Books like 'Heartless'
Readers who enjoyed Heartless by A.J. Merlin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance suspense horror m-f sassy heroine possessive hero small town childfree-couple second chances
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Grounded by R.K. Lilley
James and Bianca’s story draws to a close in the explosive conclusion to the Up In The Air Trilogy. After a short but earnest courtship, Bianca can no longer deny her feelings for James, and though she’s tried her hardest, she can’t help but see that he cares deeply for her, as well... -
The Fallen: Genesis by Tillie Cole
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsTHE FALLEN: GENESIS (A Deadly Virtues Prequel) IN THE BEGINNING... They told them they were evil. They told them they were possessed by demons. They told them that darkness ran in their veins. Holy Innocents Home for Children is a haven for orphaned boys who have nothing and no one. The priests watch over them, educate them, raise them in the family of the church...Categorized as:
suspense tortured hero bad boys horror new adult contemporary angst disabilities and marks -
Knives by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsLove is a powerful force, but it doesn’t compare to guilt. And just like most people, my guilt eats me alive.I went from being an irresponsible kid who didn’t know any better to an irresponsible man who does.I make no apologies.Don’t take my carelessness for strength.My blood is as deadly as the bullet that killed my brother, and once I’m cut, there’s no stopping the river of rage... -
Sinful Union by K.C. Crowne
"Smile for me, malyshka."His voice cracks through the chapel like a whip.Six years ago, Pavel Fetisov ruined me.The Bratva king who stole my innocence against these cursed walls now slides a blood diamond onto my finger.They say his family killed my parents.Now, my brothers want his empire in ashes.But Pavel isn’t just powerful.He’s ruthless. Obsessive. Addicted to control...Categorized as:
suspense sassy heroine bad boys sweet-hero possessive hero m-f from hate to love second chances -
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Slingshot by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsShe slingshotted her way into my heart. I’m a laidback kind of guy. I don’t like to take life too seriously. I’ve experienced serious and I’ve gone through the bad life has to offer. I’m ready for the good in life. I wear my heart on my sleeve just so someone can take it. Someone does…Natalia Moretti. Out of all the people for me to love, why does it have to be her?The frenemy’s daughter... -
Trusting Skulls by L.M. Terry
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLexieI’ve been alone most of my life.I guess that’s why it started. The drinking … the men.They filled a lonely void, but lately the hit of dopamine they provide fizzles before it begins.I’m caught in a loop. It’s a repetitive cycle I can’t escape.No one noticed I’ve been drowning in it.Until Ash Taylor came to town. He extended his hand to me, but I’ve been reluctant to grab hold... -
Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBeckett 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... -
Bed of Roses by D.V. Fischer
I never thought I'd fall for a murderer. As an old employee at a funeral home, Tegan's life had been full of corpses. When her parents died, she couldn't take being surrounded by death anymore. She had to get away, and to do that, she moved to a small, sleepy town in Utah. When Tegan rented a house sight-unseen, she had been told it would need a lot of work... -
Unholy Bonds by Maya Raine
Rated: 4.51 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThree serial killers connected by an unholy thread, tangled in a twisted chase for revenge and blood. In this game of hunters, who will become the ultimate prey?***He is every sin she wants to commit. Yara West spends her day as a Medical Examiner. At nights, she dons the mask of a twisted killer to satiate the demons in her head... -
Sapphire Scars by Pepper Winters
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 13 ratings“I thought I was strong enough to survive this awful nightmare. I did my best to take back my power and refused to let my heart fall. Only problem is…my heart is an idiot.” It only took one droplet of blood to forever change me.Her blood.The taste of it. The heat of it.I swallowed her down and devoured her. For a while, it was enough.My monster was content. I believed I’d found where I belonged... -
Copper by Lilly Atlas
Enormous, commanding, and hotter than sin, Copper is the only man Shell has ever wanted. Even as a young teen, when it was impossible and taboo to capture the attention of a grown man, she longed for him. For years, Shell clung to the dream of turning eighteen and finally being noticed by the Hell’s Handlers’ rough and gruff president...Categorized as:
suspense small town forbidden love tortured heroine sassy heroine possessive hero bad boys bikers -
Savage Sin: Bellamy Brothers 1 by Helen Hardt
Rated: 4.65 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEnter 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...Categorized as:
suspense sassy heroine forbidden love m-f contemporary super rich hero dual-pov alpha male -
Thrasher by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsHome is where the heart is.That’s what I was taught.Until I met her...We’ve been traveling all over the country, recruiting new members for our club.Before we call it quits, we make a pitstop in Las Vegas.I’m owed a debt and I’ve come to collect.It’s been awhile since I spoke to the President of the Ruthless Kings.And I’m calling in my marker... -
