Books like 'Light Up'
Readers who enjoyed Light Up by Barbara Elsborg also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance lgbtq slow-burn mlm age-gap grumpy-sunshine grumpy-mc forced-proximity medical
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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... -
Everything for You by Chloe Liese
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsGear up for an all-the-feels, steamy slow-burn in this enemies-to-lovers sports romance about fighting for love when life’s taught you it’s a losing game.GavinWe’ve been teammates for two years, but it feels like a lifetime that Oliver Bergman’s been on my last nerve... -
Vow Maker by Lily Morton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDylan Mitchell wants to get married.However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit.Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding colour... -
The Cuckoo's Call by Lily Morton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCan a summer romance last forever?Wren Roberts thought he’d found his fairy tale when he met Mateo Rossi on holiday in Majorca. The wealthy and successful older man swept him off his feet, and before he knew it, he’d thrown caution to the wind and was living in Mateo’s waterside apartment in Venice. It’s a far cry from his harsh upbringing and crummy flat in London... -
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My Kind of Perfect by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom author Nikki Ash comes a roommates to lovers, single dad romance...GeorgiaI’m surrounded by love, yet have no one to call my own.But then Chase, my new roommate, is suddenly there.He could be the perfect guy for me, if he wasn’t nursing a broken heart.The more time I waste looking for love, the more I realize that what I want has been right in front of me all along...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
Awaken My Heart by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAbraham:I already had my happy ending. Childhood sweethearts, my late wife and I made four beautiful kids together who are now grown and married off themselves. I’m content to be their old dad, tending to my ranch and my tomato plants. Until Emily Carson and her tempting curvy body and her smiles that she hands out like candy, crashes into my life making me want things I have no business wanting...Categorized as:
age-gap insta-love grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance small-town -
Dirty Daddies: 2021 Anniversary Anthology by Renee Rose, Laylah Roberts
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA DADDY FOR EVERYONE... This collection of twenty-five sexy-as-sin romances star Daddy Doms who demand obedience and require your total surrender. Whether you like Cowboy Daddies, Dark Daddies, Doctor Daddies, Stern Daddies, Shifter Daddies, Alien Daddies, or LGTBQ Daddies, there is a Daddy waiting for you... -
Wicked Heat by Ella Frank
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRyanKind, caring, and protective. Those are the three qualities I’m looking for when it comes to my dream man. In a city as big as Chicago, you wouldn’t think he would be that hard to find, right?Wrong.Sure, my boss found a super-sexy detective and my best friend fell madly in love with the most eligible bachelor around... -
Easton by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEastonI’m the youngest Swift brother. The one who’s always in trouble and can’t get his life together. I wouldn’t know where to start, and ever since my twin died, I can’t bring myself to care. After my last “situation,” Dad washed his hands of me. And though my brothers should’ve done the same, they stood up for me, fracturing their relationship with him too... -
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... -
Before They Were Lovers: A Nothing Special Valentine's Origin Story by A.E. Via, Abbie Nicole
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo warriors. One unbreakable bond. A love story in the making. God is a hardened and confident alpha with emotional walls that keep him isolated. Day is quieter, more watchful, and looking to connect... -
The Kiss Principle by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKeep it simple, stupid.After spending his whole life taking care of his family, Fernando Lopez is ready for simple. His younger brothers have grown up and moved out of the house. His mom is stable—or as close to stable as she’s ever going to get. He’s even got a shot at his dream job if he can just play his cards right.Everything is going great until one morning, Fer finds a baby in his kitchen... -
Wanted: Tender Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSome hurts change the course of your life forever, but with the devoted attention of an older Daddy, can a boy become comfortable enough in his own skin to hold on tight to the life he deserves? As the last boy left from the original crew of waiters at The Tap Tavern searching for his Daddy, Archie’s filled with nervous excitement. And a little dread. Okay, he’s scared to death... -
Total Creative Control by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSunshine PA, meet Grumpy Boss ... When fanfic writer Aaron Page landed a temp job with the creator of hit TV show, Leeches, it was only meant to last a week. Three years later, Aaron’s still there ...It could be because he loves the creative challenge. It could be because he’s a huge Leeches fanboy. It’s definitely not because of Lewis Hunter, his extremely demanding, staggeringly rude .. -
