Books like 'The Pining Paradox'
Readers who enjoyed The Pining Paradox by Monica McCallan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary lesbian romance funny queer queer-awakening bisexual class difference caretaking forced proximity friends to lovers
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On the Same Page by Haley Cass
Riley Beckett met Gianna Mäkinen – drop-dead gorgeous influencer, trilingual, daughter of world-famous models, yes, that Gianna Mäkinen – their first year at Boston University, and it changed everything for the both of them... -
![When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass]()
When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass
Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that... -
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![Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun]()
Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun
A long time ago, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends. They spent their childhood summers running through the woods, rebelling against their conservative small town, and dreaming of escaping. But then an incident the summer before high school turned them into bitter rivals. After graduation, they went ten years without speaking... -
![Chaos Agent by Lee Winter]()
Chaos Agent by Lee Winter
What happens when the sweetest employee learns her boss’s evil secrets? This opposites-attract ice queen romance asks: Can a villain truly be redeemed? CEO Michelle Hastings has foolishly promoted a kind, clueless activist to her full-time staff. Now, on top of fighting her inconvenient feelings, Michelle must hide the evil they do... -
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![The Blind Side of Love by Ingrid Díaz]()
The Blind Side of Love by Ingrid Díaz
2nd draft available here: ingriddiaz. com. Julianne Franqui is a hot actress and secretly gay. On a trip to New York she sees the artwork of artist Kris Milano, whose talent is not the only thing she's attracted to. Undercover of email, she begins a correspondence with the artist . When she comes to New York for filming and finally meets her, will she tell Kris the truth . . -
![Like a Power Play by Elle Sprinkle]()
Like a Power Play by Elle Sprinkle
From Elle Sprinkle, author of bestselling lesbian romance "Puppy Love", comes "Like a Power Play", a sapphic college hockey rom-com about a team captain who butts heads with her new student coach, until she begins to fall for her. The student coach. The team captain. They’re skating on thin ice— until one of them falls. Peyton Clarke has everything to prove...Categorized as:
queer cheerful heroine found-family forced proximity caretaking fem-dom friends to lovers slow burn -
![Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake]()
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake
Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love. Her best friends are all coupled up, her siblings have partners that are perfect for them, her parents are still in marital bliss. And she’s happy for all of them, truly. So what if she usually cries in her Lyft on the way home. So what if she misses her friends, who are so busy with their own wonderful love lives, they don’t really notice Iris is spiraling...Categorized as:
bisexual forced proximity slow burn small town queer found-family competent heroine sweet heroine -
![Where the Heart Leads by Ally McGuire]()
Where the Heart Leads by Ally McGuire
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA stunt car driver, an MI5 agent, a gigolo… Finn Montoya tells everyone she meets she has a different profession. It’s all part of keeping people at a distance while still being a part of the world around her. Really, she’s an accomplished writer who has taken being a mystery to heart. At least that way, she can stay safe. Under no circumstances can her past catch up with her...Categorized as:
queer caretaking class difference neurodivergent found-family office competent heroine f-f -
![The Love Lie by Monica McCallan]()
The Love Lie by Monica McCallan
A year ago, Sydney King was a successful pro tennis player with a long-term boyfriend, a plan for the future, and a shot at fulfilling all her dreams. Now, she has a cheating ex-boyfriend and a career-ending injury, and—quite frankly—things could not be going worse for her... -
![Mutual Benefits by H.P. Munro]()
Mutual Benefits by H.P. Munro
Coming out to your loved ones is stressful, so when Hannah Melville’s family not only accept but celebrate her accidental announcement, it should be a relief. Which it would be, if Hannah was gay. Ashley West isn’t looking for a relationship. When she’s set up by her mother on a blind date, she’s ready to nip any expectations in the bud. She’s less prepared for her love interest to be straight...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer friends to lovers queer-awakening f-f contemporary humor fake relationship -
![A Lesbian's Guide to Women by Erica Lee]()
A Lesbian's Guide to Women by Erica Lee
Annalise Finch is content - she has a job she enjoys, lives close to her family and friends, and spends most Wednesday nights drinking wine with her grandma. According to her grandma, though, she has lost her sparkle, and the only solution is to join a site to hook up with other women. The only problem (aside from a meddling grandma with a dirty mind) is Annalise doesn’t like women...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer queer-awakening f-f contemporary friends-benefits humor length-short -
![Fighting for Control by J.J. Arias]()
Fighting for Control by J.J. Arias
When sparks fly between a tenacious talent agent and a sharp-witted lawyer, a heated rivalry transforms into an irresistible attraction in this sizzling enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance. Lola Barros is a rising talent agent burning with ambition in Miami's glitzy entertainment world. Carmen Vargas is a dedicated lawyer poised to conquer the legal field, anchored by her family's prestigious firm...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity fem-dom found-family office independent heroine sweet heroine f-f -
![Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton]()
Poppy Jenkins by Clare Ashton
Two old friends, one hot summer, a whole load of confusion. Poppy Jenkins makes everyone smile. She’s the heart of Wells, a beautiful village in mid-Wales, leaving light and laughter in her wake. She has a doting family, an errant dog and a little sister with a nose for mischief...Categorized as:
friends to lovers class difference small town slow burn queer f-f contemporary second chances -
![The Forever and The Now by K.J .]()
The Forever and The Now by K.J .
