Books like 'Bruised But Not Broken'
Readers who enjoyed Bruised But Not Broken by Nicole Dykes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mlm lgbtq age-gap friends-to-lovers slow-burn angst workplace dark
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Taken by Storm by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsChef Storm is moody, antisocial...and he just asked me to be his fake boyfriend.Most people on the island avoid the hot-tempered chef, but he doesn't scare me. Sure, he's prickly, but I've also caught him feeding a stray cat, so I know there's more to him than the sky-high, barbed-wire fence he's built around himself... -
![Exiled by Jessie Walker]()
Exiled by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWelcome to Black Diamond Resort and Spa… …paradise for the banished, and my newest prison.Growing up, I was the problem child teachers didn’t know what to do with.The troubled teen whose parents wished was never born.The system’s made of cracks, and I fell through each and every one, all in a futile effort to protect the family legacy.They tried to fix me... -
![Free from Falling by E.L. Massey]()
Free from Falling by E.L. Massey
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJustin “Matts” Matthews is good at a lot of things: Rubik’s Cubes, playing guitar, herding cattle, and most importantly for his career in the NHL, hockey. He’s not good at human interactions or social cues, especially when it comes to women. This deficiency is an annoyance rather than a problem, right up until he meets Sydney Warren. If it’s not love at first sight, it’s sure something close... -
![Slow Hand by Nora Phoenix]()
Slow Hand by Nora Phoenix
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFord never wanted to be a Daddy. So how did he end up with not one, but two boys who need one…?Master Ford loves his life. He’s respected in his club, has his choice of boys to play with, and is happy staying single.When the club owner asks him to take in two abused boys, Ford reluctantly agrees... -
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![Priest by Aiden Bates, Ali Lyda]()
Priest by Aiden Bates, Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m lonely, but am I ready to move on?I’ve been Ankh’s Old Man for as long as Hell’s Ankhor has existed. But Ankh’s been dead for two years, and I need to live my life for me. I love the guys of HAC, but no one’s keeping me warm at night. No one except Mal, and that’s only in my dreams.He doesn’t do long term, and he’s one of my oldest friends... -
![Still Beating by Jessie Walker]()
Still Beating by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTHE END WAS JUST THE BEGINNING... I thought I was strong enough to say goodbye.I thought I was ready to leave him.It doesn't matter that I'll be seeing him in three days.I just have to get through three more nights.I'm dying now. Shattering. Breaking.I'm determined to show him I can manage on my own.What if he needs me?I need him...What if he doesn't?...but I want to be better for him... -
![Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox]()
Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSpoiler This isn't some sad exploration of my tragic past. I have a list of the people who bought and sold me. And they aren't getting a redemption arc. I was luckier than most. I was rescued by a team of guys who search out people like me, and now I get to work with them. But I'm not the hero of this story. I don't forgive. I don't forget... -
![Sober Dope & Sundays by Nordika Night]()
Sober Dope & Sundays by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWHEN ZERO WILLPOWER MEETS AN IRON WILL...Who goes to rehab eight times? Gage does. As a recovering addict fresh out of rehab, moving back in with his mom and starting over in his hometown isn't part of his life goals, but Gage needs all the support he can get. Lost and a little unsure of himself, Gage meets his new sponsor. A sponsor whose son is the perfect sober companion... -
![The Art of Husbandry by Jay Hogan]()
The Art of Husbandry by Jay Hogan
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen life drowns you in lemons, to hell with making lemonade. I wanted to burn the whole world. But eighteen months from the day my life was torn apart, I’m tired of the anger. Tired of the nightmares. Tired of putting one foot in front of the other just trying to survive. Three months on a high country sheep station in the middle of nowhere is exactly the reboot I need. A chance to break free... -
![One Wrong Move by Olivia Hayle]()
One Wrong Move by Olivia Hayle
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe woman I love has always been off-limits. She was my best friend’s fiancée… and now my new roommate. I thought I was used to pain. Harper dated my best friend for years, and I was going to be the best man at their wedding. Until she blows up the engagement and shows up in London with a new job.Being friends never worked for me. That’s why I moved away...Categorized as:
age-gap friends-to-lovers forced-proximity slow-burn angst romance contemporary billionaire -
![Old Ink by Ali Lyda]()
Old Ink by Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s way too young and he works for me … so why can’t I stay away? I had no trouble saying no to Channing when he left for college two years ago. I’m two and a half decades older than him and he was just a kid. But he’s all man now and it’s hard to stay away. Especially when he takes a job at my tattoo shop for the summer. He’s got his whole life ahead of him. I can’t let him waste it on me... -
![Loving the Legend by Kit Grey]()
Loving the Legend by Kit Grey
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSince Pro basketball player Ty “Pretty Boy” Washington picked up a basketball, he’s only ever wanted one to make it to the pro league and win championships. As the number one pick in the draft, he defies the odds in his rookie year by beating the record of one of the greatest players in the league, Sid “The Wonder Kid” King... -
![The Beautiful Mess by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
The Beautiful Mess by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA heroic, sworn bachelor risks his neck to save lives, but his heart needs a daring rescue.Kerry likes his beer cold, his coffee hot, and sex without strings. Running an emergency response crew takes up most of his time, and he reserves the rest for his family. Besides, he’s experienced enough heartache for two lifetimes and isn’t looking for more misery... -
![Felix by Emmy Sanders]()
Felix by Emmy Sanders
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat more could an exhibitionist want than a willing voyeur right next door? EmilI like being watched. I’m not ashamed of it, nor my job at Elite 8 Studios where fans know me as Felix. But when my newest costar turns out to be the very same neighbor I’ve been giving private shows to through the window, I’m thrown for a loop...Categorized as:
mlm lgbtq friends-to-lovers found-family workplace forced-proximity romance contemporary -
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![The Flirt by Layla Hagen]()
The Flirt by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeing a single dad while managing one of the biggest businesses in New Orleans keeps me very busy. Any free time I have I spend with my daughter, Bella — reading to her, styling her hair, or choosing nail polishes appropriate for an eight-year-old. But I’m okay with that because she is my whole world. After my divorce, I made myself a promise: I wouldn’t date until Bella was older...Categorized as:
workplace friends-to-lovers age-gap boss-employee slow-burn forced-proximity found-family romance -
![Code Red by N.R. Walker]()
Code Red by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMaddox Kershaw is the main vocalist of the world’s biggest boy band. He’s at the top of every music chart, every award show, every social media platform, and every sexiest-man-alive list. He’s the bad boy, the enigma, the man everyone on the planet wants a piece of.He’s also burned out and exhausted, isolated and lonely. Not in a good headspace at the start of a tour...Categorized as:
age-gap angst boss-employee forced-proximity found-family friends-to-lovers lgbtq mlm -
![Resting Beach Face by D.J. Jamison]()
Resting Beach Face by D.J. Jamison
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's the only man who doesn't want me...and the only one I really need.Cash and Declan's story is coming soon in Resting Beach Face! This will be Book 4 of Swallow Cove, which follows a tight-knit group of friends in a quirky lake town... -
![Wheels Down by Beth Bolden]()
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 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... -
![Wanted: Tender Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Wanted: Tender Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSome hurts change the course of your life forever, but with the devoted attention of an older Daddy, can a boy become comfortable enough in his own skin to hold on tight to the life he deserves? As the last boy left from the original crew of waiters at The Tap Tavern searching for his Daddy, Archie’s filled with nervous excitement. And a little dread. Okay, he’s scared to death... -
![Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsChip’s had a good example of a Daddy—and the absolute worst. Ollie’s determined to give him the best…forever. If Chip didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. All he’s ever wanted is a man to see him, truly hear him, and love him. Ollie is the definition of protective, with the muscle to back it up... -
![Teddy by Emmy Sanders]()
Teddy by Emmy Sanders
