Books like 'Dire Straights'
Readers who enjoyed Dire Straights by L.A. Lambert also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance sports grumpy sunshine queer-awakening east-asian-mc friends to lovers angst new adult queer
-
#Fate by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat’s meant to be will always find a way. Perfection isn’t an illusion. I met it, held it in my hands. But then it slipped right through. Perfection isn’t an illusion. It’s elusive, cleverly evasive, and, in many ways, a horrible tease. I’m not a man to be toyed with. Quiet, thoughtful, and even sometimes careful, but never someone to taunt... -
![Adoring Keaton by Siobhan Davis]()
Adoring Keaton by Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA friends-to-lovers new adult MM romance from USA Today bestseller Siobhan Davis. Stand-alone with HEA and no cliff-hanger. Keaton Moving to California was supposed to be my fresh start. A clean slate. An opportunity to drop the façade, escape the lies, find a focus, and just be myself.But I should have realized it wouldn’t be easy, especially when my last name is Kennedy... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Red Lined by Crea Reitan]()
Red Lined by Crea Reitan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsMaybe you can order love online… Julian I’ve spent a short lifetime learning that what people say they want is rarely what they actually want. What I hope for is a relationship where both of us feel comfortable together. I think I finally find what I’m looking for in a mail order bride. Then he shows up... -
![Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers]()
Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher Williams is obsessed with love. His column is thriving, fellow students trust him with their relationship woes, and he’s on his A-game when it comes to matchmaking. At least, matchmaking other than his own. After a heartfelt letter written to his column, Asher is set on aiding the two love-struck heroes who desperately need his help... -
-
![To Mend a Broken Wing by Fearne Hill]()
To Mend a Broken Wing by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“I think,” Lucien began, “that we accept the love we believe we deserve. And unfortunately, Noah doesn’t believe he deserves any.”For twenty-two-year-old Noah, the revelation that his biological father is an ex-professional footballer is like tearing the wrapper from a cheap chocolate bar and discovering he’s won the elusive golden ticket. Every homeless young man’s dream, right?Wrong...Categorized as:
friends to lovers grumpy sunshine sports angst multicultural queer queer-awakening m-m -
![Rookie by Eddie Cleveland]()
Rookie by Eddie Cleveland
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings* Although part of a series, you will enjoy it as a standalone as well!Rookie is everything you love in an MM first time gay romance. A journey of self-discovery, the undeniable sparks with the man who makes him question everything, the moment of realization, the secret relationship, and coming out... -
![Play Dead by Avery Cockburn]()
Play Dead by Avery Cockburn
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe popular Scottish gay-romance series returns with this must-read novella! Colin’s wounds have finally healed. He’s ready for his big comeback on the football pitch and can’t wait to return to a normal life—especially the rampaging sex he and his boyfriend, Lord Andrew, once indulged in. But Andrew has his own invisible wounds... -
![Cost of Redemption by Hayden Hall]()
Cost of Redemption by Hayden Hall
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe was my forbidden craving. My biggest regret. And now, he’s my only weakness.ElioSome mistakes you bury. Others crawl under your skin and never let go.Jaxon Mercer was supposed to be my past. The stolen kiss. The fist that followed. The silence after.But now? He’s here—cocky, dangerous, and looking at me like he already knows how this ends.I should shut him out... -
![Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold]()
Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDoes my husband's heart still miss me now that it beats in the chest of another man? Lub-dub A heartbeat more familiar than Easton’s own Lub-dub He vowed to love his husband until death do they part. And then the worst happened. Lub-dub His heart kept another man alive. River. A stranger in the world with Easton's husband's heart pumping the blood that warms his skin... -
![Frat Wars Presidential Chaos Bonus Scene by Saxon James]()
Frat Wars Presidential Chaos Bonus Scene by Saxon James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
college queer-awakening sports queer m-m contemporary from hate to love length-novella -
![For Today by B. Cranford]()
For Today by B. Cranford
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSeventeen Years Ago . The first time Aaron Andrews saw Simon Foster smile, he knew he was in trouble. He'd never seen anything--or anyone--like the man who'd stolen his favorite seat in his favorite coffee shop. Six Weeks Ago . The late-night phone call that changed their lives forever was short... -
![When Stars Align by Denver Shaw]()
When Stars Align by Denver Shaw
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsScarred by the past. Terrified to love again. SavionOnce upon a time, my life was a fairytale. Engaged to a beautiful woman, we were planning our perfect future. Then, the sick act of an obsessed man ruined everything. Alone, disfigured, and betrayed, I fled to LA to focus on my work as a paleontologist.It was there I met Declan... -
