Books like 'Fragile Sanctuary'
Readers who enjoyed Fragile Sanctuary by Catherine Cowles also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town age-gap grumpy-sunshine enemies-to-lovers grumpy-mc forced-proximity cheerful-mc found-family
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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 -
What I Should've Said by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen grumpy, muscled-up artist Bennett Bishop bothers to speak, it’s usually to say something you’re not ready to hear.When he first speaks to Norah Ellis, a rambling runaway bride who hitchhikes a ride from him, it’s to tell her to get out of his truck and walk because she’s a pain in the a-s-s... -
Loving Romeo by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsDemi Crawford was Magnolia Falls royalty.I was the boxer from the wrong side of the tracks.She was the epitome of everything good, while I was broody and rebellious.We couldn’t be more different.Her family was enemy number one which made her guilty by association.I despised her before I even knew her.It was easier that way.But now she’d moved in next door to me, and she was everywhere I turned... -
Cash by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsButting heads leads to knocking boots in this wildly sexy enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, small town cowboy romance by Jessica Peterson.My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies... -
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Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat chance does a small-town girl have with a world-famous rock star?Two years after his wife’s death, rock star Garrett Hayes hasn’t moved on. But he has moved out of L.A. Where better to escape his past than a small town in the Northern California mountains? If only he could get the townsfolk of Wildwood to leave him the hell alone... -
Starting Over Scottish: A Grumpy Sunshine Holiday Romance by Tricia O'Malley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratings...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity found-family grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
Rocked Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEx-bodyguard and moody Irishman Colin Daly needs three things:To figure out how to have a real job after his longtime client no longer needs him.To find some really good Irish whiskey in the land of homemade moonshine.To stop having dirty dreams every time he hears young, beautiful, recently-discovered-thanks-to-social-media music sensation, Hayden Ross, sing...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity found-family suspense romance -
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... -
Finding Home by Lauren Rowe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m Caleb Baumgarten, the “bad boy” drummer of Red Card Riot. The world knows me as C-Bomb, but I assure you, it’s Lil Miss Rule Follower, Aubrey Capshaw, who’s the human equivalent of an atomic bomb. After tragedy strikes and the toddler with half my DNA inside her loses her beloved mommy, I get the bright idea to hire my daughter’s remaining lifeline, her “Auntie Aubbey,” as my live-in nanny... -
Where We Belong by Ashley Munoz
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsThey call him the Wolf.His club, his brothers, and even my best friend Callie.I didn’t really care what they called him, not when the only name I had ever called him was, coward.Because three months ago he snuck under my resilient heart, like the thief he is, and stole it.Then he broke it.Going home wasn’t an option, not when I promised Callie I’d stay...Categorized as:
suspense enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance biker -
Dirty Little Midlife (Fake) Date by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSingle mom Mia has a problem. Her new landlord Des just raised her rent, and even in her dreams, Mia wouldn’t be able to afford it.Not that she’d want to dream of Des. Ever.To make matters worse, Des is big, grumpy, and apparently his heart is made of granite. He’s not willing to meet Mia in any sort of middle.Suffice it to say, Mia’s forties aren’t off to a good start.Until...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
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... -
Lilah by Ashlyn Montgomery
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsHe'd never met someone with such a bubbly personality. Not to mention the wildness and odd phrases she'd say every five minutes. He hates it. He hates how he can't stay away from it. He hates what she does to him; it's not like him to chase after some girl. She gets under his skin like no other.She'd never met someone with such a bad attitude. He's ill-mannered and menacing...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers age-gap found-family romance contemporary -
Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws, Erin Mallon
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA brand new spicy small town romance by Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Amy Daws. This book is the start of a mountain man spinoff series based on the three Fletcher brothers featured in her previous release, Last on the List.Coming April 11Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity found-family suspense romance -
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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 found-family forced-proximity romance insta-love -
She's a Wild One by Kristen Proby
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe's a Wild One is a Small Town, Enemies to Lovers, Rival Family romance in the Wilds of Montana series, featuring Millie Wild!From New York Times Bestselling author Kristen Proby comes the final installment in her beloved Wilds of Montana series, featuring a small town, marriage of convenience, second chance love for the ages!I have loved Millie Wild for more than eight years... -
