Books like 'Before and After'
Readers who enjoyed Before and After by Anna Hackett also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny grumpy sunshine suspense single-mother found-family office forced proximity military mystery
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Where It All Began by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAvailable only through Lucy's newsletter, this free book is the prequel to the popular Blue Moon series and is set in 1985. John Pierce has plans for these two hundred rundown acres. He sees a farm, a family, a future. He’s not about to drag someone in on the ground floor, not before he’s put in the work to turn rubble into home... -
Dynamite by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.74 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey call us the devil twins - a fallacy and unfair assumption on everyone’s part. Well. .. mostly. My name is Luke Hart, and I’m the oldest of identical twin boys. Although I may be responsible for the ‘devil’ in our name, I have no urge to set the record straight and exonerate the innocent half of our pairing. There’s no point letting the truth get in the way of a good story. Right? Not so...Categorized as:
m-f found-family competent heroine independent heroine possessive hero sports new adult humor -
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Forever Covert by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.77 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKale Mueez just wants to work on his computer programs and, okay, some not-so-legal hacking. Even though he sold one of his computer software companies for more money than he’d ever need, he wasn’t one to sit back and do nothing. That is especially true since his father is a super soldier known around the world... -
Targeted by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHunter Townsend loves his new home in the small town of Shadows Landing. It’s his sanctuary when he comes home from a mission as part of his Special Forces team. Maggie, the infuriating, monogram loving, bright color wearing, cuter than she should be woman, who loves to tease him was the only issue in Shadows Landing. Until a mission goes wrong . . -
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Promise Me This by Karla Sorensen
Imagine this: an author with a raging case of writer’s block finds an unexpected source of inspiration in her grumpy, gorgeous new roommate. Sounds amazing, right? Except that new roommate is my childhood best friend. And Ian Wilder has been off-limits since I was five... -
Forever Connected by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsYears ago, on the darkest night of Poppy and Zinnia’s lives, they got a letter. It was from three elderly sisters in the small town of Keeneston, inviting them to visit and if interested, take a job. The Rose Sisters had wanted to retire, but they’d wanted family to take over their small café... -
Falling for Mr. Bad by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s a badass musician and mechanic with no patience for overinflated egos. He’s a billionaire with no time for drama. Going head-to-head has never been so much fun. .. or so dirty. Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and loads of heart make this sexy enemies-to-lovers, close proximity, forbidden, workplace, small town standalone romance unputdownable...Categorized as:
forced proximity office from hate to love m-f found-family suspense secret-relationship humor -
Heller's Punishment by J.D. Nixon
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsIn her latest adventure, rookie security officer Tilly Chalmers has three new assignments to cope with - chaperoning a devious addict to a rehabilitation clinic; live-in security for a strange and isolated religious cult; and protecting a national TV host in a damaging court case...Categorized as:
suspense mystery possessive hero slow burn office m-f friends to lovers strong heroine -
I Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsEllodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution. That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what. It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend. Easy, right? Wrong. She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity military from hate to love m-f contemporary humor length-medium -
Forever Notorious by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.81 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAbigail Mueez knows all about being something you’re not. Everyone knows she works security in Washington D. C. , but that wasn’t exactly the truth. There are many layers of deception in Abby’s life from her job to the man she’s with—a man she doesn’t have time to fall in love with when her life and so much more was on the line. Too bad she didn’t tell her heart that... -
A Breath of Fresh Air by Jessica Redland
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThe BRAND NEW uplifting novel from MILLION-COPY BESTSELLER Jessica Redland Rosie feels like there's something missing in her life. She loves her job as the manager of Willowdale Hall Riding Stables, caring for the horses and teaching children to ride, and she loves the home she shares with her mother in the beautiful Lake District... -
Charlie Foxtrot by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.73 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMummies. Yeah, you heard me right. That’s my next job—protecting a mummy. It wouldn’t be a problem, except someone doesn’t want this particular mummy to make it to the museum. Not to mention one of my teammates thinks this particular mummy is cursed. On top of this ridiculous job, I’ve also met the most gorgeous woman in the world... -
