Books like 'The Red Cardinal'
Readers who enjoyed The Red Cardinal by Mia Smantz also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary reverse harem dark romance poly (3+ people) insta-love friends to lovers new adult mafia suspense
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Anarchy by Tate James
Five years ago, I made a choice that I haven’t regretted a day since. I protected the single most important person in my world, my little sister. I protected myself, and I seized control of the Tri-state Timberwolves. Since then, I’ve wielded that power with an iron fist. Done whatever it took to take care of my people. Kept us out of the public eye, and kept us safe...Categorized as:
mafia suspense new adult friends to lovers reverse harem contemporary age difference poly -
Deity by Sheridan Anne
Betrayal cuts deeper than any knife stabbed through your back. It slices through you and makes you wish for the sweet demise of a bullet shot straight out of Carver’s gun. I trusted them. King, Cruz, Grayson and Carver were not only the Kings of Ravenwood Heights, but the kings of my heart and now … they’re my executioners.They took away everything I had... -
Escape the Reaper by Ashley N. Rostek
The reaper is knocking at my door. I wonder if he received my invitation. Why else would I have walked into that hospital room? I knew it was a trap. I just didn’t care. That’s the thing about revenge: It’s all-consuming. My only regret is that Louie was shot. Is he alive? Is he dead? I’m afraid I’ll never find out. I feel death’s hand on my shoulder. I won’t go out without a fight... -
Pretty Vengeful Queen by Callie Rose
They hurt me. They fought for me. They claimed my heart.And now it’s my turn to fight for them.I never meant to fall for the three men who were once my enemies. There was a time when I would’ve happily danced on their graves, but now I’ll sacrifice myself to the devil himself if it keeps them alive.But I even if I have to marry Austin McKenna, I won’t let him win this war... -
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The End by Ruby Vincent
It doesn’t feel like the end.It feels like all of my problems are just beginning.There’s more happening in my town of Raven River than I knew.More lies. More secrets. More pain.Enemies seen and unseen are circling and not even my guardian angels can protect me.There’s a war coming and I’ll fight because this time my Angels…My Horsemen…My loves……are the ones who need saving... -
Deviant by Sheridan Anne
Death is cruel. It’s unforgiving and brutal. It robbed me of the life I wanted to live and stole what little hope I had for the future. I was supposed to be something great. I was supposed to have it all … But a single bullet changed everything...Categorized as:
new adult suspense contemporary reverse harem dark poly from hate to love length-long -
Beautiful Soldier by E.M. Moore
In the Heights, everyone fears the Heights Crew. I wish I had the luxury.I can’t afford to run away from them, I have to run to them. Why? Because now they’re my only chance at survival.Johnny, Brawler, Oscar, Magnum—I hope we can all come together to get out of this. It’s going to take a lot more than luck to free me from the wrongs I’ve been accused of... -
Rule: A Dark MC Romance by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThe Red Ridge Sinners MC series from bestselling author Caitlyn Dare continues…The truth is out—I’m in love with three Sinners.Zach, Jax, and Diesel might want to make me theirs but there’s still too many secrets between us, ones that could ruin everything.Ones that could break us.They might rule my body.Own my heart.But ultimately, they have the power to break me...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense new adult reverse harem dark menage age difference high-school -
Cardinal of Hope by Mia Smantz
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsCallie Jensen has officially taken a step into the world of romance, but even that can't be uncomplicated. She's pretty sure that more than one guy is showing interest in her, and with no experience on the matter, she's not sure how to handle it. It certainly doesn't feel normal. However, the harem she seems to be building with the Delta members is the least of her worries... -
Chaos & Carnage by R.A. Smyth
Blood will be shed.Lives will be lost.Freedom will be won.I might have my brother back, but Giovanni still runs free, and his alliance with the Grim Bastards is causing chaos in the streets of Black Creek.Now, more than ever, it is important for us to work as a team, but tensions are at an all time high... -
The Throne of Lies by Candice M. Wright
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen people think of Saylor Adams, They think of the boy whose life she ruined The football superstar whose future was forever altered by a secret A secret that followed him to his grave. Dubbed a bad seed and a liar,Saylor was the girl we warned our sons aboutBack before she ran away amid a storm of rumors and accusations...Categorized as:
insta-love suspense new adult reverse harem age difference contemporary menage bikers -
Summer and Smoke by Coralee June
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsSummer Bright is just a name on a tombstone. A whispered mystery on the long-forgotten Woodbury Lane. Her ghost teases me with fear and perfection. She knows I’m not strong enough to do what I should’ve done years ago. The Bullets are united once more, bonded by their demand for blood. There’s a vulnerability in their friendship, though. Gavriel craves control. Blaise fears losing me... -
