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

  • Eulogy by Rachel Van Dyken

    Eulogy by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 34 ratings
    The next book in the internationally bestselling mafia series… All is lost. All. I don't recognize myself in the mirror anymore. My thoughts are filled with hatred and dripping with rage. I've lost my soul. She took it to the depths of Hell with her and haunts me with images of what could have been. Sixty lives are mine to take. Sixty lives stand in the way of my vengeance...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  alpha male  m-f  new adult  mafia  bad boys  dark
  • Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · 29 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  new adult  mafia  contemporary  dark
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  • 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...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  alpha male  angst  m-f  dark  new adult  contemporary  mafia
  • Malum: Part 1 by Amo Jones

    Malum: Part 1 by Amo Jones

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 42 ratings
    “Love is savage, love is blind, love is something they may not find…” Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived in a battered trailer, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. One day, she fell down The Elite Kings’ rabbit hole. Sucked into a dark vortex of lies, hate, and deceit, and spat out by money, glitz, and power...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  alpha male  betrayal  m-f  new adult  dark  bad boys
  • Orbiting Mars by K.L. Savage

    Orbiting Mars by K.L. Savage

    Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    I'm a car accident waiting to happen and it's only a matter of time before I crash into something.Every day that passes, every second I blink, the need to drink grows. Meetings aren’t enough. My willpower isn’t enough.Sunnie… The second I see her, I want to crash into her instead. But she may not be enough to kill the need.And when Sunnie tells me something that I can’t handle?I break. I run away...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  alpha male  m-f  bikers  dark  contemporary  bad boys  mafia
  • Ends Here by M. Robinson

    Ends Here by M. Robinson

    Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. And all that fucking shit. I had killed. I had sacrificed. The innocent and the corrupt. I knew blood and I knew violence. Never imagining I could know love too. Mia Ryder was a woman to love. To cherish. To fucking claim. Now, forever, and every day in between. If there was anyone I’d go to Hell and back for, it was her...
  • Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski

    Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 30 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...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  alpha male  angst  m-f  dark  contemporary  mafia  abuse
  • Tool by K.L. Savage

    Tool by K.L. Savage

    Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    Being the VP of the Ruthless Kings has made me jaded and scarred, a savage bloodthirsty beast.Grit, pain, blood, the three constants in my life.Love?I wouldn't burden anyone with loving me. I'm a hard man to love.Until she walks through the garage doors, looking perfect in her little blue dress and high heels.She's neat and clean and too damn good for me, but I'm determined to get her filthy...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  dark  bikers  contemporary  length-short
  • Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky

    Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 24 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...
  • Mended by J.L. Drake

    Mended by J.L. Drake

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    J.L. Drake brings you the Broken Trilogy , the bestselling series that started it all. This action-packed military romantic suspense will leave readers emotionally invested and captivated by a heart-wrenching tale of betrayal, loss, and the pursuit of happiness through retribution.Why does the past still have its clutches on Savannah Miller?Once the star of scandals across New York City...
    Categorized as:
    military  suspense  alpha male  angst  m-f  dark  contemporary  abuse
  • 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...
  • Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch

    Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · 14 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...
  • Extreme Risk by Jane Blythe

    Extreme Risk by Jane Blythe

    Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Can she accept an offer of help from a patient she’s attracted to?Dr. Piper Hamilton is used to keeping on the fringes. She knows what it's like to be responsible for the death of someone you love and she'd do anything to protect herself from feeling that pain again...
  • 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. The world could try to rip us apart, but it would fail...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  alpha male  m-f  new adult  contemporary  dark  mafia
  • Buttons and Betrayal by Penelope Sky

    Buttons and Betrayal by Penelope Sky

    Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 23 ratings
    Conway paid off Knuckles to keep me—but he expects something in return. I belong to him exclusively, to fulfill every order he gives, personally and professionally. I’m more just his muse now. I’m his in every sense of the word. I live a life of luxury in his mansion, but he treats me like a servant. I can’t deny my attraction for him, but I despise the kind of man he is...
  • 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...
  • Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken

    Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    A mafia romance about love and loss by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.…When you awaken in the morning's hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there. I did not die. — Mary Elizabeth Fyre "I'm sorry for your loss...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  alpha male  m-f  mafia  new adult  college  cruel hero
  • Rescuing Isabelle by Ellie Masters

    Rescuing Isabelle by Ellie Masters

    Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars
    · 9 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...
  • Untamed by M. O'Keefe

    Untamed by M. O'Keefe

    Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Marriage has always meant violence. I don’t trust it, but it’s the only thing keeping me afloat in these dark undercurrents. I married for safety but I got the most dangerous thing in the world—Ronan Byrne for a husband.Now we’re returning to Bishop’s Landing to face our demons. Mine. His. We have real enemies to conquer, but it’s the fear in my heart that beats the loudest...
  • Luca by Eden Summers

    Luca by Eden Summers

    Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Luca dragged me from hell and delivered me to salvation.At least that's what I thought.I hoped this would be a new life. A fresh start.But the pain followed.I'm certain the monsters did, too.I'm told it's paranoia. Trauma. PTSD.Nobody believes my truth.But they'll soon learn.We all will.Because as much as I want to forget the mantra from my nightmares, it hasn't stopped being true...
  • Forever My Saint by Monica James

    Forever My Saint by Monica James

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 13 ratings
    All hope was lost until Zoey Hennessy walked back into my world, shaking it up beyond repair when she uttered two simple words. He’s alive. She speaks of her brother, my Saint, the man who lost everything to set me free. I believed he was dead. I saw it with my own two eyes. But when Zoey proves he’s alive and being held captive by a monster, I know what I have to do...
  • 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...
  • Code Name: Gemini by Janie Crouch, Danielle M. Haas

    Code Name: Gemini by Janie Crouch, Danielle M. Haas

    Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 11 ratings
    Tasha Volkov has been on the run for three years from a brutal cartel who want her her family.She already paid a heavy price for crossing them, and has the scars to prove it. Her only choice is to keep running, even if the tiny town of Pine Valley feels more like home to her than anywhere else she's ever been...
  • 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...
  • Roma Queen by Callie Hart

    Roma Queen by Callie Hart

    Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars
    · 14 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
  • King of Pain by Piper Stone

    King of Pain by Piper Stone

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 13 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
  • Between Here and the Horizon by Callie Hart

    Between Here and the Horizon by Callie Hart

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 31 ratings
    “You think you know me. You think you want to know me. But trust me, Miss Lang. Pursuing me will be the worst mistake you ever make. I’m broken beyond repair......and I take great pleasure in breaking everyone else around me.” Ophelia Lang needs money, and she needs it bad...
  • Heartless by Willow Winters, W. Winters

    Heartless by Willow Winters, W. Winters

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    From USA Today bestselling author W Winters comes an emotionally captivating and thrilling, romantic suspense. At first, his words were harsh and his touch cold. I didn’t want to be in his presence any more than he wanted me there. I knew he was a dangerous man and he could destroy me if only he wanted to. That’s not what he wanted though. It’s not what he needed...
  • SCARS by Jaimie Roberts

    SCARS by Jaimie Roberts

    Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars
    · 22 ratings
    I had the perfect school, the perfect friends—the perfect life ... At least, that’s what I thought. But you changed all that. You are always there ... Always watching ... Always waiting in the shadows. You send me flowers and messages. You stalk me, trace my every movement..
  • Into Temptation by Monica James

    Into Temptation by Monica James

    Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars
    · 7 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...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  angst  contemporary  dark  length-medium
  • Key to Hell by Alex Grayson

    Key to Hell by Alex Grayson

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The highly anticipated conclusion of the Hell Night Series. Emo's story.Death. Destruction. Pain. A soulless void. It's his life. It's his reality.Emo doesn't feel. Anything. His soul is dark and filled with hatred. People in the small town of Malus watch him with fear, with reverence. Exactly the way he prefers it.Guilt surrounds him, caging him in an ominous past he refuses to let go...
  • 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...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  contemporary  dark  length-long
  • 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...
  • Pretty Evil by Stella Andrews