Jerry's Passion by Chiah Wilder
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe first time Jerry saw Kylie, he was taken by her beauty and innocence, but he stayed away because she was too young. A member of the Insurgents MC, Jerry’s life revolves around the club, his Harley, and easy sex. Women clamor for the rugged, tatted outlaw’s attention, and he obliges, but his sights are set on the pretty, young blonde who is all grown up now—sweet curves and all…... -
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Deny by E.C. Land, Elizabeth Knox
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI'll crucify every last one of them that hurt her.MalcolmI didn't think she was so important in my life until she was taken, and then everything changed. It became clear she was my entire world and my life revolved around her. I did everything I could to pull her from their evil clutches, and by the grace of God I found her in enough time.But I didn't find her soon enough. Sure, she was alive . -
Dream & Dare by Susan Fanetti
NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER; RELEASE DATE 20 JUNE 2015 Jerome “Hoosier” Elliott is the President of the Night Horde SoCal. He has worn a patch for many years, and he’s led his club, and his family, through times of strength and times of struggle. For most of those years, his old lady, Bedelia Beth—“Bibi” to those who know and love her—has stood by his side...Categorized as:
insta-love small town tortured heroine sassy heroine bad boys possessive hero m-f contemporary -
Diamond In The Rough by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe’s New York’s deadliest enforcer. But I’m the villain in this story.Micah Malone is the son of a notoriously cruel, and thankfully dead, mafia boss.Now he’s the organization’s enforcer, and right hand to his brother’s reign.He’s the broadest of five boys.The quietest.And the deadliest...Categorized as:
from hate to love tortured hero m-f forbidden love insta-love suspense mafia strong heroine -
Marauder by Bella Di Corte
He stole my heart out of revenge. There was one thing I always thought was mine to give: my heart. I never imagined a marauder would steal it out of vengeance—vengeance that had nothing to do with me. His greatest enemy happened to be the man in love with me, and somehow I became nothing but a pawn. I was no damsel in distress, though. More like an archer, ready to battle...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love insta-love sassy heroine bad boys possessive hero m-f contemporary -
Q by L. Wilder
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSome chances are worth taking. Twenty years had come and gone. My brothers were now older with crow’s feet and silvered hair. Their kids were no longer kids. Prospects had become brothers, and more had come to take their place. It was tough to see that everything had changed— Everything except me. I was a stone left unturned. I thought my day would never come. But then, I saw her...Categorized as:
suspense bad boys from hate to love insta-love m-f humor alpha male friends to lovers -
Sax by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI never thought I would be stupid enough to make a deal with the devil, but here I am doing just that.It’s not like he really gave me a choice. I have to give the Governor what he wants, or he’s going to throw all of my Savage Kings MC brothers into prison for decades.And what exactly does Governor Satan need from me? That’s the real kicker because he’s insisting that I…date his daughter... -
Beautiful Enemy: A Dark Mafia Romance by Ivy Davis
I’m kidnapped by a monster on my wedding day. Dante Moretti is evil incarnate.Handsome, dangerous, and leader of the Italian mafia.He could have any woman and yet he chose me, a Bratva girl.I’m taken away on my wedding day to another man.Now, I’m stuck in a situation where I have to fight for my life.Dante wants to bring war to my family.But he starts to make me feel… things...Categorized as:
from hate to love m-f abduction tortured heroine bad boys possessive hero mafia length-medium -
Savage King: A Dark Mafia Romance by Bella Ray
As the daughter of a judge, everything was black and white—but then I met HIM. I was never meant to be around men like him—men my father liked to put away.One night, I was a museum curator with a quiet life.The next, I was bound and beaten by the monsters my father locked up.Then he came for me.Antonio DeLuna isn’t a hero... -
A Lover's Pretense by AlTonya Washington
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe pain of lost love has shaped Tykira Lowery, and despite the challenges of starting life anew, her savvy business skills and warm spirit guarantee her entrepreneurial success. Now, coming face to face with Quaysar Ramsey each day was overwhelming her nerves… and her desires... -
Key to Hell by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe highly anticipated conclusion of the Hell Night Series. Emo's story.Death. 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... -
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Blackout by Janine Infante Bosco
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEvery fairytale is just a tragedy with a twist. And happily-ever-after is a fantasy.Give me the real, ugly love of two people battling their demons to make it work. Two people like us. When the stakes have never been higher, I turn to my past. After all, it's our favorite sins that always do us in.But even in the midst of my blackout, there she is. The beacon of light I don't deserve... -