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBron McIntyre, forty-two, has it all together. Terrific job. Loving family. No desperate need for a girlfriend but would be interested if one came along. Bron McIntyre is Teflon. Kate Agostino, forty-eight, is not Teflon. Yes, she has a terrific job. But a loving family? Not really. And her personal life is rapidly disintegrating and turning into dust... -
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![Like First Love, Again by J.J. Arias]()
Like First Love, Again by J.J. Arias
When the one who got away comes back. .. Real estate broker Tori Cruz has spent years building a life of structure and control — keeping her heart, and her past, carefully locked away. But when Mia Falcon, her childhood best friend and secret first love, crashes back into her life after fourteen years apart, everything Tori thought she buried comes rushing back. Mia didn’t mean to find Tori again... -
![Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton]()
Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton
Oxford – celebrated city of dreaming spires and class warfare – is an ambition come true for lesbian, geeky, upper-middle-class Charlotte and straight, charismatic, working-class Millie. Against the odds, theirs is an instant, best friendship. Forever. Exuberant Millie is a breath of fresh air for polite Charlotte and a force of nature within the university's hallowed walls...Categorized as:
friends to lovers bisexual slow burn queer sweet heroine working class heroine f-f contemporary -
![Just a Touch Away by Jae]()
Just a Touch Away by Jae
An ice queen’s frosty façade is melted by the power of touch. Hannah Martin has an unusual job: she’s a professional cuddler. While she has a big heart for her clients, she hasn’t found someone special to snuggle up to in her personal life. Winter Sullivan isn’t looking for love. She’s an aloof workaholic who’s built walls of ice around herself... -
![The AM Show by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
The AM Show by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
Would you give up your lifelong dream for a shot at everlasting love? Amanda Morgan is a morning show host with a fierce reputation, but a bitter divorce has left her feeling all washed up. Being mistaken for a grandmother at her own son’s wedding has her teetering on the edge—until a stranger at the reception rocks her world... -
![Puppy Love by Elle Sprinkle]()
Puppy Love by Elle Sprinkle
"Puppy Love", a sapphic romantic comedy, is the first book in a diverse, interconnected standalone series, "Greenrock Valley". Written with dogs, spice, and everything nice, this debut novel is sure to make you laugh and sweat, all while tugging on your heartstrings. Cameron Miller hates change. It makes her sweaty, tongue-tied, or worse- silent...Categorized as:
queer neurodivergent found-family office working class heroine bisexual caretaking forced proximity -
![All the Love Songs by Nicole Pyland]()
All the Love Songs by Nicole Pyland
Peyton Gloss is the world’s most famous and popular singer/songwriter known for her chart-topping hits as well as her famous girl squad and July 4th events, inviting all of her famous friends to celebrate. This year, she did something even more extravagant than ever and invited her friends to join her for a week-long adult summer camp experience... -
![Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake]()
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake
An interior designer learns to rebuild her love life from the ground up with zero blueprints in this new romantic comedy by Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care. For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she’s been focused on her career—her friends might say she’s obsessed, but she’s just driven... -
![Reservations of the Heart by T.B. Markinson]()
Reservations of the Heart by T.B. Markinson
Can two wounded souls find solace together? 41-year-old doctor Stella Gilbert used to have it all. Her career was on fire, and she had a picture-perfect family--until she was blindsided by her wife doing the unthinkable... -
![Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd]()
Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd
Mattie Belman’s life has gone from dismal to desperate. After the loss of her acting career, her marriage, and her usual optimism, she’s back home teaching high school theater. Maybe it’ll be a fresh start. St. Rita’s arrogant soccer coach Jillian Reed sees Mattie’s musical as an outrageous distraction for her champion players. When Jillian declares war, Mattie is far too stubborn to back down... -
![Pieces of Us by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Pieces of Us by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
The nanny is hot for her boss, but she’s been burned falling for a straight woman in the past. Julianna Bristol is on the brink of success as her fledgling video game design company goes after the opportunity of a lifetime. But her ex-husband is intent on making her fodder for late-night comedy... -
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![Accidental Honeymoon by Miranda MacLeod]()
Accidental Honeymoon by Miranda MacLeod
Would you marry a woman you hate for a life-changing inheritance? Monica’s business has been hit hard by a global recession, her ex-girlfriend is selling the house out from under her, and the hot handy ma’am, Ray, who was hired to fix up the place, turns out to be the most annoying woman on the planet... -
![Patty's Potent Potion by Robin Alexander]()
