Books like 'The Ex Effect'
Readers who enjoyed The Ex Effect by Dana Hawkins also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary lesbian romance funny from hate to love queer small town friends to lovers forced proximity
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In the Long Run by Haley Cass
Free-spirited and easygoing Taylor Vandenberg left her hometown of Faircombe, Tennessee as soon as she could, and in the twenty-five years since, she has rarely looked back. She wouldn’t change anything about how her life has turned out – having traveled to nearly every country, never staying anywhere long enough to feel stifled...Categorized as:
queer small town forced proximity friends to lovers f-f contemporary mature couple tennessee -
![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...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love forced proximity friends to lovers small town contemporary f-f dual-pov -
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![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... -
![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 .. -
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![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 f-f contemporary queer-awakening friends-benefits humor length-short -
![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 f-f contemporary humor fake relationship length-short -
![The Last to Leave by Erica Lee]()
The Last to Leave by Erica Lee
Courtney Fields and Nicole Dawson were high school rivals who thought they would never have to deal with each other again. Eight years after graduating, the two are thrown back together on a trip to Cabo with their two best friends. Throughout the trip, they quickly learn they get under each other’s skin in more ways than one... -
![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 from hate to love small town queer f-f contemporary second chances angst -
![Say Cheese by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Say Cheese by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
In a small town teetering on the brink of collapse, will one woman's arrival seal a factory’s fate or open the floodgate for love and redemption?Elle Robinson's world is literally swept away when a raging flood sends her car careening toward certain doom, only to be rescued by Angela Lane – a spirited, self-reliant, and unexpected savior who pulls Elle back from the edge of calamity...Categorized as:
from hate to love queer small town forced proximity f-f office contemporary age difference -
![BY DESIGN: The Beginning by J.A. Armstrong]()
BY DESIGN: The Beginning by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBuilding bridges has a very different meaning for Jameson Reid than it does for Candace Fletcher. J.D. Reid spends her days designing some of the most elegant and majestic buildings and homes in North America. U.S. Senator Candace Fletcher has spent her life working to build bridges between people. J.D. Reid is not who Candace Fletcher was expecting to arrive on her doorstep... -
![Just a Touch Away by Jae]()
Just a Touch Away by Jae
An ice queen’s frosty façade is melted by the power of touchHannah 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... -
![Karaoke Queen by Erik Schubach]()
Karaoke Queen by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSkylar was horribly scarred by a fire in a violent crime, thoughts of suicide plagued her until she found music. It was her savior. She came forward from the shadows to express her pain through song. Karaoke bars were her salvation. Now in an international competition, she finds herself continually vexed by her rival, Kim, who never shows her any quarter... -
![Don't Let Me Go by Rachael Sommers]()
Don't Let Me Go by Rachael Sommers
Faking a relationship with your bestie might be fun…if you weren’t crushing on her gorgeous, grumpy, older aunt. A lesbian romance filled with fighting, flirting, and feisty ice queens.New Yorker Kenzie Wilson agrees to play a fake girlfriend for her best friend for a family Christmas vacation in an idyllic Portuguese town... -
![Blissfully Blindsided by Robin Alexander, Lori Prince]()
Blissfully Blindsided by Robin Alexander, Lori Prince
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBlaze Sonnier has had a bad year. In the spring she made national news while dressed as the Easter Bunny in a brawl where she was trying to defend herself, and earned the moniker Bitch Slap Bunny. In the fall the mother who abandoned Blaze for an acting career showed up on her doorstep, not only injured from an accident but broke and in need of a place to stay... -
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![Shift the Tide by Bryce Oakley]()
Shift the Tide by Bryce Oakley
Izzy Tierney is doing everything right. She’s got a job she’s proud of and a passport full of stamps from her frequent work trips. Everyone keeps telling her she’s living the dream — but it’s starting to feel more like drifting. Constant motion is just another way to avoid standing still long enough to feel lonely... -
![Learning to Trust by Kallie Mont]()
Learning to Trust by Kallie Mont
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratings“Parker?”Parker loved that voice and she adored hearing it say her name. But in this moment, it scared the shit out of her.In the sleepy coastal town of Doveport, the pot isn’t just stirred—that bitch is boiling over.Maggie and Parker are new... like, brand-spanking-new. But for all of their flirting and butterflies and romantic intention, the universe has devised one giant beaver-dam... -
![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... -
![Fearless by Robin Alexander, Lori Prince]()
Fearless by Robin Alexander, Lori Prince
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFalon Whyte books a cruise for her girlfriend of two years. What she hopes will be a fun vacation quickly turns out to be a nightmare. Falon is normally a woman who can roll with the punches, but life delivers a series of blows that knock her on her butt and leave her stranded in Honduras with the company of an uptight woman she doesn’t like. Haley Hollis isn’t having a good time, either... -
