Books like 'Defending the House'

Readers who enjoyed Defending the House by V.L. Locey also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  gay romance  sports  hurt-comfort  athletes  height-difference  age difference  friends to lovers  working class hero  queer

  • The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 6 by 945

    The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 6 by 945

    Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 16 ratings
    건우가 종적을 감춘 후 더디게 흘러가는 시간을 버티듯 살아가는 의준. 어느덧 3년이 지나 스물여덟을 맞이한다. 건우를 떠올리게 했던 사람과 시작한 연애. 그리고 아르바이트를 전전하다 어렵사리 취업한 중소기업 영업부. 상처받은 마음으로 인한 것일까? 미세하게 불안하지만 남들과 비슷해 보이는 그런 삶을 살고 있다.의준은 직장 생활에서 막내, 신입이라는 이유로 상사의 사소한 심부름을 하게 되는데 그중 편의점에 가는 것이 가장 달갑지 않다. 그곳이 건우의 명함에서 보았던 그의 직장 CIK 그룹과 마주 보고 있다는 부분이 마음을 무겁게 만들기 때문이다. 함께했던 시간을 잊고자 하는 노력을 비웃듯 이렇게 추억들은 사소한 순간순간에 떠오른다...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 26 ratings
    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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  • Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg

    Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    When 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...
  • Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

    Old-Fashioned Cupcake by Sagan Sagan

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    A 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...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 18 ratings
    Living 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...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 2 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    The seasons have shifted, and Shin and Seiji are starting their new life together. Living 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...
  • Heart2Heart: A Contemporary Charity Anthology (Collection), Volume 7 by Annabeth Albert, Avril Ashton

    Heart2Heart: A Contemporary Charity Anthology (Collection), Volume 7 by Annabeth Albert, Avril Ashton

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 13 ratings
    Once upon a time SIX YEARS AGO, the Heart2Heart app made its first batch of incredibly unlikely (but oh-so-perfect) love matches...
  • Wheels Down by Beth Bolden

    Wheels Down by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Shaw 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...
  • Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Asher Williams is obsessed with love. His column is thriving, fellow students trust him with their relationship woes, and he’s on his A-game when it comes to matchmaking. At least, matchmaking other than his own. After a heartfelt letter written to his column, Asher is set on aiding the two love-struck heroes who desperately need his help...
  • Keeping Secrets by Alexa Land

    Keeping Secrets by Alexa Land

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The truth can cost you everything. Twenty-six-year-old Beck Medina is convinced of that. He’s been abandoned by so many people over the course of his life, including most of his adopted family. Now he’s created a new family for himself at the resort he manages on Catalina Island. But they don’t know the whole truth about him...
  • My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    My Dearest Patrolman, Vol. 1 by Niyama

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    A 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...
  • Hawk by Jacki James

    Hawk by Jacki James

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    At six foot four, muscles for days, and a take charge attitude, Duncan Hawkins is exactly my type and everything I've sworn to avoid... So when I find myself in trouble, why is he my first call?Mika has run before—first from trouble at home, then from an abusive ex.For the past two years, he’s built a quiet, safe life in Vesper, Texas, determined to never run again...
  • Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Family comes first in all things. Whatever the cost.Ten had always heard the saying ‘Out of the mouth of babes,’ but he’d not expected it to hit home as it had. After a comment from their daughter, Ten and Jared find themselves pondering an addition to the family. Moving into the adoption process is nerve-wracking and riddled with anxiety—kind of like how the Railers have been playing of late...
  • The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells

    The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    The 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...
  • Surrender Your Heart by Aimee Nicole Walker

    Surrender Your Heart by Aimee Nicole Walker

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    ***Surrender Your Heart was originally published in 2015. This second edition has been completely re-edited but does not contain new material. *** Secrets and fears—everyone has them. Some more than others. A heavy secret brought Liam Connelly to DC, but it isn’t the only reason he stays. Hired to tend bar at Bottoms Up, Liam finds himself drawn to his enigmatic boss like a moth to a flame...
  • Assisted by Carly Marie

    Assisted by Carly Marie

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Foolish is judging a book by its cover… or a hockey coach by his suitAs assistant coach of the Nashville Grizzlies, Imil Bouchard has everything he needs, except maybe a Daddy. On the wrong side of forty and not looking for a traditional Dom, he knows there’s no point wishing for what he can’t have. And of course, he’s drawn to the extra-anxious director who exudes the need for a Daddy not a boy...
  • Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair

    Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 10 ratings
    I thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out he’s helping me fall in love.TylerI have one rule when it comes to matters of my one and done. Consensually, of course. Fun with no complicated romantic feelings. Not that I’m built to experience those, anyway.After my car breaks down on a remote road, I follow a lumbersnack back to his creepy cabin for the cell service...
  • A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes

    A Kind of Romance by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    Zeke 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...
  • Bad Pucking Roommate by Michele Lenard

