Books like 'Merciless'
Readers who enjoyed Merciless by Ella Frank & Brooke Blaine also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
gay romance queer office hurt-comfort secret-relationship
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Dirty Laundry by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 27 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... -
Protecting Mr. Fine by Lucy Lennox
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsI’m a lucky man and I know it. Kids from backwoods Georgia don’t land scholarships to Yale, but I did, and striking it rich–like, billions of dollars rich–with my best friends after graduation should have used up my luck for a lifetime. But luck struck again when I followed my passion into music...Categorized as:
queer secret-relationship hurt-comfort m-m grumpy sunshine virgin hero contemporary super rich hero -
The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 3: The Case of Ritsu Onodera (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #3) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame... -
The World's Greatest First Love, Vol. 3 (世界一初恋 (The World's Greatest First Love) #3) by Shungiku Nakamura
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen Ritsu Onodera changes jobs, looking for a fresh start, he's not exactly thrilled when his new boss turns out to be his old flame... -
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Jonty in Russia by Barbara Elsborg
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen Devan, Best Boyfriend in the Entire World, books them a trip to Russia in February, Jonty’s excitement knows no bounds. There’s packing to do, plans to be made, and places to see.Armed with his smile and a handful of dubious Russian Phrases, Jonty is ready for the delights Vladivostok has to offer—the famous glass beach he’s dreamed about, ice skating on a frozen sea, and snow... -
French Martini by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMaybe asking my burly golden retriever contractor to be my fake fiance was a bad idea. But as the saying goes, desperate times and all that. Listen, getting married again sounds about as fun as a shopping spree in a dumpster, so dating is definitely off the table. I’ve resisted Oakley’s tempting presence, knowing it can only lead to trouble, and I don’t need any more of that... -
French Martini by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMaybe asking my burly golden retriever contractor to be my fake fiance was a bad idea. But as the saying goes, desperate times and all that. Listen, getting married again sounds about as fun as a shopping spree in a dumpster, so dating is definitely off the table. I’ve resisted Oakley’s tempting presence, knowing it can only lead to trouble, and I don’t need any more of that... -
Landon Alexander by Michael Robert
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEight years ago, Landon Alexander’s father was imprisoned for committing an unspeakable crime, and Landon is still picking up the pieces of his shattered life. With his mother a shell of her previous self and the family business in peril, Landon’s in over his head as he attempts to restore the legacy he was born into... -
Love Potion by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’ve been in love with my best friend for years. It’s about time I do something about it.Everyone knows I’m in love with my best friend. Except him. Jerryn and I are like peas in a pod, like peanut butter and jelly, like all things good that go together, but in spite of our bond, the romance has never sparked. At least not on his end... -
Interlude: Cavatina by Tal Bauer
Cavatina: A solo in the midst of a larger composition Join the couples from your favorite Tal Bauer novels in Interlude: Cavatina, a collection of stories that brings everyone together in one volume! Jack and Ethan Spiers-Reichenbach are settling into their marriage and enjoying their second holiday season together, this time in Texas instead of the White House...Categorized as:
secret-relationship queer m-m contemporary explicit-open-door length-short audiobook -
Second Shot by Con Riley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecond Shot (Second Chance School #2)Welcome back to Glynn Harber School for another steamy, swoony romance between two bruised souls.Passion always leads to heartbreak for Hayden Novac. Nice guys always get picked last. That’s what my coach at a soccer academy once promised... -
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShaw isn’t his friend—until Ross discovers he’s so much more. Ross Stanton is having a bad week—a bad month—really, a bad year . But the last thing he wants, after the betrayal of his friend and business partner, is for anyone else to know just how much he’s fighting for survival...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort queer m-m friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary length-medium -
The Bequest by Joanna Chambers
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDavid Lauriston and Lord Murdo Balfour have been living happily together for three years at the Laverock estate in Perthshire. But when some unexpected news arrives, Murdo must confront old demons he thought he’d put behind him forever. This story will be exclusively available to my newsletter... -
