Books like 'What Could Have Been'
Readers who enjoyed What Could Have Been by Heather Guerre also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny christmas friends to lovers small town working class hero competent heroine neurodivergent career professional from hate to love
-
The Start of Something Wonderful by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAutumn Laine has lost her creative sparkle. After losing her grandad and her job as an illustrator in quick succession, she is at a crossroads in life and needs a break. Spending time with her parents in Paris, even in the artistic community of Montmartre, doesn't appear to be the answer... -
Flaunt by Adriana Locke
Looking for a Fake FiancéHave you ever wanted to prove someone wrong so badly that you could taste it?It doesn’t matter if they’re right. The fact that they had the audacity to go there is what counts.Hi. It’s me. I’m that person.The man I’ve been casually seeing told me I’m not “wife material” and I should “lower my expectations... -
Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin
A spicy, sassy, and swoony fake dating romantic comedy from Amazon Charts bestselling author Jennifer Millikin. A week on an island sounds like the stuff of beach dreams, but for Paisley Royce, it's a nightmare. Her little sister is marrying her ex-college sweetheart, and Paisley is serving as maid of honor. To add insult to injury, nobody will let Paisley forget she’s single... -
The Fine Art of Faking It by Lucy Score
Davis Gates. Naked. Tossing her a handful of orgasms like he was on a lust-themed parade float. A fifty-year feud.One failed smoke bomb matchmaking scheme.Two enemies turned fake lovers. For the past fifteen years, Eden has worked her ass off to overcome high school. She’s cornered the tourism market in Blue Moon offering visitors a place to stay in her hippie, dippy hometown... -
-
Together Under a Snowy Skye by Lisa Hobman
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAfter the heartbreak of a secret unrequited love, Millie Treadaway has finally found someone to spend her life with.Harry Rose is handsome, successful and treats her like a princess. That is until Millie presents her fiancé with a surprise birthday gift, and their future is suddenly doomed...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers m-f small town contemporary suspense humor length-medium -
Tangle by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsSparks fly between a die-hard romantic and a sexy cynic in this fresh, funny romance from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke. That cream-filled, caramel-topped doughnut should have been hers. Still, Haley Raynor can’t deny that the pastry thief with the dreamy blue eyes looks even more delicious...Categorized as:
friends to lovers friends-benefits m-f humor new adult contemporary cheerful heroine audiobook -
Trouble by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsShe wants something real. He wants something now. Together they’re trouble in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s sexy and funny twice-in-a-lifetime love story. With his shameless grin and let’s-play swagger, carpenter Penn Etling leaves women wanting in Dogwood Lane. What do they get? Avery Perry knows: a one-night stand. She’s been there...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine m-f humor new adult contemporary length-medium audiobook -
Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsMusic sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend. Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers small town m-f contemporary christian humor length-medium -
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...Categorized as:
small town friends to lovers forced proximity m-f contemporary humor christian audiobook -
Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsBack home is the best place to start over in a heart-stirring Texas romance about friendship, second chances, and small-town scandals by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.Riverbend, Texas, doesn’t look like the crossroads of anywhere. But for four high school besties reuniting after twenty years, it’s a place to unpack a lot of baggage... -
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers.She's got a lot of baggage...literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real.For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but... -
Here Comes My Man by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsListening Length 9 hours and 57 minutesA red-hot, enemies-to-lovers, fake boyfriend, second chance romance, and the conclusion to the Hopelessly Bromantic Duet!Let me just say this -- fake dating the cocky movie star was not my idea. Especially since he’s my former roomie and, gulp, my secret ex...Categorized as:
from hate to love second chances forced proximity friends to lovers m-m contemporary queer angst -
Now's The Time by Harlow James
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 12 ratings“Let me experience all of you tonight, Penelope…since this is all that we get.”That was the agreement between me and Maddox Taylor, the NFL’s most notorious playboy and mega-talented quarterback who happened to be out in California for one night—one night in which I broke all of my rules and gave in to the undeniable attraction I felt for the man... -
Spoke Too Soon by Dulcie Dameron
It’s every girl’s dream to move in with the hot guy who ghosted her...NOT.I’m about to be homeless at almost twenty-five.Cue the pathetic wah, wah, wah sound effect.And to make matters worse, I’m nowhere near having enough money to fund the clothing line startup I’ve dreamt about for years.But bemoaning my current situation won’t move the needle and it certainly won’t find me a place to live... -
-
Give Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe was my first love. Now he's my roommate. And he won't stop until he wins me back.Conned out of my business I have no other choice but to move back home to Chicago. I’m determined to rebuild everything, but I’m so broke that I can’t even afford to pay rent.Then my first love, Sam Maxwell, unexpectedly pops back into my life and turns out to be my knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity m-f humor super rich hero contemporary length-short audiobook -
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... -
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 second chances small town humor mature couple contemporary length-medium audiobook -
Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne
As a leading columnist for Stiletto , Grace Brighton has built a career warning women about rotten, cheating liars. She just never suspected her fiancé would be one of them. After Grace takes a heart-mending hiatus, her first assignment is to go on a couple of dates with a counterpart from the men's magazine Oxford and report her impressions. Grace 1... -
Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis
Meet cute... Run for the hills—temporarily . That's Colbie Albright's plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie's so over it that she's under it. She's also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival... -
Show Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy... -
Strawberry Fields for Never by Kate Watson
She’s the desperate CEO hired to rebrand a sleepy Southern orchard. He’s the stubborn heir determined to see her fail.All’s fair in love and farming.As CEO of my marketing firm, my friends’ careers rest on my shoulders. And my shoulders—and company—are failing. Rebranding a famous farm is my final chance to fix what I’ve broken, and nothing can get in my way... -
Mine To Cherish by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThings are supposed to go smoothly on your wedding day.Aren't they?ClarabellaDid I want to get married today?It's hard to say when he proposed in front of over a hundred people.Everything happened so fast, and I thought it was just nerves.It was not.The knock on the door showed me that what I was feeling was more than just cold feet.I was a runaway bride... -
The Village Inn of Secret Dreams by Alison Sherlock
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAfter escaping her parents’ unhappy marriage to sleepy Cranbridge a long time ago, Belle Clarke dreams of staying at The Black Swan Inn forever.But with the rundown Inn threatened with closure, Belle may be forced to leave, unless a buyer can be found … quickly.So, when her oldest friend Pete Kennedy returns from working abroad with a plan to save the Inn, Belle should be overjoyed...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers small town m-f contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
The New Doctor at Peony Practice by Christie Barlow
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPreorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane seriesLove Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter whatAll’s fair in love and…medicine?Dr Katie O’Neil has only been in Heartcross a few hours when she finds herself already ruffling feathers – not least with medical school nemesis and new colleague Ben Sanders...Categorized as:
small town forced proximity from hate to love m-f humor suspense contemporary length-medium -
-
Reputation by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsCoy Mason is a jerk.If there is one truth that Bellamy Davenport knows, it’s that. Hands-down. (Well, that and the fact that she didn’t mean to hurt him. Physically. Coy can’t be hurt emotionally because he doesn’t have a heart.)Coy is not just the small-town, literal boy-next-door...Categorized as:
friends to lovers second chances from hate to love contemporary humor new adult audiobook -
Pink Bits by J.B. Heller
Did you know the medical term for a butt crack is intergluteal cleft? My name is Reagan, and spouting random facts like this one at inopportune moments is my affliction. I’m chronically awkward, socially inept and completely lack a filter. Believe it or not, men do not find these attractive traits...Categorized as:
friends to lovers working class hero neurodivergent m-f new adult humor contemporary length-short -
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...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers m-f contemporary humor grumpy sunshine dual-pov glimpses-kisses -
Beachside Kisses With My Enemy: A Sweet Romantic Comedy by Kristin Canary
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the charming town of Hallmark Beach, love’s a food fight when old flames ignite and rivalries simmer.Things were sailing smoothly in my little slice of paradise until Blake “the Flake” Moffitt waltzed back into town, looking far too handsome for his own good—and mine. Once upon a time, I was hopelessly in love with my best friend's brother, but that fairytale is history... -
Over & Out by Claire Wilder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIntroducing a brand new enemies to lovers romance from USA TODAY Bestselling Author Claire Wilder!Three months ago, a dirt bike accident stole my confidence, my beloved ride, and the one thing that made me feel alive. Now I’m going through the motions in my coastal tourist town, totally adrift… and trying not to think about the stranger who pulled me from the wreckage...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity m-f secret-relationship small town office 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... -
Friends with Benefactors by Willow Aster, Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPenelopeHaving grown up the baby sister to four brothers and with a dude for a best friend, I know how to read men like the back of my hand.But when I have a sexy make-out session with Beckham, my best friend, all my intuition about men goes out the window... -
The Fire by May Archer
JAMIE Parker Hoffstraeder is gorgeous, cocky, and totally irrational. He also broke my heart when he left town eleven years, four months, and twenty-eight days ago. Not that I’m counting. I don’t mind admitting it: I was young. I got burned. I learned my lesson... -
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... -
One Enchanted Moment by Sarah Morgan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsUSA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan will sweep you away with her Puffin Island series! Life has just thrown Skylar Tempest a serious curveball. So she’s returned home to Puffin Island to regroup among friends. Unfortunately, that means seeing Alec Hunter, who’s become a big-deal TV historian. Sky’s never liked the cynical Alec, and the feeling was mutual. But maybe that was then... -
-
The Ex-mas Breakup by Zoe York
When the spicy “exes with benefits” summer fling escalates to a “fake dating for the holidays” rom com full of kick-your-feet feelings!A booty call with your ex? Bad decision, Rory.I really thought it would be a one-time thing. A hormonal moment of weakness where I text him a funny ha-ha realization that I’m ovulating and he knows what that means–I can’t turn my brain off... -
