Books like 'Caught in the Axe'
Readers who enjoyed Caught in the Axe by Daphne Elliot also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town action / adventure north-america usa maine age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-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:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn action-adventure adult alpha-mc -
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:
age-gap cheerful-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine workplace action-adventure adult audiobook -
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:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn action-adventure adult alpha-mc -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance suspense mystery law-enforcement -
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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:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn workplace 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:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn abuse -
Wild Wicked Obsession by Layla Frost
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAn age-gap, praise-filled, wickedly-hot romance where opposites definitely attract“That’s my good girl…”She was a good girl.I wanted to make her my good girl.Joss Lennon was shy. Sweeter than any baked good. Outta my league.Her life was cupcakes, hand turkeys, and working too many hours to pay the mortgage her ex-fiance dumped on her...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace friends-to-lovers romance contemporary -
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:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance suspense -
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... -
The Hero She Needs by Anna Hackett, Aaron Shedlock
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe last thing he expects to catch in his river is a billionaire heiress.Loner Boone Hendrix left the military with ghosts that haunt him. He lives with his dog Atlas on a farm in Vermont. Alone. Just the way he likes it. Until he rescues a half-drowned, beautiful brunette from his river...Categorized as:
forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance military suspense contemporary -
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... -
Until You Can't by Brittney Sahin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brittney Sahin comes a thrilling new standalone romance.She was the girl next door. His brother’s ex. And the woman he spent a decade pretending to hate . . .After twenty years of service, the Navy told me it’d be too risky to operate again, forcing me to retire as a Navy SEAL...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn 21st-century action-adventure adult book -
Taming Hollywood's Baddest Boy by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsDo people say they hate someone’s guts so that they can still fall stupidly, head-over-heels in love with the other parts? Asking for a friend. Okay, fine. I’m not asking for a friend. I’m asking for me—and I’m begging you to tell me that the practice of falling in love with your should-be-enemy is common...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn action-adventure adult -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance military contemporary small-town female-mc -
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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 slow-burn age-gap romance contemporary -
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...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity age-gap romance suspense -
Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling... -
All Rhodes Lead Here by Mariana Zapata
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsLosing people you love is hard. Aurora De La Torre knows moving back to a place that was once home isn’t going to be easy. Starting your whole life over probably isn’t supposed to be. But a small town in the mountains might be the perfect remedy for a broken heart. Checking out her landlord across the driveway just might cure it too... -
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:
age-gap cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult alpha-mc -
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:
forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary suspense -
My True Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsCan a man who resents the hand he’s been dealt and a woman who spends her days grateful for every little thing find true love in each other’s arms—or are their differences stronger than both of them? Find out in this funny, sexy, heartfelt romance, and fall in love with Grant and Jules on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, and midnight rendezvous...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult audiobook -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary suspense small-town military female-mc -
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... -
Runaway Girl by Tessa Bailey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt’s Naomi Clemons’s big day. Her dream wedding. And she’s outta here. One moment. A chance meeting of gazes through the church window pane with someone familiar who radiates intrigue. Independence. It’s the final push Naomi needs to realize...she’s boring. A blonde, cookie cutter, well mannered trophy wife-to-be... -
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Fatal Felons by Elle Thorpe
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsPlease note this is the third and final book in a trilogy, and this blurb contains spoilers for books 1 and 2. Start the series with Locked Up Liars, and Solitary Sinners before reading on!When a judge declared Heath guilty and sentenced him to death row, everything we’d been fighting for went up in flames.We have no excuses. No appeals. No freedom.Now, there’s only one way out... -
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:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity age-gap romance suspense -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn romance contemporary military small-town -
Reckless Fate by Kate Crew
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDaisy WellsI never planned to kiss Kye that night, but with him being the only one not scared of my ex, it became my only chance to get back at him. But now, I’m pretending to be the girlfriend of the town troublemaker while trying to not let that be known to my father... -
Wait for It by Mariana Zapata
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsIf anyone ever said being an adult was easy, they hadn't been one long enough. Diana Casillas can admit it: she doesn't know what the hell she's doing half the time. How she's made it through the last two years of her life without killing anyone is nothing short of a miracle. Being a grown-up wasn't supposed to be so hard... -
