Book picks similar to
Entropy by Jennifer Hartmann


single-parent
dark-romance
contemporary
forced-proximity

The Winter We Collided


Victoria Denault - 2021
    I had one rule when I decided to rent out the ground level of my house – keep it professional. So I have no idea why I told the hospital to call my new tenant, Logan Hawkins, when I ended up unconscious in the snow. It was impossible to keep my distance from the brooding single dad after he came to my rescue. My past is tragic with a capital T so I decide to keep it to myself for as long as I can. That way maybe Logan won’t run, like everyone else. I want his touch… his love. Not his sympathy. But he’s been keeping secrets of his own. The more time we spend together the more I want to confess, and I want to know what has been turning those sky-blue eyes stormy when he thinks I’m not looking. They say the truth will set you free, but in this case, it might shatter what’s left of my fragile heart. The Winter We Collided, book 2 in the Ocean Pines series, is a sexy, single dad romance featuring a brooding, buff paramedic and the shy, secretive new girl in town.

This Love Hurts


W. Winters - 2020
    Some love stories are a slow burn. Others are quick to ignite, scorching and branding your very soul before you’ve taken that first breath. You’re never given a chance to run from it. That’s how I’d describe what happened to us.Everything around me blurred and all that existed were his lips, his touch… The chase and the heat between us became addictive.Our nights together were a distraction; one we craved to the point of letting the world crumble around us.We should have paid attention; we should have known that it would come to this.We both knew it couldn’t last, but that didn’t change what we desired most. All we wanted was each other…

Doing It Over


Catherine Bybee - 2016
    The down-on-her-luck single mom wants a complete do-over—is that too much to ask? With her family long gone from River Bend, strong, independent Mel is as surprised as anyone to end up in the quaint small town she once called home. But with her friends, Jo and Zoe, by her side, and a comfortable room at Miss Gina’s quirky bed-and-breakfast, she just might have turned the corner on a new life.Wyatt Gibson never liked the big city. River Bend suits the ruggedly handsome builder just fine. Wyatt knows he’s home, even if that means being charmed by the appearance of Melanie and her spunky, adorable daughter. Is Wyatt’s calm devotion—even amid a coming storm—enough to convince Mel she may have found a home to call her own, a family that never leaves, and a true love to last a lifetime?

The Perfect Pitch


Samantha Lind - 2020
    Learning to play ball. Falling in love, Marrying an incredible woman and starting a familyBecoming a starting pitcher for the Indianapolis Lightning. Everything I ever wanted... Until I struck out. The same success that gave me the life I dreamed of, Took it all away. I'd do anything for a second chance, Even throw the perfect pitch. Jillian A signature on a piece of paper...It binds you to someone, or it can tear them away. It broke my heart to file the papers. Gutted me to sign them. But this isn't the life I envisioned.Tired of competing to be his number one priority,I had to walk away from the man I loved.I needed to be strong for our girls, for me.Life goes on.People can change. Now he wants a second chance. But can I forgive the man who threw it all away, and trust that he won’t do it again?

Liar, Liar


T.L. Martin - 2020
    So I ran—from them, from home, from everything.That’s when I found him. He became my savior before he even knew I existed.And then I was welcomed into the family.Now he sees me. I make sure of it.I notice the way he watches me when I slip from my bed and fall into someone else’s. See the heated flicker in his eyes when I peer up at him from behind red solo cups, wandering hands, and blaring music. Feel the burn in his touch when I stumble and he catches me—and he always catches me.But I’m no longer the same weak girl he discovered hiding behind his house all those years ago, and some demons simply can’t be set free. All the lies in the world can’t hide that.Even though the same blood doesn’t run through our veins, I know he can never be mine.I was never supposed to fall for him.We’re family now, and I’m going to be a good little sister.Liar, liar, liar.CONTENT WARNING: contains sex, profanity, and sensitive subject matter, including sexual abuse (such as rape) and taboo content.

The Ritual


Shantel Tessier - 2021
    You vow. We vow.Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom.I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.Things to know about The RitualIt is MFTRIGGER WARNINGS (Please see the author's note on the inside)J/P & OTT Hero (jealous/possessive & over the top)This is a 150K word dark romance and may contain triggers for some due to sexual situations, language, and violence.

Savannah Run


Michelle Donn - 2021
    She's just discovered her boss is in business with some of New York's most brutal criminals. Going to the FBI throws her even deeper into the dark waters of money laundering and human trafficking. A former client is the only one she can turn to.Eric Robb is a man of many talents.He's a professional fixer whose clients pay him handsomely to make their problems disappear. But now he's got a problem of his own--protecting an idealistic beauty he's never been able to get out of his head. When a ghost from Eric's past joins the hunt they escape to the southern city of Savannah looking for a reprieve only to stumble deeper into the criminal's web.Eric is only one man, with danger lurking around every corner will his skills be enough to keep Leia alive?*****Savannah Run is the action-packed first book in the Protecting Love series of standalone HEA romantic suspense novels. Expect tangled sheets, car chases, and perilous rescues. A protective hero and a bold heroine flee cross country from a hired killer.

The Perfect Play


Britney M. Mills - 2020
    But as he starts hanging out with Penny, his former best friend from next door, he realizes what he’s missed in the three years since they stopped talking. And when they kiss after a party, he starts to see a whole new future for his life. Penny Davis has her sights set on a softball scholarship, hoping to get out of Rosemont as soon as she graduates. Straight A’s, working at the local diner, and practicing her softball skills are the routine. Until she bumps into Jake White in the hall. When he starts paying more attention to her again, after nearly three years of next-door radio silence, she allows herself to hope that what they once had might be there again. But falling in love is easier said than done.

