Book picks similar to
Tempting Christa by Tracie Delaney
romance
contemporary
freebie
dark
Something in the Way
Jessica Hawkins - 2017
Under the sweat and dirt, Manning Sutter was as handsome as the sun was bright. He was older, darker, experienced. I wore a smiley-face t-shirt and had never even been kissed. Yet we saw something in each other that would link us in ways that couldn’t be broken...no matter how hard we tried.I loved Manning before I knew the meaning of the word. I was too young, he said. I would wait. Through all the carefully-chosen words hiding what we knew to be true, through his struggle to keep me innocent, and through infinitely-starry nights—I would wait. But I’d learn that life isn’t always fair. That no matter how much you achieve, none of it matters if you suffer the heartbreak that comes with falling for someone you can never have. Because even though I saw Manning first, that didn’t matter. My older sister saw him next.
Dark Kisses (Platinum Security Book 1)
Kelly Myers - 2021
And the feral way he looks at me.When my life is threatened, Jax vows to stay by my side.He tells me he doesn’t do relationships, but my savior plays dirty and I can’t resist his dark kisses.At this point, I’m not sure what’s worse-The death threats… Or, knowing that once this is over, this Fallen Angel will walk out of my life forever, breaking my heart into a million pieces!
Beautifully Broken (Beautiful, #1)
Tara Lee - 2020
For years, I tried I really did. When I finally broke free of my demons, she planted me firmly in the friend-zone.I'll fight to win her back no matter the cost. With the chemistry we have, I'm not holding back. I'll even play dirty if I have to. My past proves to be more difficult to keep away than I thought. I need to fight the addiction, need to stay focused, because Luna is what matters most.My purpose on this Earth is loving Luna unconditionally and wholeheartedly.My past wasn't full of sunshine and rainbows. It was a living hell. Runaway mother, abusive father, dead brother—yeah my life’s a damn dream. It made me dark and angry. Made me into someone I hated, but Luna made everything better. She made me want to be better. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we can't change who we are. My past isn't everything I thought it was. I uncover something which changes everything. Can I make Luna fall in love with me all over again, or is it too late? I may be broken, but together we are beautifully broken.Luna:Ethan Knight, the boy I fell in love with at twelve, is back. His addiction was what tore us apart. He promised he'd change, but he never did. Until now.He somehow got hotter, and even his charms are more dangerous. Putting him in the friend-zone was the right thing to do. I know it won’t last, but a girl needs to try, right?Ethan's life is a mess. Can he really be a different person, be the guy I fell head over heels in love with? Us together was never a good idea, but the spark between us hasn't burned out yet. In fact, it feels stronger, and my heart can only take so much! Daddy always warned me to stay away from Ethan, and it may have been for good reason. Ethan's past is more corrupt than even he thought. Can we really overcome everything? Or will we come crashing down into the beautifully broken mess that awaits us?
The Edge of Darkness
Melissa Andrea - 2013
I was in an accident I don’t remember… or maybe I don’t want to remember. Either way, every day since, has been… an adjustment and I’m left with a constant reminder that nothing is forever. Now, my life is a tangled web of darkness filled with deceit, hate, betrayal and lies. I don’t dwell on the past, I don’t regret and I don’t remember… I survive. But then I met Ryland Dare and he changed everything. He reminded me that life’s worth living and that remembering isn’t always a bad thing. You don’t know true darkness until you've felt light… On the outside looking in, some would say my siblings and I have had a pretty easy life. But beyond the fancy cars, the huge house and endless social events, is where the truth really lies. Power hungry father, defeated mother and fake friends? Yeah I have one of each. Then Araya Noelle comes along and shows me what I’ve been missing. She thinks I changed her life, but really, she saved mine. At the edge of darkness, you must DARE to HOPE. DARE to LOVE. DARE to LIVE
Gravedigger
J.C. Jaye - 2021
Tilling the earth by hand, he’s King of Oaklawn and likes it that way. No annoying folks in his face, and plenty of solitude to muffle the PTSD noise upstairs. But once he spies a sexy, tousle-haired angel kneeling in the grass every Saturday, it’s time to rejoin the land of the living, stat. Here’s hoping his Sunshine doesn’t mind a little mud…She’s been lost, but now she’s found. The death of her twin has gutted Casey Rae Kent. Turning hermit, weekly plein-air grieving sessions are the sum of her social life. But a thwarted attack and subsequent rescue by a hot Viking lookalike have her shaking off the stupor. Is this spade-wielding hero a gift from the heavens? Can Mr. Badass and Brawny be her sweet salvation? Hmm, best get this dirty boy’s take on clueless virgin unicorns…Two troubled souls, zapped by the lightning bolt to the heart. All’s fantastic until fate lobs more mega-grade grenades in their path. Hell, who said love was easy?
