Books like 'Splintered'
Readers who enjoyed Splintered by Isabel Lucero also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance friends to lovers queer-awakening secret-relationship sports second chances bisexual angst forced proximity
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Gravity by Tal Bauer
C’est cela l’amour, et tu es mon rêve...Bryce:Hockey is my life. This game pulled me from my tiny Quebec hometown all the way to the NHL, and now? I’m the number one player in the league. Team capitaine for the Montréal Étoiles. I’m shattering records and packing arenas every night, and I’ve promised my team: we’re going to win the Stanley Cup this year.But I’m keeping big secrets...Categorized as:
sports athletes friends to lovers forced proximity secret-relationship angst hockey sweet-hero -
If We Could Go Back by Cara Dee
My sister asked me if I could stand the sight my own reflection, if I’d caused enough damage yet, but I didn’t see myself when I looked into the mirror. I saw Kieran standing behind me, pressing a kiss to my shoulder while he undid my belt. I saw everything I wanted that I couldn’t have. Not unless I was prepared to hurt everyone around me. Kieran was in a similar situation...Categorized as:
forbidden love angst friends to lovers secret-relationship bisexual anal sex hurt-comfort slow burn -
The Caretaker by C.P. Harris
The only thing Noon Waters is sure of is his undying love for his wife. But when a devastating accident ripped both her and a good deal of his memories away from him, he’s left to navigate a new life weighed down by grief, anger, and confusion... -
I'm Your Guy by Sarina Bowen
TOMMASO: The furniture district is my personal hell. I don’t know my ass from an ottoman. But when a hot designer comes to my rescue, I realize my problems are bigger than the house I’m trying to furnish. A scorching kiss over fabric samples makes me question all my choices...Categorized as:
sports athletes angst hurt-comfort queer hockey secret-relationship forced proximity -
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The Last Guy On Earth by Sarina Bowen
One cold December day, two men are blindsided by a hockey trade; one is the most decorated goalie in the league, while the other one is the youngest coach in the majors.Jethro Hale is the last player Coach Clay Powers wants to see on his roster, but the G.M. pulls a fast one. And it's not like he can even explain why. Nobody knows about their love affair fifteen years ago... -
The Crease by Crea Reitan
Always protect the heart of the ice.MaxThis wasn’t supposed to happen to me. I’m supposed to be at the top of my career. Untouchable. Worshiped. Finally proving to all the jerks in my life that I made it. I’m at the top.Then a video that shouldn't exist leaks and everything comes crashing down. I’m about to lose it all and I can’t seem to get out of my own way... -
Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIt’s kind of a shame someone that talented is that big a...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers secret-relationship queer hockey m-m contemporary from hate to love -
Second Shot by Con Riley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecond Shot (Second Chance School #2)Welcome back to Glynn Harber School for another steamy, swoony romance between two bruised souls.Passion always leads to heartbreak for Hayden Novac. Nice guys always get picked last. That’s what my coach at a soccer academy once promised... -
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShaw isn’t his friend—until Ross discovers he’s so much more. Ross Stanton is having a bad week—a bad month—really, a bad year . But the last thing he wants, after the betrayal of his friend and business partner, is for anyone else to know just how much he’s fighting for survival...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity hurt-comfort queer m-m contemporary length-medium -
Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFamily 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... -
Baxter's Right-Hand Man by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe movie star meets his match…PierceWelcome to Hollywood, baby! I’m an actor like a lot of other folks here. Perhaps you’ve heard of me. I play Baxter, the adventure-seeking, crime-fighting hero, adored by fans around the world. Nice gig, right? My job has its perks for sure—private jets, a chauffeur, and the best tables at the fanciest restaurants in town... -
The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe’s my best friend, my best worker, and it was just a silly crush.Then he kissed me. Now it feels like he's mine…I’ve shown my best friend Tristan everything: how to use a circular saw, how to lay grout, and how to do a kitchen renovation right. On the job, we became close friends—then even closer as we learned to share a camping tent.It was all harmless. Just like my crush on him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers office queer found-family queer-awakening m-m contemporary length-short -
The Boyfriend Comeback by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA sexy, emotionally-charged, rivals-to-lovers, second chance sports romance… Some men are just off-limits. Like, say, all the other football players in the league. But I’ve been crushing hard on one quarterback in particular for the last year. When Jason invites me to his place the night before my first pro football game, I say yes so fast... -
Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair
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...Categorized as:
forced proximity hurt-comfort sports friends to lovers height-difference queer exhibitionism m-m -
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Love and History by Lane Hayes
The sporty roommate, the professor, and a history lesson…Holden-Ezra might be the most annoying roommate ever. He’s loud, obnoxious, and full of himself. So what if he’s a tall, muscular, tattooed jock? His tendency to strip to his boxers in the kitchen while helping himself to my food isn’t endearing in the slightest. Nope. Ezra has to go...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity friends to lovers athletes bisexual queer found-family queer-awakening -
Scoring With Him by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAn emotional, sexy, forbidden romance! Scoring with Him is the first novel in the utterly addictive Men of Summer Series!I’m a rookie, in every sense of the word. But even though I have a wicked crush on the sexy shortstop on my baseball team, I won’t give in to my fantasies about him.I’m here in the majors for the first time to play ball. Not to experience my first time with a man...Categorized as:
sports queer friends to lovers athletes secret-relationship angst forced proximity office -
The Rivals of Copper County by May Archer
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy childhood friend. My biggest rival. The only man I’ve ever wanted. If there were a prize for the most contented man in Copper County, I’d win it every time. I’ve got my business. My son. My family. My friends… and no romantic prospects, sure, but only because I don’t need any. My life’s great as it is. Seriously. Could not be better. I’m practically bleeding serenity over here... -
Wildfire by Garrett Leigh
A gorgeous new sexual awakening romance with sizzling first times, snarky British banter, and off-the-charts chemistry. Life doesn’t always pan out as you expect. When it explodes in my face, literally, an old friend offers me a place to heal and a job renovating the kitchen of Burlington’s coolest wine bar.V&V is a chill fest. Living above it should be a blast... -
The Play by Beth Bolden
Last year, defensive end Deacon Harris witnessed the very worst of the Charleston Condors. After everything he and the team went through, he promised himself he’d walk away from football. But before he can retire, the team is sold to the last person he ever expected to see again.Deacon stays because the Condors are going into major rebuilding mode. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules... -
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort athletes sports queer queer-awakening m-m age difference -
Jericho Candelario's Gay Debut by R. Cooper
Jerry Candelario, known as Potts to almost everyone, has spent his entire adult life focused on raising his siblings and his young niece. But the home he fought hard to make is starting to feel empty now that everyone has grown up and moved out and his precious baby niece has suddenly become a teen with a life of her own...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer slow burn shy-hero sweet-hero queer-awakening m-m contemporary -
A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA second chance with his brother’s best friend also comes with a deadline. Three years after inheriting his family farm, an accident forces Stefan Luxton to rethink his future. Turning his farm into a five-star wedding venue is one goal. Another is to reconnect with Marc, who Stefan loved but let slip away to the city...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort forced proximity queer found-family m-m age difference contemporary -
Broken Ice, Mended Hearts by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPIERRE (“GAGS”)My life is complicated.Hell, I’m complicated.I don’t know a life beyond how I’m perceived. After a devastating divorce, it looked like I never would.Can a hockey fight change your life?I may not understand my attraction to Sven Holmer, but I can tell you my obsession with kissing him started in the middle of a fight...Categorized as:
sports hurt-comfort friends to lovers angst bisexual queer secret-relationship anal sex -
Winning the Season by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCoach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life.First with football.Then with Scott Callaway.But Scott isn’t just the one who got away.He’s the one person—the one man—Asa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be.Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction...Categorized as:
sports office friends to lovers athletes second chances secret-relationship angst hurt-comfort -
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Game On by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen he broke off his engagement to his team captain's brother the day before their wedding, Jamie Jamieson swore he'd never get involved with anyone associated with a teammate again. Getting traded to the Orcas is a chance at a fresh start, but one glance at his new housemate, and Jamie knows he's in way over his head.Dorian is his new coach's cousin. And his team's social media coordinator... -
