Book picks similar to
Velvet by Lisette Marshall
fantasy
romance
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fantasy-romance
The Royal Companion
Tanya Bird - 2017
He is the prince she is forbidden to love.Companions are the kingdom’s most beautiful and educated women — possessions of Syrasan’s royal men.Aldara is sixteen when she is sold to the obnoxious crown prince as a gift for his brother. Forced to leave the only life she has ever known, Aldara is sent to Archdale Castle, where she is mentored to become Prince Tyron’s perfect Companion. But no amount of lessons can prepare her for the troubled man marked by war. He sees straight through the polished exterior presented to him. He sees her.Prince Tyron has just returned from war. All he wants is privacy to grieve the men who died at the border. So when his brother gifts him a Companion upon his return, he is forced to embrace a tradition he has so far managed to avoid. Except Aldara is not like the others. She walks with her face to the sun and arms swinging. Her laughter makes him forget the lie. But if they ignore the rules that safeguard them, there will be consequences…This is book one in The Companion series. If you enjoy dark medieval romance, then this epic tale of love against all odds is for you. Please note: This is part one of Tyron and Aldara's story. Their story continues in books two and three.Trigger warning: This book contains sexual violence, death and dark themes.
Little Fire
Hollee Mands - 2021
He's scarred from a past he can't forget.Declan can kill with a blink of his eye. Jaded and cold, he rules his kingdom the same way he does his heart—with merciless pragmatism. So why does he risk all to protect a little mortal during a slave-trade uprising? Now stuck in the Shadow Realm, the loss of his powers are the least of his troubles. The woman may have a frustratingly tender heart, but she has enough fire in her soul to thaw the ice in his veins.He could take her by right, but he wants more than acceptance. He wants her willing surrender...Evangeline is chained by a past she can't remember. Her fractured memories keep her shy and single. When she is thrust into a demon realm in the arms of an indomitable archmage, he becomes her only chance of survival. But soon, she realizes her unnerving protector may not be as callous as he appears, and her heart may be as much at risk as her life. His desire for her is no secret, but she wants more than scalding lust. She wants his icy heart...Can they survive the Shadow Realm long enough to break down each other's walls?Author's Note: Little Fire is Book 1 in The Warriors of the Five Realms fantasy romance series. If you love the works of Laura Thalassa, Sarah J Maas and CL Wilson, then you will love this.Little Fire is a standalone, with a guaranteed HEA. Mature themes and possible triggers of sexual abuse. Intended for readers aged 18+.
Beneath Black Sails
Clare Sager - 2020
Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate.To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems. But treasure isn’t the only thing buried. Secrets best forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat – to her freedom and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail.If you love cunning heroes, feisty heroines, and enemies to lovers romance, you’ll love this new adult fantasy series that’s perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Miranda Honfleur.As you might expect from pirates, these stories include mild cussing and spicy encounters.• Book 0 – Across Dark Seas – Out now!• Book 1 – Beneath Black Sails – Coming April 2020!• Book 2 – Against Dark Tides – Coming 2020!• Book 3 – Under Black Skies – Coming 2020!• Book 4 – Through Dark Storms – Coming 2020!
Untainted
Lilian T. James - 2021
Wielding a blade and pretending to be human were two of them. Following the rules and controlling her anger, were not. Raised in the heart of the Matherin Empire, Vera spent most of her life forced to hide what she was and what she could do. Until one day, she foolishly confronts a strange male she spies tailing the Crown Prince. Not only does the altercation not go as planned, but the male claims she possesses a power his people vitally need. He's desperate to return home and refuses to leave without her. Staying would give her a life she never thought she'd have but leaving could provide her with the only chance to learn more about her past. The more answers she uncovers about herself, the more questions arise, and nothing is adding up. Vera must decide what to do, not only with her life, but with the ancient power inside her.
Lullaby
L.R.W. Lee - 2018
But her idyllic life is turned upside down when she discovers her father, the god of dreams, plans to exploit humans, making them exist to do only his bidding. Forced to choose between the only life she's known or protecting her current charge, the crown prince, she sheds immortality and flees Dream realm. But the god of dreams isn’t the only danger to her and Wake realm.Prince Kovis Altairn, the most powerful sorcerer in the Altairn Empire, knows nothing about Dream realm, let alone his sand maiden. So when Ali is discovered naked in his bedroom, she’s accused of being a spy. Now she must convince him of her intentions…as well as the danger they’re all in…before it’s too late.The Sand Maiden is a four-book gods-vs-mortals fantasy retelling that's a unique and original fusion of Greek and English myths. If you loved the sizzle of Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses, the feels and intrigue of Elise Kova's Air Awakens, and/or the Greek mythology of Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker Chronicles you'll definitely love this.Scroll up and one-click your copy today to see if she survives!Why readers' are raving about The Sand Maiden series:It's a refreshingly new fantasy book concept outside the usual witches, warlocks, fairies, vampires, werewolves, and mermaids.It's a unique and original fusion of the Sandman and Morpheus myths, we all grew up with.Its fast-paced and unpredictable twists leave you breathless!WARNING: This book will empower those who say #MeToo but contains mature content including sexual abuse. Recommended for 18+.
