Book picks similar to
Skin Deep by Dez Burke


romance
interracial-romance
interracial
contemporary

Found by You


Victoria H. Smith - 2014
    I swear to God I’ve already seen him in a Nike ad, and he’s one of the top picks when he goes pro following our spring graduation.His life is on display for the world. Both his accomplishments and demons there for judgment.I’m a girl who likes to play roller derby from, of all places, Wisconsin. My own demons better concealed. And one day…He notices me.Found by You is a new adult contemporary romance.

Bad at Love


Karina Halle - 2017
     Marina is hot, blonde, and wickedly smart, but when it comes to men? She's hopeless. Between her quirks and her lack of filter, there isn't a man in Los Angeles that will stick around after the third date. Her handsome, charming friend Lazarus has the opposite problem. Everyone wants to be the sexy Brit's girlfriend, but he gets bored and moves on quickly. There's only one way to figure out why neither of them has cracked this love thing-- they'll date each other. On paper, it's the perfect experiment. But in reality, things between Marina and Laz get complicated quickly. They might be bad at love, but they are even worse at being friends. Note: This full-length romance is a complete standalone with no relation to any other books and was inspired by the Halsey song "Bad at Love." It does contain ample amounts of profanity, filthy language and graphic sex scenes. Sensitive readers should be advised.

The Vixen and the Vet


Katy Regnery - 2014
    Given the opportunity to get back in the game by writing a patriotic human interest piece, Savannah turns her attention to the town hermit, Asher Lee, a wounded veteran who returned to Danvers eight years ago, and hasn’t been seen since. After an IED explosion in Afghanistan took Asher’s hand and disfigured half of his face, he's lived a quiet life on the outskirts of Danvers where the locals respect his privacy…that is, until Savannah Carmichael comes calling in a borrowed sundress with a plate of homemade brownies. When Asher agrees to be interviewed by Savannah, he starts feeling things for the beautiful reporter that he hasn’t felt in years. Misfits in small-town Danvers, Savannah and Asher create a bond right away, touching each other’s hearts in ways neither thought possible. When a terrible mistake threatens to drive them apart, they’ll have to decide if the love they found in one another’s arms is strong enough to fight for their hard-won happily ever after.*****The Vixen and the Vet is part of the a modern fairytale collection, which will include five standalone novels:The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) - available nowNever Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) - available nowGinger's Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) - available March 22, 2016Don't Speak (The Little Mermaid) - available 2017Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – available 2017/18Librarian's Note: This is an alternate/new cover for ASIN B00L19SVQ4

Ache for Me


Aja Cole - 2017
    Harlan’s got me all twisted up and he’s not what I want at all…
 He’s high-handed, your typical arrogant athlete, too damn good looking... And I go up in flames whenever he so much as looks at me.
 HARLAN I’d put her out of my mind, or tried to at least. One impulsive encounter. One taste, and I’ve got it bad. Something about Kaija makes me think about everything I never thought I wanted. Fast and free has always been the name of my game, but this woman… She comes with her own playbook. A hockey player and a head-strong woman walk into a bar... Who comes out on top? Ache For Me is a 45,000 word standalone romance with an HFN, explicit sexual situations, and no cliffhangers.

Cocky Bastard


Penelope Ward - 2015
    When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours. My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense.I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways. All good things must come to an end, right? Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.Author's note - Cocky Bastard is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Love Under Quarantine


Kylie Scott - 2020
    With a career-ending scandal on his back, Evan hides out in his best friend’s empty San Francisco home, the full city shutdown locking him in a lonely twenty-story apartment in the sky.Romance writer Sadie Walsh is having the worst case of writer’s block ever…until the incredible, muscular stranger staying next door gets her muse going strong. The pair of loners, never expecting to find a friend in all the madness, meet each day out on their balconies like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.Each new day brings unique challenges for the pair as they navigate the unknown and find solace together. They quickly figure out that as long as they have one another, they can handle anything.Even falling in love under quarantine.

Drumline


Stacy Kestwick - 2017
    Especially in the South. College football. Rivalries. Tailgating. Halftime shows. Some things just don’t change. Until Reese Holland shows up with her long legs and no-bullsh*t attitude to audition for the prestigious all-male Rodner University snare line. It doesn’t matter how much hazing she has to endure from Laird Bronson, with his narrowed green eyes and arrogant smirk. She wants that damn spot, and she’s more than good enough to earn it. She expects there to be tension. Even friction. But not sparks hot enough to burn the entire campus down. ***Drumline is a standalone college romance.