Patty's Potent Potion by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen Shawna Haydel was sixteen years old, she dropped Ashton Guidry’s name into a potion that would supposedly make Ashton fall in love with her. She knew it was silly, but she clung to one irrational thread of hope their friend Patty’s concoction would grant her heart’s desire...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer f-f humor contemporary second chances length-short audiobook -
![The Next Chapters by Haley Cass]()
The Next Chapters by Haley Cass
Gianna Mäkinen has been in love with her best friend Riley Beckett for her entire adult life. She’d long accepted that her place in life was Riley’s best friend, and that was okay. It was more than okay. She never imagined that she would have the opportunity to confess her love to Riley, to marry her, to have a herd of children with her... -
![The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur]()
The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur
Lambda Literary award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy Sapphic rom-com about a quiet bookseller and a romance novel cover model who agree to a modern-day marriage-of-convenience. .. Tansy Adams’ greatest love is her family’s bookstore, passed down from her late father. But when it comes to actual romance… Tansy can’t get past the first chapter... -
![Jericho by Ann McMan]()
Jericho by Ann McMan
Librarian Syd Murphy flees the carnage of a failed marriage by accepting an eighteen-month position in Jericho–a small town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia... -
![No Such Thing as Serendipity by Rita Potter]()
No Such Thing as Serendipity by Rita Potter
Ambitious Blake Saunders is about to have it all. The forty-two-year-old is set to become CEO of a multibillion-dollar private equity firm and win at life. Until everything starts to unravel for the woman who is all about control. Her sympathetic sister, Emma, offers her a One month with Emma where she makes all of Blake’s decisions for her...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity caretaking class difference found-family small town rich heroine f-f -
![The Roommate Arrangement by Jae]()
The Roommate Arrangement by Jae
A feisty comedian. A former cop with a wounded heart. An unusual roommate arrangement…. Comedian Stephanie Renshaw hopes to finally get her big break in LA. A chance encounter lands her the perfect apartment close to the comedy clubs, but it comes with a catch: she needs a roommate to afford the rent. Enter Rae Coleman, a former police officer working the door at one of the top comedy clubs... -
![Another Stupid Love Song by Miranda MacLeod, Em Stevens]()
Another Stupid Love Song by Miranda MacLeod, Em Stevens
The stage is set for success… and heartbreak. Maxine Gardner is a rock and roll legend who hasn’t had a hit in years. She’s on a mission to get her old band back together for a once in a lifetime reunion tour that could save her floundering career. The problem? One band member is dead and the other hates her guts...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity class difference fem-dom office rich heroine cheerful heroine humor -
![The Wisdom of Bug by Alyson Root]()
The Wisdom of Bug by Alyson Root
Now updated in a fully revised and expanded Second Edition — with new chapters, fresh scenes, and a brand-new festive cover. Evelyn Crawford is officially having the worst run-up to Christmas in history... -
![The Wedding That Almost Wasn't by Sienna Waters]()
The Wedding That Almost Wasn't by Sienna Waters
It’s time to fall in love. Literally. American Emily Jackson has been in love with her best friend’s oldest sister Savannah for as long as she can remember. Which is why a family wedding in far-off Scotland is a dream come true. A week trapped in the Highlands with Savannah is exactly what she needs to prove that they belong together. Harry Lorde has a problem... -
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![Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae]()
Wrong Number, Right Woman by Jae
A single text message can change everything! Flirting has never been Denny’s strong suit, but so what if she’s too shy to ask women out? She’s content with her simple life, working as a cashier and helping her sister raise her niece... -
![Holly and Ivy: A Lesbian Holiday Romance by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Holly and Ivy: A Lesbian Holiday Romance by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
The only thing harder than saving the world is doing it alone. Holly Lovelace is a multi-millionaire tech genius and the CEO of her own company. But if she can’t come up with a brilliant innovation and convince her investors that she’s back in tip-top shape by the end of the year, Holly could lose everything she’s worked so hard to build...Categorized as:
queer class difference working class heroine humor f-f contemporary length-long explicit-open-door -
![Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford]()
Party Animal by Ali K. Mulford
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s never done love long-term. But will faking it lead to forever? Finch Lachlan works hard and parties harder. But tired of her siblings judging her fun-loving ways, the head veterinarian at her family’s zoo vows to prove she can make it past the third date. And maybe she can begin with the hottie who just seized her attention with a sizzling kiss. Chef, Frankie Benedetti, craves a fresh start... -
![Finding a Keeper by Nicole Pyland]()
Finding a Keeper by Nicole Pyland
