Books like 'Playing the Enemy'
Readers who enjoyed Playing the Enemy by M.E. Clayton also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult dark romance new adult college
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Elicit by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsCursed, numb, rejected, scorned, wicked, sinister, dark, twisted...my name is Tex Campisi and this is my legacy. I killed my father in cold blood and lost my soul right along with him. I crave war more than peace, and I'm about to take my place in history as the youngest Capo dei Capi in the Cosa Nostra...that is until someone stops me, saves me from myself... -
Almost Broken by Portia Moore
Lauren Brooks fell in love with Cal Scott at 21, married him at 22 and had her heart broken at 23 when he walked out of their marriage. At 25, though raising his daughter on her own, Lauren was finally moving on with her life. Until, she learned the reason for Cal's abandonment, the walls she’d carefully built around her collapsed. -
The Complete Twisted Series Set by Ana Huang
Twisted LoveAlex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest. A crack. A melt... -
Always Crew by Tijan
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFor the longest time, I was Bren Monroe.I lived in Roussou, California.I had no parents, no brother, but I had a crew.Then things started to change.I never planned for any of it.I didn’t think I’d fall in love.I didn’t think I’d have a relationship with my brother again.I didn’t think that he’d come back.Now I’m in Cain.My crew is in college.They’re growing, going through their own things... -
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Logan Kade by Tijan
People think that just because they know my name, my reputation, and my family that they know me. They don't.They say I’m a manwhore, but who wouldn’t be with my face and body? They say I’m a partier, and that's not going to change. They say I'm a fighter, and hell yes I am. F*ck with mine, and I’ll f*ck you back ten times worse.So, yes. Maybe what they say is true, but that’s not all of me... -
Sinful Knight by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you a new dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world. The night we met, she left behind a lot more than just her shoes on my bedroom floor. She left an impression. A lasting memory burned into my brain. It teases me… tortures me. Months have passed since that night... -
Corrupt Princess by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next instalment of her forbidden dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world.I learned from a very young age that the only person I could count on was myself.For years I’ve been content with meaningless one-night stands and zero promises for tomorrow...Categorized as:
new adult college contemporary young adult bad boys high-school from hate to love mafia -
Corrupt Union by Tracy Lorraine
I found everything I didn’t know I needed. Accepted forgiveness I didn’t deserve.She fought for us. Killed for us. She was one of us. And there was no way I was letting her go… again. But I’m not the only one with wicked intentions for my siren. With her missing, we turn our blame to an obvious enemy. But our path of destruction could be leading us right into another trap... -
What's Left of Me by Amanda Maxlyn
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsLife works in mysterious ways. Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer. I refuse to cry. And I refuse to give in. A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile. But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him... -
Heart of Marley by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTo the moon and back… From the stars to the ocean… That was Marley and Cameron Bowen’s secret code. Twins born just five minutes apart, they have the perfect life… Until tragedy strikes just weeks after their eighth birthday and their father is killed by a drunk driver... -
Ten Below Zero by Whitney Barbetti
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 38 ratings“In here,” he said, pushing on the skin above my heart, “you're ten below zero. And you’re closer to death than I am.” My name is Parker. My body is marked with scars from an attack I don’t remember. I don’t want to remember. I choose to live my life by observation, not through experience. While people are laughing and kissing and connecting, I’m in the corner. Watching them live... -
Broken Legacy by Jaymin Eve, Tate James
They're my boys now - the four heirs of Delta. Together we’re a team ... a family. Five broken, brutal, possibly sociopathic people, and we are all that stands between the world and the powerful, corrupt Delta corporation. We have no idea what we’re doing, but somehow we are determined to stop them. Permanently. We just need leverage ... irrefutable evidence of their corruption... -
Enforce by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsThere’s two sides to every story… And ours? Isn’t pretty… Then again, what’s pretty about the mafia? Trace Rooks, that’s what. But she only wants one of us, and I’ll kill him before I let him have her. The only problem ? We’re cousins . And she may just be our long lost enemy. Whoever said college was hard, clearly didn’t attend Eagle Elite University... -
