Books like 'The One I Left Behind'
Readers who enjoyed The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary western funny single-mother football second chances sports found-family athletes angst
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Heartless by Elsie Silver
Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I can’t keep my eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off of me. Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes. He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges...Categorized as:
cowboys forced proximity new adult m-f friends to lovers angst found-family from hate to love -
Reckless by Elsie Silver
Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal. But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist...Categorized as:
cowboys athletes new adult angst friends to lovers m-f single-mother forced proximity -
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How to Say I Do by Tal Bauer
Noë. Manhattan is my heart and soul. In the cutthroat world of elite public relations, I’m one of the princes. I manage global superstars, predict the up-and-coming trends, easy. And social media? That’s my specialty. I can make you, hon, and launch you straight to the stratosphere. My life is champagne glitter and starlight, and everything around me is gold...Categorized as:
second chances cowboys angst friends to lovers forced proximity found-family m-m contemporary -
Love, Lies, and Whiskey: Doc Whiskey by Melissa Foster
Get ready to fall hard for the mysterious Seeley “Doc” Whiskey and the one woman he never thought would walk back into his life, in LOVE, LIES, AND WHISKEY, a sexy, funny, and deeply emotional second-chance standalone romance...Categorized as:
cowboys angst m-f from hate to love friends to lovers second chances forced proximity bad boys -
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Get Bucked by Lani Lynn Vale
Darby has always been ‘that’ guy. The guy that no man, woman, or child wants around their loved one. See, a long time ago he made some bad decisions. Those bad decisions have haunted him ever since. No matter what he does, people still see him as the town’s screw up. The boy that sold his soul to the Devil. Years later, he’s turned himself around... -
Rough Country by Lauren Landish
Is it really a dream come true if it means losing the one thing you never knew you needed? Willow Parker is excited to move to Podunk, Nowheres-ville. That’s what she’s telling herself, but it’s not working until she meets a dark-eyed, honey-voiced cowboy. That’s when her new small-town life starts looking a lot less temporary... -
Crazy Heifer by Lani Lynn Vale
I fell in love with his rope skills. I stayed because somehow he took hold of my heart and made it his. Callum Valentine didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Then again? When a man is calling a woman fat right in front of your table, it’s kind of hard not to intervene. Especially when the town’s most beautiful creature ever is the one being called fat. Desi just wants to be left alone... -
Cherished Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsMorgan Shaw is my soulmate. She has no idea how much I desire her to fill the needs I crave. I've dedicated the last four years to learning everything I could about her. If my desire for her ever came to light before she realized how much she loved me, I would be labeled a stalker. Some might find it a little creepy how I watch her every move. I find it exhilarating...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers new adult cowboys suspense m-f found-family dual-pov -
Freeing the Wild by Paisley Hope
A country music star finds inspiration in a ruggedly handsome cowboy while visiting Silver Pines Ranch, but can their budding love story ever become more than a one-hit wonder? She’s a star on the rise. He just wants to see her shine. Rising country star Cassie Spencer’s music career is just taking off when tragedy strikes mid-tour... -
Quicksand by Janet Dailey
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThe rugged, exciting new story from the New York Times bestselling author tells the tale of an Arizona family ranch in trouble, as the Champion sisters fight to keep their legacy bull-rearing operation strong, going head-to-head —and heart to heart—with some of the toughest men on the rodeo circuit...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity cowboys suspense sports new adult contemporary western -
Fractured Sky by Catherine Cowles
Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago. Until I meet him. Ramsey’s grumpy demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me...Categorized as:
suspense cowboys found-family m-f forced proximity friends to lovers new adult contemporary -
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage
She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they're forced to work together during one hot summer. Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan...Categorized as:
cowboys from hate to love m-f forced proximity second chances new adult found-family angst -
Chute Yeah by Lani Lynn Vale
Candy Ray Sunshine--Yes, that is my real name, thank you very much, Mom and Dad--knew two things. One, she was going to work her butt off and open her very own coffee shop, even if she had to die doing it. Two, Banks Valentine was the world’s worst ex-boyfriend in the history of ex-boyfriends. Even if they were only boyfriend and girlfriend for one evening...Categorized as:
