Books like 'Hard Lessons'
Readers who enjoyed Hard Lessons by K.G. Reuss also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance virgin heroine suspense new adult age difference secret-relationship vengeance college betrayal
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A Gift of Time by Beth Flynn
A Gift of Time is the third installment in the Nine Minutes Trilogy. It is not intended to be a stand-alone novel, but could be read as one. Still, I highly recommend that you read my first two novels, Nine Minutes and Out of Time, to be able to understand the background stories of the main characters. There are many twists and turns in both books that can best be connected if read consecutively... -
Dare To Take by L. Ann, Claire Marta
Arabella Gray. Studious. Good Girl. Liar. I warned her. I told her I would break her if she stayed. Who knew watching her shatter would taste so sweet? Eli Travers. Outcast. Artist. Monster. He vowed to make me pay—to ruin me. Only now it's my own sin that will break me. The monsters of Churchill Bradley Academy are stirring and deadly dangers haunt the halls...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love new adult vengeance forced proximity mystery secret-relationship m-f -
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Dare To Live by L. Ann, Claire Marta
Eli Travers. Recluse. Artist. Angry. My Nasty Little Monster. I became his obsession. His love became my prison. Arabella Gray. Brave. Good Girl. Broken. Our love was twisted with hate. Doomed from the start, destined to fail. We thought we'd defeated the monsters of Churchill Bradley Academy. Turns out they were hiding in the shadows, thirsting for blood...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love new adult vengeance forced proximity mystery m-f contemporary -
Code Name: Pisces by Janie Crouch
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMy code name is Pisces. The stars say I’m independent, wise, and intuitive. Still waters run deep. I’m the leader of Zodiac Tactical’s guardian unit. We’re the bodyguards—the ones who stand toe to toe with danger and refuse to give any ground. We protect people who need it most. But what if who needs it most is a spoiled diva? I don’t normally take on movie stars... -
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Deceiving Lies by Molly McAdams
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe irresistible, blazing-hot sequel to New York Times bestselling author Molly McAdams's Forgiving Lies. Rachel is supposed to be planning her wedding to Kash, the love of her life. After the crazy year they've had, she's ready to settle down and live a completely normal life. Well, as normal as it can be. But there's something else waiting—something threatening to tear them apart... -
Becoming Noah Baxter by J.M. Sevilla
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsJay and Lily complete each other in ways no one else ever could, teaching one another things about themselves they wouldn't have known otherwise, but is it enough? Can two people from entirely different worlds find a way to make it last? Even if their love is strong enough, they still have an obstacle standing in their way... -
Dare To Fall by L. Ann, Claire Marta
Arabella Gray. Studious. Good Girl. Liar. She's become my addiction—I feed her my pain. When the threat of losing her awakens the monster, there is no one left to save her from me. Eli Travers. Outcast. Artist. Monster. I fell in love with my stepbrother—the Monster. I crave his touch and loathe his name. He took everything I gave and twisted it with hate... -
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... -
Obsession by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne week. No names. No expectations. That was our agreement. We were supposed to walk away after our time in Hawaii was over. No matter what. That was before…. Before I learned who she is. Before I realized how interconnected our lives are. Before I fell in love. But our love isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of. Demons lurk around every corner. Good doesn’t necessarily prevail over evil... -
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 new adult from hate to love forced proximity cruel hero contemporary dark length-medium -
Kade's Turn by Tiffany Snow
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsIt 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... -
Inferno: Part 4 by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsHe found me in the dark when I thought all hope was lost. He swore he loved me when I didn’t think anyone ever would. He vowed to keep the shadows haunting me at bay when I felt like I was drowning in my past. But in doing so, he also kept the truth from me. It shouldn’t surprise me...Categorized as:
suspense mystery age difference forbidden love dark alpha male contemporary dual-pov -
The Joker by Ashley Munoz
Kyle James cashed in my V card and then disappeared like I was the finishing act in a magic show. I vowed to hate my best friend, turn the longing and secret obsession with him into toxic hate and maybe a poorly chosen tattoo. But as the years passed, I let go of any notions I'd ever see him again. .. until he sauntered on campus my senior year as a new transfer student...Categorized as:
suspense new adult from hate to love betrayal forced proximity m-f college virgin heroine -
I Belong to You by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsBook 5 in the New York Times bestselling INSIDE OUT series now in development for TV with Marvista Entertainment! Master. .. Being that person, that man, is how I define myself, how I allow the rest of the world to define me as well. And now, with a terrible loss shredding me inside out and someone trying to destroy my family to punish me, control is more important than ever. It is everything... -
