Books like 'Real Thing'
Readers who enjoyed Real Thing by Cassie-Ann L. Miller also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town friends-to-lovers forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine grumpy-mc cheerful-mc slow-burn workplace
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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
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...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor steamy adult -
Letting Go at 40 by L.B. Dunbar, Stella Hunter
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA bereaved widow finds herself with a chance at love after loss with the most unlikely of people: her late husband’s best friend.Anna Kulis has lost her husband. Their love was a perfect kind of love; a once in a lifetime experience. She never intended to find love again. Never expected to have this attraction stirring inside her...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn forced-proximity steamy age-gap humor romance contemporary -
Finn Rhodes Forever by Stephanie Archer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe guy who broke my heart is now an arrogant, too-hot firefighter… who’s hell-bent on getting me back. This summer, I have one goal: field work. I need it to finish my PhD. I never expected Finn Rhodes to offer help. He broke my heart twelve years ago, and now that he’s back in town, I want nothing to do with him. Finn wants one thing—me. We were inseparable as kids until everything changed...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor adult book -
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She's Like The Wind by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’d be a fool to fall for his long-legged, barefoot employee. But bad decisions have never stopped him before… Successful businessman and single father, Nate Crawford, doesn’t need any more complications. That’s why he’s moved his business – and his life – to a small beach town. He’s expecting sun, sea and tranquility, but what he gets is a whirlwind in the form of town sweetheart, Ally Sutton...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace friends-to-lovers forced-proximity romance -
Maybe We Won't by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA sexy and soul-stirring novel about love, family, and rediscovering what matters most by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.When workaholic Boston attorney Deirdra de Messiéres is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she takes a two-month hiatus to show her boss just how much he needs her and heads home to Silver Island... -
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 friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn steamy workplace adult -
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...Categorized as:
forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace humor -
Wild Temptation by Hope Ford
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAsher Wild is a temptation I can’t resist.He’s my grumpy boss.He didn’t want to hire me,But as a favor to a friend -- he gave me a chance.Besides proving I’m a good worker, and can make a difference on his peach farm.It seems I can’t stop throwing myself at him. I didn’t think Asher would rock my world...Categorized as:
age-gap workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity steamy romance -
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... -
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
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...Categorized as:
workplace forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn friends-to-lovers humor -
The Roommate Mistake by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn injured rugby star, his pregnant roommate, and one rule they can’t Don’t date the owner’s daughter. It was supposed to be an easy house- and dog-sitting gig while the owner was gone for a month. But when my sportsing landlord comes home unexpectedly, injured and in need of a new arrangement, we end up as accidental roommates instead...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers workplace forced-proximity grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy age-gap -
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 age-gap friends-to-lovers slow-burn humor romance -
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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...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn workplace adult -
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:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn -
Straight Up by Charity Ferrell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA new standalone in the Twisted Fox Series.Book 3, Straight Up: (Lincoln and Cassidy's story)... -
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...Categorized as:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance -
Once Upon A Bet: A Grumpy Single Dad Romance by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll I ever wanted was the perfect happily ever after.All he ever wanted was to ruin my freaking life.Okay, that’s a smidge dramatic, but hear me out.My new neighbor might as well plant an “unavailable” sign in his front yard.He’s got biceps made for pulling swooning maidens out of danger, eyes built for melting glaciers (and panties), and a smile that makes my knees want to buckle...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor workplace adult -
Handy by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy new neighbor may be grumpy but he's also hot, and very good with his hands…I definitely overestimated my own handyman skills when I bought this fixer-upper. I have to say, the view from my new place is worth it though. Especially around seven o'clock every morning when my big, furry bear of a neighbor drinks his coffee shirtless on his back porch.He's dedicated to the bear thing too...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor steamy romance -
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... -
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 -
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...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy friends-to-lovers forced-proximity humor romance -
Upping the Ante by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's been the grumpiest boss a woman could ask for--or he WAS until I quit. But former football star Deacon Clark doesn't seem to be getting the memo. Instead, he tags along with me to Sheet Cake, Texas, where I'm hoping to start a new business.Deacon's only hope is to hire me back as his assistant. At least, that's what I thought. Until ... the very clear lines we've always kept start to blur...Categorized as:
humor forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance -
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Boone by Laramie Briscoe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m old enough to be her father, and a life-long confirmed bachelor, but after one night together, all that is about to change. Boone Wilson Instead of building my forever with a conventional family, I’ve dedicated my life to being the best father I can to the son I had way too early in life. Now that he’s grown, I’m giving all I can to my job... -
A Lodge Affair by Rachel LaBerge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIvy Lawson loves a to-do list, hates surprises, and the only outdoor activity she’s interested in is brunch on a patio. After catching her long-term boyfriend—and co-worker—cheating, she’s thrown into leading a high-profile client event at The Emerald Canopy Lodge. AKA: her nightmare destination. Ivy finds herself desperate and anxious to get her job done and leave the lodge as soon as possible...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity humor romance contemporary -
Resting Beach Face by D.J. Jamison
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's the only man who doesn't want me...and the only one I really need.Cash and Declan's story is coming soon in Resting Beach Face! This will be Book 4 of Swallow Cove, which follows a tight-knit group of friends in a quirky lake town...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn workplace humor -
