Book picks similar to
Healing Trace by Debra Kayn


contemporary-romance
romance
not-interested
tortured-souls

Wreck Me


J.L. Mac - 2013
    People can be ruthless and evil. The world can be cold and uninviting. No one knows these things better than Josephine Geroux. By her own definition, she is a twenty-five year old “nobody with nothing,” and she is content to stay that way. Growing up an orphan has made her tough and indifferent to the people around her until she meets a strangely familiar man with a face that haunts her for reasons she can’t understand.Despite the pain that will inevitably ensue, she makes it her mission to discover what parts of her tragic puzzle she is missing. On her journey to discovering why the she feels an alarming connection to an absolute stranger, her greatest fear is reawakening the demons and darkness from the past that will surely overtake her if she lets her guard down. Little does Josephine know that the past should be the least of her worries. She is toying with a man who has already broken her heart once. She just doesn’t realize it.Although she makes it a point to avoid interactions with others, Josephine’s life becomes entangled with the enigmatic stranger. Before she realizes it, she has given herself over to the one person who is close enough to wreck her.Word Count: 60,230

Avoiding Commitment


K.A. Linde - 2012
    Linde…Jack and Lexi never had a typical relationship.After two years without speaking, Lexi receives a phone call that changes everything. Jack wants her to convince his new girlfriend that he's ready to commit.He's calling now, after everything they had been through, because there's another woman. She can't believe it.And yet she goes.For closure.Not to try to win him back. Definitely not.

Lie Next to Me


Sandi Lynn - 2014
    I had to keep running because, if I didn’t, he’d find me. I looked behind me as I ran through the streets; scared, alone, and in the dark as the mist of rain hit my face. There was no time to think, and there was no time to stop. My shoes were soaked as they sloshed through the puddles of the dimly lit streets.My name is Rory Sinclair, and the night I was violently attacked was the night that changed my life forever. One man, a man named Ian Braxton, made it his mission to heal me, to save me, and to show me a world that previously had been only a dream to me.Ian Braxton is far from perfect. He’s a self-absorbed, demeaning, arrogant, and a womanizing millionaire. He makes it so easy to hate him, but so very hard to resist him. We’re from opposite sides of the spectrum. He comes from money and I come from poverty. When our worlds collide, his struggles become mine, and mine become his, leaving us with one question:How much would you give up to be with someone who was meant to be yours?

Speak From The Heart


L.B. Dunbar - 2013
    Back at her grandmother’s summer home, she’s only in Elk Lake City for a visit which can’t end soon enough. Especially when she can’t seem to get away from one grumpy repairman who shows up everywhere. Fortunately for him, his daughter is sweet even if she refuses to speak.Jess Carter is a hometown favorite and a hot single father. Sworn off love for several reasons, foremost is the silence of his daughter. His little one has a secret and he doesn’t know the why behind it. Unfortunately for him, his six-year-old has taken a liking to the beautiful new woman in town visiting her nana. And everywhere he goes, there she is, invading his space and his heart.While silence might be golden, the voice in lonely hearts refuses to remain quiet.** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED in 2014 as Sound Advice, Sensations Collection 1.

Kaleb


Nicole Edwards - 2012
    So why is it that at twenty nine, her libido decides to ramp into high gear and the only thing she can focus on is the intensely sexy, scorching hot boy next door who is definitely not a boy anymore? The only problem is that Zoey and Kaleb have been best friends for as long as she can remember. Not to mention, Kaleb and his brothers are working on buying Stranford land to build a new resort, and she’s more than a little hesitant about his intentions.Kaleb Walker has had his eye on Zoey for close to twenty years, but never before has he considered taking their friendship to the next level, no matter how many fantasies he’s had about her over the years. That doesn’t explain why Kaleb is hell bent on having her – in as many ways as possible. Kaleb finds himself in a precarious situation. His brothers have nominated him to pursue Zoey’s father about purchasing the land needed to get their new resort off the ground. Finding out that Carl Stranford is on the brink of foreclosure and Zoey might just lose her house and the land, Kaleb now has to convince her to put aside her pride and let him help her.It doesn’t take long before the flames start burning bright and hot, and the two of them burn up the nights and the days as they explore each other’s forbidden fantasies. But can their friendship survive a business transaction or the new friends with benefits clause? Or will they realize that they’ve been overlooking something much deeper that’s been right in front of them all along?Warning: This book contains sexual encounters and graphic language that some readers may find objectionable, including, but not limited to m/f/m encounters, anal sex, exhibitionism, and voyeurism. Consider yourself warned! Contains graphic material that is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.Erotic RomanceMature Audience

