Books like 'The Ritual'
Readers who enjoyed The Ritual by Shantel Tessier also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance cruel hero virgin heroine college possessive hero bdsm bondage alpha male consensual-non-con
-
Buttons and Beauty by Penelope Sky
I’m supposed to be his prisoner—but I’m the one that won’t let him leave. Every time he has a new hit, the separation in unbearable. I wait for him to come home on pins and needles. I paint alone in the bedroom, and now my artwork has changed. I used to paint homes and landscapes…but now I’ve painted a person. A man standing on the bank of a lake surrounded by snow...Categorized as:
suspense alpha male m-f vengeance from hate to love possessive hero spanking anal sex -
Scandalous Prince by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsA mafia romance about secrets and soulmates by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.The Woods are Lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go, before I sleep —Robert FrostI was born under fire and swore to protect her until my dying day, I just never knew that one day, I'd be the very monster I was protecting her from... -
Becoming Noah Baxter by J.M. Sevilla
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsJay and Lily complete each other in ways no one else ever could, teaching one another things about themselves they wouldn't have known otherwise, but is it enough? Can two people from entirely different worlds find a way to make it last? Even if their love is strong enough, they still have an obstacle standing in their way...Categorized as:
vengeance alpha male bad boys suspense new adult virgin heroine possessive hero cruel hero -
Defiant Queen by Jagger Cole
She can’t remember.I won’t forget.Two houses, both alike in indignity.In violence, bloodshed, and tragedy.But this rose by any other name would still be mine.Death couldn’t take her from me.Her running away won’t either.I pulled her from her darkness, and wrapped her in mine.Now I’ll turn the world to ash to find her.My sweetest torment, and cruelest obsession.My tale of woe...Categorized as:
suspense angst alpha male from hate to love sassy heroine cruel hero virgin heroine new adult -
-
Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBeckett 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
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... -
Empire of Ash by Jagger Cole
"Be careful what you wish for, little one..."A bit of advice: when you shoot for a king?Don't. Bloody. Miss.Empire of Ash is book 2 of a two-part duet which includes Burned Cinder and Empire of Ash. Both books will be released June 9th. The completed duet is a standalone story, with a HEA. This is a dark, twisted romance...Categorized as:
suspense super rich hero angst vengeance alpha male cruel hero arranged marriage from hate to love -
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 new adult cruel hero super rich hero alpha male forced proximity college bad boys -
Dirty Cillian by Harley Diamond
CROSSOVER UNIVERSE #2MY SAVIOR. MY SIN.With blood on my hands, I ran for seven years.Now the prodigal sister has returned to the city that never sleeps.New York.For once, this biker chick needed saving. Turns out my black knight’s a mobster.Dirty. Deadly. Irish.Cillian O’Connell’s not offering me a happily ever after. All he’s offering is sinful, no-strings sex... -
Unveiled by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsThe story of Livy and M's passionate love affair comes to a stunning conclusion in the final book in the One Night trilogy... -
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... -
Amos y mazmorras: Segunda parte by Lena Valenti
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsChegou a hora de encarar o tão aguardado torneio Dragões e Masmorras DS. Entregue-se aos combates. Liberte seus desejos. Na busca pela irmã desaparecida, a agente Cleo Connelly conseguiu se infiltrar no ultrassecreto torneio de práticas BDSM, o Dragões e Masmorras DS... -
It Breaks Me by Penelope Sky
Axel betrayed me.As hard as I tried to keep him out of my heart, he broke through it like shattered glass. Even though my father didn't approve and our relationship would always be a secret, I didn't care. He was worth it...until he wasn't.Six months have passed, and that's exactly how long it's taken me to get over what he's done. I never see him at my father's estate...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love m-f super rich hero new adult angst arranged marriage hurt-comfort -
Consumed by Truths by Ella Miles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEnzo is my heart. My soul. My breath. I never thought I could be so dark. Never knew love meant losing myself and getting reborn. The lies and truths have finally caught up with us. We may have stolen an empire, but we aren’t ready to give it up. It’s ours. He’s mine. And our love will find a way to the truth. Consumed by Truths is book 6 and the final book in Enzo and Kai's story... -
