Books like 'Contempt'
Readers who enjoyed Contempt by A. Zavarelli also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance forced proximity grumpy sunshine angst from hate to love military super rich hero suspense friends to lovers
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Sancte Diaboli: Part Two by Amo Jones
He held a darkness that could never be touched. She carried a light that could never be seen. Not by anyone. Only by each other. Simply two halves of the same soul, Brantley and Saint were fused together with equal parts wrath and peace. Nothing could break through their bond. Nothing. Until now. -
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 Frost...Categorized as:
suspense angst virgin heroine friends to lovers super rich hero from hate to love m-f mafia -
Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThey’re hunting a killer so silent, so invisible, that his unspeakable crimes are the only proof he exists. A car submerged in a remote pond. The bodies of two girls strapped into their seats. The mystery of their mother, vanished without a trace, leads Gwen Proctor and Kezia Claremont into dangerous territory... -
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Extreme Risk by Jane Blythe
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsCan she accept an offer of help from a patient she’s attracted to? Dr. Piper Hamilton is used to keeping on the fringes. She knows what it's like to be responsible for the death of someone you love and she'd do anything to protect herself from feeling that pain again... -
Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMy code name is Pisces. The stars say I’m independent, wise, and intuitive. Still waters run deep. I’m the leader of Zodiac Tactical’s guardian unit. We’re the bodyguards—the ones who stand toe to toe with danger and refuse to give any ground. We protect people who need it most. But what if who needs it most is a spoiled diva? I don’t normally take on movie stars... -
Away from the Dark by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsNine months ago, Sara Adams awoke with no memory. The man holding her hand told her she’s a member of The Light, a tight-knit religious group led by the terrifying and charismatic Father Gabriel. As a woman in the community of The Light, her duty is to be unquestionably obedient and to submit to the will of her husband... -
Pieces of a Life by Jewel E. Ann
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe summer before fourth grade, Colten Mosley moved into the house across the street from mine, and we became inseparable. He played the piano and baseball. I had a penchant for dead things while at the same time imagining what it would be like to kiss Colten. We were filled with curiosity and overly active imaginations. We were also forbidden to be more than friends. But that didn’t stop us...Categorized as:
mystery suspense friends to lovers angst grumpy sunshine forced proximity from hate to love m-f -
Rescuing Isabelle by Ellie Masters
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKeeping her safe from a deadly cartel might be the easy part of our relationship…. As a former NAVY SEAL and Guardian, rescuing Isabelle LaCroix was my job. Falling for her was not. But that didn’t stop me. Boy, did I fall hard. Just my luck… Izzy isn’t looking for happily ever after. Especially not with a guy like me... -
Possessive Mafia Vows by Vivy Skys
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI thought she was dead. Not even my billions or my Irish mafia could save the redhead I’d just claimed from the crash. Then she showed up—scarred, fierce, pregnant with my heir, and hunted by the Russian mob. Six years ago, I was dragged from the wreckage—burned, broken, and told she didn’t make it. My obsession. My punishment? Endless nightmares of her screams...Categorized as:
super rich hero from hate to love suspense m-f tortured heroine mafia length-medium contemporary -
If We Disappear Here by Mindy Hayes
They are marionettes under a concrete sky. Pain shoots through Maeve Campbell’s body when she wakes cold and disoriented, locked in a neglected cement room. Her drowsy eyes sweep the cell and land on a masculine, limp body across the room. Gripping his shoulder, she rolls him to his back, face angling toward her. Only it’s not who she thinks. It’s not her husband. And they aren’t alone...Categorized as:
mystery suspense forced proximity angst cheating friends to lovers abduction forbidden love -
Obsession by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne week. No names. No expectations. That was our agreement. We were supposed to walk away after our time in Hawaii was over. No matter what. That was before…. Before I learned who she is. Before I realized how interconnected our lives are. Before I fell in love. But our love isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of. Demons lurk around every corner. Good doesn’t necessarily prevail over evil... -
Lawless: A Dark Captive Why Choose Romance by Tracy Lorraine
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAn all-new and addictive dark, why-choose, captive romance from the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Tracy Lorraine. I found peace in the last place I expected, but it was a mirage built on lies and unfulfilled promises. I thought we somehow managed to find a way to co-exist in their little lair, but as usual I was wrong...Categorized as:
suspense forbidden love mystery from hate to love cheating angst forced proximity tortured heroine -
Neglected Consequences by L. Ann
Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsWe’ve been through it all. Childhood trauma, kidnapping, scandals, suicide, drugs, and breakups. We came out the other side. Stable relationships, multi-platinum albums, sold-out tours. We thought we’d suffered enough. The universe thought otherwise.Categorized as:
rockstars grumpy sunshine suspense super rich hero contemporary age difference death abuse -
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Tormentor Mine by Anna Zaires, Dima Zales
A lethal mercenary bent on vengeance. The innocent woman standing in his way. Dr. Sara Cobakis’s quiet suburban life is turned upside down when a darkly handsome Russian assassin breaks into her home and tortures her for information. But the nightmare doesn’t end there. Because Peter Sokolov returns, and this time, he’s determined to keep the pretty young doctor for himself... -
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... -
