Books like 'Always Been You'
Readers who enjoyed Always Been You by Jess Buffett also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary friends to lovers hurt-comfort
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Still Beating by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTHE END WAS JUST THE BEGINNING... I thought I was strong enough to say goodbye.I thought I was ready to leave him.It doesn't matter that I'll be seeing him in three days.I just have to get through three more nights.I'm dying now. Shattering. Breaking.I'm determined to show him I can manage on my own.What if he needs me?I need him...What if he doesn't?...but I want to be better for him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m new adult angst contemporary from hate to love mental illness -
Before This Ends by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMiles Thatcher and I would not have gotten together if my life had gone according to plan.Recently single with her whole life up in the air, Emma Abate knows that getting into any kind of relationship, is a bad idea. Especially when the man she finds herself drawn to is Miles Thatcher, a single father, and a man that seems determined to break down every barricade she places between them... -
Stick and Poke by E.M. Lindsey
Mat Harlow had his life figured out. He married his college sweetheart, and his residency at the hospital was showing a promising career ahead. Then, at the hands of a reckless driver, all of it changed. A traumatic brain injury derails his life, and Mat finds himself dumped by his wife, out of a job, and rejected by his family... -
Unspoken Vow by Eden Finley
𝙃𝙚’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢. There’s a long list of things I don’t handle well: Change. Relationships. Breakups. But there’s one person above everything else I can’t seem to get a handle on. 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦. In short, he’s perfect. The reality, he scares me.He’s the opposite of what I usually go for. He’s bigger. Intimidating... -
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Great and Precious Things by Rebecca Yarros
How do you define yourself when others have already decided who you are? Six years ago, when Camden Daniels came back from war without his younger brother, no one in the small town of Alba, Colorado, would forgive him—especially his father. He left, swearing never to return.But a desperate message from his father brings it all back. The betrayal. The pain. And the need to go home again... -
Beautiful Hearts by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTim:I lost my husband three years ago. Since then I’ve survived by focusing on raising my daughter. Until I meet Jamie. He’s wrong for me for so many reasons. Too young. Too charming. Too beautiful. But he works at the school I teach at, and I can’t escape him even if I wanted to. As much as I try to resist, our connection is undeniable... -
Dax by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTravis is my friend's little brother.I'm supposed to keep him safe. To be a man he can trust. But I haven't seen him in years.When he turns up hurt and needing a place to stay, protection is only one of the things I want to offer him.Because Travis isn’t a kid anymore. He’s all grown up now. And the way he looks at me tells me he feels the heat rising between us... -
The Final Line by Kendall McKenna
Staff Sergeant Corey Yarwood is an instructor at the Basic Reconnaissance Course. His last deployment ended in horror, but he can’t remember those events. Battling severe PTSD, Corey’s drinking is growing out of control. Sean Chandler walks into a dive bar, and into Corey’s life... -
One Last Wish (Home for the Holidays) by Alex J. Adams
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBlairHeading home for the holidays was the last thing I wanted to do. I had plans. Plans that didn’t involve visiting the back of beyond.But a call from mum two weeks before the holidays put paid to said plans. Grandpa was sick and wanted to see me. He’d been a big part of my life growing up and I wouldn’t deny him that. He’s got a list too. Not a bucket list, he didn’t like that name...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m contemporary second chances christmas death lgbtqia hate -
Jingle Bells & Mistletoe by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJonathan watched all of his friends fall in love, get married, and grow their families. All he’s ever wanted is a relationship as wonderful as the one his parents have always had...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m humor christmas angst contemporary age difference -
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... -
Who We Love by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa pens a thought-provoking emotional duet that works through the angst of finding love amidst past hurts and the pain associated with not belonging, not fitting in.I grew up knowing that the way I love is a sin.But how can something so wrong feel so blessedly right?Some people can’t drive fifty-five. Me?I’ve never done simple... -
Life after Love by J.J. Harper
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll he wanted was a new life, not a new love.MerrickMerrick has the perfect life: a husband, a baby, and a great future ahead of him. Until all that is ripped away, and he’s left alone with his daughter. After two years, he knows it’s time to move on. To find a new life for him and Willow. It comes in the shape of a derelict mill house nestled in the hills above a Devon seaside town...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers m-m contemporary single-father second chances forced proximity queer -
Heartstring by Ana Ashley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsMikIf I had a dollar for every mistake I made… But there’s only one mistake I regret.Breaking my promise to the only person who ever understood my need to get away from a future I didn’t want…Tyler.I’ve reached many hearts through my music, but the only one I’ve ever wanted might be lost to me forever.TylerFool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…Mik broke a promise a long time ago...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort second chances m-m contemporary angst single-father queer -
