Books like 'Before I Die'
Readers who enjoyed Before I Die by Jenny Downham also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult dark romance virgin heroine sassy heroine
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Redeeming 6 by Chloe Walsh
I’m saving you, six.With his world unraveling around him, and pressure rising at home, Joey Lynch’s life has never been in more turmoil. Desperate to prove himself worthy of the only person he’s ever put his trust in, Joey fights to stay away from a world that threatens to destroy everything... -
![Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh]()
Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh
Fresh out of rehab for an addiction that almost cost him everything, Joey Lynch knows that it's time to put his life back together. Still reeling from the events that decimated his family and haunted by his past, he struggles to keep a handle on his fragile sobriety. Thrown into a brand-new home and school life, he's well and truly shaken up...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine new adult friends to lovers tortured hero contemporary angst sports -
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![Play the Game by J. Bree]()
Play the Game by J. Bree
All of my hard work has paid off and now I have a family to call my own - my best friend Avery and my three boyfriends; Harley, Ash, and Blaise.But with more people depending on me, the stakes have never been higher.I’ve stepped out from the shadow of the Jackal. I’ve laid claim on the men I want and I’m not letting anything get in our way.Easier said than done...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine young adult new adult mafia abuse from hate to love dark -
![Make My Move (Hannaford Prep) by J. Bree]()
Make My Move (Hannaford Prep) by J. Bree
The Mounty trash has wormed her way into our circle.We have no choice but to wait until she shows her hand, each move on the board more risky than the last. There’s no way she’s not a spy, not with her allegiance with the sociopath drug addict who walks the halls with murder on his mind.We’re watching her every move, every choice she makes reshaping the world we live in... -
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![Ember by Rachel Van Dyken]()
Ember by Rachel Van Dyken
Everybody Loves A Bit of Darkness..Until It Consumes Them... I am a Killer. A Rapist. A Monster. I know only pain and survival. That is until the Cappo's sister walked into my life. And changed everything...Categorized as:
virgin heroine young adult suspense bad boys pregnancy friends to lovers alpha male dark -
![Kiss the Sky by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie]()
Kiss the Sky by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie
Virgin. Sex addict. Daredevil. Alcoholic. Smartass … Jackass. Her five friends are about to be filmed. Reality TV, be prepared. Rose Calloway thought she had everything under control. At twenty-three, she’s a Princeton graduate, an Academic Bowl champion, a fashion designer and the daughter of a Fortune 500 mogul. But with a sex addict as a sister and roommate, nothing comes easy...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine contemporary humor new adult alpha male bdsm young adult -
![Ruthless Empire by Rina Kent]()
Ruthless Empire by Rina Kent
She’s off limits. He has none.There’s a girl.Beautiful. Popular. Fake.And my obsession.My fall.Probably my damnation.Did that stop me? Do I care? No and no.There’s a line between right and wrong. Moral and immoral.And then there’s her.I cross every limit with blood-coated fingers.She says she hates me.I say I hate her too as I trap her, own her.Make her all mine... -
![Still Jaded by Tijan]()
Still Jaded by Tijan
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsSheldon, Bryce, and Corrigan ruled their school until a killer wanted to rule them. Three years later, Bryce’s back home from Europe the local celebrity jock. Corrigan’s busy running his fraternity and Sheldon's about to be pulled back into the social world of drama...Categorized as:
sassy heroine athletes young adult contemporary friends to lovers dark alpha male bad boys -
![Corrupt Union by Tracy Lorraine]()
Corrupt Union by Tracy Lorraine
I found everything I didn’t know I needed. Accepted forgiveness I didn’t deserve.She fought for us. Killed for us. She was one of us. And there was no way I was letting her go… again. But I’m not the only one with wicked intentions for my siren. With her missing, we turn our blame to an obvious enemy. But our path of destruction could be leading us right into another trap...Categorized as:
sassy heroine new adult contemporary young adult cruel hero suspense bad boys alpha male -
![On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta]()
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
I'm dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago... -
