Books like 'Claus and Effect'
Readers who enjoyed Claus and Effect by Piper Rayne also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town action / adventure enemies-to-lovers military journey forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc
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Gorgeous by Kristy Marie
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBreck: My name is Brecklyn Brannon, and I’m not who I claim to be. A year ago, I packed up my promising life in the city for a man I saw only once. Accepting a temporary job with Cade and four blazing hot veterans should have been my way in. Except, Cade acts like he would rather be tortured than speak to me. He can resist all he wants, but I made a promise that I intend to keep...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military multi-pov -
Broken Vow: A Dark Mafia Romance by Sophie Lark
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsI’ll Protect Her… Whether She Likes It Or Not. Riona Griffin is gorgeous, intelligent, and iron-willed. My perfect woman, except she hates my guts.She thinks she doesn’t need anybody. But she needs me.She’s being hunted by an assassin who never misses his mark.I’m going to stay by her side, day and night, keeping her safe... -
Conquered by Riley Edwards
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDylan Welsh was the last man standing…until Sawyer Glasgow brought him to his knees.Dylan wasn’t ready for Sawyer. He wasn’t ready to confront the truth of his past. He wasn’t ready to admit he’s fallen in love with the sweet, sexy woman who captivated him from the moment he saw her. He’s especially not prepared to face the hurt he’s caused Sawyer. But to keep her, he must do all three... -
It Happens by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsZee + Annmarie and Tan + Jubilee. Forever. No exceptions. They were to have the picture-perfect life together. Everything was all planned out. Jubilee was to marry Eitan and Ezekiel was to marry Annmarie. That’s how it was always supposed to be from the moment that they met. Textbook, right? Wrong... -
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Only Mine by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWolf Wayburn is the devil in an Armani suit with the body of a Greek god. He thinks I’m just a small-town girl who he can intimidate—but I never back down from a fight.The first time we met, he cut me off at a gas station.So, I flashed him the bird and mocked his family jewels.The second time we met, he tried to get me fired.He took his shot—and he missed.At least for now...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Make Me by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsRoyal St. James got her name when she was born. Not because her mother loved her royally, but because Royal was a giant pain in the ass. She’s spent her entire life fighting to live, and the last thing she needs is to deal with some pretty-boy police officer who wouldn’t know a hardship if it came up and bit him in the…you know. Justice Rector wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth... -
I'll Just Date Myself by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNormally when you say, “I have a stalker,” you think bad thoughts. That wasn’t the kind ofstalker Folsom was when it came to Kobe Sano. Folsom liked to call herself a “guardian angel indisguise.”The first time he catches her attention, he’s been assigned to hunt her down and throw away thekey. All she did was steal someone else’s child. Well, embryo, that is... -
Get Bucked by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDarby has always been ‘that’ guy.The guy that no man, woman, or child wants around their loved one.See, a long time ago he made some bad decisions. Those bad decisions have haunted him ever since. No matter what he does, people still see him as the town’s screw up. The boy that sold his soul to the Devil. Years later, he’s turned himself around... -
Officially Over It by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGoing from a professional baseball player to a SWAT officer should’ve been seamless. Should have been. But it wasn’t. All it took was one single calendar shoot for word to spread that Nathan Cox was not only no longer playing professional baseball, but he was also the man behind saving the life of Reggie Morton, the City of Kilgore’s princess... -
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... -
Out of the Darkness by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe light had been snuffed out of Xander Caine’s world a long time ago, leaving him to suffer in darkness. After a tremendous loss, he closed himself off from anyone and everyone, content to live alone in the shadows. Then a woman blew into town with the force of a hurricane and shook everything up. Sage Winthrop was looking to start over...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military multi-pov -
Desired by Doom by Jamie Begley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere wasn't anything Arden wouldn't do for her family, even if it meant having to brave The Last Riders in their own clubhouse. There, she found herself thrust out of her comfort zone and seeing things that she was too shy to watch on Pay-Per-View. She needed The Last Riders' help to save her younger brother, but who was going to be the one to save her from them? One thing was for certain.. -
Broken Dreams by Corinne Michaels
