Books like 'Playing with Fire'
Readers who enjoyed Playing with Fire by A.J. Ranney also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary age difference siblings-bff grumpy sunshine found-family single-father suspense forced proximity men in uniform
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Smith by Riley Edwards
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsSmith and Aria's story...Categorized as:
suspense grumpy sunshine found-family forced proximity contemporary military length-medium -
![Alexander: Alexander's Story by E.L. Stevens]()
Alexander: Alexander's Story by E.L. Stevens
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAlexander Palomino is a man defined by the ghosts of his past, of which there are his parents, his daughter, his wife…, and Jess.He’s a man defined by the promises he’s made. To never be like his abusive father, to never love again, never trust again, and to sever their ties for good.In the wake of their heart-wrenching end, Alex’s rash decision throws lives into chaos, including his own... -
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![Alexander: Alexander's Story by E.L. Stevens]()
Alexander: Alexander's Story by E.L. Stevens
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAlexander Palomino is a man defined by the ghosts of his past, of which there are his parents, his daughter, his wife…, and Jess.He’s a man defined by the promises he’s made. To never be like his abusive father, to never love again, never trust again, and to sever their ties for good.In the wake of their heart-wrenching end, Alex’s rash decision throws lives into chaos, including his own... -
![Imperfect Arrangement by Vikki Jay]()
Imperfect Arrangement by Vikki Jay
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsRaymond Teager is the last man I ever expected to fall for— mostly because I can’t stand him.My biggest rival, the arrogant billionaire, is determined to buy the land my grandfather left me. The same land I’ve spent my whole life dreaming about turning into a wedding estate. We’re sworn enemies and this small town isn’t big enough for the both of us… until his daughter chooses me... -
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![Shielding Riley by Susan Stoker]()
Shielding Riley by Susan Stoker
Porter “Oz” Reed knew better than most how words could hurt just as much as a fist. He never planned on getting married or having kids, but all that changed when his nine-year-old nephew was dropped off on his doorstep. Riley Rogers is done with men. But her plan to stay single takes a hit when her tall, dark, and very handsome neighbor needs assistance with his nephew... -
![Line of Resistance by Jemma Westbrook, Janice Whiteaker]()
Line of Resistance by Jemma Westbrook, Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGetting stranded in the snow without cell service wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened to Eloise Rivers.Being saved by the man who’d led her on more than once was... -
![Igniting Vic by Freya Barker]()
Igniting Vic by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsVictoria “Vic” Paige thought she was firmly back in the saddle since returning to her job as a firefighter after a three-year hiatus. These past twelve months with her new crew at Station 3 have rebuilt her confidence. That is until they are called to a motel fire where she stumbles onto the scene of a murder, which has her shaken to the core...Categorized as:
suspense age difference men in uniform mystery firefighter mature couple contemporary length-medium -
![This Much Is True by Adriana Locke]()
This Much Is True by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 27 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... -
![Ivory's Fight by Jane Blythe]()
Ivory's Fight by Jane Blythe
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFalling in love has no place in a mission of revenge.Abducted as a baby, Ivory Smith was trained to be one thing; a killer. Rescued before she could fulfil her captor's purposes now she works for Prey Security's Artemis Team taking down human traffickers...Categorized as:
suspense grumpy sunshine forced proximity military insta-love contemporary length-medium -
![10-Code by Freya Barker]()
10-Code by Freya Barker
As a forty-one-year-old mother of three boys, working two jobs, Marya Berger doesn’t have the time or energy to consider a relationship. Especially after a lifetime of poor choices in the romance department. But when the disappearance of a young boy strikes a little too close to home, and a younger man she’s tried to ignore offers his help, she doesn’t stand in the way... -
![Revealing Annie by Freya Barker, Operation Alpha]()
Revealing Annie by Freya Barker, Operation Alpha
