Book picks similar to
Playing With Fire by Erica Marselas


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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.

Wreck You


Abby McCarthy - 2014
    I take men who love me and I destroy them. If there was a scarlet letter I could wear to keep the men at bay, it would be a W. I would wear it proudly, to let them know I am a wrecker. If you love me, I will wreck you.” Raised within the Devil’s Crusader’s, Maura has been exposed to many of life’s uglies and sheltered from any real relationships. She has all but given up on the idea of love. Until she meets Corbin Marx, a sexy beast of a Marine who refuses to back down from any challenge. He is the type of man Maura has craved, the type who might just be strong enough… This journey will be brutal, littered with violence, deceit and heartache. Maura must learn to navigate through the bumpy roads that life has paved and hope that at the end she will find her happiness. Warning: Due to violence, language, drug use and sexual content this book is not suited for anyone under 17. If those things offend you, this might too.

The Danger You Know


Lily White - 2020
    Always has been. I'm the worst thing for her, yet I’m the only salvation she knows.He had his chance to make her happy.He failed.He didn't see how she was dying inside because he couldn't know her.Not like I know her.I am her stalker.Her protector.And the only man that can bring her back to life.***This book contains sensitive subject matter.

To Sin with a Viking


Michelle Willingham - 2013
    He is the enemy…and he is married. Yet Styr harbors a secret that just might set them both free… Forbidden Vikings Resist them if you can!

The Black Fox


Brianna Hale - 2020
    I made my enemies dance to my tune and fall to my sword. The day must come when every hero hangs up his cape, and for me, it was the day I outsmarted the curse. I would not die for love, because I didn’t love the woman I married. Valeria Hernandez didn’t love me. Then I met her. Lolita. Fresh from boarding school, as beautiful as a rose’s thorn and poised to pierce my heart. Little Lo is as dangerous as sin and twice as forbidden. She hates me, but she loves her Black Fox. Her savior. Her devil in black. How he loves to hear her call him daddy.

Revenge Cake


Skyler Mason - 2020
    I tried to protect myself, using my natural coldness to resist his compelling warmth. But he wore me down with his beautiful face and self-deprecating charm.He made me feel like the center of his universe.Until one day, I wasn’t.The anxiety and the pills turned me into a different person.But did I deserve to be abandoned in the darkest moment of my life?He shattered my heart into a million pieces, and now it’s time to give him a taste of his own medicine.Revenge never tasted so sweet.LoganI was done with love until the night I saw her.She opened that sassy, heart-shaped mouth and called me weak.And just like that, I was a goner.I knew she was the only woman for me.And in a moment of weakness, I may have lost her forever.I was tired of being ignored.I didn’t know what to do with her addiction to anxiety pills.But did I have to let it cost me my soulmate?I won’t let my mistake ruin us.And if she thinks I’ll just stand by while she moves on, she’s got another thing coming.Warning: This book explores the topics of panic disorder, addiction, and cheating.

The Duke I Tempted


Scarlett Peckham - 2018
    Meticulous. Immaculate. No one would expect the proper Duke of Westmead to be a member of London’s most illicit secret club. Least of all: his future wife. Having overcome financial ruin and redeemed his family name to become the most legendary investor in London, the Duke of Westmead needs to secure his holdings by producing an heir. Which means he must find a wife who won’t discover his secret craving to spend his nights on his knees—or make demands on his long scarred-over heart. Poppy Cavendish is not that type of woman. An ambitious self-taught botanist designing the garden ballroom in which Westmead plans to woo a bride, Poppy has struggled against convention all her life to secure her hard-won independence. She wants the capital to expand her exotic nursery business—not a husband. But there is something so compelling about Westmead, with his starchy bearing and impossibly kind eyes—that when an accidental scandal makes marriage to the duke the only means to save her nursery, Poppy worries she wants more than the title he is offering. The arrangement is meant to be just business. A greenhouse for an heir. But Poppy yearns to unravel her husband’s secrets—and to tempt the duke to risk his heart.

Next to Never


Penelope Douglas - 2017
    And when a family friend—several years older—from her childhood captures her heart, she knows they’re going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man—experienced, sophisticated, and important. And knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden.But Lucas left town years ago and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn’t wait for him anymore.But then a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn Quinn’s world upside down. She’s never asked about the tumultuous path of her parents’ romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start.As she begins to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she’ll keep waiting…or finally go after what she really wants.*Next to Never is a 60,000 word novella from Quinn's point-of-view. It is not her love story. That will be a full-length novel eventually. This story covers some family history, introduces the new generation, and catches up with the original couples.

