Book picks similar to
The Bitter Rival by L.M. Fox


contemporary
contemporary-romance
freebie
single-parent

Shiver


Suzanne Wright - 2018
    Instead, she has a mother who lives in her head, a stepfather who’s on death row, and the stigma that comes with being the child of an extramarital affair. Writing has always been her escape. Knowing the reception her books receive will be tainted by her personal life, Kensey secretly writes under a penname when she’s not working part-time at her godmother’s bar. Her world might not be exciting, but she likes it exactly as it is. When she meets alarmingly compelling businessman Blake Mercier, the snap of attraction is instant. She doesn’t like it. Doesn’t want to be drawn to this man who is blatantly dangerous, carries dark secrets, and lives life by his own rules. Neither of them make a great first impression on the other, so she’s more than surprised when he begins to pursue her with a single-minded focus that is unsettling, thrilling, and infuriating. Her gut tells her to keep her distance, but Blake won’t let her run. Won’t give her space. There’s another person who won’t give her space. Someone who has discovered the secret of her penname and who seems intent on taunting her. And as Kensey struggles to identify her persecutor, Blake is by her side, determined to keep her safe … because Blake Mercier always holds tight to what’s his. Always.

To Burn in Brutal Rapture


Nyla K. - 2020
    To heal was to remember what my godfather told me when I was six… Pain is a part of life. If you prepare for it, it will hurt less. He would know, after all. Lazarus Weston is pain personified. The scowling man with stormy eyes and tattoos covering his excessive muscles is not only my godfather, but also my dad’s business partner and best friend. A permanent fixture in our lives. Well, in Dad’s, not mine. But when grief mixes with confusing new feelings, I’m forced to see Lazarus differently, in a way that severely complicates my world. Because he’s too old for me. He’ll never be mine. I’m not allowed to have him, but obsession burns a fine line between can’t and won’t. I can’t want her…The curse on my heart is heavy, the tale of my malediction drenched in brutal loss. Wearing ink like scars reminds me of the tomb I left behind. I’ve been expecting pain all my life, yet I’m still unprepared, failing to see my downfall until she’s wrapped around my soul like barbed wire. Tracien Wright. My best friend’s daughter. Part of my life strictly through association. She was never meant to be more than that. But Traci is a trickster. A skilled predator in the most unexpected package, oblivious to her own power. She’ll learn the hard way that not all beasts should be hunted. I’m not what she thinks I am, having rose from a pit, only to bury myself in secrets and lies.Deep down I’d love nothing more than to have her. But I don’t get to keep nice things. **To Burn In Brutal Rapture is a standalone novel which contains sensitive subjects that may be triggering to some. Open-minded readers only! Please do not read or post spoilers.**

Master's Toy: Dark Mafia Romance


Faye Pierce - 2021
    

CEO Daddy


Taryn Quinn - 2019
     New Year’s Eve, a night of new beginnings. Asher and I talked and sipped champagne. Eventually, we went up to my room at the bed and breakfast and... Let’s just say when I left that room, I was no longer a virgin. And that was it.  No last names, no numbers, no pressure. Something we both desperately needed. Just a night of fun, with so much pleasure. Until I was approached for a nanny position that I wasn’t sure I was equipped for.  And the man behind the curtain raising his best friend’s little girl was… Asher. A single dad unprepared for his unexpected responsibility. A wealthy, powerful, conflicted CEO of a newspaper empire on the verge of extinction. And the father of the baby I just realized I was carrying... Author’s note: CEO DADDY is a standalone single father and virgin nanny forced proximity romance novel set in our small town Crescent Cove. It has a happily-ever-after ending.

Royally Loved: The Royal Romances Books 1-5


Mckenna James - 2020
    Escape into a fictional land of royals, where the men are filthy rich, hot as Hades, and accustomed to possessing any woman they choose.The women are independent, strong-willed spitfires who don’t necessarily need a man, and might not be the most desirable candidates for princess status.But times are changing, and these five royal romances are about choosing love over everything else, and turning convention on its head.Because there’s nothing these rakish heroes love more than breaking the rules...Royally SchooledThey come from two different worlds.Their love goes against centuries of tradition.But he doesn’t give a damn.Royal AcademyEliza Noble doesn’t belong in my world.I’m a Prince, and she’s a scholarship student.No one thinks she’s good enough, but I’ll have her anyway.The Prince’s BabyShe’s carrying a secret more precious than gold.A heartwarming secret baby royal romance.Her Royal PhysicianShe’s a princess, and his patient.He’s supposed to heal her, not fall for her.Crossing the line could cost him everything, but sometimes love is worth the risk.Royal HolidayIn Brooklandia, the holiday countdown doesn’t begin until the Royal Family throws their Midnight Masquerade Ball two weeks before Christmas Eve.So when a dashing masked man captures Princess Marina under the mistletoe and gives her a toe-curling kiss then leaves her with a single red rose, she has no idea who he is…