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Brogan by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey call me Demon for a reason—I’m the most ruthless Reaper on the ice.I’m not the person who finds a baby on their doorstep.Except, after a morning run, I am.And the note accompanying the little bundle says she’s mine.Looks like I'm the newest single dad in the NHL.I was nothing but a burden on my aunt and uncle after my parents died, and I’d decided I’d never have children...Categorized as:
age-gap cheerful-mc forced-proximity grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine adult book contemporary -
Here For You by J.P. Oliver
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“I’m used to hiding in the background… but he makes me feel like I’m the only man on earth.” Beck Powell is used to skirting below the radar. Growing up with his abusive uncle has left him awkward and reclusive, clinging to the edges of the new life he’s built for himself in the small town of Harlan... -
Ship Off by Michelle Frost
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBen - Free spirit. Nomad. Drifter. Those are the labels my family always threw at me. I’ve been on my own and on the road—nothing but me and my motorcycle—for a long time now and that’s the way I like it... -
Easy by Kiki Clark
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWho knew a chipped tooth could lead to love?Simon is ready for the real deal when it comes to relationships—unfortunately, his libido hasn’t gotten the message. After string of disastrous hookups, he finds himself frustrated, annoyed, and missing part of a tooth.Enter Dr. Jackson Allbrook.Simon is pretty sure dentists aren’t supposed to be as good-looking as Jackson is... -
Of Light and Love by E.V. Bancroft
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCarolyn Trent-Parker is one of her generation’s best artists but after losing her wife two years ago, she can no longer paint. In fact, she doesn’t want to do much of anything except hide away. Unwilling to move from her home but with no means of income, she’s forced to get a lodger.Laura Kingston-Lopez is heartbroken and disillusioned, and she heads to England to pursue her masters in animation... -
Bar Re’s Redemption by STESLARA
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings...Categorized as:
lgbtq grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance young-adult contemporary fiction -
Third Time Lucky by Aurora Crane
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTrust didn’t always go both ways, and Grady Donehue learned that the hard way. He hadn’t learned better after the first betrayal, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. Striking up a strange friendship with the equally strange—and straight—soldier, Lake, who had sunshine in his eyes? Grady could do that... -
Obey by Lasairiona Lewis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJaggerI don't mess with vanilla girls.Especially not ones as innocent as Talia. But when a snowstorm traps us at Club Protocol, I break my own rules.It's supposed to be simple revenge against my college rival. But her eager innocence stirs my dominant nature, and I can't resist inviting her into my world of kink and ecstasy...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity age-gap slow-burn romance steamy -
Rocked by the Roadie by Eve London
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo hearts, one bed, no looking back.DaisyWhen the hottest boy band on the planet gets back together for an epic reunion tour, there’s no decision to make. I’m going. It’s been ten years since I’ve had the chance to hang out with my groupie besties. They don’t know it yet, but my parents are forcing me to settle into a life they’ve pre-planned, right down to the man they want me to marry...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc insta-love romance contemporary multi-pov -
Charmed by the Mountain Man by Lilah Hart
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe needs someone to help with his infant. She gives him more than he bargained for.I’m not a tough boss. I don’t ask for much.But when my nanny walks out on me, I question everything.Then my neighbor’s girlfriend recommends her best friend. She’s been working catering, but her degree is in early childhood education. This friend has no experience as a nanny, but beggars can’t be choosers...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance contemporary friends-to-lovers anthologies -
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The Gentleman by Dianna Roman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsCameron Fairway has a secret. Before he shares it with the world, he’s determined to build the confidence he wants to live life as a gay man and the experience he’ll need to snag Mr. Right. For that, he requires a mentor—someone experienced. Someone with manners. Someone discreet enough to be able to mix business with pleasure under the watchful eye of his father’s empire—a gentleman... -
His Kind Of Man by JJ Harper, Tammy Clarke
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMarty wants a Daddy. Stefan needs a little. Can both men find what they desire? More than anything, Marty wants to be a little, but he has no luck holding on to a boyfriend who understands. A chance encounter with a Daddy and his boy gives Marty the courage to seek a Daddy who can give him what he needs... -
Bad Ideas by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDoctor Theo Koenig is the most annoying man I’ve ever met, and hooking up with him was a terrible idea. So, why can’t I stop myself from coming back for seconds? And thirds?Maybe there’s more to this man than meets the eye... -
Adrift by Swati M.H.