![The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid]()
The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThey're the best of friends or the worst of friends. Neither one is letting go.THE FLAMEHere lies Louchana Valentine. She was a homeless, orphaned virgin.I never cared what my gravestone would say until I landed in deep with a powerful gangster. Lucky for me, my best friend happens to be ruthless too. I should feel guilty that he's forced to turn on the man who's been a father to him...Categorized as:
virgin heroine new adult sports friends to lovers contemporary young adult mafia dark -
![Cruel Intentions by Siobhan Davis]()
Cruel Intentions by Siobhan Davis
In the power struggle between two elite groups, one feisty girl will bring them to their knees… Life is a cruel game where only the most ruthless survive. It’s a truth my mother rebelled against, and she paid for it with her life. Now, I play their game. Publicly accepting the destiny that lies in wait for me when I turn eighteen.But, behind closed doors, I plot my escape...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine dark high-school from hate to love cruel hero new adult contemporary -
![Nikolai by Roxie Rivera]()
Nikolai by Roxie Rivera
After a brush with death as a juvenile delinquent, Vivian swore she'd never stray across that line again—but there's just one problem with her plan to stay on the right side of the law. She's completely, irrevocably and unabashedly in love with Nikolai, the Russian mob boss who saved her life...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine contemporary young adult suspense vengeance multicultural fighters -
![Hunter by Tracy Lorraine]()
Hunter by Tracy Lorraine
I’m a nobody... until everybody realizes who I am and who I’m related to.Then it’s like a giant target is painted on my back. They all think they can use me to climb the Rosewood High royalty ladder.They obviously underestimate me. I won’t cower down or give in.They can’t break me. But he can... without even trying.Zayn Hunter.He doesn’t want to use me..Categorized as:
virgin heroine cruel hero from hate to love sports high-school dark new adult contemporary -
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![Ghostgirl by J.B. Salsbury]()
Ghostgirl by J.B. Salsbury
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsShe was brainwashed into believing she could save mankind.Now, she’s the one who needs saving. Abandoned with his two younger brothers, Milo Vega was placed in foster care. Now a twenty-year-old high-school senior covered in gang tattoos and working as the school’s janitor, he is living a life vastly different from the one he was destined for...Categorized as:
virgin heroine new adult friends to lovers young adult contemporary dark bad boys abuse -
![Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters]()
Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsHow do you keep going when you feel like your life is over? Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to. Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine young adult contemporary tortured hero second chances abuse bad boys -
![Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste]()
Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste
It happened in stages. My father left. My twin sister died of an incurable autoimmune disease. My mother started breaking down. Then I was diagnosed with the very thing that took my other half from me. That was when I realized Mama’s eyes turned gold when she cried. So I moved in with my father and his new family—new wife, new son, new stepbrother. Kaiden Monroe made me feel normal... -
![Release by Aly Martinez]()
Release by Aly Martinez
From USA Today Bestselling Author Aly Martinez comes an all new standalone. Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal. At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend. At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss. By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon. Love never fails, right? But for Ramsey, it did...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine angst friends to lovers contemporary suspense tortured hero new adult -
![Savage Royals by Callie Rose]()
Savage Royals by Callie Rose
A long time ago, I was one of them. Now I’m back, and they hate me for it. Plucked out of the harsh life I was living and thrust into a world of unimaginable wealth, power, and privilege, all I want to do is keep my head down and survive until graduation. But they have other plans—Mason, Finn, Elias, and Cole... -
![River Knight by K. Webster]()
River Knight by K. Webster
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLife was nearly stolen from me. In the blink of an eye, everything changed. I'm no longer the charismatic, hot playboy Hornet. I'm irrevocably altered. Damaged both inside and out. I can't think. I can't function. I can't live. Not with all this darkness and pain dragging me into unknown depths. Some days, I wish I never woke up. But then life takes an unusual turn... -
![Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf]()
Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsLife meets death. The end meets the beginning. Eighteen-year-old Isis Blake hasn’t fallen in love in three years, forty-three weeks, and two days. Or so she thinks. The boy she maybe-sort-of-definitely loved has dropped off the face of the planet after his girlfriend's death, leaving a Jack-shaped hole... -
![The Probability of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen]()
The Probability of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Luke Price and Violet Hayes haven’t seen each other in a couple of months, not since they discovered Luke’s mother’s connection to Violet’s parent’s murders. But when Luke gets into some gambling trouble with the wrong people, destiny decides to throw the two of them together and they head out to Vegas to try and settle Luke’s debt... -
![The Saint by Kelsey Clayton]()
The Saint by Kelsey Clayton
DELANEYCruel.Heartless.A mistake waiting to happen.Knox Vaughn is the epitome of a bad boy.He's trouble in a sexy-as-sin package. I know it.They know it.Even he knows it. But, it's like a moth to the flame.I can't stay away—even though I'm going to get burned.You know what they say,The sinners are much more fun. And this saint is changing the game.KNOXSweet.Innocent.Valedictorian... -
![Ryan's Bed by Tijan]()
Ryan's Bed by Tijan
I crawled into Ryan Jensen’s bed that first night by accident. I barely knew him. I thought it was his sister’s bed—her room. It took seconds to realize my error, and I should've left... I didn’t.I didn’t jump out.I didn’t get embarrassed.I relaxed.And that night, in that moment, it was the only thing I craved. I asked to stay. He let me, and I slept. The truth? I never wanted to leave his bed...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult sports angst friends to lovers dark new adult -
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![Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan]()
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 101 ratings"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?" In the affluent town of Weslyn, Connecticut, where most people worry about what to be seen in and who to be seen with, Emma Thomas would rather not be seen at all... -
![Unraveling You by Jessica Sorensen]()
Unraveling You by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsLyric Scott has always had a good life. Outgoing, spunky, and musically talented, she’s constantly surrounded by family and friends, yet she still feels there’s something missing. Then she meets her new next-door neighbor Ayden Gregory. Mysterious, sweet, and sad, Ayden is the exact opposite of Lyric and exactly what she needs to fill the void in her life...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult musicians mystery dark friends to lovers abuse -
![Left Drowning by Jessica Park]()
Left Drowning by Jessica Park
What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe? Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College...Categorized as:
virgin heroine young adult contemporary tearjerkers friends to lovers dark abuse tortured heroine -
![Perfectly Flawed by Nessa Morgan]()
Perfectly Flawed by Nessa Morgan
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI thought I was okay.I mean, I went through my days just fine, pushing toward a goal I could easily achieve. I had friends that loved me, an aunt who adored me, and everything was just okay.But what I thought was okay and fine, all of that changed... -
![Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams]()
Finders Keepers by Nicole Williams
There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black. His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category...Categorized as:
virgin heroine young adult contemporary second chances friends to lovers dark tearjerkers abuse -
![The Edge of Darkness by Melissa Andrea]()
The Edge of Darkness by Melissa Andrea
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsLibrarian's Note: This is an alternate cover for ASIN B00D4AAU08 I loved to dance, but I don’t anymore. I was in an accident I don’t remember… or maybe I don’t want to remember. Either way, every day since, has been… an adjustment and I’m left with a constant reminder that nothing is forever. Now, my life is a tangled web of darkness filled with deceit, hate, betrayal and lies... -
![The Deceit of a Devil by Holly Renee]()
The Deceit of a Devil by Holly Renee
Sinless. Stunning. Damaged. Tempting. Allie Taylor had been the girl I hated for as long as I could remember. And now she loathed me just as much. It didn’t matter that I betrayed her to save her. Completely devastated and infuriated by my dishonesty, she had no intentions of ever trusting me again. Her trust was shattered, her hate raging on with each second...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary new adult sports cruel hero high-school from hate to love young adult -