The Hooker and the Hermit


L.H. Cosway - 2015
    Well, I have a confession to make…THE HERMITAnnie Catrel, social media expert extraordinaire at Davidson & Croft Media and clandestine celebrity blogger, can make anyone shine in the court of public opinion. She is the Socialmedialite, anonymous creator of New York’s Finest and the internet’s darling. Virtual reality is Annie’s forte, but actual reality? Not so much.THE HOOKERRonan Fitzpatrick, aka the best hooker the world of rugby has seen in decades, despises the media—social or otherwise. The press has spun a web of lies depicting him as rugby’s wild and reckless bad boy. Suspended from his team, Ronan has come to Manhattan to escape the drama, lay low, fly under the radar. Only, Ronan isn’t easy to overlook, and he can’t escape the notice of the Socialmedialite…THE PLANWhen Ronan is sent to Davidson & Croft Media to reshape his public image, he never expects to cross paths with shy but beautiful Annie, nor does he expect his fierce attraction to her. He couldn’t be happier when her boss suggests pairing them together.What lengths will Annie take to keep her virtual identity concealed? And what happens when the hooker discovers who the hermit really is?

Before Sunrise


Sienna Mynx - 2011
    Learning to let go after the tragic killing of her Navy Seal husband in the Afghan War proved to be mission impossible. But after five long years and countless hours of tears and healing, Kennedy has moved on.KIA? No. Liam Flanagan is alive! A Special Ops team uncovers the bunker he was held prisoner in and Liam has a second chance at life. However, five years is a long time. Soon life deals another blow. His wife has remarried and his daughter calling a man he hates daddy.Caught between the past and the harsh realities of the present, both Liam and Kennedy fight for the love they've had and forgiveness for all they've lost. Before Sunrise, promises to make you a believer in the happily ever after we all deserve.

Love Intertwined Vol.1


Pepper Pace - 2011
    Someone to Love"God, I'm happy she's gone," one of Jill's friends said. "Yeah, looking at her face makes me sick to my stomach." Words like those have followed Raina every since she was a child and half of her face was destroyed by a tragic fire. Once upon a time, she was one of the ‘beautiful ones’ with her hazel eyes, light brown skin and long flowing hair. But now, Raina only watches the world around her. Too ashamed of her looks to actually interact, she finds joy in following Bill with her eyes. With her head down and her hair obscuring her scars she manages to get by.Bill doesn’t like anyone and has little patience for Jill’s flirtations. He has been described as looking like Brad Pitt on crack—and it’s not very far from the truth. The only thing that matters is getting through the work day so that he can get high. But one day he literally crashes into Raina and for the first time in either of their lives they allow themselves to actually be ‘seen’.The Way HomeJamie thinks too hard, reads too much and doesn’t much care for her looks. At fourteen, she knows that she’s never had a real childhood. When her mother died she was the one that had to step up to the plate and run the household—and for the most part she doesn’t mind at all. And then one day she sees a white boy coming from the woods who was dirty, hungry and obviously uncared for but with eyes so lost that despite her normal shyness she offers to help him. As they come to terms with the fact that their lives transcends the ‘norm’, Kenny and Jamie’s relationship reaches heights that they could have never imagined, and lows that their love may not survive.Baby Girl and the Mean BossNicole wasn’t sure why she had gotten the nick name Baby Girl when she was not-by far-the youngest employee of The Down Home Calabash. Her much younger co-worker complained, gossiped or talked about how attractive their boss was. But Nicole didn’t have the luxury of a fantasy existence. She was on a mission to make money and to get her degree and her plans most definitely did not include Marty. Besides he was mean and he yelled at her!But once she experiences a tragic accident, Nicole sees a different side of her sexy, boss. But each has their own secrets and if they can’t express their heartfelt emotions their relationship might be doomed even before it begins.

Settling the Score


R.S. Grey - 2016
    For 21 years, her Friday nights have consisted of blocking shots rather than taking them. But now that she's landed in Rio, she's ready to see for herself if the rumors about the Olympic Village are true:• The athletes are all sex-crazed maniacs... • The committee passes out condoms like candy... • The games continue long after the medals have been handed out... As Andie walks the line between rumor and reality, she's forced into the path of Frederick Archibald, a decorated Olympic swimmer and owner of a sexy British accent--too bad he's unavailable in a way that "it's complicated" doesn't even begin to explain.In other words: off limits.It doesn't matter that he has abs that could bring peace to the Middle East and a smile that makes even the Queen blush; Andie fully intends on keeping her focus on the soccer field. But the Village is small. Suffocating. Everywhere Andie goes, Freddie happens to be there--shirtless, wet from the pool, and determined to show her a whole new meaning of the phrase "international affairs".Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

