Books like 'After the Shut Up Ring'
Readers who enjoyed After the Shut Up Ring by Cate C. Wells also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary friends to lovers working class hero found-family working class heroine hurt-comfort m-f small town single-mother siblings-bff
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Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone
Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, in this heartwarming, slow-burn romance by the author of Ready or Not. Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Her best friend, Lou, recently passed away after a battle with cancer, and her death has left Lenny feeling completely lost...Categorized as:
friends to lovers found-family forced proximity hurt-comfort m-f angst tortured heroine sweet-hero -
Saving His Heart by Avery Maxwell
Never have I ever. .. The number one rule in medicine is don't fall in love with your patients, but Preston Westbrook makes his own rules. Hand him a life-altering diagnosis, and all bets are off. I'm a doctor without a license. He's a billionaire without a chance. He hired me to care for his failing heart, but when meddling family forces his hand, he introduces me as his girlfriend... -
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Myles by Riley Edwards
Former Delta Operator Myles Simms doesn’t know when to quit. The concept so foreign to him he can’t give up on Delilah Watts. A woman he’s never met—a woman who might be the enemy yet he’s compelled to save her. Intel Specialist Delilah Watts never imagined sending an email would be deadly. Kidnapped and left to die, yet she regrets nothing...Categorized as:
m-f caretaking forced proximity hurt-comfort sweet heroine tortured heroine sweet-hero contemporary -
Renewal After Dark by Marie Force
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe storm has passed, but the hard work is just beginning…. Gansett Island has withstood the fury of Hurricane Ethel, and now the cleanup is underway for many islanders, including McKenzie Martin, who barely escaped the storm with her life and that of her son, Jax...Categorized as:
cheating found-family other-man-woman small town contemporary length-medium audiobook -
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This Much Is True by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhen celebrity Laina Kelley bolted from her small hometown church on her wedding day, she ran to the first place that came to mind—the home of the local farrier, a gorgeous playboy who just so happens to be her first love … and biggest frenemy... -
Swept Into Love by Melissa Foster
The Ryders are a series of sexy stand-alone romances. These hot contemporary romance novels feature alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy new adult romance, contemporary romance, and women's fiction. It’s been years since Sally Tuft’s husband died and she was left to raise her teenage son alone... -
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFamily, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances. Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change...Categorized as:
small town friends to lovers forced proximity m-f contemporary humor christian audiobook -
Are You Ready? by Kaylee Ryan
NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you the continuation of the stand-alone series surrounding five best friends who co-own a tattoo studio. "Are You Ready? ” is an age gap, single mom, found family, small-town romance. Forrest. The moment I met Briar, I couldn't stay away. She's my sister's friend, but that didn’t stop me...Categorized as:
found-family single-mother friends to lovers alpha male angst m-f hurt-comfort caretaking -
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers. She's got a lot of baggage. .. literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real. For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but. So why can't he stay away? Knox and Fiona's story! Finally! -
Blaze by Helen Hardt
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAre you missing the Steel Brothers? Are you yearning for more? Welcome to the next generation! Join the grown children of Jonah, Talon, Ryan, and Marjorie for new adventures, mysteries, and heart-pounding passion. The action, drama, and secrecy continue with Blaze, coming February 22, 2022!Categorized as:
sweet heroine alpha male angst friends to lovers contemporary suspense sassy heroine mystery -
Dr. Beckett by Grace Maxwell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWe were childhood enemies. Now I’m sleeping in his guest room… and I’m not sure I want to leave. Beckett. Sadie Calloway showing up on my doorstep in the middle of a storm wasn’t on my bingo card. She’s my best friend’s little sister, the girl I used to torment for fun, and now she’s standing in my living room, dripping wet and out of options... -
Hoping for Love by Marie Force
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsAll her life, Grace Ryan was the “fat girl. ” Taunted and teased and ignored by her peers, she tried every diet ever invented to no avail. Desperate to change her life as her twenties slipped away, she decided it was time for drastic measures and had lap-band surgery. More than a year later, she's lost 130 pounds and is venturing into the dating world for the first time... -
A Different Kind of December by Lesley Jones
