Books like 'Making the King'
Readers who enjoyed Making the King by B. Lybaek & Sarah J.D. also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance hurt-comfort suspense forced proximity arranged marriage from hate to love
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Rebellious Rook by Brooklyn Cross
The rook’s heart is as cold as stone, but when the rock crumbles, the spoils are twice as sweet. Death follows me around like a dark cloud just waiting to strike. First, it stole my mother, then my aunt, and now my father is missing. Even though I’m told to walk away, and even though finding him shouldn’t be my top priority, the memory of him begging me to talk to him haunts my dreams... -
Sins: The Debt: Sins, Book 3 by Lexxi James
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsTiaI've done my best to avoid him.But when his dark eyes lock onto mine, this time, I know there's nowhere I can go. Nowhere I can hide.Nowhere he won't find me.He is Smoke. Head of the D'Angelos.Gorgeous and haunting. Brutal and ruthless.He rules Chicago, and I owe him a debt. And now…he owns me.SmokeI should send her away…This beautiful, innocent girl that conjures the best and worst in me... -
Devil's Kiss by Faith Summers, Khardine Gray
In a world where the secret society and the Bratva reigns, villains and monsters own you from birth. I was torn between two hearts: The devil who stole me. And the man I was promised to. I was supposed to marry Viktor Volkova, heir to one of the most powerful families in the society. But his older brother stole me on our wedding day, just as we were about to take our vows...Categorized as:
arranged marriage suspense from hate to love forced proximity dark new adult mafia love triangle -
The Nomad by Amelia Shea
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsBroke and bitter, Karia Mitchell is just done. So damn tired of it all. After spending a decade in a loveless and toxic marriage, she’s finally breaking free and rebuilding her life. The prospect of starting over at forty-one is gut wrenching, but she’s willing to do whatever it takes as long as she’s rid of her ex... -
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The Boss by Stella Andrews
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 24 ratings★★★★★ The dark was never so good I am The Boss I make the rules and punish those who break them. I am good at my job. I arranged a marriage of the darkest kind. A business deal to align myself with a powerful family to start a war. The contract is clear. Be my wife in public and strangers in private. And then I met her. Jasmine Rossi. Reluctant mafia princess and rebel without a cause...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense dark contemporary mafia marriage of convenience length-short -
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 from hate to love forced proximity new adult cruel hero contemporary dark length-medium -
Road To Fire by Maria Luis
"I'm not scared of you."I meet her gaze. "You should be."Bound by a secret oath spanning generations, I am loyal to no one but the queen.Spy.Defender of the Crown.To all of England, I'm Saxon Priest. Traitor. Murderer. Owner of London’s most infamous anti-loyalist pub.And then she appears. Isla Quinn may claim that she’s only looking to bus tables, but I’m no fool...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love contemporary dark royalty length-long dystopian explicit-open-door -
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... -
Special Kind of Twisted by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHe had a way of pulling everyone into his darkness. Then, to make matters worse, he convinced you that you liked it there. Kyle Davis—ex professional baseball player and current felon—loved Sara, his best friend. Strictly platonically, of course. He’d do absolutely anything for her, even put up with Greer, Sara’s other best friend. What she was not was Kyle’s best friend...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity bikers military humor contemporary athletes -
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 forced proximity suspense mafia contemporary dark alpha male age difference -
Ravaged Soul by J. Rose
Rated: 4.72 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSabre Security saved my life.Now they want my soul as payment.After six years in captivity, forced to fight for survival, I thought I’d seen the darkest depths of humanity. The cartel broke me, forging a ruthless weapon from my shattered pieces.Not even freedom can heal those wounds... -
Torian by Eden Summers
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom International bestselling author, Eden Summers, comes a seductive forbidden romance destined to leave you breathless. I fell for the enemy.A man whose actions resemble the devil so closely it frightens me.We were meant to hate each other.To despise and detest.But his appeal is so much greater than the playboy smile and body built for sin.What I'm doing is wrong.What I'm feeling is immoral... -
Briar Valley: The Complete Duet by J. Rose
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCome home, Willow.Your family is waiting for you.After spending a decade in an abusive marriage, I risked everything to escape the man who trafficked me as a vulnerable teenager.The words of a long-lost relative guide me back to Briar Valley with my little girl, in search of safety and a fresh start... -
Pearl by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsa privately-funded organization operating independently in the search for-and the rescue and recovery of-missing and exploited children. Although at times working in conjunction with law enforcement, GEM aims to ensure the victims receive justice...by whatever means necessary.____Operator Pearl; layered, mysterious, a protector. She masks as delicate, analyzes, and moves stealthily...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity abuse dark multicultural contemporary mystery -
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Burn Like An Angel by J. Rose
