Book picks similar to
Control by Laura Marie Altom


romance
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contemporary-romance
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Take a Breath


Jaimie Roberts - 2013
    Feelings which had been bottled up for so long are now bursting to get out. I can no longer hide the overwhelming emotions that flow through me.Unfortunately, neither can a serial killer on the loose dubbed “The Blonde Killer.” I am his obsession.And Jake, the senior detective in charge of the Major Investigations Unit, is responsible for catching the murderer.I’m scared, but I know Jake will do everything in his power to protect me.I feel things can’t get any worse.Until they do.

Take the Fall


Marquita Valentine - 2015
    In this emotional new romance, passions run hot as a rugged, brooding Marine rekindles an old flame. As a teenager, Seth O’Connor went to jail for a crime he had nothing to do with. He took the fall to protect the girl he loved, but the cruel realities of prison hardened him. After doing his time, Seth shuts her out and enlists in the Marines—until his grandmother’s funeral forces him to come home and face Rowan Simmons once again. The woman she’s become puts all his high-school memories to shame, and Seth wants her more than ever. Can he be honest about why he denied her for so long? After Seth pushed her away, Rowan swore that no man would ever hurt her again. But the boy who broke her heart has become a sexy Marine, capable of fulfilling her every desire—and now that he’s back in town, old feelings are simmering to a boil. Rowan wants to stay strong, even as her body surrenders to his expert touch. She only hopes that by taking him back, she can finally help heal the wounds that drove them apart. Includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

The Heart of a Killer


Jaci Burton - 2011
    But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault that Anna only survived thanks to him.More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Delayed Penalty


Sophia Henry - 2015
    Thankfully, I landed a gig as a translator for a minor-league Russian hockey player. Sadly, the initial enthusiasm was short lived.One glance and I immediately recognized my new client as the same arrogant jerk who came on to me at the bar the night before. Sure, Aleksandr Varenkov was sexy--with his chiseled muscles and alluring grin. That didn’t change the fact that he’s a notorious womanizer. While our working relationship started as friendly as a hard check on the ice, I soon saw a softer side to Aleksandr that left me entertaining thoughts of a trip for two to the penalty box. After all I’ve been through, I can’t risk letting my guard down for a hot-headed player with a bad reputation. Still... how can I resist an attraction hot enough to melt the ice?This is a New Edition of a previously published book. There is exclusive, NEW content.

Three Nights with a Rock Star


Amber Lin - 2014
    Instead she meets the sexy front-man who agrees to give her access to his crew if she gives him access to her body.All Lock demands in return is three days of complete control over the Sunday School teacher. With a contract, because he’s been burned before. One misstep could send the band—and his tenuous sobriety—up in flames.Hailey and Lock push each other’s limits… Against the penthouse window. Backstage. In the limo and on the elevator. But as the contract counts down, neither are ready for the party to end.

Bound by Lies


Hanna Peach - 2014
    He contacts me only through notes − unpredictable and untraceable. When we meet, he can touch me, but I’m not allowed to touch him. When we make love, it’s only after I have been bound and blindfolded. It’s the only time I truly feel alive. Which is why I play along with it. For now.Caden Thaine is the most sinfully beautiful man I have ever seen. But more than that, his touch sets me on fire. And dear God, do I ache for him. I don’t know where he lives or even what he does. But this doesn’t scare me. My only fear is that one day his messages will stop. I know he’s hiding something. But that’s okay. I am hiding things too. Like my real name and... who I really am. But the deeper I fall for him, the stronger my curiosity becomes. I could never have imagined just how much our lives are bound. And that pulling at his tangled web of secrets would cause my own dark past to come back to try and reclaim me. Will we survive? Will our love?Adult romantic suspense. +18 years.

