Books like 'Was I Ever Real'
Readers who enjoyed Was I Ever Real by Naomi Loud also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance multicultural arranged marriage marriage of convenience mafia from hate to love suspense christian forced proximity
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Sins: The Debt: Sins, Book 3 by Lexxi James
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsTiaI've done my best to avoid him.But when his dark eyes lock onto mine, this time, I know there's nowhere I can go. Nowhere I can hide.Nowhere he won't find me.He is Smoke. Head of the D'Angelos.Gorgeous and haunting. Brutal and ruthless.He rules Chicago, and I owe him a debt. And now…he owns me.SmokeI should send her away…This beautiful, innocent girl that conjures the best and worst in me...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense mafia arranged marriage forced proximity multicultural contemporary dark -
![Envy by Eva Charles]()
Envy by Eva Charles
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsMy dark prince. My greatest temptation. My husband.Antonio Huntsman isn’t the prince of childhood fairy tales.He’s savage and dangerous.The ruthless king I need.The beast I crave.Together we’ll fight the monsters.The demons threatening to tear us apart.The villains who will stop at nothing to destroy everything .Our family.Our valley.Our love.There will be no mercy.We will take no prisoners... -
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![Hunt by Taylor Rose, Kenya Wright]()
Hunt by Taylor Rose, Kenya Wright
READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED:This is a twisted ride. Dark psychological themes, dubious situations, and intense sexual circumstances layer this story and may be triggering or offensive to some.CAINBefore Phoenix, there was only death and blood.After Phoenix, I changed.Now, I was no longer only the villain—the hopeful seminary turned serial killer. My humanity was slowly returning... -
![The Nomad by Amelia Shea]()
The Nomad by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsBroke and bitter, Karia Mitchell is just done. So damn tired of it all. After spending a decade in a loveless and toxic marriage, she’s finally breaking free and rebuilding her life. The prospect of starting over at forty-one is gut wrenching, but she’s willing to do whatever it takes as long as she’s rid of her ex... -
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![The Boss by Stella Andrews]()
The Boss by Stella Andrews
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 24 ratings★★★★★ The dark was never so good I am The Boss I make the rules and punish those who break them. I am good at my job. I arranged a marriage of the darkest kind. A business deal to align myself with a powerful family to start a war. The contract is clear. Be my wife in public and strangers in private. And then I met her. Jasmine Rossi. Reluctant mafia princess and rebel without a cause...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia marriage of convenience suspense dark contemporary length-short -
![Savage Bloodline by Kenya Wright, Amarie Avant]()
Savage Bloodline by Kenya Wright, Amarie Avant
Darkness lurks behind their gazes.There’s something sinister about their smiles.Their name incites fear in their enemies.Their touch arouses passion in the women they love.They are the DeLucas. In the streets and in the sheets, there’s one word that describes them best.SAVAGE.The men of the DeLuca family are proof that the bigger the alpha, the harder they fall… in love...Categorized as:
multicultural suspense mafia angst from hate to love arranged marriage marriage of convenience dark -
![Reign Of Ruin by Santana Knox]()
Reign Of Ruin by Santana Knox
I lied…My name isn’t Cecilia. When the doors of my past were pried open, all of my skeletons came tumbling out. I’d lived my whole life thinking the worst had already happened, and nothing else could hurt me. I couldn’t have been more wrong.In the wreckage I’m reborn. I’ll do anything to get my revenge on those who’ve wronged me and the man who stole my throne, My uncle... -
![Mafia Don's Secret Twins by Vivy Skys]()
Mafia Don's Secret Twins by Vivy Skys
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDino and Marisol's story.She's the ultimate prize—I'd risk my life just thinking about this mafia princess, let alone claiming her innocence. We had one night. Then she vanished.I found her.I thought that Marisol, my dream girl, was lost. After I woke up and never saw her again, it seemed like something that was a complete non-starter. She wasn’t with me. I didn’t know her last name... -
![The Savage by Stella Andrews]()
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:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity suspense contemporary dark alpha male age difference -
