Books like 'Brutal Ambition'

Readers who enjoyed Brutal Ambition by Sam Mariano also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  dark romance  virgin heroine  new adult  other-man-woman  possessive hero  bad boys  m-f  class difference  pregnancy 

  • Eulogy by Rachel Van Dyken

    Eulogy by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 34 ratings
    The next book in the internationally bestselling mafia series… All is lost. All. I don't recognize myself in the mirror anymore. My thoughts are filled with hatred and dripping with rage. I've lost my soul. She took it to the depths of Hell with her and haunts me with images of what could have been. Sixty lives are mine to take. Sixty lives stand in the way of my vengeance...
  • Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    Enrage is the next standalone in the international best selling mafia series, Eagle Elite.Part of a world I loathe.Part of a family who hates me more than I hate myself.Living with a girl who reminds me of my darkness.I'm. In. Hell.Also known as the Cosa Nostra.My life was over the minute I stepped off that plane.Son to a murdered mob boss.Heir to a throne of murder and lies...
    Categorized as:
    new adult  suspense  angst  m-f  mafia  contemporary  dark
  • Sponsored links
  • Sancte Diaboli: Part One by Amo Jones

    Sancte Diaboli: Part One by Amo Jones

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 45 ratings
    The Devil comes with baggage, and not the kind you can lose. I was two years old when he saved me. I didn’t understand much at that age, but I remember the pale boy with hair as dark as ink, saving me from two evils. He said he would protect me; I just didn’t know he meant from himself...
  • Fierce Queen by Sadie Kincaid

    Fierce Queen by Sadie Kincaid

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 37 ratings
    My name is Alana Montoya. My husband is the King of L.A. And I am his Queen. I never asked for this life, but now that it’s mine, I will fight for it with every breath in my body. Our love is fire and fury, burning brighter than the heat of a thousand suns...
  • Scandalous Prince by Rachel Van Dyken

    Scandalous Prince by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 28 ratings
    A mafia romance about secrets and soulmates by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.The Woods are Lovely, dark, and deep, but I have promises to keep and miles to go, before I sleep —Robert FrostI was born under fire and swore to protect her until my dying day, I just never knew that one day, I'd be the very monster I was protecting her from...
  • Ruined Castles by Amo Jones

    Ruined Castles by Amo Jones

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 32 ratings
    Nothing is going to make sense once you flip open this first chapter. You’re going to wonder why the fuck I made the decisions I did. Why he did what he did. I’m not going to make this easy for you. I’m going to guide you through loops that you’re going to wish I had just skipped, but I’m not going to do that either. You’re going to feel my pain, my loss, and my heart breaking in my chest...
  • Firefly by Molly McAdams

    Firefly by Molly McAdams

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 1 of 5
    Glimpses and kisses [?] · 24 ratings
    The next captivating installment in New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams’s Redemption series. As the Princess of the Irish-American Mob, there’s no shortage of men ready to help guard and protect me. To slowly suffocate me to the point of seeking freedom—a place where I can breathe. Kieran Hayes has been saving me for as long as I can remember...
  • Reforming Kent by Siobhan Davis

    Reforming Kent by Siobhan Davis

    Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    An 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...
  • Easy to Fall by W. Winters

    Easy to Fall by W. Winters

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    From USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes the epic conclusion to the heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense, Hard to Love series.With her I was always on the highest high. That's why it was so easy to fall. I never stood a chance without her. The two of us were made for one another. It's as simple as that. The world could try to rip us apart, but it would fail...
    Categorized as:
    new adult  suspense  alpha male  m-f  contemporary  dark  mafia
  • Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

    Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 19 ratings
    Beckett Taylor’s quest to be a better man has brought Eve Hartt back into his life, but sometimes it feels like they’re bound together with barbed wire. Though he longs to love her without causing pain, the wreckage of their past continues to crash down around them. Yet with the help of this brothers—and for his brothers—Beckett won’t stop trying...
  • Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken

    Destructive King by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    A mafia romance about love and loss by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.…When you awaken in the morning's hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there. I did not die. — Mary Elizabeth Fyre "I'm sorry for your loss...
    Categorized as:
    suspense  new adult  college  cruel hero  angst  alpha male  m-f  mafia
  • Savage Little Lies by Eden O'Neill

    Savage Little Lies by Eden O'Neill

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 34 ratings
    Tiny. Twisted. Secrets.The news about what happened to Dorian’s uncle rocks the town. Especially when a private school’s educator turns up dead. The focus surrounding the events that occurred that night shifts, and no one knows that more than the Legacy boys’ dark prince. Dorian’s looking for answers in the hours following the harrowing truths revealed in that video...
  • Savage Sin: Bellamy Brothers 1 by Helen Hardt

