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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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 -
![Empire by Rachel Van Dyken]()
Empire by Rachel Van Dyken
I have lost everything. My purpose. My love. My soul. Death knocks on my door, I want to answer, but every time I reach for the handle--the promise I made her, brings me back. So I breathe. I live. I hate. And I allow the anger to boil beneath the surface of a perfectly indifferent facade. I am broken, I dont want to be fixed... -
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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 -
![Still Jaded by Tijan]()
Still Jaded by Tijan
Sheldon, 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. With the killer killed, who's trying to hurt Sheldon this time? Or maybe it's someone closer than she wants to admit?Categorized as:
sassy heroine athletes young adult contemporary friends to lovers dark alpha male bad boys -
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![Legend by Tracy Lorraine]()
Legend by Tracy Lorraine
I made one mistake…. And she made one phone call that nearly destroyed my life. I’ve spent the past year plotting my revenge and imagining all the wicked things I’d do to her when our paths finally crossed again. I just had no idea it would be so soon. The last thing I expected when I re-entered the world was to find myself right in the middle of hers...Categorized as:
virgin heroine cruel hero high-school from hate to love dark contemporary sports vengeance -
![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... -
![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 -
![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 -
![The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid]()
The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid
They're the best of friends or the worst of friends. Neither one is letting go. THE FLAME. Here 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 -
![Ride or Die by Sheridan Anne]()
Ride or Die by Sheridan Anne
Gang life isn't for everyone, but a b*tch in colors always looks good. The West Side Wolves claim to be a brotherhood, but what do they do when a sister walks in demanding their attention? To everyone else, stepping into the Wolf Den was an epic mistake, filled with consequential betrayals...Categorized as:
sassy heroine high-school dark new adult contemporary suspense from hate to love cruel hero -
![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 -
![Ghostgirl by J.B. Salsbury]()
Ghostgirl by J.B. Salsbury
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 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 -
![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. ... -
![The Saint by Kelsey Clayton]()
The Saint by Kelsey Clayton
DELANEY. Cruel. 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. KNOX. Sweet. Innocent. Valedictorian... -
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![Unraveling You by Jessica Sorensen]()
Unraveling You by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 37 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 -
![Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters]()
Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 49 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. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine young adult contemporary tortured hero second chances abuse bad boys -
![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 -
![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... -
![Just Like Heaven by Trilina Pucci]()
Just Like Heaven by Trilina Pucci
He’s a criminal—an abomination. We’re wrong in every way. If only I could’ve convinced my heart. His lips whispered promises of all the stars in the sky. I dreamt of a love that would last forever. We were gorgeously young and desperate for one another. But we're star-crossed. Fate had decided our course. Leaving us to cling to each other as we crumbled to ash. His need became possession... -
![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...Categorized as:
virgin heroine young adult contemporary abuse dark tortured heroine length-long first-in-series -
![Damaged and the Knight by Bijou Hunter]()
Damaged and the Knight by Bijou Hunter
After he saves her from certain death, Tawny Smith falls for her knight in shining armor. Judd O'Keefe isn't an easy man to love though. As an enforcer for the Johansson family business, he hides his heart behind cold walls built from a lifetime of pain. Yet, his angel Tawny awakens a desire in Judd more powerful than he ever imagined possible... -
![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...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary young adult sports angst friends to lovers dark new adult -
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![Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young]()
Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe New York Times Bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series and As Dust Dances brings readers an addictive and passionate new standalone romance about love, revenge, and surviving both. To the McKenna sisters, Jane was a friend. A pseudo-sister, the girl they grew up with. To Jamie McKenna, she was everything. Their youthful passion consumed them...Categorized as:
virgin heroine contemporary new adult friends to lovers from hate to love angst vengeance dark -
![The Resurrection of Aubrey Miller by L.B. Simmons]()
The Resurrection of Aubrey Miller by L.B. Simmons
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 33 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 -
![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 -
![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 -
![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 -
![Damaged and the Outlaw by Bijou Hunter]()
Damaged and the Outlaw by Bijou Hunter
After turning against his former MC, Vaughn Majors found refuge in Ellsberg. Years later, he remains a dead man walking, avoiding commitments and hiding his loneliness. Raven Hancock refuses to fall in love again. Men are her poison and Vaughn is all kinds of bad news. He’s also the hottest, funniest, sweetest bastard she’s ever met... -
![Angry God by L.J. Shen]()
Angry God by L.J. Shen
From #1 Amazon Bestseller L. J. Shen comes a new, emotional standalone about first love, second chances, and overcoming breathtaking losses at a young age. Vaughn Spencer. They call him an angry god. To me, he is nothing but a heartless prince. His parents rule this town, its police, every citizen and boutique on Main Street...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine contemporary angst new adult alpha male from hate to love 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... -
![Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf]()
Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 41 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... -
![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 -
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![Interim by S. Walden]()
Interim by S. Walden
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 16 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... -
![Savage Delight by Sara Wolf]()
Savage Delight by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 52 ratingsLight meets dark. Secrets meet truth. It's been three years, twenty-five weeks, and five days since Isis Blake fell in love, and if she has it her way, it'll stretch into infinity. After a run-in with her mom’s ex-boyfriend, she scrabbles to remember what she’s lost to amnesia...Categorized as:
sassy heroine contemporary young adult strong heroine from hate to love suspense bad boys dark -
![Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan]()
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan
Rated: 3.99 of 5 stars · 118 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... -
![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... -
![Get Bent by C.M. Stunich]()
Get Bent by C.M. Stunich
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 38 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... -
![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. I liked hearing that about him... -
![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. Amaya's story is coming soon!Categorized as:
sassy heroine suspense high-school mystery contemporary age difference m-f strong heroine -
![Devil May Care by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue]()
Devil May Care by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue
Everyone knows Gwendolyn and Hamilton are enemies… what happens when the whole school finds out their secret? Gwendolyn Adams has been canceled. The Preston Prep Devils made that clear after the incident that forced my sister, Skylar, to leave our academy. They wanted me to leave, too, but I refused...Categorized as:
virgin heroine sassy heroine young adult new adult from hate to love sports contemporary cruel hero -
![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... -
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![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 -
![Innocents by Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth]()
Innocents by Mary Elizabeth, Sarah Elizabeth
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 36 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 -
![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 -
![Prince of Hawthorne Prep by Jennifer Sucevic]()
Prince of Hawthorne Prep by Jennifer Sucevic
Betrayal. Blackmail. Revenge. How is it that those three words now rule my life? From USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Sucevic comes a dark, sexy high school bully romance. Welcome to the world of Hawthorne Prep. A seemingly idyllic school where ivy clings to the thick stone walls and a wrought iron gate keeps out the townies who can’t afford to foot the hefty price tag...Categorized as:
virgin heroine young adult high-school new adult from hate to love abuse sports cruel hero -
![Twisted Dares by A.R. Breck]()
Twisted Dares by A.R. Breck
Born 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...Categorized as:
virgin heroine mafia high-school abuse from hate to love dark suspense forbidden love -
![River Knight by K. Webster]()
River Knight by K. Webster
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 16 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...
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