Savage: The Awakening of Lizzie Danton by L.A. Fiore
They call him a monster. Pale blue eyes as cold as ice that see right through you. He’s hard. He’s damaged. He’s dangerous. He lives in a castle fit for a fairy tale, but he’s no prince. He’s savage. He’s brutal. He’s a killer. By an act of fate, our worlds collide. They call him a monster, but he is my salvation...Categorized as:
suspense mystery super rich hero pregnancy grumpy sunshine height-difference m-f contemporary -
Hellfire by Cathleen Cole, Frank Jensen
She’s his best friend’s little sister, but he’d risk everything to have her…. Hellfire. Smoke would kill me if he knew all the dirty, depraved things I want to do to his little sister. For years, I’ve been forced to look and not touch. She’s been mine since the first time I saw her, even if she doesn’t know it... -
Path to Retaliation by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsUnder-the-radar boxer Cameron West loves to get through life in a series of humor and mischief. He'll be there to charm your panties off and give you a good laugh about it right after. But it's true when they say that the happiest people often hold the darkest secrets... -
The Demon by Stella Andrews
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThey call me The Demon for a reason and Eliza Ortega is about to find out why. A runaway mafia princess who stumbled from one nightmare to an even bigger one. She has something I want and I intend on collecting. I will stop at nothing to deliver my promise and if there are casualties I will consider it a good day at the office. My hobby is testing limits... -
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... -
The Devil's Den by Lilian Harris
He was the boy held captive in the basement. I was the girl who knew. But I never told a soul. I had innocent lives to protect. And this was the only way. He was my friend first. My lover second. We wanted to be free, to make a life together. But that was a dream we knew would never come true...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity forbidden love friends to lovers mystery cheating contemporary dark -
Javier by Fiona Murphy
The Castillo Family: Follow Rafael, Matteo, Javier and their nephew Santos a billionaire family they made their fortune in the construction business. When it comes to building relationships all their money can't help them when it comes to women who want what money can't buy. Javier Castillo might be a gorgeous, brilliant billionaire—but he's also a massive a$$hole... -
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... -
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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. *. -
Villain's Obsession by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray
A dark mafia forbidden romance. -
Covert Risk by Jane Blythe
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAn unplanned pregnancy puts her in the sights of a terrorist. Lila Angeletti fought hard to get away from her family and build her own life. After years of not letting anyone get too close she falls for a man only to have him break things off with no explanation. Then she finds out she's carrying his baby... -
But I Need You by W. Winters
Some love stories are a slow burn. Others are quick to ignite, scorching and branding your very soul before you’ve taken that first breath. You’re never given a chance to run from it. That’s how I’d describe what happened to us. Everything around me blurred and all that existed were his lips, his touch…. The chase and the heat between us became addictive... -
Detained by Luna Mason
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsFrankie. I don’t have to hide behind a mask anymore. I rule New York, and now all I have to do is finish what I started ten years ago. To destroy the man who took my life from me. No one can get in my way. That is until I am arrested for murder and have my first taste of Detective Zara O’Reilly. The woman hell bent on ruining my plans...Categorized as:
from hate to love super rich hero suspense pregnancy forced proximity forbidden love military m-f -
Cold Deceit by Toni Anderson
A tenacious forensic anthropologist needs protection from an elite FBI HRT operator as they search for a ruthless killer in this Romantic Thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson. When forensic anthropologist Zoe Miller stumbles across a murder victim in the blisteringly hostile Sonoran Desert, she triggers a chain of events that puts her in the crosshairs of a ruthless killer...Categorized as:
military forced proximity suspense mystery contemporary heroine sleuth dark length-medium -
Erik's Salvation by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsShe’ll mend his broken heart. He’ll shatter anew to protect her. Hannah Jacobs is intimately familiar with pain. Growing up in foster care, she experienced all of its varying shades, in ways that still impact her as an adult... -
Erik's Refuge by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe choice is simple…surrender or perish. In the blink of an eye, he became her everything. Her hero. Her savior. Her whole world. Hannah and Erik are finally building the future she’s longed for…but it doesn’t include a family. Erik’s already felt the pain of losing a child before he even experienced the joy of holding them in his arms. It’s not something he’ll risk again...Categorized as:
suspense military pregnancy super rich hero mystery forced proximity age difference dual-pov -
Donati Bloodlines: Part Two by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThey’re not star-crossed—they’re impossible. Calisto Donati is what every made man in the mafia should be, and then he broke his oath for a woman that wasn’t his. Their secrets and games are deadly, but as hard as he tries to stay away from his boss’s new bride, the universe seems determined to keep bringing them back together... -
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Four by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Four. What 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... -
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Ash by Sophie Lark
My Hostage. Her Secret. Our Enemy. Taking the commissioner’s daughter wasn’t part of the plan. It should have been an easy smash and grab. Instead I captured Lara, so scared and helpless…. I never want to let her go. I’m obsessed with her. A Bratva shouldn’t be this close to the law. But I can’t keep my hands off her... -