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A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIndie’s determined to navigate this world alone, but he’s never come up against a determined Daddy before. Normally, everyone likes Cameron. As the General Manager of The Tap Tavern, he’s protective, empathetic, and considerate of his employees and their needs. Especially those who’ve come in through the Takoda Career Center. Indie knows betrayal. He’s lived with the consequences and survived...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m age play age difference boss & employee contemporary queer -
Wanted: Understanding Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIs it possible for a renewed friendship to lead to more? Dylan’s life changed for the worse back in middle school. Because of that, he ghosted his best friend, Brett, out of fear and embarrassment. Now, as things finally come together for him, he’s more concerned with earning a place back in Brett’s life than he is about finding the Daddy his friends think he needs... -
Best Supporting Actor by Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Lights, camera…attraction! When Tag O’Rourke, struggling actor-slash-barista, meets Jay Warren, son of acting royalty, it’s loathing at first sight. Loathing…and lust. Tag’s dream is to act, but it’s a dream that’s crumbling beneath the weight of student debt and his family’s financial problems. If his career doesn’t take off soon, he’s going to have to get a real job... -
Healing the Twin by Nora Phoenix
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEveryone thinks they know me. Hell, I don’t even know who I am anymore.We were at the top. Tomás and Tiago Banner, the most famous twins in the world. The sexiest men alive. My whole identity was rooted in being the older brother, in taking care of my twin, in being a model.Until Tiago fell in love and left me on my own. Now I’m lost, drifting without an anchor. Hurting...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m single-father contemporary friends-benefits mature couple queer -
The Crush by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAugustus Walker, Jr. is a problem. Every queer person I know has had a tragic crush on a straight person at some point in their lives, and for the last year, Walker has been mine.Not that my crush on him is serious—I'm just appreciating a sweet, sexy guy who happens to be a big fat goose egg on the Kinsey scale. Le sigh and all that... -
Just Between Us by J.H. Trumble
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Luke Chesser is trying to forget his spectacular failure of a love life. He practices marching band moves for hours in the hot Texas sun, deals with his disapproving father, and slyly checks out the new band field tech, Curtis Cameron. Before long, Luke is falling harder than he knew he could. And this time, he intends to play it right... -
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m age difference contemporary athletes sports queer -
Next Season by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…RileyMy time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m sports athletes dual-pov men in uniform contemporary -
Let's Hear It for the Boy by T.A. Webb
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAuntie Social is the biggest, baddest drag queen in Atlanta—she knows what she wants and she gets it. She’s tough, merciless, and top dog. That’s what Paul Stewart, reporter for the Journal, had heard, and all he expects when he’s assigned to interview the legend.. But nobody really knows the person behind the make-up...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort contemporary tearjerkers m-m angst queer queer-awakening -
Abandoned by J.P. Barnaby
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLittle Boy Lost, Book Two. Jamie is gone. Brian's secret has been revealed. Brian McAllister's story continues as he tries to cope with the loss of his best friend and soul mate amid the alienation and ridicule of his classmates. When hatred turns to violence, Brian narrows his focus to two goals: surviving and finding Jamie...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort contemporary m-m queer found-family north-america alabama -
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Luke by Con Riley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuke Lawson is committed to one thing—saving his boarding school before a cash crisis sinks it. He’ll do anything to keep it afloat while vulnerable children rely on him, even if that means accepting help from the man who let him down at uni.Nathan’s offer to teach for free could be a blessing as long as Luke can guard his soft heart... -
Born Daddy by Morticia Knight
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey both loved an evil man. In a wrenching journey to redemption, leaning on each other will change their lives forever.Grief-stricken Tate Myers can’t believe his Daddy and Master is gone. Reeling from the discovery of his dead lover’s secret life as a serial killer, he seeks answers from the one person who could help heal his heart... -
Edged by Kate Hawthorne
Money can't buy happiness, and I should know. I have 8 figures in my bank account and it's still not enough to get me back to the only man I've ever loved.ARCHIEI can count my regrets on one hand, and they all have to do with the same person...my childhood best friend, Owen Murray...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers bdsm second chances from hate to love contemporary angst m-m -
A Gift-Wrapped Holiday by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMal's first priority is giving his six-year-old son the best Christmas ever, a goal made trickier by a recent move to New England after losing his job. As a single dad, he's not looking for romance—especially not with a blond California boy ten years his junior...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort age difference christmas contemporary m-m grumpy sunshine humor -
