Books like 'A Harmless Little Ruse'

Readers who enjoyed A Harmless Little Ruse by Meli Raine also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  dark romance  military  suspense  angst  alpha male  m-f  betrayal  cliffhanger

  • Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 30 ratings
    Enrage is the next standalone in the international best selling mafia series, Eagle Elite. Part of a world I loathe. Part of a family who hates me more than I hate myself. Living with a girl who reminds me of my darkness. I'm. In. Hell. Also known as the Cosa Nostra. My life was over the minute I stepped off that plane. Son to a murdered mob boss. Heir to a throne of murder and lies...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  m-f  cliffhanger  new adult  mafia  contemporary  dark
  • The Black Wolf by J.A. Redmerski

    The Black Wolf by J.A. Redmerski

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · 34 ratings
    -Series Reading Order-. #1 - KILLING SARAI. #2 - REVIVING IZABEL. #3 - THE SWAN & THE JACKAL. #4 - SEEDS OF INIQUITY. #5 - THE BLACK WOLF. ---. Since devastating secrets were uncovered by Nora Kessler, Niklas Fleischer and Victor Faust have been divided as business partners and brothers...
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  • Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski

    Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski

    Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars
    · 32 ratings
    -Reading Order-. #1 - KILLING SARAI. #2 - REVIVING IZABEL. #3 - THE SWAN & THE JACKAL. #4 - SEEDS OF INIQUITY. #5 - THE BLACK WOLF. #6 - BEHIND THE HANDS THAT KILL. #7 - SPIDERS IN THE GROVE. ---. Even professional killers need vacations, but for Victor Faust, his vacation in Venezuela is about more than relaxation and time alone with Izabel Seyfried...
  • Once A Crime Lord by Mia Knight

    Once A Crime Lord by Mia Knight

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 47 ratings
    It all ends here. It’s been two years since the Pyre family was ripped apart by a sadistic killer who will stop at nothing to take Gavin Pyre’s position as crime lord of the Las Vegas underworld. Lyla and Gavin’s relationship will be put to the ultimate test when her ex rolls into town and the killer decides to finish what he started by making his final play….
  • Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch

    Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch

    Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    My code name is Pisces. The stars say I’m independent, wise, and intuitive. Still waters run deep. I’m the leader of Zodiac Tactical’s guardian unit. We’re the bodyguards—the ones who stand toe to toe with danger and refuse to give any ground. We protect people who need it most. But what if who needs it most is a spoiled diva? I don’t normally take on movie stars...
  • Pieces of a Life by Jewel E. Ann

    Pieces of a Life by Jewel E. Ann

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 30 ratings
    The summer before fourth grade, Colten Mosley moved into the house across the street from mine, and we became inseparable. He played the piano and baseball. I had a penchant for dead things while at the same time imagining what it would be like to kiss Colten. We were filled with curiosity and overly active imaginations. We were also forbidden to be more than friends. But that didn’t stop us...
  • Cardinal of Hope by Mia Smantz

    Cardinal of Hope by Mia Smantz

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    Callie Jensen has officially taken a step into the world of romance, but even that can't be uncomplicated. She's pretty sure that more than one guy is showing interest in her, and with no experience on the matter, she's not sure how to handle it. It certainly doesn't feel normal. However, the harem she seems to be building with the Delta members is the least of her worries...
  • Rescuing Isabelle by Ellie Masters

    Rescuing Isabelle by Ellie Masters

    Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Keeping her safe from a deadly cartel might be the easy part of our relationship…. As a former NAVY SEAL and Guardian, rescuing Isabelle LaCroix was my job. Falling for her was not. But that didn’t stop me. Boy, did I fall hard. Just my luck… Izzy isn’t looking for happily ever after. Especially not with a guy like me...
  • Miles by Lane Hart, D.B. West

