Books like 'The Villain'
Readers who enjoyed The Villain by L.J. Shen also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance funny from hate to love suspense age difference super rich hero marriage of convenience tortured hero new adult
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Filthy Truth by Serena Akeroyd
Conor's my lifeline.He doesn't know it.I need him to find me.I need him to chase me.I need him to love me.If I haven't already destroyed what we might have had, he's crazy enough to take me on.My Fecker.Mine...Categorized as:
suspense mafia super rich hero nerdy-hero m-f from hate to love praise-kink military -
![Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater, Part One by T.M. Frazier]()
Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater, Part One by T.M. Frazier
Bowtie...'till I DIE. Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck. He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself... -
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![For Real by Alexis Hall]()
For Real by Alexis Hall
Laurence Dalziel is worn down and washed up, and for him, the BDSM scene is all played out. Six years on from his last relationship, he’s pushing forty and tired of going through the motions of submission. Then he meets Toby Finch. Nineteen years old. Fearless, fierce, and vulnerable. Everything Laurie can’t remember being. Toby doesn’t know who he wants to be or what he wants to do...Categorized as:
bdsm age difference angst new adult grumpy sunshine dual-pov cold hero friends-benefits -
![Paradise Lagoon by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti]()
Paradise Lagoon by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
I made my choice. I took the hard way out. Now all of our fates are riding on the dice I’m about to throw and luck never was on our side. I was whole once, with my boys in this slice of paradise we’d carved out for ourselves, but in the time that we were parted we grew up. Grew apart...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love alpha male vengeance cruel hero mafia dual-pov poor heroine -
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![Fierce Queen by Sadie Kincaid]()
Fierce Queen by Sadie Kincaid
My name is Alana Montoya. My husband is the King of L.A. And I am his Queen. I never asked for this life, but now that it’s mine, I will fight for it with every breath in my body. Our love is fire and fury, burning brighter than the heat of a thousand suns... -
![Society of Psychos by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti]()
Society of Psychos by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti
I’m the prince of death.A son of carnage born of wicked deeds and sin-filled nightmares.Nobody understood me. Until her.My Spider.The wild girl I claimed from a sea of violent men. But others want her too…The enemies who lurk within my walls seek to steal her from my grasp. They’re my captives, but maybe they’re the answer to my greatest fear too...Categorized as:
mafia cruel hero angst age difference new adult alpha male from hate to love bad boys -
![Silent Lies by Neva Altaj]()
Silent Lies by Neva Altaj
DRAGOThere is only one punishment for spies and liars,A slow and painful death.And my sweet, angelic wife,Who bewitched everyone in my home,From my men - even to my dogs,Is the worst traitor of all.But it seems I have fallen under her spell as well,With every smile, every ridiculous outfit,I'm struggling,And failing... -
![Menace by J.M. Darhower]()
Menace by J.M. Darhower
Once upon a time, there was a guy who got so fed up with life that he resorted to murder and mayhem just to feel alive. Lorenzo Gambini is bored. So fucking bored. Most people either annoy him or avoid him, afraid to face him. Figuratively. Literally. With his face partially disfigured, scarred, he looks every bit the monster the stories make him out to be: the notorious menace they call Scar...Categorized as:
suspense mafia bad boys age difference alpha male from hate to love strong heroine vengeance -
![Not Mine to Keep by Brittney Sahin]()
Not Mine to Keep by Brittney Sahin
A playboy billionaire and a mafioso’s daughter ignite dangerous passions, vengeance, and betrayal in a sizzling novel of suspense by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brittney Sahin.The name DiMaggio means mafia royalty, but Calliope, the dynasty’s last living heir, is no princess. A teacher and singer in Nashville, she’s moved as far away from the generations-old criminal legacy as she can... -
![Little Demon in the Details by Nordika Night]()
Little Demon in the Details by Nordika Night