Forsaken Oath by Penelope Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeau Carter: kingpin, blue-eyed playboy from across town, and the only man I’ve ever shared my secrets with.And now, my fiercest competition.I never planned on racing in the Gauntlet, but with my sisters depending on me, winning this tournament is the only way to keep our heads above water. I work for a crew that trades in secrets, and Beau runs the underground races that keep this town alive... -
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... -
Once Upon A Bet: A Grumpy Single Dad Romance by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll I ever wanted was the perfect happily ever after.All he ever wanted was to ruin my freaking life.Okay, that’s a smidge dramatic, but hear me out.My new neighbor might as well plant an “unavailable” sign in his front yard.He’s got biceps made for pulling swooning maidens out of danger, eyes built for melting glaciers (and panties), and a smile that makes my knees want to buckle...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult angst -
Jaxon by Kate Oliver
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLeahWho knew buying a run-down house would be so much work? It was hers, though, and while it might not be much, to Leah Day, it was perfect because it meant she was free from her cheating ex-husband. What she wasn’t prepared for was the roof to leak into her bedroom… She also wasn’t expecting her hot neighbor to come marching over to scold her for climbing onto the roof...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family romance contemporary steamy -
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:
age-gap found-family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity suspense romance -
Rough Country by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsGood fences do NOT make good neighbors, especially when that neighbor is a city boy with more dollars than sense.Emery McAvoy is a walking disaster who should never be allowed to step foot on another ladder. Heck, I’d bet my favorite Golden Girls T-shirt that he rearranged his entire life because his ten-year-old daughter likes ponies... -
A False Start by Elsie Silver
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI kissed my best friend’s little sister, and the world stood still.That night we were two perfect strangers, the town’s grumpy recluse and a gorgeous girl in the back of a bar. Until we weren’t.Because Nadia Dalca isn’t just some girl. She’s the girl I can’t have. Fourteen years younger than me and completely off-limits.My plan is to stay away, but the universe keeps pushing us together...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book -
Venom & Vengeance by Emma Slate
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe’s grumpy. Older. An ex-con.Did I mention I’m totally hot for him? After a near fatal run-in with the cartel, I turn to Viper for protection. He’s muscle for his motorcycle club, and the next thing I know I’m living in a biker clubhouse with my own personal bodyguard. Viper makes me feel safe…and desired. No wonder I can’t keep my clothes on around him...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family romance dark -
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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...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity found-family grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary -
Burn the Wild by Ava Hunter
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAs the reigning country-pop princess, I’ve had everything this life has to offer, especially fame and fortune. But not what really matters. A minute to catch my breath and reevaluate my life. So when my world comes crashing down, I run to a place where no one knows me. A small mountain town where I can hide from my past.Only I don’t get far. My first day in town, I’m assigned a babysitter... -
Just Like That by Lena Hendrix
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsHe’s my sister’s ex, a stubborn jerk, and completely off-limits.Getting a man to give up custody of a son he didn’t know existed should have been easy. Trouble is, nothing with JP King is ever easy.Suave, grumpy billionaires aren’t supposed to have strong hands or filthy mouths, and I never expected our snippy banter to be so much fun... -
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 -
Off Limits by Emma Creed
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRanching isn’t easy, especially not in Fork River. The days are long, the competition is ruthless, and there’s always someone out there waiting to take what’s yours.For my family to survive things have to go back to the way they were.The Carsons used to run the town, we were feared, but my father changed that legacy by thinking he could run things legitimately...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers western romance small-town -
Wild Card by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s crazy how three seconds can change your life.For Steve Pelham, those three seconds happened in a doctor’s office. His wife—the girl he had been madly in love with since elementary school—was given a terminal diagnosis. Years of being dragged through an endless cycle of betting on science and miracles to save the love of his life? Useless... -
Hide and Peak by Victoria Wilder
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAlluring. Sexy. Liar. The newest stranger in Strutt's Peak has a mouth as loud and captivating as the bright tattoos drawn all over her body. But she's no stranger to me. Because I’ve met her.I’ve kissed her lips.And I'm the only one who knows her secret.She’s supposed to be dead.Now, I hide the truth and keep her safe. Pretend we never met. Try to forget I ever touched her... -
Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIt’s been a long time since Walker Ironside left behind Scotland and the memories that haunt him. Yet after years of traveling the world as a bodyguard, Walker misses his homeland enough to return. To a village in the Scottish Highlands that plays host to an exclusive members-only club, Ardnoch Estate...Categorized as:
suspense age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity found-family romance -