“This documentary is your chance to set the record straight. All we want is the truth.”Harrowdean Manor is on fire.When a violent riot erupts, the fragile order inside the institute’s walls crumbles overnight. Mob mentality and chaos now reign.We’re in the eye of the storm.But the real war is in our minds.Amidst the anarchy, the true enemy lurks just beyond the barricades. Plotting. Preparing...Categorized as:
from hate to love suspense forced proximity hurt-comfort found-family reverse harem dark vengeance -
Still Burning by Abbi Glines
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 11 ratings“Not looking for closure. I don’t close a good book until the story ends.”And ours started when I was sixteen. Eighteen years later, we had become different people, living another life than the one we had imagined then. One without each other. Having Rome Bower back in my life had been more than a blast from the past. My soul had felt at home again... -
Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe kidnapped me to avenge my husband. The husband I’ve never loved. The cruel man my father forced me to marry to teach me a lesson. My husband didn’t think twice about how to carry out those lessons. Now, I’ve gone from one prison to another. My captor is just as ruthless as my husband. He’ll kill, torture, and do everything to hurt my family until no one is left. Except for me...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity from hate to love mafia dark alpha male contemporary vengeance -
Charming Villain by Cora Kent
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsI don’t want a wife. But in the mafia, marriage isn’t about love—it’s about power.When the Family demands I marry Giovanni Lucatello’s sheltered daughter, I drown my frustration in whiskey and meet a woman who’s everything I shouldn’t bold, sharp-tongued, and tempting as sin. One night with her is unforgettable. But by the next morning, she’s gone. Or so I thought...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity arranged marriage suspense mafia dark contemporary vengeance -
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... -
Opal by Freya Barker
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsGEM: A PRIVATELY-FUNDED ORGANIZATION OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY IN THE SEARCH FOR—AND THE RESCUE AND RECOVERY OF—MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH, AT TIMES WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, GEM AIMS TO ENSURE THE VICTIMS RECEIVE JUSTICE…BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY. ____GEM Operator Opal; multifaceted, versatile, a chameleon.She hides in plain sight, adapts, and infiltrates...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity single-father dark mature couple mystery contemporary length-medium -
Captive Rival: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI thought I could walk away…but Armani Bellanti wants me for keeps.My intentions were good.I thought I was on the side of angels.But all my plans led me straight to hell.There’s nowhere for me to turn.My whole world is his cage.I have no one.No one but him.He silences me with cruel kisses.I taunt him with his desire for me.We don’t trust each other, but we can use each other...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love forced proximity arranged marriage mafia contemporary dub-con dark -
Kept by Him by Measha Stone
My family took something from the Russian mob. Now they've taken something back.Me.I was given to Micah Ivanov as a bride to keep the peace between the two most powerful mafia dynasties in Chicago. But my future husband doesn't plan to let this be a marriage in name only.He's going to take me to his bed whether I like it or not, starting tonight.I know he's going to be rough...Categorized as:
arranged marriage from hate to love forced proximity suspense bdsm contemporary dark mafia -
Naked Truth by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsJax North. He's handsome, brutally so, and wealthy. Our first encounter is intense and sex is my escape. I go with it. I go with him and what a ride it is. And then, I say goodbye. Only you don't say goodbye to a man like Jax if he doesn't want you to. I've challenged him without meaning to. He wants me. I don't want to want him, and yet, I crave him. And he tears me down, my resistance, my walls...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love contemporary dark mystery super rich hero dual-pov length-epic -
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.EastonA 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 from hate to love new adult dark mystery college contemporary length-medium -
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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... -
Rogue Launch by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe Renegades #1 Romantic Suspense Enemies to Lovers Action MM“We will find you, darling. Stay strong. We will find you.”This was exactly what Elliott Jones needed. A nice barbecue with family and friends. The moving trucks were parked outside his new ranch, and he was ready to start fresh. Again. Despite the regrets he lived with, he tried to focus on the good things in life...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love hurt-comfort forced proximity military m-m mystery second chances -
Forbidden Love by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsI chose to become a Bellanti… but no one walks away from the Bruno family.My life was planned for me, down to the smallest detail.I was to be a gift for a man loyal to my uncle, a pretty little prize.When I ran away, I did it for love.I should have known my uncle would never allow it.They say all’s fair in love and war, but sometimes they’re the same thing.And nothing about this is fair...Categorized as:
suspense arranged marriage from hate to love contemporary dark angst super rich hero age difference -
Vengeful Hearts by S. Lexi
