Books like 'Essential'
Readers who enjoyed Essential by Drethi Anis also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance forced proximity age difference possessive hero college cruel hero alpha male tycoon forbidden love
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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... -
Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMy 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... -
Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA 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... -
Deviant Princess by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her new dark mafia, high school bully romance series.I should have known better than to play with fire...I’d been burned by Theo Cirillo enough to know that I should have seen this coming.He loved to show me his merciless side, but I couldn’t stay away from the deviant even if I wanted to...Categorized as:
from hate to love cruel hero forbidden love forced proximity alpha male m-f mafia high-school -
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The Savage by Stella Andrews
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIvan may be my name but I am best known as The Savage.Born and bred Bratva heir and loving every delicious minute of my life. That's why it was easy to kidnap the entitled Charlotte Richmond from her finishing school in England. It was my pleasure to hide her away while her depraved father searched for her.I have no heart, no emotion, and no morals.She is a bargaining chip, a means to an end...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male age difference forced proximity m-f mafia contemporary dark -
Charlie by Siobhan Davis
Demi Dropping out of college senior year was never part of my plan. But Dad needs me, and I'd move mountains for the only parent I’ve ever known—even working for the company that fired him. My boss, Charlie, is determined to make my life a living hell, availing of every opportunity to undermine my confidence, to humiliate and threaten me...Categorized as:
from hate to love cruel hero alpha male forced proximity college m-f new adult contemporary -
Watch Me Rise by K.C. Kean
Emerson Grove is supposed to be my fresh start, a chance at a new beginning and a better future, yet my past is a force I never saw coming. Now my head and my heart are at odds, my future is unknown, and everything I thought I knew is in disarray.Jameson, Ezra, Leo, and Jagger are ghosts from a different time, a different me. One night changed everything and I’m not the girl they once knew... -
Jerry's Passion by Chiah Wilder
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe first time Jerry saw Kylie, he was taken by her beauty and innocence, but he stayed away because she was too young. A member of the Insurgents MC, Jerry’s life revolves around the club, his Harley, and easy sex. Women clamor for the rugged, tatted outlaw’s attention, and he obliges, but his sights are set on the pretty, young blonde who is all grown up now—sweet curves and all…... -
Runaway by bazookah
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐯𝐞.𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝.𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲. 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤... -
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... -
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Four by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume FourWhat would you do for three million dollars?Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future... -
Javier by Fiona Murphy
The Castillo Family: Follow Rafael, Matteo, Javier and their nephew Santos a billionaire family they made their fortune in the construction business. When it comes to building relationships all their money can't help them when it comes to women who want what money can't buy.Javier Castillo might be a gorgeous, brilliant billionaire—but he's also a massive a$$hole... -
The Arrangement 10: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWhen Avery realizes that her latest client wasn't Sean she doesn't know what to do. This person has invaded her life on a personal level and to make matters worse she doesn't even know who he is. The only good thing that came from it has been seeing Sean again, but now that he's in front of her, she doesn't want to let him go...Categorized as:
alpha male college cruel hero contemporary dark super rich hero new adult length-novella -
Followed by the Dark by Danah Logan
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe 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...Categorized as:
from hate to love age difference alpha male forced proximity contemporary angst suspense new adult -
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Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsIt should have been easy.I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.The worst part is that I should have known better.Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male forced proximity age difference m-f contemporary new adult angst -
Vile by Lulu Waters
