Book picks similar to
Because of Love by D. Rose


black-romance
black-authors
artists-performing-artists
happily-ever-after

My Misery Muse


Brei Betzold - 2012
    Devi Porter, an up-and-coming tattoo artist in Dallas, is trying to live her life as best as possible, but never able to forget the love she had with Seth. Seth, a bassist for the popular band My Misery Muse, is struggling with his fellow band members with the lifestyle that he now lives. The band decides to go home to Dallas to work on their latest album as well as to work out their problems out from under the glare of the media. Seth and Devi meet up again and both realize they have a lot to work out between themselves as well. As they get reacquainted, life and obstacles are thrown at them at every turn. Are they able to overcome them to become the family neither really had?

Masquerade


Chloe Clark - 2017
     So when her best friend invites her to a sexy masquerade party because she wants to check some kinky stuff off her Bucket List, she agrees to go- but Only as Ruby's chaperone. Under No circumstance is Cassie hooking up with a masked stranger. Especially not that guy at the top of the stairs whose broad shoulders and deep voice alone are enough to make her knees buckle. Yeah, definitely not that guy. **Author's note: This standalone contemporary romance contains no cliffhanger, no cheating, and is sure to give you lots of warm fuzzies in all the right places.

Tall, Tatted and Tempting


Tammy Falkner - 2013
    But he might be the key.Logan Reed is tall, tatted and tempting. Kit’s a woman with a mean right hook and a secret.Kit wants a tattoo, but Logan sees more than she intends to share in the drawing of the tat she wants. He sees her in ways no one ever has.Logan’s not disabled; but he hasn’t spoken in eight years. He hasn’t needed to. Until he meets Kit.Logan doesn’t know everything about Kit. Kit doesn’t know anything about herself, until she has to sacrifice all she ever wanted to save what’s most important to him.This book is not meant for individuals under the age of 18 due to adult language, adult sexuality and adult situations.

Fall from Love


Heather London - 2013
    He terrifies her in more ways than one and invokes feelings in her that she thought were buried forever. Regardless of her fears, she knows she must face him in order for her heart to heal. Everyone tells Carter that what happened on the mountain that night was just a terrible accident, but even then, he can’t help but carry around the guilt and is unable to forgive himself. He’s drawn to Holly and being near her helps ease his conscience and gives him the release he needs.As Holly and Carter’s relationship grows, they begin to realize that the more time they spend with one another, the more their wounds begin to heal—her grief and his guilt. But when Holly learns the details about the night of the accident—what everyone has been keeping from her—it will rip open old wounds and tear apart what they’ve both worked so hard to overcome…

Lucky Number Four


Amanda Jason - 2014
    Okay, so her best friends being newlyweds isn't really abnormal, but living with them in a cramped two-bedroom apartment definitely is. Sex, sex, sex is totally on their minds. Actually it's not only on their minds, but it's on the kitchen table, couch, on top of the washer...well, you get the picture.Being a celibate (not by choice, mind you) full-time college student, and an almost full-time barista, Pandora can't afford to lose anymore sleep. So, she seeks out a new place to lay her head. Enter three "drool worthy" male models that are looking for a fourth roommate and they want her...and won't take no for an answer.Hilarity ensues as Pandora's life turns completely upside down, and she begins to wonder if it will ever be the same again!

A Beautiful Struggle


Lilliana Anderson - 2012
    She has a very full life attending university to study a law degree, training for triathlons and now she is working part time as well. She couldn't possibly find time for a relationship, especially after her last one ended so catastrophically.Right now she is content focusing on work, study and training while hanging out with her best friend David Taylor, a womanizer with a heart of gold that would do anything for Katrina – except watch her get hurt again.That is, until the dashing Elliot Roberts, a junior solicitor from her work, shows an interest in her despite their office’s ‘No Dating’ policy. Katrina struggles with following her heart or following her mind and has trouble seeing where her heart truly lies in this gripping romantic drama.

