Books like 'The Way Things Are'
Readers who enjoyed The Way Things Are by A.J. Thomas also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance angst other-man-woman suspense mystery insta-love cheating hurt-comfort single-father
-
Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFor ex-cop turned private investigator Cole McGinnis, each day brings a new challenge. Too bad most of them involve pain and death. Claudia, his office manager and surrogate mother, is still recovering from a gunshot, and Cole’s closeted boyfriend, Kim Jae-Min, suddenly finds his teenaged sister dumped in his lap... -
![Domestic Animals by Gregory Ashe]()
Domestic Animals by Gregory Ashe
Sometimes, the most dangerous animals are the ones you let inside.When a man hires Emery Hazard to track down a teenager who, he claims, robbed him, Hazard isn’t convinced. The story has holes in it, and the client seems eager—too eager—to keep the authorities from getting involved. But Hazard is willing to play along; he suspects something much darker is going on, and he wants to know what it is... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper]()
Breaking Cover by Kaje Harper
For homicide detective Mac, it's been a good year. Having Tony to go home to makes him a better cop and a better person. For Tony, it's been hard being in love with a man he can't touch in public. Evasions and outright lying to friends and family take a little of the shine off his relationship with Mac, but Tony is determined to make it work... -
![Run and Hide by Alan McDermott]()
Run and Hide by Alan McDermott
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsThis book was previously published by Thomas & Mercer, an Amazon Publishing imprint. Please check your downloaded Kindle books before purchasing.There’s only so long you can run for your life.Eva Driscoll is used to chasing down bad guys, but now the bad guys are chasing her. She knows they won’t stop until she’s dead... -
-
![Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford]()
Dirty Heart by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA Cole McGinnis Mystery Former LAPD detective Cole McGinnis’s life nearly ended the day his police partner and best friend Ben Pirelli emptied his service weapon into Cole and his then-lover, Rick. Since Ben turned his gun on himself, Cole thought he’d never find out why Ben tried to destroy him. Years later, Cole has stitched himself back together... -
![The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe]()
The Spoil of Beasts by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA jailhouse slaughter. A relentless killer. And way too much jackassing around. When word comes that two key witnesses in an investigation are dead, North and Shaw are surprised—and pleased—to learn that their friend, John-Henry Somerset, is interested in hiring them as freelance contractors for the Wahredua police department... -
![Enduring Night by John Wiltshire]()
Enduring Night by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Nikolas has always liked art. You'd have thought that Ben and Nikolas would have learnt that their romantic holidays inevitably end up as disasters. A short break on the polar ice sees them trapped in a nightmare of murder and deceit... -
![Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier]()
Shut Up and Drive by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA serial sex attacker is spreading fear in Stockport and DI Ted Darling and his team are on the case.The man randomly targets young women and abducts them from busy supermarket car parks. He's armed with a knife and is clearly highly trained in how to handle it.Ever-dwindling police resources make the manhunt harder, even though the attacker clearly doesn't care whether or not he's caught... -
![Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody]()
Poison Hearts by Jennifer Cody
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOrlando:No one intentionally starts out life trying to become a hired unaliver. Weeellllll, most people don’t. I come from a legacy of unalivers, though I think I might be the first one to make a career out of it. Accidentally... -
![Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Rialto by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Someone has it out for Rialto. Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true. The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant. But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy... -
![Forever by Tinnean]()
Forever by Tinnean
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLately, life is both sweet and sour for intelligence operatives Mark Vincent and Quinton Mann. The sweet is they’re settling into a relationship; Mark has found a condo in Alexandria with the help of Quinn’s mother, Portia; and Mark and Quinn are looking forward to spending the holidays in the Caribbean. As for the sour, something shadier than usual is going on at Langley... -
![Castiel by Annabella Stone]()
Castiel by Annabella Stone
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat once was strong is broken.Can what was broken be repaired?Former SEAL and Operative for the US Government’s elite Red Squadron, Castiel Cunningham Clark has defied the odds more times than he can count. He learned the hard way how fickle fate can be and he’s made it his business to live his life at one speed and one speed only… full steam ahead. Except when it comes to one person... -
![When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier]()