EVERLEE VERA This isn’t the life I’m meant to live—stuck on the arm of a rich asshole while he has a pissing contest with other rich assholes. They’re all puppets, playing a dutiful role that condemns them to hell until death do they part. Hatred pushes me forward. Lust fuels me. And there is only one guy who checks both: Holden Van. My boyfriend’s enemy. The guy who flusters me beyond anything...Categorized as:
from hate to love cruel hero alpha male forced proximity m-f contemporary dark sports -
Falling for the Enemy by J.E. Parker
Falling for the enemy will lead to my ruin.My name is Arianna Ivanova, and the city of Charleston belongs to me. Both ruthless and cunning, I rule my empire with an iron fist. Those that challenge me, daring to take aim at my blood-stained crown, die by my hand. That changes, however, when he walks into my life.Alejandro Santiago is the curveball I never saw coming... -
A Price to Pay by Raven Amor
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne thing the Horsemen have learnedIs everything comes at a priceAnd now they are going have to payAs they prepare for war against a new enemyThey all know one thing for sure, this will change them forever.Lines will be crossed.Bullets will fly.Blood will be shed.Lives will be lost...Categorized as:
from hate to love forbidden love age difference bikers dark contemporary mystery length-novella -
Filthy Mogul by M. Robinson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author M. Robinson comes a contemporary standalone romance.All’s fair in love and war…I’m ruthless.I’m feared.I have more enemies than friends.I didn’t just step into my father’s shadow—I’m a Jameson and that last name comes with moneyand power. I’m never afraid to get my hands dirty, especially when it comes to something I want... -
Blackness Within by Norma Jeanne Karlsson
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFighting 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... -
Jaded Devil by Nicole Fox
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’LL SHOW HER WHAT A DEVIL DOES WHEN AN ANGEL FALLS INTO HIS LAP.I met her the day I killed her father.She stood there, soaked in his blood, and swore she’d make me pay when the time was right.Twenty years later, that day has come.She’s beautiful now.A dark temptation I never expected.But Renata Lombardi is in far over her head.Because she thinks this is a game of kill or be killed.She’s wrong... -
Imperfect Intentions by Charmaine Pauls
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA DARK ROMANCEI never dreamed of getting married.I dreamed about freedom.When my stepfather promised Leon Hart a partnership in his clandestine software company, he offered me as part of the package deal. It’s a win-win situation for both men. My stepfather gets rid of his damaged stepdaughter, and Leon becomes second-in-command of the biggest underground IT operation in the country... -
January's Ride with Six by Eve London
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA rebel's heart and a biker's duty collide in a forbidden love that threatens everything.GingerLiving under the control of the Savage Bones is like existing in a cage where freedom remains just out of reach. The night I run, desperation fueling my steps, I crash into Six. He’s at the core of everything I’ve been told to fear...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love forced proximity mystery dark bikers contemporary length-novella -
Angel's Promise by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEverett Ramses came into my life like a hurricane on a dark New Orleans night. With a deep voice and penetrating gaze, his mere presence tingled my nerves and twisted my insides much like the city’s legendary stories of spirits and ghosts. As the ruler of New Orleans, Everett Ramses lives life hard and takes what he wants without apology.He wants me to be his queen... -
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Into Ruin by S. Massery
Hockey guys are off limits—and yet, one has set me in his sights, and I have no chance of escaping. Camden Church is the guy I should’ve stayed away from. But when he mistakes my identity, I don’t correct him. I let him break all my rules. It’s a night I’ll never forget—not that he’ll ever let me...Categorized as:
from hate to love m-f college forced proximity cruel hero forbidden love sports hockey -
Discord by Drethi Anis
Brandon: The unthinkable happened; a possibility I had been avoiding my entire life. I should give her up but leaving her behind was no longer an option. Mia: Brandon Cooper was bad news; plain and simple. I should have been scared straight and sworn off my previous obsession. Instead, I turned to him during a vulnerable moment, only to spark his sinful ways all over again... -
Bully Me: Class of 2020 by Shantel Tessier, Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLoving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020...Categorized as:
from hate to love cruel hero alpha male suspense new adult contemporary anthologies dark -
The Broken One by N.O. One
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy secret is out.My entire existence is shattered, and picking myself up again proves difficult.Leaving Rose behind for a new beginning is harder than I thought, but I need to try for a more independent me with a promising future.One that doesn’t involve the infuriating yet irresistible man who challenges me at every turn.Pushing me.Protecting me.Tempting me beyond any possible resistance... -