Damaged & Deadly by R.A. Smyth
Blood will be shed.Lives will be lost.Lines will be crossed.I married the very man I’m supposed to hate. I still can’t believe it, but when I saw Luc, beaten and bloody in that church, I knew there was no way out. I had to marry him. That doesn’t mean everything the Rejects and I have worked toward has been for nothing. If anything, it matters more now than ever...Categorized as:
mafia suspense new adult reverse harem dark from hate to love contemporary marriage of convenience -
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... -
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Broken Trust by Jaymin Eve, Tate James
They think they own me now. They think they’ve won, and that I’ll be their good little soldier. Four dangerous, damaged, messed up boys. There used to be five, but one of them died, and I’m starting to suspect he was murdered. I didn't ask for this. No one would ask to be played, manipulated, seduced and betrayed. But that’s what happened, anyway. It wasn’t enough for them to break me...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mafia alpha male from hate to love contemporary super rich hero bad boys -
Love and Lead by Coralee June
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOne. We’re alive, for now. Two. Gavriel’s totally lost control. Three. Santobello is hunting us. Four. Someone will die... -
Unseen (Joker's Wild Novella) by B. Livingstone, Indie Black
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhat happens when the dutiful wife is pushed too far?Rebellion and Freedom.While the whole world searches for the senator’s missing housewife,Zoey crafts a plan to guarantee she steers clear of their radar... -
White Rose Painted Red by Elena Lawson, Blake Lawson
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMy fresh start is finally around the corner—but so is the man standing in the middle of the f*cking road.He could’ve died when I hit him, and his two friends are downright furious. But instead of pressing charges, they offer me a deal: work for them for six months, and they’ll let it go.Their secluded mountain estate is vast and beautiful. Full of stolen artifacts and dark secrets...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mafia dark reverse harem forced proximity age difference contemporary -
Sheltered by M. Sinclair
How do you put a price on your life?After laying witness to the cold-blooded murder of my entire family, I did what any rational person would do... I ran.Our name, power, and vast wealth meant nothing now. I was on the run, filled with the fear of always looking over my shoulder, wondering when they would come to collect my life...Categorized as:
new adult insta-love mafia friends to lovers reverse harem vengeance military super rich hero -
Dirty Crazy Bad: Book 2 by Siobhan Davis
In the secret society of The Luminaries, no sin will go unpunished… The Greed & Gluttony Luminary has trapped us into executing his evil plans, and it seems we have little option but to agree. Carter has orchestrated Chad’s kidnapping, and he holds my mom’s life in his hands... -
Cash by Ruby Vincent
They ripped me from my safe, perfect world and bound me in chains.Now it's Cash's turn. The cold, hard, analytical leader has a problem he needs me to solve, and he's not asking.I'm driven deep into the world of cons and corruption. I can't tell if anything around me is real. Least of all the smiling, pleasant people.Someone is playing us for a fool, and it might be me... -
Hateful Regent by Helen Scott, Zoey Shelby
Finding out who murdered my sister was supposed to be easy…The Boys of Ascendance Bay are more complicated than I ever imagined. Between what Jude told me and the creepy notes that I’ve found in my room I’m beginning to wonder if there’s more to my sister’s death than I first thought.Melody is pushing harder for me to find the evidence we need to take our revenge...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mafia length-medium contemporary dark from hate to love arranged marriage -
Delirium by Katie May
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsELLIE New secrets and shocking revelations have brought me and my guys closer together. We must work as a team to bring down the Paragons of Prosperity once and for all. But with one of my men presumed dead, another being actively recruited by the cult in question, and the other three chasing lead after lead, I fear we may be in way over our heads... -
Reign Of Ruin by Santana Knox
I lied…My name isn’t Cecilia. When the doors of my past were pried open, all of my skeletons came tumbling out. I’d lived my whole life thinking the worst had already happened, and nothing else could hurt me. I couldn’t have been more wrong.In the wreckage I’m reborn. I’ll do anything to get my revenge on those who’ve wronged me and the man who stole my throne, My uncle... -
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The Pact by Helena Sage
𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐬The journey hasn't been easy, but I've made it. Things are finally looking up after a year of rebuilding. I left my abusive ex to start a new life and a business with my best friend, Cassie, in the small town of Willow Hill. Things are mostly quiet here, although my work as a boudoir photographer hasn't gone unnoticed... -
