Book picks similar to
Toxic by Lucinda John


4-star
accidental-pregnancy
bad-boy-girl
black-romance

On the Rocks


Kandi Steiner - 2019
    It's what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild. And it's on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.He's trouble. Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble. No matter how many times I repeat it, I can't escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.He sees me—the real me. The me I'm not sure I'm allowed to be.I'm Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor's daughter. Soon to be a politician's wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family's legacy, just like I always knew I would.Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I'm planning is one I even want. Everyone says Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.If only I had listened.

Venom


Dee Garcia - 2019
    Releasing as part of the 2019 Sinister Fairy Tales Collection! -Tinks-From the moment I befriended him, I set a conspiracy in motion.A revolution.Kill Peter Pan.And I was their ultimate weapon.I was also none the wiser, falling hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him as the years went by.Just as they hoped I would.But their plan comes to a screeching halt when Peter vanishes into thin air, something I’ll learn has nothing to do with Rosewood at all.You see, Peter never truly loved me...because he loved a wench instead.He lied to me, he used me, he left me, and he broke me.Forever altering me in ways that incite revenge when Hook sweeps in with revelations and the ultimate truth.Peter may have turned his back on me, but in the end, he and his precious little Wendy will choke on every last tear I once shed.And I’ll have Hook to thank for that.-Hook-It’s no secret I always despised Peter Pan.A common threat amongst the factions, I should’ve killed him when I had the chance, long before he sank his claws deep into Tinksley’s heart.But his death at my hands wasn’t what the plan called for, despite how I felt for her.I’d always been drawn to the girl, innocently enough at first…until that vile abomination marked her with his stamp, unleashing a sense of propriety I had no rights to.Didn’t matter—he had her...and I wanted her.Then like magic, he disappeared.I thought my time had come, but the road to owning Tinksley’s heart comes with a price.A price so dark and depraved it strips her of her purity and awakens the beast within.All because of the truth.Sometimes, there is honor in revenge, and it will be my utmost pleasure to watch as Peter Pan finally meets his maker.His maker who will soon be my Queen.

Mercy (Prism, #1)


Love Belvin - 2021
    That’s when she’s not the dancer on the Gram and TikTok, dating the latest Black Hollywood shooting star.To her, Jas, a construction laborer, is a walking conundrum. He’s fruitlessly ambitious yet steadfast in his spiritual convictions. He’s enigmatic, well-read, regimented, and poor. Oh, and a felon. An incredibly disarming parolee who wants no connection to her. Until he does.Two souls, galaxies apart. He’s an unanticipated UFO about to collide in her world like an unmitigated asteroid.Publisher’s Note: “Mercy” is book ONE of a THREE book series. It ends on a suspenseful CLIFFHANGER. This book contains angst, violence, profanity, sexually explicit content, and potential gory material. If any of these elements is not what you prefer between the pages of a novel, this is not the venture for you.

Untouchable


Danielle Hill - 2020
    Scratch that: she didn’t even like the guy.Maddox ‘Reno’ Renner, the resident King of Claremont High. Dark, brooding, arrogant… you get it. He’s the kind of gorgeous no girl is immune to, including Riley. She shouldn’t feel anything for him—falling for a guy like Reno would be stupid and reckless—but when he sets his sights on her, Riley’s forced to admit just how far she’s already fallen.With expert precision, Reno manages to break down every one of her defenses, but just when Riley starts to think it might be safe to lower her guard, tragedy strikes in a way neither one of them could have predicted, tearing them apart.When Reno needs her most, Riley will have to fight to reach the boy who’s always held her heart, but this might be one fight she can’t win.Because Reno’s heart has always been untouchable.**Note: "Untouchable" is an edgy, emotional, standalone in a series on interconnected books. Each book can be read alone, but it is advisable to read them in order. Due to offensive language and mature themes, this series is intended for readers 17+.

