Books like 'The Way Things Should Be'
Readers who enjoyed The Way Things Should Be by Carrie L. Carr also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance wlw lgbtq family children crime
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Better Than Expected by Haley Cass
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHannah Dalton had a lot of expectations in her life. Growing up watching her mother struggle for everything they had, she resolved to make sure she did everything she could to make those hardships worthwhile. She would pursue the career she dreamed of, she would marry someone trustworthy and kind, and she would try to give her own daughter everything her mother gave her, only without the struggle... -
![When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass]()
When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsCaroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that... -
![Good Vibes Only by Gregory Ashe]()
Good Vibes Only by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJust vibing. Good Vibes Only is a collection of short stories from Iron on Iron. It includes the “All the Feels” Jem and Tean get settled in their temporary new home. This story is set after The Face in the Water . “Add Me Back” Theo and Auggie (especially Auggie) spend time with their new friends. This story is set before The Girl in the Wind . “Adulting is Hard” North and Shaw are.. -
![Forever and A Day: a Those Who Wait story by Haley Cass]()
Forever and A Day: a Those Who Wait story by Haley Cass
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsGood things come to those who wait and now Sutton Spencer and Charlotte Thompson get to reap the benefits. They spent months circling around admitting their feelings, but the time for denying their love is over.As the world watches, their lives never stop growing. The only thing that's for certain is that through every hurdle that comes their way, they'll face it together... -
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![Spindrift by Anna Burke]()
Spindrift by Anna Burke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCan a hot summer fling mend the hearts of two broken women?Morgan Donovan had everything she ever wanted: a dream job as a large animal veterinarian, awesome friends, and a loving and supportive fiancée. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancée dumps her after realizing that Morgan’s job will always come first... -
![Crocus by Amy Lane]()
Crocus by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSaying “I love you” doesn’t guarantee peace or a happy ending. High School Principal “Larx” Larkin was pretty sure he'd hit the jackpot when Deputy Sherriff Aaron George moved in with him, merging their two families as seamlessly as the chaos around them could possibly allow... -
![Scarlett Fever by Claire Highton-Stevenson]()
Scarlett Fever by Claire Highton-Stevenson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOn a girl's night out with her friends; fifty-something, divorced, and really not looking for any attention, Claudia Maddox is somewhat surprised when girls' night takes on a whole new meaning. Ending up in bed with a woman twenty years her junior, hadn’t been the plan, but it was a night she certainly wouldn’t forget. Scarlett was sexy, and fun and knew just what she was doing... -
![Cigar Club by J.A. Armstrong]()
Cigar Club by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFallon Foster is Whiskey Springs' self-proclaimed token lesbian. She isn't a token any longer. After her year-long affair with best friend, Andi Maguire ends, Fallon hopes to earn the trust and win the heart of the town's newest resident, Riley Main. Ghosts from the past still haunt Fallon and Riley. Informed by loss and betrayal, the pair endeavors to find their way to each other... -
![Twice Upon A Time by Erica Lee]()
Twice Upon A Time by Erica Lee
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsKari Adelberg is happy. She has her friends, family, and a dog. What else could she need? At least that’s what she keeps telling herself, unwilling to think about what she lost until it ends up next door to her. Kacey Caldwell was the one that got away. They were college sweethearts and had plans for the future until Kacey ripped those plans apart with no explanation... -
![Forever & Ever: A Collection of Stories by Tere Michaels]()
Forever & Ever: A Collection of Stories by Tere Michaels
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Faith, Love, & Devotion Anthology What happens after the story ends? Join Matt, Evan, Jim, Griffin, and their friends and families for a glimpse of what happens after happily ever after. Between growing up and growing pains, weddings and retirement, changing careers and changing diapers, life is never boring. Changes, decisions, tears, and joy await as the years march on... -
![Solanum by Max Ellendale]()
Solanum by Max Ellendale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Caroline Donovan and Nora Brody are assigned to the same unit of the FBI, they become fast friends. As they navigate through their careers, the connection they share changes and grows along with them. Their unique challenges, and favorite kinks, entangle them in ways neither expected... -
![Frost by Elizabeth Knox]()
Frost by Elizabeth Knox
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrostI’m doing something I’d never thought I would. Something I swore I wouldn’t do when Elena went off and married Reed. But, as the years went by I saw the unity within the biker lifestyle and I began to crave it. Now I’m in my late-thirties and all I have to show is scars on my body, battle wounds and marks that will forever scar my skin after being on the field for the bureau... -
![Ranch Manny by B.A. Tortuga]()
Ranch Manny by B.A. Tortuga
