Book picks similar to
Safer Outside by Kristina Renee
romance
young-adult
ya
abuse
Devil May Care
Angel Lawson - 2020
They wanted me to leave, too, but I refused. I’m sticking around to make sure they follow through on the deal the snobby, elite crew of jocks made with the administration.The arrangement is simple. No one ever speaks about what happened to Skylar again, and no one gets punished.But that's not exactly true, is it? I still get punished, each and every day that I walk down the halls. No one speaks to me. No one looks at me. No one even admits I exist.It doesn’t matter. I know what they did. And I know who’s in charge; Hamilton Bates.Handsome, smart, and ridiculously privileged.He’s the lead Devil, and my hatred for him is all in the details.All it takes is one slip, one heated argument, one mistake, and everything gets even more complicated.We get complicated.Is this love or has the Devil found a new plaything?Devil May Care is the gripping, angsty, enemies to lovers, bully romance, by USA Today Best Selling Author, Angel Lawson, you’ve been waiting for!
Home is Where You Are
Tessa Marie - 2014
Get good grades, get into a good college, be successful. Falling in love with a homeless boy? Not exactly on her list.Dean has a plan too. Survive. After a difficult childhood, he now lives on the streets doing everything he can to get by. When he meets Anna, he realizes he doesn't have to do everything alone.Slowly, Anna and Dean let each other in, blending their two worlds into one. But, when a series of events brings Dean’s world into perspective, he pushes Anna away, causing Anna to set out to bring Dean back to her. But her determination and faith in their future puts her on the tracks of danger. Can he be the one to bring her home?
Violence Begets...
P.T. Denys - 2013
James starts his junior year of high school without any friends in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. When he meets Kevin Vincent, he’s too distracted by the promise of new friends to see that Kevin has secrets of his own. Having created an environment where he's feared and admired by his classmates, Kevin finds pleasure in using his good looks and violence to control and manipulate those around him. Secretly, he cruises the gay club scene, turning tricks to earn money so he can party and get high. As Rick’s dad becomes increasingly violent and abusive at home, the two form a surprising and volatile trust. In this battle of wills, their precarious friendship will either keep their lives from blowing up around them or possibly light the fuse that will cause the explosion.
Sex & Violence
Carrie Mesrobian - 2013
He has a strategy--knows the profile of The Girl Who Would Say Yes. In each new town, each new school, he can count on plenty of action before he and his father move again. Getting down is never a problem. Until he hooks up with the wrong girl and finds himself in the wrong place at very much the wrong time.AND THEN YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE.After an assault that leaves Evan bleeding and broken, his father takes him to the family cabin in rural Pearl Lake, Minnesota, so Evan's body can heal. But what about his mind?HOW DO YOU GO ON, WHEN YOU CAN'T THINK OF ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER?Nothing seems natural to Evan anymore. Nothing seems safe. The fear--and the guilt--are inescapable. He can't sort out how he feels about anyone, least of all himself. Evan's really never known another person well, and Pearl Lake is the kind of place where people know everything about each other--where there might be other reasons to talk to a girl. It's annoying as hell. It might also be Evan's best shot to untangle sex and violence.
Pepped Up
Ali Dean - 2013
It’s all I can think about, and I’m willing to do anything it takes to make it happen. I can handle long miles and hill sprints in cross country, but guys? That’s an entirely different challenge.I’ve kept my feelings hidden from the boy next door all this time. My longtime friend, Jace Wilder doesn’t see me that way. He has the personal magnetism and good looks to hook just about any girl in town -- and he has. Our friendship stands apart from high school social circles, and I’m fine with that, or so I keep telling myself.That is, until running star Ryan Harding moves to town and bridges the gap. Apparently, I’ve caught his eye and suddenly Jace starts seeing me in a different light. Everything changes, for all of us. On the trails, my goals are clear. Train, run, breathe, run, win. But when it comes to Jace and Ryan, it’s nowhere near as simple. This battle can’t be won by crossing a finish line, this war is in my heart.
Some Boys
Patty Blount - 2014
Some boys will break your heart. But one boy can make you whole.When Grace meets Ian she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses the town golden boy of rape, everyone turns against Grace. They call her a slut and a liar. But...Ian doesn't. He's funny and kind with secrets of his own.But how do you trust the best friend of the boy who raped you? How do you believe in love?A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.
Untouched: The ALPHA Edition
Tabatha Kiss
My lover. My ultimate undoing.I'm exiled. Banished from the concrete jungle I call home and forced to spend my summer on my uncle's farm.That's where I met my step-cousin, Tobias, a guy who takes the strong, silent type to the next level. We were told to stay away from each other. Bad influences, they said.But, as we'll soon discover, all we have is each other inside the brutal and dangerous world of the Midwest Alphas, an illegal fighting tournament that promises fame and glory for the victor.Tobias is the local favorite to win it all, but his competitors will stop at nothing to keep that from happening. Including going after the one thing he wants more than winning. Me. I trust him when he says he won't let anybody put their hands on me.Anybody but him.Untouched is an epic tale of young star-crossed lovers from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Tabatha Kiss and her dark alter ego, Tabatha Drake! It is book one of a trilogy.
The Glass House
Suki Fleet - 2015
He craves friendship but his self-destructive tendencies cause problems and he pushes people away. Every day he collects glass for the sculptures he makes and every day he dies a little more inside. Until he meets Thomas. Thomas is shy but sure of himself in a way Sasha doesn’t understand. He makes it his mission to prove to Sasha that everyone deserves to be loved, and doesn't give up even when Sasha hurts him. Their friendship becomes more than Sasha ever thought possible. And when Sasha is forced to confront his past he realizes that accepting he is worthy of the love Thomas gives him is the only way to obliterate the darkness.