    Bad Pucking Roommate by Michele Lenard

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 18 ratings
    Secrets threaten disaster in this bi-awakening, MM romance about two teammates who have chemistry that extends beyond the ice, an unconventional roommate agreement, and a not-safe-for-work pair of dice. Athletes are notoriously superstitious. Some don’t wash their gear. Others sleep with it. I’ve even heard of a guy that peed on the field to ward off evil spirits...
  • The Christmas Summons by Kelly Fox

    The Christmas Summons by Kelly Fox

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    From USA Today Bestselling Author Kelly Fox comes a Wild Heart Ranch Christmas novella. I’ve loved Gael Hernandez from the moment I laid eyes on him. We had a moment back in the summer, but he needed time to recover from the traumatic events that reshaped his family.It’s now Christmas, and I think my talented shoemaker is finally ready to let me love him for the rest of his life...
  • A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley

    A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    A 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...
  • The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn

    The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Dr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal. At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating...
  • Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Jesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more cliché...
  • ChrisMyths by Amy Lane

    ChrisMyths by Amy Lane

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    After 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...
  • Next Season by Lane Hayes

    Next Season by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    The injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…RileyMy time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion...
  • A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers

    A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Asher Williams is obsessed with love. Or at least he was, until it all came crashing down. He made a mistake. And even Asher himself, arranger of marriages and aider of lovesick hearts, doesn’t know how to fix it. And like every heroic quest, there are a few bumps in the road and dragons to slay...
  • Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    They were supposed to be a one-night stand, and then a weekend fling… a just-for-this-season affair… soulmates. When Chip met Jai during All-Stars weekend, their hookup should’ve ended there. At the time, it was no big deal. As the assistant coach for the Phoenix Ice Rays, Chip can’t be in a relationship with a player from his team. Lucky for him, Jai plays for the Red Zones...
  • Reawaken by Christina Lee

    Reawaken by Christina Lee

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Losing his adoring husband shattered Tristan Rogers's world. For the past few years, he’s been going through the motions, running their dog grooming business while hiding the loneliness he feels down to his bones. When he witnesses an ugly breakup between a pretentious customer and his boyfriend, Tristan can’t help but intervene...
  • Neutral Zone by Catherine Gayle

    Neutral Zone by Catherine Gayle

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    USA Today bestselling author Catherine Gayle presents another novella in the emotional Portland Storm hockey romance series. Being stuck in the Neutral Zone is no way to live… Portland Storm defenseman Cole Paxton never intended to be the poster boy for gay hockey players...
  • Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon

    Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Special Edition Book Art - Paperback onlyTwo desperate encounters led to a dating arrangement. One for money. The other for sexual exploration.KelI tried to save Ohana Surfing Club, a surf shop my father and I owned...
  • Ikumen After by Kazuma Kodaka

    Ikumen After by Kazuma Kodaka

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    This is a really cute, sweet story about two single dads Asakura and Kentarou, whose young sons happen to go to the same daycare...
  • The Pro vs The Fan by Nicole Dykes

    The Pro vs The Fan by Nicole Dykes

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Book...
  • The Outcast by E.M. Denning

    The Outcast by E.M. Denning

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Ethan Bennett is too old for Mickey.Ethan Bennett plays guitar, barbecues as often as possible, and owns a diner. He’s a widower whose life still revolves around his sons, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. When Mickey, a younger man his son Taylor had been helping shows up at the diner, cold to the bone, thin as a rail, Ethan knows he can’t send him away...
  • It's Not You by Becca Seymour

    It's Not You by Becca Seymour

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    When a protective ex-cop helps his gorgeous tenant through his recovery, their complicated history is asking for trouble. Will the fear of the past repeating itself destroy any possibility of happiness?Daredevil drifter Lawrence Crawford is hunting for a place to call home. After ten years of looking, he believes he’s found what he’s been searching for...
  • Breakout Year by K.D. Casey

    Breakout Year by K.D. Casey

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 9 ratings
    A newly traded, newly out third baseman on the cusp of his first major contract hires a fake boyfriend—not expecting him to be the former player who ghosted him years before. But as their star ascends in public, their feelings burn hot in private...threatening to expose what’s for the cameras—and what’s for real. Eitan Rivkin is used to being first...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Four years ago, he gave his heart to a rookie pitcher and struck out. Now, they have a second chance to get things right.No longer living on the streets and surrounded by men who supported him, Cody Marshall’s life was finally looking up. He hadn’t expected to hook up with anyone on his first spring training trip, but there was something about Nick Stone that called to him...
  • Sundays with Oliver by Kelly Jensen

    Sundays with Oliver by Kelly Jensen

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Two empty-nesters. Two bruised hearts. One chance to make things right.Oliver expected to miss his daughter when she left for college, but he’s surprised by the size of the hole she leaves. Or maybe he hadn’t expected to spend his days watching grass grow and making sad cookies. Or to lose his job. Meeting Nick—the uncle of his daughter’s roommate—is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy forecast...
  • Rescue by Alison Hendricks

