Books like 'Cruel When He Smiles'
Readers who enjoyed Cruel When He Smiles by Avery Collins also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
gay romance dark romance new adult sports queer from hate to love college athletes tortured hero cold hero
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LOT 62 by Nordika Night
Every fairytale had a villain, and this way of life was ours. Coming from nothing and gaining something is a lot to handle. Can they hang on to it? A year after moving in together on Lot 62, Devon and Maddox have a whole new dynamic to adjust to—cohabitation. Merging their personalities and energies into one tiny trailer is a lot to handle, but so is their relationship...Categorized as:
possessive hero bad boys queer sports cold hero from hate to love anal sex contemporary -
Unbroken by Sloane Kennedy
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsEverything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn't. And I'm starting to think it never will because I don't even know what normal is anymore... It's been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle... -
Max and Frankie by Elizabeth Dear
One cold December night, I let myself enjoy a beautiful stranger I’d met in the cage at my Family’s seedy fight club. Afterwards, I kissed him goodbye and sent him away, content to cling to memories of the out-of-towner who’d pleased me so thoroughly. Except that beautiful butterfly wasn’t who he claimed to be, and our lives would soon intertwine in a much more permanent way... -
Garron Park by Nordika Night
Garron Park, where hope dies and no one ever gets ahead. Until… When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead. With his dad on his trail, he has no choice but to stand on his enemy’s doorstep and let Maddox help. Maddox has never seen Devon this vulnerable...Categorized as:
from hate to love possessive hero sports new adult anal sex bad boys cold hero queer -
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Seduction by Cassie Hargrove, Story Brooks
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsᴀ ʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪɴɴᴏᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ʜᴀꜱ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴀᴅʟʏ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴇᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ…The Deadly Seven were something I never could have prepared for. They came into my life like a silent stalker, claiming my heart and body, and I gave into them willingly. I love those seven broken souls, but even love has it’s limits... -
Man On by Rebecca Rathe
Stepbrothers. Rivals.They could have been friends- like real brothers, even. Instead, circumstances and an unfortunate incident at soccer camp pitted them against each other. But when they find themselves playing for the same team, their competitive relationship takes an unexpected turn. Man On is an enemies to lovers MM sports romance... -
Bitter When He Begs by Avery Collins
LucaI’ve built my life on control. On the field, in my reputation, and in keeping my demons buried where no one can see.Sage Blackwell was never supposed to be a part of that. The nerdy prodigy overheard something that could ruin my entire career, so I do the only logical thing. I don’t threaten him. I don’t scare him off.I claim him.I tell myself it’s about survival, about keeping my secret safe... -
Home by Cara Dee
For as long as I can remember, I've only had one goal: survival. It's what I know. There is no future beyond making it through another night and getting my hands on as much money as possible, by any means necessary. Pride and dignity are things I can't afford. It's been the worst year yet—and not because I live on the streets. That's nothing compared to being separated from my little girl... -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 4 by 945
GONE BABY GONEAfter learning more about Gunwoo’s shrouded past, Eui-joon realizes he’s in love with him. Just as Eui-joon finally decides to tell him how he feels, Gunwoo vanishes. In desperation, Eui-joon goes to Gunwoo’s associate, Chaehyun, to see if he knows where Gunwoo has gone, and if he’s all right... -
Hidden Scars by Andi Jaxon
Charles Preston Carmichael is the most infuriating man I’ve ever met. I want to sock the golden boy of college hockey right in the mouth. He enjoys telling me everything I’m messing up. Publicly.And since he’s my roommate for the next year, I can’t avoid him. Yet there’s something about him that makes me watch him. Something dark. A secret I want to uncover...Categorized as:
college sports from hate to love new adult tortured hero athletes possessive hero queer -
Bittersweet Revenge by Riley Hart