City of Thorns
C.N. Crawford - 2021
And yet when a sinfully sexy demon crashes happy hour, that's exactly what happens. He’s known as the Lord of Chaos, he’s mistaken me for my succubus doppelgänger. Happy birthday to me.When he tastes my blood, he finally understands I’m mortal. And I realize we have something in common: we both crave revenge. So we make a deal: I can stay in the forbidden city to hunt for my mom's killer. In return, I’ll help him get the vengeance he craves. I just have to pose as a sexy succubus. One problem--he's my number one suspect. And that’s increasingly hard to remember as he teaches me my role: seduction. With each heated touch I drift further into peril. And if I fall under his seductive spell, death awaits me. "I flew through this book... Hot demon lord—check, action—check, romance—check. And there's spice! If you love my books, you definitely want to read this one." -- Laura Thalassa
A Heart of Blood and Ashes
Milla Vane - 2020
Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil--until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents' murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king's daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones--because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own...
Ishtar's Blade
Lisa Blackwood - 2016
King’s confidant. Avenging blade of the Goddess Ishtar. Iltani asked to be none of these things. Yet fate does not ask permission when she weaves souls upon destiny’s loom. On the day of Iltani’s birth, an assassin tried and nearly succeeded in ending the line of the gryphon kings. Out of that bloodshed, an unbreakable bond was forged between child-king and goddess-chosen infant, and from that pivotal moment forward, Iltani was never farther from King Ditanu than his shadow. Not until her training to become Ishtar’s Blade required her to leave. After four brutal years of training, Iltani now returns to court as Ishtar’s Blade and takes up her role of king’s shadow—a dangerous position in a court where the threat of another assassination is but a blade’s width away. But for the chance to stand at the side of her beloved king, she will endure the dangers of court intrigues, assassins, and political maneuverings. Author's Note: Ishtar's Blade is a Fantasy Romance loosely based on early Sumerian and Mesopotamian religion. Ishtar's Legacy Reading Order: Ishtar's Blade A Blade's Beginning (short story) Blade's Honor Blade's Destiny (coming later in 2018)
Black Sunshine
Karina Halle - 2021
Unfortunately, fate has other plans for her. A week before her birthday, she’s kidnapped by the brooding and dangerous stranger with cold eyes and a lethal touch, who has been stalking her on San Francisco’s fog-shrouded streets. Absolon "Solon" Stavig isn’t your average criminal though. He’s a centuries-old vampire who’s caught between wanting to kill Lenore and wanting to save her. You see Lenore, too, is a vampire.She just doesn’t know it yet.Taken by a pair of vampire slayers when she was just an infant, Lenore was raised never knowing her true nature. All Lenore knows is that she has (normal) parents who love her, that she’s exceptionally smart, and she’s squeamish around blood. But once she turns twenty-one, she’ll fully turn into a vampire, and Solon hopes he’ll be there to guide her, opening her eyes to her deepest hunger...both sexual and otherwise. But this turning can’t be kept a secret. Soon both slayers and vampires are hunting Lenore, with only Solon and his unpredictable motley crew of vampires to save her.If they don’t kill her first.Black Sunshine is a dark adult romance with a paranormal twist, about sex, love, secrets, and revenge, set in contemporary San Francisco.
Winter's Fury
A.E. Rayne - 2017
But her uncle stole the throne and sent her away to marry Eadmund, the drunken son of their worst enemy. Now she must pick up her sword again to restore her family’s honour and return to the home she loves.
Despite her skill with a sword, her prowess in battle, and her reputation as the greatest warrior in Brekka, without her father to protect her, Jael was merely a pawn, a woman to be married off so her uncle could forge an alliance to fulfil his own desperate ambitions.Eadmund is broken hearted, tortured by the murder of his first wife, but his father had lost patience with him. He wanted heirs for his kingdom. He wanted his son back, restored to the fierce warrior he had once been. And when his daughter has a dream about Jael, the woman who would save him, he eagerly jumps at the opportunity to make an alliance with his worst enemy.Jael and Eadmund will fight against their union, but the dreamers know that this marriage is meant to be; it must happen for the sake of all Osterland. For without them... without Jael and her sword, without Eadmund by her side, the five kingdoms will not survive the darkness that is coming to claim them all.
