Book picks similar to
Stripped by Tara Wyatt


romance
contemporary
arc
contemporary-romance

The Money Man


Nancy Herkness - 2020
    He’s Manhattan high finance. Together they ignite in a novel about unexpected love and danger by Nancy Herkness, award-winning author of the Wager of Hearts series.New Jersey bookkeeper Alice Thurber has a carefully constructed risk-free life. Everything in perfect balance. Until little discrepancies show up in her clients’ accounts. Most would ignore it. Not the impeccably precise Alice. In desperation she reaches out to a high-powered consulting firm for help. New York City’s movie-star handsome financial wizard Derek Killion reaches back. All he has to do is smile and Alice’s fantasies stir. A girl can dream, can’t she?A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.

Irresistible Force


D.D. Ayres - 2014
    She just knows he’ll make a terrific watch dog—and with an abusive ex who won’t let go, she needs all the protection she can get. But Shay never suspected that her new pet is actually a trained police K-9 named Bogart—until Bogart’s even more gorgeous, human partner shows up on her doorstep.Officer James Cannon is one tall, strong alpha male who’s convinced that Shay stole his dog. But once he gets closer to the suspect, he realizes that this stubborn, independent woman not only needs a guard dog, she needs James as well. It seems that someone from her past is stalking her, and threatening her life. When danger meets desire, will James risk his career and his best friend…to protect the woman who’s stolen his heart?

Red Heat


Nina Bruhns - 2011
    She also has a phobia about large bodies of water. Needless to say, she is horrified when she is ordered at the last minute to join an international team of scientists going deep under the frigid waters of the Arctic on an ancient Russian rust bucket of a submarine. Her mission: to recover a tiny data card hidden somewhere on the sub by a murdered CIA mole…and while she’s at it, acquire the sub’s arrogant but annoyingly attractive commander as the asset’s replacement.When Julie’s life is suddenly threatened by an enemy agent hunting the same hidden microcard, she must turn to her nemesis for help. But the killer handsome Russian captain is hiding his own shocking secrets…Or this hot…Daring rogue submarine driver Captain Nikolai Kirill Romanoff is having the worst year of his life. Unfairly disgraced and demoted to driving the oldest, most dilapidated excuse for a diesel submarine in the entire Russian Navy, Nikolai’s youthful KGB past has come back to haunt him in a way he never anticipated: a compulsory undercover mission that will require all his considerable skill as an operative , a submariner…and as a man. Nikolai, his crew, and nine innocent scientists are now hovering at the bottom of the Bering Strait in a 2000 sq foot tin coffin, under attack from an unknown enemy, and he must extract information vital to their survival from a beautiful American spy—by any means necessary.As Nikolai and Julie frantically join forces to save the floundering vessel from a treacherous blitz attack that threatens to send them all to a watery grave, the two former adversaries find themselves fighting a losing battle against a sizzling attraction that far surpasses international borders, ancient hurts, and a ruthless common enemy.

Touching Sin


J. Saman - 2018
    That her name is as fake as her story. She’s barged into my life like a beautiful nightmare, turning everything upside down. It hasn’t stopped me from trying to help her. Protect her. Save her from the threats that seem to come out of nowhere. She’s put my entire world at risk. My reputation. My business. My livelihood. But Mia brought me back to life. And I will do anything to save hers. Mia I was running for my life the night I met Jake. Broken down on the road to nowhere. Lost. Homeless. Scared out of my mind. I don't care. I’m willing to risk it all to start over. Desperate to hide and never be found again. But it doesn't take much for Jake to break down my defenses. A soft word. A gentle touch. He becomes mine, but more importantly, I become his. Until the nightmare of my past shows up, pissed off as hell… *This book contains material that might be offensive for some or elicit a strong emotional response.

The Legendary Shiver


J.H. MacAl - 2020
    What she doesn’t know is he’s in love with her. And like Ruby, he craves success, but in hopes that it’ll make him worthy of her.In New York, they journey through the treacherous music industry. As Ruby rises to fame, they find themselves surrounded by scandals and shady icons. And when she has to battle her demons under the spotlight, what began as a dream-come-true becomes a dangerous trial to their friendship that raises the questions: how far is one willing to go to protect a friend? What if such friend commits an act that can end up with her incarceration? Finally, how do you find the power to tell someone you feel undeserving of that you love her?