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrace is down on his luck, out of his teaching job, and on the road with his young daughter Savannah. Just as he's contemplating tucking his proverbial tail between his luck and heading back to his ex or his parents to ask for help, a job opportunity falls into his lap. What he's not sure about is working for a handsome cowboy. On a ranch. In the middle of nowhere.Cowboy Brent has a ranch to run... -
![Journey's End by A.E. Radley]()
Journey's End by A.E. Radley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNewly-retired Olivia Lewis is throwing herself into married life and aiming to be a domestic goddess before the first week is over. In a reversal of roles, Emily finds herself commuting from New York to London every week in order to realise her dreams of becoming a professional scriptwriter... -
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![Imagoes by N.R. Walker]()
Imagoes by N.R. Walker
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Jack receives a phone call from a colleague in the southeast of Tasmania with news of a newfound butterfly habitat, he and Lawson head off on another adventure. It’s not an easy trek to the location. The Franklin-Gordon National Park is famous for wild rivers, rainforests, and rocky cliff faces, and they’ll need to hike and abseil—in the dead of winter—to get to the site... -
![Family Rules by Jacki James]()
Family Rules by Jacki James
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJustin had three simple rules for dating: No co-workers, no repeats, and absolutely no men with kids. He was happy with those rules. And no one had ever tempted him to break them. Until a night on the prowl had him crossing paths with an adorably geeky accountant. Mark spent the last year being the best dad possible to his little girl while enjoying life as an openly gay man for the first time... -
![Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden]()
Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho says you can’t go home again? Philadelphia real estate broker Devyn Winters is at the peak of her career, closing multimillion-dollar deals and relishing it. She’s pretty much blocked out her formative years in Dreamer’s Bay, where the most exciting thing to happen was the twice a year bake sale. Unfortunately, a distress call hauls her back home and away from the life she’s constructed... -
![Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet Morley]()
Sprinkled in the Stars by Violet Morley
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAJ Beckett is just trying to get Parker, her seven-year-old autistic daughter, through life in one piece. As a paramedic, AJ puts others’ needs above her own; in her personal life, she keeps everyone an arm’s length away. That distance disappears when a chance run-in with actor Melanie Cooper leaves her sticky, angry, and fed up.Melanie Cooper has just signed her last movie... -
![Casting Call by J.A. Armstrong]()
Casting Call by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThree years passes quickly in the limelight. Writer Addison Blake, and her wife actress Emma Bronson, have weathered more than one storm together. The popular television show that the two helped create called OFF SCREEN continues to draw audiences, making the couple a hot commodity. But, something is missing for Emma... -
![Seeking Freedom by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee]()
Seeking Freedom by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIs it close proximity that has Jovany noticing Seth, or for the first time in his life, does he want a man? Jovany~When I check on the guy that helped with my case and realize he’s in a bad spot, I know I need to help him out. That’s how I find myself with two new roommates—Seth and the baby he’s in charge of... -
![Intentions by Susan X. Meagher]()
Intentions by Susan X. Meagher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNew Book - Intentions is the ninth installment of the twenty-six book serial novel I Found My Heart in San Francisco. In this book, Jamie tries to acclimate to her changing relationship with her father, Jim. Despite his promise to honor and respect her and Ryan's relationship, she has her doubts-both about his sincerity and his ability to follow through... -
![Intermission by J.A. Armstrong]()
Intermission by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAddison Blake and Emma Bronson are headed away from the bright lights of Hollywood for the holidays. Emma is eager to take a step back and spend time with her family. The stress and demands of a television production have left Emma feeling fatigued and missing the quiet months she and Addison had spent after their daughter’s birth. Addison is battling her own demons... -
![Karma by Susan X. Meagher]()
Karma by Susan X. Meagher
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKarma is the eleventh book in the I Found My Heart in San Francisco series. Love can be a dangerous game. When to risk, when to run, when to submit. Jordan and Mia have been playing the game as nonchalantly as they can manage, but their feelings are harder and harder to dismiss. Jim and Catherine have had so many ups and downs that they’ve lost track... -
![Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis]()
Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCameron Lewis is left reeling when his perfect life—two beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a house on the lake—is ripped apart by loss. Kade Ramsey is living the American dream with a wife, two amazing children, and a comfortable job. But dreams are often only illusions, and Kade discovers his life isn’t all he thought it to be. Kade and Cam have been friends for years... -
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![Begin Again by Nicole Pyland]()
Begin Again by Nicole Pyland
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is book #4 in the Tahoe Series. Chris Florence’s circumstances had never been ideal, but they’d gotten worse after a car accident took the lives of her parents and left her with a kid brother to support... -
