Books like 'Defiant Heart'
Readers who enjoyed Defiant Heart by Brighton Walsh also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town steamy family enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity
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The Resurrection of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt took me a while to learn that sometimes no matter how much, or how hard you love someone, or something, you have to let them go. You can’t save a sinking ship.Sometimes, you have someone else you have to be strong for, who needs you more.You make a choice.A devastating one.And you hope, maybe one day, they’ll come back to you... -
The Mistletoe Kisser: A Small Town Love Story by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRyan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn steamy adult -
Show Me Forever (The Maxwell Brothers) by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
Unraveling Him by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA Small Town Family Romance. She’s the sunshine to his storm cloud Stoic, growly Evan Bailey has enough on his plate. A growing business, a pack of brothers who drive him crazy, a gossip-loving small town, and a rivalry that runs deeper than any family feud. Love? That’s a hard pass. He already learned the hard way that he’s better off alone. Fiona Gallagher has a problem...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
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Grumpy Cowboy by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsATTENTION: If you have been a victim of false advertising, you may be entitled to compensation...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property.Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things.He expects a no-nonsense businessman...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
Landon: Small Town Roommate Romance by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRELEASING APRIL 22nd!!! LANDON My former student. My new roommate. My greatest weakness….Autumn:It’s not that I’m hiding out in this hard luck little town. But I’m twenty-six years old, I’ve had one boyfriend and he ditched me for my sister. So I might be a little cynical. Then again, perhaps a high school math teacher shouldn’t expect romance...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
Cocked and Loaded by Jordan Marie
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen I slap the handcuffs on her I’ll be taking her to bed, not jail. Getting involved with the wrong woman can destroy your life. I had to move back home and lose my position as Detective to get away from one. The last thing I need is to repeat my mistake. I finally have what I want. Deputy in my home town, surrounded by family and friends— Life is good... -
Drink It Up: The Donovans by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsQuinn Donovan is a single dad with too much on his plate. He is surrounded by his wild and crazy family at home and at work while raising two little girls who are the light of his life. When a complete stranger swoops in to help him when he needs it most only to then disappear without a word, it seems he’s lost his chance to get to know her... -
Maybe We Won't by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA sexy and soul-stirring novel about love, family, and rediscovering what matters most by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.When workaholic Boston attorney Deirdra de Messiéres is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she takes a two-month hiatus to show her boss just how much he needs her and heads home to Silver Island... -
Taming Hollywood's Baddest Boy by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDo people say they hate someone’s guts so that they can still fall stupidly, head-over-heels in love with the other parts? Asking for a friend. Okay, fine. I’m not asking for a friend. I’m asking for me—and I’m begging you to tell me that the practice of falling in love with your should-be-enemy is common...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc -
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 steamy enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc alpha-mc humor -
Wild Temptation by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher Wild is a temptation I can’t resist.He’s my grumpy boss.He didn’t want to hire me,But as a favor to a friend -- he gave me a chance.Besides proving I’m a good worker, and can make a difference on his peach farm.It seems I can’t stop throwing myself at him. I didn’t think Asher would rock my world...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc family forced-proximity steamy romance -
Dirty Little Midlife (Fake) Date by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSingle mom Mia has a problem. Her new landlord Des just raised her rent, and even in her dreams, Mia wouldn’t be able to afford it.Not that she’d want to dream of Des. Ever.To make matters worse, Des is big, grumpy, and apparently his heart is made of granite. He’s not willing to meet Mia in any sort of middle.Suffice it to say, Mia’s forties aren’t off to a good start.Until...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
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Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe needs to get her out of his system. Just once...Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws, Erin Mallon
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA brand new spicy small town romance by Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Amy Daws. This book is the start of a mountain man spinoff series based on the three Fletcher brothers featured in her previous release, Last on the List.Coming April 11Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only...Categorized as:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity slow-burn steamy -
Matchmaking a Single Dad by Angela Denise, Angela Casella
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey’re all wrong for each other…but sometimes two wrongs do make a right.ColeThe only woman I need in my life is my eight-year-old daughter, Jane. As a widowed brewery owner, I don’t have the time or inclination for anything more serious than a one night stand... -
Shaken by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSawyer Kingston is an A**hole.The thing is, he’s got everyone fooled. To them, he’s the gorgeous billionaire who owns the hottest bar in the city.To me, he’s the cocky jerk whose favorite pastime has always been torturing me.The only thing we’ve ever agreed on is our mutual dislike for each other. But that was before I moved in next-door to him, and we shockingly agreed on something else...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers steamy grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity humor family -
Cougar From Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI have my fresh start in a new town, this time a widow with a preteen daughter who rolls her eyes enough to make them stay that way. Too bad my past mistake is also here to greet me. Daxon Hellman. Town a-hole. Hot young contractor hired to build my house in the woods.It’s only when I’m face-to-face with him for the first time that I realize he’s the mystery man from two years ago... -