YOLO by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsGarrett Carter knew the moment he saw her years prior that she was the one. His one, however, had a fiancé. And she was rich. She also lived out of state. So what other option did he have but to let her go? Years later, he sees her again at her worst. Her husband-to-be has stranded her on a hiking trail with a head wound, convinced she’s faking her blindness...Categorized as:
suspense military office from hate to love contemporary humor super rich hero length-medium -
Wicked Heart by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFinn Sawyer hates everything about being back in Sawyers Bend. He walked away from his family years before, living off his wits and skills in the kitchen, refining his craft as he worked his way across Europe. Then the father who left him for dead is murdered, and the will offers Finn a chance at his dream...Categorized as:
suspense single-mother grumpy sunshine from hate to love mystery slow burn m-f secret-relationship -
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Nuclear Option by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe exciting and thrilling conclusion to Cash and Eva’s story, and the second book in the OPS series! The military defines a Nuclear Option as a drastic step or last resort, and I’m about to take it. Cash. I am an expert marksman, engaging the enemy from afar. You’ll never see me coming because I’m that good. Even a sniper can be drawn out of hiding... -
How to Kiss on Christmas Morning by Jenny Proctor
She’s merry and bright. He’s…. not. But something between them is warming up. Megan Sheridan just landed the perfect holiday a quiet week in the mountains house-sitting an event venue while the owners are away. Check the mail, answer the phone, keep the pipes from freezing—easy. The only trouble? No one told Megan she’d be sharing the farmhouse with a very grouchy, very handsome farmhand...Categorized as:
m-f grumpy sunshine forced proximity small town cheerful heroine competent heroine cold hero humor -
The Fool by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI don’t know who needs to hear this but take a day off from being the bigger person. Fuck some shit up. Those words were said to him by a stranger in the airport. And from that moment on, he’s only had eyes for her. Too bad they met when she was taking off for three months to parts unknown... -
Heller's Girlfriend by J.D. Nixon
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsTilly Chalmers’ life is complicated. Her boyfriend is demanding more attention while her boss, Heller, is always a distracting temptation...Categorized as:
mystery suspense possessive hero slow burn office love triangle bad boys strong heroine -
Engagement and Espionage by Penny Reid
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil . . . and now they’re engaged! But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another...Categorized as:
mystery suspense cheerful heroine cold hero grumpy sunshine small town competent heroine m-f -
Wedding at Sea by Melissa Tagg
Rated: 4.72 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLilian doesn’t remember anything about her life before the day Maggie Muir found her on her front porch—a toddler, abandoned and alone. And maybe that’s okay. She has a beautiful life at Muir Farm, including an adopted family she adores and a successful career as a lawyer. But she also has a secret . . . one that raises just as many questions about her future as it does her unknown past... -
Kiss My Giraffe by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEnemies to friends to almost lovers then back to enemies…to lovers. She's got a lot of baggage. .. literally and figuratively. And an entourage. And a freaking giraffe. For real. For a guy who wants to keep things simple, this is anything but. So why can't he stay away? Knox and Fiona's story! Finally! -
One In Vermillion by Jennifer Crusie, Bob Mayer
From the NY Times Bestselling duo that wrote Agnes and the Hitman, the third book in a new trilogy. Liz Danger is stuck in her hometown of Burney, Ohio, because her insane employer has rented a house there for the summer, which means she has three more months of trying to get a copy edit done, babysitting a seven-year-old, and figuring out what to do with three hundred and ninety-two teddy bears...Categorized as:
mystery suspense m-f found-family small town independent heroine possessive hero cold hero -
Clap Back by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBeing a twin is great. What isn’t great is having the hots for the same woman your twin does. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. Since Auden Carter made that mistake in his teens, he’d promised himself never to do that to his brother again. Hence why he’s tried so hard to stay away from Maven, the sexy bakery owner that seems to have been put on this planet to tempt him... -
Isabelle and the Beast by Marie Soleil
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be a quick meeting. I’ve been trying to break into acting for years, and now I’m FINALLY up for a lead role in a romcom movie. It’s a huge step up from barista #3, especially considering who’s supposed to play my love interest—Adam Stone...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine from hate to love contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
