Books like 'The Beauty in Scars'
Readers who enjoyed The Beauty in Scars by M.L. Philpitt also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance mafia suspense forced proximity from hate to love virgin heroine
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Rebellious Rook by Brooklyn Cross
The rook’s heart is as cold as stone, but when the rock crumbles, the spoils are twice as sweet. Death follows me around like a dark cloud just waiting to strike. First, it stole my mother, then my aunt, and now my father is missing. Even though I’m told to walk away, and even though finding him shouldn’t be my top priority, the memory of him begging me to talk to him haunts my dreams... -
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... -
Edge of Nowhere by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.73 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOpen roads and honor meets poke bowls and self-controlI’m a homesick nomad.A protégé, a mountain man, an ally, and a seeker.My name is Wapi.I’m a work in progress looking to belong, and though my road has been a winding one, my heart has found focus.I’m a straightlaced hellcat.A princess, a fool, a target, and a handle.My name is Lindsey...Categorized as:
suspense mafia forced proximity from hate to love cowboys mystery dark friends-benefits -
Devil's Kiss by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray
In a world where the secret society and the Bratva reigns, villains and monsters own you from birth. I was torn between two hearts: The devil who stole me. And the man I was promised to. I was supposed to marry Viktor Volkova, heir to one of the most powerful families in the society. But his older brother stole me on our wedding day, just as we were about to take our vows...Categorized as:
suspense mafia from hate to love virgin heroine forced proximity arranged marriage dark new adult -
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The Devil's Lair by Penny Dee
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsMassimo De Kysa.The man who stole my first kiss.And now my boss.I learned early how life can turn on a dime.That’s how it is when you grow up as a mafia princess.One minute you’re rich, spoilt, and betrothed to the most revered man in the city—the next your broke and selling your designer bags so you can eat.But I’m not the kind of girl who gives up without a fight...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia suspense forced proximity virgin heroine dark friends to lovers mystery -
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... -
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 suspense dark contemporary marriage of convenience length-short -
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:
mafia from hate to love suspense super rich hero length-medium contemporary dark m-f -
Unholy Bonds by Maya Raine
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThree serial killers connected by an unholy thread, tangled in a twisted chase for revenge and blood. In this game of hunters, who will become the ultimate prey?***He is every sin she wants to commit. Yara West spends her day as a Medical Examiner. At nights, she dons the mask of a twisted killer to satiate the demons in her head... -
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 -
Once A Villain: A Dark Assassin Romance by Saige Parker
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMorally grey? Try pitch black so dark they nicknamed him The Reaper.Axel Hawthorne—Axe, is more monster than man. A bloodthirsty assassin with no mercy, no heart, no soul.The nightmare lurking in the underworld my father commands. No one escapes his wrath.And now? I'm his.Trapped in his sick game of revenge.There's no escape. No hope...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love dark contemporary bdsm length-long first-person-pov -
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 forced proximity abuse dark multicultural contemporary mystery -
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... -
30 Days of Shame by Ginger Talbot
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe monster draws pleasure from my pain. Now, it's time to fight back.SERGEI30 days of pain have pushed Willow to her limits.My pretty prisoner is no longer meek. She's trying to resist.But my precious prize doesn't know what I know.Nobody has ever won a war against me.Nobody has ever bested me.And she's not going to be the first.Good luck, little Willow.. -
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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... -
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 -
Harder Betrayal by Penelope Sky
I knew a relationship with Cauldron wouldn't be easy.But I underestimated just how challenging it would be...Categorized as:
suspense mafia from hate to love contemporary super rich hero dark new adult audiobook -
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... -
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
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
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... -
Duty by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say heavy is the head that wears the crown … Andino Marcello’s world is turned upside down when he becomes the next heir apparent to the Marcello empire. He was comfortable in his place as a Capo, but comfort is for the weak in the world of mafioso. The boss’s seat is waiting... -
Celt. by London Miller
