Books like 'Say the Word'
Readers who enjoyed Say the Word by Julie Johnson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult dark romance alpha male second chances suspense mystery new adult boss & employee from hate to love
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Elude by Rachel Van Dyken
This book is the sixth book in the internationally bestselling Eagle Elite Series. It's an interconnected stand alone novel with no cliffhanger. Twenty-Four hours before we were to be married--I offered to shoot her. Ten hours before our wedding--I made a mockery of her dying wish. Five hours before we were going to say our vows--I promised I'd never love her...Categorized as:
suspense mystery alpha male new adult independent heroine mafia young adult arranged marriage -
![Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty]()
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 197 ratingsCheck out the #1 New York Times bestseller Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, called “a surefire hit” by Entertainment Weekly. "The secrets burrowed in this seemingly placid small town...are so suburban noir they would make David Lynch clap with glee.. -
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![Made by J.M. Darhower]()
Made by J.M. Darhower
Corrado Moretti. The world knows the notorious Kevlar Killer, but few have ever seen what lies beneath his armor. The abused child. The neglected teenager. The broken man. He always did whatever he had to do in order to survive. It's kill or be killed. Throughout his life, he has been there in the shadows, a witness to everything from beginning to end...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers alpha male new adult betrayal contemporary forbidden love virgin hero -
![Skin by B.B. Easton]()
Skin by B.B. Easton
With Netflix adapting BB's 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN into a new series, you're going to want the full story behind her roller-coaster love story with the ultimate bad boy. Because BB Easton had so much fun writing her bestselling, award-winning memoir, she decided to give each of her four men his own steamy standalone...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male new adult suspense cold hero contemporary forbidden love bad boys -
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![Corrupt Princess by Tracy Lorraine]()
Corrupt Princess by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next instalment of her forbidden dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world.I learned from a very young age that the only person I could count on was myself.For years I’ve been content with meaningless one-night stands and zero promises for tomorrow...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love mystery suspense alpha male betrayal cold hero independent heroine -
![Almost Broken by Portia Moore]()
Almost Broken by Portia Moore
Lauren Brooks fell in love with Cal Scott at 21, married him at 22 and had her heart broken at 23 when he walked out of their marriage. At 25, though raising his daughter on her own, Lauren was finally moving on with her life. Until, she learned the reason for Cal's abandonment, the walls she’d carefully built around her collapsed.Categorized as:
suspense mystery alpha male new adult betrayal contemporary young adult secret child -
![The Complete Twisted Series Set by Ana Huang]()
The Complete Twisted Series Set by Ana Huang
Twisted LoveAlex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest. A crack. A melt...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love new adult young adult contemporary dark multicultural forbidden love -
![Always Crew by Tijan]()
Always Crew by Tijan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsFor the longest time, I was Bren Monroe.I lived in Roussou, California.I had no parents, no brother, but I had a crew.Then things started to change.I never planned for any of it.I didn’t think I’d fall in love.I didn’t think I’d have a relationship with my brother again.I didn’t think that he’d come back.Now I’m in Cain.My crew is in college.They’re growing, going through their own things... -
![Foxes by Suki Fleet]()
Foxes by Suki Fleet
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsWhen Dashiel's body is found dumped on an East London wasteland, his best friend Danny sets out to find the killer. But Danny finds interaction difficult and must keep his world small in order to survive... -
![Heart of Marley by T.K. Leigh]()
Heart of Marley by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTo the moon and back… From the stars to the ocean… That was Marley and Cameron Bowen’s secret code. Twins born just five minutes apart, they have the perfect life… Until tragedy strikes just weeks after their eighth birthday and their father is killed by a drunk driver... -
![Pieces for You by Genna Rulon]()
Pieces for You by Genna Rulon
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSamantha Whitney survived unimaginable tragedy only to discover she had been betrayed by a man who claimed to love her. Shattered, Sam spends months at a safe haven trying to piece herself back together. Ready or not, the time has come for her to return home. As Sam struggles to resume a life that no longer feels familiar, she finds unwavering support in an unexpected, familiar face...Categorized as:
mystery suspense alpha male friends to lovers independent heroine humor young adult contemporary -
![Out of the Dark by Danah Logan]()
Out of the Dark by Danah Logan
LillyMy name is the only truth they didn’t take from me.Betrayed by my family, my desperate need for answers put me back on his radar.The one person who was never supposed to find me.Again.I was unprepared for the world I got thrust into—the connection we shared.The deeper I dug, the more unstable my future became.With Rhys as my anchor, I will fight to bring my past out of the dark... -
![Reckless Dynasty by Tracy Lorraine]()
Reckless Dynasty by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world.My life has been full of half-truths tangled in lies—I’d been to hell and back more times than I could count... -
