Books like 'Shot in the Dark'
Readers who enjoyed Shot in the Dark by Marie James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny suspense bdsm independent heroine praise-kink nerdy-hero angst caretaking spanking
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The Takeover by T.L. Swan
In bestselling author T L Swan’s second hot installment to the Miles High Club series, he’s sexy, rich, and her mortal enemy. Hate never felt so good. I first met Tristan Miles at a meeting where he was trying to take over my late husband’s company. He was powerful, arrogant, and infuriatingly gorgeous, and I hated him with every cell in my body...Categorized as:
alpha male independent heroine dual-pov angst m-f possessive hero career professional sweet-hero -
Beard Up by Lani Lynn Vale
Ghost [gohst] noun: the soul of a dead person, a disembodied, vague, shadowy spirit wandering among or haunting living persons; a mere shadow or semblance; a trace. That noun sums up Ghost and what his life has become with painful precision. He is barely living, merely existing but never thriving. There wasn’t much that could pull him from the darkness he willingly inhabits…except one thing... -
Burn in Hail by Lani Lynn Vale
One look at the sixteen-year-old, prim and proper town goody-two-shoes, Hennessy Hanes, and Tate Casey knows he’s in trouble. He knows he should stay away from the preacher’s daughter, but there’s something about her he’s drawn to, and he can’t resist the pull. The more he gets to know her, the more he realizes that something isn’t right... -
Hail Mary by Lani Lynn Vale
Mary Persephone Hail Mary—well-wished-for child. Persephone—destruction. Hail—well that speaks for itself. Her name is painful to think about. Mary, his newfound daughter, isn’t a wished-for child. Persephone, though? Yeah, destruction is a fitting description. And Hail? Yeah, that’s just the final f-you... -
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Ask Me If I Care by Lani Lynn Vale
Ares saw him for the first time at a Kilgore Police Department benefit dinner. She’d gone with her dad as his plus one. Hayes Greer had gone by himself and brooded silently across the same table as her, drinking whiskey and not saying a word.It only took that one time for her to become interested... -
Inmate of the Month by Lani Lynn Vale
A porn video changed his life.One second, he has an ex with an ax to grind, and the next, he’s internet famous—and definitely not in a good way. In an, it’ll ruin your career, kind of way.Only, Laric didn’t know that he was internet famous... -
Doin' A Dime by Lani Lynn Vale
Live-in property & pet caretaker needed. Six-year minimum. Background check required. Generous compensation. Marriage of convenience required.The moment that Wyett Villin read the ad on her local community’s page, she knew that it would be perfect. It didn’t matter how big the house was, what kinds of animals she had to take care of, or what the compensation was...Categorized as:
suspense military independent heroine curvy heroine alpha male nerdy-hero possessive hero dual-pov -
Any Day Now by Lani Lynn Vale
Amelia loves her good friend, Avery. So much so that she agrees to do the stupidest thing ever. A stranger photo shoot. You know the type. The photographer takes photos of two individuals. Two individuals that, until that day, have never met in their life. The moment she shows up at the photo shoot, she knows that she made a terrible decision... -
Lord Have Mercy by Lani Lynn Vale
Poor judgment: knowing better yet doing it anyway. Flint Stone is a professional in every way. He’s a police officer with the K-9 unit and works at Gun Barrel High as the school resource officer. In his spare time, he’s working his heart out to create a successful gym from the ground up...Categorized as:
military suspense alpha male m-f humor from hate to love contemporary men in uniform -
Targeted by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.66 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHunter Townsend loves his new home in the small town of Shadows Landing. It’s his sanctuary when he comes home from a mission as part of his Special Forces team. Maggie, the infuriating, monogram loving, bright color wearing, cuter than she should be woman, who loves to tease him was the only issue in Shadows Landing. Until a mission goes wrong . . -
Only for You by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsLove only works when your heart is in the right place. Hers could be right next door… Single mom Bridgette Dalton doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses—not even in her own flower shop. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t noticed Bodhi Booker. Her ruggedly handsome next-door neighbor would be the perfect candidate for a no-strings fling... -
Unchosen Ruler by Maggie Cole
He’s the future unchosen ruler of the O’Malleys.Locked away for too many years.Underestimated and pissed off.Protective beyond all rationale.Possessive unlike any man I’ve ever known.I should run. Except Liam O'Malley isn't a choice. He's the air I breathe.Still, I wonder if I can really be queen of the O’Malleys—especially when I discover the truth about who I am...Categorized as:
suspense possessive hero independent heroine career professional alpha male m-f mafia contemporary -
Hiding Out by Lila Rose