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWaking up married is bad enough. Having feelings for my husband? Pure disaster. TeddyI wasn’t looking for attachments. I certainly wasn’t looking to get drunkenly hitched to my coworker’s best friend, the very man I’ve been denying an attraction to for over a year...Categorized as:
mlm lgbtq found-family forced-proximity age-gap friends-to-lovers romance contemporary -
![Hard Ink by Ali Lyda]()
Hard Ink by Ali Lyda
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI don’t have the best history with older men.When Mateo saw my last relationship implode, he was there to help.He saved me.Hopefully self-defense lessons will keep me from getting hit again.I can’t ask for more of my friend.Even dreaming of keeping him is wrong.But when my ex makes things difficult, Mateo steps up again.I don’t want a protector, but maybe it’s time to accept a little help... -
![His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley]()
His Last Christmas in London by Con Riley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFalling for his final client won’t make leaving London easy… Ian ~ A talented, young photographer desperate to stay in London.Guy ~ An older, fierce food critic, determined to keep him in his city.Ian shouldn’t be attracted to a scathing food critic like Guy Parsons, not after the last time he fell for someone older, arrogant, and gorgeous... -
![The Final Play by Amie Knight]()
The Final Play by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Final Play isn’t always the end. Sometimes, it’s the beginning of something far more beautiful. As a professional linebacker, I lived and breathed football. The only thing I loved as much as the game was my twin brother, Max, who kept me almost as busy cleaning up his messes. The most recent of which landed him behind bars...Categorized as:
age-gap angst forced-proximity found-family friends-to-lovers slow-burn adult athlete -
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![The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins]()
The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s my best friend, my best worker, and it was just a silly crush.Then he kissed me. Now it feels like he's mine…I’ve shown my best friend Tristan everything: how to use a circular saw, how to lay grout, and how to do a kitchen renovation right. On the job, we became close friends—then even closer as we learned to share a camping tent.It was all harmless. Just like my crush on him... -
![Wanted: Understanding Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Wanted: Understanding Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIs it possible for a renewed friendship to lead to more? Dylan’s life changed for the worse back in middle school. Because of that, he ghosted his best friend, Brett, out of fear and embarrassment. Now, as things finally come together for him, he’s more concerned with earning a place back in Brett’s life than he is about finding the Daddy his friends think he needs... -
![Love Thy Brother by Garrett Leigh]()
Love Thy Brother by Garrett Leigh
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe fourth instalment in the bestselling Rebel Kings seriesExpect: His brother’s best friend. His best friend’s little brother. The soft-hearted bear and the rowdy chaos gremlin. The inevitable only happens when you let it. “Riv, if you ever let me speak, you’d know exactly how I feel.” I’ve told him that a thousand times, but River’s stubborn streak is a mile wide.He doesn’t want to hear it... -
![On the Line by Naomi Loud]()
On the Line by Naomi Loud
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrowing up in high society, James Ferdinand never imagined that one day she’d end up working as a server.But after her authoritative father gives her the ultimatum—stay in line rather than pursue her art—she needs to find a quick way to support herself since she’s unwilling to give up on her dreams.The answer is landing a job at Orso, a fine-dining restaurant in the heart of Marsford Bay...Categorized as:
dark workplace friends-to-lovers forced-proximity found-family romance contemporary new-adult -
![For the Cameras by Raleigh Ruebins]()
For the Cameras by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOur fans get to see everything when we’re together on camera.But what’s between the two of us is strictly for the videos… right?I’ve been a socially awkward introvert for my whole life—and not a soul knows that I upload anonymous videos to an adult site. By day, I’m a shy office worker. At night, I have my hand, my phone camera, and a little secret.Chase is my polar opposite... -
![Pure Country by Kelly Fox]()
Pure Country by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’d sooner cage a wild bird than try to pin that cowboy down. But God, I want to make him mine.Our sizzling banter and filthy texts are the stuff of legends, but Rowdy is the king of one-night stands, and one night with him will never be enough.I crave a future with him, which is exactly why I’ve kept him at arm’s length... -
