Books like 'An Unexpected Turn'
Readers who enjoyed An Unexpected Turn by Meka James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary lesbian romance forced proximity black-mc queer neurodivergent dual-pov
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The Snowball Effect by Haley Cass
For the first time, Regan Gallagher is facing the world without her best friend by her side – no, Sutton isn’t dead but she is in Rome, following her dreams. And Regan really is thrilled for her. Left to her own devices, she’s doing… fine.Oh, except for the fact that her new roommate, Emma Bordeaux, has hated Regan since the literal day they’d met two years ago...Categorized as:
queer neurodivergent dual-pov forced proximity from hate to love f-f contemporary grumpy sunshine -
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
A long time ago, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends. They spent their childhood summers running through the woods, rebelling against their conservative small town, and dreaming of escaping. But then an incident the summer before high school turned them into bitter rivals. After graduation, they went ten years without speaking...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity dual-pov neurodivergent contemporary from hate to love f-f friends to lovers -
Mutual Benefits by H.P. Munro
Coming out to your loved ones is stressful, so when Hannah Melville’s family not only accept but celebrate her accidental announcement, it should be a relief. Which it would be, if Hannah was gay.Ashley West isn’t looking for a relationship. When she’s set up by her mother on a blind date, she’s ready to nip any expectations in the bud. She’s less prepared for her love interest to be straight...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer black-mc f-f contemporary humor fake relationship length-short -
Just Three Words by Melissa Brayden
Sometimes the one you want is the one you least suspect... Accountant Samantha Ennis craves order and structure. As the bookkeeper at the boutique advertising agency she owns with her three best friends, it’s her job to apply logic to the chaos. When one of those best friends, laid back Hunter Blair, moves in to share her loft apartment, Sam’s carefully organized world is thrown wildly askew...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer f-f contemporary bisexual friends to lovers length-medium open-door -
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These Thin Lines by Milena McKay
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSome lines should never be crossed...In the heart of Paris, Chiara Conti is a Queen trapped in an Ivory Tower of haute couture, fortune and lovelessness. Lonely and dejected, she’s longing for inspiration, for direction, for understanding.When Vi Courtenay falls at her feet, losing her shoe like a veritable Cinderella, events are set in motion that will unravel their carefully fashioned lives... -
If I Don't Ask by E.J. Noyes
Rebecca Keane has it all figured out. With a successful career as an Army surgeon and a fresh promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, she loves her life leading a surgical team. Even if that life means she’s spent years hiding her sexuality and ignoring her desires under the Army’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer f-f contemporary military boss & employee forbidden love first-person-pov -
The Last to Leave by Erica Lee
Courtney Fields and Nicole Dawson were high school rivals who thought they would never have to deal with each other again. Eight years after graduating, the two are thrown back together on a trip to Cabo with their two best friends. Throughout the trip, they quickly learn they get under each other’s skin in more ways than one...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity dual-pov sports f-f from hate to love explicit-open-door contemporary -
The Love Conspiracy by J.J. Arias
Could you fall in love with your husband’s mistress?Forty-year-old Veronica Marin is a force to be reckoned with - a fierce trial lawyer who's always in control, including in her marriage to Gabe. But when a stranger shows up and exposes Gabe's infidelity, Veronica's reality is rocked. Her solution? To track down all of Gabe's unsuspecting partners before filing for divorce...Categorized as:
dual-pov queer age difference f-f contemporary from hate to love length-long explicit-open-door -
Finding Jessica Lambert by Clare Ashton
Jessica Lambert, movie star and ingénue, is in danger of burning out. Returning to London for the premiere of her latest film, she’s recognised everywhere she goes. When she runs away through the streets of London, she’s taken in by the beautiful and more mature Anna... -
Outdrawn by Deanna Grey
It isn’t always lonely at the top.Noah Blue’s finally got her foot in the door. After clawing her way to the top of the charts with her webcomic, she’s garnered enough attention to earn a full-time position at a comic company re-launching their cult classic comic: Queen Leisah.Queen Leisah is predicted to be an instant bestseller with movie deals already in the making...Categorized as:
black-mc queer forced proximity from hate to love f-f contemporary office african-american -
Ready or Not by Melissa Brayden
Sometimes wrong is extra right. Mallory Spencer is in charge. As the face of Soho Savvy, the advertising firm she owns with her three best friends, it’s important that she’s poised, polished, and put together. However, as she watches her friends couple up and settle down, she wonders about her own happily ever after. One thing’s for sure... -
A Life Worth Living by Monica McCallan
