Books like 'Defining Us'
Readers who enjoyed Defining Us by Karen Deen also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary small town romance cheating sports high-school domestic-drama university literary-fiction classics
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Our Muted Recklessness by Love Belvin
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOkay… Where do we pick up?Where we left off, of course. Tori’s afraid, but putting forth her toughest exterior to forge ahead with the mess she’s made. And Ashton? Well, he’s confused and angry.“You think it’s possible to put the genie back in the fuckin’ bottle now?”Here he was again, saying cryptic things, using phrases that went over my head... -
![Until the End by Abbi Glines]()
Until the End by Abbi Glines
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe backstory that fans have been clamoring for—how Rock and Trisha fell in love—is the final installment in the Sea Breeze series from New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines. And don’t miss the sizzling Epilogue, where Abbi wraps up all the Sea Breeze couples’ stories!Trisha Corbin always knew how to hide a bruise... -
![Frayed: A Small Town Sports Romance by Laura Pavlov]()
Frayed: A Small Town Sports Romance by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBad boy football star. Innocent girl next door. Two different worlds. One small town. A million reasons why they should have stayed away from one another.My life was mapped out for me before I even entered the world.Who I'd date, where I’d attend college, what I'd be when I grew up.But there was a time in everyone's life when they'd face a fork in the road... -
![My Kinda Forever by Lacey Black]()
My Kinda Forever by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlone. Everything changed for Meghan Summer that fateful February night. All she had, all she saw in her future, was stripped away in the blink of an eye. Even though she finds herself surrounded by her growing family, at the end of the day, there’s nothing but a gaping hole where her heart once beat. Or so she thinks… Her. Nick Adams shouldn’t want her... -
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![Saved by Love by Toni Aleo]()
Saved by Love by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEvan Adler can’t get out of his own head.Worthless.Broken.Failure.Those are just a few of the words he uses to describe himself now. Medically retired from the NHL before he even had a chance to live up to the Adler legacy, Evan has returned to his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, to focus on his mental health... -
![My Kinda Mess by Lacey Black, Sara Eirew]()
My Kinda Mess by Lacey Black, Sara Eirew
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll her life, Lexi Summer has dreamed of one thing: to become a mother. As the youngest of six, she’s accustomed to the chaos and camaraderie that comes with a big family, which is why she has been anxious to get a jump on this next phase in her life. She thought she had it all: the perfect house, husband, and future. Until one secret rips it all apart... -
![Dear Love, I Hate You: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Eliah Greenwood]()
Dear Love, I Hate You: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance by Eliah Greenwood
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIt all started with an anonymous letter. He wasn’t supposed to find it—no one was. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to answer it. We end up talking through letters and sticky notes in a book. One sticky note. Two sticky notes. Ten sticky notes. All baring our darkest, deepest secrets. It’s all fun and games until I find out who my pen pal is... Xavier Emery... -
![Wilder Love by Emery Rose]()
Wilder Love by Emery Rose
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI was his weakness. He was my strength. Until I destroyed him. I was infatuated with Shane Wilder since the first time I saw him surfing. But we couldn’t be together. Not yet, anyway. I was too young and screwed up. He was too focused on chasing his dream. So we became friends. We met on the rooftop for late-night confessions under the stars...Categorized as:
cheating domestic-drama high-school literary-fiction sports university age-gap angst -
![Must Be Home by Claire Kingsley]()
Must Be Home by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsJetty Beach is such a hotbed of memories, I avoid it as much as possible. Whenever I go home, no matter where I look, I see him. I see Hunter. He left me ten years ago, when we were barely eighteen, disappearing to join the Marines without a word. And I never heard from him again... -
![Destroying Declan by Megyn Ward]()
Destroying Declan by Megyn Ward
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDeclan Gilroy is an assh*le. Eight years ago, he pushed his way into my life and made himself at home. Made me believe he was different. Made me love him. And then he destroyed me. Left me. Broke my heart. And I’ll never forgive him for it. Never. I’ve spent the last eight years watching him move on. Live his life like what he did to me meant nothing. Like I meant nothing...Categorized as:
cheating domestic-drama romance contemporary fiction enemies-to-lovers small-town womens-fiction -
![Mason by Tijan]()
Mason by Tijan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMason Kade is not known to be nice. He is ruthless, manipulative, and unforgiving. Most will say that he is a jerk and he is to those that cross him or cross his loved ones. However, he does not want to be who he is. He does not enjoy hurting others, but there is no limit to the lengths he will go to protect himself and his brother... -
![Their First Fall: Trucker and Keeka's story by M.J. Fields]()
Their First Fall: Trucker and Keeka's story by M.J. Fields
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new adult / college standalone sports romance novel from USA Today bestselling author, MJ Fields . Their First Fall Keeka Alone in the world, after her mother’s death, she tries to find the life she dreamed of as a child. Trucker Alone in the world the family he felt part of began to fall apart, as his dreams of being an NFL quarterback become his reality... -
![Difficult by R.L. Mathewson]()
Difficult by R.L. Mathewson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSurviving high school was going to be hard enough, but surviving telling the one girl that he couldn’t live without how he felt was going to be one of the most difficult things that Sebastian Bradford was ever going to do.From New York Times and USA Today’s bestselling author R.L...Categorized as:
high-school sports romance young-adult humor contemporary friends-to-lovers small-town -
![Romeo Falling by Jesse H. Reign]()
Romeo Falling by Jesse H. Reign
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat happens when he’s your Romeo…but you’re no Juliet? Romeo and I were friends long before we were lovers. Best friends. Ride or die. What started as an innocent kiss slowly unraveled and shattered, giving way to years of tears and total obsession.Now I’m back in the small town I call home, staring straight into the face of the only man I’ve ever loved…or hated... -
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![Beneath the Stands: An Enemies to Lovers, Best Friend's Brother Romance (Sugarlake Series, Book Two) by Emily McIntire]()
Beneath the Stands: An Enemies to Lovers, Best Friend's Brother Romance (Sugarlake Series, Book Two) by Emily McIntire
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBeccaI hated before I loved.I loved and then I lost.And the only man I’ve ever wanted is the one out of reach.Temptation is the Devil’s candy, but I lost my faith in God years ago.He’s forbidden.Off-limits.My biggest secret.One I’m determined to take to my grave.I’ve learned to live in the ghost of his memory. Craving his touch, but relieved he never comes home.Until one day, he does...Categorized as:
literary-fiction sports university audiobook book contemporary enemies-to-lovers female-mc -
![Dear Heart, I Hate You by Eliah Greenwood]()
Dear Heart, I Hate You by Eliah Greenwood
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt all started with an ad."House sitter needed for the summer, free room and board."Guess I missed the part about the cocky basketball player sleeping down the hall...Finn Richards is hot, cruel, broken beyond repair. Oh, and did I mention hell-bent on making me quit?Whatever. It's not like his charms work on me, anyway... -
![To Believe by Carolyn Brown]()
To Believe by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRoseanna Cahill didn't believe in happily-ever-after anymore. Not after a marriage that should never have started and which ended after four years. Country hearts like hers didn t mix with city hearts like that of Colin Vance Fields III, better known as Trey. She thought she'd seen the last of Trey but then his sister showed up at her door begging for her help... -
![Flower by Jaclyn Combe]()
Flower by Jaclyn Combe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAvaI am the pretty blonde cheerleader adored by all.The popular girl, living that so-called perfect life.But when my childhood sweetheart betrays me in the worst possible way, my entire world comes crashing down around me.They say you should always expect the unexpected in life. But the one thing I never expected… was him.MasonI am the high school nerd... -
![The Milkman by Tabatha Kiss]()
The Milkman by Tabatha Kiss
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Tabatha Kiss... The neglected housewife. The irresistible milkman. We all know the story... but you've never heard it like this before! Nathaniel Scott is back. I never looked twice at him in high school. Now, five years later, he's the town's new milkman. Handsome, charming, and so eager to please... -
![Perfect Someday by Lauren Runow]()
Perfect Someday by Lauren Runow