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAs the fire department’s joker, Kyle (Sumo) Matsumoto, loves nothing better than ribbing the guys at the station. However, he’s all business when he’s on a call, and when he tries to snag the attention of a cute little baker. Then life takes a more serious turn when he’s plunged headfirst into fatherhood—of a teenage boy—giving his teammates the last laugh...Categorized as:
suspense single-father men in uniform contemporary multicultural east-asian-mc length-medium -
![Jersey by Marie James]()
Jersey by Marie James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSame story, different day.That seems to be the theme of my life.My new job with Cerberus is no different than the one I left before working for ICE.People always blur together, nothing special about any of them.Of course, my luck runs out when I'm assigned to an establishment that caters to peoples' deepest fantasies.There should be nothing special about the woman...Categorized as:
found-family forced proximity suspense bikers contemporary military length-medium audiobook -
![All The Forbidden Things by Lesley Jones]()
All The Forbidden Things by Lesley Jones
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen all that you want, is all that’s forbidden... I’ve known him my entire life. Before marriage. Before fatherhood. Before betrayal. Now, he’s one of rock’s bad-boys trying to be good. Trying to be the best father he can for his daughter. He’s my brother’s best friend. He’s my boss. He has a wife. Max isn’t mine to have, but I want him all the same...Categorized as:
age difference single-father siblings-bff contemporary angst alpha male famous heroine audiobook -
![Fire Fight by Amanda Chaperon]()
Fire Fight by Amanda Chaperon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCrew Lawless was just doing his job when he saved Aspen McKay from that fire. The call should’ve been get the vic out, pass her off to the paramedics, and forget about her. But there’s nothing routine about the feelings Aspen stirs in him, and there’s definitely no forgetting her. Especially not when, down on her luck after her ordeal, he offers her a place to stay—with him...Categorized as:
suspense men in uniform forced proximity found-family mystery dual-pov contemporary length-long -
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![Cold Fury by Toni Anderson]()
Cold Fury by Toni Anderson
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSeven years ago, Hope Harper was a star defense attorney with a great life and a beautiful family—until she got the wrong defendant released, and he turned around and viciously slaughtered her husband and child. Since then, the only thing Hope cares about is locking bad guys behind bars where they can’t hurt anyone else... -
![Off Limits by Helena Newbury]()
Off Limits by Helena Newbury
From the author of Deep Woods comes a scorching, standalone romantic suspense you’ll want to cozy up with. He’s a bad boy Brit who sleeps with every woman he sees. She’s his best friend’s book-loving little sister and strictly forbidden. But when the pair are stranded deep in the frozen wilderness, will anything remain off limits?I love my life... -
![Count to Ten by Karen Rose]()
Count to Ten by Karen Rose
In all his years in the Chicago Fire Department, Lieutenant Reed Solliday ahs never experienced anything like this recent outbreak of house fires - devastating, vicious and in one case, homicidal. He has another problem - his new partner, Detective Mia Mitchell. She's brash, bossy, and taking the case in a direction he never imagined...Categorized as:
suspense men in uniform forced proximity contemporary mystery m-f audiobook open-door -
![Defending Home by Caitlyn O'Leary]()
Defending Home by Caitlyn O'Leary
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWill Two Tormented Souls Have The Courage To Reach For Love?The only family Nolan O’Rourke ever claimed were his Navy SEAL brothers, they had never let him down. His childhood wasn’t rough, it wasn’t hard, it was hell, and now any mission that he was assigned to was a cakewalk in comparison... -
![Awaken My Heart by Kat Baxter]()
Awaken My Heart by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAbraham:I already had my happy ending. Childhood sweethearts, my late wife and I made four beautiful kids together who are now grown and married off themselves. I’m content to be their old dad, tending to my ranch and my tomato plants. Until Emily Carson and her tempting curvy body and her smiles that she hands out like candy, crashes into my life making me want things I have no business wanting...Categorized as:
age difference found-family grumpy sunshine forced proximity single-father m-f insta-love cowboys -
![One Night Valentine by Hope Ford]()
