Book picks similar to
Damaged by Riley Edwards


romantic-suspense
romance
military-romance
military

Not a Hero


Cherise Sinclair - 2019
    But the sarge leaves them a final mission--to revive the dying town of Rescue.  Gabe is done with being a hero. Wounded in body and soul, the retired SEAL simply wants to remain holed up in his isolated cabin. He sure doesn’t want to be chief of police in some defunct town. But he has his orders. Audrey needs a place to hide After the Chicago librarian discovers a horrendous crime, she wakes to an assassin in her bedroom. Injured and terrified, she flees, covering her trail every inch of the way. New name, new ID. New home. As Audrey learns to survive in Rescue, she begins to fall for the town…and the intimidating chief of police who protects it.  Can the shy introvert and the deadly police chief find a life together? Despite the discord in town, Gabe is finding his own peace…with the quiet young woman who seems to have no past. She’s adorable and caring and so very lost. But how can he trust someone who lies to him with every breath she takes?

Axel


Harper Sloan - 2013
    In fact, fate has been a downright bitch. Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn’t by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle…her ex-husband. When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door. Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now. He’s carried his anger for so long he isn’t sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated. How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards are put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces? Note from the author--This book is intended for a mature reading audience and isn't suitable for younger readers.

Tattered Love


Lola Stark - 2013
    Hard as nails Scarlett has been unlucky in love: she’s been burnt, chewed up and spat out. Reluctant to have another relationship, can she keep her wits about her when hot-as-sin Mace walks into her tattoo parlor? Or will he break her down and leave his mark within her ink?What starts out as a little fun, turns into something so much more.Can Scarlett look beyond Mace's devastating past or will his demons come back to haunt them both?Content warning: contains steamy, anywhere-goes sex, an alcohol induced embarrassing night out and two headstrong lovers taken on a whirlwind of crazy.

Blind Reader Wanted


Georgia Le Carre - 2017
     I was born into darkness. Just like a puppy, only my darkness is eternal. Everyone else sees a world I can only imagine, but hey, don't pity me. I don't. I've got a lot of imagination, and I’ve made my world beautiful more beautiful that you can know. When I was a small child, my mother said I used to run into furniture, and if I was not too badly hurt, I’d get back up and continue running down the same path. When I grew older I understood that the world is not built for blind people. I needed a white cane and I needed to trust my bestie, Elaine, and jump when she yelled, “Puddle”. Sometimes, just for the fun of it, she’d yell puddle and there would be no puddle, but generally our system worked well. Now, I’m all grown up and she tells me that the most mysterious man in Durango Falls has stuck a job vacancy on her noticeboard and that I should apply for it. Apparently Kit Carson needs a blind reader. To be honest it sounds a bit like those times she yelled puddle and there was no puddle. But what the hell? I’ll give her a laugh and jump once again. This is the story of what happened when I jumped. Kit. I came to Durango Falls because it was the perfect place to hide. The townsfolk here don't like strangers and I don't like people. So I don’t talk to no one and no one talks to me. Suits me just fine. For five years now I’ve been livin’ alone at the edge of this forest. Just me and the wolves I’ve adopted, but this winter my soul has started hankering for something more. I know it’s sure as hell ain’t for the warmth of a woman’s body. I’m done with that. The military made me into a fuckin’ monster and I wouldn’t put any woman through that. Not even a whore. She’d have to be blindfolded to enjoy herself. Maybe I’m just hankering for a woman’s sweet voice reading to me the way my mother used to when I was five. Just before she died. Think I’ll advertise for a blind reader. A female blind reader. That’s what I thought I wanted. Well all that shit went out the window when I laid eyes on her. Now this woman’s body is all I can think about …

Masterson


Lisa Lang Blakeney - 2015
    That was my first mistake…A dangerous professional fixer. A sweet computer nerd. A passion that borders on the possessive. An attraction that’s completely off limits to explore… After Elizabeth Hill is brutally attacked in her apartment by an intruder and then unceremoniously dumped by her ex-boyfriend, she moves in with family that she barely knows for protection. All she remembers about her aunt’s stepson, Roman, is that he was the moody, mean boy who played a cruel trick on her when she was just six years old; but soon learns that he is now a complex and multi-layered man who has the ability to protect her, ignite her, and challenge her like no one ever has before. Wealthy Roman Masterson makes his fortune by fixing celebrity problems for big money and by any means necessary. He is a foul-mouthed, bad-tempered, manwhore who doesn’t have the time or inclination to babysit a gullible little brat from the suburbs…until he unknowingly spots her in the middle of a crowded dance floor and decides right then and there to claim every one of her orgasms from that moment on. Little does he know that the woman he’s laid claim to is the same girl he’s been sworn to protect. Author Note: Please note that this book was previously published under the title of Cousins and ends on a cliffhanger.

