Books like 'The Unlikely Pair'
Readers who enjoyed The Unlikely Pair by Jax Calder also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance funny from hate to love queer forced proximity survival political-intrigue secret-relationship grumpy sunshine
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Sober Dope & Sundays by Nordika Night
WHEN ZERO WILLPOWER MEETS AN IRON WILL...Who goes to rehab eight times? Gage does. As a recovering addict fresh out of rehab, moving back in with his mom and starting over in his hometown isn't part of his life goals, but Gage needs all the support he can get. Lost and a little unsure of himself, Gage meets his new sponsor. A sponsor whose son is the perfect sober companion...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort bisexual forced proximity grumpy sunshine caretaking slow burn switch -
Drilled by K.M. Neuhold
A month in a remote cabin with the last man I ever expected to see again? I can’t decide if I should punch him or drill him. It might end up being both.After more than a decade, the last person I expected to see walk into the Four Bears Construction offices as a new hire was Ridge.He was my first crush, and my first heartbreak when he started dating my sister... -
Divide & Conquer by Abigail Roux
The last place these men want to be is in the limelight. Law enforcement in Baltimore has a PR problem. Robberies, bombings, and violent crimes are on the rise. The public wants something done, and even the FBI is catching blame. When Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett accidentally become the handsome faces of the counter-offense, they find themselves the center of attention from the media...Categorized as:
queer bisexual secret-relationship hurt-comfort from hate to love anal sex m-m men in uniform -
Playing Games by Riley Hart
BraxTyson Langley thinks the king in Franklin University Kings is in reference to him. Star lacrosse player and God’s gift to the female and male population, there’s nothing the spoiled jock can’t have.It’s impossible for us to be in the same room without talking crap to each other. But I also have a secret… As much as I despise Ty, I want him too... -
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Vow Maker by Lily Morton
Dylan Mitchell wants to get married.However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit.Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary humor age difference explicit-open-door -
10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall
Fake amnesia. Real feelings? Real problems. Sam Becker loves―or, okay, likes―his job. Sure, managing a bed and bath retailer isn't exactly glamorous, but it's good work and he gets on well with the band of misfits who keep the store running. He could see himself being content here for the long haul. Too bad, then, that the owner is an infuriating git. Jonathan Forest should never have hired Sam... -
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:
queer from hate to love forced proximity m-m contemporary second chances angst friends to lovers -
Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen Devan, Best Boyfriend in the Entire World, books them a trip to Russia in February, Jonty’s excitement knows no bounds. There’s packing to do, plans to be made, and places to see.Armed with his smile and a handful of dubious Russian Phrases, Jonty is ready for the delights Vladivostok has to offer—the famous glass beach he’s dreamed about, ice skating on a frozen sea, and snow... -
Off Duty Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHazard and Somerset: Off Duty Volume 2 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“John-Henry Somerset: Sold!”Somers enters a charity bachelor’s auction without telling his boyfriend. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty.“Pretty and Pink and Perfect”Hazard plans a toddler’s birthday party. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty... -
On Board by Jay Hogan
Leroy Madden is in trouble. Big, handsome, Fox Carmody trouble.Leroy has buried his attraction to the enigmatic fisherman in irritation and pointless bickering, keeping Fox at a safe distance. But with the troublesome man now living in Leroy’s house, it’s becoming impossible for Leroy to keep his true feelings hidden, or the fact that Leroy maybe isn’t so straight, after all... -
Gideon by Lily Morton
Gideon Ramsay is so far in the closet he should be a talking faun. A talented, mercurial, and often selfish man, Gideon has everything he should want in life. Fame, money, acting awards – he has it all. Everything but honesty. At the advice of his agent, Gideon has concealed his sexuality for years...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine queer hurt-comfort caretaking secret-relationship slow burn m-m humor -
I've Been Careless With a Delicate Thing by Marina Vivancos
Silas meets gorgeous, grumpy-looking Oscar at a bar. He’s never had sex with a guy, and what better place is there to find someone to pop that particular cherry? He knows what he’s getting with the broad-shouldered, I-can-pummel-you-with-one-look Oscar: getting bent over a hard surface and satisfied until he’s blaspheming. Turns out, though, there’s a lot more to Oscar that meets the eyes... -