DeanI’ve been stalking Tiernan O’Shea online for years.After Sloan O’Shea killed my dad, my mom and I spent years in hiding, moving from state to state, changing our names, never drawing attention to ourselves, hoping to never be found.I’ve fed off nothing but vengeance ever since.Tiernan O’Shea is exactly like his father—arrogant, rich, ruthless.The plan is simple: Get accepted to Ashford U...Categorized as:
queer bad boys possessive hero tortured hero college anal sex from hate to love cold hero -
Rend by Roan Parrish
After a whirlwind romance, a man with a painful past learns to trust the musician who makes him believe in happy endings. Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans... -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 5 by 945
THE LONG GOODBYEIt’s been three years since Eui-joon last saw Gunwoo and there have been a lot of changes. Eui-joon no longer works his punishing graveyard shift at the convenience store, but instead works in sales at a small company where, as the newest employee, he’s constantly running errands for his boss... -
Hide and Seek by Willow Dixon
JaxIt was supposed to be an easy keep an eye on Myles until I’m sure he’s not a threat to us, then forget he exists and go back to living my life.But there’s something different about him. Something that speaks to my dark side and turns an easy job into an obsession. I want things from him I’ve never wanted before, and the more I watch him, the more I’m sure he wants them too... -
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Sweet Vengeance by Riley Hart
Cillian I can’t figure out why I’m so intrigued by Ollie Gibson. He’s nothing like me—soft where my world is hard, sweet and kind while I’ve grown up around violence. But there’s a fire to him that sparks the one inside me, loyalty that calls to me, and bravery I respect even if it gets him in trouble... -
Princes of Ash by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue
“To create is to reign.” The phrase uttered by the Princes of Forsyth is no longer a motto, but a harsh truth: I’m carrying the East End heir. My pregnancy announcement wasn’t the only bomb dropped at the Princes’ annual Valentine’s Day party...Categorized as:
from hate to love new adult college cold hero possessive hero athletes tortured hero queer -
My Dark Jock: The Complete Series by Arden Long
“You hide it so well from everyone else. Your friends, the guys on the team. But you can’t hide it from me. I can see how much you need to be dominated. I own you, and I can do whatever I want with you, and you’ll love every second of it. Isn’t that right?”Meet Malcolm Blackwood—tall, dark, brooding, and undeniably hot. The problem? He hates my guts... -
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:
from hate to love sports new adult queer m-m contemporary age difference secret-relationship -
WTF 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... -
Devil by Silvia Violet
A 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... -
Pain by E.M. Leya, Kellie Dennis Book Cover by Design
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen his daughter is kidnapped, Matt’s life screeches to a halt. He would do anything to get his daughter back, but first he needs to find her. When the police exhaust all possible leads, Matt does the only thing he can do — he uses his hacking skills to infiltrate the dark web... -
Cruel When He Smiles by Avery Collins
Liam Callahan likes to break things.... and Nate Carter was made to be broken.LiamI was trained not to feel. Taught to observe, manipulate, and control.Nothing prepared me for Nate Carter.He’s stubborn and beautiful in his resistance. The harder he fights, the deeper I sink my teeth in. I engineered the therapy sessions so I could get closer and watch him unravel... -
Garron Park: Special Edition by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 35 ratings*This is the same book with the same content as Garron Park [the original] but with special edition formatting and illustrated cover.*Garron Park, where hope dies and no one ever gets ahead. Until… When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead... -
Beneath His Robes by S.K. Pryntz
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAs old desires resurface, the line between sacrifice and obsession blurs, threatening to draw them both into a place they cannot escape...I took a vow to God, to my faith, to my people. As a priest, I am bound by duty, but there’s something I can never escape—Ronan. He was my entire world... -
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King of Pain: by J.P. Joseph
In an epic love story caught between neon lights and shadowed pasts, two hearts collide. Their souls are bound by secrets, passion, and the undeniable pulse of the 80s. Anthony Pachini is guarded, haunted, and desperate to break free. Chance Sullivan is a hotter than sin rebel running from a fate already written. Together, they're headed straight for heartbreak—or redemption... -