Alone On the Water by MadLori
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSherlock Holmes never expected to live a long life, but he never imagined that it would end like this. - 7725 WordsSorrow’s my body on the wavesSorrow’s a girl inside my caveI live in a city sorrow builtIt’s in my honey, it’s in my milkDon’t leave my half a heart alone on the waterCover me in rag and bone sympathyCause I don’t want to get over you... -
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Keeping Secrets by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe truth can cost you everything. Twenty-six-year-old Beck Medina is convinced of that. He’s been abandoned by so many people over the course of his life, including most of his adopted family. Now he’s created a new family for himself at the resort he manages on Catalina Island. But they don’t know the whole truth about him... -
All We Are by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPride. Will and Waylon have been through hell and back—more than once. But they’re still standing, still loving each other, still embracing their found family. And that’s something Will is stupidly proud of. He’s happier than he’s ever been, and more in love than he ever thought possible. He just hopes he can find a way to make Waylon believe in them as much as he does. Pride... -
An Allotment of Time by Ripley Hayes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMurder? Suicide? Accident? Or all three? Daniel Owen is coming to terms with not being a cop. He’s happy to find a bunch of likeminded people at the town allotments — until one of them is brutally murdered. Mal Kent is settling into his new job as the man-in-charge of Melin Tywyll CID. The fly in the ointment is bigoted, lazy DI Carey, Daniel’s replacement... -
The Law of Miracles by K.C. Wells
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sequel to A Christmas Promise… Joshua Trant is doing his best to support his son Micah and Micah’s partner Greg as they approach the trial of Greg’s attackers. This was never going to be easy, especially as Greg wants them prosecuted for a hate crime, but County Attorney Alexander Rycliffe assures them he’ll do his utmost to make sure the perpetrators are held accountable for their actions... -
Saturated by B.L. Sparrow
Being a college athlete is hard. You and your twin brother having a 'no-sex' pact to remain closeted until your trust funds are released? Also hard. But when one of you is harboring a secret kink from the one person you can tell everything to, that makes things even harder... -
Igniting His Flame by HJ Welch, Helen Juliet
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLove makes us all braveDARIOAfter escaping my controlling ex-boyfriend and moving to Redwood Bay, I swear off men for good. The only company I need is my new rescue dog, Queenie. Meeting gorgeous firefighter Lochlan Bell at puppy training class doesn’t count because he’s straight, yet for some bizarre reason he’s decided to become my friend... -
Hot Ice, Tennessee by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA hockey hotshot has me wrapped around his finger…Even after I learn his dirty secret.Jesse is cocky, charming, tattooed, and even more possessive off the ice.…He’s also my friend’s younger brother—which I found out like a puck to the face.He’s too young, too popular, and he knows he has my attention. He’s a college dreamboat, with frat bros riding his jock every day. My world’s different... -
Seeing Grayscale by Myka Loren
What would you do for a glimpse of color?I’ve been on the streets for four years, but my soul’s been homeless for longer. And I’ve accepted this is my reality.Still, I’m tired and dream of something better than this grim existence.My life revolves around handouts and the obscurity of a gas station dumpster. Safety is an illusion, and I’ve learned not to fall for it.Until Hunter Kade...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort queer secret-relationship m-m age difference contemporary length-long class difference -
Hannah's Big Night by Mary Calmes
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Jory and Sam Thanksgiving... -
Liberating Love by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAiden Finding out the man I slept with is my friend’s father is terrifying, but maybe forgivable since I didn’t know who he was… right? But falling into bed with him again… and again and again is probably not excusable. Maybe if Delaney got rid of his miles of muscles and stopped being so sweet to me, I could stop. I need to stop. If only I had the willpower—or the desire...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort secret-relationship queer m-m contemporary age difference humor forbidden love -
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Concealed Hearts by Nicky James
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwo closeted men in one rumor-hungry small town have no chance of keeping their love a secret.Chief of Police Windsor Elkhart is a master deceiver. Not a single person in Jasper has a clue he’s gay, which explains the endless suitors all vying for his attention. Happily married to his job, he’s convinced life is good enough... -