Hero's Heart by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe was out of the game.He should've stayed that way.When a former FBI colleague asks Callum Webb to rescue the kidnapped daughter of an American bigwig in eastern Europe, Callum’s just got one word for him...No.Okay, actually two words: hell, no.Callum is out of the international law enforcement game and has been for a long time...Categorized as:
suspense age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family forced-proximity romance -
The Brazen One by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book -
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If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI, Marlow Taylor, need to stop fantasizing about the hot, single dad next door.Should I have agreed to nanny his cute six year old who loves my dog Waffles? Absolutely not.But her dad seems to think he can do everything himself. ( no one can)3 reasons why I absolutely cannot fall for Dylan 1. He’s grumpy and doesn’t seem to like me very much2...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family forced-proximity suspense romance -
The Doctor Who Stole Christmas by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn grumpy doctor.A wicked blizzard.And only one bed in sight.What could possibly go wrong?I never expected to find myself trekking through a blizzard...All to deliver "vital documents" to the elusive Dr. Grump's remote cabin...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity small-town workplace fiction -
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:
age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family romance contemporary -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity found-family suspense romance -
Anger Banger by S.M. Shade
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe residents of Happy Haven Trailer park have been waiting for this for a long time. The slumlord who abandoned this place and let our homes deteriorate has been court ordered to live here while making repairs. Imagine our surprise when the guy who shows up to move in to the dilapidated trailer across the street isn't the sixty year old man we expected, but his son... -
A Simple Life by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom NYT bestselling author Melanie Moreland comes a feuding to lovers standalone romance -John Elliott is a busy man. He runs his farm and his business, keeping to himself, with no time for anything else in his life.Quinn Harper is a single mother, looking for a fresh start.The small town she picked seemed perfect—until her first run-in with John...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc found-family age-gap romance contemporary -
The Little Things by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ll admit, I made more than my fair share of stupid decisions, but all it took was an accidental felony and a teensy kitchen fire to turn my life upside down.When my parents cut me off, selling my swanky Los Angeles apartment and shipping me off to some ranch in the middle of nowhere to teach me a lesson, I thought it was the worst thing that could happen to me... -
Just Between Us by Lena Hendrix
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRoyal King is pure mischief wrapped in a cocky smirk and a heated stare. Five minutes in his small town and I knew he was going to be nothing but trouble. He’s an arrogant, tattooed playboy with a secret, and I’m the woman tasked with quietly cleaning up his family’s mess.I never dreamed he could be the mysterious stranger behind my hidden, late-night messages... -
Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen the flannel-wearing mountain man is your boss... your enemy... and more than a little obsessed with you... -
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Shortbread & the Scotsman by Lana Dash
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAINSLIEThere is nothing like Christmas in the Highlands of Scotland. Our village is known for many festivals, but nothing compares to the Christmas Matchmaking Festival. People visit from all over the Highlands, but there is only one Scotsman that I wish to be matched with this Christmas. But after a kiss and a misunderstanding over the summer, he's given me the cold shoulder... -
Love on Deck by Kasey Stockton
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe calls it fake dating, but she calls it caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.Lauren Foley and Jack Fletcher already tried to be amicable once—on a blind date that ended in complete disaster. Now, years later, they have to put up with each other for the sake of her sister and his best friend, who are eloping on a cruise to the Bahamas. But that’s not the worst of it... -
Things I Forgot About by Kelsey Humphreys
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"He is off limits. Complicated. Not right for me at all. He's trouble, wrapped up in an expensive navy suit. But I never could stay out of trouble..."Kat Canton is a woman with a plan. Though a rebel at heart, she’s had to stay focused since becoming a single mom at seventeen...Categorized as:
age-gap enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance small-town -
Love...It's Wild by Jeannine Colette
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFalling in love has never been this wild… I’m a woman who knows my own worth. And more than anything, I deserve love. Wild, passionate, all-consuming love. What I did not deserve was being forced to hang around my small town to watch the jerk who left me at the alter fawn over his new wife. Instead, I ran. Right into him. Robert Bronson is my friend’s grumpy brother-in-law... -
Golden Hour: A Porch Bitches Novel by Chelsie Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey say to mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy. If only.June McCawley has been the golden girl of Maple Creek, Illinois since she was old enough to walk. The people in her town have always been in her corner, active participants in her successes. But after she experiences a professional tragedy, June loses faith in herself and the girl everyone always said was perfect. Enter Grady Nash... -
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
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