Finding Our Forever
Laura Riley - 2020
Only to discover that the Seth I knew isn't the Seth I've found.He's not the boy who once dried my tears and won my heart.He's a jerk.A jerk who still owns my heart.He's also one of the builders working on my house.When his sister leaves him without childcare, I'm the only one available to look after the daughter he’s so protective of.I know he says we can only be friends.But the more time we spend together the more I dream we could be a family.And when people threaten to tear us apart, I’ll prove just how much I’m willing to risk for Seth and his little girl.SethA chance encounter with my friend’s little sister threatens the shaky foundation I've built for myself and my daughter and I quickly put her in the friend zone. But when I’m sent to redecorate her house I discover just how good she is with my daughter and I'm not sure how long I can keep my hands to myself.♥ THIS BOOK CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE AND HAS A HEA. ♥
His Taste Box Set
B.B. Hamel - 2019
If you like dark plots with lots of steam, especially ones that connect in a small town, then this collection is for you! No cliffhangers, absolutely no cheating, and of course each book features an HEA! Read the blurbs down below and happy reading. His Taste I got one taste of him and now I can’t stop. I know I should stay away from Case Hammett. He’s notorious for a reason: handsome face, muscular body, enough money to own the entire town. The confident and cocky bastard is totally all-wrong for me, and I should be very afraid. But I take a job cleaning his house to help support my sick mother against my better judgement. And I was right to be nervous: he loves getting me down on all fours to scrub his floor. He’s always teasing, his hands on my skin, his cocky grin pushing my limits. Things seem fine on the surface, but there’s a darkness in his house that I can’t escape. But when his hands brush against my skin, I don’t care about anything else. I just need more of his taste, more of his body. He corners me in his bedroom and asks a simple question: Do you want me to take care of you? I’m terrified, but I think the answer is yes. If I can’t escape, I might not leave this house ever again. His Demand I’m all about trying new things. Especially losing my virginity. I came to Pine Grove looking for a new start. Instead, I found Dawson Spark. He’s the kind of man I used to stay far away from. Handsome, cocky, and clearly rich, I can’t pretend like I’m not intimidated when he invites me back to his house. But I’m still a virgin. I’ve never done anything like this before. Now I know why people can get addicted in love. I know this won’t be a one-time thing. I’m a part of his world now, and Dawson demands a lot more than I ever thought I had. Giving him my virginity was the easy part. It’s giving him everything else that’s going to be hard… His Secret It’s my job to keep her safe. But I want something in return. I’m the Chief and Police and I get what I want. At least until I find Emma knee-deep in trouble. Those gorgeous eyes, perfect hair, pouty lips. She makes a growl slip from my throat and I can’t stop myself before I offer her my protection. There’s a catch, of course. I’ll keep her safe, but she better repay me over, and over, and over again. My hands on her hips, pulling her close against my body, I’ll whisper in her ear. You want safety? I want you. I can't help myself. I'm falling for this girl, harder than I ever imagined. She’s my new girl, and she'll get whatever she wants and much more. His Touch Don't be afraid. Let him touch it. My life is one disaster after another. Until the man that killed my father takes me as his own. I should hate Rowan more than anything. But my father was abusive and I have nowhere left to run. Now I’m stuck with this beautiful monster.
Hot Mess
Emily Goodwin - 2017
Forget about dating--nobody's got time for that. Even if love hadn't left me jaded, I'm not settling for anything less than perfect this time around.Lucky for me, the perfect man just happens to work in my office. But there's just one small problem: he's my boss, and is totally off limits. But hey, if it's meant to be, it'll find a way, right?Then a night out with friends turns into a night in with the walking-talking bad boy cliche of a bartender. It's just one night. No harm, no foul, right?Except when the hot bartender turns out to be my boss's trouble-making brother, who wants more than just one night with me. The more I resist the spark between us, the more I find myself wanting him too. Which puts me in the middle of what could be the biggest sibling rivalry of the century.Life is messy.And love?Well, love is even messier.
Detour
A. Marie - 2020
Angela Head down, eyes peeled for any opportunity to get off the dead-end course my mother carelessly paved for me years ago.My plan takes a sharp turn landing me directly across the hall from Creekwood’s resident bad boys. The three streetbike riding misfits are as stubborn as they are sexy. And they. Are. Sexy. Especially the one with the mocha swirl eyes watching my every move.But even the six-foot hallway separating us can’t keep the overbearing trio from constantly getting in my way.When my past threatens to catch up with me, I quickly learn not every detour promises an easier route, no matter how tempting my new neighbors might make it look. Coty Head up, eyes locked on anything threatening to throw me off the carefully constructed path I have mapped out.I live my life the same way I ride my bike, never once regretting the roads I’ve chosen.Lately though, after years of the same scenery, everything’s starting to blur together. It’s only when our elusive neighbor girl comes out of nowhere that I realize what’s been missing.And now that I have, I don’t think I can let her pass by so quickly. At least not without proving the lengths I’ll go for her first.
