Book picks similar to
Like No One Else by Maureen Smith


romance
african-american-romance
aa-romance
romantic-suspense

Just Say The Word


Tiffany Patterson - 2019
     And I don’t do women that need rescuing. Then why am I so drawn to her? Sandra Robinson. Even her name sounds unsullied. She isn’t my type. So, when I found myself thinking about her after the one dance we shared at my best friend’s wedding, I was confused. Months later, when she was left stranded, I began rearranging the entirety of my schedule to be her chauffeur, I grew suspicious. Of myself. I’ve taken care of my family since the age of thirteen. I’ve spent over a decade building up my real estate business to become one of the most well known in the city of Williamsport. And I dated women who didn’t go speechless at a simple request to dance. That isn’t who I am. Then why is this woman with eyes the color of maple syrup, and a ten year old daughter who is her mirror image, causing me to spend my days and nights thinking about her? And why am I so ready to put my own personal demons to the side, just to win her heart? Because, make no mistake, that is what I’m after. I don’t intend on losing. But winning this game will require patience to break down the barriers she’s erected around her heart. Once they’re down, I don’t plan on letting up. Anything or anyone that gets in my way is in trouble. All she has to do is just say the word.

Sultry Storm


Celeste O. Norfleet - 2009
    But from the moment she comes to the rescue of a rain-soaked stranger, another kind of storm rages.Stephen Morales thinks he's dreaming when he sees the sultry beauty tending to his wounds by candlelight. And he wants more than shelter from the storm. Soon the sexy deputy sheriff is tempting Mia to throw caution to the gale-force winds and give in to a night of passion neither will forget.But a new tempest is gathering, swirling around a tumultuous family secret that threatens their future. With the Florida Keys erupting, Mia and Stephen can play it safe—or risk everything for a love that's sweeping them beyond danger, beyond deception…beyond anything they've ever known.

Smart and Sexy


Jill Shalvis - 2007
    Noah is a bad-boy rebel who's always gone his own way, but when the stowaway on board turns out to be his secret crush, he'll make it his mission to keep the passenger satisfied. . . Flying Solo Is Way OverratedNoah Fisher has worked for months to make Sky High the most prestigious charter airline in California. He's long overdue for a break--something involving ski slopes, cold beers, and hot ski bunny babes, not necessarily in that order. The itinerary doesn't include being hijacked by Bailey Sinclair, gorgeous widow of one of Sky High's wealthiest (ex-) clients. But here they are, and being crammed in a cockpit with the scared, stubborn, unbelievably sexy former model he's been fantasizing about invokes Superman tendencies that could get Noah in serious trouble.Bailey is desperate to find the stash of money hidden by her conniving, thieving late husband--before the bad guys he owed find her. It's a long shot, but nothing compared to the gamble she's taking by being so close to Noah. Every minute in his company has Bailey thinking about doing crazy, reckless things like touching, grabbing, kissing. . .and oh wow, being kissed right back. Suddenly, seat-of-your-pants seems like the only way to fly, and maybe it's the altitude playing tricks, but this is one trip she never wants to end. . .

Love Me Like No Other


A.C. Arthur - 2006
    He's never stopped thinking about her since that one hot night years ago. Now she's in his debt! Of course, he doesn't want her money....At first, Jade's outraged--pose as his fiancée for one week or he'll call the police! But then...how about some sweet revenge? So while he's playing Mr. Seducer, she'll be Miss Tease. Before the week is up, she'll have him on his knees--just before she walks away! That is, if she can convince her heart she's not still in love....

Legal Seduction


Sharon C. Cooper - 2014
    Yet around her new client's guardian, she loses all composure. Atlanta club owner Nash Dupree is an infamous playboy who could compromise Iris's heart as well as her case. For once, she feels like a curvy goddess instead of a straitlaced lawyer—even if the evidence suggests what he's looking for is strictly short-term. No matter what the tabloids claim, Nash has made his teenage niece his first priority, and without Iris's help he'll lose guardianship. What began as seduction, a sweet thrill, has turned into something more—now he wants Iris forever. But proving his intentions means winning her trust before his reputation drives away the only woman who has ever captivated him, body and soul….

The Real Deal


Alexandra Warren - 2016
    She has a wonderful, fulfilling job working at the local community center. She has her own place and a comfortable lifestyle. The only thing she’s missing is someone to share it all with. Unfortunately, the second she thought she may have found the one was only a few short months before she found his fiancé. And now, the only way she can prove that she has really moved on from him is by showing off her new man. But there’s only one problem. The new man doesn’t actually exist. Insert Gavin. An innocent bystander and up-and-coming rapper caught in the chess match of Reagan’s game on his first day of community service. When she desperately needs him to fulfill the role as her boyfriend to save face, Gavin quickly finds ways to also benefit from their arrangement. But what happens when the line between fulfilling a role and real companionship begins to blend? Can something that starts off as a deal between two strangers actually turn into something real?

