Books like 'Bound to Cruelty'
Readers who enjoyed Bound to Cruelty by J.L. Beck & Monica Corwin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance mafia forced proximity suspense virgin heroine from hate to love cold hero sassy heroine
-
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 ratingsTia. I'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. Smoke. I should send her away…...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense mafia sassy heroine forced proximity contemporary dark age difference -
Sponsored links / Remove ads
-
Edge of Nowhere by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.73 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsOpen roads and honor meets poke bowls and self-control. I’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 -
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. CAIN. Before 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... -
-
Luca by Eden Summers
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsLuca dragged me from hell and delivered me to salvation. At least that's what I thought. I hoped this would be a new life. A fresh start. But the pain followed. I'm certain the monsters did, too. I'm told it's paranoia. Trauma. PTSD. Nobody believes my truth. But they'll soon learn. We all will. Because as much as I want to forget the mantra from my nightmares, it hasn't stopped being true... -
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 -
Sinner by Sheridan Anne
Death surrounds me. Every step I take, there’s someone waiting for me in the shadows. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and now, I’m out here on my own, my hands stained with the blood of those I’ve killed to survive. Zade DeVil was my executioner, my most feared enemy, but he was also my protector. I wasn’t willing to cross that line with him, despite how much I may have wanted to...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity new adult cruel hero contemporary dark length-medium -
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...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity suspense contemporary dark alpha male age difference -
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... -
Sons of Hellfire by N. Owens
Rated: 5.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEverything was going fine until it wasn’t. Now. .. I'm a mind your own business kinda girl but watching a beast of a man try to kidnap a small defenseless woman is crossing that line of not caring. Mainly because I know what it feels like to not be able to fight back. So I do something stupid and step in. We fight, I get knocked out and sometime later I'm waking up in the truck of a car... -
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. SERGEI. 30 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. . -
A Fine Line by MercyAnn Summers
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis book is an interconnected standalone within the Ends World. While you don't have to read the Ends Duet before reading this book, it is recommended that you do in order to understand the entire Ends World up to this point. Carolina. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. That wasn’t my intention. And I knew he would come for me... -
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. Nova. I 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 virgin heroine dark abuse age difference -
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. How can you love someone that refuses to love you back? How can you love someone that betrays you not once, but twice?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... -
The Carrera Cartel by Cora Kenborn
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA Dark Mafia Romance Collection. Delve into the dark. The Carreras are waiting. .. Three full-length dark mafia romance novels from the Carrera Cartel Trilogy and Stained White Lines, an explosive, new bonus novel, ONLY available in the collection. Blurred Red Lines. Carrera. A word whispered in fear and respect. A name to avoid at all costs... -
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... -
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. But I’m facing an impossible choice when someone else’s life is on the line…... -
-
Until the End by London Miller
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 30 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. .. Until the End... -
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 -
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... -
Crown of Bliss: A Billionaire Mafia Romance by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHis obsession. Her salvation. At my lowest, I accept an unimaginable clean up a murder scene to earn one-hundred-grand. Problem is, my employer doesn’t plan on letting me survive the night. That’s when I meet Lanzo Torrent. He’s gorgeous, chaotic, frustrating, and my only salvation. He says he can save my life, but I have to trust him first. Lanzo drags me into his war...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity mafia contemporary new adult vengeance age difference length-medium -
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... -
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... -
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...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love forced proximity sassy heroine super rich hero contemporary dark -
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... -
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... -
-
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... -
Wrathful Souls by Anne Malcom
She survived the deadliest serial killer of her generation. Or so everyone thought. No one knew how many pieces of her he took to the grave with him. She hid her scars, her nightmares. She hid everything until she couldn’t. Then she ran. But Colby followed her. He’d follow her to the ends of the earth. To hell and back. Sariah knew he would…... -
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. They say love shouldn’t hurt …... -
Celt. by London Miller
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 13 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. He got in …. He got out …. No witnesses …... -
Depraved Obsession by Morgan Elliott
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI hate the only man I've ever loved. Balor Murphy stole everything from me to save my family's honor. For five years, I've denied his very existence. A cruel twist of fate brings that denial to a screeching halt. Someone is watching me. Someone who wants me dead. He taunts me with cryptic messages and violent paintings. My brother’s best friend swears he can protect me... -
The Avenged King by Juliette N. Banks
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 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... -
Fierce Vow by Monica Kayne
LEO. They say there's no redemption for men like me. It doesn’t matter because I already live in hell. Alyona Nikitin is my best friend's little sister, my obsession, and the one pure thing in my world. I wanted to give her forever, but that would mean signing her death warrant. I never truly let her go though, not really...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love forced proximity suspense virgin heroine sassy heroine dark contemporary -
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... -
Bound by Ruin by Misti Wilds
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsand when nothing remains but smoke and ash, she will cloak herself in ruin and learn to breathe in the dark. Bound by Ruin is book three of the Brutal Beauty series. Why choose, Russian mafia, dark romance.Categorized as:
from hate to love mafia forced proximity dark reverse harem contemporary breeding poly -
-
Destructive Truths by Shauna Mairéad
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsLies, Saoirse. It was all lies. Those were the last words I heard before my attacker held me under. Left shattered by deceit, with a past I couldn’t outrun, Killybegs destroyed the girl I used to be. But here’s the thing, this queen was born to rise, and those who hurt me will pay for the sins they committed...Categorized as:
mafia suspense from hate to love alpha male cruel hero new adult contemporary love triangle -
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...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... -
Griffin by S.M. West
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWINNER of the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thriller, Gold Global eBook Award, and Global Book Award Silver. Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in two categories: Romantic Suspense and Audiobook: Fiction. Finalist in the 17th National Indie Excellence Award. After one electrifying kiss, I’ll risk everything to protect Cora Jennings...Categorized as:
forced proximity from hate to love suspense age difference contemporary insta-love alpha male dark -
The Villain by Nana Malone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGuess who's having the craziest week EVER? That would be me. Sunday: I get dumped by my boyfriend—right before a couple's bungee jump. Monday: My little sister informs me that she’s invited our evil, estranged mom to the wedding I’ve spent months helping her plan...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity new adult super rich hero multicultural vengeance dark -
A Deviant Queen by Charli Owen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMalia. The 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...Categorized as:
mafia from hate to love suspense dark forbidden love love triangle contemporary other-man-woman
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