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWelcome to the Den ... Six minutes is all he needs to get a job done … Kyrnon “Celt” Murphy is one of the best thieves in the world. After all, his childhood was spent with a caravan of Irish Travelers that taught him everything he knows... -
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 -
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Eclipse Heart by Mya Grey
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratings💋Hating him should be easy—he killed my brother.He’s my sworn enemy… Instead, I'm fighting the urge to rip his clothes off. Every inch of me remembers that night—how his hard body felt claiming mine.Now, I’m living under Leonid’s control, Trapped in his house as his captive. Playing by his rules. It wasn’t supposed to go like this – Every day, every night, under the same roof... -
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... -
Dylan by Charlie Jules, Stacy Stone
Just because I’m new to the dark doesn’t mean I can’t embrace it…I used to have a decent life. A normal life. Then my mother decided to marry into the Irish mafia and everything changed.Suddenly, normal was in my rearview and I was stuck in the uppity hell known as Brooke Hollow Academy. The only upside I found was the brutally hot guy I met on day one.Dylan Blackthorne...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love mafia contemporary explicit-open-door reverse harem dark poly -
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... -
Massimo by Lora Nox
I’m his enemy’s daughter.His captive.His revenge.Until he becomes my weapon to wield against the monsters in my world.NovaI am the Mancini Princess. A pawn in my monstrous father’s game. His key to an alliance worthy of a king.However, I end up under the control of a new monster - Massimo Santoro. A lethal man whose hate, wrath, and malice toward anyone with the Mancini name is palpable...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity suspense dark abuse age difference contemporary -
Jaded Devil by Nicole Fox
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’LL SHOW HER WHAT A DEVIL DOES WHEN AN ANGEL FALLS INTO HIS LAP.I met her the day I killed her father.She stood there, soaked in his blood, and swore she’d make me pay when the time was right.Twenty years later, that day has come.She’s beautiful now.A dark temptation I never expected.But Renata Lombardi is in far over her head.Because she thinks this is a game of kill or be killed.She’s wrong... -
Ruthless Heir by Aidèe Jaimes
If love is the deadliest weapon, I’m about to discover just how much I can bleed.My father always warned me against falling in love. That all it would bring is pain and betrayal. But when I meet Noah and his golden gaze trails over me like a fiery tongue that heats my skin, I want nothing more than to prove him wrong.I should know better... -
Priest and his Anarchist by Amo Jones
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsPeople said he was emotionless. Cold. But he burned her to the ground every chance he got. Priest Hayes thought he knew everything there was to know about the society of outlaws who ran by their own set of rules, and right now, he’d just taken the gavel. It didn’t feel heavy. It felt like it belonged there all along.In his hand.Just like her.But Luna Nox was the one girl he could never have... -
Filthy Marcellos: The Complete Collection by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFilthy Marcellos: La Cosa Nostra is not just a choice of regime and routine, it’s a culture. Born as mafia royalty, the Marcello brothers were raised ingrained with the beliefs and rules of what it meant to be a Mafioso prince. It is for life. Their status is considered a given right. They will always be these people. They will always be Marcellos. Family first. God second... -
Until the End by London Miller
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsLauren Thompson After learning the truth behind her father's tragic murder, Lauren vowed never to go near another Volkov again, but sometimes matters of the heart are too strong to resist... Mishca Volkov As a Captain in the Volkov Bratva, Mishca has pledged his loyalty to the Vory v Zakone, but he soon finds himself at odds with the life he's always known.. -
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Killer by Blake Blessing
How dirty am I willing to get?Accepting the brothers for who they are is one thing. Understanding that they might always commit terrible crimes, is another.That was as far as I ever expected to be pushed into their world... -
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... -
Dead of Wynter by Montana Fyre
I’ve been underestimated my whole life. It’s just how it is when you grow up a mafia princess. I’ve never really cared before, always happy to play my role within the family. But when our enemy hits us where it hurts, the queen who lay dormant demands to be set free. I want revenge for what they’ve done to our family, and nothing can stand in my way... -
Dirty Pool by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTo get what he wants, he’ll have to play a game of dirty pool. Michel Marcello never wanted to be a mafioso like every other man in his family—he wanted to be more. That doesn’t mean he’s unfamiliar with the life, or that he can’t hold his own against other made men... -
Respect by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRespect - An Infidelity series Novel “The making of a man” An EPIC mafia love story not to be missed. From New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a stand-alone novel, a spin-off from her beloved Infidelity series... -