Junk 'n' her Trunk


Marie Rochelle - 2008
    He wanted her the second their eyes connected…but sometimes things aren’t meant to be… Khastity Chase couldn’t believe the sexy Hawk James even knew her name. She secretly wondered what it would be like to be with him. However after one bad comment followed by a disastrous night shoved them apart. One night or can there be more?

All of Me


Sheryl Lister - 2014
    She intends to unwind and enjoy a luxurious Caribbean cruise without the presence of her cheating ex-boyfriend. But surprisingly all it takes is the deliciously sculpted form of chivalrous businessman Damian Bradshaw to turn Karen's head and change her mind… Damian's friends are determined to save him from his widowerhood—and self-imposed celibacy. But no one is more shocked than Damian when Karen catches his attention and awakens his desire. Something about her ignites an insatiable need that neither of them can deny. The chemistry is inexplicable. But once back on dry land, real life awaits—along with their pasts. Will the promise of a bright future be enough to rehabilitate their reluctant hearts?

Dirty Kisses


Kenya Wright - 2018
    He was the boss. He walked like one, like he owned the ground his feet stepped on. Like he owned the air that we all breathed in. Like he could eat up the universe, if he wanted to. Someone killed Rumi, the Russian Mafia's top washer in New York. Kazimir, the head of the Bratva, has come to NY to find the murderer. They call him The Russian Lion, known for having over two hundred kills. By the age of twenty, the FBI placed him ten steps away from Usama Bin Laden on the Most Wanted List. To kill his washer begins a dark and deadly war. Unfortunately, Emily falls on Kazimir's radar. Her brother is suspected of being involved in the murder. To save her brother, she is forced to launder Kazimir's money; but she's a perfect fit for the job. Known as a con to others, called a hustler by many, she's the best washer in Harlem, keeping low-key gangsters on their toes. At first, Kazimir and Emily have a tricky arrangement based on fear and danger. Her working for him is like balancing on a tight rope. He's a monster wrapped in a gorgeous package. Still, there's an air of sensuality around him that makes her forget sometimes how terrifying he can be. Sexual tension heats up between the two, but one violent night changes everything, pitting everyone against each other--Russians, Jamaicans...anyone in Harlem with a gun. Kazimir and Emily must somehow learn to trust each other before they end up being one of the dozens of dead bodies left on the streets of New York.But there are hidden secrets and twists intertwined with Rumi's murders. When the truth comes to light, Kazimir's money won't be the only thing that's dirty. And, unfortunately, their rising attraction may not survive.From the Erotica Bestselling Author of No Ordinary Love, Filthy Lies, and Power. Steamy sex and mind-blowing suspense collide in this BWWM Romance of a Russian mafia boss and the one street smart woman he can't control.

She Can Run


Melinda Leigh - 2011
    Handsome and wealthy, with a sparkling public image, Richard seemed like the perfect man to provide the security that Beth and her kids were craving. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret about her new husband, Beth realizes he will go to any lengths—even murder—to keep it. After barely escaping with her life, she and her children flee. They eventually make their way to a secluded estate in the Pennsylvania countryside, where Beth dares to hope she has found a safe place at last…Forced into retirement by an unexpected injury, Philadelphia homicide detective Jack O’Malley is mourning the loss of his career when his uncle abruptly dies, leaving Jack to dispose of his crumbling country house. Unbeknownst to him, his uncle engaged a caretaker just before his death, a mysterious woman with two children and a beautiful face that haunts his dreams. Determined to know her, Jack begins an investigation into Beth’s past. When he uncovers the shocking truth, and a local woman is viciously murdered, Jack puts his own life on the line to keep Beth and her children safe.She Can Run is a sexy, satisfying debut from award-winning author Melinda Leigh, packed with enough suspense and romance to get even the tamest heart racing!

Haunted


Heather Graham - 2003
    . .When does a gift become a curse?Matt Stone doesn't believe in ghosts. But there are those who are convinced his home, a historic Virginia estate that dates back to the Revolutionary War, is haunted. Pressured to get at the truth about some strange happenings at Melody House, he agrees to let Harrison Investigations explore the house. But he isn't ready for beautiful, intriguing Darcy Tremayne.As a paranormal investigator, Darcy has learned to believe in the unbelievable. And she's given Matt fair warning: sometimes people don't like the skeletons she finds. She never dreamed that the warning would apply to herself. For she's about to discover that Melody House holds much more than a simple mystery form the distant past. What it holds is a very real and lethal danger, one that will cast her into a struggle against the worlds of both the living and the dead.