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsDecember 1st. .. A time to reflect and remember for Georgia, and also, she's decided, this year will be a time for change. Starting with high emotion on the anniversary of the day that changed her life and ending on a loud, raucous and raunchy Christmas night, we get a little dip into the lives of some of the Carnage Series favourite characters. This is book 5 in a series. Carnage Book One... -
Craving Lucy by Terri Anne Browning
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling Author Terri Anne Browning’s New Adult series. One kiss can change everything…. I wished I’d known that before I’d kissed my best friend. Things are different now. We can’t go back. I’m not even sure I want to go back. I guess the question is…. What happens now? -
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Zane's Rebel by Loni Nichole
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFor once in his life, this strait-laced attorney is ready to throw caution to the wind. Too bad his sassy, rebellious soulmate refuses to take the risk. Zane. I take on the sassy-mouthed heiress’s case because she needs a good defense. She’s being sued by her father’s former business partner, who wants to destroy her. The odds in this small-town are stacked against her...Categorized as:
friends to lovers alpha male curvy heroine m-f contemporary humor virgin heroine length-novella -
Tight Laced by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsOne of us will have to give up the future we’ve dreamed of if we’re going to make this work. It’s not going to be me. We can’t both have that same thought if we want to stay together when our contract ends. But the more I see him struggle against the things his mother does to him, the harder I fall. The more his ex tries to get in his way, the more I want to stand up for him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity siblings-bff m-f age difference sports contemporary length-short -
Make Me Trust Again by Anna B. Doe
After leaving my abusive ex-husband, I’m determined to make a life for my son and me, but nothing could have prepared me for him. Chase Williams. Broody. Damaged. Reclusive. He’s been keeping to his ranch ever since he retired from the army. The scars on his body tell a story of pain and loss, and there is no denying the demons of the past hiding behind his serious gaze... -
Shattering Nash by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsQuiet and shy Charley Hudson has lived her life in the shadows of everyone around her. Carrying more responsibility than anyone realizes, she’s made a point of keeping relationships distant. This has never been a problem. Until now...Categorized as:
angst m-f tortured heroine poor heroine sweet heroine mafia standalone standalone-first -
Always Destined by Scarlett Avery
So 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... -
Never Too Close by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsVito Bianchi had given up on love years ago after his wife walked out the door. He immersed himself in his work, letting one day pass into the next so he didn’t dwell on what was missing in his life. But when he’s called out to a fire at the home of Star Falls newest resident, he couldn’t stop himself from being sucked in to her world... -
The Half of It by Theresa Christine
In a small town halfway around the world, she might just find her whole heart. Tough but tender Juniper Martin should have tossed that DNA test. A frustrating workday and one too many cosmos later, she mails a sample that unearths her half-sister in Ireland. Raised in a broken home, Juniper grants trust sparingly...Categorized as:
m-f forced proximity siblings-bff slow burn small town sweet-hero working class hero contemporary -
Finders Keepers by Nicole Lenz
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBailey Monroe knows one thing for certain. She had to leave. With her young daughter Sophie in tow, she flees from the nightmare of her abusive husband under the cover of darkness, finding safety in the quiet Texas town of Pine Grove. There, she finds refuge in the warmth of the town folk and kindness from Ms... -
Careless Storm by Katherine Jay
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m not his to protect, but the NFL's bad boy has never been one to follow the rules. Six years ago, I was living my dream life. Supportive family, amazing friends, admission into my dream college. .. And a secret relationship with my brother’s best friend. Zane and I had it all worked out until one horrific moment tore our worlds apart, sending us spiraling in different directions...Categorized as:
siblings-bff friends to lovers angst forced proximity found-family sports football forbidden love -
Irresistible Revenge by Amanda Bentley
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou’re going to think I’m a shitty person, and I can’t say I’d even blame you. But before you make a snap judgment, let me help you understand. You see, I slept with my coworker. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Okay…and? Well, I slept with my coworker, but I still had a boyfriend. “How could you? ”. “That is WRONG. ”“(insert choice expletives here)! ”. I know. You’re right. It is... -
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Loved by You by N.L. Amore
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThey say the hardest boy to get over is the one you never had, and sadly I know that to be true. Ria. I had the picture perfect life, the husband the kids and the white picket fence and then it all came crashing down. In the wake of trying to navigate my new life as a single mom I never expected him, my brothers best friend, the boy I never had to pick up all our broken pieces... -
