Books like 'Valley Verified'
Readers who enjoyed Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance poc-mc asian-mc coming-of-age literary-fiction
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All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"Contains the following content: drug and alcohol addiction, physical abuse, Islamophobia, mentions of repressed sexual assault, tense exchange with law enforcement, death."--Preliminaries... -
![In the Company of Strangers by Awais Khan]()
In the Company of Strangers by Awais Khan
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLahore – a city of secretive glamour, whispering elites, and sordid affairs. A city brought to its knees by terrorism. Forty one-year old Mona has almost everything: money, friends, social status… everything except for freedom in the repressed Pakistani society. Languishing in her golden cage, she craves a sense of belonging… of love...Categorized as:
poc-mc literary-fiction coming-of-age romance suspense fiction contemporary terrorism -
![Hlomu the Wife by Dudu Busani-Dube]()
Hlomu the Wife by Dudu Busani-Dube
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHlomu the Wife is essentially a love story that takes its cues from life in a South African township. A young woman named Mahlomu meets Mqhele Zulu and they fall in love. Even though aspects of Mqhele's personality and past make her uncomfortable, Hlomu is happy. Their love is strong and they stand by each other through good and bad... -
![Heaven's Hell by Takerra Allen]()
Heaven's Hell by Takerra Allen
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHeaven's Hell is the gripping tale of the striking beauty Heaven Jacy, and the hell she endures in the cold cruel world, at her young, tender age. Suffering at the hands of abuse from her father and her older, controlling, boyfriend Khalil, Heaven yearns and dreams of the day of her escape... -
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![The Prodigy by Shae Sanders]()
The Prodigy by Shae Sanders
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"First day back home and already in some mess."Jakari Windermere hasn't been home to Midling in eight years. He's been laying low in Atlanta, and nobody knows why. But it doesn't matter now, because a tragedy draws him back to the town he grew up in...the town his family basically owns. But this won't be a pleasant homecoming, and he finds that out the moment he sets foot back in Midling... -
![Dream by Keisha Ervin]()
Dream by Keisha Ervin
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOlder, wiser and a li’l more heartless India Black is existing, but she isn’t living. After the tragic death of her first love, she’s been financially cut off by her mother and making it on her own in Philly. Full-time college student by day and bottle girl at a popular strip club by night, India is trying her best to make ends meet but barely getting by... -
![Retuned: The Price of Time by Tania Joyce]()
Retuned: The Price of Time by Tania Joyce
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA vacation. An unforgettable accident. Lives are changed forever.Gemma and Kyle wanted a quick getaway before they recorded their new album.But one fateful mistake changes their lives forever.Heartbreaking decisions must be made.Friendships will be tried and tested...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age contemporary fiction romance new-adult friendship female-mc -
![Call Me Crazy by Quinn Loftis]()
Call Me Crazy by Quinn Loftis
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratings“I’m looking out from inside the chaos. It must be a one-way mirror because no one seems to be able to see back inside to where I am. The looks on their faces, the judgment in their eyes, tells me everything I need to know. The most frustrating part about the whole messed up situation is that even though I’m the one that they stare at in shock, I am just as shocked as they are...Categorized as:
literary-fiction poc-mc book contemporary fiction indigenous-mc mental-illness new-adult -
![Silent Nights by Nia Forrester]()
Silent Nights by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s a career-making opportunity. Summer has an invitation to ‘Black America’s Wedding of the Decade’ and wouldn’t miss it for the world... -
![The Broken by Nia Forrester]()
The Broken by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe might destroy her. She could help put him back together.If it wasn’t for his music, Devin Parks doesn’t know where he’d be. Now he has a shot at a larger audience than he ever dreamed of. All he has to do, is get out of his own way... -
![Ritual: A New Adult College Romance by Kandi Steiner]()
Ritual: A New Adult College Romance by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWritten like your favorite drama television show, the Palm South University series has been called "a mix of Greek meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Friends." Follow seven college students as they maneuver unrequited love, teacher/student romance, the tangles of “no strings” relationships, love triangles and more... -
![Broken Playboy by Laura Lee]()
