Books like 'Wretched Heart'
Readers who enjoyed Wretched Heart by Anna J. Valentine also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance mafia m-f slow burn marriage of convenience forced proximity independent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine
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Once A Crime Lord by Mia Knight
It all ends here. It’s been two years since the Pyre family was ripped apart by a sadistic killer who will stop at nothing to take Gavin Pyre’s position as crime lord of the Las Vegas underworld... -
![Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski]()
Behind the Hands That Kill by J.A. Redmerski
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 30 ratings-Reading Order-#1 - KILLING SARAI#2 - REVIVING IZABEL#3 - THE SWAN & THE JACKAL#4 - SEEDS OF INIQUITY#5 - THE BLACK WOLF#6 - BEHIND THE HANDS THAT KILL#7 - SPIDERS IN THE GROVE---Even professional killers need vacations, but for Victor Faust, his vacation in Venezuela is about more than relaxation and time alone with Izabel Seyfried... -
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![Orbiting Mars by K.L. Savage]()
Orbiting Mars by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI'm a car accident waiting to happen and it's only a matter of time before I crash into something.Every day that passes, every second I blink, the need to drink grows. Meetings aren’t enough. My willpower isn’t enough.Sunnie… The second I see her, I want to crash into her instead. But she may not be enough to kill the need.And when Sunnie tells me something that I can’t handle?I break. I run away... -
![Unchosen Ruler by Maggie Cole]()
Unchosen Ruler by Maggie Cole
He’s the future unchosen ruler of the O’Malleys.Locked away for too many years.Underestimated and pissed off.Protective beyond all rationale.Possessive unlike any man I’ve ever known.I should run. Except Liam O'Malley isn't a choice. He's the air I breathe.Still, I wonder if I can really be queen of the O’Malleys—especially when I discover the truth about who I am...Categorized as:
mafia possessive hero sassy heroine independent heroine alpha male m-f suspense contemporary -
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![Wasted Lust: Sasha by J.A. Huss]()
Wasted Lust: Sasha by J.A. Huss
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA GIRL WITH REGRETS... Sasha Cherlin died the night she let Nick Tate walk out on her for a life of crime. Her very essence was destroyed when they broke their promise to one another. A MAN WITH REMORSE... Nick Tate made his choice with her future in mind. He loved Sasha enough to know that leaving her behind was the only way to keep her safe. A PATH TO REVENGE.. -
![Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky]()
Buttons and Devotion by Penelope Sky
If I don’t give her what she wants—I’ll lose her forever. When Sapphire became my muse, it was supposed to be a business transaction. We both got what we wanted—until she wanted something more. If I don’t give it to her, give her all of me, she’ll walk out of my life. My father already granted his approval—so he would be disappointed if I let her slip through my fingers...Categorized as:
strong heroine possessive hero alpha male m-f suspense contemporary dark explicit-plentiful -
![Buttons and Blood by Penelope Sky]()
Buttons and Blood by Penelope Sky
Crow Barsetti knows about me—and he doesn’t like it. I know he’s paying his top guys to dig up every piece of dirt they can find, but I don’t care what he discovers. There’s nothing I’ve done that he hasn’t done himself. All that matters is I love his daughter—and he’s going to accept it. I get a call in the middle of the night while Vanessa is dead asleep—and it’s him...Categorized as:
alpha male possessive hero strong heroine sassy heroine m-f suspense contemporary forbidden love -
![Pirate by K.L. Savage]()
Pirate by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNo matter how hard I try, I can never drown the memories.I miss alcohol.The craving claws against my stomach every day.And being in this rehab center doesn’t help.No one understands how it feels to not be able to save someone you love.I had to watch Macy’s demise.How she screamed for me to help her.I hear those screams. They echo in my head. A song on repeat... -
![Miles by Lane Hart, D.B. West]()
Miles by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Who could ever fall in love with a cold-blooded killer like me?The answer is no one. That’s why I’m giving up trying to find a woman who wants me for more than one rowdy night. I’m determined to find a wife instead. If I buy a mail order bride, then she’ll have no choice but to stick around... -
![Easy to Fall by W. Winters]()
Easy to Fall by W. Winters
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom 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... -
![Buttons and Betrayal by Penelope Sky]()
Buttons and Betrayal by Penelope Sky
Conway paid off Knuckles to keep me—but he expects something in return. I belong to him exclusively, to fulfill every order he gives, personally and professionally. I’m more just his muse now. I’m his in every sense of the word. I live a life of luxury in his mansion, but he treats me like a servant. I can’t deny my attraction for him, but I despise the kind of man he is...Categorized as:
strong heroine possessive hero alpha male m-f suspense contemporary dark explicit-plentiful -
![Saving Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia]()
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... -
![Savage by K.L. Savage]()
Savage by K.L. Savage
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsI'm on the road, but there's only one thing on my mind.Eden...Problem is, this isn't me.I don't chase.I don't pursue.But I can't help myself.Eden is stubborn.Headstrong.The toughest woman I know.My mistake was letting myself have a taste.It wasn't enough.I'm addicted.I'm breaking my own rules.I don't care how complicated it is.But the complications keep coming.. -
![The Savage by Stella Andrews]()
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:
mafia alpha male forced proximity m-f from hate to love contemporary dark age difference -
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![Surrendered Innocence by Measha Stone]()
Surrendered Innocence by Measha Stone
He didn't ask for my surrender. He took it... -
![Winston by Lane Hart, D.B. West]()
Winston by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsWinston Prescott has been a grumpy SOB for the past ten years. None of his brothers in the Savage Kings MC knew why, not until the day one of them made the mistake of posting a sexy centerfold on the wall of the clubhouse.The gorgeous model posing topless on sports cars and motorcycles isn’t just any girl. Her name is Zoe Donahue, and she also happens to be Winston’s stepsister... -
![Shattered by Bethany-Kris]()
Shattered by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 13 ratings“Don’t fall in love with me. I ruin beautiful things.” Love made him this way, but life makes him stay. Life doesn’t give a redo. There’s no rewind or pause button to take you back or stop time. Once something happens, it happened. The most tragic of those times in his life, the ones he wouldn’t get back and the moments he could never fix, reminded Demyan Avdonin of a bullet meeting glass... -
![Queen's Move by Nikita Slater]()
Queen's Move by Nikita Slater
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHe declared war, she accepted the challenge. Vee is poised on the edge of a mob war. Born to the mob, abused by the mob, she is now ready to rise up and take over her dead husband's mafia holdings. She is queen in a beautiful and brutal city. She runs her organization with cool logic, passionate loyalty and an iron will. She's the perfect woman for the job... -
![Deny by E.C. Land, Elizabeth Knox]()
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 . -
![SINS: Books 1-4 by Emma Slate]()
SINS: Books 1-4 by Emma Slate
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSins of a King (Book 1)Flynn Campbell is a king among men.He plays Manhattan’s elite like pawns on a chessboard.He’s a man you don’t cross, but that’s exactly what my brother has done.Debts must be repaid.But it’s not money Flynn wants…It’s me.Suddenly I’m thrust into a criminal underworld, full of seduction and lies.Ensnared by danger and power, foreign desires burn within me... -
![Reviving Izabel by J.A. Redmerski]()
Reviving Izabel by J.A. Redmerski
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 55 ratingsDetermined to live a dark life in the company of the assassin who freed her from bondage, Sarai sets out on her own to settle a score with an evil sadist. Unskilled and untrained in the art of killing, the events that unfold leave her hanging precariously on the edge of death when nothing goes as planned... -
![Marauder by Bella Di Corte]()
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... -
![Cooper by Lane Hart, D.B. West]()
Cooper by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsCooper and Elizabeth Townsend are from two very different worlds - she's an attorney and he's an outlaw biker. At first, she was just an escape he needed, but now she's everything to him, even though their relationship remains a secret.After his world is blown apart, Cooper is no longer the same man he was before... -
![Beautiful Enemy: A Dark Mafia Romance by Ivy Davis]()
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... -
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![Savage King: A Dark Mafia Romance by Bella Ray]()
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... -
![Captive Heart: Armani by Stella Gray]()
Captive Heart: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNothing lasts forever… except the Bellanti’s hatred for the Bruno family.My family prepared me to fight.My best friend taught me loyalty.My husband showed me who I am.And now I’m caught between them all.The thing about secrets is that they always come out.The past is never gone.No one expected it to explode.I finally understand why my life led me here... -
![Brothers Black 4: Braxton the Charmer (Brothers Black Series) by Blue Saffire]()
Brothers Black 4: Braxton the Charmer (Brothers Black Series) by Blue Saffire
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAward winning Author Blue Saffire presents Brothers Black 4: Braxton The Protector Book 4 in the Brothers Black Series I'll set fire to the motherf**king wind for her. That will never change. It's why I let her take me through the ringer. I understand her. I know what she needs. It's just at some point…she's going to need to figure out what she needs more. To hide or to be who we really are... -