Wrong Alibi


Christina Dodd - 2020
    But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.WRONG NAMEEvelyn’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on vengeance, intent on recovering her life, she bides her time, patiently searching for the man who took everything from her.WRONG ALIBIAt last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evelyn emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

Layers Deep


Lacey Silks - 2013
    That is, until he meets Allie Green, the beautiful rookie cop who holds the key to finding his kidnapped friend. All he has to do, is convince her to work for him.Allie Green seeks revenge and she’ll do anything to get it. With her new job and resources, the time for payback is closing in. Except working for Tristan Cross comes with its own price. As vengeance boils her blood she can’t keep her mind off her hot new boss, and her employment, professional.With the mouth watering private investigator distracting her, Allie struggles to prioritize an undercover job she’s been assigned, her hunger for revenge and the scorching hot romance. As the partners in crime hold their secrets close to their hearts, they’re forced to acknowledge that the same secrets have gained the power to tear them apart.Can Tristan and Allie find a balance between work and life and recognize they’re stronger together, or will the scars they hold be too deep and too dangerous to heal?Join the hot new co-workers on a suspenseful journey as they fight to close old chapters in their lives and make plans for new ones.Warning: Intended for adult audience only.Note: Layers Peeled is Book 2 in Layers Trilogy and should be read after Layers Deep.

Unconscious Hearts


Harper Sloan - 2018
    Alone and stricken with grief, she shouldered the blame and eventually closed her heart off, refusing to open it for another. After all, anytime she tried, guilt and regret were waiting in the wings to remind her how painful it was.A bet and one steamy night with a stranger force Ari to confront all she’s been hiding behind. She tries to move on, but he refuses to stand down, wanting what she is terrified to give—herself. This man may very well destroy her in the end, especially when it’s clear he has his own demons. What happens when two broken souls come together, finally allowing themselves to believe in the beauty of love … only to have to fight harder than ever to keep it.

Temptation


Robin Covington - 2014
    Determined to ditch her crappy life, she moved to Nashville with only $200, her guitar, and a notebook full of songs. She hit it big as America’s country sweetheart, but a year of living like a rock star plus a stint in rehab has killed any good will she had with her label. The suits have ordered Kit to shape up or ship out of the limelight. The last thing she needs is a hot, sexy distraction with a sinful smile.He doesn’t know the meaning of the word.Max Butler is as far from a celebrity as you can get and he likes it that way. A Nashville firefighter, he’s living the single life with a revolving door of parties, friends, and a different woman in his bed every night. When his normal life suddenly collides with the girl on his favorite Rolling Stone cover, he sees the perfect chance to fulfill his ultimate fantasy and see just how bad Kit can be.Sometimes bad is so very good.With three weeks until Kit leaves for her big tour, Max promises to give her a break from being the good girl--no strings attached. But when hot days lead to sultry nights, the lines get blurred and suddenly three weeks of bad might not be good enough.

I Stand Before You


S.R. Grey - 2013
    How can you move forward when you're anchored to the past?When it comes to tattooed bad boys, Chase Gartner was the real deal. Partying, engaging in meaningless sex, getting into fights---Chase indulged in it all during his late teen years, thus firmly solidifying his status as a heartbreakingly gorgeous but way-too-dangerous-to-trust guy in his hometown of Harmony Creek, Ohio. Then, following one fateful night of reckless decisions, Chase's actions finally caught up to him and landed him in prison.Now, four years have passed and Chase finds himself a free man. He returns to Harmony Creek, ready to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding his shattered life. Things are off to a promising start when he meets Kay Stanton, a young woman with a tragic past of her own. Despite a powerful attraction, Chase and Kay are naturally hesitant to become involved. That's why friendship feels like the safest option. But when passions ignite and love blossoms, a relationship that is destined and meant to be can only be resisted for so long. When Chase and Kay finally succumb to their feelings they realize being together feels more right and true than anything they have ever experienced. But their love is soon tested. Chase's wild past still haunts and tempts him, and Kay is keeping a secret that could tear them apart. I Stand Before You is a journey of hope and forgiveness, coming to terms with the past and moving forward. But mostly it's a story of two damaged people who take a chance, open their hearts, and find true love. New Adult/Contemporary Romance genres. First in a series. ***warning: contains explicit sexual situations, drug use, some violence, and profanity***

