Books like 'The Harshest Hope'
Readers who enjoyed The Harshest Hope by Victoria Lum also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary from hate to love forced proximity friends to lovers angst multicultural vengeance super rich hero second chances m-f
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Beard Necessities by Penny Reid
Billy Winston’s family is going to see him happy and in love if it’s the last thing they do. No one deserves a happily-ever-after quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love, Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart almost twenty years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated...Categorized as:
angst friends to lovers second chances forced proximity sweet heroine cold hero dual-pov m-f -
My Friend the Billionaire by Maggie Cole
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI’m keeping Chase Monroe in the friend zone. He’s doing everything possible to move me out of it. He's the living embodiment of the billionaire playboy—richer than God, sexy as sin, and charming as hell. With a full calendar of friends-with-benefits. His strict no-relationships policy means I’d be another notch on his bedpost. Not happening. But our friendship is hard to keep...Categorized as:
super rich hero m-f dual-pov friends to lovers angst multicultural contemporary suspense -
It Hurts Me by Penelope Sky
My husband of two years tells me he wants an open marriage. I'm stunned. I'm hurt. And I'm livid. I don't want to be married to a man that wants to open our bed to other people. But then I get a flat tire in the pouring rain and a sexy-as-hell gentleman helps me out. My husband is in the game, so one look at the skull ring on this gentleman's left hand tells me exactly who he is... -
Hammer by Cee Bowerman
After a rough childhood, Hammer settled down to live the good life. He had a wife he adored, children he doted on, and even the house in the suburbs with the white picket fence. But most of all, he finally had the stability he longed for growing up.When he made a decision to help a woman in need, that bliss was short-lived. What he thought was a horrible accident changed his life forever... -
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Pretty It Up by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsDescriptionSometimes love just isn’t enough, or is it?Lana Gold, one of the Donovan triplets, found her one true love in college but lost him when the life he’d dreamed of became reality. Being an outsider looking in and so far away from her family and hometown took its toll on Lana and her marriage until she’d finally had enough and left it all behind...Categorized as:
friends to lovers alpha male second chances multicultural sports contemporary length-short -
Flaunt by Adriana Locke
Looking for a Fake FiancéHave you ever wanted to prove someone wrong so badly that you could taste it?It doesn’t matter if they’re right. The fact that they had the audacity to go there is what counts.Hi. It’s me. I’m that person.The man I’ve been casually seeing told me I’m not “wife material” and I should “lower my expectations... -
Space by Penny Reid
From the New York Times Bestselling Author Penny ReidOne week.Private cabin.Famous physicist.Still an unrepentant slacker.What’s the worst that could happen?Mona’s meticulously planned allotment of relaxation is thrown into chaos by the unscheduled appearance of her older brother’s band of friends, including the one person she'd hoped to never face again... -
Time by Penny Reid
From the New York Times Bestselling Author Penny Reid A (brokenhearted) physicist. Now an infamous (who is LITERALLY EVERYWHERE!! UGH!) musician. The worst has already happened. Mona has learned that she has nothing figured out and plans are meaningless. After leaving her in Aspen, Abram is now breaking sales-records, rising to rock star fame almost overnight. Mona can’t seem to escape him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f sweet heroine dual-pov second chances angst from hate to love humor -
Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe job was simple. Always answer the phone—no exceptions—then solve the caller’s catastrophe as efficiently as possible.The rules were simpler. They contact you, not the other way around. Never give them your real name, number, or any personal information not required to help a newly single dad keep his head above water.And never, ever get involved with a caller... -
The Billionaire's Secrets by J.S. Scott
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFormer rock star Xander Sinclair may be out of rehab, but he’s not out of the woods. Still haunted by his parents’ murders, he has secluded himself in his Amesport mansion and dodges any attempted contact from his two brothers. Struggling not to fall into relapse, he believes he’s battling his demons alone. That is, until Samantha arrives to work as his live-in housekeeper... -
Out of Office by Ruth Cardello
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA recluse discovers that what he endured and survived was orchestrated by one evil man. With nothing left to lose, Zachary wakes up and chooses vengeance.Charlotte Simmons may pretend to be innocent, but everything she has was bought with money made from my suffering.I intend to uncover her family’s sins and expose them to the world.Lying about who I am? She doesn’t deserve the truth... -
The Grand Ruin: Lance & Scarlet, Part One by J.C. Hawke
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBeing stood up on your birthday sucks.It sucks even worse when it's your brother's egotistical best friend and CFO who delivers the blow.My first encounter with Lance Sullivan had me crying in an elevator as I clung to a stranger for comfort.On our second, he stormed my dress fitting pretending to be my husband.And by the third... I'd made the bastard smile.I do not have time for a man in my life... -
