpected visit to a pancake shop with his blunt younger coworker shakes things up!At 39 years old, Nozue lives a routine, if not melancholic, life of sleep and work... -
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![The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe]()
The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA jailhouse slaughter. A relentless killer. And way too much jackassing around. When word comes that two key witnesses in an investigation are dead, North and Shaw are surprised—and pleased—to learn that their friend, John-Henry Somerset, is interested in hiring them as freelance contractors for the Wahredua police department... -
![Enduring Night by John Wiltshire]()
Enduring Night by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Nikolas has always liked art. You'd have thought that Ben and Nikolas would have learnt that their romantic holidays inevitably end up as disasters. A short break on the polar ice sees them trapped in a nightmare of murder and deceit... -
![Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier]()
Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA serial sex attacker is spreading fear in Stockport and DI Ted Darling and his team are on the case.The man randomly targets young women and abducts them from busy supermarket car parks. He's armed with a knife and is clearly highly trained in how to handle it.Ever-dwindling police resources make the manhunt harder, even though the attacker clearly doesn't care whether or not he's caught... -
![Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Someone has it out for Rialto. Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true. The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant. But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy... -
![Forever by Tinnean]()
Forever by Tinnean
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLately, life is both sweet and sour for intelligence operatives Mark Vincent and Quinton Mann. The sweet is they’re settling into a relationship; Mark has found a condo in Alexandria with the help of Quinn’s mother, Portia; and Mark and Quinn are looking forward to spending the holidays in the Caribbean. As for the sour, something shadier than usual is going on at Langley... -
![Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe]()
Jem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJem and Tean: Guys Gone Wild is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“First Dates”A prequel to The Lamb and the Lion books, this short story shows Jem and Tean as they are set up on blind dates—with disastrous results.“Cheap Seats”Jem and Tean go to the movies. Jem insists it’s an epic bromance date. Tean insists they’re just casual acquaintances... -
![Castiel by Annabella Stone]()
Castiel by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat once was strong is broken.Can what was broken be repaired?Former SEAL and Operative for the US Government’s elite Red Squadron, Castiel Cunningham Clark has defied the odds more times than he can count. He learned the hard way how fickle fate can be and he’s made it his business to live his life at one speed and one speed only… full steam ahead. Except when it comes to one person... -
![Wheels Down by Beth Bolden]()
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShaw isn’t his friend—until Ross discovers he’s so much more. Ross Stanton is having a bad week—a bad month—really, a bad year . But the last thing he wants, after the betrayal of his friend and business partner, is for anyone else to know just how much he’s fighting for survival...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity queer m-m contemporary hurt-comfort length-medium -
![Heal by Nora Phoenix]()
Heal by Nora Phoenix
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsDel feels broken. Can Issa be the person to help him heal?President Delano “Del” Shafer is grieving the loss of his wife, Sarah. Now that the culprits behind the Pride Bombing and all the killings are caught, everyone has been able to move on…except Del.His friends have all found love. Even his son is happier than Del could have ever imagined...Categorized as:
age difference mystery boss & employee friends to lovers suspense christmas queer m-m -
![My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama]()
My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama
Resigned, Shin has to settle for seeing Seiji when they run into each other about town or when Shin makes a point of stopping at his store. Shin believes he's content with that, but one night Seiji changes everything by bemoaning his lack of romantic prospects and mentioning he might as well try his luck with guys... -
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![Short Stack 2 by Lily Morton]()
Short Stack 2 by Lily Morton
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat happens after the happy ending?Drawn together for the first time, this is a collection of Lily’s short stories about some of the much-loved men from her books. Follow them through wet and windy marriage proposals, surprise workplace visits, and a very entertaining ghost tour... -
![My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama]()