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI knew, someday, I’d have the life of my dreams.I just wasn’t prepared to lose him in return.Growing up in small-town Mason Creek, it's hard for a girl to dream big. Since my mom was barely making ends meet, I knew moving away for college wasn’t in the cards. What I didn’t know was how singing a Miranda Lambert song while unpacking a box would change my life forever ..Categorized as:
high-school sports anthologies contemporary fiction new-adult second-chances small-town -
![In Too Deep by Rebecca Sharp]()
In Too Deep by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom bestselling author, Dr. Rebecca Sharp, comes a heart-wrenching and sexy standalone in the Winter Games series...Life has thrown Tammy Lucas one curveball after another, disrupting her perfectly-ordered plans... -
![Yours, With Love by Delaney Cameron]()
Yours, With Love by Delaney Cameron
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn unexpected inheritance brings Ellen back to her hometown of St. Marys. After an absence of ten years, she never expects to run into Quinn, one of her sister’s old boyfriends and her teenage obsession. If it's true that it's a small world, it's also true that it can be a cruel one. The good-looking eighteen-year-old who touched her young heart is no more... -
![No Reservations by Stephanie Rose]()
No Reservations by Stephanie Rose
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIs it too late to correct the biggest mistake of my life? While drowning in a mess of sorrow and grief, I lost the only woman I ever loved. I didn’t realize what I’d done until it was too late. Thea still owned my thoughts, my dreams, and my heart. I never expected to see her again, much less have to work with her for almost the entire summer... -
![Kiss Me First: A Coming Of Age Sports Romance by Anna B. Doe]()
Kiss Me First: A Coming Of Age Sports Romance by Anna B. Doe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBefore Blairwood, there was Bluebonnet.Katherine Adams never thought she’d end up in a small town in Texas, but when things start to go south, it’s the perfect place to escape to.Emmett Santiago, Bluebonnet’s golden boy, never imagined he’d fall so quickly, but one glance at Kate and he’s a goner... -
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![Peony Red by J. Lynn Bailey]()
Peony Red by J. Lynn Bailey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThree years ago, Alex Fisher lost her husband and since then, she hasn’t been able to find her stride. She’s out of a job, out of time, and running on fumes. When she receives a personal invitation to visit the picturesque town of Granite Harbor, Maine, she jumps at the chance to start fresh. For game warden Eli Young, life is simpler when he’s exploring the back roads of Maine... -
![Sweet Regrets by Jennifer Peel]()
Sweet Regrets by Jennifer Peel
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMelanie Dixon never thought she would find herself divorced, pregnant, and living back with her parents in Indigo Bay. Not one to let misfortune get the best of her, she picks up the broken pieces of her life and bit by bit puts them back together. She’s determined to go it alone, but her loving and equally determined family and friends have another idea...Categorized as:
cheating domestic-drama classics romance contemporary small-town angst second-chances -
![Lucas by Jay McLean]()
Lucas by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn a sprint, every millisecond counts. When you’re waiting for love, those milliseconds can feel like eons. High school senior Lucas Preston has it all: star of the track team, a scholarship waiting for him, an apartment to himself and a revolving door of girlfriends... -
![Pushing the Boundaries by Jessica Prince]()
Pushing the Boundaries by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLiving in the small town of Cloverleaf, watching her friends settle down one by one, all Lizzy wants is her own happily ever after. But with each failed date she starts to believe that finding the one man who will look at her like she’s his reason for living is practically impossible... -
![When Our Worlds Stand Still by Lindsey Iler, Pink Ink Design]()
When Our Worlds Stand Still by Lindsey Iler, Pink Ink Design
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTime is said to heal all wounds. Kennedy Conrad embraces survival. Group therapy, friends, and dance are helping her find the person she was. Overcoming the darkest period of her past is getting easier every day. Still, the ache in her chest tells her something is missing. Him. The more precious something is, the harder you fight for it. Graham Black embraces change... -
![Waiting for Her by Jennifer Van Wyk]()
Waiting for Her by Jennifer Van Wyk
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOur relationship was such a cliché. Friends to lovers. High school sweethearts. Then... driven by insecurities, I broke Grady Ryan’s heart. I was weak, afraid to love, and even more afraid to be loved. There are secrets I’ve kept buried but I can’t forget what we once shared. I’ve been given a second chance and this time, I’m prepared to fight for him... -
