Books like 'Protected'
Readers who enjoyed Protected by Nicole Baker also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town age-gap enemies-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity alpha-mc insta-love friends-to-lovers
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Perfectly Toxic by C.M. Owens
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBELLA New life. New job. New home. New goals... I vowed to make drastic changes and to never fall back into old habits. But then Ethan Noles showed up and blew all my good intentions to hell. I should have stayed away. I shouldn't have played his game. But I did. Now I just hope I don't regret it. ETHAN Bella is the type of girl you can't help but chase, because she doesn't want to be caught... -
Creed by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCreed Tempest is content with the solitary life he’s chosen. The only people he needs around are his siblings. He’s got a handful of friends that are important to him, but there’s no special someone to warm his bed. Oddly enough, he’s fine with that. There’s less drama that way, he tells himself.When a beautiful woman and her children move in next door, Creed’s life is turned upside down... -
Mace by Cee Bowerman
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMace is the opposite of his brother Angus in most ways. He’s easygoing, quick to laugh, and a man who isn’t afraid to voice his opinion. A favor for his sister-in-law puts him in just the right place to meet a woman who looks like everything he’s dreamed of. A long afternoon chat in a bookstore leaves him wishing for just a little more of her time.Reba is a single mom who can do it all... -
Clean Start by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEveryone knows the rumors about Violet Circle and the crazy inhabitants, but becoming a resident was my best option. These are the kind of decisions you’re faced with when you have a baby at eighteen, and your knight in shining armor turns out to be a deadbeat dad in saggy boxers... -
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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... -
Mourning Wood by Heather M. Orgeron
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsShe’s hard up.He’s just hard…After an ill-fated one-night stand, Wyatt Landry was the last person I ever expected to see again.By design, mind you, as I spent the last two years avoiding him.He was only ever meant to be a good time—a really good time—and now, thanks to one teensy little mistake, he’s back in my life and wielding an entirely different set of tools...Categorized as:
alpha-mc enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers humor insta-love steamy adult audiobook -
Her Daddies Saving Grace by Laylah Roberts
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCan she find happiness with not one Daddy but two?A childhood tragedy made Juliet withdraw into herself. Only the love of her overprotective, insane brother helped pull her out... sort of.He’s loved her for years, but Xavier knows Juliet is too fragile for his darker needs. So he watches from afar, never claiming her as his.Then grouchy, bossy Brick barrels his way into her life...Categorized as:
age-gap alpha-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers humor insta-love steamy action-adventure -
Whisper of Surrender by Melanie Shawn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsStand-alone Whisper Lake romance, complete with HEA--and plenty of heat, humor, and heart along the way! Jessa Meyers never let herself think about forever before her heart transplant. When you don't think you'll have a future, it's too painful to plan for one...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers humor steamy adult book contemporary fake-relationship -
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... -
Could Be the One: (Lucas and Becca) by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve always been the good girl, doing what people expect. But when I find myself dumped, instead of engaged, I realize it’s time for a change. I want to stop being so timid. Take risks. Find my naughty side. And who better to help me than my friend Lucas? Sure, Lucas is sexy as sin, with a smile that turns my brain inside out and a body that makes me think a lot of very bad girl thoughts...Categorized as:
steamy friends-to-lovers forced-proximity alpha-mc romantic-love contemporary audiobook small-town -
The Fine Art of Faking It by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDavis Gates. Naked. Tossing her a handful of orgasms like he was on a lust-themed parade float. A fifty-year feud. One failed smoke bomb matchmaking scheme. Two enemies turned fake lovers. For the past fifteen years, Eden has worked her ass off to overcome high school. She’s cornered the tourism market in Blue Moon offering visitors a place to stay in her hippie, dippy hometown...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers humor steamy adult book contemporary -
What's It Gonna Take by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGarrethFrom the first moment I saw Reagan Turner at the bar and restaurant I help manage, I was drawn like never before. She was dating someone at the time, which meant she was off-limits, until the jerk broke up with her. I can’t get her out of my head, can’t stop wanting to kiss those perfectly lush lips. Fighting this attraction has been my kryptonite.So, I give in to temptation... -