When an arranged marriage between two powerful families sparks suspicion, Blake Carter doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the bride’s younger brother for answers... -
![Slingshot by K.L. Savage]()
Slingshot by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsShe slingshotted her way into my heart. I’m a laidback kind of guy. I don’t like to take life too seriously. I’ve experienced serious and I’ve gone through the bad life has to offer. I’m ready for the good in life. I wear my heart on my sleeve just so someone can take it. Someone does…Natalia Moretti. Out of all the people for me to love, why does it have to be her?The frenemy’s daughter... -
![Pieces of a Life by Jewel E. Ann]()
Pieces of a Life by Jewel E. Ann
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsThe 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... -
![Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger]()
Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger
Savage (adjective):1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed2) A brutal or vicious person3) Malek AntonovHe’s a myth. A ghost. A legend.A Bratva assassin so feared, some won’t even dare to speak his name.He comes in search of vengeance for the death of his brother, but what he finds instead is me.A girl he thinks is someone else.Someone unrelated to the man who killed his brother.Except I am...Categorized as:
mafia bad boys vengeance alpha male dual-pov age difference super rich hero grumpy sunshine -
![First by Penelope Sky]()
First by Penelope Sky
Hades retired from the business. Now it’s just me. Look at me now...bitter...angry...depressed. I resent my former friend so much, even hate the guy, but I’ve never been the same since he refused to forgive me. I meet a woman. She’s like all the others...beautiful, interesting, good at the fun stuff, but I don’t feel anything... -
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![Cash by Jessica Gadziala]()
Cash by Jessica Gadziala
The Henchmen return, this time with CASH as our leading man. CASH My life has been about three things- brotherhood, good times, and women. Easy. Nothing complicated. That was until Willow Swift came barging back into my life, face bloodied, banging at the gates of The Henchmen compound calling in a favor owed... -
![Mr. Garcia by T.L. Swan]()
Mr. Garcia by T.L. Swan
He was gorgeous, older and guarded.I knew he was trouble from the moment we locked eyes.We met at work, on my first day as a barista.He smiled, I melted … then he tasted my coffee and threw it away.Again, the next day, and the next.He hated the coffee, yet still came back.I knew his game.He called my coffee death in a cup.I called him god’s gift to women.I wasn’t lying...Categorized as:
age difference super rich hero alpha male from hate to love bdsm dual-pov new adult angst -
![Never Trust the Living by Lani Lynn Vale]()
Never Trust the Living by Lani Lynn Vale
It’s not every day that someone tries to pin a murder on you and a random girl you just met. But Bram Crow isn’t your average, everyday guy, either.One second, he’s hiding evidence with the girl, and the next, he has to marry her so a police detective doesn’t get suspicious... -
![Too Safe by Abby Millsaps]()
Too Safe by Abby Millsaps
Never let them get you to the second location.Even if that location happens to be a lakeside mansion home to four hot-as-sin men.After years of living in survival mode, I’m finally hitting rewind on the story of my life. There’s nothing standing in the way of my bright future at Lake Chapel University.Or so I thought... -
![Stolen Touches by Neva Altaj]()
Stolen Touches by Neva Altaj
MileneRules,I know them,But I didn’t follow them.I moved into his city, his domain without approval.And now, it’s time for me to pay the price.Marry the cold, calculating Don of La Cosa Nostra,The man who many have never seen-or could recognize,And be bound to the mafia forever.But when he comes to collect me,I realize that this isn’t the first time we’ve met.SalvatoreNothing amazes me anymore... -
![Massimo by Olivia Thorn]()
Massimo by Olivia Thorn
Lucia: I hated him from the second he opened his mouth. Sure, he was gorgeous – 6’7” with more muscles than Henry Cavill. And those warm brown eyes… and the deep, deep voice… But he was a mafioso, and he tried to tell me what to do. I’ve had enough of THAT to last me five lifetimes...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love suspense m-f dual-pov strong heroine bad boys super rich hero -
![Cake by J. Bengtsson]()
Cake by J. Bengtsson
