Books like 'Defender'
Readers who enjoyed Defender by Nicole Dykes also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult gay romance new adult sports forced proximity office grumpy sunshine friends to lovers from hate to love
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19 Days by Old Xian
The cute and funny adventures of a boy and his best friend. Also contains insert art of the characters by the mangaka...Categorized as:
friends to lovers from hate to love new adult queer contemporary m-m humor young adult -
Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
Helloooo, Internet Land. Bitty here!Y’all... I might not be ready for this. I may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It’s nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity new adult height-difference queer young adult m-m contemporary -
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsA lyrical novel about family and friendship from critically acclaimed author Benjamin Alire Sáenz.Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common... -
Semantic Error, Vol.1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by Soori Jeo
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsComputer science major Chu Sangwoo is the epitome of an inflexible and strict rule-abiding person. While working on a liberal arts group project with freeloaders who don’t put in any effort, Sangwoo reasonably decides to remove their names from the final presentation.But he didn’t imagine how involved he would become with the person whose study-abroad plans were messed up because of that project...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love new adult grumpy sunshine contemporary m-m young adult length-long -
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Given, Vol. 6 by Natsuki Kizu
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsNow that Given has an offer to record their debut album, each of the band’s members must decide whether to get serious about trying to go pro. Though Ritsuka doesn’t have a single doubt in his mind, Mafuyu isn’t ready to commit... -
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The Haircut by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOnce again we spend some time with 25-year-old Charlie and 26-year-old Nick.. -
시맨틱 에러 1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by Soori Jeo, 저수리
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 16 ratings*시맨틱 에러(Semantic Error): 전산학상의 논리적 오류조장: 추상우발표자: 추상우part1 자료 조사: 추상우part2 자료 조사: 추상우자료 취합: 추상우발표 자료 제작: 추상우참여한 조원 명단: 추상우교양수업 과제에서 무임승차 조원들의 이름을 모조리 빼버린 컴공과 추상우. 그 때문에 이상한 선배와 엮이게 된다.무임승차3: [덕분에졸업못하게생겼네나좀봐요후배님] 20:23해외 유명 대학원 유학을 앞둔 디자인과 장재영. 디자인 실력, 외모, 집안, 인간관계, 뭐 하나 빠질 데 없는 그가 추상우만은 어렵다.“사람은 감정의 동물이야. 네가 날 그렇게 무시하지만 않았다면 PPT 같은 건 웃어넘기고 말았을 텐데.”“절 아주 호구 새끼로 보시나 본데, 크게 착각하신 거예요...Categorized as:
queer from hate to love new adult grumpy sunshine contemporary m-m young adult length-long -
Hirano and Kagiura, Vol. 1 by Shou Harusono
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBasketball players. Bad boys who aren’t really bad boys. Roommates. Senpai-kouhai BL romance. It all started when Kagiura moved into the school dorms with what seemed to be a bad-boy upperclassman... -
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst forced proximity secret-relationship queer contemporary young adult m-m -
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Flower Shop by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA little story set in an alternate universe about how one man asked out a kind florist.. -
Fence #11 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt all comes down to this—the final match that will determine who makes the team, and who gets left behind... -
Fence, Vol. 4: Rivals by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe GLAAD Award nominated series Fence returns as a graphic novel series as best-selling novelist C.S...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love queer young adult contemporary m-m high-school found-family -
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I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsKohei is a college student who, because of his hearing loss, tends to distance himself from others. His attitude starts to change after he crosses paths with an ever-optimistic classmate named Taichi. And over time, the two begin to develop feelings for each other... -
Feuds and Reckless Fury by K. Webster
From USA Today bestselling author K Webster comes an angsty and emotional enemies-to-lovers gay romance standalone!The hatred began when my father proposed to another man in a shocking moment that rocked my family to its core...Now I’m on a quest for revenge against my father.That means hitting him where it hurts—the new fiancé and the son he thinks so much of.Alister Sommers... -
Gay Club! by Simon James Green
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA landmark comedic novel about a group of queer teens at their worst - and ultimately their best - from one of the UK's leading writers of LGBTQ+ teen fiction. Barney's a shoo-in for his school's LGBTQ+ Society President at the club's next election. But when the vote is opened up to the entire student body, the whole school starts paying attention...Categorized as:
friends to lovers from hate to love queer young adult contemporary m-m high-school humor -
Ander and Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy. Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong. The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Lopez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce... -
I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino, 文乃ゆき
