Books like 'Believing Bailey'
Readers who enjoyed Believing Bailey by Linda Kage also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance new adult friends to lovers tortured hero college
-
The Fallen: Genesis by Tillie Cole
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsTHE FALLEN: GENESIS (A Deadly Virtues Prequel) IN THE BEGINNING... They told them they were evil. They told them they were possessed by demons. They told them that darkness ran in their veins. Holy Innocents Home for Children is a haven for orphaned boys who have nothing and no one. The priests watch over them, educate them, raise them in the family of the church...Categorized as:
new adult tortured hero suspense contemporary bad boys angst disabilities and marks abuse -
Dissent: A Charity Romance Anthology by Brighton Walsh, Kennedy Fox
For National Read a Book day, DISSENT is available in eBook and paperback!DISSENT is a charity romance anthology with NEW, never before published content from over 150 authors of all romance genres. All proceeds from the eBook and paperbacks will be donated to organizations benefiting reproductive rights in the United States, particularly in areas where people need them more than ever... -
Reforming Kent by Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAn enemies-to-lovers new adult romance from USA Today bestseller Siobhan Davis. Standalone with HEA and no cliffhanger. Kent Rogue. Troublemaker. Bad Boy. Delinquent. Everyone thinks they know who I am, but they know nothing. And that’s how I prefer it. Keeping my demons under lock and key is my only survival tactic. Until she enters my life, turning it upside down. She thinks she can fix me... -
If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio
Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago... -
-
Reckless Fate by Kate Crew
Daisy WellsI never planned to kiss Kye that night, but with him being the only one not scared of my ex, it became my only chance to get back at him. But now, I’m pretending to be the girlfriend of the town troublemaker while trying to not let that be known to my father...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers college tortured hero sports single-mother found-family grumpy sunshine -
The Red Cardinal by Mia Smantz
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAfter their last encounter, Nikolai Ivanov proved that he's done toying aroung and is finally making his move. Callie Jensen and everyone she loves are more at risk than ever before. It's going to take the entire team working together if they all want to make it out alive... -
Fallen Royal by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA mafia romance about betrayal and faith by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series."The truth may hurt for a little while, but a lie hurts forever."—Ryan BiggeI grew up knowing it would happen one day. Believing that I would fall into my father's footsteps and become a monster of my own making. So I fought it. I lived. I loved. I teased... -
Don't Be Afraid by C.A. Harms
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsBeautiful, Breathtaking An Epic Love Story! Have you ever looked at someone and just knew, knew that they were put in your life for a reason? The one person that would be not only your best friend, but would be your absolute everything? That’s how I felt the first time I saw him. That one day when a few little words changed our entire lives forever… Don’t be Afraid, he said...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers contemporary angst dark pregnancy love triangle single-mother -
The Destiny of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Luke Price's life has always been about order, control, and acting tough on the outside. For Luke, meaningless relationships are a distraction-a way to tune out the twisted memories of his childhood. He desperately wishes he could forget his past, but it haunts him no matter what he does. Violet Hayes has had a rough life... -
Between Here and the Horizon by Callie Hart
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 33 ratings“You think you know me. You think you want to know me. But trust me, Miss Lang. Pursuing me will be the worst mistake you ever make. I’m broken beyond repair......and I take great pleasure in breaking everyone else around me.” Ophelia Lang needs money, and she needs it bad...Categorized as:
friends to lovers tortured hero new adult contemporary mystery alpha male from hate to love angst -
The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 50 ratingsElla and Micha have survived tragedy and heartbreak. When they're together, anything seems possible. But now they are thousands of miles apart, and managing their long distance relationship will put their love to the test. Ella is back at school, trying hard not worry so much about her future. But with her father in and out of rehab, she's having a hard time making it through the days... -
Falling by E.K. Blair
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsSometimes it takes someone else to show us what we are truly capable of becoming. Suffering from years of violent abuse, Ryan Campbell has learned how to keep people from getting too close. But when you shut yourself off, people get hurt along the way. Never caring much about others, Ryan creates a world in which he doesn’t have to feel... -
Valiant by Bella Jewel
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI’ve known fear. I’ve known pain. I’ve known horror. I’ve known all of it. I’ve guarded myself as best I can. I’ve hidden myself from him. I’ve changed my name. I’ve moved. But he still haunts me. One day, I’m sure he’ll find me again. I don’t trust anybody. I don’t believe in anybody. I just want to be free. Until I meet Jack... -
The Darkness in You by Becca Steele