Jake McKallister may have been a rockstar but he was no ordinary one. Surviving an unspeakable crime as a young teen had shaped him into the guarded, workaholic he was today. He lived his life trying to forget. If it hadn’t been for music, and the redemption he found through it, he might not have survived. Career success came easily for him. Personal connections did not... -
![Valentine's Novella by Tillie Cole]()
Valentine's Novella by Tillie Cole
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsA Totally Booked Blog EXCLUSIVE!!! FREE Hades Hangmen Valentine's Novellahttp://totallybookedblog.com/2015/02/...****updated URL****https://totallybookedblog.com/2017/09.. -
![Mac by Jane Henry]()
Mac by Jane Henry
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBryn Aitkens is the daughter of my enemy.And my enemies must pay.Vengeance for the wrong done my family has driven me.Consumed me.And collateral damage means nothing.So I’ll charm the innocent girl.Seduce her.Win her over, heart and body.Ruin her for anyone but me.And then strike the Aitkens family when they least suspect it.For no enemy of the Cowen Clan goes unpunished…Including her... -
![The Devil's Lair by Penny Dee]()
The Devil's Lair by Penny Dee
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsMassimo De Kysa.The man who stole my first kiss.And now my boss.I learned early how life can turn on a dime.That’s how it is when you grow up as a mafia princess.One minute you’re rich, spoilt, and betrothed to the most revered man in the city—the next your broke and selling your designer bags so you can eat.But I’m not the kind of girl who gives up without a fight... -
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![Alluring Abyss by K.E. Osborn]()
Alluring Abyss by K.E. Osborn
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Tampa Royal Bastards are riding back into town!Join Ominous as he falls into the alluring abyss... -
![The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori]()
The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori
She’s a romantic at heart, living in the most unromantic of worlds . . . Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was. Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint...Categorized as:
mafia arranged marriage alpha male bad boys from hate to love super rich hero angst dual-pov -
![Faked by Vanessa Waltz]()
Faked by Vanessa Waltz
My feelings are forever...the engagement is not.Vinn Costa used to hang the moon in my sky. He's my brother's broad-shouldered, brutally handsome best friend. He doesn't know I exist, but I've always loved him.Until he did something unforgivable.Vinn's not a sweet boy anymore. He's grown into a ruthlessly cold gangster. He's the most powerful man in Boston, a beautiful lost cause... -
![The Six Night Truce by Hannah Shield]()
The Six Night Truce by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWhen 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...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love alpha male contemporary humor dark military length-medium -
![Andrey by LeAnn Ashers]()
Andrey by LeAnn Ashers
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsNicoleSince I was a little girl, raising my younger sister had always been my main priority. I never imagined, however, that taking care of her would put me in danger.Men came for her, but kidnapped me instead by mistake.Then he rescued me, and on that day, he claimed me.Andrey is mine just as much as I am his.AndreyThe second her eyes met mine I saw the fear in them... -
![A Fine Line by MercyAnn Summers]()
A Fine Line by MercyAnn Summers
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis book is an interconnected standalone within the Ends World. While you don't have to read the Ends Duet before reading this book, it is recommended that you do in order to understand the entire Ends World up to this point.CarolinaI didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.That wasn’t my intention.And I knew he would come for me... -
![Adoration by Jane Henry]()
Adoration by Jane Henry
In a world shrouded in secrets and desire, Quinn's life takes a treacherous turn when she witnesses Adriano, a dominant and possessive billionaire, commit an act of ruthless vengeance. Quinn faces a choice: give up her life, or become Adriano's wife.Caught between her past and a dangerous present, Quinn discovers an unlikely sanctuary in the arms of a man trained to kill...Categorized as:
mafia arranged marriage from hate to love suspense bdsm super rich hero new adult vengeance -
![Q by L. Wilder]()
Q by L. Wilder
