Books like 'Control Artist'
Readers who enjoyed Control Artist by Carrie Aarons also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town sports age-gap athlete grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc
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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 Hero I Need by Nicole Snow
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow returns with a hilariously intense small-town love story where two star-crossed hearts and one snarly tiger ignite a romance up-roar.He knew I was trouble the instant I showed up with a stolen Bengal tiger.But Grady McKnight didn't flinch like a sane person—he took us in.Bruce the tiger found shelter. I met a hero grump. And Grady got a hot mess...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult audiobook -
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... -
She's Like The Wind by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’d be a fool to fall for his long-legged, barefoot employee. But bad decisions have never stopped him before… Successful businessman and single father, Nate Crawford, doesn’t need any more complications. That’s why he’s moved his business – and his life – to a small beach town. He’s expecting sun, sea and tranquility, but what he gets is a whirlwind in the form of town sweetheart, Ally Sutton... -
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Crave by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTate Gallo had a type – emotionally unavailable bikers who were more feral than serious relationship material.The day she turned thirty, she decided to make a change: No more biker boys. She deserved more. She wanted to be someone’s world.But then he stumbled in bloodied, bruised, and in need of help.One look into his dark eyes, and Tate realized her life would never be the same again...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc alpha-mc romance contemporary -
Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat chance does a small-town girl have with a world-famous rock star?Two years after his wife’s death, rock star Garrett Hayes hasn’t moved on. But he has moved out of L.A. Where better to escape his past than a small town in the Northern California mountains? If only he could get the townsfolk of Wildwood to leave him the hell alone... -
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... -
Southern Hotshot: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLusting after the woman trying to steal my job is stupid. Sexting with her? That’s a game-changing fumble.Emma Crawford became enemy number one the second she stepped foot on Blue Mountain Farm. She might think I’m just a dumb jock, but I know she’s a stuck-up wine snob who believes she’d be a better exec than me.She can take my position over my dead body... -
Home Sweet Home by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLeoEveryone has a past they’re trying to outrun, myself included. My time in the military left me with scars, both physically and emotionally, which is why I keep to myself. Since returning home to Stewart Grove, I work a lot so I have little time to think. To remember. I’m just content to make it through the day.Then I meet Kallie Carpenter...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc romance military contemporary small-town -
Killing Booth by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEvery single thing you want is going to require you to be uncomfortable.Those words had been shared with her by the one man she didn’t think she could take a chance on. She just didn’t know that he was right, or that he was going to be the one making her uncomfortable.Nash Wilder Christopherson was the world’s golden boy.For fifteen years, she watched Nash race from the safety of her phone...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc alpha-mc romance contemporary -
The Runaway by Jess Mastorakos
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCould rescuing a runaway bride would be the detour I never knew I needed?I had a plan. But then, my cross-country road trip to my new duty station started with me getting dumped. Two seconds later, I got roped into bringing a family friend’s niece, Nikki, and her teenage daughter on the road with me.To make matters worse, I’m aiding Nikki’s escape from her own wedding...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc contemporary suspense small-town military -
Devil in Disguise by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe devil doesn’t come with pointy horns and a tail. He comes as everything you’ve ever wished for. When discipline is your life, structure’s a good thing, and Owen Johnson’s got plenty of both. An All-Pro NFL center who’s also a cattle rancher? Yeah, that’s structure. His marriage didn’t work out, but then, he picked the wrong woman. A Wyoming ranch doesn’t look nearly as romantic up close... -
Awaken My Heart by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAbraham:I already had my happy ending. Childhood sweethearts, my late wife and I made four beautiful kids together who are now grown and married off themselves. I’m content to be their old dad, tending to my ranch and my tomato plants. Until Emily Carson and her tempting curvy body and her smiles that she hands out like candy, crashes into my life making me want things I have no business wanting...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance insta-love small-town contemporary -
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:
alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary insta-love enemies-to-lovers -
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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 alpha-mc contemporary billionaire small-town steamy -
Fireworks with Three Mountain Men by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA childhood friend wants to make me his.And his two equally HOT buddies are itching to join the party.With all this sexual tension between the four of us...I'm feeling sparks like the Fourth of July!! Three rugged Mountain Men.Two fierce UFC fighters.And one VERY lucky lady. Dylan is protective, strong and as big as the mountains he calls home...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine sports action-adventure adult -
