Book picks similar to
The Science of Pleasure by Jacquelyn Frank
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The Butterfly Code
Sue Wyshynski - 2015
I am a genetically modified human. PAINFUL SECRETS. STARTLING TRUTHS.UNDENIABLE LOVE.All it took was a chance meeting--one tingling glance across a darkened street to change my life.I'd been searching for my two best friends in the crowded Zenith Club, which was a really bad idea because I'm totally claustrophobic. I burst outside, and that's when I came face-to-face with the incredibly gorgeous Hunter Cayman. Dark-haired, tall, and leaning against an insane sports car, my pulse went haywire. Maybe things weren't so bad after all. The young doctor had his long muscular arms crossed over his leather jacket clad chest, and all his six-foot something would make any girl's knees turn weak. But then, if what Ella said was true, Hunter was the kind of guy who left behind a trail of broken hearts. And heartache was the last thing I needed right now.Yet there's something strange, something almost superhuman about Hunter. It's more than that infuriatingly knowing grin. I'm trying to stop thinking about him, and I get the feeling he's avoiding me, too. Yet Deep Cove is a tiny town and every time we run into each other the tension literally crackles, sparking around us. It just figures that when suddenly I'm in danger, he's there to save me.In truth, I should be dead. By all the logic in this world, I should be shattered to pieces. How fast was I going on that ATV when I smashed into those iron gates? Ninety? A hundred? And the men who were chasing me, where did they go?Somehow I'm whole.Maybe better than whole. There's no one I can talk to, not even my best friend, Gage. Gage hates Hunter. He wants Hunter's laboratory to be shut down. He thinks Hunter's a monster. And yet, if that's true, if Hunter's a monster...than what am I? I'm not sure what terrifies me more, the metamorphosis taking place inside me, or the intensely powerful connection with a guy whose heart and soul has become linked with mine.
The Perfect Creation
Marie Harte - 2008
He's sent to baby-sit his troublesome older brother, and in the process finds himself kidnapped by a woman too perfect to be real, with the strength of an inhumanly powerful being. To make matters worse, he's mistaken for his old alter-ego, Cheltam a criminal mastermind who actually serves as a cover for Rafe's real work as a lawman.But Erin, his kidnapper, needs his help, and Rafe is unable to deny the protective instincts, as well as the lust, he feels in her presence. He agrees to help her, posing as Cheltam. And they seal the deal with more than a kiss, in an act that changes Rafe's world forever. When he learns that this special woman is a Creation, an 'abomination' in the eyes of the System and one that is to be terminated on sight, Rafe doesn't just bend the rules, he breaks them. Together, he and Erin will take on the laboratory that created her.The odds are against them, but if they're successful, Rafe plans on a future with the woman he considers his mate...if only he can convince her that his love is real."
Curio
Evangeline Denmark - 2016
But she has always followed the rules, taking the potion the Chemists ration out that helps the town’s people survive. A potion that Grey suspects she—like her grandfather and father—may not actually need.By working at her grandfather’s repair shop, sorting the small gears and dusting the curio cabinet inside, Grey has tried to stay unnoticed—or as unnoticed as a tall, strong girl can in a town of diminutive, underdeveloped citizens. Then her best friend, Whit, is caught by the Chemists’ enforcers after trying to protect Grey one night, and after seeing the extent of his punishment, suddenly taking risks seems the only decision she can make.But with the risk comes the reality that the Chemists know her family’s secret, and the Chemists soon decide to use her for their own purposes. Panicked, Grey retreats to the only safe place she knows—her grandfather’s shop. There, however, a larger secret confronts her when her touch unlocks the old curio cabinet in the corner and reveals a world where porcelain and clockwork people are real. There, she could find the key that may save Whit’s life and also end the Chemists’ dark rule forever.
Dragon Call
Emily Ryan-Davis - 2007
Yoga. Meditation. Getting in touch with her inner Lune via witchy rituals she doesn’t even realize she’s enacting until she’s naked in the dark with an aggressive dragon...or two.Cora Phillips has spent her life denying the Lune tradition but with two dragons - and their masters - hounding her with mating claims, her denying days have come to an end. Like it or not, the dragons have come.And she doesn’t like it one bit.
Enveloping Shadows
Lauren D.M. Smith - 2016
Her superb sword skills are all she needs to protect the princess Aricia—and as chief bodyguard, the princess’s safety is Terrwyn’s only mission.Too late, she realizes her mistake: a stranger cloaked in darkness snatches the princess before Terrwyn can react.When a handsome stranger emerges from the shadows to save her life, Terrwyn has little choice but to allow him to accompany her. Zelek, shrouded in secrecy and on a mission of his own, has special skills that Terrwyn needs.Together the warrior and the shadow-whisperer forge a plan to rescue the princess, and find themselves plummeting not only headlong into evil, but into the depths of passion and love.This book is approximately 52,000 words Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Anne ScottOne-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise! Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise.
Chosen Ones
Veronica Roth - 2020
. . by destiny or by choice.A decade ago near Chicago, five teenagers defeated the otherworldly enemy known as the Dark One, whose reign of terror brought widespread destruction and death. The seemingly un-extraordinary teens—Sloane, Matt, Ines, Albie, and Esther—had been brought together by a clandestine government agency because one of them was fated to be the “Chosen One,” prophesized to save the world. With the goal achieved, humankind celebrated the victors and began to mourn their lost loved ones. Ten years later, though the champions remain celebrities, the world has moved forward and a whole, younger generation doesn’t seem to recall the days of endless fear. But Sloane remembers. It’s impossible for her to forget when the paparazzi haunt her every step just as the Dark One still haunts her dreams. Unlike everyone else, she hasn’t moved on; she’s adrift—no direction, no goals, no purpose. On the eve of the Ten Year Celebration of Peace, a new trauma hits the Chosen: the death of one of their own. And when they gather for the funeral at the enshrined site of their triumph, they discover to their horror that the Dark One’s reign never really ended.