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRani Shah is everything I can’t have–too young, too sweet, too innocent. Not to mention, she’s my late wife’s sister and my son’s nanny.So when she asked me to kiss her, I should have refused.When she begged me to touch her, I could have turned her down.When she coaxed me to take the one thing she’s never given away–her virginity–a better man would have walked away... -
Banger by Kiki Clark
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIf there was one thing Kevin knew, it was that his BFF’s ex was bad news.Hank is arrogant, a sloppy drunk, and a complete flirt. And he didn't treat Kevin’s friend the way he deserved.Enough said.It doesn’t matter that everyone else has forgiven and forgotten what happened between Hank and Kevin’s bestie. He won’t let himself fall for the older man’s sweet words or endearments... -
To Hold a Hidden Pearl by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNominated in five categories in the Goodreads M/M Romance Group Awards 2020-2021. Also an Honourable Mention in the 20-21 Rainbow Romance Awards... -
Sweet as Pie by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLuca Moretti is grumpy—and he wouldn't have it any other way.Wrangling six—Italian—siblings and the family's restaurants would make anyone cranky. But when his mother requests that he save his aunt’s struggling Italian deli in charming, picturesque Indigo Bay, he has no idea that he's about to get an overdose of sweetness... -
Skinner by Athena Steller
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe BoyMarco is a service sub, but knowing what he needs doesn’t make it any easier to find. There is one mysterious man that comes into the restaurant where he works that makes every desire inside Marco bubble just below the surface. The man that Marco craves to call sir and Daddy might be the only one to ever satisfy his unique kink... -
Daddy Christmas by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsStandalone • Holiday Romance • Age gap • Comedy • Silver Fox • Age Gap • DaddykinkThe annual holiday office party is the one occasion my silver fox boss isn’t his rigid, uptight self—not to mention completely liberated of a sense of humor. For a single, magical evening, he replaces Armani with a Santa suit and grabs a couple drinks with his employees... -
Below Grade by Elle Keaton
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA serious health scare forces Martin Purdy to rethink his life. He quits his job, sells his house, and buys a set of fixer-upper cabins on the coast. There’s just one teensy problem. Along with the property comes a very angry man. Nicholas Waugh had his own scare, bad enough that he slunk back to the crappy town he grew up in... -
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Rethinking Fate by M.A. Innes
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNow what? Dr. Miles Sheppard has been focusing one goal for so long nothing else mattered, including his personal life. Unfortunately, now that he’s crossed the finish line, he’s lost. Gaining his doctorate should have been the hard part of his career, but figuring out what to do next might drive him crazy. Now what? Sean’s been watching the sexy doctor for months... -
Two Best Men, Only One Bed! by Romeo Alexander
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBlake: Planning my twin brother’s wedding seemed like a feat on its own. But I’m the only family he’s got left, and really, I couldn’t be happier for him. Turns out, planning a wedding isn’t so hard, especially when the other best man is such a big help. Of course, I wasn’t expecting to have to share a bed with the man or to discover he’s a cuddler and a little handsy... -
Love Language by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAshtonI’ve shared an office with Dominic, the grumpy raincloud to my endless sunshine, for three and a half years. My roommates and colleagues are convinced I’m obsessed with him, and okay, maybe I am slightly curious about what he signed to me at the staff mid-winter party...Categorized as:
mlm lgbtq grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity romance contemporary -
Ready, Set, Glow! by Rye Cox
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThere is nothing more annoying than Christmas... I see the irony of being the owner of a Christmas tree farm and hating the very holiday that keeps my family business alive, but Christmas Falls takes this season way too seriously with their festive business names to the sheer merriment that envelops the entire town. I'm no grinch, but I can relate to one being surrounded by all this jubilance... -
