Book picks similar to
Seconds by Freya Barker


romance
salvation-society
suspense
dnf

Memento Mori


Lexi Blake - 2018
    After being liberated from his prison, he pledged himself to the only thing he truly knows-his team. Six men who lost everything they were. They must make certain no one else gets their hands on the drugs that stole their lives, all while hiding from every intelligence organization on the planet. The trail has led him to an unforgiving mountainside and a beautiful wilderness expert who may be his only hope of finding the truth. A woman with a bright future River Lee knows her way around the Colorado wilderness. She's finally found a home in a place called Bliss after years lost in darkness. The nature guide prefers to show her clients the beauty found in the land, but she also knows the secrets the mountains hold. When she meets Jax, something about the troubled man calls to her. She agrees to lead him to the site of an abandoned government facility hidden deep in the forest. She never dreamed she was stepping into the middle of a battlefield. A love that could heal a broken soul Spending time with River, Jax discovers a peace he's never known. Their passion unlocks a side of himself he didn't even know he was missing. When an old enemy makes his first move, Jax and River find themselves fighting for their lives. But when his past is revealed, will River be caught in the crosshairs of a global conspiracy?

Lift You Up


Jessica Gadziala - 2019
    You didn't get to take a bite, no matter how tempting it might be. And it sure was tempting when they showed up at your doorstep, soaking wet, shaking, begging for your help, your protection, when you suddenly found them hiding out from their problems in your place, in your bed while you attempted to take on their case, figure out how someone who led the quiet kind of life she did ended up on some bad guy’s radar, who wanted her badly enough to chase her through the streets, to make her need to uproot her entire life. She was trusting me, depending on me. There were plenty of things to keep my mind occupied. Yet all I could think about was what it might be like to get a taste, a touch, a bite. Maybe if I had been more focused on her case, I would have seen what was coming, could have prevented it before it was too late…

Nocturnes & Nightmares


Keri Lake - 2019
    Two found dead, bearing the signature marks of a brutal serial killer. With the kind of tragedy that mars Nola Tensley’s past, she should be concerned, but without a pot to piss in, all the struggling single mom cares about is making a normal life for her son. After all, she’s clearly not the murderer’s type.Or is she?When Rhett Voss, an enigmatic and handsome stranger, answers her ad for the outdated in-law suite at the back of her property, offering double her asking price, Nola really can’t refuse. Even though the supposed Wall Street Wolf seems better suited for a high-rise downtown—a suspicion that quickly turns into hindsight once she submits to the flirtations of her charming new tenant, and consequently, unearths a series of disturbing revelations.Her curiosities lead her down the path of a madman, whose moniker, The Sandman, only hints at the grisly nature of his crimes. He’s smart. Evasive. A cunning psychopath with a twisted method of disposing his victims.And his hunting grounds are hitting too close to home.Author note: This book contains scenes of graphic sex and violence that some readers may find disturbing.

Die for Me


Cynthia Eden - 2013
    He left his victims stabbed through the heart holding a telltale single red rose and was deemed the Valentine Killer. Three years ago he vanished. Now he's back. And he's hunting the one who got away. In New Orleans, Katherine dared to hope she was finally safe, yet somehow he found her. This time, Katherine won't just sit silently by; she'll do anything to stop the monster she once loved, even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe? Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with the job, even as the Valentine Killer surfaces in New Orleans to stalk his prey. But when Dane agrees to protect the killer's ex-fiance, he can't ignore the passion kindling between them. After a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane won't rest until Katherine is safe in his arms and the Valentine Killer is dead.

Bulletproof


Xavier Neal - 2021
    From bestselling author Xavier Neal comes an all-new, witty, forced-proximity romantic suspense standalone novel... The assignment is simple.Don't let the client die.Don't let her get kidnapped.Don't sleep with her.It's the last part that unexpectedly complicates things for me after I'm introduced to the most beautiful and brilliant woman I could've ever envisioned.And it only gets worse when we have to stash ourselves away in a small town where our calculated cover is to be a recently engaged couple.My new mission is now significantly harder.Don't let her hate what's for dinner.Don't let anyone else make her laugh more than I do.And, most importantly, don't let myself actually fall for someone again.After all, my job isn't to love my boss's sister.It's to stop an unidentified threat from taking her – or die trying.

Unsafe Haven


Bella Jewel - 2018
    But at Sanctuary’s Halloween party, eerie things start happening and they are starting to feel real. Is this an elaborate Halloween prank, or has Jade’s past come back to haunt her?

Absolute Power


Jeana E. Mann - 2020
    A man who carries a grudge. A man who specializes in revenge. I thought I had it all—a career and a new home in a sleepy small town. My world comes crashing down when a sexy gang member from the city arrives at my job, wrapped in tattoos and sinful smiles. Beneath his flirtatious facade beats the heart of an angry man. I’ve committed the one sin he can never forgive. I stole from him, and he won’t be satisfied until he’s repaid with the money or my life.They say there are two kinds of power: power derived from fear and power obtained by acts of love. Cash Delacorte holds them both over my head. He’s everything I never wanted: dark, deceptive, and dedicated to a life of crime. He’s determined to pull me into the darkness with him, and the thing is—I want to go. Every kiss, every lie, every punishment propels me into a future I never dreamed possible.

Wild Hearts


Vivian Wood - 2017
    Her parents are long buried, her friends are too busy, and all she has is her job in corporate law to make her feel grounded. Each day is like the last with no telling if there will ever be something more for her. When a distant aunt passes away and leaves Faith her land, Faith has to put her empty life on hold and travel across the country to settle the estate.A West Coast girl used to a fast paced lifestyle, Faith is ready to be entirely unimpressed by what she finds on the Georgia coast. That is, until she meets Alex. Strong, tall, and decidedly anti-social, Alex is everything that Faith has been dreaming of her whole life. The fact that he scowls as he shows her the wonders of her new land doesn’t bother her… not like seeing him without his shirt does, anyway.(I have more!)

