Books like 'The Rest of the Story'
Readers who enjoyed The Rest of the Story by Tal Bauer also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance funny athletes sports angst friends to lovers bisexual forced proximity sweet-hero
-
The Long and Winding Road by T.J. Klune
Sequel to The Art of Breathing Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole—those who make us who we are. And here, at the end, Bear and Otter will be tested like they’ve never been before. There’s a knock at the door from a little girl who has nowhere else to go. There’s a phone ringing, bringing news they do not expect...Categorized as:
angst age difference queer found-family friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m contemporary -
![Time to Shine by Rachel Reid]()
Time to Shine by Rachel Reid
A merry and bright hockey romance about finding your place, finding your people and finding your way back to the one you love the most. For Landon Stackhouse, being called up from the Calgary farm team is exciting and terrifying, even if, as the backup goalie, he rarely leaves the bench. A quiet loner by nature, Landon knows he gives off strong “don’t talk to me” vibes...Categorized as:
sports athletes friends to lovers sunny hero sweet-hero forced proximity bisexual super rich hero -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Broken Ice by Marina Vivancos]()
Broken Ice by Marina Vivancos
After being forced to take suppressants for a year by his coach, Beau’s body is a mess. He has a debilitatingly painful heat every two weeks, and there’s no medication available to help him.Being traded from the team that did that to him is a slap to the face. Being traded to their direct competitors, the Miami Manatees, is just the cherry on top of the sh*t sundae that has become his life... -
![Davo by N.R. Walker]()
Davo by N.R. Walker
When Fergus Galloway takes on a research trip to a tiny mining town in the far Western Australian outback, he’s as far from Sydney as he can get. Which is entirely the point. He arrives in Pannalego totally unprepared for the baking heat, unprepared for the people who call it home, unprepared for the craziness and the laughs...Categorized as:
friends to lovers insta-love forced proximity queer sweet-hero found-family anal sex sunny hero -
-
![Drilled by K.M. Neuhold]()
Drilled by K.M. Neuhold
A month in a remote cabin with the last man I ever expected to see again? I can’t decide if I should punch him or drill him. It might end up being both.After more than a decade, the last person I expected to see walk into the Four Bears Construction offices as a new hire was Ridge.He was my first crush, and my first heartbreak when he started dating my sister... -
![How to Be a Movie Star by T.J. Klune]()
How to Be a Movie Star by T.J. Klune
Sequel to How to Be a Normal PersonA How to Be Novel Josiah Erickson wants to be a movie star. The problem with that is so does half of Los Angeles. But he’s on his way, what with memorable roles as a TV show background cadaver and a guy in a commercial for herpes medication. All he needs is his big break...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sunny hero forced proximity queer found-family m-m contemporary humor -
![On or Off, Volume 4 by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 4 by A1
Winner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards. Published in English for the first time in full color and fully uncensored!Yiyoung and his college friends have formed a startup company together, and even managed to score a proposal meeting with the illustrious SJ corporation...Categorized as:
queer age difference secret-relationship bisexual anal sex cold hero sunny hero sweet-hero -
![Poetry On Ice by Jesse H. Reign]()
Poetry On Ice by Jesse H. Reign
I can’t tell if we’re fighting…or flirting? Being traded to the Seattle Vipers has left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, they’re my team, the team I’ve loved and supported since I was a kid, but on the other hand, he’s here. Him. Ant Decker. Infamous NHL bad boy. Right wing to my left. A man who’s made it his sole purpose in life to be better than me... -
![The End Zone by Riley Hart]()
The End Zone by Riley Hart
JeremySeeing my best friend West, happy with his fiancé opened my eyes to things I’ve been missing in my own marriage. My divorce, which was amicable, followed. Strangely, at West’s wedding, I find myself confiding in Darren, the straight, confirmed bachelor and star quarterback of the Atlanta Lightning...Categorized as:
sports age difference athletes friends to lovers bisexual secret-relationship queer angst -
![Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James]()
Stubborn Puckboy by Eden Finley, Saxon James
ColbyOnce upon a time, playing for the NHL was my dream. Then Radimir Novicov skated circles around me and made it clear I’d never be good enough. He was smart, talented, and worst of all–sexy. Every closeted guy knows that you don’t hit on your teammate, even if his gaze lingers longer than it should...Categorized as:
queer hockey sports athletes grumpy sunshine secret-relationship found-family friends to lovers -
![Deal Maker by Lily Morton]()
Deal Maker by Lily Morton
Sometimes your mouth makes deals that your heart can’t honour. Jude is a highly successful model, but a very reluctant one. His life is full of casual hook-ups with pretty men in glamorous locations, but it’s still empty. However, circumstances decreed a long time ago that this was his path, so he’s resolutely stayed on it and accepted his fate with good grace...Categorized as:
age difference bisexual forced proximity queer friends to lovers hurt-comfort sunny hero sweet-hero -
![On or Off, Volume 3 by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 3 by A1
Winner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards. Published in English for the first time in full color and fully uncensored! Yiyoung and his college friends have formed a startup company together, and even managed to score a proposal meeting with the illustrious SJ corporation...Categorized as:
queer age difference grumpy sunshine office secret-relationship anal sex cold hero sunny hero -
![Vow Maker by Lily Morton]()
Vow Maker by Lily Morton
Dylan Mitchell wants to get married.However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit.Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour...Categorized as:
age difference hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary humor explicit-open-door -
![One Last Try by Jemma Croft]()
One Last Try by Jemma Croft
When the rookie who ended your rugby career moves in next door.Retired legend Owen Bosley is used to the quiet life. After a career ending injury eight years ago, Owen leaves it all behind in exchange for a fresh start. Now he’s the landlord of his local pub in a chocolate-box village. The Little Thatch is the heart of the community, but there’s one problem...Categorized as:
sports bisexual queer grumpy sunshine age difference forced proximity contemporary m-m -
-
![Ranger by K.M. Neuhold, Nora Phoenix]()
Ranger by K.M. Neuhold, Nora Phoenix
I’ve been living under storm clouds since my honorable discharge, but Julian’s the sun.I’ve tried everything to deal with my PTSD from yoga to sunning my butthole, but nothing seemed to help.So when my brother suggests a therapy dog, I figure I don’t have anything to lose...Categorized as:
angst insta-love friends to lovers queer grumpy sunshine anal sex caretaking disabilities and marks -
![An Unrivaled Off Season by Ashlyn Kane, Morgan James]()
An Unrivaled Off Season by Ashlyn Kane, Morgan James
Any other year, hockey player Grady Armstrong would be licking his wounds after a disappointing playoffs exit. Somehow, this year, he’s in the stands as his rival-turned-boyfriend Max Lockhart competes for the Stanley Cup… and there’s nowhere he’d rather be. Well, except maybe lifting the Cup himself... -
![Seth by Carly Marie]()
Seth by Carly Marie
Be yourself because everyone else is taken. But what if that risks everything you know? Seth Johnson has worked his entire career to be remembered more for his skill than as an openly gay NHL player. Finding a boyfriend has been pushed to the back burner. As for exposing his softer side, the side that loves lace and lingerie? It’s not happening...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes queer caretaking secret-relationship found-family hockey -
![Holiday Heart Strings by N.R. Walker]()
Holiday Heart Strings by N.R. Walker
Hartbridge Christmas Series - Book FourEnglishman Braithe Branson arrives in Hartbridge, Montana, to take on a brief substitute kindergarten teacher position. His introduction to the sleepy town is being pulled over for speeding. Not an ideal start, but at least the deputy was cute.Colson Price takes being a deputy very seriously. After all, his job is all he has... -
![Gym Bros by August Jones]()
Gym Bros by August Jones
CalyxIf I could teach yoga and never have to walk a runway again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. But tell that to my manager-slash- part-time lover. Eager to get me back to work, but willing to be patient, he asks me to help his son recover from a torn hamstring. I accept the opportunity to use my brain and my body to help get an athlete back on his feet... -
