Book picks similar to
Plucking the Pearl by Afton Locke


romance
historical
interracial-romance
interracial

Chained


Elise Marion - 2014
    Determined to free himself and his men, and clear his besmirched name, Caden does not count on the willful nature of his captor, Lady Gwendolyn Toustain, the daughter of the man who was once his father’s mortal enemy. After several attempts at escape, the lady orders him bound and chained to a wall in her chambers—where he will remain under her personal guard at all times and kept from conspiring with his men. While the lady's high-handedness infuriates him, Caden cannot deny that everything else about her drives him to distraction. Forced into close proximity with her, Caden soon finds it hard to remember his mission of escape. When Lady Gwendolyn of House Toustain first lays eyes on her prisoner, one thing about him is abundantly clear: Sir Caden of Daleraia is a dangerous man. Yet, she must show him no fear. The captured band of knights from Daleraia are her only clue in the mystery surrounding the disappearance of House Toustain’s sons, and it falls to Lady Gwen to seek justice. Is this kidnapping merely the ploy of mercenaries out for a ransom? Or has Sir Caden acted on the order of the High Lord of Daleraia and broken the peace? As she searches for the answers, she never expects the surge of passion that ignites between herself and her prisoner. The longer he remains in her clutches, the more Gwen realizes that though she has him chained, she is the one who has been captured. Book 1 in the Chained Trilogy

Have I Told You Lately?


Erosa Knowles - 2011
    “Tell me when’s the right moment to tell another person your past bullshit, your damn secrets that you don’t wanna face, your skeletons?” His eyes skewered hers. Everyone claimed to want to know shit, but there was a price to the telling.“I know people who marry and never share some of their secrets,” he said, inching closer. “A lot of shit dies with them. How do you know when it’s right to share? Because I’ve no idea how to ride that train.”The pink tip of her tongue leisurely moistened her lips. “I think when you care about someone, you build to a level of trust and you take them into your confidence.”A level of trust, female bullshit.“Yeah, but that’s the problem. It’s easier to give your body, than your deep personal shit.”She ducked her head.He continued speaking in a low whisper. “I mean the real stuff that’s close to your heart. The fucked up shit everybody keeps locked up. Most folk don’t get close enough to ever see the dark places inside.” He watched her swallow hard.“So I ask again, how do you know when’s the right time.” He leaned next to her ear and whispered. “After how many dinners, or dates? Before or after we fuck? What’s the magic number that opens the door to my personal shit, ‘cause I damn sure ain’t telling everybody my personal business.”His voice remained conversationally low, calm, while nerves jumped and pulsed at the thought of sharing some of the things he’d done in the past. He’d rather buy anything she demanded, or take her anywhere in the world, than fully open up and let her see some of the dark places in him. Shit, he didn’t like to look inside and rarely did.She narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t about everybody. It’s about you and me.” She pushed his chest. He stepped closer.“Okay, what signals do I get to let me know I should trust you with my shit? You ready for that?” They looked at each other.Her eyes slid to his chest. “I don’t know.”“And therein lies the root of our problem.” He dropped his arms.She shivered.“You want me to tell you everything without securing my trust. Why should I bare my soul to you? What would you do with the knowledge? Trust me? Or judge me?” He pulled back and stared into chocolate pools of light. Whatever this was between them marked him. He’d never considered telling a woman he dated about his past. The price of admission, Red called it.“It’s like leaving pieces of your soul around and that’s too damn dangerous to do on a small tip.”

Arms of a Stranger


Giselle Carmichael - 2007
    Small town girl is living an unfulfilled life in the fast paced city that never sleeps and has lost her way. Brought together by th devastating hurricane that tore across the Gulf Coast region, these two people will unite in the rebuilding efforts, and in the process discover the meaning of life, love, and happiness in the Arms of a Stranger.