When I'm Old and Grey by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDI Ted Darling doesn't like coincidences. There are too many for comfort surrounding his latest case. They're spilling over into his private life, too, when some toxic family secrets are uncovered. A serial killer appears to be targeting vulnerable elderly people in care homes and despatching them in the most cynical way. Ted and his team are struggling to get a lead on who the killer really is... -
![Red Flagged by Elle Keaton]()
Red Flagged by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEx-US Marshal turned Cooper Springs Chief of Police, Andre Dear isn’t looking for love. He’s too busy hunting a killer. The last person Andre expected to see in Cooper Springs was Dante Castone. He left Dante and the rest of his old life behind him when he moved to Washington State and what he thought would be a quiet job in a small town by the ocean... -
-
![Red Flagged: Reclaimed Hearts series book 3 by Elle Keaton]()
Red Flagged: Reclaimed Hearts series book 3 by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEx-US Marshal turned Cooper Springs Chief of Police, Andre Dear isn’t looking for love. He’s too busy hunting a killer. The last person Andre expected to see in Cooper Springs was Dante Castone. He left Dante and the rest of his old life behind him when he moved to Washington State and what he thought would be a quiet job in a small town by the ocean... -
![In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy]()
In Dog We Trust by Neil S. Plakcy
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsan alternate cover edition can be found hereAfter a bad divorce and a brief prison term for computer hacking, 42-year-old Steve Levitan has returned to his home town of Stewart’s Crossing and taken a part-time job as an adjunct professor of English at his alma mater, Eastern College... -
![Edison's Professor by Jocelynn Drake]()
Edison's Professor by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe stranger chose him.Edison Walker had never seen the man with the wide green eyes before. He only knew that he was in trouble.And that he took one look at Ed and decided he was his haven. His protector.Ed would not let him down... -
![A Hunted Man by Jaime Reese]()
A Hunted Man by Jaime Reese
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAfter surviving ten years in prison, Cameron Pierce is attempting to put the past behind him. He tries to adjust to his newfound freedom with a place at the halfway house and a job. But one lesson he learned in prison keeps him guarded: hope is a dangerous thing. Hunter Donovan, Assistant State Attorney, is a man of justice who loves a challenge... -
![Two Little Boys by L.M. Krier]()
Two Little Boys by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsIn his darkest and most complex case to date, DI Ted Darling has to confront demons from his own past when investigating the brutal murder of a young boy. As more deaths follow, he realises he is up against powerful people who believe themselves to be above the law, and starts to feel out of his depth... -
![Thunder and Lightning by Patricia Logan]()
Thunder and Lightning by Patricia Logan
Jarrett Evans and Thayne Wolfe have been partnered in the ATF for nearly two years and their love and commitment to each other has grown over time. Now faced with one final challenge, the boys are headed to Arizona to help Thayne’s mom, stumbling headfirst into a brand new case... -
![Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe]()
Thuggiana by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPics, or it didn’t happen.Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:“The Slightest Folly”This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.“As School-Boys from Their Books”A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything... -
![Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine]()
Ghost of Christmas Present by Pandora Pine
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWith only a week until Christmas, Detective Jude Byrne is wrapping up final preparations for his family’s celebration. He’s made a list and checked it twice, bought presents, planned the neighborhood cookie exchange, and hung mistletoe. Jude’s got a handle on everything, that is, until his son asks if his grandfather is coming to celebrate with them—a man Jude hasn’t seen in six years... -
![Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson]()
Daddy Detectives Episode 1: A Tyler and Ian Jamison Story by April Wilson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis is the first installment in a new series for private investigators Tyler and Ian Jamison. Our heroes are adjusting to life as a married couple and are now parents of newborn twins. While the guys are enjoying paternity leave, their administrative assistant, Kimi, comes to them with a personal emergency... -
![Interwoven by Ripley Hayes]()
Interwoven by Ripley Hayes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDaniel Owen has spent the best part of ten years renovating his house when he finds the cellar. By falling into it. The mysterious cellar has a mysterious door, and behind the mysterious door is a mysterious box … and in the box … there are clues to the shocking history of Daniel’s beloved home town. A cold case is occupying Mal Kent’s time. A notorious car thief is released from prison... -
-
![The Parting Glass by Josh Lanyon]()
The Parting Glass by Josh Lanyon