Nanny for the Doctor by Emma Blake
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs an ER doctor, I'm used to surprises, but my best friend’s little sister—and now my son's nanny—is the one emergency I never saw coming. She’s supposed to be tending to scrapes and telling bedtime stories, not sending my pulse racing with every smile. I've got my hands full with ER shifts and single fatherhood; I don't have time for wild nights with the nanny...Categorized as:
age-gap grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc forced-proximity medical romance forbidden-love -
Resisting You by E.M. Lindsey
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“Do you think I can go to jail for cutting holes in all the toes of my boss’s socks? Because that’s where I’m at in life.”Frey’s a single dad, a nurse, and ready to wage a one-sided prank war against the arrogant surgeon with the sexy accent he keeps getting paired up with. And while there might be more to Dr... -
Bone to Pick by May Archer
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNever fall for your professor…Especially when that professor is Theo Hancock, the man who failed you in your final semester, causing you to have to repeat a class in your millionth year of college when you’re already twenty-freaking-six years old…Especially when the professor is the most stunning, eye-popping piece of perfection who ever walked on campus... -
Pixie by K.M. Neuhold, Nora Phoenix
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEverybody loves Pixie. Everybody wants Pixie. But Pixie needs a Daddy, and his heart is set on me. I’m determined to resist him, for more reasons than I can count. He’s too young for me. He’s my employee. And he’s everything I’ve been avoiding for half my life. He’s vibrant. He’s sweet. He’s absolutely perfect, no matter how much I don’t want him to be... -
Frost Impressions by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI'd rather get a root canal than stay in Christmas Falls at Christmastime. Yet here I am—stuck in this frozen, pun-filled town, waiting on a part for my private jet.Worse, I picked a fight with the wickedly attractive guy who runs the regional airport, only to find out that he has the only spare bed in town... -
Comforting the Grump by Nora Phoenix
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI don’t do emotions or romantic entanglements. My life is I work hard and I play hard, with anyone willing. I’m not discriminatory. And then I go home…alone.Until my body decides to stop cooperating. Nothing is stirring anymore, and it scares me to death.While navigating this issue, support comes from an unlikely source... -
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What He Learns by E.M. Denning
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsA new dominantA jaded submissiveWhat could possibly go right?Sterling's plan is simple. Learn how to be dominant, woo his crush. The only problem is he doesn't know how to do either of those things. Getting a job at the local kink club seems like a good place to start. Meeting a kind and older submissive on his first night on the job throws a wrench into his plans... -
Rough Contact by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTheir romance is forbidden. Their love is a secret. Neal Fisher knows heartbreak. It's the clock ticking down in the Super Bowl. It's missing the most important field goal of his life. It's losing everything: his thirteen year career as an NFL kicker, his future, and his pride.Jamie Wright knows love. It's everything on the line as the crowd holds their breath... -
My Forever by Jayda Marx
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTitus - Owen and I have lived together and loved each other for nearly a year, and every day is better than the last. I don’t know how I ever lived without him, or what I did to deserve him, but one thing I know for sure is that I am never letting him go. Several months ago on his twenty-first birthday, I offered him a permanent collar and Owen accepted... -
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Part-Time Daddy by B. Harmony
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsExhausted, overworked, underpaid, and for damn sure underappreciated.Struggling to find a balance between the career I’ve always wanted and the desire to have someone to take care of me, I agree to join an exclusive event at The Garden.A couple of hours to let go with Dean Nash, the Daddy of my dreams, then it’s back to the grind.As head of security at The Garden, I’m content with my single life...
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