Beautiful Oblivion


Addison Moore - 2013
    She’s tired of dating Warren McCarthy just to make her father happy. Reese has long since had her eye on someone else, and this summer she’s determined to make it happen.Growing up in Lake Loveless there has always been a strict monetary divide—there was the rest of the Lake and then there were the Waterman’s. Ace Waterman has worked for everything he has, and he doesn’t have a lot. He breaks his back doing grunt work while putting himself through college. He’s used to life passing him by.Reese has loved Ace from afar for as long as she can remember. The summer of her freshman year she comes home with plans to land Ace in her bed at least for a few short weeks, and, if she’s lucky, forever.Ace has loved Reese for as long as he can remember, but their friendship has never graduated beyond platonic, so when Reese comes home from her first year away and proposes the two of them have a summer fling, Ace is quick to comply. The rules: no strings, no expectations, just something hotter than the sun to set the sheets on fire.But when their worlds collide, and neither of them is willing to admit to having true feelings, it becomes clear to Ace he’s nothing more than a dirty little secret—that the summer fling was just something meaningless to pass the time.Reese wonders if she can ever stop trying to please her father, and it’s only through her mother’s letters that she finds the answers she truly seeks, but will they be the ones she wants to hear?As summer draws to a close, Ace and Reese are still very much enraptured even though the time has come to douse the flame and move on—but neither one of them is prepared to leave this BEAUTIFUL OBLIVION.

Bound Together


Eliza Jane - 2012
    She finds the perfect distraction in a frenemies-with-benefits arrangement with irritatingly hot football captain, Matt, during their class trip to Paris. There’s no chance of falling for someone whose only ambition in life is to stay in their hick town and one day take over his parent’s tire store. But far from home and personal responsibilities, his cocky grin and easy attitude start to grow on her as they explore the seductive city of Paris together. Once they’re back at home, Zoey finds herself texting him for a secret rendezvous whenever she needs an escape. Though she’s been explicitly clear she’s using him for one thing, whenever Matt picks her up, he acts more like it’s a date-date rather than a backseat playdate –making sure she has eaten, or stopping to color with her little sister before they go out. Despite her best efforts at keeping their arrangement physical only, Zoey begins to realize – with fear and disgust – that she’s falling for him. When things fall apart with her mom, letting Matt see her real life takes more courage than she has – but if she’s brave enough to let him, he might be just the one person who can help. Bound Together is a 53,000-word YA contemporary romance told in alternating chapters from Zoey and Matt’s points of view.

The Marriage Contract


Shay Davis - 2021
    Invisible. Pretty for a plus size girl. Those were all the things I felt about myself, thanks to my chosen career as an accountant and society’s depiction of the perfect female. For once, I wanted to be something, no someone, different. So, I booked a trip to Vegas for my birthday. Then, walks in Soul Matthias, treating me and my body as anything but ordinary. He lit a fire inside of me. However, it wasn’t real.Player. Bad boy. High risk. That’s what the blogs depicted me as. That’s what baseball owners banked on to lowball my contract extension. I didn’t care about social media, but I definitely cared about my money. I had to get my act together. Then, struts in Alexa Livingston. A breath of fresh air, someone completely different than what I had ever been used to. But what we had wasn’t real. It was just a marriage contract. Or was it?

Make a Scene


Mimi Grace - 2020
    Retta Majors is having a bad day. But that’s to be expected when your ex gets engaged to your cousin. Instead of (totally) freaking out, Retta decides to attend the wedding with her amazing, faithful, and handsome boyfriend. One problem. He doesn’t exist. Duncan Gilmore is living his dream. His boxing gym is open for business, and he’s focused on success. The last thing on his mind is a relationship. That is until the beautiful baker next door makes him an offer so bizarre he can’t refuse. One weekend of pretending to be Retta’s boyfriend should be easy.However, shared kisses and some flirting start to blur the lines in their fake relationship. When their performance draws to a close, will they go their separate ways or return for an encore?Note: This novel can be read as a standalone.

Making Love to a Boss


Nat Love - 2020
    By night, she is the baddest stripper in the city, and by day, she teaches dance to less fortunate kids. A bitter betrayal by two people who never deserved her love causes Natia’s heart to freeze. Vowing to never fall in love again, she becomes celibate and buries herself in her work. Natia is committed to helping kids succeed in life by using their dance talents and her strict guidance. Her hard work finally pays off when rap star, Calif, invites her crew to dance in his music video. The charismatic rapper has Natia reconsidering her stance on men and relationships, but experience is a good teacher, so she tries her best to resist his charm. Cortez “Calif” Ahmeen is everything a woman desires. He’s good looking, has long money, and is an up and coming rapper. A devastating loss sends Calif into a deep depression, and he gives up on love and rap. His best friend arranges for him to record a song with two popular rappers, and it becomes a hit. After rediscovering his love for music, Calif leaves California and all it’s bad memories behind and settles in the Midwest. When Calif meets Natia at a video shoot for one of his new songs, he is immediately intrigued. She awakens feelings in him that he thought were buried. However, Natia wants nothing to do with Calif, which amuses and frustrates him at the same time. Refusing to give up, Calif slowly but surely wears Natia down, but of course, nothing in life is ever that easy, right? Transcend into the world of two people who come together at a time when they need each other the most. Strap in for a rollercoaster ride of undeniable drama as Natia and Calif try to navigate through life, love, and heartbreak.