![Vengeance of a Mafia Queen by Siobhan Davis, Wander Aguiar]()
Vengeance of a Mafia Queen by Siobhan Davis, Wander Aguiar
Falling for the enemy was never part of my plan… Losing my innocence at thirteen, in the most brutal way, changed me. My kidnapper stole my childhood and tried to break me. The knowledge my father orchestrated the entire situation hardened my heart, and instead of grieving his death, I celebrated it.One down. Many more to go... -
![Torian by Eden Summers]()
Torian by Eden Summers
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom International bestselling author, Eden Summers, comes a seductive forbidden romance destined to leave you breathless. I fell for the enemy.A man whose actions resemble the devil so closely it frightens me.We were meant to hate each other.To despise and detest.But his appeal is so much greater than the playboy smile and body built for sin.What I'm doing is wrong.What I'm feeling is immoral... -
![Pearl by Freya Barker]()
Pearl by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsa privately-funded organization operating independently in the search for-and the rescue and recovery of-missing and exploited children. Although at times working in conjunction with law enforcement, GEM aims to ensure the victims receive justice...by whatever means necessary.____Operator Pearl; layered, mysterious, a protector. She masks as delicate, analyzes, and moves stealthily...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love multicultural forced proximity abuse dark contemporary mystery -
![In Havoc Lays Chaos by Samantha Barrett]()
In Havoc Lays Chaos by Samantha Barrett
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPain.Loss.Revenge.Are you ready to get to know the Dark Knight's twins? Will they be as dark as their father or will they follow after their mother?Are you ready for the final?*In Havoc Lays Chaos is the final book in the Memento Mori series... -
![The Wolf Box Set by Penelope Sky]()
The Wolf Box Set by Penelope Sky
The collection includes:The Wolf and The SheepThe Wolf and His WifeThe Lone WolfNew York Times Bestselling author Penelope Sky delivers a story filled with heartache, revenge, betrayal, and off-the-charts chemistry! Forced into an arranged marriage, Arwen and Maverick must learn to trust one another if they hope to survive.Till death do us part... -
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![Still Burning by Abbi Glines]()
Still Burning by Abbi Glines
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratings“Not looking for closure. I don’t close a good book until the story ends.”And ours started when I was sixteen. Eighteen years later, we had become different people, living another life than the one we had imagined then. One without each other. Having Rome Bower back in my life had been more than a blast from the past. My soul had felt at home again... -
![Violent Promises by A.R. Breck]()
Violent Promises by A.R. Breck
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsViolent Promises is the final book in the Blackridge series!When one reckless decision and a possessive heart lead to an inescapable debt...Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be at the mercy of a man who only wanted one thing, my death.With each passing hour, my growing despair wars with my murderous blood... -
![Kept by Him by Measha Stone]()
Kept by Him by Measha Stone
My family took something from the Russian mob. Now they've taken something back.Me.I was given to Micah Ivanov as a bride to keep the peace between the two most powerful mafia dynasties in Chicago. But my future husband doesn't plan to let this be a marriage in name only.He's going to take me to his bed whether I like it or not, starting tonight.I know he's going to be rough...Categorized as:
mafia arranged marriage from hate to love forced proximity suspense bdsm contemporary dark -
![Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole]()
Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe kidnapped me to avenge my husband. The husband I’ve never loved. The cruel man my father forced me to marry to teach me a lesson. My husband didn’t think twice about how to carry out those lessons. Now, I’ve gone from one prison to another. My captor is just as ruthless as my husband. He’ll kill, torture, and do everything to hurt my family until no one is left. Except for me...Categorized as:
mafia suspense forced proximity from hate to love dark alpha male contemporary vengeance -
![Charming Villain by Cora Kent]()
Charming Villain by Cora Kent
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsI don’t want a wife. But in the mafia, marriage isn’t about love—it’s about power.When the Family demands I marry Giovanni Lucatello’s sheltered daughter, I drown my frustration in whiskey and meet a woman who’s everything I shouldn’t bold, sharp-tongued, and tempting as sin. One night with her is unforgettable. But by the next morning, she’s gone. Or so I thought... -