Here Comes My Man by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsListening Length 9 hours and 57 minutesA red-hot, enemies-to-lovers, fake boyfriend, second chance romance, and the conclusion to the Hopelessly Bromantic Duet!Let me just say this -- fake dating the cocky movie star was not my idea. Especially since he’s my former roomie and, gulp, my secret ex...Categorized as:
from hate to love second chances angst forced proximity friends to lovers m-m contemporary queer -
Heart of the Billionaire - Sam by J.S. Scott
Sam and Maddie are here! Billionaire Sam Hudson has pretty much lived his life with no apologies because he tries never to do anything that he’s sorry about…except for what he had done in the past to Dr. Madeline Reynolds. Many years and regrets later, Sam meets up with Maddie again by chance; his brother Simon is marrying Maddie’s best friend and the two of them are forced to be civil... -
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Give Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe was my first love. Now he's my roommate. And he won't stop until he wins me back.Conned out of my business I have no other choice but to move back home to Chicago. I’m determined to rebuild everything, but I’m so broke that I can’t even afford to pay rent.Then my first love, Sam Maxwell, unexpectedly pops back into my life and turns out to be my knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
super rich hero friends to lovers forced proximity m-f humor contemporary length-short -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
Refrain by Kennedy Ryan
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsPeople dream of a love that runs deep. So deep it feels like it's always been with you, just waiting for the person who'll own your heart and soul forever. So few ever find it, but for Rhyson Gray and Kai Pearson, happily ever after was only the beginning... One of the biggest rock stars in the world and one of the brightest rising stars make a life together...Categorized as:
friends to lovers dual-pov angst alpha male east-asian-mc new adult contemporary length-short -
Sadie and the Bad Boy Billionaire by Emma St. Clair, Jenny Proctor
I will NOT fall for the smart-mouthed, pretty-boy billionaire who owns Oakley Island. But his yacht is another story …Love and happily-ever-after? It’s not for me. I’m much happier keeping everyone at arm’s length, focusing on my government cybersecurity work.But then I push things a little too far and hack my way into trouble...Categorized as:
super rich hero forced proximity dual-pov from hate to love m-f contemporary humor length-medium -
Show Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy... -
Only Rivals by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first boy I ever hated was Jax Bridges.The first man I loved was his best friend.My plan was to meet a boy, fall in love, and live happily ever after.That ended when my boyfriend died and left me half of his business.Now, his best friend and I are business partners.There’s just one problem: We hate each other.Jax and I have been rivals since childhood...Categorized as:
forced proximity tortured hero angst from hate to love contemporary new adult length-medium -
The Billionaire's Salvation ~ Max by J.S. Scott
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsBillionaire Max Hamilton thought he was finally starting to find contentment, more than two years after losing his wife Mia in a tragic drowning accident. He'd been reunited with a sister he hadn’t realized existed. Finally he had family again, a reprieve from the pain and loneliness that had haunted him since his devastating loss...Categorized as:
alpha male super rich hero possessive hero sweet heroine m-f contemporary cruel hero length-short -
Landon & Shay - Part Two by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsOnce upon a time, I fell in love with a boy.A beautiful, broken boy who had his own world of struggles. People warned me against our love, but I didn't listen.We looked weak. Young, foolish. Dangerously in love. We didn't care.In order to keep our hearts protected from the opinions of others, we became each other’s secret. We shared stolen moments. Tender touches. Secretive embraces... -
Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott
A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip.It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron .Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound.He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man... -
The Wager by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsFrom the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, THE BET THE WAGER Lose a bet, lose your heart... What is it about a junior-high crush that can send an otherwise intelligent woman into a tailspin? TV reporter Char Lynn wishes she knew. Jake Titus is too rich, too handsome, too arrogant: a trifecta that once lured Char into the best night-and worst morning-after-of her life...Categorized as:
super rich hero alpha male friends to lovers angst dual-pov contemporary bad boys male-pov -
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The One by Marni Mann
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsAn alternative cover edition can be found hereUSA Today best-selling author Marni Mann brings an angsty, tortured hero, billionaire romance to the sizzling conclusion of the Spade Hotel Series.They call me insensitive.They call me uncaring.I'm a raging alphahole ninety-nine percent of the time.But no one really knows Rhett Cole at all.Memories are my currency.Regret is my drink of choice... -
Separate Like Stars by Diana Kane