![Bear's Best Friend by Raleigh Ruebins]()
Bear's Best Friend by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a ray of sunshine. I’m a loner lumberjack. We don’t make sense……But my straight best friend keeps ending up in my bed.Sawyer Hendricks is the best friend I’ve ever had—the Goose to my Moose, and the shoulder I’ve cried on even though I’m not the crying type. The difference between us? Sawyer brightens any room in an instant, and I’m the gruff guy wearing flannel who’d rather be alone...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer queer-awakening bisexual angst grumpy sunshine m-m contemporary -
![Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander]()
Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author R.G. Alexander, Book 3 in the Finn's Pub Romance series! Ever had a thing for the man next door? My sexy new neighbor is confusing the hell out of me. Elliot Ransom is a baseball player and a single dad, but he doesn’t know his butter beer from a snozzberry... -
-
![Wrecked But Not Ruined by Nicole Dykes]()
Wrecked But Not Ruined by Nicole Dykes
Ethan I had everything. I was going to college and having a blast. Enjoying myself and not taking much seriously. But then, two years ago, everything changed. A car wreck destroyed my life. It sent me into a total tailspin. I walked away, even when everyone said I wouldn’t be able to. But I haven’t recovered from it... -
![The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes]()
The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes
The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…TommyHelp! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them... -
![Delicious by Sierra Riley]()
Delicious by Sierra Riley
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 17 ratings“You’re exactly what I never knew I needed.” “I don’t have time for love.” Gavin Campbell has poured everything he has into starting up his bakery, Delicious... -
![Nice Guys & First Times by K.M. Neuhold]()
Nice Guys & First Times by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsYou Always Remember Your First…Come along for a sweet, steamy compilation of 4 MM romance novellas by the queen of swoon herself: K.M. Neuhold... -
![Studious by Leslie McAdam]()
Studious by Leslie McAdam
After a disastrous high school game of spin the bottle, I gave up trying to get a boyfriend and spent my time studying instead. Now I’m twenty-four, and I’m not only a virgin, I haven’t even been kissed.When I meet Danny, a handsome legal hotshot, he catches my eye. Right before I trip on flat ground. Ugh.He’s got a massive … reputation...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer new adult queer-awakening anal sex nerdy-hero virgin hero sweet-hero -
![Heat Transfer by Katherine McIntyre]()
Heat Transfer by Katherine McIntyre
Cor’s crush on the straight boy in sword fighting class has been unrequited, but with one crossed sword, that’s all about to change…CorFrom the second I showed up for sword fighting class, Felix grabbed my attention. Yet not only was he straight, but he also had a girlfriend. However, the more we hang, the more I can’t help but hang on his every word, every look...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports queer queer-awakening bisexual contemporary height-difference m-m -
![Yesterday by Sarina Bowen]()
Yesterday by Sarina Bowen
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s been seven years since John Rikker left his childhood home in Michigan. Surely that’s long enough to scar over the wounds he received there... -
![A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers]()
A King in Wonderland by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher Williams is obsessed with love. Or at least he was, until it all came crashing down. He made a mistake. And even Asher himself, arranger of marriages and aider of lovesick hearts, doesn’t know how to fix it. And like every heroic quest, there are a few bumps in the road and dragons to slay... -
![Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey]()
Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"A Seven Days Story" Can a person's life change in just one day? How about seven? Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind... -
![Playing the Player by Beth Bolden]()
Playing the Player by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCenter Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend.He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet.But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets... -
-
![Defenseman No. 9 by Xavier Neal]()
Defenseman No. 9 by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA New Adult Romantic Comedy. Once upon a time, the Vlasta Vipers hockey team was so incredible — on and off the ice — they were almost mythical. Back then, they were the undefeated conquerors of the rink. Coveted prizes for Puck Bunnies. Their reputation was ironclad until the wrong skates landed on the wrong feet... -
![Queried Sick by Dallas Smith]()
Queried Sick by Dallas Smith
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor fans of Casey McQuiston and Always Only You, Queried Sick is a slow-burn romance about two bisexual disasters finding love while working at a publishing company during the pandemic—complete with grumpy/sunshine vibes, found family, and an attention-seeking cat...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult grumpy sunshine queer contemporary m-m office length-medium -