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Embrace The Suck by Giulia Lagomarsino, Reggie Deanching
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEmbrace The Suck is book 8 in the OPS Protector Romance series and should be read in order. I should have just stayed home. I thought I could get away and relax. But that was scrapped the first day when Dash and FNG followed me on vacation. It was supposed to be a trip to reset my brain... -
GRAY WOLF SECURITY, Texas: The Complete 6-Books Series by Glenna Sinclair
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFree with Kindle Unlimited. .. Enjoy the complete Volume 2 of the Gray Wolf Security series. Romance, Suspense, Mystery and a touch of Comedy. 6 Books. No Cliffhangers. More than 1,000 pages :). Book 1: Defending Tierney. I never wanted to be anything other than a defense attorney... -
Treasured by Thursday by Catherine Bybee
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe seventh and final tale in the dazzling, heartwarming, pulse-racing Weekday Brides series. Gabriella Masini: She’s a woman haunted by her past, with the scars to prove it. She believes that fairy tales are for other people...Categorized as:
mystery suspense from hate to love grumpy sunshine m-f contemporary humor super rich hero -
Knockout by Jessica Prince
It wasn’t fair that the man I hated with a passion was so freaking gorgeous. Things in Layla Fox’s life were going great. She had a fantastic job, amazing friends, and a killer apartment. There was just one tiny glitch in all that perfect. Her upstairs neighbor was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome . . . and she hated the man with every cell in her body... -
Pure Chemistry by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’ve never wished for a knight in shining armor before, but today might be the day I let go of that pigheadedness and accept a little help. I’m a biochemist with a dream to cure cancer, but in my quest to save lives, I may be the reason thousands die... -
Got Your Six by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsGot Your Six is book 6 in the OPS Protector Romance series and should be read in order. Action, Adventure, and a good woman—that’s all I crave. A chance to prove my love for a woman by risking my life for her. Everyone else gets to do it, so why not me? Except, I never imagined she would vanish without a trace. I thought she had been taken by a gang or a serial killer... -
Faking Cinderella by Pippa Grant
A grumpy former bodyguard, an heiress in disguise, and an accidental roommate situation…. If I’d known a tall, broad mountain of a man would crash the one-bedroom cabin I’m borrowing, I might have handled things differently. I still would’ve lied to him. He doesn’t need to know all of my reasons for wanting to meet my surprise triplet half brothers while undercover as a housekeeper... -
How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsA senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results in the new ensemble comedy from New York Times-bestselling author Clare Pooley. When Lydia takes a job running the Senior Citizens’ Social Club three afternoons a week, she assumes she’ll be spending her time drinking tea and playing gentle games of cards... -
Rafe by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe true measure of a man is not in the mistakes he makes…but in how he handles those mistakes. Rafe Walker gained fame while in the Army when he was photographed for a Military Calendar. Afterward, modeling contracts rolled in but he found his life in California lacking and longed for a change... -
The New Doctor at Peony Practice by Christie Barlow
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPreorder the next book in the heartwarming and bestselling Love Heart Lane series. Love Heart Lane – where friends are there for you no matter what. All’s fair in love and…medicine? Dr Katie O’Neil has only been in Heartcross a few hours when she finds herself already ruffling feathers – not least with medical school nemesis and new colleague Ben Sanders...Categorized as:
small town suspense forced proximity from hate to love m-f humor contemporary length-medium -
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Heller's Decision by J.D. Nixon
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsTilly Chalmers’ new job as a researcher for a major TV star is turning out to be more eventful than she ever expected. Always on the lookout for a high rating story for her famous boss, she tangles with adult movie stars, and the man who inspired a couple of blood-thirsty young murderers... -
Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood
A Navy SEAL will need every bit of his extensive skill set when he appoints himself as bodyguard to a woman determined not to need one in this thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood. Grace Isabel MacKenna had a hundred things to do today. Killing someone wasn’t one of them...Categorized as:
military suspense mystery from hate to love slow burn contemporary virgin heroine humor -
Over & Out by Claire Wilder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIntroducing a brand new enemies to lovers romance from USA TODAY Bestselling Author Claire Wilder! Three months ago, a dirt bike accident stole my confidence, my beloved ride, and the one thing that made me feel alive. Now I’m going through the motions in my coastal tourist town, totally adrift… and trying not to think about the stranger who pulled me from the wreckage...Categorized as:
