Books like 'Pining'
Readers who enjoyed Pining by Stephanie Rose also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town family friends-to-lovers slow-burn multi-pov age-gap steamy poc-mc
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Marcus & Reagan: Rojo, TX by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMarcus and Reagan have been part of the Texas Knights, Texas Kings, and Tempest family for more than thirty years. They’ve weathered ups and downs and raised their children surrounded by family that may not share their blood but share their hearts.Come to Rojo with Cee Bowerman and attend the wedding we’ve all been waiting for... -
Taming My Whiskey by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBuckle up for a wild ride as Dixie Whiskey finds forever love in TAMING MY WHISKEY, a funny, sexy, and emotionally riveting standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster... -
Smolder by Helen Hardt
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe’s on the rebound, and he’s on the prowl. Aurora “Rory” Pike gave up her dream of becoming an opera superstar long ago. Now she’s content to teach music to the children of Snow Creek while helping her family recover from the wildfire that devastated them... -
Pretty It Up: The Donovans by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDescriptionSometimes love just isn’t enough, or is it?Lana Gold, one of the Donovan triplets, found her one true love in college but lost him when the life he’d dreamed of became reality. Being an outsider looking in and so far away from her family and hometown took its toll on Lana and her marriage until she’d finally had enough and left it all behind... -
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Letting Go at 40 by L.B. Dunbar, Stella Hunter
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA bereaved widow finds herself with a chance at love after loss with the most unlikely of people: her late husband’s best friend.Anna Kulis has lost her husband. Their love was a perfect kind of love; a once in a lifetime experience. She never intended to find love again. Never expected to have this attraction stirring inside her... -
Not Part of the Plan by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom the Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author comes a new installment to the Blue Moon small town romance series. A womanizing bad boy with a motorcycle and sexy-as-sin smile is not part of Emma’s life plan. She moved cross-country to be close to family and finally settle down in hippie, trippy, nosey Blue Moon Bend... -
Gaining Miles by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 20 ratings“Now there was nothing holding me back. I kissed her deeply, passionately. Kissed her for every time I’d wanted to and couldn’t. For every time I’d stared at her with longing in my heart, wishing we could be where we were now.” It’s never too late. Loving a woman you can’t have isn’t easy... -
Through His Eyes by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe moment I saw her walk through the door of Forbidden Ink, I knew she was the one. With her wide hips, thick thighs, and perfect breasts, she’s every man’s wet dream. Add to that her dark, soulful eyes, pouty lips, and a body covered in gorgeous art, and I knew I needed to make her mine... -
Southern Sinner: A Fake Relationship Romance by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhat happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Until I brought my fake girlfriend home.When I took a seat next to the gorgeous brunette at the blackjack table, I had no idea it would be the start of the hottest weekend of my life. By day, Stevie and I dominate the casinos of Sin City.By night, I dominate her in my penthouse suite... -
Everything I Always Wanted by Stephanie Nicole Norris
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt was a mouthwatering kiss that changed everything… One thing that held constant in Shelby Donovan’s life was her career. As a world renowned artist, Shelby’s paintings traveled the globe, landing in museums and homes across the nation. But what she couldn’t seem to get under control was her love life. Her mother insisted it was because of her best friend, Sebastian Cartwright... -
Daddy in Cowboy Boots by Laylah Roberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLinc liked an uncomplicated life.He didn’t need much. A cold beer after a hard day’s work. A comfy bed. Good food. And a soft, sweet woman. A Little he could coddle, love and discipline.When he met Marisol, he thought he’d finally found her.Hmm . . . remember that uncomplicated life he enjoyed? Turns out that Mari’s life is anything but simple... -
Pull It Up: The Donovans by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsComing from a family as large as the Donovan clan, Lake hasn’t had many secrets in her life. She works with her family, lives in the same building as all of her siblings, and has two sisters who are identical to her in almost every way. But now, she’s got a secret, and the longer she keeps it, the bigger it’s going to get.Mark came from the kind of family that most people can’t even comprehend... -
Wrangling the Cowboy by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBull riding is all Gavin’s known for years, but when it’s time to retire, he can’t let go of the reckless lifestyle. He finds a job that brings him to a small-town Texas ranch and face-to-face with the woman who snuck out after their one-night stand.She can pretend she’s over him, but he’s not letting her go that easily... -
This Crazy Love by J.H. Croix
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRule #1: Do not fall for your brother’s best friend. Rule # 2: Absolutely do not fall for your brother’s best friend. Rule # 3: Don’t break the rules. Shay Jackson Stone is hot—like burn-down-buildings kind of hot. He’s also my brother’s best friend, and the memory of one kiss with him years ago still might get to me. Maybe. But, I am not looking for a second chance...Categorized as:
steamy friends-to-lovers multi-pov contemporary fiction small-town military action-adventure -
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Always Someone's Monster by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA few years ago, when his sister went missing, Haggard Crow turned into something he never wanted to be. A killer.Even after his sister is rescued a year after she was kidnapped and sold, Haggard ‘Thief’ Crow doesn’t have any plans on changing. He sort of likes the zero fucks given guy that he is now... -