![Massimo by Lora Nox]()
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.NovaI 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... -
![Mafia King's Secret Baby by Vivy Skys]()
Mafia King's Secret Baby by Vivy Skys
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsI'm about to marry my worst nightmare, and he doesn't know I have his daughter.Elio Rossi is a dream on paper.He's rich, handsome and head of his family's multi-billion dollar business.He's also a ruthless Mafia Don, and my older brother's best friend.But even that isn't a huge issue to me.No, Elio is my nightmare because he used to be my dream man.We've been betrothed since childhood... -
![Queen of Misfortune by Ajme Williams]()
Queen of Misfortune by Ajme Williams
3 rules I follow no matter what: Never marry into the mafia. Never trust a man again. Never fall in love with a mobster. But Donovan Ricci isn’t taking no for an answer. When I was younger, my father married me off so I’d stop causing trouble for him. But now, years later, my husband is dead, and there’s another dangerous man who wants me. Donovan is obsessed with me from the moment we meet... -
![Sinful Vow by Asia Monique]()
Sinful Vow by Asia Monique
Lucia Moretti I always knew marriage for me would never be to a man of my choosing. As a young girl, I was all too aware of the power I wielded in a world where men were supposed to be the superior gender.To the underworld, I was just a mafia princess. To my family, I was an equal. To my soon-to-be husband? Well, that was yet to be determined... -
![Filthy Mogul by M. Robinson]()
Filthy Mogul by M. Robinson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author M. Robinson comes a contemporary standalone romance.All’s fair in love and war…I’m ruthless.I’m feared.I have more enemies than friends.I didn’t just step into my father’s shadow—I’m a Jameson and that last name comes with moneyand power. I’m never afraid to get my hands dirty, especially when it comes to something I want... -
![Hold Me by LP Lovell]()
Hold Me by LP Lovell
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’m a former slave. The sister of death. Collateral. He’s a bad man. A cartel boss— and my everything. I thought I was done being someone’s toy, but I was so very wrong. Safety is nothing more than a premise in my world, and it seems my own sister can’t be trusted. Loyalties will be tested, and even my big bad wolf might not be able to save me this time. A priceless pawn... -
![Stitch by Emmaleigh Loader]()
Stitch by Emmaleigh Loader
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAdley:Nobody thinks that a pretty woman holds dark secrets, but then again, the world only sees what we allow it to.I was raised by very bad people.I learned to do very bad things—things that others would see as depraved.I was fine living my life in the shadows, going unseen…Until he stepped from the abyss... -
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![Savage Bratva King by Vivy Skys]()
Savage Bratva King by Vivy Skys
I stole the Italian mafia princess days before her wedding to my enemy—an alliance crafted to destroy my Bratva.The plan was simple:Break her. Take her innocence.Send her back ruined, panting only for me.I locked her in my basement, fed on her defiance, and filled her with my seed until she sobbed my name like a prayer...Categorized as:
mafia m-f alpha male bad boys possessive hero forced proximity from hate to love length-medium -
![Legacy by Bethany-Kris]()
Legacy by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThis is an alternate cover edition for B018IMSYZE A Legacy PrequelBLURB:filth·y (fĭl′thē)adj. filth·i·er, filth·i·est1. Covered or smeared with filth; disgustingly dirty.2. Obscene or offensive.3. Vile; dirty. adv. filth·y1. To an extreme and often disgusting extent... -
![Until the End by London Miller]()
Until the End by London Miller
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsLauren Thompson After learning the truth behind her father's tragic murder, Lauren vowed never to go near another Volkov again, but sometimes matters of the heart are too strong to resist... Mishca Volkov As a Captain in the Volkov Bratva, Mishca has pledged his loyalty to the Vory v Zakone, but he soon finds himself at odds with the life he's always known.. -
![Rock by Mackenzy Fox]()
Rock by Mackenzy Fox
From best selling author Mackenzy Fox comes the highly anticipated MC spin-off series from the Bracken Ridge NOLA Rebels MC - (New Orleans Series Book 6) Rock is a possessive MMC, forced proximity, heroine in hiding, unhinged hero, biker MC romance with all the feels.The men of the NOLA Rebels MC will do anything for their club...Categorized as:
forced proximity mafia m-f sassy heroine alpha male possessive hero bad boys bodyguard-hero -
![Oh, Hell No by Abbi Glines]()
Oh, Hell No by Abbi Glines
Taking her was a means to an end. The task was to weed out the man who had stolen millions from us. He may have succeeded, but he’d pay with his life. Hiding from us was a grave error he’d regret soon enough because once he found out that we had taken the one thing he cared for as repayment- he’d show up. When a man had a weakness, it was foolish to make a mistake like this...Categorized as:
mafia m-f slow burn strong heroine independent heroine alpha male bad boys from hate to love -
![Lust's Rage by C.M. Genovese]()
Lust's Rage by C.M. Genovese
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRage Might Twist the Throttle, but Lust Squeezes the Clutch Piston is a cocky, wisecracking, ruthless biker with care for very little beyond the pleasures of right now. At least that was the case before he met Frankie, the stripper and best friend of his motorcycle club president’s ol’ lady. She seems to want nothing to do with him though... -
![What Grows Dies Here by Anne Malcom]()
What Grows Dies Here by Anne Malcom
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“You will be loved many times by many men. But you will only ever love one man. And that man will be your destruction.”Wren Whitney lives a beautiful life. She is a child of Beverly Hills, growing up in boarding schools, on private jets—a life of extreme wealth and privilege.Wren Whitney lives for adventure. She is afraid of nothing. She says no to nothing... -
![Mistakes Made by Marie James]()
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:
bad boys alpha male forced proximity contemporary suspense dark from hate to love length-short -
![Gilded Thorn by Ember Davis]()
Gilded Thorn by Ember Davis
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...Categorized as:
mafia sassy heroine alpha male possessive hero independent heroine bad boys contemporary dark -
![King of Pain and Petals by Ember Davis]()
King of Pain and Petals by Ember Davis
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsTAZIO: I breathe for the Agosti family, and I would lay my life down for them without a second thought. Everything I have is because of them and I’m rewarded for my loyalty. I have no problem using the skills they’ve given me to extract revenge or payment in blood when it is required of me. When a debt is owed and ignored, I am the one who will be calling... -
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![Inked For Life by Flora Ferrari]()
Inked For Life by Flora Ferrari
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI’m inked for life—a red crosshair on my wrist, marking me as a traitor’s daughter. With my uncle, Nick, I’m forced to attend Cartel parties. I have to prove my loyalty. I have to prove I’m not like my dad. Otherwise, they’ll do the same to me. Then one night, at a party, I see him, Damien Dovlatov, the leader of the Bratva. As a supposedly loyal Cartel girl, I’m supposed to hate him... -
![Buttons and Revenge by Penelope Sky]()
Buttons and Revenge by Penelope Sky
My brother didn’t pay his debts—and now I’m on the hook for it. They already killed him, so I know they won’t hesitate to do the same to me. With nowhere to run or hide, I buy a one-way ticket to Milan to audition for Barsetti Lingerie in the hope I can start a new life. Conway Barsetti chooses me as his next model—but then he wants more...Categorized as:
virgin heroine possessive hero alpha male strong heroine m-f contemporary suspense dark -
![Axel by Nicola Jane]()
Axel by Nicola Jane
The Author of the Kings Reapers MC, brings you The Chaos DemonsAXELThe first time I set eyes on Lexi, she was just a kid. Small, shy, and scared. My little mouse. Now, she’s making waves in my club and causing me a whole lot of trouble. She gets under my skin, and I fall deep. When her identity is revealed, my world collapses, making me question my role as club President...Categorized as:
mafia m-f strong heroine independent heroine alpha male bad boys possessive hero bikers -
![His Tinkerbelle by Vivi Paige]()
His Tinkerbelle by Vivi Paige
She’s got a beautiful life.I’ll gladly burn it down to save her.She’s been a thorn in my side for as long as I can remember—Belle Barrie.With a smile that shows a sweet disposition.And a body that invites total depravity.Belle thought she knew my world.Thought she could play with the big dogs.When her boss decides to play me, she’s caught in the crossfire...Categorized as:
m-f sassy heroine independent heroine strong heroine alpha male bad boys possessive hero military -
![Shattered by Control by B. B. Hamel]()
Shattered by Control by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI don’t do vulnerable. I only do control.When a brutal shooting forces me onto the sidelines of a raging mafia war, I need a discreet physical therapist to help get me back in the game.That’s how gorgeous Mirella Falconet stumbles into my life.I offer her the world: money, power, whatever she wants, so long as she keeps her mouth shut and does her job...Categorized as:
alpha male mafia bad boys contemporary new adult from hate to love dark length-medium -
![Thin Lives by Bethany-Kris]()
Thin Lives by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe Final Donati Bloodlines Novel *** Emma Donati Some days, it felt like Emma had just imagined it all. Like maybe everything she had been with Calisto was just a dream. Emma knew it was crazy—it was impossible to forget what she had shared with Calisto Donati. All their love, the stolen moments, their foulness together, and the beauty underneath it all were real. They were real...
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