Book picks similar to
Damaged & Deadly: A World of Chaos Standalone by Samantha Bee
romance
dark
standalone
female-author
Burn to Ash
K.C. Kean - 2021
Shine. Sleep. Repeat. To the world.Break. Darken. Cry. Lost. Behind closed doors.Nothing is as it seems in the Asheville home or this hell hole town.Then he shows up. Pushing my buttons and demanding I take more from life, be more, be…me. But I have no idea who that is. How do I fight for my freedom when I’m their bargaining tool?What he doesn’t realize is how screwed up Knight’s Creek really is.For all I care, the whole town can burn to ash.RyanGet in. Get out. Job done.That was the plan...until I met her.My life is dark, cruel, and dangerous. She looks like she sleeps on a bed of roses, yet her broken soul shines in her eyes, calling to me like a beacon.She’s not what I’m here for. I’m getting distracted, but I’ll do whatever it takes to break her free from the invisible chains that keep her rooted to this town.For her, I’ll burn the whole town to ash.Burn to Ash is an MF Romance novel based on spin-off characters from The Allstars Series which is an RH romance series, but can be read as a stand alone. It includes triggering scenes that some may find difficult to read, and is recommended for over 17 years. This is a complete standalone book.
Lotus
Jennifer Hartmann - 2021
While there are references, and it does feature a secondary character from Still Beating, this is a standalone novel.
The Throne of Pain
Stella Andrews - 2020
"Can you live with the devil, Riley because it’s hot in hell?”The definition of pain is Lucian Romano.I will never forget that name or the man that owns it.Dark, wicked, cruel and so hot he melts fire.I thought he was the owner of the hotel I was staying in.I thought he would be the person to hear my complaint and I thought he knew right from wrong.I was mistaken.I should have noticed the fear in the receptionist’s eyes when she saw him coming.I should have kept my mouth shut and walked – no run - away fast.But I was a fool.I walked right up to him and prodded the beast.Then he pounced and I found myself locked in a cage in his bedroom.He’s so dark and dangerous I can almost taste the ash from the pit of hell.Power blazes from his eyes like lightning from Neptune’s trident and my heart sinks as I see what a huge mistake I just made.This man doesn't play games - he creates themI’ve had better days, I've had better vacations but as it turns out, I've never had better than him.A dark & twisted Mafia Romance that will blow your mind.This is one wild ride that's not for the faint-hearted and some scenes may upset readers.
Carr (Adorkable Love, #3)
Brynn Hale - 2020
so much more!CARR: Adorkable Love 3 is an INSTALOVE, curvy woman, happily-ever-after, STEAMY, surprise identity reveal romance. NO cliffhangers. NO cheating. This is a standalone story part of the ADORKABLE LOVE series.
Take Me Away
Britney Bell - 2020
His CEO position is a taxing day in and day out job, leaving little to no room for anything else. He has never questioned the time he sacrifices to Parker Airlines, until Heaven.Pandas are Heaven Samson’s whole world. When she escaped the darkness that had become her life, she found refuge in the unconditional love of these beautiful creatures. That very love pushed her to move past trying times, build her self esteem and root her feet back on solid ground to become the strong independent woman she is. Can two hearts so dedicated to what they love make any room to let in who they love? Your flight on Parker Airlines is about to take off to China. Grab Take Me Away now and sit back and enjoy the ride.
Business or Pleasure?
