100 books like Five Ways to Fall

By K.A. Tucker,

Here are 100 books that Five Ways to Fall fans have personally recommended if you like Five Ways to Fall. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Wicked Sexy Liar

Claire Raye Author Of Complicate Me

From my list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side.

Why are we passionate about this?

We have always loved to read about the bad boy with a secret soft side and when we started writing together, we decided to jump on this genre as well. Writing in dual POVs gives us an opportunity to explore how the bad boy is perceived by others as well as show exactly what the bad boy is thinking…and we love it! There's nothing better than a misunderstood alpha who hides his true feelings because he doesn’t feel worthy. And when he finds that amazing woman who just gets him…magic! We hope you enjoy our very own bad boy with a secret soft side in our book Complicate Me.

Claire and Raye's book list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side

Claire Raye Why did Claire and Raye love this book?

This is the fourth and last book in the Wild Seasons series and in our view, the best. Featuring a player who’s just looking to hook up for a night of fun and a girl who likes to avoid the drama, these two get thrown for a loop when they cross paths. It’s hot, it’s steamy and it’s also pretty sweet. The banter these two shared was great and their chemistry felt so real. Plus, we loved watching Luke own his past and his mistakes and seeing London finally admit she was falling for the guy. 

By Christina Lauren,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wicked Sexy Liar as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When three college besties meet three hot guys in Vegas, anything can-and does-happen. Book Four in the New York TimesWild Seasons series that began with Sweet Filthy Boy (the Romantic Timesbook of the year that Sylvia Day called "a sexy, sweet treasure of a story"), Dirty Rowdy Thing, and Dark Wild Night.


Book cover of How to Date Your Brother's Best Friend

Claire Raye Author Of Complicate Me

From my list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side.

Why are we passionate about this?

We have always loved to read about the bad boy with a secret soft side and when we started writing together, we decided to jump on this genre as well. Writing in dual POVs gives us an opportunity to explore how the bad boy is perceived by others as well as show exactly what the bad boy is thinking…and we love it! There's nothing better than a misunderstood alpha who hides his true feelings because he doesn’t feel worthy. And when he finds that amazing woman who just gets him…magic! We hope you enjoy our very own bad boy with a secret soft side in our book Complicate Me.

Claire and Raye's book list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side

Claire Raye Why did Claire and Raye love this book?

We’ve always had a soft spot for a broken bad boy and this book creates an amazing example of that in Dean. A former marine who grew up in a foster home, he’s completely unaware of the secret crush his best friend’s younger sister, Holly has harbored on him for years. When circumstances allow them to explore that crush, things go from secret to oh-so hot and we were so on board for it. We loved watching Dean finally start to feel like someone saw and understood him and even when tragedy strikes, Holly never gives up on him. The final scenes were freaking adorable…there’s nothing better than a bad boy who is all in with his girl!

By Julie Kriss,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Date Your Brother's Best Friend as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

I can’t date Dean Madden. He’s a bad boy and my older brother’s best friend. So what if I pretended he was my fake boyfriend in high school? That was a long time ago, and he never has to know. We’re both grown up now. It’s never going to happen.

Until one hot weekend when everything happens.

Now Dean has made a bet with me: four weeks of dating, and whoever gets dumped first loses. In order to win, I just have to date him. And the more dates we go on, the more I see the things Dean hides…


Book cover of Breaker: A Brother's Best Friend Standalone Romance

Claire Raye Author Of Complicate Me

From my list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side.

Why are we passionate about this?

We have always loved to read about the bad boy with a secret soft side and when we started writing together, we decided to jump on this genre as well. Writing in dual POVs gives us an opportunity to explore how the bad boy is perceived by others as well as show exactly what the bad boy is thinking…and we love it! There's nothing better than a misunderstood alpha who hides his true feelings because he doesn’t feel worthy. And when he finds that amazing woman who just gets him…magic! We hope you enjoy our very own bad boy with a secret soft side in our book Complicate Me.