The CEO of Cristo by Sophie Lark
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI Lost The Love Of My Life…My best friend betrayed me.He stole my company and my freedom.I might have forgiven that. But there’s one thing I’ll never forgive. He ripped my love from my arms and wrapped her up in his.He sent me to Hell. Now I’m back. For her, and for my revenge… “The CEO of Cristo ” is a Secret Baby Billionaire Romance, inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”... -
Mistakes Made by Marie James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe worst thing you can ever do is make an assumption about me, despite my job resting solely on making people think I’m someone I’m not.I know that makes me crazy, narcissistic, and a little out of touch with the reality of how the world works.I’ll never argue that fact with anyone.Maybe it was the hundred-degree Texas weather.Maybe it was overstimulation from the crowds at the beach...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity contemporary dark bad boys alpha male length-short -
Scotch by Mhairi O'Reilly
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAshby ‘Scotch’ Feilding returned from the military not feeling like a hero, but as a man fractured by the horrors he witnessed, a shadow of the man he once was. Unable to fit into the normalcy of ordinary life, he finds solace in the roar of engines and the brotherhood of The Devil’s House MC, serving as their tech wizard... -
The Avenged King by Juliette N. Banks
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI’ve got my own reasons for hunting out Connor Barrett and joining his team of Dark Kings. None of them have ever asked me and I’m grateful. If they knew, I wouldn’t be standing in the headquarters in Manhattan. I could be dead.I don’t deserve these men as my brothers.And I don’t deserve her.Which is why I don’t let her see my desire. Which is why I pretend I don’t see hers... -
The Society by Erin Mc Luckie Moya
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWhat happens when you're born into a secret society? When your great-grandfather was a founding member? Do you have a choice whether you stay or not?And the benefits that befall you with such a position? The easy college access and high powered positions - the multinational firms... -
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Lethal Lover by Kristen Luciani
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFans of scorching hot hate to love captive romances will devour the final explosive book in the VENGEFUL VILLAINS Dark Mafia series by USA Today bestselling author Kristen Luciani! Ready for a dark contemporary enemies to lovers romance with no cheating and an HEA? Then scroll up and one-click on LETHAL LOVER today!Publisher's LETHAL LOVER contains explicit and mature content and graphic violence...Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia suspense forced proximity vengeance arranged marriage dark humor -
Double Standards by L. Hope
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsWe were different in so many ways, polar opposites, stark contrasts; he was night and I was day.Axel fought the law while I represented it and we could never have be more opposite.You know what they say about opposites, though, and as much as I keep telling myself this is wrong, everything feels right. We all have double standards... -
Onyx Heart by Mya Grey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings💥Plotting to kill someone is one thing. Learning he’s your baby’s father? Well, fate's got a f*@ked-up sense of humor. I had one Send Leonid Kuznetsov to his grave. The man they call "The Raven."The monster who killed my brother.For years, I've dreamt of the moment I'd stand over Leonid Kuznetsov's body, the man responsible for my brother's death, And watch as the light faded from his eyes... -
A Deviant Queen by Charli Owen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMaliaThe title of a mafia princess has been my burden. The advantage has been me being tucked away as Daddy's little secret.His secret weapon.I've been trained to kill and to lead. I enforce and uphold the expectations of The Olin Empire. A job that gave me the taste of what leading this empire would be like. The job was denied to me simply because I am a woman and passed to my younger brother...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love suspense dark forbidden love love triangle contemporary other-man-woman -
Betrayal and Ruin by Ember Davis
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsDECLAN McCARTHYI’ve made a name for myself on destruction and favor. It has served me well and kept the wolves at bay, the ones who howl at the edges of my world hoping for the smell of blood in the air. I won’t give them the satisfaction; I’ve worked too hard to be on top.The only woman I care about is my sister, Saoirse. Every other woman is a momentary distraction in my bed...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love bad boys dark contemporary super rich hero length-novella -
Brutal Captor 2 by Amber Adams
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSaving his life is not enough.April has learned who her mysterious patient is and it's apparent that he is not going to let her go.When her own secret is revealed, while within the fortressed walls of the Ivankov mansion, there is suddenly more at stake regarding her life than ever...
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