Book picks similar to
Mariticide by Jo-Anne Joseph
romance
romantic-suspense
crime
suspense
Ruthless
Vanessa Waltz - 2014
Against all odds, I picked myself up. Became sober. Got married. But then he found me. Now I belong to Cain—a ruthless, loveless man who’s intent on making me his obedient slave. He’s done unspeakable things to my body, tortured me, and broken me down so that I’ll never betray him. And I wouldn't have... Until Spike came along. He’s rough around the edges, but warm. When he kisses me, I feel alive. I’ve never been in love, but Spike is all I've ever wanted. When I’m around him, all bets are off. I’m falling for him and I can’t hide it anymore. If Cain finds out, he’ll kill us both. Author's Note: This is a dark romance novel, it contains themes of violence and mature situations that could make readers uncomfortable.
Contrite
Kathy Coopmans - 2015
Yet she can't pin point what. Together since College, they know everything about each other. So why has she spent the last few days watching everything he does, hoping for a clue? What could have happened within that week he was gone?One way or another she's going to find out.When Clove invests in the help of her brother Zack, a police detective, she’s afraid her suspicions of infidelity will be confirmed. Terrified that such news will crush her heart, she sets about preparing for the worst. Only to find it's much more than she could have imagined—there is no other woman. Clove’s life is about to descend into a web of deceit, lies and betrayal. Appearances can be deceiving… and only the Master Manipulator will be left standing. “The eyes only see what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” – Henri Bergson
Against the Dark
Carolyn Crane - 2013
But when a beloved aunt is kidnapped, she must reunite with her girl gang to acquire the unique ransom: Walter Borgola’s prized diamonds. It’s a simple job that turns into a nightmare, thanks to a surprisingly clever—and searingly sexy—security guard named Cole Hawkins.He's an undercover agent with big plans for his gorgeous thief.Cole is one of the Association’s most brilliant agents, under deep cover investigating a ruthless killer. He’s also running out of time: hundreds will die if he doesn’t stop the plan Borgola’s set into motion. Catching Angel is the break he needed--he promises not to turn her in if she poses as his lover and uses her unique talents to unlock the sociopath’s dungeon vaults.But as pretend passions turn real, Cole regrets drawing Angel into his deadly game…and danger is closer than either of them could ever imagine.
Wicked Games
A.D. Justice - 2013
When the trail led her into a dangerous web of lies, she was forced to choose between destroying the man she loved and giving up her entire life to enter WITSEC. After three years of living as someone else, everything changed when her true identity and location were discovered. Noah “Reaper” Steele created a successful business in Steele Security, but he never fully recovered after he lost Brianna. He shared his bed with other women but they never had his heart. Noah's life solely revolved around his work. Everything changed the night he caught an intruder in his house and learned it was actually his long-dead love, Brianna. With their reunion, they discovered the passion that fueled their relationship was still alive, burning hotter than ever. However, even Noah’s love couldn’t erase the sting of her betrayal, and he wrestled with allowing her back in his life. Brianna was the only woman he’d ever loved, but he wasn’t sure he could forgive her treachery. For both to survive, Noah and Brianna had to band together, uncover the truth, and reveal the real threat before it was too late. In his fight against the wicked games that surrounded him, would he end up losing her all over again?Recommended for readers 18+ due to language, violence and sexual content.
Wilde Nights in Paradise
Tonya Burrows - 2013
Although she makes it clear she wants nothing to do with Jude, they’re forced to fake a relationship for her safety. He can’t ignore the heat still simmering between them, and when her stalker’s threats escalate to attempted murder, he’s left with no choice but to whisk her away to a friend’s safe house in Key West, FL. Cooped up in paradise together, Jude begins to chip away at Libby’s resolve to hate him. But even as she gives in to his proximity and her body’s demands for his, she refuses to fall for his charms again. Maybe a torrid affair in the sun is exactly what she needs to get him out of her system. But when her stalker tracks them down, can they escape the steamy Key West night without anyone getting hurt?
Wrenched
Emma James
Knight’s Den of Vipers then you might enjoy this twisted series. If you simply like your reading unpredictable and a walk on the wild side then this series could be a good fitA fast-paced, plot-driven, addictive series.She goes by the name, Whisper.It is all she owns.Stolen from her family, she is raised in captivity by her master and mistress.Freedom is brief from her gilded cage—only to become a debt owed.Edge is a hardened enforcer for a biker club.Girls are going missing.An alliance is made between two biker clubs who want answers.Then a letter changes everything.It's now a race against time.The clock is ticking.Who is good? Who is bad? Who is lying?Can Edge stop the evil that is coming for the girl who only wanted to stay a whisper?Author Note: If you like a full cast of well written characters, an unpredictable plot, an age gap romance, a strong female lead, and a biker who will stop at nothing to right wrongs... then this is the series for you.This is not a standalone series. This is a don't-stop-reading-until-the-ride-ends series. A gloriously twisted series waiting for you to begin.
Indebted
J.L. Beck - 2014
That all changed in a blink of an eye the moment Bree came home for break. She didn't expect to find her dad strapped to chair, a gun pointed at his head. Alzerro “Zerro” King wasn't a man to be messed with. Women flocked to him and men ran from him. He ruled the mafia with an iron fist and no one ever crossed him unless they wanted to pay the price. He believed the only way to pay for something, if unable to do so, was to do it in blood. Nothing got him harder than stringing someone up, and putting a bullet in their head. That is until Bree. One look is all it took for him to know she could pay for her father’s debt in many other ways… Ways that could get him hard. Could a big city mafia king fall in love with the small town country girl? Would she be able to handle his dark and demanding ways? When push comes to shove, would Bree end up running only to be killed? Or would she sacrifice herself for love?