Tainted Kitten by Sarah J.D., Sarah Jane Duncan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI am Kitten. Feel my Claws!The insatiable cravings that control my life have well and truly thrown me into a clusterfuck of epic proportions! Why didn’t I see this coming? Why didn’t I just walk away when I had the chance?I’ve put myself in less than ideal situations before, but never could I imagine this!Having the choice taken from me.Having my pleas ignored... -
Savage by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA new dark romance from the bestselling author of the Rebels at Sterling Prep series.No one knows the code of the Sinners MC better than me.Born and raised in the club, I’ve spent most of my life rebelling against my daddy’s strict rules and overprotective nature.When an old MC rivalry resurfaces, I find myself with not one, but two surly biker babysitters...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers suspense reverse harem high-school dark contemporary m-m -
Ruin by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsA new dark romance from the bestselling author of the Savage Falls MC series .My whole life I’ve been treated like some innocent naïve girl. Shielded from the dark and dangerous world my big brother inhabits.But not any longer.Now, Savage Falls is my home, the Sinners MC, my family. I’m the new club princess, a burden I neither want nor need.Because I’m not as innocent as they all think...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers mafia suspense reverse harem dark high-school contemporary -
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:
new adult suspense friends to lovers from hate to love cruel hero college contemporary sports -
Sunshine and Bullets by Coralee June
Sunshine. It’s a nickname I haven’t heard since I lived on Woodbury Lane, where the houses were pretty but the secrets? Deadly. It was a pet name known only to the Bullets. Rough, violent, and ruthless, they laid claim to the town — and my heart. I wasn't supposed to fall for a boy from the wrong side of the tracks—especially not four of them... -
The Silence Lies by Sophie Dyer
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRevenge; they say it’s best served cold, right? Well, that’s exactly what I intend to do. Enzo LaRosa was everything to me, my best friend, my second in command, and my enemies took him from me. After his death, I’m more determined than ever to make the enemy pay for what they did. But as the first female leader of The Bianchi family, I have a target on my back...Categorized as:
mafia friends to lovers suspense dark reverse harem from hate to love contemporary bisexual -
Psychotic by Katie May
ELLIEThey lied to me. Kept secrets.And now, I'm forced to pay the ultimate price.The Divine One sees me as a necessary sacrifice in this war I know very little about.Do I allow myself to become a pawn...or do I fight back with everything I have, regardless of the consequences?THE KINGSThe girl we adore and love is in the hands of our greatest enemy...Categorized as:
new adult suspense friends to lovers reverse harem contemporary poly dark virgin hero -
Cardinal Rose by Mia Smantz
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsCallie finally found a home. It's everything she's ever dreamed of - friendship, family, and a healthy dose of romance, which Dr. Harper repeatedly reminds her is a good thing since it will help her deal with her most recent loss. So, why can't she be happy? That reason comes in the form of one Russian mob boss named Nikolai Ivanov...Categorized as:
new adult mafia insta-love friends to lovers suspense reverse harem contemporary dark -
Malice by Coralee June
There are three rules for being best friends with a mafia princess:1. Don't ask any personal questions.2. Don't show up at her house unannounced.3. Don't ever, ever let anyone know you're friends.For three years, I followed the rules. Vicky and I met once a week at the diner where I worked. I was her slice of normalcy, she was the one person I could confide in... -
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Insatiable Kitten by Sarah J.D., Sarah Jane Duncan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI am Kitten. Watch me play!They call me Kitten. I’m their plaything, and I love it. I thrive on it. I need it.Why?It’s like an itch I can’t quite scratch.A craving that doesn’t take away the hunger.A compulsion that I can’t control.It’s all-consuming in every way.I thought I’d come to terms with how my future looked. Meaningless sex. Lots and lots of meaningless sex...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense reverse harem dark contemporary high-school age difference mystery -
Kiss Her Goodbye: The Complete Series by Rebecca Royce
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI'm Everly Marrs, and my life has been a whirlwind of chaos and revelation. The men who kidnapped me, known as The Letters, upended everything I believed in. They showed me a world beyond my control, one where I'm not just a victim but a player in their dangerous games. From the day they took me, my neatly outlined plans for a future in social work, for love, for a normal life, all vanished... -
Brutal by Ruby Vincent
