Books like 'Ruthless'
Readers who enjoyed Ruthless by Anne Stuart also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical dark romance plain heroine possessive hero from hate to love bad boys regency alpha male tortured hero georgian
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The Steel Rogue by K.J. Jackson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA scarred lady, living in the outskirts of society. A hardened rogue brought up from the worst of humanity. One seeks revenge. One seeks redemption. Neither is prepared for a love that will defy all odds.A scarred lady, living in the fringes. Lady Alton knows she doesn't fit into polite society. Her scars determined that long ago, and marrying a viscount never helped the matter... -
![The Villain by Victoria Vale]()
The Villain by Victoria Vale
Book 1 of 2 in the Villain Duology, a Dark Regency Erotic Romance duet set in the wilds of Scotland. A heartless villain… Lady Daphne Fairchild braves the journey from London to the wilds of Scotland alone with one purpose in mind: confront the man who purposely and methodically set out to ruin the men of her family...Categorized as:
regency cruel hero from hate to love alpha male bad boys tortured hero m-f possessive hero -
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![The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne]()
The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrigan Byrne
The bravest of heroes. The brashest of rebels. The boldest of lovers. These are the men who risk their hearts and their souls—for the passionate women who dare to love them… He is known only as The Rook. A man with no name, no past, no memories. He awakens in a mass grave, a magnificent dragon tattoo on his muscled forearm the sole clue to his mysterious origins... -
![The Devil in the Duke: A Revelry’s Tempest Novel by K.J. Jackson]()
The Devil in the Duke: A Revelry’s Tempest Novel by K.J. Jackson
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA man accustomed to hiding secrets. A woman with a lost past. Love that cannot be denied. A man accustomed to hiding secrets. His dark silver eyes are haunted, and for good reason. Logan Lipinstein lost his wife years ago in the war and has been a living shell of a man ever since, attempting to atone for past sins. Until one fateful day, when she walks past him carrying a basket of bread...Categorized as:
regency tortured heroine tortured hero historical victorian friends to lovers second chances abuse -
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![Dark Side of the Sun by Addison Cain]()
Dark Side of the Sun by Addison Cain
Arabella, the Baroness of Iliffe, knows her life is nearing its end. For years the young widow has been hunted across England, running from her past, thrust onward into desolate wastes until there is nowhere else to hide. With the little time she has left, her desperation has driven her into the arms of an extremely sinister man who desires more than just her company... -
![Mob Boss Christmas: The Pregnancy by Mallory Monroe]()
Mob Boss Christmas: The Pregnancy by Mallory Monroe
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen gorgeous tough guy Reno Gabrini finds out that his lady love Katrina is pregnant, he becomes a nervous wreck. He does everything in his power to protect her from forces real and imagined, and to make her pregnancy move along as smoothly as possible. Trina, in turn, does everything in her power to deal with his controlling ways... -
![A Taste of Shine by Addison Cain]()
A Taste of Shine by Addison Cain
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Prohibition. Gangsters. Moonshine. A badass heroine and a hero who’s alpha enough to make you swoon. You won't be able to put this book down! ” He’s in love at first sight. The new girl in town is nothing but trouble. And deep in trouble in every possible way. Chicago’s reigning kingpin wants Charlotte back under his wing. Radcliff’s right-hand-man wants her in his bed... -
![Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt]()
Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
A MAN OF SIN Devastatingly handsome. Vain. Unscrupulous. Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery, is the man London whispers about in boudoirs and back alleys. A notorious rake and blackmailer, Montgomery has returned from exile, intent on seeking revenge on those who have wronged him. But what he finds in his own bedroom may lay waste to all his plans... -
![The Dove by Victoria Vale]()
The Dove by Victoria Vale
Book 2 of 2 in the Villain Duology, a Dark Regency Erotic Romance duet set in the wilds of Scotland. A quest for vengeance… Lord Adam Callahan, Earl of Hartmoor has spent the past five years destroying the Fairchild family as recompense for the ruination of his sister. Yet, it never seemed like enough … until the family’s only daughter appeared on his doorstep searching for answers... -