Loving Her Soul Mate


Katherine Cachitorie
    But when she meets John Malone, a stud of a cop, and they develop a deep bond based, not only on hot sex and passion, but on mutual respect and admiration, her life changes forever. Police Captain John Malone never dreamed a young, slip of a girl like Shay Turner could make him gladly turn in his player card, but that’s exactly what happens. First he respects her spunk and her refusal to kiss up to the powers that be, including him. Then he falls hard for her body, a body that gives him the kind of pleasure he’d always longed for. But when he falls deeply in love with her, and others in town aren’t all too thrilled with their union, he realizes that loving Shanay isn’t going to be as easy as cherishing her and being completely devoted to her. He has to protect her, too.Loving her Soul Mate is the story of a May-December, interracial romance where two people share a bond that constantly gets tested. And they fight with all they have to overcome every test.

Ache for Me


Aja Cole - 2017
    Harlan’s got me all twisted up and he’s not what I want at all…
 He’s high-handed, your typical arrogant athlete, too damn good looking... And I go up in flames whenever he so much as looks at me.
 HARLAN I’d put her out of my mind, or tried to at least. One impulsive encounter. One taste, and I’ve got it bad. Something about Kaija makes me think about everything I never thought I wanted. Fast and free has always been the name of my game, but this woman… She comes with her own playbook. A hockey player and a head-strong woman walk into a bar... Who comes out on top? Ache For Me is a 45,000 word standalone romance with an HFN, explicit sexual situations, and no cliffhangers.

A New Year's Surprise


Violette Dubrinsky - 2013
    Pissed? Yes. Heartbroken? Absolutely. Looking for answers? Most definitely. With her two best friends at her side, and a whole lot of righteous anger, Catherine “Kat” Rochester confronts her husband and his mistress on New Year’s Eve.

Rein in the Night


Tressie Lockwood - 2010
    She wants solitude in a place she's never been. From the moment she sets foot on the grounds of Luna Mountain Ranch deep in the Colorado Rockies, she is pursued by the sexiest cowboy she's ever laid eyes on. Keena thinks an affair with him will help her become a woman like her half-sister, China, one who doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself and never gets hurt. But there is something strangely different about Ryan. This ranch hand has a secret that everyone seems willing to keep from Keena. They warn her to stay away from him, but when Keena looks into Ryan's eyes, she sees the pain and loneliness she knows are reflected in her own. Denying herself the pleasure of his touch might mean the difference between saving her life and losing it forever.

Bound Through Time: Past


Twyla Turner - 2019
    Becoming an orphan twice over, she has no one and fills her lonely days living vicariously through the adventurous stories of love in the historical romance novels she adores. Little does she know that a trip to visit the Scandinavian lands once occupied by Vikings would catapult her back nearly one-thousand years in the past like a heroine in one of her favorite books. Thorin is the newest chieftain of his clan after the unexpected death of his eldest brother. Used to life as the baby brother, he's done nothing but chase skirts and glory in battle. Is he really ready to lead an entire village? And would anyone try to challenge his seat as the leader of the richest clan on Iceland? Just as Thorin attempts to find his way as the chieftain, a mysterious woman with skin of bronze and hair as dark as night is dragged before him. Now as his captive, her beauty sets his blood on fire. Her spirit challenges him at every turn. And his weakness for her threatens his precarious place as chieftain. Ellie's fear of losing those she loves, jealousy and danger lurking around every corner, and being from two different worlds could rip them apart. Will Ellie stay? Or will she be forced to return to her own time?  Find out in the sweeping time travel romance, Bound Through Time: Past. Warning: This novel contains adult content. 18+ only

Warlocks: The Creole Coven (The Laveau Coven)


Latrivia Welch - 2018
    John is a nosy reporter chasing the story of her life, a story that will hopefully win her the Pulitzer Prize and national acclaim. When a tip about four mysterious suicides that happen in an upscale hotel in New Orleans, LA lands on her desk, she packs a bag and heads to the Big Easy to investigate. What Toni doesn’t know is that the mysterious deaths are closely connected to her own sordid past, and the sexy alpha manager of the hotel, Jericho Laveau, is indelibly linked to her epic future. However, her adventure is not just about her own life – she discovers she is the key to the future of man. With warlocks, witches, angels and mayhem on her heels, this ambitious journalist gets more than she bargains for and possible more than she’s willing to write about. Read Warlocks: The Creole Coven, Latrivia Welch’s first paranormal thriller about the power of love, the pain of truth and the strength of family in a classic good vs. evil story guaranteed to entertain you for hours. NOTE TO READERS: This book was originally part of the Creole Nights boxset released in 2017. It has since been extended by over 160 pages and five additional chapters. If you think you enjoyed it before, wait until you read the extended version now. www.latriviawelchbooks.com