HOOK'D


Taisha S. Ryan - 2016
    He is falsely accused of rape. And in a blink of an eye, his entire career ruptures into shambles. From heavyweight champion to now a convicted felon with a tarnished reputation, he must now find a way to rebuild everything he’s ever worked for. By any means possible. Even if that means volunteering at a women’s shelter. So, when his publicist introduces him to Sharese Wilson, the bossy CEO of a non-profit organization for battered women, things take an interesting turn. For Sharese “Reese” Wilson, her life is her career. And being the boss, she doesn’t have time for any games. At all. So, when her friend, Yasmine, offers her the ridiculous idea of involving Cameron with her organization, she immediately refuses. He is everything she’s against. Arrogant, misogynistic, promiscuous, and most of all…a rapist. Yet, their attraction is undeniable. Before they know it, they find themselves tangled in a web of lust and hot passion, with both hearts caught in the middle. Now what are they to do? This is definitely not what they bargained for.

Forever Ours


Cassia Leo - 2014
    But Chris isn't like any other guy Claire has ever encountered and he soon gains her trust through his music and unwavering patience.Claire has finally found her forever home and she and Chris soon find themselves falling in love.But Chris's dreams of musical stardom and Claire's need for a stable home soon put their love in jeopardy. Chris struggles deeply with his plans for the future, entirely reluctant to leave Claire behind; until Claire does something that may break their love -- and the only home she's comes to know -- forever.

This Piece of My Heart


Robyn M. Ryan - 2016
    She knows her destiny—to lead her dad’s multi-million dollar business. But that plan changes forever the day she runs into—literally—sexy and single professional hockey player, Andrew Chadwick.But love came looking for her.Sparks instantly fly between the two, and Caryn can’t resist his charms as she discovers that Andrew has a reputation for winning—both on and off the ice. One of the most eligible singles in Toronto, Andrew could have any woman he wants, and he’s got Caryn in his sights. But, when Caryn’s parents disapprove of the match and threaten to disinherit her and his hockey team trades him to a new city, it may take more than love for the couple to survive this penalty play.Testimonials:"This Piece of My Heart delivers a sweet love story that still sizzles -- a must-read for anyone looking for the perfect happily-ever-after.” —Cara Lockwood, USA Today bestselling author of "I Do (But I Don't).”“This Piece of My Heart is a light-hearted sports romance novel I had the opportunity to beta read. If you like hockey and romance, you will love this book.”—Rachelle Reese, Amazon bestselling author of “Dime Store Novels.”

Lovestruck in London


Rachel Schurig - 2013
    Tired of being the quiet baby sister, and in no hurry to settle into a boring existence in surburbia, she escapes from home at the first opportunity. When she settles in London for a year of post-graduate studies, Lizzie is sure she’ll be able to start a whole new life. Immerse herself in the books she loves. Explore a new country. Work on her dream of writing a novel. She might even be able to find a little bit of excitement for once. But falling unexpectedly in love with up-and-coming actor Thomas Harper causes Lizzie to re-think… everything. Just as she’s convinced herself this small-town girl from the Midwest can handle this great adventure, Thomas’s career suddenly explodes to superstar levels, and Lizzie finds herself forced to navigate the fame game of red carpets, catty co-stars, gossip magazines, and paparazzi. When she wished for a new life, she had no idea it would be anything like this! Lizzie must now determine if her love—and her confidence—are strong enough to get her through the complications of dating a movie star. Even if she and Thomas are able to pull through before she has to leave London, how will she deal with the inevitability of returning to a life at home that no longer feels like her own? Will she follow her family’s wishes or follow her heart? Will the Lizzie she discovered in London be strong enough to help her pursue her dreams?