Devil’s Lair


Anna Zaires - 2021
    Must be willing to relocate to a remote mountain estate. $3K/week cash.On the run from ruthless killers, I’m down to ten bucks in my wallet and a half-tank of gas in my ancient car when I spot the ad. The job sounds like the answer to my prayers, but there’s a catch.The child’s father is the most beautiful, most dangerous man I’ve ever met.Darkly seductive and filthy rich, Nikolai Molotov is a tantalizing mystery, a lethally alluring contradiction. Bruised knuckles and tailored suits, tender endearments and dirty promises—my new employer draws me in like a magnet, even as my instincts scream for me to run. I should’ve heeded them… because I’m not the only one with secrets.My safe haven just might be the devil’s lair, and once he’s claimed me, it will be too late to run.

Pucking Beast


Colleen Masters - 2016
    On and off the ice. I fell for him once back in college… I played right into his hands and fell right into his bed. He took my virginity and then demolished my heart all in the same day. Seeing him again after all these years is torture. I’ll never forgive him, and I’ll certainly never forget the pain he caused me—No matter how rich he is, no matter how handsome he is, no matter how great a father he is. Graham Rising to the top of Professional Hockey has been a challenge, but nothing compares to being a single father to two daughters. And it’s only getting harder as they get older. Now I need an au pair to help balance my professional life and take care of my girls when I take them on the road. But the damn nanny agency decided to play a cruel f*cking joke. They sent me a candidate that is perfect on paper, and my daughters love her… but she’s the one I ruined… the only true regret I carry with me to this day. Whitney Morgan. I’ve been a bastard and a heartbreaker, it’s true. But I always get what I want in the end. I’ll make this right. Pucking Beast is a full-length contemporary new adult sports romance novel clocking in at over 80,000+ words. HEA, No Cliff. This book contains sexually explicit content and adult language, 18+.

Unraveled


Ivy Layne - 2018
    One flash of that teasing smile, and I know he’s going to ruin me. He makes my body shiver and my brain melt. He’s also a huge mistake. Girls like me don’t land guys like Evers. But every time he knocks on my door, I let him in. I thought we understood each other. I thought we were playing the same game. I was wrong. Evers I’ve never had a problem mixing business with pleasure. Until Summer. I was supposed to keep an eye on her, not take her to bed. Once I had her where I wanted her, I couldn’t let her go. I’m going to have to move heaven and Earth to win her back. And that’s the easy part. With the Russian mob after us and her father dragging us to hell… I don’t just have to win her back, I have to keep her alive. Unraveled is a standalone romance with a happy ending. It’s first in The Untangled Series featuring the Sinclair brothers you first met in the Alpha Billionaire Club and Scandals of the Bad Boy Billionaire series.

Because of Him


Terri E. Laine - 2017
    Laine.Past and present intertwine with light and dark to tell a story ...Because of Him Something inside me fiercely craves normal.Sheltered all my life and taught to be afraid, I want to be bold, fearless. Up until now I've kept myself and my heart safe.Tade Astor, a guy so hot he steals my breath away, jeopardizes it all.He isn't the kind of guy to give up on what he wants—me.He’s determined to prove my safe world is missing something—him.Even though he may not be the cocky guy I assumed him to be...He’s definitely not the guy I should give my heart to.But each time I see him, he becomes harder to resist.I want to be brave and give him a chance... though it might come back to haunt me.At the heart of Because of Him is a love story. But due to certain sensitive topics, it might not be suitable for all readers.

Kiss & Tell


Brooke St. James - 2020
    My friend, Macy, knew that about me, so she tricked me into it. I knew I would find love and get married one day, but I wasn't in a hurry, and I certainly wasn't looking to do it on television.I refused to be on the show at first. Eventually I agreed, but it was only because they were in a pinch for contestants and it was for charity. I planned on sabotaging myself and getting eliminated after the first round.I didn't plan on Ezekiel Tanner being the bachelor.I didn't plan on him choosing me to go on a date.I most certainly didn't plan on falling for him.Thankfully, my plans didn’t work out.

Promises and Pomegranates


Sav R. Miller - 2021
    Hades incarnate.They say he stole me.Usurped my fiancé and filled the cracks in my heart with empty promises.Imprinted his crimson fingerprints on my psyche and tried to set me free.They’re not wrong, per se.Except it was my choice to stay.KalTo most, Elena Ricci is an innocent.Goddess of springtime, lover of poetry, angel of my nightmares.Little one. Persephone personified.They say I ruined her.Shattered her virtue and devoured her soul like a succulent pomegranate.Embedded my evil as deep as I could possibly get and tried to set her free.They’re not wrong, per se.Except it was she who ruined me.**Promises and Pomegranates is a full-length, standalone, dark contemporary romance based loosely on the framework/characters from the Hades and Persephone myth. It features mature themes, explicit scenes, triggers, and strong language. If you’re not a reader of the genre, this book may not be suitable for you. Reader discretion is advised.

Fair Trade For Love


Weston Parker - 2019
     Good. She’s exactly what I want in my life. The bastard shouldn’t have stolen from me. It’s not an unreasonable request, but at this point, I’m glad he did. I come from old money and lots of it. And my business is in need of some numbers help. The thief’s beautiful daughter fits the bill beautifully. But the innocent girl does far more than help me get the business in line. She wakes me up at night, has me pacing the floor, and drowns me in the desire to focus on so much more than work. I’ve not loved or lusted in a long time, but there’s something about her. Whether I want her to or not, she’s causing my blood to burn. I’ll never give her back. Not even when the debt is paid. Every good girl deserves a bad boy. ~Weston