![The Resurrection of Aubrey Miller by L.B. Simmons]()
The Resurrection of Aubrey Miller by L.B. Simmons
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 31 ratings*****#1 Best Seller in Amazon Inspirational Romance***** Death. For some, it's simply one of life's certainties, nothing more. For others, it's merely a fleeting thought, one often overshadowed by the reckless delusion that they have been blessed with the gift of immortality. For Aubrey Miller, death is the definition of her very existence...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary insta-love dark tortured heroine college christian young adult -
![VICIOUS by A.E. Murphy]()
VICIOUS by A.E. Murphy
Imogen Hardy hit the dirt hard and often when in the presence of Kane Jessop, not because she was so besotted with him and clumsy that she fell at his feet, but because he put her there. Usually with a hard shove or a swift swipe of her ankles.He was a vicious and unruly child; then a boy, now a man. He is in every bad memory Immy has ever had... -
![Shrouded in Blackness by Norma Jeanne Karlsson]()
Shrouded in Blackness by Norma Jeanne Karlsson
Only loyalty can truly win his heart… Gangs, organized crime and underground bare-knuckle fighting make up the world that Kieran Delaney thrives within. His reputation is built on the talent of his fists, as much as his ability to get information about any and everything...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine contemporary suspense alpha male dark possessive hero single-mother -
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![Trust by Kylie Scott]()
Trust by Kylie Scott
Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head. After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen-year-old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary new adult suspense bad boys friends to lovers angst dark -
![A London Villain by Catherine Wiltcher]()
A London Villain by Catherine Wiltcher
The devil dances in his veins... From USA Today bestselling author, Catherine Wiltcher, comes a new dark mafia romance about second chances and enduring love. It started with a dare:Steal a kiss from the pretty, green-eyed girl with the Irish mobster father.Turns out, Ada O'Sullivan was a much better thief than me... -
![Nero by Sarah Brianne]()
Nero by Sarah Brianne
Nero is the king of Legacy Prep, living a life of power. Elle is the school’s punching bag, living a life of fear. The only good girls Nero knows jump in his bed when he tells them to. The closest Elle has come to a bad boy like him is in the cafeteria line. The mob boss gave him orders to find out what she knows. Her mouth is sealed. I just want to be a fu**ing made man... -
![Stolen Crush by C.M. Stunich]()
Stolen Crush by C.M. Stunich
Finding out you’re the daughter of a millionaire true crime novelist isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.When I was two, I was kidnapped. Kidnapped by a loving family, sure, but still kidnapped.Now, my biological mom wants me to live with her on the opposite side of the country.Her … and my new stepdad and his jerk of a son: Parrish.Wannabe tattoo artist, languorous rich boy, pouty mouth...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine suspense new adult sports dark from hate to love reverse harem -
![A Deal with the Devil by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue]()
A Deal with the Devil by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue
Sometimes The Devil Hides in Plain Sight...One fateful night. Two lives forever changed.Sometimes the bonds of tragedy are stronger than blood.When Vandy Hall got into a stolen car with Reynolds McAllister-her brother's best friend, her childhood crush-she had no idea the lifetime of pain it would cause her...Categorized as:
virgin heroine high-school new adult dark sports friends to lovers contemporary from hate to love -
![Innocents by Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth]()
Innocents by Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe girl with an innocent heart knows all about bad choices, but has yet to make them for herself. Searching for freedom, she finds it in the delinquent down the hall. The troublemaker with summer-sky blue eyes knows he should stay away, but can’t resist the blissful wonder who makes his house a home. She’s a hopeless romantic. He’s just hopeless...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult alpha male love triangle friends to lovers dark bad boys -
![Bang Bang by Rachel Van Dyken]()