Dangerous Refuge


Elizabeth Lowell - 2013
    He's a suspicious big city cop come home to the historic Davis family ranch to settle his uncle's estate. She's working for an environmental conservancy that acquires and protects old ranches-and she wants to preserve the Davis homestead.When the suspicious death of Tanner's uncle at his ranch throws the two opposites together, tempers flare and sparks fly. While they have trouble seeing eye to eye, Shaye and Tanner agree on one thing: they need to uncover the truth.Combining their unique skills-Shaye's low-key approach and local connections and Tanner's experience as a homicide detective-the unlikely pair share long nights in the pursuit of justice. Before they know it, the friction they generate turns to heat, igniting a burning love neither ever expected to find.They believe passion this intense cannot last. But when Shaye becomes a killer's target, Tanner realizes he'd give up anything to protect her-including his life.

Kiss Marry Kill


Sidney Halston - 2017
    Now she's an internationally famous musician and he's officially out of the military, but when their worlds collide, can they keep things strictly professional? Sweet, thrilling, emotional, and sexy, fall in love with Megan and Jax in USA Today bestseller Sidney Halston's Kiss Marry Kill.He's been chasing a memory . . .It was just supposed to be a regular Thursday afternoon…and then he saw her. Sitting in seat L214, one seat over from his at the baseball game, right next to her douche of a soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend. An impromptu kiss for the kiss cam, and Jax knew his life would never be the same. Five years and a tour in Afghanistan later, Jax is back stateside running his own private security firm, Iron-Clad, with his best friend. He isn't the man he used to be... but Megan isn't the sexy and sweet, though sheltered, twenty-two-year-old he left behind, either. And she's in trouble. ...but now they're on the run.Megan Cruz has made something of herself. She’s turned her dreams of pop stardom into a reality. But when a deadly stalker breaks into her home claiming to be her number-one fan, the only person she can turn to is the boy who got away. But Jax isn’t the same carefree charmer who stole her heart, then broke it when he joined the military. This man is seductive, hard, guarded. And he'll do anything to protect what's his.

Submerged


Lacey Black - 2016
    That’s all it was supposed to be. Blake Thomas’ entire career as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation has led up to this one job: submerging himself in a lifestyle of fast cars and even faster women. He’s deep undercover, building a case to bring down an intricate criminal ring of car thieves in Las Vegas, with no time to think about the one woman he can’t seem to forget. He never imagined his past would become tangled with his present, threatening to be his downfall. Two years ago, Carly Mathewson planned for a one-night stand with a perfect stranger. What she didn't count on was being reminded of him every time she looked into the emerald eyes of the daughter they unexpectedly created. Since that night, she's devoted herself to keeping her life simple. But when her past refuses to stay buried, she's determined to do everything she can to keep it from jeopardizing what she's worked so hard to achieve. Suddenly, everything and everyone Carly has known aren't quite what they seemed. Every present has a past. Before they can secure a future together, Blake and Carly are forced to admit that their lives are linked by so much more than just that one night. Without warning, they’re bound together for life.

Far Gone


Laura Griffin - 2014
    Disgraced and disillusioned, she's on leave from her job when she gets an urgent call from her younger brother. She'd prefer to ignore his latest plea for cash, but this time instinct tells her something is very wrong. Andrea's search for answers takes her to a dusty Texas border town where danger lurks in plain sight and nothing is quite what it seems. FBI agent Jon North is working undercover in west Texas investigating an unsolved murder that may be linked to a broader plot. But when the evidence points to Andrea's brother, Jon finds that persuading the stubborn cop to help will be harder than cracking his toughest case. Andrea must find a way to do what's right while protecting her only sibling. As the clock ticks down on a deadly plot, Andrea and Jon race to confront a heartless killer who will stop at nothing to deliver a final, terrifying message.

Tainted by Love


Gillian Jones - 2017
    We loved hard.But our love was tainted.My name is Trinity Adams.When I was twenty-seven, I fell in love with a boy.We loved fast. We loved hard.It’s too bad my blood was tainted. Warning: Not your traditional HEA. May contain emotional triggers for some. There will be things that you won't like and some you will, but I hope you have fun finding out!