![The Devil's Crown-Part Two by Monica James]()
The Devil's Crown-Part Two by Monica James
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAll The Pretty Things Trilogy Spin-Off With the enemy dead, my throne awaits my return. But the reason I’m still standing is being held captive by another foe... -
![Perfectly Imperfect Complete Set by Neva Altaj]()
Perfectly Imperfect Complete Set by Neva Altaj
A collection of the first three books in the Perfectly Imperfect Series.PAINTED SCARSI get anything I desire.And I want this perfectly imperfect little manipulator.She doesn't know it yet,But I am not letting her go.The deal - is off.BROKEN WHISPERSThe most beautiful woman of the Italian mafia,And the Bratva's most feared monster... -
![Falling for the Enemy by J.E. Parker]()
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... -
![Captive Heart: Armani by Stella Gray]()
Captive Heart: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNothing lasts forever… except the Bellanti’s hatred for the Bruno family.My family prepared me to fight.My best friend taught me loyalty.My husband showed me who I am.And now I’m caught between them all.The thing about secrets is that they always come out.The past is never gone.No one expected it to explode.I finally understand why my life led me here... -
![Wicked Secrets by K.B. Winters]()
Wicked Secrets by K.B. Winters
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCharlie Ellison found me broken, beaten and bruised. Another biker in a long line of bikers in my life. Except he’s not like the others,And he has me questioning everything. He’s tough, strong and hotter than hell. Could he be my knight on a chrome stallion?Or the devil in a leather kutte?All I know is, he’s different. He makes me feel things I never thought possible... -
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![Captive Rival: Armani by Stella Gray]()
Captive Rival: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI thought I could walk away…but Armani Bellanti wants me for keeps.My intentions were good.I thought I was on the side of angels.But all my plans led me straight to hell.There’s nowhere for me to turn.My whole world is his cage.I have no one.No one but him.He silences me with cruel kisses.I taunt him with his desire for me.We don’t trust each other, but we can use each other...Categorized as:
suspense mafia from hate to love forced proximity arranged marriage angst contemporary dub-con -
![Kiss Your Scars by Avril Ashton]()
Kiss Your Scars by Avril Ashton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBeing the king of Atlanta’s underworld used to have its perks, but lately all undercover agent Renzo Vega has seen is the downside. Someone is auctioning off women in his city, and he’s damn sure not about to let that offense stand. Just as he’s set to make a move, Renzo’s club is ambushed and he’s shot. Unsure of who to trust, he turns to the one man he definitely knows wants him dead... -
![Ten: A Mafia Plus-Size Romance by Roxie Rivera]()
Ten: A Mafia Plus-Size Romance by Roxie Rivera
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTen years ago, Nisha Jackson survived her serial killer husband but lost something precious during her escape. Since then, she’s built a successful life for herself. She has a beautiful home, a grumpy cat, beloved friends, and a career that brings her joy. There’s only one thing she wants to complete her life—Anton Vasiliev... -
![Deceitful Truths by A.R. Breck]()
Deceitful Truths by A.R. Breck
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKidnapped. Broken. Hopeless.Confined into a dark, abandoned basement with nothing but the clothes on my back.There's no escaping obsession, especially one honed by a serial killer who's bound and determined to call me his. Forever.Every day grows more dire with death circulating my existence.I believe all hope is lost until I'm saved by my own monster, the man who enslaves my soul... -
![A Lovely Obsession by Coralee June]()
A Lovely Obsession by Coralee June
My guardian angel is a devil in disguise. He hates me. He protects me. He watches me. My stalker is obsessed with keeping me safe. He calls me his prettiest debt. An assassin in the notorious Bullet gang, he uses his empire to control my life. Everything I know is a lie. What started as a debt turned into something more. What started as regret turned into obsession... -
![Break Me by C.D. Reiss]()
Break Me by C.D. Reiss
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was always Sarah. And she was always mine. I woke up in a nightmare. I woke up alone. There was a reason I never let myself have feelings before. Emotions make you stupid. They make you miscalculate. If someone gave me the choice, I’d do it all over again. Only this time, I’d stop everyone who ever looked at the woman I love before they had the chance to hurt her... -