![Red River Deep: Uplifting Southern Romantic Women's Fiction by Carolyn Brown]()
Red River Deep: Uplifting Southern Romantic Women's Fiction by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown's Southern twang and inimitable sass shine through in this romantic second-chance story. Their differences drove them apart...but fate is giving them one more chance.Six years ago, one fight ended it all... And now Tracey Walker has bittersweet memories and a secret that she keeps close to her heart... -
![Made for You by Kelly Elliott]()
Made for You by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOne decision. Two lives ripped apart. For Holden Warner and Emylie Sanchez, the road back to each other has been long and jagged. Each of them hiding from the truth, but unwilling to move on from the love they share. When life no longer allows them to run from their past, they soon realize they’re two souls who will never fit anywhere except … with each other... -
![Yesterday Is Gone by Hj Bellus]()
Yesterday Is Gone by Hj Bellus
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say going home is easy, and in all reality, it should be. Just not for me. The small, one-horse town that gave me my roots, that made my soul thrive, is also the place I never wanted to set foot in again. I left everything behind and never looked back. Until now. With the death of the man who raised me, I’m forced to return to Boone... -
![Fire by Molly McAdams]()
Fire by Molly McAdams
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’m the oldest of all the Dixon boys.Yeah, that family.And, yeah, that Dixon. The one with a notorious temper and devastating fists.My family tried everything short of giving up on me, but there’s only one person who can calm me.Savannah Riley Dixon.Girl next door. My best friend.Sweeter than honey and stronger than whiskey. And the answer to my enraged soul... -
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![Tempting Love - Haley & Eddie by Melanie Shawn]()
Tempting Love - Haley & Eddie by Melanie Shawn
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIndependent, talented, and beautiful–inside and out–Haley Sloan knew exactly what she wanted out of life. With her designer lingerie business booming, her career was moving forward, but her heart stayed in the same place it had for four years…hopelessly in love with the single father across the street...Categorized as:
cheating domestic-drama literary-fiction adult anthologies contemporary fiction friends-to-lovers -
![The Fall of a God by Holly Renee]()
The Fall of a God by Holly Renee
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsInnocent. Blameless. Pure. Heartbroken. Josie Vos belonged to the one family I hated more than anything. And I had forced her to despise me just as much. It didn't matter that I had lost track of my plan and fallen for my enemy. Irrevocably hurt and enraged by my deceit, she had no intentions of doing anything but watching me lose my throne. The secrets of our families can never be forgotten... -
![Cry For Me by R. Sullins]()
Cry For Me by R. Sullins
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPaigeLonerOutcastCharity caseOrphanI was all those things.Years after my parents died, I was still being bullied, and it was all led by my cousins.They hated me for years as children, and moving into their house didn't make them change their minds about me.I was counting down the days until I could finally get away from every single person in this town... -
![On the DL by Laramie Briscoe]()
On the DL by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA second-chance romance as scorching hot as a baseball diamond in August. Slater "Savage" Harlow Winning the MVP award for the Birmingham Bandits last year was the highlight of my baseball career. It was the culmination of childhood dreams, calculated adult decisions, sacrifice, and a hell of a lot of focus. Tearing my ACL in spring training? Not what I expected at all... -
![disgraceful by Autumn Grey]()
disgraceful by Autumn Grey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI knew falling for him was wrong. I did it anyway, his half smiles and blue eyes pulling me deeper. Blue eyes that made me soar. He wasn’t mine to keep, though. And like all good and rare things, it came to an end. Then he strolls into my life, armed with dimples and gray eyes. Gray eyes that ground me. He smashes through my defenses, stealing what is left of my heart... -
![Runaways by Nicole Dykes]()
Runaways by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRunaways . . .You’ve heard about kids running away, but do we ever truly know why they run?Rae and Law had no choice. Forced to run when life let them down, when it was either leave or be subjected to an unimaginable fate.Can they survive?Two young people, completely alone on the streets with nothing but each other.This is their story... -