Mistakes Made by Marie James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe worst thing you can ever do is make an assumption about me, despite my job resting solely on making people think I’m someone I’m not.I know that makes me crazy, narcissistic, and a little out of touch with the reality of how the world works.I’ll never argue that fact with anyone.Maybe it was the hundred-degree Texas weather.Maybe it was overstimulation from the crowds at the beach...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male forced proximity contemporary suspense dark bad boys length-short -
Falling for the Enemy: A Charity Anthology by K.M. Scott, Taryn Quinn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s cocky. Arrogant. Infuriating. The bane of my existence. But his touch makes me burn with need. Every time we come together it’s like a collision of fire and ice—intense, all-consuming, and utterly unstoppable. We’re all wrong for each other… yet so very right...Categorized as:
alpha male forced proximity from hate to love college contemporary office grumpy sunshine mafia -
Scotch (The Devil's House MC) West Virginia: Biker Romance by Mhairi O'Reilly
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAshby ‘Scotch’ Feilding returned from the military not feeling like a hero, but as a man fractured by the horrors he witnessed, a shadow of the man he once was. Unable to fit into the normalcy of ordinary life, he finds solace in the roar of engines and the brotherhood of The Devil’s House MC, serving as their tech wizard... -
The Society by Erin Mc Luckie Moya
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhat happens when you're born into a secret society? When your great-grandfather was a founding member? Do you have a choice whether you stay or not?And the benefits that befall you with such a position? The easy college access and high powered positions - the multinational firms... -
Griffin by S.M. West
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA steamy strangers to lovers standalone romance packed with edge-of-your seat action, intense chemistry, and breath-stealing twists...Categorized as:
forced proximity age difference from hate to love alpha male contemporary suspense insta-love dark -
Onyx Heart by Mya Grey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings💥Plotting to kill someone is one thing. Learning he’s your baby’s father? Well, fate's got a f*@ked-up sense of humor. I had one Send Leonid Kuznetsov to his grave. The man they call "The Raven."The monster who killed my brother.For years, I've dreamt of the moment I'd stand over Leonid Kuznetsov's body, the man responsible for my brother's death, And watch as the light faded from his eyes... -
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Claimed By Daddy by J.L. Quick
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEnzoWe tore down every mafia family who dared to challenge us. Now we reign over this city. The three of us—Italian, Irish, and Bratva—are bound by the blood we shed. Nothing will stop us from building the empire we’ve dreamed of… except her. Eavan O’Brien, the forbidden little sister of my best friend, who I never expected to care about...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity age difference forbidden love possessive hero mafia dark bdsm -
Black Widow by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWho said prison was going to stop me from getting what I wanted?I thought breaking out of there was going to be the hardest thing I ever did. I should have known. Being the leader of The Black Widows is never that easy. Someone should have warned me that the woman I was about to kidnap was going to bring me to my knees...Categorized as:
m-f from hate to love cruel hero forbidden love dark contemporary new adult bad boys -
Inked For Life by Flora Ferrari
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI’m inked for life—a red crosshair on my wrist, marking me as a traitor’s daughter. With my uncle, Nick, I’m forced to attend Cartel parties. I have to prove my loyalty. I have to prove I’m not like my dad. Otherwise, they’ll do the same to me. Then one night, at a party, I see him, Damien Dovlatov, the leader of the Bratva. As a supposedly loyal Cartel girl, I’m supposed to hate him... -
Royal Bully by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsSomething dark this way comes. He's gorgeous, mean, and mine. He catches me dreaming about him, and then just like my dream, he decides to make me his. I should have said no when he asked me to swear fealty to him. The knife clued me in first. The blood second... -
Captured Pawn by Livia Grant
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy brother’s death was no accident, and the last thing I want is protection from the same mafia boss whose turf war got him killed...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male age difference forced proximity dark bdsm mafia strong heroine -
Coveting the Mafia King's Sister by P. Rayne