The No Strings Theory by Hayden Hall
I keep falling for Dallas, and it's not just gravity's fault.DallasKai’s nothing like I expected.The scrawny kid I once knew is gone, replaced by a nerdy, curious young man who crawls deep under my skin. The moment he enters my life, he disrupts everything.I don’t do attachments. I don’t do dates.There are so many other college guys to keep me distracted.Yet I can’t get him out of my head...Categorized as:
secret-relationship queer new adult m-m from hate to love explicit-open-door audiobook -
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... -
Perfect by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAdoption is hard. Paperwork and more paperwork, lawyers and more lawyers and it seems like begging and choosing....all to get your heart broken when the expectant mother backs out. Not wanting to go through that again, or put Morgan through it again; they opted out. Unfortunately, the new guy didn't get the memo and they were chosen by expectant young mother, Haley... -
Never Say Goodbye by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWho knew getting snowed in at the airport could be so much fun?The nomadic lifestyle of a wildlife photographer is perfect for Ren Stewart—he travels the world with no obligations, no place to call home. With time between assignments, he’s ready to leave the cold New York winter for sunny California. But twenty inches of snow on a layover means his flight’s canceled and he’s stranded... -
The Riley Brothers Collection by E. Davies, Michael Dean
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor the first time, enjoy the whole Riley Brothers series in one collection... -
This Might Hurt by Riley Nash
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsOne second can change everything.I met him on the worst day of my life—the desperate boy with a gun and the most brilliant smile I’d ever seen. We saved each other’s lives and then walked away, because a hitchhiking criminal and one of the richest men in the world can’t possibly be made for each other...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort queer m-m grumpy sunshine super rich hero marriage of convenience length-long -
ChrisMyths by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsAfter courtship, cohabitation, and learning about love and each other, Andy and Eli face the ultimate test: being separated at Christmas.Eli’s seen the propaganda—the country boy goes home from the city and realizes his heart is back among the snow, trees, and chickens. A big happy family is something Eli, with his demanding job running a shelter for LGBTQ youth, can’t provide... -
Sinister in Savannah by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSinister in Savannah is a fictional podcast exploring the city's most nefarious crimes with Southern-fried snark. The best-selling trilogy is now available in one collection! Ride the Lightning: When the Sinister in Savannah team delves into the thirty-eight-year-old murder of a drag queen, they quickly discover that the story doesn't end with the alleged killer's confession in 1995. Mr... -
Reign or Shine by H.J. Welch
A secret prince needs: a lost tourist to save.Prince Cassander is on vacation from his overdeveloped sense of duty. While hiding out as simply ‘Cas’ in the Rosavian capital, he rescues a gorgeous, distressed American tourist. Matty has no idea that Cas is second in line to the throne. And with only two weeks together to explore the sparks between them, he doesn’t need to ever find out... -
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Liar's Gambit by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe’s a liar. I’m a hitman. And there’s a game afoot.After seeking sanctuary at The Anonymous, an elite club for lawless types, the elegant, beastly Wilhelm invites me to help him with a simple mission: retrieve the priceless artifact that was stolen from one of his billionaire friends... -
Something About Us by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFalling in love was the easy part. Lucky and Saint are head-over-heels for each other. It doesn’t matter that they met only a few months ago. It also doesn’t matter that this is Saint’s first real relationship and Lucky’s first with a man. They’re infatuated, happy, and excited to start their life together in LA. It isn’t as easy as they thought... -
Winning His Vote by Casey Morales
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsJoe is a campaign manager who just helped elect the first Latino Mayor of Nashville. He was riding victory’s high when a call came from the state party chair inviting him to join a gubernatorial race, his first statewide campaign. This was hischance to step into the big leagues, and he couldn’t wait... -
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... -
You Don't Know Jack by Anna Sparrows
…And, apparently, neither does he. At 31, Jack Bradford’s life is looking just the way he wants it to. He literally lives in paradise (Surfers Paradise, but who’s counting?), loves his job as a firefighter, has a great group of friends and all the freedom his heart desires and nothing is about to change that. At least, that’s what he thinks...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort queer age difference m-m boss & employee length-medium explicit-open-door -
