Books like 'The Beginning Of Us'
Readers who enjoyed The Beginning Of Us by Lylah James also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance fantasy love triangle mafia new adult cruel hero forced proximity friends to lovers college
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Threaded Lies by K. Bromberg
The heated follow-up to Twisted Knight and the second book in New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg's Tangled Hearts series. A dark and sexy romance of revenge, betrayal… and falling in love with the enemy. Holden. I let my guard down. And got screwed over by a woman without even knowing why. But it won’t happen again. Because the only thing I care about is burning this whole place down... -
Eat Your Heart Out by Eden O'Neill
Cold. Cruel. Coward. Ares “Wolf” Mallick ripped my heart out. He ground it into mush and didn’t even grant me the courtesy of a goodbye. He just left me. He left and said our relationship, fake or otherwise, meant nothing to him. I made a mistake last semester, and it had nothing to do with our phony arrangement. I let him hurt me, and I refuse to make that mistake again...Categorized as:
new adult cruel hero from hate to love college forced proximity angst contemporary suspense -
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Made in Malice by Albany Walker
She thinks we’re devils. I know we are. Feared and revered, we’ve earned our place to shepherd the sheep. Harbor the secrets until she comes along and threatens our foundation. We could ruin her or use her. Either way, she’s ours, whether she knows it or not, even if it's forbidden... -
Scarred Souls: Raze & Reap by Tillie Cole
The first two books in the Scarred Souls series, in one volume! RAZE. One man stripped of his freedom, his morals. .. his life. Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge. . -
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Irresistible Attraction by W. Winters
From USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes the complete heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense trilogy, Irresistible Attraction. Sometimes you meet someone, maybe meet isn’t the right word. You don’t even have say hello for this to happen. You simply pass by them and everything in your world changes forever...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love mafia contemporary bdsm dual-pov age difference bad boys -
Tempt Me by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLove is a weakness for a man like me…. Two years ago my enemies murdered my wife. They took away the mother of my newborn son. That’s how I became the beast…. A merciless, heartless, soulless creature. That’s why I made the deal with Ava:. Take her to repay her father’s debt…. I couldn’t resist. Not when I saw she feared me as much as she wanted me. I wanted the beauty, a woman nearly half my age... -
Threaded Lies by K. Bromberg
The heated follow-up to Twisted Knight and the second book in New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg's Tangled Hearts series. A dark and sexy romance of revenge, betrayal… and falling in love with the enemy. Holden. I let my guard down. And got screwed over by a woman without even knowing why. But it won’t happen again. Because the only thing I care about is burning this whole place down...Categorized as:
love triangle new adult from hate to love other-man-woman contemporary fantasy dark suspense -
Into Temptation by Pam Godwin
Three heart-pounding dark romance thrillers from New York Times bestselling author, Pam Unshackle, Dominate, and Complicate. "If you love something, let it go. If it doesn't kill you, hunt it down and take it. ". Cole Hartman is a mystery. He works alone, sleeps alone, and satisfies his aches. .. alone. He hasn't touched a woman in seven years... -
Six by Evie Rae, Poppy Flynn
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsA Dark 'Why Choose' Romance Inspired by "Peter Pan & The Lost Boys". First there were Five. Now they are Six. Beck. The sun has dawned on a new day and after a grim fight with a notorious serial child killer, the future looks bright. Even for me. But not everything is as it seems. The man killed in that brutal struggle? He’s not the man I remember as my kidnapper...Categorized as:
angst from hate to love cliffhanger contemporary dark mystery spanking reverse harem -
Beyond Time by Lee McCormick