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Raven by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNot even the holidays can make a bastard like me feel better. The guys are all gone for Christmas, but I decide to stay. I'm hunting a horrific serial killer and I can't afford to lose him. I'm regretting that decision when I find her:. Beaten, bloodied, and left out in the snow to die. Who is she? That's the problem. Not even she knows... -
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:
from hate to love age difference forced proximity suspense m-f mafia contemporary dark -
Chaotic by K.L. Savage
One, two, three, four. .. I declare a deadly war. Five, six, seven, eight. .. I can't keep my mind straight. Nine, ten. .. I'll hunt her down and make her mine again. I'm not the kind of man to take dares lightly. They tend to make me more. .. insane. And someone made the biggest dare of all. They took Chloe. She's in the place I escaped from. And my mania is on overload. I'm frantic... -
Andrey by LeAnn Ashers
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsNicole. Since I was a little girl, raising my younger sister had always been my main priority. I never imagined, however, that taking care of her would put me in danger. Men came for her, but kidnapped me instead by mistake. Then he rescued me, and on that day, he claimed me. Andrey is mine just as much as I am his. Andrey. The second her eyes met mine I saw the fear in them... -
Destructive by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSome villains are made. Some villains are born. And some villains aren’t villains at all. Nate DeLuca was born into a life he didn’t want. Forced to walk a path that was already chosen for him. Grandson to a mob boss, he’s forever torn between his duty, his honor, his legacy, and the truth. But the truth is never simple, and it’s not at all what it seems... -
Undying by Madeline Sheehan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA 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... -
Donati Bloodlines: Part Two by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThey’re not star-crossed—they’re impossible. Calisto Donati is what every made man in the mafia should be, and then he broke his oath for a woman that wasn’t his. Their secrets and games are deadly, but as hard as he tries to stay away from his boss’s new bride, the universe seems determined to keep bringing them back together... -
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Four by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Four. What 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... -
Stolen Mafia Vows by Vivy Skys
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings**An Age Gap Surprise Pregnancy Dark Romance**. “When can I touch you where no one else has? ”. One reckless text. That’s all it took to start a mafia war. She was untouched. And she let me watch her fall apart—moaning my name through the phone like I already owned her. So I married my wild Irish rose. Filled her with my seed. Marked her as mine. Then my father’s orders caught up to me...Categorized as:
forbidden love suspense m-f bad boys age difference mafia length-medium contemporary -
Dirty Nasty Freaks by Callie Hart
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsFace 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...Categorized as:
new adult suspense mystery age difference from hate to love bad boys forced proximity m-f -
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Massimo by Lora Nox
I’m his enemy’s daughter. His captive. His revenge. Until he becomes my weapon to wield against the monsters in my world. Nova. I am the Mancini Princess. A pawn in my monstrous father’s game. His key to an alliance worthy of a king. However, I end up under the control of a new monster - Massimo Santoro. A lethal man whose hate, wrath, and malice toward anyone with the Mancini name is palpable...Categorized as:
from hate to love age difference m-f forced proximity suspense virgin heroine new adult mafia -
The Final Hour by London Miller
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThree months pass without incident, leading Mishca and Lauren to believe they can finally move on from the past and build a life together. . .. but enemies both old and new lurk in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to strike. When a dangerous threat presents itself, Lauren is forced to turn to the one person that would rather see Mishca dead than live happily ever after. . . -
Hear No Evil by Ivy Fox
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEvil cannot take hold of an unconsenting soul. Do not be amazed that hell is empty, since all the devils live here. One by one, they will meet their hellish fate. One down…. Three to go. Easton. A tyrannous society has discovered our most atrocious secret and decided to wage war on us. They’ve had their fun with Finn, and now it’s my turn to be their little puppet...Categorized as:
suspense new adult mystery from hate to love college dark contemporary length-medium -
Chaos Crown by Ruby Vincent
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChaos Crown description will be published closer to the release date to prevent spoilers. -
Amos y mazmorras: Segunda parte by Lena Valenti
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsChegou a hora de encarar o tão aguardado torneio Dragões e Masmorras DS. Entregue-se aos combates. Liberte seus desejos. Na busca pela irmã desaparecida, a agente Cleo Connelly conseguiu se infiltrar no ultrassecreto torneio de práticas BDSM, o Dragões e Masmorras DS... -
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... -