Not That Complicated by Isabel Murray
If this was your classic Cotswolds murder mystery (it’s not) and Ray was an amateur detective (he isn’t) then when he stumbles across something unexpected under his bedroom floor, he’d investigate the hell out of it.Hard pass.Ray’s just a thirtysomething graphic designer with a broken heart who doesn’t much like his life right now.And he’s already having nightmares about the whole thing, come on... -
On or Off, Volume 4 (On or Off (Paperback Ed.) #4) by A1
Winner of the Ridibooks 2019 BL Awards. Published in English for the first time in full color and fully uncensored! Yiyoung and his college friends have formed a startup company together, and even managed to score a proposal meeting with the illustrious SJ corporation... -
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Hail Mary by Nicole Dykes
BennyBig Bend is my home. I love it here. I love everything about it.It’s my senior year, and I’m determined to have the best one yet. Of course, that’s when life gets confusing.I think I may have a little bit of a crush on my nemesis.Something I never saw coming... -
Goaltender Interference by Brigham Vaughn
The last thing Connor O’Shea needs is more complications … After too much celebrating at his brother’s wedding, Connor wakes up next to cocky Toronto goaltender Jesse Webber—pro hockey’s reigning f*ckboy. With three kids and a failed marriage under his belt, Connor might be ready to admit he’s attracted to men, but that doesn’t mean his life has to change... -
Temporary Partner by Nicky James
Can two rivals work together to solve a case?When an infant is taken from his carriage in broad daylight, missing persons detective Quaid Valor must race against the clock to find the child and bring him safely home to his family. Unfortunately, Quaid’s partner isn’t available, and his team is spread thin... -
Reinventing Cato by Barbara Elsborg
Fate is not always written in the stars…Being headhunted by NASA might be his ultimate dream, but Cato’s life still sucks. He’s tired of anonymous one-night stands. He’s tired of being lonely. And, frankly, he’s tired of himself. As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, he realises the only thing to do if he wants to be happy is to reinvent himself... -
Pick Me by May Archer
The job at Sunday Orchard was supposed to be temporary.A chance to gain some work experience. To have some fun. To get away from my overprotective brothers. To maybe, possibly encounter some lumberjacks in their natural habitat before moving on to the dream career that awaited me in the city.I had not expected to be welcomed into a family of gorgeous and weirdly efficient lumberjack-types myself... -
The Fire by May Archer
JAMIE Parker Hoffstraeder is gorgeous, cocky, and totally irrational. He also broke my heart when he left town eleven years, four months, and twenty-eight days ago. Not that I’m counting. I don’t mind admitting it: I was young. I got burned. I learned my lesson... -
Stroker by K.M. Neuhold
Is there an easy way to tell your lifelong best friend that you secretly married his brother eight years ago? Asking for a friend…When Gates shows up needing a place to crash, I offer him my spare room. Whatever happened between us nearly two decades ago is water under the bridge. I don’t lie awake at night wondering what could have been. Nope, definitely not... -
The Secret by May Archer
Micah Constantine Ross is a cocky, provoking little... yeah. And I swear, I'd think that even if his family's business wasn't my biggest competition. It's time someone taught the man a lesson or two about life. At least that's what I tell myself when I offer him a job. Call it my good deed for the year... maybe the century. But now he's in my shop. In my space. In my every damn thought...Categorized as:
from hate to love secret-relationship queer m-m humor age difference contemporary office -
Four Bears Construction Books 1-4 by K.M. Neuhold
Men who know how to handle their toolsFoul-mouthed, blue collar, middle aged men finding sweet, hilarious, STEAMY happily ever afters, because everyone needs a good caulking.FOUR books plus some spicy, swoony bonus scenes!CaulkyRen is in desperate need of a rebound fling. Lucky for him, the smoking hot contractor he hired has just the tool for the job... -
The Flirty Vet by Casey Cox
Wilby Linfox is the world's biggest flirt…From the moment he stumbles into my life—drunk, singing, and shirtless—I knew he'd be trouble… But I had no idea just how much trouble he'd be.But I'm in Australia to do exactly three things: work, check out some touristy hotspots, and scatter my mother's ashes...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine from hate to love forced proximity bisexual contemporary m-m -
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Method Acting by N.R. Walker
Chase SoriaEvery budding actor knows acting is a difficult gig. There will be grueling auditions and punishing rejections. If you’re lucky, there’ll be roles that pay the bills and even roles that won’t.Roles we don’t believe in.But that’s what acting is—acting as if we do believe in them.So when the semester’s production project is announced and I’m cast as one of the leads, I’m ecstatic... -