Claire and Raye's book list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side

Claire Raye Why did Claire and Raye love this book?

We have serious love for those brother’s best friend romances and this one doesn’t disappoint. Grady is the perfect broody male lead with all his flaws and wants so much more for Sutton than he feels he can offer her. But omg, when his moody and broody nature finally disappears, he is the perfect mix of vulnerability and love when it comes to Sutton. The push and pull and all the angst had our hearts breaking, but then swooning with happiness by the end.  

By Harloe Rae,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Breaker as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A TOP 15 AMAZON BESTSELLER!

“Tell me a happy something, Sutton.”

I was only seven the first time Grady Bowen whispered those words to me. Cloaked by the black sky under a blanket of stars, it was easy to get lost. He didn’t have any good memories of his own and needed to borrow mine. I would willingly give him anything.

Being infatuated with that boy was a beautiful curse. What could have been special didn’t get the chance to bloom. He’d never see me as more than his best friend’s kid sister. That was a hard lesson to learn,…


Book cover of Over the Moon

Claire Raye Author Of Complicate Me

From my list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side.

Why are we passionate about this?

We have always loved to read about the bad boy with a secret soft side and when we started writing together, we decided to jump on this genre as well. Writing in dual POVs gives us an opportunity to explore how the bad boy is perceived by others as well as show exactly what the bad boy is thinking…and we love it! There's nothing better than a misunderstood alpha who hides his true feelings because he doesn’t feel worthy. And when he finds that amazing woman who just gets him…magic! We hope you enjoy our very own bad boy with a secret soft side in our book Complicate Me.

Claire and Raye's book list on alpha heroes with a secret soft side

Claire Raye Why did Claire and Raye love this book?

A sports romance and opposites attract? Sign us up! But then toss in the mouthy rebel of a professional football star who is rarely told no and we are all in. Kingston Scott is the bad boy who chases the good girl and it plays out in epic fashion. Despite Kingston’s playboy reputation, we couldn’t help but root for him to win the girl. Because underneath it all, he’s a total softie, especially when it comes to his girl Silver. 

By K.K. Allen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Over the Moon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A charming and steamy small-town romance between a mysterious woman struggling to protect the safe haven she's created, and the reckless man determined to break down her walls." HEA Book Babes

“My secrets have always kept me safe…until he saw my truth.”

Kingston Scott is the most eligible bachelor in professional football, a charming rebel on and off the field. He’s also in desperate need of an attitude adjustment.

After a reckless night puts him behind bars, he’s sentenced to coach football at a sleepaway camp in the middle of nowhere. He’s not sure he’ll survive an entire month of…


Book cover of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

Marcia Aldrich Author Of Studio of the Voice

From my list on compelling books about the trouble between mothers and daughters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a woman-centered household, the youngest with two older sisters. I was the only child of my mother’s second marriage, and a space of ten and twelve years separated me from my sisters. My sisters and mother always felt like an intense unit that didn’t include me, and that yearning and outsider status defined my life and made me a lover of books about mothers and daughters and the female world.

Marcia's book list on compelling books about the trouble between mothers and daughters

Marcia Aldrich Why did Marcia love this book?

This is a quirky, hilarious, autobiographical coming-of-age story about a lesbian who grows up in a repressive English Pentecostal community.

Winterson’s creation of the mother is the most unique mother I’ve ever encountered—damaged, oppressive, deeply misunderstanding of her genius daughter. I found lots of commonalities between the conflicts Jeanette had with her difficult mother and my own experience, even though we live countries apart.

Winterson’s gusto and humor are inspiring.

By Jeanette Winterson,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Key Features:



Study methods
Introduction to the text
Summaries with critical notes
Themes and techniques
Textual analysis of key passages
Author biography
Historical and literary background
Modern and historical critical approaches
Chronology
Glossary of literary terms


Book cover of Annie John

Marcia Aldrich Author Of Studio of the Voice

From my list on compelling books about the trouble between mothers and daughters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a woman-centered household, the youngest with two older sisters. I was the only child of my mother’s second marriage, and a space of ten and twelve years separated me from my sisters. My sisters and mother always felt like an intense unit that didn’t include me, and that yearning and outsider status defined my life and made me a lover of books about mothers and daughters and the female world.

