Book picks similar to
Dropping the Ball by Weston Parker


contemporary
romance
weston-parker
trope-family-bff

Forever Friend Zoned


C. Morgan - 2021
    I took all of that crap from the past and turned it into a goldmine. My body, namely. And there’s one girl I want that rejected me over and over. Lucky for me, the beauty is on the heels of a terrible breakup. Yes. I mean, aww… Her parents are pushing her to go to the gym to lose some weight. Boy, do I know how that feels. And guess who’s waiting for her when she gets there?That’s right. Me. The forever friend-zoned guy. But I have no ill will toward my curvy first love. I only want what’s best for her. Namely, me. *wink*So the game begins, and I’m lucky to be in the coach’s shoes this time. She has no clue who I am, but sparks fly high. No way in hell I’m telling her I’m the guy she remembered rejecting. ‘Cause I’m not out for revenge. I just want what I’ve always wanted… Her.

Mr. Handsome Hunk: A Manhattan Men Novel


Jacob Parker - 2022
    But things didn’t work out like they were supposed to.And now she’s back in my life and I’m not sure how I feel about it.She left for college without looking back, and I’m a billionaire bachelor with my eye on lots of prizes now.I’m not the boy she walked away from.Manhattan is my playground, and my family owns the city. Now that I’m grown, I take full advantage of that inheritance.But the moment I see her, flames ignite. I can’t hold back the need to consume her.Just like back then, she’s still off limits.This time, I’m not leaving anything up to chance.I’m a Manhattan, and I get what I want.This woman is mine. For good.

My Little Secret


Chloe Morgan - 2018
     And the only one I’ve ever wanted. My brother’s best friend. I haven’t seen him since I left for college, but he’s back home for a while, and I am too. My brother tries his hardest to get in our way, but the chemistry between us is too much. Taboo or not, he’s going to be mine. And after he is? I’ve got to hide the truth. He’s got too much on his plate, and we’re keeping things casual. No way he’s going to want a baby. I can raise the little one on my own. It’ll be my little secret. Until it’s not.

Her Midnight Promise (Hot for Curves, #3)


C.L. Cruz - 2020
    He’s a big-time rockstar. Will they keep their childhood promise to each other, or will their differences keep them apart?SaylorI’ve never felt like I was anyone special.My only claim to fame is that Charlie Sky was my best friend once upon a time.Before he left to chase his dreams, he promised to come back home.But we haven’t seen each other in years.That is, until he rolls back into town a few days before New Years Eve.Charlie is charming, romantic, and knows how to tickle my ivories.Will I give him my heart even if it means letting him rock my world?CharlieEven when I was a kid, I knew I wanted more out of life.More music, more fame, more money...and more love.All my dreams have come true.Except for one.Which is why I end up back home for New Year’s Eve—to reconnect with Saylor Sharpe.She is as beautiful and independent as ever, and her curves hit all the right notes.I made her a promise all those years ago, and I intend to keep it.Her Midnight Promise is a short, sweet, and steamy romance story featuring a strong, curvy heroine and a sexy rock star. It is the 3rd book in the multi-author Hot for Curves series, but can be read as a standalone with no cliffhangers and a guaranteed HEA!

High Roller (The Devil's Luck MC Book 2)


Ali Parker - 2021
    The stakes are high, and everyone is looking my way to make things right alongside our leader.How this beauty worked her way into the heart of the club is beyond me, but one thing is for sure—I’m rolling high bets that she’s mine.No matter the ante.

Up to Snow Good


Kelly Collins - 2020
    Lauren must ask for help. Unfortunately, the only person who might be able to save her is a childhood sweetheart. How can she trust the man on the wrong side of the blood feud to secure her family’s legacy, when she couldn't trust him with her heart?Torn between Lauren and his father, Max walked away from an impossible choice. Misunderstandings and duplicity have kept him away. The safest thing for Lauren was to leave her alone. But with his father out to crush the last remaining Matthews and a centuries-old feud about to boil over, Max will move heaven and earth to help her, even if it means choosing love over family. With all the harm Max’s family has caused, can Lauren box up and bury the past to have a dream Christmas with Max? Or, will she need a Christmas miracle? Up to Snow Good is not your typical small-town, holiday romance. Angst and treachery hide in every corner. It’s a holiday Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending.

Meant to be Yours


Poppy Parkes - 2020
    Now that I look back over the past few weeks, I can see signs of this coming.I’d thought it was wedding jitters. Our family had begun trickling into Shotgun, our western Montana town, making the incoming life commitment all the more real. That’d be enough to make any groom-to-be nervous. But then my fiancé never showed up to our weddingMy three bridesmaid friends were amazing. They’d spun into action dispersing the guests while I sat, numb. Now we’re driving to the closest dive bar at my request, and I feel lots of things.Hurt. Confused. Betrayed. But most of all, I feel like my insides are alight with anger.I’m ready to blow off some steam. But love isn’t done with me yet. It has one more trick up its sleeve . . .Meant to be Yours is a super hot story about finding true love at the most unlikely of times. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and only consensual shenanigans await. This contemporary instalove romance is first in the Love at First Sight series, and will make you squirm with delight. ;) Steamy happily ever after guaranteed!

Fake Fiancé Boss


Annabelle Love - 2022
    I get what I want.There’s no way this could go wrong…Cause I’ll never fall for my boss.This fake fiancé, enemies-to-lovers romance will sweep you off your feet, make you ask 'is it hot in here?', and leave you swooning! Comes with a delicious HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.