![Grumpy Bear by Slade James]()
Grumpy Bear by Slade James
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHooking up with an employee is not on my to-do list.Making sure other men have a good time is my business, even if it means suppressing my own desires. It’s opening weekend at my clothing-optional campground, guests are starting to arrive, and I’ve got a pool party and a few hundred peoples’ vacations to save while battling Mother Nature’s tantrums...Categorized as:
age-gap boss-employee forced-proximity friends-to-lovers lgbtq mlm slow-burn workplace -
![Navarro by Kelly Fox]()
Navarro by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy late wife made a bet with me: if I marry her brother, I have to take his last name. “That's the rule. You marry two Navarros, you become one of us.” Renée always did have a sense of humor—even as she was dying—but I’ll never love anyone the way I loved her. Falling for my brother-in-law? Psh. Desi’s almost twenty years younger than me and far too pretty. Besides, my son would never forgive me... -
![Himbo by Emmy Sanders]()
Himbo by Emmy Sanders
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSurely I can’t fail at falling in love? CasNo one ever told me I might meet the love of my life on my knees in a coffee shop.I’m not one of those people who has everything figured out. I work at my dad’s company because it’s expected, not because I enjoy it... -
![Virgin Skin by K.M. Neuhold]()
Virgin Skin by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI know I have to keep my hands off of my best friend’s son, but it’s hard… really, really hard…I didn’t know the guy I picked up in the bar last night was Hero’s son. To be fair, he didn’t even know he had a son until today. I guess we’re all just scrambling to put on our poker faces.Keeping my hands off of Milo is hard enough thanks to his lickable dimple, flirty smiles, and virgin skin... -
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![Total Creative Control by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm]()
Total Creative Control by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSunshine PA, meet Grumpy Boss ... When fanfic writer Aaron Page landed a temp job with the creator of hit TV show, Leeches, it was only meant to last a week. Three years later, Aaron’s still there ...It could be because he loves the creative challenge. It could be because he’s a huge Leeches fanboy. It’s definitely not because of Lewis Hunter, his extremely demanding, staggeringly rude .. -
![Stick Shift by K.M. Neuhold]()
Stick Shift by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIs it possible my straight best friend had a sudden stick shift?I made peace with my hopeless crush on my straight best friend, Journey, years ago. It helps that he’s never in the country long and our relationship consists of sporadic texts and video chats at odd hours.Now Journey is back. Back in the country, in my space, sharing my bed, and something is changing between us... -
![Rear Ended by K.M. Neuhold]()
Rear Ended by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLove is a highway, and Henry just got Rear Ended I’ve spent my entire adult life working eighty hours a week, chasing money, security… success . When my recent start-up went under, leaving me with nothing to show for years of grinding myself down to the bone, I’m not sure who I am anymore... -
![Gravity by Tal Bauer]()
Gravity by Tal Bauer
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsC’est cela l’amour, et tu es mon rêve...Bryce:Hockey is my life. This game pulled me from my tiny Quebec hometown all the way to the NHL, and now? I’m the number one player in the league. Team capitaine for the Montréal Étoiles. I’m shattering records and packing arenas every night, and I’ve promised my team: we’re going to win the Stanley Cup this year.But I’m keeping big secrets... -
![Or the Highway by J.D. Light]()
Or the Highway by J.D. Light
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTrying to make it through one day at a time is all Justice has known for the last six years. To say that he had an interesting past is putting whipped cream on top of dog crap. He's done what he's had to to survive, but he's well aware of the stigma that comes with some of those things. Nobody had the ability to keep a straight face when you told them you were a prostitute for five years... -
![When the Storm Comes by M.A. Innes]()
When the Storm Comes by M.A. Innes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDonovan’s day just keeps getting worse. It might not have been the zombie apocalypse, but a tsunami and hurricane hitting the East Coast at the same time was definitely the start to a bad B-movie. Alone and doing his best to run from the impending wall of water that was only hours away, Donovan thought his day couldn’t get any worse. It could...Categorized as:
mlm forced-proximity lgbtq slow-burn friends-to-lovers contemporary new-adult fiction -
