Empathy


Ker Dukey - 2014
    They say some people are born with decreased activity in the front central lobe causing them a deficiency in empathy. Maybe that’s true about me but whether I was born this way or created in a moment of evil, empathy was something I didn’t possess until her green eyes met mine in the mirror and I couldn’t take her life. I didn’t want to feel, didn’t want this woman in my life complicating how I lived but she was there at every turn. Sent to haunt me for my sins. Her light so bright she provoked a shadow from everyone she touched. When a job turns bad quickly altering my life forever I’m forced to feel. When nothing is making sense I’m forced to face truths I never would recover from. When life drowns you in its cruelty you don’t know which way the current will drag you or who you’ll become once you re-surface. Melody:I was a daughter I was a studentI was a victimDid I have his love? Did I make him feel?Did I have his empathy?When the actions of a soulless killer forces sorrow into my veins I never dreamed the man healing my wounds would be the one to leave the worst scar. His love would scar my soul. Scars are permanent; I will never feel the relief from them. Will I learn to live with them, remember why I have them and learn never to let him close enough to inflict more? Will I eventually cover them… like tattoos coating them with new memories, new love and new starts? I didn’t know these answers because the pain was too suffocating, the only thing I knew was they will always be under the surface lingering. He had scars too, from his sins. There is nothing that can cover them, they were too deep, too ugly, too dark and they marked us both forever.Warning: This book will mess with your mind. It is a very dark, sexy, twisted romance novel. 18+ only.

When Rivals Fall


J.L. Beck - 2019
     Two years ago she set us up, tainted our family image, ruined my brother’s life. She made it personal. It was no longer just a rivalry between our parents. Now she’s here, at Bayshore University, without her family’s protection. There’s nothing to stop us from getting our revenge on her, no one to tell us enough is enough. And so my brothers and I have devised a plan. We’ll break her, have her falling at her knees for us in no time, and then we’ll send her back to her family with a warning… Cross the Bishops again and you’ll pay. *** HARLOW I’ve despised the smug, stupidly gorgeous Bishop brothers since I was a small child. Our families rivalry was one that started years before us and one that I wanted to end. I was tired of being my parent's puppet, tired of the games, of the hate. All I wanted was to enjoy college and move on with my life. But your past can never stay hidden, right? When the Bishop brothers turn up at my school I have no place to run. I know then they’ll make certain I pay for every single bad-mouthed remark I or my parents ever made about them. At Bayshore, I’m at their mercy and they won’t stop until my heart is a bleeding mess. AUTHOR NOTE: This is a reverse harem college bully romance that contains subject matter not suitable for all readers.

Low


Mary Elizabeth - 2016
    Lowen Seely has a criminal record to prove it. Determined not to follow in his father's footsteps, he fights instinct and tries honesty. But hunger becomes painful, and bills are due. Forced to choose between what is right and wrong, the boy from the hood learns abiding by the rules is nearly impossible when corruption is in your blood. Falling for an outlaw has changed everything. Poesy Ashby is the definition of ride or die, even when it means turning her back on freedom. The girl from the suburbs gives conformity the middle finger. Bonnie and Clyde have nothing on her love story. On the run with consequences in the rearview mirror, Lowen and Poesy accept the truth: they are the bad guys. But can they get away with their crimes?

Ugly


Margaret McHeyzer - 2015
    Contains violence and some explicit language.

Clash


C.A. Harms - 2012
    Time to live. Too much of my life had already been taken from me by a man that should have protected me. At the hands of pure evil I have lived in fear. When most young women were learning to love, I was fighting to live. I had broken free of the hate. Finally getting the chance to feel what real love was, but with all good things, bad times seem to follow. At least for me it does. My name is Payton Walters and I refused to allow them anymore of my freedom. I will not fall… Not this time.