cowboys from hate to love second chances friends to lovers m-f humor western alpha male -
Bluegrass Undercover by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsCade Davies had too much on his plate to pay attention to newest resident of Keeneston. He was too busy avoiding the Davies Brothers marriage trap set by half the town. But when a curvy redhead lands in Keeneston, the retired Army Ranger finds himself drawn to her. These feelings are only fueled by her apparent indifference and lack of faith in his ability to defend himself... -
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Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland
Luke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property. Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things. He expects a no-nonsense businessman... -
Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart: The Last Best Place For Love by Giulia Lagomarsino
Hard Rock Bottom Of Your Heart is the first in. The Last Best Place For Love Series. The last thing I expected was for a single dance with the woman I loved to cause so much trouble. For years, I’d danced around this flirtation with Bailey. We both knew it would eventually lead to that big, white chapel, overwhelming love, and a lifetime together that would rival any tragic love story... -
Cowboy of Convenience: Moss Creek PD by Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGrady’s spent his whole life in Moss Creek, Montana, helping out on his family’s ranch and keeping the town he loves safe. There’s nowhere else he’d rather be. Except for Evelyn Warwick’s bed. The newly arrived New Yorker is a breath of fresh air in his stagnant and stale life— one he seeks out at every opportunity...Categorized as:
cowboys friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary western humor length-medium north-america -
Faking Mr. Right by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Let's make this fun and really give them something to talk about. ". Levi's nothing like I remembered. Once the nerd from school two years my junior. Desperately trying to hide his crush. Now he's built like a stallion. Tall enough to tower any man. And pulls off a flannel shirt like no mountain man I know. But there lies a scorned heart in his chest. Jaded and broken...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense m-f contemporary alpha male pregnancy age difference humor -
Grit by Elizabeth Hunter
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsHe’s been patient; she’s been busy. Patience is running out. Melissa Oxford is a widow with a ranch, an orange grove, a goat-obsessed ten-year-old, and not enough time. She doesn’t have time to make friends. She doesn’t have time to stop and chat, and she definitely does not have time for a boyfriend. Which is fine, because Cary Nakamura is far from being a boy...Categorized as:
friends to lovers single-mother cowboys humor contemporary age difference silver-fox strong heroine -
Space Junk: Houston, We Have a Hottie by Sara L. Hudson
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsNASA engineer Dr. Jackie Darling Lee is a genius about many things. .. the male species is not one of them. Then a little friendly blackmail from a co-worker has Jackie walking into a Texas saloon ready to initiate Operation Social Life. After making friends with her waitress and helping a drunk country beauty get home safely, she thinks she’s off to a good start...Categorized as:
cowboys from hate to love friends to lovers contemporary humor super rich hero dual-pov western -
Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe
ATTENTION: If you have been a victim of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation... -
Daring Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRose Shaw has no idea what she wants. She put aside passion for practicality, earning her degree in a subject she likes, but doesn’t love. Same for her job as an junior architect. And don’t even get started on her personal life…been there, done that, got betrayed for her effort... -
Forever Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNot long out of college, Mackenzie Reeves has found herself halfway across the country, relocated from Atlanta, Georgia, to small-town Hamilton, Montana. But it’s not just a fresh start—it’s an escape. For years, she’s been trying to steer clear of the abusive stepfather who’s made her life hell and turned her mother into someone she doesn’t recognize... -
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Christmas in Chestnut Springs by Elsie Silver
T’was the night before Christmas . . . in Chestnut Springs! Check in with the Eaton family to see holiday pranks, new friendships formed, and maybe even a new baby born. Five chapters as told by five of your most beloved heroes. -
Ride by Roxie Noir
Save a horse. Ride a cowboy. Bull riding is dangerous as hell, but that’s half the fun. Guts, glory, and cute country girls lined up for days . It may only take eight seconds to win, but I can go all night . Yeah, I’ve broken almost every bone in my body at some point, but I’ve been the World Rodeo Champion two years running. Nothing’s gonna keep me from making it three... -
Spill the Sweet Tea by Lyra Parish