The Gruff Loner's Bargain by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBrook:I might be down on my luck, but I’m determined to open the best all-inclusive wedding venue in the U.S. But first, I have to scope out the competition. The only problem is I need a fake fiance to pull it off. Even worse, the only man available to do the job is the annoying handsome Landry Hendricks. Because of course I need the help of the one man in town who hates me...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers alpha-mc steamy grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary -
Heartache & Playdates by Shawna Renae
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“Love isn’t like milk. It has no expiration date.” ~ Nonna Russo Maddox CruzSingle dad. Tech billionaire. Genius. That is what people saw when they looked at me. Those adjectives might all be true, but inside I was still a kid who grew up in the system and was raised by the streets. Which was why I had no plans to attend my 20 year high school reunion...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy alpha-mc humor contemporary billionaire -
Riptide by Kathryn Nolan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAvery Dacosta never expected to find a protester in front of her office.Especially not now, when she’s this close to achieving a professional milestone years in the making: building a luxury hotel on Playa Vieja, San Diego’s untouched beach paradise.Finn Travis, local surfer and all-around nice guy, never expected to find himself the leader of Playa Vieja’s resistance... -
Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNeighbors to lovers can be a risky proposition in this funny, sexy, and swoony romantic comedy between a single mother and the grumpy man next door by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke.When Gabrielle Solomon falls, she falls hard. Even if that means literally toppling over a porch railing in nothing but a flimsy towel—right in front of her sexy new neighbor...Categorized as:
family humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn female-mc -
Enticing Her Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPro: Stuck sharing a bed with my hot, broody boss Con: He’s trying to get me fired Discovery Hour reporter Sutton Steele spends her days trying to keep her job, while her insanely hot, infuriating boss, Flynn Braden, would love nothing more than to see her gone...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor romance -
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Once Upon A Bet: A Grumpy Single Dad Romance by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll I ever wanted was the perfect happily ever after.All he ever wanted was to ruin my freaking life.Okay, that’s a smidge dramatic, but hear me out.My new neighbor might as well plant an “unavailable” sign in his front yard.He’s got biceps made for pulling swooning maidens out of danger, eyes built for melting glaciers (and panties), and a smile that makes my knees want to buckle...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
More Than I Could by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThis grumpy single dad falls hard for the nanny. Chase Marshall is many things:· An attentive single dad· Jaw-droppingly gorgeous· My employer for the next thirty daysHe’s also the bane of my existence.He swears I’m a never-ending headache—the most infuriating woman he’s ever met...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
His Christmas List by T.L. Swan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHis Christmas list....The inaugural first year of Christmas short stories by T L Swan.Every year I will add a new short story to this collection and it will be live to download for 28 days only.Merry Christmas my beautiful readers, thank you so much for giving me a chance and reading my books.You really have made all my wishes come true... -
See Me After Class by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratings"Did you have relations with my brother . . ." Good question. I’d like to preface this by saying it was never my intention to ever get involved in a workplace romance, let alone get involved with the most surly, agitating, and pompous man I’ve ever met who just so happens to be my new friend’s brother...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Heartbreak & Cupcakes by Shawna Renae
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAlex VaughnThe last thing I wanted was to be named San Francisco’s Most Eligible Bachelor. The title alone was misleading. I wasn’t a bachelor. I was a widower and single father. One who wasn’t available or interested.Well... there was one person who might have piqued my interest. Cupcake Girl. But interest and intent are two very different things...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine steamy adult book contemporary -
What Hurts Us by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAsking Layla Mousavi to be my fake fiancé wasn’t the weirdest thing I had done this week. It didn’t even crack the top ten. Not when my days were filled with escaped pigs, radioactive casseroles, and cow-induced car crashes._____________The population of Falls Creek, North Carolina, is a collective menace to society...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy forced-proximity humor female-mc romance -
Man Splain by Vanessa Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's literally my job to make sure everything goes to plan. I'm really f-ing good at it. But when the beautiful coffee shop owner refuses a corporate loan to keep her business afloat solely because we had a slightly-drunk quickie, it makes me crazy. Insane. Frustrated. Turned on. Especially when I discover the stubborn woman chooses instead to be a cam girl to pay her bills... -
Boone by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m old enough to be her father, and a life-long confirmed bachelor, but after one night together, all that is about to change. Boone Wilson Instead of building my forever with a conventional family, I’ve dedicated my life to being the best father I can to the son I had way too early in life. Now that he’s grown, I’m giving all I can to my job... -
The Brazen One by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy -
Bro Code Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiving with my older brother’s best friend wasn’t even my worst idea lately.Keeping it a secret from my brother was on the list too. Oh, and actually falling (literally) for Blaze Hellman—when every frown clearly said to stay away—was most definitely at the top of the list.I was kind of a genius normally...Categorized as:
steamy alpha-mc humor enemies-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc -
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If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI, Marlow Taylor, need to stop fantasizing about the hot, single dad next door.Should I have agreed to nanny his cute six year old who loves my dog Waffles? Absolutely not.But her dad seems to think he can do everything himself. ( no one can)3 reasons why I absolutely cannot fall for Dylan 1. He’s grumpy and doesn’t seem to like me very much2...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn humor romance -
