Books like 'Start Us Up'
Readers who enjoyed Start Us Up by Lexi Blake also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance family technology drama workplace humor grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers friendship
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The Merger by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCrushes are harmless—unless they involve your best friend’s grumpy, off-limits brother.Gannon Brewer is the epitome of my type. He’s at least ten years older than me, emotionally unavailable, and highly disagreeable—a walking red flag in a tailored suit. But do I listen to that? No...Categorized as:
workplace family humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity found-family -
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 humor adult book -
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:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc family female-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine -
Twenty-four Three by K.C. Mills
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA shot in the dark.A mistaken identity.A undeniable attraction.An injured hitman finds himself depending on a stranger and for Carter Reed trust is not something he’s willing to extend. Unfortunately when it comes to McKenna Smith, Carter can either allow her to be his saving grace or risk losing something more precious than trust…his life.Stakes are high...Categorized as:
forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc female-mc romance contemporary black-mc -
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Cinderella and the Billionaire Boss by Serenity Woods
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA one-night stand with a sexy stranger seems like a great idea, until he turns out to be my new billionaire boss…When the gorgeous guy I meet in the bar on my last night in Auckland asks if I’d like to go back to his hotel room, I have to think about it.For a whole second.Tomorrow, I’m leaving the city.I’m finally escaping my calamitous life.So I throw caution to the winter wind...Categorized as:
forced-proximity alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace friends-to-lovers family -
No Strings by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling Author Nikki Ash comes a brand new, contemporary, stand-alone romance about a single dad who thinks he has everything figured out... until he meets her.SavannahA sexy, single dad and his teenage son weren’t a part of my white picket fence fairy tale, but if life has taught me anything, it’s that things don’t always work out according to plan...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc family female-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor adult -
Wild Side by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJamesonLast man standing. I’ve watched all three of my friends fall in love with no desire to ever follow in their footsteps. Collectively, we own the hottest restaurant, bar, and brewery in town. They are a few of the places I find peace, a refuge against this cruel world. When I’m on the stage playing music, everything just seems to fade away.Until I saw her...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc family friends-to-lovers friendship grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book -
The Knockout by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Knockout is a hot new hockey romance between a broken ballerina and the forbidden bad boy who saves her.We all have dirty secrets. Some are just more fun to hide than others.Ares Wilder is a so-called bad boy. A ladies man. The teammate most likely to fight both on and off the ice...Categorized as:
humor friends-to-lovers forced-proximity found-family female-mc alpha-mc romance sports -
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 grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc alpha-mc workplace humor -
The Mr. Right Checklist by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA free-spirited proposal planner and a grumpy professor form a hilarious and unexpected situationship that just might lead to more in this steamy romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.Dog groomer and budding marriage-proposal planner Destiny Amor believes in true love and happily ever afters...Categorized as:
family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers forced-proximity found-family humor -
The Charmer by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJulian Leblanc's story is a sizzling fake relationship romance set in the heart of New Orleans. She’s too damn hot, but also rude and unprofessional... yet that doesn’t stop me from becoming her fake boyfriend.I pride myself on never doubting my decisions. It’s why my business runs so smoothly... -
Big, Bossy Problem: An Accidental Baby Romance by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeing a dog walker isn’t as glamorous as you might imagine.Unless, of course, you’re walking a tech billionaire’s German shepherd mix... -
Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe job was simple. Always answer the phone—no exceptions—then solve the caller’s catastrophe as efficiently as possible.The rules were simpler. They contact you, not the other way around. Never give them your real name, number, or any personal information not required to help a newly single dad keep his head above water.And never, ever get involved with a caller... -
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:
cheerful-mc family forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult age-gap -
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Twice Knightley in my Bed: A friends-to-lovers romance by Serenity Woods
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s been zero days since I realized I’m in love with Leander Knight.Lee, or Knightley as everyone calls him, is my brother’s best mate, and he’s always treated me like his kid sister. Okay, so he might not put cockroaches in my lunchbox and lizards down my neck anymore, but even though we work together every day at Hartfield Wildlife Hospital, he’s never seemed interested in me in that way...Categorized as:
forced-proximity female-mc friendship humor family enemies-to-lovers contemporary fiction -
The Wonder of Now by Jamie Beck
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMoving on has never been harder—or so perfectly unpredictable… Peyton Prescott would give anything for the carefree life she knew before breast cancer changed everything. But instead of using her second chance to move forward, she’s stuck promoting the memoir her brother convinced her to write, thus reliving the very battle she wants to forget...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc family female-mc forced-proximity friendship grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine workplace -