Sports Series Book #4. This series is related by a sports theme, not by characters. Sloan Rossi is about to go to college on a soccer scholarship. She has spent the past six years living in London and playing for a well-known team... -
![Foxy Lady by Cara Malone]()
Foxy Lady by Cara Malone
Foxes make terrible pets but they’re fantastic wingmen. Sydney Young has dedicated her life to animals. She’s a wildlife rehabilitator on call around the clock for rescue missions all over the state and every last one of her friends are veterinarians. Waiting at home for her is a rambunctious fox too tame to be released... -
![The Christmas Catch by Clare Lydon]()
The Christmas Catch by Clare Lydon
Two stranded travellers. One secret crush. Can they make it home without falling in love? Thrown together when their plane conks out and a blizzard rolls in, Morgan Scott and her childhood friend Ali Bradford are on a mission to make it from Glasgow to Devon in time for Christmas... -
![The Love Project by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
The Love Project by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsCan a long shot bring love to a couple of lonely hearts? Joni Fisher is facing economic ruin. The once successful advice column she runs with her mother is on the brink of cancellation, and it’ll take a miracle to turn things around... -
![Whenever You're Ready by Rachel Runya Katz]()
Whenever You're Ready by Rachel Runya Katz
After reconnecting on a road trip, two friends must decide if love is the ultimate risk worth taking in this funny, emotional sapphic romance. Nia and Jade had been inseparable ever since their best friend, Michal, introduced them at her tenth birthday party...Categorized as:
forced proximity queer friends to lovers found-family humor contemporary f-f length-medium -
![The Trip by Robin Alexander]()
The Trip by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho wants to take a road trip with two old, bickering women and a complete stranger? Not Jill Savoy. She finds herself behind the wheel of her father’s sacred Winnebago anyway, responsible for her grandmother and adopted aunt, both of whom are mischievous teenagers in old bodies, and then there’s Shay. The last thing on Shay Macaluso’s mind was a vacation... -
![A Quick Stop in Paradise by Lily Seabrooke]()
A Quick Stop in Paradise by Lily Seabrooke
Her boyfriend tried to cheat with the bartender. Now she wants her too. Ryan Bell is already anxious about her family vacation. Between family drama and arguments over her career change, the last thing she needs is her boyfriend trying to cheat on her with the resort bartender... -
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![A Dare to Remember by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
A Dare to Remember by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
Fifteen years ago, a game of Truth or Dare ended in a kiss that would forever change two women’s lives. Can they open up their hearts after years of hurt? After years away, Clara Chandler finds herself back in her Vermont hometown, nursing wounds from a shattered life in New York City...Categorized as:
queer slow burn forced proximity small town working class heroine f-f humor length-medium -
![The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild by Natasha West]()
The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Clara Wild by Natasha West
British biographer Lily Gray is going to LA for one To write the story of reclusive Hollywood actress, Clara Wild. Clara inexplicably stepped away from stardom at the height of her fame, leaving fans and the industry baffled ever since... -
![One Golden Summer by Clare Lydon, T.B. Markinson]()
One Golden Summer by Clare Lydon, T.B. Markinson
Saffron Oliver is the golden girl. Golden hair. Golden skin. Golden movie career. Only one problem: she hates it. She flees to her sister’s seaside town – where she meets the confident & charming Kirsty McBride. Kirsty is everything Saffron wants to be. Perhaps also, everything she wants. But Saffron can’t have it all... -
![Blurred Lines by Olivia Lucas]()
Blurred Lines by Olivia Lucas
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThis week is not going to plan…. So far, I’ve been stood up, taunted by a kid, and dunked in coffee. And that was just on my way to my job interview. I almost couldn’t believe it when the hot stranger who crashed into me in the coffee shop came to my rescue. Unfortunately, this stranger has a name – Natalie Dalton – and she might’ve also popped up at my job interview. And then on a night out... -
![Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey]()
Stars Collide by Rachel Lacey
From Rachel Lacey, award-winning author of Read Between the Lines, comes a sexy slow-burn romance about two dynamic divas who collide on the world’s biggest stage. Eden Sands has been a star for twenty years, but it’s lonely at the top. Her mediocre marriage just ended, and her inner circle is smaller than ever... -
![This Is the Season to Make You Mine by Johana Gavez]()
This Is the Season to Make You Mine by Johana Gavez
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWill the Christmas magic help these two friends take a shot at love? Morgan Bergman doesn’t want to go home for Christmas. She loves her family, but since her parents retired and her sister moved back to their hometown of Apfelville to take over the family business, she’s been avoiding them, feeling guilty about choosing her rising career in New York over her family...
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