Book picks similar to
The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks


romance
romantic-suspense
maya-banks
military

Captured Innocence


Kennedy Layne - 2013
    A submissive has been murdered in a particularly vicious manner and to bring her killer to justice, he must go undercover. Not hard to do considering he's already part of the BDSM lifestyle.Lauren Bailey, a local vendor of bejeweled erotic implements, lives vicariously through her clients due to her fear of bondage. When Connor's dominant side can't resist trying to ease her anxieties, she accepts his proposal and agrees to one stipulation...keep things casual.When the killer sets his sights on Lauren, Connor is forced to rethink their relationship. He has the training it takes to catch a murdered, but does he have the courage to escape his inner demons and capture Lauren's heart?

Don't Tell


Karen Rose - 2003
    But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he's closing in on her—and everything and everyone she loves.

Bad Attitude


Sherrilyn Kenyon - 2005
    J.D. Steele, a military sniper whose attitude problem landed him in prison, seems a good candidate. But as they're dragged into a secret world of freelance killers, Sydney begins to discover the man of honor and passion beneath Steele's arrogant façade. It's a man even Steele didn't know he could be -- and a man whose mission will risk the life of the only woman he's ever loved...

Bluegrass Undercover


Kathleen Brooks - 2012
    And something is trying to kill his players. He’s been too busy trying to keep his players alive, while also avoiding the Davies Brothers marriage trap set by half the town, to pay attention and to the fiery redhead who has swept into his small town.DEA Agent Annie Blake was undercover to bust a drug ring that preys on high school athletes in the adorable, small town of Keeneston. She had thought to keep her head down and listen to the local gossip to find the maker of this deadly drug. What Annie didn’t count on was becoming the local gossip. With marriage bets being placed and an entire town aiming to win the pot, Annie looks to Cade for help in bringing down the drug ring before another kid is killed. What she didn’t intend on was becoming the next target.(Alternate cover editions for this title can be found here and here.)

The Heart of a Killer


Jaci Burton - 2011
    But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault that Anna only survived thanks to him.More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Edge of Sight


Roxanne St. Claire - 2010
    . . The heartbreak she can't forget . . . The one man who can stop them both. When Samantha Fairchild witnesses a murder in the wine cellar of the restaurant where she works, the Harvard-bound law student becomes the next target of a professional assassin. Desperate for protection the authorities won't provide, Sam seeks help from Vivi Angelino, an investigative reporter who recruits her brother, Zach, to protect Samantha. A Special Forces vet with the scars to prove he's equally fearless and flawed, Zach takes the job, despite the fact that he and Sam once shared a lusty interlude that ended when he left for war and disappeared from her life. Now, as they crack a conspiracy that leads to Boston's darkest corners, Sam and Zach must face their fears, desires, and doubts, before a hired killer gets a second shot... "When it comes to dishing up great romantic suspense, Roxanne St. Claire is the author you want." -- RT Book Reviews

Operation: Endgame


Christi Snow - 2012
    Six months since Jake Madsen let Chris Robertson die. Six months since the passion between Jake and Cassie, Chris’ sister, stepped over the line.But now Cassie’s being stalked and it’s time for Jake to swallow his guilt, grief, and lust so he can save her life, even if it’s a life without him. He owes it to his dead friend and he owes it to Cassie. He’s fallen in love with her, but she doesn’t have to know that for him to keep her safe.

Enslaved by the Ocean


Bella Jewel - 2013
    She's done something bad, and the only way to escape it, is to flee her home, and her country. She sets out on a luxury Yacht, to take her to another country with her best friend Eric. But she runs into a problem. The Yacht catches fire. She ends up stranded in the ocean, terrified, and scared of the uncertain. Until they show up. The pirates. Terrified, Indigo and Eric have to face the reality that this might be the end for them. These are pirates, they are the criminals of the ocean. What chance have they got of surviving this nightmare?Then she lays eyes on Hendrix. He's the Captain, he's gorgeous, rugged, and mean. He's planning on keeping her to repay his debt to another man, by selling her. Now Indigo has a crazy ex after her, as well as a pirate she can't seem to get out of her head.Come on this heart wrenching, dark, angsty and dangerous adventure as two people so opposite, find something so beautiful.

Hardwired


Meredith Wild - 2013
     Determined to overcome a difficult past, Erica Hathaway learns early on how to make it on her own. Days after her college graduation she finds herself face to face with a panel of investors who will make or break her fledgling startup. The only thing she didn't prepare for was going weak in the knees over an arrogant and gorgeous investor who's seemingly determined to derail her presentation. Billionaire and rumored hacker Blake Landon has already made his fortune in software, and he's used to getting what he wants with very little resistance. Captivated by Erica's drive and unassuming beauty, he's wanted nothing more since she stepped into his boardroom. Determined to win her over, he breaks down her defenses and fights for her trust, even if that means sacrificing a level of control he's grown accustomed to. But when Blake uncovers a dark secret from Erica's past, he threatens not just her trust, but the life she's fought so hard to create.

Kiss of Midnight


Lara Adrian - 2007
    But nothing about this night—or this man—is what it seems. For when Gabrielle witnesses a murder outside the club, reality shifts into something dark and deadly. In that shattering instant she is thrust into a realm she never knew existed—a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and a blood war is set to ignite.Lucan Thorne despises the violence carried out by his lawless brethren. A vampire himself, Lucan is a Breed warrior, sworn to protect his kind—and the unwitting humans existing alongside them—from the mounting threat of the Rogues. Lucan cannot risk binding himself to a mortal woman, but when Gabrielle is targeted by his enemies, he has no choice but to bring her into the dark underworld he commands.Here, in the arms of the Breed’s formidable leader, Gabrielle will confront an extraordinary destiny of danger, seduction, and the darkest pleasures of all. . . .

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.

The End of Me


Tara Brown - 2013
    Now widowed and left to raise her children alone, Evie is prepared for anything. Well, almost anything. There are actually two things she isn't prepared for. The first being a sexy young man named Coop, a CI operative who is thrust into her world as her protector and handler. The other is an arms dealer named Servario, who the military has decided she must gain the trust of. But the world she left behind has changed and unfortunately, so has Evie. The minivan-driving mother of two couldn't be further from the woman she once was and she doesn't have time to catch up. At every turn there seems to be a secret or betrayal awaiting the inexperienced spy. But Evie has a secret too, she just doesn't know it yet. This hot, sexy ride is filled with espionage, secrets, and twists you will not see coming.Adult 19+

Afterburn


Sylvia Day - 2013
    He’d only been part of my life for five short weeks two years ago. But now he was back. Walking into a deal I’d worked hard to close. And God, he was magnificent. His eyes were a brown so dark they were nearly black. Thickly lashed, they were relentless in their intensity. Had I really thought they were soft and warm? There was nothing soft about Jackson Rutledge. He was a hard and jaded man, cut from a ruthless cloth.In that moment I understood how badly I wanted to unravel the mystery of Jax. Bad enough that I didn’t mind how much it was going to cost me...

The Night Is Mine


M.L. Buchman - 2010
    But a run-in with CNN puts her career on the line and ships her stateside—to the White House.Major Mark Henderson may be her commander but he’s also smitten by his very best pilot. Disguised as a jetsetter playboy, he plunges into the fray.But nothing is what it looks like at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The President, First Lady, FBI Director, and even the head of the Secret Service all have hidden agendas. Emily can’t deny her attraction to Mark, but first they both must survive.[A complete happy-ever-after with no cliffhangers. Originally published in 2012. Re-edited 2021 for improved reader experience but still the same great story.]