-
The Way We Are by Shandi Boyes
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSeven years in heaven awarded me seven years in hell. I’ve admired Savannah Fontane since I saw her whizzing down our street on her hot pink bike with rainbow tassels taped on the handlebars. I was in awe someone so small could ride without training wheels, I asked my mom to remove mine that same afternoon. Savannah drew a rainbow heart on my cast the very next day... -
Captive Bride: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI was supposed to get close to him…but Armani keeps his secrets closer. Everyone knows that Armani is the most dangerous Bellanti brother.No one knows what he’s capable of. I do know there is nothing he won’t do for his family. For months, I’ve interacted with the dark, broody man.The way he looks at me moves the earth under my feet.His touch makes my skin tingle.But I’ve had my own agenda... -
Resilient Queen by Amber Vant
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI never wanted this. Never asked for any of it. The corrupted, chaos of the past is playing catch-up with the present and nothing is as it seems. Everyone wants something. Me? All I want is the truth. I thought this was the end, but it turns out it’s only the beginning. The basis for a much darker twist of fate. Secrets are starting to unravel; relationships have grown fractured...Categorized as:
new adult cruel hero alpha male from hate to love angst bad boys suspense contemporary -
Adrenaline by A.L. Woods
Four years ago, I betrayed his trust.He retaliated by breaking my heart.Adam Ryan had secrets.The kind better off where they belonged.Buried.As an urban explorer, I’m not afraid of a little trouble.But when I venture to the one place Adam forbade me from, I get more than I bargained for.Him and his friends.Along with their threats.Their violence.And their lust.Adam might claim to still hate me... -
Blame It on the Shame: Part 3 by Ashley Jade
There's something lurking in all of us. Something we hide and shelter from those we love in order to protect them. A darkness we try to suppress because we're ashamed of who that makes us. Because that's the thing about Shame. It wounds us. It damages us. Or, for the few poor souls out there like me...it defines us. It's there—in the shadows, beneath the surface...just waiting...Categorized as:
suspense angst bad boys alpha male new adult forced proximity from hate to love hurt-comfort -
Savage Bratva King by Vivy Skys
I stole the Italian mafia princess days before her wedding to my enemy—an alliance crafted to destroy my Bratva.The plan was simple:Break her. Take her innocence.Send her back ruined, panting only for me.I locked her in my basement, fed on her defiance, and filled her with my seed until she sobbed my name like a prayer...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense m-f alpha male bad boys possessive hero abduction arranged marriage -
By Any Other Name by J.M. Darhower
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 47 ratingsA deadly rivalry. Two families at war. Nobody is safe, not even the innocent. Especially the innocent. Blood will be spilled. Genevieve "Genna" Galante knows a thing or two about causing trouble. After all, it's engrained in her DNA... -
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:
suspense new adult from hate to love cruel hero alpha male contemporary anthologies dark -
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:
suspense from hate to love bad boys alpha male forced proximity contemporary dark length-short -
The Villain by Nana Malone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGuess who's having the craziest week EVER?That would be me.Sunday: I get dumped by my boyfriend—right before a couple's bungee jump.Monday: My little sister informs me that she’s invited our evil, estranged mom to the wedding I’ve spent months helping her plan...Categorized as:
suspense new adult super rich hero vengeance from hate to love forced proximity multicultural dark -
-
Wonderland by Alta Hensley
I fall into an underground world of luxury and sin. There are threats everywhere. The only man who can save me is the most dangerous of all. WONDERLAND contains the complete trilogy including King of Spades, Queen of Hearts, and Ace of Diamonds. Step through the looking glass to the other side...Categorized as:
bdsm super rich hero forced proximity praise-kink from hate to love m-f anal sex spanking -
Midnight Poison by Penny Dee
He took me as collateral to ensure my ex -fiancé kept the deal they made. But since then Lev Zarkov has become so much more than the devil I thought he was. And now his baby is growing in my belly. I don’t want to leave him but after one devastating night blows up our life, I know I have my baby to think about.I tell myself that leaving is the right thing to do...Categorized as:
from hate to love alpha male strong heroine bad boys suspense arranged marriage breeding m-f -
Thorns of Malice by Maggie Cole