![Aggro by Coralee June, Carrie Gray]()
Aggro by Coralee June, Carrie Gray
Two boys.One tragedy.Grief bonds us.The mystery of this murder will break us.My best friend was brutally ripped from this world, but her brother and boyfriend are still here.One of them wants to use me.The other wants to forget me.Both of them make me feel alive.We’ll find Violet’s murderer, no matter the cost.Two boys.One tragedy.Grief bonds us.Love will tear us apart... -
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![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... -
![Game by Barry Lyga]()
Game by Barry Lyga
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsBilly grinned. “Oh, New York,” he whispered. “We’re gonna have so much fun.” I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history’s most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent. In an effort to prove murder didn’t run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo’s Nod to solve a deadly case... -
![The Next Flame by Penelope Douglas]()
The Next Flame by Penelope Douglas
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNew York Times bestseller Penelope Douglas introduces the next generation in her Fall Away series in Next to Never, together for the first time with her bestselling novella, Aflame...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love friends to lovers contemporary young adult dark found-family cruel hero -
![Before I Break by Portia Moore]()
Before I Break by Portia Moore
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsOut of the past six years of my life, I only remember about half of it. After a dozen doctors and thousands in medical bills, I was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder--one that causes me to lose track of time. Sometimes it’s hours, days or even weeks with no recollection of anything. The good thing is it's been almost two years since I had my last ‘black out’...Categorized as:
mystery suspense new adult young adult contemporary love triangle dark other-man-woman -
![Forever Golden by Rachel Jonas, Lessa Lamb]()
Forever Golden by Rachel Jonas, Lessa Lamb
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWest Golden—Fierce protector. The one.The cocky jock I once wanted to kill with my bare hands is now the only one I trust with my heart.In a city full of corruption and dark secrets, knowing who’s on your side gets harder to determine every day. Especially now that Vin’s on the warpath, passing out threats he fully intends to see through to the end...Categorized as:
new adult suspense from hate to love alpha male mystery high-school contemporary sports -
![Requiem by Callie Hart]()
Requiem by Callie Hart
SORRELLHe’s going to pay for what he’s done…Theo Merchant was born into a kind of privilege I’ve never known.He has everything I don’t: Money. A private school education. Popularity. A bright and shiny future, full of success to look forward to. He took the only thing I had going for me—my best friend, Rachel. Now that she’s gone, I have nothing left to lose.I will infiltrate his world... -
![Tame by Coralee June, Raven Kennedy]()
Tame by Coralee June, Raven Kennedy
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI’ve got a secret I’ve got bruises no one can see and the devil’s blood running through my veins. If I want to end my father’s reign, I’ve got to help Rocco Nomar with his daughter. She’s broken, jaded. A sad, pretty little thing with a big heart and eyes that make me feel like I’m drowning. She’s not swayed by the social politics of Savannah, but she has my heart doing double takes... -
![Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas, Abby McDonald]()
Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas, Abby McDonald
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsIt's Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives. But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations... -
![Reckless Lies by Nikki J. Summers]()
Reckless Lies by Nikki J. Summers
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey say when you die, your whole life plays over in your mind like a Hallmark movie. A rose-tinted reflection to remind you what a great life you’ve led.But for me, that wasn’t the case.There was no romantic, nostalgic ending for me.All I had was pain, darkness, and despair on the day I died, dragged by fire into the depths of hell. That’s where I live now. A shadow of the man I used to be...Categorized as:
new adult suspense friends to lovers from hate to love contemporary young adult fated-mates angst -
![Meet Me in the Dark by J.A. Huss]()
Meet Me in the Dark by J.A. Huss
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsHe’s empty, inhuman, dishonest, and cruel.She’s never wanted anyone more. Sydney has lived in fear for eight years after freelance assassin, Merc, failed to rescue her from a cult-like militia group. Left in the hands of a sadistic man, she did whatever it took to survive. But Merc’s last words gave her hope. Hope he’d be back to finish the job... -
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![Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf]()
Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 39 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...Categorized as:
mystery alpha male suspense new adult from hate to love contemporary humor young adult -
![Reap by Caitlyn Dare]()
Reap by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsI never imagined falling for a Red Ridge Sinner… let alone three. But here I am, sneaking around with Diesel, Zach, and Jax, willing to risk the consequences for just one more kiss or touch or moment. They get me. Understand what I need, and how to make me soar. But every time we find ourselves in the dark, stealing precious minutes together, reality closes in around us...Categorized as:
new adult alpha male mystery suspense friends to lovers from hate to love contemporary young adult -
![Foxes by Suki Fleet]()
Foxes by Suki Fleet