The Rules of Regret


Megan Squires - 2013
    Her boyfriend of six years just left for a high-powered summer internship, though in reality he’s been absent for much longer than that. This newfound freedom wasn’t a part of Darby’s plans, but as she’s come to discover, plans only exist on paper, not in reality.And guys like Torin Westbrook aren’t supposed to exist in reality, either. But he does, with his disheveled curly hair, irresistible dimples, and endearingly quirky habit of reciting quotes from classic movies and ancient thinkers. When Darby meets Torin as a fellow counselor at the survival camp she impulsively applies to, she’s certain his main goal is to turn her world upside-down. But Darby’s not sure she can adapt to Torin’s ways of viewing his past and the tragedies he's faced. Because she’s had her own share of heartache, too, and as much as she wants to believe that it’s all been for a purpose, her grief hasn’t allowed her to get to that point. Yet the more Darby is around Torin, the more she craves the freedom to break out of her carefully constructed routine and mindset and fall into something new. She’s just not sure that she should be falling for Torin along the way.(The Rules of Regret is a non-explicit, young/new adult romance.)

Revenge


Dana Delamar - 2012
    And I want Kate Andretti with a fire that burns me to ash.Carlo Andretti wants Kate too… and my fortune, my estate, my empire. Most of all, he wants my death. Just as I want his.The vendetta between our families is old and deep. Only one of us can win, and only one of us can have Kate. Carlo believes that he can take what’s mine, that he can break me and make me crawl.But I’m Enrico Lucchesi.And a Lucchesi always gets what he wants.KATE ANDRETTIMy mother always said my impulsiveness would get me into trouble. She was right. Marrying a man I barely knew, letting him take me to Italy… not my best decisions.Especially when I now know what the “family business” really is.I want out of this life, and I want out of Italy. But the only person willing to help me escape the Andrettis is Enrico Lucchesi. And he wants me to stay in this world that I can’t bear to be part of.The vows these men take talk about “blood and honor.”But I know what this life is: it’s blood and danger. It’s blood and death.And I’m not ready to be a Mafia don’s wife.

Crashing Back Down


Kristen Hope Mazzola - 2013
    Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy's best friends and parents. Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.**18+ for sexual situations, cursing, and adult content.***

Pieces of Me


Ann Garner - 2013
    When she starts her freshman year at Cedar Mountain University, she isn't focused on making friends or falling in love. She just wants to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and fit them back together the best she can.Cole Marsh hadn't settled down since getting his heart broken three years before. But one look at the sexy brunette with the sad blue eyes and he’s lost. But can he convince her to trust him enough to put the past behind her?

Nothing Left to Lose


Kirsty Moseley - 2013
    Three years after the tragic events of Anna’s sixteenth birthday which saw her boyfriend killed and her kidnapped by his sadistic murderer, she’s no longer the happy-go-lucky girl that everyone used to know and love; she’s now cold, hard and suffers from night terrors. Carter is currently serving time for the murder of Jack–a conviction that Anna helped secure–but his retrial is coming up because some key evidence appears to have been tampered with. Needing to ensure his daughter’s safety, presidential candidate, Senator Spencer, tasks in Ashton Taylor, a newly qualified SWAT agent, to guard the broken girl and keep her safe until the end of the trial. For three years Anna has refused to feel emotion or pain. Can Ashton help her rebuild her life and finally deal with the grief of losing her childhood sweetheart? Will he be the one to make her see that life is, in fact, worth living and that not all men will hurt her? Author's note: This edition contains Part 1 (Guarding the Broken) and Part 2 (Blurring the Lines) and combines them into one novel of epic proportion! Librarian's note: This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00GGMQLFO.

Someday Girl


Melanie Shawn - 2014
    Going away to college meant a fresh and new start for the girl who lived locked away in a prison of insecurities. She was ready to experience new things and meet new people. But she wasn’t ready for him…Jace Butler had experienced things that no person should have to. Trying to come to terms with his past and live in the present was a constant struggle for the man whose demons lie dormant beneath the skin of his rippling body and sexy smile. But when she walked into his life, the chance for a better life came with her…After finding each other, Cat and Jace also find that both past and present issues are trying to ruin their chance for a better future. Issues that will have to be dealt with for once and for all…together or apart.

