Books like 'What's It Gonna Take'
Readers who enjoyed What's It Gonna Take by Lacey Black also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town friends-to-lovers workplace kind-mc steamy alpha-mc forced-proximity
-
Say It's Forever by A L Jackson
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom NYT and USA Today bestselling author A.L. Jackson comes a close proximity, single-parent stand-alone romance about a woman on the run and the man who will do anything to save her…Jud Lawson found me stranded in the rain.Broken down on the side of the road in a deserted neighborhood with my piece of crap car.I wasn’t looking for a hero, and definitely not one who looks like him... -
Her Daddies Saving Grace by Laylah Roberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCan she find happiness with not one Daddy but two?A childhood tragedy made Juliet withdraw into herself. Only the love of her overprotective, insane brother helped pull her out... sort of.He’s loved her for years, but Xavier knows Juliet is too fragile for his darker needs. So he watches from afar, never claiming her as his.Then grouchy, bossy Brick barrels his way into her life...Categorized as:
alpha-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy workplace action-adventure adult age-gap -
The Fisherman Series: Special Edition by Jewel E. Ann
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFEATURED IN THIS EDITION:• Special Edition Cover• A foreward from the author• The Naked Fisherman• The Lost Fisherman• Bonus content: select chapters from Fisher's point of viewUSA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Jewel E... -
Could Be the One: (Lucas and Becca) by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve always been the good girl, doing what people expect. But when I find myself dumped, instead of engaged, I realize it’s time for a change. I want to stop being so timid. Take risks. Find my naughty side. And who better to help me than my friend Lucas? Sure, Lucas is sexy as sin, with a smile that turns my brain inside out and a body that makes me think a lot of very bad girl thoughts...Categorized as:
steamy friends-to-lovers forced-proximity alpha-mc romantic-love contemporary audiobook small-town -
-
Same Ol' Situation by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIsaacI’m about as straight-laced and by the book as they come. They call me Numbers, the man in the office of Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my friends. Routine and spreadsheets, that’s how I spend my day. I’m a creature of habit, from the designer clothes to the same girlfriend, I crave the pattern I’ve become dependent on... -
Warrior by Renee Rose, Vanessa Vale
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMistake #1: Sleeping with a friendHooking up with Quincy was a no-brainer.The sexy hot-shot Navy pilot wasn’t on my SEAL team.I thought she’d be safe for a one-night stand.Mistake #2: Letting her walk out the doorI realized too late she wasn’t a one-and-done for me.But now she thinks I’m a player. Okay, she knows I’m a player.Which is why she won’t go there with me again...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy workplace alpha-mc romance contemporary military -
Relentless by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratings“I had to sneeze.” I should’ve taken her insurance information and driven off like any reasonable CEO with places to be would. She crashed into my car, for heaven’s sake. Because she had to sneeze. What did I do? I didn’t get in my car and drive away, if that’s what you’re thinking. Nope. I stuck around. I could suggest I stayed because she needed help, but the truth? She was really, really hot...Categorized as:
workplace friends-to-lovers alpha-mc forced-proximity steamy romance contemporary family -
Broken Wings by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLogan “Crow” Taylor had every intention of not getting involved in trouble after gaining his freedom and rejoining his motorcycle club. But when the rough and rowdy biker crosses paths with a single mother in need of help and his protection, he can’t turn his back and walk away... -
The Rulebreaker by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSloane Baxter is a good girl. She may not have an enviable or even desirable past, but she’s making her future perfect, including all the things she’s dreamed of, a solid home, a job she loves, and a life she’s created despite the hurdles she’s had to leap. Sloane is living her life on her terms... -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy alpha-mc workplace romance contemporary fiction -
Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace Bianchi has always been drawn to men who are allergic to relationships. But when a mysterious man walks into her shop, saving her from a disaster, she finds herself wondering… is he different than the others?Ryder Cooper is fumbling his way through life. He’s been lost since his wife passed away, leaving him to raise two young children alone...Categorized as:
steamy friends-to-lovers alpha-mc romance contemporary family found-family small-town -
The Christmas Toy - A Holiday Reverse Harem Romance by Krista Wolf
