Book picks similar to
The Novice by M.S. Parker


romance
contemporary
not-interested
dnf

Before We Were Strangers


Brenda Novak - 2018
    Something no one wants to talk about. But she's determined to uncover her family's dark secrets, even if they bury her.Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn't sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound--the ominous thump before all went quiet.In the morning, her mother was gone.The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn't sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn't just difficult--he was deadly.Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a small town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend and a father and brother who'd rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn't whether she can uncover what really happened that night...it's what will remain of her family if she does?

Amber Sky


Cassia Leo - 2019
    Her only company is Walker Ainsley, the rugged, handsome man who saved her from the wreckage and took her into his home. But when her ride back to town arrives after the crash, Cassidy can’t bring herself to leave Walker behind. She is determined to convince him to go back to town with her, until she begins to to question the strange circumstances that brought them together

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clearly not the murderer’s type.Or is she?When Rhett Voss, an enigmatic and handsome stranger, answers her ad for the outdated in-law suite at the back of her property, offering double her asking price, Nola really can’t refuse.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.

Blyss


J.C. Cliff - 2014
    Two sexy, ruthless men...one innocent female caught in the middle. Prepared to spend the summer back at home, Julianna Oakley's plans take an unexpected turn for the worse. She's become Nick Palcini's ultimate obsession, and he will stop at nothing to have her.Dangerous and controlling, Nick has been setting the stage for a long time, and sparks fly when their separate worlds collide. But Nick didn't bank on one thing: Julianna's fiery, independent streak. She'll fight him at any cost. When Travis Jackson, Nick's right-hand man, lays his eyes on the prize, all Hell breaks loose. He should know Nick is playing for keeps, and while Julianna is fighting for her freedom, a lifetime full of secrets and twisted perceptions slowly unwind as Julianna gets caught in the fray.

Underboss


Kristen Proby - 2021
    But he doesn’t mind because his family means more to him than his life. Which is why he's determined to make those responsible for the death of his aunt and uncle pay—in inventive and gruesome ways. And what better way to do that than to infiltrate the Russian mafia from the inside? It’s a good thing the bratva’s princess is stunning and seemingly willing to do whatever he asks. This vengeance could be the perfect mix of business and pleasure.Nadia Tarenkov has several things stacked against her: she’s a woman, and she’s not the eldest child in her family. But it doesn’t matter. She has her sights set on ruling the syndicate, and she always gets what she wants. When the heir to one of the States’ most powerful crime families comes knocking, Nadia sees it for the gift it is. He thinks he has her fooled, but she’s smarter, more cunning, and always two steps ahead. She’ll beat the gorgeous mobster at his own game, and secure her place in the fold.What neither of them takes into consideration, however, is that they aren’t the only ones with deadly plans in motion. To survive, they’ll have to come clean and work together—and acknowledge that the growing love they’ve been pretending isn’t there, is very real.

Power Games


Kennedy L. Mitchell - 2019
    Mitchell comes a sexy, romantic drama about an unruly, headstrong agent and the witty, stubborn woman he's assigned to protect. Can these two set aside their hate for the other and work together to win it all? I'm in over my head, failing in their power games I don't understand.One day I wasn't sure I could pay the water bill for my trailer; now I'm wearing red-soled heels and sipping champagne, acting like I belong.Everyone hates me. I'm alone in this hostile world until... him.Saving me from the burning limo intertwined our destinies, whether we like it or not.Secret Service Agent Trey Benson. Tall, dark, handsome--and hates me.He thinks I'm like the other power-hungry socialites, desperate for his money and family name.He's the type of distraction I can't risk. But he's everywhere, always by my side wearing that damn mischievous smirk that makes me want to either slap or kiss it off his face.Except our intense attraction grows too strong to ignore.Stolen moments and secret nights wrapped in each other's arms are dangerous, our hidden love affair the potential scandal I can't afford.Can I beat them at their own games with Trey by my side?Or will love be the sacrifice I'm forced to make to get out of this mess alive?Power Games is the first book in the five-book Power Play series. Each book cannot be read as a standalone. All five books follow one main couple's relationship as it grows through a five-year time period. It's suspenseful, steamy, and oh so unputdownable. If you're a fan of Willow Winters, Meghan March and Skye Warren then this series is for YOU!*Due to detailed mature content this book is recommended for 18+.