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen Dashiel’s body is found dumped on an East London wasteland, his best friend Danny sets out to find the killer. But Danny finds interaction difficult and must keep his world small in order to survive...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers new adult m-m disabilities and marks angst dark young adult -
![The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout]()
The Dead List by Jennifer L. Armentrout
It's Ella's senior year of high school and she and her best friend Linds plan to make it the best year ever. At Brock Cochran's end of summer pool party, the girls vow to have as much fun as possible before they head off to different colleges next fall. But when Ella is mysteriously attacked on her way home from the party, everything changes... -
![Normal by Danielle Pearl]()
Normal by Danielle Pearl
"Normal is a riveting and magnetic story of abuse, love, and hope. It pushes the reader in every way possible. Normal is one of the most thought provoking stories I've ever read." -Biblio Belles "Wow, Normal was intense, gritty, dark, sad, uplifting, and heartbreaking all in one. This was a story rich in detail, and by the end I truly felt as if I lived in between the pages... -
![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:
new adult friends to lovers from hate to love second chances suspense alpha male contemporary angst -
![Law of Attraction by Raeesah Ambarker]()
Law of Attraction by Raeesah Ambarker
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsNyx just can't seem to escape her eternal night, the very darkness she was named after. Angry at the world, her hatred is ravenous for none other than Beckham Hunt, captain of the ice hockey team. Beckham loathes Nyx Taylor, that much he is certain of...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers from hate to love contemporary sports young adult dark abuse -
![Cruel Legacy by Dakota Lee]()
Cruel Legacy by Dakota Lee
A NEW LIFEThat’s what the move to canyon falls was supposed to offer me. A chance to leave my past behind.But day one I manage to paint a target on my back and the vindictive boys who run this school, Pax, Finn and Holdendecide to turn me into their personal punching bag.They try it all. Liquidated accounts. Public humiliation. Every prank and act of horror designed to break me.I’ve endured worse...Categorized as:
new adult mystery suspense from hate to love young adult contemporary dark reverse harem -
![Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 2 by Asuka Konishi]()
Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 2 by Asuka Konishi
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDepuis la disparition de la fille d’un yakuza allié au clan Miyama, et le meurtre d’un de leurs hommes,Yoshino est contrainte à passer tout son temps avec Kirishima pour sa propre sécurité. Situation compliquée pour ses nerfs ! À l’occasion d’une sortie, elle aperçoit la soi-disant disparue dans un quartier branché...Categorized as:
new adult mystery contemporary mafia young adult dark marriage of convenience length-short -
![Five Things by Violet Paine]()
Five Things by Violet Paine
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter two years of living in the shadows, I force myself to leave my protective bubble and move to college. When I get there though, and come face to face with the casualty of the greatest mistake of my life, I have to wonder whether I’ve made the right decision. But then, as time moves on, I learn how to breathe again and that’s not something I’m willing to give up on...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers from hate to love betrayal contemporary sports young adult college -
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![Never His Girl by Rachel Jonas, Nikki Thorne]()
Never His Girl by Rachel Jonas, Nikki Thorne
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsWest Golden--Football star. Playboy. Dead to me.Nothing puts the final bullet in a girl’s rep like a leaked sex tape. Especially one starring her and the cocky quarterback who’s had it out for her since day one. Yep, you guessed it. That girl is me.At Cypress Prep, West is king, but all I see when I look at him is the wicked prick who gets off on trying to break me.His plaything.Go ahead...Categorized as:
new adult mystery from hate to love suspense alpha male high-school contemporary sports -
![Pained by Vera Micic, Vera Hollins]()
Pained by Vera Micic, Vera Hollins
Two months have passed since the day I pushed Hayden away. Two months since I found out he loved me and wanted to be with me. I’ve been trying to move on and forget about him, but my heart refuses to listen. Hayden had almost died saving me. Half of me wants to forgive him for everything and give him another chance...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love cold hero young adult cruel hero dark contemporary length-medium -
![Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf]()
Lovely Vicious by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 54 ratings1.Don't talk about love. 2.Don't think about love. 3.Thinking and talking about love leads to Love, which is the enemy... For 17-year-old Isis Blake, the list has one goal: to ensure she never falls in love again. Ever. As Isis and her mom settle into their new home in Buttcrack-of-Nowhere, Ohio, Isis is rockin' the purple hair and a beat up old car..Categorized as:
suspense alpha male mystery from hate to love new adult contemporary young adult love triangle -
![A Whole New Crowd by Tijan]()
A Whole New Crowd by Tijan
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsTaryn grew up in a different world. Her boyfriend was a criminal. His older brother was part of a gang. They weren’t great people, but they were her family. Then everything changes when she’s adopted by a family in the neighboring town. New family. New friends. A new world. She’s elated...Categorized as:
mystery suspense alpha male friends to lovers new adult poor heroine contemporary young adult -
![These Dark Hearts by L.A. Cotton]()
