Books like 'The Hero She Needs'
Readers who enjoyed The Hero She Needs by Anna Hackett, Aaron Shedlock & Ava Erickson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary action / adventure romance small town forced-proximity bodyguard suspense military on-the-run alpha-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 grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military multi-pov action-adventure adult -
The Hero I Need by Nicole Snow
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow returns with a hilariously intense small-town love story where two star-crossed hearts and one snarly tiger ignite a romance up-roar.He knew I was trouble the instant I showed up with a stolen Bengal tiger.But Grady McKnight didn't flinch like a sane person—he took us in.Bruce the tiger found shelter. I met a hero grump. And Grady got a hot mess...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military suspense action-adventure adult age-gap -
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...Categorized as:
alpha-mc bodyguard cheerful-mc dark forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military -
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...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military suspense action-adventure adult -
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Bray by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHis mission? A leisurely, first-class train ride through the Canadian Rockies escorting a doctor who was afraid of flying.Easy. Relaxing. And if the doctor is a beautiful, funny, kind-hearted woman that makes him wish for a future he thought had been buried with his last Special Forces mission, what can go wrong?Plenty.Illegal weapons smuggler. Nefarious businessmen... -
Redwood by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGavin Zimmerman. Military codename: REDWOOD. This former Special Forces soldier will protect Oak Creek from any threat. Even one that comes in the form of a delicate blonde with haunted eyes.A tiny town in Wyoming and the fake ID in her pocket are Lexi Johnson's last chance. She's used her all her resources to escape the danger that hounds her... -
Kye by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes it’s in the depths of hell, that one finds their angel.Samantha Jacobs thought she was aiding her government. She believed the chip she created, the one that could change the world, would be used for the good of mankind. But it was all a lie…and she discovered the truth too late. Now, Samantha will suffer dearly for her mistake... -
Playing with Lies by Riley Edwards
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA no-strings kinda guy and a forever kinda woman…what could go wrong?I had a stalker and I knew just who to ask for help—Detective Dalton Neary. My own personal Prince Charming. The problem was, he turned out not to be so charming, at least not in the forever kind of way I was looking for. He was a good-time guy with a sexy smile and a goat game that should be illegal. But not the man for me...Categorized as:
suspense grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity bodyguard romance mystery -
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 forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military multi-pov action-adventure -
Fractured Sky by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsDamaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.Until I meet him.Ramsey’s grumpy demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc dark forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine multi-pov suspense -
Phoenix by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAdrenaline junky. Adventure traveler. Extreme sport sensation. They’re all labels Riley Harrison—known to the world as Phoenix—wears as easily as the tattoos covering his body. But it’s his role as undercover operative for Linear Tactical’s kidnap and ransom unit that makes his blood sing. Riley uses his celebrity status to help infiltrate locations and situations nobody else can get into.In. Out... -
Edge of Nowhere by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOpen roads and honor meets poke bowls and self-controlI’m a homesick nomad.A protégé, a mountain man, an ally, and a seeker.My name is Wapi.I’m a work in progress looking to belong, and though my road has been a winding one, my heart has found focus.I’m a straightlaced hellcat.A princess, a fool, a target, and a handle.My name is Lindsey... -
Code Name: Outlaw by Janie Crouch, Josie Jade
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMonths trapped in the clutches of a madman made Jenna Franklin a shell of the woman she once was. All she can do now is use her computer genius from inside the safety of closed doors. Even two years later, going outside = blood-freezing panic. She’s made herself a haven in the only place she’s felt safe since her captivity: Oak Creek, Wyoming—home of her Linear Tactical friends... -
Delicate Escape by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTrust doesn’t come easily when you’ve been running for as long as I have, which is why moving in with a man I barely know is such a bad idea.Shepard Colson is all golden-boy charm and devastating good looks. But I know what it’s like to be taken in by easy smiles and the promise of forever—I have the scars to prove it...Categorized as:
suspense forced-proximity multi-pov grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc on-the-run dark -
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Bribed by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLennon Love Clarke needs to put on a show.With her reputation sinking, the famous actress has no choice but to grin and bear it because the tabloids were better than the truth. If only Lenni could remember what that was—and who is stalking her. Now, she’s in hiding—or would be if her new bodyguard hadn’t found her first.Dante Lozano is Covington Security’s very own Casanova... -