Face Down Fridays: Prelude


Sherelle Green - 2020
    Heated glance. I knew I was hooked from the first moment our eyes connected. But I’m not the type of woman to give in easily. Especially when his offer is dripping in rule breaking notions threatening to consume me.HIMI wanted her willing and ready for anything before she’d even spoken a single word. I’m a patient man, but even patience has a timeframe when it comes to following her rules. But as she’ll soon learn, I don’t follow rules. I make them.Please Note: Face Down Fridays is a fast-burn, sexy prelude to the Crowne Legacy series. Although this story can be read as a stand-alone, it’s an intro into the series.

To Have and to Hate


R.S. Grey - 2021
    Walt didn’t crack smiles or pepper in pleasantries as we exchanged hollow vows in front of the judge. His disdain for me was so palpable I assumed we’d walk out of that ceremony and resume our regularly scheduled programming. But then fate was like, Hold my beer. I got this.In desperate need of help and with nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to ignore a crucial rule in our contract: I shall only contact Mr. Jennings II in case of emergency. But hey, what’s a little fine print between husband and wife?Turns out, Walt’s a stickler for legalese—I think it might be his love language. Oh, and his attitude at the courthouse wasn’t a put-on. My so-called husband is a jerk. He takes what he wants without giving any consideration to other people—specifically ME, his blushing, contractually-obligated bride!I knew life with Walt would be no honeymoon, but a marriage of any sort should still come with a few standard guarantees:To have and to hold.For richer or poorer.In sickness and in health.But after experiencing Walt’s version of wedded bliss, I say let’s forget about all that lovey-dovey crap and just take me straight to death do us part.

Rain


A.L. Woods - 2021
    When that car accident changed my life twelve years ago—I thought it was over.Dom saved me. I used to think that I could save him, too. He was the only one who could see me. But then Nate came along and saw me, too. One is my past.Only one will be my future. I want them both—only one of them can keep me. Eventually, I’ll have to choose. Even if it burns me alive. DomA car accident nearly killed her.So the monster became what she needed: a hero. But little girls grow up to whisper I love you’s and forever’s.I should have never touched my best friend’s little sister.When my actions threatened her safety, I did the only thing I could think of: I married her behind her older brother’s back. A fire and a five-year prison sentence changed everything. She threw away our vows, so I plotted my revenge. There was only one thing I didn’t factor in upon my release. Him. NateI’ve spent the last eleven years on the run from my past.I bed unsuspecting women and rob them in their sleep.My mistake was underestimating Allegra.She beats me at my own game.When circumstances find me at her mercy, I’m determined to erase the tattoo of her pretty hazel eyes and her body under mine from my memory.But Allegra’s fire isn’t easily forgettable.And I’m not the only one who feels that way. We both want her.Only one of us can keep her. May the best man win.Content and trigger warning: Rain has some elements of BDSM, metamour, kinky sex, and graphic violent scenes. It also contains scenes that depict domestic abuse, sexual assault, abuse of substances, religious references, discussions and idealizations of suicide, aquaphobia, and mental health issues.

Making It Right


Helen Wilder - 2020
    Regretting his actions and words.He wants a second chance to put our family back together.I can’t trust him.I can’t trust him with my heart, even though it stills yearns for him after all these years.The problem? Our daughter adores him and I would do just about anything to make her happy. Even if that means making the same mistake again.Do I take the risk of getting another heart broken by the same man or tell him goodbye once and for all?

Death's Desire (Birds of Hell MC, #1)


Glenna Maynard - 2021
    An outlaw motorcycle club who rides hard and loves harder.Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author Glenna Maynard is back with a new gritty age gap motorcycle club romance. DeathFreya is my unspeakable truth. My one desire. Tempting. Forbidden. Untouchable. Yet I ache for her while praying she moves on. Finds a better man. One who deserves her beauty. Her devotion. Most of all her love. Because if she stays, I’ll only ruin her. Forsaking her for any other. I’ll drag her down to Hell and together we’ll burn in the ashes of all she holds dear.Death's Desire is book 1 of Birds of Hell MC

Is This All There Is?