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHow many times will we kill each other? How many times can we fall in love? SETH. I always thought my world would begin and end with Jayce Walker. When a sleep study offers us life-changing money, we jump at the opportunity. There’s only one I don’t have insomnia. Bluffing my way in is easy, but getting there and losing everything that’s ever mattered is a nightmare I can’t escape. Jayce is gone... -
Pearl Boy by Inking
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsDooshik is in a bind. After making off with the takings from the gay bar where he worked, he seeks refuge in a small, coastal town. As his funds dwindle, he desperately needs a way to make ends meet. Still, a boy’s gotta eat! So he dives into a clam house to satisfy his cravings. But with no money to pay, he dashes off leaving Jooha, the server, to foot the bill... -
Vicious Secret: A Dark Romance by Morgan Bridges
A woman fights her dangerous attraction to the sexy assassin stalking her across campus, but he’s the only man who can save her from the secret society he serves. The moment she pulls a knife on him, Delilah becomes Xavier Donovan’s obsession...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia college forced proximity new adult dark fantasy contemporary -
Vicious Secret: A Dark Romance by Morgan Bridges
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsMors solum initium. Death is only the beginning. The. The Obsidian Order only cares about three secrecy, loyalty, and power. Every man born to the founding families is bred for this purpose, to serve the society and its objectives. As a result, we are the elite. Untouchable. Unbreakable. If we make it through the Trials. I will, as long as my obsession doesn’t get the best of me. This girl…...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia college forced proximity new adult dark fantasy contemporary -
Fractured by R. Phillips
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratings"All of it existing somewhere in between everything. ". What is a life? A collection of memories? A series of glorious highs and heartrending lows? Is it a purpose, cumulative or singular? Or is it something more? Something beyond what is tangible or immaterial? Something beyond even what is found within us...Categorized as:
love triangle new adult other-man-woman dark contemporary fantasy mystery length-long -
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Redlined by Cala Riley
Roxanne. Racing and Ross are the only two things I thought I could ever count on. That is, until one of them sends me far away, making me lose the other. Now, stuck with a cousin I’m not sure even wants me here trying to pick up the scattered pieces of my life, all I want to do is find my own way...Categorized as:
from hate to love angst love triangle new adult other-man-woman sports contemporary dark -
Once a Myth by Pepper Winters
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHe bought her. He trapped her. She belongs to him. Eleanor Grace is a naïve dreamer. Trusting and young, she believes her travel-loving boyfriend can save her when her freedom is snatched and sold. Squirrelled away to an island at dawn, delivered to a man even darkness won’t touch, she’s bound by a contract. Sullivan Sinclair is the giver of fantasies...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia angst new adult forced proximity cruel hero dark contemporary -
약탈혼 3 [Yagtalhon 3] by Saha, 사하
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 5 ratings결혼식을 앞두고 유서를 작성했다. 첫날밤을 치른 후 죽어버릴 것이기 때문이었다. 평생 나라를 위해, 그리고 왕실을 위해 헌신한 왕녀의 비참한 최후였다. 목숨을 내버리기 전에, 레아는 왕실을 향한 마지막 복수를 계획했다. 순결하지 못한 새신부가 되는 것이었다. “왜 첫 경험을 내다버렸지? 도망치고 싶진 않나? ”. “나는…… 죽고 싶어. ”. 하룻밤 상대이기에 충동적으로 털어놓은 말이었다. 그렇게 끝날 인연이라고 생각했다. 전혀 생각지도 못한 곳에서 다시 만나기 전까지는. 그는 질서정연하던 일상을 침식해나갔다. 위험한 관계임을 알면서도, 레아는 그를 거부할 수 없었다. 도대체 저 남자는 무슨 생각을 하고 있는 것일까. “기억 안 나? ”. 남자는 사납게 웃으며 말했다. “내가 네 인생 망쳐주겠다고 했잖아...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity fantasy dark suspense pregnancy contemporary bad boys -
Iblis’ Affliction by Nero Seal
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIblīs (Arabic إبليس)—the primary devil in Islam. “If you sleep with the Devil, don’t expect to get out of hell. ”. DEMANDING. NEEDY. DANGEROUS. Slater is everything Talha doesn’t want but everything the crime lord needs. The bloodiest ripper of Anatolia, nicknamed Iblīs, kills for him and warms his bed... -
Mirage by C.M. Radcliff
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsReleasing as part of the 2019 Sinister Fairy Tales Collection! Painted in gold, Jaslyn was born into a life of luxury with the world at her feet. After the death of her father, his empire became hers and the princess became a queen. Painted in gold, Jaslyn was born into a life of luxury with the world at her feet. Her fortune was sought after and deception and deceit had a ring around her finger... -