Hey There, Delilah


M.D. Saperstein - 2013
    A new job fell into my lap as the secretary of the gorgeous, rich, powerful, and mighty cocky controlling partner at Santino Law Firm. I spend my days trying to please a demanding boss, keeping my lustful thoughts to myself. Until one night, when my best friend drags me to a club, and I fall for a man whose true identity I will never know.See, at Club Masquerade, everyone wears a mask and a nametag with a fake name. Also, on your nametag is a number that you are assigned when you come into the club, which is linked to an in-house messaging system; no one is permitted to speak, which ensures that identities are kept secret. I meet my lover every Saturday at 9 pm sharp. We text and email constantly when we are not together, and I have somehow fallen in love with him.But, then there is Nick Santino. He is the partner that I can’t keep my eyes off. Unfortunately, the only reason he hired me is because he is not attracted to me and all my frump glory. Fortunately, for me, I am a kick ass secretary, so he keeps me around. Like many men in his position, Nick is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it; all without commitment, of course.So when he finds a woman that he is both physically and emotionally attracted to, he finds himself in unchartered territory – love. And I can do nothing but be jealous from the sidelines – lusting for a man I can’t have, and loving a man I can’t know.Hey there, Delilah is book 1 of the Taboo Love series, in which we tackle the boss/secretary relationship. Each book will be a stand alone with a HEA, but will have a few reoccurring characters.

Bad Teacher


Clarissa Wild - 2016
    Thomas Hard, the pleasure is all mine … literally.I can’t help it that my name suits me well.You know what else suits me well? That girl sitting across the bar, with her lips right where I tell them to be. I want her, and when I want something, it’s gonna be mine.One night. No names. No phone numbers. Just me, her, and pure pleasure.Except, that one girl turns out to be the biggest mistake of my life.Why?Because I broke my cardinal rule …Never b*ng a student.Author’s note: Don’t like reckless decisions & unbridled scr*wing? Don’t love girls that are obsessed with rainbows, unicorns, and ice-cream? Don’t enjoy a bit of corny humor sprinkled on top? Then this book is not for you. And last but not least, if you hate cats with huge jewels… Don't even bother.

Trusting Jake


Lauren Giordano - 2015
    In need of a jumpstart. Tired of playing by other people's rules, the widowed single mom guards her new freedom by keeping her deadbeat husband alive... in name only. But meeting Jake Traynor gives her hope and makes her question the merits of lying. Will he break down the fortress around her heart? Love under construction: Falling for a married woman was never in the blueprint. The definition of responsible son, executive Jackson Traynor is driven to prove his father right. Jake runs the family construction company. The workaholic millionaire is all business. No pleasure. Until assisting a beautiful redhead with her broken down car reminds Jake what he wants. But what if the only person you want is the one you can never have? Battling their deepening attraction, Jake must question everything he's ever believed -- because Jen and her kids are the family he's always dreamed of. Jenna must choose between a safe life and the one of her dreams. When Jake's company is threatened, she will risk everything to protect him -- even if it means exposing old secrets.

The Doctor's Secret Bride


Ana E. Ross - 2012
    Can love and forgiveness reunite them?Michelle Carter has been down on her luck since the day she was born. So it comes as no surprise when through a series of unfortunate events, she finds herself jobless, penniless, and practically homeless. In a desperate attempt to get back on her feet, Michelle accepts a job as a nanny and finds it absolutely impossible to resist her handsome, sexy billionaire boss—but resist she must for as long as she could, especially since she’s keeping secrets from him. Believing that his late wife betrayed him with another man, falling in love again is the last thing Dr. Erik LaCrosse wants to do. But fall, he does, and so hard, he secretly marries the alluring nanny from the wrong side of the tracks. However, when he unearths a disturbing secret from Michelle’s past, Erik must choose between his loyalty to a dead woman and the love burning in his heart for one who is very much alive.