Tragic


J.A. Huss - 2013
    Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…Rook got a second chance.And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s camera. Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.New Adult Contemporary Romance *Mature Content* Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language usage

Into the Light


L.B. Simmons - 2014
    Trust me when I say, it's a breathtaking sight to see. You burn as bright as the sun."When Aubrey Miller begins her education at Titan University, she is no longer the beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl of her youth. In fact, she's no longer even Aubrey Miller. Overcome with guilt and unable to cope with the loss of her beloved family, she has long since buried eight-year old Aubrey along with them and transformed herself into Raven Miller. Now with jet-black hair, multiple sets of eccentric contact lenses, and several facial piercings, she's veiled herself in complete darkness as a form of protection for herself, as well as others. As she enters her first year of college, her goal is simple: Earn a degree with the least amount of social interaction as possible. What she never anticipates is the formation of very unlikely relationships with two people who will change her life in ways she never believed possible: Quinn Matthews, the overtly cheerful pageant queen, and Kaeleb McMadden, a childhood friend who never really let her go. Over the years, as their connections intertwine and strengthen, a seemingly indestructible bond is formed between the three. And eventually, the ties of friendship and discovery of first love begin to coax her from her darkened path as they slowly bring Aubrey back to life. But when faced with the possibility of yet another death, one from which she may never recover, Aubrey finds herself lost again, burying herself deeper than ever before beneath the familiar abyss of her fears. Spanning the course of four years, this is the story of a young woman's plight to finally reemerge, finding strength within unbreakable bonds as she delivers herself from her own manufactured darkness and safely back . . . Into the Light. ****WARNING - Due to the graphic nature of some scenes, this book is not recommended for those who are particularly sensitive to the death of a child and/or suicide and is intended for mature audiences only. Contains adult language and themes.****

Hustle Me


Jennifer Foor - 2013
    He's been on his own since he was seventeen, traveling from city to city, making enough money to survive by doing the only thing he's ever been good at. Playing pool.He's covered in tattoo's and has a mouth that would make a grandmother cry.He doesn't do relationships.He doesn't care about anyone besides himself.He's a drifter.A Hustler.At first look, she's just a pretty little thing behind the bar, but Charlene (Charlie) is so much more. After her parents died in a fire she was put into the foster care system. Thanks to her good grades and hard work, she earned herself a scholarship.Feeling like she was finally going to make something for herself, she finds out she has inherited a bar and a kid brother, from a father she never even knew.While she tries to manage her new life, people from her father's past come to collect old debts and threaten everything Charlie has left.Can she really trust Jammer, or is he just helping her for what it pays out?

Playing Patience


Tabatha Vargo - 2013
    Being a punching bag for his alcoholic father has turned him into stone. Not even the dodgy trailer park he lives in can scare him. Fighting is his release and sex, drugs, and his guitar bring him peace, but deep down Zeke isn't quite as hard as he makes himself out to be. When he meets Patience, she finds all his broken pieces and puts him back together. She's a ray of light in his shadowed life and the last thing he wants to do is bring her into his dark world. Playing careless is easy, playing the bad guy can be fun, but playing Patience is impossible, especially when she can see right through him. Zeke isn't the only one who's broken, and for the first time in a long time, Patience feels alive. Her black and white world gets a shot of color when she meets Zeke. With his tattoos, piercings, and blunt honesty, he's unlike anyone she's ever met. She wants nothing more than to let go and ride the wild side with him, but some wounds never heal and the broken pieces of Patience aren't so easy to find.