![Head Over Heels by Jayda Marx]()
Head Over Heels by Jayda Marx
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDwayne - Twenty years ago, there was a terrible accident which put my son in a wheelchair and took the life of the woman whom I thought I’d spend my life with. I became depressed and despondent, and pushed everyone away. I could have lost it all forever, but fate, a little luck, and a firecracker named Finn helped me piece my life back together... -
![Our Love: The Story by M.A. Innes]()
Our Love: The Story by M.A. Innes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen had his whole life become so miserable?Bishop knew something had to change when the only bright spots in his life were his online friends. So when a chance to visit one came out of the blue, he knew it was fate…and fate had a plan that involved the guys at his favorite online store, Leashes & Lace... -
![Chief Executive Daddy by Honey London]()
Chief Executive Daddy by Honey London
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsReid has lost everything—his home, his Daddy, even his self-confidence. The man he thought he loved stripped it all away, piece by piece. Now, he has no choice but to put his life back together, and closing his heart is the only way to move forward.The last thing Foster needs is another distraction. As the CEO of a busy hospital, he doesn’t have time to take care of anything but his work... -
![Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee]()
Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPJ couldn't be more surprised that he needs a Daddy in the bedroom...Joel and PJ met as pre-teens at Takoda Outreach Center. They’ve shared every secret, first as best friends, then roommates. But now that they’ve graduated from college, adulting presents circumstances and unforeseen problems that they never saw coming... -
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![A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee]()
A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIndie’s determined to navigate this world alone, but he’s never come up against a determined Daddy before. Normally, everyone likes Cameron. As the General Manager of The Tap Tavern, he’s protective, empathetic, and considerate of his employees and their needs. Especially those who’ve come in through the Takoda Career Center. Indie knows betrayal. He’s lived with the consequences and survived... -
![System Overload by Saxon James]()
System Overload by Saxon James
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKellerBanging my son’s bestie was a total accident that will never, ever happen again. I’m sure of it.While he might be gorgeous and caught me in a weak moment, when it comes right down to it, my son has been my entire life for the last twenty-six years. I don’t know how to be anything other than his dad.But with Molly heading off to Seattle, he leaves me with a parting gift: Will.His best friend... -
![Haydn by J.J. Harper]()
Haydn by J.J. Harper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHaydnI’ll never find a boyfriend. Who would want me? I’m too shy, too geeky, too ugly. And I carry a truckload of baggage. A few hookups, some quick groping in the dark, is all I’ve had, but I want more.A man who takes over the reins every now and then. A man who tells me what to do and takes care of me.Jonas is the man I’ve dreamt about. Quiet and funny, kind to patrons and staff alike... -
![Jaxon by Ruby Raynes]()
Jaxon by Ruby Raynes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings***Jaxon - Love in Ink - Book 2***AlexMy life is going fine. Okay, it was going fine until I found myself both homeless—my trusty car Trixie on her last leg—and in need of a fake fiancé. What I don't expect is for Jaxon, my long-time crush and the owner of Ink Me, to come swooping in like a knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
mlm age-gap friends-to-lovers lgbtq found-family forced-proximity romance contemporary -
![Shameless Expectations by Adrian J. Smith]()
Shameless Expectations by Adrian J. Smith
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEscaping the past is hard. Living in the present is harder.Monti Schroeder is on a quest for peace. She has been since the moment she was born, but peace has remained elusive. Living as a nomad, she takes work where she can get it. When her sister calls with a favor for her neurotic boss, Monti agrees for a few extra bucks. What Monti finds when she arrives is a woman just as broken as she is... -
![过门 - Guomen by Priest]()
过门 - Guomen by Priest
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:14Guomen, 過門/过门, meaning marriage in Chinese. If explained literally, it means going past the gates/door-a reference to the Bible(see above).“Through the Strait Gates”: to me, it’s the best way to explain it.The gate’s narrow, the road small for them...
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