Work Me Up by Julie Kriss
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBaseball player. Single dad. Hot mess. No woman has ever tamed him… until now. Everyone knows Ryan Riggs—everyone who follows minor league baseball, that is. He's the player with the hair-trigger temper, the bad shoulder, and the smoking hot looks. He's also a single dad in need of a nanny—which makes him my new boss. Simple. Except for one thing: We had a one-night stand five years ago... -
Jaxon by Kate Oliver
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLeahWho knew buying a run-down house would be so much work? It was hers, though, and while it might not be much, to Leah Day, it was perfect because it meant she was free from her cheating ex-husband. What she wasn’t prepared for was the roof to leak into her bedroom… She also wasn’t expecting her hot neighbor to come marching over to scold her for climbing onto the roof...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary steamy small-town -
A False Start by Elsie Silver
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI kissed my best friend’s little sister, and the world stood still.That night we were two perfect strangers, the town’s grumpy recluse and a gorgeous girl in the back of a bar. Until we weren’t.Because Nadia Dalca isn’t just some girl. She’s the girl I can’t have. Fourteen years younger than me and completely off-limits.My plan is to stay away, but the universe keeps pushing us together... -
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 grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary fiction forced-proximity -
Off Limits by Emma Creed
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRanching isn’t easy, especially not in Fork River. The days are long, the competition is ruthless, and there’s always someone out there waiting to take what’s yours.For my family to survive things have to go back to the way they were.The Carsons used to run the town, we were feared, but my father changed that legacy by thinking he could run things legitimately... -
Upping the Ante by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's been the grumpiest boss a woman could ask for--or he WAS until I quit. But former football star Deacon Clark doesn't seem to be getting the memo. Instead, he tags along with me to Sheet Cake, Texas, where I'm hoping to start a new business.Deacon's only hope is to hire me back as his assistant. At least, that's what I thought. Until ... the very clear lines we've always kept start to blur... -
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...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary small-town friendship -
A.D.I.D.A.S.: All Day I Dream About S*x by Frankie Love, C.M. Seabrook
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI’ve loved her since we were ten years old, when she almost died in my arms. Dramatic? Not at all. I almost lost Joanne once, it’s not happening again. Thing is, she’s a scared little butterfly, living in a cocoon of her own making. It’s time for her to spread her wings. And her legs. Scandalous? Hell no. She wants it as bad as I do. I’m not the only one dreaming about it all day... -
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The Brazen One by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary enemies-to-lovers -
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:
alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc contemporary small-town steamy -
The Doctor Who Stole Christmas by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn grumpy doctor.A wicked blizzard.And only one bed in sight.What could possibly go wrong?I never expected to find myself trekking through a blizzard...All to deliver "vital documents" to the elusive Dr. Grump's remote cabin...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc small-town workplace forced-proximity fiction -
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... -
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 grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult -
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her... -
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 age-gap alpha-mc romance contemporary small-town -
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 female-mc romance contemporary audiobook small-town -
Coming Full Circle (the Pembrooke series) by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe knew what it was like to feel unwanted. At an early age Eliza Anderson learned a very hard lesson. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love you the most are the ones that cause you the most pain. She learned to guard herself, hesitating to let anyone close for fear of feeling that rejection all over again... -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc alpha-mc romance contemporary audiobook -
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A Simple Life by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom NYT bestselling author Melanie Moreland comes a feuding to lovers standalone romance -John Elliott is a busy man. He runs his farm and his business, keeping to himself, with no time for anything else in his life.Quinn Harper is a single mother, looking for a fresh start.The small town she picked seemed perfect—until her first run-in with John...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc alpha-mc age-gap romance enemies-to-lovers contemporary -
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... -
Reckless by Elsie Silver
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsTheo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package.And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal.But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak.The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist.Make that impossible...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap contemporary western small-town steamy -