The Rulebreaker by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSloane Baxter is a good girl. She may not have an enviable or even desirable past, but she’s making her future perfect, including all the things she’s dreamed of, a solid home, a job she loves, and a life she’s created despite the hurdles she’s had to leap. Sloane is living her life on her terms... -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy enemies-to-lovers alpha-mc humor romance contemporary -
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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 forced-proximity romance contemporary small-town slow-burn -
Seeing Red by Bailey Hannah
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAll Cassidy Bowman wants is one night of recklessness… and to get back at her ex.Cassidy has strict rules: she doesn’t date locals, she doesn’t sleep with men she isn’t dating, and she doesn’t do anything that might jeopardize her good girl reputation. But after a run-in with her ex-boyfriend—and a few too many drinks—she’s ready to buck those rules and get revenge...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers enemies-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity humor romance western contemporary -
Romancing the Cowboy (Galentine's Getaway) by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen this older cowboy rescues a hot mess author from a crazy bull, she learns a whole lot more than she anticipated. If growly cowboys, sassy heroines, and laugh-out-loud comedy make your heart pitter-patter, you'll love Cord and Cassia's steamy-sweet story!Spying on a bossy cowboy lands this hot mess romance author in hot water.Cassia MurphyI'm used to getting fan mail from readers... -
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... -
Object of My Desire by R.L. Kenderson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA romance author, a cover model, a book signing … a crush. Ordinary women like me know we shouldn’t fall for beautiful men like Travis Zehler, one of the hottest cover models in romance fiction. But, sometimes, we can’t help ourselves. When I meet him at a book signing, my attraction to him is instant. I’m infatuated, and I can’t stop thinking about him... -
At First Meet by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continues the Montgomery Ink Legacy series with an emotional, friends-to-lovers romance where second chances begin with a promise.I fell in love with the wrong man and learned the hard way to ask for help.I don’t plan on falling again and have no intention of trying.But when I get invited to a high-powered CEO retreat, I know I can’t say no...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity alpha-mc enemies-to-lovers romance contemporary family -
Commanding the Curvy Girl by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTo save a curvy dispatcher and win her heart, this detective will do whatever it takes. Even if it means answering every outrageous call in Silver Spoon Falls.EastonTaking a bullet was supposed to be as bad as things could get.And then I moved to Silver Spoon Falls.There is nothing easy about life in this crazy small town.Especially when a curvy little dispatcher decides she doesn't like me... -
Vic Vaughn is Vicious by J.A. Huss
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy name is Vicious. God-given name, I cross my heart.And it fits.I’m a hot-as-f, inked-up tattoo artist at the trendiest shop in the Rocky Mountains.I have the looks, I have the bike, I have the reputation.That means I get the ladies.Sure. There are lots of women out there who hate tattoos. Wouldn’t be caught dead with guys like me. And that’s fine. I’m not looking for girls like that... -
Straight Up by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new standalone in the Twisted Fox Series.Book 3, Straight Up: (Lincoln and Cassidy's story)... -
That First Flight by Jenn McMahon
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSomething tells me, nothing I do can stop myself from feeling things for my roommate.I’ve always wanted to be a chef.But the same day two pink lines showed up on the test, was the day I gave up chasing my own dreams to put my daughter first.I didn’t expect that to lead to a life of being scrutinized by my parents for every single move I made.After years of it, I was done...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers insta-love steamy humor romance contemporary found-family -
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The Wild One by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJasper Westbrook. Code name: Swoon Machine.My best friend's older brother.Melter of ovaries. Destroyer of panties.And suddenly...a single dad.Guys like Jasper—I bet you know the type? The chiseled arms. The wavy hair. The melt-your-brain-cells smile.Good thing I'm a smart girl—Honey Hill's former child prodigy, to be precise—I should know better than to fall for this playboy's charm... -
Hello Tease by Kelsie Hoss