Off Duty Volume 2 by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHazard and Somerset: Off Duty Volume 2 is a collection of short stories. It includes the following:“John-Henry Somerset: Sold!”Somers enters a charity bachelor’s auction without telling his boyfriend. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty.“Pretty and Pink and Perfect”Hazard plans a toddler’s birthday party. This story takes place before The Rational Faculty... -
The Bastard and the Heir by Eden Finley, Saxon James
WREN: Moms are good at one thing: the guilt trip. It’s the only reason I’m at the funeral of a man I’ve never had anything to do with. I’ll show up, make her happy, and get out. At least that’s what I think until I learn daddy dearest has left me a crap load of money and the obligation to learn about the family business. All from his eldest son who looks nothing like the rest of us... -
The Revenge Game by Jax Calder
Rule #1 of Revenge Club: Don't fall for your targetAndrewI’ve come a long way since being the gawky, geeky, gay kid who was constantly picked on growing up. Having just sold my tech start-up for so much money it broke my phone calculator, I’m now at a loose end wondering what to do next in my life.Then I run into Justin. Justin, the golden boy from high school...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love slow burn hurt-comfort switch anal sex class difference caretaking -
The Head Game by Brigham Vaughn
Fisher Cats Defenseman Rushed to Hospital After In-Game Fall—Mystery Beau Revealed? The Fisher Cats defenseman is conscious and in stable condition following a seizure that occurred during the recent game against Buffalo. Updates indicate that while still hospitalized, he’s hopeful for a quick return to the ice...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine from hate to love queer anal sex forced proximity cold hero bisexual -
Boyfriend Goals by Riley Hart
MiloUnusual. Quirky. Different. I’ve heard it all. I’ve accepted I’m not for everyone. Maybe not anyone.When I find out I inherited a bookstore and apartment on a small East Coast island, I jump at the chance for a new life.Turns out, I’ve also inherited a sexy, tattooed guy who not only rents the space next to my store for his tattoo parlor but my apartment too...Categorized as:
forced proximity virgin hero friends-benefits queer anal sex caretaking hurt-comfort slow burn -
Malicious Compliance by E.M. Lindsey
My life is good. I work from home, I answer to no one, and I pay my rent on time. In short, things are peaceful and solitary—exactly the way I like them. Yes, my apartment might be a dump with paper-thin walls and plumbing issues, but it’s mine all the same. And then he moves in...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity hurt-comfort grumpy sunshine queer m-m contemporary humor -
Third Time Lucky by Aurora Crane
Trust didn’t always go both ways, and Grady Donehue learned that the hard way. He hadn’t learned better after the first betrayal, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. Striking up a strange friendship with the equally strange—and straight—soldier, Lake, who had sunshine in his eyes? Grady could do that... -
The Pretenders of Copper County by May Archer
It was supposed to be a straightforward protection job. Remove the target from Vermont, get him to the safehouse, keep him there until his mafia uncle testifies, get back in my employer’s good graces.Boom, done. Easy... -
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Blitzed by S.E. Harmon
NFL tight end Andrew McAdams isn’t thrilled to be sidelined with an injury. He’s even less thrilled about his legal troubles. Community service is the only thing standing between him and jail so...yeah. That’s a no-brainer. It's not all bad news, though. He gets to work with Jesse Fox, who is as gorgeous as he is guarded. And there's no rule saying he can't do his hours and have a little fun...Categorized as:
bisexual grumpy sunshine forced proximity hurt-comfort queer m-m sports age difference -
Crossroads by Nicole Dykes
EmersonMy mom thinks I’m spoiled. So what does she do? She ships me out to a farm in the middle of nowhere.It’s supposed to teach me some sort of lesson.It won’t.The only thing that’ll come from this will be the small town of Kensley meeting its match.And not just Kensley.Him.Jasper thinks he can best me? Well, he has another thing coming... -
The Unlikely Spare by Jax Calder
What happens when a prince falls for the undercover agent pretending to be his bodyguard?NicholasI’m the spare, the younger brother of the Prince of Wales. Ever since I was propelled up the order of succession, my job description has been: Exist. Don’t embarrass the Crown. Repeat.After a security scandal, I’m assigned a new bodyguard... -
Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSometimes the endgame is only the beginning. In the heated world of the Premier League, Earl Alex Beaufort, a charming Liverpool midfielder, collides on-pitch with Lee Taylor, Manchester United’s top striker. But when England’s World Cup dream brings them to sunny Spain, the real game sharing a room... -
