Books like 'Not Like Before'
Readers who enjoyed Not Like Before by Lily Seabrooke & Jacqueline Ramsden also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary lesbian romance grumpy sunshine queer trans-heroine sweet heroine bisexual cold heroine famous heroine
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The Headmistress by Milena McKay
A chance encounter. An unforgettable night. And back home, trouble is brewing on the remote island of Three Dragons, where nothing feels like it used to. Alone and lonely, Sam Threadneedle wishes upon a star, hoping for change. But when said change comes, it’s with a roar and not a whimper.Torn between loyalty and lust, Sam is forced to re-evaluate everything... -
![Breaking Character by Lee Winter]()
Breaking Character by Lee Winter
Life has become a farcical mess for icy British A-lister Elizabeth Thornton. America’s most-hated villain stars in a top-rated TV medical drama that she hates. Now, she’s been romantically linked to her perky, new co-star, Summer, due to the young woman’s clumsiness. As a closeted actress, that’s the last thing Elizabeth needs...Categorized as:
cold heroine grumpy sunshine queer famous heroine sweet heroine f-f age difference contemporary -
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![Broken Beyond Repair by Emily Banting]()
Broken Beyond Repair by Emily Banting
WINNER OF THE QUEER INDIE AWARDS 2022 CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE CATEGORYAn age gap, celebrity ice queen romance that will pull at the heart strings — even the icy ones!Sydney MacKenzie, personal assistant to the rich and famous, is looking forward to a well-earned break to go travelling in her beloved VW camper van, Gertie — that is, until Gertie cries off sick...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine cold heroine famous heroine sweet heroine f-f contemporary age difference -
![Destination You by J.J. Arias]()
Destination You by J.J. Arias
Fantasy Becomes Reality in this Super Steamy Age-Gap, Ice Queen RomanceWhen 27-year-old free-spirit Taylor Lopez flies back to Miami to attend her high school reunion, she doesn’t expect to run into Mrs. Alonso — her former history teacher — at the airport...Categorized as:
bisexual queer cold heroine sweet heroine f-f age difference contemporary childfree-couple -
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![Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton]()
Tempting Olivia by Clare Ashton
Olivia Sachdeva’s life is flawless. With a first from Oxford and as the youngest partner at Bentley lawyers, she expects high standards from everyone. Her only indulgences are eating iced desserts and repeat watching romcoms, especially those featuring Kate Laurence – pure escapism and cinematic perfection...Categorized as:
queer famous heroine bisexual grumpy sunshine cold heroine sweet heroine contemporary humor -
![Magdalene Nox by Milena McKay]()
Magdalene Nox by Milena McKay
Magdalene Nox doesn't cast wishes upon stars... She simply makes them happen. But for this particular wish, she had waited for thirty years. Her retribution against those who discarded her three decades ago should be swift and simple.Except a chance encounter and an unforgettable night turn her entire life upside down. Torn between vengeance and lust, Magdalene is forced to re-evaluate everything...Categorized as:
queer bisexual cold heroine sweet heroine f-f contemporary age difference boss & employee -
![The Fixer by Lee Winter]()
The Fixer by Lee Winter
A naive activist is hired by a corporate villain but doesn’t realize it. Cue one awkward farce, a twisty puzzle, and the slowest of slow burns in this opposites-attract, ice queen romance.Nine years ago, aloof, icy Michelle Hastings chose career over love. She’s now living with that choice as she rules a secret corporation catering to the rich and powerful.Enter Eden Lawless... -
![Bachelorette Number Twelve by Jae]()
Bachelorette Number Twelve by Jae
At a singles auction where no one was bidding on love, a warmhearted ER nurse finds herself dating a prickly doctor in this enemies-to-lovers lesbian romance.Ellie Fisher loves most things about being a nurse in the emergency department…just not working with Regina Novak, an icy attending physician who acts as if she’s God’s gift to medicine.The dislike is completely mutual...Categorized as:
cold heroine sweet heroine queer grumpy sunshine f-f contemporary office from hate to love -
![Truth and Measure by Telanu]()
Truth and Measure by Telanu
The Devil Wears Prada fanfiction:Andy doesn't leave Miranda in Paris, and learns that a single decision can change your life. But the main thing about decisions? You don't get to stop with one...Categorized as:
bisexual queer age difference f-f pregnancy contemporary from hate to love explicit-open-door -
![The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley]()
The Music and the Mirror by Lola Keeley
Anna is the newest member of an elite ballet company. Her first class with her mysterious idol, Victoria, almost ruins her career before it starts. When she shows she might be a potential star, Victoria chooses Anna to launch a new season around. Now Anna must face down jealousy, sabotage and injury, not to mention navigate the circus of friends and lovers within the company...Categorized as:
cold heroine queer grumpy sunshine sweet heroine f-f age difference forced proximity office -
![The Forever and The Now by K.J .]()
The Forever and The Now by K.J .