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSome chances are worth taking. Twenty years had come and gone. My brothers were now older with crow’s feet and silvered hair. Their kids were no longer kids. Prospects had become brothers, and more had come to take their place. It was tough to see that everything had changed— Everything except me. I was a stone left unturned. I thought my day would never come. But then, I saw her...Categorized as:
suspense bad boys alpha male from hate to love m-f humor friends to lovers contemporary -
![Devil You Know by L.A. Fiore]()
Devil You Know by L.A. Fiore
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDamian 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... -
![The End of Me by Tara Brown]()
The End of Me by Tara Brown
His death was almost the end of me. He was still everywhere, surrounding me. In our children's eyes, in the smell lingering in our bed, in candy bar wrappers stuffed down the side of the minivan driver door. He was everywhere except where I needed him to be. In my arms, kissing my lips, on the name of the deed to our house...Categorized as:
suspense strong heroine bad boys alpha male mafia age difference contemporary cheating -
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![Mr. Masters by T.L. Swan]()
Mr. Masters by T.L. Swan
He was powerful, older and my boss, a lethal combination.Job satisfaction has taken on a whole new meaning.When I lied on my resume, I didn’t expect it to matter.I mean any child would love me; I was born to be a nanny.I applied for a position working for a woman, or so I thought.But Julian Masters is definitely all man…the kind you dream of licking chocolate from.The first day was bad... -
![Break for Me by Ember Nicole]()
Break for Me by Ember Nicole
Trista has been on the run for years, attempting to escape a past that isn’t willing to let her go. Life taught her that she can rely only on herself for survival, and in turn, it’s made her cold, calculating, manipulative, and just a little vindictive. She knows they’re out there searching for her...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love age difference mafia m-f dark contemporary forbidden love -
![Fox by D.J. Krimmer]()
Fox by D.J. Krimmer
JanieWhen my father passed away, I assumed my grieving would be as simple as closing a book and starting another. Only, he had other plans.Leaving me his beloved tattoo shop, I’m stuck to figure out what exactly to do with it, all while being constantly reminded of him...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine age difference from hate to love m-f praise-kink dual-pov alpha male contemporary -
![Secret Vendetta by Kathy Lockheart]()
Secret Vendetta by Kathy Lockheart
LUNABaptized in blood, I’m marked for death.Each time it comes, he appears. My masked protector.Saving me for reasons only known to him.But the Vigilante is playing a deadly game.One I must stop before he claims another soul.My new boyfriend, Hunter, vows to keep me safe.But what if we become the final casualties in the Vigilante's secret vendetta?VIGILANTEI’m the most dangerous man in the city... -
![Bits and Pieces by Bijou Hunter, Noelle Zane]()
Bits and Pieces by Bijou Hunter, Noelle Zane
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSilas “Nomad” Bennings doesn’t do normal. As the fearsome enforcer for the Steel Berserkers Motorcycle Club, he refuses to live by other people’s rules. However, this time, the stubborn son of a bitch might have gone too far.Landry Copper spent her life bouncing from one dangerous situation to another... -
![Fair Game by Amelia Wilde]()
Fair Game by Amelia Wilde
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGabriel Hill has always been too charming for his own good. Women. Money. Information. Sex got him everything he ever wanted, until it almost killed him. A price he was willing to pay, before he met Elise. Before he fell for her. Now revenge isn't enough for him. He wants it all. The most beautiful woman. The most dangerous game. And a happily ever after, if it's not too late to save them both... -
![Rock Bottom by Kat Mizera]()
Rock Bottom by Kat Mizera
My family calls me Zeke. But the music industry refers to me as Big Z… and women everywhere know why.Being lead guitarist for the hottest band in the world should be enough. But it’s not. Nothing ever is. And I don’t know why.Money. Fame. Girls. I’m drowning in all three. But it’s the sweet, spunky college girl offering up her virginity in exchange for an interview that I can’t get out of my head...Categorized as:
alpha male sports disabilities and marks angst tortured hero age difference m-f contemporary -