Shameless


Lex Martin - 2016
    Brady… What the hell do I know about raising a baby? Nothing. Not a goddamn thing. Yet here I am, the sole guardian of my niece. I’d be lost if it weren’t for Katherine, the beautiful girl who seems to have all the answers. Katherine, who’s slowly finding her way into my cynical heart. I keep reminding myself that I can’t fall for someone when we don’t have a future. But telling myself this lie and believing it are two different things. Katherine… When Brady shows up on a Harley, looking like an avenging angel—six feet, three inches of chiseled muscle, eyes the color of wild sage, and sun-kissed skin emblazoned with tattoos—I’m not sure if I should fall at his feet or run like hell. Because if I tell him what happened the night his family died, he might hate me. What I don’t count on are the nights we spend together trying to forget the heartache that brought us here. I promise him it won’t mean anything, that I won’t fall in love. I shouldn’t make promises I can’t keep.SHAMELESS is a standalone companion novel in the Texas Nights series. BREATHLESS, Joey and Logan's book, releases Feb. 18, 2020!

Bluestone Homecoming


M.J. Fredrick - 2012
    Leo doesn’t know how to be a single parent since the death of his wife, and he certainly has no desire to return to Bluestone. But he needs a place for his son, a place where he’ll be with family, while Leo does his job. He’ll stay long enough to get Max settled, then go back to work.School counselor Trinity Madison watches Leo struggle with his son, trying to overcome the mental barricade she’s erected against the man who sent his son away when he’s perfectly capable of caring for the child. The situation brings about her own unsettled feelings about giving her child up for adoption when she was young. But as she observes Leo’s difficulties, his sacrifices, she softens toward the man.While he’s in town, he ends up working with some old friends and Trinity on a committee to revitalize Bluestone. The former resort town is struggling and looking for ways to bring tourists back. Leo finds himself charmed, then smitten with the feisty counselor, but will he still love her when he learns her secret?

Revved to the Maxx


Melanie Moreland - 2020
    Maxx Reynolds needs help.His shop, house, and life are all in a state of disarray.In desperation, he turns to the internet to hire a new employee, thinking it will make his life easierWhat he expects is a fellow named Charly.What he gets is a quirky, sassy, red-head namedCharlynn who runs circles around him.And she’s all woman.He can’t stand her.He can’t keep his hands off her either.

A Masterpiece Of Our Love


Nikki Lynn Barrett - 2014
     Eight-year-old Becca and twelve-year-old Hunter cling to each other and life after surviving a plane crash which stole their families. Two Souls Seeking Love. Each year, from the time she was old enough to travel on her own, Becca met up with Hunter on the island that altered their lives forever. Until he stopped showing. Her constant. Her link to the past. Gone in the blink of an eye. Two Lives Bound by Secret. Suffering more heartbreak, Hunter returns to the one place he’s always sought comfort, the island where he and Becca met. It was the place that stole from him, and in the same instance gave to him. He hasn't been back or spoken to Becca in four years. Though he’s sure she must hate him for disappearing, Hunter discovers the girl gone, now a woman in her place. Hunter is determined to prove to Becca he isn’t the same twelve-year-old boy of yesteryear. But someone isn't happy about their reunion... Strange things begin happening. Letters start showing up in their hotel rooms and at home with cryptic messages. Two Broken Hearts Heal as One. With the mystery unsolved, Hunter convinces Becca to spend the remainder of the summer back home with him, both for safety and to give them a chance to discover the adults they’ve now become. Will love get a chance to blossom, or will the past come back and tear the masterpiece of their love apart once and for all?

Striker


Lilly Atlas - 2016
    Lila Emerson is finally free of the shadow of her politically connected family, with her new job in a small town Emergency Room. But her new peace is shattered when she encounters the dangerous, but compelling Striker. He's everything she should stay away from, but all she craves. And since he keeps turning up in her ER, he's hard to avoid. As Vice President of No Prisoners outlaw motorcycle club, Striker is no stranger to violence. But when it touches the pretty doctor he wants in his bed, he'll do anything to keep her safe. When Striker and Lila are thrust together, sparks fly and passions ignite. Before long they find themselves entangled in a relationship neither saw coming. The MC can and will eliminate any threat against Lila, but what if they—and the man she's falling for—are the reason she’s in danger?

Falcon's Prey


C. Lymari - 2020
    Diamond princess. Prey. Since I can remember, I’ve been a pawn in someone’s game.Danger was looming but never enough to harm me. Until now. Then he came along. My new bodyguard. The only person who saw past my edges. Meanwhile, I was rooted deep in a web of deception, trying to save myself.He was supposed to protect me and keep me from harm's way. Just like everyone else, he wanted to break me. Now we’ve both been thrown into a game neither one of us wanted to play. I was taught to be unbreakable like a diamond. I was a diamond, and diamonds don't break.