Books like 'Raising the Bar'
Readers who enjoyed Raising the Bar by Stephanie Rose also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc slow-burn grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers sad forced-proximity
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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... -
![Show Me Forever (The Maxwell Brothers) by Layla Hagen]()
Show Me Forever (The Maxwell Brothers) by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI moved to Chicago six months ago, determined to finally open my own bakery. My landlady was this sweet woman who treated me like her granddaughter. Then she sold the house. Now the devil himself is my landlord and neighbor since I live in the guesthouse on his property. Declan Maxwell is moody, unreasonable, and takes himself far too seriously. Unfortunately for me, he’s also damn sexy... -
![The Confidence of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer]()
The Confidence of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMy future is a big ‘what if’ at the moment and I’m fine with that.For the most part. When Thayer Holmes moves in next door, the grumpy landscaper both fascinates and amuses me.When he asks me to nanny his kid, it’s a great way to make some extra money. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Thayer and his adorable son.There’s a big problem though.I’m eighteen. He’s thirty-one... -
![What I Should've Said by Max Monroe]()
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...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn forced-proximity sad age-gap -
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![Unraveling Him by Claire Kingsley]()
Unraveling Him by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA Small Town Family Romance. She’s the sunshine to his storm cloud Stoic, growly Evan Bailey has enough on his plate. A growing business, a pack of brothers who drive him crazy, a gossip-loving small town, and a rivalry that runs deeper than any family feud. Love? That’s a hard pass. He already learned the hard way that he’s better off alone. Fiona Gallagher has a problem... -
![Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland]()
Sunshine and Sammy by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuke Adler lives for his ranch. It’s the only reason he agreed to get on board with his sister’s grand plan for guests staying on the property.Nothing prepares him for the force of nature that is Samantha Morrison. When she arrives on his ranch to help construct this new part of his business, what he expects and what he gets are two entirely different things.He expects a no-nonsense businessman... -
![Untaken Twin by Samantha Christy]()
Untaken Twin by Samantha Christy
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA forbidden romance.There’s only one thing worse than your fiancé dying . . .It's having to look into his face every single day.Or should I say - the face of his twin.So I left.I never knew promises were made. Then broken.And I surely never expected those promises to be about me.When I return to my hometown and see his face, the heartache I’ve been running from is front and center...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers female-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn steamy adult angst -
![No Simple Lie by Samantha Christy]()
No Simple Lie by Samantha Christy
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBillionaire playboy.Next-door neighbor.And apparently… my new gynecologist.I’m a widow. A single mom. And the new girl in a small town.I’m also in the midst of the most important battle of my life—fighting my in-laws for custody of my son.The circumstances that brought me to Calloway Creek come with perks... -
![Beneath the Hood: A Forbidden, Age Gap Romance (Sugarlake Series, Book Three) by Emily McIntire]()
Beneath the Hood: A Forbidden, Age Gap Romance (Sugarlake Series, Book Three) by Emily McIntire
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBlakelyMy life is a stage.Followed by millions, and loved by none.And me, the captain of control, steering my image through choppy waters.Making sure I stay on top.No one ever sees me.No one ever looks.Until him.But he's everything impossible, and a thousand shades of wrong.Falling for him would ruin everything I've worked for.So why can't I stay away?JacksonMy life is a back-up plan... -
![Until You Can't by Brittney Sahin]()
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... -
![Southern Hotshot: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by Jessica Peterson]()
Southern Hotshot: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLusting after the woman trying to steal my job is stupid. Sexting with her? That’s a game-changing fumble.Emma Crawford became enemy number one the second she stepped foot on Blue Mountain Farm. She might think I’m just a dumb jock, but I know she’s a stuck-up wine snob who believes she’d be a better exec than me.She can take my position over my dead body...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn steamy adult -
![Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas]()
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
![Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant]()
Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsIf people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine.His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame.When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing.He’s a total cynic when it comes to love... -
![Dirty Little Midlife (Fake) Date by Lilian Monroe]()
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... -
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![Stay Over by Kaylee Ryan]()
Stay Over by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBrooksOverhearing my cousin’s best friend confessing that she’s never been satisfied wasn’t my fault… but offering to help her change that definitely was. Her brother is a friend of mine, and while this has a bad idea written all over it, it doesn’t stop us from becoming friends… with benefits. Palmer is gorgeous, off-limits, and stubborn as hell. For the first time, I’m the one left wanting more...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap steamy forced-proximity slow-burn romance contemporary small-town -
![Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell]()
Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe job was simple. Always answer the phone—no exceptions—then solve the caller’s catastrophe as efficiently as possible.The rules were simpler. They contact you, not the other way around. Never give them your real name, number, or any personal information not required to help a newly single dad keep his head above water.And never, ever get involved with a caller... -
![Strike Zone by Ginger Walls]()
Strike Zone by Ginger Walls
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWYATT:All my friends are under the impression I’m only at Newhouse to chase women and play baseball. Those are two of my favorite pastimes.The truth is, Newhouse is my chance to save my family’s farm. If I don’t get drafted, we’ll lose everything we’ve been working hard to keep.Then I hear her sing and she’s all I can think about. It’s messing up my game and putting my future in jeopardy... -
![Lilah by Ashlyn Montgomery]()
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 friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance -
![Don't Go Away Mad by Lacey Black]()
Don't Go Away Mad by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsJasperThe kitchen: it’s my domain, where I create the best burgers in the Midwest. I’m the man behind the grill at Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my best friends. Every night, we’re packed, the demand has never been this high. It’s the only way I want it, thriving and pushing myself to be the very best.Then she started her new business across the street from mine... -
![Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws, Erin Mallon]()
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 friends-to-lovers slow-burn steamy -
![Forsaken Oath by Penelope Black]()
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 Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn]()
The Reason I Married Him by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn, comes a new marriage of convenience romantic comedy. This steamy, laugh out loud, enemies-to-lovers small town standalone delivers the perfect happily ever after. He proposed . . . and I said yes.Normally a jovial occasion for a couple in love, but this proposal has a very different feel... -
![The One I Hate by Chelle Sloan]()
The One I Hate by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI hate Simon Banks.I also hate tequila. The first makes my blood boil with his devilish smirk and giant…ego. The second makes me do questionable things. Specifically, with Simon. Fine. Whatever. It’s a blip on my radar. Even though I can’t stop thinking about memories of our night…or his hands…and that mouth... -
![Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke]()
Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNeighbors to lovers can be a risky proposition in this funny, sexy, and swoony romantic comedy between a single mother and the grumpy man next door by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke.When Gabrielle Solomon falls, she falls hard. Even if that means literally toppling over a porch railing in nothing but a flimsy towel—right in front of her sexy new neighbor... -
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![Glass Skulls by L.M. Terry]()
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... -
![Forever Mine by Hope Ford]()
Forever Mine by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA billionaire married man that guards his heart.A wife with one foot out the door.Together, in a second chance romance.I’m completely in love with my husband. And he takes care of my needs...as long as they’re financial or physical. Anything more is too much to ask.I know that while I might have his name, I don’t have his heart.It’s almost like he keeps me in a very specific WIFE...Categorized as:
age-gap slow-burn forced-proximity female-mc breakup domestic-drama romance contemporary -
![The Wife Situation by Lyra Parish]()
The Wife Situation by Lyra Parish
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe grumpy billionaire accuses me of stealing, has me fired, and now wants me as his temporary wife…I think he’s lost his mind.Easton Calloway needs a wifey pronto, and he chooses me to temporarily fill the position. While I want to tell him to eff off, I can’t walk away from the temptation. So I do what any broke actress living in New York City would do, and agree to the terms and conditions... -
![Stay by Willow Aster]()
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 friends-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance -
![How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn]()
How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA new winter holiday, enemies-to-lovers romance, from the undeniably funny and always spicy, USA Today bestselling author, Meghan Quinn. Every Kringle in Kringletown loved Christmas a lot.But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately did not. Cole was a recluse during the Kringle Christmas season.No one knew why, no one could quite give a reason... -
![Just Like That by Lena Hendrix]()
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...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers age-gap forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy slow-burn -
![Heartbreak & Cupcakes by Shawna Renae]()
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 steamy adult book contemporary -
![Off Limits by Emma Creed]()
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 slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc enemies-to-lovers western romance -
![Wild Card by Maggie C. Gates]()
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... -
![What Hurts Us by Maggie C. Gates]()
What Hurts Us by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAsking Layla Mousavi to be my fake fiancé wasn’t the weirdest thing I had done this week. It didn’t even crack the top ten. Not when my days were filled with escaped pigs, radioactive casseroles, and cow-induced car crashes._____________The population of Falls Creek, North Carolina, is a collective menace to society... -
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![The Burns We Carry by Marae Good]()
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... -
![Salt Love by Marika Ray]()