![Daddy Tore by Neva Altaj]()
Daddy Tore by Neva Altaj
...Categorized as:
new adult m-f grumpy sunshine strong heroine alpha male cold hero dual-pov length-novella -
![Twisted Hearts by Jagger Cole]()
Twisted Hearts by Jagger Cole
He saw what I did. Now he owns me.Brutal, formidably gorgeous, and head of a vicious Bratva organization.They call Gavan Tsarenko the bastard king. I call him a tyrant.But now, the man with the gun-metal gray eyes and scarred past has come to conquer me.You see, I screwed up. I traded my good-girl status for a bad grad-school prank that went horribly wrong.And now, for six months, I’m Gavan’s...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love dual-pov super rich hero bdsm suspense new adult grumpy sunshine -
![Fearless by Tracy Lorraine]()
Fearless by Tracy Lorraine
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAn all-new and addictive dark, why-choose, captive romance from the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Tracy Lorraine.You know what they say about things that are too good to be true…We might have been in a safe house recovering, but we were in danger, and still the four of us found a way to be together.We’d even managed to find something that I never thought possible.Peace... -
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![Scorned Obsession by Victoria Paige]()
Scorned Obsession by Victoria Paige
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIt’s when her obsession for him vanishes that he becomes desperate to have it back.Bianca De Lucci has always been obsessed with Sandro Rossi.He was the hero of her girlish dreams.And the dream man of her adolescence.But no matter how much she showed him she wanted more,he always treated her like a younger sister... -
![Spotless by Camilla Monk]()
Spotless by Camilla Monk
Island Chaptal—nerdy IT engineer by day, romance novel junkie by night—just walked into her messy New York apartment to find Mr. Right waiting for her. No, wait… Mr. Clean . A gentleman professional killer with a bad case of OCD and zero tolerance for unsorted laundry, March isn’t there to kill her…yet. He wants the diamond her late mother stole for a sinister criminal organization... -
![Scorned Obsession by Victoria Paige]()
Scorned Obsession by Victoria Paige
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s when her obsession for him vanishes that he becomes desperate to have it back.Bianca De Lucci has always been obsessed with Sandro Rossi.He was the hero of her girlish dreams.And the dream man of her adolescence.But no matter how much she showed him she wanted more,he always treated her like a younger sister...Categorized as:
mafia age difference from hate to love new adult tortured hero suspense dual-pov arranged marriage -
![Ruthless Villain by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray]()
Ruthless Villain by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray
My Knight. My Rebel. My Forbidden Villain … In the dazzling lights of Vegas, I indulged in a passionate one-night stand with a man who looked like a Greek god in the flesh. We agreed: no names, no strings attached, just an unforgettable night of fun. The plan was simple—say goodbye and move on. Little did I know fate had other ideas for me. I never expected to run into Mr...Categorized as:
sports age difference new adult super rich hero m-f poor heroine mafia arranged marriage -
![Filthy Deal by Lisa Renee Jones]()
Filthy Deal by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA standalone dark romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Lisa Renee Jones.They say my father is ruthless, CEO of the Kingston empire, while I remain the illegitimate backup heir, son to his mistress. He sent me to Harvard where he no doubt expected me to fail but I don't fail anymore than I take charity...Categorized as:
super rich hero dual-pov suspense alpha male grumpy sunshine contemporary dark insta-love -
![Hard Wired: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Suspense by Hannah Shield]()
Hard Wired: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Suspense by Hannah Shield
Sylvie can’t resist the bad boys. As a hacker, she's met plenty. But she knows better than to trust them. When her job with Bennett Security throws her into the path of Dominic, a former crime boss, she comes face-to-face with her greatest temptation.After his arrest, Dominic Crane lost his place in the Syndicate...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love suspense strong heroine contemporary humor dark length-medium
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