Scarred. Ruined. Broken. Zayde Lowry was the boy I was never supposed to love. Our families have been rivals for generations, and I knew that if anyone discovered our secret, there would be hell to pay.But I fell for him anyway. He called me his angel, and he bared the darkest corners of his soul to me. In return, I gave him my whole heart.Then tragedy struck...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult tortured hero college from hate to love suspense praise-kink abuse -
-
Lover by Eden O'Neill
Two lost souls.Two separate lives.A high dive.A challenge.And a pizza."What do you say, Jersey girl?"He asked me that over a deep dish, a man I met at a wedding when I'd been trying to forget the epic disaster that was my life. He was too young, but I was hurting, sad, and recently divorced. Basically, the trifecta for bad decision-making... -
The Arrangement 10: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWhen Avery realizes that her latest client wasn't Sean she doesn't know what to do. This person has invaded her life on a personal level and to make matters worse she doesn't even know who he is. The only good thing that came from it has been seeing Sean again, but now that he's in front of her, she doesn't want to let him go...Categorized as:
new adult college contemporary alpha male dark super rich hero cruel hero length-novella -
Player by Hattie Jude
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom Hattie Jude comes Player, a sexy standalone why choose academy romance.The secrets I’m keeping are catching up with me.I’ve tried to keep my life as simple as possible out of necessity, and for the safety of me and my sister.I’ve kept my virginity, focused on my grades, and stayed away from trouble.But the desire to live a normal life is beginning to override everything else...Categorized as:
college new adult friends to lovers from hate to love cruel hero contemporary sports suspense -
Hear No Evil by Ivy Fox
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEvil cannot take hold of an unconsenting soul.Do not be amazed that hell is empty, since all the devils live here.One by one, they will meet their hellish fate.One down…Three to go.EastonA tyrannous society has discovered our most atrocious secret and decided to wage war on us.They’ve had their fun with Finn, and now it’s my turn to be their little puppet...Categorized as:
new adult college suspense dark mystery from hate to love contemporary length-medium -
Tethered Souls by Beth Flynn
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMy family has secrets. I’m always the good girl, doing what’s necessary to keep my loved ones safe. I've kept the darkest secrets from everyone I know. As painful as it is to hold them all inside where they live and gnaw away at me, that’s where they must stay. I haven't seen my closest childhood friend, Christian Bear, since I was a teenager—he hasn't changed a bit... -
Shattered Pieces by K.M. Neuhold
“I was sure my heart had withered away years ago, but then you smiled at me, and I felt it beat again.” ~Gage Years ago, I fell in love with my best friend’s little brother. Then, he took his own life, leaving me shattered and unable to piece my heart back together. I’ve been a zombie for nine long years...Categorized as:
friends to lovers tortured hero m-m contemporary tearjerkers dark queer length-short -
When Darkness Ends by Marni Mann
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAn all new angsty, dark, stand-alone Contemporary Romance in the Moments in Boston Series ...You never forget your first love … even when he becomes a memory.There was before.When we were together, when we were happy.When we had nothing but dreams.When not a single bad thing could ever happen because we were young and in love.And there was after... -
Cross + Catherine: The Saga by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsOnce upon a time, a wild boy fell in love with a sly girl … From high school sweethearts to a criminal King and Queen, Cross Donati and Catherine Marcello’s love became a force—even destructive, it was unstoppable. They were meant to be. Even when everything stood in the way. Always. Fall in love with the saga of Cross + Catherine, and their story of a love revered, and a life lived so unruly... -
Respect by Jay Crownover
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsOnce upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who called a corrupt kingdom home sweet home. Protected and sheltered from the worst the world had to offer, she fell in love with the crumbling city that burned and blazed around her. Every dirty corner, every scary shadow, found a place within her heart. So did a man who was violent and dangerous, just like the streets she claimed as her own...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult suspense contemporary dark forbidden love bad boys competent heroine -
Unloved, a love story by Katy Regnery
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsMy name is Cassidy Porter...My father, Paul Isaac Porter, was executed twenty years ago for the brutal murder of twelve innocent girls.Though I was only eight-years-old at the time, I am aware - every day of my life - that I am his child, his only son.To protect the world from the poison in my veins, I live a quiet life, off the grid, away from humanity...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers tortured hero contemporary dark forced proximity virgin hero angst -
-
Mercy by Ruby Vincent
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMaverickThe more answers I unearthed, the less I understood. I stepped into this game not knowing the rules, and now, they’re playing me to their beat.Old faces reappear. New friends circle. I got closer to the puppeteer as they got ever closer to me. And when they struck, I wasn’t ready.ValentinaA queen sacrifices for her subjects. A president makes the hard decisions... -
Girl Like Me by Jaye Pratt