Dangerous Beauty


J.T. Geissinger - 2019
    A hot bodyguard. A high-stakes game of temptation.For Nasir, former Special Ops military man and bodyguard, his new job seems like an easy-money gig: trail a Russian mobster’s runaway wife in Mexico, enjoy the sun, observe, and report. Just one rule: don’t get too close. But it’s all Naz can do not to watch the alluring dancer’s every move. A closer look is irresistible—especially when she’s in trouble.Evalina escaped to the island getaway to live an untraceable life—as far away from the past as she can get. But Eva can’t ignore the dark, muscled stud who rescues her from a drug gang. He says he’s an ex-cop on vacation. When providence throws them together time and again, Eva thinks it’s all a beautiful coincidence. Now she’s giving in to a strange new sensation: trust.But Naz has a mission to accomplish and a secret to keep. Eva has her share of secrets, too. And as the heat flares between them, Naz knows that trust could become the most dangerous impulse of all.***Part one of a three part series.***

Beneath This Mask


Meghan March - 2014
    Son of a congressman. Successful businessman in my own right. With a résumé like mine, women have never been a challenge.Until I met her. This sexy, tatted-up bad girl wasn’t part of my plans, but that punch to my gut every time I see her tells me I have to know more.She’s a mystery. An enigma. A challenge. I’m going to figure her out — and then I’m going to make her mine. We’ll find out what she’s hiding... beneath this mask.

Dark Russian Angel


Odette Stone - 2019
    I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,And I witnessed a crime.The police are failing to protect me.And my chance of survival isn't looking good.Andrusha, is the cold and dangerous leader of the Vancouver Russian mafia,He's also my best chance to make it to trial alive.The only thing we have in common,Is our shared enemy.This man is everything your mom warned you about.He's ruthless.He's cold.And he likes to be in control.I should be afraid of him.I should keep my distance.So why is he the only one who makes me feel safe?Who will protect me from my protector?

Asher Black


Parker S. Huntington - 2017
    Huntington comes a steamy, slow-burn love story full of unexpected love and banter.It started with my bladder.I didn't mean to witness a shady deal in the restroom hallway.I didn't think twice when I called the cops.And I certainly didn't know who the club belonged to.Asher Black.Former mafia hitman.Billionaire CEO.New York's most eligible bachelor.When he shows up at my college, looking for the girl who called the cops on his business, I know I'm as good as dead.What I don't expect is his offer--he'll pay my tuition and set me up with a cushy job after I graduate.All I have to do is... be his fake fiancée.Asher Black is a 90,000-word standalone novel in The Five Syndicates mafia romance series.

Diamond Girl


Andrea Smith - 2013
    Her marriage was loveless from the start; her 'mannequin' husband has his own agenda which has never included her, and she feels lonely, ignored and downright frumpy.Her best friend tells her to get a life, and that's exactly what Sammie does, starting with a Kickboxing/Pilates class to get into shape, and then continuing her regiment by signing up for pole-dance lessons. Sammie graduates at the top of her class, and ultimately ends up with a secret career as a pole dancer at a Gentleman's Club in Indy called 'Jewels.'Known only by her dancer name, "Diamond," she is well on her way to finally carving out a secret life and identity all of her own that brings excitement and mystery to her otherwise mundane existence. The thrill of the dance and sexuality she discovers within herself is a potent mixture, but it's all about the dance with Sammie.That is, until bad-boy biker Slate enters the picture. He is the ultimate 'alpha' male and quickly draws the attention of the dancers - including Sammie. Slate is a 'prospect' for the notorious Outlaw Motorcycle Club, but he is also inexplicably drawn to "Diamond." Sammie is totally out of her league with Slate and the dangerous people he associates with in Indianapolis during the summer of 2012.No spoilers here, but something BIG is brewing in Indy; and it ain't about race cars either.

Waking the Dragon


Juliette Cross - 2015
    But amid disorder can also arise passion. When the bodies of three human women are discovered in Morgon territory—with the DNA of several Morgon men on the victims—it’s just a matter of time before civil unrest hits the Province. But for ambitious reporter Moira Cade, it’s more than just a story, and it may mean risking her own life. Descending into the dark underworld of Morgon society, Moira is paired with Kol Moonring, Captain of the Morgon Guard, for her protection. Fiercely independent, Moira bristles at his dominance, and defies his will at every turn. Yet resistance proves futile when passion flares between them, awakening powerful emotions within both, body and soul. But as the killings continue, can their fiery newfound bond survive an even greater evil—one that threatens all of humanity, Morgonkind, and Moira’s very soul?...