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat do you give the three chiseled alphas who invite you to share their snowy mountain cabin for the holidays? Anything they want... They're the three hottest guys in the office. Gorgeous, hard-bodied loners who always spend the holidays together, traveling to exotic places for excitement and fun. Only this year -- they invited me...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy workplace adult audiobook book contemporary -
Kickstart My Heart by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWalkerThere’s nothing better than a packed house on a Saturday night, and co-owning the hottest restaurant and bar in town with my best friends, isn’t so bad either. We put everything into Burgers and Brew. My job is to keep the alcohol moving and the patrons coming back for more. I won’t let anyone break my focus.That was until I saw her.As much as I try, I can’t fight it... -
Stay Over by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBrooksOverhearing my cousin’s best friend confessing that she’s never been satisfied wasn’t my fault… but offering to help her change that definitely was. Her brother is a friend of mine, and while this has a bad idea written all over it, it doesn’t stop us from becoming friends… with benefits. Palmer is gorgeous, off-limits, and stubborn as hell. For the first time, I’m the one left wanting more...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity romance contemporary small-town age-gap slow-burn -
-
Love You More by Julia Kent
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsColleen Luview's love life is cursed. No—really. The small-town nurse is notorious in her touristy mountain community. After every third date she's ever had, the guy ends up in her emergency room.She's untouchable now, and it's not her fault... -
Stay Together by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRushtonFrom the moment I see her, I’m hooked. There’s just something about Crosby that has me eager to know her. One thing’s for sure, I can’t stay away from the new kindergarten teacher with the kind smile and secrets in her brown eyes.There’s no hiding in a small town, and she’s suddenly everywhere... -
Pretty Incredible by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBlair Hooking up with my best friend’s brother was a mistake…an unforgettable one. It’s always in the back of mind and having returned to town has brought all those feelings rushing to the surface. This time, I’m only here to cover my dad’s patients and help run the clinic—all work and no play. I haven’t even seen Gabe Rhodes since the steamy night we shared after he rescued me from a snowstorm... -
Merging Wright by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt takes a village, or in the case of this jaded silver fox, he needs a wife to save one.“I need you to marry me.”Jane FoxMy boss cannot be serious. The ridiculously handsome man I hate-to-crush on has just proposed I pretend to be his wife for a funeral. A funeral! Only, when he dangles a much-coveted position in exchange for my time, I can’t refuse... -
At First Meet by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues the Montgomery Ink Legacy series with an emotional, friends-to-lovers romance where second chances begin with a promise.I fell in love with the wrong man and learned the hard way to ask for help.I don’t plan on falling again and have no intention of trying.But when I get invited to a high-powered CEO retreat, I know I can’t say no...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity alpha-mc romance contemporary family audiobook -
Wild and Wicked by Mari Carr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThere are worse things than getting trapped in a cabin during a blizzard with her best friend’s big brother, hockey star, Elio!Gianna, queen of to-do lists, clean freak, organizer extraordinaire, has her future all figured out. Dream job at twenty-four, engaged at twenty-six, married at twenty-eight, first baby at thirty. And she’s on her way to achieving that…sort of...Categorized as:
steamy forced-proximity friends-to-lovers romance sports contemporary audiobook small-town -
Commanding the Curvy Girl by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTo save a curvy dispatcher and win her heart, this detective will do whatever it takes. Even if it means answering every outrageous call in Silver Spoon Falls.EastonTaking a bullet was supposed to be as bad as things could get.And then I moved to Silver Spoon Falls.There is nothing easy about life in this crazy small town.Especially when a curvy little dispatcher decides she doesn't like me... -
Flirt by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWANTED: A SITUATION-SHIPI’m a single female that’s tired of relationships ruining my life. However, there are times when a date would be helpful. If you’re a single man, preferably mid-twenties to late-thirties, and are in a similar situation, we might be a match.Candidate must be handsome, charming, and willing to pretend to have feelings for me (on a sliding scale, as the event requires)... -
Undeniable by C.A. Harms