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratings***RELEASE DATE WILL MOVE FORWARD***Sent back to live with my family, I'm thrown back into my old life without my memories. I have to navigate my way through this place as Bristol, a girl I don't like.Even if she was me, she isn't anymore.All I want to do is remember what happened to me so that I can go back to my guys.Sounds easy...right? Wrong...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult reverse harem contemporary high-school rich heroine humor bad boys -
A Shot of Pretty Poison by Kelsey Clayton
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsI can still taste her on my lips, lingering there like a shot of pretty poison.I should hate her for what she did. No one would blame me for it—not even her brother. The pain I felt that day ripped me apart until all that remained was the shell of the man I used to be. And now I’m left to lie in the aftermath.Devastating news has my life spiraling further out of control...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers dark contemporary sports suspense forced proximity dual-pov -
Into the Light by L.B. Simmons
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratings*****#1 Bestseller in Amazon Inspirational Romance***** "As long as you continue to travel through life in this darkness, you will never know how beautiful your light truly shines when you let yourself love and be loved. Trust me when I say, it's a breathtaking sight to see. You burn as bright as the sun... -
Fall by N.V. Roez
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhat happens to the broken? … Honestly, I don’t know. My past is catching up to me from all directions. I’m stuck between the girl I was and the woman I want to be. Everyone is blaming me for what happened to Micah, but nothing is as it seems. People are after me, and debts have to be repaid. That’s not the hardest pill to swallow, though... -
In the Garden of Discontent by Lily White
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis is a love story. It’s brutal. Heart-wrenching. Dirty, terrifying, and raw. But a love story nonetheless because it is so beautiful. Ensley: Noah Carter was the type of guy that every girl wanted. Gorgeous. Talented. Smart and kind. He was the world that revolved around me even though I didn’t deserve him. But then something went wrong. He snapped maybe, just lost his mind... -
Savage by Isabella Starling, Marci Fawn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratings"I can’t be gentle, sugar. I don’t know how.” MEMPHIS I don't remember my past. All I know is my present. Fighting, killing, butchering men like me every night. They call me Angel, a name I hate with all my heart, unless it's coming from her lips. Adrienne Hanson, the prize promised to me if I win a fighting tournament... -
Opium Skies by C.M. Radcliff
Life is full of variables.We crave control, but in reality, we have very little.I left home with a plan: get the full college experience and pass my classes.But that all changed when I met him.Ander was the last thing I needed.He was never part of my plan.He was the one variable in my life that I could never control.And we were destined for destruction...Categorized as:
new adult tortured hero college contemporary dark open-door substance abuse bad boys -
Tarnished Soul: A Nine Minutes Spin-Off Novel by Beth Flynn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMy family has secrets. I’m always the good girl, doing what’s necessary to keep my loved ones safe. I've kept the darkest secrets from everyone I know. As painful as it is to hold them all inside where they live and gnaw away at me, that’s where they must stay.I haven't seen my closest childhood friend, Christian Bear, since I was a teenager—he hasn't changed a bit... -
Waiting on Forever by Claudia Connor
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDallas Walker is haunted. He won’t ever forget the horrors he witnessed while working undercover to bust a human trafficking ring, but he has a plan to start a new life. Coming home to his family is step one. Getting to know his alluring new neighbor could be step two. If only she’d give him a chance…Maggie Ellis just wants to be left alone...Categorized as:
friends to lovers tortured hero contemporary forced proximity humor dark length-medium audiobook -
-
Burn by J.C. Emery
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBURN (Bayonet Scars, No. 5) TRAGEDY CUTS DEEP. REVENGE BURNS DEEPER. The blood of their enemies coats the leather of their cuts and a trail of bodies lie in their wake, but the Forsaken Motorcycle Club isn't done yet. Carlo Mancuso still needs to pay for his sins. Nobody knows that more than Ian Buckley, the Treasurer for Forsaken...Categorized as:
friends to lovers tortured hero new adult suspense contemporary alpha male mafia bikers -
His Light in the Dark by L.A. Fiore
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsSpecial pre-order price of $1.99 My first memory was of a slap, hard across the face: the sting on my cheek and the jarring of my bones as I slammed back into my bed. It was my dad who had hit me. I had been four. Most of my memories were much of the same and no one ever saw, no one ever fought to help, no one ever cared. Then we moved... -
Regrets by Nicole Dykes
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHealing after a tragedy is hard enough. Doing it when you’re haunted by past betrayal and so many things left unsaid?Feels nearly hopeless... -
It All Comes Back to You by Melissa Wiesner
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn absolutely unforgettable and heart-shattering romance, perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Lucy Score and Carley Fortune, that does keeping secrets destroy true love?Anna works two jobs to get herself through college and never, ever talks about her family. It’s easier to keep her distance from everyone until she can finally leave her old life behind...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult contemporary suspense second chances dark dual-pov length-medium -