![Here Comes My Man by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton]()
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:
queer angst forced proximity friends to lovers m-m contemporary from hate to love second chances -
![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... -
![You Are Cordially Invited by Jay Hogan]()
You Are Cordially Invited by Jay Hogan
There’s a wedding in the air at Auckland Med, but Reuben wonders if they’ll survive the stress long enough to say, ‘I do’. Cam is directing the entire operation with his combat eyeliner in place, whilst the wedding party is doing its best to ignore him. The pressure is mounting and the cracks are beginning to show.There’s a bachelor party to survive.The paparazzi to outrun... -
![Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg]()
Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen Devan, Best Boyfriend in the Entire World, books them a trip to Russia in February, Jonty’s excitement knows no bounds. There’s packing to do, plans to be made, and places to see.Armed with his smile and a handful of dubious Russian Phrases, Jonty is ready for the delights Vladivostok has to offer—the famous glass beach he’s dreamed about, ice skating on a frozen sea, and snow... -
![HEA: Happily Ever After by Lucy Lennox, Molly Maddox]()
HEA: Happily Ever After by Lucy Lennox, Molly Maddox
Have you heard the expression “twelve times a groomsman, never a groom”? Neither had I… until it suddenly became clear that every man I dated found their One True Love in the person they dated after me.Now I’m writing Best Man speeches for my former boyfriends twice a month, the “After Oscar” thing has become a legend, and I have finally accepted that Oscar Overton is nobody’s Happily Ever After... -
-
![The Sunny Side by Lily Morton]()
The Sunny Side by Lily Morton
Jonas Durand is successful, rich, and controlled. He owns a prestigious modelling agency and has the world at his fingertips, but a turbulent childhood has taught him to be focused and never deviate from a plan.Dean Jacobs threatens that stance. He’s one of the world’s most sought-after supermodels, but he’s also laidback and lighthearted and free in a way that Jonas has never quite managed...Categorized as:
friends to lovers grumpy sunshine age difference forced proximity bisexual office angst queer -
![Mr. Important by Lucy Lennox, May Archer]()
Mr. Important by Lucy Lennox, May Archer
One New Year’s masquerade. One anonymous hookup. One billionaire-sized mistake.Once upon a time, someone looked at my scrawny, impetuous eight-year-old self and nicknamed me Mr. Important… and I believed them.That was my first mistake. Two decades, a dozen failed careers, and a thousand meaningless hookups later, I’ve made more mistakes than I can count... -
![Gideon by Lily Morton]()
Gideon by Lily Morton
Gideon Ramsay is so far in the closet he should be a talking faun. A talented, mercurial, and often selfish man, Gideon has everything he should want in life. Fame, money, acting awards – he has it all. Everything but honesty. At the advice of his agent, Gideon has concealed his sexuality for years... -
![Limited Edition Husband by Lauren Blakely]()
Limited Edition Husband by Lauren Blakely
One weekend with no strings was supposed to be the plan.After barely escaping my last train wreck of a romance, I’ve got a new dating goal—play it cool.I stick to that strategy when I meet a hunky Brit at a fundraiser and ask him to grab a drink... -
![Right as Raine by Lucy Lennox]()
Right as Raine by Lucy Lennox
Tiller:As the first openly gay professional football player, I can’t afford to make any mistakes, on or off the field. And the absolute biggest mistake I could make right now would be to fall for Mikey Vining, my best friend, employee and, more importantly, Coach’s baby boy. I might fantasize about Mikey at night-—every night—but actually touching him would be a serious personal foul...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports athletes forced proximity office secret-relationship queer contemporary -
![Flagrant Foul by Jesse H. Reign]()
Flagrant Foul by Jesse H. Reign
He’s my brother’s best friend. I’m the annoying kid who followed him everywhere. Now we’re playing for the same team.Sev Delorean is an NHL D-man with an excess of swagger and stickhandling techniques that made him world famous. He’s the bane of my existence and my reason for living.He's strictly off limits though. My brother has made that perfectly clear... -
![Virgin Skin by K.M. Neuhold]()
Virgin Skin by K.M. Neuhold