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsWhat do you do when someone you trust threatens to sell you into slavery? Find the perfect place to hide out. Destitute and apathetic from the loss of her parents, Willow Demora is forced to accept any help thrown her way. Unfortunately, the only person willing to help is her cousin, a cousin who doesn't have a good bone in his body, and would do anything to stay out of the trouble he's in... -
I Can't Even by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsEllodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.Easy, right?Wrong.She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes...Categorized as:
suspense military m-f forced proximity contemporary humor from hate to love length-medium -
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Nobody Knows by Lani Lynn Vale
All he ever wanted was to matter to someone.What he didn’t know was that he did matter to someone.Someone that worried about him every single day that he was gone.Malachi Gabriel Gnocchi was missing for two years. Thanks to a mission gone wrong, not only had he been captured, but his best friend along with his fellow teammates had been taken, too... -
Kinda Don't Care by Lani Lynn Vale
She’s in a white dress that dances around her ankles, and her hair tumbles in a long sheet of curls down her back. A veil covers her beautiful eyes, and she smiles directly at him. Janie is everything Rafe’s ever imagined she would be on her wedding day. Breathtaking. Gorgeous. Perfect. The moment he sees her walking down the aisle towards him, he knows that she’s the one... -
Clown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIt’s not every day you meet a man at the bar, stare at him for hours, and then right when you decide to make a move, he gets up to leave. Worse, when you follow him outside, you see him completely change his appearance by shucking a wig and a button down shirt, dropping them into the nearest trash can... -
Forever Notorious by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.79 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAbigail Mueez knows all about being something you’re not. Everyone knows she works security in Washington D.C., but that wasn’t exactly the truth. There are many layers of deception in Abby’s life from her job to the man she’s with—a man she doesn’t have time to fall in love with when her life and so much more was on the line. Too bad she didn’t tell her heart that... -
That Day by Karen Deen
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA day, like no other.They happen once in a lifetime, they say.So why am I 'lucky' enough to have more than one? Here I am living life, minding my own business.Until the man I'd been fantasizing over for a year.Ends up in my bed. The sensual words he whispers late at night.His touch on my skin, ignites my inner vixen.Making me want things I've only ever written in words... -
Twined Bond by Emma Hart
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAll is well in Holly Woods. My best friend's love triangle is now a happy little circle. My sister-in-law just gave birth to my gorgeous new niece who is the world's best cuddler, and Nonna's—kind of—not on my back every ten minutes about the fact we're getting married in one month. *Supposedly.* Until the mayor's niece—our baker for the wedding—commits suicide... -
Charlie Foxtrot: An OPS Protector Romance Novel by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMummies.Yeah, you heard me right. That’s my next job—protecting a mummy.It wouldn’t be a problem, except someone doesn’t want this particular mummy to make it to the museum.Not to mention one of my teammates thinks this particular mummy is cursed.On top of this ridiculous job, I’ve also met the most gorgeous woman in the world... -
Rafe by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe true measure of a man is not in the mistakes he makes…but in how he handles those mistakes. Rafe Walker gained fame while in the Army when he was photographed for a Military Calendar. Afterward, modeling contracts rolled in but he found his life in California lacking and longed for a change... -
Saving Daddy by Golden Czermak, Laylah Roberts
A Daddy in need of someone to cherish and call his own . . .Hack has a job he loves. Great friends. Stability.And no one special in his life.A caregiver and protector, he needs someone to take care of.And then Greer Savage walks right on into his life.Incredibly brave, yet also slightly broken. Sweet and funny.He wants to wrap her up tight in his arms and never let her go... -
Engaging the Billionaire by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsIf we can’t outrun the past, we won’t have a future. The rock on her hand is real, but our engagement is a fake. Once upon a time, I dreamed of buying her a ring, until everything blew up in my face. That was the past, and this is business. At least, it is until I kiss her. It's supposed to be part of the act — and it is — right until my lips touch hers. I forget where we are... -
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Join the Club by Lani Lynn Vale
There are a few lessons one has to learn for themselves. Then there are the lessons that most people don’t have to learn because it’s just not done. For instance, most people know instinctively that they shouldn’t crave the mother of their brother’s child. Bourne Pena isn’t most men... -
Twirled Bond by Emma Hart
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIf I thought Holly Woods was crazy before, I was wrong. Devin is finally married. Nonna's on the wedding warpath. Drake might be getting ideas. His mom just dropped a bombshell, and Bek is caught between a hot as hell FBI agent and my super-sweet little brother. And I still don't have the shoe closet Drake promised me when he moved in six months ago... -
