Books like 'The Spare Man'
Readers who enjoyed The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
futuristic funny science fiction mystery suspense sweet-hero friends to lovers disabilities and marks abduction independent heroine
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A Treasure for the Alien Warrior by Honey Phillips
Can an alien commander allow himself to choose love over duty? Jessica’s orderly life changed forever when she became the guardian of her orphaned niece and nephew. She is still trying to learn how to be a parent when they are taken by aliens.After a desperate attempt to escape their captors ends on a deserted planet, she faces an entirely new set of challenges...Categorized as:
abduction strong heroine m-f science fiction aliens alpha male insta-love time travel -
![Miles in Love by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Miles in Love by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsKomarr—Miles Vorkosigan is sent to Komarr, a planet that could be a garden with a thousand more years of terraforming; or an uninhabitable wasteland, if the terraforming project fails. The solar mirror vital to the project has been shattered by a ship hurtling off course, and Miles has been sent to find out if it was an accident, or sabotage... -
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![Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Cordelia's Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada...Categorized as:
independent heroine strong heroine m-f science fiction military war futuristic humor -
![Miles, Mutants, and Microbes (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #4, 5.2 & 13) by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Miles, Mutants, and Microbes (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #4, 5.2 & 13) by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsContent: Falling free Labyrinth Diplomatic immunity Miles Vorkosigan/Naismith : his life and times.Two complete novels and a short novel in one large volume:Falling Free—The Nebula Award-winning novel. Leo Graf was just your typical efficient engineer: mind your own business and do the job... -
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![Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold
Captain Ivan Vorpatril is happy with his relatively uneventful bachelor's life of a staff officer to a Barrayaran admiral. Ivan, cousin to Imperial troubleshooter Miles Vorkosigan, is not far down the hereditary list for the emperorship. Thankfully, new heirs have directed that headache elsewhere, leaving Ivan to enjoy his life on Komarr, far from the Byzantine court politics of his home system...Categorized as:
suspense m-f science fiction humor military futuristic behind-doors marriage of convenience -
![Born with a Silver Moon by Milly Taiden]()
Born with a Silver Moon by Milly Taiden
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 16 ratings** COMPLETELY STANDALONE ** Discover a brand new race of Alpha males ready to find their mates in a dangerous warrior planet. Sassy women traveling with Gerri Wilder are in for the journey of a lifetime and a mate that will love them through the galaxy. Are you ready? Grab the next Galaxan romance between a sexy warrior and his fiery mate...Categorized as:
m-f independent heroine shapeshifters humor science fiction futuristic aliens non-human-hero -
![R'jaal's Resonance by Ruby Dixon]()
R'jaal's Resonance by Ruby Dixon
R'jaal has waited many turns of the seasons for his khui to resonate, only to be disappointed time and time again. But when he is taken captive by strange beings hiding in the very tunnels of the fruit caves, he wakes up to find himself in a strange underground cage.Also in the cage? A very pretty unfamiliar human female. She says her name is Rosalind. She makes his khui sing...Categorized as:
m-f abduction sweet-hero suspense friends to lovers tortured heroine sunny hero science fiction -
![Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb]()
Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb
The incomparable J. D. Robb presents the latest moving and suspenseful novel in the #1 New York Times –bestselling Eve Dallas series. In a decrepit and long-empty New York building, a man begins the demolition process by swinging a sledgehammer into a wall. When the dust clears, he finds two skeletons wrapped in plastic behind it... -
![Born in Death by J.D. Robb]()
Born in Death by J.D. Robb
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 62 ratingsEve Dallas has a grisly double homicide to solve when two young lovers—both employees of the same prestigious accounting firm—are brutally killed on the same night. It doesn't leave Eve a lot of leftover time to put together a baby shower for her buddy Mavis, but that's supposedly what friends are for. Now Mavis needs another favor...Categorized as:
heroine sleuth suspense strong heroine mystery tortured heroine m-f futuristic super rich hero -
![Memory in Death by J.D. Robb]()
Memory in Death by J.D. Robb
Eve Dallas is one tough cop. It should take more than a seemingly ordinary middle-aged lady to make her fall apart. But when that lady is Trudy Lombard, all bets are off. Just seeing Trudy at the station plunges Eve back to the days when she was a vulnerable, traumatized young girl—and trapped in foster care with the twisted woman who now sits smiling in front of her...Categorized as:
heroine sleuth suspense strong heroine mystery tortured heroine independent heroine m-f sweet-hero -
![Peripeteia by Sarah Lyons Fleming]()
Peripeteia by Sarah Lyons Fleming
Book two of The City Series is here! Months into the apocalypse, the zombies show no signs of dying, but it’s clear everyone in Sunset Park will die without enough food to outlast the undead. Add in the less-than-sociable new neighbors only blocks away, and the hunt for sustenance has come to feel more like a race than a ramble...Categorized as:
suspense m-f friends to lovers independent heroine sassy heroine sunny hero dystopian new adult -
![Kiss My Asteroid by Milly Taiden]()
Kiss My Asteroid by Milly Taiden
** COMPLETELY STANDALONE **Discover a brand new race of Alpha males ready to find their mates in a dangerous warrior planet. Sassy women traveling with Gerri Wilder are in for the journey of a lifetime and a mate that will love them through the galaxy. Are you ready?Ivy Grimaldi can’t stand change. Ever. But change is something she’s had to deal with a lot lately...Categorized as:
sassy heroine abduction mystery suspense strong heroine m-f shapeshifters science fiction -
![Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb]()
Strangers in Death by J.D. Robb
The new novel in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series. Technology may be different in 2060 New York, yet the city is still a place of many cultures and great divides. But as ever, some murders receive more attention than others—especially those in which the victim is a prominent businessman, found in his Park Avenue apartment, tied to the bed—and strangled—with cords of black velvet... -
![Possessed by the Alien Hero by Krista Luna]()
Possessed by the Alien Hero by Krista Luna
I live without emotion. Yet one touch from my fated mate shatters all my restraint.SOFIAI did it! I helped cure the virus our enemy used to kill so many humans and Varool. Then I created a new one that will turn the tables on the bugs and win us the war. If we can release it into the heart of the attacking Swarm.Enter Yash. Tall. Aloof. Alien. Gorgeous. He’s even royalty of some sort...Categorized as:
strong heroine m-f aliens science fiction humor futuristic fated-mates cheerful heroine -
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![Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 49 ratingsThe fifth installment of the Hugo-award winning adventures of Miles Vorkosigan.In this novel Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan travel to Cetaganda, the long-standing enemy of Barrayar, to represent their Barrayar at the funeral of the mother of the Cetagandan emperor... -
![Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold
Miles is having enough trouble keeping his two identities separate -- the charismatic Admiral Naismith of the Denarii Mercenary Fleet and a Vor lord of the Barrayan aristocracy -- when assassination attempts begin...Categorized as:
m-f disabilities and marks abduction strong heroine science fiction military war humor -
![Calamity by Constance Fay]()
Calamity by Constance Fay
Bramble's inaugural debut is equal parts steamy interstellar romance and sci-fi adventure, perfect for fans of Firefly and Ilona Andrews.She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member…Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern...Categorized as:
sassy heroine strong heroine m-f abduction from hate to love humor science fiction futuristic -
![His Human Assistant by Michele Mills]()
His Human Assistant by Michele Mills
I’m a corporate whistleblower running for my life, so I take the first job I can find off planet. Now I’m a lowly assistant for some rich devil named Hannibal Hellstone? And when I say “devil,” I mean DEVIL. As in this guy’s skin is dark red, he has shiny black horns, sharp fangs, silver-tipped claws and a barbed tail. This Hyrrokin is scary AF and his eight-year-old son looks just like him... -
![Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Winterfair Gifts by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsMiles Vorkosigan and his fiancée Ekaterin are enjoying the Winterfair festivities and wedding gifts on their home planet Barrayar, but Miles’ enemies are at work. Sergeant Taura, a genetically engineered young woman Miles befriended, helps uncover the sinister plot. A double dose of romance enlivens this delightful novella in the New York Times bestselling Vorkosigan saga... -
![Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsReturning from their honeymoon on Earth, Miles and Ekaterin stop at one of the asteroid-based habitats informally known as Quaddiespace (see FALLING FREE), where Miles is sent to defuse an incident between a Barryaran military command and the local police... -
![CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold]()
CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsKibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play... -
![Elanie & the Empath by Jess K. Hardy]()
Elanie & the Empath by Jess K. Hardy
Half-human. Half-machine. Totally unprepared for love.I wasn’t built for emotions. I was built for efficiency. As a bionic, part organic and part AI, I’ve spent my life working aboard my interstellar pleasure cruise in rational, dispassionate contentment. But when I finally install my long-overdue hormone upgrade, everything changes. Fast...Categorized as:
m-f strong heroine sweet-hero sunny hero science fiction length-medium futuristic aliens -
![So I Married an Alien by Lyonne Riley]()
So I Married an Alien by Lyonne Riley
What’s a girl to do when her cat dies and a plague wipes out most of the male population? Why, she marries an alien, of course!Amara is a party girl with a boring day job, on the search for meaning in her life. When she applies to the Galactic Matching Program looking for an alien husband of her own, she’s paired with Roth’kar, a four-armed Karthinian with adorable antennae...Categorized as:
m-f friends to lovers independent heroine sunny hero sweet-hero science fiction humor contemporary -
![Argan by Celia Kyle]()
Argan by Celia Kyle
Argan’s honor as a Preor warrior made him defend her. Liquid Knot’s heart demanded she save him. Liquid Knot—hacker extraordinaire—has made mistakes in her life, but none so big as getting an alien warrior sentenced to death. His head is on the chopping block and the Preor leader is determined to follow the letter of the law... -
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![Valor's Trial by Tanya Huff]()
Valor's Trial by Tanya Huff
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe fourth book in Tanya Huff's action-packed military sci-fi adventure Confederation seriesAfter surviving the perils of the Crucible, the Marine Corps planet where a routine training assignment had taken a deadly twist—Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr returned to Ventris Station just in time to link up with her old platoon and head out to a new war zone, an area of space where the enemy known as... -
![Oh No, I Shot A Spaceship And Kissed An Alien Cyberchef by Kate Sinner]()
Oh No, I Shot A Spaceship And Kissed An Alien Cyberchef by Kate Sinner
Nothing says 'five-star hospitality' quite like accidentally blasting an alien ship out of the sky.Welcome to my life at the Alien Hotel. My days are a delightful cocktail of wrestling with the demonic NutriSynth, dodging kitchen fires, and trying not to murder our cyborg chef, Nelan. Did I mention he's irritatingly handsome? Because that's totally irrelevant and not at all distracting...Categorized as:
m-f abduction science fiction humor length-novella aliens found-family from hate to love -
![Xenon by Regine Abel]()
Xenon by Regine Abel
What is dead is never truly gone.When she embarks on a rescue mission in an abandoned lab, the last thing Kate Lewis expects is for a long dead Xian Warrior to rise from his ashes. Then he claims she’s his soulmate. Although she doesn’t doubt his sincerity, Kate cannot help but question the truth of his words... -
![Wed To The Alien Gladiator by January Bell]()
Wed To The Alien Gladiator by January Bell
Things were improving between us… that is, until he got the bright idea to kidnap me.I never thought I’d be tricked into an arranged marriage with an alien warlord. Still, it’s been easy enough to keep my former gladiator husband at arm’s length. But once my translator starts working, the hulking himbo decides he’s tired of waiting and freaking kidnaps me... -
![Reaper by Regine Abel]()
Reaper by Regine Abel
She survived against the odds…Janelle’s life is defined by a crumbling, underground research base. Imprisoned for twenty years after the base was bombed, she and the few Creckel survivors are running out of time as the last of their resources are depleted. With no hope for rescue, Janelle and her companions wait for the dreaded Reaper to finish what the bombs missed... -
![The Security Guy by V.C. Lancaster]()
The Security Guy by V.C. Lancaster