My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLiving under the same roof as the man he’s had a crush on for a solid decade has Shin’s libido in overdrive, and even his rampant awkwardness can’t get in the way of him getting some! Meanwhile, Seiji is swamped with self-doubt... -
![When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier]()
When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDI Ted Darling doesn't like coincidences. There are too many for comfort surrounding his latest case. They're spilling over into his private life, too, when some toxic family secrets are uncovered. A serial killer appears to be targeting vulnerable elderly people in care homes and despatching them in the most cynical way. Ted and his team are struggling to get a lead on who the killer really is... -
![Body and Soul by Patricia Logan]()
Body and Soul by Patricia Logan
More than ten years ago, a series of train bombings devastated railways throughout Europe. Strange poetry sent to local newspapers right before each bombing, confounded investigators at the time. In one of only a handful of failed covert missions, Jarrett had been sent into North Korea to take out the bomber... -
![In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy]()
In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsan alternate cover edition can be found hereAfter a bad divorce and a brief prison term for computer hacking, 42-year-old Steve Levitan has returned to his home town of Stewart’s Crossing and taken a part-time job as an adjunct professor of English at his alma mater, Eastern College... -
![Christmas Mountain by Garrett Leigh]()
Christmas Mountain by Garrett Leigh
The probation officer caring for his dead brother’s baby. The wounded gentle giant with the biggest softest heart.Rami: Sweet Fen Hawthorne is my favourite thing about working in the prison. His broad shoulders and sunny grin. His twinkly flirtation. And he likes me as much as I like him. More seems inevitable until life happens... -
![Two Little Boys by L.M. Krier]()
Two Little Boys by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIn his darkest and most complex case to date, DI Ted Darling has to confront demons from his own past when investigating the brutal murder of a young boy. As more deaths follow, he realises he is up against powerful people who believe themselves to be above the law, and starts to feel out of his depth... -
![Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe]()
Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPics, or it didn’t happen.Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:“The Slightest Folly”This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.“As School-Boys from Their Books”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything... -
![Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine]()
Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWith only a week until Christmas, Detective Jude Byrne is wrapping up final preparations for his family’s celebration. He’s made a list and checked it twice, bought presents, planned the neighborhood cookie exchange, and hung mistletoe. Jude’s got a handle on everything, that is, until his son asks if his grandfather is coming to celebrate with them—a man Jude hasn’t seen in six years... -
![Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson]()
Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis is the first installment in a new series for private investigators Tyler and Ian Jamison. Our heroes are adjusting to life as a married couple and are now parents of newborn twins. While the guys are enjoying paternity leave, their administrative assistant, Kimi, comes to them with a personal emergency... -
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![Interwoven by Ripley Hayes]()
Interwoven by Ripley Hayes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDaniel Owen has spent the best part of ten years renovating his house when he finds the cellar. By falling into it. The mysterious cellar has a mysterious door, and behind the mysterious door is a mysterious box … and in the box … there are clues to the shocking history of Daniel’s beloved home town. A cold case is occupying Mal Kent’s time. A notorious car thief is released from prison... -
![How Not to Break by Susan Hawke]()
How Not to Break by Susan Hawke
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTake one former SEAL with a healthy dose of regret… Nick St. Cloud is living with shame from the one time he let his lust override his sense of honor. He’s haunted by the memory of when he made love to his best friend’s eighteen-year-old son. The tragic accident that happened that same night has only compounded his guilt... -
![Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet]()
Diamond in the Rough by Charlie Cochet
When the cards are stacked against you, the Kings will even the odds. For Ward “King” Kingston the role of protector, forged by fire and tragedy, is one he takes seriously. When King is asked to safeguard the son of a four-star general and friend, he is pulled back into the world of government black ops on a mission that raises painful memories from his past... -
![The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells]()