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsTwo and a half years ago, travel writer Timothy McShay let NYPD Detective Luke O'Brien talk him into hiking into the New Jersey Pine Barrens to face down a monster. Now Tim and Luke meet again under very different circumstances. The old attraction is still there -- but so are some of Tim's monsters...Categorized as:
cheating mystery other-man-woman queer contemporary men in uniform m-m length-novella -
![Spring Rains by R.J. Scott]()
Spring Rains by R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhen love is on the line, the only way to move forward is to challenge ghosts of the past and find a place to belong.High School Teacher Chris, an amputee since his teens, has wrestled with darkness and emerged victorious. He’s a pillar of strength in the classroom, deflecting his overbearing family by day and yearning for love by night... -
![The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn]()
The Ghosts Between Us by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDr. Christopher Allen knows how to deal with death. He’s a psychiatrist who works with hospice patients and their families, helping them cope with grief and letting go. But Chris’s job doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother Cal. At Cal’s funeral, Chris is completely thrown when he meets Elliot Rawlings, an artist Cal has been dating... -
![Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott]()
Zenith by Eli Easton, R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA killer haunts Prophet, and this time it’s personalThe discovery of a body at the Thompson Cabins sets off a chain of events that hits too close to home for Sheriff Gabriel Thompson. When his brother Sam becomes a prime suspect in the murder investigation, Gabriel is forced to keep secrets from Tiber and call in outside help as he fights to prove Sam’s innocence... -
![Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne]()
Kiss Marry Kill by S.C. Wynne
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSnakes don’t only crawl in the grass.River Martin has begun to reveal his true motives for being in Rainy Dale, and, shocker, it’s not good news for Maxwell.If Maxwell is going to go to war with River, he’ll need people on his side. In his quest to be more of a people person, he’s roped into attending the wedding of one of his young patients, Janelle Raiden... -
![In Sequence by Cole McCade]()
In Sequence by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsABOUT THIS EPISODE The Golden Ratio killer resurfaces in California to target a former victim, and this time the case takes Malcolm and Seong-Jae hunting deep into his past, searching for connections between victim and killer that may reveal his identity... -
![Law of Retaliation (Haven Hart) by Davidson King]()
Law of Retaliation (Haven Hart) by Davidson King
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo universes unite to take on one formidable adversary.A Halloween party at Joker’s Sin means an evening of fun, drinking, dancing, and entertainment. But when a dead body is found in the club’s bathroom, it’s the loose thread that starts to unravel the hard-won peace of Haven Hart... -
![Twisted Valentine by Isabel Lucero]()
Twisted Valentine by Isabel Lucero
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKaspian doesn't ask for much, only the undivided attention of the man he's obsessed with. But lately Quin seems preoccupied, and when Kaspian spots him talking to a guy at work, he sees red.Clingy, obsessive, impulsive, and sociopathic, the thought of anyone else getting Quin's attention has Kaspian's blood boiling.What follows is a twisted journey filled with lies, surprises, sex, and ultimately... -
![Beauty and the Beard by R.M. Neill]()
Beauty and the Beard by R.M. Neill
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLeafGrief is a complex thing to experience. Since losing my husband, I’ve let it call the shots. It’s been in control so long that I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to have someone hold me tight at night or share a secret smile with.But a beautiful young model shows up at my lodge. He’s eager to learn about the outdoors and experience life outside the city... -
![A Different Kind of Love by Nicola Haken]()
A Different Kind of Love by Nicola Haken
Love is simple. People are not. Despite growing up without it, William Walker knows all about love. He loves his wife. He loves his children. He loves the cat. He has the perfect family, and all he had to do to get it was push aside one pesky little feeling.Unfortunately, love doesn’t pay the bills...Categorized as:
angst cheating insta-love other-man-woman hurt-comfort queer actors forced proximity -
-
![Kissing Our Loves by Sammi Cee]()
Kissing Our Loves by Sammi Cee
Valentine's Inc. Book 6. Clark ~ I wouldn’t change anything about my life. Adopting the child my sister gave birth to is the best decision I ever made. For all of us. Choosing to work for myself so that I can be an active part of his life—a no brainer. After four years, though, my friends may be right... -
![Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Killer Bond by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDaniel Hendricks wants a vacation. Ward Security’s accountant and resident code breaker just needs a little R&R from the chaos and usual shenanigans of the office. But what was supposed to be a sexy vacation hook-up explodes in his face when he’s mistaken for a rogue secret agent... -
![Black by Quin, Perin.]()
Black by Quin, Perin.