Return by Air
Tracey Jerald - 2020
I returned home devastated, filled with fear and the kind of heartache it takes years to overcome.Now, sixteen years later, as I hurl through the sky on the wings of heartbreak and despair, I’m desperately trying to hold myself together. Not just because of why I’m flying back, but because I know he’ll be waiting.John Jennings — the man who made me realize I could fly without my feet ever leaving the ground.The promise I returned to keep will change our lives irrevocably.We’ve been separated for years by more than air; there’s a secret that stands between us.Only the time has come to reveal it.
Under the Lights
Tia Louise - 2018
From USA TODAY bestselling author Tia Louise comes a sexy new tale of love, loss, and survival in sultry New Orleans...UNDER THE LIGHTS
Heroes don't last long around here...
Fall in love with the sexiest girl in New Orleans?
Check.
Prepare to die for her?
Double-check.
Larissa is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.She's the rising star of the Pussycat Angels, the hottest burlesque show in the French Quarter.I'll never forget the first time I saw her.The curve of her breast outlined by sparkling rhinestones.Slim hips wrapped in black fishnets.Long, dark hair...She's
the Dark Angel
who stole my heart.Her body is intoxicating, our love overwhelming.Cat eyes and blood red lips.Sizzling fingers on white-hot skin.I couldn't keep my hands off her...But her fame had a dark side,A sinister shadow lurking
under the lights.
I would do anything to save her...He would do anything to see me dead.(A CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE series.)
Long Shot
Kennedy Ryan - 2018
One of the NBA's brightest stars.Fine. Forbidden. He wants me. I want him.But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won't let me go.*Some aspects of this story may be sensitive for some readers.
Between Clouds and Stars
Sharlyn G. Branson - 2016
I have money, power, good looks and countless women ready to do anything to get their hands on me, and my rather large package. My business brings in billions every year and my airline has the fastest airplanes in the world. In short, I have everything a man can dream of. Or so I thought until I met Estelle Klide. The second I saw her, I decided to make her mine. Her body was sinfully sexy. She had amazing, mesmerizing indigo eyes. Her sweet scent was the epitome of temptation and evoked images of wild, animalistic sex in my mind. I couldn’t help but fall for her – hard. Letting her slip through my fingers was not an option. In involving myself with her, I entered waters I’d never thought I’d have to swim in. I set off on a journey filled with mystery, fear and a lot of love. The only thing that threatened to ruin this paradise and destroy everything, was her ex-husband, who turned out to be a real monster. BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS is a standalone romance novel, which takes place in the fantastical world of the future.
Forever Friend Zoned
C. Morgan - 2021
I took all of that crap from the past and turned it into a goldmine. My body, namely. And there’s one girl I want that rejected me over and over. Lucky for me, the beauty is on the heels of a terrible breakup. Yes. I mean, aww… Her parents are pushing her to go to the gym to lose some weight. Boy, do I know how that feels. And guess who’s waiting for her when she gets there?That’s right. Me. The forever friend-zoned guy. But I have no ill will toward my curvy first love. I only want what’s best for her. Namely, me. *wink*So the game begins, and I’m lucky to be in the coach’s shoes this time. She has no clue who I am, but sparks fly high. No way in hell I’m telling her I’m the guy she remembered rejecting. ‘Cause I’m not out for revenge. I just want what I’ve always wanted… Her.
Bubbles with Brunch
Ainsley St. Claire - 2021
Only the title has changed.If your best friend was arrested for murder? Would you lie or tell the truth?AxelI don’t want complicated, drama, or serious in the women I date.That was until I met her.Mia’s different—she’s beautiful, smart, and knows baseball better than I do.Her close friend is arrested for murder and life becomes complicated.Chaos engulfs her.Drama colors all parts of her life.And, maybe serious wouldn’t be so bad.MiaLife’s not as easy for me as people think.Sure I’m CEO of a Fortune 50 company I founded.I’ve got a group of girlfriends who’d doing anything for me.But I can’t meet a decent guy to save my life until I met him.Axel makes my toes curl and my heart melt.But the timing may just be wrong.Bubbles with Brunch is a romance with a happy ending and the first book in the The Stiletto Sisters series. This series is about strong women who need strong men. This book can be read as a stand alone that highlights the women seen in the Venture Capitalist Series and the Tech Billionaire series.