Book picks similar to
Behind the Gate by Renee Adams


dark
contemporary-romance
romance
his-pov

Light Up the Dark


Suki Fleet - 2016
    His only company, the cold man who promised to keep him safe from harm, Lance. But when Lance dies, Nicky’s assurance of safety disintegrates and his world suddenly becomes a lot more real and a lot more dangerous. Scared to leave the house, Nicky longs for daylight. He employs a gardener to clear the over-grown bushes and vines that have nearly swallowed Thorn Hall whole.The last thing Nicky expects a little light to do is show him something to fight for.Eighteen months in a young offenders’ institute has taught Cai two things: he occupies the playful puppy end of the How Dangerous Are You? spectrum, and he has an unfortunate knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.Desperate for a job, he takes the first offer he gets. Even though Thorn Hall creeps the hell out of him and he barely knows one end of a pair of garden shears from the other.Things start to fall apart when Cai is drawn into Nicky’s strange world of sticky notes and secrets. Cai finds he is now a target, blamed for a crime he didn’t commit. Desperate not to go back to prison, he digs deep and risks all the good things in life to help Nicky run. But now Nicky has someone he wants to protect, he knows he can’t run any more.

Exposed


Ivy Stone - 2015
    But we didn't realize until the damage was done and we had more than just broken bones.Leaving our hearts unguarded only led to destruction.It exposed us both to a war we never saw coming.One explosive encounter brought us together.One infatuation led to a love like no other.One secret tore us apart.Mason & LindseyAn Unguarded Novel

On the Rocks


Kandi Steiner - 2019
    It's what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild. And it's on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.He's trouble. Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble. No matter how many times I repeat it, I can't escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.He sees me—the real me. The me I'm not sure I'm allowed to be.I'm Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor's daughter. Soon to be a politician's wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family's legacy, just like I always knew I would.Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I'm planning is one I even want. Everyone says Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.If only I had listened.

Before That Night


Violet Duke - 2016
    Each of the couples have two books (duets) that take place years apart. This is Caine & Addison's Book 1; Book 2 reunites them seven years later, and concludes their story.The UNFINISHED LOVE SeriesFour Spencer brothers.Each fighting for their second first chance at love.Years be damned.A heartfelt new series from NYT bestselling author Violet Duke.(Caine & Addison) - Summer 2016-- Book 1: Before That Night-- Book 2: Every Night Without You(Gabe & Hannah) - Fall 2016-- Book 3: Before That Kiss-- Book 4: Every Kiss Goodbye(Drew & Skylar) - Winter 2016-- Book 5: Before That Promise-- Book 6: Every Promise Unspoken(Max & Kennedy) - Spring 2017-- Book 7: Before That Chance-- Book 8: Every Chance We Lost

Dissident


Cecilia London - 2015
    After losing her husband, she is raising two small children alone while trying to navigate the tricky and sometimes shallow halls on Capitol Hill. A string of nasty speeches has her scrambling to apologize to any number of candidates, including newly elected Republican Jack McIntyre. Falling in love again is the last thing on her mind.Jack McIntyre might have a reputation as a playboy, but he has his sights set solely on his new colleague. Can he break through Caroline’s grief and capture her heart? Told mostly in flashback and set against a chilling fascist backdrop, Dissident is a rollercoaster ride of political intrigue, passionate contemporary romance, and undying love. For readers 18+. Ends in a cliffhanger. The first part in a six book saga.

Justice for Mackenzie


Susan Stoker - 2015
    But the Lone Star Reaper takes evil to a whole new level, kidnapping and burying women alive. It's Dax's job to help keep San Antonio safe, but even with help from friends in various law enforcement agencies, the killer remains two steps ahead. It's hardly the ideal time for a relationship, but Mackenzie Morgan is too luscious to resist. Dax wants her--which makes her an instant target for his newfound enemy. When the Reaper gets personal, it will take every ounce of Daxton's considerable skill and training to keep Mack alive. **Justice for Mackenzie is the 1st book in the Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

Talon


Sybil Bartel - 2016
    I fuck. I pretend to smile. Two years ago my life was perfect, until it wasn’t. I scattered my wife’s ashes then walked away from the Marines. I didn’t think I had anything left to lose. I was wrong. The blonde showed up on my doorstep beaten and stabbed. I did what I was trained to do — I stitched her up. I didn’t have a clue who she was and I told myself I didn’t care. Until they came looking for her. I swore I’d take my last breath before I let anyone else hurt her, except I didn’t know she was keeping a deadly secret. Now I had two choices, her life or mine. Marriage and combat taught me the same thing — I was no one’s hero. And I was about to prove it. Warning: This book contains offensive language, violence and sexual situations. Mature audiences only.

