Books like 'Because of Me'
Readers who enjoyed Because of Me by Katie Pearson also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance friends to lovers forced proximity suspense cruel hero
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The Rise of Ferryn by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsShe left a broken girl. Damaged in a way no one should ever be. But determined to make a difference in the world. She stayed away. Training. Learning. Hardening. Bending and breaking herself into what she needed to become to fulfill her mission in life. Something righteous, but wicked in its own way. She returned a warrior. There were promises left unfulfilled. Questions left unanswered...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers dark bikers strong heroine abuse contemporary length-medium -
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 friends to lovers forced proximity mafia cowboys mystery dark friends-benefits -
Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox
Spoiler This isn't some sad exploration of my tragic past. I have a list of the people who bought and sold me. And they aren't getting a redemption arc. I was luckier than most. I was rescued by a team of guys who search out people like me, and now I get to work with them. But I'm not the hero of this story. I don't forgive. I don't forget...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers forced proximity m-m height-difference age difference humor hurt-comfort -
Edge of Darkness by Karen Rose
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe fourth and final book in Karen Rose's nail-biting Cincinnati Series revisits your favourite characters battling crime in the city's dark underbelly. Fans of Tess Gerritsen, James Patterson and Karin Slaughter will not be able to tear themselves away from this explosive thriller. Homicide detective Adam Kimble is no stranger to battling demons...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers mystery contemporary abuse dark second chances length-epic -
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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... -
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 cruel hero forced proximity new adult from hate to love contemporary dark length-medium -
The Devil's Lair by Penny Dee
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 29 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:
suspense friends to lovers forced proximity dark from hate to love mafia mystery contemporary -
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:
forced proximity suspense mafia from hate to love contemporary dark alpha male age difference -
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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense reverse harem contemporary dark mafia insta-love new adult -
The Nomad by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 12 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... -
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 forced proximity from hate to love abuse dark multicultural contemporary mystery -
Erik's Salvation by Nyssa Kathryn
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsShe’ll mend his broken heart. He’ll shatter anew to protect her.Hannah Jacobs is intimately familiar with pain. Growing up in foster care, she experienced all of its varying shades, in ways that still impact her as an adult... -
Dirty Deals by Nicole James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsRusty—I’m the president of the Devil Kings Atlanta MC. With a fractious club to rebuild and a revolving door on my bedroom, the last thing I need is 5’4” of sex-on-a-stick trouble.When a mysterious beauty shows up with her playmate’s body, dark soulful eyes and a bagful of cash, I’m willing to make an exception. I don’t fully trust her, but she needs my help. Ashlynn—Things are finally good... -
Pacific Prep: A Dark Academy Reverse Harem by R.A. Smyth, Michelle Lancaster
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 10 ratings⭑⭒⭑ A TOP 100 AMAZON BESTSELLING SERIES ⭑⭒⭑My name is Hadley Parker, and today I take control of my life.Today I start school at Pacific Prep.This is my new lease on life, and I won’t be wasting it.I need this, now, more than ever.I need the education, the promise of a future that I wouldn’t get anywhere else.These rich kids don’t like me though... -
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Wheelie's Challenge by Chiah Wilder
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA member of the Insurgents MC, Wheelie is a chick magnate. Having a ripped body, mesmerizing tats, and a boyish grin, he can have any woman he wants. Except for one: Sofia. Ever since he laid eyes on her, he was taken in by her sparkling eyes, her sweet laugh, and her pretty face. There’s just one very big problem: she belongs to another Insurgent... -
Cold Deceit by Toni Anderson
A tenacious forensic anthropologist needs protection from an elite FBI HRT operator as they search for a ruthless killer in this Romantic Thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson.When forensic anthropologist Zoe Miller stumbles across a murder victim in the blisteringly hostile Sonoran Desert, she triggers a chain of events that puts her in the crosshairs of a ruthless killer...Categorized as:
forced proximity suspense contemporary military mystery heroine sleuth dark length-medium -
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... -
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:
suspense forced proximity mafia dark alpha male contemporary vengeance from hate to love -
Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Score and Midnight Revenge... Four years ago, Cate’s entire life changed when she discovered she was the daughter of a supersoldier. But Jim Morgan’s overprotectiveness has pushed her away. These days, she’s working as a freelance photographer and living the dangerous life Jim never wanted for her... -
Seeking Peace by Crystal Daniels, Sandy Alvarez
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNothing remains of Blake’s life before the club except death, deceit, and corruption.He was on the road to self-destruction when his path crossed with Jake, the President of Kings of Retribution.Now Blake is dedicated to the MC and loyal to the men he calls brothers.The club gave him a family and purpose.Blake thought he finally had everything he ever wanted.Until Ember... -
Fixate by K.E. Osborn
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe’s a part of me.Even though I don’t know her name.The woman I’ve been exchanging letters with and developed feelings for over the past five years. But I can’t help feeling torn in two when I’m suddenly pulled toward another. Maxxy, the club’s horticulturalist, is strong, sassy, and she gives me so much lip the aggravation is exasperating.She infuriates me. She ignites me...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers forced proximity mystery angst alpha male bikers contemporary -
Zeppo by Mirrah McGee
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrigger Please note this book contains some content which may be triggering to those sensitive to SA off page, verbal abuse, violence, and torture. You may contact the author for more information.RuthPaleontologist? Police Officer? Doctor? Not me. When asked in school what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always the same; Zeppo Kraus' wife and the mother of his children... -
Opal by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGEM: A 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. ____GEM Operator Opal; multifaceted, versatile, a chameleon.She hides in plain sight, adapts, and infiltrates...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity single-father dark mature couple mystery contemporary length-medium -
Captive Rival: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI thought I could walk away…but Armani Bellanti wants me for keeps.My intentions were good.I thought I was on the side of angels.But all my plans led me straight to hell.There’s nowhere for me to turn.My whole world is his cage.I have no one.No one but him.He silences me with cruel kisses.I taunt him with his desire for me.We don’t trust each other, but we can use each other...Categorized as:
suspense cruel hero forced proximity mafia from hate to love contemporary dub-con dark -
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Luca: The Bianchi Brothers by L.M. Fox
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLuca Created from darkness and light, I face each day determined not to repeat history. My DNA is equal parts Satan and Saint. I will not allow another woman to suffer at the hands of my family. So why am I irrevocably drawn to her? This strong, determined angel deserves so much more than she’s been given. The very last person she should open her heart to… Is me...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers mafia single-mother dark forbidden love age difference contemporary -
Wrath by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDeath. Destruction. Pain. A soulless void. It’s his life. It’s his reality. Emo doesn’t feel. Anything. His soul is dark and filled with hatred. People in the small town of Malus watch him with fear, with reverence. Exactly the way he prefers it. Guilt surrounds him, caging him in an ominous past he refuses to let go. Can’t let go. His past is responsible for the shell of the man who now exists... -
Rolling 75 by Brandy Hynes
La Lune Noire has a pulse. It rules apart from its owners.Backroom deals and electro swing. Extravagant parties and bootlegger tunnels.The walls have secrets. The doors have codes.Ashes and lies. White oak and screams. Champagne and delusions.Hope is the gateway to hell.RykerThe house always wins.Unless it’s concerning Mercy Phillips...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity suspense single-mother super rich hero mafia dark found-family -
Vile by Lulu Waters
EVERLEE VERA This isn’t the life I’m meant to live—stuck on the arm of a rich asshole while he has a pissing contest with other rich assholes. They’re all puppets, playing a dutiful role that condemns them to hell until death do they part. Hatred pushes me forward. Lust fuels me. And there is only one guy who checks both: Holden Van. My boyfriend’s enemy. The guy who flusters me beyond anything...Categorized as:
cruel hero suspense forced proximity contemporary dark from hate to love sports bad boys -
Tethered Souls by Beth Flynn
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 15 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... -
Because I'm Yours by Claire Contreras
Lenora De LucaI've always been a good girl.The perfect daughter.The perfect sister. And, in two weeks, I'm supposed to become the perfect wife.I don't know or like the man my father chose to marry me off to but I have no say in the matter. That's why when I see Rocco Marchetti, the man I've had a crush on my entire life, I decide he'll be my first...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense forced proximity contemporary insta-love dark new adult mafia -
The Rogue by Kimberly Kincaid
