Book picks similar to
Bearing Burdens by Layla Nash


paranormal
shifters
romance
layla-nash

Wolf Next Door


Heather Long - 2015
    Losing his brother and his mate in the same year could have turned him into a surly, unapproachable wolf, but he kept his sights set on the wins in his life—his brothers, A.J.’s new mate and his family. The last thing he needs or wants is for Claire Webster to return home. Her arrival detonates an old rage inside the wolf, but he’s determined to stay as far away from her as possible.When she was five years old, the wolf next door told her he was her mate and then ordered her not to play with one of her friends. From that day forward, Claire butted heads with Ty and his constant interferences. At sixteen, she caught the eye of a visiting Hunter, a wolf who treated her like a lady and not a possession. Wanting more than to be ordered around, she followed him away from Willow Bend, determined to never look back.Eight years later, she sends a request to the new Alpha of Willow Bend. She wants to come home and, when he allows her the opportunity, she’s both relieved and terrified. The first person she runs into is the last one who ever wanted to see her again. The wolf next door grew up, and Tyler Buckley’s frigid welcome leaves her out in the cold. Can she admit she made the wrong choice, and would he even listen if she could?*Previously released as a part of Under a Wolf Moon

Dark Beauty


C.M. Owens - 2015
     Purgatory was opened for the dark ones to escape, but so much more crept out. Over twenty years later, the consequences are finally starting to appear. And the world full of deadly beauties finds even more deception and secrets to face. As an immortal, it's hard to have any new experiences after living for so long. History seems to repeat itself... over and over. No one knows that better than Gage Kross, the dark user many overlook. But even if you think you know how something is going to end, sometimes life doesn't give you the choice of deciding what to do. When he meets Kimber, something that he thought died inside of him suddenly comes back to life. However, she's supposed to be one of the few women he can't be with. Then again, the sweetest fruits are usually the forbidden. Just when things heat up, life unravels and ghosts come back to haunt Gage and his friends. The past invades the future, consequences are revealed, and impossible secrets emerge from the darkness, while new secrets are formed. It's hard to trust people who are trained to hide the truth, so falling in love seems to be a daunting task no matter what. But it's a world full of seduction, and sometimes love happens whether you want it to or not - even when death is breathing fire down your neck. Although this is a book one, there is no major cliffhanger.

Swallowing His Pride


Serena Pettus - 2014
    Lion shifters to be exact. When a trip to Las Vegas has Dylan coming face to face with a woman who calls to every part of him—especially his inner lion—he's not sure what to do. Yearning to spend as much time with her as possible, Dylan courts her until one night of passion takes things further than even he was prepared to go. She's now his mate. The impromptu vacation Samantha took with her best friend took a turn for the better when a hunky guy with a charming southern accent takes a liking to her. Unable to deny the intense chemistry between them, she tosses her inhibitions to the wind and indulges in a night of carnal bliss…only to wake up alone. Hurt and confused, she heads home, only to discover that not everything that happens in Vegas stays there. Now he's back, and she must decide what to do once he confesses a secret that turns her reality on its head. But now there's a danger lurking in the shadows as well. A threat that is determined to keep humans out of the shifter society…by any means necessary.

Shifting Dreams


Elizabeth Hunter - 2013
    Work at her diner never ends, her two boys are bundles of energy, and she’s pretty sure her oldest is about to shift into something furry or feathery. Added to that, changes seem to be coming to the tiny town of Cambio Springs—big changes that not everyone in the isolated town of shapeshifters is thrilled about.Caleb Gilbert was looking for change, and the quiet desert town seemed just the ticket for a more peaceful life. He never counted on violence finding him, nor could he have predicted just how crazy his new life would become.When murder rocks their small community, Caleb and Jena will have to work together. And when the new Chief of Police isn’t put off by any of her usual defenses, Jena may be faced with the most frightening change of all: lowering the defenses around her carefully guarded heart.Shifting Dreams is the first novel in Cambio Springs, the new paranormal romance series from Elizabeth Hunter, author of the best-selling Elemental Mysteries series.

Seven Years


Dannika Dark - 2013
    On the anniversary of his death, her brother's best friend shows up unexpectedly - a man she hasn't seen since the funeral. He is no longer the boy Lexi once knew, but a dangerous-looking man with tattoos and dark secrets. He broke her trust and abandoned her family, yet what he reveals makes it impossible to stay angry. Lexi has been secretly infatuated with Austin since childhood, so finding out he's a Shifter just makes him sexier. Dammit.Austin Cole has returned to the city where he grew up, and just in time. He's lived a hard life these past seven years, and the shadows of his past are threatening to destroy Lexi's family. It's time that she learned the truth about her brother, but there is a shocking twist that Austin never saw coming. Now he must protect her family when her mother and sister wind up in mortal danger. Will Lexi learn to accept the truth about who he is, and can Austin salvage a relationship from the ruins of their past?Destiny will find you.------------------------------------------------------------A romance series that will sweep you off your feet.Cliffhanger-freeHEA

The Dragon's Treasure


S.E. Smith - 2015
    Bitter and alone, he abandons the emptiness of his realm and retreats to the caverns beneath the palace. In the form of his dragon, he remains hidden from the world, protecting the Dragon’s Heart, the last legacy of his people – until he is disturbed by a most unlikely thief. Carly Tate’s hiking trip to Yachats State Park takes an unexpected turn when she is caught in a sudden storm. Seeking shelter, she stumbles through a magical doorway into a cavern filled with treasure! Yet, as incredible as the piles of glittering gold and jewels are, her gaze is transfixed by the slumbering form of a magnificent dragon. Carly’s appearance begins a series of events that will not only change Drago’s life but will affect all of the Seven Kingdoms. Can a centuries-old dragon protect his most valuable treasure, or will the evil that destroyed his race take Carly from him as well?

Wolf Protector


Milly Taiden - 2013
    Erica’s gift allows her a special connection with the crime, but it comes at a deep personal cost… Until now, she’s kept her gift a secret, even from the other members of the team. But this case will throw her together with Agent Trent Buchanan. He’s the object of her secret desires, but he’s also a cocky womanizer. She’d rather swim in shark-infested waters with a paper cut than admit she has feelings for him.A man with one desire…Wolf Shifter Trent wants Erica more than he’s ever wanted any woman. He’s spent years patiently waiting for her to admit that she wants him too. Working one-on-one in a race to find a serial killer, Trent’s patience and Erica’s resolve wear thin. When Trent discovers the truth about Erica, will he accept her for who she is? And can he protect her from the horrors that her gift brings?A case that pushes them to the edge…Erica will have to risk it all if she wants to stop the killer, and when she does, Trent may have to put his own life on the line to make sure his mate is protected…

Dragon's Fake Mate


Abigail Raines - 2019
    I always get what I want. But there’s something I can’t change on my own. My bad boy image. I need to look more responsible in front of the media. That where Nicole comes in. She’s a dragon shifter just like I am. But she’s also my employee. Perhaps asking her to be my fake girlfriend was a bad idea. Not a second goes by when I don’t obsess over her. Turns out, I have to shed my bad boy image for real. Not just for the media but also for her. She’s pregnant and I have to be her mate. Is it too late to convince her to be my partner forever? Warning: This is a standalone with a HEA Ending for adults over 18+.

Destiny's Tarot


Thea Harrison - 2014
    But when her wild niece, Vetta, runs off to Devil's Gate, a lawless town that has sprung up overnight in a modern-day gold rush, she knows she has to extricate her before the rebellious girl gets into real trouble. Though she's confident in her head snakes' ability to defend her against attackers, Seremela is still a bit nervous about braving this modern-day Wild West by herself. Vampyre Duncan Turner is not about to let his new co-worker go into that chaos alone. His Vampyric power and lawyer smarts make him the perfect ally, and the fact that he already had his eye on Seremela for more personal reasons, doesn't hurt matters. Any romantic thoughts pull up short, however, when they arrive at Devil's Gate and learn Vetta is set to hang by morning. In "Hunter's Season" As a palace guard and assassin for the Dark Fae, Xanthe always wore a mask, hiding her emotions to do her duty. But when her identity is compromised, she trades undercover work for guarding Queen Niniane--a position that often brings her in contact with Chancellor Aubrey Riordan. Aubrey's trust is shattered. A year ago his wife tried to assassinate their new queen in his name, a betrayal of everything he believes in. And now an attack on his life is proof the dark conspiracy is not yet over. Although injured and weak, Aubrey can't help but be drawn to this shy assassin and loyal protector. Xanthe is everything Naida wasn't, and the passion she stirs in him is something he thought had long passed him by.

A Werewolf in Manhattan


Vicki Lewis Thompson - 2010
     When Aiden Wallace, son and heir of the pack leader, tries to sniff out Emma's potential informant, he discovers something even more dangerous- an undeniable attraction to her.

Angel/Hiss


Alexandra Ivy - 2015
    Angel Savary is dedicated to his skills as a Healer. After the death of his mother, he’s determined never to fail another Pantera. But when he’s kidnapped by a human female, he discovers that her brutal past offers the answers he’s been seeking. Even more astonishing, she stirs his cat with a ruthless need to claim her. Suddenly, he realizes there’s more to life than duty. Indy’s life has been one of grim survival. The last thing she wants is the distraction of a lover. Until she captures Angel. The Pantera is stunningly gorgeous and sexy as hell. Unfortunately, she hasn’t captured him to fulfill her fantasies. As much as she might ache with the need to give in to their mutual passion, he’s the only hope she has of saving the child she’s rescued from a ruthless enemy who threatens to destroy them all. HISS Caged like the beast he is, Hiss—former Hunter and traitor to the Pantera—has accepted his fate as a tortured prisoner in the hideous experimentation lab known as the Sub. In fact, he wishes death would come more quickly. Until he connects with the female in the cage beside him, that is. As he helps his fellow captive through her pain and her nightmares, she forces him to envision the possibility of forgiveness after the hell he’s wrought on his kind. But when their captors plan to use her in their brutal breeding program, Hiss has no choice but to attempt a risky escape. Stunning and fierce, Gia used to be a water Hunter in her shifter sect before she was abducted and tossed in the lab for blood drains, and worse. Threatened with a hopeless future as a lab brood mare, escape seems like her only possibility for survival. After refusing to give herself to the breeding program, she escapes with Hiss to his Wildlands. Giving Hiss her heart and her loyalty in the face of the Pantera’s overwhelming guilt, all she expects in return is his honesty. But when she wakes up one morning to find him gone, will she too deem him a traitor to their love?

Dragon's Christmas Baby


Kit Fawkes - 2016
    Marlie Jacobsen is back now, and she didn’t come alone. Expecting his baby, she needs his help to keep her safe from her new employer’s mob ties. Dragons guard their treasure with their life, and he soon realizes there has never been a better treasure for him than Marlie and the baby she carries. The more time they spend together, the more Eben regrets the past as he tries to keep them safe in the present to ensure they have a future. This novella is a fun twist on the classic “A Christmas Carol,” reimagined with new elements. It is told entirely in Eben's point-of-view.

Bear Attraction


Jennifer Ashley - 2015
    So when bear-Shifter Rebecca is captured taking a run in a restricted area, Walker comes up with a compromise: if Rebecca helps him find a missing woman—thought to have been abducted by a Shifter—she won’t be charged and executed. As a bear used to roaming for miles, Rebecca hates being confined, distrusts anything involving humans, and—worst of all—the strong and handsome Walker starts triggering her mating need. They have no choice but to work together but both Walker and Rebecca find it hard not to mix business with pleasure…

Desire Untamed


Pamela Palmer - 2009
    Sworn to rid the world of evil, consumed by sorcery and seduction, their wild natures are primed for release . . .Kara MacAllister's quiet small-town life is transformed forever the night a powerful stranger rips her from her home, claiming she is the chosen one—the key to his survival.Spiriting her away into the rain-soaked night, Lyon reveals a truth Kara can barely credit. She's immortal, and the only one who can save his race. And deep within her, he arouses a fierce, primal hunger beyond anything she's ever imagined.But only when their lives are threatened by an ancient evil will Kara and Lyon realize they have found a love they would risk their immortal souls to claim . . . and a powerful desire that could never, ever be tamed.And he begins to wonder if the woman who's stolen his heart is destined to be his salvation...or his doom.

Bearing Secrets


Riley Storm - 2019
    Yet here she is, sitting in a private booth, listening to the sexiest man she’s ever seen lay out the details of just what he needs from her. In return, he’s going to sign the papers that stand between her and her dream job. She can’t believe what she’s hearing. Stand at his side, pretend she’s madly in love with him, all to satisfy some crazy family tradition? That’s a deal she can live with. Kirell Ursa has a problem. A big one. His bear shifter family is in shambles, struck from within by traitors. With no one in charge of security, the head of his House has nominated him for the job. The only problem? Tradition dictates that anyone in power must have a mate. If he’s going to pull off this scheme, he must find a mate in the next 72 hours. Someone. Anyone. All they have to do is pretend to love him for a few days. Things get off to a rocky start between the two when their first date is interrupted by Kirell’s enemies. As he slowly exposes Natalia to the truth, she’s forced to come to grips with the existence of another world, one she never thought existed. Shifters of all sorts collide as Kirell’s enemies work to expose his fraud, but the harder they try, the more Natalia finds she wants to be by his side. Can a relationship built on a handshake business agreement turn into something real, even in the face of a threat to Natalia’s very life?