![To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney]()
To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney
Suave, cynical, and too handsome for his own good, Sebastian Verlaine never expects to become a magistrate judging the petty crimes of his tenants and neighbors. Nor can the new Viscount D’Aubrey foresee that, when a fallen woman appears before him, he’ll find himself beguiled against all reason to alter her terrible fate...Categorized as:
cruel hero bad boys plain heroine tortured heroine class difference alpha male regency tall-heroine -
![Her Villain by S.M. LaViolette]()
Her Villain by S.M. LaViolette
She deserves a hero. How unfortunate that he can only ever be her villain…. David Remington is…lacking. Lacking empathy. Emotion.In fact, it’s what he lacks that makes him such an efficient agent of the Crown. He can carry out any mission—no matter how dark—ruthlessly. Coldly.Until he met her.Calliope Fowler is most inconvenient. Beautiful. Smart... -
![Virtue and Vice by Kimberly Brody]()
Virtue and Vice by Kimberly Brody
When Isabelle Beaumont’s father betroths her to a dreaded roundhead for economic gain, she vows to find a way to thwart the marriage, no matter the cost. Believing her only recourse is to break the terms of the betrothal agreement, Izzy plans to sacrifice her virginity before her wedding day dawns. Her scheme is simple enough... -
![야화첩 1 by Byeonduck, 변덕]()
야화첩 1 by Byeonduck, 변덕
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 34 ratings춘화에 빠진 양반가의 도령 윤승호, 정체를 숨긴 춘화가를 찾아 나선다. 존경하는 선비님의 말을 따라 춘화 그리기를 멈춘 백나겸, 윤승호에게 붙들려 다시 붓을 쥐게 된다. Na-kyum is a young painter with an exceptional talent: creating erotic images of men. Though he has published a few collections under a pseudonym, he has decided to quit painting. Then Seungho, a young nobleman, barges into his life... -
![Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath]()
Lord of Wicked Intentions by Lorraine Heath
Only one woman can break through his heart of stone... Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright... Lord Rafe Easton may be of noble blood, but survival taught him to rely only on himself and to love no one...Categorized as:
strong heroine bad boys tortured hero possessive hero class difference angst caretaking alpha male -
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![Marek by Bella Jewel]()
Marek by Bella Jewel
Marek is a novella, and can be read as a standalone, however it is suggested to read the Prisoners of Purgatory MC series, starting with Nightmare, to get a better understanding of his character. My name is Ellie.Ellie Mae, if you will.Before you ask, no, it’s not a cruel joke.My parents thought the name suited me and, well, here we are.That’s the mildest part of my story, though...Categorized as:
super rich hero tortured hero possessive hero bad boys cruel hero strong heroine m-f caretaking -
![Le Moulin du loup by Marie-Bernadette Dupuy]()
Le Moulin du loup by Marie-Bernadette Dupuy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCharente, 1897. Claire vit heureuse avec sa famille et le loup qu'elle a recueilli, dans le moulin transformé par son père, Colin, en fabrique de papier. Mais les affaires sont mauvaises et ce dernier doit céder à un terrible marché : il promet la main de sa fille à Frédéric Giraud, fils d'un riche voisin, contre un prêt inespéré...Categorized as:
strong heroine age difference angst historical war virgin heroine victorian military -
![Crown Jewels by T.L. Hodel]()
Crown Jewels by T.L. Hodel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 4 ratingsMy mother thought I chose a college across the country for the excellent cinematic arts program, but that wasn’t true. I moved to California for one reason. Being a Kessler didn’t mean shit here.Here I was just another face in the crowd. The only person who had any idea about who I was, was my best friend Mitch. And, I couldn’t stop obsessing over his baby sister, Emma...Categorized as:
from hate to love regency new adult dark siblings-bff contemporary historical length-short -
![His Harlot by S.M. LaViolette]()
His Harlot by S.M. LaViolette
What’s the most ruinous mistake a harlot can make?Falling in love with her client …Edward Fanshawe is everything Nora Hudson wants in the bedroom—and everything she should avoid out of it. He gives her the pain, humiliation, and domination she craves from a sexual partner, but his search for the perfect, blue-blooded wife means the last thing Nora should do is fall for him. Except…it’s too late... -
![No Choice But Surrender by Meagan McKinney]()
No Choice But Surrender by Meagan McKinney
PRISONER OF PASSION Penniless and alone, Lady Brienne had come to Osterley Park, back to the house of the father she despised. She found a stranger waiting -- an arrogant American whose sensuality set her heart beating wildly, rendering her powerless as his kiss deepened into a brand of fire, searing his mark on her tender flesh... -