Ominous: Book I by K.V. Rose
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat is the true cost of obsession?The consequences of lust driven bone-deep?Eli and Eden are about to find out.After a quiet meeting in their private school’s library, it doesn’t take long for them to recognize the hidden darkness in one another. Surrounded by a strange disappearance, skeptical friendships, and conflicting dreams born out of nightmares, together,theyfall... -
Toward the Sound of Chaos by Carmen Jenner
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsJake Tucker is broken. At twenty-two, he went in to the Marine Corps a naïve, troubled youth. Nine years and four tours later, Jake finds himself back on US soil, though his mind remains firmly planted in the sands of Afghanistan with the men he left behind.Wounded, chewed up and spat out by war, Jake has only his dog, Nuke, PTSD, and survivor’s guilt to keep him company... -
You Loved Me At My Ugliest by Evie Harper
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsShe’s no stranger to love and loss… By age eighteen, Alexa Kingsley had lost everyone. Only Joey, the lonely boy next door, remained. He’d clung to Alexa like a lifeline through years of abuse at the hands of his father, and she vowed to protect him as best she could. Alexa thought Joey was the one person who’d always be there—until the day he left her as well...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult suspense alpha male contemporary dark abuse length-short -
Lev: A Shot Callers Novel by Belle Aurora
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsFrom the moment Lev Leokov spots the young woman hiding behind her hair in the middle of the gentleman's club, he can't take his eyes off of her. For the very first time in his life, he is affected. Having been told his entire life that he can't process or understand emotion, he considers it a big deal.When Mina Harris gets caught red-handed with a wallet that isn't hers, she falls apart... -
Slave to the Rhythm by Jane Harvey-Berrick
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsDANCE. Guns. MUSIC. Bullets. RHYTHM. Pain. Music in my head, dance in my body, the rhythm of my heart. How far can you fall in just one month? How quickly can the human spirit be broken? Where does evil hide in plain sight? Ash wants to dance. Needs it. To leave behind a life of expectation and duty, to set his soul free. But life is never that simple...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult contemporary dark love triangle mafia abuse other-man-woman -
Used by Kate Dunbar
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHeartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more. At the age of seventeen, after a decade of lies, hurt, and severe abuse by her brother Lucas, Sabra Valentine is able to breathe... -
-
Tell Me Something True by Katherine Owen
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTell Me Something True is the third book in the Truth In Lies series and cannot be read as a standalone. Please read This Much Is True and The Truth About Air & Water, books 1 and 2 in the Truth In Lies Series, first... -
Prince of Pain by R.E. Bond
I’m out of control, spiraling without a care in the world. I hear what people say about me, that I’m only good for one thing. I’ve always been the girl that everyone’s had but nobody wants. I enjoy sex and pain. It drowns out the loneliness and gives me a few minutes of peace. I never thought anyone would understand my need to hurt...Categorized as:
friends to lovers new adult bdsm praise-kink contemporary spanking super rich hero dark -
Between Passion and Revenge Part One by Angel M. Shaw
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIn African legend, they were She, the calm. He, the storm.In the wealthy corners of modern-day Chicago, they’re two star-crossed lovers caught in a war of legacy, betrayal, and desire. I’ve always known who I am: Heir to a dynasty built on Black excellence, top of my class, and next in line to inherit a billion-dollar global empire...Categorized as:
college new adult forced proximity dark contemporary suspense strong heroine alpha male -
Ace of All Hearts by Lola King
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsRoseThey call it Stockholm Syndrome. When you develop positive feelings toward your captor.But I’m a genius. I’m smart, I’m cunning, and I know that would never happen to me…right?He promised he would find me if I escaped, and Viktor Volkov always keeps his promises.I now have sixty days to say my goodbyes. Sixty days of freedom left before I have to go back to him for good... -
Out of the Blackness by Carter Quinn
A childhood of abuse has left Avery so physically and emotionally scarred he believes he shouldn't be alive. His only sanctuary has been his relationship with his older foster brother Sam. Avery finally lets Sam convince him to start therapy to help overcome his crippling anxiety, but even that can't prepare him for the upheaval caused by meeting Noah Yates. Noah is everything Avery fears...Categorized as:
tortured hero friends to lovers contemporary mystery dark abuse hurt-comfort glimpses-kisses -
Very Wicked Beginnings by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA Prequel Novella Girls say I’m a walking, talking sex god. Guys call me Hollywood because my life is golden. It’s not. But, ESPN did rank me as a four-star recruit, calling me one of the best defensive players since Briarcrest Academy opened its esteemed doors. So yeah, with football and a stellar GPA, my future seemed good...
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.