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOn paper, Jordan Cohen has it all. With numerous bestsellers under her belt, a number of blockbuster movie adaptations to her credit, and a high profile relationship with one of Hollywood’s most prominent stars, what more could she possibly ask for? Maybe for Olivia Bradley, the only woman to ever break her heart, to exit her life as quickly as she’d re-entered it... -
Hate to Love Him by J. Saman
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA gorgeous, brooding rock god. An unstoppable chemistry we fight to ignore. Desperate passion I want indelibly inked on my soul...Jobless and financially destitute, I have no choice but to see this tour through. Even with my boss hating my guts.A fact he goes out of his way to prove every chance he gets.Lucky for me, the best part of Jasper Diamond is his daughter... -
Flirting With Forever by Claire Kingsley
He’ll break all her rulesNora Lakes is sophisticated, successful, and happily single. Career problems aside, her life is fine the way it is, thank you very much. Sure, her best friends are all moving into a new season of life—full of husbands and babies and white picket fences. But that’s not what Nora wants. Neither is the gruff, tattooed guy next door. Tattoo artist Dex St... -
Wedding at the Riverview Inn by Molly O'Keefe
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsAn emotional tale of a magical inn, a wedding gone terribly wrong and a woman searching for a second chance.Alice has hit rock bottom. Once a Michelin-starred chef, she is now drowning in debt, working the line at a chain restaurant and drinking too much. The last person she ever expected to come knocking with a job offer and a fresh start is her ex-husband, Gabe... -
Bodyguard by Night by Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsProtecting my best friend's new sister-in-law Willow from a fan who wants to get a little too close is a no-brainer. Just requires me to do some checking around, to act as her shadow for a while, maybe even give her a place to stay so I can keep an eye on her—all so my best friend's small-town wedding to Willow's sister goes off without a hitch...Categorized as:
super rich hero forced proximity alpha male m-f contemporary age difference length-long -
Cross My Heart by Logan Chance, Lilypad Lit
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Logan Chance comes a riveting tale about friendship, love, and lies. This scorching romance shatters the boundaries between love and make-believe.Thanks to podcaster gossip, my firm thinks I’m not a good fit for the high-profile case of my dreams. They want someone in a committed relationship...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity super rich hero m-f contemporary suspense length-short -
Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHigh school teacher Brooklyn Briggs has always been great with chemistry but terrible with relationships. When a guy drops into her life—literally—and offers to coach her into getting a date with her longtime crush, she's willing to accept any help she can get.Even if her new flirting coach is her brother Houston's best friend, the guy who drove her crazy all throughout high school...Categorized as:
forced proximity from hate to love dual-pov multicultural m-f contemporary siblings-bff humor -
Moonstruck by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWith his knack for bad luck, Liam isn’t surprised when he’s awarded house arrest after protecting a fan at his last show. What he didn’t expect was the girl of his dreams showing up with his lunch delivery and turning his confinement into an unexpected friendship... -
Kiss Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsLast night, he was a sexy stranger I couldn't get enough of.Today, he's my new boss, who I can't seem to please.Bad luck seems to follow me. Last night, I grabbed a drink at the bar near my new workplace.I met the most sophisticated man when he “stole” my table. We bantered and danced, and I went home with a stranger for the first time in my life... -
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Cruel North by J.B. Salsbury
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCruel North is an angsty second-chance, enemies to lovers romance where the most hated man in the North Brothers world finally gets brought to his knees.A teenage girl with my eyes and a familiar glare, strolls into my life and she’s calling me Dad. Vanessa was my high school girlfriend and the smartest person I knew. She had a plan, a future, and she swore nothing would get in the way... -
One Last Job by Anise Starre
When designer Amber Wyatt gets the opportunity to project manage a lucrative contract with The August Room, an exclusive and glamorous private members’ club, she can’t wait to get started. That is until she meets handsome managing director, Finn Hawthorne.Finn has no respect for her hard work, continuously undermines her and, worst of all, has the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets... -
Wishing for Champagne Kisses by Brittanee Nicole
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBest Friends Don’t Kiss.Ryan Manning has been my best friend since we were kids. He’s my secret keeper. The holder of all my truths and the person I admire most in the world. He’s also a Lumbersnack and the man I’ve secretly pined after for decades.But we don’t talk about that.I’m just here in Lake Tahoe for the next week to play the part of his doting girlfriend...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity dual-pov angst alpha male humor contemporary christmas -
Stone by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFirst, hate. Then, want. But in the end? Heartbreak. My celebrity life was supposed to be easy, and this movie was the biggest break of my career. But from the moment Officer Levi Fox gave me a speeding ticket on my way into town, he’s been nothing but a thorn in my side. Dominant. Cocky. Callous... -