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsNora Gallagher can begrudgingly admit that she and Gray Ferris are both stellar Philadelphia real estate agents, but that’s the beginning and the end of the similarities between them.Nora’s life has been in a self-imposed holding pattern for half a decade. Depending on people in her personal life only leads to disappointment, and she has no plans of making that mistake again...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer contemporary f-f office from hate to love age difference length-medium -
Beyond Any Experience by Anne E. Terpstra
Olivia Northman’s world shattered the day she lost her wife to a drunk driver. Three years later, she still struggles with grief and the demands of being a single parent to their autistic son, Ben. After her first attempt at a new relationship crumbles, she retreats to the simple, the predictable. It’s what’s best for her son, and her heart.Ellie Vasquez isn’t simple or predictable...Categorized as:
neurodivergent queer dual-pov contemporary multicultural f-f age difference single-mother -
First Position by Melissa Brayden
Anastasia Mikhelson is the rising star of the New York City Ballet. She’s sacrificed creature comforts, a social life, as well as her own physical well-being for perfection in dance. Even her reputation as The Ice Queen doesn’t faze her. Though Ana’s at the peak of her career, competition from a new and noteworthy dancer puts all she’s worked for in jeopardy... -
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French Kissing: Season Three by Harper Bliss
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsASIN B079Y3G6HS moved to the more recent edition Paris... City of lights, City of love... City of drama! It has been six months since Dominique and Steph came out publicly... -
The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair
A smart, sexy lesbian romance about facing the truth about your desires…and risking everything. Laurie Holcombe is out of a job, out of luck, and out of time. When a prestigious law firm hires her as an assistant to one of its senior partners, it feels like she might finally get back on her feet. All she has to do is put up with the whims of her infuriatingly icy boss, Diana...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov queer f-f age difference office contemporary boss & employee -
Vanessa: A Mrs Middleton Novel by Melissa Tereze
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey are made for each other. But can their love survive the ultimate test? After her white-roses-and-sunflowers wedding, Vanessa is living a dream. Her cold, lonely house finally feels like a home. She has her beautiful Emma to love for the rest of her life, plus a daughter and a grandchild to grow old with. What could go wrong?Plenty, her persistent insecurities whisper... -
Spindrift by Anna Burke
Can a hot summer fling mend the hearts of two broken women?Morgan Donovan had everything she ever wanted: a dream job as a large animal veterinarian, awesome friends, and a loving and supportive fiancée. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancée dumps her after realizing that Morgan’s job will always come first...Categorized as:
queer dual-pov f-f length-medium contemporary small town north-america explicit-open-door -
Just for Show by Jae
When Claire, an overachieving psychologist with OCD tendencies, hires Lana, an impulsive, out-of-work actress for a fake relationship, she figures the worst she’ll have to endure are the messes Lana leaves around. It’s only for a few months anyway. And it’s not as if she’ll enjoy all those fake kisses and loving looks. Right? A lesbian romance where role-playing has never been so irresistible... -
Reservations of the Heart by T.B. Markinson
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsCan two wounded souls find solace together? 41-year-old doctor Stella Gilbert used to have it all. Her career was on fire, and she had a picture-perfect family--until she was blindsided by her wife doing the unthinkable... -
When We're Meant to Be by Skye Von Triessen
When Dr. Alexandra Edison’s world was ripped apart, the last thing she expected was to end up in a casual affair with Blake Westmore. Soon after she was forced to choose between her past and her present, when her strong sense of obligation forced her to leave the woman whom she shared one of the most unforgettable experiences with, and head back to L.A. to help the woman who broke her heart... -
Pleasure by Eric Jerome Dickey
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWhat happens when a woman realises that her 'perfect on paper' boyfriend can't meet all her sexual and emotional needs? She leaves him, that's what. When a chance meeting with a sexy, single stranger excites her, she's tempted to find out if he can fulfil her most basic desires... -
Sparks Like Ours by Melissa Brayden
Gia Malone wants one thing and one thing only: to be the best surfer in the world. Her biggest obstacle is the annoyingly perky Elle Britton. Not only is Elle number one in the rankings, she’s also a fan favorite. But there’s a lot about Elle that Gia never noticed, like her surprising sense of humor and picture-perfect mouth. Elle Britton is tired...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer sports contemporary f-f from hate to love cheerful heroine heroine athlete -
Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMattie Belman’s life has gone from dismal to desperate. After the loss of her acting career, her marriage, and her usual optimism, she’s back home teaching high school theater. Maybe it’ll be a fresh start.St. Rita’s arrogant soccer coach Jillian Reed sees Mattie’s musical as an outrageous distraction for her champion players. When Jillian declares war, Mattie is far too stubborn to back down...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity from hate to love contemporary f-f office cold heroine sports -