    Savage Sin: Bellamy Brothers 1 by Helen Hardt

    Rated: 4.78 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Enter a world of mystery, suspense, sin, and heart-wrenching emotion with Helen Hardt's new series!In prison, they called him Savage.Falcon Bellamy spent years locked up for a crime he didn’t commit, which shattered his dream of serving his country as a Navy SEAL. When he's granted early parole to help with a family emergency, he’s determined to reclaim his life...
  • Tempted to Kiss by W. Winters

    Tempted to Kiss by W. Winters

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    From USA Today bestselling author W Winters comes an emotionally-gripping, romantic suspense. I fell for someone I shouldn’t have. I’m not the only person to ever do such a thing. I know that. And I’m not an awful person for desiring his touch, his kiss, his everything… but I knew I shouldn’t have indulged. There’s something about knowing it’s wrong that tempts me that much more...
  • Kade's Turn by Tiffany Snow

    Kade's Turn by Tiffany Snow

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 29 ratings
    It only takes a second, a fraction of a second, to forever change your life. That moment happened to me years ago. I did something you can’t take back, and I’d do it again. It’s a secret I’ll take to my grave—which is probably sooner rather than later—and that’s okay. I live with my choices...
  • Wrath of Rage by R.E. Bond

    Wrath of Rage by R.E. Bond

    Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Being Archer Hendricks’ little sister has always had its problems.My dates ending up dead, kids at school shunning me, and every aspect of my life controlled.I’ve always been kept on the outside of the crew life, always watching, and never participating.I craved to be a part of my brother’s world, no matter the danger.Looks like my wish has been granted because Rage Evans knows I exist...
  • Chelsea by Addison Jane, Kaylene Osborn

    Chelsea by Addison Jane, Kaylene Osborn

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    Chelsea spent most of her life running. She was young when her parents were killed, and she was thrown into the system as just another statistic. One foster home after another, hell after hell. When things got too hard, her first instinct was to get out and fast. She didn’t mind being a club girl...
  • Charlie by Siobhan Davis

    Charlie by Siobhan Davis

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 33 ratings
    Demi Dropping out of college senior year was never part of my plan. But Dad needs me, and I'd move mountains for the only parent I’ve ever known—even working for the company that fired him. My boss, Charlie, is determined to make my life a living hell, availing of every opportunity to undermine my confidence, to humiliate and threaten me...
  • Deviant Princess by Tracy Lorraine

    Deviant Princess by Tracy Lorraine

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 21 ratings
    USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her new dark mafia, high school bully romance series.I should have known better than to play with fire...I’d been burned by Theo Cirillo enough to know that I should have seen this coming.He loved to show me his merciless side, but I couldn’t stay away from the deviant even if I wanted to...
  • Elect by Rachel Van Dyken

    Elect by Rachel Van Dyken

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 55 ratings
    Would you die for the one you love? Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family's enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him...
  • It Breaks Me by Penelope Sky

    It Breaks Me by Penelope Sky

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 23 ratings
    Axel betrayed me.As hard as I tried to keep him out of my heart, he broke through it like shattered glass. Even though my father didn't approve and our relationship would always be a secret, I didn't care. He was worth it...until he wasn't.Six months have passed, and that's exactly how long it's taken me to get over what he's done. I never see him at my father's estate...
  • Gorgeous Villain by Charity Ferrell

    Gorgeous Villain by Charity Ferrell

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 16 ratings
    The untouchable mafia princess falls for her family’s rival.How cliché, right?But that’s my love story.Unfortunately, it’s filled with betrayal, violence, and tragedy.As the daughter of the biggest crime boss in the country, I’m off-limits.A forbidden fruit no man risks taking.Except Antonio Lombardi.My world turns upside down when I witness him killing a man...
  • You Will Bow by Rachel Leigh

    You Will Bow by Rachel Leigh

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 23 ratings
    You Will Bow is book two in the Wicked Boys of BCU series. It is strongly encouraged to read book one, We Will Reign first.More details coming soon...
  • Arsen: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher, MacKenzie Cartwright

    Arsen: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher, MacKenzie Cartwright

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 37 ratings
    One glance was all it took . . . I'm a cheater. I'm a liar. My whole life is a mess. I love a man. No, I love two men . . . I think. One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire. One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite. I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself. But I can't stop. This is my story. My broken love story. Contains mature themes...
  • Thin Lines by Bethany-Kris