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:
forced proximity from hate to love small town m-f grumpy sunshine contemporary humor military -
Can't Take The Heat? by Hailey Shore
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOMG. It's him! TV celebrity chef Antony Renard! And he wants my food truck falafels? Hard pass.I've spent my whole life being judged by my dad. I don't need another bossy/grumpy chef meddling in my food.What's he doing in Calico Cove anyway?Oh, I bet he's hiding out because of that viral video of him losing his cool at his fancy Michelin-starred restaurant. Talk about needing a timeout.Also wow.. -
Welcome To Winterville by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe's the kind of man who always gets what he wants. But this time she's going to make him work for it...When a ruthless company buys Holly Winter’s small home town, she’s determined to stop them.But then she comes face to face with the CEO. Josh Gerber is handsome, smooth, and disgustingly successful. He’s also the man that Holly spent a night with eight years ago...Categorized as:
christmas from hate to love m-f small town contemporary humor super rich hero length-medium -
Where Time Stands Still by N.S. Perkins
Twenty-six-year-old Wren Lawson knows she will soon forget who she is. With early familial Alzheimer’s disease written in her genes, it’s a fact she’s wrapped her whole life around; to indulge in friends or romance is a risk for everyone around her—one she’s not keen on taking. Throwing herself into her work as a lawyer is the only thing she can do...Categorized as:
christmas friends to lovers forced proximity friends-benefits cold heroine m-f angst contemporary -
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 28 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:
friends to lovers independent heroine m-f humor contemporary sassy heroine strong heroine audiobook -
The Pocket Pair by Emma St. Clair
Do I have feelings for my sister's best friend? Of course not. That would be stupid, considering my sister once threatened to castrate me if I ever hurt Val. Hurting her is the last thing I want to do, which is all the MORE reason I can't have feelings for her. Val deserves the world, and I'm NOT the man who can give it to her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity small town m-f contemporary humor grumpy sunshine length-medium -
Conflicting Ventures by A.K. Landow
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSkylar Lawrence is the quiet sister. The one that doesn’t need to be the center of attention. The one who wants happiness above all else. She’s been content to stay in the background and support her sisters as their stars shine bright.She internalizes her struggles. The lingering pain of losing her father, followed by the ending of her relationship with the man she thought was her forever... -
Pining For You by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’ve been in love with my best friend since the day I met her freshman year of high school. She was a halo of sunshine on a rainy day, pulling me out of the shadows and making me feel like life was one big roller-coaster ride of excitement. Until the day we graduated and she left on the back of a Harley with some guy who didn’t deserve her, middle fingers in the air... -
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... -
-
Holiday Heart-On: A Steamy Romantic Comedy Anthology by Serena Bell, Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGet a head start on the holiday spirit by reading for a great cause! Nineteen of today’s most entertaining rom-com authors have teamed up on #Books4Beats. This collection of festive shorts ranges from sweet to steamy and promises to entertain... -
A Winter Warmer at the Little Cornish Kitchen by Jane Linfoot
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings‘Sparkling, laugh-out-loud, romantic’ Phillipa AshleySt Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere…A clean slate in the world’s cosiest cottage by the sea…When Gwen Starkey and her best friend, Ella Simpson, arrive in St Aidan to take on a cottage renovation, it’s the fresh start they both so desperately need... -
Watch and Learn by Rebel Shaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNateAll I wanted to do was be me, for one night. I didn’t want to be the number one quarterback in the league. I just wanted to be Nate. I couldn’t tell you exactly what made me stop at that dive bar on the outskirts of town, but it changed my life.Our connection was instant and undeniable. Our night together was explosive, which led to another, and then another. No strings...Categorized as:
friends to lovers second chances friends-benefits sports contemporary humor new adult length-medium -
The Christmas Dilemma by Sarah Vance-Tompkins
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSkipping Christmas is easy. But it’s impossible to deny your heart… Eli Adair is the first call whenever his family and friends need a hand. But this Christmas, he has no obligations, so he’s taking a break from the stress of big family celebrations. No presents under the tree. No stockings by the fireplace. No twinkling lights. All he wants is to be home alone at Hillcrest House... -
A Love Like You by Kait Nolan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter Mick Routlege catches the garter at his best friend’s wedding, everyone is convinced he’s next. Too bad the only woman he wants has him lodged firmly in the friend zone.Between her job as a nurse and the demands of her family, Juliette Chen feels like the world is on her shoulders...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity christmas small town m-f contemporary humor length-novella -
Summer Hate by Melissa Ivers
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe was the last person I wanted to see on my girls trip, let alone share a room with.Donovan Fitzroy is grumpy. Irritable. Annoyingly perfect. And as handsome as he is uptight. He’s also my best friend’s older brother.My bestie promised me a relaxing week at her family owned resort, but when I got there all I got was an apologetic phone call and a promise that her brother would take care of me...
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
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