The Sexy Billionaire by J.A. Low
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGiorgio I’ve always been the dutiful son, living my life for everyone else but me. So, walking in on my fiancée with someone else during our engagement party should have filled me with devastation, but instead, I felt relieved...Categorized as:
super rich hero friends to lovers angst alpha male m-f contemporary sassy heroine suspense -
Falling into Forever by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat’s a brokenhearted romance novelist to do when an interview accidentally turns her into the villain? I’ll tell you one thing—the plan definitely wasn’t to turn to the man who taught me that happily ever afters exist only on the page...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity from hate to love m-f contemporary grumpy sunshine -
Only You by Samantha Young
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsOnce upon a time, Monroe Sinclair was Brodan Adair’s best friend, but now he’s a stranger and one of Hollywood’s leading men…It took Monroe Sinclair eighteen years to return home to Ardnoch after a fateful night that devastated her friendship with Brodan Adair. She fled her unrequited love for him, as well as her difficult family life, and tried not to look behind her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers tortured hero from hate to love dual-pov second chances angst alpha male m-f -
Always Destined by Scarlett Avery
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSo I lied about my best friend’s older brother being my boyfriend. I never expected him to find out in this humiliating way…Loki Berkshire… There are some unwritten BFF codes… abiding rules, you might call them.No one has to speak them.You just know.Like coveting my best friend’s older brother. Bad idea.Wanting to kiss him more than I want to take my next breath. Really bad idea...Categorized as:
friends to lovers super rich hero alpha male m-f siblings-bff contemporary length-long -
Unexpected Love Story by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsWhen one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.CrystalI was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees. It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love. I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams. Until the unthinkable happened... -
Summer Hate by Melissa Ivers
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe was the last person I wanted to see on my girls trip, let alone share a room with.Donovan Fitzroy is grumpy. Irritable. Annoyingly perfect. And as handsome as he is uptight. He’s also my best friend’s older brother.My bestie promised me a relaxing week at her family owned resort, but when I got there all I got was an apologetic phone call and a promise that her brother would take care of me... -
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The Two of Us by Taylor A. Torres
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsSometimes holding on to pain means letting go of love.If there’s no place like home, that’s more than okay for Mara Makinen. In fact, she prefers it that way. Going back to the place where she made the worst mistake of her life? Not ideal... -
Consumed by You by Tracie Delaney
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe bride is stunning. The groom is delightful. Shame the best man is a class A jerk.When my BFF asks me to be her maid of honor, I’m, well, honored. Until she introduces me to the best man and I realize we’ve already met, just this morning when… wait for it…I accidentally spilled a cup of OJ all over his pristine designer suit.Not my finest hour, but he didn’t have to be a dick about it either... -
Fumbled by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsAs a pro football player, I’m known for scoring both on and off the field. But all that changes when a tragic accident leaves me as a single dad to a little girl. With both our lives flipped upside down, I’m scrambling to balance my career while supporting the needs of a girl who just had her life torn apart...Categorized as:
dual-pov forced proximity from hate to love super rich hero m-f sports contemporary athletes -
Mr. Grump by Leslie North
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsI have a confession.I hate bachelorette parties.A night of dick straws, awkward dancing and being told “it’ll be you soon, Kaitlyn!”Especially when it’s at a super swanky Miami club—exactly where I don’t belong.Couldn’t get any worse, right?Enter Mr. Tall, Dark and I-didn’t-know-they-made-people-this-gorgeous.Grump supreme. His scowl has a scowl... -
In the Den: 10th Anniversary Edition by Sierra Cartwright
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFROM BESTSELLING ROMANCE AUTHOR SIERRA CARTWRIGHTBook six in the Mastered seriesHis obsession may destroy them both.As, the billionaire owner of the Den, Damien Lowell has no business lusting after Catrina Davidson. After all, as a Dom, he owes the beautiful, vulnerable Domme all of his respect.But when it comes to her, he's a man obsessed.He has to have her under his lash... -
Never Kiss the Bad Boy by Lauren Landish
Survival Mode is how I live. My ghost kitchen is the place to be for every work crew in the city, and I bust my butt from sunup to sun down, while rubbing every nickel and dime together to scrape by. And it’s going fine. Until he shows up. Kyle Harrington parks his truck right in the middle of my drive-thru line and acts like the trouble he’s causing is no big deal...Categorized as:
m-f from hate to love alpha male dual-pov super rich hero contemporary humor new adult
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