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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... -
If You Give a Single Dad a Nanny by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI, Marlow Taylor, need to stop fantasizing about the hot, single dad next door.Should I have agreed to nanny his cute six year old who loves my dog Waffles? Absolutely not.But her dad seems to think he can do everything himself. ( no one can)3 reasons why I absolutely cannot fall for Dylan 1. He’s grumpy and doesn’t seem to like me very much2...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn workplace humor -
The Doctor Who Stole Christmas by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAn grumpy doctor.A wicked blizzard.And only one bed in sight.What could possibly go wrong?I never expected to find myself trekking through a blizzard...All to deliver "vital documents" to the elusive Dr. Grump's remote cabin...Categorized as:
workplace age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity small-town fiction -
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...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity steamy humor -
Naughty or Nice by Sophie Snow
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRora Stanley hates Christmas.But when her best friend needs a Santa photographer for her family’s toy store, Rora is forced to return to her Christmas-obsessed hometown for the holidays.Henry Whitten loves Christmas.And a few weeks in Wintermore, Wyoming playing Santa is exactly what he needs as he stands at a career crossroads...Categorized as:
age-gap forced-proximity workplace grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor romance -
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 humor -
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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...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc age-gap forced-proximity humor romance contemporary -
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...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn steamy -
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...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity slow-burn friends-to-lovers humor romance -
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...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc workplace forced-proximity humor slow-burn -
Off the Hook by Julie Olivia
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI need a nanny, but I may need her more.I know about my reputation as Never Harbor’s secluded single dad. But I have everything I need: my imaginative son, my dog, and our remodeled cottage by the sea.That is, until my nanny quits.My brother’s ex-fiancee, Wendy Darling, is an elementary school teacher with a free summer... -
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... -
A Love Like That by Jenna Hartley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter my wife died, I never expected to fall in love again, let alone with her much younger sister. Elle's too young for me, though.Too vibrant and cheerful to be saddled with a grumpy widower and two little kids.Besides, she's only here for a few months before she moves on to follow her dreams.And there's no way we could be together even if she were staying...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn steamy -
Lost & Found in Copper Ridge by Harlow James
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt all started with Jack & Diane…And no, not the couple from the popular 80’s song—the couple that signed a five-dollar bill with their names and the location of The Livingston Cabin in Copper Ridge, Colorado.And I just so happened to acquire that five-dollar bill on the same day of the funeral of a close friend AND the day I was supposed to be getting married.Coincidence? Perhaps...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor adult book -
Tight Spot by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a fake relationship feels a little too real…. I’m in a Tight Spot. I’m not a nice guy. I’m too rude. Too gruff. I want to be left alone and stay in my lane as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Too bad management has a sudden problem with my image and all the fines I’ve been racking up. Now I’m told I need to settle down, shape up…or they’re shipping me out...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc steamy friends-to-lovers age-gap slow-burn forced-proximity -
Love...It's Wild by Jeannine Colette
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFalling in love has never been this wild… I’m a woman who knows my own worth. And more than anything, I deserve love. Wild, passionate, all-consuming love. What I did not deserve was being forced to hang around my small town to watch the jerk who left me at the alter fawn over his new wife. Instead, I ran. Right into him. Robert Bronson is my friend’s grumpy brother-in-law...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn forced-proximity steamy workplace age-gap -
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Her Filthy Grump by Alexia Chase
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat happens when Ms. Pollyanna meets Mr. Grumpalicious?LaylaI’m looking for Mr. Right, but instead, I find a man who thinks I’m a nuisance and a do-gooder. So, what if I like to help people? It’s my life. Not his.So why do I want to climb him like a tree every time I'm with him? The man is too gorgeous for his own good.KameronI’m not looking for anyone. I’ve had my fill of women who let me down... -
On The Honey Side by Staci Hart
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNo one can ever have Keaton Meyer.Least of all me.The brooding construction manager is a man of myth and legend, rarely seen in the wild. Once upon a time, he was the star quarterback, the smiling homecoming king, royalty in our small town. Until tragedy struck. And then he disappeared completely.Now he’s resurfaced, and I can’t keep my eyes off him... -
Levi Bailey has Butterflies by Jen Atkinson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsButterflies? Levi Bailey does not get butterflies. Well, at least he didn’t until Meredith Porter spilled coffee all over him.Meredith has plans. Big plans. She is done being safely wrapped in bubble wrap. She is ready to live. That’s what her list is all about—living and experiencing...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers age-gap slow-burn humor romance -
Yours Truly by Daisy Jane
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTattoos, my sisters and Bluebell. That's all I need.Until Trace Calhoun speeds into town in his ridiculous sports car, crop top, hot bod and womanizing ways.Did I mention he's my new mentor at the tattoo shop?Yep. Bickering, rude comments and drama aside, like every foolish female heart since the dawn of time, I fall for him.Only, Ivy Ellington won't stand for the booze and babe filled benders... -
The X-list by Evie Mitchell
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRuneWhat kind of crazy person doesn’t read? Apparently my new neighbour. She’s loud, sassy, flirty and infuriatingly, annoyingly cheerful.And a non-reader. The worst kind of human.So why is that when I dare her to enter the charity read-a-thon, I suddenly find myself carefully curating her list?And those books… they’re definitely not your momma’s romance.GabbyI’m used to people underestimating me... -
Man Handle by Vanessa Vale
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s lust at first sight. I’ve fallen for the… former pageant queen? What happened to my life? One minute I’m just a single dad and fire chief. The next, I’m Mr. January. That’s right, Georgia from Georgia’s been hired to organize the annual fundraiser. She’s not satisfied with a chili dinner. No. She came up with the crazy idea of a firefighter calendar. With puppies and kittens...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy age-gap humor
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