![The Pretend Christmas Bride: Edward & Mira's story. Standalone Marriage of Convenience Christmas Romance by L. Steele]()
The Pretend Christmas Bride: Edward & Mira's story. Standalone Marriage of Convenience Christmas Romance by L. Steele
He’s my new bossMy sworn enemyAnd now my arranged husband...Edward Chase. Ex-priest. Now, General Manager of the London Ice Kings hockey team and the new CEO of the Davenport empire.The first time we met I spilt coffee all over his $10,000 suit.He looked at me like I was an inconvenience.I despised him at once... -
![The Captive by Grace Burrowes]()
The Captive by Grace Burrowes
He'll never be free... Captured and tortured by the French, Christian Severn, Duke of Mercia, survives by vowing to take revenge on his tormentors. Before the duke can pursue his version of justice, Gillian, Countess of Greendale, reminds him that his small daughter has suffered much in his absence, and needs her papa desperately. Until he surrenders his heart..Categorized as:
regency tortured hero angst tortured heroine strong heroine m-f caretaking height-difference -
![Seducing a Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne]()
Seducing a Stranger by Kerrigan Byrne
This Knight of the Crown is driven by a painful past and a patient fury… and his entire life is a lie. Sir Carlton Morley is famously possessed of extraordinary will, singular focus, and a merciless sense of justice. As a man, he secured his fortune and his preeminence as Scotland Yard's ruthless Chief Inspector...Categorized as:
tortured hero age difference angst alpha male possessive hero class difference m-f victorian -
![Hit by Mallory Hart]()
Hit by Mallory Hart
GIUSEPPINAI was never supposed to meet him, but one fateful night had him saving my life.Now he thinks he owns me. I’m his to keep.He’s ruthless, cold, and a killer, but something draws me to him anyway.I know what he’s capable of. I know he was meant to kill me. And I know one wrong slip may make him change his mind about sparing my life.But I want to test him, push him, be a part of his world... -
![Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney]()
Veils of Silk by Mary Jo Putney
Gaunt and wearing an eye patch, Major Ian Cameron returns to India after being freed from horrendous captivity in Central Asia. Thoughts of his beautiful fiancée helped him survive his imprisonment, but much can happen when a man has supposedly been dead for two years, and his return brings him face to face with how much he has lost...Categorized as:
regency tortured hero slow burn tortured heroine strong heroine m-f historical victorian -
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![Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson]()
Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThose who knew spoke of the infamous Trelawny men in hushed, shocked whispers. But to flame-haired Jessalyn Letty, wild, captivating child of the storm-tossed Cornish moors, McCady Trelawny was the most fascinating man she had ever met. Few knew of the dream that burned in McCady's secret soul - a dream destined to change the world. But Jessalyn knew and shared his passion...Categorized as:
regency strong heroine cruel hero historical dark victorian shy heroine virgin heroine -
![Ethan: Lord of Scandals by Grace Burrowes]()
Ethan: Lord of Scandals by Grace Burrowes
Ethan Grey's life was shattered... Estranged from his family, widowed, and weary from fighting his troubled past, Ethan Grey now has a chance to replace loneliness with love. His sons' beautiful and stubborn governess might help him battle his ghosts, but it's been a long time since he let himself get close to anyone. Alice Portman has more in common with Ethan than she can comfortably admit... -
![Her Wanton Wager by Grace Callaway]()
Her Wanton Wager by Grace Callaway
An Heiress on a Mission… After two failed Seasons, Persephone Fines has vowed to reform her hoydenish ways. But when her beloved brother falls into the clutches of wicked gamester Gavin Hunt, she must take action. Hunt offers her a shocking proposition: he will release her brother… if she can resist six nights of seduction... -
![To Love a Dark Lord by Anne Stuart]()
To Love a Dark Lord by Anne Stuart
To survive, Emma Langolet has committed a shocking crime. But, to her amazement, the notorious scoundrel, James Killoran, has agreed to accept responsibility for her desperate act—though the handsome, Irish earl professes no interest whatsoever in the enchanting miss whom he has surely rescued from the gallows...Categorized as:
tortured hero georgian regency cruel hero possessive hero from hate to love bad boys age difference -
![Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey]()
Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey
CAPTIVE OF LOVE Spirited Rowena Belleme must produce an heir--or incur the dangerous wrath of a ruthless stepbrother, who stands to forfeit his ill-gotten wealth. And the magnificent Warrick deChaville is the perfect choice to sire her child--though it means imprisoning the handsome knight...and forcing him to bend to her amorous whims... -
