Books like 'The Darkness Within'
Readers who enjoyed The Darkness Within by Raquel Riley also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance dark romance queer military angst caretaking forbidden love forced proximity friends to lovers
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Special Forces - Soldiers by Aleksandr Voinov, Marquesate
Special Forces is the story of a Scottish SAS soldier and a Soviet spetsnaz soldier. Two enemies who meet in the line of duty during the early days of the Soviet Union's last war in Afghanistan. Behind enemy lines respect and finally love grow ... but that's only the official version. This epic spans across over twenty-five years of their lives... -
![The Bridge of Silver Wings by John Wiltshire]()
The Bridge of Silver Wings by John Wiltshire
The third book in the series More Heat Than the Sun Ben discovers the truth of the old adage 'be careful what you wish for'. Nikolas has exorcised his demons, but when they end up stranded in Russia, the monster inside needs to be let loose. Siberia in winter isn't a place for good men. There is nothing Nikolas won't do to keep Ben alive... -
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![A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur]()
A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur
Rated: 4.81 of 5 stars · 15 ratings“I swear. Give me one more chance and I will make the most of it.”Ex-escort Javier Landes is asking for his third chance at love. And the third time is the charm. He meets an art therapist named Steffen Finch and what starts as casual deepens into a passionate relationship—everything Jav has ever wanted, and everything he fears losing. Stef’s business card reads Curator & Sailor... -
![The Scent of Winter by Tiffany Reisz]()
The Scent of Winter by Tiffany Reisz
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe 2016 Original Sinners Christmas story, free on December 20th.Kingsley Edge thought he was being driven to the airport. He never expected he'd be kidnapped and relocated to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Maine to help Søren celebrate his birthday. But it's not quite the sexy party Kingsley hoped for... -
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![Deserted by Cara Dee]()
Deserted by Cara Dee
Gray Nolan had survived a kidnapping where he was supposed to have been auctioned off to the highest bidder. He had also survived being stranded on an island, under siege from a different set of foes, and throughout the hell they’d all endured, their motto had been “Leave no man behind.” Recovery was different... -
![Shatter by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Shatter by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Maverick trauma surgeon Ashton “Snow” Frost keeps the world at a distance, relying only on his three closest friends to keep him connected. But when a ghost from their past returns to Cincinnati, Snow stands to lose everyone he loves. Framed for murder and reeling from attacks on his friends, Snow is pushed to his breaking point. Jude Torres won’t let the doc shatter... -
![Anti-Hero by Kelly Fox]()
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:
friends to lovers forced proximity queer found-family m-m height-difference suspense age difference -
![Domesticated Beast by Onley James]()
Domesticated Beast by Onley James
JAVIER DE LA FUENTE is a criminal, an ex-con with a long line of offenses, atoning for his sins by rescuing abused animals and advocating for child victims. But that doesn’t mean he’s a saint. Javier learned years ago that what’s right and what’s legal aren’t always the same thing. BOWIE BAKER is a ballet dancer, a soloist doing his best to get ahead in his LA dance company... -
![The Air That I Breathe by Cara Dee]()
The Air That I Breathe by Cara Dee
The Game Series, Book 3.5 “In that moment, I stopped caring about right and wrong.” The only thing that stood between us were the boundaries set by others, by society, by our parents. But together we could knock them down. Together, we could find freedom and live life on our own terms. Screw the rest of the world. He was all that mattered. He was the air that I breathed... -
![Reluctant Renegade by Garrett Leigh]()
Reluctant Renegade by Garrett Leigh
“I was never scared of dying until I loved you.”The shy single dad and the gentle assassin. Domestic bliss and a bloodthirsty revenge mission battle it out in the emotional fifth instalment of the bestselling Rebel Kings MC series.DecoyI met a dude in a bar once. Tall and strong, he had moon-blue eyes and tawny hair, and he moved with the grace of a lion...Categorized as:
forced proximity military angst friends to lovers queer found-family disabilities and marks m-m -
![Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek]()
Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek
This Valentine’s Day…the bad boys come out to play…Get ready for an anti-Valentine to remember in this limited release M/M romance anthology. Sixteen authors have come together to bring you a collection of brand-new short stories with a combination of dark, enemies to lovers, and bully themes...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers angst queer m-m from hate to love sports contemporary -
![The Bright and Hungry Future of Hawks by John Wiltshire]()
The Bright and Hungry Future of Hawks by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe FINAL book in the addictive, best-selling "More Heat Than The Sun" M/M Thriller seriesBen and Nikolas know that if they were to compare recollections of their life together, they’d remember things very differently. Ben never asks about their time together in the Department, because he doesn’t want to hear Nikolas lie... -