Consumed by Truths by Ella Miles
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEnzo 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. -
Reaper by Rachel Leigh
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey call me the reaper. Saying I have no soul. A heart that’s charred black. I tell them it’s true,. because it is. I’ve been hiding in the shadows. Stealing secrets, destroying the lives of those who deserve it. But there’s one story to be told before this book closes. My story. Don’t be fooled, it’s not a fairytale. I’m no prince. And I certainly don’t want a princess... -
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... -
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 new adult forced proximity vengeance age difference contemporary mafia length-medium -
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January's Ride with Six by Eve London
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA rebel's heart and a biker's duty collide in a forbidden love that threatens everything. Ginger. Living under the control of the Savage Bones is like existing in a cage where freedom remains just out of reach. The night I run, desperation fueling my steps, I crash into Six. He’s at the core of everything I’ve been told to fear...Categorized as:
age difference from hate to love forced proximity mystery dark bikers contemporary length-novella -
Sloth by Giana Darling
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... -
Thin Lines by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsCalisto 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... -
Reckless & Ruined by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsPlay dirty. It’s the only way to win in a war. Alessa Trentini follows the rules, or so it seems on the outside. A certain Conti has always been able to sway her inner rebel and keep her out of trouble, but even Adriano won’t be able to get her out of her brother’s mess. In a war, no woman is safe if her hand in marriage can advance her family in the world of the mafia...Categorized as:
suspense virgin heroine forbidden love new adult secret-relationship mafia alpha male contemporary -
Son of a Gun: A Marked Men and The Point Crossover by Jay Crownover
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHeavy 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...Categorized as:
suspense new adult bad boys from hate to love forbidden love forced proximity m-f contemporary -
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Brewer by Jessica Ames
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBrewer. As the money man of the Manchester chapter of the Untamed Sons Motorcycle Club, my job is simple: make the illegal income legal and don’t get caught. I have a good life in the Sons, an easy one. I don’t have time for women or drama. But when my former cellmate calls and tells me his daughter is in trouble, I have no choice but to respond. Ophelia... -
Stag by Brooke Summers
She’s a princess locked away without any hope. He’s her dark knight in leather. Stag has been in and out of juvie for years, but now he’s determined to keep his nose clean… or as clean as the Road Captain for the Fury Vipers MC can be. He's found a brotherhood, one that he'll protect until his dying breath. Then he sees her and his plans go up in smoke...Categorized as:
suspense age difference mystery from hate to love secret-relationship m-f betrayal bikers -
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 from hate to love bad boys forced proximity contemporary dark alpha male length-short -
Scotch 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... -
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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:
new adult suspense from hate to love love triangle mafia alpha male cruel hero contemporary -
Explosive Union by Brooke Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNever underestimate a woman who’s been hurt… The vengeance she has will be beautiful. Jade Gallagher has sacrificed more than most for her family. Being sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit was only the beginning. Five years she spent biding her time and coming up with the perfect revenge plan for those that harmed her while she was incarcerated... -
Griffin by S.M. West
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWINNER of the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best Thriller, Gold Global eBook Award, and Global Book Award Silver. Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in two categories: Romantic Suspense and Audiobook: Fiction. Finalist in the 17th National Indie Excellence Award. After one electrifying kiss, I’ll risk everything to protect Cora Jennings...Categorized as:
forced proximity age difference from hate to love suspense contemporary insta-love alpha male dark -
Speak No Secrets by E.R. Whyte
They kissed four years ago, igniting a spark. Now that spark might lead to their destruction. First year high school teacher Shiloh Brookings is struggling to pay her brother’s medical bills. With students only a few years younger than she is, things are difficult enough, but when Gunner Ford enrolls in class, things go from unusual. .. to complicated... -
The Villain by Nana Malone
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGuess who's having the craziest week EVER? That would be me. Sunday: I get dumped by my boyfriend—right before a couple's bungee jump. Monday: My little sister informs me that she’s invited our evil, estranged mom to the wedding I’ve spent months helping her plan...Categorized as:
suspense new adult vengeance from hate to love forced proximity super rich hero multicultural dark
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