Choose Me by Beck Grey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJules:I’ve been in love with my brother’s best friend since I was twelve, and twenty years later, Erik Osouf is still so far out of my league, we aren’t even playing the same sport. Not that I play sports. That means talking to people, and my social anxiety makes that all but impossible...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m contemporary insta-love angst second chances secret-relationship -
Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEckieThere are ways to get ahead in college hockey, but having a meltdown, trying to get rid of your coach, and stalking his boyfriend isn’t one of them...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort sports m-m single-father contemporary athletes dual-pov -
Like I Pretended by Charlie Novak
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPretending to be in love never felt so real. Henry Lu hates being a superstar. Action movies have left a sour taste in his mouth and filming a queer period drama on the Yorkshire coast sounds like the perfect antidote. Meeting grumpy coffee shop owner, Alex, is the cherry on top... -
A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA second chance with his brother’s best friend also comes with a deadline. Three years after inheriting his family farm, an accident forces Stefan Luxton to rethink his future. Turning his farm into a five-star wedding venue is one goal. Another is to reconnect with Marc, who Stefan loved but let slip away to the city...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m age difference forced proximity contemporary queer found-family -
Cake & Comfort by Romeo Alexander
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvery scar tells a story. He stepped into my story, bringing his own, offering a taste of healing I never knew I craved. Secrets hurt, but comfort might be just a kiss away.I went through hell. If it hadn’t been for my brother doing…what he did, I wouldn’t have survived. He nearly didn’t...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers m-m abuse contemporary mental illness actors grumpy sunshine -
Haydn by J.J. Harper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHaydnI’ll never find a boyfriend. Who would want me? I’m too shy, too geeky, too ugly. And I carry a truckload of baggage. A few hookups, some quick groping in the dark, is all I’ve had, but I want more.A man who takes over the reins every now and then. A man who tells me what to do and takes care of me.Jonas is the man I’ve dreamt about. Quiet and funny, kind to patrons and staff alike...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers m-m contemporary age difference bdsm office boss & employee -
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Red Haze by Lark Taylor
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEveryone knows it’s a bad idea to crush on a straight guy. But when that man is also your bodyguard?It’s just asking for trouble.ArloOur rise to stardom might’ve helped me escape from the chaos that was my childhood, but that didn’t mean it was easy for me. Now, with fame and an almost unlimited bank account, you’d think I’d be happy. But I’m not...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m age difference queer forced proximity contemporary office -
Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 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... -
Double Play by E.M. Lindsey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIf self-destruction is an artform, then Hervé is a master artist.After all, he’s perfected self-sabotage since he was young and full of promise.He’s spent his life running from his past and pushing away anyone who might break down his walls, but it wasn’t until his body betrayed him that he realized just how lonely his present had become... -
Assisted: an MM Hockey Romance by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFoolish is judging a book by its cover… or a hockey coach by his suitAs assistant coach of the Nashville Grizzlies, Imil Bouchard has everything he needs, except maybe a Daddy. On the wrong side of forty and not looking for a traditional Dom, he knows there’s no point wishing for what he can’t have. And of course, he’s drawn to the extra-anxious director who exudes the need for a Daddy not a boy... -
The Harder We Fall by Rebecca Raine
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFor years, I’ve been bound by sleeplessness and sorrow. His voice threatens to set me free.Insomnia. It’s part of the penance I pay for my greatest mistake. But when an ill-timed doze behind the wheel of my car nearly introduces me to a pole, I know something has to change.Sleep with Me, a locally-made meditation app, promises a cure. I don’t expect it to work...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers m-m contemporary mental illness angst tortured hero dual-pov -
Crushed But Not Defeated by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMilesSelfish.That’s the only way Andrew will ever see me. An abused boy who grew up and became a defense attorney for the rich and famous.I’ll never forget the look on his face when I told him. The hurt and disgust I saw in his eyes as I stomped all over his dreams.He left me behind, convincing me he’d hate me forever. Now, circumstances have brought me back into his life...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers forced proximity m-m from hate to love contemporary angst alpha male -
Rules of Engagement by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRule #1: Don't fall in love with your best friend's brotherAfter Anders Lindholm lost his wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he knew he’d never find love like that again.Hockey, routines, and his team are all that have kept him going since.But as he approaches forty, an injury makes him consider what life after retirement will be like... -
Black by Quin, Perin.
