Books like 'In the Gray'
Readers who enjoyed In the Gray by Christina Lee also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance forced proximity hurt-comfort friends to lovers second chances new adult queer class difference caretaking
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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... -
Still Beating by Jessie Walker
THE END WAS JUST THE BEGINNING. .. I thought I was strong enough to say goodbye. I thought I was ready to leave him. It doesn't matter that I'll be seeing him in three days. I just have to get through three more nights. I'm dying now. Shattering. Breaking. I'm determined to show him I can manage on my own. What if he needs me? I need him. .. What if he doesn't? . . -
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Crushed But Not Defeated by Nicole Dykes
Miles. Selfish. That’s the only way Andrew will ever see me. An abused boy who grew up and became a defense attorney for the rich and famous. I’ll never forget the look on his face when I told him. The hurt and disgust I saw in his eyes as I stomped all over his dreams. He left me behind, convincing me he’d hate me forever. Now, circumstances have brought me back into his life... -
All Is Bright (Water, Air, Earth, Fire) by Riley Nash
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA 10,000 word mini-novella featuring everyone's favorite couples from the Water, Air, Earth, Fire series as they celebrate Christmas. When six very different men and their families meet at a Wyoming lodge to celebrate the holidays, things are bound to get sweet, steamy, chaotic, and a little bit heartwarming. -
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Alfie: Part II by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMM Romance • Part 2 of 2 • Second Chances • Irish Mafia • Family • Hurt/Comfort • Age Gap • Revenge • Opposites Attract. When two broken hearts have reached their limits, it’s time for a mobster to play dirty in order to let the healing begin. Don’t worry, Alfie has a plan. That very second, the moment West said those words…I almost shattered. Again. I’d put myself out there... -
Best Supporting Actor by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Lights, camera…attraction! When Tag O’Rourke, struggling actor-slash-barista, meets Jay Warren, son of acting royalty, it’s loathing at first sight. Loathing…and lust. Tag’s dream is to act, but it’s a dream that’s crumbling beneath the weight of student debt and his family’s financial problems. If his career doesn’t take off soon, he’s going to have to get a real job... -
Hold 'Em Tight by Alisha Williams, Amber Nicole
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey weren't kidding when they say life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, I think I have it all. My men. Happiness. Friends. Family. And the next, my whole life comes crashing down around me. Betrayal like I’ve never felt before consumes me. A heartbreak so gut-wrenching it hurts to breathe...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers queer sports from hate to love contemporary length-medium m-m -
Rising Tide by E.M. Lindsey
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOnce upon a time, Ghost was the best enforcer the Reapers MC had ever known—until the Hydra appeared and destroyed everything he’d worked for. After witnessing corruption down to the very core of their club, his only option was to take off his cut and leave... -
The Temptation by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThere was no escape. Pierce had been running from me for years. No more. This time, Pierce needs me to play the role of doting boyfriend to keep his parents from dragging him back to Boston. With the help of some sneaky accomplices, I’m turning this fake boyfriend into something real... -
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 -
Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher 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... -
Rhythm of Us by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsXavier Cruz has come home after touring with his band for eight years, a life his family and friends would never envy if they knew the truth. Haunted by past decisions, he’s lost himself and his music. Every day is a struggle to recapture them both and forgive the mistakes he’s made. Can Xavier push past his nightmares and hear the melodies all around him again? Ben St... -
A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIndie’s determined to navigate this world alone, but he’s never come up against a determined Daddy before. Normally, everyone likes Cameron. As the General Manager of The Tap Tavern, he’s protective, empathetic, and considerate of his employees and their needs. Especially those who’ve come in through the Takoda Career Center. Indie knows betrayal. He’s lived with the consequences and survived...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer found-family m-m age play age difference boss & employee -
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Alfie: Part One by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPart 1 of 2 • Second Chances • Irish Mafia • Family • Hurt/Comfort • Age Gap. Two broken hearts, pent-up anger, the right amount of Philly grit, painful yearning, and the complete inability to move on… This is Alfie and West’s love story. It begins in the wreckage they created. Mom always warned me when I was a kid...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort class difference second chances m-m contemporary mafia age difference -
There Is A Light by Ban Gilmartin
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJamie Gilmour is starting over. A new school, a new city, a tenth attempt at a second start. All he has to do is stop making bad decisions and stick to something for once in his life. All he has to do is stop being himself. Jude Pujari is thinking of calling it all off. He’s overstressed, depressed and frozen in place, trapped by grief and fear of change... -
Starts With a Bang by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe best way to get over a cheating jerk is to get under someone new. Dominic isn’t looking for love or salvation at the Thirsty Cowboy. He needs a temporary escape from the drudgery his life has become, and the universe provides him with the sexiest distraction he’s ever seen. Sven is a sucker for sad eyes, thick thighs, and a Royal Cosmopolitan...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort found-family queer m-m age difference contemporary humor -
Heartstring by Ana Ashley
