Book picks similar to
Unlocking Fear by Kennedy Layne


romance
romantic-suspense
suspense
contemporary

Her Bodyguard Swap


Laura Ann - 2020
    now if she just knew who he was! In a show of love and solidarity, Ridge Lockwood retired from the military when one of his identical triplet brothers was rescued from an enemy prison. Now, they've opened Lockwood Industries, a private security firm where they can use their skills to protect those who need it. When a musician he's been crushing on walks through their doors needing help with a fan who's going too far, he's all to willing to step in and play protector, except he doesn't get assigned the case. Everly Madison is content with her life, recording videos from the comfort of her own home and posting them online to a large group of adoring fans. But when one of her followers starts making threatening comments, her idyllic life is turned upside down. Her brother recruits the help of some former military buddies and soon Everly has a bodyguard dogging her every step. Too bad it's not the one who made her stomach flutter when they first met. Desperate to meet the woman he's been watching for so long, Ridge makes a deal with his brother to swap places so he can get to know the beautiful guitar player. Their time together is everything he wished it would be... until Ridge realizes she's falling for the wrong brother! Worried about ruining their business' reputation and with the stalker closing in, Ridge has to make some hard decisions that just might cost him the woman he's been waiting for.

Xavier: The Contract


Miranda P. Charles - 2018
    Now, Xavier not only needs to watch his back--he also has to watch his heart.When Xavier Stirling's father suddenly confesses to fraud, Xavier suspects he's being coerced by a notorious criminal. Then Xavier finds himself the target of false accusations that threaten to ruin his own business. With the police suspecting him of wrongdoing, he desperately looks elsewhere for help. Enter the Indie Rebels--a secret group unsanctioned by law enforcement agencies. But to get their help, Xavier has to become an Indie Rebel himself. His first assignment is to keep journalist Eve Marrin safe--without Eve knowing she's being protected. He's surprised by the strength of his attraction for her. Now Xavier not only needs to watch his back--he also has to watch his heart.For Eve Marrin, her new job as co-lead reporter for a popular public affairs program is a dream come true. She loves nothing more than to uncover scams, unfair business practices and other matters that the public has the right to know about. When she's given a tip to investigate the fitness training business of Xavier Stirling, she soon realizes she needs to build a wall around her heart in order to do her work.***Xavier: The Contract can be enjoyed as a standalone novel in the Indie Rebels series, where steamy, heart-melting romance meets danger, mystery and suspense.

Watching


Calle J. Brookes - 2012
     That thought drove Dr. Georgia Dennis in every decision she made, personal and professional. A profiler with the Complex Crimes Unit of the FBI, she was tired of being second-guessed by her boss Michael “Hell” Hellbrook. Once they caught the sociopath responsible for stoning teenaged girls, she was gone from Hellbrook’s team faster than the ink could dry on the transfer papers. Georgia and Hellbrook are hot on the trail of a sadistic killer targeting women and girls with brown hair and brown eyes—women with a striking resemblance to Georgia. Hellbrook will do anything to protect his team, even the woman he never wanted on it in the first place. By keeping her at his side, he grows closer to her until the flame between them erupts and consumes them both. As they get deeper involved with the case and with each other, they do not realize someone else is watching, someone whose descent into madness threatens everyone around them. Is this watcher their killer, or someone much closer? PAVAD: PREVENTION & ANALYSIS OF VIOLENT ACTS DIVISION: PAVAD—the Prevention & Analysis of Violent Acts Division—is a special directorate of the FBI located in St. Louis. PAVAD was formed by Edward Dennis to combat today’s modern crimes in a modern nation. PAVAD consists of only the best of the FBI’s best, and addresses cases involving everything from kidnapping, money-laundering, extortion, all the way up to RICO violations. The PAVAD directorate has more than a dozen teams ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice to every corner of the United States…

Hide and Seek


Jennifer Hayden - 2011
    When several women close to her are murdered and her former lover is wanted for the crimes, her seemingly perfect world shatters. Her ex disappears, and under a cloud of suspicion, Baylie is forced to leave her job behind and attempt to start over in the big city of Seattle. Just as she settles in, scandal finds her again. Her co-worker disappears and the cryptic phone calls begin. The cycle of murder is repeating itself and Baylie finds herself under fire a second time, with nowhere to run and no place to hide. With no one else to turn to, she joins forces with Detective Dylan Stone. Though Dylan mistrusts her immediately, he realizes there is more to this compelling woman than meets the eye. A long and painful trip through Baylie's past slowly begins to unleash memories locked away so deeply inside the mind of a once traumatized child that they are basically non-existent. Dylan soon realizes that Baylie is the key to a murderer's rage and his protective instincts are aroused. Before long, he finds himself risking not only his job and his sanity, but also his life to keep her safe.This is Book 1 in the Hide and Seek Mystery Series. Book 2 - Unbroken and Book 3 - Collision are available now. For more information check out www.jenniferhaydenbooks.com.