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAria CostaThe first time I saw Gabriele Vitale, some dark yearning deep inside me called to him and no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop wanting him.He’s made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me. But sometimes there’s a flicker of interest in his eye, and it’s enough to make me know he’s lying...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity forbidden love age difference college alpha male mafia dark -
The Lazarov Bratva: The Complete Mafia Romance Collection by Lisa Cullen
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThree brand new mafia novels from Lisa Cullen! Get ready to dive into the complete Lazarov Bratva collection. Books Book 1: Kingdom Heir I always adored my older, off-limits godfather…Until he stole my first kiss and lied about it.Kristof Lazarov - my rich, bratva godfather, and my father’s best friend...Categorized as:
m-f age difference forbidden love possessive hero humor dark contemporary super rich hero -
Sinful Ex-Boyfriend by Scarlett Avery
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWhat happens when an eye-popping scandal reunites you with the ex you were never able to forget? From Amazon Bestseller Scarlett Avery comes a sensual, seductive, sinful second chance romance with a British twist. We met eleven years ago. She was so beautiful, words failed me. And she was so young. Still, I fell hard and fast. I waited until she became a woman to make her mine... -
Under the Stars by Tia Louise
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings*Book #2 in the "Bright Lights" CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE Duet by USA Today bestselling author Tia Louise. All around us was darkness and night... I'm not a hero. I'm a survivor. I had one way out, and I took it. Now all I want is peace, A place to pick up the pieces and start over. But she wants justice. Names on a list, faces in the crowd... -
Ruin by Nicolina Martin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI can’t let her live. But now that I’ve had her, there’s no possible way I can live without her…Pretty little things like Anna have no place in my world. They certainly have no business watching me end a man’s life as easily as I ordered coffee this morning.She’s seen too much. And now my job, my loyalty, demands I end hers too.But for the first time in my career, I hesitate... -
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The Guardian by Georgia Le Carre
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDante.What do I remember of her?Enormous eyes, skin like silk, rivulets of water running down her body and dripping onto the tiles, and her mouth, cherry-red and... so juicy.But she was forbidden fruit.That was ten years ago. I was young and poor. I'm immeasurably rich now. She won't affect me like that anymore. I won't fall for her charms. Her safety must be my only concern... -
Strawberry Venom by J.L. Kenna
I am not a good man.My nine to five is spent with a blade in my hand. I hunt, intimidate, collect debts for my uncle’s Brotherhood, the Hooligans. I believe in consequences, an effect for the cause. Fate is folklore and love? An illusion.Until I met her. Little Red.Some call me Reaper, the Angel of Death. She calls me her wolf... -
Color Outside The Lines by M. Bonnet
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRhett Williams was the gorgeous, popular baseball player everyone fawned over. Most saw him as charming, but I knew what a monster he could be. He tormented me every day and made me hate everything about myself, my body most of all. Yet I fell for him anyway. One day, he went too far, breaking me beyond repair... -
Violent God by Sarah Bale
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA secret society so powerful, it can give you everything you desire. Imagine what it can take away…I’ve done my duty as the perfect daughter. Agreeing to marry a man I can’t stand. Slowly becoming someone I hate. I long for a knight to save me. Instead, I get the devil himself. They call him the Violent God. And now, I know why. He kills without question... -
Capturing Victory by Nikita Slater
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsTrapped, taken and caged by a cruel captor. Her solitary existence as a world class hacker changes in the blink of an eye when she's kidnapped by an international arms dealer. Everything she knows, everything she understands has shifted. Ivan Vogel insists that she is now his slave. He plays terrible mind games while torturing her senses. He keeps her locked up, away from all her toys...Categorized as:
alpha male cruel hero m-f from hate to love forced proximity possessive hero suspense multicultural -
Ruthless Saint by Jo Preston, J. Preston
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDanteI have a secret. One that waltzed back into my life, threatening to ruin everything I've built. She should have been dead.She should have stayed away.But she did neither of those things.Instead, she came back hoping for answers she shouldn't seek.And now I'm stuck, playing the role of her protector when I'm the nightmare everyone is afraid of.I saved her once, but I was just a kid then...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity age difference alpha male mafia dark mystery contemporary
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