The Missing Link


J.M. Sevilla - 2013
    It's intended to be read by mature audiences. Part one of a two part series. There are three things Lily Evans immediately notices about her new neighbor, Jay Lincoln. The first is his monstrous size, the second is the malicious way he glares at her, and thirdly, but most importantly, the three scars that mark his right eye. She knows the smart thing to do is stay away, but she has never met or seen anyone like him. The more time she spends with this frightening yet captivating man, the harder it becomes. He can make her hairs stand on end but he also has a sweetness to him that tugs at her heart. Soon she finds herself merged into his world full of murder, revenge, and deceit.New Adult Romance

The Mogul and the Muscle


Claire Kingsley - 2019
    I wanted to feel like I didn’t have to be brave for a few hours. I wanted to let him be my courage. My protection. My shield.” Cameron Whitbury—billionaire aerospace mogul—can engineer her way out of any problem. Sure, she’s living with the threat of a potential sex scandal thanks to her lying ex. And that attempted mugging in her parking garage might not have been a random attack. But she’s totally got this. Sacrifice her privacy to an overprotective bodyguard? No thanks. She doesn’t need a six-foot-five, motorcycle-riding, square-jawed, hazel-eyed man-beast shadowing her every move. Jude Ellis—one-man security operation and professional problem solver—is ready to retire from the cloak and dagger stuff to live a normal life. He doesn’t need another client. Not even one with coppery-red hair and mile-long legs who looks hot AF in a sexy pair of heels. To appease her worried friends, Cameron hires Jude as her bodyguard. And despite their feisty banter and their rampant—and totally inappropriate—sex fantasies, they’re both determined to keep it professional. But as the danger to Cameron escalates, the heat simmering between them just might combust. Author’s note: Big wall-of-man hero with a fierce (and growly) protective streak. Confident and snarky heroine. All the banter. Sex in a closet. And a daring rescue with a big, heart squishing HEA. The Bluewater Billionaires are four shared-world hot romantic comedies written by Lucy Score, Claire Kingsley, Kathryn Nolan, and Pippa Grant. They can all be read as stand-alone novels.

Holding Out


Lila Rose - 2013
    She has a daughter that apparently knows it all and a best friend that could possibly have the mouth of Satan, but she's been with her through hell and back. Then there's the hunk'a'licious biker neighbor finally showing interest in her. If only she wasn't about to face her next obstacle in life, the one she ran from six years ago; her ex-husband.Talon Marcus is the president of the Hawks Motorcycle Club. For two years he's had his eye on the quiet, reclusive, yet sassy, neighbor Zara. Finally, he has the chance to claim her as his woman. Just when her past catches up with her, she'll need, not only his protection, but the help from his biker brothers.Now, if only she'd stop fighting him along the way.

SEAL Salvation


Elle James - 2021
    Back in his home state of Colorado, he’s determined to bury himself as deeply as he can in a bottle of Jack Daniels until the pain in his leg and his heart is so numb he can no longer feel.No man left behindHank Patterson refuses to let his buddy, Jake, slowly kill himself with alcohol. Hank’s plan to expand the Brotherhood Protectors into Colorado will only work if he can hire the best men for the job. He wants Jake and sends fellow Coloradan, Kujo, to pull Jake out of an alcohol-induced haze to work for the team. Hank’s contact has a place they can set up operations while flying under the radar—a flailing dude ranch, run by a former Marine Gunnery sergeant and his feisty daughter.Rucker Juliet Tate is as unconventional as the name her father gave her upon her birth. After her mother died when RJ was only a baby, she was left in the capable hands of her taciturn Marine father to be raised tough and ready to accept any challenge. Including adopting a Military Working Dog with only three legs. Retraining the dog to live in a civilian world is practically a fulltime job. She’s up for it, until she witnesses a meeting she shouldn’t have seen and is thrown into the path of a killer who wants to wipe her memory, by erasing her from existence.Jake’s first assignment as a Brotherhood Protector is to stick to the rebellious daughter of the owner of a dude ranch and make certain she doesn’t fall victim to the person gunning for her. Meanwhile, RJ fights to keep from falling victim to the love blossoming in her heart over the young Navy SEAL who dogs her every footstep. Even her German Shepherd likes the SEAL better than RJ. And worse…she finds herself falling for the cranky, one-legged frogman. Her challenge is to live long enough to see where these feelings take her.