Book picks similar to
The Novice by Ava Lohan


romance
dark-romance
ava-lohan
dark

Her Master's Courtesan


Lily White - 2014
    You must know this fact to understand my story.I capture women. I break them down. And I rebuild them. If they are lucky, they are sold into the professional hands of another Master. If they are less fortunate, they are buried beneath the ground, never to be thought of again.I lust for the control, I demand absolute submission and my body yearns to warp the minds of those I train.Power is the only thing I’ll ever need and I am addicted to the feeling of ultimate control.I am wealthy, good-looking, educated and charming. And I am - in no way - a good man. I do not want love. I do not want kindness.She thought she could change me by giving me the two things I knew I never wanted.She was wrong.

Frisky Business


Staci Hart - 2016
    Not the drama of working in a tattoo parlor, which seems to be around every corner. When things get him down, he smiles and cracks a joke. But he’s not the kind of man you cross, or you’ll find yourself at the wrong end of his fists.Annika Belousov takes everything seriously.Like her job as a reality television producer, given that she typically has something to prove. Or her love life, which is defined by a series of requirements — affluent, ambitious, accomplished, to name a few. Definitely her family, who worked their whole lives to afford her every opportunity, a sacrifice she doesn’t take lightly. When she’s tapped to produce a reality show at Joel’s shop, she doesn’t think twice, just goes in for the kill, as if there were any other way.The second Annika walks into Joel’s shop, he makes it his mission to crack her open, but she’s not having it. He’s all wrong — too crass, too hairy, too un-serious. But it doesn’t take her long to find out there’s more to him than smirks and tattoos. And what she finds could put her career and his heart on the line.Not that Joel cares. Because for the first time in a long time, he’s found his tonic.

Under Her Skin


Adriana Anders - 2017
    Beneath her drab clothing, she hides a terrible secret—proof of her abuse, tattooed onto her skin in a lurid reminder of everything she’s survived.Caught between a brutal past and an uncertain future, Uma’s reluctant to bare herself to anyone…much less a rough ex-con whose rage drives him in ways she will never understand. But beneath his frightening exterior, Ivan is gentle. Warm. Compassionate. And just as determined to heal Uma’s broken heart as he is to destroy the monster who left his mark scrawled across the delicate tapestry of her skin.

Sloth


Ella James - 2015
    – I am writing to express my gratitude for your gift. There are no sufficient words, but please accept my sincerest thank you. Yours, R. She writes me back. I didn’t expect that. She tells me she’s a lover of chicken pizza and video games, a hot sorority girl with the nickname Sloth. She wants to know something about me in return. She says I owe her. This is how she saves my life. She doesn’t even know it. We’ve never even seen each other. But I need a reason. Just one reason to continue. She becomes mine.The anonymity is good. She doesn’t need to know me, but I need her kindness. We both live our lives: a letter here, a post card there. For three years, I escape my demons. And then one day I’m pulled back in. I’ve resigned myself to what I know is coming. Until the girl I’m spanking gives her safe word: Sloth. And then the lie I’m living starts to unravel. --Sloth is a 500-page, 150,000-word stand alone novel with many twists, one huge secret, and a non-cliffhanger ending. It will wreck you, but you'll like it. BTW: Part of the fun of reading this book is trying to guess the secret. I would appreciate it if you could avoid spoilers in reviews and review headlines, so others will be able to enjoy the guessing game.*Sloth is part of a collection of stand-alones inspired by a sin, and centered around a terrible secret. The second stand-alone, My Heart for Yours, is inspired by the sin of murder, and is the story of Kellan's oldest brother, Barrett Drake. It's free via Kindle Unlimited and also for sale here in the Kindle Store.*This book was updated and re-edited in fall 2017, and now includes a bonus story.