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBron McIntyre, forty-two, has it all together. Terrific job. Loving family. No desperate need for a girlfriend but would be interested if one came along. Bron McIntyre is Teflon.Kate Agostino, forty-eight, is not Teflon. Yes, she has a terrific job. But a loving family? Not really. And her personal life is rapidly disintegrating and turning into dust... -
![A Breathless Place by Harper Bliss]()
A Breathless Place by Harper Bliss
The date is set. Six months from now, former music icon Isabel ‘Izzy’ Adler will die.Since she lost her voice ten years ago, Izzy’s been to hell—and hasn’t found her way back. She would rather die than live without the instrument that used to define her.When journalist Leila Zadeh is brought in to finish her biography, Izzy’s desire to end her life is profoundly challenged... -
![Impulse Buy by Jae]()
Impulse Buy by Jae
Prickly emergency physician Regina has never liked romantic gestures, but when her girlfriend, ER nurse Ellie, surprises her with a gift right after Valentine’s Day, rejecting it is not an option.Little does she know the impulse buy will have unexpected consequences.“Impulse Buy” is a short story sequel to Jae’s lesbian romance Bachelorette Number Twelve...Categorized as:
cold heroine queer f-f contemporary childfree-couple dual-pov third-person-pov competent heroine -
![Temptation by Kris Bryant]()
Temptation by Kris Bryant
Cassie Miller is broke. Her parents cut off all funding when she dropped out of medical school, and graduate school is expensive. A full-time nanny job at the Wellington estate is the answer to her problems, except working for beautiful, successful Brook Wellington wasn't in the job description. Brook has always had a head for business...Categorized as:
cold heroine queer contemporary f-f office class difference single-mother length-short -
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![About That Kiss by Harper Bliss]()
About That Kiss by Harper Bliss
What if the greatest role of your life is playing your true self?Ida Burton used to be Hollywood’s sweetheart until the best roles started drying up in her forties.When Ida lands one of the leads in a big-budget lesbian rom-com, it's not only a chance at reviving her dwindling career. Maybe this movie can be an opportunity to finally burst out of the closet she's forced herself into...Categorized as:
famous heroine queer bisexual f-f office contemporary secret-relationship length-medium -
![Vanessa: A Mrs Middleton Novel by Melissa Tereze]()
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... -
![From Fan to Forever by Tiana Warner]()
From Fan to Forever by Tiana Warner
An age-gap lesbian celebrity romance about how much you’d risk to have your dream.Talented A-lister Cate Whitney is the gorgeous middle-aged movie star almost every lesbian has a crush on.Rachel Janssen, an introverted medical physics student, is no exception. So when her celebrity crush starts filming near her Vancouver apartment, she can’t believe her luck...Categorized as:
bisexual queer famous heroine sweet heroine age difference f-f contemporary insta-love -
![The Stepmother by Melissa Tereze]()
The Stepmother by Melissa Tereze
Their connection flares hot in an instant…but is it doomed to fizzle out?After the death of her estranged father, Hayley McAllister plans to endure cold, wet England just long enough to tie up loose ends. Then she’s heading straight back to Ibiza, where she lives exactly as she pleases—performing her music, soaking up sunshine, and indulging in flings with gorgeous women...Categorized as:
bisexual queer f-f age difference angst contemporary lgbtqia hate explicit-open-door -
![Covenant by Ann McMan]()
Covenant by Ann McMan
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCovenant continues the beloved saga of the residents of Jericho, a sleepy town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, where life and love have as many twists and turns as a winding mountain road.Six weeks have passed since the fateful unfolding of events at the town fourth of July celebration... -
![Reality In Check by Emily Banting]()
Reality In Check by Emily Banting
From the multi-award-winning, best-selling author of Broken Beyond Repair comes a new sapphic celebrity ice queen romance — read as a standalone or as the second book in the South Downs Romance series.Sculptor Arte Tremaine is thrown into the hospitality industry when her beloved late grandmother bequeaths her and her sister a charming yet rundown country hotel with zero guests...Categorized as:
bisexual queer grumpy sunshine sweet heroine famous heroine f-f age difference from hate to love -
![Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford]()
Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s never done love long-term. But will faking it lead to forever?Finch Lachlan works hard and parties harder. But tired of her siblings judging her fun-loving ways, the head veterinarian at her family’s zoo vows to prove she can make it past the third date. And maybe she can begin with the hottie who just seized her attention with a sizzling kiss.Chef, Frankie Benedetti, craves a fresh start... -
![Paradise Pride by Lise Gold]()
Paradise Pride by Lise Gold
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLondon-based casino manager Meghan has no expectations of her two-week holiday in Spain; she’s just tagging along with her friend who’s visiting her love interest. When they arrive at a deserted hotel due to a booking fault and her friend leaves to see her boyfriend, she’s left with the bartender who stays on for the night... -
![Popcorn Love by K.L. Hughes]()
Popcorn Love by K.L. Hughes
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA prominent figure amongst New York City’s fashion elite, Elena Vega is a successful businesswoman and single mother to an adorable three-year-old son, Lucas. Her love life, however, is lacking, as those closest to her keep pointing out.At the persistent urging of her closest friend, Elena reluctantly agrees to a string of blind dates if she can find a suitable babysitter for Lucas...Categorized as:
bisexual queer f-f contemporary age difference boss & employee single-mother length-medium -
![In Development by Rachel Spangler]()
In Development by Rachel Spangler
From a young age, Cobie Galloway made a career of playing the girl-next-door on the silver screen. Only, she's not a teenager anymore. Ready to challenge herself artistically and earn the part she's always dreamed of, she's forced to face the realization that in order to win the roles afforded to edgier actresses, she might first have to audition by playing someone edgier in her day-to-day life...Categorized as:
bisexual famous heroine queer f-f forced proximity contemporary fake relationship competent heroine -
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![Charm City by Monica McCallan]()
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:
cold heroine queer grumpy sunshine f-f contemporary from hate to love forced proximity dual-pov -
![Teach Me by Melissa Tereze, Jourdyn Kelly]()
Teach Me by Melissa Tereze, Jourdyn Kelly
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter years of separation and mutual longing, Vanessa Hughes and Emma Bradley are blissfully engaged. Everything about their new life together is wonderful, until Emma learns the children’s sport agency that sent her to Africa has gone bankrupt. Back when she was pining for Vanessa, Emma’s work was a godsend, both for her and for the kids who had nothing else good in their lives... -
![The Secret Pond by Gerri Hill]()
The Secret Pond by Gerri Hill
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsGrieving over the loss of her family and feeling like her life is unraveling, Lindsey McDermott quits her job, gets a puppy and retreats to her grandparents’ home in the Texas Hill Country. She spends her solitary days walking childhood trails and reminiscing, trying to reconcile the conflict within her as she struggles with survivor’s guilt... -
![For the Long Run by Cheyenne Blue]()
For the Long Run by Cheyenne Blue
An enemies-to-lovers lesbian sports romance about making it to the finish line.A koala ruined her life. Well, that’s how elite athlete Shan Metz sees it. When an idiot charity runner in a koala suit trips Shan during a community fun run, her knee blows out, destroying her dream of making the Australian Commonwealth Games team...Categorized as:
bisexual grumpy sunshine cold heroine queer sports f-f from hate to love contemporary -
![Lightning Strikes Twice by Erik Schubach]()
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... -
![Heart Block by Melissa Brayden]()
Heart Block by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 20 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:
cold heroine grumpy sunshine queer f-f contemporary forced proximity class difference dual-pov -
![Just Jorie by Robin Alexander]()
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... -
![Teaching Hope by Sienna Waters]()
Teaching Hope by Sienna Waters