Another Day With Jory by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsJory holiday ficlet from Mary Calmes...Categorized as:
queer hurt-comfort from hate to love m-m contemporary christmas humor length-novella -
Gemini Keeps Capricorn by Anyta Sunday
Sometimes, one stubborn Capricorn is all it takes… to drive Wesley Hidaka to crazy, flirtatious lengths. Wesley loves annoying his RA Lloyd Reynolds. He just can’t help it. Lloyd is focused, decisive, grounded. He has this amusing ability to follow rules . Of course Wesley wants Lloyd to break one… or three hundred...Categorized as:
slow burn grumpy sunshine secret-relationship queer m-m new adult contemporary friends to lovers -
Dirty Trick by K.M. Neuhold
Can you be friends with benefits with a guy who hates you? What about enemies with benefits instead?My plan to lick every cupcake Boston wants until he realizes I’m his only option might actually work out…Was pretending to sleep with tons of men to keep my crush from hooking up with them a Dirty Trick? Sure. Do I regret it? Not one bit...Categorized as:
from hate to love grumpy sunshine forced proximity queer friends-benefits anal sex cold hero m-m -
Unbreakable Stories: Snow by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Unbreakable Stories: Snow is a collection of short stories and a novelette set after the events of Shatter, book 2 of the Unbreakable Bonds series and before Torch, book 3. Follow the continuing, passionate and heartfelt romance between Dr. Ashton "Snow" Frost and Jude Torres as they merge their lives together as a couple... -
Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Jory and Sam Thanksgiving... -
The Best Men by Sarina Bowen, Lauren Blakely
Bestselling authors Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely team up for the first time in an enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, irresistibly sexy standalone romance between the best man and the other best man! In my defense, I was left alone with a bottle of single-malt and a life-long penchant for protecting my baby sister... -
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Liberating Love by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAiden Finding out the man I slept with is my friend’s father is terrifying, but maybe forgivable since I didn’t know who he was… right? But falling into bed with him again… and again and again is probably not excusable. Maybe if Delaney got rid of his miles of muscles and stopped being so sweet to me, I could stop. I need to stop. If only I had the willpower—or the desire...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort secret-relationship queer m-m contemporary age difference humor forbidden love -
The Loner by Riley Hart
DeclanAs a founding member of The Vers, a queer podcast I host with my three best friends, I’m The Loner—quieter than the others, and except for them, I don’t let myself get too close to people. Most of them just let you down anyway, or maybe it’s just that something about me chases people away.Infrequent, no-strings-attached hookups have always worked for me... -
Perfect Buddy Vol. 2 by daki, Lash
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPOINT OF NO RETURNAfter seeing firsthand how well-endowed his coworker Baek Youngchan is, Seo Hyunsoo finds himself plagued with the filthiest thoughts imaginable. Clearly the way to rid himself of his insane fantasies is to avoid Youngchan entirely, but Youngchan doesn’t appear to have gotten the memo. No matter where Hyunsoo turns, Youngchan is there, being his annoyingly perky self... -
Pumped by Linden Bell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsEverestOwen and I do not get along. He thinks I'm irresponsible and I find him arrogant and uptight. Good thing we only see each other when my sister and his brother pester us into attending family events.But when a fatal car accident leaves our niece orphaned, my brother-in-law and I are forced to raise her together--as long as we don't strangle each other first...Categorized as:
forced proximity from hate to love grumpy sunshine hurt-comfort queer found-family m-m dual-pov -
Kiss My Axe by R.M. Neill
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPerryYou know that saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Well, whoever said that never had the misfortune of meeting Roman Auclair.Sure, he’s sexy and wears a corset like nobody’s business, but he’s arrogant, entitled and so damn judgemental he should sit on the Supreme Court.I’d rather sleep with a porcupine than bunk with him...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love forced proximity contemporary m-m humor length-medium new adult -
Kiss My Axe by May Archer
Living in a treehouse? Unavoidable. Falling for the grumpy lumberjack hottie next door? Unthinkable.After a viral PR disaster torpedoes my marketing career, I flee Manhattan. The only place left to land? A fairy-tale treehouse in a pickle-obsessed Vermont town, left to me by an uncle I barely knew.Yes, I said pickles.No, I’m not okay.But I’m only here temporarily...
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