A Harmless Little Game


Meli Raine - 2016
    Of course it would. A Senator’s daughter on camera? Wouldn’t you click “share”? Besides, that’s what three of the four guys in the video did.Share.They shared me.But that fourth guy? The nondescript one in the background in the upper left corner of the screen, just sitting on the couch? The only one who did nothing?Not one single thing.That was my boyfriend, Drew.And that was the last time I saw him.Until today, when my father—now on a path to the White House—hired him as head of security for my new team as I return home after four years of “recovering” in an undisclosed location that involved white lab coats, needles, pills and damage control.You see, the other three guys never went to jail. Never had charges pressed.Never faced consequences.Until today.Game on.* * *A Harmless Little Game is the first in this political thriller/romantic suspense trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine.

All I Want


Tamara Lush - 2019
    Land of sugar sand, shirtless men, and endless sunshine. Strange and wonderful things often happen here. And island life is even hotter after dark...Social media influencer Lauren Spencer is determined to find out why her best friend is getting married on a whim. When she travels to Paradise Beach to stop the wedding, she's the one who comes to a screeching halt when greeted with the sight of a gorgeous naked guy in her hotel room.He just happens to be the groom's adorably uptight brother -- and the best man in the wedding. Oops. Too bad she's sworn off relationships.As a successful real estate broker in New York City, Max Hastings has taken his workaholic ways back to his hometown of Paradise Beach, trying to ready his family's resort for sale and attend his youngest brother's shotgun wedding. Complicating matters: the maid of honor is the sexiest woman he's seen in years, and he wants her in his bed.After some hot and heavy flirtation, Lauren and Max come to an agreement: a weekend wedding fling is just the thing both of them need.But when Lauren suffers an accident and can't leave the island, Max finds himself more than willing to take care of her for more than a weekend. Will Lauren set aside her doubts about relationships to explore something real with Max?ALL I WANT is Book One in Tamara Lush's Paradise Beach Series. They are all standalone romantic comedies and can be read in any order. If you adore beach romances, irresistible alpha men, and hilarious wedding hookups, this is the book for you!Content warning: parent with addiction. ALL I KNOW: June 2019 ALL I WANT: July 2019ALL I ASK: September 2019ALL I DESIRE: November 2019

Handfuls of Shattered Pieces


Kerry Taylor - 2020
    With no memory of how, she has now escaped and finds herself running for her life, fleeing eight years of darkness, pain and silence, suddenly terrified by every sound and movement around her. Rescued by police, she finds the life she left behind long gone. Instead, surrounded by a world she now has very little knowledge or experience of, she is lost, scared and alone, drowning in a sea of harrowing flashbacks and soul destroying nightmares. Just when her terrifying memories threaten to pull her under for good, a light appears, in the shape of Dr Xander King. He has been where she is, scared and alone and he wants to do all he can to help her, including bringing her into the amazing family that, years earlier, had rescued him. In a home she does not know or want, Olivia finds a family she didn't realise she needed, and four men who will forever change her life. They do all they can to show her the way out of the terrifying darkness and into the light, and to help her discover who she is now that she is free. Kade, Kyle, Cole and Matt all have dark pasts of their own, which they still fight every day to survive, but they are determined to show Olivia that together, they can all find a way to repair their shattered pieces and find some happiness. But with the kidnapper's whereabouts unknown, and a serial killer lose on the streets of Chicago, keeping Olivia safe is their first priority. This proves harder than they ever thought, when it becomes obvious Olivia is the key to stopping a series of brutal murders. Now they must do all they can to protect the woman they are all falling fast for, from the evils of this world.This is a reverse harem story with one woman and four loving, protective men. It is the first book in the Pieces of Us series.