Patricia Mann - 2012
    At thirty-five, she’s married to her college sweetheart, has two adorable kids, and finds fulfillment teaching part time at the local university. But when a friend persuades her to go dancing on a rare night out, a chance meeting with a handsome former student changes the course of her life. Loud music, too much to drink, and the thrill of feeling young again lead to an unforgettable kiss that was never supposed to happen. Beth feels wanted again, listened to, cared for, but she knows it’s wrong. She tries to put the memory behind her, but he pursues her, drawing Beth back to temptation. As she travels deeper into Dave’s world, Beth struggles to choose between what her mind says is right and what she truly craves.Amazon: http://amzn.to/1qWNQT7Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1iO5zt0iTunes: http://bit.ly/Q6PKW0

Admit You Miss Me


Ajme Williams - 2020
    I made her promises that I thought I could keep. I thought our distance would only be for a few months, until the family ties that kept us apart broke.I ended up breaking all of those promises and left her to raise our daughter by herself.I’ve lost sleep over it these past three years, knowing that I desperately need them both in my life. I don’t know how to fix it. I don’t know what words can erase the damages I’ve done.Then family tragedy strikes, and I’m left trying to piece things back together. I realize that now’s the time, I have to try to mend the things that I have broken.Without warning, I show up on her doorstep, trying to right the wrongs.All it boils down to is whether or not she’s willing to give me another chance.This is the third book in the Fake Love Rich Boss Series. It is a stand-alone but the first two books in the series (Boss's Secret and Boss's Baby) follow the two main characters.If you enjoyed this book then you can get the first two books in the series here:Boss's Secret (Book 1) is available to order now!!Boss's Baby (Book 2) is available to order now!!Let the fake love story unfold even further between Cassidy and Oliver….Get ready for an unexpected surprise….READ FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED

Theirs: A Reverse Harem Romance


Mae Doyle - 2021
    

Wicked Hot Silver Fox


Tess Summers - 2022
    Parker Preston’s intentions when he gave Alexandra Collins his phone number at the animal rescue gala were more personal than professional. But he’d never expected the sassy beauty with the blue streak in her hair to send him a picture of her perfect, perky boobs as enticement to adopt the dogs she was desperately trying to find a home for.But, dang if they weren’t the ideal incentive for him to offer his home to more than just the dogs. In exchange for adopting the older, bonded pair, she’d need to move in with him for a month and get the dogs acclimated. Oh, and she wouldn’t be sleeping in the guest room during her stay.The deal is only for a month though. And she insisted they weren’t going to fall in love, something he readily agreed with. They had the rules in place, what could possibly go wrong in four short weeks?

Supernova (Alphas Love Curves #1)


Sara Hazel - 2019
    She's lived a rough life and I could take care of her -- but she won't let me.  I need to help her see that my arms are where she belongs.  There's no woman who can compete with Nova for my heart.  I will win her over and make her my wife.   ---- Supernova is an explosive and steamy sweet older Alpha man younger BBW friends to lovers short romance that you're not going to want to miss.  There's plenty of heat to keep you up all night! This is a standalone story in Sara Hazel's new ALPHAS LOVE CURVES series. Sara Hazel writes stories of curvy women who learn they can have it all -- adventure, career, and love.  There is always a hot Alpha Man who sees the brilliance in the heroine's smile and wants to make her his wife.  He can even be a little obsessive about it!  Every story has a HAPPY EVER AFTER (HEA) and there's absolutely NO CHEATING!

Love in the Streets


Ashley Nicole - 2017
    You fall head over heels in love with him. Dr. Sienna Jameson grew up with a crime boss as a father and is not looking for a man with the same occupation. But Streets is cute… and sweet… and everything in between. How is she supposed to resist his charms while craving everything about him? Streets is just trying to do his job. Hooking up with the boss’s daughter is not in the job description, but after spending some time with Dr. Jameson, he’s not so sure he can stay away; however, the circumstances dictate that he must. What to do?