The Cocky Thief


Mallory Crowe - 2017
    Austin Miles can get into any building, safe or vault in the world if he wanted to,but when a former cop obsessed with revenge threatens his most important asset,his reputation, he finds himself accepting a job that even the best would balk at. The only silver lining as he's putting his life on the line is the sexy,mysterious Jennifer Murray. Somehow when he's flirting with her the threat of death doesn't seem quite so bad. Jennifer Murray thought she was going to her eccentric's mother's wedding. The only thing that made the ordeal bearable was the tall dark and handsome man across the hall from her. But when she learns her mother's true motives for elaborate wedding, it becomes apparent that this isn't a party. It's a job. With both Jennifer and Austin after the same payday, there can only be one winner. But no one ever said the score of a lifetime would be easy...

Crossing the Line


Lucy Score - 2016
    Xavier Saint's by-the-book rules are thrown out the window when he finds himself crossing lines to keep his beautiful client in line. His business is protecting clients-often from themselves-and as co-founder of one of the top private security firms in the country, he's seen it all. But when he's contracted to protect Waverly Sinner, the stunning and rebellious actress, he finds that some rules are made to be broken. Waverly Sinner is a second-generation Hollywood goddess living in the gilded cage of expectations. She's reluctantly playing her role while counting down the days to her escape from the life she never chose. But meeting sexy, rule-bound Xavier Saint slams the door shut on her own private prison. She doesn't trust him and will do anything to shake him loose. Sparks fly and ignite when Waverly and Xavier's agendas clash. But when a dangerous stalker threatens her life, can Waverly trust Xavier to stand between her and a potential killer? Or will their growing feelings for each other endanger them both? Author's Note: This is the first novel in a two-book series. The stories take place five years apart so my astute readers can guess that this one doesn't have the happily ever after we all love. But I promise, I more than make up for it with the conclusion of Xavier and Waverly's story in Breaking the Rules.

Riskier Business


Tessa Bailey - 2015
    And this time, there are no rules…After a life of pool hustling and living on the wrong side of the law, Ruby Elliott is living on the straight and narrow with sexy-as-all-hell NYPD detective, Troy Bennett. Now the only trouble Ruby has with the law is the naughty kind, pinned against the wall by Troy's strict and spectacularly hard body. Obeying his every command. Both of them losing themselves in a lust that borders on obsession...But then her father returns with an offer she can’t refuse: one last hustle in exchange for information. Information she’d die to have. As the pieces and the players of the game reveal themselves, Troy feels the fine edges of his control slipping—control he can’t channel without hurting Ruby. The stakes are high, and the risk higher. Because losing this final game could cost more than Ruby’s heart…it might cost her life.

Just One Night


Kyra Davis - 2013
    Kasie Fitzgerald knows who she’s supposed to be. She’s a rising-star-workaholic at a global consulting firm. She’s the fiancée of a well-connected man who’s won the approval of her parents. People know that she’s reliable, serious, proper, cautious, pragmatic, and yes, a little predictable. She’s who Dave and her family want her to be. But as her thirtieth birthday looms, buried feelings begin to resurrect. Her friend takes her to Vegas for one last wild and crazy night. In a dress much shorter and sexier than anything she has ever dared to wear before, she hits the blackjack tables. And meets him. Under the tailored clothes it’s clear that this is a man who is intense, powerful, and maybe even a little dangerous. With a touch of trepidation she accepts his invitation to get a drink, and before long, she’s in his hotel room. She never gets his full name. Perhaps his anonymity is one of the reasons she’s able to give herself over to him and to the moment so completely. Perhaps it’s why she’s just had the most exquisite and passionate sex of her life. Shaken by her own behavior, Kasie tries to chalk it up to one crazy night. But when the mysterious gentleman she’s just had a fling with shows up in her office—as the CEO of a firm her company does a billion dollars of business with a year, demanding that she handle his account, and so much more—things will never be the same again. And there’s no telling where this will go…

Cross My Heart


Carly Phillips - 2006
    As the owner of Odd Jobs, she's gone from rags to riches...sort of. Because Lacey's harboring a secret -- she was born Lillian Dumont, and spent her childhood with a silver spoon in her mouth, until the deaths of her wealthy parents and the evil schemes of an abusive uncle forced her to take drastic measures. She'd never planned to return to her former life or her abandoned identity -- but when her childhood sweetheart, Ty, resurfaces and urges her to claim her rightful inheritance, she decides that maybe being the Dumont heiress wouldn't be so bad. Lacey's uncle doesn't see it that way, though -- and he's willing to do anything to stop her.Now, it's up to Ty to protect Lacey before that silver spoon becomes a silver bullet. But if they live through this, the future's looking bright for this downtown guy and his brand-new uptown girl!