Riot House


Callie Hart - 2020
    As far as the boys who run America’s most exclusive international academy are concerned, I’m an unwelcome interloper, an inconvenience, and they’re determined to make my life a living hell. When Wren Jacobi sets eyes on Wolf Hall Academy’s newest inductee, all he sees is an easy mark. A reserved little girl with a target painted on her back. He knows nothing of my troubled past, though. Nothing of my mother’s suspicious death, or the horrific treatment I’ve had to endure at the hands of my psychotic father. And he has no idea of the lengths that I, unassuming little Elodie Stillwater, will go to in order to break the savage beast who dreams of breaking me first. There’s a wolf stalking the forests that surround my new school. Little does he know…There are far scarier predators lurking out there in the dark.

Lies and Other Drugs


Coralee June - 2018
    Against the advice of my alcoholic therapist, I've left my life behind, moving across the country with just two goals in mind: Take down the elite Ivy League School that covered up my twin brother’s death, and seek revenge on the ones responsible. But nothing is what it seems at Blackwood University, and it starts to feel like I'm grieving a stranger. Although I’m prepared to do whatever necessary to bring his murderers to justice—nothing could prepare me for falling in love.

Progress


Amalie Silver - 2016
    She was rounder than the girls who usually caught my eye. Not my type. But when I saw her sitting in that booth alone, for the first time something in my mind or my instincts or my heart told me to join her.She defied me.She challenged me.She gave me hope.Before I knew it, moving forward was my only option.CharlieI couldn’t tell you when it happened, but it had to have been a gradual change; I never moved too quickly.If someone would have told me earlier that year what I was going to go through, I wouldn't have believed them.Jesse was so different from anyone I’d met before. And everyone I’ve met since. He sucked all the life out of me, in the best—and worst—ways.We don’t get strong overnight. For most of us it takes time. Strength isn’t measured by how high and fast our walls go up, but how easily we can watch them fall.Warning: This book contains material that might be a trigger for some readers. Abuse and rape are implied, but not described in detail. Discretion is advised.

Blaze


L. Wilder - 2018
    Wilder brings readers a new Satan's Fury series that is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.Blaze:In Memphis, Tennessee, Satan's Fury MC had become the most notorious MC in the city. That recognition hadn't come easy. While people were visiting Graceland and walking down on Beale Street, my brothers and I were at war, fighting rival MCs and gangs who were trying to take control of our territory.We had staked our claim, but when a new threat arrived, everything we had worked for would be put in jeopardy.Kenadee Brooks was a nurse, trying to save lives and make a difference in the world. The moment I saw her, it wasn't just her beauty that caught my eye. It was the light that burned deep inside of her that drew me in. I longed for it, and with each moment I spent with her, the more determined I became to make her mine.But when she was pulled into my world, saw the life that I lived, would that light I craved still burn bright or would it disappear forever?Blaze is book one of the Satan's Fury MC- Memphis Chapter. This full-length standalone novel is intended for mature audiences only due to the explicit language and violence. Contains no cheating and a swoon-worthy HEA.

Rewrite the Stars


Charleigh Rose - 2018
    Beautiful and popular, if not a little jaded. A chance encounter with a green-eyed stuntman sets off a chain of events that turns her perfect, little world upside down. Short on options and desperate for adventure, she joins the traveling carnival for the summer. Thrust into a world full of drama, deception, and secrecy, Evangeline tries to find herself and protect her heart in the process. Sebastian McAllister is cursed. He knows better than to think otherwise. He’s content to live out the rest of his life traveling the country as one of the four Sons of Eastlake, seeking thrills the only way he knows how. The one thing he doesn’t see coming is the spoiled blond with stars in her eyes. The only problem is, the more time he spends with her, the more hope starts to stir in his dormant heart. Too bad hope is a dangerous thing when you’re a McAllister

Playing with Fire


Lexi Ryan - 2015
    Intended for mature readers. I thought one hot night with Max Hallowell was harmless. I never expected it would force me to face my past or bring back the man who swore he’d never let me go. Now Max wants to help me. Wants to save me. But if I let him, he’ll be destroyed. A woman with a secret past. A man determined to protect her. A dangerous passion that could cost them both everything.