Fake for Him


Caleb Borne - 2019
    Yet, I’m willing to submit. He’s claiming me. I know it and want it. In fact, I demand it. Richard’s my best friend’s brother, and totally off limits. He’s under the control of his family’s ambitiously demanding patriarch but longs for independence. His own father thwarts his every move. He needs a woman to help him overtake his father’s inheritance. That’s where I come in… as his fake wife. He asks me to pretend to be married to him, make it appear like we’re a loving couple. Not a difficult ask when I catch a glimpse of his chiseled body or feel the caress of his hand on my back. The way he looks at me is blurring the lines between real and pretend. How far will we go to keep up appearances? And will my heart stay intact through all of this? This is a stand alone. Hot and spicy. Twist and turns. Happy ending.

Theo


Raven Scott - 2020
    A fierce bodyguard. A broken hero. Illya is as fragile as a flower. She’s been through enough. One more blow and she’d wither away. Her lips quiver when I come near her. They are desperate to kiss mine. I’d take all of her. Own her soul. Run my fingers over her scars. Her scars may be deep. But they’re not nearly as strong as my obsession to make her mine.

Fight for Me : A Friends to Lovers Romance


Sloane Peterson - 2021
    

Cowboy's Christmas Rodeo


Mary Sue Jackson - 2020
    The rodeo is a tough life and this cowboy is ready to settle back home, buy the old family ranch, and live quietly without the wildness of his past. All he has to do is win the Pride River Christmas Rodeo, but to do that he’s got to stay out of trouble. Trouble he very nearly finds by getting into yet another bar fight, stopped just in time by Belle Manning, his childhood friend. She always kept him out of hot water when he was a kid, with her calm support and friendly smile, and though it’s been years since he’s seen her, Axel’s never forgotten the first girl he kissed. And never forgotten how her daddy warned him to stay away from her. Troublemakers like him just aren’t good enough for someone like her…
Belle never forgot the sexy cowboy who stole her heart when they were kids. So when he approaches her with a proposition, she’s ready to listen. Axel wants her by his side so she can keep him out of trouble until the Christmas rodeo. In exchange, he’ll give her a plot of land so she can build her occupational therapy clinic. It’s a stunning proposal and one Belle can’t refuse. Her dream of using horses to help people heal is finally coming true. And, bonus, running around town with Axel will keep her matchmaking mother off her back. She’ll think about a relationship after her practice is up and running. Once Axel wins the rodeo, they can go on their merry ways. But it doesn’t take long before their fake relationship takes an unexpected turn toward real, throwing Belle off kilter. Is it possible Axel could turn into the Christmas present she didn’t know she wanted all along?Mary Sue Jackson and USA Today Bestseller Leslie North invite you to indulge in a heart-warming small-town western romance with a smoking hot cowboy and the woman who tames him...

Unimaginable


Sophia Kenzie - 2015
     Try to picture the cutest, tallest, cockiest guy you’ve ever met, with the bluest eyes and the darkest hair... He’s that times ten. Evan knows that I can’t control how my body reacts to him, and he never misses a chance to tease me in class for being so smart, or give me hell in the hallways for being so uptight. He also happens to be my Resident Advisor at The Valley School. His room is down the hall from mine and he’s the one I’m supposed to go to whenever I’m feeling homesick…lonely…vulnerable… But I don’t come from a wealthy family like the other kids at this school, I’ll never be on the same level as Evan Covington...he’s out of my reach. When his uncle—who’s a teacher at our school—decides to “put me in my place”, Evan does the unthinkable to defend my honor... But I never imagined that I would end up being framed, convicted, and sent to prison for a murder I didn’t commit. Fifteen years later I finally learn the truth…that I was right to hate Evan Covington from the very beginning. Unimaginable is a full length contemporary new adult romance novel. Content is suitable for adults only, contains graphic sexual content, harsh language, and mature themes.

Bad in Boots


Em Petrova - 2020
    Who can blame him, when the small town is so thick with memories and everyone recalls that he let the love of his life slip away? However, his father’s summons for help on the family ranch can’t go unanswered much longer—and now he’s offering Cort a share. Returning to hard work is expected…but he never thought he’d see HER again.Joss Ellis hates returning to her hometown with her tail tucked, a failure in everyone’s eyes. Her aspirations of making a place for herself in the big city have left her defeated and more than a little depressed. But the minute she sees her rugged ex, her emotions take a detour to hot and bothered. It’s impossible not to run into each other. Even the secret fishing hole is a reminder of whispers and promises that never came true.She’s the same beauty with a big heart that he can’t keep his hands off. He’s sexier and more untamed than ever. To bring them even closer, they’re fighting similar battles in life. While Cort’s determined to show her that happiness is right here in Crossroads, Joss isn’t convinced. All she’s certain of is that sleeping with her ex is a really bad idea…and she definitely won’t fall for him this time around.

Reckless Entanglement


Iona Rose - 2021
    I was late at college, and then I went off to work my shift at the restaurant and the first thing I do is trip on someone's handbag.I'd have fallen flat on my face if not for a pair of hands that appeared out of nowhere to catch me.Oh my, what strong hands.I looked up and nearly fainted. The man was a freaking god! Those fabulous cheekbones, the extravagant sweep of sooty lashes, and that chiseled, arrogant jawline.Apparently, Matt Hunter was there to work though. Which kinda shocked me. What would a guy like him be doing in a job like this?Later I found out he had been running another branch of the restaurant chain, got demoted for unknown reasons, and sent here.Curiouser and curiouser.And then I found out his secret, and exactly what he was doing there... but not before our reckless entanglement and after I let myself fall for him. NOTE: This book is a full length standalone romance with a happily ever after.