Dark Destiny by Bec Botefuhr
You were with Willow and Jagger when they found their happily ever after in Dark Endings. You felt their love. You felt their relief, but what you didn't feel, was the pain they left tucked inside. Jagger killed his own father, he suffered on an island alone being forced to fight to save his life. Now, the memories are catching up on him. The reality is haunting him. He's becoming numb...Categorized as:
bad boys m-f second chances sassy heroine tortured hero possessive hero contemporary alpha male -
Five Second Rainbird by Nashoda Rose
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMacayla"He’s rude, abrupt and doesn’t know how to smile."My new landlord, ex-Special Forces Vic Gate, is intense, and even that’s too domesticated a word to describe him. Extreme raw power seems more appropriate. Or maybe godlike, except there isn’t anything forgiving or merciful in him. Then again, he gave me and my little boy Jackson a week to vacate his cabin instead of seven minutes...Categorized as:
from hate to love forbidden love tortured hero bad boys suspense abduction contemporary angst -
Bits and Pieces by Bijou Hunter, Noelle Zane
Silas “Nomad” Bennings doesn’t do normal. As the fearsome enforcer for the Steel Berserkers Motorcycle Club, he refuses to live by other people’s rules. However, this time, the stubborn son of a bitch might have gone too far.Landry Copper spent her life bouncing from one dangerous situation to another... -
The Thief by Nikki J Summers
Five… minutes. That’s how long I was supposed to be there. Get in, get out. Job done.Four… guns pointed at my head. It wasn’t supposed to go down this way.Three… years old, and she clung to her mum as we sat huddled together on the floor, chained to the pipes on the wall.Two… choices, when my time finally came. To let it all play out or fight with everything I had...Categorized as:
suspense m-f insta-love abduction contemporary length-medium explicit-open-door dark -
Remy by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsShe’d never thought she would meet the hottest guy she’d ever seen while in the middle of committing a crime.As far as meet-cutes went, it was certainly a unique one.She also didn’t suspect she would ever see him again.You know, until that little crime she’d been committing ended up becoming a bigger mess than she could handle on her own... -
Duty by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey say heavy is the head that wears the crown … Andino Marcello’s world is turned upside down when he becomes the next heir apparent to the Marcello empire. He was comfortable in his place as a Capo, but comfort is for the weak in the world of mafioso. The boss’s seat is waiting... -
Maverick by Lilly Atlas
Stephanie Little firmly believes the world exists in two states: right and wrong; good and evil; unlawful and law-abiding. She chose her side the moment she joined the FBI and pledged to rid the world of as many criminals as possible. Maverick is everything Stephanie isn’t: inked, pierced, flirty, masculine as sin, but most of all, an outlaw...Categorized as:
suspense abduction small town forbidden love sassy heroine tortured heroine bad boys contemporary -
Trident's Enjoyment by Ciara St James
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTrident gave thirty years of his life to his country. He enjoyed that life and after searching for two years, he thinks he’s found a new family. However, it isn’t just a new family he finds, but a woman who affects him like no other. He finds love. If only the woman in question will give him the time of day.He’s battled for months to get her to see him as something more than a player... -
Nox by Jessica Ames
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsNoxAs Vice President of the Untamed Sons MC, my first loyalty is to my club and my president, that is until Lucy walks into my life. For her, I'm willing to give it all up. I'll stand against my brothers, question my loyalty and even consider giving up my patch. Too bad everything I'm building isn't real.LucyNox is falling for me, but he shouldn't... -
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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... -
Secret Vendetta by Kathy Lockheart
LUNABaptized in blood, I’m marked for death.Each time it comes, he appears. My masked protector.Saving me for reasons only known to him.But the Vigilante is playing a deadly game.One I must stop before he claims another soul.My new boyfriend, Hunter, vows to keep me safe.But what if we become the final casualties in the Vigilante's secret vendetta?VIGILANTEI’m the most dangerous man in the city...Categorized as:
suspense forbidden love possessive hero from hate to love bad boys tortured heroine abduction dark -
A Lover's Regret: The Ramseys by AlTonya Washington
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYohan Ramsey and Melina Dan battle private demons and simmering passions, when their paths cross following an eight-year separation. The murder of eighteen year old Sera Black has haunted Yohan's family for decades. What really happened the night she died? Melina knows and it's wreaked chaos in her life ever since... -
Bitter Sweet Hell by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Hell Night Series continues with JW's story! As the Sheriff of Malus, Texas, JW takes his oath to protect its citizens very seriously. Born from an ugly past, he swears no child, woman, or man will ever endure what he and his brothers have. As he seeks retribution of the ones who have wronged him, his past and his present finally collide. Secrets are laid open... -
