Book picks similar to
The Ruthless Gangster by Avery Kane
romance
dnf
arcs
college-young-adult
Bad Saint
Monica James - 2019
But they didn’t realize I wasn’t a victim…not anymore.The open sea was my backdrop for nine torturous days. During that time, glimmers of my fate were revealed by a man with the mysterious chartreuse-colored eyes. He should have scared me, but he didn’t.He intrigued me. And I intrigued him.He punished me when I didn’t listen, which was every single day. But beneath his cruelty, I sensed he was guarding a grave secret.I was sold. And in a game of poker, no less. My buyer? A Russian mobster who likes to collect pretty things. Now that I know the truth, I only have one choice.Sink or swim.And when one fateful night presents me the opportunity, I take it. I just never anticipated my actions would leave me shipwrecked with my kidnapper.He needs me alive. I want him dead.But as days turn into weeks, one thing becomes clear—I should hate him…but I don’t.My name is Willow.His name is Saint.Ironic, isn’t it? He bears a name that denotes nothing but holiness yet delivers nothing but hell. However, if this is hell on earth…God, save my soul.
Imperfect Monster
Jennifer Bene - 2018
Brave, stupid, beautiful.
Nicky just wants to save her brother. She showed up with an envelope full of cash and a smart mouth and found herself in a den of monsters. I wish I could say I was the best of them, I wish I could say I wanted to protect her — but I’m far from perfect and she’s so damn sweet. And all I want is a taste before this world destroys her.
Sinister Kisses
Adriana Noir - 2013
Then again, after seeing what Sebastian Baas was capable of, she felt she had little choice. The guy did just save her life, and the feel of his partner’s assault rifle pressed against her cheek still lingered in her mind.What she discovers surprises her. Beneath the armor and fatigues, is a smart, attentive, and sophisticated man. Unable to resist, Taylor finds herself drawn in by the Special Agent’s charm. Everything about Sebastian, from his imposing presence to his hypnotic eyes, pulls her under his spell. When a drive by shooting leaves her apartment riddled with bullets, she falls under his command as well—not to mention the shadow of a lethal, underground organization known as SKALS.Her lover has a dark and dangerous side he tries to keep hidden, but when a series of events sends their lives spiraling out of control, she realizes there is much more to him than meets the eye. Whether she wants to leave or not doesn't matter. Taylor soon learns, when it comes to Sebastian and SKALS, there is no escape.**DISCLAIMER** This is NOT your average romance. It's not a feel good story. It's a dark, gritty, sometimes erotic psychological thriller with a heavy emphasis on plot. It also contains elements of dominance and discipline with dubious consent, psychological conditioning, and mental manipulation. There’s also gunfire and violence. If any of this offends you, this may not be the book for you.
Want You
Jen Frederick - 2018
It’s Leka Moore. I don’t care that he took me in when he was barely more than a kid himself. I don’t care that he raised me. I don’t care everyone thinks being with him is wrong. I know we belong together, and the only person I need to convince is him. Leka I found her in the corner of a dark alley. If I hadn’t taken her with me, she would’ve died that night—or maybe worse. Before I knew it, she became the light in my dark life, the haven from the madness. I watched her grow up. I tried to teach her right from wrong. Now that she’s an adult, I’m feeling things that no good man should ever feel. But then…I’ve never been a good man. I have a chance at redemption by saving her from the greatest danger of all—me. A stand alone novel.
Saint
E.M. Snow - 2020
It is not recommended for readers under 17 as it contains dubious situations and triggers that some readers may find offensive. It is NOT a standalone and ends in a cliffhanger.
Wicked Lies
Mae Doyle - 2020
Friends, the chance to graduate from a high school that would open doors for me around the world, and some serious eye candy in homeroom.But the three boys who rule the school are only sweet to look at. They’re devastatingly rich, cruel beyond words, and know secrets about my past that nobody else does.I’m supposed to leave Taylor Prep. It’s the only way for me to survive, but leaving would mean giving up on the dream my dad had for me. Even though the students at school are going to try to drive me out, they have no idea what I can handle.The rogues may think they can break me, but I’m stronger than ever. My accident may have broken my body and taken someone I loved, but it didn’t crush my spirit.And I’m sure as hell not going to let three gorgeous guys and the school they run crush it now.Wicked Lies is a reverse harem high school bully romance. This is the first book in the series with dark and sexual scenes.