![The Fall by Robin Alexander]()
The Fall by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsNoel Savino has no problems attracting women. After several failed relationships, she's more than happy to keep it casual. Sunny Chase is willing to be another notch on Noel's bedpost, after tragedy of her own. Despite their playful intentions, they find themselves poised to fall, especially if Noel’s old-school Italian mother and Sunny's cross-dressing uncle have anything to say about it... -
![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...Categorized as:
queer forced proximity friends to lovers f-f contemporary humor length-short open-door -
![The Adventurers by Bryce Oakley]()
The Adventurers by Bryce Oakley
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThey're about to embark on their greatest adventure yet.Joey Moore got her heart stomped on. At her engagement party. So, she did what any normal, completely rational 28-year-old would do — she moved to a new city with her dog to start a new life. Without much of a plan, it turns out... -
![Flashbang by Lee Winter]()
Flashbang by Lee Winter
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAt a celebrity party, all eyes are drawn to the glamorous A-listers. No one’s watching two entertainment reporters–knockabout Iowa girl Lauren King and her secret lover, Caustic Queen Catherine Ayers–as they celebrate their last night together in LA in erotic style. A sexy slice from The Red Files universe... -
![Solid Foundation by J.A. Armstrong]()
Solid Foundation by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLife is never simple in the world of politics. The pressure is on Senator Candace Fletcher to make a run for the governorship of New York State. Everyone seems convinced it's the right move for the affable senator. Everyone that is, except Candace. Life took an unexpected turn for the senator when she met and fell in love with Jameson Reid... -
![Right To Remain Silent by Erik Schubach]()
Right To Remain Silent by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsMadelyn Stone and her brother moved to Seattle to make a fresh start and leave their troubled past behind them. With her brother working in a scrapyard, and Madelyn selling handmade items from her cart in Pike Place Market, everything is starting to look up. It all comes crashing down around Maddie when a thief makes off with her cash box, but not before her vendor cart get’s demolished... -
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![Making Waves by Erik Schubach]()
Making Waves by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLenore Statham, the runner for the Flotilla Project, had been at her lowest when she was found by Angie Wells and Paya Doshi and brought into the fold. She learned how to be strong again and break the shackles her old life had hobbled her with... -
![Ships in the Night by Erik Schubach]()
Ships in the Night by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe playfully evil sisters, Zoey and Eve, play matchmaker from their bakery, The Pike, in Pike Place Market in Seattle. Ligaya is a quantum physicist working in a research lab at the University of Washington. She is seduced by the numbers and math with a drive that excludes everything in her life including social interactions. Emotions have always been hard for her to understand or express... -
![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... -
![The Proposal by T.B. Markinson]()
The Proposal by T.B. Markinson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIs a single day worth changing the course of your entire life?Marley Royce has just two goals for her seventy-two-hour stay in London: land a career-making business deal and finally meet the woman of her dreams face to face.Fate has something else in mind.The mega conglomerate Marley works for wants to acquire the venerable but struggling Braithwaite Books... -
![Southbound and Down by K.B. Draper]()
Southbound and Down by K.B. Draper
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDrew Beckett’s life is a well-curated plan. Small-town to successful Assistant U.S. Attorney, assigned to an above-the-fold case that could eliminate a notorious crime family and put her firmly in line for her ultimate promotion. The last thing she needs is a distraction; like a threat on her life or the seriously lickable dimples on the U.S. Marshal assigned to protect her.U.S... -
![A Midlife Woman by T.B. Markinson]()
A Midlife Woman by T.B. Markinson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLizzie Petrie can’t quite believe she’s approaching middle age.It’s summertime and Lizzie is determined to have the best summer yet.Just as long as no one acknowledges that on July fourteenth she’s turning forty. She can’t kick the thought that getting older is a failure on her part. And it’s dangerous, too. She tweaks her neck simply trying to make toast... -
![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...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers queer from hate to love small town contemporary christmas f-f -
![Christmas at Rainbow Falls by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod]()
Christmas at Rainbow Falls by T.B. Markinson, Miranda MacLeod
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Sweet Small Town Romance Christmas at Rainbow Falls is a sweet small town romance written in the style of your favorite holiday movies, so grab a cup of cocoa and snuggle in for some yuletide cheer!When a disastrous mistake at work puts her career in jeopardy, Natalie Dunbar retreats to the small Vermont town of Rainbow Falls to settle the estate of an aunt she hardly knew... -
![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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer forced proximity small town f-f contemporary age difference humor -
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![Dear Me by Robin Alexander]()
