Book picks similar to
Martinis After Dark by Gina Drayer


contemporary
romance
alpha-males
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Love & Other Chaos


Jackie Walker - 2020
    Brody’s my friend - just a friend. He’s also my autistic son’s favorite teacher.He’s as off limits as they come, no matter how drop dead gorgeous he is. Falling for him would be wrong. Resisting him though, is becoming pure torture. After being burned by men who can’t handle dating a single-mom of a special-needs child, I refuse to date anymore. Not until my son is grown. My plan is working fine until my trouble-making bestie presents me with a dare that I can’t resist. I’m a sucker for a good dare - especially when margaritas have been consumed. And she’s just dared me to plant a surprise kiss on Brody’s sexy lips, while she records it for a trending TikTok challenge video. But if I do this, it could change everything. My life is already pure chaos and maybe now is not the best time to shake things up even more. Is it worth risking our friendship and his important role in my son’s life for one kiss? What if he wants more? What if I do? Love & Other Chaos is a hilarious, steamy, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a drop dead gorgeous and seriously buff teacher with the hots for a single-mom of an autistic pre-teen son... who happens to be one of his students. This story also includes wise-cracking grandparents with zero respect for personal boundaries, swoon-worthy beach scenes, a jerky boss with no concept of personal space, nosey siblings and a foul-mouthed best friend who loves to instigate trouble. If you don't like sarcasm, steam, sexy-times, heroines who drink copious amounts of margaritas and laugh-a-minute dialogue, then this might not be the book for you. It’s a stand-alone novel with a happy ending, because cliffhangers will kill your margarita buzz.

Wicked Favor


Sawyer Bennett - 2017
    As the owner of The Wicked Horse, an elite sex club located along the Vegas Strip, I never spend the night alone. I don’t grant favors and will rarely give you the time of day—unless I want you in my bed. So when the sister of my sworn enemy shows up asking for help, saying “no” should be easy. But all I see is the opportunity to help this beautiful woman while exacting revenge on her brother, and I am not about to pass that up. Beaten and bruised, Trista Barnes is running out of options, and, unfortunately for her, I’m her last chance to get out of the mess she’s in. She doesn’t know why I despise her brother so much, but as long as I can help her, she doesn’t care. And while I am more than happy to keep her safe, I intend to do so while opening her up to a sinful world she never knew existed.As Trista falls into the wicked world of guilt free pleasure with no regrets, my feelings of possessiveness begin to grow. But when she finds out I used her as my pawn for revenge, my wicked favor may cost me everything.

Conflicted


M.M. Koenig - 2013
    Her life was everything she wanted it to be; until one fateful night changed everything – leaving her broken and without direction. Nearly a year later, she still has little faith in anyone or anything. Desperate to reclaim her life’s ambition, she takes an unexpected offer that promises to solve all her problems. But as Mia moves forward, she’s faced with obstacles she couldn’t have foreseen. The biggest of them lies within the mystery of Ethan Fitzgerald; a man who affects her like no other, but who she should avoid pursuing, at all costs. On a mission himself, Ethan Fitzgerald didn’t care who he pissed off on his road to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. He relied on himself, and was closed off to the world around him – until Mia Ryan walked through his door. Normally one to avoid messy emotions, Ethan’s world is turned upside down by Mia, and he can’t seem to get enough of her. There are lines you can cross that will change the course of your life forever …

Shadowboxer


Cari Quinn - 2014
    I’ve faced the darkest parts of life and survived. But now I’m starting a new life with my baby sister. And that means I need cash.Quick. To get the money I need, I’m going to beat the reigning king of the male fighters in New York’s underground MMA circuit, Tray “Fox” Knox. Tray refuses to fight a woman, until he learns I’m not what he expected. At all. Then he makes me a bet I can’t refuse. He’ll fight me, but if he wins, I will spend the night in his bed. All night long, his rules. No tapping out. I agree, certain he will lose. Because I have to win. I have no choice. What I didn’t realize is that Tray loves to fight dirty…and that this match may end up being the most important one of our lives.Author’s note: Shadowboxer is a full-length MMA novel and is book 1 in the Tapped Out MMA series. It has a happily ever after ending and no cliffhanger, though it contains violent material that may be triggering. It was previously published by Cari Quinn in 2014 and has been lightly re-edited.