Wilder With You by Serena Bell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWho knew pretending could be so hot?Clark: It started as a joke. After all, I’d never pretend to date a woman just to get my mom and sister off my back.I would, however, pretend to date her to get her ex-husband off hers.Now the two of us, the wilderness warrior and the wedding planner, are stuck sharing a very small tent...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult book -
Falling for the Grinch by Amy Alves
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe kissed the wrong man, and she liked it.No longer content waiting for the love of her life to walk into her bakery, Dani Reed decides this holiday season, she's going to fulfill some long-awaited fantasies. This Christmas will be all about self-discovery. . . and pleasure.But a certain fire chief is getting in the way of her sexy plans... -
Wicked Chemistry by R.L. Kenderson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI didn’t know I’d risk everything to be with him.I thought he was the assistant football coach.I thought I would protect my teaching career from anything.I thought I could stay away from him.I thought wrong.Wicked Chemistry deals with a student-teacher relationship. All individuals are over eighteen and consenting adults... -
Then There Was You by Jennifer Lee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThree simple rules.Two broken souls.One powerful connection.Devlin King was a sexy grump.A bitter divorcee.And for a few short months, my dirty little secret.The rules for our no-strings-attached relationship were simple:1. Keep it quiet.2. Keep it safe.3. Keep our emotions in check... -
Shortbread & the Scotsman by Lana Dash
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAINSLIEThere is nothing like Christmas in the Highlands of Scotland. Our village is known for many festivals, but nothing compares to the Christmas Matchmaking Festival. People visit from all over the Highlands, but there is only one Scotsman that I wish to be matched with this Christmas. But after a kiss and a misunderstanding over the summer, he's given me the cold shoulder...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc alpha-mc contemporary small-town forced-proximity insta-love -
Rescued By the Mountain Man by Mia Brody
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCan this grumpy mountain man who doesn’t believe in love find forever with the sunshine woman he rescued?PiperThis is not how I imagined the start of my vacation. First, the rental car breaks down then a huge bear appears, and now this grumpy mountain man is rushing to rescue me...Categorized as:
alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary small-town kind-mc -
Puffin Bay by Annie Dyer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHeartbreak led me to Puffin Bay, searching for peace in a small, coastal town. Four years later, my bar is thriving and my next business is just what the town needs. It doesn’t need Roman Tominey. Arrogant, city-boy, suit-wearing grump - he knows how to push every one of my buttons, and after an evening of bad decisions, he knows how to push that one too... -
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Tight Spot by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a fake relationship feels a little too real…. I’m in a Tight Spot. I’m not a nice guy. I’m too rude. Too gruff. I want to be left alone and stay in my lane as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Too bad management has a sudden problem with my image and all the fines I’ve been racking up. Now I’m told I need to settle down, shape up…or they’re shipping me out... -
Things I Forgot About by Kelsey Humphreys
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"He is off limits. Complicated. Not right for me at all. He's trouble, wrapped up in an expensive navy suit. But I never could stay out of trouble..."Kat Canton is a woman with a plan. Though a rebel at heart, she’s had to stay focused since becoming a single mom at seventeen...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc romance small-town billionaire -
Falling For the Grouch by Carolina Jax
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDashWhen my son had to leave our small hometown of Christmas, Texas, I couldn’t wait to leave with him, only to fall into a new fresh hell.Christmas 2.0 a/k/a Candy Cane Key.Everyone is in love down here. They love their town. They love their school.Let me tell you, True Love doesn’t exist. Romantic love is made up.There’s no one who can tell me differently.No matter how gorgeous she is...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap romance contemporary small-town -
Innocent by Khloe Summers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCan this protective older man convince a curvy virgin to save herself for love, or will she auction it off to the highest bidder?JanieI've spent years trying to find love, but all I've found is heartache and debt.With no way to pay my college tuition, I follow a friend's advice.I auction my virginity online.At first, this seems like a great plan. I'm going to make out huge... -
My Mountain Man Recluse by Sadie King
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s his best friend’s daughter.She’s off limits.She’s half his age……and she’s totally irresistible…My Mountain Man Recluse is a forbidden love, short and steamy romance featuring an ex-military recluse and the curvy innocent woman he can't stay away from...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance forced-proximity forbidden-love small-town -
Mail Order Bride for the Scrooge by Ember Davis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGANNONMy time in the military changed me and when I came back home to Jasper Ridge, I retreated to the mountains. It’s quiet and safe here, but it’s lonely as well. I’ve made my peace with it. I have my cabin, I have my dog, I have my solitude...
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