Grimm Consequences
Kate SeRine - 2014
Fortunately, no one's bothered to look too closely at the Fairytale Management Authority's lead detective and part-time Reaper. And that's the way Nate wants to keep it. For after centuries of torment and loneliness, he's finally found happiness with the hot and hard-charging love of his life, Tess "Red" Little. Of course, his love for Tess is the reason there's a posse of Reaper judges after him, led by a sadistic bastard acquainted with Nate from once upon a time. Now, Tess will pay the price for Nate's transgressions unless Nate severs his ties to the transplanted Tales--and Tess--forever. His enemy has the advantage in speed, malice and brutality. But the Reapers have underestimated the depth of Nate's love and devotion. And the fury of his wrath. . .
The Accidental Gargoyle: An Accidental Quickie
Dakota Cassidy - 2021
But witnessing and experiencing are two different things, and she’s perfectly fine being a plain ol’ human. So when her ex-boss Nina schleps her around to estate sales, where she purchases two of the butt-ugliest gargoyles in existence to decorate her hedge maze…what happens next is stone-cold cuckoo.Suddenly, Ingrid’s beloved career as an animal therapist is on hold as Nina, Wanda, Marty and the OOPs gang help her navigate a rocky new life as a nocturnal paranormal with big horns, bigger ears, and an aversion to sunlight. Oh, and there’s the inconvenient matter of attraction to the man who turned her…who’s sofamiliar… And did we mention the screeching harpies hellbent on getting their hands on her?It’s all hands on deck to keep Ingrid alive until the danger passes, but throw in an old enemy they never saw coming, and her case just may be the hardest yet!***Author Note: This is An Accidental Quickie and shorter in length than prior novels in the series.***
Queen of Swords
Katee Robert - 2012
It doesn't matter if the ship's commander is the gorgeous stranger she just spent a wild, drunken night with. As a Diviner, she’s painfully aware the cards don't lie. Ever.Boone O’Keirna knows Ophelia is trouble the second he sees the way she moves. Not about to let the deadly little hellcat marry his sadistic half-brother, Boone pretends to be the Prince’s emissary and kidnaps Ophelia. Too bad they can’t be in the same room without him wanting to throw her out an airlock–or into bed.Even as they fight each other–and their explosive attraction–Ophelia and Boone sense something is wrong. Too much is going their way. Soon, they realize while the cards may never lie, the truth is sometimes hidden between them...and the future king of Hansarda is not one to take defeat lying down.
Dante Valentine: The Complete Series
Lilith Saintcrow - 2011
Bounty hunter. Killer.Dante Valentine has been all three in her life. But in the beginning, she was a Necromancer for hire. And while she was choosy about her jobs, there were just some she couldn't turn down. Like when the Devil showed up at the door and offered her a deal. Her life -- in exchange for the capture and elimination of a renegade demon. But how do you kill something that can't die?Dante Valentine, one of urban fantasy's hottest series, is compiled into one volume for the first time. Included in this omnibus edition are: Working for the Devil, Dead Man Rising, The Devil's Right Hand, Saint City Sinners, and To Hell and Back.
Frozen
Melissa de la Cruz - 2013
Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.
Simon Says
Bianca D'Arc - 2010
Special circumstances, special soldier… Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels after his life changed irrevocably on a top secret mission, but he’ll never stop protecting her. Now, he’s back on the same base where she’s working and he has vowed to watch over her only from afar…until fate steps in and changes things again.
She’s a healer with a broken heart…
Mariana was bereft when Simon walked away without a backward glance. She’s never forgotten him—or gotten over him. When he walks into her clinic, torn up and in need of medical attention, she can’t turn him away. Nor can she stop the leaping of her heart at his return.
Secrets and science experiments run amok…
Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her, or of the mysterious changes that make Simon the only one who can safely defeat them. Soon, he’ll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never died…
Dragon Fever
Donna Grant - 2016
She intends to expose the truth about dragons to the world – and her target is within sight. Nothing matters but getting the truth, especially not the ruggedly handsome, roguishly thrilling Highlander who oozes danger and charm. And when she finds the truth that shatters her faith, she’ll have to trust her heart to the very man who can crush it… A legend in the flesh Suave, dashing Asher is more than just a man. He’s a Dragon King – a being who has roamed this planet since the beginning of time. With everything on the line, Asher must choose to trust an enemy in the form of an all too alluring woman whose tenacity and passion captivate him. Together, Asher and Rachel must fight for their lives – and their love – before an old enemy destroys them both…
Bastien
Tianna Xander - 2011
Taking on a job as housekeeper, things rapidly are not what they seem around the Bastien's homestead. With wild animals coming in from the woods and her vicious ex-husband circling the front gate, Carly is desperate to find security and a feeling of calm. Bastien is an alpha wolf and knows her the moment he meets her on the most basic of levels. From scent to curves, Carly draws his attention and holds it when he should be concentrating on pack business. Just as he's starting to make his move they are separated by secret government lab dedicated to turning soldiers into shifters and Carly ends up in a cage left wondering if he is the one man who think she is worth rescuing.
Time Between Us
Tamara Ireland Stone - 2012
But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.