![The Innocent Auction by Victoria Sue]()
The Innocent Auction by Victoria Sue
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLondon 1810. Their love was a death sentence. Deacon, Viscount Carlisle, was aware of the slums and gin-lanes of London. Just as he was aware of the underground traffic that furnished the brothels and bath houses with human innocents... -
![The Price of Desire (Lady Rivendale's Connections, Book Four): Regency Romance by Jo Goodman]()
The Price of Desire (Lady Rivendale's Connections, Book Four): Regency Romance by Jo Goodman
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsForbidden Desires and a Hidden Past Collide in The Price of Desire, by Jo Goodman a Historical Regency Romance from Jo GoodmanNo stranger to society's scandalous whispers, Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, operates a gaming hell teeming with temptation—a sanctuary for those eager to test their luck... -
![The Earl on the Train by Kerrigan Byrne]()
The Earl on the Train by Kerrigan Byrne
He’s the Villain she never forgot…Sebastian Moncrieff is a villain, a traitor, and a pirate, who has recently inherited an Earldom he never wanted. As a man who’s committed every sin imaginable, he knows his only chance at redemption is the one woman who ever reached through to his soul of ice...Categorized as:
from hate to love bad boys cruel hero independent heroine tortured heroine m-f historical pirates -
![Breathless by Anne Stuart]()
Breathless by Anne Stuart
Ruined beyond repair and shunned by London society, lovely Miranda Rohan rebelliously embraces the freedom that comes from having nothing left to lose. However, this dangerous course throws her under the power of the darkly enigmatic Lucien de Malheur—known to many as the Scorpion...Categorized as:
strong heroine from hate to love tortured hero bad boys regency cruel hero m-f independent heroine -
![A Private Gentleman by Heidi Cullinan]()
A Private Gentleman by Heidi Cullinan
Rated: 3.85 of 5 stars · 23 ratings"To seal their bond, they must break the ties that bind. " Painfully introverted and rendered nearly mute by a heavy stammer, Lord George Albert Westin rarely ventures any farther than the club or his beloved gardens... -
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![One Summer by Karen Robards]()
One Summer by Karen Robards
High school teacher Rachel Grant believed in her student Johnny Harris's innocence even after he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend. Now, 10 years later, he's out on parole and Rachel has taken him under her wing, even finding a job for him. It isn't long before their relationship changes and Rachel and Johnny become much more intimate...Categorized as:
bad boys alpha male age difference cruel hero class difference m-f historical contemporary -
![Gabriel's Woman by Robin Schone]()
Gabriel's Woman by Robin Schone
In the erotic tour de force The Lover, readers met not only brooding, passionate Michel des Anges, but his lifelong friend―the mysterious Gabriel, a man with a past as dark as the London night. Now, renowned author Robin Schone explores one of her most talked-about characters in a novel that reveals the blackest secrets of a man's soul...and the explosive heart of a woman's desire... -
![Barons Adore Curves by Jemma Frost]()
Barons Adore Curves by Jemma Frost
An evil aunt intent on auctioning off her innocent niece.An obsessed baron who'll stop at nothing to claim the curvy woman for his own... -
![A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart]()
A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart
Once a daughter of the aristocracy, lovely Ghislaine "Gilly" de Lorgny lives for the destruction of Nicholas Blackthorne—the notorious rake she holds responsible for the cruel loss of her virtue, family and fortune. Now that the rogue has reentered her life, she seizes the opportunity to enact a poisonous revenge—but is abducted by the dashing villain before the deed can be done... -
![The Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale]()
The Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale
In the late 18th century, intent on avenging her family's death at the hands of a cult leader, Lady Leigh Strachan dresses as a boy and seeks out the reclusive S.T. Maitland, nobleman and highwayman, who was once known as the Prince of Midnight... -
![The Portrait by Megan Chance]()
The Portrait by Megan Chance
The reigning master of the New York art world, Jonas Whitaker was brilliant and compelling, a man of dark passions and uncontrollable emotions. Terrified of his own dangerous nature, and scarred by the horror of his past, he hid behind his talent in a world of glittering emptiness--until Imogene Carter pushed her way into his life...Categorized as:
tortured hero plain heroine cruel hero angst from hate to love m-f historical victorian -
![Scandal by Carolyn Jewel]()
Scandal by Carolyn Jewel
From an author known for her "pulse-pounding action, well-drawn characters, and sexy romance",* comes the tale of a proper young widow and the rake who is out to steal her heart... The Earl of Banallt is no stranger to scandal. But when he meets Sophie Evans, the young wife of a fellow libertine, even he is shocked by his reaction... -
![Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi]()
Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi
As a young woman in Victorian England, Anna Champion knows all too well the social mores that value prettiness over sense, and etiquette over honesty. But when she stands up to the boorishness of dashing Christopher Davenport at a summertime ball, Anna unwittingly attracts his wrath—and becomes entangled in his malicious scheming... -
![Dearly Beloved by Mary Jo Putney]()
Dearly Beloved by Mary Jo Putney
LOVE MUST FIND A WAY . . . A sheltered life in the countryside has left Diana Lindsay restless to see the wider world, for both herself and the son she is raising alone. She cannot marry, but perhaps as a courtesan she will find love and protection despite her painful past...Categorized as:
regency possessive hero cruel hero georgian m-f super rich hero tortured hero poor heroine -
![The Deal by Ann Owen]()
The Deal by Ann Owen
London, 1851. Guy Spencer, the fourth Earl of Ashbourne, deeply hates Jane Hartwell, the girl with whom he shared his childhood. And as the economic problems of the Hartwell family push Jane to ask for his help, Guy offers her a wicked deal: he will save her father from prison, in return she will become his sex slave for six months...Categorized as:
from hate to love class difference super rich hero poor heroine cruel hero m-f angst age difference -
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![Stormfire by Christine Monson]()
Stormfire by Christine Monson
Abducted on her way to boarding school, a terrified Catherine Enderly was brought from England to the coast of Ireland, the prisoner of the angry and powerful young Sean Culhane—a man sworn to vengeance against her family. Frightened but defiant, the young countess met her captor with a strength that belied her fragile loveliness...Categorized as:
regency bad boys tortured heroine tortured hero from hate to love cruel hero angst slow burn -
![Lions And Lace by Meagan McKinney]()
Lions And Lace by Meagan McKinney
SHE PLAYED BY HIGH SOCIETY'S RULES The gaslight's glow lit Alana Van Alen's golden hair. Born to luxury, she belonged with the Astors and the Vanderbilts at cotillions and soirees. But she shivered with fear and something more as she faced the handsome, ruthless Trevor Sheridan... -
![Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart]()
Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart
Half-sister to Richard the Fair, Alys has been schooled in the sheltered ways of the convent, far from the treachery and intrigue of castle life. Until she is taken from the cloister and brought to a place filled with secrets. Here she is to meet her future husband, a man some call a monster. His name is Simon of Navarre, a powerful and mysterious lord practiced in the black arts...Categorized as:
tortured hero bad boys height-difference age difference angst m-f strong heroine plain heroine -
![Reckless by Anne Stuart]()
Reckless by Anne Stuart
Adrian Alistair Rohan lost his faith, and now, a dedicated member of the depraved Heavenly Host, he loses himself in his only pleasure: the seduction and debauchery of beautiful women. Rich, charming and devastatingly skilled in the arts of love, he never fails in his conquests... until Charlotte Spenser...Categorized as:
bad boys age difference plain heroine georgian regency possessive hero cruel hero poor heroine -
![Dreaming of You by Jennifer McNare]()
Dreaming of You by Jennifer McNare
Their passion was ignited by a treachery neither of them could have ever foreseen, yet it resulted in a love that was destined to last forever… To secure the wellbeing of her beloved family, Melody Settrington agrees to marry Charles Cavendish, the elderly Earl of Edgington, despite her reservations...Categorized as:
regency m-f tortured heroine tortured hero angst age difference height-difference plain heroine -
![Night of the Scoundrel by Kelly Bowen]()
Night of the Scoundrel by Kelly Bowen
Rated: 3.57 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsCan he trust her with his darkest secret? Ruthless. Dangerous. Known simply as King. No one knows his true name or where he came from. And when he learns that the man who betrayed him has returned to London, King has only one goal: vengeance. But first, he must seek out an unlikely ally to aide him in his pursuit... Adeline Archambault is as mysterious as she is beautiful...
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