23 books like The Miles Family

For me, a strong character that tugs at my emotions will keep me reading every time. Brittney Sahin is a master of character development and one of my favorite books of all time is The Real Deal. Sebastian is a bad guy…or is he. There are so many layers to this huge character that I was torn about falling in love with him. He was a bad guy, but he had a good reason and though he tried to steer Holly away from his life, she saw through his rough exterior.

This was one of the first romance books I read, and it has stuck with me. Luke is a grouchy military guy that is tired of his family’s meddling or anyone else’s for that matter. His bristly personality keeps most at bay but when Harper stumbles into his life he realizes he’s going to have a hard time keeping her out of his life. She’s not deterred by his grumpiness and Luke’s true protective personality starts to emerge. Not to give anything away, but the romance of these two was what was memorable about this book. 

There is so much I loved about this book and this entire series. The series Bootleg Springs, about the Bodine family, was co-written by Claire Kingsley and Lucy Score. Whiskey Chaser has a sassy heroine named Scarlet, who I absolutely adore. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. When she meets a big city visitor at her lakeside retreat her quick wit and take no prisoners attitude proves she can do anything a man can do…and more. Whiskey Chaser is the first book in the series that mixes romance, humor, and a great mystery.

This is a story about the Westbrook family. The family is wealthy, they love each other, but they have horrible communication skills. Each one has a secret or a lie or something that doesn’t need to be shared with the family, all with the thought of protecting them. Unfortunately, the secrets could have devastating consequences. Halton Westbrook has a problem with people. They scare him to death. The lie he has carried since childhood has taken the only person he feels comfortable with away from him, until now. Though Avery Maxwell’s books sometimes cover dark subjects, she mixes in just the right amount of humor and romance to keep you turning the pages when you should be sleeping. I loved this story because I identified so much with the anxiety that Halton experienced. I found myself crying for him and his debilitating fear. It was so raw and so spot… show more.

In Wrecked Palace, Catherine Cowles has created the type of characters you can’t help but adore. Caelyn dropped everything to raise her three younger siblings after her mother was arrested and her father disappeared. She’s loving, optimistic, and I’d love to have her as a friend. 

Griffin also experienced a traumatic event that changed his life, during which he lost his family. He’s determined to lock himself away from everyone and everything. His pain is so well written that my heart hurt for him.

Caelyn can’t stay away from any wounded creature, and it’s absolutely beautiful to see Griffin open up to her and her siblings. On a side note, Caelyn’s siblings are wonderful all on their own.

Meant to Be is the book that made me decide I wanted to write small town romance novels. Reading it somehow felt simultaneously like coming home and going on a beachside vacation. 

When Poppy goes to her aunt’s cottage in Sweetbriar Cove, she’s seeking a solution to writer’s block, but instead she finds friendship, community, and love with the gruff contractor next door. 

Cooper is that thing many romance readers (including me) seem to love: a big old grump with a marshmallow heart he’s trying to protect from the world around him. 

While the romance between Poppy and Cooper is lovely, it’s the side characters, charming village, and heart-warming sense of community that make this book one of my top five picks.

I relate to the characters in Tease so much. Hutton is a billionaire with social anxiety. People think he’s aloof, but in reality, he’s never sure what to say. As someone with mild social anxiety myself, I loved seeing my own experiences reflected in his struggles. Not to mention, he’s a sweet, good-hearted man. 

Felicity is the kind of heroine you can’t help but like. She’s a bit of a hot mess, but she’s endearing and tries really hard. She also has a habit of stress-cutting her hair. As someone who currently has bangs because I got stressed out earlier in the year and took a pair of scissors to my hair (never a good idea!), I felt both seen and called out by this character trait.

I never thought I would be infatuated with a man named Cletus. (Sorry to all of the Cletuses out there!). But Cletus Winston is one of the funniest, cutest, sweetest, and outright oddest leading men.

In her other books, I was always curious to learn about the certified genius and who might spark his interest, and Beard Science did not disappoint. 

This story had so much unique and charismatic personality! The characters leapt off the pages, and their “dilemma” created an irresistible hook.

Davis is about to graduate from college and has yet to lose her virginity. She turns to the one man she’s wanted for the job, her childhood crush, lifelong family friend, best friend to her brother, and bad boy extreme, Crew Taylor. These two have an intense history together that involved Davis’s older brother Memphis, and this relationship and how Memphis fell into addiction, dragging Crew down with him, was beautifully crafted by the author and the highlight of the story for me.

The angsty buildup between these two people who clearly were destined for each other was incredibly satisfying! I was on the edge of my seat, rooting so hard for Crew to overcome the demons of his past and just let Davis into his heart. I… show more.

I'm a sucker for angsty romance stories between two first loves who get a second chance, so this book hit all my GO buttons. Our main character is an ex-con and recovered addict who's trying to get back on his feet by working on the Shipley's farm. He never forgot the woman he fell for before his world crumbled to pieces, a girl who was his friend first and his first love. But that same woman is at the center of the tragedy that put him on his path to addiction and a fateful car accident that sent him to prison.

Watching these two reconnect, first as friends and allies, then later, when their chemistry leaps off the pages, and they learn to trust again, was insanely powerful. I rooted for these two with my whole heart. I mourned these characters when the story ended, but the burn was 100%… show more.