    Rescue by Alison Hendricks

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "I don't need you to rescue me." Tiberius "The Beast" Caulville is the bad boy of the NFL: an arrogant PR nightmare who doesn't care about his public image. But when an off-season fight lands him in hot water, he's forced to hide out in Hidden Creek and clean up his act with the help of the one person who doesn't buy it...
  • Strike a Pose by Jackie North

    Strike a Pose by Jackie North

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Make a wish on a shooting star. Cry to the moon like the coyotes do.There are so many things Sid cannot have, so many things he tells himself he does not need. His job at Farthingdale Ranch is good enough, right? Then along comes Heston, a glamorous and gorgeous top-tier model from New York City who makes Sid want and then want some more...
  • Messy Love by Riley Hart

    Messy Love by Riley Hart

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    DannyI'm not a guy who's looking for a serious relationship. I love the chase, and the one time I thought I wanted more, the guy bailed. When my buddy Will mentions his recently out, older brother is looking for a place to stay, I offer the spare room in my apartment. It's clear Jonathan's past did a number on him, and he's locked up tight...
  • Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    His heart says no, but his body says yes Liam Donnelly's honed, athletic body craves something he can't have. Not when the last time ended in disaster. Now, the Dublin Rugby player is seeking redemption with a new team in Edinburgh. His fresh start is going strong, but one look at Chef Lachlan MacLeod's inked forearms and whiskey-colored eyes and he's tempted by far more than what's on the menu...
  • Heat Transfer by Katherine McIntyre

    Heat Transfer by Katherine McIntyre

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 14 ratings
    Cor’s crush on the straight boy in sword fighting class has been unrequited, but with one crossed sword, that’s all about to change…CorFrom the second I showed up for sword fighting class, Felix grabbed my attention. Yet not only was he straight, but he also had a girlfriend. However, the more we hang, the more I can’t help but hang on his every word, every look...
  • Triple Play: An M/M/M Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Triple Play: An M/M/M Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    When Eric is unable to help his friend recover, he has to put his feelings aside for a second time. He never imagined the man who could help would be the glue that bound them together.Drew Jackson had it all: a family who loves him, a tight circle of friends, and he’s a rising star with the Milwaukee Mavericks...
  • Tangled Up In You by Jaclyn Osborn

    Tangled Up In You by Jaclyn Osborn

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Becoming best friends at an early age, Corbin and Hunter were inseparable. Where one went, the other followed. As years passed, their friendship blossomed into something more and both boys fell madly in love. Corbin loved Hunter’s quirkiness and obsession with Shakespeare, and Hunter loved Corbin’s goofy personality and kind heart...
  • Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    No one expected the loudmouth of the team to be hiding in the biggest closet of them all. When he’s paired with someone who just wants to keep his head down and play the game, sparks are going to fly.Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief...
  • Forever Mine by Jacey Davis

    Forever Mine by Jacey Davis

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    Failure. Trash. Loser. Unlovable.You name it, I probably heard it. I heard it so much, I believed it. Why wouldn’t I? No one besides my best friends ever stuck around, and they were as messed up as me.Then Dakota came along. He was everything I wasn’t. Smart. Educated. He had a big family who loved and cared about him. He should have run the other way when he saw me, but he didn’t...
  • Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief. With so many of his teammates coming out of the closet and living healthy lives, it’s getting harder for him to keep the secret only one other person knows: that he’s not as straight as everyone assumes when they see him out with his hot girlfriend...
  • Retaking the Shot by Kimberly Knight, Rachel Lyn Adams

    Retaking the Shot by Kimberly Knight, Rachel Lyn Adams

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    “Ford, stay with me.”Those were the last four words Ford Mahoney heard Emmett Cooper utter before everything went dark. When Ford wakes up in the hospital, it doesn’t take long for him to realize he needs to confront the demons of his past. Meanwhile, the event of that night leaves Coop envisioning a better future for himself.As they both try to find their way, they can’t deny the bond they share...
  • Summer Makeover by Kelly Fox

    Summer Makeover by Kelly Fox

    Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Gregory: Maybe it’s odd that an astrophysicist would spend his weekend before a big conference cutting hair, but it's my creative outlet. Frankly, it's closer to community outreach with all of these pandemic styles.Speaking of which, a weird guy with a huge beard and crazy salt-and-pepper hair just walked in. He's got pretty eyes, I'll give him that. But sir, I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker...
  • Shadow and Light by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Shadow and Light by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Is it easier to fall into the shadows than hold onto the light? Injured in a horrific car accident by a man who made him feel like nothing, Henry was left with life threatening injuries, crippling self doubt, and his career as a hockey player destroyed...
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