Lost in Us


Layla Hagen - 2014
    But when her boyfriend of six years abruptly leaves her, she’s catapulted back into pain, nursing a broken heart. When indulging in mountains of chocolate doesn’t work, Serena decides the best way to deal with her shattered heart is to indulge in something else. A rebound... The night she swaps her usual Sprite for tequila, she meets James. The encounter is breathtaking.Electrifying.And best not repeated. James is a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. A man who has amassed a fortune by taking risks. A man who has shunned commitment completely, and still does. He’s the exact opposite of Serena. But sometimes opposites attract. Sometimes they give in to burning passion. Sometimes opposites are perfect for each other. James is everything her damaged soul could want. His kisses are intoxicating, his touch out of this world. He makes her forget. He grants her peace from her pain. But as they grow closer, Serena discovers she isn’t the only one with a past. James carries the scars of a past much darker than hers. One that has left him damaged, hurt, and wary of love. A past that gives him the power to shatter her. Now James and Serena must find a way to mend one another. Or risk losing each other forever.

Heartless


Catou Martine - 2013
    Now she’s ready to face the future. College is on the horizon, and she’s enjoying a quiet summer in LA. The last thing she’s prepared for is a hot guy jumping into her convertible while she's stopped at a traffic light.Josh Hansen is Heather's opposite. He's fearless and sexy, racing through life on his motorcycle. And he always takes a leap when Fate gives him a wink. He can't resist the wide-eyed, pretty blonde who seems afraid of the world. Josh is determined to push Heather's boundaries, body and soul. She's afraid of her awakening feelings, and wants to take things one step at a time, but Josh isn’t used to driving in the slow lane, and soon they are speeding into passion and love.When their darkest secrets come to light, Heather and Josh are forced to confront the painful past and either find forgiveness, or lose their love forever.GENRE: New Adult Contemporary Romance. Ages 17 +

Beware


Shanora Williams - 2014
    Very bad. After losing my brother, I know I should stay away. So why can’t I? He’s irresistible. He’s confident. He’s amazing… but he’s dangerous. He was there the night my brother was murdered. He watched it all go down. I should stay away. The things I saw weren’t acceptable. I should want Ace as far away from me as possible—I should consider him a monster and a threat—but when my life is at stake I know I no longer have a choice of the matter. He's the only one that can protect me. He's done what he can to keep me out of danger, but it's not enough. I need answers. I need the truth. He refuses to give it to me, and because of that I don't trust him. He refuses to tell me what really happened and to just forget about it but I refuse. I won’t back down until I get answers. But there’s one thing wrong with getting too many answers. It leads to lies. It leads to trouble. It leads to danger. But worst of all, it leads to me falling deeply and madly in love with him. I’ve gotta be out of my mind. London Stallone hasn’t always had the perfect life, but she did have the perfect older brother. He did everything for her. He took care of her when no one else would. He’s always been the shoulder she could lean on, but when he ends up murdered, things turn for the worst. London soon demands answers, and the first person she runs to is her brother’s co-worker and good friend, Donovan “Ace” Crow. Ace isn’t the ordinary guy. He doesn’t come equipped with flowers and chocolate. He doesn’t hand out smiles and hugs to every female he meets. He’s strict and only about business, and London believes he’s a part of the reason her brother was murdered. Soon, after finding out life-threatening news, it leads to something Ace never thought he’d have to do for anyone. Protect her. Although he doesn't want her to get hurt, it doesn't stop him from being selfish or bitter. He's promised to protect her, but has he done enough ? Has he sacrificed everything in order to keep London out of harms way? Sometimes love can get in the way of your priorities. And sometimes love can easily become your enemy—your worst nightmare. It can destroy you. This is a story full of dishonesty. Disloyalty. Broken hearts. Pain. Suffering. Lies. Destruction. This isn’t a fairytale love story. This is real. And it just might break you. You’ve been warned… BEWARE. *91K words*

Take a Gamble


Rachael Brownell - 2014
    One chance meeting. One devastating phone call.MacKenna Trist is not happy about spending a month with her family in Myrtle Beach. She would rather be at home, hanging out with her friends, before starting her senior year of high school. That is, until she meets the guy staying in the beach house next door. Roe Gamble is speechless when he first lays eyes on Mac. Normally, pretty girls are his specialty but not this girl. From this girl, he wants more. More of everything. More than she can give him. Most importantly, more time to show her how he feels about her.But time is working against them in more ways than one. How much time do you really need to fall in love? What would you gamble to hold onto it?