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMik. If I had a dollar for every mistake I made… But there’s only one mistake I regret. Breaking my promise to the only person who ever understood my need to get away from a future I didn’t want…Tyler. I’ve reached many hearts through my music, but the only one I’ve ever wanted might be lost to me forever. Tyler. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…. Mik broke a promise a long time ago...Categorized as:
second chances friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer m-m contemporary angst single-father -
Hard Ink by Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI don’t have the best history with older men. When Mateo saw my last relationship implode, he was there to help. He saved me. Hopefully self-defense lessons will keep me from getting hit again. I can’t ask for more of my friend. Even dreaming of keeping him is wrong. But when my ex makes things difficult, Mateo steps up again. I don’t want a protector, but maybe it’s time to accept a little help...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer found-family m-m age difference contemporary length-short audiobook -
The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe 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... -
Grinding by Sean Ashcroft
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTwo childhood best friends. One accidental fake engagement. One Labrador puppy. One week to fall in love. When Harvey runs into his childhood best friend—literally—on the way into Otter Bay for his cousin's wedding, he doesn't plan to end up playing the part of the guy's fiancé... -
Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSecond wind: a new strength or energy to continue something that is an effort. After an amicable divorce, Lincoln Huxley is ready to embrace the sexuality he repressed for more than two decades. Rush Holden is no longer willing to settle for closeted men or those who don’t share his dreams of marriage and fatherhood. A chance encounter on a lakeside pier is the second wind they both need... -
Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair
I thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out he’s helping me fall in love. Tyler. I 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 friends to lovers queer sports exhibitionism m-m contemporary -
To Take a Quiet Breath by Fearne Hill
This isn’t a romance about chiseled, lantern-jawed college kids boasting V-cut abs. There are no marathon steamy sex sessions, not without having at least one nebulizer on standby anyway. Marcel Giresse, the thirty-six-year-old Director of Finance at the French Ministry of Justice, is happy to leave all that nonsense to his oldest friend Lucien, the sixteenth Earl of Rossingley...Categorized as:
queer friends to lovers hurt-comfort found-family contemporary m-m length-medium virgin hero -
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Luke: Learning to Love #3 by Con Riley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLuke Lawson is committed to one thing—saving his boarding school before a cash crisis sinks it. He’ll do anything to keep it afloat while vulnerable children rely on him, even if that means accepting help from the man who let him down at uni. Nathan’s offer to teach for free could be a blessing as long as Luke can guard his soft heart...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer hurt-comfort second chances found-family m-m contemporary abuse -
Yarn & Yearnings by Duckie Mack
Collin is big, burly, and rides a Harley. He's the last person anyone would expect to have a passion for yarn. He crochets and sells his wares at the Heartcraft Market. Harper is new to town. He wants to plant roots and find someone to share a life with. He has only dated women since that unforgettable night with a biker who took his v-card...Categorized as:
found-family second chances queer hurt-comfort m-m contemporary age difference height-difference -
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 -
Drawn in by You by R.M. Neill
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne has endured a life of loneliness. The other is content in his solitude. Can the draw of epic love intertwine their lives? Travis. When my grandfather died, I was swallowed by the system. Depression set in at a young age as I was bounced from foster home to youth shelter. For twelve years since, I’ve battled with my mental health issues, refusing to reveal to anyone how bad things truly are...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort found-family friends to lovers m-m age difference contemporary abuse -
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... -
ChrisMyths by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsAfter 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... -
Somehow Finding Us (Second Chance Sinners) by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa brings you a MM romance full of angst and tragedy that might turn to hope in a redemption love story that’ll break your heart and mend it all over again. Emotional, endearing, and full of romance. People think they know me. They only know what I allow them to see. I’ve learned to control the narrative. I have secrets...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer found-family contemporary christian m-m queer-awakening -
Saving Mr. Bell by H.L. Day
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen is a kidnap not a kidnap? When it's a rescue. Rudolf Bell does NOT need saving. But after the worst performance of his life, there are those who disagree. All he wants is to have a good time and forget everything for a while. Easier said than done when the media have done a hatchet job on him. His career's not over, though. Not until he says so... -
Nice Guys & First Times by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsYou Always Remember Your First…. Come along for a sweet, steamy compilation of 4 MM romance novellas by the queen of swoon herself: K. M. Neuhold. **All of these novellas have been previously published either as part of the Heart2Heart Charity Anthology collection or as stand alone free shorts. Always You... -
A Fool and His Manny by Amy Lane
Seeing the truth and falling in love. Dustin Robbins-Grayson was a surly adolescent when Quinlan Gregory started the nanny gig. After a rocky start, he grew into Quinlan’s friend and confidant—and a damned sexy man. At twenty-one, Dusty sees how Quinlan sacrificed his own life and desires to care for Dusty’s family... -
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Abandoned by J.P. Barnaby
