Book picks similar to
Shaft by Krista Gold


romance
novellas
contemporary-romance
novella

Control Freak


Brianna Hale - 2019
    I need it in every aspect of my life. Some would say that makes me an asshole. A freak. But as long as everything’s exactly how I want it, I’m completely flexible. I’m kidding. Okay, I’m not kidding. Lacey needs someone in her life who’s bigger and scarier than her demons, and she wants that man to be me. Her boss. The Viking in a suit.I hope she understands what she’s getting into. This daddy isn’t going to pat her on the head and tell her she’s a good girl for nothing. Especially not when she’s spinning out of control. Author's note: this book includes depictions of eating disorder recovery.

Outmatched


Kristen Callihan - 2019
    When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym. Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have? They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.

Give In


Layla Frost - 2018
     I knew I shouldn’t. It was a mistake. Wrong. Forbidden. A glimpse of heaven before a depraved angel led me to hell. One email was all it would take to end the torture. A simple email, dropping Eden Wilder from my class and my life. But I couldn’t do it. I was selfish—taking any bit of her I could. That’s how addictions start. You give in just a little. Just once. Before long, your obsession has grown into a violent storm, shrouding you in darkness as it consumes your thoughts. Consumes your whole damn life. And everything you’ve worked for is gone. But you honestly don’t give a f*ck. You’d serve your soul up on a silver platter for your addiction. And she was mine. Warning: Recommended for readers 18+ due to strong adult language, themes, and a stalkerific hero who puts the FUN in dysfunctional. Enjoy!

Licked


Brooke Blaine - 2015
    Serving up Nibble My Nuts sundaes and Drunken Sailor boozy shakes are as close to an orgasmic affair as she's had in months thanks to her expanding empire—until the night of her ten-year high school reunion. When Ryleigh's crush, gorgeous ex-football god Cameron Mathis, comes streaking into her life (literally—streaking), she begins to wonder if she really can have it all. Wouldn't it just figure that the moment you think life is perfect is when it falls spectacularly apart? Enter Hunter Morgan, the contractor in charge of Licked's renovations. Devastatingly handsome, and a smartass to boot, he's got his eyes on Ryleigh from the moment he finds her passed out on his couch (yeah, that's a long story). There's just one tiny complication—he happens to be Cameron's best friend. When the lines between relationships and friendships blur, and it's impossible to choose between two delicious flavors, what's a girl to do? Taste a sample of each? Or go out and get LICKED?

Staking His Claim


Lynda Chance - 2012
    Recognizing his ruthless intensity for what it is, she doesn't correct him when he assumes she is an eighteen-year-old freshman.Raul Vega has never met a woman he couldn't do without. Until he meets Elaina Ruiz and knows she has to belong to him--even if it means waiting for her to grow up.

Secret Santa


Kati Wilde - 2016
    That is, if she lasts that long. Because Logan Crenshaw, the creative force behind the company, doesn’t seem to want her there.Not being wanted is nothing new for Emma…but she doesn’t know what she’s done to make Logan stalk around the office, growling every command as if her very presence infuriates him. She can’t afford to lose this job, so her plan is to keep her head down and try to avoid any contact with him—no matter how big and sexy and unavoidable he is.But a Santa hat full of names, an office gift exchange, and one unexpected knock at her door are about to shake up all of her plans…Warning: This super-hot holiday romance contains Santa hats, red satin blindfolds, and an obsessed alpha male who talks dirty and knows exactly what to do with his big hands. Lots of swearing. No cheating, no cliffhangers.

Since Last Time: A Second Chance Bad Boy Romance (Second Chance Romance Series Book 2)


Ellie Danes - 2019
    A forbidden kiss. A first and last kiss on my 18th birthday. He was my brother’s best friend and should have been off limits. And that one kiss cost him everything. Banished from my family, hated by my brother. Today he’s coming back from exile to mourn my father. Dalton has been on my mind non-stop, I’ve imagined him undressing me, tempting me, teasing me. It’s the last thing I should be thinking about, but I can’t help it. I’ve wished for the day to see him again, under any circumstances. It’s my turn to make things different. I’m not the same girl, and I hear he’s not the same guy. Now he’s a bad boy. He’s done time and bounced back. He’s successful, tattooed and hot as hell. …and we have a lot of catching up to do since last time. Since Last Time is a full-length standalone novel, with plenty of bad boy and second chance romance. It is the second book in the Second Chance Romance series and can be read in any order.

Giving Her A Baby


J.L. Beck - 2018
    Perfect to come along. Im going to find someone to give me all the things I want.. a baby, a marriage, and a happily ever after. Posting an AD on the internet should find me all those things, right? Wrong. It sends a lot of bad men to my door and leaves me frustrated and sad. It isn’t until I get a mysterious email that everything seems to fall into place. Ive been fooled before into believing in love, but will I give love a second chance when it comes knocking on my door? SILAS Ive loved Winter since forever. So when I find out she wants a baby all bets are off. I knows I'm the perfect man for the job, so I send her an email, anonymously of course. She's been mine since the day I met her on the first day of Kindergarten. I screwed up once before, and ill be damned if I'm going to let her get away again. This time I'm playing for keeps, and nothing will stop me from possessing the woman of my dreams. Winters going to give me a second chance and I'm going to give her everything she’s ever wanted.