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Perfect Rhythm by Jae
Pop star Leontyne Blake might sing about love, but she stopped believing in it a long time ago. What women want is her image, not the real her. When her father has a stroke, she flees the spotlight and returns to her tiny Missouri hometown. In her childhood home, she meets small-town nurse Holly Drummond, who isn’t impressed by Leo’s fame at all...Categorized as:
dual-pov queer forced proximity f-f contemporary asexual-heroine small town rich heroine -
Charm City by Monica McCallan
Taylor Tate has one last chance to turn things around. As the owner of Charm City Events, she needs her upcoming week of Valentine’s Day events to go off without a hitch...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov queer f-f contemporary from hate to love cheerful heroine cold heroine -
Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet Morley
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsAJ Beckett is just trying to get Parker, her seven-year-old autistic daughter, through life in one piece. As a paramedic, AJ puts others’ needs above her own; in her personal life, she keeps everyone an arm’s length away. That distance disappears when a chance run-in with actor Melanie Cooper leaves her sticky, angry, and fed up.Melanie Cooper has just signed her last movie... -
Eyes Like Those by Melissa Brayden
When it comes to love, no one is in charge. Isabel Chase is reeling. She’s just been offered her dream job as a staff writer on one of the hottest shows on television and quickly trades in the comfort of New England for sun, sand, and everything Hollywood. While stoked for what could be her big break, the show’s stunning executive producer has her head spinning and her feelings swirling...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov queer f-f contemporary fatphobia boss & employee other-man-woman -
French Kissing: Season Five by Harper Bliss
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsASIN B07S73K4SR moved to the more recent edition Paris... City of lights, City of love... City of drama! With a year remaining on Dominique's first presidential term, the Laroche camp is gearing up for her re-election campaign. Dominique herself, however, doesn't seem so keen on going through it all again.Aurore and Solange's relationship has been on and off so many times, nobody can keep count... -
Not the Marrying Kind by Jae
Small-town florist Ashley Gaines loves her little flower shop and putting together the perfect bouquets for weddings and other happy occasions. Her own love life, however, is far from blossoming. Ash has decided that staying in the closet is safer than risking her heart again. Local bakery owner Sasha Peterson hasn’t had much luck mixing it up with romance either...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov queer f-f secret-relationship contemporary third-person-pov small town -
Love Like This by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSometimes the most imperfect match is the most perfect surprise. Hadley Cooper believes in happily-ever-afters with her whole heart. Described by her friends as a wide-eyed, eternal optimist, she looks for the bright side in most any situation... -
Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden
If you don’t get lost, there’s a chance you may never be found. Jenna McGovern has spent her whole life training for the stage. She’s taken dance classes, voice lessons, and even earned her performance degree from one of the most prestigious musical theater programs in the nation...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer contemporary f-f office second chances career professional length-medium -
The Trip by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho wants to take a road trip with two old, bickering women and a complete stranger? Not Jill Savoy. She finds herself behind the wheel of her father’s sacred Winnebago anyway, responsible for her grandmother and adopted aunt, both of whom are mischievous teenagers in old bodies, and then there’s Shay. The last thing on Shay Macaluso’s mind was a vacation... -
Body Check by J.J. Arias
To win it all, rivals will have to get dirty and play together Fabiola Santos never expected to be back on Cutthroat Island, the reality competition show she lost six years earlier. But when the opportunity to redeem herself and win half a million dollars comes along, she can’t pass it up... -
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Paper Love by Jae
Falling in love wasn’t part of the plan in this lesbian romance from best-selling author Jae. Susanne Wolff isn’t thrilled when her mother sends her all the way across the country to Freiburg to save her uncle’s stationery store from bankruptcy. Freiburg is too provincial for her taste, and besides, pen and paper are outdated anyway...Categorized as:
dual-pov forced proximity queer f-f contemporary from hate to love third-person-pov office -
Scaredy Cat by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBlake Taylor isn’t the queen of horror, but she’s certainly a member of the royal court. Blake has made a career out of writing novels that make her readers want to leave the lights on at night. What Blake’s fans and very few people realize is that Blake Taylor is scared of her own shadow and just about everything else... -
Chef's Kiss by Stephanie Shea
Valentina Rosas has always known what she wants. Mostly. Sort of. At least, she does now. And what she wants is the coveted staging role at Gia, San Francisco... -
Not Only One Bed by Sienna Waters
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNot falling in love has never been so hard...Trix Winchester has been promoted to head of romance acquisitions for London’s leading literary agent. The problem? Trix hasn’t believed in romance for years.Kel Bradshaw’s looking for a sugar mommy to pay her way through art school. But she just can’t bring herself to be mercenary enough to trick someone into it... -