Tender Deceit


H.Y. Hanna - 2014
    Now he could be the man who wants her dead. Leah Fisher returns to her childhood home of Singapore after her father dies in mysterious circumstances and finds that the boy she once loved has become a dangerous, attractive stranger. Who is Toran James and what exactly is he hiding? Suddenly, she discovers that the past holds more secrets than she realised. Was her father's death really an accident? Someone is out to silence Leah - and that someone might be the man she is rapidly falling in love with...again. "a classic romantic suspense mystery in the style of Mary Stewart..." Fast-paced, action-packed romantic suspense filled with intrigue and sizzling tension. The exotic locale and tropical atmosphere of cosmopolitan Singapore adds up to a perfect escapist read.* This is the first part of Leah & Toran's story, which continues in TENDER TREACHERY (Book 2)Books in this Series:TENDER DECEIT (Book 1)TENDER TREACHERY (Book 2)TENDER BETRAYAL (Book 3)Alternate cover edition for 9780992315368

Evidence of Trust


Stacey Joy Netzel - 2014
    It’s a fault that lands her in more danger than she bargains for while camping in the back-country of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases—until he runs into the headstrong blond while investigating disturbing incidents of poaching in the park. Brittany’s imprudent lie of omission awakens ghosts in his past, making the sizzling attraction between them unwelcome. As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

After the Storm


M. Stratton - 2013
    She enjoys the simple things in her beach cottage. Life is finally complete.Noah Matthews is Rock & Roll’s hottest star and on top of the world. After years without a break he finds the solitude he craves at his beach house. Enjoying his early morning coffee, Noah is surprised to see his neighbor sneak into his garden and crawl around.They never saw that fateful morning coming. Someone was watching them. Someone who thought Lexi belonged to him and would stop at nothing to have her.Lives are changed forever when they meet amongst the blooms in his garden. Even when things seem darkest, there is always light After the Storm."A suspenseful, page turning twist on the typical boy meets girl" - Carey Heywood - Author"The perfect combination of funny, creepy and hot. A unique story that will have you begging for more." - Evelyne Stone - AuthorBook Two - Eye of the Storm - Available NowBook Three - Caught in the Storm - Available Friday June 13th 2014

Code Name: Genesis


Sawyer Bennett - 2019
    She was an up-and-coming superstar and I was the security professional hired to keep her safe. We fell hard and fast, no matter how much we tried to resist one another. But not everyone around us was happy about our relationship, and a string of lies and deceit destroyed what we once had. I moved on from her and didn’t look back.Now I’ve taken the helm of a nationally renowned protective services company, and I’m looking to rebrand my career. The newly crowned Jameson Force Security is moving from the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas to the mountainous steel town of Pittsburgh, and the last thing I have time for is to deal with my past.More than a decade has passed since our split, but even a bruised and battered heart remembers its first love. So when Joslyn Meyers comes to me for help, I reluctantly agree to keep her safe from a terrifying stalker who keeps threatening her life.As the danger continues to intensify, it becomes clear that I’ll stop at nothing to protect the woman who turned her back on me all those years ago. Because one thing is certain—no matter how hard I try to convince myself otherwise, Joslyn still has my heart.

Undercover Bachelor


Maria Geraci - 2020
    Embarrassing? Hell, yeah. Then something even worse happens. The Twittersphere erupts with outrage, and single women everywhere suddenly want to date him. Maybe being hounded by hotties is a dream for most guys, but the attention has Sam fleeing his overzealous fans.Annie Esposito thinks love at first sight only happens in the movies. She’s been humiliated in love before, thanks to the Unfortunate Incident, as everyone in her small town still calls it. Even so, when her book club friends cancel their meeting in favor of watching a reality TV dating show, Annie can’t help but be drawn to the self-deprecating and charmingly witty Sam. On a whim, Annie writes Sam a letter pouring out all her pent-up feelings, never dreaming that he’ll actually read it.As the publicity surrounding the show becomes too much to handle, Sam goes to Annie’s hometown on a double mission: hide out from the press and meet the woman who wrote him the smart and quirky letter he can’t stop thinking about. Sam and Annie have a less than auspicious first meeting, but their instant chemistry makes Annie wonder if maybe happily-ever-after really does exist. Still, reality TV and reality are two very different things, and her scarred soul and Sam’s family obligations stand in the way of a Hollywood ending. Can she put aside her painful past—and can he learn to follow his heart—so they can create a real-life fairy tale together?

