Book picks similar to
Licentious by Jen Cousineau
dark
mafia
new-adult
romance
Dark Devotions
Nichole Greene - 2021
But this is no fairy tale and I have nothing left to lose.Beaten, bruised, scarred, emotionally traumatized. Olivia finally found a way to escape her sadistic husband. Now broken and penniless, with nowhere else to turn, she seeks out the four men who always protected her when they were younger. But can they come together and help her heal from the damage wrought? She loved them all once, will she again after being held by the devil’s embrace?Sawyer, Nolan, Lake, and Grant share more wealth and power between them than the majority of the civilized world. But when an old friend comes back into their lives, they find themselves sharing more than a substantial plan full of revenge for the man that tried to break her. Each with their own set of skills but none able to resist the woman that needs them most. Vowing to protect her, the lines are blurred into murky shades of gray as secrets unfold and five hearts are on the line.Reader beware: this is a dark reverse harem with triggers (SA, domestic violence, death) none of which the heroine suffers at the hands of her four men or in great detail.
Consequences
Aleatha Romig - 2011
Claire has no understanding of why she's there, but it's been made abundantly clear--she is now his acquisition and every action has consequences.Learn the rules to survive.Facing incomprehensible circumstances, Claire must learn to survive her new reality--every aspect of her livelihood depends upon the tall, dark-eyed tycoon who is a true master of deception. Driven by unknown demons, he has no tolerance for imperfection, in any aspect of his life, including his recent acquisition. Anthony may appear to the world as a handsome, benevolent businessman, but in reality Claire knows firsthand that he's a menacing, controlling captor with very strict rules: do as you're told, public failure is not an option, and appearances are of the utmost importance.Captivate the captor.To fit together the pieces of the puzzle, Claire must follow his rules. Will her plan work, or will Anthony become enthralled by Claire's beauty, resilience, and determination, changing the game forever? If that happens, will either of them survive the consequences?Nobody ever did or ever will escape the consequences of his choices.--Alfred A. Montapert
Double Vision
L.M. Halloran - 2018
Eden has an ironclad five-year plan. In three months, she’s saying good riddance to Los Angeles and returning to the Pacific Northwest for medical school. Nothing is going to get in her way.Nothing… but the impossible.When she glimpses her doppelgänger at a party, the seemingly accidental meeting turns her life in a direction she never imagined, shredding everything she knows about herself and where she comes from. The one constant in her collapsing world is Liam Rourke, a man whose dark desires are matched only by his tenderness. But Liam is more than a master in the bedroom—he’s a master of lies.Uncovering the truth might cost Eden her life. Her family. Her love.Some things are worth dying for.Author's Note: Double Vision is a dark romance. Before you experience the story of Eden and Liam, please take heed of the following content warning: This novel contains themes which may be difficult for some readers. These elements include BDSM, criminal activity, dubious consent, violence, torture, and explicit sex. 18+ only, please.
Scarred Queen
Nikita Slater - 2018
Drifting in a world of glittering diamonds, mansions, lunches and designer clothes, Casey Hernandez could happily disappear, except the life of the mafia wife demanded she remain and play her part. One misstep and she would face the monster who marked her as his own. Reyes wanted the stunning blond with the furious eyes. He was going to ruin her life, take her from everything she knew and own every inch of her. Hard, brutal, mean. Exactly how he was. Exactly how this world had shaped him. Because he could. She was about to become spoils of war. And when he finally had his woman, they would rise up together; the king and his scarred queen. This books is standalone. Guaranteed HEA, NO cheating, NO cliffhanger. Sizzling dark mafia romance. Read at your own risk!
Blackbird
Molly McAdams - 2017
I’ve trained for this. I know what to say, what to do, and how to act. I’ve perfected the lethal calm required for this life. Now it’s time to buy my first girl. But all it takes is one look at the brave girl who starts singing mid-auction for that calm to slip.Briar Chapman is going to be the death of me, and I don’t care. I’ll take every day with her until that death comes, and I’ll welcome it when it does.On the outside, Lucas Holt is what nightmares are made of. A man cloaked in darkness, with sin-filled eyes and an enticing grin. A devil so devastatingly beautiful and cruel that his very presence instills fear.But beneath his terrifying, ever-calm exterior is an affectionate man haunted by a past that refuses to stay buried. And Lucas looks at me as though he’s finally found the only person who can make it all go away.We’re a battle of the brightest day and the darkest night—and I want to lie in the wake of our war.
Gentleman Sinner
Jodi Ellen Malpas - 2019
After all, she escaped it long ago. Determined not to let her past beat her, Izzy has a secure, stable life with a job she loves in nursing. But one act of kindness will completely upend everything she's so carefully built-putting her right back in the crosshairs of danger she's been so desperate to avoid.When Theo Kane shows up like a knight in shining armor, Izzy can't help thinking she's been saved from one threat and exposed to another. His imposing physique, the harsh lines of his face, and the wariness of everyone who comes close are just a few clues to Theo Kane's notorious reputation. The man is positively terrifying. But with Izzy, he's tender and a complete gentleman, and her fascination with the mysterious beast of a man becomes too powerful for her to walk away.As Theo's demons come to light, running becomes even more impossible. And yet staying together could doom them both.