Powerless by Elsie Silver
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsTwo childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. Afterall, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now.But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either.To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV... -
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... -
Mission: Without a Trace by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTheir first official case as a task force doesn’t take Brantley Walker and Reese Tavoularis far from home.Getting right down to business, the Off the Books task force prioritizes a case of a fifteen-year-old girl who went missing nine years earlier from the same small town they grew up in: Coyote Ridge, Texas...Categorized as:
age-gap friends-to-lovers north-america usa workplace action-adventure adult audiobook -
Shameless by Abby Brooks
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJack Cooper’s a devoted single dad just trying to make it through the morning without burning breakfast. Raising three small children on his own, who can blame him? As a result, his life is all about lists and rules and boundaries. Meanwhile, I’m a shameless free spirit always looking for signs from the universe.And Jack? He's a sign. No doubt...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine action-adventure adult audiobook book -
Jacob by V.H. Nicolson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOnce upon a time… You know the story… prince meets princess. Evil thwarts their love, and the prince must fight for her heart. Good always wins and there is a stunning wedding at the castle on the hill. I used to dream of having a fairy tale love story of my own, but I don’t think the author of mine got the memo because right now, I’m shackled to a bed, scared for my life...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers workplace slow-burn romance suspense small-town friendship forbidden-love -
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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 romance contemporary steamy small-town -
Sweet Spot by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWho knew four little words and a very public kiss would change so much.Gage Langdon didn’t do relationships. After having his heart shattered years ago, he made a vow to never go down that road again. But when his past waltzes into his town, demanding his attention, he reacts without thinking and makes a very public display of kissing his best friend... -
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... -
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:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity romance dark enemies-to-lovers -
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... -
The Tragedy of Felix and Jake by J. Daniels
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author, J. Daniels, comes an all-new standalone forbidden romance.They say the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.They say the best way to stay sober is to love yourself.I’m great at making bad decisions.Addict? Check. Poor impulse control? Check. Obsessed with the guy I’m sponsoring? Check Check Check...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn age-gap romance mlm -
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... -
Lot 62 by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsEvery fairytale had a villain, and this way of life was ours. Coming from nothing and gaining something is a lot to handle. Can they hang on to it? A year after moving in together on Lot 62, Devon and Maddox have a whole new dynamic to adjust to—cohabitation. Merging their personalities and energies into one tiny trailer is a lot to handle, but so is their relationship... -
Pulse by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke delivers a spicy, age gap, grumpy sunshine, workplace romance in the first book in the brand new Landry Security series.Troy Castelli acts like it’s my fault that we’re cooped up together in a room with one bed overlooking the ocean. I didn’t ask for a stalker to break into my house and then send me a threatening email detailing my demise... -
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...Categorized as:
workplace age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance western -
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The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsCalla Fletcher wasn't even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows... -
Say You Do by Weston Parker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMy brother is an idiot; he's getting married. And I’m in charge of getting things together since our folks are gone. Lucky me. The guy who thinks love is for the birds and worn-out 80s songs. I honestly don’t have time for this drama. I run a billion-dollar company, have women to entertain, and am working on my plans to rule the world. No, seriously... -
Whispers of You by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsNash Hartley has always been my everything: Protector. Partner in crime. Best friend. The person who was there for me in my darkest hour. But my heart wanted so much more. So, when I knew for certain Nash didn’t feel the same about me, I tried to move on. What a mistake that turned out to be... -
Come To Me by J.H. Croix
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA broody ex-military pilot and a sassy yoga teacher collide in a small town.Diego is distracting. He shows up in my yoga class with his smokin’ hot bod and enough brawn to set the world on fire. Cue the melting.He oozes the rugged hero vibe, rides a motorcycle and flies planes in the wilds of Alaska. He’s all man and then some...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn action-adventure adult book -
Perfect Match by Pandora Pine
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBrando Lombardi has successfully matched all three of his brothers with their soulmates, gifting them each with a lifetime of love and happiness. The problem is, Brando himself is always the bridesmaid and never the bride… er, groom. But then he meets a broken-hearted man in uniform who takes his breath away and changes everything...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn action-adventure adult -
The Burns We Carry by Marae Good
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOnce burnt, twice shy...Shay Davis is desperate for a fresh start — not just for her, but for the new life growing inside of her. But when she arrives in the quiet mountain town of Wallowpine, Arizona, the cold, unforgiving forest ranger who pulls her over seems intent on running strangers out of town...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance contemporary found-family
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