Running Wild


S.E. Jakes - 2014
    That’s why he was in the Army, why he steals and races classic muscle cars . . . and why he can’t stay away from bad boy Ryker, a Havoc Motorcycle Club lieutenant. Fortunately, Ryker can’t seem to stay away from Sean—he’s spent the last eight months breaking into Sean’s apartment and stealing into his bed, leaving Sean physically satisfied but increasingly restless.Sean has always avoided relationships. He likes to come and go without being controlled. And Ryker is possibly the most controlling man he’s ever known. Still, he finds that he wants more from Ryker than their silent nighttime encounters.Then one of Sean’s thefts goes bad, and Ryker’s protective instincts kick into overdrive. He takes Sean to the Havoc compound, determined to keep him safe. But Sean’s past threatens the safety of Havoc—and everything Ryker holds dear. Worse, Ryker’s hiding secrets of his own. Soon it’s obvious that the adrenaline rush can’t keep them together anymore. But maybe love can.

Rotten


J.L. Brooks - 2013
    Years later, Toni is lost in a dead end marriage and makes a painful confession that sends her back to the one place she always wanted to escape. But can she really right the wrongs that haunt her? Toni soon finds that the only place where things stay the same is in your mind.When her path crosses with David Stark, childhood playmate turned one night stand, she cannot deny the spike in temperature she feels every time he's near or the scorching dreams that flood her at night.Digging through the years of heartache, Toni soon finds herself torn between the man she is committed to and the one who has always held her heart. As each layer unfolds before her, she discovers the root cause of her pain. Always believing the source was external, nothing could prepare her for the truth.*This book contains sexual content and adult language. Intended for readers 17+.

Those 365 Letters


Mia Ford - 2019
     I’d be devastated if my heart broke again.  So, is it better to let the past stay in the past?

Beautifully Twisted


Jennifer Domenico - 2013
    Heading up the London office for Patrick Collins Media, she’s done what it takes to get to the top and have the career and independence she’s always wanted. Her life in London is everything she’s worked hard to achieve, and she revels in her newfound control. If only she could forget the one man who brings her to her knees. Literally. Scott Patrick is successful, commanding, and the kind of man women dream about. He’s also responsible for Alexa’s career success and her twisted view of love. Scott is a master at avoiding commitment and emotions and always thought of himself as the kind of guy who would never settle down. So why can’t he get Alexa out of his head?When Scott suddenly turns up in London, Alexa has to decide if she can open herself up to the same man that broke her heart or if she’s ready to give someone new a chance.Beautifully Twisted is an intense power struggle between two people who have a hard time being together but an even harder time staying apart.

Disgrace


Brittainy C. Cherry - 2018
    I didn’t know my worth. I didn’t know how to exist without him by my side.All I wanted was for him to come back to me.Then, Jackson Emery appeared.He was supposed to be a distraction for my mind. A summer fling. A confidence boost to my bruised heart.We were perfect for one another, because we both knew we wouldn’t last. Jackson didn’t believe in commitment, and I no longer believed in love. He was too closed-off for me, and I was too damaged for him.Everything was fine, until one night my heart skipped a beat.I didn’t expect him to make me laugh. To make me think. To make my sadness somewhat disappear.When our time was up, my heart didn’t know how to walk away.Each day I prayed for my husband to love me again, yet slowly my prayers began to shift toward the man who wasn’t right for me. I prayed for one more smile, one more kiss, one more laugh, one more touch… I prayed for him to be mine.Even though I knew his heart wasn’t destined to love.*This book was previously known as Between the Notes.*

Secret Confessions of the Enticing Duchess


Olivia Bennet - 2019
    When a stunning nobleman enters the shop with his obnoxious fiancé, she is immediately enticed. Suffering his parents’ sudden loss at a young age, Percival Montagu, Duke of Northcott, becomes enamored with the ravishing dressmaker and craves to make her his mistress. But he has made a lucrative deal and too much is at stake should he breaks it. When a stolen jewel and a series of well-crafted events throw Abigail in gaol, her life is in peril. Percival is the only one who can save her from a terrible fate. However, he doesn’t know that their pasts are sickeningly intertwined and something darker is connecting them...a shattering secret that should have been kept hidden, forever. *If you like a realistic yet steamy depiction of the Regency and Victorian era, then Secret Confessions of the Enticing Duchess is the novel for you. This is Olivia's second novel, a historical Regency romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a strong happily ever after. Pick up "Secret Confessions of the Enticing Duchess" today to discover Olivia's new amazing story!

Only For You


E.L. Todd - 2013
    Penelope was the love of his life, the woman of his dreams. Scarlet knew how far her best friend was going to fall and she had to catch him. Scarlet became Sean’s rock and helped him through a very painful breakup, but her own hidden desires bubbled to the surface in the process. When they finally gave in and slept together, she thought it was the start of their new relationship. Unfortunately, Sean didn’t feel the same.Humiliated and heartbroken, Scarlet moved across the country and found what she least expected. She rekindled her damaged relationship with her brother, who she hadn’t spoken to in a year, and her brother’s best friend was attractive and interesting. Their relationship was natural and unforced, and she was immediately drawn to him. Would she be able to get over Sean, forget about him, by sleeping with Cortland, or would that just be another repeated mistake?THIS IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER*Recommended for mature audiences 17+ due to strong language and sexual content.*