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat could possibly go wrong fake dating the gorgeous single dad in a small town? The answer, you fall for him. It started out perfect. Grady Whitlock needed a plus one for his business meetings, and I needed a date for a wedding.We had a plan. It was a good one.Until it wasn’t.I was not supposed to have feelings for him...Categorized as:
military grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn multi-pov steamy -
The Hero She Needs by Anna Hackett, Aaron Shedlock
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe last thing he expects to catch in his river is a billionaire heiress.Loner Boone Hendrix left the military with ghosts that haunt him. He lives with his dog Atlas on a farm in Vermont. Alone. Just the way he likes it. Until he rescues a half-drowned, beautiful brunette from his river...Categorized as:
military forced-proximity multi-pov grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc alpha-mc romance -
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Wild Highway by Devney Perry
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsGemma Lane built an empire. Not a small feat, considering her home as a teenager was a makeshift tent in a California junkyard. She’s dedicated her life to turning pennies into millions. She has power, fortune and prestige. And she’s leaving it all behind...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine journey -
Tempt by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsYou’ve heard the story about the wedding planner who falls for the groom?Well, this is the one where she falls for his father.And that groom? He’s my ex.I didn’t realize who the gruff, gorgeous older man was the night he rescued me from a creep in a Manhattan hotel bar...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military -
Taming Hollywood's Baddest Boy by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDo people say they hate someone’s guts so that they can still fall stupidly, head-over-heels in love with the other parts? Asking for a friend. Okay, fine. I’m not asking for a friend. I’m asking for me—and I’m begging you to tell me that the practice of falling in love with your should-be-enemy is common...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Master Baker by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThey call me the sugar whisperer. Anything your tongue desires, I can bake it. Scones? Child’s play. Cupcakes? I’ll frost them so good you won’t know what hit you. Donuts? Please. You’re talking to a master baker. But there’s one egg I’ve never been able to crack. My best friend. Correction: My former best friend. She’s the apple in my pie. The whip in my cream... -
Just My Type by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsLive in the best small town in the world? Check. Have the greatest job ever working on my family's pumpkin farm? Check. Marry the town pharmacist and have a nice, quiet life with our son? Check-check. "Oh, I'm sorry... -
Loving at 40 by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSexy silver alpha hero returns to his family’s lakeside cottage where there’s a single mother in his bed and her presence just might be the second chance he needs at love and family.Archer McCaryn has been a mystery to his family. At forty-five, he isn’t certain himself who he is anymore. When he returns to the family’s lakeside cottage, he finds there is someone in his garage apartment... -
Cruise by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe kid is now a man, and he’s got something to prove….. Caleb “Cruise” Harrison “A Dad is a son’s first hero……” All my life I’ve looked up to my Dad, there’s nothing I ever wanted to do more than be a member of the Moonshine Task Force right next to him. I said no to playing football professionally to stay in Laurel Springs and fulfill my dream... -
Every Promise You Made by J.E. Parker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe was his best friend's little sister...He was the boy who'd always fought to protect her. —Hope—She was his best friend's little sister...He was the boy who'd always protected her.I've loved Evan Morgan ever since I was a little girl.Growing up, he was my best friend.I thought he always would be.Turns out, I was wrong.September 30th was the day my world shattered... -
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:
military grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy romance contemporary small-town -
The Lightkeeper by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAurora Cross just got the educational opportunity of a lifetime—to complete her coastal biology thesis at one of Maine’s most iconic lighthouses. She didn’t realize the toughest, most reclusive creature inhabiting the keep was a broody artist with more secrets than the sea.Kit Kinkade has had enough of the world...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity steamy military slow-burn multi-pov -
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Bourbon & Lies by Victoria Wilder
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn Fiasco, Kentucky, there is one rule: never fall for a Foxx brother. Any woman who did, ended up dead—or so the rumor goes. Townies call it a curse. But I’ve lived it, and I won’t survive it again.I’m not a cop anymore, but I’ve seen enough danger to know that Laney Young, the beautiful stranger who just showed up in my small town, is running from it...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity enemies-to-lovers family romance -
Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor multi-pov slow-burn -