The Life of Anna: The Complete Story
Marissa Honeycutt - 2015
Life is perfect until her sixteenth birthday when her world is turned upside down. Her beloved Jack and Devin have turned into monsters that haunt only the darkest of nightmares; nightmares that soon become her reality. The Life of Anna follows the naive and innocent Anna as she enters a dark world of greed, politics, and an evil puppet master who pulls the strings to her world. And beyond. Readers be warned, for this journey is not for the faint of heart. You are about to venture into a world of dark plots, sinister villains, and deeply erotic taboo encounters. Are you brave enough to enter the Life of Anna? ***WARNING*** This book is for grownups. This book is not for people who are easily offended, get nightmares easily, or have difficulty reading books about tough subjects. I do not glorify bad things, but bad things do happen to my poor characters. This is not your typical love story. My heroine does not fall in love and live happily ever after... at least not like the typical heroine. There is a happily ever after, but it is a long, painful journey to that end. This book will likely offend you. This book might make you cry; it might make you throw up. It is a dark book. As my friend, Heidi, said, “It’s dark. It gets darker. It gets even darker, and then it gets even more darker. And then, just when you think it can’t get any darker, it does.” But, don’t worry. I take you to the deep end gradually. ;) There are many sexual situations in this series of books. People die. People get hurt. Things aren’t always truly the way they appear. The antagonist isn’t just a bad guy; he’s EVIL. My heroine’s worldview is skewed; things that may appall you are perfectly normal to her. Any violence in this book is non-gratuitous and crucial to the plot and character development. Do not read this if you are under the age of consent in your country. Do not get angry if the subject or actual book upsets you. If you're reading this, you've been warned.
Max
Bey Deckard - 2016
Crane takes on a new patient who both intrigues and unnerves him. Charming, manipulative, and amoral, Max has exactly the sort of mind Crane finds himself drawn to with fictional characters.As Max weaves himself into Crane's life, Crane realizes that while fiction might be safe, Max certainly is not.When the professional line between them thins, who gets to define where one man ends and the other begins?
Love Scars: Bad Boy's Bride
Nicole Snow - 2014
Nobody explained why I've been dumped in this run down house, or who this hulk with the filthy mouth is. All I know is he wants me, he says I'm his, and I'm ignoring my instinct to run like hell.When he pulls me into his embrace, I want to push closer to his warmth, his strength, his vicious tattoos.Can I trust him? Can I trust myself? Or will obeying his wicked words confirm all my worst suspicions?DAVIDSo sweet, so pure, so confused...I almost feel bad about claiming her. Almost.Too bad she's a Rossini, and I don't regret making her old man sign her over to me for one second. I was born a Strelkov, a killer and an outlaw, and I second guess nothing.The instant my hands are on her, I know I've made the right choice. The crazy ache in my lips when they're not on hers doesn't lie. Revenge is a dish best served hot, sweaty, seething with passion, and Anna's tonight's special.Yeah, she's gonna flip when I shove the wedding contract in her face. But I'm gonna make her my wife in every nasty, beautiful, permanent way I can, even if it means adding a few more scars to my skin and Anna's heart...
Sweet Captivity
Julia Sykes
I’m the hacker-geek-goddess of the FBI. When I’m hiding behind my screen, I’m a safe distance from everyone; isolated, powerful. No man has ever touched me, but when I’m captured by Colombian drug lord Andrés Moreno, I no longer have the right to refuse. He’s scarred and scary, and his cruel brother Cristian has tasked him with breaking me. I try to fight, but I can’t escape his strong arms and harsh discipline. He demands that I accept his touch, and my virgin body can’t help but respond to his masterful manipulations.The longer I remain trapped with him, the more I come to suspect that I’m not the only captive in his brother’s home. Andrés’ scars go deeper than the wicked furrows carved into his flesh, his pain reflected in the dark demands he imposes upon me. His obsession is twisted and wrong, but maybe I’m twisted, too.Do I want to be rescued from him? Or is he the one who truly needs saving?
Junkie
Heather C. Leigh - 2016
A junkie. A whore. I'll do anything to get my next fix.Anything.Including walking right onto the property of Austin's most ruthless and feared drug lord to beg for some H. I don't know his name, only that people call him Boss. Oh, and that he won't think twice to put a bullet in my head.But like I said, I'll do anything to get my next fix. Even if it costs me my life.Or changes it forever.
The Missing Link
J.M. Sevilla - 2013
It's intended to be read by mature audiences. Part one of a two part series. There are three things Lily Evans immediately notices about her new neighbor, Jay Lincoln. The first is his monstrous size, the second is the malicious way he glares at her, and thirdly, but most importantly, the three scars that mark his right eye. She knows the smart thing to do is stay away, but she has never met or seen anyone like him. The more time she spends with this frightening yet captivating man, the harder it becomes. He can make her hairs stand on end but he also has a sweetness to him that tugs at her heart. Soon she finds herself merged into his world full of murder, revenge, and deceit.New Adult Romance
Going Under
S. Walden - 2013
Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.
Sweet Surrender
Sav R. Miller - 2020
Everyone has a debt to collect, and somehow that burden falls to me.I’m being forced into a loveless marriage to pay off my father’s debts when the capo of the Montalto outfit intervenes with an offer I can’t refuse: his hand in exchange for protection.But I’m not the one who needs protecting.EliaThe men in my life value loyalty to our family over everything.I’m supposed to, but my dark heart has a mind of its own.My offer to marry Caroline is half-hearted; I set my eyes on the beautiful nymph and want her for myself.I want to use her. Break her.Turns out, someone else beat me to it.Now all I want is her heart.Sweet Surrender is an enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, dark, erotic, small town mafia romance. Due to adult themes and scenes, it is recommended for ages 18 and older.