For ten years she’s been under my skin and out of my grasp.The last time I saw her, I decimated her and everything she valued.Not a day passes that I don’t crave one more dose of her.And Ivy Ford’s everything I remember.Beautiful. Graceful. Seemingly innocent.I wish that were the case.There’s only one reason she’s reinserted herself into my life.Revenge...Categorized as:
vengeance from hate to love cruel hero bdsm angst new adult super rich hero alpha male -
Bratva Lullaby by Penny Dee
I’m fake dating the boss of the Zarkov Bratva—what could possibly go wrong?Lev Zarkov is a real-life monster.No, correction, he’s actually the devil.Except, when I first meet him, he’s simply the mysterious, handsome man traveling next to me on a first class flight to New York...Categorized as:
from hate to love strong heroine arranged marriage breeding suspense super rich hero m-f bad boys -
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... -
Endless by W. Winters, Savannah Peachwood
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author W Winters comes an emotionally captivating and thrilling, romantic suspense. He holds a power over me like no one else ever could. Maybe it’s because my heart begs to beat in time with his. Maybe it’s because my body bows to his and his alone. Maybe it’s because he thought he loved me before he even laid eyes on me... -
A Debt So Ruthless by Vero Heath
At the stroke of midnight on my twentieth birthday, he comes in darkness and in blood. Elio Titone, heir to Toronto’s most brutal Cosa Nostra famiglia.Turns out my father is massively in debt to the Sicilian mafia. Elio has come for one thing and one thing only – to claim what he is owed.And what he’s owed is me.My captor is dangerous and demanding. Tortured, possessive, and wealthy beyond belief...Categorized as:
suspense virgin heroine abduction angst forced proximity bdsm spanking sassy heroine -
Mafia King by C.D. Reiss
Santino is my king. My lover. My husband.He’s the head of the Cavallo crime family and the moment he choked my vows from me, my life was bound to his.I’m done fighting my fate, until I hear two rumors, and I’m shaken to the core.One rumor about the past—that I wasn’t the first bride Santino took.Another about the future—a new bride is about to be taken... -
The Rocchetti Queen by Bree Porter
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsIn the shadow of a metropolis, there lives a dynasty that is tearing apart at the very seams...After the sudden brutal death that shook the Chicago Outfit to the core, the balance of the Rocchetti family has never been so unstable. Not only is each Rocchetti determined to gain more power for themselves, but their enemies are also gunning for the organisation... -
Nikola by Eva Winners
I was the dutiful daughter. Or, at least, that was what it looked like from the outside.Deep inside, I was suffocating. I longed for something I didn’t know how or where to find. But I kept my façade firmly in place while I searched for answers.Until one New Orleans’ night changed it all... -
-
Raw by Belle Aurora
Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am. Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street. Best decision I ever made. Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job. My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved... -
Bury Me with Lies by S.M. Soto
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsStuck between life and death, Mackenzie is hell-bent on proving her innocence, and getting revenge on the men who murdered her sister. With one series of unfortunate events after another, Mackenzie must outrun her own fate—death.When secrets unravel and lies become twisted betrayals, Mackenzie finds herself in more danger than she could’ve realized...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love vengeance super rich hero angst alpha male new adult dark -
Secrets of the Brother by Zoe Blake
We were not meant to be together… then a dark twist of fate stepped in, and we're the ones who will pay for it. As the eldest son and heir of the Cavalieri name, I inherit a great deal more than a billion dollar empire. I receive a legacy of secrets, lies, and scandal. After enduring a childhood filled with malicious rumors about my father, I have fallen prey to his very same sin...Categorized as:
suspense super rich hero vengeance from hate to love breeding spanking alpha male virgin heroine -
Tower by Measha Stone
When Azalea meets Peter Titon, she’s sure it was a one-time chance meeting. But when her over protective mother leaves for a work trip, and the men left behind to protect her fail- she’s taken by Peter in the dark of night with no explanation. Peter isn’t one to explain his motives, and taking Azalea is no exception. He takes what he wants...Categorized as:
suspense m-f spanking consensual-non-con praise-kink anal sex alpha male possessive hero -
Coveting the Mafia King's Sister by P. Rayne
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 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... -