    Miles by Lane Hart, D.B. West

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 20 ratings
    Who could ever fall in love with a cold-blooded killer like me? The answer is no one. That’s why I’m giving up trying to find a woman who wants me for more than one rowdy night. I’m determined to find a wife instead. If I buy a mail order bride, then she’ll have no choice but to stick around...
  • Easy to Fall by W. Winters

    Easy to Fall by W. Winters

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    From USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes the epic conclusion to the heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense, Hard to Love series. With her I was always on the highest high. That's why it was so easy to fall. I never stood a chance without her. The two of us were made for one another. It's as simple as that...
  • Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky

    Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 25 ratings
    If I don’t give her what she wants—I’ll lose her forever. When Sapphire became my muse, it was supposed to be a business transaction. We both got what we wanted—until she wanted something more. If I don’t give it to her, give her all of me, she’ll walk out of my life. My father already granted his approval—so he would be disappointed if I let her slip through my fingers...
  • Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

    Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 19 ratings
    Beckett Taylor’s quest to be a better man has brought Eve Hartt back into his life, but sometimes it feels like they’re bound together with barbed wire. Though he longs to love her without causing pain, the wreckage of their past continues to crash down around them. Yet with the help of this brothers—and for his brothers—Beckett won’t stop trying...
  • Paragon by Sybil Bartel

    Paragon by Sybil Bartel

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    I didn’t get to covet. I bled duty and honor, and my mission was singular—eliminate. So when I saw her, I didn’t think twice. She was trespassing. I was trained to kill. I drew. But I didn’t pull the trigger. I gave her an order… to kneel...
  • Six Degrees of Separation by Taylor V. Donovan

    Six Degrees of Separation by Taylor V. Donovan

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    *WARNING FROM THE AUTHOR:. By Degrees is an ensemble serial with continuing story lines. Six Degrees of Separation is the second installment, and it must be read after Six Degrees of Lust. Thanks. In the sequel to Six Degrees of Lust, F. B. I. team leader Samuel Shaughnessy and bar manager Machlan O’Bannon are exploring a new phase in their non-relationship...
  • Big by L. Wilder

    Big by L. Wilder

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    How much would you risk to save the one you love? From NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author L. Wilder comes book six in the Satan's Fury Series, a standalone MC romance. Big:. I don't use a knife or a gun to get the guy I'm after. I find that my weapon of choice has a much longer, more crippling effect. With just a few keystrokes, I can have him scrambling for his life...
  • Alluring Abyss by K.E. Osborn

    Alluring Abyss by K.E. Osborn

    Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The Tampa Royal Bastards are riding back into town! Join Ominous as he falls into the alluring abyss. BLURB COMING SOON.
  • The Six Night Truce by Hannah Shield

    The Six Night Truce by Hannah Shield

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    When I stepped into the courtroom this morning, I intended to fight for my client’s life. I never expected to run for my own. Now the courthouse is in lockdown, and I’m trapped in a tiny room with my nemesis—the West Oaks PD cop who hates me most. He’s a single dad with a growly attitude. An ex-Marine. And he’s the star witness against my client...
  • King of Pain by Piper Stone

    King of Pain by Piper Stone

    Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    My vows didn't make me his. My body did. Diego Santos may be wealthy, powerful, and sinfully gorgeous, but his slick veneer doesn't fool me. I know his true nature, and I had planned to end this arranged marriage before it even began. But it wasn't Diego waiting for me at the altar...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  alpha male  m-f  spanking  dark  mafia  contemporary  bdsm
  • Destiny Mine by Anna Zaires

    Destiny Mine by Anna Zaires

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    Fate made us enemies. I made us lovers. In a different world, we were meant for each other. This is not that world. Note: For optimal enjoyment, it’s recommended you listen to the Twist Me trilogy prior to starting this book.
  • Cutting Edge by C.D. Reiss

    Cutting Edge by C.D. Reiss

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 27 ratings
    They met in a war zone. They’re going to bring the war home with them.
  • Beautifully Savage by Sarah J.D.

    Beautifully Savage by Sarah J.D.

    Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Everything in me is screaming to believe my greatest enemy, but if his declaration is another lie, the betrayal will destroy me. The airfield left me reeling, Daniel’s words driving me into panic when I should be mourning my little girl and somehow trying to stitch my shattered heart back together...
  • Desperate Lies by Ella Miles

    Desperate Lies by Ella Miles

    Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    I lied. He lied. His search for answers is unrelenting. It makes me hate him, but I also want him. No, I can’t want him. I want to kill him, but I’d also die for him. I’m done relying on men to protect me. I’m the huntress, about to become the killer. Desperate Lies is Book 2 in the Lies Series. Ends on a cliffhanger.
  • Into Temptation by Monica James

    Into Temptation by Monica James

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 8 ratings
    Monsters are real. .. and that monster is my father. Ten years ago, I surrendered. I thought I was doing the right thing. But lies and greed have once again destroyed my life, leaving me to deal with the aftermath. This life has always been a curse, but the world as I know it has changed. Belfast isn't what it used to be. Alliances are broken. Kingdoms have fallen...
  • Blackout by Janine Infante Bosco

    Blackout by Janine Infante Bosco

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Every fairytale is just a tragedy with a twist. And happily-ever-after is a fantasy. Give me the real, ugly love of two people battling their demons to make it work. Two people like us. When the stakes have never been higher, I turn to my past. After all, it's our favorite sins that always do us in. But even in the midst of my blackout, there she is. The beacon of light I don't deserve...
  • Followed by the Dark by Danah Logan

    Followed by the Dark by Danah Logan

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The Dark follows everywhere. She used to be The Bulldog; but she lost her bite. He buried the one person he should've protected; now, his life is driven by anger and revenge. Together they're toxic for each other, but neither can deny that something is there. FBTD is an age gap, enemies to lovers dark romance. ★ The complete blurb will be revealed with the cover. ★...
  • Seeking Peace by Crystal Daniels, Sandy Alvarez

    Seeking Peace by Crystal Daniels, Sandy Alvarez

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Nothing remains of Blake’s life before the club except death, deceit, and corruption. He was on the road to self-destruction when his path crossed with Jake, the President of Kings of Retribution. Now Blake is dedicated to the MC and loyal to the men he calls brothers. The club gave him a family and purpose. Blake thought he finally had everything he ever wanted. Until Ember...
  • Texas Bodyguard: Chance by Janie Crouch

    Texas Bodyguard: Chance by Janie Crouch

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    She has secrets she prefers to keep hidden. Too bad he’s so good at getting to the truth. When a violent attack puts Maci Ford in the hospital, security expert Chance Patterson learns that she’s carrying his baby. Even though she ended their relationship, he’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect her and their child...
  • Opal: A Wolfes of Manhattan Novel by Helen Hardt

    Opal: A Wolfes of Manhattan Novel by Helen Hardt

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    She lashes out with spite and venom. He fights back with anger and passion. Being held captive on a South Pacific island and forced to submit to the depravity of strange men was horrific, but it wasn’t the worst experience of Kelly Taylor’s life. Abused as a child and abandoned once she turned eighteen, Kelly is now free…except for the threatening text messages she’s receiving...
  • Last Resort by Janie Crouch

    Last Resort by Janie Crouch

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Janie Crouch. Previously published as Texas Chance. She has secrets she prefers to keep hidden. Too bad he’s so good at getting to the truth. When a violent attack puts Maci Ford in the hospital, security expert Chance Patterson learns that she’s carrying his baby...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  military  mystery  dark  pregnancy  contemporary
  • Concealed Affliction by Harlow Stone

    Concealed Affliction by Harlow Stone

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Ryder has done his best to break my armor. It’s been a slow process but he’s reminded me what it’s like to feel again. I could never thank him enough for the toe curling and life altering experiences. He’s been my light in a hurricane-but even I know the sun can’t shine all the time. I have a big decision to make and it’s not as simple as just going left or right, forward or backward...
  • Kingdom of Corruption by Bella Di Corte