    Thin Lines by Bethany-Kris

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · 25 ratings
    Calisto Donati Calisto had never been a fan of pain, but he found it provided a certain relief. It was a high that couldn’t compete with anything else he experienced. That was why he fought bare-knuckled, why he drove fast, despite knowing he might crash, and why he still enjoyed looking at Emma Donati—no matter her current status. Pain felt good...
  • SCARS by Jaimie Roberts

    SCARS by Jaimie Roberts

    Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars
    · 22 ratings
    I had the perfect school, the perfect friends—the perfect life ... At least, that’s what I thought. But you changed all that. You are always there ... Always watching ... Always waiting in the shadows. You send me flowers and messages. You stalk me, trace my every movement..
  • On Every Street by Karina Halle

    On Every Street by Karina Halle

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 45 ratings
    Recommended to be read AFTER Sins & Needles (book #1). When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man...
  • The Arrangement 10: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward

    The Arrangement 10: The Ferro Family by H.M. Ward

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 32 ratings
    When 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...
  • Blackbird by Molly McAdams

    Blackbird by Molly McAdams

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    From New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams comes a powerhouse romantic suspense that will have you questioning your morals and second guessing your view on love. I live in a world few know exist. I’ve trained for this. I know what to say, what to do, and how to act. I’ve perfected the lethal calm required for this life. Now it’s time to buy my first girl...
  • Leo's Chance by Mia Sheridan

    Leo's Chance by Mia Sheridan

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 55 ratings
    The follow-up to Leo, the USA Today bestselling novel by Mia Sheridan...
  • A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    A Reckless Note by Lisa Renee Jones

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · 21 ratings
    “I can chase you, and I can catch you, but there is nothing I can do to make you mine.” ― Morrissey It all started with a note, just a simple note hand written by a woman I didn't know, never even met. But in that note is perhaps every answer to every question I've ever had in my life. And because of that note, I travel thousands of miles. I look for her, but find him...
  • Dirty by Callie Hart

    Dirty by Callie Hart

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 40 ratings
    Face of an angel. Body of a god. And a mouth so dirty he could make the devil blush… Fix Marcosa’s time can be bought with money, but he isn’t selling sex. Murderers, rapists, criminals: if you’re on the wrong side of Fix’s moral code, you’re in trouble. The kind of trouble that winds up getting you killed. As a hitman for hire, Fix is no stranger to violence. He’s merciless. Relentless...
  • Emerald Malice by Nicole Fox

    Emerald Malice by Nicole Fox

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 35 ratings
    I crashed a wedding.Got caught by the best man.Now, I’m pregnant with his baby…It's Katya's fault. (As per usual.)My BFF despises her ex and wants to hate-watch him marry the woman he left her for.Problem is, she didn't fill me in on that plan...Until we arrive at the ceremony.As soon as I find out, I run...
  • Tethered Souls by Beth Flynn

    Tethered Souls by Beth Flynn

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    My 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...
  • Possessed by Lies by Ella Miles

    Possessed by Lies by Ella Miles

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    I fought my way back, and now I’m possessed. I’ve healed the wounds that kept me trapped. I’m done fighting it. I’m hers. Completely. I just don’t know if she feels the same. What if the empire we’ve been building crumbles along with our love?Possessed by Lies is book 5 in the Truth or Lies series. It continues Enzo and Kai's story...
  • Consumed by Truths by Ella Miles

    Consumed by Truths by Ella Miles

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Enzo is my heart. My soul. My breath. I never thought I could be so dark. Never knew love meant losing myself and getting reborn. The lies and truths have finally caught up with us. We may have stolen an empire, but we aren’t ready to give it up. It’s ours. He’s mine. And our love will find a way to the truth. Consumed by Truths is book 6 and the final book in Enzo and Kai's story...
  • The Way We Are by Shandi Boyes

    The Way We Are by Shandi Boyes

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Seven years in heaven awarded me seven years in hell. I’ve admired Savannah Fontane since I saw her whizzing down our street on her hot pink bike with rainbow tassels taped on the handlebars. I was in awe someone so small could ride without training wheels, I asked my mom to remove mine that same afternoon. Savannah drew a rainbow heart on my cast the very next day...
  • Sloth by Giana Darling

    Sloth by Giana Darling

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 19 ratings
    I don’t give a fuck. Not about money or fame, beauty or power. I’ve had all those things since birth, and trust me, they’re a fucking snooze. I don’t give a fuck about anyone, not even myself. Until my father proves evil can exist in the most holy of places. For the first time ever, something like interest stirs in my soul. He wants me to enroll at St. Augustine. Join The Elite...
  • Respect by Jay Crownover