Call Out


Autumn Archer
    That's what my late grandmother always told me. Then I met Danny Rocco. The hot paramedic who's new in town. Since he patched up my knee at the side of the road, I can't stop thinking about him. That efficiently organized backpack. The scent of leather. Manly caring hands, and his eyes. WOW, a girl could rapidly lose her virginity staring into those amber pools. So when he shows up at Blossom Grove Retirement Home where I work, to assist with a medical emergency, I realize there's more to the ruggedly handsome man than just an Indian motorcycle. Should I break the dating rules? I've never gone that far with a guy before and Danny would be my first. He doesn't mind my quirky pet names for his love stick. And boy, when I finally discover how good that thing feels, I can't stop craving it. Falling for a guy on the wrong list has never felt so right. Every night spent in his bed brings us closer together. But over time, I get the feeling he's hiding something. Then he leaves town for a few days without telling me why. Danny has a secret and I'll find out the truth one pop quiz at a time.Except life has a way of throwing curve balls. And by the time he gets back to Sunnyville, mine has irrevocably changed. I should have known happy endings were only in the movies. Once I finally learn the truth, I'll need my handsome medic to fix our hearts back together again. If it’s not too late. Autumn Archer’s Call Out is an emotionally charged, sexy, romantic suspense written in K. Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes World project.

Unwritten (The Salvation Society)


Jenna Hartley - 2020
    But the more I get to know Connor, the more I see beneath the tough exterior.He's a hero, and he's hurting.We've never met, yet I'm drawn to help him.There’s a connection I can’t deny. A pull I can’t ignore.Is it crazy to think I might be falling for a man sight unseen?Unwritten is part of the Salvation Series World by Corinne Michaels. It's a cross-over between that series and Jenna Hartley's Love in LA Series.

More of You


A.L. Jackson - 2018
    . . The second I saw him walk through the door, I knew he was trouble. A gorgeous rebel with a bad attitude and a huge chip on his shoulder.My heart warned me. I didn’t listen. I fell hard and fast. He promised we’d be together forever, and then left me with a broken heart. Now, ten years later, Jace Jacobs is standing at my door.Sexier than he’s ever been. Provocative and commanding.Successful and powerful. The man I always knew he would become. But I promised myself I’d never lose my heart to him again.Even time couldn’t dim our chemistry. One glance of his intense eyes, and I become weak. One brush of his hand, and he brings me to my knees. Little do I know, Jace holds the key to everything I’ve lost and everything that threatens my future.Now he will either save me, or he will break me all over again . . . More of You – a Confessions of the Heart second-chance, stand-alone romance

Ruthless Creatures


J.T. Geissinger - 2021
    Geissinger. Five years ago, my fiancé disappeared. He left me with a wedding dress I’d never wear. Left me with the kind of scars that can’t be healed. The man I built my future on vanished like a ghost. All that remained were my broken heart and unanswered questions.Until a mysterious stranger arrives in town. Tall, dark, and dangerous, Kage is as full of secrets as he is sex appeal. Though I know he’s hiding something, I’m drawn to him like a moth to flame.The intensity of our connection is addictive, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Heat crackles between us with every look, desire flares into passion, and I fall hard, unable to resist.But when I discover how he’s tied to the darkness in my past, I learn what happens when you fly recklessly into fire:You get burned.

Little Liar


Willow Winters - 2018
    That’s how stories like these get started. But every lie I told, he saw through it. I think in his heart he knew I was broken; he felt my pain as if it was his. And that’s what changed everything. He’s the reason it all fell apart.Sometimes it’s a single moment that alters everything in existence.Sometimes it’s the fall of dominoes, lined up in a pretty little row and designed so that each one will cause more and more pain.In a single day, it’s all changed, and there’s no way to take it back.I didn't know what would happen. But secrets and lies ruin everything.“I was captivated from the very beginning, and I couldn't let go until the very end. Winters wove an outstanding tale, which has an even better message within its pages.” - Kendra @ Reads and Treats** It's Our Secret was previously titled Little Liar **

Tangled Up


Tia Louise - 2021
    I thought his death would bring me peace, but it haunts me to this day.Every close call sparks memories of what I did to him, to me, to her.I have to go back and face what I’ve done or end my career.Seeing her hits me harder than the regret.She’s still so beautiful with long, dark hair, bright amber eyes, luscious curves. She still dominates my heart, my mind, my bed.But she’s different now—stronger, bolder, unafraid.We’re a mess, tangled up in a web I created.But I’m determined to heal these wounds, to fix this break. One thing is certain, I won’t say goodbye to her again.(A STAND-ALONE “Bayside Heroes” romance. Small-town, second-chance doctor romance with a touch of suspense. No cheating. No cliffhanger.)

The Safe Bet


Brittney Sahin - 2015
    No attachments, no relationships — he's too busy transforming his knack for military intelligence into a multi-million-dollar enterprise. But when headstrong event planner Kate Adams comes barreling into his life, everything changes.From the moment she arrives in Charlotte, Kate is tongue-tied by Michael. She's never fallen for a client before, but then she's never had a client like him — sleek, hard, and impenetrable as steel.While Kate struggles to keep her distance, a stalker sends her tumbling more deeply into Michael's world. The former Marine is equipped and willing to protect her, and yet Kate finds herself growing more terrified than ever in his care. For as they grow closer, she realizes that Michael has his own secret past. And while he might save her life, he will surely break her heart.Author's Note: Previously titled: Silenced Memories. This is a STAND-ALONE romantic mystery novel. Hidden Truths: Former Marines. Strong female leads. No cliffhangers.