Break Me


Jo-Anna Walker - 2013
    Tori McLeod moved to the big city to get away from her mother—and her past. Her new routine is destroyed when she meets a mysterious stranger who won’t take no for an answer. Sebastian intrigues her, but his eyes hold secrets she would rather avoid. Sebastian Chelios, a hard as nails enforcer, is a new-in-town loner.Sebastian has to have her. Control her. Possess her. But he can’t—won’t lose control, even though Tori’s innocence fascinates him. The last thing he’s going to do is love her, even after he gets her in his bed.Losing control is dangerous, especially when someone from Sebastian’s past covets Tori, putting more than just her heart in danger.How can Sebastian protect Tori from Jose’s sadistic obsession? If he gets his hands on her, will she make it out in one piece?

Lovegame


Tracy Wolff - 2016
    Kenner as an author who “knows how to steam up the pages,” Tracy Wolff delivers a darkly addictive novel of seduction and psychological obsession. The stakes are high in Lovegame, when a movie star with a shattered past meets a man who can either break her or make her whole.   True Crime novelist Ian Sharpe has spent his career writing about serial killers for very personal reasons. For his latest exposé, he is taking on the sadistic madman known as the Red Ribbon Strangler, and when his research leads him to Hollywood’s most private and provocative actress, he will break every rule to uncover her truth.   The daughter of one of Hollywood’s golden couples, chased by paparazzi and treated as a commodity her entire life, Veronica Romero wields her sex appeal like a weapon. She expects Ian to be as easy to control as every other man she’s ever known. But from the beginning, he refuses to fall into line. Mysterious and cool, challenging and just a little bit dangerous, Ian somehow makes her feel safe—even as he digs into the deepest secrets of her life and pushes her to the breaking point.   As raw ecstasy gives way to agonized truths, their dark obsession exposes secrets that have been buried for far too long. Ian wants to tear down her walls and heal the sensual woman underneath. But if Veronica’s learned anything, it’s that the line between pleasure and pain is a narrow one—and when caught between them the only thing that matters is how you play the game.Lovegame is intended for mature audiences. This ebook includes a special message from the editor, as well as an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Reckless Longing


Gina Robinson - 2013
    Her mother’s wild and wanton behavior has left Ellie with a deep longing. To escape. To belong. To know who her real dad is. To really be loved. Her mother finally crosses a line thatsends Ellie running, escaping to college with one, focused goal–to find and confront her bio dad, who doesn’t even know she exists. Then she meets Logan. Hot, charming, and troubled. He turns her world upside down and puts all her plans in jeopardy.Logan Walker is hiding a shameful and painful secret. One that nearly cost him everything. When he meets the beautiful and mysterious Ellie at a Week of Welcome event, something inside him awakens and he finds himself drawn to her.But the attraction they both feel for each other is as delicate as the web of secrets they each hide behind. And as the truths are revealed, their reckless longing may not survive the fallout.

Only with You


Lauren Layne - 2014
    . . Cocktail waitress Sophie Dalton doesn't exactly have a life plan. She's perfectly happy being everyone's favorite party girl. But when a Las Vegas bachelorette party goes awry and an uptight businessman mistakes Sophie for a prostitute . . . well, Sophie wonders if it's time to reevaluate her priorities. Swearing off her thigh-high boots for good, Sophie slinks back home with damaged pride-and a jackpot of a hangover.Yet what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there. On a trip to Seattle to open a new office, Grayson Wyatt meets his latest employee-who turns out to be the same woman he recently called a hooker. Wealthy and gorgeous, Gray is a man used to getting what he wants. And it doesn't take long to figure out that smart, sassy, sexy Sophie is everything he's been looking for. As their late nights at the office turn into hot morning-afters, they realize their Vegas misunderstanding may lead to the real thing . . .