Rescuing Rayne


Susan Stoker - 2016
    One evening is all the enigmatic man can give her, and Rayne greedily takes it, despite suspecting it will never be enough.Heading home after another extreme mission, Keane "Ghost" Bryson hadn't planned to seduce someone during his layover, but Rayne is too sweet to resist. Being a Delta Force member means lying to protect his identity, which is unfortunate, considering Rayne seems made for Ghost, right down to the tattoo on her back. For the first time in his life, regret fills him as he slips away the following morning.Both are shocked when, months later, they meet again—under the worst possible circumstances. Seems fate has given them a second chance…if they can survive the terrorist situation they're in. If Rayne can forgive Ghost his lies. And if Ghost can trust Rayne to be strong enough to endure the secrets and uncertainty that come with loving a Delta Force soldier.** Rescuing Rayne is the 1st book in the Delta Force Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.

Love at Coco Bay


Kirsty McManus - 2021
    With a recent promotion from receptionist to co-assistant manager—not to mention the ongoing opportunity to live and work with her best friends—everything is perfect.Well, except for one tiny thing. Sasha has never had much luck in the boyfriend department, and the only guy she’s ever been interested in is event planner Dash, a Channing Tatum lookalike who is oblivious to her affections.But when a resort guest insists that Sasha work with Dash on an upcoming wedding, they are suddenly thrust into a three-month-long high-pressure environment. Sasha can no longer hide from Dash, and Dash has no option but to get to know Sasha.As expected, things get off to a rocky start, and when a mystery investor arrives at the island, the situation only gets worse. Sudden changes in the corporate hierarchy and bizarre managerial decisions mean that not only the wedding, but the entire resort’s future is in jeopardy.Can Sasha survive the chaos, make the wedding a success, and end up with her dream guy?She’s going to try.

Reborn


Meredith WildMeredith Wild - 2018
    Days. Weeks. I measure mine in kills. A covert military mission gone wrong robbed me of my memory and any link to my past. This is my existence now. I execute and survive. Nothing more, nothing less. I was ready to write Isabel Foster’s name in my ledger of unfortunate souls until she uttered the one word that could stop the bullet meant for her. My name. She knows my face. She knows me. She’s the key to the memories I’m not sure I want back. Now nothing is simple. I still have a job to do, and my soul isn’t worth saving. I’m not the man she thinks I am. I can’t love her. And sparing her life puts us both in the crosshairs.

Red & Wolfe, Part One


Ella James - 2014
    Worse than that? She's broke. Her boyfriend recently left her, so she's stuck paying her hefty apartment rent alone. After two months unemployed, there's no money left. With no immediate family to turn to, Red reaches out to her estranged grandmother, a reclusive writer living on an island off the coast of Charleston. Several days later, Red receives $30,000 and an invitation to visit. James Wolfe is not Red's grandmother - but he's the only person waiting for her at the boat dock. Red has something he needs. He won't take "no" for an answer, and he doesn't mind screwing her over to get it. He lost his conscience six years ago, when he went off the grid. Since then, life is about him - and the renowned oil paintings he does under the mysterious pseudonym "W." Until the moment he sees her. Then Red is all he wants. And Wolfe will have her - any way he can. * This story is the first of three serials about Red & Wolfe. Red & Wolfe Part I was originally published in The BEND Anthology, a collection of stories from the authors of The Erotica Consortium.

Concrete Evidence


Rachel Grant - 2013
    Now she wants revenge…Accused of stealing artifacts from a five hundred year-old shipwreck, underwater archaeologist Erica Kesling is determined to clear her name. She’s concealed her past and taken a job certain to give her access to the buyer of the missing antiquities. She's finally closing in on her goal, when she's distracted by a sexy, charismatic intern who makes her want something other than revenge.But Lee Scott is no intern. He's looking for the lead conspirator in an international artifact smuggling scheme, and Erica is his prime suspect. He’ll do whatever it takes to win her trust and get her to reveal her secrets, even seduce her.As Erica and Lee struggle to conceal their real agendas, the one thing they can’t hide is the attraction that burns hot between them. When Erica’s quest puts her life in jeopardy, Lee must choose between old loyalties and a woman he never expected to fall for.

Guardian Agent


Dana Marton - 2011
    Recognizing one of the hunters as her teenage crush is definitely a shock to her system. To save her family, she must convince Gabe that her brother was framed. But can she stop from falling in love with him all over again?A fast-paced, heart-pounding romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.