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe scars that cut deepest are the ones beneath the surface…Detective Addison Hale is a survivor. The armor she uses to hide her scars keeps her safe on the job, and holding people at arm’s length is a small price to pay when there’s a stalker on the loose.Especially since he’s after the sister of impulsive firefighter Ryan Dempsey, who she had a scorching-hot fling with two months ago...Categorized as:
friends to lovers suspense contemporary mystery dark firefighter military length-medium -
Live for Me by Ember Nicole
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s hell bent on settling the score.He’ll do anything she asks.This is the third book in The Broken Bounty Series. It is not a standalone. The building blocks for this story begin with Break for Me by Ember Nicole.This is a dual perspective, dark romance and is intended for readers over 18 years of age. There are trigger/content warnings listed within the first pages of the book... -
The Night Blossoms by Leylah Attar
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Leylah Attar returns with a page-turning romantic suspense/thriller that careens down an emotional highway toward a chilling finale. Dark, thrilling, and ingeniously unpredictable...Categorized as:
suspense friends to lovers mystery dark pregnancy contemporary multicultural length-medium -
The Three Week Deal by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s a smoking-hot firefighter with a wild side.And now, my obnoxious new roommate. When my apartment catches fire, I know I’m in for a hell of a day. It only gets worse when I meet my temporary new roommate—the same grouchy firefighter who just yelled at me. Matteo De Luca is a tattooed, loud-mouthed, alpha hunk of a man...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity friends to lovers humor dark multicultural military mystery -
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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 contemporary new adult vengeance mafia age difference length-medium -
Brother's Best Friend: A Bratva Romance by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMy brother's best friend is a fierce underground fighter...And I'm his eager new understudy.Samuil Nicolaevich haunted my fantasies as a teen.And based on the way his gaze lingers on my lush curves..He clearly appreciates how much I've blossomed.In the dark world of underground fights,Women like me are rare victorious warriors...Categorized as:
forced proximity suspense mafia contemporary fighters forbidden love super rich hero dark -
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Three by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume ThreeWhat would you do for three million dollars?Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future... -
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:
suspense friends to lovers contemporary dark forbidden love bad boys new adult competent heroine -
Falcon by Elizabeth Knox, A.M. Myers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe was nothing more than a friend, until she was ripped from my clutches.FalconOver my entire life, I always saw my fair share of action. I saw more of it than most between my time serving in the United States Marines, and being the Prez of the Deathstalkers MC. After a while, I became accustomed to it. But, there was only one thing I never got used to: attacks on the people I cared about... -
Bully Me: Class of 2020 by Shantel Tessier, Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLoving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020...Categorized as:
suspense cruel hero new adult contemporary anthologies from hate to love dark alpha male -
Shattered Promise by Penelope Black
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMason Porter: Avalon Falls' hottest single dad, my brother's best friend, and the only man who’s ever broken my heart.Oh, and now he's my neighbor.I came back to town without telling anyone—just me, a half-forgotten cabin I inherited, and the quiet hope that a few stolen weeks might be enough to outrun the pressure closing in from all sides... -
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... -
Shamrock by Courtney Lynn Rose
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFifteen years ago, I became the President of the Emerald Isle MC . . . At the ripe age of twenty-two. It wasn’t supposed to go down like that, though. Back then, I was young and enjoying life— and freshly in love with the girl of my dreams. Faylinn O’Shea wasn’t just any girl. She was my Vice President’s daughter, my sister’s best friend, and a club princess— but she was mine... -
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... -
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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 forced proximity contemporary tortured hero humor dark length-medium audiobook -
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 forced proximity contemporary dark from hate to love bad boys alpha male length-short -
Comeback Hero by Jackie Walker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing one of the only female bodyguards at the elite Redleg Security, you’d think I would thrive in difficult situations. But not even my past experience as an Army operative has taught me how to handle the frustration of living with my scorching hot coworker and not being able to ride his face to pleasuretown every night... -
Scotch (The Devil's House MC) West Virginia: Biker Romance 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 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... -
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:
cruel hero suspense mafia alpha male new adult contemporary from hate to love love triangle
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