The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sequel to A Christmas Promise… Joshua Trant is doing his best to support his son Micah and Micah’s partner Greg as they approach the trial of Greg’s attackers. This was never going to be easy, especially as Greg wants them prosecuted for a hate crime, but County Attorney Alexander Rycliffe assures them he’ll do his utmost to make sure the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions... -
![Roman by Annabella Stone]()
Roman by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFact: Six years ago, former Force Recon Marine Roman Walsh made the biggest mistake of his life and chose duty to his country over love. Fact: He was an idiot. Now the one he loves is missing, and Roman has only one thing on his mind. Get him back alive... -
![Mistletoe Kisses by Lee Blair]()
Mistletoe Kisses by Lee Blair
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…until you get laid off.The fastest way to trigger my anxiety is losing my job at the holidays. Fortunately, I can always count on my platonic bestie to keep me grounded. Except our commiseration drinks lead to planning pre-Christmas vacays for each other, so instead of grounding me, my bestie sends me flying to Dahlia Springs, Oregon...Categorized as:
christmas queer forced proximity suspense m-m contemporary length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand]()
Amid Our Lines by Zarah Detand
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRealising your new boss is the adult star you fancied as a teenager? Awkward.In the snow-kissed Swiss Alps, Adrian’s world is a high-wire act of old-world charm and new-world problems at the Gletscherhaus Hotel. Enter Eric, an undercover London songwriter, seeking a mental break in a place where the Wi-Fi is as patchy as his past relationships... -
![A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes]()
A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsZeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go—not until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas... -
![A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley]()
A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA second chance with his brother’s best friend also comes with a deadline. Three years after inheriting his family farm, an accident forces Stefan Luxton to rethink his future. Turning his farm into a five-star wedding venue is one goal. Another is to reconnect with Marc, who Stefan loved but let slip away to the city...Categorized as:
age difference friends to lovers forced proximity queer m-m hurt-comfort contemporary found-family -
![Silent Knight by Layla Reyne]()
Silent Knight by Layla Reyne
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI won’t let anything happen to you. Fourteen years ago, Braxton Kane’s feelings were forbidden.As an officer, he couldn’t fall for an enlisted… no matter how much he longed for Holt Madigan.Now—as a police chief in love with a digital assassin—his promise to always protect Holt is becoming harder to keep. I’ll protect you... -
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![Murder in Shades of Wood and Stone by Ripley Hayes]()
Murder in Shades of Wood and Stone by Ripley Hayes
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn early morning phone call. A dead teenager. A bunch of hostile witnesses with a wedding to attend.Charlie Rees was enjoying the calm after the storm in Llanfair. He thought he and Tom Pennant might get some peaceful time together. Maybe even fall in love. Not a chance.As Charlie battles to get justice for a murdered boy, Tom has his own battle to save the art college and his career... -
![Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott]()
Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA killer haunts Prophet, and this time it’s personalThe discovery of a body at the Thompson Cabins sets off a chain of events that hits too close to home for Sheriff Gabriel Thompson. When his brother Sam becomes a prime suspect in the murder investigation, Gabriel is forced to keep secrets from Tiber and call in outside help as he fights to prove Sam’s innocence... -
![The Birthday Manny by Sammi Cee]()
The Birthday Manny by Sammi Cee
Here’s the deal, not everyone understands why an almost twenty-eight-year-old man is happy taking care of other people’s children, but I am.Do I love being single? No, but what’s a guy to do?Then I met Kevin Wadsworth. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man. He’s older than me, smaller than me, and needs a little bit of care...Categorized as:
boss & employee age difference forced proximity queer m-m single-father humor contemporary -
![Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne]()
Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSnakes don’t only crawl in the grass.River Martin has begun to reveal his true motives for being in Rainy Dale, and, shocker, it’s not good news for Maxwell.If Maxwell is going to go to war with River, he’ll need people on his side. In his quest to be more of a people person, he’s roped into attending the wedding of one of his young patients, Janelle Raiden... -
![North and Shaw: Out of Office: Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe]()
