Books like 'False Start'
Readers who enjoyed False Start by Nicole Dykes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
romance small town university mlm friends-to-lovers high-school sports lgbtq steamy
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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...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers high-school sports university book coming-of-age contemporary drama -
![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... -
![That Promise by Jillian Dodd]()
That Promise by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat happens to childhood promises when you grow up?Growing up, Devaney Diamond and Chase Mackenzie promised to go to college together. But it’s been two years since the summer that changed everything between them, and their friendship hasn’t recovered...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers high-school sports steamy university action-adventure audiobook book -
![That Summer: A Small Town, Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Jillian Dodd]()
That Summer: A Small Town, Friends-to-Lovers Romance by Jillian Dodd
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDevaney Diamond’s summer break was shaping up to be the best one ever. Her longtime crush was finally interested in her, and by the time school rolled around in the fall, she knew he’d be her boyfriend...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers high-school sports steamy audiobook book coming-of-age contemporary -
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![Because Naughty Holidays Can Be Oh So Nice 2015 by Nicole Edwards]()
Because Naughty Holidays Can Be Oh So Nice 2015 by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe readers voted and the winners for the 2015 holiday book are: Alluring Indulgence: Travis, Kylie, Gage; Sniper 1 Security: RT and Z; Club Destiny: Luke, Sierra, Cole. Come and see how they are heating up the holidays this year! The Walker brothers are at it again.. -
![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 friends-to-lovers sports romance young-adult humor contemporary small-town -
![Always the One by C.C. Monroe]()
Always the One by C.C. Monroe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFriendships are defined as a bond between two people, a building of a strong connection and like for one another. Usually excluding romantic or sexual feelings. Now what occurs when the typical doesn't happen and friendship turns to love? Trey Adams spends his days working with music and pining over his longtime best friend, Shayla Donovan... -
![Object of My Desire by R.L. Kenderson]()
Object of My Desire by R.L. Kenderson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA romance author, a cover model, a book signing … a crush. Ordinary women like me know we shouldn’t fall for beautiful men like Travis Zehler, one of the hottest cover models in romance fiction. But, sometimes, we can’t help ourselves. When I meet him at a book signing, my attraction to him is instant. I’m infatuated, and I can’t stop thinking about him... -
![Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek]()
Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis Valentine’s Day…the bad boys come out to play…Get ready for an anti-Valentine to remember in this limited release M/M romance anthology. Sixteen authors have come together to bring you a collection of brand-new short stories with a combination of dark, enemies to lovers, and bully themes... -
![Wild and Wicked by Mari Carr]()
Wild and Wicked by Mari Carr
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThere are worse things than getting trapped in a cabin during a blizzard with her best friend’s big brother, hockey star, Elio!Gianna, queen of to-do lists, clean freak, organizer extraordinaire, has her future all figured out. Dream job at twenty-four, engaged at twenty-six, married at twenty-eight, first baby at thirty. And she’s on her way to achieving that…sort of...Categorized as:
sports steamy friends-to-lovers romance contemporary forced-proximity audiobook small-town -
![Southern Playboy by Jessica Peterson]()
Southern Playboy by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA Nanny/Boss Romance Hiring the woman who wrecked me to nanny the kid I just found out I have is a dumb idea. Getting naked with her in the back of my truck is even dumber. But old habits die hard. Amelia Fox was my high school sweetheart, the girl who broke my heart and nearly ended my football career nine years ago... -
![The Punk by Kelly Fox]()
The Punk by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPunk Rock Superstar Collapses In Front Of Record CrowdHendrix Cavanaugh Rushed To Hospital In Mexico CityCavanaugh Leaves Hospital AMAI've loved Hendrix Cavanaugh since his high school mascot days, and seeing him grind himself down like this has been driving me up a wall. Now that he's collapsed on stage, I can't watch from the sidelines for a second longer...Categorized as:
mlm lgbtq friends-to-lovers romance contemporary found-family small-town mental-illness -
![Devil's Own by K.M. Neuhold]()
Devil's Own by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere’s nothing Devil loves more than giving Angel whatever he wants, especially when it’s what he wants too. The only question is… Does Raven want them?Of course, I’ve noticed Angel and Devil noticing me. I’ve felt their eyes and the deep pulse of their heated wanting... -
![Triple Play for the Single Mom by Rebel Bloom]()