Dear Me by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAlexis Holt unknowingly meets the woman of her dreams at a party. Unfortunately, Alexis was at the wrong place at the wrong time and walked away from the encounter thinking Stacy Kirkland was an arrogant snob. Alexis knew it wouldn’t be the last time she saw Stacy, and she wasn’t looking forward to their next meeting... -
![Next Time by Robin Alexander]()
Next Time by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsPayton Foret agrees to play wingwoman for her best friend. She never dreamed that when she walked into the bar that night that she’d meet her soul mate. Though their only physical contact was a simple handshake, Payton begins to believe in love at first sight. There’s only one problem—the woman of her dreams is already in a relationship with someone else... -
![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 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 from hate to love forced proximity small town f-f humor length-medium open-door -
![One Last Run by Bryce Oakley]()
One Last Run by Bryce Oakley
Danica Wendell seems to have it all figured out. She’s a respected neonatologist at one of the finest hospitals in the nation, engaged to the man of her dreams, and living a life that most only dream about. Well, one of those things is true. The other? Well, that's her secret to keep for now.Petra “Pete” Pancott isn’t settling for an average life... -
![ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love by Mira Ong Chua]()
ROADQUEEN: Eternal Roadtrip to Love by Mira Ong Chua
The original Girls’ Love/yuri graphic novel that exploded on Kickstarter!Leo’s the hottest senior at Princess Andromeda Academy, and her adoring fangirls have one goal: beat her in a road race and win the chance to date her! Unfortunately for them, the only thing Leo loves more than breaking hearts is her faithful motorcycle, Bethany...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love contemporary f-f humor length-medium new adult fake relationship -
![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... -
![Under Construction by J.A. Armstrong]()
Under Construction by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIt takes well laid plans to build a lasting relationship. Jameson (J.D.) Reid has years of experience designing tall buildings and even restoring majestic structures. She's worked to lay a solid foundation to her burgeoning relationship with Senator Candace Fletcher. But, love and architecture require different materials and tools... -
![The Secret of St. Claire by Robin Alexander]()
The Secret of St. Claire by Robin Alexander
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLighthearted romance, sweet and funny.Idyllic, quaint, and straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting is St. Claire, Louisiana—at least on the outside. Beneath the veneer, it’s anything but. That’s the secret of St. Claire. Born and raised in St. Claire, Lindsay Juneau’s life was seemingly full raising a six-year-old daughter and caring for her widowed mother... -
![The Startling Inaccuracy of the First Impression by A.E. Radley]()
The Startling Inaccuracy of the First Impression by A.E. Radley
Woodlands Avenue is a peaceful and tranquil street, picturesque with Victorian-era homes and lined with trees. Verity Forsyth lives at 27A, and is enjoying her early retirement, active social calendar and occasional babysitting duties.Katie Ross is starting over, leaving her old home and her controlling ex behind and moving into a new apartment...Categorized as:
from hate to love queer humor contemporary f-f age difference length-medium glimpses-kisses -
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![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... -
![Making It: A Novel by Laura Kay]()
Making It: A Novel by Laura Kay
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the author of Wild Things comes a heartwarming and relatable queer rom-com about an isolated young woman whose artistic celebration of her pet chinchilla suddenly launches her into the professional art world, reality TV fame, and first love.Isobel's life is just her, her mum, and her pet chinchilla, Abigail, in their council flat on the Kentish coast... -
![Wolf Shirt & High Heels by Evie Marque]()
Wolf Shirt & High Heels by Evie Marque
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFlirting at work has never felt this intense—or this real. The last thing Ramona St. Germaine needed was public humiliation on her wedding day. Yet, the universe had different plans, leaving her jilted and questioning everything—friendships, loyalty, and her own judgment. She soon learns the culprit behind her unique engagement falling Quinn Archer... -
![Teaching Hope by Sienna Waters]()
Teaching Hope by Sienna Waters
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIt’s time to learn a lesson...American high school teacher Ava Stanford has been betrayed in the worst way possible. So she takes a temporary job at a village school in England. She’s definitely not running away, but even she admits she’s got nothing to go home to.School receptionist Hope Perkins is hardly at her peak... -
![Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić]()
Sunstone: Mercy Book Three by Stjepan Šejić
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo women deal with modern themes of sex, relationships, and fetishism in this erotic romantic comedy."MERCY," Part Three. Loving someone means building a shrine within your heart dedicated to them. A shrine made of good memories and treasured moments. As the mercy arc reaches its third volume Anne is about to find the shrine of her heart ransacked by none other than the person it was devoted to... -
![Keeping Time by Erik Schubach]()
Keeping Time by Erik Schubach
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsMelinda Stafford, an inspector with London’s Office of Historic Preservation is assigned to oversee the renovation of a historic building along the River Thames that the Flotilla Project is converting into living spaces for those in need. She wasn’t prepared to meet a boiler system mechanic who played into her obsession with all things Victorain...
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