Books like 'Hale'
Readers who enjoyed Hale by Anastasija White also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance age-gap sports forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers
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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...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
On the Surface by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPeople see what they want to see. They only view what’s on the surface, and they’re easy to fool. I let them see on the outside that I’m a successful businesswoman. My clothes are designer, my makeup flawless, and I live in a high-rise condo in Lennox Hills. They see perfection, not what lies beneath the surface... -
Finn Rhodes Forever by Stephanie Archer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe guy who broke my heart is now an arrogant, too-hot firefighter… who’s hell-bent on getting me back. This summer, I have one goal: field work. I need it to finish my PhD. I never expected Finn Rhodes to offer help. He broke my heart twelve years ago, and now that he’s back in town, I want nothing to do with him. Finn wants one thing—me. We were inseparable as kids until everything changed...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book comedy -
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...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine sports adult -
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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...Categorized as:
sports age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers forced-proximity romance -
Command and Control by Jemma Westbrook, Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSix months ago I baited a sinfully handsome but wickedly dangerous man.He didn’t bite.I wanted to work for his company. Desperately. Did all I could to prove my worth and plead my case.To no avail.Until the night I come home to find his card on my kitchen counter...Categorized as:
forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap romance contemporary suspense -
Dirty Toe Drag by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsStella Brooks is a woman who knows what she wants. From her first glimpse of Paris Fashion Week at the tender age of eleven, she has only ever wanted to be a designer. Hardworking and dedicated, she knows she can make a success of it. Until…she is driven to trade fashion for frosting, a move that makes her soul sing but shakes her confidence in her decision-making to her core... -
The Hero She Craves by Anna Hackett
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe last thing he expects on his ship is the off-limits woman he can’t stop thinking about—his best friend’s daughter.After a tough military career as a Navy SEAL, and a member of a covert Ghost Ops team, Lorenzo “Ren” Santoro now calls a research ship home. The ocean, very few people, and solitude…it’s all he needs...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance suspense -
My Kind of Perfect by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom author Nikki Ash comes a roommates to lovers, single dad romance...GeorgiaI’m surrounded by love, yet have no one to call my own.But then Chase, my new roommate, is suddenly there.He could be the perfect guy for me, if he wasn’t nursing a broken heart.The more time I waste looking for love, the more I realize that what I want has been right in front of me all along...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book -
Forever Wild by Rebecca Jenshak
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe annoyingly handsome hockey captain glaring at me needs my help.He won't admit that, of course. But with his teammate's gone for the summer and him fresh off a season-ending injury, someone has to keep him in check and it's not the nurses he keeps running off...Categorized as:
sports age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers romance -
Watch Your Mouth by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsMy brother’s teammates know not to touch me — but that doesn’t stop me from daring Jaxson Brittain to be the first to break the rule.After one steamy night in Austin, I’m all too aware of the hot, broody defenseman with icy blue eyes and ink sprawling his muscular arms. He was the one my brother assigned to keep me safe — and I had far too much fun tempting him to be the one to put me in danger...Categorized as:
sports age-gap forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance -
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 forced-proximity romance insta-love small-town -
Over My Brother's Dead Body, Chase Andrews by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsChase Andrews.The Kingsmen’s top tight end.My brother’s friend and teammate.My new neighbor.The grumpy to my sunshine.But underneath that grumpy exterior, there’s so much more.Chase likes to pretend nothing affects him, but I’ve seen glimpses of his other side in the time we’ve spent together.And the more we get to know each other, the more I’m falling for him... -
Cold as Ice by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCaptain of the team? He's not giving up until he's Captain of her heart.KrisWhen you're the Captain, you get what you want.Until the one thing you want refuses to cooperate.I've been chasing Kelsey, our feisty publicist, for years.She won't give me the time of day.I know she wants me too.I see it in her eyes every time she looks at me.But she runs as soon as I get close...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers age-gap romance insta-love -
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Don't Let Me Break by Kelsie Rae
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMacklin and I are just friends.And even that's a stretch.He saw me at my most vulnerable, and now the guy's popping up left and right.Pretty sure it's because my friend is trying to set me up with him, but what do I know?It's not like I have much experience with guys.And he's...well, Macklin's older, much more experienced, and bluntly put?Way out of my league...Categorized as:
sports age-gap friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance new-adult -
Asher by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom Amazon top ten bestselling author Samantha Whiskey comes the billionaire, opposites attract romance you won't want to miss!I execute many roles: owner of the NHL’s Carolina Reapers, CFO of Silas Tech, and genuine fan of all things professional sports.One thing I’m not?Chaotic.I’ve made my billions off of structure, discipline, and very little risk...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine sports adult billionaire book -
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 forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary fiction -