Raquel Belle - 2019
I’m about to get really pissed off. Maybe I should just go (in hindsight…even based on what happened next, I’d probably do it all the same!) As is, I hate blind dates! I usually create this “picture perfect” guy in my head and then reality generally walks in! Ohhh god, and reality can be REALLLLLY cruel at times (MOST of the time!!!).Anyway…I’ve just moved back to Seattle to work with my dad at his law firm. We haven’t always had the best relationship…I’m really hoping that this is him reaching out to me. Honestly, blind-dates are the last thing I need right now in my life!I’m about to give up on this night and leave when the most delicious looking specimen of a man comes up to me. I honestly thought I was hallucinating! This guy is ravishing…the type of “stop and stare” guy. Mr. I LITERALLY felt I wanted to get pregnant just by looking at him, says...“Please, tell me I’m the one you’ve been waiting for!” with a naughty smirk on his face.“Are you David Blake?” I ask.“No, but I can be anyone you want me to be.” He smiles, and my head…ohhh god…my head is filled with strong dose of naughty thoughts (a “bit” of an understatement actually!). It’s not my blind-date…and I think to myself (well, I’M TRYING to think!!!) What the hell should I do?I don’t know what the heck happened to me but I stare right into his eyes and say “Tell you what, I’m staying upstairs.” I pause. I could feel his eyes penetrating me. And then I drop the bomb… “Let’s skip the drinks and the preamble, you follow me to my room, and let's have one hell of a one-night stand. You don’t even have to tell me your name.”I couldn’t believe I just said that!He’s shocked. I’m shocked. I don’t normally do this kind of thing. But we do it. Oh, boy…do we do it. We have the most amazing, earth shattering night that I could ever dream of. And THAT was the gift…now comes the SLAP…When the weekend is over and I go in to work on Monday morning. The secretary shows me in to my dad’s office. What the heck is he doing in here? Mr. I LITERALLY felt I wanted to get pregnant just by looking at him turns and smiles.Guess what? My one-night stand is my dad’s billionaire best friend, Jared Hawthorne. He’s my new client. Things are about to get really complicated!Business or Pleasure? is a stand alone romance book with an amazing HEA!
Savage Love
Nichole Greene - 2021
Every plan. Every time. This girl is going to be the death of me. Or herself. Maybe we’ll go down in flames together.Elle isn’t the prize. She’s the penance.My first year of college should be amazing; freedom on a level I’ve never experienced. But one night of vengeance has led me to a prison sentence with a stern and sexy Russian mobster as my babysitter. He’s my ever-present shadow, and I vow to become his living nightmare. A car won’t be the only thing I set on fire.
Blurred Red Lines
Cora Kenborn - 2017
A word whispered in fear and respect. A name to avoid at all costs. Until I see something I shouldn't and come face-to-face with it.Abducted. Held against my will. A prisoner of a war I know nothing about.But my kidnapping is more than a case of mistaken identity, and my captor is more than a stranger.He's the heir to the devil.A ruthless cartel prince who takes everything and promises nothing. I should hate him, but the deeper Valentin Carrera drags me into his corrupt world, the harder it becomes to resist either one.He's determined to take more than my freedom.He wants to own my soul.I'm at his mercy. A plea that means nothing to a man whose hands are stained with blood.Until that stain?That blood?It becomes mine.And I'm no longer a prisoner of war.I am the war.*The Carrera Cartel books are all standalones and can be read out of sequence. However, if you prefer to avoid spoilers, it's highly recommended that you read them in order.
Ask Me Why
Harloe Rae - 2019
Two slow blinks. Three hollow beats. I’m still here. After three years, that reminder isn’t as necessary. But everyone has their bad days. This is definitely one of them. Until an adorable little boy dashes into my store. His zest for life makes me smile in a way that’s been long lost. Then I meet his father. Well, confront is more like it. Brance Stone is volatile. Offensive. Harsh. And can’t be bothered to care. Not that I want him to. I get frostbite just looking into Brance’s glacial stare. But there’s something undeniable about him. My misery suddenly craves company. The suffocating numbness lifts whenever Brance is near. That alone should have me running in the opposite direction. Try as I might, there’s no avoiding him. If only I could understand why. As if he’d let me. I don’t ask. He doesn’t tell. A silent, bitter truce settles between us. That was our first mistake. It’s certainly not the last.