The Linebacker by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIs it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old? Patrick Griffin I hurt him. I didn’t mean to.Now he’s gone, and I deserve it.As a linebacker in the NFL, I've never found the right time to come out of the closet. Not even when I promised Cole I would...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports hurt-comfort angst athletes found-family second chances queer -
Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsJesse 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... -
Bear's Best Friend by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a ray of sunshine. I’m a loner lumberjack. We don’t make sense……But my straight best friend keeps ending up in my bed.Sawyer Hendricks is the best friend I’ve ever had—the Goose to my Moose, and the shoulder I’ve cried on even though I’m not the crying type. The difference between us? Sawyer brightens any room in an instant, and I’m the gruff guy wearing flannel who’d rather be alone...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer queer-awakening bisexual angst found-family m-m contemporary -
Breakneck Hockey by S. Legend
I don’t want Casey Alderchuck, but I don’t want anyone else to have him either.My hook-up for the night wasn’t supposed to be my long-time hockey rival, but here he is. I’m too worked up to let him go home without having a taste. One little bite of that smart mouth is mine for the taking after how many times he’s broken my nose...Categorized as:
hockey sports found-family hurt-comfort angst queer possessive hero from hate to love -
A Different Kind of Love by Nicola Haken
Love is simple. People are not. Despite growing up without it, William Walker knows all about love. He loves his wife. He loves his children. He loves the cat. He has the perfect family, and all he had to do to get it was push aside one pesky little feeling.Unfortunately, love doesn’t pay the bills...Categorized as:
angst actors forced proximity bisexual friends to lovers secret-relationship hurt-comfort queer -
Just Winging It by Crea Reitan
One weekend can change everything. CaulderI’ve lived a very quiet life, keeping my deepest secrets close to my chest. I let no one in; not even my closest friends. When I’m invited to participate in the All-Star Games, I’m suddenly forced to share a hotel room, and a single bed, with a stranger. My carefully guarded world starts to come undone when he kisses me, and I can’t get enough... -
Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLincoln I’ve done a good job getting over my past. I’m not only proud of who I am, but revel in it. Still, I don’t let myself get too close to people. With closeness comes questions and those pesky feelings, and I’m having none of that. I’ve got a great job, friends, I’m cute and twinky, and my bed’s never empty. What more do I need? Except I can’t stop sleeping with Rush Alexander...Categorized as:
friends to lovers athletes sports praise-kink queer m-m contemporary friends-benefits -
Calling Your Bluff by Saxon James
ZaneFour years ago, I met Liam Holdsworthy.Hot, snarky, and hiding behind a sadness I couldn’t place. I wanted him, even back then. There were only two problems.One, I was deeply closeted.And two, he was dating my best friend.Now I’m retired from the NFL and openly out, there’s nothing to stop me from getting my gay on...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers secret-relationship athletes sunny hero queer contemporary m-m -
Snowed by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA second chance at love is all Kyle wants for Christmas, but a dark menace from his past wants him dead, and love is second to staying alive. Kyle Lourenco has carved out a comfortable life and career for himself in Boston. With the holidays quickly approaching, he's heading home for the first time in several years. Home to his loving parents and the small Canadian town where he was raised...Categorized as:
hockey sports queer friends to lovers second chances hurt-comfort forced proximity m-m -
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See You in Boston by Eden Finley, Saxon James
All I want is to be dicked down, why is that so much to ask? When graduation night hits and I still haven’t crossed bottoming off my bucket list, I’ll do anything to make it happen. Including hitting on the bashful, dimpled cutie from the CU Hockey team. He’s not queer, but he is curious. One last college experience with someone we never have to see again...Categorized as:
queer secret-relationship queer-awakening sports friends to lovers hockey office bisexual -
Bruised But Not Broken by Nicole Dykes
BenSpark of Hope: A bi-weekly trauma support group.This is my nightmare. When I think of a support group, I think of sad people sitting around talking about their feelings and nothing changing.And yet, when my brother and his best friend, who happens to be a therapist, presented the idea of holding the meetings at my gym, I caved...Categorized as:
friends to lovers office angst forced proximity slow burn forbidden love second chances queer -
Heartbreak Hockey by S. Legend
MAKE ME CHASE YOU. MAKE ME WORK FOR YOU.JackRhett and I were supposed to grow old together, but he double broke my heart when he forced me to choose between marrying him and hockey. I had to watch his sever in two as I felt mine breaking apart. Worst day you’ll ever have, lemme tell yah... -
Obey the Rules by Leighton Greene