Broken Playboy by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author, Laura Lee, comes the sexy and heart-wrenching new standalone story set in the Windsor Academy world.They call me a player.A joker.The guy always down for a good time.But if they knew the secrets I’ve been keeping, they’d call me something else entirely.For the last two years, I’ve been buried in shame, numbing the pain with various vices...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction poc-mc black-mc boarding-school book contemporary dark -
![A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, Hildegarde Serle]()
A Good Life by Virginie Grimaldi, Hildegarde Serle
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLaughter, tears, the transformative power of love, unexpected revelations, and striking natural these are the ingredients that combine to make best-selling author Virginie Grimaldi’s English debut the feel-good read of 2024. Grimaldi is among France’s top ten contemporary authors and her uplifting, unputdownable literary novels have quickly garnered her millions of adoring fans...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age romance fiction contemporary audiobook family season-summer -
![These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany]()
These Impossible Things by Salma El-Wardany
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA razor‑sharp debut novel of three best friends navigating love, sex, faith, and the one night that changes it all. It’s always been Malak, Kees, and Jenna against the world. Since childhood, under the watchful eyes of their parents, aunties and uncles, they’ve learned to live their own lives alongside the expectations of being good Muslim women...Categorized as:
literary-fiction poc-mc coming-of-age romance fiction contemporary audiobook realistic -
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![Want, Need, Love by Niobia Bryant]()
Want, Need, Love by Niobia Bryant
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFinding Mr. Right isn't easy, but in this sexy new novel from bestselling author Niobia Bryant, one woman knows exactly how to do it--for everyone but herself…Mona Ballinger has a talent for bringing the right people together--and keeping the wrong people apart. But when Anson Tyler's fiancée ends their engagement thanks to Mona's advice, he angrily confronts her... -
![Today. Tomorrow. Always by Raven St. Pierre]()
Today. Tomorrow. Always by Raven St. Pierre
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvents and decisions of the past almost cost her everything, but she was given a second chance. He marvels at the beautiful life he almost missed out on, vowing never to let anything come between them again. The memory of being apart lingers with both Sam and AJ, but those days are long gone... -
![Give Me You by A.C. Taylor]()
Give Me You by A.C. Taylor
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKaine had one job...sex Nikki like crazy and make her forget about all of the drama with her ex. Okay…maybe he had two. Bottom line, he was supposed to give her what she needed with no strings attached. That meant no feelings, no expectations, and most importantly, no surprises. But somehow, he failed at that last part. Something so simple quickly turned into something way too complicated... -
![Covered In Paint: Book Five of the Art Of Love Series by Donna McDonald]()
Covered In Paint: Book Five of the Art Of Love Series by Donna McDonald
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsArtists See Things Differently, Including Love In his 42 years of living, Drake Barrymore had seen the best and worst life had to offer. He had loved and lost a wife. He had managed to raise his son alone. But now all he can think about is a woman who is way too young for him. Dr... -
![Goodbye, Orchid: To Love Her, He Had To Leave Her by Carol VanDenHende]()
Goodbye, Orchid: To Love Her, He Had To Leave Her by Carol VanDenHende
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRISING FROM ASHES IS HARD.GIVING UP THE ONE YOU LOVE IS HARDER.Thirty-two year-old Phoenix Walker is an entrepreneur who has built an agency with a heart almost as big as his own. To add to his good fortune, he’s falling for Orchid Paige, the beautiful half-Asian marketer who’s collaborated with him on a winning military campaign.Until an accident changes him forever... -
![Beyond the Badge: Rez by Jeanne St. James]()
Beyond the Badge: Rez by Jeanne St. James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSometimes an opportunity comes along that you just can’t resist… As a member of the Tri-State Federal Drug Task Force, Antonio Alvarez seizes the opportunity to go undercover with the Deadly Demons MC when it unexpectedly arises...Categorized as:
poc-mc literary-fiction romance biker fiction law-enforcement action-adventure contemporary -
![Unplanned: A 'Snowflake' Drop-in by Nia Forrester]()
Unplanned: A 'Snowflake' Drop-in by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA brief drop-in on the couples from 'Snowflake' and 'Courtship' ...Ibrahim Carter has a plan; to learn from his family's mistakes and make for himself and his new wife, Jada, the perfect life he never had. But she has something else entirely in mind.Kal Carter is disciplined and focused and those things have served him well while training for the Olympics... -