Knockout by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt wasn’t fair that the man I hated with a passion was so freaking gorgeous.Things in Layla Fox’s life were going great. She had a fantastic job, amazing friends, and a killer apartment. There was just one tiny glitch in all that perfect. Her upstairs neighbor was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome . . . and she hated the man with every cell in her body...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn -
That Feeling by Alexis Winter
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe’s one of those girls—Mysterious, driven, all kinds of sexy.The first time I saw her wrapped up in skintight denim and a cowboy hat riding a mechanical bull, I knew she was trouble.The kind of trouble you spend all night praying never ends and a decade trying to forget.But somehow, after losing a bet, I not only promised her a date but I tasted her cherry red lips...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Stunner by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNever in a million years did I think I’d be jilted on my wedding day.Around the time Asher Rose was supposed to say “I do”, she was bellied up to a bar full of bikers, three sheets to the wind and feeling sorry for herself. The last person she expected to come to her rescue was Owen Shields.He was tattooed, broody, and her ex-fiancé’s best friend... -
Temptress by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWho knew the grumpy single dad next door would turn out to be The One?As Sloane Chambers stood at her window and creeped on the new guy moving in next door, she was immediately drawn to the tattoos, muscles, and the way his jeans hugged his perfect . . . frame. But when she caught him hacking up her rose bushes with a chain saw, the battle was on...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers age-gap forced-proximity alpha-mc family -
True Colors by Amy Knupp
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNot much bothers him… until his best friend’s little sister moves to town. Carefree personal trainer Drake North is long on charm and short on connections that do more than skim the surface. His main ties are to his family and his best friend, so when his friend’s little sister moves to town, Drake promises to look out for her...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity female-mc humor family romance -
True Blue by Amy Knupp
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe was jilted on her wedding day. He’s the best friend waiting in the wings. Lexie Gallagher is starting to think she’s better off alone. Her family fell apart years ago. Her relationships all end in disaster. Is she the common denominator who causes everyone to leave? Everyone but her best friend, Gabe, who whisks her away from the scene of the latest breakup...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity female-mc humor family romance -
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...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn -
Grumpy As Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe town’s hottest firefighter just put out the fire in my pants. Literally.Ace Hellman. Star quarterback. Grumpy-as-hell firefighter. Chief pain in my ass.He’s beyond arrogant, inducing women to fake emergencies just to see his sexy swagger as he comes to save them. Not me though. That fire was a total accident. I swear...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Claus and Effect by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTwo strangers who couldn’t be more opposite find themselves on an unexpected cross-country road trip days before Christmas where whatever can go wrong, does.He’s an Army Ranger.She’s a baker.He’s organized and rigid.She’s messy and carefree.He doesn’t do relationships.She’s following her heart.His family chat blows up his phone.She just buried her last living relative...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn family alpha-mc -
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Spill the Sweet Tea by Lyra Parish
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSome describe me as a quirky, free-spirited journalist who charges her crystals by moonlight.They’re not wrong.My instincts ensure I know everything that goes on in my small town. And not much surprises me. But when the man who destroyed my heart returns to care for his family’s business, I’m shaken to the core.After our messy breakup, Hayden Shaw swore he’d never come back to Valentine, Texas...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc family steamy female-mc alpha-mc -
Promise Me Never by Nichole Greene
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be a carefree summer, a chance for me to shed my bookworm ways and get some experience under my belt. Literally. Instead I find myself thrown in the path of the grumpy and frustratingly sexy, Luke Stone. He’s my grandpa’s right hand man on the ranch which makes him inescapable.After tragically losing my wife I swore off love...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn family romance -
Let Your Hearts Be Light by Fae Quin
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA stranger is just someone you haven’t been forced to spend Christmas with yet.Baxter: As a 42-year-old single father the last thing I expected before Christmas was for my daughter to sign me up for a community matchmaking event...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity steamy family slow-burn -
Craving by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE WEDPOCALYPSE CONTINUES... Marlon St. James wants only one to be left alone. He has a house, a successful private security business, and endless peace and quiet. Things are exactly as they should be. Until Camilla. His brother thrusts soft, sweet, curvy Camilla Fox in front of Marlon and announces that she’ll be moving into Marlon’s house. Otherwise, she’ll be homeless. Fine...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn humor female-mc romance -
Latte Darling by S.J. Tilly
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI have a nice life - living in my hometown, owning the coffee shop I’ve worked at since I was 16.It’s comfortable.On paper.But I’m tired of doing everything by myself. Tired of being in charge of every decision in my life.I want someone to lean on. Someone to spend time with. Sit with. Hug.And I really don’t want to go to my best friend’s wedding alone... -
The One Who Loves You by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Pippa Grant comes a fabulously sharp-witted romantic comedy about a socialite’s fall from elitist grace to backcountry purgatory—and her accidental tumble into love.If the Upper East Side had an evil twin, it would be Tickled Pink, Wisconsin. This run-down, backwoods town isn’t worthy of the footprint of my Louboutins, never mind all of me...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc
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