Anna has been sent to the San Diego branch of the Department of Extra-Terrestrial Immigration from her London PR company to negotiate a contract. Her job is to help improve the public image of the local Teissian refugee community after it has come under attack from a local politician. On her first day there, she is invited to the office Christmas party...Categorized as:
strong heroine sassy heroine m-f humor science fiction aliens futuristic men in uniform -
![Alien Reject by Ursa Dax]()
Alien Reject by Ursa Dax
"She is a difficult creature, my tiny Kat. But I have never met with a creature I could not tame..."KATI can't believe so many of my human friends have fallen in love with aliens. Sure, the Sea Sand warlords are strong and tall and some might even say good-looking. But I still think it's absolutely nuts to jump into a relationship with one of them...Categorized as:
sunny hero sassy heroine strong heroine independent heroine m-f tortured heroine sweet-hero aliens -
![Wrath by Regine Abel]()
Wrath by Regine Abel
She conquered death. Can she conquer life?Kwan’s dreams of joining the Vanguard finally comes true. Unfortunately, a recent tragedy dampens the joy of this experience. She hopes that reuniting with her long-time friend Linette and embarking on epic rescue missions will help bury painful memories... -
![Wanting The Monster by Rena Marks]()
Wanting The Monster by Rena Marks
Never judge a man by his looks, even when he has tentacles.Relion has so much more going for him. Protective. Playful. Caring. He’s become my best friend and it doesn’t even matter that we’re male and female. Or that we’re two entirely different species...Categorized as:
strong heroine m-f friends to lovers aliens science fiction dystopian futuristic arranged marriage -
![The Tracker's Dilemma by Ruby Lionsdrake]()
The Tracker's Dilemma by Ruby Lionsdrake
Sergeant Heath “Tick” Hawthorn, the best tracker in Mandrake Company and the captain’s right-hand man, has been admiring microbiologist Lauren Keys from afar for months. Unfortunately, she’s dedicated to her science and doesn’t seem to have any interest in relationships. He’s not even sure she knows his name... -
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![April's Fools by Ivy Asher, Raven Kennedy]()
April's Fools by Ivy Asher, Raven Kennedy
We were Army Rangers, the best of the best. And then one day, everything that we worked so hard to become was ripped away. Now, we’re in some podunk town, trying to find a sense of normal amongst the crazy, and learn how to live again. That gets a hell of a lot harder to do when a virus spreads mercilessly across the country, killing 85% of the people who contract it...Categorized as:
sassy heroine disabilities and marks sunny hero m-f strong heroine science fiction dystopian humor -
![Strange Love by Ann Aguirre]()
Strange Love by Ann Aguirre
He's awkward. He's adorable. He's alien as hell. Zylar of Kith Balak is a four-time loser in the annual Choosing. If he fails to find a nest guardian this time, he'll lose his chance to have a mate for all time. Desperation drives him to try a matching service but due to a freak solar flare and a severely malfunctioning ship AI, things go way off course... -
![Heat for Hire by V.K. Ludwig]()
Heat for Hire by V.K. Ludwig
Scarred. Stranded. Oh… and in heat.ElliI thought things were a struggle when my insurance refused to pay for my breast reconstruction surgery. But here I am, crashing my omega-classified ladyparts on a planet that makes me do silly things—like dry-hump the big, scaled, growly police officer who pulls me from the wreck. Until the next ship leaves for Earth, I have to embrace my inner omega...Categorized as:
sweet-hero disabilities and marks m-f sassy heroine omegaverse aliens alpha male science fiction -
![Alien Protector's Dreams by Melissa Emerald]()
Alien Protector's Dreams by Melissa Emerald
It's a leap of faith to believe in a dream... So let me get this straight... I've been abducted in my sleep, thrown into a stasis pod and now this huge, winged warrior guy is rescuing me and telling me I'm his 'mate' because he saw me in his dreams?Aloryk is everything I've ever wanted in a man - plus a few added extras... -
![Romancing the Alpha: An Action-Adventure Romance Boxed Set by Zoe York, Ruby Lionsdrake]()
Romancing the Alpha: An Action-Adventure Romance Boxed Set by Zoe York, Ruby Lionsdrake
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA multi-author anthology of action-packed adventure novellas. Let the adrenaline flow! ***ZOE YORK, RUBY LIONSDRAKE, ZARA KEANE, ANNA HACKETT, EMBER CASEY, ANNA LOWE, SADIE HALLER, LYN BRITTAN, LYDIA ROWAN, A.J... -
![Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis]()
Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis
A high octane sexy space heist from New York Times-bestselling author Beth Revis, the first in a novella trilogy.Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air...Categorized as:
m-f sassy heroine strong heroine independent heroine sweet-hero mystery suspense science fiction -
![Glitter in the Stars by Julia Huni]()
Glitter in the Stars by Julia Huni
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCleaning the galaxy, one cruise ship at a time.When maintenance technician Triana Moore gets temporarily transferred to a passenger liner, she doesn't expect luxury and relaxation. Bot-minding is the same on a station or a ship. But with twelve-hour workdays and five roommates in her cabin, Triana thinks she should have read the employment contract more carefully... -
![Romancing Rem'eb by Ruby Dixon]()
Romancing Rem'eb by Ruby Dixon
I feel like an outsider wherever I go. Croatoan, the Icehome Beach...neither place is home to me. So when a group heads off to the fruit caves to investigate thievery, I go with them. Any excuse to get away from the beach, where I've made a fool of myself in front of my ex and his new mate.Things go from bad to worse as I'm kidnapped by strangers...Categorized as:
m-f abduction tortured heroine sweet-hero strong heroine friends to lovers sassy heroine sunny hero -
![The Ruins of Karzelek by Ruby Lionsdrake]()
The Ruins of Karzelek by Ruby Lionsdrake
Kalish has been a successful treasure hunter for years, relying on only herself to deal with deadly predators, impenetrable jungles, and diabolical booby traps. But with her father kidnapped, and a notorious pirate demanding an ancient alien artifact that may or may not exist, Kalish needs help...Categorized as:
strong heroine independent heroine sweet-hero m-f military humor science fiction futuristic -
![Abducted by Love by Keri Lane]()
Abducted by Love by Keri Lane
Friends-to-lovers, reverse grumpy-sunshine, summer romance, and… aliens?Kayce Baxter and Casey Brenner (yes, the notorious two Caseys) are best friends and amateur alien hunters. Every summer they go camping in the backwoods of Canada, determined to find proof that aliens exist.Weird, sarcastic Kayce Baxter, has more than aliens on her mind... -
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![B785 by Eve Langlais]()
B785 by Eve Langlais
When cyborg intelligence meets sensual robotics circuit boards sizzle. Einstein was probably the only cyborg in existence with no interest in the opposite sex, until he discovered B785. With her sensual nature and quirky sense of humor, she draws this cybernetic geek out of his scientific shell and teaches him the one thing he’s never understood – passion...Categorized as:
suspense tortured heroine sassy heroine m-f strong heroine science fiction aliens futuristic -
![Her Alien Warrior by Presley Hall]()
Her Alien Warrior by Presley Hall
Gemma and Kzuri's story. Full blurb coming soon!Her Alien Warrior is a full-length standalone sci-fi romance featuring blue-skinned alien warriors, a sweet but determined heroine, and a quiet, fiercely devoted hero.If you like sexy aliens, steamy romance, and thrilling adventure, you’ll love this series...Categorized as:
abduction disabilities and marks strong heroine science fiction humor aliens futuristic alpha male -
![Clonely You by Ruby Dixon]()
Clonely You by Ruby Dixon
A'ani clone Aithar has had his heart broken a dozen times on Risda III. No one wants the love he is so very eager to give. But then he meets a human woman named Michaela who runs a dairy farm. She wants to rescue her sister, and to do so, she needs Aithar’s help. He’s willing to help…in exchange for a date. Michaela warns him that she’s just using him... -
![I Married A Lizardman by Regine Abel]()
I Married A Lizardman by Regine Abel
Scaly, grumpy, but oh so cuddly...As a third daughter on the farming colony of Meterion, Susan’s future prospects aren’t too promising. A pretty face, top-notch skills, and hard work mean nothing if your dowry doesn’t include fertile lands... -
![Courted by the Alien Agent by Deiri Di]()
Courted by the Alien Agent by Deiri Di
Ciara is a force of nature.She is now anyway.Before she woke up in a human prison camp she was on a never ending streak of bad dates and the inability to look in the mirror and feel self love. That all changed. When she finds herself displaced in time and space, tormented by men who believe that sexiness is a sin, she doesn’t let it break her...Categorized as:
m-f strong heroine sassy heroine sweet-hero abduction science fiction military humor -
![Sweeping S'Ride by Julia Huni]()
Sweeping S'Ride by Julia Huni
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIt's a big galaxy, and somebody needs to clean it.When maintenance technician Triana Moore arrives on the planet Sally Ride, she just wants to get through the high-lev meeting and get her relationship with Agent Ty O'Neill back to normal. But everywhere she turns, she's reminded of the serial killer who got away...
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