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMen view love as a game. One you can walk away from.At least that’s what the men in my life have taught me. My dad ran off when I was young, and just when I thought I was getting my own happily ever after, my ex left me on my own with two kids.Trying to pick up the pieces, I move to a small town where I can have help from my children’s grandparents... -
Trapped with the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHe's a firefighter trying to prove himself. But now he's trapped in a tattoo parlor with a woman he can't resist.I was just trying to warm up.The tattoo parlor where I work is freezing cold, so at closing time, I decide to hop in one of the few tanning beds in the building and warm up.But when the security alarm goes off for some reason, a hunky firefighter breaks in to save me... -
Just One Kiss: A Second Chance Holiday Standalone by J. Saman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe heart wants what it wants and mine has never stopped wanting her.London Canterbury and I were never meant to be. Her family was rich. She was cheer captain. The most popular girl in our school while I was the opposite. Poor, nerdy, and invisible. Eight years ago, I kissed the hell out of her, knowing I was never going to see her again. Or so I thought... -
Cry About It by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings-Joelle-You know what they say about enemies.* Know the enemy* Keep the enemy close* Outsmart the enemy* Make out with the enemyOkay, maybe not that last part. And maybe that’s what got me in trouble with Vaughan Thompson. But in my defense, he started it. That city boy should have known better than to act a fool in these parts.I don't get mad. I get even... -
Latte Be Desired by Logan Chance
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the sweet little town of Magnolia Point, there is a coffee shop. Deja Brew is a quaint, charming shop in the center of town run by one of the most marvelous women on the planet. February Frost. Is that too over the top? Fine, maybe I’m not that marvelous. But, my shop is pretty great. So, when the coffee shop on the other side of town tries to take my daily customers away—it’s war... -
Player For Hire by Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“I want to learn what it’s like to love se* and I want to pay you for the research.”Whoa, whoa…what?The first part of that sentence was a dream come true for a guy. The second part is the one that left me shocked and speechless.Two things I didn’t think were possible since I’m a bartender. I’ve heard some stories, man...Categorized as:
insta-love steamy forced-proximity humor romance contemporary small-town found-family -
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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Thick Thighs Save Lives by C.L. Cruz
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe’s a single mom with the world on her shoulders. He’s a mechanic who wants to help. Will they slam the brakes on their love or find their way down the road to happiness?IvyI used to have it all figured out—marriage plus baby equals happily ever after.And then my husband leaves me just when I need him the most.It seems like things can’t get any worse.. -
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427 First Ave. by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe knows what she wants… and it’s him.Ginger is wild, loves to line dance and is a huge flirt. She goes to the tattoo shop looking for her next big adventure. As soon as she sets her eyes on Ozzie, she knows he’s the one.He asks her what she wants, thinking she’s going to pick a butterfly or a rose.But he’s shocked when she says it’s him she wants... -
Lumber Snack by Mae Harden
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOn the first day of Christmas, I climbed my true love's tree...Dear Santa,After everything I’ve been through this year, I think we can both agree that I deserve something special in my stocking this Christmas. And the burly, axe-toting, mountain man that just rescued me from an icy death sure fits the bill. At least, he would if he could pull that spruce tree out of his back chimney... -
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Dirty Promises by Aubrey Bondurant
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Oakley Winters travels to her best friend’s wedding, the last thing she expects is to be stranded on the side of the highway by her date. Luckily, a handsome stranger stops to rescue her. But it turns out her hero isn’t a stranger after all. Max Brooks dreads a return to his small town, but it’s impossible to say no to his sister’s request to attend her wedding... -
Lone Star Sheriff by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCalebI’ve known Madison Crawford was mine since we were teenagers. Timing, circumstances, and my good manners have kept me from claiming her as my own. Now, the ex who left her at the altar is back asking for a second chance, and I’m done playing by the rules. She thinks I’m nothing more than a stick-in-the-mud, but she’s about to find out what happens when I’m not in uniform. No more Mr...Categorized as:
steamy insta-love friends-to-lovers forced-proximity alpha-mc humor romance contemporary -