The Baller


Vi Keeland - 2016
    The arrogant ass decided to drop his towel, just as I asked the first question. On camera.The Super Bowl MVP quickly adopted a new hobby--screwing with me.When I pushed back, he shifted from wanting to screw with me, to wanting to screw me.But I don't date players.And it's not because I'm one of the few women working in the world of professional football.I'd date an athlete.It's the other kind of player I don't date. You know the type. Good looking, strong, cocky, always looking to get laid. Brody Easton was the ultimate player. Every woman wanted to be the one to change him. But the truth was, all he needed was a girl worth changing for. Turned out, I was that girl. Simple right? Let's face it. It never is. There's a story between once upon a time and happily ever after...And this one is ours. Author's note - The Baller is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Beauty and the Billionaire


Lauren Landish - 2019
    White Knight. But I just call him “boss.” Thomas Goldstone. A man of billion dollar deals in custom-tailored suits, he demands more than your best. He’s scary. Driven. Haunted by inner demons that have taken him to the brink. But beneath the arrogant, controlling façade lies a heart of gold. It makes me want to solve him one growly, messy piece at a time. To be the only one who sees the truth of the man. But I’m... me. A pink-haired, anime-loving, data-crunching geek with an office in the basement of Goldstone HQ. My chances with the big boss? Statistically insignificant. His burning gaze and clenched jaw say otherwise though. Gives me hope and ignites a flame so hot my glasses fog up. I shouldn’t mix business with pleasure. Shouldn’t tempt the beast upstairs. Shouldn't keep wondering... Do fairy tales really come true? From USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post Bestselling Author Lauren Landish comes Beauty and the Billionaire. Your favorite fairy tale with a side of... dirty. Prepare for twists you'll never see coming and loads of alpha goodness that will make your heart, and your kindle, melt.

The Fight Within


Tiana Laveen - 2014
    In his domain, things are black and white, good or bad, right or wrong, with a healthy dose of good cheer. A hard-working garbage collector from Queens, New York by day, and dedicated college student and acclaimed kick boxer by night, he appears to be an open book, giving himself over fully without the need for one to dig further. But upon closer inspection, it becomes plain he is a ticking time bomb with a secret past, using various coping mechanisms to hide trauma and emotional pain that threaten to take him under. However, one day, the very thing he abhors becomes too irresistible to pass up… A mature, divorced woman by the name of Treasure Chambers is his newfound fascination and he knows deep down the feeling is mutual. Treasure and Sean’s first meeting is full of spirited venom as the sarcastic garbage collector sizes her up in ways she hadn’t anticipated. She fights the attraction and his advances, for she has two children from a marriage that burnt to the ground, leaving a hole in her heart that seemed unable to be healed. Over time, the two discover they are more alike than they thought, and socio-economic and racial disparities are the very issues that tie them together, versus pushing them apart. As their love for one another grows, they are met with outside and internal opposition, judgment and a call to action in order to help heal themselves, and each other.Knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he has found a jewel in his life, will Sean be able to convince Treasure he is worth taking a chance on as he reveals his true self? Come along for a reading experience about hope, healing after the storm, and the true definition of love and trust built from ground zero. There is a fight within, but who will come out victorious?

Hero


Lauren Rowe - 2018
    Or breathe. Or string two coherent thoughts together. And I don’t mean any of that figuratively. I’m not talking about a guy being floored by the sight of a gorgeous woman—although, of course, Lydia is gorgeous beyond words.No, when I first laid eyes on Lydia Decker—my physical therapist—I was lying flat on my back in the ICU, high as a kite on painkillers, breathing on a ventilator, my bones as broken and splintered as my spirit. When I first laid eyes on Lydia Decker, she was a ray of light in the dark. Hope for the hopeless. A salve for my singed and battered soul.She said she’d been assigned to fix me. That she was there to bring me back to life. She said helping me was her calling. And then she touched me. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. She healed me. And I fell in love. But what I didn’t know . . . what I couldn’t possibly know . . . was that Lydia Decker needed fixing far more than I ever did.​​​​​​​NOTE: The Morgan Brothers are a series of five interconnected standalones. Recommended reading order is to start with HERO or CAPTAIN, as book 1, despite series numbering, because both books run on same timeline, alongside each other, and their events happen first in chronology. However, if you do not mind skipping around in time a bit, you can start with any of the Morgan Brothers books, despite series numbering, and fully enjoy it!