Crashing Hearts by K.A. Knight
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPine Valley is a school that’s both rich in history and legacy, and it’s once more opening its doors to another year of students.Skylar Warren owns the streets of Pine Valley and everybody in it. From cars to people, there is nothing he wants that he can’t get—until now...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports new adult queer possessive hero grumpy sunshine dark mystery -
Perfect Prey by Vasha Crow
They have two things in common: murder and me.Darius. The professional.Bishop. The vigilante.James. The survivor.Holden. The psycho.Then there’s Kit. The empty shell. The broken bird.Kit doesn’t know why these four killers want him. Why they’re obsessed with him. But from the moment he stumbles into that crime scene, there’s no escaping their desires—or his.Perfect Prey is an MMMM/M harem romance... -
Matchstick Men by Adira August
Sometimes it's the cop who needs to hit the floor... Haunted by the worst case of my career, I knew only one way to exorcise the images from my mind, the victim from my soul ... Inside the club, I scanned the room. He was here—Camden Snow—a sex god in the guise of unpretentious youth... -
Happy Krampus Xmas & The Meet Not Cute: Two Xmas Novellas by Paulina Ian-Kane
-Happy Krampus XmasHappy Krampus Day!Krampus who? Santa’s evil brother, duh.The horned demon sort of cursed me, and I need to find a way to appease him.Otherwise, I won’t be able to proceed with my donor initiation: blood, torture, death, screams—not in that order.All I need is to follow my three-step groveling plan... -
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:
tortured hero queer m-m contemporary tearjerkers friends to lovers dark length-short -
Pretty When He Bleeds by Avery Collins
Roman Bishop hides his pain behind bruises and penalties, using the ice to escape the ghosts of his past. But when Damon Ward, the brooding, tattooed art major with a grudge and a sharp tongue, returns to campus, Roman’s carefully constructed world begins to crack.Damon is Caleb’s brother—the boy Roman loved and lost in the most devastating way possible...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports new adult queer anal sex college possessive hero tortured hero -
One for Sorrow by Louise Collins
The press nickname him “The Countdown Killer”, branding his victims with a number, but Chad knows him as Romeo. Captured by the killer he’s hunting, Chad’s situation seems dire, but Romeo doesn’t want to kill him because Chad doesn’t fit his pattern. Instead, he’s keeping Chad for two months, hiding him away where no one will find him, making sure Chad can’t reveal who he is... -
The Mad House by Liza James
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA broken home made whole through promises of eternal life and family beyond.On your knees. Whisper the prayers.Obey thy Father and Mother. You'll be made whole in the Spirit once we're all together again.One sister escapes. The other is trapped, carrying the weight of all focus from their parents for years to come... -
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Merry Mayhem by Angel Lawson, Samantha Rue
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMerry Mayhem is a three part bonus collection from the Princes’ perspectives from November-Christmas that takes place during the Dukes of Peril timeline, before Princes of Chaos. If you’re wary of spoilers, make sure to read after Dukes of Peril... -
Freeing by E.K. Blair
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsKnowing who you are and accepting who you are come at different prices. Jase Kinrick grew up in your typical, all-American household. But after the death of his sister, his parents shut down, forcing him to deal with everything life throws his way alone... -
Shattered Secrets by Kris Butler
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThey had tried to come for me. They thought I was still weak, damaged. Someone had tried to kill me...again. I was getting tired of this. They hadn’t been prepared for me to build relationships, to no longer be alone. They continued to underestimate me. I loved proving them wrong. Secrets threaten to shake me, to break me and as I uncover more of my past, each step leads me closer to the Council... -
Graceless by N.N. Britt
One young man with a secret that can damage a political career and his family’s reputation.One superstar on the rise with a secret that can destroy the other man’s life.Their fates shouldn’t have collided…Except one of them takes matters into his own hands... -
Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsSuccessful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain... -
