Book picks similar to
High Stakes by Dana Warren Smith


contemporary-romance
contemporary
virgin-heroine
smith-dana-warren

Evil Love


Ella Fields - 2020
    Ex-girlfriend? Whatever. Point is, the Adonis loved to hate me.It wasn’t my fault he’d followed me. It wasn’t my fault he’d stared too long and stood a little too close, just daring me to accomplish my wildest dreams.And it most certainly wasn’t my fault his ex-girlfriend arrived when he’d decided to kiss me back.Then the cruelty began.I’d thought I could handle it, so long as his lips kept gracing mine and he kept giving me more scorching firsts. Until he took it too far, and all his carefully kept secrets blew open the doors to a brand-new world. A world he was all too familiar with.Obsession became loathing and fear replaced naivety as Jude was forced to hold my hand and help me navigate a secret society rife with sin and debauchery—the crème de la crème of Peridot Island.If I wasn’t careful, I’d do more than lose what remained of my heart. My first love and greatest foe wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d devoured my soul, too.

The Unwanted Wife


Natasha Anders - 2012
    Eighteen months into their marriage, however, Sandro has turned to ice. Desperate to escape a relationship that has proven to be as stubbornly passionate as it is cold and hateful, Theresa summons up the courage to ask for a divorce. But before he’ll grant her request, Sandro demands something from Theresa: a son.The stalemate sickens her. Never mind that Sandro has yet to introduce Theresa to the large family that means so much to him. Or that Theresa overhears her husband on the phone with a mystery woman. Most damning is that Theresa senses, in Sandro’s treatment of her, the behind-the-scenes machinations of Jackson Noble, her cruel father. From the depths of her anxiety, Theresa must seek an empowering truth about the husband who calls her, with such cold affection, his cara, his beloved.Revised edition: This edition of The Unwanted Wife includes editorial revisions.

A Heart so Wild


Johanna Lindsey - 1986
    But she needs a guide to lead her safely through this dangerous, unfamiliar country, someone as wild and unpredictable as the land itself. And that man is the gunslinger they call Chandos.Courtney fears this enigmatic loner whose dark secrets torture his soul, yet whose eyes, bluer than the frontier sky, enflame the innocent, determined lady with wanton desires. But on the treacherous path they have chosen they have no one to trust but each other--as shared perils to their lives and hearts unleash turbulent, unbridled, passions that only love can tame.

Maggie's Man


Alicia Scott - 1997
    When shy and reserved Maggie Ferringer was called for jury duty, she never expected to be kidnapped by an escaped convict. But when Cain Cannon, disguised as a prison guard, pulls a gun, she has no choice but to be taken hostage. Cain claims that he’s innocent of killing his girlfriend six years ago and now he wants revenge on the people who put him behind bars. Soon, Maggie becomes more than just a hostage to Cain. As they slowly begin to share the secrets of their respective pasts, Maggie discovers that she wants to fight for Cain’s freedom—because he just might be the kind of man she could love.

Kiss an Angel


Susan Elizabeth Phillips - 1996
    Arranged marriages don't happen in the modern world, so how did the irrepressible Daisy find herself in this fix?Alex Markov, as humorless as he is deadly handsome, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little feather-head with champagne tastes. He drags Daisy from her uptown life to a broken down traveling circus and sets out to tame her to his ways.But this man without a soul has met his match in a woman who's nothing but heart. Before long, passion will send them flying sky high without a safety net... risking it all in search of a love that will last forever.

Eloping with Emmy


Liz Fielding - 1998
    He is not happy about it, and when Emmy stows away in his car, his day goes from bad to worse, but since she's the only one who knows where to find the man in question he has no choice but take her along for the ride.It's a bumpy one!Emmy is not a woman to sit back and let things fall as they will. She has a plan and she keeps Brodie on his toes in a rollercoaster chase across the UK and France. He's more than up to the challenge, but falling in love with Emmy along the way is always going to end with his heart in pieces.

Cherish


Catherine Anderson - 1998
    He is now a rugged, respectable rancher, but it's a solitary life. Then Fate leads Race to an earthbound angel—lost and alone' the sole survivor of an outlaw attack—and even his hardened heart is moved. He sweeps the ivory-skinned beauty into his arms and carries her away from danger. A Woman to Cherish When innocent Rebecca Morgan wakes up in a stranger's embrace, her life has been changed forever. Race's touch makes her blood sing and stirs up emotions in her she never knew existed. But this man has a fearsome reputation. And though her life may depend on him, can she trust him? Is it love she sees in her rescuer's dark eyes.?

Jackson Rule


Dinah McCall - 1996
    Now he was starting over-or trying to. Once he laid hungry eyes on his new employer, though, his resolve to lead a simple, solitary life deserted him, replaced by yearnings for fierce, forbidden passion. WHAT COULD HE GIVE HER BUT TROUBLEPreacher's daughter Rebecca Hill was raised to give folks the benefit of the doubt--though maybe this time she'd taken charity a bit too far. True, Jackson Rule had paid his debt to society, and was a hard, honest worker. What threatened to undo her was the sheer burning desire she felt in his presence, and the sinking feeling that her heart would be his captive forever.