Ben Ballard and Xander Romano are determined to make their relationship work, no matter what. The problem is, life seems determined to wear them down. Fame, distance, feelings... Sometimes it's not as easy as talking things through. Sometimes actions speak louder than words. So how do you keep that connection? Simple. You obey the rules.. -
Playing the Player by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCenter Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend.He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet.But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets... -
Impact Zone Special Edition by Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSpecial 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... -
The Hotshot vs The Reporter by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRoyalI’m the hotshot—both on and off the track. I know how to work the crowd and show off. And I’m good at it.I’ve had to become very effective at putting on a show.But my agent is not a fan of my over-the-top antics. So she did something I still can’t believe . . .She called in the press—the media. Specifically, the reporter who hates everything I stand for...Categorized as:
sports hurt-comfort forced proximity angst athletes queer height-difference found-family -
Knox by Laura John
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsKnox Hanes has always kept his feelings for his older brother’s best friend, Gunnar, a secret. When Knox is forced from his home Gunnar invites him to live with him until things are sorted out. Trapped in close quarters, their hidden desires ignite, but the danger around them escalates, forcing them to confront their feelings and protect their newfound love...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity hurt-comfort angst friends to lovers height-difference m-m mystery -
It's Not You by Becca Seymour
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen 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... -
Love Match by Pandora Pine
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSix years after a panic attack on stage ended Nero Lombardi’s Broadway career, a comeback is in the wings. Everything’s coming up roses—and second chances—when he’s cast as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, the very role from that fateful night, but when a hotshot Hollywood star blows into town and steals his role, Nero wonders if he’ll ever have that encore he craves...Categorized as:
office hurt-comfort second chances queer friends to lovers found-family actors angst -
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The Way You Lie by Crea Reitan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 4 ratingsSometimes a happy ending comes with heartbreak. Falling in love with my father’s best friend wasn’t on my to-do list. Yes, he’s hot. Sure, I’ve been flirting with him since I was sixteen. Of course I’d be down for a little fun.When Laiken begins returning my flirting, things get heated. It was supposed to be sexy fun and nothing more. We weren’t planning on making this a forever thing... -
RIDE by Nellie Christine
Bentley Williams never thought he’d hit rock bottom at 19-years-old. From top-rated college running back to homeless, girlfriend-less, UCLA dropout, Bentley can’t help but wonder if he’s making the right decision. Pursuing a career as a BMX rider likely means a life of struggling to afford groceries, but he can’t imagine doing anything else. The sport’s in his blood...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports forced proximity sunny hero athletes queer sweet-hero found-family -
Stronger Than Longing by Katherine McIntyre
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsReturn to small-town Chesapeake and fall in love with the single-dad bad boy who keeps breaking hearts, and the adorable geek who can't help but fall head over heels for his brother's best friend.For one night with the man of his dreams, Taran's willing to break all his rules.....Taran's always been the reliable one. Safe. Which is why he keeps getting dumped by the assholes he dates... -
Nanny Negotiations by Merry Farmer
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWill a bi-reawakening be what this single father needs to heal his wounded heart? Looks like a job for nanny….When Heath Manfred is left in a lurch after an acrimonious divorce, he turns to the Brotherhood for help with finding a nanny for his three-year-old daughter. But the last thing he expects is for the nanny who shows up to interview for the job to be a hunky man... -
Broken Ice, Mended Hearts by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPIERRE (“GAGS”)My life is complicated.Hell, I’m complicated.I don’t know a life beyond how I’m perceived. After a devastating divorce, it looked like I never would.Can a hockey fight change your life?I may not understand my attraction to Sven Holmer, but I can tell you my obsession with kissing him started in the middle of a fight... -
Hot Streak by Beth Bolden
Young phenom pitcher Connor Clark doesn't want or need help anyone's help making it to the majors.He's got a hot arm, and an even hotter temper.So when his minor league team brings in seasoned catcher Jackson Evans to "handle" him, the two clash instantly.But as the two battle for power, anger gives way to lust, and an awakening Connor didn't see coming...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity queer-awakening office queer friends to lovers athletes angst
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