The Accidental Dragon Baby by Anna Wineheart
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIvo's in hiding... from a handsome stranger who knocked him up with a dragon baby.With one eye blind and a face full of scars, Ivo knows he's no one's first choice for a mate. That's okay. He has an adorable baby girl, and a group of loyal friends. It's just... Sometimes, he really wants to be held... -
The Hideaway by Rosalind Abel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLavender Shores’s resident tattoo artist, Connor Clark, looks the part—six foot six, musclebound, and covered in ink—and most definitely doesn’t blend in. Grafted into the Bryant family as a teenager to escape his abusive father, the Bryants saved his life, but Connor has never truly felt a part of the founding family royalty... -
Cort—Unbreakable by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCort I spent years waiting for someone who never put me first. He took my love, took me for granted. Took my heart. Now I’m on my own. Living life my way. The crowd only sees my smile. Never my loneliness and pain. I need someone to need me. When I meet another lost soul my friends try to warn me. He’s a liar. A user. Homeless. Heartbroken. He’s all that and more... -
Last First Kiss by E.M. Denning, Designs by Dana
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe only thing worse than having your heart broken is going home and having nothing to show for it.Which is exactly the situation Logan Hanson finds himself in. Worse than that, his hometown isn’t exactly glad to have him back. He’s jobless, friendless and things are looking pretty bleak… until his dad’s best friend, Ezra, throws him a lifeline... -
Lovely Allergen by Zhichu, 稚楚
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSong Yu has three requirements for Yue Zhishi:– You cannot call me gege in public.– We won’t do anything together in public.– You cannot let other people know you live with me.Yue Zhishi has always been obediently following these rules. They were practically strangers at school. At the opening ceremony, he suddenly collapsed due to an allergy-related asthma attack, sending everything into chaos... -
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The Outcast by E.M. Denning
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEthan Bennett is too old for Mickey.Ethan Bennett plays guitar, barbecues as often as possible, and owns a diner. He’s a widower whose life still revolves around his sons, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. When Mickey, a younger man his son Taylor had been helping shows up at the diner, cold to the bone, thin as a rail, Ethan knows he can’t send him away... -
Delicious by Sierra Riley
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 17 ratings"He’s exactly what I never knew I wanted.” “Delicious is my life.” Owning his own business gives Gavin Campbell the sense of security that was sorely lacking in his childhood. He’s poured everything he has into making his bakery, Delicious, a thriving success… and it’s worked... -
Sundays with Oliver by Kelly Jensen
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTwo empty-nesters. Two bruised hearts. One chance to make things right.Oliver expected to miss his daughter when she left for college, but he’s surprised by the size of the hole she leaves. Or maybe he hadn’t expected to spend his days watching grass grow and making sad cookies. Or to lose his job. Meeting Nick—the uncle of his daughter’s roommate—is a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy forecast... -
Flare by Posy Roberts
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSequel to "Fusion". Hugo Thorson and Kevin Magnus are learning to live again after the death of Kevin's wife, Erin. They're doing everything they can to make a stable home for Kevin’s kids, but that stability is threatened when Kevin is served legal documents: Erin's parents want custody of Brooke and Finn... -
A Christmas Wedding by A.E. Ryecart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsChristmas. A Wedding. Family.It’s the Perfect Storm…For Rory Kincaid marrying Jack, the youngest son of the aristocratic De Lacy family, on Christmas Eve, is a dream come true. Handing over the wedding planning to Jack’s mother, the strong-willed Lady Diana, is turning out to be more of a nightmare.As their big day approaches, the pressure’s on and the strain is beginning to show... -
The Truth of Our Past by Heather Leighson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHe’s a contradiction I can’t walk away from Alec:Von––the uptight, gorgeous, Swede––wants nothing to do with me, and I’m obsessed.The sullen man isn’t interested, and I don’t chase.When I’m confronted with heart-crushing truths from my past, he’s a steady rock caring for me. But I refuse to reveal what no one else knows. In my experience, relationships end in shattered trust. So I avoid them...
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