Devious Deals by Sarah Bale
He’s Devious. Kieran Van der Zee. The one man I shouldn’t trust. He runs the city, dealing in sex, secrets, and pain. Whatever it takes to get what he wants. He’s my only hope. So I make a deal with the devil. It seems simple. Just say yes and sign away my life. But my heart is on the line and I’m not sure I can win this game. She’s Desperate. Ari Triton can get me what I want... -
Therefore by Katherine Isaac
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsIt was supposed to be a simple job. Get in. Grab the goods. Get out. Easy, right? Not if you're caught by an alpha. Trystan is all sharp smiles and sharper instincts—an omega thief who’s never once been caught. Until now. Emerson is everything Trystan hates in an alpha: big, bossy, and built like a problem. Unfortunately, he’s also the one standing between Trystan and freedom...Categorized as:
forced proximity mafia from hate to love omegaverse m-m contemporary fated-mates dark -
Savage Soul by Ella Jade
Rated: 4.01 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI failed the woman I swore to protect, and now my enemies are after her. Jude I live by a code. I don’t tolerate lies, betrayals, or secrets. I seldom give second chances. When Emmie withheld the truth from me, I acted on instinct before I gave her a chance to explain. My actions put her in danger, and now it’s my responsibility to save her... -
Wicked Deceit by Aly Beck
My enemy is The Apocalypse Society: Three brothers, a hidden agenda, distorted masks, and minions who do their dirty work. They tried to kill the rabbit. They injured two of the men I love. They thought they could cut me down. Not only my life, but the lives of my four men, are now in danger. Time is running out. The rabbit is almost in their trap. The next time they may succeed in killing me... -
Traces of Her by C.M. Radcliff
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI am a ghost,. a captive stripped of my own identity. I’ve lived in solitude in the depths of hell until the devil appeared, pulling me out of the darkness and shoving me into the arms of my new prison. But sometimes a prison becomes a home. And sometimes that home is within the heart of a man. I have a debt to pay and my brother’s collecting. He makes the messes and I deal with the aftermath... -
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Reclaim by Jenna Daring, Belle Harper
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsI’m being forced to marry a monster—a man who kills not only because he has to, but because he enjoys the hunt. No one can save me—not even my best friend, Emilio. What’s a girl to do but run away? Only when I try, my bodyguard finds me and returns me home. Even Arrow can’t help... -
Zhànshì by Anna Edwards
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 7 ratings“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”. -- Sun Tzu, The Art of War. Lia has known she was different since the age of five when her father taught her the skills of her ancestors. His stories of heroic exploits have fueled her fantasies for years... -
The Swan Princess by Natasha Knight
At a glamorous masquerade ball in an opulent mansion the elite gather to celebrate the introduction of one of their own to society. But the guests of this party aren’t all knights in shining armor. And tonight, Lucia DeMarco and Salvatore Benedetti will meet in a chance encounter one year before the contract that makes her his is to be fulfilled... -
Beauty and the Villain by V.F. Mason
Rated: 3.84 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOnce upon a time I had it all. I thrived in all the power and luxury this world had to offer. Until I found out the hideous truth. When a man I considered a friend betrayed me in the worst possible way. The scars on my body burned anew every single day as I only craved one thing. Revenge. And to execute it I had to strike him where it would hurt the most. His family...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love new adult cliffhanger dark contemporary suspense age difference -
It Starts with Us: Special Collector's Edition: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching” (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us. Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult love triangle angst other-man-woman contemporary abuse dual-pov -
Only Happy When It Rains by Selena .