Don't Go Away Mad by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsJasperThe kitchen: it’s my domain, where I create the best burgers in the Midwest. I’m the man behind the grill at Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my best friends. Every night, we’re packed, the demand has never been this high. It’s the only way I want it, thriving and pushing myself to be the very best.Then she started her new business across the street from mine...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc drama family forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine workplace -
Zane's Rebel by Loni Nichole
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor once in his life, this strait-laced attorney is ready to throw caution to the wind. Too bad his sassy, rebellious soulmate refuses to take the risk.ZaneI take on the sassy-mouthed heiress’s case because she needs a good defense. She’s being sued by her father’s former business partner, who wants to destroy her. The odds in this small-town are stacked against her... -
Defender by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTravis WyattAll I’ve ever wanted was to go to college and get out of Kensley. That small town is all I’ve ever known. I want to be free to be myself, not stifled by small minds in the football-loving town where I grew up.And then I blew my one and only chance.So now, I’m just stuck. Stuck in small-town life, with the same small-town people I’ve always known. Stuck where I don’t want to be... -
The Arrangement by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe gorgeous CEO of Brewer Air is my boss and, thanks to a bet, my new husband for six months.Why? Because I begged.I have a grandmother to support, a stack of bills higher than my five-foot frame, and as a cherry on top, I need to find a new place to live. Soon.Sure, Jason Brewer’s bright green eyes and chiseled jawline steal my breath. His smirk makes me weak... -
Baby For The Off Limits Boss Daddy by Callie Stevens
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI never thought I'd break the bro code and HR rules in one fell swoop.Rowan Headley tops the list of people I never wanted to see again.She shattered my best friend's heart, turning him into a shell of his former self.I hate her for what she did.But guess who my company's new hire is?Yep, the last person I expected - Rowan Headley.It’s awkward, it’s tense, but we have to put up with each other...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers workplace humor friendship family forced-proximity romance contemporary -
The One I Hate by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI hate Simon Banks.I also hate tequila. The first makes my blood boil with his devilish smirk and giant…ego. The second makes me do questionable things. Specifically, with Simon. Fine. Whatever. It’s a blip on my radar. Even though I can’t stop thinking about memories of our night…or his hands…and that mouth... -
Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNeighbors to lovers can be a risky proposition in this funny, sexy, and swoony romantic comedy between a single mother and the grumpy man next door by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke.When Gabrielle Solomon falls, she falls hard. Even if that means literally toppling over a porch railing in nothing but a flimsy towel—right in front of her sexy new neighbor...Categorized as:
family humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers female-mc -
Love You Wild by Becka Mack
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShattered. That’s the best way to describe Claire Thompson after the ultimate betrayal. When her long-term boyfriend cheats on her, Claire decides she’s done with men. Maybe forever. Healing the pieces of her broken heart seems like too impossible a task...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor workplace adult -
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Embracing the Change by Kristen Ashley
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes the new book in her River Rain Series, Embracing the Change. That Kiss… Gorgeous New York socialite, Nora Ellington has been waiting a very long time for her happily ever after...Categorized as:
family drama friends-to-lovers forced-proximity found-family female-mc alpha-mc romance -
Stay by Willow Aster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA scorching hot small town, age gap, single father/nanny romance by USA Today bestselling author Willow Aster... -
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 humor adult angst -
My Unexpected Family by Harlow James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNever in my wildest dreams did I think I’d walk into my living room to see a woman dancing to old-school hip-hop music while six months pregnant and I’d actually enjoy the sight of it.But then again, I never thought I’d get a woman pregnant and have her living in my house either.That’s what’s happened though...Categorized as:
forced-proximity found-family alpha-mc humor family contemporary billionaire fiction -
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:
found-family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers humor romance contemporary -
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...Categorized as:
humor forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance -
Boone by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m old enough to be her father, and a life-long confirmed bachelor, but after one night together, all that is about to change. Boone Wilson Instead of building my forever with a conventional family, I’ve dedicated my life to being the best father I can to the son I had way too early in life. Now that he’s grown, I’m giving all I can to my job... -
Under Your Spell by Laura Wood
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe only wants three things. He isn't one of them... Dumped by her cheating ex, fired from her dream job, about to lose her flat: Clementine Monroe is not having a good day. So when her sisters get her drunk and suggest reviving a childhood ritual called the breakup spell, she doesn’t see the harm in it...Categorized as:
forced-proximity family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family humor female-mc -
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 humor romance contemporary slow-burn -
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Deja Brew All Over Again by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTrouble has always had a way of finding me, but I never expected to be carjacked by a hot girl in a wedding dress.As the official family screw-up, not many people count on me for anything but a good time. But Maisy Romero and her little brother need a knight in shining armor, and they need him yesterday...Categorized as:
family friends-to-lovers forced-proximity humor friendship drama romance contemporary -