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 slow-burn romantic-love contemporary audiobook small-town forced-proximity -
What the Heart Learns by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiam has always preferred spending his life inside books, only looking up to occasionally growl at customers in his shop. Until the day someone new comes to town. A woman who could keep up with him, someone who sees beyond his guards, who makes him want something decidedly non -fiction for a change. The only problem is, Riley has a secret. One that just might tear them apart... -
Small Town Swoon by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOnly in the movies does the Hollywood heartthrob fall for the small town diner waitress.So when Dashiel Buckley returns to Cherry Tree Harbor for a wedding, I’m determined not to let my massive crush on my best friend’s older brother hijack my good sense.(It happened once before. Do not recommend.)But when my hand is injured, it’s Dash who steps in at the diner... -
Crazy by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke brings laughter and love in this friends-to-lovers, small town romance. Love is crazy.Peck Ward, the sweet, small-town mechanic, isn't sure it's for everyone. Least of all him. His life is chaotic enough without adding the pressure of a relationship. Besides, unrequited love is a real thing and he's kind of over it... -
Tangle by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSparks fly between a die-hard romantic and a sexy cynic in this fresh, funny romance from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke. That cream-filled, caramel-topped doughnut should have been hers. Still, Haley Raynor can’t deny that the pastry thief with the dreamy blue eyes looks even more delicious... -
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:
family steamy friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance contemporary found-family small-town -
The Line by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI was a thief. The invisible girl only he could see. The woman who wanted to be more. He was the mark. The extraordinary cowboy who stole my sixteen-year-old heart. The damaged man who still owned it, even four years later.The Line was where we began.Where fates collided. Where truths derailed.The place where our love story ends... -
Perfect Wreckage (The Wrecked Series) by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMy past taught me to play it safe.To stay far away from handsome men who promised it all.My life was good without them. Stable, secure, predictable. But one kiss showed me that I’d been playing it safe for far too long.One night, and all I wanted was more of his wildfire.One challenge and my carefully constructed walls tumbled down... -
Love at First Sight by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLove at first sight. That’s what it was when Rip Myers came up to me in kindergarten. From that point on, we were inseparable best friends. When I work up the courage to tell Rip I love him, I am met with rejection. He tells me he treasures our friendship too much. That statement might as well be a knife to my heart. I want to hold out hope that he’ll change his mind... -
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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 age-gap steamy slow-burn romance contemporary small-town forced-proximity -
Doppelbanger by Heather M. Orgeron
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDoppelbanger; A person who bangs someone solely because they look similar to another person they want to bang. At thirty-five, Gina Bourque is still playing the field. If he's single, in his early twenties with dark hair and brooding eyes, there's a damn good chance you'll find him in her little black book... -
32 Rowan Blvd by Kelsey Kingsley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGet married.Buy a house.Have a baby.That's every girl's dream, isn't it? Well, maybe not every girl, but for Christy Bush, it was.So, when her boyfriend realized he didn't want any of those things, the obvious answer was to set him free and find a man who did... -
Forcing You Away by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs I search for a fresh start, a friend convinces me to move to his small town. Considering I don’t have a place to live, his little sister offers me her spare room.She’s every man’s dream—witty, down to earth, and gorgeous as hell—too bad she’s off-limits. Unspoken words and stolen glances have me eager to please her in all the forbidden ways... -
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... -
No Vacancy by Stephanie Rose
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan a summer fling become the love of a lifetime? Perpetual good girl Caterina Longo is dependable to a fault. At 33, she’s never called in sick. Never had a one-night stand. Never taken a chance in her entire life... -
Someone to Love by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Seaside ChroniclesJanuary 3, 2023On the HookSeasiders,News on the beach is Braxton Bradley has caught the eye of Seaside’s very own darling, Harlee Tilson. Now, this might come as a shock to many of you, since the eldest Bradley sibling has been rumored to have made a vow to never marry. After all, his fishing charter has always been his number one love... -
Somebody to Love by Wendy Vella
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe was the bad boy no one trustedBailey’s burned out and not sure what leads her back to Ryker Falls, but has a feeling it’s got something to do with closure. Bad boy Joe Trainer was once her soulmate, but she isn’t sure she has a soul anymore. Finding he’s made something of his life is a shock, as he’d been on a one-way trip to hell when she left...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers steamy multi-pov romance contemporary small-town enemies-to-lovers fiction -
Bayou With Benefits by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey are friends. Without benefits. Unfortunately.Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A model.Sure, she’s his son’s favorite person on the planet... -