![Possessive Park Avenue Prince by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank]()
Possessive Park Avenue Prince by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank
Who are we? Like you even need to ask. We’re the seven richer-than-sin legacies causing debauchery at the prestigious Astor University in Manhattan.Some call us spoiled.Some call us trouble.But everyone calls us the Park Avenue Princes.Daire Connery“The Bad Boy”I’m not a man of many words. But when I do speak, it usually starts with F and ends with you.Keep to myself. Don’t let anyone in...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity angst queer found-family m-m grumpy sunshine college -
![Dangerous Breed by Onley James]()
Dangerous Breed by Onley James
PREACHER GRAVES made a fatal error in judgment when he was just sixteen years old, and it cost him twenty years. Now, he plans to live out his days in quiet isolation. For six months, he’s done just that. Until a favor for a friend finds him rescuing a twelve-year-old boy from a ruthless biker gang, putting him face to face with the boy’s beautiful and very damaged older brother, Memphis... -
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![Backdraft by Cole McCade]()
Backdraft by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE When a 911 call goes wrong and a young man goes missing, it falls to Malcolm and Seong-Jae to investigate the responding officers when Internal Affairs' internal politics leave the case compromised and the officers aren't willing to talk... -
![Fracture by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Fracture by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
After three years, Snow and Jude’s relationship is still passionate and strong. They’re getting ready for a romantic vacation at home when Jude receives a horrifying call no one wants to receive. His youngest brother was found barely clinging to life. While Jude’s family is rallying around Jordan, Jude is determined to find out what happened to him... -
![Cult of Personality by Cole McCade]()
Cult of Personality by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE "He pushed me." Three words turn a suspected suicide into an unsettling murder, pointing to a killer whose methods and motives threaten to expose buried memories of Seong-Jae's past... -
![Olive Juice by T.J. Klune]()
Olive Juice by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIt begins with a message that David cannot ignore:I want to see you.He agrees, and on a cold winter’s night, David and Phillip will come together to sift through the wreckage of the memory of a life no longer lived.David is burdened, carrying with him the heavy guilt of the past six years upon his shoulders.Phillip offers redemption... -
![17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider]()
17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSecond part in the Stockholm Syndrome trilogy:Some mistakes are too enormous and some people are too stubborn for anything to work except running away, but the world is never as big as you need it to be and eventually you can't help circling back to where you started... -
![A Forgotten Mistake by Alice Winters]()
A Forgotten Mistake by Alice Winters
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLiamDespite winning Gabriel’s heart, my trials are not yet over when I’m stuck competing with Gabriel’s cat for his affection (why is she only evil when he’s not looking?), dealing with coworkers trying to befriend me (I should have blackmailed more of them), and worst of all... meeting Gabriel’s parents (whose affection I will win with lavish presents).Oh, and hunting down another killer... -
![Pretty Black by J.R. Gray]()
Pretty Black by J.R. Gray
Iris Black: There are moments in music when the crowd becomes part of the song and we all lose ourselves to the energy. I wanted to drown myself in the music. It became my escape and my savior. I thought success was what I wanted, but it only intensified my misery. Fame is a monster, and it ate me alive. I tried it all to get out of my head: sex, drugs, and rock and roll...Categorized as:
angst friends to lovers queer forbidden love forced proximity hurt-comfort m-m second chances -
![Triangulation by Gregory Ashe]()
Triangulation by Gregory Ashe
After a recent case with a treacherous client, North and Shaw are ready to go back to work building Borealis Investigations. They’re also ready to go back to dodging their feelings for each other, with neither man ready to deal with the powerful emotions the Matty Fennmore case stirred up... -
![The Tin Box by Kim Fielding]()
The Tin Box by Kim Fielding
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWilliam Lyon's past forced him to become someone he isn't. Conflicted and unable to maintain the charade, he separates from his wife and takes a job as caretaker at a former mental hospital. Jelley’s Valley State Insane Asylum was the largest mental hospital in California for well over a century, but it now stands empty... -
![What We Broke by Marley Valentine]()
What We Broke by Marley Valentine
If someone asked me to describe our love story, I would only need to use two words. Before and After. • • • •When I met Leonardo Ricci, he was determined I would only be a fling, while I was certain he was my forever. Seven years later, we're the perfect couple. Happy, married, and in love-in sickness and health, till death do us part. At least until the unthinkable happens... -
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![Devil by Silvia Violet]()