The Final Fight by J.B. Salsbury
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhen life brings you the perfect person at the worst possible time… On a weekend visit to Las Vegas to visit his brother, Marine Braeden Daniels meets a woman who challenges him in ways he can’t deny. The best part is she wants what he wants. No strings. No feelings. Just fun. AJ is a Las Vegas performer who is finally living her dream. Growing up poor, she’s determined to succeed at any cost... -
Nuclear Option by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThe exciting and thrilling conclusion to Cash and Eva’s story, and the second book in the OPS series! The military defines a Nuclear Option as a drastic step or last resort, and I’m about to take it. Cash I am an expert marksman, engaging the enemy from afar. You’ll never see me coming because I’m that good. Even a sniper can be drawn out of hiding... -
Clap Back by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsBeing a twin is great. What isn’t great is having the hots for the same woman your twin does. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt. Since Auden Carter made that mistake in his teens, he’d promised himself never to do that to his brother again. Hence why he’s tried so hard to stay away from Maven, the sexy bakery owner that seems to have been put on this planet to tempt him... -
Say I Do by Cynthia Eden
She hates him.Dexter Ryan is smug. Arrogant. Manipulative. And he is also…Lacey Amari’s new partner. Well, her partner on one case. A case she doesn’t even want to take, but when Dex—CIA super operative and all around puppet-master—basically blackmails her, she has no choice. Then he asks her the big question…Will you marry me?The proposal isn’t real. It’s just an undercover assignment... -
Embrace The Suck by Giulia Lagomarsino, Reggie Deanching
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEmbrace The Suck is book 8 in the OPS Protector Romance series and should be read in order.I should have just stayed home. I thought I could get away and relax. But that was scrapped the first day when Dash and FNG followed me on vacation. It was supposed to be a trip to reset my brain... -
No Cap by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsYou know when you see that big red flag, and you think to yourself, I should probably not go anywhere near there? Yeah, Quincy Carter ignored that big red flag. He walked right up to that red flag, waving blatantly in the wind, and kissed the holy hell out of her. Sure, he probably should’ve arrested her for breaking a restraining order...Categorized as:
suspense military dual-pov m-f contemporary humor from hate to love first-person-pov -
Dare by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAustin Moore found his purpose in the military, but there was always something missing. He wanted what everyone in his family had…someone to call his own. But his life didn’t make it easy to find a soul mate, someone to be his forever.Sage Hill enlisted to follow in the footsteps of her father, but never wanted to be in his shadow...Categorized as:
military alpha male suspense m-f age difference sassy heroine humor friends to lovers -
The Billionaire's Angel by Ivy Layne
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHe thought the fight was over until his heart was on the line. I thought coming home would solve all my problems. I’ve never been more wrong. After a decade in the military, I’m more at home in the desert than the mansion where I grew up. I want to pretend that six months as a captive didn’t change me, but ever since I escaped, I haven’t slept. Nightmares. Flashbacks... -
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Zane's Rebel by Loni Nichole
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFor once in his life, this strait-laced attorney is ready to throw caution to the wind. Too bad his sassy, rebellious soulmate refuses to take the risk.ZaneI take on the sassy-mouthed heiress’s case because she needs a good defense. She’s being sued by her father’s former business partner, who wants to destroy her. The odds in this small-town are stacked against her...Categorized as:
alpha male curvy heroine m-f contemporary humor friends to lovers virgin heroine length-novella -
Self-Licking Ice Cream Cone by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSelf-Licking Ice Cream Cone is book 12 in the OPS series and should be read in order.I never should have grown out my hair. That’s where this whole thing started. I was too rigid. Too organized. And nobody failed to point that out to me.So, I grew my hair out to prove them wrong.Now I had a fake career as a model, all in the name of keeping a woman named Juliette safe... -
On the Double by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEdward Markinson.You’ve read about them in Reed Security.You’ve come to know a little about who the men of OPS are.But everything you thought you knew is a lie—smoke and mirrors.The truth of OPS is hidden deep inside, waiting to be revealed.Owens Protective Services.Defend. Investigate. Secure... -
Celebrating Love by Maryann Jordan
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSaints Protection & Investigation A private investigation business, pulling together men from the CIA, FBI, ATF, DEA, Border Patrol, SEALs, and police, devoted to the missions that no one else wanted or could solve. Nick Stone - a stoic, dedicated FBI agent. His life was neat and orderly, just the way he liked it... -