Sweet Heart by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRoyal has more trouble than he can handle. His father's been murdered, and the killer is trying to destroy the Sawyers any way they can. The last thing he needs is to complicate his life further. Like, say, with a woman. But Daisy Hutchins doesn't feel like a complication, she feels like the only thing that makes sense in a life turned upside down...Categorized as:
m-f small town sweet heroine poor heroine working class heroine sweet-hero contemporary suspense -
A Callahan Wedding by Monica Murphy
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sweet and sexy conclusion to New York Times bestselling author, Monica Murphy’s standalone Callahan series, bringing readers along for the ride as fan favorites, Jake and Hannah get married! Hannah Walsh. Gorgeous. Intelligent. My first love. My high school sweetheart. My everything. And now my fiancée...Categorized as:
alpha male friends to lovers found-family m-f athletes contemporary sports new adult -
With Love, This Christmas by Kimberly Brown
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsNoelle Ackerman loves Christmas and plans to make this Christmas the most special of all. After five years of living in Paris, she has returned home to Grand Hills, the place where love has always dwelled for her. Love for Noelle is not only her family but with the man who stole her heart at the tender age of five. Kane Weston aka Noelle’s tall, dark, and handsome best friend... -
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:
friends to lovers angst alpha male m-f super rich hero contemporary sassy heroine suspense -
Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsWITH HER BELOVED YOUNGER SIBLINGS SETTLED AND HAPPY, ERIN FOLEY HAS EMPTY NEST SYNDROME. AT AGE THIRTY-FIVE. So she's hitting the pause button on her life and holing up in a secluded (but totally upgraded --- she's not into roughing it! ) cabin near Virgin River. Erin is planning on getting to know herself . .. not the shaggy-haired mountain man she meets...Categorized as:
slow burn small town sweet-hero m-f contemporary military virgin heroine length-long -
Shattered Vows by Kaylea Cross
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe belonged to his best friend. Molly Boyd’s entire world unraveled when tragedy turned the man she loved into her greatest threat, and now her confusing feelings for his best friend aren’t helping matters. For years Jase has been a solid, steady source of comfort and friendship. Now she can’t stop seeing him as something more...Categorized as:
friends to lovers poor heroine single-mother m-f military suspense contemporary length-short -
Quarantine and Chill by Kenya Wright, Lacy Laurel
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsBestselling author Kenya Wright returns with a standalone multicultural forced proximity romance that’s a beautiful escape with a huge happy ending. News of the coronavirus hit New York City, and LA-native Jade is stuck dog sitting in her best friend’s Brooklyn apartment. Her bestie Zora is on her honeymoon in the Maldives, but may now be stuck there too. The island has canceled all flights... -
Love Blooms at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBestselling author Alex Nelson is slowly coming apart at the seams after a failed marriage and an abrupt change in career leave him at a crossroads in life. When an unexpected opportunity arises to escape to the idyllic village of Mermaids Point, he’s hot on the heels of his brother, Tom, who has recently moved there...Categorized as:
small town friends to lovers cheating other-man-woman contemporary humor death length-medium -
KYLE: Sins of the Father by Nicole James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFROM WALL STREET JOURNAL AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NICOLE JAMES COMES A STEAMY, FORBIDDEN, MC ROMANCE. My brother’s girl… that’s all Sutton will ever be to me. I can’t touch her. I can’t want her. I can’t have her. I can’t love her. But I do. I'm in love with my brother's girl. .. and now my life is pure torment. My brother Rafe and I are twins...Categorized as:
slow burn friends to lovers found-family other-man-woman office love triangle contemporary mafia -
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Caution by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLike every hardworking member of Harper Security Ops, Forrest Hickman takes time away from work to relax and recharge. And he often does that while riding his snowboard on the slopes of his favorite ski resort. He wasn’t sure anything would be better than some time alone to clear his head. That is, until he meets someone to spend his break with... -
Dare You by K.L. Shandwick
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThis book and series have been rebranded to Chasing Love Billie in the Wild Romance Saga by Kelly Shandwick on Goodreads for clarity of reading order. Chasing Love Billie is book one in the series. Book two Chasing Love: Sawyer. Book three Chasing Love: James. Book four Chasing Love: Tricia. Book five coming Dec Chasing Love: Erin. Book six coming Dec Chasing Love: Ryder... -
Sunrise Point by Robyn Carr
Tom Cavanaugh may think he wants a traditional woman, but in Virgin River, the greatest tradition is falling in love unexpectedly. .. . Former Marine Tom Cavanaugh’s come home to Virgin River, ready to take over his family’s apple orchard and settle down. He knows just what the perfect woman will be like: sweet, decent, maybe a little naive. The marrying kind. Nothing like Nora Crane... -