Followed by the Dark by Danah Logan
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Dark follows everywhere. She used to be The Bulldog; but she lost her bite. He buried the one person he should've protected; now, his life is driven by anger and revenge. Together they're toxic for each other, but neither can deny that something is there. FBTD is an age gap, enemies to lovers dark romance. ★ The complete blurb will be revealed with the cover. ★...Categorized as:
from hate to love angst suspense military forced proximity age difference alpha male contemporary -
Seeking Peace by Crystal Daniels, Sandy Alvarez
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNothing remains of Blake’s life before the club except death, deceit, and corruption. He was on the road to self-destruction when his path crossed with Jake, the President of Kings of Retribution. Now Blake is dedicated to the MC and loyal to the men he calls brothers. The club gave him a family and purpose. Blake thought he finally had everything he ever wanted. Until Ember... -
Fixate by K.E. Osborn
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe’s a part of me. Even though I don’t know her name. The woman I’ve been exchanging letters with and developed feelings for over the past five years. But I can’t help feeling torn in two when I’m suddenly pulled toward another. Maxxy, the club’s horticulturalist, is strong, sassy, and she gives me so much lip the aggravation is exasperating. She infuriates me. She ignites me...Categorized as:
suspense mystery friends to lovers angst forced proximity from hate to love alpha male bikers -
Texas Bodyguard: Chance by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe has secrets she prefers to keep hidden. Too bad he’s so good at getting to the truth. When a violent attack puts Maci Ford in the hospital, security expert Chance Patterson learns that she’s carrying his baby. Even though she ended their relationship, he’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect her and their child... -
Last Resort by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom USA TODAY Bestselling Author Janie Crouch. Previously published as Texas Chance. She has secrets she prefers to keep hidden. Too bad he’s so good at getting to the truth. When a violent attack puts Maci Ford in the hospital, security expert Chance Patterson learns that she’s carrying his baby... -
A Peek Beyond the Consequences by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNo longer available: Previous available in BREATHLESS - An Anthology. Due to reader request. .. this novella has been expanded (tripled in length) and will be release in January of 2015 as Beyond the Consequences. Anthony Rawlings is a man most women love to hate or hate to love... -
Naked Truth by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsJax North. He's handsome, brutally so, and wealthy. Our first encounter is intense and sex is my escape. I go with it. I go with him and what a ride it is. And then, I say goodbye. Only you don't say goodbye to a man like Jax if he doesn't want you to. I've challenged him without meaning to. He wants me. I don't want to want him, and yet, I crave him. And he tears me down, my resistance, my walls...Categorized as:
mystery suspense super rich hero from hate to love contemporary dark dual-pov length-epic -
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...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense angst virgin heroine forced proximity m-f contemporary dark -
Sapphire Scars by Nicole Fox
He’s my ex’s brother. A terrifying mob boss with a past too dark to share. And when he finds out I’m pregnant, he becomes something else, too:. The husband I never asked for. Kolya Uvarov crashed into my life at a funeral and saved me from a mega-creep. Classic meet-cute, right? Not exactly—because it was his brother we were burying. A. k. a. , my ex-boyfriend. A. k. a...Categorized as:
pregnancy suspense forbidden love love triangle forced proximity angst from hate to love abduction -
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Broken Reign by Ava Harrison
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsI have one goal—take down the man responsible for my parents' deaths. Until I lock eyes with a stranger across the courtroom. Tobias Kosta. Notorious billionaire. Rumored criminal. And the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. Once I leave this courtroom, I hope to never see him again. But then he hires me to be his lawyer. And I’m forced deeper into his world. He’s enigmatic. Dangerous... -
Tangled up in Hate by Charlotte Byrd
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsEpic love requires an epic sacrifice…. A long time ago, I borrowed money from a very powerful family. I paid my debt, but they have come for more. They want everything that I have built and they will hurt her if I refuse. Harley doesn’t understand why I have to break her heart. She hates me, but at least she’s okay…for now... -
Let Me Love You by Brittney Sahin
Love is a risk for a woman in danger and a mercenary sworn to protect in a blistering novel of vengeance and redemption by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brittney Sahin. Six years ago, Maria Romano got her birthday wish―a kiss from Enzo Costa. A man she could never take her eyes off, but who seemed as haunted as her favorite book boyfriends and strictly off-limits...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense military forced proximity grumpy sunshine mystery m-f age difference -
The Bayou Never Tells by Chelley St. Clair
The only thing darker than the waters of the Louisiana bayou are the secrets it holds. I’d know—I’ve buried more than a few myself. She was supposed to be one of them. I was the boy who never had a chance, an orphan recruited by the devil himself, until the family I never knew gave me something to live for...Categorized as:
mystery suspense from hate to love angst grumpy sunshine forced proximity virgin heroine dark -
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... -
Shadow by D.M. Earl
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHe'll protect her beyond a shadow of a doubt. .. Zoey "Shadow" Jeffries is no stranger to pain and suffering. Sold into slavery as a child, Shadow was left for dead until she fought back got her freedom and then meets her best friend. Together, they started an all-women's motorcycle club...
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