throw up your fists, throw out your wits by Youcouldmakealife, Imogenedisease
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLuke doesn’t think he’s ever looked better than he does, right then, bleeding from wounds Luke gave him... -
The Good Green Earth by V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAfter the Syracuse Stallions clinch the championship, Nathan Zinkan, the renowned wild man of the AHL is arrested for a DUI. Again. When a no-nonsense judge adds a heavy dose of community service to an already stiff sentence, Nathan has to forget a summer of partying and slide on a pair of gardening gloves... -
야화첩 1 by Byeonduck, 변덕
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 35 ratings춘화에 빠진 양반가의 도령 윤승호, 정체를 숨긴 춘화가를 찾아 나선다. 존경하는 선비님의 말을 따라 춘화 그리기를 멈춘 백나겸, 윤승호에게 붙들려 다시 붓을 쥐게 된다. Na-kyum is a young painter with an exceptional talent: creating erotic images of men. Though he has published a few collections under a pseudonym, he has decided to quit painting. Then Seungho, a young nobleman, barges into his life... -
The Assassin by M.D. Gregory
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGabriel Mancini represents everything Ardan Murphy hates.He’s disloyal.Money hungry.‘Honor’ isn’t a word he knows.He is also too damn handsome for his own good.When mob boss Sloan Killough finally gives Ardan permission to find and kill Mancini, the job isn’t as straightforward as he expects... -
Nevermore by Addison Beck
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsReignMy life was impossibly normal. Living by honest means, working a regular job, and being a fumbling and awkward teenager were just the norm.Until Mama remarried. Being thrown into a world so different from mine is jarring. The parties, the people, the wealth-And my stepbrother.Santiago is everything I’m not...Categorized as:
from hate to love college athletes queer m-m forced proximity queer-awakening super rich hero -
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Knock 'Em Down by Alisha Williams, Amber Nicole
A Dark Cheerleading Academy Bully RH Romance One week of hot, mind blowing passion was all it was supposed to be. Well, until a freak accident has the Widows in desperate need of a new flyer. I thought my wishes were coming true. I get to be on the national cheer team and see my guys again... Maybe not. I guess it's true what they say...be careful what you wish for...Categorized as:
sports possessive hero from hate to love new adult queer athletes cruel hero reverse harem -
Forbidden Mafia Prince by Brooke Blaine, Ella Frank
“What are you going to do with me?”“Whatever the hell I want.”In Manhattan, tensions are rising.In a play for power, the Rossetti family has made a decisive blow, crippling their rivals—an act that has forced the Fiores to make a desperate move to maintain their supremacy.Many miles away, Luca Davis, a young medical student, has no idea his life is about to change...Categorized as:
from hate to love new adult queer anal sex cold hero possessive hero forced proximity dark -
Abandoned Girl by Lexie Winston
Her entire life, Harlow has been the cuckoo in another bird's nest. With an unreliable junkie for a mother and an unknown father, her foster family, the kind, successful, and generous Bostons, are the brightest spot in her life... -
Raging Ranger by Louise Collins
Ranger Keyes, assassin, occasional stripper and full-time hopeful (not hopeless) romantic is determined to get his happily-ever-after. His best mates, Donnie and Yates, have both found love, and he knows it’s finally his turn to step into the spotlight and star in his own love story.For that, he needs a co-star, and he sets his sights on one guy and one guy alone...Categorized as:
from hate to love possessive hero tortured hero queer m-m grumpy sunshine suspense alpha male -
Born in Blood by Emma Dean
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll they had to do was accept her deal and Shadow would give them everything they could ever want.Despite the privilege of being a mafia prince, Damien Chaos still lacked the one thing he desperately needed:Absolute power and control.If he wanted that, Shadow was the only answer.Unfortunately the Shadow was a ghost and owed his allegiance to no one...Categorized as:
from hate to love possessive hero cold hero queer reverse harem mafia contemporary suspense -
Shades by Jaime Reese
Life made him dangerous. Love made him lethal. Killian Marks is a third-generation hitman. After hunting monsters for over twenty years, he lives under no illusions of happily ever afters and fairy tales. Until he meets a man who threatens to disarm him, by giving him hope for a future and showing him there’s more to life than just death. For Nick, living in shadows is second nature...
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