Jax (The Heights Saga, #2)
E.M. Moore - 2021
The all-consuming, toe-curling kind of love.Fate had other plans for the two of us though.Ruled by a world of dangerous men, I did something reprehensible. I did what I needed to survive. I betrayed Jax—the only man who ever truly cared whether I lived or died.Years later, I remain a brokenhearted plaything. A puppet to maneuver around a chess board. Psycho uses my body, my face, my skills to get him exactly what he wants.I’m the predator no one sees coming.And my next job is to come face-to-face with him again. My Jax. Once Psycho gets something in his head, he won’t let up. What he wants next is what Jax has, and he’ll do anything to get it.Including using me in any way he can.Now, I have to make a choice between my safety and my conscience. My life…and my heart.But there’s one thing I know for sure: my second chance is the most treacherous game I’ve played.JAX is a full-length m/f dark romance standalone in the Heights Crew world.
Dark Side of the Cloth
Brooklyn Cross - 2021
Except he had no interest in running a gang, and even less in being the next El Chapo like his abusive father. So, he ran.That’s when the Army found him. He was highly sought after for his unique skill set, and quickly became a valued member. Finally, he found a place where he belonged. Until The Righteous came knocking with an opportunity for a new life. So, he put on the priest collar and settled into the small town, happy with his new beginning.Then he saw Yasmine Jacobs.Wracked with survivors guilt, Yasmine struggled to put that dreadful night behind her. She tried to move on and take over the family business. She thought her life was fine the way it was. That is, until the new priest, Dean O’Sullivan came into town. Confession was supposed to cleanse her soul, not damn her for the thoughts running through her mind. How long would she be able to deny her basic primal instincts, when circumstance kept pushing them together?But who exactly was the forbidden fruit?
Risky Business (Wrecked Roommates)
Kelsie Rae - 2022
Yes, I climbed into Jake Jensen’s lap and kissed the crap out of him in a crowded bar to make my ex jealous.Yes, I lied to my family and told them I’m in a relationship with the guy, even though he doesn’t know my name or my family’s connection to one of the hottest software companies in the US.Yes, I’m now on my way to convince him to be my fake boyfriend for my father’s company retreat in exchange for...whatever the heck he wants if it’ll get me out of this mess.And no, I’m most definitely not interested in his smoldering eyes or the way his hands feel against my body.Because whatever’s burning between us?It isn’t real.We’re both a means to an end.And there’s no convincing me otherwise.
Ruthless Saint
S. Massery - 2021
His gaze steals my breath.Even if my heart thinks this could work, my brain knows better.We say “I do” with his brother’s blood on our clothes,and the bars of my gilded cage slam closed.Our wedding vows are forever – ’til death do us part.But with enemies closing in from all sides, death might be closer than we think.Please note: this book contains dark content that some readers may find distressing.
Pretend To Be Mine
P.G. Van - 2018
He needs to move fast to make sure everyone around him believes he is getting married for real and to the right woman, even if it’s for only two years. Anjali never expected a complete stranger to propose a marriage contract as if he were offering her a job with a salary and benefits package, especially the first time they meet. What he offers is tempting enough for her to give in, so she can fulfill her dream and keep the promise she made to a loved one. For their friends and family, Dheeraj and Anjali are a loving couple who fell in love at first sight, but they both have an agenda. Their reasons for the marriage contract were different, but what they never expected is what happens when two people start living under the same roof pretending to be a couple. Sparks fly and butterflies flutter between stolen kisses, but when they start to find out more about each other’s reason for the fake marriage, will they still honor the contract? Will love make its way into the contract as a clause? Note: This is a stand-alone romance with a passionate couple who finds their HEA. This book is recommended for mature readers.
Getting Over You
Jaxson Kidman - 2019
Forget that he's a rock star. Forget that the day I meet him, he's shirtless and running down the middle of the street. Forget that the tattoos and muscles that graze his glistening skin make remember what it's like to be alive again. Can I have a future with Crosby -- especially when our pasts are marked with tragedy? He can stay in this small town and be loved by me -- or he can get back to living his rock star dream. All we have is the time in between that. The problem? Time's running out... and we both want more.This is a full length 90,000+ word slow burn romance novel with a guitar play, a painter, an unspoken summer romance past, a present they never saw coming, and a complete HEA, no cliffhanger ending that will make you fall in love with Crosby and Josie. Thanks for taking a chance on me and this novel.