Book picks similar to
Detour by A. Marie


dnf
contemporary
freebie
new-adult

Ryan's Kiss


Mel Walker - 2019
    That damn kiss. one kiss that not only destroyed our future but ended my ability to believe, to trust, to love.He was my best friend. We should have known better.Three years kept us apart, yet an invisible rope continues to tug at us.  He’s finally returning home and I know it’ll only be a matter of time before we must face each other again. I’m older, stronger, wiser and no longer the starry-eyed girl who followed his every command.He almost destroyed me last time, I won't give him a second chance. I can't.

Beautifully Broken (Beautiful, #1)


Tara Lee - 2020
    For years, I tried I really did. When I finally broke free of my demons, she planted me firmly in the friend-zone.I'll fight to win her back no matter the cost. With the chemistry we have, I'm not holding back. I'll even play dirty if I have to. My past proves to be more difficult to keep away than I thought. I need to fight the addiction, need to stay focused, because Luna is what matters most.My purpose on this Earth is loving Luna unconditionally and wholeheartedly.My past wasn't full of sunshine and rainbows. It was a living hell. Runaway mother, abusive father, dead brother—yeah my life’s a damn dream. It made me dark and angry. Made me into someone I hated, but Luna made everything better. She made me want to be better. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't change who we are. My past isn't everything I thought it was. I uncover something which changes everything. Can I make Luna fall in love with me all over again, or is it too late? I may be broken, but together we are beautifully broken.Luna:Ethan Knight, the boy I fell in love with at twelve, is back. His addiction was what tore us apart. He promised he'd change, but he never did. Until now.He somehow got hotter, and even his charms are more dangerous. Putting him in the friend-zone was the right thing to do. I know it won’t last, but a girl needs to try, right?Ethan's life is a mess. Can he really be a different person, be the guy I fell head over heels in love with? Us together was never a good idea, but the spark between us hasn't burned out yet. In fact, it feels stronger, and my heart can only take so much! Daddy always warned me to stay away from Ethan, and it may have been for good reason. Ethan's past is more corrupt than even he thought. Can we really overcome everything? Or will we come crashing down into the beautifully broken mess that awaits us?

Pretty Monsters (Pretty Monsters Trilogy, #1)


Kimberly Carrillo - 2020
    Here we don't hide in the shadows. I am vengeance wrapped in a pretty package, but you can call me Sin, everyone else does. I’m a weapon and as such I live for one thing only, to bring death where I’m aimed. That is until the night she walks into the moonlight. Raven Blackthorne taunts me with her beauty and innocence. She doesn’t belong in my world, even if it is her father who’s trapped me here. I’m not good for her, but maybe I’m exactly who she needs to help her escape it. Unless I break her first.

Texas Hold Em'


Ali Parker - 2021
    Either way, this Texas boy ain’t scared. I’m looking for love in all the wrong places.

The Paris Apartment


Sophia Karlson - 2018
    Being free of her family and the restraints they put on her only adds to the pleasure of exploring Paris on her own. Except that James, her best friend's older brother, is in Paris too, in the same apartment, and claims his side of the only bed.They can't deny their mutual attraction and soon a one-night stand only leads to more temptation, but James has a secret. A secret that can kill their budding relationship. Can James steer clear and deserve Mila's love without revealing it all?

Forever Friend Zoned


C. Morgan - 2021
    I took all of that crap from the past and turned it into a goldmine. My body, namely. And there’s one girl I want that rejected me over and over. Lucky for me, the beauty is on the heels of a terrible breakup. Yes. I mean, aww… Her parents are pushing her to go to the gym to lose some weight. Boy, do I know how that feels. And guess who’s waiting for her when she gets there?That’s right. Me. The forever friend-zoned guy. But I have no ill will toward my curvy first love. I only want what’s best for her. Namely, me. *wink*So the game begins, and I’m lucky to be in the coach’s shoes this time. She has no clue who I am, but sparks fly high. No way in hell I’m telling her I’m the guy she remembered rejecting. ‘Cause I’m not out for revenge. I just want what I’ve always wanted… Her.