Plus One


Brighton Walsh - 2013
    She has an amazing condo in the city, great friends, and a successful bakery she built from the ground up…what more does she need? Ian Donnelly has been in love with his older sister's best friend, Olivia, for years. He even moved away after college to get some distance from her and the intense feelings she stoked in him. But when Olivia swears off men just in time for wedding season, he impulsively volunteers to be her stand-in wedding date.The sparks that fly between them take Olivia by surprise. Ian is nothing like she remembered, and when they fall into bed, he’s everything she could ever want. What’s the harm of a no-strings summer fling? Strictly physical, of course—her track record in relationships isn’t exactly glowing.Nine wedding dates. That’s all that Ian has to show Olivia he wants more than just a summer of fun. He wants to be her plus one forever.

Penalty Clause


Fiona Davenport - 2016
    He'll do whatever it takes to make her his... even if it means forcing her to spend time with him. He didn’t become a billionaire without learning how to leverage a contract to his advantage. Now that he’s gotten her to sign on the dotted line, he almost has Madeleine Connelly right where he wants her—in his bed and pregnant with his baby.Madeleine seriously underestimated Caleb’s desire for her. She thought the notorious playboy would move onto his next conquest after he’d gotten what he wanted from her. When she accepted a business deal with his company, she didn’t realize it meant spending so much time with him. Now she has to decide if she wants to trigger the penalty clause in their contract so she can get away from him or succumb to the temptation that is Caleb Sterling.**This is the first novella in the Risque Contracts series, but each story can be read as a standalone and features a different couple.

VIP


M. Robinson - 2013
    I went to Miami to discover myself; never in my wildest dreams, did I think home would become a three-letter word. VIP. I was the dream. I was the illusion. I was the fantasy. Until him… Everything went to hell in hand basket the moment we laid eyes on each other. I wanted him. He wanted me. Sebastian I have always been a man who made decisions based on other people’s feelings, wants, and desires. I was selfless. I never wanted to hurt anyone. Especially her. The moment I met her… I wanted her. I loved her. For the woman she was. For the woman she wanted to be. But most of all… For the woman she was, when she was with me. This isn’t a love story, but a story about love. Warning sex/drugs/language. Mature readers only.

The Man in the Black Suit


Sylvain Reynard - 2017
    When her superior, Marcel, is attacked in a supposed random mugging, she is tasked with serving one of the hotel’s most mysterious and attractive guests.Nicholas Cassirer checks into the hotel under an assumed name every three months. Usually, he stays in the penthouse suite with a beautiful female companion but on this occasion, he arrives alone and is displeased in having to deal with someone new. A match of wits ensues as he tests Acacia’s expertise with a series of almost impossible demands. Her intelligence and creativity rise to the challenge, earning his respect.They strike a tenuous accord until Acacia discovers a famous stolen painting in his suite, she contacts a former boyfriend who works for the elite BRB, a unit of French law enforcement that deals with art thefts.Nicholas is questioned by police and released when it is revealed the painting is a reproduction. Irked with her behavior, Acacia’s supervisor demotes her threatening dismissal and the cancellation of her work permit.But Acacia has already attracted Nicholas’s attention. Remorseful that she may lose her job on his account, he offers her a choice – she can wait until her supervisor dismisses her, or she can leave the city of lights behind and become his personal assistant.Acacia initially refuses his offer, but Nicholas is persistent. He reveals himself as a man who quietly acquires stolen art in order to restore it to its rightful owners. Faced with mounting familial debts and the possibility of dismissal and deportation, she agrees to work for him.Nicholas opens up a whole new world of beauty and intrigue to Acacia as they travel the globe. Soon the line between employer and assistant is blurred, and the two lonely people embark on a passionate relationship.

The Stopover


T.L. Swan - 2019
    The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better. He was suave and intelligent. We talked and laughed, and something clicked. Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night.With no plans, we made our own. We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget. That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him—until today. I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those naughty blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk. But I’m not that carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities. I just got an email. He wants to see me in his office for a private meeting at 8:00 a.m. Naughty blue eyes have no place in the workplace. What kind of private meeting does he have in mind?

Maybe Later


Claudia Y. Burgoa - 2019
     He’s practically a recluse. When his assistant goes on maternity leave, Amy Walker virtual assistant extraordinaire arrives to save the day. Or does she? Amy is inquisitive and far too optimistic. She isn’t impressed with Jackson at all. Is she even real? They can’t stand each other. Unfortunately, they can’t seem to resist each other, either. Soon, their work relationship starts to feel like something more… Even when Amy meets her dream man, she can’t seem to stop thinking about her annoying online boss. And the woman who ’s never fallen in love before, finds herself falling for two men. Both of them have everything she’s ever wanted. But she has to choose one. Can Jackson convince her that he can be everything that she needs? Or will her past come back to haunt them and ruin her chance at love? Note: Contains a grumpy, workaholic tech CEO with a guarded heart, and a virtual assistant whose skills border on diabolical. Also, two cats named Ramen and Sushi.

Yanked


Melanie Harlow - 2014
    But eight months later, the free-spirited half-French musician still hasn't made any promises about their future. And as magnifique as long-distance phone sex is, nothing compares to the real thing.Fed up with stolen weekends and lonely nights, Mia flies to New York armed with a list of reasons why they should take the next step, but an unexpected guest in Lucas's apartment derails her plans. He’s been keeping secrets--worse, he claims he's happy with the way things are.Without the magic of Paris, can their mismatched love survive?