Books like 'What Can Be'
Readers who enjoyed What Can Be by Mary Calmes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance north-america usa california mlm family lgbtq drama angst
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Revived by Kora Knight
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLove. The most powerful force in existence, but also the most ruthless. Cunning and deceptive. Man’s greatest Achilles heel. Leaving all who embrace it weak and vulnerable. At least that’s how Dom-for-hire Max Kelley sees it, after the love of his life knocked him on his ass. A brutal blow that not only stole his breath, but decimated his ability to trust. Turning him cold and cynical... -
Shattered Pieces by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me, and I felt it beat again.” ~Gage Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend’s little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I’ve been a zombie for nine long years... -
A Scarcity of Condors by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJuleón "Jude" Tholet has survival in his DNA. His father, Cleón, lived through imprisonment and torture during Pinochet's military coup in Chile. His mother, Penny, risked everything to gain her husband's freedom and flee the country with their newborn son... -
Beneath the Stain - Part Seven by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe one lesson that Trav's learned with the band's return to Tyson is that it should be hard to say good-bye. Mackey, Kell, Jefferson, and Stevie have to say good-bye to the person who helped make them and break them. They have to say good-bye to their bitterness and anger, and they have to say good-bye to lingering hope that one of the best parts of their childhood can be with them always... -
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MAXWELL 3: Love's Conviction by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMAXWELL, Part 3 A tender romance begins to blossom between Savannah and Maddy as darker issues arise when Cole, Gabe and Dane are clued in to Brock Coulson’s intentions to drag Caleb through a vicious court battle. Clint and Cochise return to lend a “helping” hand and Clint finds himself unexpectedly drawn to a least likely candidate for romance... -
White Locks by Rose B. Mashal
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen love knocked on Marie's door, she had a hard time denying her heart what it wanted. Especially after she'd found her black keys. Now Marie finally realizes that home is not where she was born, or where she'd lived all of her life. Home is where her Love is. It's time for her to follow her heart... -
Who I Used to Be by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsZachary’s life is careening toward disaster. At just 24, he’s had to do whatever it takes to survive, including selling his body, and the ways he’s found to escape from his bleak reality are destroying him. On one of the worst nights of his life, Zachary meets TJ, a broken man with demons of his own... -
Against the Wall by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDon’t start something you can’t finish.It’s a cliché, but 22-year-old graffiti artist Christian lives by those words. He’s going away when he graduates from art school in just six short months. With so little time left, getting involved with gorgeous Shea Nolan has to be a mistake. If only he could make himself stay away from the sweet, sexy police officer.Christian has a decision to make... -
Olive Juice by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt begins with a message that David cannot ignore: I want to see you. He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived. David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders. Phillip offers redemption... -
GABRIEL 2: Ransomed Love by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEnsnared in his debt to the Sanitini family, Gabe struggles to keep his “club” family oblivious to these new events governing his life. But when Quinton takes it upon himself to make a “preemptive” strike on one of Gabe’s friends as proof of what he’s capable of if Gabe steps out of line, the stakes are raised... -
MAXWELL 2: Trial By Fire by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMAXWELL, Part 2 As the trial becomes an emotional battle ground – within the courtroom and without – Max struggles to maintain his resolve to resist his heart. But as it becomes more and more evident that Horatio’s heartbreak over losing Max isn’t healing, but in fact growing worse, Max begins to question the choices he made so long ago... -
Phoenix Rising by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom an outsider’s perspective, the Phoenix Club might be just another high-end gay strip club, catering to the taboo desires and fetishes of wealthy men who wish to remain discreet about their preferences. But the Phoenix is so much more than a “workplace” to the owner, Maxwell Raines, and the young men who dance there. Max’s bond with his boys reaches far beyond that of employer and employee... -
Be Our Guest by CJ Bishop