Masks & Mayhem: The Hannover Heathens Book 1
Lauren Ellis - 2021
I mean, I get good grades, and I’ve never been arrested, but it’s not for lack of a little law-breaking. I don’t have the time or luxury of a moral compass--not when I have someone counting on me. So, I’ve been keeping my head down, getting everything ready for us to flee this place as soon as I turn eighteen. But the past has a way of catching up to us. And mine drags me kicking and screaming into the dark world of the Hannover Heathens, the gang that rules this city and everyone in it. While they debate whether to use me or kill me, I’m assigned some semi-psychotic, heavily tattooed babysitters to watch my every move. They think they’ve got my secrets all figured out, that I’m just some innocent, naïve girl who stumbled into the underbelly of this city.But I’m familiar with their dark world, and it’s not a scary place for the reasons they think. It’s scary because this kind of darkness fits me all-too-well. But if it’s one thing I’m counting on, it's being the kind of girl they underestimate. So, go ahead, boys--wear your masks. You haven’t realized just yet, but I’m wearing one too. **Warning: This is a SLOW-BURN RH/#whychooseromance, meaning the FMC will date more than one guy and won't have to choose between them. This series contains potentially triggering content, including but not limited to: sexual scenes, dark themes, love of the 'f' word & other foul language, gang violence, torture, and abuse. Even though this is a high school setting, this is recommended for readers 18+ and is considered NA romance. This will end in a cliffhanger, BUT this is only book one and there will be a HEA (eventually).
Brutal King
Nikita. - 2021
BLURBWINTERMason King...Brutal, cold and so filled with hate.Hate for what? The simple answer is ME.Our families have hated each other for years, or at least that’s what I used to think.But us? We didn’t care because we were in love.That is until he saw what they wanted him to see.We went from soulmates to enemies in a matter of minutes.Once upon a time, I loved Mason with every fibre of my being.Until he shattered my soul and left me to pick up the pieces alone.Now I’m back in Ravenwood and I’m about to find out just how brutal my king has become,Only he isn’t the only one after me...MASONWinter Crowne...Liar, fake and the thing I intend to break.I thought I was in love with her but that was before I saw her betrayal first-hand.The last time I saw her I told her I’d make her pay if she ever came back here,She didn’t listen and now that she’s back I can finally exact my revenge on her.She never should have come back to Ravenwood and I’ll be the one to make sure she knows it.TRIGGER WARNING: this book contains material that is suitable for ages 18+ with themes that may be triggering to some which includes bullying and non-conNOTE: This is book 1 in a trilogy and it does end in a cliffhanger.
Blame It on the Shame
Ashley Jade - 2016
It wounds us. It damages us.Or, for the few poor souls out there like me...it defines us.I'm the son of the devil, himself—the most feared mob boss who ever lived.I was cursed from the moment I took my first breath.I hate him...and I never wanted to become him.And I sure as hell never, ever, wanted anything of his.Until her.My name is Ricardo DeLuca. There are two things you need to know about me. The first—is that I'm in love with the girl who belongs to my father. The second—is that it turns out I am my father's son after all.My name is Lou-Lou, and you probably think I'm a bitch.You would be right—because I am.You think you know all there is to know about me because of the man I belong to.What you don't know—is my past, because I'll never tell you. What you don't know is my shame.Because if you did—you'd be worse off than dead.You'd be broken.There are two sides to every story...this is ours. Warning: Due to strong language, some violence, explicit sexual content, and some dark elements, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.Trigger Warning: This series contains elements of emotional, sexual, and physical cruelty. Any readers with sensitivity to the above topics should proceed with caution, and at their own risk.Author's Note: This is part one of a three book series. (Blame It on the Shame: Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story.)However, in order to truly enjoy Lou-Lou and Ricardo's story, it is advised you read 'Blame It on the Pain' first.