![Forbidden Love by Stella Gray]()
Forbidden Love by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsI chose to become a Bellanti… but no one walks away from the Bruno family.My life was planned for me, down to the smallest detail.I was to be a gift for a man loyal to my uncle, a pretty little prize.When I ran away, I did it for love.I should have known my uncle would never allow it.They say all’s fair in love and war, but sometimes they’re the same thing.And nothing about this is fair...Categorized as:
suspense arranged marriage angst from hate to love mafia contemporary dark super rich hero -
![Vengeful Hearts by S. Lexi]()
Vengeful Hearts by S. Lexi
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsErika grew up on the streets of New York City. When her baby sister got kidnapped by the most extensive human trafficking ring in the area and eventually murdered, she swore to avenge her death.Blaise grew up in the Italian Mafia; his father was the don...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love contemporary vengeance strong heroine dark length-long -
![Dreams of the Vengeful by Adelaide Forrest]()
Dreams of the Vengeful by Adelaide Forrest
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOur love was written in blood, but our dream was born from death.Once upon a time, I had it all.Born heir apparent to one of the Six Families,I was destined for greatness.Wealth and power were in my blood, andsweet Thalia was one more means to an end... -
![Make Me by C.D. Reiss]()
Make Me by C.D. Reiss
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsDario Lucari kidnapped me when I was just a bride sold for territory…and made me a captive wife.He will never free me. I am his property and he lets me know that every time he hurts me.My hate for him burns hotter than the embers of love. But for how long?***Make Me is the second book in the trilogy...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love arranged marriage forbidden love alpha male contemporary abduction -
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![Boss's Vendetta by Via Mari]()
Boss's Vendetta by Via Mari
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA ruthless mafia boss with a score to settle. A sassy heroine who’s not getting away. Will any chance at love survive the aftermath?We knew the bloodbath was possible, just not when or how our enemies would strike. In a heart-wrenching minute of blazing guns, the responsibility of getting retribution for the savage Italian Crime Family falls to me, Salvatore Larussio...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love suspense multicultural dark contemporary dual-pov alpha male -
![Blood and Chaos by S.M. Soto]()
Blood and Chaos by S.M. Soto
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWe thought the games were over, but they've only just begun... She was the puppet. He pulled the strings. Now the death toll is rising, what could this mean? It was all a game. Of feelings. Of pain. Death is just an illusion, or so they say. She was just a pawn on a piece of his demented board... -
![Bridges Burned by Marie James]()
Bridges Burned by Marie James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI didn’t swear vengeance on the Severino Family after Ellie’s death. I was only a child after all.I didn’t swear vengeance when my father, a coward who wasn’t man enough to seek justice for her, drank himself into a divorce.Going after them would be a death sentence.I chose to live my life in the shadows, seeking revenge for others.That was until I ran into the very man that took Ellie’s life... -
![The Three Week Deal by Hannah Shield]()
The Three Week Deal by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s a smoking-hot firefighter with a wild side.And now, my obnoxious new roommate. When my apartment catches fire, I know I’m in for a hell of a day. It only gets worse when I meet my temporary new roommate—the same grouchy firefighter who just yelled at me. Matteo De Luca is a tattooed, loud-mouthed, alpha hunk of a man...Categorized as:
multicultural suspense forced proximity from hate to love humor dark military mystery -
![Vengeful by Kristen Luciani]()
Vengeful by Kristen Luciani
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne single gun shot threw my life into upheaval. An assassination that will bring my family to its knees.It’s up to me to avenge the murder.An eye for an eye…that’s my MO.I have one job to do, and it may be my last.Find my father’s killer and make him payBefore he finds me.But there’s one problem - one incredibly sexy obstacle I never saw coming.Tali Severinov.I’ve met my match with this woman... -
![Mafia Crown by L. Steele]()
Mafia Crown by L. Steele