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBlood is just blood. Family ties are knit in the heart and strengthened by love. With most of whom they consider ‘family’ already right there within their tight-knit circle, the Phoenix couples begin to look beyond that circle and contemplate those from the past who rejected and hurt them. Deep down, Dane longs for reconciliation with his parents... -
MAXWELL 1: Not Without Guilt by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMAXWELL, Part 1 While Abel faces trial for the death of Devlin’s brother – Craig Grant – Max and Horatio struggle with memories of the past, and what they still mean to one another. Holding the key that will free their hearts from the chains that have bound them for two decades, Horatio must hide it away and keep it secret now that “new” hearts are involved... -
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Forever at Sunrise by Ann Lister
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHaving survived the hell that ended their last tour, Wheland realizes just how short life can be and how close he came to losing his own in the flames of the Berlin fire. Officially off the road until everyone has had a chance to fully heal from their physical and emotional wounds, Wheland and his band brothers limp back home to make sense of what happened and where they will go from here... -
Communion by Ella James
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFinally, he's mine, and I can say that out in public.Luke McDowell, one of the most beloved public figures in America, is my forever. At least that's what we said.But love is different in the harsh glare of the spotlight. Sometimes it feels like the whole world's against us. Now our unofficial honeymoon is over. Luke is back at Evermore, trying to live the life he had before he met me... -
The Last Day Of Summer by J.F. Smith
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRett’s done some running away in his life, from family and from boyfriends, and he’s not above doing it again. His current boyfriend wants to take their relationship to the next level, which makes Rett hesitant and doubtful... -
Coming Home by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTy Scott has spent most of his life trying to keep his best friend, Declan, strictly in the friend zone. It hasn’t been easy, especially sharing a condo with him for six years. But having an unattainable straight best friend in his life is better than losing that friendship altogether. At 26, Declan Andrews is settled in his life... -
Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhen Jonathan Kechter agrees to a blind date with Cole Fenton, he expects nothing more than dinner and a one-night stand... but he gets more than he bargained for in Cole. Cole is arrogant, flamboyant, and definitely not Jon’s type. Still, when Cole suggests an arrangement of getting together for casual sex whenever they're both in town, Jon readily agrees... -
Aftershock by Tanya Chris
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBeing acquitted of Jamie’s murder won’t bring him back. Syed might be free, but he’s lost his lover and his sub, along with his sense of control, his libido, his friends, and the stomach to inflict the kind of pain Jamie thrived on. Even his high-rise apartment doesn’t suit him anymore... -
Taking the Long Way by Lily R. Mason
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne woman's journey towards self-acceptance through love, loss, family, friends, and career. Sample: “I don’t like him,” Natalia mumbled. It was the easiest way to start the conversation. “Um… I’m sorry,” Bridget said. “I don’t like that you’re spending all your time with him,” Natalia said. Her voice sounded pressured and forced, like she had to push a block of ice up from her chest... -
CALEB 2: Torn in two by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTorn by the discovery that Attorney Brock Coulson is also Samuel’s stepdad, Caleb is forced to choose between retribution for his brother and his new found love for Samuel. But when Coulson makes the choice for him, insisting he stop seeing Samuel or the deal is off, Caleb doesn’t resist the man’s stipulations... -
CALEB 3: Unbroken by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCan damaged hearts be unbroken? Betrayed love learn to trust again? Samuel’s discovering of Caleb’s extra-curricular activities with Brock incites a confrontation that leaves Caleb broken and in despair. With only the hope of freeing Nick to cling to and give him a purpose to live, Caleb is devastated when his brother suddenly tells him to stop trying to get him released... -
ANGEL 2: When Angels Fall by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCast away and forsaken by the one man he loves, Angel’s life spirals deeper into the hell that is his life. As the threats and dangers creep ever closer to consuming Maddy, Angel clings to the hope of escaping with his little brother... -
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ANGEL 3: Angels and Demons by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDesperate to save Maddy from the growing dangers, Angel must defy Wade’s threats and risk everything to escape with his younger brother.But when hope betrays him yet again, and Maddy disappears into the night – Angel is left alone to face his abusers and struggle to determine truth from lie... -