    Pretty Evil by Stella Andrews

    Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    When the cage door opens, freedom is a difficult temptation to ignore.Serena VieriMafia princess, protected her entire life for a very good reason.There is a target on her back.Her family believed she was better off not knowing but with knowledge comes a certain kind of power that she could sure use right now...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  mafia  dark  contemporary  length-medium
  • 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 ChanceShe 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
  • Damaged by Willow Winters

    Damaged by Willow Winters

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    I married the bad boy from Brooklyn. The one with the tattoos and the look in his eyes that told me he was bad news. The look that came with all sorts of warnings. I knew what I was doing. I knew by the way he put his hands on me, how he owned me with his forceful touch. I couldn’t say no to him, not that I wanted to. That was then, and it seems like forever ago...
  • A Shade of Evil by Stella Andrews

    A Shade of Evil by Stella Andrews

    Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Revenge is a dish best served cold.Shade Vieri has no mercy. No compassion and no empathy.He is cruel, enigmatic, and deliciously dark.His instructions are clear.Find the Achilles heel of the enemy and destroy it.The enemy is a woman who slides across his soul like spun silk.A breath of fresh air in a dark, depressing world...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  mafia  dark  contemporary  length-medium
  • Blackbird by Molly McAdams

    Blackbird by Molly McAdams

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    From New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams comes a powerhouse romantic suspense that will have you questioning your morals and second guessing your view on love. I live in a world few know exist. I’ve trained for this. I know what to say, what to do, and how to act. I’ve perfected the lethal calm required for this life. Now it’s time to buy my first girl...
  • Devil You Know by L.A. Fiore

    Devil You Know by L.A. Fiore

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    Damian Tate. One look into his sad green eyes and I was hooked. I wanted to be the one to make him laugh, to make him smile. I hadn't expected him to be the one to make me blush, to make me hot...to make me fall in love. He was my first kiss, my first love, my first everything. I wanted forever with him, but life got in the way...
  • A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · 21 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...
  • Unlawful Justice by K.C. Lynn, K. Langston

    Unlawful Justice by K.C. Lynn, K. Langston

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    Seek the truth and you will find justice. The peaceful town of Harmony Falls, Texas, has been rocked to its core by an unspeakable crime. One that harbors revenge and injustice. Schoolteacher Olivia Bradshaw can’t remember what happened that horrific night, but it’s easy to see the effect it’s had on those around her...
  • Defending Keirnan by P.J. Fiala

    Defending Keirnan by P.J. Fiala

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · 18 ratings
    All Keirnan Vickers ever wanted was to be a teacher. Having realized that dream, she’s focusing on helping the local library with desperately needed repairs so she has a place to host her growing reading program. Just when her life is beginning to look like a storybook, an enemy of her father's threatens her very existence. Single father Dane Copeland has known his share of heartaches...
  • Taking Avery by D.H. Sidebottom, Ker Dukey

    Taking Avery by D.H. Sidebottom, Ker Dukey

    Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    An exhilarating new series new series from International best-selling authors. "Heart-pounding and gritty, grabbed me from word one and I couldn't (wouldn't) look away until I was done." -PBookHavenBookBlog "Right from the first page, I was literally glued to this book." - Bookaholics Reading Haven "From the first chapter to the last, my kindle was glued to my hands. Wow...
  • Celt. by London Miller

    Celt. by London Miller

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Welcome to the Den ... Six minutes is all he needs to get a job done … Kyrnon “Celt” Murphy is one of the best thieves in the world. After all, his childhood was spent with a caravan of Irish Travelers that taught him everything he knows...
  • Adrenaline Rush by C.M. Owens

    Adrenaline Rush by C.M. Owens

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 22 ratings
    There was a time when I was a princess with no power. I had no choice but to run, because I wanted control over my own life. However, when you spend your life planning your next escape, you forget to do the living stuff. At least until the past comes back to remind you why you ran in the first place...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  m-f  contemporary  bikers  dark  length-medium
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