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSometimes in life you are forced to do things you may not agree with. Family meant everything to Jude Calvert. He would do whatever it took to keep them safe and provide for them no matter what it took to make that happen. Even if that meant putting his own safety at risk, he had no other choice. Callie Raine has always felt a heavy attraction toward Jude. He was fascinating... -
Holding On by Pamela Clare
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA hero barely holding on… Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help... -
-
Straight Up by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new standalone in the Twisted Fox Series.Book 3, Straight Up: (Lincoln and Cassidy's story)... -
Silent Chaos by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBraxtonOur senior year, I promised my girl forever. Forever, as it turned out, wasn't enough. She told me so in her actions. When she took a match to my life, burning it to ash. I headed to LA with my band—Raging Chaos—like we always planned, while Kaylee went to college, taking my damaged heart with her. This was where our story was supposed to end. Only six years later, our lives collide again... -
Never Too Late by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHave you ever had your mother try to fix you up?Mine has been relentless, butting into my dating life forever.Every single time has been a total disaster.But when Ma summons me to her local hangout, I’m not expecting her to do it again. There’s only so many women in our small town, and at my age, I’ve met them all... -
Saving His Sunshine: A Firefighter Romance by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan an adorable menace of a dog, a bakery under fire, and one irresistible firefighter change this curvy girl's life forever?Alessandro BangerI’m used to my dog causing trouble. It’s what he does.But breaking into my sassy neighbor’s house might be a new low even for him.Or else he’s a genius, because Jesus. I did not know we moved in next to an angel... -
My Ex's Baby by Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOkay, so he wasn’t actually my ex. August is my best friend’s older brother, and he just went with me to Macy and Gideon’s wedding. You know, friends with no benefits.Then we ended up having sex at said wedding.At the reception, not during the actual ceremony. Hello, I have some manners.We agreed to not do it again. Until I thought I was pregnant. And instead of being upset, I was happy... -
The Wild One by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJasper Westbrook. Code name: Swoon Machine.My best friend's older brother.Melter of ovaries. Destroyer of panties.And suddenly...a single dad.Guys like Jasper—I bet you know the type? The chiseled arms. The wavy hair. The melt-your-brain-cells smile.Good thing I'm a smart girl—Honey Hill's former child prodigy, to be precise—I should know better than to fall for this playboy's charm... -
Taste by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThe last person on earth I want to be stranded with is Gianni Lupo.But thanks to the blizzard of the century, I’m trapped in a roadside motel room with that cocky bastard for two straight days.With one small bed.Some women might thank Mother Nature for delivering a polar vortex that maroons them with six feet of solid muscle, those deep blue eyes, that sexy grin--but not me...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy workplace adult audiobook book contemporary -
-
Wild Mistake: A best friend's little sister forbidden romance by Kim Loraine
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Best Friend's Little Sister RomanceIt seemed like a good idea at the time.A two-week Hawaiian vacation with a beautiful woman. What could go wrong?Well, when that woman is my best friend’s little sister, the answer is - everything.Mackenzie Langston has been in my life since we were kids, and until now, I didn’t see past her family and our friendship... -
Bad Taste In Men by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“You’ve been moping around long enough. Let me show you how these guys should be treating you.” Bailey Davis does not have bad taste in men. She’s just had some relationships that haven’t worked out. That’s totally normal. And she now has one broken engagement. Big deal. And an ex-fiancé who cheated on her. Okay maybe she has bad taste in men. At least the ones she plans to marry...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity contemporary small-town fiction multi-pov book -
-
-
Dirty Promises by Aubrey Bondurant
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Oakley Winters travels to her best friend’s wedding, the last thing she expects is to be stranded on the side of the highway by her date. Luckily, a handsome stranger stops to rescue her. But it turns out her hero isn’t a stranger after all. Max Brooks dreads a return to his small town, but it’s impossible to say no to his sister’s request to attend her wedding... -
So Flocked by Sarah Estep
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter the wedding, they’ll go their separate ways and no one will ever know what happened in the lighthouse.Jordy Taylor is a disaster. Over the hill by professional football standards, the veteran quarterback isn’t ready to hang up his pads just yet, but his team might have other plans...Categorized as:
forced-proximity steamy friends-to-lovers kind-mc romance contemporary sports fiction -