Escape to Heaven


Reana Malori - 2014
    Calling on strength she never knew she possessed, Adele builds a new life for herself and becomes a stronger woman in the process. Now ready to move forward—she never expects love to waltz into her life when she least expects it. Stefano Indellicati feels an instant attraction to Adele and is determined to get to know her better. Something about her calls on his protective instincts, and he realizes he would do anything to call her his own. Willing to stand and fight for what he believes, Stefano will prove to Adele that he is the only man for her present and her future.

Ain't No Sunshine


Leslie DuBois - 2010
    Those words adorned every building in Livingston, Virginia during the summer of 1963 confusing and angering five-year-old Stephen Phillips. Those words told him that what he felt for his colored neighbor Ruthie was wrong. As a teenager, Ruthie becomes the only ray of sunshine in his abusive life and he is not willing to let her go without a fight, a fight that could lead to murder.

A Kiss of a Different Color


Bettye Griffin - 2011
    Once there, far removed from anyone who would tease her about her dream of ballroom dancing, she signs up for lessons, providing the school can find her a partner. The school comes through in the form of handsome, sexy Jon Lindbergh, a recent transplant from Minnesota. Jon is as charming as he is agile on the dance floor, and Miranda soon finds that her romantic daydreams about falling in love in the arms of a handsome partner on the dance floor spilling over into real life. But Jon's family history of four generations of failed marriages has made a non-believer out of him. His primary interest seems to be hooking up with someone with whom to spend the bitterly cold North Dakota winter. Miranda doesn't believe in pursuing failure, and an even bigger obstacle is their learning they have the same employer--who instituted a strict no-dating rule in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal. Jon feels that no one will be the wiser, since he works at corporate and she at the rehabilitation center. Miranda is not so sure. But with the magical sparks that pass between them every time they look at each other, and with an average high winter temperature in the single digits and frequent dips below zero, what's a girl to do?If she's Miranda, she does what comes naturally...and tries like hell to be the one to make a believer out of him...

Serenity


D. Renee Bagby - 2008
    A Gezane Universe Novel Melchior, King of the Bhresyas, is quickly growing tired of the war between his kind and the humans who view them as demons. He proposes a peace treaty with the most powerful human kingdom. His only stipulation? Once she comes of age, the human queen's daughter must be his bride. Serenity has spent her entire life preparing for her role at Melchior's side. Other women might be frightened, but she embraces her destiny, knowing in her heart that she and Melchior have been twined together by fate. While he wants cooperation between their two peoples, his union with Serenity cannot and should not lead to love. The more she tries to bring them together, the harder he pushes her away-until she lands in the arms of those who would do her harm. Love is the answer. But before Melchior admits to his, it may be too late. Author's Warning: This title contains cursing, a sociopathic heroine, horny males and copious amounts of gratuitous violence.

Dark Genesis


A.D. Koboah - 2012
    But not even she could have foreseen the terror that would befall her one sultry Mississippi evening in the summer of 1807.On her way back from a visit to see the African woman, a witch who has the herbs Luna needs to rid her of her abusive master’s child, she attracts the attention of a deadly being that lusts for blood. Forcibly removed from everything she knows by this tormented otherworldly creature, she is sure she will be dead by sunrise.Dark Genesis is a love story set against the savage world of slavery in which a young woman who has been dehumanised by its horrors finds the courage to love, and in doing so, reclaims her humanity.

Seduction & Scandal


Charlotte Featherstone - 2011
    She saves her deepest desires for the novel she dares to pen, wherein a handsome lord with dark powers seduces her. But then her courtship with an appropriate suitor is threatened by the sudden attentions of the reclusive Earl of Black, whose pale blue eyes and brooding sensuality are exactly as she described in her book.Isabella tries to resist the mysterious Earl of Black.Yet as he pursues her, with inexplicable knowledge of her past and kisses that consume her, Isabella fears she will succumb.If only the earl could tell Isabella the truth. With very real, and treacherous, thieves endangering her life, Black will need to protect Isabella from the very people she trusts the most.