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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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 -
![Irresistible Attraction by W. Winters]()
Irresistible Attraction by W. Winters
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom 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 -
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![Scarred Souls: Raze & Reap by Tillie Cole]()
Scarred Souls: Raze & Reap by Tillie Cole
The first two books in the Scarred Souls series, in one volume! RAZEOne 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.. -
![Tales You Win by Bea Paige]()
Tales You Win by Bea Paige
An Academy of Stardom spin off Grim A nickname given to me by my father, the Ruler of Tales, an East End underground fight club.Tales you win. Heads you lose.And the fighters of Tales never lose.As a kid I’d believed my father was a real king, like the ones found in myths and fairytales I once loved to read. The men he ruled were his faithful soldiers sworn to protect the club, him, me... -
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![Nightshade: Sorrowsong University Book 1 by Autumn Woods]()
Nightshade: Sorrowsong University Book 1 by Autumn Woods
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 29 ratings*Book one of a duet*When Ophelia Winters accepts a scholarship at a prestigious Scottish university to prove that her parents' death was the fault of Cain Green, an American aviation tycoon, her plan is simple; keep her grades up and her head down. The last thing she wants is to wind up in a mafia war or step on the toes of royalty... -
![Tempt Me: A Dark Billionaire Mafia Romance by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray]()
Tempt Me: A Dark Billionaire Mafia Romance 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... -
![Hard Truths by Rebecca Royce]()
Hard Truths by Rebecca Royce
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI’m Everly Marrs, and I’ll be damned before I lose myself to the men that kidnapped me. I had plans, big plans. I had my pretty little life outlined: Graduate school and get a job in social work—maybe even one day marry a nice man who actually knew what he was doing in bed. But everything changed when I woke up in a strange place with five men who insisted I call them D, W, J, K, and T... -
![Pretty Little Island by Rhea Ryan]()
Pretty Little Island by Rhea Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTorn between two lovers on a pretty but deadly island, London King must survive the ravages of the wilderness and a battle for her heart.My first day at New Ocean Prep was supposed to be a fresh start. A chance to return to my hometown—leaving my ruined life behind me. My goal is simple. Keep my grades up, my head down, and focus on securing my spot in a top journalism program... -
![King of Ruin by Lee Jacquot]()
King of Ruin by Lee Jacquot
𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓It's the most fragile concept ever created. Built over time. Shown through actions. Tested with loyalty. And broken when hit with the smallest pebble.My family trusted him. 𝘐 trusted him, despite something deep in my core knowing he would be my downfall.𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙.Now, I'm at his mercy...Categorized as:
new adult mafia from hate to love forced proximity dark contemporary fantasy vengeance -
![Iblis’ Affliction by Nero Seal]()
Iblis’ Affliction by Nero Seal
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 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... -
![Beyond Time by Lee McCormick]()
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?SETHI 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... -
![Wicked Deceit by Aly Beck]()
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... -
![Fractured by R. Phillips]()
Fractured by R. Phillips
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 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 -
![Oaths and Omissions by Sav R. Miller]()
Oaths and Omissions by Sav R. Miller
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsLenny Primrose is a puppet.A temptress sent to make my life bloody miserable.Adored by the public and used for her father’s benefit.Every man wants her, and every woman wants to be her.She’s good for my reputation.That’s the only reason I agree to the little devil’s proposal.I’m game.Willing to play pretend to get what I want.Until what I want is her.Now, there are no rules...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity new adult dark fantasy age difference contemporary -
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![Beautiful Lies: A Dark Secret Society Romance (Breaking Belles) by Alta Hensley, Stasia Black]()
Beautiful Lies: A Dark Secret Society Romance (Breaking Belles) by Alta Hensley, Stasia Black
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTwenty Beautiful Lies stand before me.I can feel one’s hatred from across the ballroom.She loathes me and all that I stand for... that’s why she will be my choice, my belle of the ball.Born into a secret society that strangles the life out of me, I have no choice but to face my demons head on.Inheritance isn’t about money or land, it’s much more twisted than that...A sinful birthright... -
![Redlined by Cala Riley]()
Redlined by Cala Riley
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRoxanneRacing 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 -
![Twisted Circles by Claire Contreras]()
Twisted Circles by Claire Contreras
Rated: 3.98 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsWhen someone tells you who you are, do you believe them? The first question the cops asked me was if anything out of the ordinary happened to me lately. When I woke up this morning in the room of a mental institution I couldn’t remember a thing – not my name nor how I got there. Not how I left or how I ended up in that interrogation room. The only thing I knew came from the contents inside my bag... -
![Savage Soul by Ella Jade]()
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... -
![Traces of Her by C.M. Radcliff]()
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... -
![Reclaim by Jenna Daring, Belle Harper]()
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]()
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... -
![Bedding Rose by Ann Denton]()
Bedding Rose by Ann Denton
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAngeloRose makes me blind with lust, but also with fury.She’s going to give me what I want, even if I have to blackmail her to get it.She can hate me ‘til her dying day, but I will not let this secret of hers stand.I’m going to find out who hurt her … and show them they can’t touch what’s mine.RoseHe’s crossed a line that we can’t come back from.Threatening to ruin my family is unforgivable... -
![Hades & Persephone by Amelia Wilde]()
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 super rich hero contemporary suspense dark virgin heroine -
![Beauty and the Villain by V.F. Mason]()
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 dark contemporary suspense age difference alpha male -
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![The Capo's Boy by Aja Foxx]()
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... -
![Brutal Prince: Bonus Scene by Sophie Lark]()
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 -
![Only Happy When It Rains by Selena .]()
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... -
![Savage Impulses by Michelle Hercules]()
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]()
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. Includes Vicarious and Vengeance... -
![Poisoned Throne by Nikita.]()
Poisoned Throne by Nikita.
Like many little girls, I too used to dream of fairytales.Until that illusion was shattered, and I saw firsthand just how cruel life could be.Now I just wished my nightmare would end.The life I knew ceased to exist as I suffered at the hands of my stepmother, who hated me... -
![Love After Never: A Steamy, Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance: Empire Bay Book 1 by Melanie Kingsley]()
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... -
![The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins]()
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives. EVERY DAY THE SAME Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck... -
![Love After Never by Melanie Kingsley]()
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]()
Broken Beauty by Jaclin Marie
Rated: 3.38 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAshI 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.AriellaIf 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 -
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![Surrender by Sam Mariano, Laura Lovett]()
Surrender by Sam Mariano, Laura Lovett
SOPHIE: I knew better than to go to that party. I would have been much happier curled up at home eating Halloween candy by myself, but I had Mom’s voice in my head telling me to make an effort now that I was in college, to put myself out there and socialize. If I’d stayed home, I wouldn’t have met him. SILVAN: Men have always committed atrocities chasing after their desires...Categorized as:
forced proximity college new adult mafia angst cruel hero from hate to love super rich hero -
![All He'll Ever Be by W. Winters]()
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... -
![Skin of the Night by C.K. Bennett]()
Skin of the Night by C.K. Bennett
Rated: 3.40 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsThe 2nd edition, published in September 2022, contains significant changes to the story and differs markedly from the earlier version of the book.As a top law student in London, Cara's main priority is her career. Anything that can get in the way of that, she avoids as though it were a plague – especially romance...
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