Devil by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsA Dark Mafia Romance Devil is a mobster with a dangerous secret... There's a cop who hates him. A cop he caught and released. A cop he can't get out of his mind after the one forbidden night they shared... -
![WTF: Special Edition Paperback by Cambria Hebert]()
WTF: Special Edition Paperback by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI don’t do commitment. And though I swing both ways, I don’t do men either.It’s too messy, too stressful, and just asking for trouble.I’d rather shine bright like the sun than drown in the rain, so I adopt a pounce-and-bounce lifestyle for which my sparkling charm keeps me from being hated.When I show up in Sweden for a semester abroad, I expect a roomie. What I don’t expect is Lars... -
![Savage by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank]()
Savage by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank
Who are we? Nobody really knows. We’re the seven most powerful heirs to empires, ruling Manhattan from our thrones on Park Avenue. By day, we’re the elite, untouchable, and more connected than you could ever imagine. By night, we revel in the darkness of our secrets, pulling strings that make the city bow to our whims.Ruthless.Dangerous.We’re the Park Avenue Kings...Categorized as:
found-family queer forced proximity m-m contemporary suspense age difference dual-pov -
![Black and Brown by A.E. Via]()
Black and Brown by A.E. Via
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness. Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent... -
![Forgive Me Father by Garrett Leigh]()
Forgive Me Father by Garrett Leigh
Expect: a sizzling hurt/comfort MM romance with a damaged chaplain and a dark-souled enforcer with a tender-hearted secret.“I gave my darkest secrets to a man who doesn’t exist.”Embry"...you don’t understand.”Mateo lowered himself to sit, still vibrating with the need to fix me, the way he always did. “Then tell me. Explain it like I’m the simplest idiot you’ve ever met.”I can’t... -
![Torch by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Torch by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Nine months ago, Rowan Ward thought he had it all. Now he's fighting to pull his shredded life together, buried in work and battling the kind of grief that destroys a man's soul. When fires spring up around Cincinnati threatening Rowe's friends and clients, he's thrilled to find his old Army buddy, Noah Keegan in town... -
![Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe]()
Custody Battles by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSome parents would die for their children. Others will do a whole lot worse.Emery Hazard and his husband, John-Henry Somerset, are settling into their new normal—at home, with the latest addition to their family, and at work, as Somers adapts to his new role and Hazard manages his expanding agency. The only thing Hazard is worried about is getting through dinner with his in-laws... -
![Savage by Erin Russell]()
Savage by Erin Russell
Everyone thinks the mafia is so glamorous. They make books and movies by the hundred and it's all suave guys in suits making deals in smoky backrooms over poker games.Well, I'm the mafia prince of Oklahoma. There's no glitz or glamor here, and I hate every minute of it. But it's my birthright... -
![Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Chip's Forever Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsChip’s had a good example of a Daddy—and the absolute worst. Ollie’s determined to give him the best…forever. If Chip didn’t have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all. All he’s ever wanted is a man to see him, truly hear him, and love him. Ollie is the definition of protective, with the muscle to back it up...Categorized as:
queer found-family friends to lovers m-m contemporary age difference daddy-kink hurt-comfort -
![Midnight Target by Elle Kennedy]()
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... -
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![Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes]()
Stalked But Not Afraid by Nicole Dykes
RomanHe’s an influencer—whatever that means. He’s also stunningly beautiful with a feisty attitude I can’t deny intrigues me.But more importantly, he’s in trouble.I’m not like my brother. Except for being a cop, I don’t strive to save the entire world.However, I find myself compelled to save him.If he’ll calm down and just let me.BrooksHe’s everything I despise. He’s a cop...Categorized as:
angst forced proximity queer found-family m-m from hate to love suspense contemporary -
![Reigniting Chase by Jeanne St. James]()
Reigniting Chase by Jeanne St. James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsAn unexpected collaboration between two authors that’s hot enough to spark a fire... ChaseAfter an excruciating loss, I’m desperate for a fresh start.Away from the painful memories.Away from everyone I know and anyone who knows my story.That’s how I end up in Eagle’s Landing, Pennsylvania... -
![Shattered Pieces by K.M. Neuhold]()
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 queer m-m contemporary tearjerkers tortured hero dark length-short -
![How Much for a Broken Heart? by R.J. Scott]()
How Much for a Broken Heart? by R.J. Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhen the game turns deadly for a SEAL and his Ranger, love becomes the most dangerous mission of all.In a single devastating morning, August's life crumbles. His covert assignment derails disastrously as the family he's meant to safeguard falls prey to the ruthless Cooper River cartel... -
![Unquiet by Melanie Hansen]()