Triple Play for the Single Mom by Rebel Bloom
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMy plan was transfer to the college where my ex, the star quarterback, could finally be a dad.But life threw a curveball when I accidentally collided with three of his hunky teammates!Being a young single mom hasn’t been easy.My ex shirks fatherhood, and I’m a magnet for judgmental stares.But it’s all been worth it for how much I love my little boy... -
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![Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair]()
Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out he’s helping me fall in love.TylerI have one rule when it comes to matters of my one and done. Consensually, of course. Fun with no complicated romantic feelings. Not that I’m built to experience those, anyway.After my car breaks down on a remote road, I follow a lumbersnack back to his creepy cabin for the cell service... -
![Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins]()
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV... -
![On the Ropes by Kathryn Nolan]()
On the Ropes by Kathryn Nolan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSummer in the city heats up when the girl who got away moves in next door.Dean “The Machine” is a South Philly legend. Much to the dismay of fans who still hound him, the broody former fighter walked away from his boxing career right before clinching another championship belt... -
![Grinding by Sean Ashcroft]()
Grinding by Sean Ashcroft
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwo childhood best friends. One accidental fake engagement. One Labrador puppy. One week to fall in love.When Harvey runs into his childhood best friend—literally—on the way into Otter Bay for his cousin's wedding, he doesn't plan to end up playing the part of the guy's fiancé...Categorized as:
mlm lgbtq friends-to-lovers steamy romance contemporary small-town fake-relationship -
![Black by Quin, Perin.]()
Black by Quin, Perin.
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“Meow!”There it was.The sound that made my knees buckle.He purred, neck stretched, eyes half-lidded.With those cat ears, in his hair.And the tail, that he flicked.A ray of sun in the drizzling rain. I’d been a traveler, floating adrift, while he’d stayed in one place. How was I supposed to know he’d become my anchor? My light. My everything... -
![The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins]()
The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s my best friend, my best worker, and it was just a silly crush.Then he kissed me. Now it feels like he's mine…I’ve shown my best friend Tristan everything: how to use a circular saw, how to lay grout, and how to do a kitchen renovation right. On the job, we became close friends—then even closer as we learned to share a camping tent.It was all harmless. Just like my crush on him... -
![Like the Taste of Summer by Kaje Harper]()
Like the Taste of Summer by Kaje Harper
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJack managed to get a scholarship to a small-town college in the middle of the Iowa cornfields, September 1981. It wasn't New York, or California, but he figured it would be better than being home. College would be be a new start in a new place, maybe somewhere he could be himself... -
![Griff's Place by Riley Hart]()
Griff's Place by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGRIFFINI always felt I wasn’t wired like my peers, but when my brother, Kellan, gave me three terms—ace, aromantic, and demi—I had possible names for it. Those three words have been on my mind ever since, as has my brother’s best friend, Josh Westbrook. It’s been cool getting to know him and spending time together, just us. He makes me feel something I never thought I’d be able to feel... -
![Return to Blackcreek by Riley Hart]()
Return to Blackcreek by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis December it's time to go back... Wes and Braden Braden plans a surprise weekend getaway for him and Wes. Two days alone in a cabin with his husband? There’s no telling what kind of trouble they can get into. Wes isn’t fooled though. He knows this weekend is about more than just a sexy escape... -
![Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart]()
Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLincoln I’ve done a good job getting over my past. I’m not only proud of who I am, but revel in it. Still, I don’t let myself get too close to people. With closeness comes questions and those pesky feelings, and I’m having none of that. I’ve got a great job, friends, I’m cute and twinky, and my bed’s never empty. What more do I need? Except I can’t stop sleeping with Rush Alexander... -
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![Harder They Fall by J.D. Light]()
Harder They Fall by J.D. Light
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen his dad makes it obvious he isn't going to kick the good-for-nothing thief and liar of a son and Branson's brother to the curb, Branson decides he can't sit and watch his father shower undeserved praise on a man who will undoubtedly just steal from him again and leave him swinging in the breeze... -
![Too Like the Lightning by Travis Beaudoin]()
Too Like the Lightning by Travis Beaudoin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAndrew Madigan had everything he ever wanted.He’d worked hard to build this perfect little life. A stable relationship with a successful man. A beautiful home in a quiet suburb. And best of all, a job where he spent his days talking about literature.Then his tenure was denied and, too quickly for him to stop it, everything crumbled... -