Part of Me by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFishing for the TruthSeasiders,News on the docks is Sutton Bradley may be adding new stock to her little boutique store, Coastal Chic, on the square. Now, I can neither confirm nor deny that it is sexy lingerie, but seeing as Ms. Bradley has been seen on more than one occasion in the company of Brody Wilson, who, let me remind you, was voted as the catch of the season... -
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Forgiven by Carrie Aarons
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn a split-second, a car crash killed almost everything between them. Ten years later, can one accidental ride fix tattered spirits, uncertain futures, and broken hearts? Lily Grantham has always done what she’s been told. The daughter of a senator, she grew up as the good girl of Fawn Hill, and carried that torch right on through to adulthood. Her only wild streak? Bowen Nash... -
Budding Attraction by Saxon James
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFordI’ve never thought much about Orson Naples.He’s a cute guy who I’d seen around town a few times, but then one day he up and left and didn’t reappear until a few years later. No one knows where he went or what he was doing, all this gossipy town knows is that he’s a widower, owns the florist, and is friends with that divorced group that hang out at the Killer Brew all the time... -
Wallflower by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe’d spent her entire life as a wallflower, hiding from the rest of the world.Willow Thorne had gotten really good at blending in with the wallpaper. The shy, quiet little mouse was more comfortable spending her days in her protective little bubble. Then she met a big, burly mechanic who looked really good on a motorcycle and made her feel things she’d never felt before... -
Always Yours by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA billionaire in love with his best friend.A woman pregnant with another man’s baby.Together, in a friends to lovers romance.I’ve been in love with my best friend for what seems like forever. But she wanted the one thing I couldn’t give her.Now, she’s pregnant with another man’s baby. The “donor” wants nothing to do with her... or the child, so I do the one thing I’ve always wanted to do...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap steamy romance contemporary small-town billionaire fiction -
Hard Knox by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCallumA gay guy walks into a straight bar and notices the hottest man he’s ever seen.Why am I not surprised my life sounds like the beginning of a bad joke? First, my ex cheated on me, and I went running to Havenwood and the mom I have a complicated relationship with. Then, there’s Knox, the gorgeous lumberjack I don’t stand a chance with... -
Stirred by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsI don't want him. I can't do this. That's what my ex said after our son was born, leaving me a single dad. These days, my world consists of two things: Noah and my bar. Until her—the woman I want—but can never have. My ex’s sister wasn’t supposed to be stirred into the mix. Even though I try to push her away, my son falls in love with her... -
Falling for my Brother's Best Friend by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLet’s say you’re an independent, self-sufficient woman who runs the family company and you find yourself falling for your little brother’s best friend. Now, more than ever, you need to count all the reasons why you need to abandon falling.Abandon Falling #1 – He’s a womanizer. Hasn’t had a serious relationship a day in his life and changes women more often than he changes his sheets... -
Employing Patience by Saxon James
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsArtWhen it comes to regrets, I have none. My life is perfect. I own a bar, work hard, party harder, and smother my niblings in all the love they deserve. I don’t need to settle down, as much as my sister might want me to.But then Joey Manning walks into my office and leaves me all but begging to give him a job … and wanting to give him so much more... -
Stay by Willow Aster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA scorching hot small town, age gap, single father/nanny romance by USA Today bestselling author Willow Aster...Categorized as:
age-gap friends-to-lovers slow-burn family multi-pov romance contemporary small-town -
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... -
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Shaun's Salvation by K.C. Wells
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRomance is the last thing Shaun wants, but what if it’s exactly what he needs – and deserves?A selfless son barely holding onShaun doesn’t have much of a life. When he’s not working in the restaurant in Portland, Maine, he’s home looking after his dad, who has dementia... -
Branded by a Song by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom award-winning author LJ Evans comes an achingly tender, standalone romance between a country-rock legend searching for more and a solemn, single-mom determined to honor her lost husband… “We would be art. We would be paint and chords blended together.” Brady O’Neil tells the world he’s returning to upstate New York to help his sister... -
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Come a Little Closer by Kait Nolan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGriffin Powell has avoided his hometown since he left it in the rearview years ago. But the former Marine understands duty and promises, and that means dragging himself back home as part of his brother's wedding party. Which gets him thinking about a promise he made to a woman, after the best night of his life. When she, too, shows up as part of the wedding, it feels like a sign... -
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 multi-pov contemporary small-town fiction forced-proximity book -
Old-Fashioned by Tiffany Casper
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Birdie Vergano was little, she dreamed of being a princess. Of hearing stories from her little classmates.She dreamed of experiencing things they also did.However, none of them had a mother like she did.And none of them lived next to a woman who turned out to be her guardian angel.Years later, that guardian angel did something, and she forever cemented herself firmly inside Birdie’s heart...
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