Lightning Strikes Twice by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsReturning home to Seattle from a twenty year absence in London...Victoria discovers that time has not erased her feelings for an unrequited love. It soon becomes obvious that with true love, lightning can sometimes strike twice.This is set in the same world as Music of the Soul but is a standalone book... -
A Perfect Place to Cry by S-Jay Hart
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRowan isn’t sure she believes in love. Not the romantic type, anyway. She’s been hiding from the prospect of it for years now, an easy thing to do when you live in the middle of an eighty acre campground. She likes her quiet existence, greeting campers, pitching tents, and kayaking on the little river that leads to Lover’s Lake... -
Just Jorie by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSome believe that special someone is out there just waiting to be found. Jorie Andolini is one of those people and has spent a lot of time envisioning that moment. She bumps into a woman at a grocery store, the woman drops a can of peas, Jorie picks it up, their eyes meet, and two souls connect... -
Heart Block by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsHappily ever after is easier said than done… Sarah Matamoros can’t complain. After immigrating from Mexico when she was nine years old, she’s content with the life she’s made for herself in sunny San Diego. She works hard at her mother’s housecleaning service by day and spends the evenings with her quirky eight-year-old daughter, Grace...Categorized as:
forced proximity dual-pov queer f-f contemporary cold heroine class difference grumpy sunshine -
For Love or Scandal by J.J. Arias
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA sham wedding ignites an irresistible spark between a once-disgraced director and the wedding planner of her dreams.Laney Menendez, a once-celebrated Hollywood director, has a chance at a comeback. The catch? She must first marry her brother’s soap-star boyfriend to stop him from being outed by a tabloid... -
Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWho says you can’t go home again? Philadelphia real estate broker Devyn Winters is at the peak of her career, closing multimillion-dollar deals and relishing it. She’s pretty much blocked out her formative years in Dreamer’s Bay, where the most exciting thing to happen was the twice a year bake sale. Unfortunately, a distress call hauls her back home and away from the life she’s constructed... -
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What a Tangled Web by Melissa Brayden
As winemaker at Tangle Valley Vineyard, Madison LeGrange relies on science and logic to make the best vintage possible. It’s also how she manages her life. But with her career in its prime, her accountant thinks it’s time she diversifies her income. Not a problem because her favorite café, the Bacon and Biscuit, is up for sale...Categorized as:
queer dual-pov contemporary f-f childfree-couple third-person-pov length-medium open-door -
The Business of Love by Charley Clarke
The only thing worse than fake marrying a woman for a job is falling in love with her! An opposites-attract lesbian romance that puts the ache in fake relationship. Driven, reserved businesswoman Mackenzie Watson has one goal—take over her family company and secure her little sister’s future. The only wrinkle is her late grandmother’s decree that her company’s CEO must be married... -
Different Worlds by Lily Seabrooke
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNatasha Seychelle, heiress to the vast Seychelle Enterprise, has been on a crumbling road ever since losing her mother. Losing her friends, falling away from her work responsibilities, and sinking deeper into depression, rumors are she won’t be able to succeed the company at the end of the summer.Annelise Benson just lost her kitchen job and is in freefall...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer f-f from hate to love boss & employee contemporary new adult length-medium -
Fitting In by Amanda Radley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsStarting a new job is hard. Especially if you’re the boss’s daughterHeather Bailey has been in charge of Silver Arches, the prestigious London shopping centre, for several years. Financial turmoil brings a new investor to secure the future and Heather finds herself playing office politics with the notoriously difficult entrepreneur Leo Flynn... -
A Family Affair by Harper Bliss
Best-selling lesbian romance author Harper Bliss brings you a deliciously impossible love story about falling for the one person you can’t have.Kate has been married to Kevin for ten years, but their failed journey to parenthood has left their relationship on the brink. As Kevin tries to heal by remodeling their home, Kate finds herself living in her mother-in-law’s pool house...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer dual-pov age difference contemporary f-f from hate to love angst -
Back to September by Melissa Brayden
Hannah Shephard likes her life, her job, and her perfectly cozy apartment around the corner from her shop. She’s never been one to take big risks and would much rather stay in on a Friday night with a warm cup of decaf and her favorite mystery novel, so why do her friends insist she needs more? Plus, Hannah has bigger problems to focus on. She’s in trouble...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer contemporary f-f office open-door famous heroine rich heroine
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