![Blooming by Sean Ashcroft]()
Blooming by Sean Ashcroft
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsInstagram crush. Instant fling.The last thing amateur food photographer Milo expects to find in the sleepy town of Otter Bay is the cute boy he’s been crushing on from Instagram. He’s in town to help his pregnant sister, not to look for a fling, but his best friend is right—it’s been so long since he got laid that they’ll be reissuing his v-card any day now... -
![Arrested Hearts 4: Sam & Jordan by Jayda Marx]()
Arrested Hearts 4: Sam & Jordan by Jayda Marx
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSam - The moment I saw Jordan Webb walk into Brews Brothers a few weeks ago, I knew I was in trouble. He was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen, but I soon learned that his beauty was more than skin deep. He has a kind heart and a desire to do good in the world. Since his living arrangement was in limbo after a breakup, I invited him to stay with me until the trial against Paul was over... -
![Faking by Sean Ashcroft]()
Faking by Sean Ashcroft
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA leaked sex tape. A fake relationship. A return home.Ryder swore he was never going back to Otter Bay after leaving at seventeen, but when his life is set on fire in LA, he finds himself ducking into a cozy café on Main Street with his tail between his legs.Unfortunately, he also finds that his best friend, the first boy he ever had a crush on, grew up hot... -
![Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy]()
Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more cliché... -
![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 friends-to-lovers steamy university romance young-adult new-adult -
![Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee]()
Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPJ couldn't be more surprised that he needs a Daddy in the bedroom...Joel and PJ met as pre-teens at Takoda Outreach Center. They’ve shared every secret, first as best friends, then roommates. But now that they’ve graduated from college, adulting presents circumstances and unforeseen problems that they never saw coming... -
![The Fouls We Make by Brooke O'Brien]()
The Fouls We Make by Brooke O'Brien
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA close proximity, friends-to-lovers sports romance by Brooke O'Brien about a woman who has sworn off dating football players and an all-star running back determined to win her heart and break her rules.I've sworn off dating football players. After my last relationship ended disastrously, I've given up on love entirely...Categorized as:
university sports friends-to-lovers steamy romance forced-proximity small-town insta-love -
![Without Limits by M.A. Innes]()
Without Limits by M.A. Innes
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrent and Hayden have been together for as long as they can remember. Best friends. Boyfriends. Now lovers looking to discover a new side of their relationship, all they want is to be together and to get out of the poverty that surrounds them at every turn. Unfortunately, Trent knows that with family stacked against them and the secrets Hayden must hide, it won’t be easy... -
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![The Sweetest Goodbye by Christina Lee]()
The Sweetest Goodbye by Christina Lee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBillie Montgomery was always known as the sick kid with the therapy dog. Dylan Bowden never had two nickels to rub together, let alone a true home to call his own. The two have been best friends since high school. They’re always there for each other, so when Billie opens his own bakery called Montgomery’s Sweets no one supports him better than Dylan... -
![Redeem by Christina Lee]()
Redeem by Christina Lee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSuccessful financial analyst Michael Walsh leads a picture-perfect life that anyone would envy—unless they caught a glimpse beneath the surface. Haunted by failed relationships and self-doubt, Michael harbors a soul-deep loneliness that no number of casual hookups can fulfill... -
![Gold Digger by Tatum West]()
Gold Digger by Tatum West
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGrayson I was a billionaire by the age of thirty—I’ve always taken what I wanted, and I never let anyone stand in my way. That attitude got me my own private island and a bevy of people to do my bidding. But it didn’t get me the one man that got away—Liam Gold. Liam is back in Abingdon now, and he’s just as beautiful as the day he left... -
![Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy]()
Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA surprisingly sweet, sinfully sexy, and deliciously hilarious romp along the Cornish coast.Nathan Elliott has run away from home at the age of twenty-six. His teenage rebellion may have come ten years late, but better late than never... -
![Reckless Impulse by L.A. Shaw]()
Reckless Impulse by L.A. Shaw
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs kids, we had an unexplainable bond. One I don’t think we even understood back then.Over time, the pull between us developed into something we could no longer ignore.We were reckless, we were impulsive, we were… everything.Until it all came shattering down...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers mlm romance contemporary small-town forced-proximity family -