Salt Love by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat do you do when you find out your husband’s cheating on you, your aunt just passed away in Florida, and your boss gave the promotion to your work nemesis, so you threaten him with bodily harm in the middle of a board meeting?Well, after getting escorted out of the building by security, I fly straight to Sunshine Key to deal with my aunt’s estate... -
![The Brazen One by Daisy Jane]()
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 steamy adult -
![Dirty Promises by Aubrey Bondurant]()
Dirty Promises by Aubrey Bondurant
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen Oakley Winters travels to her best friend’s wedding, the last thing she expects is to be stranded on the side of the highway by her date. Luckily, a handsome stranger stops to rescue her. But it turns out her hero isn’t a stranger after all. Max Brooks dreads a return to his small town, but it’s impossible to say no to his sister’s request to attend her wedding... -
![Bro Code Hell by Marika Ray]()
Bro Code Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiving with my older brother’s best friend wasn’t even my worst idea lately.Keeping it a secret from my brother was on the list too. Oh, and actually falling (literally) for Blaze Hellman—when every frown clearly said to stay away—was most definitely at the top of the list.I was kind of a genius normally... -
![Matchmaking a Roommate by Angela Casella, Denise Grover Swank]()
Matchmaking a Roommate by Angela Casella, Denise Grover Swank
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s her next makeover project. She’s his next mistake.IvyI’m Ivy Anders, popular romance novelist and small-town success story. Or so they say. I tell myself I’m only back in my hometown because my father had a heart attack, but that’s not the full story.I can’t go home. And the longer I stay, the less I want to... -
![Knockout by Jessica Prince]()
Knockout by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt wasn’t fair that the man I hated with a passion was so freaking gorgeous.Things in Layla Fox’s life were going great. She had a fantastic job, amazing friends, and a killer apartment. There was just one tiny glitch in all that perfect. Her upstairs neighbor was the very definition of tall, dark, and handsome . . . and she hated the man with every cell in her body...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc domestic-drama enemies-to-lovers female-mc grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn adult -
![One Last Play by Annah Conwell]()
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers forced-proximity slow-burn romance -
![Temptress by Jessica Prince]()
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... -
![Shaken by Charity Ferrell]()
Shaken by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA see yourself out note isn’t how you want to celebrate the morning after your first one- night stand.The first time I meet Archer Callahan is when I block him in a parking spot.The second is a fender bender.The third is at a bar, drinking away our problems, and finding our way to his bed.I never expected to see him again... -
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![Promise Me Never by Nichole Greene]()
Promise Me Never by Nichole Greene
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be a carefree summer, a chance for me to shed my bookworm ways and get some experience under my belt. Literally. Instead I find myself thrown in the path of the grumpy and frustratingly sexy, Luke Stone. He’s my grandpa’s right hand man on the ranch which makes him inescapable.After tragically losing my wife I swore off love...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity sad slow-burn romance -
![Chaser by Charity Ferrell]()
Chaser by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThings I never thought would happen:Meeting my boyfriend’s secret wife.Finding out I’m pregnant with his baby.Pretending my best friend is the father.In public, we fake a relationship.In private, we try not to fall in love.The more we pretend, the more we forget it’s only temporary.If only we had known it would change everything...Categorized as:
domestic-drama fake-relationship forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn steamy adult book -
![Craving by Lilian Monroe]()
Craving by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE WEDPOCALYPSE CONTINUES... Marlon St. James wants only one to be left alone. He has a house, a successful private security business, and endless peace and quiet. Things are exactly as they should be. Until Camilla. His brother thrusts soft, sweet, curvy Camilla Fox in front of Marlon and announces that she’ll be moving into Marlon’s house. Otherwise, she’ll be homeless. Fine... -
![Just Don't Fall by Emma St. Clair]()
Just Don't Fall by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBefore Logan Barnes was hockey’s hottest bad boy, he was my brother’s best friend … and my first crush. Oh, yeah--and the guy who ghosted me and broke my teenage heart.Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but not willingly. Recovering from an injury (and some bad press), he’s stuck playing for our minor league team. Which means I’ll be working with him almost daily... -
![The Sweetest Obsession by Nicole Snow]()
The Sweetest Obsession by Nicole Snow
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFalling for the best thing that never happened brings sweet mayhem in this steamy, gripping, and heartfelt small-town grumpy-sunshine standalone romance. My brother's best friend owned my heart until the day he drenched it in kerosene and burned it down.Grant flipping Faircross is so not the reason I'm coming home...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers age-gap enemies-to-lovers steamy female-mc -
![Merry with Me by Kaylee Ryan]()
Merry with Me by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you a new grumpy-sunshine standalone holiday romance.BlakelyWhen my boss tells me I’m taking over the planning of the annual Christmas gala, I can barely contain my excitement. Not only is it a huge opportunity, but I also love all things Christmas...Categorized as:
forced-proximity slow-burn age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance
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