Salt Love by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat do you do when you find out your husband’s cheating on you, your aunt just passed away in Florida, and your boss gave the promotion to your work nemesis, so you threaten him with bodily harm in the middle of a board meeting?Well, after getting escorted out of the building by security, I fly straight to Sunshine Key to deal with my aunt’s estate...Categorized as:
humor friends-to-lovers workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family female-mc -
Naughty or Nice by Sophie Snow
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRora Stanley hates Christmas.But when her best friend needs a Santa photographer for her family’s toy store, Rora is forced to return to her Christmas-obsessed hometown for the holidays.Henry Whitten loves Christmas.And a few weeks in Wintermore, Wyoming playing Santa is exactly what he needs as he stands at a career crossroads...Categorized as:
forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family humor romance -
Temptress by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWho knew the grumpy single dad next door would turn out to be The One?As Sloane Chambers stood at her window and creeped on the new guy moving in next door, she was immediately drawn to the tattoos, muscles, and the way his jeans hugged his perfect . . . frame. But when she caught him hacking up her rose bushes with a chain saw, the battle was on...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity alpha-mc family humor romance -
True Colors by Amy Knupp
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNot much bothers him… until his best friend’s little sister moves to town. Carefree personal trainer Drake North is long on charm and short on connections that do more than skim the surface. His main ties are to his family and his best friend, so when his friend’s little sister moves to town, Drake promises to look out for her...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity female-mc humor family romance -
True Blue by Amy Knupp
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe was jilted on her wedding day. He’s the best friend waiting in the wings. Lexie Gallagher is starting to think she’s better off alone. Her family fell apart years ago. Her relationships all end in disaster. Is she the common denominator who causes everyone to leave? Everyone but her best friend, Gabe, who whisks her away from the scene of the latest breakup...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity female-mc humor family -
A Cowboy in the Streets by Elizabeth Bright
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today best selling author Elizabeth Bright comes a new grumpy/sunshine, single dad, steamy romance set in wild and beautiful Colorado.Working as the head trainer at Lodestar Ranch is my chance to prove I have what it takes as a woman in a man's world. The only problem? My boss is the world’s grumpiest cowboy… and I can’t keep my eyes off him... -
Slow Dancing by Noelle N., hepburnettes
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings#1.3│Isla Moore is the fake girlfriend of billionaire Kaden Bretton. But Kaden is suffering from temporary blindness and still thinks he's dating his real girlfriend, Evangeline, who's actually buried six-feet underground... -
Spill the Sweet Tea by Lyra Parish
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSome describe me as a quirky, free-spirited journalist who charges her crystals by moonlight.They’re not wrong.My instincts ensure I know everything that goes on in my small town. And not much surprises me. But when the man who destroyed my heart returns to care for his family’s business, I’m shaken to the core.After our messy breakup, Hayden Shaw swore he’d never come back to Valentine, Texas... -
Grumpy Player by R.C. Stephens
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMarrying the nanny wasn’t my biggest mistake… falling for her was. Being injured on the ice doesn’t just make me a grumpy goalie, it makes me a frustrated single dad unable to care for my daughter… or myself.Ellie is the perfect candidate— kind, patient, beautiful, and looking for a place to call home after a falling out with her family...Categorized as:
family drama grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity alpha-mc female-mc -
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Love Me Tomorrow by Maria Luis
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThey call her America’s Sweetheart. And me? I’m the so-called “inked god” she dumped on TV. I’ve tried to forget her. I’ve tried to move on. Until I discover that her family is opening a new restaurant next to my tattoo parlor. If I were a gentleman, I’d offer my congratulations and go my own way. If I were a gentleman, I’d let her be . . . but I’m not... -
Sin Bin by Teagan Hunter
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsI should stay away.Emilia Anderson is the team’s social media manager, and there are strict rules about not fraternizing with the staff. It doesn’t matter that we already accidentally broke them—we can’t let it happen again.Besides, my time in the NHL is winding down, and this is my last shot at winning the Cup. I need to focus on the game, not some girl I have no business chasing... -
The Atelier Assignment by Annie Dyer
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHer assignment is to not fall in love with him…Zeke Brooksbank is in need of a wake-up call. One that shakes him out of the grump he’s permanently in and turns him into a reasonable human being.I’m not staying at his country residence to tame the beast. I’m meant to be cataloguing his art collection, not fangirling over his own paintings, or becoming attached to his little daughter...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc female-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor workplace -
The Rest is History: An Opposites-Attract, Teacher Romance by Sara Madderson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Elodie Peach joins our school's History department, her clear green eyes, joyous ways and swan-like neck enchant me as much as Anne Boleyn’s charms captivated Henry VIII five hundred years ago.Monday to Friday, I’m grumpy Mr Vaughan, Head of History. Zero personality, except when I’m teaching. So passionate about my field that my pupils bought me a highly inappropriate t-shirt last year... -
Rockin' Her Curves by Lola West
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis catfish is a keeper.Patricia “Trish” Chobert likes one-night stands and bye felicias. If her father taught her anything, it’s that lying, cheating men keep women from succeeding. And nothing is going to keep her from climbing her way to the top of the management side of the music industry...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers workplace forced-proximity female-mc alpha-mc humor romance contemporary -
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:
workplace found-family forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor romance
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