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIt’s time to learn a lesson...American high school teacher Ava Stanford has been betrayed in the worst way possible. So she takes a temporary job at a village school in England. She’s definitely not running away, but even she admits she’s got nothing to go home to.School receptionist Hope Perkins is hardly at her peak... -
![Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić]()
Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo women deal with modern themes of sex, relationships, and fetishism in this erotic romantic comedy."MERCY," Part Three. Loving someone means building a shrine within your heart dedicated to them. A shrine made of good memories and treasured moments. As the mercy arc reaches its third volume Anne is about to find the shrine of her heart ransacked by none other than the person it was devoted to... -
![Squid Hugs by Erik Schubach]()
Squid Hugs by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsZilrita was at the top of her game, managing the most successful record label in Europe, London Harmony. There was nothing that could derail the squid hugging goth woman, except the smile of the woman she secretly longed for, their receptionist, Jennifer... -
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![Two is a Pattern by Emily Waters]()
Two is a Pattern by Emily Waters
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA charged lesbian romantic suspense set in the early nineties, with gripping twists, turns, and surprising secrets.A mission gone wrong leads to rising-star CIA operative Annie Weaver quitting her job and reinventing herself as a college student. But the CIA, desperate for her skills, refuses to let her go without a price...Categorized as:
bisexual queer forced proximity f-f age difference contemporary suspense length-short -
![Crossing Lines by K.D. Williamson]()
Crossing Lines by K.D. Williamson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsNora Whitmore has been through the ringer both professionally and personally. Now, her life is more than she ever thought it could be, especially with Kelli McCabe in it. The walls have come down, and she is open to new people and experiences. Kelli McCabe watched all the broken pieces of her life come together... -
![I Do by Cheyenne Blue]()
I Do by Cheyenne Blue
A fabulous twin-swap lesbian romance where the toaster oven could double as a wedding gift.Accountant Allie Lane would do anything for her injured twin sister, including pretend to be her to save Sophie’s fledgling event-planning business. All Allie has to do is fake being a lesbian for a few weeks and co-ordinate a rural gay wedding festival. Simple... -
![Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters]()
Satisfaction Guaranteed by Karelia Stetz-Waters
Opposites attract in this playful and laugh-out-loud rom-com from Lambda Award finalist Karelia Stetz-Waters.Cade Elgin has a life and career in New York City, and she's determined to get back to both as soon as possible after her aunt's funeral in Portland... -
![Stealing Sunshine by Hannah Cowan]()
Stealing Sunshine by Hannah Cowan
A sapphic, fake dating, small town romance from Amazon top 50 best selling author, Hannah Cowan.It was always the plan to come back home to Cherry Peak. But after being gone for four years, it’s apparently not as easy as I expected for things to go back to the way they used to be...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine cold heroine sweet heroine contemporary found-family f-f small town -
![Marigold by Melissa Brayden]()
Marigold by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen enemies fall into temptation, love brings out the most delicious flavor of all.Marigold Lavender lights up every room she enters. Then she’s left to turn out the lights and head home alone. Soft on the inside and a go-getter on the outside, Marigold just wants to make sure everyone else is okay before worrying about herself...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine cold heroine queer contemporary from hate to love f-f third-person-pov dual-pov -
![Write Your Own Script by A.L. Brooks]()
Write Your Own Script by A.L. Brooks
Beloved famous British actress Tamsyn Harris is in her early fifties and works hard to prove she’s still got “it”, despite her age. That means never revealing she’s a lesbian, for fear it would threaten her acclaimed career. After an on-set incident blows up, she disappears to a retreat to lay low for a while. Maggie Cooper is a successful author with two pseudonyms and suffering from burn out... -
![One Last Shot by Lily Seabrooke, Jacqueline Ramsden]()
One Last Shot by Lily Seabrooke, Jacqueline Ramsden