Eclipse Heart by Mya Grey
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratings💋Hating him should be easy—he killed my brother.He’s my sworn enemy… Instead, I'm fighting the urge to rip his clothes off. Every inch of me remembers that night—how his hard body felt claiming mine.Now, I’m living under Leonid’s control, Trapped in his house as his captive. Playing by his rules. It wasn’t supposed to go like this – Every day, every night, under the same roof... -
Summer Sparrow: by Emmerson Hoyt
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsRylee Adder left Eden thinking she’d put the worst day of her life behind her.She was wrong.Separated from her new family and Colton—the man she never thought she’d have to live without—Rylee finds herself in Boston facing her biggest challenge yet: surviving the Vipers’ Den...Categorized as:
from hate to love small town suspense dual-pov contemporary new adult dark length-epic -
Judge of Hell by Alex Grayson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe Hell Night Series continues with Judge's story!Fierce, loyal, controlled. Three things Judge became at a young age.Enduring unimaginable horrors no child should, he swore no person would dictate his or his brother’s lives again.Revenge fueled him, setting a path destined from the moment he and his brothers escaped their hell... -
The Saint by Kimberly Kincaid
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHis partner’s most trusted informant is his only hope…and his only weakness.When Detective Liam Hollister is assigned to an assault-turned-murder, he brings his signature three “C”s: control, calm, and composure. The “C” he wasn’t counting on? His partner’s informant, Carmen Desoto, who’s not only the key to unlocking his case... -
Armor's Mistake by Elizabeth Knox
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI crossed a line and I damn well knew it, but I wanted her, and I always get what I want.ArmorThere are a few unspoken rules within the club. One of them is the fact we don’t go around screwing each other’s sisters and for a while it wasn’t an issue. That is, until Hammer came into the clubhouse.He was a regent from the Reapers Rejects MC up in Montana, and since Inc was there, he came here...Categorized as:
suspense forbidden love bad boys bikers multicultural dark contemporary length-novella -
Blackness Within by Norma Jeanne Karlsson
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFighting to find his worthy place in life… This is the story of a woman that has worked tirelessly to build her own life from nothing. While the task has been exhaustive, it’s been worth every drop of sweat to earn her own slice of normal. Natasha Reynolds has built a life beyond an absent mother and a drug addict brother to become a home-owning, dog-loving nurse... -
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Savage Beast by Kristen Luciani
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe Stole My Kiss…Right Before He Stole Me.The second my brother’s ex-best friend tore off my clothes, I was obsessed. His ripped muscles, seductive smirk, and bad boy charm made my knees weak and everything else tingle ever since we were teenagers.I always dreamed I’d become the center of his world.I guess I should have been more specific about my wish.He ruined me...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love abduction bad boys multicultural super rich hero contemporary dark -
Delicious by A.J. Merlin
When I followed the sound of a chainsaw into the woods, I should’ve known it would end poorly.But when I end up in the killer’s house instead of chopped into little pieces, I don’t know what to think. Not when he promises me that he won’t hurt me, and especially when he tells me that I can’t leave. Not unless he can trust me. He can’t, of course... -
Blame It on the Shame: Part 3 by Ashley Jade
There's something lurking in all of us. Something we hide and shelter from those we love in order to protect them. A darkness we try to suppress because we're ashamed of who that makes us. Because that's the thing about Shame. It wounds us. It damages us. Or, for the few poor souls out there like me...it defines us. It's there—in the shadows, beneath the surface...just waiting... -
Titch by Jessica Ames
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTitchAs Road Captain of the Untamed Sons MC, I've had my share of pain, but nothing could prepare me for seeing my ex-wife move on with another man. It makes my demons want to come out to play, makes me want to destroy everything in my path. I love Rachel. I'll always love her, but she's no longer mine. Getting her back is my only focus and to do that, I'm willing to cross lines I shouldn't... -
A Single Glance by W. Winters
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense. I saw her from across the bar. My bar. My city. Everything in that world belonged to me. She stood out from the crowd like she was looking for someone to blame for her pain. That night, I felt the depths of my mistakes. I felt my scars... -
Love Me Harder by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLive hard. Love harder. Up until this point, I’ve been living my life for everyone but me. Trapped under my controlling mother’s expectations and rules. My only escape—a carefully guarded list of things I can only dream of doing. One by one, I slowly find the courage to start living...
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