![Wicked Chemistry by R.L. Kenderson]()
Wicked Chemistry by R.L. Kenderson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI didn’t know I’d risk everything to be with him.I thought he was the assistant football coach.I thought I would protect my teaching career from anything.I thought I could stay away from him.I thought wrong.Wicked Chemistry deals with a student-teacher relationship. All individuals are over eighteen and consenting adults... -
![The Baby Project by Miranda Liasson]()
The Baby Project by Miranda Liasson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLiz Kingston spends her life delivering babies and longs for one of her own. All she needs is someone with fabulous genetic material. Who better to ask than her sexy ex-fling, who has no interest in ever settling down or being a father. International correspondent Grant Wilbanks loves danger and travelling the world... -
![Wicked Hearts by L.A. Cotton]()
Wicked Hearts by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe edgy, angsty, addictive YA/NA crossover series from L A Cotton continues... Some hearts are too broken to fix. Kiera Lessinger’s whole life is a lie. Attend high school with her rich friends, check. Act sickeningly in love with her goofball-of-a-boyfriend, check. Pretend that every day isn’t a living nightmare, check...Categorized as:
sports high-school cheating domestic-drama multi-pov new-adult small-town friends-to-lovers -
![Smarty Pants by Marika Ray]()
Smarty Pants by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe first time I met her, she was running away from her own wedding.The second time I met her, she tried to get me fired from my job.The third time? I had to haul her drunk self off the bar before she completed her amateur—and hot as hell—striptease.She’s messy, chaos in human form, and not at all who she claims to be...Categorized as:
university literary-fiction contemporary small-town womens-fiction steamy humor fiction -
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![Steal Me by India R. Adams]()
Steal Me by India R. Adams
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAm I one of the strong?Damn. I hope so.A drunk driver killed my dad.Mom is sinking into a depression, and I’m left to care for my little sister.I may have made a huge mistake, moving us to another town, hoping to escape the pain of the loss.But my biggest mistake of all may be falling for a girl who clearly hates my guts... -
![Love You by Stacy Finz]()
Love You by Stacy Finz
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSexy, smart, and exciting, the Garner brothers have made Glory Junction, California, the country’s top extreme sports town—but there’s no shortage of thrills wherever they go . . . Darcy Wallace may be an employee at Garner Adventure, but the kind of excitement she’s looking for is more of the indoor variety... -
![Twice Burned by Claire Wilder]()
Twice Burned by Claire Wilder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI won’t be burned again..CASEYI knew it wouldn’t be easy moving back home to Jewel Lakes County.I knew, walking the streets of Barkley Falls, that I’d have to confront the most painful memories of my past.I just didn’t expect I’d have to run into one of them in the flesh.When we were teenagers, Hank promised he’d never let me go. When he left, he promised he’d come back...Categorized as:
sports literary-fiction romance contemporary small-town enemies-to-lovers female-mc fiction -
![Rebel by Ginger Scott]()
Rebel by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOn the surface, Cameron Hass always seems a bit risky. First to take the dare, last to leave the tracks in the face of an oncoming train, the Boston rebel has always liked to flirt with danger. But underneath, he’s terrified. Not about breaking an arm or getting pulled over for driving twice the speed limit, but about the man he’s going to become when he graduates from Welles Academy...Categorized as:
high-school sports university romance young-adult new-adult contemporary friends-to-lovers -
![RUIN by Skye Jordan]()
RUIN by Skye Jordan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAnother pulse-pounding Renegades book from New York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan!Cameron Riggs never set out to be a stunt man. Renegades was meant to be a pit stop on the way to his next "real" career, but eighteen months later he's still there, searching for the brotherhood he's always wanted... -
![A Shot in The Dark by Lou Stock]()
A Shot in The Dark by Lou Stock
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLife had never been simple for Miki Quinten. Her mom had died when she was eight, and in the aftermath of their loss, her father turned his grief into alcoholism, inadvertently converting their home into a melting pot of debauchery. Unwilling to be put into the foster system, Miki takes control of her own life and becomes invisible to almost everyone but her best friend and godmother...
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