Recommendations based on "The Boy on the Bus: A Short Story (The Meet Cute)"

A clever and steamy queer romantic comedy about taking chances and accepting love—with all its complications—from the author of Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail.Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls—nothing is there for her but memories of a lonely childhood where she was little more than a burden to her cold and distant stepfamily. Her life is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it’s a different woman every night, but that’s just fine with her.When Delilah’s estranged stepsister, Astrid, pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a five-figure check, Delilah finds herself back in the godforsaken town that she used to call home. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid’s stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there’s some fun (and a little retribution) to be had in Bright Falls, after all.Having raised her eleven-year-old daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire Sutherland depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise…at first. Though they’ve known each other for years, they don’t really know each other—so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. When they’re forced together during a gauntlet of wedding preparations—including a plot to save Astrid from her horrible fiancé—Claire isn’t sure she has the strength to resist Delilah’s charms. Even worse, she’s starting to think she doesn’t want to...

“One of my favorite authors.”—Colleen HooverAn insightful, delightful, instant #1 New York Times bestseller from the author of Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation.Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Oprah Daily ∙ Today ∙ Parade ∙ Marie Claire ∙ Bustle ∙ PopSugar ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ Book Bub ∙ SheReads ∙ Medium ∙ The Washington Post ∙ and more!One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming...Nora Stephens' life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy try to find some common ground in this chemistry-filled romance from the author of The Cheat Sheet and When in Rome. A POPSUGAR AND CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin. Will—the sexy , tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no. Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.  Look for all of Sarah Adams’s When in Rome books: WHEN IN ROME • PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT • BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL (Coming Soon!)

Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this new rivals-to-lovers romance set in Rome, Kentucky—from the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect. “Sarah Adams writes books with heart and soul. They speak to the people finding their way and being unapologetically themselves in the process. I love her style.”—Hannah Grace, author of Icebreaker Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor. Jack is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited about—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return. With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, he agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming? Look for all of Sarah Adams’s When in Rome books: WHEN IN ROME • PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT • BEG, BORROW, OR STEAL (Coming Soon!)

The next sparkling and swoonie, opposites-attract rom-com from the author of the TikTok-hit A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake. Readers gave A Brush with Love FIVE SHINING STARS! 'Swoony, steamy, adorable . . . Read. This. Book. You won't be disappointed. It's a keeper and Mazey Eddings is on my auto-read list forever' 'There was so much to love about this book . . . Thank you to Mazey Eddings for this romance with its messy, true, and painfully real representation of anxiety . . . We need more books like this in the world' ............................................ Tilly Twomley is desperate for change. White-knuckling her way through high school with flawed executive functioning has left her burnt out and ready to start fresh. A summer internship and the required travel around Europe promises a much-needed change of scenery as she plans for her future. The problem is, Tilly has no idea what she wants. Oliver Clark knows exactly what he wants. His autism has often made it hard for him to form relationships with others, but his love of color theory and design allows him to feel deeply connected to the world around him, and he's taking summer internship to build his resume before he starts design school. Everything is going as planned until he suffers through the most disastrous international flight of his life, all turmoil stemming from lively and exasperating Tilly. Oliver is forced to spend the summer with a girl that couldn't be more his opposite - feeling things for her he can't quite name. As the duo's neurodiverse connection grows, they learn that some of the best parts of life can't be planned, and are forced to figure out what that means as their disastrously wonderful summer comes to an end.

Annie Valentine is in New York in this fabulous, fashion-packed new novel from the bestselling author of Celebrity Shopper.Newly-wed Annie is busy filming her third TV series of How Not To Shop when she receives a distress call from New York. Elena and Svetlana's fashion company, Perfect Dress, is about to go belly-up and no one can help them more than Annie.Annie is dazzled by New York but the hard work that her friends are doing in the fabric houses in Brooklyn is far from glamourous -- it's downright dangerous. But Elena needs a fabric bargain and Annie is going to find it for her. Meanwhile, back in the UK, Annie's husband Ed has been suspended from his teaching job after vicious rumours about him and a sixth form girl are circulated on the school's email system are investigated.Can Annie save her friend's business and her husband's reputation and manage to enjoy herself?

‘a Pure Delight...fabulous, Fun And Unforgettable’ – Debbie Johnson, Bestselling Author Of ‘the Birthday That Changed Everything’ ‘jane Linfoot Has Got Out The Mixing Bowl And Whipped Up A Truly Gorgeous Story...a Deliciously Scrumptious Treat' – Rebecca Pugh, Author Of ‘return To Bluebell Hill’

An enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating rom-com that's simply iris-istible!Roz Kennedy has dedicated her life to a high-powered consulting career. That is, until she's passed over for a promotion and learns that Red Tractor Farm-a place close to her heart-is on the brink of financial ruin. Fuming and ready for a change, Roz leaves her corporate life behind and buys the struggling business. But to keep the farm afloat, she needs to find an investor willing to fund some crucial changes-and get rid of those dreadful flower fields.When Olivia Mitchell discovers the farm's new owner plans to stop supplying flowers to her beloved flower shop-jeopardizing everything she's worked so hard to build-she's outraged. She's even more shocked to find that the new owner is Roz, the stunning but infuriating woman she met at a lesbian bar six months ago.When a potential investor mistakenly assumes Olivia is Roz's girlfriend, the two play along, each hoping to further their own agenda. But as sparks fly, they begin to wonder: just how fake is this blossoming relationship?

"Melissa Tagg follows up her debut novel with a stellar sophomore read. With her charming wit and engaging prose, Tagg pens a story of hope in God's dreams for us and ties it all together with sigh-worthy romance. Truly a book and author not to be missed."~Rachel Hauck, award-winning, bestselling author of The Wedding Dress and Princess Ever AfterAfter playing nomad for five years, Blake Hunziker has finally had enough of adventure. Not sure what reception he'll get from everyone back in Whisper Shore, he's stunned at not only a warm welcome from his hometown but also a job offer. The job is his if he can successfully pull off the annual Christmas Festival. If only he knew the first thing about coordinating events...If there's one thing Autumn Kingsley knows, it's Whisper Shore. For years, she's been stuck running her family's inn when all she wants is to see the world. Now she has a visit scheduled from a potential investor who could take over the inn, as well as a dream job offer in Paris. But with just two weeks to whip the inn into shape, her chance at escape is a long shot.The Hunzikers and the Kingsleys may not get along, but Blake knows Autumn's the only one who can help him. She agrees to a trade--she'll help with the Festival and he'll help with inn repairs. But what was meant to be a simple deal quickly becomes much more than that when the guy who's done running away joins forces with the girl who can't wait to leave.

From the USA Today bestselling author of Walking on Sunshine comes a new novel set in Cricket Creek, Kentucky, starring a city girl who meets the man of her dreams in a least likely place—a sweet, small town nowhere near the big city…No one is more shocked than Grace Gordon when her cosmetics line makes her a millionaire in need of new investments. Bailing out Mason Mayfield’s Cricket Creek craft brewery seems like the perfect solution. It doesn’t hurt that the sexy country boy makes her weak in the knees…Sure, Mason is grateful to Grace for saving his brewery. But her upscale marketing plans for his down home business are driving him crazy. She needs a good man to reel her in, and he happily takes the job—especially since it’ll involve some time behind the brewery’s closed doors.Unfortunately, Grace has never been good at staying in one place. And now that she’s thinking about leaving, Mason has to convince her to call Cricket Creek home—and admit their love was written in the stars…