![C Is for Comfort by Colette Davison]()
C Is for Comfort by Colette Davison
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA single dad, a doctor, and a one-night-stand. Is there room in their lives and hearts for one another? Corey Stress is my middle name. I'm a single dad and a newly qualified teacher, so it’s hard to find time for myself. What I didn't expect from an adult party is a man who allows me to relax fully... -
![Strength of the Heart by Carrie L. Carr]()
Strength of the Heart by Carrie L. Carr
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLex and Amanda are caught up in the planning of their upcoming nuptials while trying to get the ranch house rebuilt so they can move back to their home. But an arrest, a brushfire, and the death of someone close to her forces Lex to try and work through feelings of guilt and anger... -
![Perfect by Jenny Wood]()
Perfect by Jenny Wood
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAdoption is hard. Paperwork and more paperwork, lawyers and more lawyers and it seems like begging and choosing....all to get your heart broken when the expectant mother backs out. Not wanting to go through that again, or put Morgan through it again; they opted out. Unfortunately, the new guy didn't get the memo and they were chosen by expectant young mother, Haley... -
![What Happened After... by Nicole Pyland]()
What Happened After... by Nicole Pyland
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDo you ever read a story, fall in love with the characters and wonder what happens to them after the book ends? Epilogues are nice, but they’re a snapshot in time. Maybe it’s a year after the end of the book or even just six months. Maybe there’s a proposal or a wedding. Maybe a character announces she’s pregnant. Maybe a character just got their dream job... -
![The Wedding That Almost Wasn't by Sienna Waters]()
The Wedding That Almost Wasn't by Sienna Waters
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s time to fall in love. Literally.American Emily Jackson has been in love with her best friend’s oldest sister Savannah for as long as she can remember. Which is why a family wedding in far-off Scotland is a dream come true. A week trapped in the Highlands with Savannah is exactly what she needs to prove that they belong together.Harry Lorde has a problem... -
![Where the Heart Is by Lily Seabrooke]()
Where the Heart Is by Lily Seabrooke
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKissing her childhood friend on a family Christmas vacation is probably a bad idea…The Jackson family is primed to explode over Christmas—with Stella’s parents hiding their divorce proceedings from the family during a two-week vacation to the cozy Christmas town of Bellsford, Stella and her sisters are under strict orders not to cause drama... -
![Mother Load by K.G. MacGregor]()
Mother Load by K.G. MacGregor
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn earthquake didn’t break them. Old demons only tested and deepened their commitment. Even a toddler couldn’t tear them apart. Now Anna and Lily Kaklis have decided on a new adventure: adding to their family. As usual, the timing couldn’t be better. Lily’s only involved in the most important case of her career, and Anna struggles every day to keep her auto empire intact... -
![The Red Carpet by J.A. Armstrong]()
The Red Carpet by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt's been six months since that fateful Saturday afternoon when Emma Bronson collided with Addison Blake. There have been more than a few changes. Addison has sold her first screenplay and Emma has moved onto some new projects as well. But, there are realities in Tinseltown. The love affair between Addy and Emma has heated up, and the two are nearly inseparable behind closed doors... -
![Lost at Sea by A.E. Radley]()
Lost at Sea by A.E. Radley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAnnie Peck finds herself in a terrible situation and is literally running for her life. A chance encounter with a surprising lookalike leads her towards a risky solution. Captain Caroline West knows she is lucky to be one of the few women cruise ship captains in the world... -
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![All Aglow: A Lesbian Christmas Romance by Bryce Oakley]()
All Aglow: A Lesbian Christmas Romance by Bryce Oakley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA college tradition turned long-term promise means the Payne and Sideris families have spent every Christmas together for the past thirty-something years.Cass Sideris loves traditions... -
![Fireman's Carry by Andrew Grey]()
Fireman's Carry by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOrphaned as a child, Jordan Kramer is a 28-year-old loner who lives for his work as a firefighter. It’s who he is. But his life changes when, on his way home from a fire, he finds Benny walking along the side of an isolated mountain road. With a storm coming, when Benny indicates that he’s alone in the world, Jordan follows his instincts and decides to help... -
![Flight SQA016 by A.E. Radley]()
Flight SQA016 by A.E. Radley
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSpurred on by overwhelming and ever-increasing debts, Emily White takes a job working in the first-class cabin on the prestigious commuter route from her home of New York to London with Crown Airlines. A gruelling transatlantic schedule means she is in the air nearly as much as she is on the ground and desperately misses her five-year-old son... -
![Small Packages by K.G. MacGregor]()
Small Packages by K.G. MacGregor
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn Without Warning, they fell in love. In Aftershock, that love was tested and reaffirmed. Now Anna and Lily Kaklis face questions about family and future when a homeless woman is killed in San Francisco, leaving a three-year-old who happens to be Lily's nephew in foster care.Lily will not allow her birth mother to ruin another childhood, but ways to save the little one rapidly dwindle... -