from hate to love office forced proximity m-f grumpy sunshine small town humor length-medium -
Grits and Glamor by B.R. Goodwin
Between years of juggling multiple jobs and, more recently, her very own bunny colony, Chloe Garland is exhausted and, despite her best efforts, no closer to her goal of opening a gourmet, Southern cuisine restaurant... -
Levi: Driverton 2 by Ruth Cardello
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDriverton’s bad boy is falling in love with his best friend’s cousin and it just might cost him everything. Levi has always had a sweet spot for Katie, but she’s not his type. He likes his women wild, willing, and from out of town so they’re easy to move on from when his interest wanes. Katie is opinionated and off-limits... -
Salt Love by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat do you do when you find out your husband’s cheating on you, your aunt just passed away in Florida, and your boss gave the promotion to your work nemesis, so you threaten him with bodily harm in the middle of a board meeting? Well, after getting escorted out of the building by security, I fly straight to Sunshine Key to deal with my aunt’s estate...Categorized as:
office grumpy sunshine found-family m-f contemporary mature couple humor length-medium -
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 -
SEAL INVESTIGATIONS: A 5-Books SEAL Romance Series by Lola Silverman
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE COMPLETE SERIES, now FREE with Kindle Unlimited. 5 books and NO cliffies! Book 1: JASE. I did not work my ass off to become a Navy SEAL because I had a desire to add the title of “nursemaid” to my resume. So when my commanding officer requested that I go check up on his baby sister, I was understandably less than thrilled... -
That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson
My dream job just got snapped up by the one man who rejected me…. That’s right. I’m an unemployed twenty-something stuck sleeping on my grandmother’s old futon while Hudson Blaine, the guy who shot me down, gets to manage The Beachfront Inn. Talk about life being unfair. I’m about to flee town with what’s left of my pride when Mr. Rejection begs me to stay... -
The Gossip and the Grump by Pippa Grant
He's the last man I should've picked for a one night stand. .. See that guy over there? The insanely tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, scowling, “I don’t drink coffee” suit? Surprise! He’s the new owner of my family’s mountain café. The café that has been my life purpose since I was born in the kitchen there almost thirty years ago...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine from hate to love forced proximity office cold hero m-f humor contemporary -
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Home Is Where You Park It by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a giant of a man who grunts for words and barks out orders, yet circumstances require I be his fake girlfriend and spend the weekend with him in an isolated cabin. And of course there’s only one bed. Just my luck…But I need this commission check that only Boston can guarantee me...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity from hate to love small town military m-f contemporary humor -
Controlled Burn by Marie James
As the mechanic for Blackbridge Security, when I make a mistake things don’t work properly. Correcting that mistake is the only way to get things operational. I meet issues in my personal life with the same mindset. How was I to know the woman I’ve been flirting with at the gym is the same woman I called a noise complaint on? I got her kicked out of her condo. My first response: Move in with me... -
Make Mine Sweet: A Grumpy-Sunshine Small Town Romantic Comedy by Genny Carrick
My heart's had a No Trespassing sign on it for years, but my next-door neighbor is tempting me to lay out a welcome mat. When I took my friend’s offer of cheap rent for me and my five-year-old son, I knew it came with a reclusive neighbor attached. I just didn’t realize he’s the same guy I adored from afar fifteen years ago... -
Thunderstruck by Dana LeCheminant
Rugby player Cole Evanson doesn’t need romance complicating his life. So when the team’s new athletic trainer—the spunky and stunning Carissa Paxton—arrives, Cole knows he should steer clear and let his teammates make their moves. Easier said than done. Carissa’s vivacious and sweet nature tempts Cole to risk his infamous family curse, which would be a mistake for everyone...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine office m-f forced proximity found-family cheerful heroine cold hero possessive hero -
Beautiful Thing by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Fake-dating my best friend’s brother should be easy. He’s grumpy. He’s guarded. He’s older. And he’d never fall for a complicated single mother like me. Or that’s what I need to tell myself…so I don’t fall in love with him. Archer Brighton needs a girlfriend. If the broody lumberjack shows up at his younger brother’s wedding without a date, his meddling family will drive him insane... -
Bride or Die by Madison Score
“At best, it was going to be a very long day. At worst, she might end up in jail for running Luke over with her car. ”Proposal planner Claire Hartley thought calling off her own wedding would be the most traumatic event of her year. But when her ex-college roommate vanishes without a trace and Claire begins receiving mysterious threats, she realizes she has bigger problems...
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