Some describe me as a quirky, free-spirited journalist who charges her crystals by moonlight. They’re not wrong. My instincts ensure I know everything that goes on in my small town. And not much surprises me. But when the man who destroyed my heart returns to care for his family’s business, I’m shaken to the core... -
A Real Cowboy Never Says No by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe delivers a brand new series set in Rogue Valley, Wyoming, home to the Stockton brothers, a clan of fiercely loyal and honorable men, and the women who touch the hearts of these rugged, loner cowboys. The only reason rancher Chase Stockton and his brothers survived their brutal childhood was because they protected each other...Categorized as:
cowboys m-f humor western contemporary length-short first-in-series standalone-first -
Make Me Stay by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNever trust a man who wears nothing more than a cowboy hat and ripped jeans who asks if you’d like to save a horse and ride a . . . well, you get the picture. Being a travel photographer has its perks but when Colton Langston collides into me and offers to model, he’s an unexpected surprise for my current project...Categorized as:
from hate to love cowboys new adult friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary western humor -
Riding the High by Paisley Hope
In the steamy third novel in the Silver Pines Ranch series, a newly appointed sheriff and a congressman’s daughter must keep their impulsive Vegas nuptials hidden to protect their reputations—but what happens in Vegas rarely remains secret. Her heart is wild. Only he can capture it...Categorized as:
friends to lovers cowboys forced proximity found-family m-f new adult single-father contemporary -
Brave Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHunter Shaw is handsome, charming, and a minor celeb on the collegiate team roping circuit. Not to mention, he looks damn fine in a cowboy hat. So it’s no surprise when he’s ardently pursued to be the star on a new streaming network’s debut program—a reality dating show... -
Perfect Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOver the years, Joshua has watched most of his family fall in love. He and his cousin Nate are the last single Shaws standing, and while Nate’s seemingly content to stay that way, Josh wants the kind of love his sister, parents, and grandparents have found. In the meantime, he’s alone. And lonely... -
Sworn Enemy by Kelly Fox
Hating Justin Jennings should be a lot easier than this. He nearly ruined my life, and I swore when I left town that I’d become the opposite of him in every possible way. I’ve kept that promise, traveling the world to save the people who cannot save themselves. The lost, the trafficked, the stolen. This work is my life’s mission, and now my father has given me the land to expand my operations...Categorized as:
angst suspense from hate to love found-family forced proximity second chances cowboys m-m -
Make Me Stay by Kennedy Fox, Aiden Snow
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsNever trust a man who wears nothing more than a cowboy hat and ripped jeans who asks if you’d like to save a horse and ride a. .. well, you get the picture. That should’ve been enough for me to walk away. I’ve been warned on several occasions about southern men - with their sexy accents, charming manners, and the ability to easily get any woman in bed - which is something I’ll be avoiding... -
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Romancing the Cowboy (Galentine's Getaway) by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen this older cowboy rescues a hot mess author from a crazy bull, she learns a whole lot more than she anticipated. If growly cowboys, sassy heroines, and laugh-out-loud comedy make your heart pitter-patter, you'll love Cord and Cassia's steamy-sweet story! Spying on a bossy cowboy lands this hot mess romance author in hot water. Cassia Murphy. I'm used to getting fan mail from readers... -
Can't Bucking Wait by Elle Thorpe
I’ve wanted to be a big city doctor my entire life. I studied hard. Got into Harvard. Then moved across the other side of the country, leaving my family’s small-town ranch and bull riding school behind. I’ve hated every moment since. My older sister’s wedding is the perfect excuse for an extended trip back home...Categorized as:
cowboys friends to lovers angst forced proximity new adult m-f second chances sports -
The Chalet Next Door: An All-Ski, No-Spice Christian Romcom by Cassandra Joelle
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsBlizzard Outside. Banter Inside. Sparks Inevitable. Bubbly book publisher Presley Astor has been told all her life she’s “too much. ” But she’s perfectly happy being herself- and taking her pampered Shih Tzu, Priscilla, on a solo ski trip to Sage Mountain, Wyoming...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity cowboys christmas christian grumpy sunshine contemporary western -
A Real Cowboy Always Comes Home by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsCaleb Stockton has been missing for more than ten years. .. and he's about to come home. But his homecoming isn't going to be what anyone expects. Not his brothers. Not him. And definitely not her. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Stephanie Rowe is "contemporary romance at its best" (Bex 'N' Books)... -
Fire Line by Maggie Gates