One Night Valentine by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s not a question of IF this football star can resist the curvy florist but rather WHEN he’ll give in…Cruz It is said that you only want what you cannot have. I hate to be a cliche, but that statement rings true for me.In my case it’s not what I want, but rather who. Tara Brooks. Sweet, funny, and my little sister’s best friend... -
![One Little Heartbreak by Avery Maxwell]()
One Little Heartbreak by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSethI never realized getting adopted at thirty-two years old was a thing, then I met the Westbrooks. They’re a family that grows every time a wayward soul crosses their path, and now I’m an honorary member. A former spy, I was married at twenty-two—a father at twenty-six and a widow by thirty. To say my life is in transition would be an understatement... -
![Drummer Boy by Dyan Layne]()
Drummer Boy by Dyan Layne
Bo Robertson. The drummer. 34. Leo.Everybody loves him, yet no one’s ever chosen him to love.He wants to be someone’s everything, and for that someone to be his.Ava Liane Harris. The babysitter. 21. Aries.The beautiful girl who hides behind her glasses. She knows better than to look for love, yet love finds her anyway.A six-week concert tour. An epic adventure. A summer of possibilities... -
![Cold Fury by Toni Anderson]()
Cold Fury by Toni Anderson
Seven years ago, Hope Harper was a star defense attorney with a great life and a beautiful family—until she got the wrong defendant released, and he turned around and viciously slaughtered her husband and child. Since then, the only thing Hope cares about is locking bad guys behind bars where they can’t hurt anyone else... -
![Coach Me by Mollie Goins]()
Coach Me by Mollie Goins
Retiring from the Boston Blues wasn’t part of the game plan. But after ending last season as a newly single dad, it felt like the only move Dex Larsen had left.Joining the coaching staff came with an unexpected bringing his son, Miles, along to practices, games, and press events...Categorized as:
age difference single-father forced proximity found-family grumpy sunshine baseball sports office -
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![Anger Banger by S.M. Shade]()
Anger Banger by S.M. Shade
The residents of Happy Haven Trailer park have been waiting for this for a long time. The slumlord who abandoned this place and let our homes deteriorate has been court ordered to live here while making repairs. Imagine our surprise when the guy who shows up to move in to the dilapidated trailer across the street isn't the sixty year old man we expected, but his son... -
![Saved by Love by Kelly Elliott, Ellie Grace]()
Saved by Love by Kelly Elliott, Ellie Grace
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy momma used to say, “Out of every tragedy, a miracle of love would come." The last ten years of my life have been nothing but tears and pain. I lost hope and wanted to give up on waiting for my miracle to come.Finally, a light is shining at the end of the tunnel. After leaving Texas and my past behind, I've started a new life journey in Estes Park, Colorado... -
![The Last Promise You Made by L.J. Evans]()
The Last Promise You Made by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRYDER HATLEYAfter my ex stole from me and took off, I swore off anything that even looked like a relationship.I survived by devoting myself to the ranch and my family, keeping my head down, and accepting some of us just aren’t meant for happily ever afters.Until a spitfire undercover agent shatters everything I believed by introducing me to a little girl who’s supposedly mine... -
![The Hero She Craves by Anna Hackett]()
The Hero She Craves by Anna Hackett
The last thing he expects on his ship is the off-limits woman he can’t stop thinking about—his best friend’s daughter.After a tough military career as a Navy SEAL, and a member of a covert Ghost Ops team, Lorenzo “Ren” Santoro now calls a research ship home. The ocean, very few people, and solitude…it’s all he needs... -
![JINXED by Emilia Finn]()
JINXED by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDrakeThey call me a flirt. ‘Detective Sl()ts-A-Lot’ when they’re feeling frisky, because my morals are loose, and my choice in women, according to the haters, is unfussy.But they don’t know I’ve been watching her.Waiting for her.The problem is, she’s half my age, and has no business being with a man like me.***RoryThey call me clumsy.Jinxed.And when they’re feeling a little dramatic, doomed...Categorized as:
suspense age difference forced proximity humor angst contemporary new adult length-medium -
![Protector of Misty Mountain: An ex-military, age gap, mountain man romance by Eve London]()
Protector of Misty Mountain: An ex-military, age gap, mountain man romance by Eve London