Malice


Coralee June - 2021
    Don't ask any personal questions.2. Don't show up at her house unannounced.3. Don't ever, ever let anyone know you're friends.For three years, I followed the rules. Vicky and I met once a week at the diner where I worked. I was her slice of normalcy, she was the one person I could confide in. It might have been unconventional, but it worked for us.One night, all hell broke loose and I got caught up in a battle of bloodshed where we almost lost our lives. I ended up face to face with Vicky's dangerous older brothers. Anthony, William, and Nicholas Civella--the made men of the Kansas City Mob.After fighting for my life and proving myself worthy, they brought me into their deadly world. It was glamorous but twisted. Torture, death, and crime followed me everywhere I went, chiseling away at parts of me until I wasn't the same anymore.Slowly, I betrayed my best friend, and fell in love.Chances are they'll ruin me. This thing between us has deadly consequences. But in this criminal world, I'm learning that the rules don't apply when you're the boss.*𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘮 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 18 +. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘦𝘹 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.*

Raise Hell


Ashley Gee - 2020
    And I will do anything to make it happen.Even pretend to fall in love.People like to say that revenge is a dish best served cold. But it takes planning and patience to seek true vengeance when you’ve been wronged.And the best revenge takes time. You have to smile when you want to scream. Laugh, when you want to cry.Play nice, while you dream about going for the jugular.For that, you need boiling rage.I am the cleansing fire that will burn St. Bart’s Prep to the ground.Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord. But I can’t wait on heaven, so instead I’ll raise hell.Coming November 2020

Felony Ever After


Debra AnastasiaPenelope Ward - 2016
    Damn it if that tattoo-covered would-be felon isn’t everywhere now, and lighting everything on fire under her skirt.His name is Hudson Fenn, and he’s frustratingly impossible to pin down. He works as a bike messenger, but has the manners of a prince—along with a strange tendency toward breaking and entering. As much as Verity knows he’s not her type, and likely to land her in jail, she can’t help but find her truest self when they’re together.Can she be brave enough to give Hudson a real chance? Will he be bold enough to reveal the man beneath the ink, or will his secrecy doom their connection? Also, WTF is the deal with Verity’s boss? No less than thirteen of your favorite romance writers have teamed up to tell this sexy, wacky, snort-inducing tale. With them you’ll visit the world’s most irritating office, a VIP room of questionable cleanliness, and the fanciest apartment a bike messenger has ever inhabited, but you’ll still never see this ending coming.

Island Captive


Jane Henry - 2018
    I've seen what he's capable of, and the images will haunt me forever. I swore I'd stop at nothing to put him behind bars.But then our plane back to the States crashes.We are the only two survivors.And the monster will make me wish I'd died along with the rest of them... Please note: This is a dark romance which includes kinky, sexual content and dubious consent.

Hungry Cowboy


Charlize Starr - 2017
    A bad cowboy. A dirty secret. Ready to figure this one out? She used to be like my little sister. Now her curves make me choke on my beer. But she’s broke, and I’m the reason. Not that she knows. It’s my secret. I’ll make it up to her though. I’ll offer her a job. To be the live-in nanny at my ranch. I’ll win her for me with my cowboy abs. Seriously, who can resist those? She’ll be screaming for more before she knows it. All I need to do is keep my secret from her. Or she’ll leave. And I want her to stay. This is a 97-page billionaire romance with a single dad and an innocent girl. It is a stand-alone story with an HEA, so no cliffhangers! Be prepared for panty-melting talk and lots of steam. Most definitely for 18+ readers.

Teach Me


Lola Darling - 2016
    I bring my hand down on her bare ass, just sharp enough to make her feel it, not enough to leave a mark. She inhales sharply, her hips bucking. “And have you, Ms. Reed? Or will I need to reprimand you more thoroughly?”When Harper Reed came to Oxford, her dream was to study modern poetry with the infamous Professor Jack Kingston, NOT to sleep with him. But his lectures are intoxicating, his knowledge captivating, and his accent drops panties faster than Charlie Hunnam on a Saturday night.Harper has never made good decisions when it comes to sex and Jack has never been able to commit, yet there’s something between them that neither of them has felt before. But students and teachers are not supposed to fraternize, even as this out of control connection puts both of their futures on the line.When their forbidden love is tested, can they make the grade?

Code Name: Ghost


Natasza Waters - 2013
    Kayla is intent on leaving her past north of the border. Hired as a Canadian liaison by the US Navy, she finds the Coronado SEALs tough but amiable. Their Commander is another matter. With eyes like blue steel and a body carved from it, Kayla resists the hungry attraction between them for good reason.Navy SEAL Commander Thane Austen (Ghost) treats his women like his missions: in, out and gone. Returning from deployment to find Kayla is his new tactical specialist poses a challenge, one he’s never faced. When the defiant beauty with haunted eyes becomes a serial killer’s target, the Commander has the excuse he needs to close ranks around her. Fear is a word unknown to the legendary SEAL until he realizes love can be as dangerous to a warrior as combat. Convincing Kayla to surrender to him and catching a killer is a mission he won’t fail.A Warriors Challenge seriesBook One - Code Name: GhostBook Two - Code Name: Kayla's FireBook Three - Code Name: Nina's ChoiceBook Four - Code Name: Luminous (Winner of the 2015 "Reward of Novel Excellence" award best suspense)Natasza's newsletter http://nataszawaters.com/subscribe-to...

Bad Boys Break Hearts


Micalea Smeltzer - 2020
    Rich. Hotter than sin. The campus’s reigning bad boy. We knew each other once upon a time, but even if I’m named after a princess, it doesn’t mean my life is a fairytale. My plan is to keep my head down, get my degree, and leave this town.But the moment Mascen Wade recognizes me all my carefully laid plans come crumbling down. He’s decided he wants to make my life a living hell. But I’m not so easy to push around and won’t put up with his bully playground antics. Too bad for me I’ve never been able to resist him.