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 11 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... -
In the Gray by Christina Lee
FosterI moved to a new city for a librarian job at the university, and though I’m enjoying the change, it does little to dispel the dull grayness of my world. When my dog, Oscar, forms an instant bond with a man living in a yellow tent, my surroundings begin to feel more vibrant and full of possibility. I’m first drawn to Lachlan’s soulful eyes, and then to his kind nature and resilient spirit... -
Cask Strength: A Partners-to-Lovers Gay Romantic Suspense by Layla Reyne
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAidan and Jamie go undercover—and under the covers—in this second book of Layla Reyne’s Agents Irish & Whiskey M/M romantic suspense trilogy. FBI agent Aidan Talley has been hiding parts of himself since he was a teen. Thirty years later, he’s hiding his heart from his partner. He’s already lost the love of his life once, and Jamie could be that kind of love again... -
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The Realist: Alternate Cover by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMarcusTo listeners of The Vers , a queer podcast I host with my three best friends, I’m known as The Realist—I accept life the way it is, believe in honesty over sugarcoating, and okay, I can maybe be a little bossy... -
Tink by Emmy Sanders
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHave you heard the tale of Goldie and the Two Bears? AlexWorking in the adult entertainment industry has its challenges. Mainly, scoring a date that lasts longer than a night. I’d started to wonder if my own happily-ever-after wasn’t in the cards...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m-m height-difference m-m age difference contemporary poly -
Got Me Feeling by Casey Cox
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsI'm a thug. I've done bad things. And I'm straight… So why can't I get the sexy Aussie vet out of my head? When I showed up on my brother's doorstep three years ago, I'd hit rock bottom. Broke and homeless, with a miles-long trail of destruction in my wake. Those days are behind me. I'm rebuilding my life. Staying focused. Disciplined. Busy... -
Chariots on the Highway by Limor Moyal, Amitai Nissimov
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEvery year, young men come from all over the world to join the IDF and fight for Israel. They leave everything behind and becoming what known as lone soldiers. Tom, a young man from Kansas, has traveled to Israel to fight for his people. He came to fight, He came to escape. Dan Green has it all...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort m-m military contemporary age difference queer queer-awakening -
The Game by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMicah Rose is ready for a clean slate. He might’ve messed up his rookie year with the Miami Piranhas, but being traded to the Condors is the best way to put all that behind him.The Condors are rebuilding, too. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.But one rule hasn’t changed: don’t marry your ex-best friend in Vegas.Beckett West isn't looking forward to seeing Micah again...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort contemporary sports m-m athletes dual-pov second chances -
Caregiver by Rick R. Reed
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s 1991, and Dan Calzolaio has just moved to Florida with his lover, Mark, having fled Chicago and Mark’s addictions to begin a new life on the Gulf Coast. Volunteering for the Tampa AIDS Alliance is just one part of that new beginning, and that’s how Dan meets his new buddy, Adam. Adam Schmidt is not at all what Dan expected...
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