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBecause of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words cut through Kohei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart... -
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Attractive Forces by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLoganEveryone looks at me and thinks I rule Heath Valley High School. All they see is the captain of the champion rugby team, the guy who has got everything.They don’t see my secret, one I’ll do anything to keep.I’m so used to keeping my sexuality buried I’ve never stopped to think about what it’s costing me.Until I need a chemistry tutor, and Jake Stenton waltzes into my life... -
When I Grow Up by John Goode
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter graduation, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark move to California to pursue their dreams. But high school sweethearts are called that for a reason, and their love rarely stands up to the test of time. As money, school, sex, and jealousy test their relationship to the breaking point, Kyle and Brad fight to hold on to the love that brought them together... -
The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else. But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult queer queer-awakening m-m young adult contemporary length-short -
String Boys by Amy Lane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSeth Arnold learned at an early age that two things in life could make his soul soar—his violin and Kelly Cruz. In Seth’s uncertain childhood, the kindness of the Cruz family, especially Kelly and his brother, Matty, gave Seth the stability to make his violin sing with the purest sound and opened a world of possibility beyond his home in Sacramento... -
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Boyband Crush by Alice Oseman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA little crossover mini-comic between Heartstopper and I Was Born For This... -
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Every Mended Heart by Nikole Knight
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo broken souls searching for hope. One love that redeems them both.After everything Silas and Ben have fought for, it seems the true battle has only just begun. As rumors spread through the school, Silas's already strained relationship with Ben starts to crack from the added pressure. His personal bully is back and determined to tear Silas down at every turn...Categorized as:
queer angst friends to lovers grumpy sunshine forced proximity m-m contemporary high-school -
Fence: Redemption #1 (Fence: Redemption (Single Issues) #1) by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsUSA Today best-selling author C. S... -
Dekoboko Bittersweet Days by Atsuko Yusen
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTiny and adorable when they first met, Rui—still just as adorable—now looms over his boyfriend, Yuujirou. Though they were little more than best friends at first, the confusion over their true feelings for one another smoldered until they confessed... -
Something Like Thunder by Jay Bell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis isn’t a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight. My name is Nathaniel Courtney and I’m a survivor. I didn’t let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I’ve weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable... -
The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA feel-good, coming-of-age rom-com from debut author Page Powars that follows a trans teen who joins a boyfriend borrowing service masquerading as an Italian Club to prove that he’s one of the guys, especially to its frustratingly handsome leader.Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that’s what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender... -
I Hear the Sunspot, Vol. 1 by Yuki Fumino
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsBecause of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi's words cut through Kohei's usual defense mechanisms and open his heart... -
Jackass! by Scarlet Beriko
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhen the panty hose go on, all bets are off between these best guy friends!Practical Keisuke’s incredibly handsome best friend Masayuki has always rubbed him just a little bit the wrong way... -
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My Summer Of You: Vol. 1: The Summer Of You (君は夏のなか (Kimi wa natsu no naka) #1) by Nagisa Furuya
A wistful summer blossoms between two high-school boys finding themselves and each other through a shared love of movies in this moving, dramatic, two-volume BL romance series, perfect for fans of Seven Days, Given, or I Hear the Sunspot.Chiharu Saeki and Wataru Toda are two high school students who share a common hobby: They love to watch movies...Categorized as:
friends to lovers secret-relationship queer young adult contemporary m-m high-school length-medium -
Paint Eater by Marina Vivancos
Jay knows that starting up a friends-with-benefits relationship with Logan is a mistake. After all, this is the guy who rejected him in high-school. And Jay hasn’t been pining, okay? He’s just…easily invested. Jay doesn’t need Logan’s approval anymore—he’s happy at his tattoo apprenticeship, with his wild adventures in the city, painting graffiti in the sad and dark places that need it...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers grumpy sunshine queer contemporary m-m open-door young adult -
Volatile by Avylinn Winter