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsLosing people you love is hard. Aurora De La Torre knows moving back to a place that was once home isn’t going to be easy. Starting your whole life over probably isn’t supposed to be. But a small town in the mountains might be the perfect remedy for a broken heart. Checking out her landlord across the driveway just might cure it too...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Make Me Your Villain by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBook 2 of the Battle Crows MC with Shine and Iris.Flaws—he has them.Laws? He breaks them.Dues? He’s paid them.Scars? He bares them proudly.Lessons? He’s learned them.Problems? He has one.Her name is Iris, and she’s the one thing in his life that he can’t control... -
Reckless Trust by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s a long-awaited homecoming…but not everyone’s happy about her return. Five years ago, Tilly Taylor’s father did something that cost her everything. Her home. Her friends. And all the trust she’d ever earned. Now she’s back, and ready to prove to everyone that she’s nothing like Martin Taylor. Unfortunately, the small town of Misty Peak doesn’t forgive or forget so easily...Categorized as:
military enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc multi-pov romance -
After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsJack Valentini isn’t my type. Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave. Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military -
Great And Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHow do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are? Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him—especially his father. He left, swearing never to return.But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again... -
My True Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsCan a man who resents the hand he’s been dealt and a woman who spends her days grateful for every little thing find true love in each other’s arms—or are their differences stronger than both of them? Find out in this funny, sexy, heartfelt romance, and fall in love with Grant and Jules on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, and midnight rendezvous...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc family grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military multi-pov action-adventure -
Ignite by Melanie Harlow, Stephen Dexter
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsMy new neighbor is a firefighter—and a scorching hot single dad—but I swear I didn’t set off that smoke alarm on purpose.(And I was beyond mortified when he rushed in and saw me naked.)Nothing happened, of course—because I, Winnie MacAllister, romance junkie and owner of a constantly broken heart, have sworn off men for one solid year...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor military multi-pov -
Runaway Girl by Tessa Bailey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt’s Naomi Clemons’s big day. Her dream wedding. And she’s outta here. One moment. A chance meeting of gazes through the church window pane with someone familiar who radiates intrigue. Independence. It’s the final push Naomi needs to realize...she’s boring. A blonde, cookie cutter, well mannered trophy wife-to-be...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
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Sterling Brick by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLove wasn’t part of the blueprint when high school sweethearts reunite in their small town. But this former military man never forgot the girl he left behind and he’s more determined than ever to rebuild their relationship brick by brick and heart by heart.Getting locked in the men’s restroom during my mother’s funeral wasn’t exactly how I expected to run into my high school sweetheart...Categorized as:
military grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn romance contemporary small-town -
Wait for It by Mariana Zapata
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsIf anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn't been one long enough. Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn't know what the hell she's doing half the time. How she's made it through the last two years of her life without killing anyone is nothing short of a miracle. Being a grown-up wasn't supposed to be so hard...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor -
Powerless by Elsie Silver
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsTwo childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. Afterall, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now.But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either.To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc family forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine journey multi-pov -
When You Least Expect It by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe last thing Stella Ryan had time for was a man. With her family in trouble and looking to her to fix everything, romance and commitment were the furthest things from her mind. Until she ran into a man with a jawline that could cut granite and arms she wanted to lick like an ice cream cone. A man who made her forget the things that really mattered...Categorized as:
alpha-mc enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity humor military steamy action-adventure -
Wolf Soldier by Candace Ayers
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis is the third book in the She-Shifters of Hell’s Corner series. This series is a spin-off of the Bears of Burden series, although each book can be read as a standalone. Wolf shifter Holt Monroe has a big decision to make... -