These Dark Hearts by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHarleigh Wren Maguire has loved Phoenix Wilder for as long as she can remember.He's everything she isn't.Brave.Reckless.One-hundred percent unapologetic.But it's Halloween... the perfect excuse to dress up and be someone you're not. To step out of your comfort zone and do things you wouldn't usually do.And Harleigh is determined to make her best friend notice her for once.There's only one problem...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult mystery high-school sports contemporary dark young adult -
![Wicked Promises by S. Massery]()
Wicked Promises by S. Massery
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsI made a promise to Caleb, and I intended to keep it.I just didn’t anticipate the aftermath.One betrayal.One lie.One devastating cover up.It’s all out in the open now, and this time, I’m not running away.The secrets I hold are enough to destroy us.The truth is supposed to set us free—but we aren’t destined for freedom.This is a dark high school bully romance with mature content and themes...Categorized as:
from hate to love new adult suspense alpha male mystery friends to lovers high-school cruel hero -
![Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 3 by Asuka Konishi]()
Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 3 by Asuka Konishi
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsYoshino's life with Kirishima grows increasingly heated after he meets her adopted brother Shouma. Kirishima doesn't recognize his own jealousy until Yoshino points it out to him...and soon, he's not the only one burning up. It seems Osaka's temperatures have followed Yoshino up north when she catches her traditional summer cold... -
![Hidden Gem by Skye Warren]()
Hidden Gem by Skye Warren
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsOf all the girls in Paris... he picked me.I was studying the Mona Lisa, and he was studying me. Not my sister. Me. He turned me upside-down. I hardly recognized myself through his eyes.Beautiful. Interesting. But it was all a lie... -
![Wicked Promises by S. Massery]()
Wicked Promises by S. Massery
I made a promise to Caleb, and I intended to keep it.I just didn’t anticipate the aftermath.One betrayal.One lie.One devastating cover up.It’s all out in the open now, and this time, I’m not running away.The secrets I hold are enough to destroy us.The truth is supposed to set us free—but we aren’t destined for freedom.This is a dark high school bully romance with mature content and themes...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mystery from hate to love alpha male high-school dark contemporary -
![Afraid to Fly by S.L. Jennings]()
Afraid to Fly by S.L. Jennings
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsI’d like to tell you that I’m ok. That the meaningless sex with countless women has somehow numbed the pain. That it’s deciphered the constant confusion in my head. Eased the self-hatred that sinks into my gut every time I look in the mirror. I’d like to tell you that time heals all wounds... -
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![Heresy by Lily White]()
Heresy by Lily White
Sixth CircleHeresyAlso Known as Shane CarterThere are no rules with this man.No courtesies.No acceptable behaviors he’ll conform to in order to be accepted.He marches to his own beat.Gives the finger to expectations.And does whatever pleases him because nobody can control him.Arrogant.Aggravating.Absolute Chaos.Shane is the last person you want walking into your world... -
![Wrong Crowd by Lisa Helen Gray]()
Wrong Crowd by Lisa Helen Gray
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsMy entire world was turned upside down the day my mum died. I feared what my life would become when an aunt I never knew about came swooping in and threw me into the unknown. She was rich. I couldn’t even afford a pack of gum. We were complete opposites, yet I wanted a fresh start in life, and she was promising to give me that. I just had to live with her for a year, until I graduated college...Categorized as:
new adult suspense from hate to love betrayal dark young adult contemporary length-short -
![Royal Elite Epilogue by Rina Kent]()
Royal Elite Epilogue by Rina Kent
All five couples of Royal Elite series come to life again in this long extended epilogue.Levi & AstridAiden & ElsaXander & KimberlyRonan & TealCole & SilverThis epilogue is set after the end of Royal Elite Series so all the previous books need to be read before this...Categorized as:
new adult alpha male from hate to love cold hero young adult sports cruel hero contemporary -
![Hometown Girl Memories by Kirsten Fullmer]()
Hometown Girl Memories by Kirsten Fullmer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"I was crying one minute and laughing the next. A definite must read!" Winnie is content in her role as the reining matriarch of Smithville, but when a letter arrives from a long-lost friend, the door to her past is reopened. Memories come flooding in, drawing her back to 1968, her college days; a time filled with people and events she hasn’t allowed herself to recall... -
![Remember Me Forever by Sara Wolf]()
Remember Me Forever by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsIsis 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 and sort-of-maybe-definitely hated has dropped off the face of the planet in the face of tragedy, leaving a Jack Hunter–shaped hole. Determined to be happy, Isis fills it in with lies and puts on a brave smile for her new life at Ohio State University...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love alpha male suspense friends to lovers mystery contemporary young adult -
![Naked or Dead by A.E. Murphy]()
Naked or Dead by A.E. Murphy
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSmall town, small-minded people, small expectations, and big A-holes.Lilith Deville is the new enigma at Lakeside Preparatory Academy, a prestigious high school by a river and not a lake, which makes sense, not. Already she hates it despite its beautiful landscape...
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