The Havoc We Wreak by Becca Steele
The final part of Caiden and Winter's story...Secrets and lies are being revealed. Loyalties are being tested, and betrayal cuts deep.My mother needs to be stopped, but at what cost? At the end, who will be left standing? And...WhoWillFall…Eeny, meeny, miny, mo.You underestimated the Four and Snow.You thought you were on a winning streak... -
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Drowning in Stars by Debra Anastasia
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 31 ratings… he walked a tightrope five stories up just to hold my hand.Gaze: I moved into the building next to Pixie when I was eleven. She blew bubbles through my window. I shot my Nerf gun through hers. We both had secrets, but one of us was fated to get hurt. I wanted it to be me.Pixie: When I was afraid of the dark, he would shine a light in my window... -
The Retaliation You Deliver by Tracy Lorraine
When something seems too good to be true. It’s usually because it is.A lesson I learned the hard way.Every single fear I had about falling for Leon, has just come true in the most brutal way.The sweet guy act he’s been putting on the past few weeks is over.The cold, hard truth is... he never wanted me. He only wanted retaliation.And like a fool, I played right into his wicked scheme... -
Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsHow do you keep going when you feel like your life is over? Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to. Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie...Categorized as:
college new adult young adult contemporary tortured hero second chances abuse bad boys -
The Resolution of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThings are well for Callie and Kayden. They’re still dealing with their past and the pain connected to it, but for the most part they’ve moved on. The biggest decision they have at the moment is what they want to do with their lives in the future. Eventually, though, the past catches up with them and they’re left facing tough choices... -
Reckless Dynasty by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world.My life has been full of half-truths tangled in lies—I’d been to hell and back more times than I could count... -
Shame by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsEverything done in darkness, will eventually be brought into the light. I ran, but all it did was keep me one step ahead of my past. I tried to start over; new name, new identity. But you can't change your soul. A fresh start at college was just what I needed. For a while, it worked. I was the party girl, the one that seemed confident, but it was a lie. When guys kissed me--I felt only pain... -
FALL by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsFrom NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author Cora Brent comes a new epic crossover novel. Jenny... I was a lost girl, a child bride. Now, to most people I appear to be just an average college student. They would never guess my strange history. But secretly I'm still held down by my past. I cannot bring myself to trust men... -
The Arrangement 15: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsIt's hard to trust anyone anymore. Everyone is suspect. And I have no reprieve, no rest. I can't sleep after all I've been through. Sean is slipping away, receding back into the monster he was. Alone, I'm being smothered by death's cold shroud. Too many people have died -- this ends tonight. If it kills me, so be it. Genre: New Adult RomanceThis story unfolds over multiple volumes approx... -
Before I Break by Portia Moore
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsOut of the past six years of my life, I only remember about half of it. After a dozen doctors and thousands in medical bills, I was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder--one that causes me to lose track of time. Sometimes it’s hours, days or even weeks with no recollection of anything. The good thing is it's been almost two years since I had my last ‘black out’...Categorized as:
new adult young adult contemporary mystery love triangle suspense dark other-man-woman -
Kick, Push by Jay McLean
There’s a single defining moment within every skater. It lasts only a second. Two if you're good. Three if you’re really good. It’s the moment you’re in the air, your board somewhere beneath you, and nothing but wind surrounds you. It’s the feeling of being airborne. The sixteen-year-old version of me would’ve said it was the greatest feeling in the world... -
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Revenge by J.L. Weil
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWelcome back to Elmwood Academy. The conclusion begins. And the drama continues. The Elite of Elmwood Academy have twisted up my world, but they are mine now. My family. My vengeance. My only way out of hell. Four guys who have become more than just a pain in my ass. And they all want the same thing as me. Revenge... -
Brutal Precious by Sara Wolf