![Break Down by Rebecca Norinne]()
Break Down by Rebecca Norinne
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHis heart says no, but his body says yes Liam Donnelly's honed, athletic body craves something he can't have. Not when the last time ended in disaster. Now, the Dublin Rugby player is seeking redemption with a new team in Edinburgh. His fresh start is going strong, but one look at Chef Lachlan MacLeod's inked forearms and whiskey-colored eyes and he's tempted by far more than what's on the menu... -
![Alex by S.M. Shade]()
Alex by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNinety- two days. Thirteen weeks. That’s how long it’s been since I lost my love, my best friend. It’s been everything I can do to drag myself out of bed and get back to work, but I know Cooper would want me to move on. I think he’d even be happy if he knew who I want to move on with. The target of my affection, though, may not be so thrilled about my choice. He’s straight. Or he thinks he is... -
![Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn]()
Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 15 ratings“I don’t want options. I just want you.” Robert McKenzie has a secret. As the only straight player on an all-LGBT soccer team, he’s known to fans as “McWhatAWaste.” No one would guess Robert’s actually bisexual. At twenty-one, on the verge of a brilliant career in video game design, he’s finally ready to be his true self... -
![Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward]()
Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsNo one expected the loudmouth of the team to be hiding in the biggest closet of them all. When he’s paired with someone who just wants to keep his head down and play the game, sparks are going to fly.Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief... -
![Behind the Curtain by Amy Lane]()
Behind the Curtain by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDawson Barnes recognizes his world is very small and very charmed. Running his community college theater like a petty god, he and his best friend, Benji know they'll succeed as stage techs after graduation. His father adores him, Benji would die for him, and Dawson never doubted the safety net of his family, even when life hit him below the belt... -
![Starfish and Coffee by Kele Moon]()
Starfish and Coffee by Kele Moon
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsOn the island where they first met two lovers from opposite sides of the tracks are reunited. Now jaded and broken, Alex and Matt still can’t deny their sizzling connection or the memories of one perfect, uninhibited year together... -
![Change Up by Sloan Johnson]()
Change Up by Sloan Johnson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief. With so many of his teammates coming out of the closet and living healthy lives, it’s getting harder for him to keep the secret only one other person knows: that he’s not as straight as everyone assumes when they see him out with his hot girlfriend... -
![Liam Davis & The Raven by Anyta Sunday]()
Liam Davis & The Raven by Anyta Sunday
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLiam Davis is a serious journalist, and he’s good at it. Or at least, he was...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer queer-awakening contemporary mystery m-m length-short -
-
![Mud & Lace by Jay Northcote]()
Mud & Lace by Jay Northcote
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Wicksy falls for drag queen Charlie, they discover that both sexuality and gender can be fluid. Simon Wicks—Wicksy to his rugby teammates—has only ever been interested in women. But when he sets eyes on Lady Gogo, a drag queen who performs at Rainbow Place, he can’t stop thinking about her... -
![Clip by Charity Parkerson]()
Clip by Charity Parkerson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLuka was nothing more than a job to Brady… until he wasn’t. When the owner of the Phoenix Ice Rays starts receiving death threats, the first thing he does is hire Brady to protect his son, Luka. It’s a move that leaves Luka less than thrilled. Ever since moving out on his own six years earlier, he’s come to embrace the silence of his workaholic ways... -
![Teasing the Winger by Laura John]()
Teasing the Winger by Laura John
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFalling for a tease is a bad idea, right?Growing up, all I ever wanted was to play soccer. I know it isn't going to be forever, but while I'm still in college, I am going to give it my all. Just like I’ve always done.Everything was going according to plan...until the universe decided it would be fun for me to develop feelings for the man I saw as nothing more than an annoyance... -
![Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson]()
Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFour years ago, it took no time at all for Cody Marshall to fall for the rookie pitcher at spring training. While their lives were nothing alike, Cody understood Nick Stone’s insecurities and pain. And then… Nick left. Eventually, Cody found his own passion and landed a dream internship with the Mavericks. His life was finally turning around. And then… Nick came back... -
![Moment of Silence by Karen Stivali]()
Moment of Silence by Karen Stivali