Things I Wanted To Say (But Never Did)
Monica Murphy - 2021
Dark and thunderous, furious and fierce. Cold, heartless and devastatingly beautiful, like the statues in our prep school gardens. The school with his family name on the sign. He can do no wrong here. This is his domain. He’s a menace on campus. Adored and feared. Hated and respected. His taunting words carve into my skin, shredding me to ribbons. Yet his intense gaze scorches my blood, fills me with a longing I don’t understand. When I stumble upon him one night alone, I find him broken. Bleeding. My instincts scream to leave and let him suffer, but I can’t. I sneak him into my room. Clean him up. Fall for his lies. Let him possess every single part of me until I’m the one left a gasping, broken mess. When he leaves me alone in the dead of night, he takes my journal with him. Now he knows all my secrets. My hate. My truth. And he promises to use my words against me. I’ll be ruined if my darkest secret gets out. That’s when I strike a bargain with the devil. I’ll let Whit Lancaster ruin me behind closed doors instead.
Saint
Ruby Vincent - 2021
I’m sure you can guess how it goes.Girl winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time.She witnesses four gods of beauty and brutality murder some poor sap, and she’s stupid enough to get caught.Come on. You know what happens next.You know they tracked her… me… down.I don’t need to tell you that they claimed me. Ripped me from my safe, perfect world and bound me in chains to their throne.All of that is obvious.It’s the part where they corrupted me, dragged me into their world of death and destruction, made me theirs in every way I didn’t know was possible, and I became a soldier in a war that will bring all of Cinco City to its knees……that’s when it gets interesting.Saint is a dark contemporary why choose romance. This is book one in the series and features language, dark themes, and sexual scenes. If you're cool with that, dive in!
Combative
Jay McLean - 2015
A way to escape. And he found it in the most unlikely friendship. But at seventeen, tragedy struck, and he made himself disappear. Now, at twenty-four, Kyler’s past is knocking on his door, offering a deal he has no choice but to take… a deal that will help bring justice—not just for him, but for his brothers.The problem?He’s distracted by the girl across the hall. Madison comes with her own past, her own secrets... and her own deal. And those deals? They’re ticking time bombs.Ones they didn’t know existed.Tick.Tock.
Kiss Me With Lies
S.M. Soto - 2019
One unsolved murder. A sickening plot for revenge. When Mackenzie Wright attends her first real high school party, held somewhere deep in the woods of her small California town, no one expects to wake up the next morning to news of a gruesome murder. Especially not her own sister’s. No suspects.No motive.No convictions.Just one unsolved murder and whatever’s left of the now deserted town. Mackenzie has spent years with her sister’s death weighing heavily on her shoulders, but it isn’t until she stumbles across a photograph that changes everything for her. The memories, everything from that night, come flashing back in high-speed technicolor and Mackenzie soon finds herself obsessed with the truth. Determined to find out what really happened to her sister, Mackenzie relies on that one photograph to give her the answers she needs by embedding herself into the lives of five of the wealthiest men in Los Angeles. Consumed by her need for revenge, Mackenzie infiltrates the world of the rich and elite, only to come face-to-face with an alluring complication in the form an elusive playboy. When enemy lines are drawn, Mackenzie has to choose between her loyalty to her sister and the man who has stolen her heart.
Loving Vincent: A Mafia Romance Novella
Nikita Slater - 2020
Vince doesn’t deal with women, not unless he needs something. And he needs something from Jenna, something only she can give. One meeting with the sweet little red-headed nurse and he knows he’s in trouble. When she refuses to give him what he asks for, she gives him the one thing he really wants; a reason to take Jenna and keep her. Between a messy divorce, a custody battle and a serious lack of funds, Jenna’s life has slowly gone downhill. When she finds Vince waiting for her in her dark house, threatening to hurt her if she doesn’t do his bidding, she’s pretty sure she’s hit rock bottom. But when Vince decides to make Jenna and her daughter a permanent part of his life, she discovers a love she never imagined possible. But someone from Jenna’s past is angry with the blossoming romance and will do anything to stop it, even if it means killing the object of his obsession. This 27,000 word standalone romance novella is sweet and sizzling with a dash of dark. I hope you enjoy!
Just Like Heaven
Trilina Pucci - 2021
𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲. If only I could’ve convinced my heart.We were gorgeously young and desperate for one another. His lips whispered promises of all the stars in the sky. While I dreamt of a love that would last forever. But we’re star-crossed.Fate had decided our course.Leaving us to cling to each other as we crumbled to ash.His need became possession. My innocence turned jaded.Our families declared war.All that remained was hate. But Calder was raised by wolves. The rules didn’t apply. I was his until he said otherwise—for better or for worse.Our love story’s bathed in crimson and drenched in bullets.Because sometimes, Romeo comes with tattoos, guns, and a taste for blood.