![Blessed Twice by Lynn Galli]()
Blessed Twice by Lynn Galli
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe problem with starting over in another state after losing your partner is that your new friends don't understand why you can't just get over it. They never saw how you were together, how much you loved her, how she was your life. They only see a number: three, as in, the number of years since she died. That's all the evidence they need to begin pressuring you to get back out there again... -
![Prescription for Love by Radclyffe]()
Prescription for Love by Radclyffe
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFlannery Rivers is content to let her sister Harper carry on the family dynasty—at The Rivers hospital w here they both work and on the home front. Now that Harper is settled and soon to be happily married, Flannery can ease back into her life of casual flirtations and find all the excitement she needs in the ER. She’s even got her next playmate all lined up, or so she thinks... -
![Hard to Get by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Hard to Get by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGabe D’Angelo has it all. Designer clothes, luxury cars, a cool confidence most would envy, and a never-ending supply of money—and men. When he arrived in Haven’s Cove to be there for his best friend, he never imagined he’d end up extending his stay indefinitely. Small town living isn’t so bad after all, and the views are magnificent—especially the view of a sexy, rugged blond... -
![Grace Falls by H.P. Munro]()
Grace Falls by H.P. Munro
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDr Maddie Marinelli is looking for a fresh start, she's leaving behind the ghost of a failed relationship and looking forward to starting a new job and life in San Francisco...what she didn't count on was car trouble and the colorful residents of Grace Falls. Alex Milne has spent most her adult life putting other people’s needs first... -
![Blend by Georgia Beers]()
Blend by Georgia Beers
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen the widowed owner of the wine bar Vineyard decides she wants to take some time off and travel abroad, she leaves her business in the very capable hands of the two women she trusts most: her daughter Piper and Vineyard's general manager, Lindsay.For Lindsay Kent, Vineyard is her dream job... -
![The System by Nicole Pyland]()
The System by Nicole Pyland
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKieran Hart has just gone through a divorce and is starting over with a new job at a DNA discovery site. After finding out she’s adopted years earlier, she sends in her sample, hoping to find her birth parents, and instead, finds herself in a police station, being accused of a crime she didn’t commit because her DNA was a match to a homicide. Only, it’s not Kieran’s DNA... -
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![Out on the Sound by R.E. Bradshaw]()
Out on the Sound by R.E. Bradshaw
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIf you like a good story with laughter, tears and suspense then this is the book for you. In her late thirties, Decky Bradshaw was set for life. She had an incredibly lucky life up to this point, excluding the brief marriage to her son's father. She had a great job, plenty of money and a very comfortable existence. Decky figured if someone ever came along that tickled her fancy she'd know... -
![Through the Storm by Terri Marie]()
Through the Storm by Terri Marie
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Montclair Brothers have been shaken to their core. The carefree life they'd grown accustomed to has been torn away; the destructive force behind the collapse of their world, unimaginable. Can they pick up the pieces? Is it possible to weather the storm after the fire and shooting in Castle Lake? As bullets sped through the night air, the bodies dropped, one by one... -
![Lesson Plans by J.A. Armstrong]()
Lesson Plans by J.A. Armstrong
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLesson Plans is a spin-off of the series By Design and would fall somewhere between books 2 and 3 of that series.Life in the Fletcher-Reid family is always interesting. For Michelle Fletcher, it's about to take an unexpected turn when a feisty redheaded architect named Melanie McKenna captures her heart. Love is the last thing that Michelle was looking for... -
![Instant Family: An Mpreg Romance by Aiden Bates]()
Instant Family: An Mpreg Romance by Aiden Bates
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe finds his true love, but can an instant family really be what he wants? Just as oncologist, Dr. Allen delivers a baby girl into the world, the mother dies, dimming Allen's typical sunny disposition. Desperate and determined to do something to help just one person, Allen agrees to help Brantley... -
![Tutus and Tinsel by Rhys Ford]()
Tutus and Tinsel by Rhys Ford
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsZig Reid-Harris has everything an eleven-year-old girl could ever want: a great home, two fantastic fathers named Deacon Reid and Lang Harris, and all the books she could possibly read. When a school assignment about holiday traditions unexpectedly broadsides her, she discovers burying the past isn’t as easy as it looks, and the stark reality of her life before her adoption sinks in... -
![Out of Practice by Carsen Taite]()
Out of Practice by Carsen Taite
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAttorney Abby Keane’s vacation is perfect, especially her steamy interlude with a beautiful stranger. But her newfound zen crumbles when her biggest client, a chain of bridal stores, leaves hundreds of brides without dresses. As if reentry isn’t bad enough, a new wedding blogger is doing her best to stoke the anger of the already unhappy brides, and has chosen Abby as the villain...
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