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLittle Boy Lost, Book Two. Jamie is gone. Brian's secret has been revealed. Brian McAllister's story continues as he tries to cope with the loss of his best friend and soul mate amid the alienation and ridicule of his classmates. When hatred turns to violence, Brian narrows his focus to two goals: surviving and finding Jamie...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer found-family contemporary m-m north-america alabama -
Queried Sick by Dallas Smith
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFor fans of Casey McQuiston and Always Only You, Queried Sick is a slow-burn romance about two bisexual disasters finding love while working at a publishing company during the pandemic—complete with grumpy/sunshine vibes, found family, and an attention-seeking cat. Social distance makes the heart grow fonder…...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer contemporary m-m office grumpy sunshine length-medium -
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:
queer friends to lovers second chances hurt-comfort forced proximity m-m hockey sports -
For the Cameras by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOur fans get to see. everything. when we’re together on camera. But what’s between the two of us is strictly for the videos… right? I’ve been a socially awkward introvert for my whole life—and not a soul knows that I upload anonymous videos to an adult site. By day, I’m a shy office worker. At night, I have my hand, my phone camera, and a little secret. Chase is my polar opposite... -
Horribly Harry by Lisa Henry, Sarah Honey
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBad Boyfriend, Inc—when you can’t find a good boyfriend, why not hire a bad one instead? To supplement his income while he’s completing his Early Education degree, Harry Townsend hires himself out as a terrible date—for a set fee, he’ll horrify parents and family members in all sorts of interesting ways. But when it comes to actual relationships—and sex—Harry doesn’t get the appeal... -
The Sweetest Goodbye by Christina Lee
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBillie Montgomery was always known as the sick kid with the therapy dog. Dylan Bowden never had two nickels to rub together, let alone a true home to call his own. The two have been best friends since high school. They’re always there for each other, so when Billie opens his own bakery called Montgomery’s Sweets no one supports him better than Dylan... -
Fire and Glass by Andrew Grey
State Trooper Casey Bombaro works too hard to have time for a love life, never mind a family. But when a missing persons case leads him to three scared kids and eventually their uncle—an old friend from Casey’s college days—all that changes. Bertie Riley hasn’t seen his troubled sister, Jen, or his niece and nephews in years. Now suddenly Jen is gone and Bertie is all the kids have...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer second chances contemporary m-m dual-pov mystery -
My Ride, I Love You by Patrick Rangimant
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis is a love story of Mork, who is a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok, and Tawan, a junior internal medicine resident doctor in the university hospital. Seems like they both have a small chance to meet, let alone the falling in love, but it did happen.Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer class difference m-m contemporary length-medium thailand southeast-asian-mc -
The Principal's Office by Jae
Chemistry teacher Regan and her childhood best friend, Kylie, are no strangers to visiting the principal’s office. When they were growing up, mischievous Regan often got them in trouble at school. But this time, their trip to the principal’s office has a very different they need to tell Regan’s boss that the gossip about them is no longer just rumors...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer found-family m-m f-f contemporary length-novella glimpses-kisses -
Signs of Love: Winter by Anyta Sunday
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat happens when a clueless hero believes in star-sign compatibility? What happens when there’s only one sign left to try? Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer. .. Caspian’s tried the lot, compatibility nil. Leo is his last hope for happiness. He just has to find one. Maybe his Virgo best friend will help? He should sneak over next door and see. .. -
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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... -
And it Came To Pass by Laura Stone
Adam Young is a devout Mormon whose life is all planned out, by both his strict father and his church. He follows the path theyve established for him, goes off to his mission in Barcelona, Spain, and realizes that his life may not follow the trajectory already chosen for him. His mission companion, Brandon Christensen, is a handsome, enthusiastic practitioner on the surface... -
Tashiro-kun, Why're You Like This? Vol. 2 by Yamada, ヤマダ
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFirst we're trapped at a rural bus stop during a thunderstorm. Then the storm of the century comes along when I'm trapped at your place. All these mf'ing storms sure are convenient for you. . -
Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice but to Kiss! Vol. 2 by Gamoko Tsuyu
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsGoing Further Than Kissing is No Joke! The unlucky university student Kota is officially dating the super-lucky Naoya! Although Kota initially only got close to Naoya to help ward off his bad luck, he's now truly in love with him. They both want to go further than kissing, but Kota is having trouble being honest about his desires. . -
Alex by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNinety- two days. Thirteen weeks. That’s how long it’s been since I lost my love, my best friend. It’s been everything I can do to drag myself out of bed and get back to work, but I know Cooper would want me to move on. I think he’d even be happy if he knew who I want to move on with. The target of my affection, though, may not be so thrilled about my choice. He’s straight. Or he thinks he is... -
Landing Levi by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSage Rafferty. I've wanted Levi ever since my friend Cole introduced us. When Levi moved to my hometown of Coral Pointe Inlet, I thought I finally had a chance to land the sexy, misunderstood man. After months of trying, though, it's clear he doesn't want me the way I want him. Putting some space between us is the only way to reclaim some of my dignity...
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