I know I have to keep my hands off of my best friend’s son, but it’s hard… really, really hard…I didn’t know the guy I picked up in the bar last night was Hero’s son. To be fair, he didn’t even know he had a son until today. I guess we’re all just scrambling to put on our poker faces.Keeping my hands off of Milo is hard enough thanks to his lickable dimple, flirty smiles, and virgin skin...Categorized as:
age difference found-family office queer hurt-comfort forced proximity parents-bff m-m -
![Goaltender Interference by Brigham Vaughn]()
Goaltender Interference by Brigham Vaughn
The last thing Connor O’Shea needs is more complications … After too much celebrating at his brother’s wedding, Connor wakes up next to cocky Toronto goaltender Jesse Webber—pro hockey’s reigning f*ckboy. With three kids and a failed marriage under his belt, Connor might be ready to admit he’s attracted to men, but that doesn’t mean his life has to change...Categorized as:
hockey age difference forced proximity grumpy sunshine sports queer found-family athletes -
![The Remarkable Lover by Maya Jean]()
The Remarkable Lover by Maya Jean
JacksonDreams collapse in the blink of an eye, I know that better than anyone after losing my career as an athlete. Now I spend my days giving people pleasure for pay and playing with stocks. Most of my friends have settled in Clay Springs, Florida. A sleepy little town that moves slower than molasses... -
![Pick Me by May Archer]()
Pick Me by May Archer
The job at Sunday Orchard was supposed to be temporary.A chance to gain some work experience. To have some fun. To get away from my overprotective brothers. To maybe, possibly encounter some lumberjacks in their natural habitat before moving on to the dream career that awaited me in the city.I had not expected to be welcomed into a family of gorgeous and weirdly efficient lumberjack-types myself... -
-
![In Step by Jay Hogan]()
In Step by Jay Hogan
Karma. You reap what you sow, and KANE MARTIN isn’t looking for forgiveness. But the arrival of ABE TYLER in Painted Bay has Kane dreaming of the impossible. The sexy, silver fox choreographer is determined to pull Kane out from the shadows, but Kane’s life is in neat little boxes for a reason.A past he isn’t proud of.A family he’s walked away from.A job he doesn’t deserve...Categorized as:
age difference angst friends to lovers secret-relationship queer found-family hurt-comfort anal sex -
![The Head Game by Brigham Vaughn]()
The Head Game by Brigham Vaughn
Fisher Cats Defenseman Rushed to Hospital After In-Game Fall—Mystery Beau Revealed? The Fisher Cats defenseman is conscious and in stable condition following a seizure that occurred during the recent game against Buffalo. Updates indicate that while still hospitalized, he’s hopeful for a quick return to the ice... -
![Stroker by K.M. Neuhold]()
Stroker by K.M. Neuhold
Is there an easy way to tell your lifelong best friend that you secretly married his brother eight years ago? Asking for a friend…When Gates shows up needing a place to crash, I offer him my spare room. Whatever happened between us nearly two decades ago is water under the bridge. I don’t lie awake at night wondering what could have been. Nope, definitely not... -
![The Complication by Jocelynn Drake]()
The Complication by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIt was just a fling.A bit of fun on the weekends. Definitely not permanent.Not that I wouldn’t love to crack the ice around rich and sexy Declan Foster’s heart.And he was the last person I expected to ride to my rescue when I found myself suddenly homeless and a father.Now he’s spoiling my daughter and me at every turn, offering the perfect life on a silver platter...Categorized as:
office queer found-family forced proximity age difference hurt-comfort super rich hero m-m -
![Flirt by Lucy Lennox]()
Flirt by Lucy Lennox
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsSassy-mouthed Stevie Devore has always had a crush on the local fire chief. Gorgeous silver fox, Evan Paige, is way out of Stevie's league, however, not to mention the chief has always been a ladies' man, but when Stevie turns twenty-one, he decides he's tired of only daydreaming about Evan...Categorized as:
queer age difference hurt-comfort friends to lovers insta-love bisexual m-m contemporary -
![Against the Grain by Jay Hogan]()
Against the Grain by Jay Hogan
I don’t like labels and I’m happy that way, but it’s taken a long time to get here. A jerk of a father, too many bullies to name, and a string of dipshit boyfriends whose interest in me rarely made it past the skirts I sometimes wear. Suffice to say, my faith in men runs a little thin.The last thing I need is a gruff, opinionated, fiery, closeted, Paralympian jock messing with my hard-won peace...Categorized as:
sports queer disabilities and marks sweet-hero cold hero athletes hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine -
![On or Off, Volume 1 by A1]()
On or Off, Volume 1 by A1
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here. Winner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards! Available unabridged and uncensored for the first time in English. They say all's fair in love..Categorized as:
queer age difference grumpy sunshine office anal sex cold hero sunny hero sweet-hero -
![Milo by Lily Morton]()
Milo by Lily Morton
Once upon a time a brave knight rescued a young man. Unfortunately, he then spent the next few years bossing the young man around and treating him like a child. Milo has been burying himself at Chi an Mor, hiding from the wreckage of his once promising career and running from a bad relationship that destroyed what little confidence he had... -
![Spotlight by Eden Finley]()
Spotlight by Eden Finley
RyderWhen I quit the biggest boy band on the planet, I was supposed to get my life back.It’s not that I wanted to leave the spotlight. I felt like I had to for my daughter. Her picture shouldn’t be splashed all over the tabloids.I thought I could do this parenting thing on my own, but it’s obvious I need help. I just didn’t expect to find it in the form of a gorgeous guy I meet by chance...Categorized as:
friends to lovers office secret-relationship queer cold hero super rich hero bisexual angst -
![My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama]()
My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA young patrolman harbors secret feelings for a middle-aged shop owner on his beat!When a young patrolman gets assigned to a small town, he runs into an old acquaintance, and a casual comment from the older man leads to a fluttering heart and renewed feelings.Seiji Tajima runs a convenience store in a small town, and thanks to his easygoing attitude toward much of life, he’s still single... -
-
![Unrivaled by Ashlyn Kane, Morgan James]()
Unrivaled by Ashlyn Kane, Morgan James
People say there’s a fine line between love and hate. If you ask Grady Armstrong, the line’s as obvious as the one across the middle of a hockey rink.So he can’t explain why he doesn’t walk away when his Grindr hookup—a guy who accused him of impersonating himself—turns out to be Max Lockhart, a rival player Grady once punched in the face... -
![The Legend Next Door by Jesse H. Reign]()
The Legend Next Door by Jesse H. Reign
I didn’t think hockey was the game for me…now I’m obsessed. My new neighbor, Ben Stirling, is a beautiful, famous ex-player. A living NHL legend. A single dad with sad eyes and a smile I feel in my knees.I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s what would you’d get if you squeezed masculinity through a sieve. He’s the grit. The pulp. The hard stuff that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort age difference sports hockey queer forced proximity athletes -
![Charles by Con Riley]()
Charles by Con Riley
Opposites attract in this low-angst romance filled with British snark and humour.Life should be a breeze for a playboy like Charles Heppel. As the third son of an earl, he lives for the moment, partying and playing. Settling down isn’t for him. Not when London is full of beautiful men who he hasn’t one-and-done yet... -
![Malicious Compliance by E.M. Lindsey]()
Malicious Compliance by E.M. Lindsey
My life is good. I work from home, I answer to no one, and I pay my rent on time. In short, things are peaceful and solitary—exactly the way I like them. Yes, my apartment might be a dump with paper-thin walls and plumbing issues, but it’s mine all the same. And then he moves in...Categorized as:
angst forced proximity hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer m-m from hate to love contemporary -
![Muscle Cub by Slade James]()
Muscle Cub by Slade James
He’s a little too young and way too hot for me.Austin Fox is a twentysomething beefcake living his best life working at a clothing-optional campground. He’s the reigning Best Cub of Bear Mountain Lodge. With a twinkle in his eye and a mischievous smile, he radiates body positivity and self-esteem.He could have anyone he wants...Categorized as:
age difference grumpy sunshine queer found-family m-m contemporary humor length-medium -
![The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer]()
The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.Boom, done. Easy...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
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.