To Serve is Divine


R.E. Hargrave - 2013
    All traits she trained hard to enhance when she discovered the world of Dominance and submission in college. In an attempt to start fresh after the unexpected death of her last Dom, Catherine moves to Dallas, TX to escape the shroud of darkness he left behind in her life. She has tried to fight the need that resides deep within her to submit, but finally has to admit she can’t for it is not a choice, but part of who she truly is. After months of mental preparation, she ventures back into the lifestyle by attending a coveted open-night event at Dungeons and Dreams, an exclusive BDSM club.Is it fate or coincidence that Catherine garners the attention of one of the club’s board members who happens to be on the hunt for the perfect sub – a partner who enjoys receiving pain and pleasure as much as he enjoys doling it out?Jayden Masterson is many things: a firm Dom, a shrewd businessman, and a gentleman. What he isn’t, is someone who partakes in relationships outside of contractual ones with his multiple, un-collared, regular submissives. While he likes rough sex, he is not an animal, and can find pleasure only if it is consensual. What his harem is missing is a pain slut; could there be one in his future?Upon meeting Catherine, Jayden feels an instantaneous spark inside him that has him wanting to know not just her body, but her mind. He wants to unravel her mysteries and discover her secrets. Through pain can they find the pleasure they seek? Can part-time pain lovers find full-time fulfillment when it’s not in their contract?

Black Swan Affair


K.L. Kreig - 2016
    He wears scruff like he invented it and ambles with a swagger that makes panties drop. Killian Shepard. Shep. We grew up together. We played Ghost in the Graveyard. Had our own rock band. It didn’t matter that he was five years older than me. It didn’t matter that he looked at me as a kid sister even as I grew into woman. It didn’t even matter when he left me behind to go to college and start his adult life. He’d be back. He was always meant to be mine.He came back, all right. But instead of smelling of promises, he stunk of betrayal. And he destroyed me—us—the day he married my sister instead of me.So I did the only thing a girl like me in my position could do. I got my revenge. I married his brother, Kael. Now we’re one big happy f*cking family.***mature content appropriate for 18+

Enslaved


Sansa Rayne - 2018
    I hid, but he found me. I couldn’t escape, so I defended myself. Now he’s in a coma, and I’m in prison. Except, the Walker Center isn’t a normal jail. In here, inmates work. Twelve hours a day, every day. If we misbehave, vicious guards punish us. They strip away our dignity, turn us against each other and rob us of our sanity. No one leaves, except as property. My only hope may be Reed Nolan, an unapologetic sadist on a mission to break my spirit. He torments me every day, delighting in my pain. Defying him awakens intoxicating, dark desires. My perverse need to be dominated becomes my secret weapon, with every stroke of his whip powering my will to survive, to fight the evil of this place. My captors are going to pay for what they’ve done. I want to open Reed’s eyes, to turn him against the monster he serves, but if I can’t, I won’t let anyone stand in my way... "The truth may set you free, but it’ll still hurt.” REED I don’t know what to expect when I walk into Galleria Carnale. When I see her wanton depravity, served with a dash of crazy, I know I’ve met my match in Sibel Isaacs. Only one problem: she knows who I am and what I do for a living. Convincing her I’m not the man she thinks isn’t easy, but she’s worth it: beautiful and fearless, willing to try anything. How could I resist? But she doesn’t know the pain still smoldering from my past. She has no idea I owe a debt to a monster – one I helped create. I’ve fought for years to keep his dark urges at bay, but he’s just waiting for a reason to give into temptation – and now he’s obsessed with Sibel. Soon, watching won’t be enough. If I don’t stop him, he’ll hurt her. But if I tell her everything, the truth could cut far deeper... Publisher’s note: “Enslaved” is a dark, romantic thriller with explicit sexual content, no cliffhangers, no cheating and a HEA. It contains material some may find disturbing. Reader discretion is advised.

Broken


W. Winters - 2016
    Ruthless. Stone Cold Killer.That’s me. I destroy anything in my path to get what I want.Then she showed up. Olivia Bell. She’s sweet and innocent, and in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Now she’s mine. My property. I own her. Given to me as a bargaining chip.She’s not a part of my plans, but plans change. Her pouty lips and gorgeous curves beg me to break her. Taking her lush curvy body, and ravaging it for all its worth would be easy, but I want to earn her submission. It’s addictive. I want it. I want her.They wanted me to break her. I am. And I’m enjoying it. Now they want to take her from me. Over my dead body.Let them come for us. I’ll kill them all.By the time I’m done, everyone will know. She belongs to me.**This is a DARK romance. A full-length standalone novel with HEA and no cheating**

Seek


Mia Sheridan - 2018
    She's even more heartbroken and confused when a hired private investigator tracks him half a world away, to a seaside town in Colombia. But the country has recently been ravaged by a massive earthquake and deadly tsunami, shutting down outside communication and making travel all but impossible. Still, Olivia is determined to make it to Colombia to find the answers she so desperately seeks. What she needs is a guide—a mercenary.The man named Thomas arrives in shadows, an unmistakable air of danger about him, promising to help lead her through the ruined, crime-infested country. But when Thomas and Olivia find themselves fighting an undeniable attraction, danger takes on a whole new meaning. Then again, in the lush jungles of South America, all the rules are different and Thomas and Olivia are about to discover that sometimes the thing you seek, isn't necessarily the thing you find.Seek is a STANDALONE novel with a small, fun connection to the Sign of Love Collection