Unquiet by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLoren Smith has been in love with Eliot Devlin almost his entire life. During their turbulent childhood and teen years, Loren didn’t always understand Eliot, and sometimes he could be a challenge, but Eliot was the only one to ever truly ease Loren’s deep loneliness and accept him... -
![Deliverance by Garrett Leigh]()
Deliverance by Garrett Leigh
Banished gangster Benito Martell is living on the edge. An explosive hook-up in a club gifts him the relief he craves, but nothing about his life is ever so simple. Complications abound, and before long, he’s falling for the only man who can save his family from eviction.Recovering addict Mickey Larwood has worked hard to leave his past behind... -
![Love Thy Brother by Garrett Leigh]()
Love Thy Brother by Garrett Leigh
The fourth instalment in the bestselling Rebel Kings seriesExpect: His brother’s best friend. His best friend’s little brother. The soft-hearted bear and the rowdy chaos gremlin. The inevitable only happens when you let it. “Riv, if you ever let me speak, you’d know exactly how I feel.” I’ve told him that a thousand times, but River’s stubborn streak is a mile wide.He doesn’t want to hear it...Categorized as:
forced proximity friends to lovers angst queer found-family disabilities and marks caretaking m-m -
![Home Then by A.E. Jensen]()
Home Then by A.E. Jensen
ColtonAfter being in the army for more than 20 years, Colton returns to his home town in Nebraska. His estranged uncle has offered him a job at his auto shop. With nothing to his name, he hopes to start over and build some sort of life. Preferably a quiet life where he doesn’t have to deal with the rest of the world...Categorized as:
friends to lovers military queer found-family contemporary m-m hurt-comfort mental illness -
![Nightingale by Laura Lascarso]()
Nightingale by Laura Lascarso
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAn accountant and an assassin set off on a homicidal mission to avenge the wrongs of the past…Since the moment we met as children at Saint Bernadine’s School for Boys, Julien has held my heart hostage. Now, he’s a ruthless and cunning assassin, known to many only by his code name Nightingale, and I am again at his mercy when he forces me to accompany him on his next hit... -
![Remember Me by Avril Ashton]()
Remember Me by Avril Ashton
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTheirs was a connection that began and ended in the shadows. Secret moments. Missed opportunities and what-ifs. Wanting more than what they had, but grateful with the bits of happiness they snatched.A bullet stole it away, setting two men adrift. One waiting in the darkness for light to shine once again... -
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![Rogue Launch by Cara Dee]()
Rogue Launch by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe Renegades #1 Romantic Suspense Enemies to Lovers Action MM“We will find you, darling. Stay strong. We will find you.”This was exactly what Elliott Jones needed. A nice barbecue with family and friends. The moving trucks were parked outside his new ranch, and he was ready to start fresh. Again. Despite the regrets he lived with, he tried to focus on the good things in life... -
![Enduring Night by John Wiltshire]()
Enduring Night by John Wiltshire
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsYou’d have thought that Ben and Nikolas would have learnt that their romantic holidays inevitably end up as disasters. A short break on the polar ice sees them trapped in a nightmare of murder and deceit. Neither of them, however, foresees the long-term impact that endless winter has on their relationship... -
![Psycho Romeo by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott]()
Psycho Romeo by Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott
Geoffrey Ralse is known for being the life of the party. He loves the club scene, hanging with his friends, and flirting with whomever catches his eye. He certainly isn’t going to stop living his life just because some would-be stalker starts sending him threats. But it all changes when Geoffrey is drugged and wakes up half naked in his own home with a new message from his stalker... -
![Cold Calculation by Cole McCade]()
Cold Calculation by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHow do you profile a serial killer who keeps changing his pattern? A body encased in ice and a cryptic message make Malcolm, Seong-Jae, and Aanga Joshi question everything they thought they'd learned about the Golden Ratio Killer. If their suspect can change his methods and alter his patterns, he could easily disappear... .. -
![How Do You Survive A Kiss? by Ki Brightly, M.D. Gregory]()
How Do You Survive A Kiss? by Ki Brightly, M.D. Gregory
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Heartless MobsterCillian Shaughnessy has a reputation for being violent. He is the kind of killer who can get any job done, which is why his boss sends him and his partner in crime, Aspen, to Miami to finally rid the Killough Company of an enemy. As long as he has his best friend, Aspen, at his side, he can take on any assignment, no matter how difficult. No target stands a chance... -
![Vine by Fearne Hill]()
Vine by Fearne Hill
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCaspian Pumkin-Watts is at the end of his rope. Miserably divorced and facing a career crossroads, when he’s offered a chance to spend nine months filming a reality TV show on a French holiday island, he grabs it with both hands. There are only two problems. His co-star is his ex-husband, and the producer is Caspian’s replacement in his ex-husband’s bed...
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