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 37 ratingsLife meets death. The end meets the beginning. Eighteen-year-old Isis Blake hasn’t fallen in love in three years, forty-three weeks, and two days. Or so she thinks. The boy she maybe-sort-of-definitely loved has dropped off the face of the planet after his girlfriend's death, leaving a Jack-shaped hole... -
The Probability of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Luke Price and Violet Hayes haven’t seen each other in a couple of months, not since they discovered Luke’s mother’s connection to Violet’s parent’s murders. But when Luke gets into some gambling trouble with the wrong people, destiny decides to throw the two of them together and they head out to Vegas to try and settle Luke’s debt... -
Tame by Coralee June, Raven Kennedy
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’ve got a secret I’ve got bruises no one can see and the devil’s blood running through my veins. If I want to end my father’s reign, I’ve got to help Rocco Nomar with his daughter. She’s broken, jaded. A sad, pretty little thing with a big heart and eyes that make me feel like I’m drowning. She’s not swayed by the social politics of Savannah, but she has my heart doing double takes... -
Naked or Dead by A.E. Murphy
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSmall town, small-minded people, small expectations, and big A-holes.Lilith Deville is the new enigma at Lakeside Preparatory Academy, a prestigious high school by a river and not a lake, which makes sense, not. Already she hates it despite its beautiful landscape... -
In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsBefore you knew him as Trent in Ten Tiny Breaths , he was Cole Reynolds—and he had it all. Until one night when he makes a fatal, wrong decision…and loses everything. When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy... -
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsToday is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet... -
A Whole New Crowd by Tijan
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsTaryn grew up in a different world. Her boyfriend was a criminal. His older brother was part of a gang. They weren’t great people, but they were her family. Then everything changes when she’s adopted by a family in the neighboring town. New family. New friends. A new world. She’s elated...Categorized as:
college new adult contemporary young adult mystery strong heroine suspense alpha male -
The Devastation You Reap by Tracy Lorraine
He never wanted me. He only wanted retaliation. But I’m not the monster he thinks I am... -
Crank by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMy name is Quinn Renshaw, and my father is the VP of the Savage Falls Sinners MC.But I refuse to be a club princess.I want more from life. I want to graduate and go to college and spread my wings. I want a life beyond Savage Falls and club life.Until him.Killian Crankton, VP of the Red Ridge Reapers.He looks at me and I feel things. Things I don’t want to feel. Dangerous, deadly things... -
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Sinning Like Hell by Trilina Pucci
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsUSA TODAY bestselling author, Trilina Pucci brings you the finale of Sutton and Calder’s heart wrenching love story. We’ll never run away.There won’t be stars or a blue sky filled with heaven staring down on us.All we have is death and destruction.A life sentence, forced to survive within the absence of our love.Until five years later... -
The End Game by Kate McCarthy
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 31 ratings“Professional athletes are pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively represents their community.” The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that better than I do... -
Without you by Ashlyn Montgomery
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsAubrey Wilson has the heart of an angel. As the type of person to always trust in others, she's admirable to peers.A total darling, but with a sadness that encases her heart.Anyone could shrink down in fright at the receiving end of Luke Taylor's infamous glare. Tall, muscular, dark-haired, and handsome, he's no stranger on or off the field. Not a kind stranger either...Categorized as:
new adult sports young adult contemporary high-school grumpy sunshine from hate to love dark -
Wet by Cambria Hebert
Making decisions I regret is basically a hobby.So I guess it really wasn’t that surprising when I went out on a date with an Elite.And then he tried to assault me.I might be small, but I’m not meek. I fought him off… then went straight to the dean.He didn’t believe me. No one does.And now my date from hell is in revenge mode, and I somehow end up in the campus pool...Categorized as:
college new adult sports insta-love contemporary alpha male height-difference suspense -
Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 4 by Asuka Konishi
SOME THINGS YOU DO FOR MONEY, SOME YOU DO FOR LOVELove can make you do some crazy things. For Kirishima, they're all for Yoshino, even an affair with an idol arranged by a spoiled rich kid for blackmail purposes. He's a tiger who has managed to trap the hunters in the cage with him... -
Unlit Star by Lindy Zart
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsWe are not guaranteed anything, not even this life. Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different. He falls far and he falls hard. Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life's ironies... -
Half Truths by Claire Contreras
You’ve heard of these groups – the secretive ones that only the crème de la crème are invited into, the ones outsiders speculate about for centuries – I’m the second in my family invited to attend, but to them, I’m fresh meat. New blood. New money, too. They think they’ll elbow past me, that I’m here for their amusement, for them to walk all over, they’ll find out soon enough that I’m not... -
Salvation and Secrets by L A Cotton
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsChastity Falls was supposed to be Ana Parry’s fresh start. But what started as her salvation soon became her undoing. Four months after losing the very thing that gave her reason again, Ana is back at Chastity Falls. Holding on by a thread and trying hard to forget about Jackson isn’t easy when she’s determined to uncover the Donohue’s biggest secrets... -
Law of Attraction by Raeesah Ambarker
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsNyx just can't seem to escape her eternal night, the very darkness she was named after. Angry at the world, her hatred is ravenous for none other than Beckham Hunt, captain of the ice hockey team. Beckham loathes Nyx Taylor, that much he is certain of...Categorized as:
new adult college contemporary sports friends to lovers young adult from hate to love dark -
Unchained: The Dorms by J.L. Weil
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAinsleyGrayson Edwards is my best friend’s brother and so off-limits. There are a hundred reasons why we don’t make sense.Not my type.Moody AF.Popular.He’s bad.During the day, it all seems so clear, but at night…my dreams paint a different picture.He’s so damn serious, and I don’t care about anything except getting out of Elmwood until I get an unsettling text... -
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The Vengeance You Crave by Tracy Lorraine
It’s been almost six years since she ruined what we had. Her lies shattered years of friendship and ripped apart the future we planned. After I called her a liar and revoked my trust, she left town and never looked back. In a cruel twist of fate, she’s returned. But I’m not the wounded boy she left behind. I’m a man now. A man full of anger, resentment and loss... -
Guarding the Broken by Kirsty Moseley
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAnnabelle Spencer’s life is every girl’s dream. She has wonderful parents, great friends, and of course the perfect boyfriend, Jack Roberts. But her dream life turns into a nightmare when, on the night of her sixteenth birthday, Jack is murdered right in front of her, and she’s kidnapped by his murderer, Carter Thomas, and held for ten months...Categorized as:
new adult college contemporary abduction from hate to love forbidden love men in uniform alpha male -
Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 2 by Asuka Konishi
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDepuis la disparition de la fille d’un yakuza allié au clan Miyama, et le meurtre d’un de leurs hommes,Yoshino est contrainte à passer tout son temps avec Kirishima pour sa propre sécurité. Situation compliquée pour ses nerfs ! À l’occasion d’une sortie, elle aperçoit la soi-disant disparue dans un quartier branché...Categorized as:
new adult contemporary mafia young adult dark marriage of convenience mystery length-short -
Law of Attraction by Raeesah Ambarker
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsNyx just can't seem to escape her eternal night, the very darkness she was named after. She tries to play her cards right, however, the outcome is a paradox. Whilst she obtains the results she wanted, it comes at the expense of some of her relationships. Angry at the world, her hatred is ravenous for none other than Beckham Hunt, captain of the ice hockey team... -
Pained by Vera Micic, Vera Hollins
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTwo months have passed since the day I pushed Hayden away. Two months since I found out he loved me and wanted to be with me. I’ve been trying to move on and forget about him, but my heart refuses to listen. Hayden had almost died saving me. Half of me wants to forgive him for everything and give him another chance...Categorized as:
new adult young adult from hate to love cruel hero dark contemporary cold hero length-medium -
The Fight In Us by Becca Steele
Lust. Mystery. Betrayal. Weston Cavendish. My brother's best friend. I'd perfected the art of pretending that I didn't want him, that he didn't affect me every time he was near.Or so I thought.When his world comes crashing down, I'm the one he turns to, and I can't deny my feelings any longer.I know there's something between us.Until he finds out that I've been hiding things from him, too...
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