In Shadows We Dance by Lee Ann, L. Ann
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA girl who hides in the shadows.A boy who collects secrets.One spilled drink that changes everything.Ileana Moreno has perfected the art of invisibility, slipping through life unnoticed and pouring her soul into ballet to escape the suffocating walls of her home... -
Convenient Mafia Vows by Vivy Skys
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTurns out, my fake-husband’s an Irish billionaire mafia boss—and the masked stranger I lost my v-card to.Now I’m pregnant, and his ex is out for blood. When Caleb Murray, the Harley-riding leader of the Irish mob saves my brother and offers me a job.I can’t believe my luck.But he wants me to sign a marriage contract and pretend to be his wife...Categorized as:
super rich hero suspense m-f arranged marriage forced proximity bad boys alpha male possessive hero -
Between Passion and Revenge Part One by Angel M. Shaw
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIn African legend, they were She, the calm. He, the storm.In the wealthy corners of modern-day Chicago, they’re two star-crossed lovers caught in a war of legacy, betrayal, and desire. I’ve always known who I am: Heir to a dynasty built on Black excellence, top of my class, and next in line to inherit a billion-dollar global empire...Categorized as:
forced proximity college suspense strong heroine alpha male new adult from hate to love dark -
Broken by His Hand by Piper Stone
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe will be mine, but first she must be broken.Sophia Russo tried to keep away from me, but just thinking about what I would do to her left her panties drenched. She tried to hide it, but I didn’t let her. I tore those soaked panties off, spanked her bare little bottom until she had no doubt who owned her, and then took her long and hard... -
Cuffed Love by S.J. Ransom
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPreviously written for an Anthology. Released from Anthology 7/21/2023 and has been rewritten and expanded.Othella-Why did I come home?Oh, right.My never-ending need to seek my Mother's love and approval.Surprise, surprise — she barely knows I'm alive.Then again, if it wasn't for her neglect, I wouldn't have met the local sheriff, Noah Vincent.God, he's annoying and pushy...Categorized as:
spanking forced proximity bondage new adult bdsm suspense vengeance from hate to love -
-
The Art of Obsession by Emily Shore
If you love something, you never set it free. You fight for it. And I'll fight for you.THE MUSEThe nude sketch was left on my pillow. A sketch of...me. I knew I had a stalker—someone watching my every move from the shadows. I never expected him...The world knows him as Acheron—a world-renowned, billionaire stage artist who always wears a mask. He’s claimed me as his muse... -
Reckless Promises by Eva Simmons
ODETTESold…One word seals my fate.I’m sold to the highest bidder to settle my father’s debts, and now I’m at the mercy of a mafia prince.Cillian is gorgeous. Heartless. Deadly.And I’m his revenge.There’s only one problem… Cillian isn’t the only one seeking vengeance. I’ve been chained and shackled long enough... -
Mafia Queen by C.D. Reiss
What doesn’t kill you makes you a killer. Santino DiLustro changed me. You can’t spend time in bed with the devil without getting addicted to the heat. Before him, I was a girl. Innocent and weak. Now, I’m a woman. A fighter. A killer. I’ll burn the world down for him. Shatter the sky. But I will not break. No... -
Born into Sin by Lucy Darling
Mona O’HaireI don't want to get married, but it's not like anyone has asked my opinion on it. I'm just an ornament for a powerful mob boss, nothing more. But I grab one night of freedom before my doom, and that night is the best of my life. It's where I meet him. And our first meeting is one I'll never forget...Categorized as:
super rich hero virgin heroine suspense new adult m-f pregnancy abduction forced proximity -
Toxic by Sam Crescent
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRosalie knew her father was part of an MC club, a vile disgusting group of men. To protect her mother, she has no choice but to marry a man her father has chosen.Colt doesn’t want to create peace. Satan’s Death Riders MC doesn't settle, they do not bow down, but for now, his father has told him to marry the daughter of his enemy. He personally vows to make her life miserable... -
The Bratva's Stolen Bride by Jagger Cole
Here comes the bride. My bride.She just doesn’t know it yet…I've carved my name into this world by taking what I want. Born into the streets and raised on brutality and violence, it was the Bratva that took me and made me a man.I decided years ago that there was no room for beauty or goodness in my life...Categorized as:
new adult alpha male m-f virgin heroine from hate to love spanking bondage abduction
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