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe walked into my world like she belongs here… but I don’t let people stay.JuniperThe mountains were supposed to be my escape—a place to rebuild, to breathe, to prove to myself that I could make it on my own. But from the moment I set foot in Misty Mountain, one mountain man has made it his mission to send me packing. Griffin Calloway...Categorized as:
age difference grumpy sunshine forced proximity contemporary military length-novella -
![Finders Keepers by Nicole Lenz]()
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... -
![The CEO I Hate by Leslie North]()
The CEO I Hate by Leslie North
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Hating Game meets a much hotter Morning Glory—if the grumpy media exec was her brother’s best friend, and this time they actually kissed.Liam Lockhart is my brother’s best friend, a decade older, and the kind of mistake I swore I’d never make twice.Two years ago, we kissed—hard, hot, unforgettable—until he shoved me away like I was a mistake he couldn’t afford. Message received... -
![Green Jewel by L.J. Evans]()
Green Jewel by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe did it. She’ll prove it. A fiery rock star and a ruthless businessman battle to expose each other’s secrets. The only family The Painted Daisies singer and harpist Fiadh Kane has left in this world is her band. When their leader―her best friend who stood by her through the worst―is killed, she’s determined to find who did it and make him pay...Categorized as:
forced proximity suspense found-family single-father from hate to love contemporary mystery angst -
![A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans]()
A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street by Jaimie Admans
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...There's always time for tea... unless you've lost your teapot…Cleo Jordan has only ever wished for one thing – to open her own teashop in memory of her lovely gran...Categorized as:
found-family grumpy sunshine forced proximity small town contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
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![The One for Forever by Hannah Shield]()
The One for Forever by Hannah Shield
He's the older man I've always wanted. An ex-Special Forces hero. My best friend’s dad.And now, he's the bodyguard assigned to protect me while I prosecute a killer.I’ve wanted Rex Easton since I was eighteen, yet he’s never looked at me twice. I’m determined to finally get over this crush. But after he swears to protect me from the faceless thugs who are after me, I can’t avoid him...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity age difference mystery contemporary military length-medium -
![The Billionaire and His Forever by Sadie S. Black]()
The Billionaire and His Forever by Sadie S. Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWe were always going to be an impossible fantasy.There was never a future for us between the secrets and the scandals, the temptations and the lies, and above all--a child who never deserved this life... -
![Take Me to the Valley by Kaci Rose]()
Take Me to the Valley by Kaci Rose
He’s her brother’s best friend. She’s never had a thing for single dads or younger men… until him. Evan I’ve built my life around two things: protecting my daughter, Skye, and serving Whiskey River as a detective. Love? It’s off the table. I can’t have both—it’s not fair to Skye, and I’ve already been burned once...Categorized as:
men in uniform single-father siblings-bff contemporary m-f small town explicit-open-door -
![She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant]()
She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant
Micah Taylor is an eternal optimist, but with every first date that fails, her faith in true love weakens. When offered the chance to help reopen the lodge where her parents were married, Micah is determined to prove her worth and show her boss that she has what it takes to be a great event planner...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine age difference contemporary humor office m-f glimpses-kisses -
![Before This Ends by Aurora Rose Reynolds]()
Before This Ends by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Miles Thatcher and I would not have gotten together if my life had gone according to plan. Recently single with her whole life up in the air, Emma Abate knows that getting into any kind of relationship, is a bad idea. Especially when the man she finds herself drawn to is Miles Thatcher, a single father, and a man that seems determined to break down every barricade she places between them... -
![Chosen by the Mountain Man by Sadie King]()
Chosen by the Mountain Man by Sadie King