A Ruin of Roses
K.F. Breene - 2021
We all have. A curse put upon us by the mad king.We are a kingdom locked in time. Shifters unable to feel our animals. Stuck here by a deal between the late king and a demon who seeks our destruction.The only one keeping this kingdom alive is Nyfain, the golden prince to a stolen throne. The last dragon shifter.He’s our hope.He’s my nightmare.When he catches me trespassing in the forbidden wood, he doesn’t punish me with death, as he’s entitled.He takes me, instead. Forces me back to the castle as his prisoner. Seeks to use me.Apparently, I can save him. I can save the whole forgotten kingdom, locked away by the demon king’s power.But it would mean taming the monster beneath his skin. It would mean giving myself to him.It would mean my ruin._ _ _ _ _ _This is a dark and sexy Beauty and the Beast retelling, featuring a strong heroine, a dangerous anti-hero, and a humorous supporting cast. It is a full-length novel at 80k words and suitable for 18+. This is the beginning of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Buckle up. The author was let off her leash.
Trick
Natalia Jaster - 2015
She's a righteous princess. It’s forbidden love.In the Kingdom of Spring, Poet is renowned. He's young and pretty, a lover of men and women. He performs for the court, kisses like a scoundrel, and mocks with a silver tongue.Yet allow him this: It's only the most cunning and manipulative soul who can play the fool.For beyond the castle walls, Poet guards a secret.One the Crown would shackle him for. One that he'll risk everything to protect.Alas, it will take more than clever words to deceive Princess Briar.Convinced that he's juggling lies as well as verse, this righteous nuisance of a girl is determined to expose him.But not all falsehoods are fiendish. Poet's secret is delicate, binding the jester and princess in an unlikely alliance—and kindling a breathless attraction, as alluring as it is forbidden.Trick is the first book in the Foolish Kingdoms historical fantasy series by Natalia Jaster. If you like strong princesses, seductive heroes, and magical royalty romance, this steamy enemies-to-lovers story will enchant you. Ready for a book hangover? Pick up your copy now!*Mature young adult/new adult: sexual content and language. For readers 17 and older.*
Servant of the Crown
Melissa McShane - 2015
Even the prospect of access to the Royal Library doesn’t seem enough to make up for her sacrifice, but Alison is prepared to do her service to the Crown. What she’s not prepared for is Prince Anthony North, Queen Zara’s playboy brother, who’s accustomed to getting what he wants—including the Countess of Waxwold.When the fallout from an unfortunate public encounter throws the two of them together, Alison has no interest in becoming the Prince’s next conquest. But as the weeks pass, Alison discovers there’s more to Anthony than she—or he—realized, and their dislike becomes friendship, and then something more—until disaster drives Alison away, swearing never to return.Then Alison is summoned by the Queen again, this time to serve as Royal Librarian. A threat to Tremontane’s government, with her treasured Library at stake, draws Alison into the conflict…and into contact with Anthony once more. Can they work together to save the Royal Library and Tremontane? And can she open her heart to love again?
A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor
Kathryn Moon - 2021
Even better, the invitation comes by the hand of the handsome Dr. Underwood, a delicate gentleman with a ferocious alter ego who knows exactly what he wants from Esther.Upon arrival the men and the daily decadence of the manor feel too good to be true for a girl of Esther’s station. There are rules to be followed, expectations to meet, and Esther is afraid she might be too wicked even for a place like Rooksgrave.Temptations lurk around every shadowy corner and Esther has never been a girl able to resist. But the risk of disappointing her new gentlemen isn’t all that’s threatening Esther’s new position. Rooksgrave Manor’s protections for its unusual patrons are failing, the wards are crumbling, and Esther’s new and exquisitely pleasurable life may all come tumbling down.Author's Note: I've returned to Rooksgrave Manor to polish and complete Esther's story (previously published in 2018) and rediscovered a whole world of monsters and devious young women that I absolutely adore!
Cold Queen
K. Webster - 2019
Weak. Fragile. Disgraced. But Queen Whitestone is not alone in her final days. She has her beloved sister. Until a wicked king rides onto her land. Arrogant. Insufferable. Demanding. King Bloodsun has come with an offer…peace in trade for a bride. He wants the princess. The fiery king won’t take no for an answer. He vows to keep the cold queen captive until she gives in to his demands. A queen bows for no one, though. Not even when she’s frail and fading away. She’ll tap into her strength, protecting the only family she has left. The king is about to learn why they call her the cruel one…