Sing With Me


Anna Edwards - 2020
    Having been mentored by music legends, Nash, for several years, the group are about to head out on their first world tour. Tate’s excited, but he’s struggling at the same time with the secrets he’s been keeping. His friends don’t know the truth about his youth or the confusion running through his head. Will Tate’s past destroy everything the group have been working for when his past returns in a chance encounter?Zoey Danson is a hot commodity in the record industry, and her boss wants her to travel with one of his top clients, Saving Tate, as they embark on their world tour. She’s not entirely sure about being stuck on a tour bus with four famously horny men but mounting debts, thanks to her deadbeat mother, mean she doesn’t have a choice.When Zoey ascends the steps of the tour bus, looking hot and carrying a clip board with a full itinerary, sparks instantly fly between her and Tate. Can these two keep it professional, or will their instant attraction lead to an explosive disaster no one could have foreseen?

Secrets


Erosa Knowles - 2011
    Great right? That was until she faced his greedy relative in a court battle over the estate, which opens a can of Secrets. Court exposure sets off a string of events that reach as high as the United States Senate Chambers and as low as State prison walls. Through everything, Chastity once again must face her past Secrets. Desperate measures won’t allow her to push her childhood friend, Lt. Cmdr. Kenton Stone to the side, she needs his help, even though she hides the biggest Secret of all from him. Excerpt:"Mr. Jamison, I see your client is here. The plaintiff is here as well, shall we begin?" The anorexic woman's deep voice startled Chastity out of her reverie."Yes, thank you,” Mr. Jamison answered.The woman nodded. "Good. My name is Ms. Jackson. I will serve as Mediator today. Due to the nature of this claim, I have asked Mr. John Abrams to assist since he has a lot of experience with these types of cases." She pointed to the man seated next to her before looking across the table at Maude Stone."As attorney for Ms. Stone, we appreciate any assistance in setting these matters straight as expeditiously as possible." Her attorney flipped through a stack of papers, before glancing across the table to Mr. Jamison.The mediator nodded. "A grievance was filed against the will of Mr. David Baxter by his sister, Mrs. Maude Stone— ““Why am I here wasting my time?” Chastity blurted, unable to hold it in any longer, her jaw tight. “Mr. Baxter had the right to leave his money and property to whoever he wanted to.” Brows raised and head tilted, she stared at the shellacked hair on Maude Baxter’s head and wished she had a match to send it sky-high in flames.“If he weren’t unduly influenced, which I believe he was,” Maude snapped, her eyes narrowed in challenge.The heifer wants to play. Bring it on. “So you’re rewriting the law now?” She shoved a tendril of hair behind her ear.“Just stating it so you can understand.” Her tone dripped acid.“Cut the crap, you’re fighting his will ‘cause I’m black. If I were white, your nose’d be so far up my ass, I’d be breathing for you.” He’d told her to come out fighting, throw down the gauntlet. Maude Stone's neck and shoulders tensed at the distasteful confrontation. “What’s up with you people?” She chuckled with an evil grin and pushed herself forward, her breast squashed against the table.Chastity’s teeth snapped together as her face blazed. “You people?” Eyes widening, she leaned forward, palms on the table, and stood. “Oh hell no, you didn’t.” This bitch doesn’t know me.Maude rolled her eyes. “Yeah, anytime something happens, you scream it’s because of your color. That’s getting so old. Somebody says something against the President, it's because he’s black. If the police make a mistake, take down the wrong person, it’s because he’s black; if the rent goes up, it because he’s black; if the sun don’t shine, it’s because of somebody black. Damn, the sun don’t just shine on black people. Listen, the only color that matters in the world today is green. And I’m fighting my brother’s will because you’re a gold-digging whore.”

In Her Neighbor's Bed


Angie Daniels - 2011
    Then to her dismay, her parents call and insist she bring her fiancé home to Virginia for the holidays. With Christmas only three weeks away, Zanaa better find a fiancé quick, fast and in a hurry, otherwise, her family’s going to have every eligible bachelor in town lined up at the door. In a state of panic, Zanaa ask Scott Simmons to marry her. Only it isn’t a real proposal—it’s just to get her family off her back. Except the man she just propositioned, her sexy next-door neighbor, is all too irresistibly real. And now that Zanaa has made the first move, the videogame entrepreneur has every intention of taking the relationship all the way.

His Private Dancer


Karyn Langhorne - 2021
    On the run from that disastrous relationship, the last thing Sahara needs is another billionaire bad boy... but Fate has other plans. When an anonymous fling with a quirky stranger turns into something more, Sahara is shattered to learn that her mystery man is none other than Hugh Lindsay the eccentric tech billionaire—a man, even richer and more powerful than the last one.Can Hugh convince her to look past all that money and love him for himself, or will Sahara’s fears about the power of billions keep her from the joys of performing for an audience of one?