Snubbed. Jilted. Exiled. Being left at the altar would have been better. Instead, I'm sent away to a secluded spot where I can't disturb the happy couple--on my honeymoon without a bride. Left to lick my wounds and recover from the ultimate betrayal, I do what I do best. No, not admit defeat. Not recover my dignity like I'm unaffected. Plot revenge... -
We Are the Match by Mary E. Roach
In this glittering, sapphic reimagining of Helen of Troy set in modern day mobster Greece, Helen is the daughter of a powerful crime lord on Paris is the woman hellbent on destroying her—if they don’t fall for each other first... -
Savage Impulses by Michelle Hercules
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsEveryone knows to stay away from the heirs of Olympus Bay. They rule the city through savagery and blood like the heartless assholes they are. A streak of bad luck puts me on the path of the most ruthless of them all. Hades. The black sheep of the family, his reputation for debauchery and violence precedes him. No wonder he’s the king of Olympus U... -
A Tale of Vengeance: Part 1: A Dark, Mafia, Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Vengeance Compilations) by Michaela Jackson
Rated: 3.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRevenge is a dish best served cold. And this one has been chilling for a while. But she’s hiding something. A better man would just trust her. I’m not a better man. I’ve let her go twice. Once by choice. Once by force. I won’t let her go again. Vengeance will be mine. With her as my queen. No one will stop it. Not even her. This is parts 4-5 of a 5 part dark romance series... -
The Capo's Boy by Aja Foxx
Rated: 3.76 of 5 stars · 18 ratings~ Nicky ~. I never intended to be a mobster's secret lover, but somehow I found myself in that position. It's been two years now and I can't say I hate it. It only becomes a problem when Vinnie's family tries to marry him off to someone else. I may be his little secret, but I refuse to be his side-piece... -
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Brutal Prince: Bonus Scene by Sophie Lark
Aida and Callum go to a Halloween event.Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love new adult dark age difference contemporary arranged marriage fantasy -
Hades & Persephone by Amelia Wilde
He wants her submission. She demands his secrets. Hades has acres of diamonds and precious little patience for a world that has stolen his compassion. So, when lifegiving medication is withheld from him, Hades steals something more valuable—the daughter of his enemy—and holds her for ransom. The night Persephone left home, she had just one thing on her freedom...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love mafia cruel hero super rich hero contemporary suspense dark -
Love After Never: A Steamy, Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance: Empire Bay Book 1 by Melanie Kingsley
Rated: 3.56 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsEven the blackest souls need love… Seedy underbellies and dark depravities don’t scare me. I’ve seen the worst and survived. I’ve never seen a man like him before. Gabriel Blackwell, the raven-haired demon of the underworld. He’s the sickest bastard of them all. He might also be a murder suspect. If I’m going to do this job and see him behind bars, then I need to use my wits... -
Hearts by Kyra Irene
Rated: 3.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBlamed for the deaths of her ex-fiancés, Rosalie Clarke has a reputation as the Outfit’s very own. black widow. But in a world where powerful men gamble with lives, Rosalie can’t tell if she’s. cursed or if her exes’ blood is on someone else’s hands. Max has always been there, a brooding, protective constant in Rosalie’s life. He’s her father’s...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love new adult other-man-woman fantasy dark betrayal contemporary -
Entangled by Vera Kane
Rated: 3.47 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI’ve lived the last several years of my life under the control of my step-mother. Every decision taken away from me, completely suffocating me. At eighteen, she sold me off to the highest bidder and traded one gilded cage for another. I’ve never been anything but a dollar sign to her. Until two years later Kade Luchetti kidnapped me from my tower, making me yet another dictator’s rag doll...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity new adult contemporary fantasy dark length-short -
Love After Never by Melanie Kingsley
Rated: 3.39 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEven the blackest souls need love… Seedy underbellies and dark depravities don’t scare me. I’ve seen the worst and survived. I’ve never seen a man like him before. Gabriel Blackwell, the raven-haired demon of the underworld. He’s the sickest bastard of them all. He might also be a murder suspect. If I’m going to do this job and see him behind bars, then I need to use my wits... -
Broken Beauty by Jaclin Marie
Rated: 3.20 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAsh. I hated her. I thought I liked this. This summer seemed like such a blissful memory but god when I found out who she was I swear I saw red. Then I decided that I’m going to fucking ruin her. Ariella. If I knew what his last name was I swear I never would have spoken to him. I never would have spent my summer with Ash Jones...Categorized as:
from hate to love cruel hero dark contemporary age difference forbidden love dual-pov fantasy -
All He'll Ever Be by W. Winters
A USA Today bestselling, gripping and heart-wrenching romantic suspense. I get why Beauty fell in love with the Beast, but it doesn’t change who Carter is. There’s no magical rose or kiss that will turn him into a prince. All Carter Cross will ever be is a beast. A cold-hearted and ruthless, mafia king, trapped in a castle of his own making. I’m the daughter of his enemy and his new possession...
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