Velvet Fire


K.B. Winters - 2020
    Kill or be killed. I was born into this grim reality. MaisieI never thought I’d fall in love with a cold blooded killer.But with those dreamy eyes and that smile that won’t quit.I find I’m thinking of Virgil more and more.So what if he’s a criminal.My brothers are too. I’ve been around bad boys all of my life.And I’m not sure,Is he really that bad?Even after he saves my life?VirgilI’m not a knight in shining armor,Or even one of the good guys,But I really screw up when I kidnap the wrong girl.Maisie from Texas, with curves in all the right places.She thinks I’m her salvation—her rescuer.Not the guy who drugged her...But they say everything happens for a reason,And she’s my reason.For everything.I’ll rise up for her. Protect her.Crush those who are out to hurt her,And prove not all Prince Charmings ride a white stallion.Some wear a gun.And I’ll do it for her.For us.And when she’s safe, I’ll make her mine.

Love & Other Chaos


Jackie Walker - 2020
    Brody’s my friend - just a friend. He’s also my autistic son’s favorite teacher.He’s as off limits as they come, no matter how drop dead gorgeous he is. Falling for him would be wrong. Resisting him though, is becoming pure torture. After being burned by men who can’t handle dating a single-mom of a special-needs child, I refuse to date anymore. Not until my son is grown. My plan is working fine until my trouble-making bestie presents me with a dare that I can’t resist. I’m a sucker for a good dare - especially when margaritas have been consumed. And she’s just dared me to plant a surprise kiss on Brody’s sexy lips, while she records it for a trending TikTok challenge video. But if I do this, it could change everything. My life is already pure chaos and maybe now is not the best time to shake things up even more. Is it worth risking our friendship and his important role in my son’s life for one kiss? What if he wants more? What if I do? Love & Other Chaos is a hilarious, steamy, friends-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a drop dead gorgeous and seriously buff teacher with the hots for a single-mom of an autistic pre-teen son... who happens to be one of his students. This story also includes wise-cracking grandparents with zero respect for personal boundaries, swoon-worthy beach scenes, a jerky boss with no concept of personal space, nosey siblings and a foul-mouthed best friend who loves to instigate trouble. If you don't like sarcasm, steam, sexy-times, heroines who drink copious amounts of margaritas and laugh-a-minute dialogue, then this might not be the book for you. It’s a stand-alone novel with a happy ending, because cliffhangers will kill your margarita buzz.

The Tillman Crush


Kelly Gendron - 2021
    His hold was firm.The next day, he vanished. After seven years, he’s back with a sexy smile, flirty eyes, and jacked muscles.Not that I care.Let him slather on the charm.I won’t give in to The Tillman Crush. Not this time. BRITT Sadie Holland. Beautiful. Smart.The untouchable girl next door.Growing up, I wanted her.To keep her at a safe distance, I was mean to her.Then, the accident happened.With my mom gone, my father turned to the bottle.So I left town the first chance I got.Now, I’m back and not just for Sadie.The other thing I want.Well, the girl I came back for might not like it.Still, I won’t stop until I get what I want.Not this time.

The Non-Disclosure Agreement


Kelsey McKnight - 2017
    When I moved to New York City for a fresh start, I didn’t know I would be made a sinful offer I couldn’t refuse… My billionaire businessman boss has decided that being the most powerful man on the East Coast isn’t enough. He needs political power too. But who would vote for a womanizing playboy with a different model on his arm every week? If he wants to win, he needs a respectable wife…he needs me. I have the looks, the small-town charm—I’m already his employee, and I’ve already signed a non-disclosure agreement, making me the perfect choice. But am I willing to pretend to be even more? And will there come a point when pretending isn’t enough?

The Target: A Dark Mafia Romance (The Syndicate's Revenge Book 1)


Mara McQueen - 2020
    Now she's forced to be his.When a Clan wedding turns into a massacre, Emiliana "Ella" Caputo, the Syndicate's First Daughter, will do anything to find out who killed her dad—even marry the vicious Brotherhood Commander. The Shadow. The Gunman. A man as ruthless as he is gorgeous.Now the enemy she has despised all her life might steal her heart.The last thing Axton wants is a fiancé. Damn spitfire reminds him he has a soul. And that mouth of hers… But if she finds out Axton knows who killed her father, all hell will break loose.Can two lost souls find themselves and love in the dangerous Underworld?When the Clans clash, which side will you choose? #SyndicateVSBrotherhoodDelve into the twisted Underworld of The Target, book 1 in The Syndicate's Revenge, a Dark Enemies-To-Lovers Mafia Gothic Romance series. The novel can be read as a standalone, but the series has an overarching mystery plot. The novel has steamy scenes and mentions of violence.