Revival by A.M. Wilson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBook one in the brand new Stone Trio Series by Amazon Top 20 Bestselling Author A. M. Wilson. My ex cheated. I kept the honeymoon—and somehow ended up sharing it with the one man I swore I’d never see again. After catching my fiancé and his assistant on my couch, I escape to what should’ve been our tropical getaway—solo. The plan? Drown my heartbreak in turquoise waves and bottomless mojitos... -
Small Town Hero by Olivia Hayle
My new boss is my best friend’s older brother and the golden boy of Paradise Shores. Me? I'm the misfit single mom who never wanted to fit in. .. Being forced to move back to my hometown after a decade away is embarrassing, but I’ll do anything to protect my little girl. I’ll even wait tables at the elite Yacht Club… now owned by the boy I once had a huge crush on... -
Gracie Harris Is Under Construction by Kate Hash
In this resplendent debut novel, a beautiful love story unfolds for tenderhearted Gracie Harris—a mom of two and recent widow—as she navigates the unexpected curveballs that adulthood throws and takes her second chance to find love. Gracie Harris never intended to become the queen of grief...Categorized as:
friends to lovers m-f hurt-comfort small town single-mother working class hero contemporary death -
Doors by Clover Down
Levi He is a professional cuddler. He’s always been good with people and after a rough youth, he understands loneliness and pain. Or he thought he did until he knocked on Noelle Shaw’s door. He could never have prepared for meeting her—not for the storm in her eyes or the way she constantly surprises him. Levi thought he was there to help her, but maybe he had it backward... -
Tripped by Love by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a broody bodyguard with secrets he can’t share. She’s a busy single mom with a restaurant to run. They’re just friends until a little white lie changes everything. Marco Hernandez is the somber trainer here only to bend my body into shape, but when the perfectly sculpted man holds my son in his arms and smiles, I’m a goner. Weak legs. Pounding veins...Categorized as:
friends to lovers single-mother angst alpha male m-f contemporary grumpy sunshine from hate to love -
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 found-family m-m age difference contemporary queer -
Fight Dirty by Emily Goodwin
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsOwen Dawson is one of Eastwood’s most eligible bachelors. He could have any woman he wants, but when it comes to settling down, he only has eyes for Charlie Williams, and he blew his chance with her years ago. While Owen is busy trying to convince everyone—and himself—that the playboy life is for him, Charlie is trying to put her life back together... -
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When I Come Back by Alise Monroe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThirteen years ago, Carrington Grant and Thea Ashford left Indigo Hill, South Carolina with a shared dream of a larger life that only Seattle could offer. Cary hoped to be the next big chef with his childhood sweetheart at his side, leaving his estranged family behind without a second glance. Eight years ago, Thea moved back home to care for her sick mother, leaving Carrington alone in Seattle... -
Billionaire Bachelor by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEscaping to my family’s cabin after my engagement imploded seemed like the perfect plan. But when Logan Edwards—my brother’s best friend, bad boy tech billionaire, and the man who’s haunted my fantasies for years—shows up unexpectedly, everything changes. With only one bed and a snowstorm raging outside, it doesn’t take long for the sparks between us to ignite... -
Whispers at Seaside by Addison Cole
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends! IN WHISPERS AT SEASIDE. . -
Playing For Fun by Tracey Alvarez, BookCover By Design
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPLAYING FOR FUN is the sixth story in Tracey Alvarez’s best-selling Due South books set against the stunning backdrop of Aotearoa, New Zealand. If you like Jill Shalvis, Marie Force, or Bella Andre, then you’ll enjoy diving into these heart-warming, sexy & seductive small-town romances with authentic men and women struggling to find their special someone. Meet Holly and Ford. . -
Crying Shame by Rebel Shaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAddyson. Life just threw me a curveball. I have to find a new place to live, but it must be in-district, because my son has his heart set on riding the bus to his first day of kindergarten. When my brother’s sexy best friend suggests we move in with him, I have to remind myself the offer was for his spare bedrooms… not his bed... -
Saving What's Mine by Janice Whiteaker
I knew it the second I heard her name. Hope. It’s something I’ve never had. Something I’ve always wanted. But now I only want it for her. Hope’s as broken as I was. Beaten down. Literally and figuratively. That stops now. I thought saving myself was what mattered the most to me. I was wrong. Saving her is. ****No one’s ever cared what happened to me...Categorized as:
m-f caretaking found-family sweet heroine single-mother poor heroine sweet-hero working class hero
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