Book picks similar to
V is for Villainous by Danielle Allen


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The Good House


Tananarive Due - 2003
    Working to rebuild her law practice after her son commits suicide, Angela Toussaint journeys to the family home where the suicide took place, hoping for answers, and discovers an invisible, evil force that is driving locals to acts of violence.

Heartbreak Hotel (Bwwm Romance with steamy illustrations)


Kenya Wright - 2017
    

Shawty Got a Thing for a Boss


Mya - 2020
    Four brothers take her in and change her life forever. As Miya and these four men grow closer, relationships begin to change. What happens when Miya catches feelings for one of her best friends? Will she have the support from the others to pursue a relationship, or by chasing romance, will she break the bond between all of them? One thing's for sure, shorty fell for a boss.

A Real Love


Porscha Sterling - 2018
    But when her soon-to-be husband is arrested with federal charges on her wedding day, her life takes a turn in the unexpected. With nowhere to go, she finds herself at the mercy of her best friend, Mona, and her husband, Memphis. But with the past that Memphis and Baby share, things begin to get even more complicated, and taboo emotions that Baby buried long ago threaten to come to the light. When she finds herself weak to resist love’s call, will she be strong enough to do what is right, or will she fall victim to the urgings of her heart?

Sins & Secrets


Jessica Sorensen - 2014
    Betrayal. A double life.Lola Anders isn’t who she seems. Two years ago she ran away from a dangerous life she’d been living since she way born in order to stay alive. She changed her name and reinvented herself into a good girl… at least part of the time anyway. A secretary by day and an escort by night, Lola lives a double life in order to maintain balance and survive. And things are going well, until a ghost from her past shows up out of nowhere.Sexy and dangerous Layton Everett enters Lola’s life again without warning. Not only does Layton know who Lola really is but he also used to work for her family’s sworn enemy . Lola worries he’s shown up to finish the hit put on her two years ago, so she tries to stay away from him, but it’s difficult when he seems to be everywhere. Plus, she’s attracted to him more than she likes to admit.The closer Lola gets to Layton, the more her life gets turned upside. She ends up getting caught up in Layton's dangerous world and ultimately the life she ran away from catches up with her again.**Mature Content Warning** 17+ for language and sexual content.

Ace (The Jacksons Book 1)


Brenda Barrett - 2020
    Ace Jackson Jr. resembled the Wileys and not his father, Ace Jackson Sr. His mother, Celia Jackson, told him to ignore the whispers and the innuendos, he was Ace Sr.’s son and not the son of their former gardener, Micky Wiley. For thirty-six years Ace Jr. managed to do just that. He ignored the speculation because he didn’t want to upset the status quo. However, a part of him was curious as to what was the truth of the situation, but he would honor his mother’s wishes. And then he met and developed feelings for Kiya Brady, the rumored love child of Micky Wiley, and then he realized that maybe he shouldn’t be honoring his mother’s wishes after all…

He Will be My Ruin


K.A. Tucker - 2016
    The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a bottle of Xanax and a handle of Maker’s Mark, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers secrets in the childhood lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man who Celine herself claimed would be her ruin.On the hunt for answers that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Beautiful Lies


Dominique Thomas - 2018
    Somewhere down the line, he’d become a beautiful liar. Detroit socialites Mercy and Mack lived what many would call a beautiful life. They were connected to all of the right people and carried a certain air to them thanks to their last name. All that was asked of them was to stay away from a particular family. Mack was easy to comply, but Mercy found it hard to stay away from the man that she felt a deep attraction to. Quincy refused to let her go, and the more he pulled her into a world where only they existed, the more Mercy began to question everything she thought she knew about her family. For Mack life was simple. She cut hair and spent her downtime with her girlfriend Charity. KD the hottest DJ in Detroit showed Mack what it was like to be with a man and soon she found herself lost in him. Only KD isn’t as open with Mack about his life as she thought he was and soon his secrets become too big for her to ignore. For Ivy and Quinn, they have one thing in common and its Hayward. They both are in love with him and while Quinn is his woman Ivy undoubtedly has a huge place in his life as well. Soon they get entangled in his web of deceit, and it makes them both question if it’s worth it to love a man that clearly only loves himself or if it’s time to move on? This is a re-release, same story, same title, new cover. This is a full novel.

I Think I Might Love You


Christina C. Jones - 2019
     Unfortunately for Kadan Davenport, she also seems to be a magnet for him - even after a disastrous first impression that leaves him - literally - black and blue. Jaclyn is busy trying to find some sort of balance, and Kadan is just trying not to get swept up in the chaos. In a small city like Blakewood, it's hard to avoid each other... especially when each additional encounter makes them wonder if they really want to. "I Think I Might Love You" is a first-in-series novella.