Ava couldn’t be less like her popstar twin sister—and now she needs to take her place.A two-month tour impersonating her pop-sensation twin sister Eva—or Nova on stage—sounds like Ava Blakely’s worst nightmare. For one thing, she can’t sing, and being on a stage is her idea of torture.But it might be the only way to save Eva’s pregnancy...Categorized as:
famous heroine queer forced proximity f-f contemporary dual-pov length-medium open-door -
![Sometimes We Fly by Cheyenne Blue]()
Sometimes We Fly by Cheyenne Blue
A closeted celebrity, a furious neighbour, and a whole lot of sexual tension charge this late-in-life, coming-out lesbian romance set in Sydney.At forty-six, Maren McEvoy is Australia’s most popular newsreader, but for how much longer? And now her ex-husband has moved in with his boyfriend, and her sixteen-year-old daughter has been caught carjacking. Something has to change...Categorized as:
queer bisexual famous heroine f-f length-medium contemporary single-mother explicit-open-door -
![Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur]()
Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
Following Written in the Stars and Hang the Moon, national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur pens another steamy queer rom-com about former best friends who might be each other's second chance at love…Margot Cooper doesn’t do relationships. She tried and it blew up in her face, so she’ll stick with casual hookups, thank you very much...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine bisexual cold heroine queer contemporary humor friends to lovers f-f -
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![Like They Do in the Movies by Nan Campbell]()
Like They Do in the Movies by Nan Campbell
The rich and famous screenwriter of hilarious sapphic rom coms.The pushing out trashy celebrity gossip for cash.The Grand advance career by engineering a celebrity takedown.Fran Underhill’s adoration for the entertainment industry is in flames, transformed into a loathing of celebrity culture and all those who benefit from it...Categorized as:
bisexual famous heroine queer f-f age difference forced proximity boss & employee contemporary -
![The Love We Make by Harper Bliss]()
The Love We Make by Harper Bliss
Nora Levine has everything she dreams of: a leading role on a successful tv show and a quiet life with her best friends, away from the spotlight.When the new production company CEO takes an unusually hands-on approach to her job, Nora’s hackles go all the way up...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine bisexual famous heroine queer office age difference f-f boss & employee -
![96 Hours by Georgia Beers]()
96 Hours by Georgia Beers
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 22 ratings"Beers gives a welcome expansion to the romance genre with her clear, sympathetic writing."—Curve magazine Erica Ryan is flying home from London after a disastrous business trip. Free spirit Abby Hayes is flying into New York City to visit her mother before jetting off again. Both end up in Gander, Canada, when their flight is diverted because of 9/11...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine f-f contemporary length-medium forced proximity small town north-america -
![Presidential by Lola Keeley]()
Presidential by Lola Keeley
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsHow can you find love when the whole world is watching? High-flying environmental lobbyist Emily Lawrence wants to save the world—literally. Her disastrous first day in her new job puts her on a collision course with the most powerful woman in America, President Calvin... -
![In Walked Trouble by Dana Hawkins]()
In Walked Trouble by Dana Hawkins
Today is the day. After checking her salty attitude and grinding for years, bartender Remi James is getting the promotion she deserves. Finally, finally, she’ll be approved for a home loan—her only dream since her unstable upbringing. Remi is floating on air. Until she walks into work to discover that the promotion has become a one-time cash bonus, and she’s got competition...Categorized as:
queer grumpy sunshine contemporary office f-f from hate to love forced proximity length-medium -
![Hummingbird by Frances M. Thompson]()
Hummingbird by Frances M. Thompson
Fourteen years ago I met a woman I've not been able to forget. Her hair was long, her eyes were big, and her gaze kept returning to me from across the room. Her name was Dove. She told me she was straight and I respected that. Or rather, I got grumpy about it and walked away. What can I say? I was young and stupid.But now she's back...
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