LENNON:. Rule number one: Committing crimes is not a group project. Rule number two: Don’t start fights. Finish them. Rule number three: Don’t try to hustle a hustler. I should have walked away. I should have ignored that sweet-talking cowboy. Good things don’t happen to people like me. Good people stay away from people like me. But that cowboy wouldn’t leave me alone. He should have known better... -
Running After a Heartbreaker by Jami Albright
“This is a bad idea. ”. “The worst. ” He placed his hands under her butt and lifted. “Should I stop? ”. “I’ll murder you if you do. ”. Hailey Odom’s life is out of tune. The bar she owns with her father is a Texas-sized money pit that she has four months to save. Her mean as a snake ex-husband is breaking their daughter’s heart daily...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers single-mother m-f humor contemporary explicit-open-door dual-pov -
A Rogue Cowboy's Christmas Surprise by Stephanie Rowe
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRomance bookstore owner Sofia Navarro never forgot the homeless, handsome stranger who risked his life to save hers so long ago. Billionaire cowboy Keegan Hart, aka rescue dog dad, never forgot Sofia's sass, her spirit, her warmth, or the way she opened the heart of the rebellious loner who had lost everything. Neither of them forgot the intense, passionate love affair that ended too soon... -
Up in Smoke by Lainey Lawson
Forcing myself to be just friends with the shameless flirt of a cowboy down the road wasn’t the genius life hack I hoped it’d be. I meant to protect my heart. Instead, I’m knee-deep in self-inflicted torture. Tripp is a hazard in boots, while I’m a recovering romantiholic...Categorized as:
cowboys friends to lovers found-family contemporary bad boys western humor length-medium -
At Whit's End by Bailey Hannah
A single mom struggling to raise her rebellious son finds unexpected support in a kind-hearted cowboy in this spicy romance from the author of Seeing Red and Change of Hart. She’s afraid she’s not enough. He’ll make damn sure she knows she is. Single mom Whitney Hart is, quite simply, overwhelmed. She’s struggling to raise her ten-year-old son, Jonas...Categorized as:
cowboys single-mother m-f friends to lovers forced proximity found-family humor contemporary -
Chasing Him by Kennedy Fox
John Bishop isn’t your typical single dad. Reserved, impatient, and utterly clueless. Running the family’s bed and breakfast has many perks. Working long hours, picking up after the guests, and hearing couples going at it all night long aren’t any of them. Hooking up with girls who come to the ranch for horseback riding lessons? Best perk of them all... -
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Frog by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsWeber Yates's dreams of stardom are about to be reduced to a ranch hand’s job in Texas, and his one relationship is with a guy so far out of his league he might as well be on the moon. Or at least in San Francisco, where Weber stops to see him one last time before settling down to the humble, lonely life he figures a frog like him has coming... -
Camp Hot Mess: Walker Hills #2 by Bella Jewel
The second book in Bella Jewel's steamy new series coming March 2022! !! Unless you’re a mom, you just wouldn’t understand. The crying, the diapers, the late nights, the early mornings. The laughter, the smiles, the joy, the blessing. I get it. I’m living it. I love it. I also know that sometimes, moms need a break... -
Cowboy Haven by B.A. Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Heath Barron leaves Texas for Northern New Mexico, he thinks he's getting a luxury house rental for a steal, getting away from his ex, and finding a home for his newborn triplets. What he finds is a broken down trailer, a freezing winter, and the feeling that he's at rock bottom in his life. Again. Former rodeo champ Kolt Cordova has a good life... -
The Meaning of Life by B.A. Tortuga
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen tragedy strikes in the parking lot of a rodeo event, bullfighter Jasper Dean loses his best friend Kayla, inherits her barrel racing horse, her pack of dogs, and her two babies, who also happen to be his biological kids. He has no idea what to do about any of it, and JD struggles to juggle all of his new responsibilities... -
Haunted by K.C. Wells
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBook #2 in the Salvation series. Still haunted by his past, the last thing Butch wants is someone from that past intruding into his present. But what if Sol is exactly what he needs? Butch Buchanan has spent his life trying to forget the stuff he did when he was an asshole teenager. He’s also spent most of his fifty-two years on this planet convincing himself he’s straight... -
That Touch by Alexis Winter
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Small Town Friends to Lovers Romance. I didn’t mean to fall in love with my best friend’s wife. We were just kids when it happened. Now, a decade and a half later she and I have bonded over tragedy—she lost the love of her life and I lost my best friend. I always knew Dolly was gonna break my heart—but the truth is, she never even got the chance...Categorized as:
new adult suspense friends to lovers angst second chances cowboys contemporary humor
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