Loved Enough by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEven though they’d never dated, Lily Shaw always just assumed she’d eventually end up with Ben, the boy who’s been her bestie since they were toddlers. So she’s understandably shocked to learn he’s getting married—and having a child with his fiancée. Shocked…but not terribly upset. The truth is, she's been feeling butterflies every time she’s near a particular horse trainer on her parents’ ranch... -
Quit Bein' Ugly by Lani Lynn Vale
There’s a crush, and then there are the type of feelings that Croft Cruisie evokes from a person.He’s everything that any straight woman would want: tall, handsome, charismatic, muscular, and sweet...Categorized as:
military suspense m-f contemporary humor friends to lovers length-short explicit-open-door -
Calculated Risk by Marie James
As the fixer for Blackbridge Security, Quinten Lake is the man that comes in and cleans up after people make stupid decisions.Which means he didn’t want to be the one teaching lustful women gun safety.There were guys on the team better suited for the task.Get in and get out, that’s his motto, something he lives by not only at work but also in his personal life... -
When You Least Expect It by Jessica Prince
The last thing Stella Ryan had time for was a man. With her family in trouble and looking to her to fix everything, romance and commitment were the furthest things from her mind. Until she ran into a man with a jawline that could cut granite and arms she wanted to lick like an ice cream cone. A man who made her forget the things that really mattered...Categorized as:
military alpha male suspense m-f caretaking competent heroine independent heroine dual-pov -
Mountain Man's Rival: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsArchenemy (n.)1) main enemy2) the devil3) Declan Wilde Declan was my brother's best friend.I wanted him to be my first.My happily ever after.Turned out, however, cold-hearted b*stardwas a much more fitting description.Now, fifteen years later, the devil himself shows up unannounced on a very important night. The hairs on my neck rise up."Declan? What are you doing here? How did you find me?""Eva... -
Betting on the Brainiac by Melanie Jacobson
An intense programmer and a hard partying social butterfly have nothing in common...But the sparks fly anyway when Madison Benedict offers Oliver Hayes a quiet space to work in the daylight hours of Austin's premiere nightclub where she makes major bank working bottle service for VIPs...Categorized as:
m-f nerdy-hero sweet-hero marriage of convenience contemporary humor length-medium glimpses-kisses -
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A Blind Date for the Marine by Jess Mastorakos
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsBlind dating for the digital age. What could go wrong?When my best friend asks me to test his new dating app, I'm not sure it's a good idea. After all, I'm moving out of the country in six months. What's the point?But he insists it's just to help him out, so I give it a shot. Plus, the mystery of it is kind of fun... -
Left-Handed Monkey Wrench by Giulia Lagomarsino
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsChase Carter. You’ve read about them in Reed Security. You’ve come to know a little about who the men of OPS are. But everything you thought you knew is a lie—smoke and mirrors. The truth of OPS is hidden deep inside, waiting to be revealed. Owens Protective Services. Defend. Investigate. Secure...Categorized as:
suspense alpha male military forced proximity contemporary humor friends to lovers length-medium -
Kat, Knight Watch by Danielle Norman
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI never believed in love at first sight...Until the ATM ate my debit card, And Jackson Boudreaux stepped in to save the day. All business, in his nine to five banker suit--I couldn’t help but wonder what he was hiding under that perfect form. I was leather and handcuffs. He was ties and cuff-links, But it didn't matter that we were from two different worlds... -
Dating-ish by Penny Reid
There are three things you need to know about Marie Harris: 1) She’s fed up with online dating, 2) She’s so fed up, she’s willing to forego the annoyance and consider more creative alternatives, and 3) She knows how to knit. After the most bizarre and irritating first date in the history of human kind, Marie is looking for an alternative to men... -
Enchanting The CEO by Layla Hagen
She’s a white-picket-fence kind of girl, but I only do casual. My first mistake? Asking her to be my roommate. Gabe: When someone’s down on their luck, I like to help out. Diane needed a place to stay, and my attic was empty. How hard could it be to have a temporary roommate? It turns out—very hard. Living with her is turning out to be physically impossible...Categorized as:
alpha male suspense m-f competent heroine possessive hero sweet-hero super rich hero humor -
Crossing the Line by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSome lines are meant to be crossed.Trent Montgomery knew all about loyalty and responsibility. Tracking down his friend’s long-lost sister and making sure she was safe was just another job, a favor from someone he cared about. He wasn’t supposed to get attached. But when he started to fall for the woman who had been hiding from the world, things got a lot more complicated than he ever expected...
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