    Kingdom of Corruption by Bella Di Corte

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    A Royal Organized Crime Romance. My husband had been keeping a secret from me—a secret that would irrevocably change the course of our lives. He was the son of one of the most ruthless men alive, and an heir to the infamous Fausti crime family. They were beautiful, powerful, ruthless—royalty in their beloved Italy and beyond...
  • Roma Queen by Callie Hart

    Roma Queen by Callie Hart

    Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    “The stunning conclusion to the Roma Royals Duet Series. The very best of Callie Hart. Hold on tight, because this is one hell of a ride! ”. Son. Lover. Protector. KING. I’ve been many things to many people over the course of my life, but that title – King – has always been a tough pill to swallow...
    Categorized as:
    alpha male  m-f  contemporary  dark  length-medium
  • A Peek Beyond the Consequences by Aleatha Romig

    A Peek Beyond the Consequences by Aleatha Romig

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    No longer available: Previous available in BREATHLESS - An Anthology. Due to reader request. .. this novella has been expanded (tripled in length) and will be release in January of 2015 as Beyond the Consequences. Anthony Rawlings is a man most women love to hate or hate to love...
  • Rough Ride: A Chaos Novella by Kristen Ashley

    Rough Ride: A Chaos Novella by Kristen Ashley

    Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars
    · 32 ratings
    From New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Chaos series…. Rosalie Holloway put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club, Bounty—Rosalie knows the stakes...
  • Until the End by London Miller

    Until the End by London Miller

    Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars
    · 30 ratings
    Lauren Thompson. After learning the truth behind her father's tragic murder, Lauren vowed never to go near another Volkov again, but sometimes matters of the heart are too strong to resist. .. Mishca Volkov. As a Captain in the Volkov Bratva, Mishca has pledged his loyalty to the Vory v Zakone, but he soon finds himself at odds with the life he's always known. .. Until the End...
  • Ten Thousand Truths by Kelli Jean

    Ten Thousand Truths by Kelli Jean

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Horror is Odessa “Opie” Powys’s truth. One with muddied memories and haunted dreams. Finding and putting the pieces of her shattered life together is impossible. Hiding herself and her truth is the only option. Until the force that is Deo Dahl notices her from across a crowded bar...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  contemporary  dark  length-medium
  • Cruel Lies by Ella Miles

    Cruel Lies by Ella Miles

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    This is book 4 in the Lies Series. It continues Langston & Liesel's story. Ends on a cliffhanger.
  • Opal by Helen Hardt

    Opal by Helen Hardt

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    She lashes out with spite and venom. He fights back with anger and passion. Being held captive on a South Pacific island and forced to submit to the depravity of strange men was horrific, but it wasn't the worst experience of Kelly Taylor's life. Abused as a child and abandoned once she turned eighteen, Kelly is now free. .. except for the threatening text messages she's receiving...
  • Vengeance by Alex Grayson

    Vengeance by Alex Grayson

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Fierce, loyal, controlled. Three things Judge became at a young age. Enduring unimaginable horrors no child should, he swore no person would dictate his or his brother’s lives again. Revenge fueled him, setting a path destined from the moment he and his brothers escaped their hell...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  contemporary  dark  length-novella
  • Possessed by Lies by Ella Miles

    Possessed by Lies by Ella Miles

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    I fought my way back, and now I’m possessed. I’ve healed the wounds that kept me trapped. I’m done fighting it. I’m hers. Completely. I just don’t know if she feels the same. What if the empire we’ve been building crumbles along with our love? Possessed by Lies is book 5 in the Truth or Lies series. It continues Enzo and Kai's story.
  • Rust by Aria Ray

    Rust by Aria Ray

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Being pulled from a raging river by a sinfully hot biker could be the start of a fairytale love story - the trouble is, I have no idea who I am or what deadly secrets my past holds. A tall, dark, tattooed biker pulled my bruised and battered body from a raging river. That's all I remember when I wake up from a coma. Everything else, my entire life - is gone. I have nothing...
  • Gabby's Protector by Janie Crouch, Regan Black