![Something Like Stories: Volume Three by Jay Bell]()
Something Like Stories: Volume Three by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEmbark on a final trip through the Something Like… universe with this special collection of stories that promises heartwarming reunions and gut-wrenching closure.Something Like Stars playfully explores what would happen if a movie was made about Ben’s love for Tim and Jace... -
![This Can't Be Life by Shakara Cannon]()
This Can't Be Life by Shakara Cannon
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“This can?t be life?at least not a life worth living, I thought, as I moved my aching limbs. I’d been in bed for days in immeasurable pain from a broken heart. I was literally past my breaking point and done with this life... -
![Royal by Tina Martin]()
Royal by Tina Martin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRoyal St. Claire was drawn to Gemma Jacobsen from the start. It was an instant connection that he’d never had with another woman. When she was on her sickbed, he stayed by her side, helped to nurse her back to health and the two became the best of friends. Then that friendship grew into something deeper. Something Royal, the picky bachelor, couldn’t deny. Something he didn’t want to deny... -
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![The Truce by Mario Benedetti]()
The Truce by Mario Benedetti
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 26 ratings'Perhaps that moment had been exceptional, but still, I felt alive. That pressure on my chest means being alive.' Forty-nine, with a kind face, no serious ailments (apart from varicose veins on his ankles), a good salary, and three moody children, widowed accountant Martín Santomé is about to retire. He assumes he'll take up gardening, or the guitar, or whatever retired people generally do...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction poc-mc 20th-century action-adventure adult audiobook book -
![Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel]()
Tell Me How to Be by Neel Patel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRenu Amin always seemed perfect: doting husband, beautiful house, healthy sons. But as the one-year anniversary of her husband's death approaches, Renu is binge-watching soap operas and simmering with old resentments. She can't stop wondering if, thirty-five years ago, she chose the wrong life... -
![Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly]()
Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFor fans of Schitt’s Creek and Sally Rooney’s Normal People, an irresistible and bighearted international bestseller that follows a brother and sister as they navigate queerness, multiracial identity, and the dramas big and small of their entangled, unconventional family, all while flailing their way to love... -
![The Eid Gift: An Adam and Zayneb Story by S.K. Ali]()
The Eid Gift: An Adam and Zayneb Story by S.K. Ali
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAdam and Zayneb —engaged but continents apart for so long— are finally in the same city!Even though it’s during Ramadan, a month of fasting and spiritual devotion, A and Z can’t help spending any and all free time with each other. Enter parents and their idea for a nikah at the end of Ramadan, on Eid day itself... -
![Bad Boy Seduction by Zuri Day]()
Bad Boy Seduction by Zuri Day
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTroy Morgan is at the top of his game in this sexy tale of love, danger--and the one woman who may finally tempt him to change his single status. . . Groomed for success, gorgeous Gabriella Stone is now a #1 pop sensation. She's also her controlling daddy's princess, and when she marries it will be to a man who can expand her empire, not some ordinary guy... -
![The Art of Endings by Nia Forrester]()
The Art of Endings by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe post-script to 'Secret' . . . The last time Trey Denison was a “boyfriend” he was seventeen years old, and then a family tragedy forced him to grow up fast and take charge of raising his sister, Tessa. So for the past sixteen years, he had no time, and no inclination for a serious relationship. But that was before Shayla... -
![From Afar by Frank Scozzari]()
From Afar by Frank Scozzari
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFor centuries, poets have argued that unrequited love is love in its strongest form. From Afar is a timeless tale of Morgan Stanfield’s search for love in the far northern city of Saint Petersburg, Russia...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction action-adventure adult book contemporary fiction journey -
![Capricorn: Mr. Ambition by Tiana Laveen]()
Capricorn: Mr. Ambition by Tiana Laveen
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPLEASE NOTE: This book contains adult content. Chancellor Hartmann has no time for fun and games. He is the CEO of “Fountain Lite,” a successful company offering special lighting appliances for pools and irrigation systems. Chancellor wakes up at 4:05 a.m. every morning, goes out for his daybreak jog, then gets ready and drives to work with nothing but business on his mind... -