Ruined


B.B. Hamel - 2017
    It’s a dangerous job, but I live for the thrill. I can’t get close to anyone. Women get one night and that’s more than enough.Until I go on a mission to take down a sex slave ring. That’s when I’m first given Riley. She’s innocent and gorgeous, and I know she’s never been touched like this before.She’s mine to train, bend, and break. I don’t want to hurt her. But to keep my cover, I’m going to have to push her limits.And she’s going to love it. She’ll learn to stay down on her knees, obeying my every command.I go easy on her at first, until I realize that she needs it hard almost as much as I do.The mission is complicated. Danger threatens to rip her away from me.But I won’t allow it.I can’t stop until I get everything I want, including her.Ruined is a dark romance with steamy scenes and bad language. It’s only recommended for readers 18+.Ruined is a STANDALONE, full-length novel. No cliffhanger. Guaranteed HEA. Includes bonus content!

When You Look Like Us


Pamela N. Harris - 2021
    No one looks twice at a missing black girl from the projects because she must’ve brought whatever happened to her upon herself. I, Jay Murphy, can admit that, for a minute, I thought my sister, Nicole, got too caught up with her boyfriend—a drug dealer—and his friends.But she’s been gone too long now.If I hadn’t hung up on her that night, she’d be spending time with our grandma. If I was a better brother, she’d be finishing senior year instead of being another name on a missing persons list. It’s time to step up and do what the Newport News police department won’t.Nic, I’m bringing you home.

Rock & Regrets


Cassandra Lawson - 2018
    I was a fool! Austin was no Prince Charming. Rather than sweeping me off my feet, he broke my heart.That was fourteen years ago, and I am completely over Austin. He is in my past, and that’s where he’s going to stay. At least, that’s what I thought until he moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, he’s determined to win me over. It won’t work. I will not think about how good Austin looks playing the drums shirtless, or what an incredible kisser he is. All right, I might think about those things a little, but I’m definitely not going to fall for him again.AustinI’ve never been the guy who rides off into the sunset with the girl and makes all her dreams come true. I’ve always been the rebound guy, the one who helps rebuild a woman’s confidence after a breakup. It hasn’t been a bad gig. I got all the benefits with none of the drama. It was all I wanted until Piper walked back into my life.She’s not ready to forgive me, and I don’t deserve a second chance. I should just leave her alone, but after seeing her smile, I can’t do that. I’m done being the rebound guy. Piper doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make her love me again. This time, I’m not letting her go.

Rattlesnake Road


Amanda McKinney - 2021
    ★♥ Named one of POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books to Have a Spring Fling With ♥Welcome to 1314 Rattlesnake Road—the perfect hideaway to escape your past.After leaving her posh NYC life behind, fashion editor Grey Dalton escapes to the small, southern town of Berry Springs to pick up the broken pieces of her life. On impulse, she purchases a rumored-to-be-haunted house where she finds herself thrown into decade-old murder mystery, and onto the rocky road of recovery and self-discovery. Men are the last thing on her mind—until she meets a tattooed cowboy and a dashing businessman. One will steal her heart, the other, her soul.Rattlesnake Road pushes the boundaries and blends genres in this raw, emotional, no-holds-barred story. ★ "A dark, edge-gripping emotional read." - Obsessive Reads ★★ “sexy, suspenseful romance.” - Publisher’s Weekly Review ★★ "Strong characterization bolsters this profound, romantic tale." - Kirkus Review ★(Due to serious subject matter and mature content, please be aware that this book might be an emotional trigger for some readers.)

Club Alpha


Marata Eros - 2015
    May contain triggers.Francisco “Paco” Castillo is a bilingual billionaire with unconventional ideas about love, sex and possession. He believes there is no other half to make him whole. Paco dreams of experimenting with a dangerous reality not of his own making. Club Alpha owner, Zaire Sebastian, can make Paco's vision a reality—for a price.Greta Dahlem is an extreme sports executive whose ambition masks a terrible secret. When her mentor Gia Township, sponsors her as a player in Club Alpha, Greta's unsure she can survive the inherent risk of the game Zaire weaves. But in her heart, Greta yearns for a man who will complete her, and erase the brutal tragedy of two years ago.As the fantasy progresses, Greta comes to realize she is the loose string in a plot of murder and deception that begins to unravel. Without knowing who to trust, Greta must decide between two men. When the three are thrown together, the lines of reality and fantasy blur.Is there any way for her to know what is real?Cliff-hanger freeStandalone novelHEAPsychological Dark Romantic Suspense.

The Connect's Wife


Nako - 2017
    She was unaware of his lifestyle. A man of his caliber was way out of her reach, yet he chose her anyway. Christian Knight was a man that people only dreamed about in their sleep. Petty hustlers admired him off the strength of stories they heard in the hood. You could walk past Christian Knight in the mall and not know that he was “The Connect." Real men moved in silence. Wealth is quiet, rich is flashy. Christian Knight was more than a man that supplied the streets with the work. He was a mogul, a self-made billionaire who found comfort, peace and joy in the arms of Farren, a woman almost ten years younger than he was. Many people never expected him to settle down or to be so open with his affection. Despite what he heard about her, he chose her to wear his last name and to become, “The Connect’s Wife."