Marcia's book list on compelling books about the trouble between mothers and daughters

Marcia Aldrich Why did Marcia love this book?

Kincaid’s voice and style, bracing and autobiographical, almost obsessive, rocked my world.

Hearing the insistence of her voice helped me discover my own voice and to embrace it. I love the compulsive presence in her work and the "I," whose power of personality, sensibility, and voice rushes through me.

By Jamaica Kincaid,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Annie John as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An adored only child, Annie has until recently lived a peaceful and content life. She is inseparable from her beautiful mother, a powerful and influential presence, who sits at the very centre of the little girl's existence. Loved and cherished, Annie grows and thrives within her mother's shadow.

When she turns twelve, however, Annie's life changes, in ways that are often mysterious to her. She begins to question the cultural assumptions of her island world; at school she makes rebellious friends and frequently challenges authority; and most frighteningly, her mother, seeing Annie as a 'young lady', ceases to be the…


Book cover of Paradise Lodge

Gill Oliver Author Of Joe Faber and the Optimists

From my list on books for when life heads downhill.

Why am I passionate about this?

The bottom has fallen out of my world several times now, but it’s much worse watching disaster strike someone you love. When my husband suffered a near-fatal stroke, it was inevitable I’d end up writing about his road to rehab. Grit and humour were what they said he’d need, and Scousers like me laugh at anything. We also cry and argue a lot. I’m on a mission to cheer people on and hand them arms as they battle through hard times. A life, or a state of mind, can change in a moment, and that’s what I read and write about.  

Gill's book list on books for when life heads downhill

Gill Oliver Why did Gill love this book?

I’m a sucker for a pun, and this is another witty book about a serious subject, so it’s right up my street. Milton it ain’tI romped through it at a time when I was desperate for entertainment. Aging is explored with a sense of freshness and fun as a teenager goes to work in an old people’s home.

A convincing voice, well observed, and ultimately poignant as our protagonist gets closer to understanding age and the elderlywhilst growing up herself. I love the fact that the jokes are never laboured. It’s coming to us all…

By Nina Stibbe,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Paradise Lodge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lizzie Vogel's story continues in Paradise Lodge, the brilliantly comic sequel to Nina Stibbe's hilarious Man at the Helm.

'LOVE it! Instant classic - funny, wise, touching, entirely delightful' MARIAN KEYES

*****

Working in a care home is not really a suitable job for a schoolgirl but 15-year-old Lizzie Vogel went for it. It just seemed too exhausting to commit to being a full-time girlfriend or a punk (it is the 1970s after all), plus she has some knowledge of old people. They're not suited to granary bread, and you mustn't compare them to toddlers, but she doesn't know there's…


Book cover of Skating Over Thin Ice

Lorna Schultz Nicholson Author Of When You Least Expect It

From my list on determination and perseverance.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child I loved to read and write but I also loved sports. I played every sport I could, and races and games fueled me. My mother called me the “joiner.” Teams create bonds and friendships and I’m still in touch with former teammates. This gives me inspiration to write human interactions. Determination and perseverance are part of being an athlete and I write about strong characters who want to succeed but often meet obstacles along the way. I honestly believe that my sports background has helped me survive publishing, because both are full of highs and lows. Please, enjoy my recommended list because they’re books with heart.

Lorna's book list on determination and perseverance

Lorna Schultz Nicholson Why did Lorna love this book?

This is such a beautifully written book that combines art and sport, two of my passions. Imogene is a piano prodigy and there wasn’t one moment in the book where I didn’t root for her. The teen love story between her and the suspended hockey player is so believable and not like typical teen romance novels. I liked that Mills didn’t sugarcoat the work that goes into being successful at something. The book was real and honest which made the ending completely realistic. 