New Tricks by Davidson King
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter thirteen years together, Malcolm and Embry are all too familiar with their differences. Malcolm is free-spirited and spontaneous while Embry prefers having everything planned out... -
Let's Hear It for the Boy by T.A. Webb
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAuntie Social is the biggest, baddest drag queen in Atlanta—she knows what she wants and she gets it. She’s tough, merciless, and top dog. That’s what Paul Stewart, reporter for the Journal, had heard, and all he expects when he’s assigned to interview the legend.. But nobody really knows the person behind the make-up... -
His to Cherish by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan two hearts entwined by hardship move on to form a healthy bond? From the author of His to Love and His to Protect, this tender, bittersweet romance brings together a man who loses everything—and a woman with everything to give... -
Any Given Sunday by Mari Carr
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWild Irish, Book Seven.The child who is born on the Sabbath day, is bonny and blithe and good and gay. Sean Collins is happy working at the family pub and sharing a house with the woman of his dreams. He and Lauren are equals in every way, including in bed, where they burn the sheets. Life is good. Even if he must hide a couple of secrets to keep it that way.Lauren is madly in love with Sean... -
Walking on Thin Ice by Jocelynn Drake
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s not easy for Spenser Roland to admit it, but he needs help. Christmas is just a few days away, and he can’t face the idea of showing up to his family’s gathering alone … again. They want to see him happily settled, but Spenser doesn’t date. He can’t risk it if he wants to protect his family... -
Best of Both Worlds by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSebastian Gilman meets a guy on a dance floor every Friday night. He knows nothing about him, not even his name, only to find one day this familiar stranger turns up on his building site and they need to work together. Ryland Keller knows better than to get involved. Alone and half a country away from home, he revels in isolation until a handsome man in a gay bar turns his world upside down... -
Fear, Hope, and Bread Pudding by Marie Sexton
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe long-awaited sequel to Strawberries for Dessert.Families should grow, not shrink. It’s been on Jon Kechter’s mind since before he tied the knot with his millionaire lover, Cole Fenton. Now hoping to adopt, Jon and Cole search for a mother-to-be willing to let them love her baby, but the interminable wait is wearing on them both... -
Reservations by Kindle Alexander
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWildly successful entrepreneur, Thane Walker is stubbornly set in his ways and adamantly resists the shackles of commitment. He’s seen enough unhappy endings to learn the best way to play is by keeping his men on the payroll.Levi Silva’s dream of graduating from one of the country’s top medical schools is in his grasp, until news from home changes everything... -
Guys on the Side by Darien Cox
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the sequel to Guys on Top, we meet up with the Boston boys several months later. Corey has developed a close friendship with Doug, who’s still living in the apartment downstairs... -
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Coming Back by John Inman
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBarney Teegarden knows what it’s like to be alone. He knows what it’s like to have a romantic heart, yet no love in his life to unleash the romance on. With the help of a friend, he acquires a lease in a seedy apartment building perched high on a hill in downtown San Diego... -
Recovery by Con Riley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSalvage Stories: Book TwoSan Diego is a city of second chances for Jamie Carlson. His new career as a photographer is taking off, and with the support of a loving surrogate family, he’s finally putting his party years behind him. The Bailey family helped him solve his drinking problem, but there’s no easy solution to staying sober now that Belle Bailey’s dying... -
As I Am by E.M. Leya, Sara York
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKyle has struggled to protect his brother from the darkest things in life, but in doing so, they've lived on the streets, making a life for themselves away from those who would hurt them. It's taken years, but life is starting to look up for Ky. Still, he finds it hard to quit working the streets and the easy money it brings. Carson has everything he could want in life... -
Nowhere to Hide by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsStylish Sinclair Llewelling has little contact with his family, but he loves his cousin Lilly very much, and agrees to help her plan the elegant country wedding of her dreams. There’s just one problem: the foreman of the ranch where the wedding is to take place.Former rodeo cowboy Dawson West takes his job very seriously, and he doesn’t appreciate anyone who gets in the way... -