![Claiming You by Tina Martin]()
Claiming You by Tina Martin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Standalone Novella At 39, Remington (Remy) Lennox married Emory McNeil. They’ve been friends for two years – married for one of those years. He told her the marriage was strictly for business reasons and that they'd keep it between themselves while remaining friends. That the rest of the Lennox family doesn't have to know. What he doesn’t tell Emory is, he’s deeply in love with her... -
![Dinner at Sam's: A Ruby's Novel by D.L. White]()
Dinner at Sam's: A Ruby's Novel by D.L. White
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsVanessa Jackson is just trying to get her life together. It's been a year since her marriage ended and her husband left her and their children destitute. If she could just divorce the son-of-a-bitch, the future would be bright, but Warren is fighting the process every step of the way. If she wants a divorce, and to move on with her life, she needs an attorney... -
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![In Name Only by Sean D. Young]()
In Name Only by Sean D. Young
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCassaundra Moore, event planner extraordinaire, never believed in fairy tales only in creating them for her clients. Why would she believe something so magical would happen to her after being scammed by her ex causing her loss of business and social standing... -
![Intermezzo by Sally Rooney]()
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn exquisitely moving story about grief, love, and family, from the global phenomenon Sally Rooney. Aside from the fact that they are brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek seem to have little in common.Peter is a Dublin lawyer in his thirties—successful, competent, and apparently unassailable...Categorized as:
literary-fiction coming-of-age europe british-isles ireland romance fiction contemporary -
![Lifted by Nia Forrester]()
Lifted by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if your soulmate could never be your bedmate?Tessa Denison knows who she is—she never has and as far as she’s concerned, never will date men. Though she struggles with coming to terms with the loss of her parents at a young age and her very protective and overbearing brother, Trey, her sexuality and free-loving lifestyle have never given her a moment’s pause.Tyson Clark is a screw-up...Categorized as:
coming-of-age poc-mc romance womens-fiction contemporary black-mc young-adult fiction -
![When Morning Comes: A Family Affair Novel by Francis Ray]()
When Morning Comes: A Family Affair Novel by Francis Ray
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn her unforgettable new novel When Morning Comes , Francis Ray delivers an emotionally powerful tale about the families we build, the choices we make, and how we find love and family along the way. Dr. Cade Mathis learned early that he was not the son of the man who raised him... -
![Worth the Wait by Synithia Williams]()
Worth the Wait by Synithia Williams
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen a virgin frustrated by her nonexistent dating life asks a playboy for a one-night stand, can they really ignore their attraction after the affair? After Tasha Smith is dumped yet again because of her virginity, she decides it’s time to stop saving herself for marriage and start dating like women in the twenty-first century... -
![Return of the Bad Girl by Codi Gary]()
Return of the Bad Girl by Codi Gary
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBad girls don't forgive. Bad girls don't forget. Bad girls don't fall in love. Caroline Willis may be known for causing trouble, but she is NOT about to become homeless. So when she learns that her perfect apartment has been double-booked—to a dangerously hot bad boy—Caroline's bad-girl reputation comes out in full force... -
![Space Age: Houston, Prepare to Launch by Sara L. Hudson]()
Space Age: Houston, Prepare to Launch by Sara L. Hudson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNASA Flight Surgeon Dr. Rebecca Sato has earned her dream job. Now she’s ready to explore the next frontier…having a family.While responsible for the health of astronauts who fly through space in the International Space Station, her feet are firmly planted on the ground.But at thirty-six, the men on her radar are either intimidated by her intellect or not interested in having kids... -
![Just Another Epic Love Poem by Parisa Akhbari]()
Just Another Epic Love Poem by Parisa Akhbari
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBest friendship blossoms into something more in this gorgeously written queer literary romance."The heartache and longing of witnessing a beloved character pine hopelessly over her best friend has never brought me this much unadulterated joy...Categorized as:
coming-of-age asian-mc literary-fiction poc-mc romance young-adult lgbtq contemporary -
![THE SALVANT BROTHERS: Book 1- Axl (Second Chance Romance) by Sonja B.]()
THE SALVANT BROTHERS: Book 1- Axl (Second Chance Romance) by Sonja B.