Broken Hearts (Broken Rebel Brotherhood Next Generation, #1)


Andi Rhodes - 2020
    Not when the pull of serving our country is my competition. With no other choice, I rebuild myself and focus my attention on the clients of the Broken Rebel Brotherhood, the people who need the club’s help. I even date other guys in an effort to circumvent the heartache. It works for a while but eventually, the past comes back in the form of muscles, tats and so much baggage.Isaiah is no longer the boy I loved. He’s a man that oozes sin and pain. His eyes tell a story that I’m not sure I’m up to hearing. Why then is it so hard to turn my back on him? And why in the hell is he the only person my soul calls out to when I’m in trouble?Isaiah…Leaving my family and Tillie was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But duty called and I had to answer. Especially if I want to be the president of the Broken Rebel Brotherhood and fill my dad’s very large shoes. When a bombing sends me back to the only place I’ve ever called home, I mistakenly think that everything will magically be the same. Not only has everything changed, but Tillie has moved on. She’s become a woman I don’t recognize, a woman who spends her days proving she doesn’t need me. But I know her better than she knows herself. And danger lurks in the shadows, threatening her existence, whether she wants to admit it or not. I will stop at nothing to protect her, to show her that we still belong together. Fighting for my country was my duty. Fighting for Tillie is everything.

Finding What's Mine


Janice M. Whiteaker
    I was sent to find her.Protect her at all costs. I never expected I would want to make her mine. Kerri is everything I’ve been told I can never have.All I shouldn’t be stupid enough to want.I want her anyway.And I’m willing to do whatever it takes.Even if it means walking away from everything I’ve ever had.****I thought I got away.Left a life I hated behind.But it’s come back for me in the form of a man with haunted eyes and wicked lips.A man who tempts me in ways no one has before.Evan brings out the best in me and tames the worst.I never expected I’d have to fight the man I hate most, to keep the one I love.But I’ll burn the world down before I let someone take him from me.⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ If big, tattooed, protective guys are your thing, this book will be catnip.⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ OMG I loved this book… I WANT MORE!!⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ FIVE HUGE and bright stars for this awesome read.⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Incredible writing and incredible characters.⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ A fast-paced story that draws you in from the beginning and doesn’t let you go until the final page.

What We Leave Behind


Linda Oaks - 2021
    In search of the mother who abandoned her at the age of ten, Lucy travels to the small backwoods town of Briarwood, Georgia determined to lay her past to rest. What Lucy doesn’t count on is a complication she never saw coming.The notorious outlaw known as Devil rules the town of Briarwood, and a chance encounter with a feisty brunette along the highway leaves him burning for more. Temptation comes in many forms, and Devil is intrigued.Now, the outlaw has Lucy in his sights.Small towns have their fair share of secrets, and Briarwood is no exception to the rule. What started out as a trip for Lucy to reconnect with her past turns into something more, following the disappearance of an undercover FBI agent. Not only does Lucy find herself playing a dangerous game that could ultimately end up costing her life but also battling her heart.Will Lucy have the opportunity to make amends with her past or end up paying the ultimate price?Can you really dance with the devil without getting burned?

Full Court Press


J. Akridge - 2021
    To her, it’s a painful reminder of her past relationship mistakes. But after losing a bet to her sister, she finds herself at an Atlanta Hawks game, hating life. There, she meets basketball star Landon Prince and treats herself to one steamy night with him. Landon sees Kelsi as the kind of girl he could fall for, but it takes a bit of convincing for her to give them a chance. When she finally relents, Landon fully believes he can protect her from the trappings of his fame. He was wrong. One reporter was all it took to catch a picture of them in a compromising position, that could cost Kelsi her teaching job. But when Kelsi’s ex sees the picture, he formulates a plan to exploit the situation in a vicious custody battle. Can Landon and Kelsi work together to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and begin a full court press to their happily ever after? Or will the price of his fame tear them apart?