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Moments In Time Novel Growing up, Jason Stern led a charmed life complete with devoted sisters, a father who was one of Brooklyn’s most respected rabbis, and a mother who made the world's best babka. He headed to NYU ready for anything—except falling for the wrong guy, coming out, and getting disowned by his once-loving family. In spite of that, Jason managed to graduate with honors...Categorized as:
multicultural angst friends to lovers new adult queer m-m contemporary length-medium -
![Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye]()
Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLoving You: Book Four Can friends turned occasional lovers move beyond past mistakes and wrong assumptions to build something that can last? Quiet bookworm Shane has a big secret—one he’s kept for fifteen years. AFL superstar Ambrose Jakoby grew up next door to Shane. They were close friends, and Shane supported Ambrose through school. One night, everything changed... -
![Later, He Became a Royal Healer 后来，他成了御用奶妈 by 艳归康]()
Later, He Became a Royal Healer 后来，他成了御用奶妈 by 艳归康
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou Liangxing would never open the speech function in game.That was because his voice was…Particularly! Kittenish!But there was one day, he queued up with a teammate who had so much to say that they may as well explode. Vexed to the point of no return, he contributed a voice that was capable of splitting heaven and earth, “Don’t BB.”The other party who was being scolded stilled... -
![The First Man by A.S. Kelly]()
The First Man by A.S. Kelly
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShaneDo you want to know what it means to live like me?It means being forced not to look at him, not to touch him, not to be left alone in the same room as him.Not to seek him out. Not to want him.Not to love him.Do you know how it feels to spend your entire life pretending to be someone else? Do you know what it’s like to love someone who doesn’t want to be loved?I’ll tell you how it feels... -
![Two Weeks and a Day by R.G. Alexander]()
Two Weeks and a Day by R.G. Alexander
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s either the beginning of a great porno or a disaster waiting to happen. That feeling when you’re a thirty-year-old gay virgin with a little OCD, nosy neighbors and a lot of awkward, secret fantasies revolving around your straight best friend? Yeah, that’s me right now... -
![Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland]()
Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland
Travis Campbell has been at this hockey thing for a while. He knows his days on the ice are numbered, but he’s happy with the Moncton Ice Cats and he’s still got some time to figure out what comes next. He’s been taking college classes online and thought he knew what he was doing, but then he made the ultimate rookie mistake... -
-
![It's Never Over by Nealy Wagner]()
It's Never Over by Nealy Wagner
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSix years have passed since the awful day when Axel and Caxton were caught making out in the woods at church camp. They were only teenagers then, but Axel had been devastated when Cax had cut off all contact with him. After that, his best friend seemed to vanish... -
![Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow]()
Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"The weirdest part about kissing my best friend is that it isn't weird at all." Drew Riordan is excellent at compartmentalization. It's the only way he's managed to survive three years at Bellamy university—and on the crew team—and how he's made peace with staying in the closet for the foreseeable future... -
![One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea]()
One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn, M.J. O'Shea
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 30 ratings“Daddy” is not a title Rue Murray wanted, but he never thought he’d have sex with a woman either. Now he’s the unwitting father of a newborn named Alice. Between bartending and cosmetology school, Rue doesn’t have time for babies, but he can’t give her up. What Rue needs is a babysitter, and he’s running out of options... -
![See My Words by Melanie Hansen]()
See My Words by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsSuccessful underwear model Scott Ashworth is lucky—his attack at the hands of an unknown assailant will leave no visible scars. His professional goals are still within reach, and best of all, his stepbrother Rylan Mahoney is back in his life, their teenage infatuation at last getting the chance to deepen into something more... -
![Wrecked Rose by Leila James]()
Wrecked Rose by Leila James
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsMax SuttonConfident, witty charmer. Out and proud.I never expected him to cross my mind.One kiss wrecked me for anyone else.And now he consumes all my thoughts.If people find out, my world explodes.He doesn’t want to hide us.And I want him … but I might have to choose her.Welcome back to Rosehaven Academy... -
![Don't Fall In Love With Me by Aiden Wilde]()
Don't Fall In Love With Me by Aiden Wilde
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsEDDIE Everyone knew Max was a bad boy, but everyone fell for him all the same.When I returned back home to live, he said we should hang out a bit.And that's what we did, except we started to hang out a lot.Because now I was falling for Max, too. MAX No one has ever understood me like Eddie. I was so stoked when I heard he was coming back...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