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI am death. My face is the last thing my targets see before I snatch their souls from their bodies. I gain strength from their fear and pleasure from their screams. Just hearing my name will make a mother fucker think twice about crossing me. In my line of business there is no weakness and there’s definitely no room for love... -
![I Loved You More by Tom Spanbauer]()
I Loved You More by Tom Spanbauer
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTom Spanbauer’s first novel in seven years is a love story triangle akin to The Marriage Plot and Freedom , only with a gay main character who charms gays and straights alike. I Loved You More is a rich, expansive tale of love, sex, and heartbreak, covering twenty-five years in the life of a striving, emotionally wounded writer... -
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![Bachelor Undone by Brenda Jackson]()
Bachelor Undone by Brenda Jackson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEvery woman wants him. But he only wants her. When Darcy Owens leaves snowy New York for some Jamaican fun in the sun, the city planner isn't expecting to meet the hero of her fantasies. But the sexy, sun-kissed man she sees her first day on the beach comes pretty close...Categorized as:
literary-fiction poc-mc adult anthologies audiobook billionaire black-mc contemporary -
![If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So]()
If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsElsie has a crush on Ada, the only person in the world who truly understands her. Unfortunately, they've never met in real life and Ada lives an ocean away. But Elsie has decided it's now or never to tell Ada how she feels. That is, until her long-lost best friend Joan walks back into her life... -
![The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems by Michael Ondaatje]()
The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems by Michael Ondaatje
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMichael Ondaatje’s new selected poems, The Cinnamon Peeler, brings together poems written between 1963 and 1990, including work from his most recent collection, Secular Love. These poems bear witness to the extraordinary gifts that have won high praise for this truly original poet and novelist... -
![Wrapped in Red by Mika Jolie]()
Wrapped in Red by Mika Jolie
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratings*All the books in the Martha’s Way series are standalone and can be read out of order.* Christmas is a time to be merry and bright. For Minka Montgomery, it’s anything but. While the small towns of Martha’s Vineyard burst with festive lights and good cheer, a black shadow parades around and within Minka... -
![Night Revelations by Godiva Glenn]()
Night Revelations by Godiva Glenn
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe just found her pack, but now she may have to leave it.Charlotte is new to the lupine life, having been raised in the human world. She's still learning her place as a wolf shifter and a member of the Bronze pack.Everyone has a task within the pack, and Charlotte is eager to find her path. As if that isn't complicated enough, she finds herself longing for romance... -
![the truth about fragile things by Regina Sirois]()
the truth about fragile things by Regina Sirois
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBryon died fifty years before his time. Charlotte grew up angry. I grew up scared. And Phillip- well, he never grew up. And now we are all bound together into one painful heap of humanity. Broken, but bound. And maybe it is only the fact that we are tangled in one terrible knot that will hold us together until we heal. This is unfortunately, and miraculously, my story...Categorized as:
coming-of-age literary-fiction book contemporary female-author fiction realistic young-adult
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