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... -
Blaze by Lynn Raye Harris
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDead to their pasts. Ghosts. No family ties. No connections. Six men with a top-secret mission move to a small town where they have to navigate local life, protect their secret, and, above all, stay single. Former Hostile Operations Team soldier Blaze "Shadow" Connolly knows what it’s like to lose everything. He’s got nobody except his job and his team and that’s the way he likes it...Categorized as:
military suspense forced-proximity dark romance contemporary small-town found-family -
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 grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military multi-pov suspense action-adventure -
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 multi-pov romance contemporary -
The Hero She Deserves by Anna Hackett
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen he goes to investigate a blaring smoke alarm, the last thing he expects to find is Hollywood’s hottest actress…naked.Deputy Sheriff Sawyer Lane likes the pace of life on Maui. After years as a Navy SEAL and in Ghost Ops, he likes that no one shoots at him. Coming to the island saved him. He still can’t sleep, but he’ll take the sun, sand, and solitude... -
Tyler by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSometimes, the biggest secrets can bring both salvation and destruction.Emerson Charles grew up luckier than most, going from a difficult life to finding safety and a true home with her stepmother and stepbrother. Years later, when Levi's in trouble, Emerson will do anything for the brother of her heart, her greatest protector... -
Bitter Sweet Hell by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Hell Night Series continues with JW's story! As the Sheriff of Malus, Texas, JW takes his oath to protect its citizens very seriously. Born from an ugly past, he swears no child, woman, or man will ever endure what he and his brothers have. As he seeks retribution of the ones who have wronged him, his past and his present finally collide. Secrets are laid open... -
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 bodyguard cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military multi-pov -
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...Categorized as:
alpha-mc forced-proximity military multi-pov suspense action-adventure adult age-gap -
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Love on the Run by Zoe York
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBook 5 in the Pine Harbour series: Dean Foster (ex-cop, army reservist, newly minted bodyguard) meets his match in Liana Hansen (Nashville superstar, woman of many secrets, supremely reluctant protectee). Bodyguard. [Noun] A person hired to escort and protect another person. Escort and protect. Definitely no flirting, kissing, or testing the bounds of third base... -
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 romance contemporary small-town female-mc -
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 military multi-pov romance contemporary -
Covering Ollie by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLiving in Durango, Colorado for the past eighteen years allowed Ollie Rizzo to build her own business and carve out a quiet existence for her and her teenage daughter. She’s used to going it alone. However, their new silver-haired neighbor might present a problem—not only is he handsome—he’s also Durango’s new chief of police; a complication she can’t afford... -
Protector Mate by Ariana Hawkes
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA brand new mail-order bride series from the author of Shiftr: Swipe Left For Love. Jagger needs a mate. Fast. He’s running from a dark past and his life as the self-appointed sheriff of the outcast community of Ragtown was supposed to keep him on track. But his duties are pushing his bear to the dark side—not least when a new threat appears in town, with the ability to destroy everyone in it...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military suspense action-adventure adult angels -
The Protector by Susan Stoker
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker comes a sizzling suspense about the romance that blossoms between two strangers during a snowstorm and the stalker who threatens them both.Riggs “Chappy” Chapman didn’t expect to be disrupted at his remote cabin in the woods...Categorized as:
dark forced-proximity military suspense action-adventure adult audiobook billionaire -
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...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military multi-pov suspense action-adventure -
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:
suspense military forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc multi-pov romance -
The Runaway by Jess Mastorakos
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCould rescuing a runaway bride would be the detour I never knew I needed?I had a plan. But then, my cross-country road trip to my new duty station started with me getting dumped. Two seconds later, I got roped into bringing a family friend’s niece, Nikki, and her teenage daughter on the road with me.To make matters worse, I’m aiding Nikki’s escape from her own wedding...Categorized as:
suspense grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc military contemporary small-town female-mc -
What the Hail by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe’s wanted her since he repossessed her car and made her cry. Baylor Hail knew two things. One, he hated crying females. Two, it was even worse when he was the one to make that female cry. He never meant to do anything but his job, but when one thing leads to another, suddenly all he can think about is the broken woman whose car he towed... -