King Perry by Edmond Manning
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn a trendy San Francisco art gallery, out-of-towner Vin Vanbly witnesses an act of compassion that compels him to make investment banker Perry Mangin a mysterious offer: in exchange for a weekend of complete submission, Vin will restore Perry’s “kingship” and transform him into the man he was always meant to be... -
The Sky is Dead: a hurt/comfort gay love story by Sue Brown
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter being homeless for years, Danny won’t survive another winter. Will he accept a fresh start with a new name? Will he take a chance on love?Danny is a typical teenager, his life taken up with friends and school. Then he’s caught kissing a boy and thrown out by his parents. He learns fast how to live on the streets, doing what he has to survive, trusting no one... -
When Irish Eyes Are Sparkling by Tom Collins, Thirteen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis book is no longer available, due to publisher demise. Liam O’Shaughnessy wasn't expecting to fall in love again, not so soon after yet another painful break up. Then Oliver Sutton, paramedic in training, walked into his Aunt's Irish Pub, and shocked Liam's wounded heart back to life... -
CALEB 1: When World's Collide by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat do you do when the right love finds you at the wrong time? At age 17, Caleb Dean’s world is ripped apart in a matter of minutes, tragedy striking sudden and violent. Now, four years later, Caleb is still trying to undo what he deems to be his fault. Taking work wherever he can get it, Caleb finds his way to New York and The Phoenix Club... -
ABEL 3: Shattered by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAbel's heart is crushed by Devlin's vehement rejection and refusal to believe the truth about his brother. With the threat of prison hanging over him, Abel is sent away with Horatio Kaplan to Italy for safe keeping... -
ABEL 2: Hearts in Chaos by C.J. Bishop
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDevastated after learning his abuser (and the man he killed in self-defense) was Dr. Devlin Grant's much beloved brother, Abel feels he can no longer have anything to do with the man because of his secret. Now locked into his agreement with Horatio Kaplan – and suffering heart break over Devlin – Abel finds no purpose in his life except taking care of Savannah... -
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Falcon's Fox by Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA part of this books royalties will go to Tihan Network. This book is part of a series, preceded by Harley's Achilles. It can be read as a standalone. It contains homosexual relations and mature content. Heavy metal rocker Ransom Fox has everything he's always wanted: fame, money, groupies and a family who has his back. There's just one thing missing -- someone to love... -
One Step Further by Felice Stevens
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAlex Stern has it all; good looks, charm, a job he loves and everyone calls him a friend. He lives life to the fullest at a breakneck pace, in the city that never sleeps. But Alex is also a master pretender; not even his best friend sees the pain that Alex hides so well. Alex himself isn’t sure who he is or what he’s searching for, he only knows that he hasn’t found it yet... -
Ethan in Gold by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEvan Costa learned from a very early age that there was no such thing as unconditional love and that it was better to settle for what you could get instead of expecting the world to give you what you need. As Ethan, porn model for Johnnies, he gets exactly what he wants—comradeship and physical contact on trade—and he is perfectly satisfied with that. He’s sure of it... -
Regularly Scheduled Life by K.A. Mitchell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt's a long way back to happily ever after. Sean and Kyle have enjoyed six perfect years of what their friends called a disgustingly happy relationship. But what happens one sunny Tuesday morning in October might be more than even the most loving couple can survive... -
Not Knowing Jack by K.A. Mitchell
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen your lover becomes a stranger, trust is the weakest link of all. Bartender Tony Gemetti has it all: a rich, hot boyfriend, a McMansion in the burbs and unlimited sex in an expectation-free zone. He thought that was all he ever wanted out of any relationship until Jack begins making excuses for frequent disappearances... -
Hell by Jet Mykles
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHeaven Sent gets a hell of new keyboardist with a name to match. Heller Witting is an amazing musician and proves to be the answer to a sound that the band was missing. With lavender hair and big violet eyes, he captivates Brent Rose from the start, and not just with his music. Brent knows better than to get involved with a member of the band...
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