North and Shaw: Out of Office: Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsShort stories from Borealis: Without a CompassNorth and Shaw: Out of Office Volume 2 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“Couple Friends”As a (relatively) new couple, North and Shaw learn what it means to have friends as a couple—and how to be friends in a relationship. This story takes place before Indirection... -
![In Sequence by Cole McCade]()
In Sequence by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsABOUT THIS EPISODE The Golden Ratio killer resurfaces in California to target a former victim, and this time the case takes Malcolm and Seong-Jae hunting deep into his past, searching for connections between victim and killer that may reveal his identity... -
![Law of Retaliation (Haven Hart) by Davidson King]()
Law of Retaliation (Haven Hart) by Davidson King
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo universes unite to take on one formidable adversary.A Halloween party at Joker’s Sin means an evening of fun, drinking, dancing, and entertainment. But when a dead body is found in the club’s bathroom, it’s the loose thread that starts to unravel the hard-won peace of Haven Hart... -
![ChrisMyths by Amy Lane]()
ChrisMyths by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter courtship, cohabitation, and learning about love and each other, Andy and Eli face the ultimate test: being separated at Christmas.Eli’s seen the propaganda—the country boy goes home from the city and realizes his heart is back among the snow, trees, and chickens. A big happy family is something Eli, with his demanding job running a shelter for LGBTQ youth, can’t provide... -
![Twisted Valentine by Isabel Lucero]()
Twisted Valentine by Isabel Lucero
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKaspian doesn't ask for much, only the undivided attention of the man he's obsessed with. But lately Quin seems preoccupied, and when Kaspian spots him talking to a guy at work, he sees red.Clingy, obsessive, impulsive, and sociopathic, the thought of anyone else getting Quin's attention has Kaspian's blood boiling.What follows is a twisted journey filled with lies, surprises, sex, and ultimately... -
![Thawed Out by Jodi Payne, BA Tortuga]()
Thawed Out by Jodi Payne, BA Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThawed Out is an opposites attract, second chance romance featuring an established couple on the edge of divorce, a ferocious snow storm, precocious children and a healthy dose of holiday magic.Kiren knows there is a storm coming when he goes to the cabin to deliver divorce papers to his husband Flynn, but he doesn’t plan to stay long... -
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![Santa: A Cultural Hegemony by Gregory Ashe]()
Santa: A Cultural Hegemony by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHazard & Somerset deal with Santa... -
![Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison]()
Grinch Kisses by DJ Jamison
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI'm the grinch who saves Christmas … Yep, you read that right. Every year I save Christmas--and Christmas Falls--by organizing a massive festival that sustains tourism for our little town. But it turns out when Christmas is your life 24/7, the shine wears off the twinkly lights after a while...Categorized as:
christmas forced proximity age difference queer m-m contemporary grumpy sunshine siblings-bff -
![Sadistic Sherlock by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Sadistic Sherlock by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTen years ago, Dominic Walsh faked his own death. With no true identity, it wasn’t hard. But if he’d stayed, he would have been drawn further into a life he’d never chosen. He has friends and family at Ward Security now and has managed to escape his dark past. There is only one thing he truly wants. Abraham Stephens... -
![Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDaniel Hendricks wants a vacation. Ward Security’s accountant and resident code breaker just needs a little R&R from the chaos and usual shenanigans of the office. But what was supposed to be a sexy vacation hook-up explodes in his face when he’s mistaken for a rogue secret agent... -
![Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier]()
Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSomeone is dumping bodies on DI Ted Darling's patch and he's not happy. Ted's a good solid copper, in an old-fashioned way, with an excellent clear-up rate. He also happens to be gay and has his own unique way of dealing with any prejudice that brings him. But this killer seems to be running effortless rings round him and every promising lead just takes him up another blind alley... -
![Snowed by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey]()
Snowed by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA second chance at love is all Kyle wants for Christmas, but a dark menace from his past wants him dead, and love is second to staying alive. Kyle Lourenco has carved out a comfortable life and career for himself in Boston. With the holidays quickly approaching, he's heading home for the first time in several years. Home to his loving parents and the small Canadian town where he was raised...
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