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 13 ratings“Meow!”There it was.The sound that made my knees buckle.He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.With those cat ears, in his hair.And the tail, that he flicked.A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything... -
![Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier]()
Baby's Got Blue Eyes by L.M. Krier
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSomeone is dumping bodies on DI Ted Darling's patch and he's not happy. Ted's a good solid copper, in an old-fashioned way, with an excellent clear-up rate. He also happens to be gay and has his own unique way of dealing with any prejudice that brings him. But this killer seems to be running effortless rings round him and every promising lead just takes him up another blind alley... -
![All That Remains by R.J. Scott]()
All That Remains by R.J. Scott
Federal Agent Lucas Beaumont has an agenda—get himself assigned to the case of the apparent serial murders at Lancaster Falls, find out who the murderer is, and then lay the ghosts that haunt his grandfather to rest. In the midst of a horrific murder investigation, the only peace he gets is from simple moments in a warm kitchen, talking to hotel owner, Josh... -
![With This Bling by L.B. Gregg]()
With This Bling by L.B. Gregg
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsCaesar Romano’s catering career is doing better than he’d ever dreamed. And so is his love life—even if his boyfriend’s house in Staten Island is way too far from civilization for his liking... -
![Skin and Bone by T.A. Moore]()
Skin and Bone by T.A. Moore
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsDigging Up Bones: Book Two Cloister Witte and his K-9 partner, Bourneville, find the lost and bring them home. But the job doesn’t always end there. Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home... -
![Dear Mona Lisa... by Claire Davis, Al Stewart]()
Dear Mona Lisa... by Claire Davis, Al Stewart
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTom; shy office clerk by day and drawer of foxes by night, wakes up one Monday knowing the most extraordinary week of his life is about to begin. In five days, a lifelong ‘secret’ will be made gloriously public—but will it mean losing the person he loves most?Getting married… It seems only yesterday Tom changed nappies and sang nursery rhymes to a laughing baby... -
![Vanished by Carter Quinn]()
Vanished by Carter Quinn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHenry Cooley has good friends and a good life. He’s secure in his job and his relationship. He and Tom, the love of his life, are about to celebrate their twenty-first anniversary as a couple. Their son, CJ, is in his second year at Cal Arts. Henry's only problems are his growing dissatisfaction with his job and the fact that Tom's parents still hate him, even after all these years... -
![A New Empire by Layla Reyne]()
A New Empire by Layla Reyne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLegacies were made to be rewritten. Assassin Hawes Madigan wants to do right—by his family, his organization, his city, and the man he’s falling for, ATF agent Christopher Perri. But Hawes’s rules are being challenged by someone willing to kill for the old ways... -
-
![Dirty Bites by Rhys Ford]()
Dirty Bites by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings**FREE HOLIDAY DOWNLOAD FROM RHYS FORD, GREG TREMBLAY AND DREAMSPINNER PRESS**Danger. Desire. Loss. Love.In every story, there are a thousand more bound up and waiting to be told; here are just a few from the Cole McGinnis Mysteries... -
![Death Comes to Main Street by A.P. Eisen, Felice Stevens]()
Death Comes to Main Street by A.P. Eisen, Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the sleepy town of Thornwood Park, something dark and ugly is brewing…. Detective Paul Monroe is investigating a routine string of break-ins when the case takes an unexpected turn. Merchants are receiving threats, and things might be more sinister than he originally suspected... -
![Male/Male Mystery and Suspense Box Set: 6 Novellas by Josh Lanyon]()
Male/Male Mystery and Suspense Box Set: 6 Novellas by Josh Lanyon
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn incredible savings. Over 600 pages and 200,000 words! This box set contains six complete bestselling mystery and suspense novellas by one of the leading authors of Male/Male crime and mystery fiction. The Dark Horse - Paul Hammond is dead... -
![Death Tells a Tale by A.P. Eisen, Kale Williams]()
Death Tells a Tale by A.P. Eisen, Kale Williams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCliff Baxter is approached with a dream job, but it means time away from the man he loves and the family he’s only just reconciled with. When opportunity knocks twice and another unexpected offer comes his way, he and Paul make a decision neither dreamed possible, changing their lives forever... -
![Cops and Comix by Rhys Ford]()
Cops and Comix by Rhys Ford
A Murder and Mayhem Short It’s all fun and games until someone leaves a dead body on the floor. Life for comic book store owner Alex Martin usually runs to the mundane. Sure, he has a regular influx of geeks and freaks, but for the most part, it’s a familiar weird. That all changes when he opens up Planet X Comics one morning and finds a corpse in the middle of his shop... -
![Fixing What's Bent by April Kelley]()
Fixing What's Bent by April Kelley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn MM Small Town Romance Andrew only ever gives one night, but with Kyler, one night isn’t enough.Andrew Martinez has learned not to hold on to romance. As a former homicide detective, he understands death in ways most don’t. It’s clouded his personal life to the point he hasn’t bothered with more than one-night stands...
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.