    Respect by Jay Crownover

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    Once 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...
  • Son of a Gun: A Marked Men and The Point Crossover by Jay Crownover

    Son of a Gun: A Marked Men and The Point Crossover by Jay Crownover

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Heavy is the head that inherits the crown.The only thing on Daire Archer’s mind when she pulled a disappearing act on Christmas was proving she was worthy of being her father's daughter. She was born an Archer, which was a blessing and a curse, and Daire was determined to show everyone she deserved to carry the legacy that came with her name...
  • Amore, Part 1 by Bella Jewel

    Amore, Part 1 by Bella Jewel

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 26 ratings
    “It is not love that defines us, Julietta. It is love that destroys us.”I’m just a normal girl. Or so you would think. I’ve never thought of myself as anything different. Until I met him.He doesn’t think I’m normal. He thinks I’m special. Special enough to be in his life. Special enough to enter his world. Special enough for his bed. Rafael Lencioni. Dangerous. Beautiful. Terrifying...
  • Dario by Olivia Thorn

    Dario by Olivia Thorn

    Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 42 ratings
    Alessandra: My entire life changed when he walked into my father’s café in Tuscany… Il Mostro. The monster. The devilishly handsome mafia don Dario Rosolini. He and his brothers run this region… and they take everything they want. Including me. Although Dario has made clear that I am his and ONLY his. But I’ll fight back, no matter how hard it is...
  • Dark Kingdom by Jagger Cole

    Dark Kingdom by Jagger Cole

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 21 ratings
    He’s my husband. I’m his prisoner. Adrian Cross is the most ruthless kingpin in London’s criminal underworld. Dangerous. Powerful. Undeniable. Venom wrapped in Savile Row linen. He’s also my ex-husband. Or rather, my not-quite-technically “ex” husband. Now someone wants me dead, and the man I ran from might be my only chance of survival. But his help won’t come for free...
  • Undying by Madeline Sheehan

    Undying by Madeline Sheehan

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    A creation of chaos and lust, I was born into a world so foul, I made it my mission to find the beauty hidden within, to reveal the sun behind the clouds, the rainbows after the storms, the life that still exists even in death. One-third my mother, I had an infectious smile and a heart so big, there was room enough for everyone, no matter their sins...
  • It's Our Secret by W. Winters

    It's Our Secret by W. Winters

    Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 12 ratings
    From romance author Willow Winters comes a USA Today best-selling emotionally gripping, standalone, romantic suspense. Allison: It was only a little lie.That’s how stories like these get started.But with every lie I told, he saw through it.I think in his heart he knew I was broken; he felt my pain as if it was his.And that’s what changed everything.He’s the reason it all fell apart...
  • El Diablo II by M. Robinson

    El Diablo II by M. Robinson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 27 ratings
    The sins of the father became those of the son.Wrath for taking what was precious to me.Greed for the lives that were mine to kill.Sloth for the destruction against their will.Lust for revenge and the blood I'd spill.Gluttony for the souls I craved.Envy for the spirits I had yet to take.Pride for the birthright I'd soon fulfill.One look.One moment.One girl...
  • Deceitful Vows by Brook Wilder

    Deceitful Vows by Brook Wilder

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 26 ratings
    Bratva Bosses aren’t supposed to marry regular girls like me.Andrei Barinov is the heir of the Barinov Bratva – a prince with the world at his fingertips.I was working as a wedding photographer, trying to forget my cheating ex-fiancé when my path crossed with his.He offered me a chance to escape, throw caution to the wind, and forget my troubles...
  • Opium Skies by C.M. Radcliff

    Opium Skies by C.M. Radcliff

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 9 ratings
    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...
  • Gilded Thorn by Ember Davis

    Gilded Thorn by Ember Davis

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 8 ratings
    VLADI’ve been watching and waiting for a chance to get Laurel in my arms. I shouldn’t want her since she’s the Orlov princess, but I don’t care that our families have spent generations killing each other. All I want is her. She will be the Petrov family’s queen.I know her power, her strength, and her softness; I crave all of her. I’ll lure her to me and then I’ll never let her go...
  • Make Me by C.D. Reiss

    Make Me by C.D. Reiss

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Dario Lucari kidnapped me when I was just a bride sold for territory…and made me a captive wife.He will never free me. I am his property and he lets me know that every time he hurts me.My hate for him burns hotter than the embers of love. But for how long?***Make Me is the second book in the trilogy...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
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

romance book finder

Looking for more inspiration? Enter another book title to get more suggestions on what to read next.


Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.