![A Little Bit by L. Waltree]()
A Little Bit by L. Waltree
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWarrenI’m Warren James Baker II. Son of Senator Darlene Jean Baker. Grandson of Senator Warren James Baker Sr.My future’s already decided. Marry a nice girl from a good, southern family, then run for Senate. All while keeping the undesirable parts of me hidden, even from myself.I’ve always fulfilled my role. Until I meet Eli.I want to ignore him, but it’s impossible... -
![Knockin' Boats by D.J. Jamison]()
Knockin' Boats by D.J. Jamison
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSawyerThere was a time Ash and I were unseparable.When I moved high schools, we went from friends to rivals. I could deal with that. But when my girlfriend dropped me for him? We became enemies overnight.The Ozarks is a big lake, but somehow he's always in my way. First at a flashy rival boat company, where we're always knockin' boats on booze cruises. Sometimes literally...Categorized as:
mlm friends-to-lovers lgbtq romance enemies-to-lovers contemporary small-town found-family -
![Perfect Ten by K.M. Neuhold]()
Perfect Ten by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA total virgin and a HARD Ten.I came to Palm Island two seasons ago, confused about my life and desperate for a change. The island drew me in, but I’m still not sure why.Maybe it’s time I cut my losses and go back home.But when the breathtaking, flirtatious, tattooed bartender I’ve been crushing on for ages offers to let me room with him this off-season, there’s no way I’m leaving now... -
![Attractive Forces by Jax Calder]()
Attractive Forces by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLoganEveryone looks at me and thinks I rule Heath Valley High School. All they see is the captain of the champion rugby team, the guy who has got everything.They don’t see my secret, one I’ll do anything to keep.I’m so used to keeping my sexuality buried I’ve never stopped to think about what it’s costing me.Until I need a chemistry tutor, and Jake Stenton waltzes into my life... -
![Unforgettable by Marley Valentine]()
Unforgettable by Marley Valentine
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne night with Reeve Hale wasn’t enough. I knew it when I kissed him, I knew it when I slept with him, and I was certain of it when I walked out of his motel room the very next day. So when the shy, gorgeous man is introduced as our newest employee at Vino and Veritas, I can’t help but conjure up all the ridiculous ways to convince him to repeat that unforgettable night... -
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![Cinnamon Roll by Anna Zabo]()
Cinnamon Roll by Anna Zabo
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis cinnamon roll has plenty of bite!Maxime Demers has had an eye on Tom Cedric for a while, watching him flit from one awful man to another. So when Tom pins an ad to the community cork board at Bold Brew, Max can’t resist reading it. Tom’s looking for a play partner—someone who’s not a jerk—and Max knows he could give Tom what he needs. But first he’ll have to get the man to talk to him... -
![The Hideaway by Rosalind Abel]()
The Hideaway by Rosalind Abel
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLavender Shores’s resident tattoo artist, Connor Clark, looks the part—six foot six, musclebound, and covered in ink—and most definitely doesn’t blend in. Grafted into the Bryant family as a teenager to escape his abusive father, the Bryants saved his life, but Connor has never truly felt a part of the founding family royalty... -
![Hard to Hold by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Hard to Hold by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPerfect, happy, “Jonah the Savior”, that’s how most people see Jonah Taylor. What they don’t always see is how incredibly overwhelmed he is with his new business or how lonely he is. When a painfully shy man enters his wellness center, all Jonah wants to do is help break him out of his shell. The problem is, the attraction he feels to the nervous, timid man is undeniable... -
![Unconventional Hearts by Emmy Sanders]()
Unconventional Hearts by Emmy Sanders
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne summer. Three men. The proposal that ropes them together. CooperI came to Texas with a single goal: to find my bio-dad before the end of summer. Instead, I found Will, a spitfire of a man with sharp blue eyes and a swoon-worthy drawl. When he proposes adding benefits to our newfound friendship, I’m all in.The problem? I’m smitten. With not one, but two men... -
![Free Spirit by Spencer Spears]()
Free Spirit by Spencer Spears
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s my fake boyfriend and I’m straight. So why do I suddenly want more? Tate: I’m everything people hate—Spoiled, arrogant heir to a billion-dollar fortune.Scion of a family that made its name opposing LGBTQ+ rights.The last thing I expected to develop was a conscience.I blame Emory Murphy—the golden-haired mess of a dreamer who turned my life upside down... -
![Everything I Need by A.K. Evans]()
Everything I Need by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCharlotte ‘Charley’ Meadows has come face-to-face with adversity more times than she cares to admit. Three months after experiencing yet another devastating tragedy, she leaves her hometown of Ventura, California behind and moves to the cold, snowy mountains of Rising Sun, Wyoming...
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