Crazy Good


Rachel Robinson - 2014
    They put the bad in badass because, well… it’s their job.Navy SEAL Maverick Hart has everything. Women want him. Grown men idolize him. Little boys want to grow up and be like him. The job, the glory — it’s all his. Not because it’s handed to him… because he works hard for it. The second his sights lock on something, he owns it — or destroys it. Unfortunately he does both at the same time. Windsor Forbes only takes calculated risks in her profession and in her personal life. After being left at the altar by the only person she’s ever loved, the very last thing she’s looking for is a relationship — especially the insane brand an arrogant Navy SEAL is offering. Hesitant, yet trusting to a fault, she gives in. She knew she shouldn’t take the chance, especially a second time, but love is irrational and their love is perfect, infallible. Or so she thought…The downfall to having everything is you have that much more to lose. A man like Maverick can’t have it all without something slipping out of grasp. Crazy people perish for love. Good people live for it. Love doesn’t die. No matter how many bullets you put in it. *Due to sexual content and graphic language this book is intended for readers 18+.*

Conversion


S.C. Stephens - 2010
    She's got a promising career in front of her, great friends, and a pretty amazing family. But her love life has been a little lacking lately. That's when fate steps in, and she crashes into a tall, dark and handsome man—Teren Adams.He’s single, successful, an extraordinary gentleman, but he’s also secretive. And some of his secrets are more unusual than most people’s. For instance, he’s a “little bit” vampire. He has fangs, incredible hearing, unbelievable speed, and, on occasion, he enjoys drinking a steaming cup of blood. But he’s also very much alive. He has a heartbeat, loves steak as well as cappuccinos, and has no problems walking around during the day.Since Teren acts human the majority of the time, the pros far outweigh the cons in Emma’s book. But when it becomes apparent that Teren’s condition is much more serious than he first lets on, and that being in a relationship with him requires more sacrifices than most would be willing to make, will Emma stay? Is love enough to compensate for a life that will never be anywhere near normal? But then again...what's normal anyway?

Fight or Flight


Jamie Canosa - 2013
    The rules of surviving life on the streets. But when Em comes bursting into his life, in all of her disastrous glory, the rules go right out the window.Survive.Flee what’s been left behind.And never look back.Emerson’s plan was simple. Though, it was easier said than done. The city streets are dangerous and unforgiving to a new arrival. Especially, a seventeen-year-old girl who’s never known anything but life in the suburbs. Sometimes, however, what’s lurking behind those white picket fences can be more frightening than any dark alley.Both of them made the same decision when life got overwhelming—to run from their demons. Brought together by fate or circumstance, Em and Jay find the kind of love neither of them ever expected. But, when those demons come back to haunt them and their love is on the line, which instincts will they choose to follow this time . . . Fight or Flight?

Slave


Sherri Hayes - 2011
    After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent's death. As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.Thrust into a situation he never thought he'd be in, Stephan can't walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how. Brianna knows only one thing: she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing. Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?***This is book 1 of a 4 book series.***

Harm's Hunger


Patrice Michelle - 2003
    The last thing she expected was to find her very own rugged, sexy cowboy in Harmon Steel.Harm and Jena forge a white hot connection, but he learned a long time ago that happy-ever-afters don’t exist. Living in-the-moment is the best he has to offer.So what's a girl to do when she finds out the man capable of fulfilling her steamiest fantasies doesn't believe in a happy ending? Given the right set of circumstances, she'll create one for him.Note: HARM'S HUNGER is a novella and meant for mature readers. This is the first story in the hot and steamy BAD IN BOOTS series. All the other books are novel length and each book is a stand alone story.BAD IN BOOTS Series:* HARM'S HUNGER (Book 1) - Novella* TY'S TEMPTATION (Book 2) - Novel* COLT'S CHOICE (Book 3) - Novel* JOSH'S JUSTICE (Book 4) - Novel

Breach


K.I. Lynn - 2013
    To keep myself safe I hide in the world and let life move around me.My new partner, Nathan, isn’t safe. Far from it.The darkness coils around him, hidden by a shield created by a blinding smile. But those who live in darkness see past the façade we create.Even in darkness, there is light. A spark that ignites, then explodes.Every filthy word from his mouth, every possessive touch—I crave them, need them. Violent and passionate and everything I need to fill the void inside me, but one thing is missing.He can never love me.More than my heart is on the line, and I don’t know if I’ll survive our breach.