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMine to destroy. Mine to ruin. She belongs to me...He’s my second chance.The man with the face of my first love.A terrifying and magnetically gorgeous man with brutal blue eyes.An outlaw whose very presence sucks the air from my lungs.A monster who doesn't remember his past, whose soul is shrouded in scars, pain, and darkness.A villain who refuses to acknowledge my very existence...Categorized as:
multicultural mafia arranged marriage from hate to love contemporary vengeance dark length-medium -
![Captive Bride: Armani by Stella Gray]()
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... -
![Kingdom of Corruption by Bella Di Corte]()
Kingdom of Corruption by Bella Di Corte
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Royal Organized Crime RomanceMy husband had been keeping a secret from me—a secret that would irrevocably change the course of our lives.He was the son of one of the most ruthless men alive, and an heir to the infamous Fausti crime family. They were beautiful, powerful, ruthless—royalty in their beloved Italy and beyond... -
![Till Death Do Us Part by Aleatha Romig]()
Till Death Do Us Part by Aleatha Romig
Arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, Mafia/cartel romanceAs the only daughter of the Kansas City capo, at eighteen years of age, I was given to the son of my father’s consigliere, a man who was expected to accomplish great things for the famiglia. Things didn’t go the way we planned. There wasn’t love. My husband was a traitor, a part of a coup against the famiglia. My husband is dead. I’m free...Categorized as:
mafia multicultural suspense from hate to love m-f dark contemporary super rich hero -
![Persephone & Hades by Lee Savino, Stasia Black]()
Persephone & Hades by Lee Savino, Stasia Black
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsI’m king of the criminal underworld.I always get what I want.And she’s my obsession.Cora is new to the city of sin.Her innocent blue eyes beg for me to claim her.But I’m not the billionaire she thinks I am.There’s a darkness within me.And Cora is a shining light.She’s beautiful. A virgin.I’m ruthless. A beast.She found me for a reason.She’ll be my queen... -
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![Sinful Promise by B. B. Hamel]()
Sinful Promise by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’m in his bed learning the limits of my body.Peter Calimeris. Greek mafia son, monster in a perfect suit, and the only man keeping me alive.He’s supposed to be my bodyguard, but he barely notices me.At least until Peter gets involved in a business deal with my half-sister... -
![The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Three by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor]()
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Three by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume ThreeWhat 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... -
![Vow to Hate You: Club Facade by Kay Riley]()
Vow to Hate You: Club Facade by Kay Riley
My dear runaway wife, Blocking me on everything except this email address does not change the fact that you are still my wife. You ran after the wedding, but you’re home now. Our families expect you to behave as a wife should in this elite world. It’s time to act like you promised you would five years ago. Or do you need a reminder? Your impatient husband, DamianP.S... -
![Vow by Bethany-Kris]()
Vow by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say it’s always the one you least expect … Andino Marcello made his choices—the right ones for duty and famiglia. But even the right choices have consequences. He’s never been more aware of that fact than he is now. The thing is, Andino isn’t the same man he once was. The mafia wants what it wants. He’ll push until they all break. Even her... -
![Protective Vows by B. B. Hamel]()
Protective Vows by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsI crave freedom and his marriage bed.But I can’t have both.I’m all that’s left of the powerful Greek Florakis mafia. My father and my older brothers were murdered in a yacht explosion off the coast of Crete, and now my family is in tatters.That’s when Luca Valverde comes for me. He’s six-foot-four, covered in scars and muscles, a hardened killer, and my sworn enemy... -
![Violent Triumphs by Jessica Hawkins]()
Violent Triumphs by Jessica Hawkins
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsThe highly anticipated conclusion to the “emotional, steamy, and dangerous” USA Today bestselling White Monarch series. I’ve become a queen to the forsaken, a leader to thieves, and the wife of a man who instills fear in all who cross his path. He was the husband I didn’t want. Now, I can’t fathom life without my king. I should’ve been ready for anything...
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