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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 military multi-pov action-adventure -
From Here to Eternity by A.L. Jackson
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI should have known everything was going to change when she walked into my tattoo shop...Timid as hell and gorgeous to the extreme. I knew better than even thinking about touching a woman like that. My life is dangerous.My calling wicked.Willing to cross any line to protect the innocent...Categorized as:
suspense dark grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc multi-pov forced-proximity alpha-mc -
Unsanctioned by Kaylea Cross
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsStar-crossed lovers…Driven by her traumatic past, Nadia Bishop has dedicated her life to helping children orphaned by war around the globe. She won’t let anything stand in her way—not even the sexy former soldier she left back in the U.S... -
Beguiled by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDex Covington knows one calculated risk can ruin everything. His brilliance behind the screen earned him the highest security clearance in the military—but not without lasting consequences. Now, he takes comfort in logic and numbers—solving Covington Security’s cyber crimes with the hopes it will ease the weight of his past... -
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 romance contemporary small-town slow-burn -
Distracted by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMarriage of convenience? More like marriage of inconvenience. Especially when it turns deadly.Ellery Cross did what she had to do to save her family from ruin. She married a man she wasn’t in love with. Worse, she married a man she knew nothing about.But Ellery eventually learns all she needs to know about her husband. And sticking around is not an option... -
Crushed by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat’s the price of survival?Sawyer McKinney didn’t want to come back. It wasn’t like anyone wanted to see her ever again anyway.But this was about life or death, and that meant there was only one place she could go.If Jesse Hale never saw Sawyer again, it would be too soon. After all the devastation she left behind years ago, he can’t imagine why she’d ever show her face again...Categorized as:
suspense forced-proximity bodyguard military romance contemporary mystery small-town -
Haunted by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHer name might be on the building, but Liv Harper hasn’t ever stepped foot inside the Harper Security Ops headquarters. Until now. When some bad choices land Liv in an unfortunate position, she knows there’s only one man she can trust to teach her how to keep herself safe. Brixton Steele isn’t sure he’s the right man for the job...Categorized as:
suspense bodyguard military romance contemporary friends-to-lovers action-adventure small-town -
Be Still My Heart by Emily McIntire, Sav R. Miller
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSkelm Island, Maine has always been known for two things: lobsters and its broken lighthouse.But when corpses start showing up in the water, the isolated town becomes the face of a cryptic investigation.At the heart of which stands Lincoln Porter, a grumpy ex-SEAL whose lobstering business seems to attract more dead bodies than fish...Categorized as:
alpha-mc cheerful-mc dark forced-proximity friendship grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine multi-pov -
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...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine military action-adventure adult book contemporary -
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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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity military suspense romance contemporary -
Reckless Faith by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLetting him go was the hardest thing she’d ever done…until he returns, and letting him back in proves even harder.Elle Marshal has spent most of her life pining for the same boy. A boy she’s known since she was eight. A boy with beautiful blue eyes who’s never been interested in anything more than friendship...Categorized as:
military suspense bodyguard forced-proximity romance contemporary small-town friends-to-lovers -
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:
dark grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance enemies-to-lovers biker -
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:
suspense alpha-mc grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity military dark -
Crossing the Line by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSome lines are meant to be crossed.Trent Montgomery knew all about loyalty and responsibility. Tracking down his friend’s long-lost sister and making sure she was safe was just another job, a favor from someone he cared about. He wasn’t supposed to get attached. But when he started to fall for the woman who had been hiding from the world, things got a lot more complicated than he ever expected... -
Where We Ended by Ashley Munoz
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s been two years since I was traded to the Stone Riders Motorcycle Club. While it saved my life, I was forced to leave behind the only person that ever mattered to me.Dripping with tattoos, his hair as dark as his soul, the brooding president of the Death Raiders still holds my heart...even if he doesn't seem to know what to do with it...Categorized as:
suspense dark grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance contemporary
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