By Jean Mills,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Skating Over Thin Ice as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Imogen St. Pierre is a musical prodigy, a classical pianist touring Canada and abroad in a trio with her father and grandfather. Though clearly accomplished she is also painfully awkward socially, getting lost in the music even after it's over.

Imogen's in the final year in a private boarding school where she meets a boy of the same age, Nathan McCormick, who turns out to be the Next great hockey player. Nathan however has recently been penalized for a vicious fight in an international tournament. Imogen and Nathan don't exactly become an item, but there's an elusive special quality to…


Book cover of Sinister Street

Michael Stutz Author Of Circuits of the Wind: A Legend of the Net Age

From my list on big, lyrical, and packed with poetic prose.

Why am I passionate about this?

Poetry is language at its most condensed and pure, potent and direct—the closest thing to thought. At its best, this mode and method is cinematic and penetrates like a powerful dream, and bringing it to narrative prose in a legend and key that can be woven together, like a tapestry, has been my lifework. Nothing in this list is ancient or even old, nor is any of it newI've picked all books from the 20th century, because that was the world and writing that immediately influenced me, it's long enough past to be settled and safely buried, but still new enough to have some currency with the life and language of now.

Michael's book list on big, lyrical, and packed with poetic prose

Michael Stutz Why did Michael love this book?

This fine coming-of-age novel was originally published in two big red volumes. It's large and reads like an enormous European tapestry laid out in some cold castle museum, with vivid dyes and a thousand patterned intricacies to ponder. It was a literary sensation when it was published, a favorite of the young romantics of the WWI generation, and Mackenzie followed it up with several branching-off sequels. He writes with such vividry that the dusky London streets and country cottages in this book are fresh and living even now. This book affected a young F. Scott Fitzgerald so much that in the early drafts of Fitz's first novel, he actually copped the name of the protagonist of this book.

By Compton MacKenzie,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sinister Street as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Sinister Street is a novel about growing up, and concerns two children, Michael Fane and his sister Stella have throught their young life. Both of them are born out of wedlock, something which was frowned upon at the time, but from rich parents. The novel had several sequels, which continue until Michael Fane's marriage.


Book cover of Munnu: A Boy from Kashmir

Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan Author Of The Origin Story of India's States

From my list on discovering a modern India you’ve never seen.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated by maps all my life. The map of India has always held special interest. As I’ve lived in different parts of India, I’ve seen firsthand how India is one country, but its stories are multiple. I chronicled India’s varied stories through the origins of each of its states. Similarly, I’ve curated a diverse and inclusive reading list. It covers different parts of the country and contains different types of books—graphic novel, travelog, memoir, and short story collections. The authors also cut across religion, gender, and social strata. I hope you discover a whole new India!

Venkataraghavan's book list on discovering a modern India you’ve never seen

Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan Why did Venkataraghavan love this book?

With a Persepolis meets Maus approach, this graphic novel visually takes us into the daily life that locals live in Kashmir, the most militarized zone in the world. This ground-up storytelling is intimate and powerful, as it takes us behind the propaganda and gives us the insider’s view in explosive, insightful, and humorous ways. Images may be more powerful than words, and this book has haunting images that will linger long after you finish the last page.

By Malik Sajad,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Munnu as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A beautifully drawn graphic novel that illuminates the conflicted land of Kashmir, through a young boy's childhood.

Seven-year-old Munnu is growing up in Indian-administered Kashmir. Life revolves around his family: Mama, Papa, sister Shahnaz, brothers Adil and Akhtar and, his favourite, older brother Bilal. It also revolves around Munnu's two favourite things - sugar and drawing.

But Munnu's is a childhood experienced against the backdrop of conflict. Bilal's classmates are crossing over into the Pakistan-administered portion of Kashmir to be trained to resist the 'occupation'; Papa and Bilal are regularly taken by the military to identification parades where informers will…


Book cover of Wicked Sexy Liar
Book cover of How to Date Your Brother's Best Friend
Book cover of Breaker: A Brother's Best Friend Standalone Romance

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