Bang Bang by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsHe was my best friend. Until he became my enemy. All within the span of one night. Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang. The rapid fire of gunshots became the soundtrack to my life. This is the Mafia. Lines are blurred. Choices are never black and white. And the life you thought you knew is... one giant lie. He was dead. And I didn't want his life to be in vain, so I tried to make something of myself...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult suspense vengeance dark bad boys friends to lovers -
![Interim by S. Walden]()
Interim by S. Walden
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 14 ratings~A lot can change in the space between devising a plan and carrying it out. That space is called the INTERIM.~ High school seniors Jeremy Stahl and Regan Walters aren’t friends. Not even close. He’s a picked-on, picked-apart loser outcast. She’s a cool kid running with the popular crowd. It’s unlikely they’d ever speak to one another. Too bad he’s madly in love with her... -
![Get Bent by C.M. Stunich]()
Get Bent by C.M. Stunich
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsNaomi Knox is missing. I don't even f*cking know whether she's dead or alive. What I do know is that she's the air I need to breathe. She's my redemption, an all consuming fire that burns in my blood. And I'll do anything to find her. Anything. Even if it means the end for me. & & & Turner Campbell is searching. But he has no f*cking clue what it is he's searching for... -
![Guarding the Broken by Kirsty Moseley]()
Guarding the Broken by Kirsty Moseley
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAnnabelle Spencer’s life is every girl’s dream. She has wonderful parents, great friends, and of course the perfect boyfriend, Jack Roberts. But her dream life turns into a nightmare when, on the night of her sixteenth birthday, Jack is murdered right in front of her, and she’s kidnapped by his murderer, Carter Thomas, and held for ten months... -
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![YURI by Marian Tee, Clarise Tan]()
YURI by Marian Tee, Clarise Tan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHis name was Yuri Athanas. They called him the golden boy of the Afxisi, a college org during the day and an underground racing club at night. Like his brothers, Yuri was rich, powerful, gorgeous, and devastatingly sexy. Unlike his brothers, Yuri did not leave a trail of broken hearts behind him. Yuri was the angel amidst all the other Greek devils, they said... -
![Like You Know by Kaydence Snow]()
Like You Know by Kaydence Snow
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe fourth, and final, book in the Devilbend Dynasty series...Categorized as:
sassy heroine suspense high-school mystery contemporary age difference m-f strong heroine -
![Twisted Dares by A.R. Breck]()
Twisted Dares by A.R. Breck
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsBorn in blood and raised in sin.I’m the daughter to the most prolific serial killer in the United States.Madness flows through my veins like a drug, pulling me deeper into the abyss that I can’t escape from. I feel the mania slowly burning through my veins.How much longer until it consumes me completely?It’s when I meet Caelian Morelli that everything changes.A man whose darkness matches mine...Categorized as:
virgin heroine mafia high-school abuse from hate to love dark suspense forbidden love -
![Only for You by Genna Rulon]()
Only for You by Genna Rulon
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 32 ratings“In its purest form love is self-sacrificing, eternal, selfless, enduring, truthful, forgiving and indulgent. It also feels an awful lot like a kick to the stomach when you try to fight it!” All Everleigh Carsen wanted to do was complete her final semester at Hensley University and begin the life she carefully planned... -
![Love Plus One by Andrea Smith]()
Love Plus One by Andrea Smith
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA year ago 19-year-old Lindsey Dennison 's life took an abrupt turn. While away at Cornell for her freshman year at college, her parents' marriage imploded. Lindsey learned the harsh truth about her father, and his involvement in criminal activity. He'd slipped out of the country with his lover on the eve of his arrest, deserting his only child...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult suspense friends to lovers pregnancy mystery forbidden love -
![Released by Shay Savage]()
Released by Shay Savage
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsOblivion is a sweet, sweet place. No pain. No disturbing thoughts of the past. No guilt from my recent actions. Deep down, there is still a part of me that knows how screwed up I am. I don’t see a way out, not now. Tria’s gone, and the possibility of her forgiving me in my current state is exactly zero...Categorized as:
virgin heroine humor young adult contemporary fighters pregnancy tortured hero bad boys
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