The New Girl: A Pacific High School Bully Romance (Pacific High Series Book 1)
Ashley Rose - 2020
My mom thinks sunshine, the beach and fresh air is just what I need. Which would be great if I didn’t also mean having to be The New Girl at Pacific High. Because apparently, that role comes with a target on my back. Hunter West is the king of the school, the popular, rich and spoiled bad boy who also happens to be drop dead gorgeous. They warned me about him and said that he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. And he wants me. But he’s the baddest of bad boys, and he seems dead set on becoming my worst nightmare. You see, he’s never had anyone say no before. Until he met me. But I don't like bullies. But he's not taking no for an answer. If he thinks he can change my mind, he’s got another thing coming. WARNING: The New Girl is the first book in the Pacific High Series. It is a young adult/new adult romance that at times deals with real-life gritty themes, sexual content and cursing. But if you want teen angst, heart pounding drama, and lust-filled romance, then this bad boy romance series will be right up your alley.
Forget the Stars
Kelsey Kingsley - 2019
At thirty, he never thought he'd still be unmarried and living with his parents. And with the added stress of his poor health, he's convinced the only thing within his control is the success he's found as a rock star.After reconnecting with his childhood best friend, Chad sets into motion a new plan to regain control over his happiness, and things start looking up. But when he finds himself diagnosed with a potentially debilitating chronic illness, he begins to wonder...Is this as good as it's going to get? Or is it at all possible for a guy like him to get everything he's ever wished for?
Putting Boys on the Ledge
Stephie Davis - 2004
Until now. Not only is Blue dealing with the worst name in the world, crazy parents and a clingy younger sister, she just got a part in the school play. And now she's acting with Heath Cavendish, total crush-worthy senior. He would never give a second look to a girl like Blue. Except he has. Her friends say Blue should play it cool, put Heath on the Ledge so she can keep the upper hand. Trouble is, she doesn't know how to be clever around boys. Thankfully her pal Colin offers his help in teaching her how to get the guy. But he’s just being a good friend. Isn't he? Suddenly the wallflower is getting all the attention. But will being in the spotlight keep Blue from making the right decisions... for her?
Owned by Dominic
K.L. Donn - 2016
On a mission to eliminate a drug trafficker in Ireland, he meets his match - in an 11-year-old girl. She opens his eyes to the light in the world with her sassy mouth and lack of fear. It's just too bad she's the daughter of his target. Her One moment in time and her life is ruined. At six years old her world is shattered, all illusions of safety tossed out the window. With her Mam gone and her Da ignoring her except to scold her, Deidre O'Connor finds a companion in the tall scary man hired to be her bodyguard. Confusion and bitterness soon engrain themselves in her heart until she fights back and runs. Them On Deidre's eighteenth birthday, she runs away in search of her place in life. On her eighteenth birthday, Dominic is sent to find her. Never expecting the little girl he used to know to have sprouted into a gorgeous, vibrant woman. When the sins of the past come back to haunt them, are they strong enough to fight together or will they be left in the cold...alone? Warning: This book is full of instal-love with an older man and a younger woman, hot intimate times, tons of love. And a boat load of suspense and intrigue. All adults are at least 18 years of age, and consenting. If you can't handle instal-love walk away. If you love the sticky sweetness of it, what are you waiting for!?
Martinis After Dark
Gina Drayer - 2016
When she tries to rent an apartment under an assumed name, she learns it comes with a job -- and a boss she can’t afford to fall for.Tattooed, sexy bar owner Dylon Knightly has a big heart but no head for business. He knows the curvy, redheaded Irish beauty with the dry wit is in some kind of trouble, but he won’t turn her away … and can’t help wanting more.The heat between them burns through their efforts to keep a professional distance. When Lee’s trouble comes looking for her, everything she holds most dear is threatened -- including the life of the charming bartender who captured her heart. But even if they survive, will they be able to overcome the secrets between them?
What Happens Next
Colleen Clayton - 2012
When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.
All That Stands Between Us: A Clean Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
Annette K. Larsen - 2019
Julie has lived next door to the Martins her entire life, but the days of backyard barbecues and lake vacations ended six years ago. That’s when the feud began. Now, returning to her hometown for the holidays, she has to face not only her parents’ exhausting bitterness, but the agonizing realization that the irresistible guy who just asked her out is in fact a Martin, and therefore off limits. Left to choose between family loyalty and a man who just might be perfect for her, Julie decides she can date Drew as long as they keep things under wraps. But secrets have a way of coming out and love for her family may require the sacrifice of what her heart wants most. Inspired by Romeo and Juliet (but without all the death), the sweet, romantic story of Julie and Drew’s relationship will make you laugh out loud on one page and make your heart ache on the next. It’s a story about loving family, loving yourself, and loving your soulmate—and choosing which one to put first. All That Stands Between Us is a clean and wholesome contemporary romance novel for both teenagers and adults. If you’re looking for an inspirational read about a new adult returning from college for the holidays, this romantic comedy is a great read and promises to be a favorite best seller. Annette K. Larsen is one of the most popular sweet romance authors of recent years. Writing for teen and tween girls, young adults, and women alike, her books can be shared from mother to daughter to grandmother. Any book of hers would be a great gift idea for the book-loving women in your life. Whether she’s writing a historical fantasy series about princesses, or a romantic suspense thriller full of action and adventure, all of her novels have a guaranteed happy ending and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses.