Book picks similar to
Sugarcoated Pain by Summer Nawaz


romance
new-adult
sports-romance
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Little Dove


Layla Frost - 2020
    Yeah.Once upon a time.Isn’t that how all good fairy tales start? And Maximo and I, we were definitely a fairy tale.Not the cleaned-up, sanitized ones where life’s problems were solved with a smile and a song. We were the old-school kind. The twisted tales packed with murder, violence, and tragic beginnings.Okay, so maybe we weren’t a traditional fairy tale. After all, Maximo was more villain than prince. He was scarily sexy. Devilishly charming. Controlling, possessive, and dangerous.Especially when it came to me. His little dove.And heaven help anyone who tried to free me from my gilded cage.Warning: Recommended for readers 18+. This book features graphic language, sex, violence, and a Daddy obsessed with his little dove. If this doesn't sound like your kind of fairy tale, this may not be the book for you.

Fierce King


Sadie Kincaid - 2021
    In a few breathless moments, I will be Mrs Alejandro Montoya. He is the King of L.A, and everything a woman could want. Handsome, powerful, rich, and hotter than hell itself. But I am not just any woman. I am Alana Carmichael and I’m only here to save my father. I will not bow to any king. This is no fairy tale. This is my nightmare. He is fierce and unyielding. I should hate him. But, the way he looks at me makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before, and his touch sets my skin on fire. And as I uncover the secrets of our pasts, I discover that monsters are not always what they seem. Sometimes, the real monsters look like ordinary men. Fierce King is a forced marriage, dark mafia romance. It is book 1 in the L.A Ruthless series and features the Montoya crime family.

5 Rounds


Nikki Castle - 2021
    The only problem is, she can't stand his arrogant, self-centered roommate, Tristan.Now, she has to figure out how to live in the same house with him for ten days while dealing with all the temptation that comes with… including punching Tristan’s smug face in. But when one night strips them of their masks and exposes the truth, they’re forced to reexamine how they really feel about each other.While Remy struggles with her attraction to this notorious womanizer, Tristan has to decide if his feelings for Remy are worth it, or if they'll just distract him from his longtime goal of becoming a world champion.Can Tristan and Remy drop their guards long enough to fall in love? Or will old prejudices deliver the final blow?Scroll up to dive into the world of Philly MMA today!

Checkmate


Lindsey Powell - 2020
    Paige is a woman scorned, ready to redraw the battle lines and take the throne as the Queen. She wants to reign supreme, show Joey who the boss is, and make him suffer for pushing her aside years before. The trouble with battle lines is that there is always someone who wants to take over the playing field. There are always those who are waiting to take you down, make you beg, and have you at their mercy. Will Paige be at Joey's mercy?Will Joey give up his throne?Or will an underlying force come in like a whirlwind and rip the ground out from beneath both of them?A dangerous game.A love that refuses to die. And two powerful people about to collide. Will they have what it takes to get through the dangers that lurk around every corner? And who will be the one to finish the game and say, "Checkmate?"

Blindsided


Amy Daws - 2019
    Midfielder Maclay “Mac” Logan is a loud-mouthed, tattooed ginger content with focusing on football. But when an adorably-freckled seamstress comes barreling into his life, he finds Netflix-And-Bickering with her to be his new favorite pastime. Freya Cook is used to being the invisible woman with a needle and thread, offering cheeky punchlines as she helps dress London’s finest. She’s plus-sized in body and spirit, and other than her friendship with Mac, talking to the opposite sex is one skill she never mastered. However, after one innocent game of Never Have I Ever, Mac offers to play Love Coach for Freya. What neither of them see coming are the feelings that develop when the clothes come off. Now they’re both about to learn the biggest lesson of all: Don't fall in love with your best friend.Blindsided is a full length (97,000 words) contemporary rom-com standalone with a sports theme.

Queen of Madness


Lee Jacquot - 2022
    The inherent need to protect them can become overwhelming and all consuming. It makes us think irrationally and do stupid things. In my case, falling down a rabbit hole.My sister made a mistake. One that put us in debt with the Italian mob who owns half the state, and as payment they’ve enlisted me to work for them. Only it isn’t them I’ll be working for. It’s for her. Onyx Embros. She’s a ghost, a legend, the head of their rival mafia family, and the queen of Wonderland. In order to save my family, I have to act as her guard so they can find a way to kill her. But the longer I stay, the more I realize Onyx isn’t who I thought she was, and neither am I.Turns out, I’m just as mad.A Bodyguard Mafia Romance

Credence


Penelope DouglasPenelope Douglas - 2020
    The only child of a film producer and his starlet wife, she’s grown up with wealth and privilege but not love or guidance. Shipped off to boarding schools from an early age, it was still impossible to escape the loneliness and carve out a life of her own. The shadow of her parents’ fame followed her everywhere.And when they suddenly pass away, she knows she should be devastated. But has anything really changed? She’s always been alone, hasn’t she?Jake Van der Berg, her father’s stepbrother and her only living relative, assumes guardianship of Tiernan who is still two months shy of eighteen. Sent to live with him and his two sons, Noah and Kaleb, in the mountains of Colorado, Tiernan soon learns that these men now have a say in what she chooses to care and not care about anymore. As the three of them take her under their wing, teach her to work and survive in the remote woods far away from the rest of the world, she slowly finds her place among them.And as a part of them.She also realizes that lines blur and rules become easy to break when no one else is watching.One of them has her.The other one wants her.But he…He’s going to keep her.*Credence is a new adult standalone novel suitable for readers 18+.

The Truth about Heartbreak


B. Celeste - 2019
    The guy I could never touch.Then one night changed everything for us. But there was one huge problem.He belonged to her.

On the Edge


Joanna Mazurkiewicz - 2019
    Well, he couldn't be more wrong. Sasha would rather eat dirt than sleep with him.He vows not to fall for her, but their scorching attraction proves impossible to ignore...

Little Lies


H. Hunting - 2020
    You mean nothing to me. I never loved you. I turned my words into swords.And I cut her down. Shoved the blade in and watched her fall. I said I’d never hurt her, and I did. Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession. Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of. I used to be the one who saved her. Over and over again. But I don’t want to save her anymore. I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.A standalone angsty new adult romance. Heroine: Lavender Waters (Alex and Violet Waters’ youngest daughter, PUCKED and FOREVER PUCKED couple origin, Pucked Series )Hero: Kodiak (Kody) Bowman (Rook and Lainey Bowman’s son, A LIE FOR A LIE couple origin, All In Series )

Just a Fling


Charity Ferrell - 2017
    He’s her new bodyguard. He didn't plan for her to offer no-strings attached sex with his employment. Business has officially mixed with pleasure. StellaAfter going through a messy public breakup, I've sworn off dating. That pact changes when my new bodyguard walks through the front door. Hudson is nothing like the men in the industry.He's callous, cold, and doesn't want to spend a second longer with me than he has to.All that changes when I start to defrost his iciness and find the real man hidden inside.HudsonI want nothing to do with the Hollywood life. Having my face plastered on magazine covers does not sound like a good time. This job is temporary and was taken as a favor to my brother taking care of his sick wife. My problem? I get to know the real Stella, not the woman seen on TV. I try to fight my attraction and keep our relationship professional until she lays an offer on the table: sex while I'm here and then we go our separate ways.How can I say no to that?(Just Her Bodyguard was previously titled as Make Me Yours.)

Stone Cold Notes


Julia Wolf - 2021
    He was an up and coming rock star, afterall, and I was just a shy seventeen-year-old. He did write back though, and through hundreds of emails, we became best friends.Until the day we unknowingly broke each other’s heart.It’s been three years since our last email. I’m all grown up with a new job at Good Music, and finally have my act together. But then Callum Rose walks in the door, and I’m instantly thrown back to the days when he meant everything to me.The thing is...he doesn’t know who I am. He’s never seen my face. And this Callum Rose lives up to his stone cold reputation.That is, until one night, he sees me in another man’s arms, and decides to claim me. Then there is nothing cold about him.Callum becomes a man on fire for me, introverted, awkward, chubby Wren Anderson. He’s obsessive, possessive, and kind of stalker-y—and I like it...a little too much. The problem is, he still doesn’t know I’m the girl who walked away from him or the reason behind it, and I’m afraid when he finds out, I’ll be right back in the cold again.

Gild


Raven Kennedy - 2020
    And the ones with power rule.Gold.Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.Even me.King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and rape. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.

The Song of the Marked


S.M. Gaither - 2020
    The old gods are growing restless. Can she stop the coming storm? A Devastating Sickness For decades, the Kethran Empire has been plagued by a strange illness that leaches the very life and soul from its victims. The Girl Who Survived Casia is one of the Fade-Marked—one of the few people who caught this sickness and lived. Why she lived is a mystery even to her and the outcast crew of mercenaries she calls her family. It also makes her an intriguing target for the young, enigmatic king-emperor, who claims he wants to work alongside her to find a cure. Unfortunately, working alongside him also means working with the handsome but infuriating captain of one of the most prestigious branches of the Kethran Army. A Soldier With No Past This infuriating Captain Elander also has secrets: A past that Cas can’t seem to uncover, a powerful but strange brand of magic, and a deep distrust of the very monarch that he’s sworn to serve. She feels oddly drawn to him in spite of these things...But can she really trust him? The Fate of an Empire As the bodies pile up and strange monsters begin to wreak havoc throughout the realms, Cas and Elander will have to work together to protect their world whether they trust one another or not. Because one thing is clear: Something ancient and evil is stirring in the shadows of Kethra.And the empire will not survive its full unleashing. But how can they save a world where nothing and no one is what they seem to be— including Cas herself? —Return to the unique universe of myth and magic first introduced in the bestselling Serpents and Kings trilogy with this first book in a brand new series—or visit that world for the first time! You do not need to have read any of the Serpents and Kings books to read this one. All you need to enjoy this new series is a love of fierce heroines, epic world building, enemies-to-lovers romance, and breathtaking adventure.

Bought


Lauren Landish - 2016
    I trust no one. I thrive with control and I’ve learned to be ruthless and coldhearted. A love life? I’m not interested.But I still have desires.That’s where Dahlia came in; my treasure. She had never been a submissive before and I was eager to train her.The dusting of sparkles on her dress barely hid her tempting curves. I wanted to see all of her. My d*ck was already hard at the thought of my hand leaving a bright red print across her lush ass.When I saw her on stage at the auction, dressed in gold, I knew I had to have her.She’s mine for an entire month. I own her. But one lie changed everything.She’s going to be punished for it. But I’m doing this for her own good. She needs this.I’m going to make this right. I’m going to heal her.If it’s the last thing I do. *Bought is a full-length standalone romance with an HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.