    Gabby's Protector by Janie Crouch, Regan Black

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    After a heart-shattering tragedy, Tony Marino bottled up his emotions and gave more than twenty hard years to the SEAL teams. Now, he’s enjoying a later in life career in paradise in the Ellington Cove special security office. The best part? Working with their research expert, Gabby Ladd...
  • The Way We Are by Shandi Boyes

    The Way We Are by Shandi Boyes

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Seven years in heaven awarded me seven years in hell. I’ve admired Savannah Fontane since I saw her whizzing down our street on her hot pink bike with rainbow tassels taped on the handlebars. I was in awe someone so small could ride without training wheels, I asked my mom to remove mine that same afternoon. Savannah drew a rainbow heart on my cast the very next day. From then, we were inseparable...
  • Blackness Within by Norma Jeanne Karlsson

    Blackness Within by Norma Jeanne Karlsson

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Fighting to find his worthy place in life…. This is the story of a woman that has worked tirelessly to build her own life from nothing. While the task has been exhaustive, it’s been worth every drop of sweat to earn her own slice of normal. Natasha Reynolds has built a life beyond an absent mother and a drug addict brother to become a home-owning, dog-loving nurse...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  contemporary  dark  possessive hero
  • Hold Me by LP Lovell

    Hold Me by LP Lovell

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    I’m a former slave. The sister of death. Collateral. He’s a bad man. A cartel boss— and my everything. I thought I was done being someone’s toy, but I was so very wrong. Safety is nothing more than a premise in my world, and it seems my own sister can’t be trusted. Loyalties will be tested, and even my big bad wolf might not be able to save me this time. A priceless pawn...
  • Resilient Queen by Amber Vant

    Resilient Queen by Amber Vant

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    I never wanted this. Never asked for any of it. The corrupted, chaos of the past is playing catch-up with the present and nothing is as it seems. Everyone wants something. Me? All I want is the truth. I thought this was the end, but it turns out it’s only the beginning. The basis for a much darker twist of fate. Secrets are starting to unravel; relationships have grown fractured...
  • The Party is Over by Lisa Renee Jones

    The Party is Over by Lisa Renee Jones

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Sometimes a girl just has to get stabby. .. Lilah has sworn she's done with that side of her personality. Then again, maybe not. The Party Is Over is the eighth book in the ongoing Lilah Love series:. Murder Notes. Murder Girl. Love Me Dead. Love Kills. Bloody Vows. Bloody Love. Happy Death Day. The Party Is Over.
  • Cautious: A small town romance by Candice Wright

    Cautious: A small town romance by Candice Wright

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Callie Young is tired of living out of a suitcase. Looking for a safe place to land, she finds herself in the small town of Tempest, where the homes look like doll houses, and the men look a lot like G. I. Joe. Men like Blake Price. When Mr Tall, dark and lickable, stumbles across Callie on a dark, stormy night, the spark between them is enough to cause an inferno...
  • The Confession Duet by K.D. Robichaux

    The Confession Duet by K.D. Robichaux

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 27 ratings
    It was love at first sight. Not just for Vivian, but for Corbin as well. Their eyes locked across the room, and that was all she wrote. But they didn't rush things. They wanted to do it right. After all, they would spend the rest of their lives together. The love of each other's life. Soul mates. He was the intense and fiercely protective soldier, and she was his doting and faithful lover...
    Categorized as:
    m-f  military  angst  alpha male  suspense  bdsm  contemporary  dark
  • A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
    · 22 ratings
    “I can chase you, and I can catch you, but there is nothing I can do to make you mine. ”. ― Morrissey. It all started with a note, just a simple note hand written by a woman I didn't know, never even met. But in that note is perhaps every answer to every question I've ever had in my life. And because of that note, I travel thousands of miles. I look for her, but find him...
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