The nature of the game has changed.But my feelings for my guys haven’t.As the search for Kieran intensifies, the battle between us reaches its pitch. And in every fight, Brutal shows up to win.My silent, savage love has his own reasons for starting this war, and nothing will get in his way.Something we have in common.I will defeat the undefeatable Brutal... -
Shattering the Darkness by Kerry Taylor
It has been a long road for Olivia and her guys. Together they have been to Hell and back more than once... -
Penance by K.L. Taylor-Lane
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRegret, remorse, repent.With the ghost of my past unexpectedly crashing back into my life, his presence threatening to tear through everything I’ve built, I’m quickly losing grip on my sanity.Voices start to whisper, infecting me with their poison as I struggle to battle against them. Mentally forced down into the deepest pits of hell, phantom hands trying to bury me in the fiery decay... -
What Sinners Love by Eva Ashwood
What Sinners Love is the explosive final book in the Sinners of Hawthorne University series!Note: The blurb below contains spoilers for the first two books, so I'd highly recommend not reading it until you've finished both When Sinners Play and How Sinners Fight.***All it took to blow my world apart was a single word.A name.Sabrina... -
Her Mafia Daddies by Shanna Handel
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI was an innocent virgin. They didn't care.Even good girls sometimes need a little discipline.But they're going to do much more than just spank me.They're going to make me be a very, very naughty girl for them. First she will blush. Then she will beg.Protecting her is our job. Taming her will be our pleasure.By the time we are done with her, she won't just be screaming our names... -
Salvation by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsIt started with an Obsession… We knew from the moment we saw her that she would be ours, and we used all of our means of Seduction to prove it to her... However, with our way of life comes trouble. It didn’t matter how much Devotion we had, it wasn’t enough to keep her safe, and now we’re here. We’re fighting for our lives and everything we never knew we’d have... -
Chaos Crown by Ruby Vincent
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsChaos Crown description will be published closer to the release date to prevent spoilers... -
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... -
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Empire by Sheridan Anne
An Empire risen from blood and ash.Murder. Betrayal. Undisputable power.A sacrifice to be given. An innocent life to be lost.He made the solemn vow.The flesh of my flesh will perish in flames,but the blood will forever reign.-------All I wanted was a new life, a fresh start in Faders Bay.But fate hadn’t written my name in the stars, it was written in cold, murderous blood.Zade. Sawyer. Dalton...Categorized as:
suspense new adult from hate to love reverse harem dark contemporary cruel hero poly -
Widow by April Skye
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAllison—My world was wrapped in the comfort and security of Devon and the life that we were building together after overcoming infertility. He was the better half between us, and I was excited to bring another part of him into the world through our child... -
Delectable Lies by Shauna Mairéad
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNever feed your fears, Saoirse, because if you do, they will eat you alive.Those were the last words my mother uttered before the masked men arrived.She begged me to run, to save myself from the past she kept hidden.But here's the thing, the past doesn't stay buried forever, and somebody has to pay the price for the choices she made.All the King's horses and all the King's men..Categorized as:
mafia new adult suspense dark from hate to love love triangle contemporary cruel hero -
Kings of Kink by N.O. One
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Why Choose Standalone NovelSometimes a queen needs a king…or three.My name is Madelina Mancini and as the younger sister to New York City’s most powerful mafia don, I’ve lived most of my life in the family’s protective bubble.Until I didn’t.Until evil found me and tried to destroy me.Happiness seemed impossible when all I felt was emptiness... -
Deceptive Truce by Heather Long, Michelle Lancaster
Life has been a series of exquisite disasters…Do you ever lie to yourself? I do. Making friends has been the cruelest choice I ever inflicted upon myself. I like to say I don’t regret it, and for the most part that’s true.I resent it.I despise him because he left me behind, following another battle in this war we’ve been waging...Categorized as:
new adult suspense reverse harem contemporary dark super rich hero poly explicit-plentiful -
The Queen by Ivy Clyde
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThis is our time to rule.Victor has taken his father’s throne but the violent, unforgiving mafia world will not let him rule without testing his limits.Victor. River. Alexei.Each man holds a piece of my soul in his hand.Struggling to stay sane in the shitstorm blowing all around me, I must not forget my loyalty and duty to my team mates who are watching me. Waiting for me...
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