Mistletoe Summer by Abby Tyler
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ASIN B07TRXGPD8 can be found hereIt was love at first sight. For their dogs.Cody Jones didn't expect to ever return to Applebottom, planning a long life of military service and world travel. But a devastating injury in Iraq narrows his options, so he begrudgingly helps his mother expand her doggy bakery until he figures out what’s next... -
Off Key (Whispering Key) by May Archer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’m about to sing you the saddest song in the universe, and it’s called “The Man of My Dreams Married My Sister.” It’s kinda my theme song. And trust me when I tell you, it’s heavy on the violins.Because the man in question? He’s not just any guy, he’s Rafe freakin’ Goodman. My former best friend. The boy who made my summers on Whispering Key magical...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers family forced-proximity humor journey slow-burn steamy action-adventure -
Cute But Psycho by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEtienne LaFayette hits the ground running the moment he breathes free air after being paroled from a maximum-security prison in Texas.He claws his life back from his brother-in-law who’d taken over his business during the years he’d spent as an inmate at Huntsville Penitentiary. Though it is hard, he puts his life back together in Accident, Florida... -
One Little Heartbreak by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSethI never realized getting adopted at thirty-two years old was a thing, then I met the Westbrooks. They’re a family that grows every time a wayward soul crosses their path, and now I’m an honorary member. A former spy, I was married at twenty-two—a father at twenty-six and a widow by thirty. To say my life is in transition would be an understatement...Categorized as:
family steamy grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity military romance -
Glass Skulls by L.M. Terry
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen I was a little girl, I was rescued by the president of the Rebel Skull’s daughter.I’ll never forget the day she brought me to the warehouse. To me, it looked like a castle. I remember thinking how fortunate she was to live in such a magical place, and to have a family … a dad. I got lucky that day, because her father decided to take me in...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy forced-proximity romance dark -
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Wild Heart by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSometimes you need the dark to protect the lightQuinn Sawyer is a mystery.She’s an heiress. She’s a backcountry guide.She has a suite in a mansion, but she sleeps in the woods.I can’t make sense of her. I shouldn’t care.My job is to keep her safe, not get to know her.She’s my best friend’s little sister. She’s a client.And she can never be mine...Categorized as:
alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity military romance contemporary -
Scary Hot: An Until Series and Club Alias Series Crossover by Kd Robichaux
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAlpha former-military biker.Quirky office manager of a vet clinic.When their best friends meet and have a whirlwind romance, they get swept up in it and have a hot tryst of their own.It leads to a surprise pregnancy—and a soul-deep connection—neither see coming... -
Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA spicy, sassy, and swoony fake dating romantic comedy from Amazon Charts bestselling author Jennifer Millikin. A week on an island sounds like the stuff of beach dreams, but for Paisley Royce, it's a nightmare. Her little sister is marrying her ex-college sweetheart, and Paisley is serving as maid of honor. To add insult to injury, nobody will let Paisley forget she’s single...Categorized as:
journey forced-proximity enemies-to-lovers slow-burn multi-pov romance contemporary fiction -
Lot 62 by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsEvery fairytale had a villain, and this way of life was ours. Coming from nothing and gaining something is a lot to handle. Can they hang on to it? A year after moving in together on Lot 62, Devon and Maddox have a whole new dynamic to adjust to—cohabitation. Merging their personalities and energies into one tiny trailer is a lot to handle, but so is their relationship...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity steamy multi-pov humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc -
Herd That by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHis Wranglers fit him like a glove. A really tight, leaving nothing to the imagination, glove. Codie wants nothing more than to shove that Wrangler-covered butt straight into the mud. Ace Valentine has a smart mouth, a devil-may-care attitude, and those wicked eyes aimed directly at her. She doesn’t know what to do with that kind of attention... -
My Brother's Best Friends by Rebel Bloom
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey claim I’m the one thing they can’t have, and the only thing they’ve ever wanted.They’re also the ones that took my v-card and ran me out of town.Coming back to Lunar, New Mexico was a nightmare.I had no choice after my life had gone up in flames.Between finding out that my boyfriend had a wife and getting fired from my job, I had little desire to think about hot men...
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