Lone Star Best Friend by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Friends-to-lovers/Curvy Girl RomanceJohnnyHarper Rhodes and I were just kids when we promised to be each other’s first everything. I’m not sure if she thought I was kidding or lying. All I know is she’s left town because she thinks I got another woman pregnant. Little does she know I’ve been saving everything for her. Every kiss. Every touch. Every filthy-fueled fantasy. I’m tired of waiting...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers alpha-mc insta-love steamy forced-proximity humor romance contemporary -
Mother Bucker by Elle Thorpe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGetting pregnant then realising your baby daddy is a cheating, lying, scumbag? That happened.But then Abel James walks into my life. One hot look from the broad-shouldered cowboy and I’m ready for all the sexy fun I won’t be having once I start showing.Only one problem. He’s my father’s best friend and almost twenty years older than me.He’s off limits. I’m completely forbidden...Categorized as:
age-gap insta-love friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity western contemporary small-town -
Christmas in Coconut Creek by Karissa Kinword
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA romantic comedy debut from #1 bestelling science fiction romance author Karissa Kinword!There are a few things Coconut Creek has that Pine Ridge does not. Palm trees, sandy beaches, butterfly museums—infuriatingly attractive special forces veterans...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap forced-proximity humor romance contemporary season-winter small-town -
So Flocked by Sarah Estep
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter the wedding, they’ll go their separate ways and no one will ever know what happened in the lighthouse.Jordy Taylor is a disaster. Over the hill by professional football standards, the veteran quarterback isn’t ready to hang up his pads just yet, but his team might have other plans...Categorized as:
forced-proximity insta-love age-gap steamy friends-to-lovers humor romance contemporary -
Bound by Bronx by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the sun sets in Silver Spoon Falls, things heat up at The Sterling Rope. The best girls can find everything their hearts desire within, including some of the town's filthiest billionaires. There are no rules. Only submission.Welcome to Silver Spoon After Dark. Your patronage will be our dirty little secret... -
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Teaching Rowan: An Older Billionaire, Younger Curvy Girl Romance by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBreaking the rules never felt so good. Sebastian: Rowan Lassiter is pure magic. I was under her spell the moment she opened her mouth. But she's a teacher, and I'm her boss. The rules say she's off-limits…that dating her is out of the question. I guess it's a good thing a little scandal never hurt anyone, right? Because no one is going to tell me I can't keep what belongs to me... -
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:
enemies-to-lovers age-gap forced-proximity alpha-mc humor romance contemporary small-town -
Flirting with Disaster by Hailey Shore
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere are two things you need to know about First, I am not cool. No, no, don’t let my tuxedo shirt and anklet socks fool you. I’m 26-year-old virgin not cool. I’m carry my cat around in a special backpack not cool.Second, I’m cursed. Every Piedmont woman is. We are doomed to fall in love with men who will break our hearts. So, I’m never going to fall in love.But I wouldn’t mind a little flirting... -
Dane by Kate Oliver
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSummerReturning to her home town was supposed to be temporary. But things change when she realizes her mom needs her help. And when her old high school crush who lives next door finds her on the front porch crying, everything changes. It all feels like a dream come true. At least until reality sets in...Categorized as:
forced-proximity age-gap alpha-mc friends-to-lovers humor romance small-town contemporary -
Can't Take The Heat? by Hailey Shore
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCelebrity chef Antony Renard has been banished to Calico Cove while his bad-boy reputation gets a makeover, but just because he’s famous—and hotter than a french fry—doesn’t mean he gets whatever he lays those ice-blue eyes on…namely, me.This food truck girl knows he’s out of my league and probably has a trail of broken hearts that lead back to his kitchen in California...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers insta-love age-gap humor romance contemporary small-town -
Pretty Drunk by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHallieNo one pushes my buttons the way Logan Johnson does. I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to ignore him, which isn’t easy when you live in a small town and share the same friends.So, when I have a little too much to drink and need a place to crash after our friends’ wedding, it would figure I find myself at Logan’s house. What I’m not expecting is ending up in his bed. With him. Naked...
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