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBook 1 in the Treacherous Chemistry series Like a depressed moth drawn to a wild flame, Chris hoped that flame would brighten his life, not burn him alive. Chris Sinclair fades into a gray world after losing his mother to cancer. When forced to attend a concert, as a last attempt to coax him out of his shell, he discovers that life might not be as bleak as he first thought... -
Love Sick ชุลมุนหนุ่มกางเกงน้ำเงิน by INDRYTIMES
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPhun has a girlfriend but his father wants him to date his friend's daughter. Phun's little sister, Pang, is obsessed with boys' love.Phun needs to convince Pang that he has a boyfriend so that she can help talk their father around the idea of dating his friend's daughter. So he asked Noh to become his fake boyfriend in exchange for helping Noh raising fund for his Music Club... -
Shut Your Face, Anthony Pace! by Claire Davis, Al Stewart
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFirst love - coming of age - family - acceptance When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he's known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now - finally - the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace. Anthony is a red-haired force of nature... -
Reaching Rein by M.E. Parker
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsCameron Ansley’s Guide to How to Fake Marry a Not so Straight Billionaire:*Sigh*Just don’t do it. Nothing good can come of it. Trust me.But if you do it, whatever you do, DO NOT have sex with him.But if you accidentally have sex with him, whatever you do, DO NOT fall in love with him.If you accidentally fall in love with him…You know what? Please ignore me. I have no idea what I’m talking about... -
Tales From Foster High by John Goode
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNew edition contains new material and story points not in the original version. Sharper story telling, different points of view, same old Foster High.Kyle Stilleno is the invisible student even in his nothing high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad Graymark is the baseball star of Foster High... -
The History of Us by Nyrae Dawn
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSometimes it's not about coming out, it's about settling in.Eighteen-year-old Bradley Collins came out a year ago and hasn't looked back since. Who cares if he doesn’t know any other gay people? Bradley has friends and basketball—that’s all he needs. Even if that means always sitting on the sidelines when the guys go out looking for girls... -
After School Activities by Dirk Hunter
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTwo guys insist on complicating Dylan O’Connor’s life: one, his bully, and the other, his best friend. It started out simple enough. Step one, outsmart Adam with wit and flair, goad him into doing something stupid, and land him in detention. Step two, play video games with Kai all night and laugh about it. Go to bed. Repeat tomorrow. Only, Adam and Kai are about to change the rules on him...Categorized as:
from hate to love friends to lovers sports queer queer-awakening m-m young adult contemporary -
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The Tight End: Red's Tavern, Book 6 by Raleigh Ruebins
He’s an introverted nerd, and I’m the football player everybody wants.But I only want to drag his shy, adorkable, irresistible self into my bed. All I’ve ever been good at is running fast with a football clutched tight to my side. As a star football player for the KMU Wolves, I’ve had any guy I wanted for years, and I'm more muscle than smarts... -
Regretting You by T. Ashleigh
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTyler-Some days I wish I’d never met Gregory Baldwin. Then there are days when I feel like I’ll die if he’s away for too long.It’s like I’m addicted to him. Addicted to the attention he gives me and what he does to me in secret. He has lips made for sin and a body I can’t keep my hands off of, but mostly, I know he has a heart. That’s what keeps me coming back...Categorized as:
from hate to love secret-relationship friends to lovers new adult angst queer contemporary m-m -
Fence, Vol. 1 by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad
An alternate cover edition can be found here. Combines Issues #1-4. Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete... -
Don't Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSome people spend their whole lives looking for the right partner. Nate Schaper found his in high school. In the eight months since their cautious flirting became a real, honest, tell-the-parents relationship, Nate and Adam have been inseparable. Even when local kids take their homophobia to brutal levels, Nate is undaunted. He and Adam are rock solid. Two parts of a whole. Yin and yang... -
fawn by Nash Summers
Heaven is rays of sunlight dancing slowly on wheat stalks. It's wind twirling itself around chimes hung from low tree branches, and robust bursts of scent and color, far beyond anything describable with words. Heaven is a flightless crow, a promise of forever tied to a necklace, and hidden love letters tucked away safely inside a tree... -
Tales from Foster High by John Goode
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKyle Stilleno is the invisible student even in his nothing high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad Graymark is the baseball star of Foster High. When they bond over their mutual damage during a night of history tutoring, Kyle thinks maybe his life has changed for good. But when you’re gay and falling for the most popular boy in school, the promise of love is a fairy tale, not a reality...
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