Now's the Time by Harlow James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Let me experience all of you tonight, Penelope…since this is all that we get.”That was the agreement between me and Maddox Taylor, the NFL’s most notorious playboy and mega-talented quarterback who happened to be out in California for one night—one night in which I broke all of my rules and gave in to the undeniable attraction I felt for the man... -
Midnight Confessions by J.L. Kenna
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult angst billionaire -
Not As Planned by Harlow James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“So you’re single?” “Are you seriously hitting on me right now while I have breastmilk all over my shirt?”When Grant Thomas, the handsome stranger standing in front of me in line at the coffee shop, stripped his uniform shirt off and handed it to me, I could have sworn I was on an episode of Punked...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance contemporary fiction -
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... -
The Fall Out by Jenni Bara
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLet me tell the story of how I fell in love with a woman who had no idea that we were even dating. The ridiculousness started when she stole my beer, and trust me, my grumpy self doesn’t normally share. But somehow, Avery Wilson is the exception to every one of my many rules.Unfortunately, I’m not hers...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance slow-burn contemporary -
A Collision of Stars by Georgia Stone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne summer. One bucket list.No one would ever call Ava Monroe a people person, which is unfortunate, as a barista in a busy London coffee shop. Bored, cynical and deathly sarcastic, she’s built up walls for a reason. Despite attempts from her best friend to shake up her routine, Ava refuses to do anything to disrupt her carefully curated life...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary humor slow-burn -
Perfect Praise by Grace Pearce
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMaren and Locke both exist in the same world of professional golf—he's the number one player in the world while she just takes his picture.Never mind that Locke unintentionally leads the press to believe that he and Maren are dating, because when she confronts him, he couldn't care less...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance athlete contemporary -
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The Brazen One by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
Rule Breaker by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSpending the night in jail isn’t exactly how I planned to spend Christmas, but I’ve had worse holidays… Now that I’m out, it’s time to accept my real punishment. Coaching ten-year-old terrors on the ice, in my non-existent free time. My Coach thinks it’d be good for me. Remind me where I came from. He should know I’ve tried every day of my life for the last ten years to forget...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine sports adult book -
Mr. Jerk by Leslie North
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe first time I met Noah Parker, he asked if I was an escort.Apparently when you’re a billionaire sports agent, finding strange half-naked women in your hotel room is…normal?That didn’t stop me launching a stiletto at him.He’s fine—good reflexes.Still, he walked into my hotel room—claiming it's his—and has no plans on leaving.Neither do I.Which is how I end up sharing a bed with Mr. Jerk...Categorized as:
sports age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance contemporary -
You're It by Cleo White
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI am a walking, talking disaster.Sometimes it feels like every step I take leads to a mistake that is painful or embarrassing, or painful and embarrassing, and it’s pretty remarkable that natural selection hasn’t taken me out yet.The point is, I have a lot of experience in cleaning up my own messes... -
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...Categorized as:
sports age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers forced-proximity romance -
Prince of Darkness by Ajme Williams
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWitness protection. Forbidden crush. Now he's a ruthless killer and I'm pregnant with his child.Liam was supposed to be my FBI guardian angel. Now, he's the monster who kidnapped me.One explosive night. One life-altering secret. Will the Prince of Darkness return for the child he doesn't know exists?This is no fairy tale.This is survival.This is us...Categorized as:
forced-proximity age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc organized-crime fiction contemporary -
Goaltender Interference by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe last thing Connor O’Shea needs is more complications … After too much celebrating at his brother’s wedding, Connor wakes up next to cocky Toronto goaltender Jesse Webber—pro hockey’s reigning f*ckboy. With three kids and a failed marriage under his belt, Connor might be ready to admit he’s attracted to men, but that doesn’t mean his life has to change...Categorized as:
sports age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance -
Brogan by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey call me Demon for a reason—I’m the most ruthless Reaper on the ice.I’m not the person who finds a baby on their doorstep.Except, after a morning run, I am.And the note accompanying the little bundle says she’s mine.Looks like I'm the newest single dad in the NHL.I was nothing but a burden on my aunt and uncle after my parents died, and I’d decided I’d never have children... -
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Playboy Playmaker by Maren Moore
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI had the best sex of my life with a man whose name I didn’t even know.No names, no strings, and…. no panties.Long story. Don’t ask.So imagine my surprise when I walk into my dad’s office a week later and see none other than the man who has my panties, but not my name.Turns out, he’s the Avalanche’s hotshot goalie, twelve years older and my father is his coach...Categorized as:
sports age-gap forced-proximity friends-to-lovers romance forbidden-love contemporary fiction -
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Legend by Isla Olsen, Willow Thomas
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTomLegend of the Game. That’s me, apparently. I suppose it’s meant to be a compliment, but to me it just sounds like one of those labels people slap on you when you’re on your way out. Legend. Stalwart. Dinosaur. It all sounds the same to me.I’ve been in the Premier League for over twenty years and I’m not ready to leave...Categorized as:
sports age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers romance -
The Keeper by Raine Miller, Brit DeMille
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn anti-social goalie unhappy about being traded to Vegas meets an outgoing drummer in a rock band and discovers that maybe fighting their attraction is the completely wrong approach in this enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract hockey romance. "Sometimes I feel like a square puck trying to roll down ice... -
Needing the Next-Door Neighbor by Kristin Canary
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMy next-door neighbor, Ryan Rosche, is pretty much the perfect guy.He’s a freaking doctor, for one.Humble…Mature (Did I mention he’s eleven years older than me?) …And flat-out gorgeous.If only he wasn’t also … my boss.Look, if I wasn’t the nanny to his nieces, I’d be all. over. that...Categorized as:
forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap romance contemporary fiction -
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...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers age-gap forced-proximity romance -
Just One Summer: A Dirty Dare Series Novella by Carly Phillips
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carly Phillips comes a new story in her Dirty Dare series…Gabriella Davenport is a gorgeous, twenty-two-year-old virgin with a trust fund, vacationing in the Hamptons for the summer and running from family pressure to marry someone she doesn’t like, let alone love.Maddox James is a sexy bar manager, older than Gabby by a decade...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary boss-employee family romance -
Inflame by Victoria Dawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNicIf it isn’t a cardinal rule to never fall for your brother’s fiancée’s best friend, it should be.This was supposed to be easy. We just needed to plan a memorable Vegas trip for the joint bachelor and bachelorette parties. I mean, really, what could go wrong? Well, basically everything... -
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 forced-proximity romance forbidden-love small-town -
Tangling with the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s a massage therapist, in town temporarily. But he might not ever let her leave.I'm off the clock when a gorgeous mountain man shows up at the new spa at the Rosewood Ridge Retreat Center. He's hot and in need of help. How can I turn him down?When the massage turns a little steamy, I know I'm going beyond my professional boundaries. But this guy has me feeling things I’ve never felt...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance audiobook friendship -
Charmed by the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe needs someone to help with his infant. She gives him more than he bargained for.I’m not a tough boss. I don’t ask for much.But when my nanny walks out on me, I question everything.Then my neighbor’s girlfriend recommends her best friend. She’s been working catering, but her degree is in early childhood education. This friend has no experience as a nanny, but beggars can’t be choosers...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance contemporary anthologies -
Stalked by the Mountain Man by Mia Brody
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThere’s only one man I’ve ever loved—my father’s best friend, my stalker.MackenzieHe follows me around town. He prowls around my house. He’s always in the shadows. My father’s best friend thinks I don’t know he’s the man stalking me.But here’s what he’s about to I’m as obsessed with him as he is me. And tonight, I want to tease him out of the shadows and into my bed...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance contemporary small-town -
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Satisfying the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA case of mistaken identity leads to a night to remember.When she shows up at my door with a basket of baked goods and a skimpy outfit, I’m sure it’s a gag. My buddies have hired a woman to…entertain me.But within minutes, I know this isn’t a woman I want in my life temporarily. She’s someone I can’t live without.Problem is, she’s too good for me...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary anthologies romance fiction -
Soothing the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s not interested in finding love. And then she meets him.I’d never date a small-town guy.That’s what I’ve always said anyway.And that’s especially true of the guys on the logging crew. I watch them from our food truck every day, chopping logs with their shirts off. Such showoffs.But one of them likes to flirt with me when he gets his morning coffee. And he’s undeniably gorgeous...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary anthologies romance fiction -
She Likes It, Hey Micah by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMicah Taylor is an eternal optimist, but with every first date that fails, her faith in true love weakens. When offered the chance to help reopen the lodge where her parents were married, Micah is determined to prove her worth and show her boss that she has what it takes to be a great event planner...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity age-gap romance contemporary fiction -
Adrift by Swati M.H.
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRani Shah is everything I can’t have–too young, too sweet, too innocent. Not to mention, she’s my late wife’s sister and my son’s nanny.So when she asked me to kiss her, I should have refused.When she begged me to touch her, I could have turned her down.When she coaxed me to take the one thing she’s never given away–her virginity–a better man would have walked away...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
Fox by D.J. Krimmer
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJanieWhen my father passed away, I assumed my grieving would be as simple as closing a book and starting another. Only, he had other plans.Leaving me his beloved tattoo shop, I’m stuck to figure out what exactly to do with it, all while being constantly reminded of him...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary fiction -
Single Shot by Pippa Green, Eden Dunn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Minnesota Raider’s PR Guru calls me into her office. No big deal, right? I’m Dominik James. I’m the goalie with the most and the most charming player we’ve got...and now I’m supposed to use my charm to win over the journalist who’s gonna be tailing me for two weeks.Two weeks.I start out with nothing against Fiadora Brown or what she does for a living...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary enemies-to-lovers steamy
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