Vicious Tycoon by M. Robinson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author M. Robinson comes a contemporary standalone romance...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy workplace romance contemporary drama fake-relationship -
Gage by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGageMy club is on edge and tensions are high, but all I can think about is her. She’s a temptation that’s almost too much to resist. I’m way too old and she’s way too good. But when I find out she’s pregnant and no one in the MC stands up and stakes a claim on her or the baby, I do the only thing I can… I make them both mine.RoxyOne night with Gage and he doesn’t even remember it... -
Midnight by Shon
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt was supposed to be one night.A one-off. To quell my curiosity and quench my thirst.It didn't really go that way though.. -
Dane by Kate Oliver
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSummerReturning to her home town was supposed to be temporary. But things change when she realizes her mom needs her help. And when her old high school crush who lives next door finds her on the front porch crying, everything changes. It all feels like a dream come true. At least until reality sets in...Categorized as:
forced-proximity alpha-mc friends-to-lovers romance small-town contemporary found-family age-gap -
Christmas Criminal by Ally Williams
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFifty hours of community service with the town's hot new math teacher. What could go wrong?When the town sheriff catches me egging my dad's house, he gives me an ultimatum: stay in this town I hate to participate in community service, or risk potential jail time with a criminal mischief charge... -
Seducing the Cowboy by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAfter leaving his hometown seven years ago, Payton hasn’t returned. One heartbreak was enough to turn him off relationships forever. As soon as he arrived at the Circle B Ranch, they treated him like family—something he’s never had—and he met the one woman he shouldn’t want. He’s put her in the friend zone, but after agreeing to her proposition, he can’t hold back anymore... -
Expect Me by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTravis Stevens struggles to move on and forget about the one amazing night he spent tangled up in the sheets with a beautiful woman who disappeared just before dawn. Now she’s just a memory that he can’t ignore... -
-
Shaken by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA see yourself out note isn’t how you want to celebrate the morning after your first one- night stand.The first time I meet Archer Callahan is when I block him in a parking spot.The second is a fender bender.The third is at a bar, drinking away our problems, and finding our way to his bed.I never expected to see him again... -
Rigid by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWomen don’t stay... no matter how much you love them.And I can’t chance it with her... because when she leaves me... I wouldn’t survive it.I’m not a nice guy. I don’t even try to be.I take what I want and then I move on.I never thought about having a wife and kids...Until I met Emily.She makes me want things I know I shouldn’t.So I’m mean to her. I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is...Categorized as:
alpha-mc friends-to-lovers steamy adult age-gap anthologies contemporary enemies-to-lovers -
Rebel Heart by Brighton Walsh
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsComing home to find out my ex is my new roommate is a nightmare…especially when I’ve been pretending to hate her for years.Harper Davidson has been ingrained on my heart since we were kids, and now she’s tattooed on my skin. But she’ll never know about either. Not when she’s better off thinking we’re enemies...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy alpha-mc workplace romance contemporary mental-illness -
Soaring with Fallon by Kristen Proby
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby… Fallon McCarthy has climbed the corporate ladder. She’s had the office with the view, the staff, and the plaque on her door... -
Mine to Cherish by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThings are supposed to go smoothly on your wedding day.Aren't they?ClarabellaDid I want to get married today?It's hard to say when he proposed in front of over a hundred people.Everything happened so fast, and I thought it was just nerves.It was not.The knock on the door showed me that what I was feeling was more than just cold feet.I was a runaway bride...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy alpha-mc workplace romance contemporary audiobook -
Indescribable by Jennifer Van Wyk
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI walked down the aisle and said “I do” to the wrong man.Unfortunately, it took me eight years to figure it out.It took me even longer to realize who was in front of me the entire time.You’d think that being a romance author would have helped me to see the signs that I chose wrong the first time and I would have been able to write my own happily-ever-after so easily...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.