Billionaire Cowboy's Runaway Bride


Hope Moore - 2020
    He’s a confirmed bachelor, she’s a runaway bride who needs his help.After confirmed bachelor, Cole Tanner catches the garter at his friend’s wedding he finds a dazed and confused runaway bride limping along the back roads of his hometown of True Love, Texas and stops to help.Tulip Jones obviously can’t say no to public marriage proposals—this is her second time to be a runaway bride! She needs help in more ways than one—can Cole teach her how to become a confirmed bachelorette and learn to say no?They’re a perfect match until love gets in the way!The billionaire bachelors of True Love, Texas are about to meet their matches...

Twisted Fate


K.L. Bryce - 2020
    I fell for her crooked smile and ocean blue eyes the first time I met her in the fifth grade. In high school, no one understood me the way she did. Paige is the only girl I've ever trusted enough to let into my world.But I buried those feelings the day she chose my brother nine years ago.Fate seems to have a sick sense of humor because my newest client decided to sponsor her vlog. I advised them to cut her loose.It’s not personal, it’s business.And besides, I have another proposition that could give us something we both want.But my plan to stay cool, calm, and in control vanishes the moment her lips touch mine.She should run fast in the other direction.My soul is damaged goods.I could never give her the love she deserves.Luke Mason. My gorgeous, loner friend from high school. The boy I almost fell for…until Fate led me into the arms of his twin brother, and eventually, a broken heart.If it wasn’t for the business proposition Luke makes—and one I desperately need—I’d run fast in the other direction.What wasn’t a part of our deal? The oh-so-hot kiss we shared during one of my infamous moments of spontaneity. A mistake neither one of us plans to make again.But when our stares get way more intense, his eyes linger too long on my mouth, and his touch ignites something deep inside I haven’t allowed myself to feel in years, our promise of “strictly platonic” goes up in flames.No matter what happens, I can’t let myself fall for him.But I’m scared I already have.A love story spanning over twelve years, TWISTED FATE is a deep, forbidden love romance with LOL moments, passion and angst, and all the feels. Can be read as a standalone.

Between Clouds and Stars


Sharlyn G. Branson - 2016
    I have money, power, good looks and countless women ready to do anything to get their hands on me, and my rather large package. My business brings in billions every year and my airline has the fastest airplanes in the world. In short, I have everything a man can dream of. Or so I thought until I met Estelle Klide. The second I saw her, I decided to make her mine. Her body was sinfully sexy. She had amazing, mesmerizing indigo eyes. Her sweet scent was the epitome of temptation and evoked images of wild, animalistic sex in my mind. I couldn’t help but fall for her – hard. Letting her slip through my fingers was not an option. In involving myself with her, I entered waters I’d never thought I’d have to swim in. I set off on a journey filled with mystery, fear and a lot of love. The only thing that threatened to ruin this paradise and destroy everything, was her ex-husband, who turned out to be a real monster. BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS is a standalone romance novel, which takes place in the fantastical world of the future.

Wake


Cilla Raven - 2021
    They don’t ride in on a white horse, reaching a gloved hand down so they can whisk you away into the sunset.They drive up on Harleys, hand you a helmet, tell you to hold on tight, and f*ck your world up in the best way possible.Too bad I had to go through a certified villain before I learned this… before I finally woke up to reality.AUTHOR'S NOTE & TRIGGER WARNINGWake is a contemporary romance novel set in Topsail Island, North Carolina.It has some dark themes including abuse, drug references, foul language, violence, sexual situations, and content that could be triggering for some people. It is only intended for readers 18 years and older.

Stiff Competition: A Graves Brothers Romance


Kim Linwood - 2018
    Big ego. Huge… plans? Carter Graves is as smooth as the weave of his designer suit, and just as out of my price range. He sweeps into Wittville ready to wheel, deal and melt some panties, quickly topping my short list of men I love to hate and would hate to love. Before I know it, he’s got his sexy eyes set on me and his talented hands all over my business. My family’s business, of course. What were you thinking? The contract he waves in my face will turn my quiet little life upside down, but it’s his seductive smile that threatens to do the same to my heart. If he really thinks being the hottest guy in town is enough to make me roll over and let him turn us into just another faceless franchise, he’s got another think coming. I’m not signing unless he can convince me he wants more than just another notch on his resume. Or his bedpost. There’s just one problem with my strategy. The harder I make him work, the harder it will be to watch him go. Stiff is a full length stand-alone romance with no cheating and a resounding happily ever after.