Waking Kiss


Annabel Joseph - 2013
    When Rubio drags her to a private BDSM party at his friend’s house in the ritzy part of London, she meets Liam Wilder, a lifestyle dominant and frighteningly seductive man. Liam pursues Ashleigh, attracted by her strength and talent, but she has secrets—an abusive past and a crippling fear of intimacy that prevents her from connecting to anyone, especially a kinky playboy reputed to be legendary in bed.Eventually he wins her trust and sets out to heal the troubled dancer, awakening her to a world of erotic obedience and sensual abandon in a series of “sessions” at his home. But how pure are his motives? Is he helping her or endangering her fragile soul? Liam hides his own destructive secrets, and so does Fernando Rubio, their temperamental friend. Over time the three become embroiled in a tangle of artifice, fears, and lies that threaten to undo everything they’ve worked for.Will Ashleigh and Liam find the strength to defeat their demons? Or are they cursed to sleepwalk through life forever, afraid to experience the passion and intimacy of love?Note: This 81K word romantic novel contains reflections on childhood abuse and violence which may disturb some readers.

Embracing My Submission


Jenna Jacob - 2012
    None of the Dominants at Genesis, my local BDSM club ever stirred me in such blistering ways. While I tried to fill my submissive desires vicariously through interactions at the club, I attempted to convince myself it was enough. But it wasn’t. My dream Dom made certain I hungered for more. Forced beyond what I could bear, my passion and frustration exploded. I threw in the towel, determined to stop chasing a dream and gave up completely on finding submissive surrender. But fate intervened when two gunshots split the night. Forced to confront my desires and insecurities, I was shocked to realize that my dreams may have held a deeper meaning. Were they compelling me to finally embrace my submission?

Ruined


Tracy Wolff - 2014
    He’s the last man Chloe Girard should love . . . but the first she ever could. Ethan Frost is a visionary, a genius, every woman’s deepest, darkest fantasy—even mine. And, somehow, I am his. He stole into my life like a dream. Turned my reality upside down and made my every desire come true—especially those I never knew I had. He demanded everything I had to give and gave me everything of himself in return. But dreams don’t last forever, and ours is no exception. Because my nightmares are darker, and my wounds deeper, than I could ever reveal. And as much as Ethan wants to protect me, the secrets we share will only tear us apart. Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from other Loveswept titles.

The Submissive


Tara Sue Me - 2012
    Yearning to experience a world of pleasure beyond her simple life as a librarian, Abby offers herself to Nathaniel, to fulfill her most hidden desires.After only one weekend with the Master, Abby knows she needs more, and fully submits to Nathaniel’s terms. But despite the pleasure he takes in Abby’s willing spirit, the Nathaniel hidden behind the rules remains cold and distant.As Abby falls deeper into his tantalizing world of power and passion, she fears that Nathaniel’s heart may be beyond her reach—and that her own might be beyond saving…

Dirty


Megan Hart - 2007
    He turned and smiled at me and I was surprised enough to smile back. This was not a children's candy store, mind you this was the kind of place you went to buy expensive imported chocolate truffles for your boss's wife because you felt guilty for having sex with him when you were both at a conference in Milwaukee. Hypothetically speaking, of course. I've been hit on plenty of times, mostly by men with little finesse who thought what was between their legs made up for what they lacked between their ears. Sometimes I went home with them anyway, just because it felt good to want and be wanted, even if it was mostly fake. The problem with wanting is that it's like pouring water into a vase full of stones. It fills you up before you know it, leaving no room for anything else. I don't apologize for who I am or what I've done in or out of bed. I have my job, my house and my life, and for a long time I haven't wanted anything else. Until Dan. Until now.

Solid


Jettie Woodruff - 2015
    Solid is built on trust, not lies and deceit, and sometimes you have to stop waiting for someone else to build it, and do it yourself.PaxtonIf happiness is the end result, if it’s that single want that matters, if we had to through that to get here, I’d do it all over again. If it’s the love that matters, then why does it matter how we got there? We were the perfect storm of two kinds of crazy.