Light of Day


Ruth Wind - 1990
    Dashing and charismatic, yet also brooding and distant, Samuel Bashir awakened the hungry, loving woman within her. But too many clues—and the darkness that seemed to surround him—hinted at a mystery that could break her heart.Years of being on a dangerous secret ‘mission’ were gnawing at Samuel, leaving him empty, except for an aching desire for Lila. But she was a creature of light, of shimmering passions, while he moved among the shadows. He could offer her nothing but pain. Still, her poignant radiance tugged at him, daring him to dream the impossible—that their love could find its place in the sun…

On the Way to You


Kandi Steiner - 2017
    I could have said my dog, or my books, or yoga — but I just stared. And then, I got in his car. It was crazy to take a road trip with a stranger, but after years of standing still, he was my one-way ticket to a new life, and I wasn’t going to miss it. We shared the same space, the same car, the same hotel room — and still, we were strangers. One day we’d be laughing, the next, we wouldn’t speak. Emery was surrounded by impenetrable walls, but I wanted in. Discovering his journal changed everything. I read his thoughts, words not meant for anyone’s eyes, and the more I learned about him, the harder I fell. It turned out nothing made Emery Reed happy, and I wanted to change that. I earned his trust by violating his privacy, and as wrong as it was, it worked — until one entry revealed a darkness I never knew existed, a timer I never knew was ticking. Suddenly, what made me happy was saving Emery from himself. I just didn’t know if I could.

Prince of Scandal


Annie West - 2011
    But scandal and unrest has dogged this prince for years, and a marriage to recently discovered princess Luisa Hardwicke will help bring stability to the monarchy....reluctant princessOnly, Luisa is an outspoken, mud-splattered farm girl, who isn't going to come quietly! Even as she's reluctantly transformed into polished perfection, Luisa challenges Raul at every turn--and he finds himself anticipating their wedding night with an excitement he never imagined he'd feel...

The Other Princess


Christine Michelle - 2019
    It was the same day I held my dead mother in my arms while praying her life wasn't really over. I was dropped into the middle of a new family not long after that. My dad, his wife, and their two kids to be exact. My new brother was ten years old and my sister was five. It doesn't take a genius to figure out I wasn’t supposed to be there. My family ended up bigger than that though. My dad was a member of the Aces High Motorcycle Club. From the very beginning I was ostracized because of who my mother had been. The daughters of club members were generally known as MC Princesses. My little sister was one. My title was a bit different, and proved that my mom's sins would always be held against me. I was The Other Princess. My family, both by blood and MC ties, did wrong by me so I walked away from them. That was until he came home from the Army. He tried to fix everything. He tried to win an unattainable heart that had shut down years earlier. I would know since it was my heart he was after. He didn't realize it would take a miracle. Secretly, I hoped I could still believe in miracles. *Note: The Aces High Charleston Series should be read in order. While each book revolves around different members of the Aces High MC Family, they all follow along a timeline that will lead to spoilers if you skip around. They do not have to be read in any particular order with Aces High Books from other chapters (Dakotas, Cedar Falls, etc.) Book 1: The Other Princess (available now) Coming in 2019: Book 2: A Love So Hard Book 3: The Princess & the Prospect Book 4: The Killing Ride Book 5: A Twist of Fate The Charleston Chapter Series of the Aces High MC Franchise deals heavily with internal family themes, and is not your typical MC against MC with romance thrown in book. This is a family drama. The family just so happens to live and breathe bikes and the MC lifestyle. The only things blown up in this book will be a few hearts. ;) You have been warned! This is a full length novel at over 80,000 words for the story (not counting preview chapters for the next book).

Burning Up


Susan Andersen - 2010
    The tiny town is still buzzing about her crime and lack of punishment. Now back to lend her family a hand, Macy vows to hold her head high—especially at her high school reunion. But forget about the hottest man in Sugarville escorting her. Though she and fire chief Gabriel Donovan generate enough sparks to burn down the town, he's a law-abiding, line-toeing straight arrow. So not her type. But maybe—just maybe—he can change her mind about that.

The Fallen Greek Bride / At the Greek Boss's Bidding


Jane Porter - 2013
    Until scandalous family allegations change the headlines overnight to Socialite in Disgrace!Her reputation in tatters and holding on to the last shreds of her pride, Morgan seeks her estranged husband's help, knowing that to convince merciless Drakon Xanthis, she will have to get down on her knees and beg….At first Morgan had merely been the Greek's trophy bride, but their explosive passion shocked them both—leaving Morgan with only one weapon left to negotiate with: her body.The Disgraced Copelands: A family in the headlines—for all the wrong reasons!Plus a Jane Proter reader-favorite story: At the Greek Boss's Bidding

Come to Me Quietly


A.L. Jackson - 2014
    She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.