Prisoned
Marni Mann - 2016
A man who would kill me if he found out what that secret was.Someone wanted to torture me.Torture us.One of us deserved it.It wasn’t Garin.* * * * ** WARNING *"Prisoned" is an extremely dark novel. There are strong sexual themes, drug usage, physical abuse and torture that could trigger and/or cause emotional suffering. You have been warned.* * * * * * Note READING ORDER *The Prisoned series should be read in the following order, to ensure the best understanding of the overall stories:Book #1: PrisonedBook #2: AnimalBook #3: Monster
On Ice
J.D. Faver - 2012
Taking her children, she disappears from Texas only to reinvent herself as a teacher in a remote Alaskan village. She fights to survive the harsh environment, while ever mindful of the danger stalking her. A complication emerges in the form of her new boss who is unaware of her entanglement and pursues her with a passion. Hungry for a father figure, her young children immediately take to him, but she is haunted by the cruel man who battered her. Can a good man heal her scars and gain her trust? As she evolves in her new role, she becomes stronger as a person. Back in Texas, her sister draws the abuser's fury and becomes his new victim. When her past catches up with her, she is not the same woman who ran away. She puts her life on the line to protect her children, but will she survive the wrath of a sociopath bent on revenge?
Rattlesnake Road
Amanda McKinney - 2021
★♥ Named one of POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books to Have a Spring Fling With ♥Welcome to 1314 Rattlesnake Road—the perfect hideaway to escape your past.After leaving her posh NYC life behind, fashion editor Grey Dalton escapes to the small, southern town of Berry Springs to pick up the broken pieces of her life. On impulse, she purchases a rumored-to-be-haunted house where she finds herself thrown into decade-old murder mystery, and onto the rocky road of recovery and self-discovery. Men are the last thing on her mind—until she meets a tattooed cowboy and a dashing businessman. One will steal her heart, the other, her soul.Rattlesnake Road pushes the boundaries and blends genres in this raw, emotional, no-holds-barred story. ★ "A dark, edge-gripping emotional read." - Obsessive Reads ★★ “sexy, suspenseful romance.” - Publisher’s Weekly Review ★★ "Strong characterization bolsters this profound, romantic tale." - Kirkus Review ★(Due to serious subject matter and mature content, please be aware that this book might be an emotional trigger for some readers.)
The Bargain
Lisa Cardiff - 2015
One moment I had Evan, the man I thought I’d marry. The next moment shattered the illusion.Now I have no one.Except him. Ryker Vargas, and I don’t really have him. He’d never belong to any one but himself. He sucked me into a web of lies and now it’s too late. I took the bait. I’m a prisoner of the Vargas Cartel.I never thought I’d be another statistic, another girl abducted in a foreign country, my entire future washed away by an impulsive, split second in time.But it’s true. My name is Hattie Covington and I’m a statistic, but statistics never tell the whole story.
Slammer
Tabatha Vargo - 2015
Ten years later, the boy he used to be is gone. In his place is the shell of a man with murder under his belt. Any emotion he once had was left under the gavel when he was given life in prison. That is until the new nurse in the infirmary joins the block. Putting your hands on a prison employee will get you the hole, but some things are worth their punishment, and something tells him Lyla will be worth more than he bargained for. Lyla Evans isn’t sure about her new job at a maximum security prison, but showing uncertainty and weakness isn’t an option. Taking care of murderers and rapists isn’t ideal, but survival is key. She’s warned ahead of time about a prisoner named X, but when she’s attacked, it’s the dangerous X that saves her. Fraternizing with the prisoners is forbidden, but sometimes the most forbidden things are the sweetest.
Monster
Julia Sykes - 2013
The night I was taken. I saved a man's life, but at what cost to myself? Can I convince him to save me in return?I hate him for what he's done to me. But the longer I'm trapped with him, the harder it is to cling to that hatred. He is an enigma of a man, one who is shockingly arrogant, sweetly contrite, and frighteningly aggressive by turns. And the pain in his eyes is a mirror for my own.The longer I remain in his grip, the more confused I become.Is my freedom worth betraying him?Warning: This series contains strong language and scorching sex scenes involving light BDSM.
Witness
Caroline Mitchell - 2016
To Solomon it was the ultimate betrayal.It’s been ten years since Rebecca’s testimony saw Solomon locked away. Enough time for the nightmares to recede, the nerves to relax; enough time to rebuild her life and put the past behind her.Then one day a phone rings in her bedroom—but it’s not her phone. Solomon has been in her home, and has a very simple message for her: for each of the ten years he has spent in jail, Rebecca must witness a crime. And, to make matters worse, she has to choose the victims.Fail to respond and you get hurt. Talk to police and you die. Ready to play? You have sixty seconds to decide…As the crimes grow more severe, the victims closer to home, Rebecca is forced to confront a past she had hoped was gone forever.
Kennedy
Addison Jane - 2018
One that wasn’t mine. But when your father screws over an outlaw motorcycle club and then disappears with their money, you have two choices. Pay with your body, or pay with your blood. With a little sister to protect, I did what I had to. I gave them me. REPO I was born a protector. Whatever it took, I did it. My family, my brothers and the club’s name—I made sure that anyone who crossed us, or at least anyone who tried, learned quickly why they shouldn’t. Seeing her sitting at the bar, I was drawn to her. Her scars, her bruises, and the light around her. Without knowing me, she instantly had my back. So it was only fair I had hers. She walked in with the enemy. But there was no way in hell I was letting her walk out with them.