Sinners of Hawthorne University Complete Series


Eva Ashwood - 2021
    It contains violence, dark subject matter, and high steam.**

Romance Series Starter Bundle: Caden + Chaos & the Geek


Elizabeth Stevens - 2021
    Featuring the first books in the LOVING THE SYKES and the GRACE GRAYSON SECURITY series.Loving the Sykes #1: CADENCADENI just have to hope I haven't waited too long. And that her three big brothers, the only family I have left, aren't the thing that finally manage to kill me.I need to make her my girl.LUCYI don't know if he'll ever see me as anything more than a little sister. Not with another in his heart. But, I'm willing to do whatever it takes.I've always been his girl.Grace Grayson Security #1: CHAOS & THE GEEKAMBERHow do you politely refuse when the only guy to star in any of your dirty fantasies has just offered to put you up for the foreseeable future and your brother’s just accepted like you were in fact still thirteen and couldn’t make decisions for yourself? You don’t.KITWhen I find out about my best mate’s little sister’s situation, the offer is out of my mouth before I can stop it; Hawk’s like a brother to me even if Amber’s never looked twice at me. It might just be time that this chaos gets a little geek.

Rule Breaker By Accident


Ali Parker - 2019
     One rule. Easy enough, or so I thought. Until this hot surgeon that I’ve been dating off and on becomes a client. It was a casual fling, a fun summer love affair. Until it wasn’t. My heart wasn’t ready to fall so hard for this bad boy in scrubs. The secrets he has hidden in his past stop me dead in my tracks. But he isn’t giving up on us. Not for anything. And I have to decide where I stand. Break the rules or walk away from the best thing I’ve ever had.

Lush


K.D. Elizabeth - 2021
    It’s part of a series about a bunch of hot brothers and features a naughty bartender with an absolutely filthy mouth. You can jump into the series here without having read the others. There is no cheating and it has a HEA.

Playing Doctor


J.D. Hawkins - 2021
    Want me to kiss it better? It’s always been an unacknowledged perk of the MD behind my name that it’s also a kitty magnet. I’ve got my pick of the litter. I only have one rule, and that’s to keep dating and work in different sandboxes. I learned that lesson the hard way once, and I wouldn’t have made it through med school if I needed to be told twice. But everything about Mia makes me dumb. Everything about the hot, bookish gynecologist makes me think NSFW thoughts that just won’t quit. I try throwing myself into my work. Playing as much pickup soccer as I can handle. But it isn’t long before I’m breaking all my rules to get just one more taste of Mia. We’re headed for a reckoning. I’m about to earn a new degree: in love.

Claimed Bride


Linzi Basset - 2018
     Penelope was not having a good week. First her newly minted ‘Ex’husband (she was going to get a t-shirt made) decided to drive off into the sunset (literally) and left her in a pile of shit (figuratively). She’d barely put some dirt on it (actually), when the most gorgeous man on planet Earth showed up and opened his stupid mouth. Alexander Sinclair—billionaire extraordinaire, real estate mogul, one part of Rogues of Manhattan trio, and all parts wrong for her! “I need a wife . . . and I don’t do pretend, Penelope.” Alex was not having a good week (either). First, his star employee took millions of investors’ money to his grave, leaving Alex to deal with a bloody mess. It got worse (liar!) when he went hunting for the wicked Mrs. Carver, but found a delicious little fire-cracker instead. Alex took one look at Penny and bid adieu to his brain (the one in his head at any rate!). How else could he explain his insane attraction for this sinfully-sexy-potentially-deceptive-caveman-invoking woman? Sparks fly as the Penny and Alex clash in a battle of wills . . . and tangle of limbs (you’ll see). But the Houdini embezzler is still at large and Alex will stop at nothing to keep Penny safe in his arms . . . as his claimed bride. Editor’s Note: Bring out the #PornCoc. Your week just got better!