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe’s the nanny, half my age and off-limits. But my heart has chosen her, even if it breaks me…My military career ended when I became a widower.My daughter needed me, so I came back to Wild Heart Mountain determined to be a good father.Except I’m not. I’m too grumpy, too bitter, too broken.Until Caitlin walks through the door...Categorized as:
age difference single-father grumpy sunshine contemporary military length-novella audiobook -
![Shadowed Obsession by Penelope Black]()
Shadowed Obsession by Penelope Black
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsbook two coming this...Categorized as:
suspense grumpy sunshine forced proximity single-father reverse harem contemporary new adult poly -
![Burning Justice by Tee O'Fallon]()
Burning Justice by Tee O'Fallon
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter narrowly surviving a childhood fire that killed two of his friends, ATF Special Agent Brett Tanner knows what it’s like to get too close to the flame. The trauma only spurs him and his K-9 partner to track down the arsonists targeting a Colorado town. This latest warehouse blaze looks suspicious as hell…and there’s a body. Now it’s murder... -
![Time for Change by Lacey Black]()
Time for Change by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsStevieThere’s nothing more liberating than picking up your life and relocating. I needed a fresh start, desperately looking to get away from my past. Stewart Grove is such a cute small town and seems like the perfect place to settle. Add in the fact I got a job serving at the popular Burgers and Brew restaurant, and everything seems to be clicking into place...Categorized as:
found-family age difference suspense friends to lovers contemporary new adult office length-medium -
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![The Marriage Auction 2, Book One by Audrey Carlan]()
The Marriage Auction 2, Book One by Audrey Carlan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThree women and one man put themselves up for auction in a high-stakes game of marriage, money, and mayhem. The spice is high, the characters intense, and the plot will keep you guessing until the bitter end. This is the filthy, gritty, angsty soap opera you never knew you needed. Welcome to The Marriage Auction... -
![New Year's with the Mountain Man by Clara King]()
New Year's with the Mountain Man by Clara King
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe’s a lonely mountain man haunted by his past…But this curvy ray of sunshine wants to give him a new start.AvaWhen my apartment floods at the end of December, it’s the cherry on top of a crappy year. I have to get away, so I book a secluded mountain cabin on Snowfall Ridge, ready for a relaxing New Year’s by myself. But my plans go out the window when I meet Nash... -
![Summer with the Single Dad by Whitley Cox]()
Summer with the Single Dad by Whitley Cox
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhat happens when the stubborn island prince falls for the mysterious stranger with a secret? Welcome to San Camanez, a humble, peaceful little island in the Puget Sound and home to the McEvoy brothers. Four sexy single fathers—and one childless snack with a beard—who run a brewpub on the beach, raise their kids together, and hope to find love and happiness in the chaos that is life...Categorized as:
found-family forced proximity single-father military contemporary multicultural length-long -
![Wedded Chaos by Tina Saxon]()
Wedded Chaos by Tina Saxon
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsBachelor party in Vegas.What could go wrong?The feisty, green-eyed brunette who stole my coffee thought she was being cute. The last thing this billionaire needs is a thief in his life—especially one with a sharp tongue, a fiery temper, and legs that go on for days.But one wild night in Sin City changes everything. They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... -
![Escape by A.K. Evans]()
Escape by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat happens when your home turns toxic? The place she should have felt safest was a nightmare turned reality for Josie Day. Each day that passes gets worse and worse. And it’s been that way her entire life. But she refuses to be a statistic, so she comes up with a plan to get out... -
![The Rogue by Roxanne Tully]()
The Rogue by Roxanne Tully
JOB SEARCH - Hideaway Springs, CO 1 result. Single dad rancher seeking live-in nanny for 9-year-old boy. Must have experience, playful and not looking for a real-life love story. (6 wks only - don't apply if looking for long-term.) Hitting refresh ten times on my search doesn’t help. There cannot be only one job in Hideaway Springs...
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