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsErika grew up on the streets of New York City. When her baby sister got kidnapped by the most extensive human trafficking ring in the area and eventually murdered, she swore to avenge her death.Blaise grew up in the Italian Mafia; his father was the don...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love mafia contemporary vengeance strong heroine dark length-long -
Stolen by J.M. Johnson
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDante wasn't looking for a woman. He was content with being a single dad, and slowly but surely taking his place as leader of his club, Devil's Disciples.His life was busy, and he didn't need women complicating things.Fuck them, leave them. Don't catch feelings.But Dante had never met a woman like Rachel.Rachel has a past. One she has worked hard at erasing...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity suspense dark single-father insta-love betrayal new adult -
Watch Her Burn by Emily Klepp
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThat night was supposed to be the happiest night of my life. Graduating at the top of my class with a master's degree in cyber security engineering set me up to live a comfortable life until I was forced into constant paranoia by someone I trusted.Silas broke me…burned me…but Landon loves me anyway... -
Live for Me by Ember Nicole
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s hell bent on settling the score.He’ll do anything she asks.This is the third book in The Broken Bounty Series. It is not a standalone. The building blocks for this story begin with Break for Me by Ember Nicole.This is a dual perspective, dark romance and is intended for readers over 18 years of age. There are trigger/content warnings listed within the first pages of the book... -
Dreams of the Vengeful by Adelaide Forrest
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOur love was written in blood, but our dream was born from death.Once upon a time, I had it all.Born heir apparent to one of the Six Families,I was destined for greatness.Wealth and power were in my blood, andsweet Thalia was one more means to an end... -
Make Me by C.D. Reiss
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsDario 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...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love arranged marriage forbidden love mafia alpha male contemporary abduction -
Hate You Forever by Denver Rose
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI, Tara Mangal, take thee, Marnix Taylor, to have and to hold from this day forward.For better, for worse, for richer, poorer, in sickness, and in health.To love and to cherish, till death do us part.Or at least that’s the story we’re spinning to the world..Categorized as:
from hate to love arranged marriage contemporary reverse harem poly abuse dark length-long -
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The Three Week Deal by Hannah Shield
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s a smoking-hot firefighter with a wild side.And now, my obnoxious new roommate. When my apartment catches fire, I know I’m in for a hell of a day. It only gets worse when I meet my temporary new roommate—the same grouchy firefighter who just yelled at me. Matteo De Luca is a tattooed, loud-mouthed, alpha hunk of a man...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity from hate to love humor dark multicultural military mystery -
Vengeful by Kristen Luciani
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne single gun shot threw my life into upheaval. An assassination that will bring my family to its knees.It’s up to me to avenge the murder.An eye for an eye…that’s my MO.I have one job to do, and it may be my last.Find my father’s killer and make him payBefore he finds me.But there’s one problem - one incredibly sexy obstacle I never saw coming.Tali Severinov.I’ve met my match with this woman... -
Her by D.V. Fischer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI have something to prove.My weight. My worth. My life.Not only am I a woman fresh out of the police academy, but because of my father’s reputation, I have to prove I’m worthy of my badge.And then an opportunity arose, one I couldn’t pass up. Men and women are being abducted from another country to be trafficked for horrific purposes... -
Captive Bride: Armani by Stella Gray
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI was supposed to get close to him…but Armani keeps his secrets closer. Everyone knows that Armani is the most dangerous Bellanti brother.No one knows what he’s capable of. I do know there is nothing he won’t do for his family. For months, I’ve interacted with the dark, broody man.The way he looks at me moves the earth under my feet.His touch makes my skin tingle.But I’ve had my own agenda... -
Because of Me by Katie Pearson
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShe aspires to be the girl he deserves.Becca Mills is desperate to give her son a better life. To do that, she heads to a new town where nobody knows her, except her mother and her mother’s dealer. When Becca meets Dereck, a tatted mechanic who enjoys making her blush and earning her smile, things get complicated...Categorized as:
forced proximity suspense dark contemporary friends to lovers cruel hero length-epic -
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.GingerLiving 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:
from hate to love forced proximity age difference mystery dark bikers contemporary length-novella -
Beautiful Prey by Lora Darc
Emery Blakmor is a monster.One night. One savage act. And he ripped my life away.Years later, I’m still running from him in my nightmares.Except, Emery’s not lurking in the shadows anymore. He’s locked away, staring at the same four walls. Silent. Lethal. Unpredictable.And the only person he wants to talk to... is me.I swore I’d never forget what he did. I vowed to make him pay...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity suspense hurt-comfort dark strong heroine death primal-play -
Persephone & Hades by Lee Savino, Stasia Black
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsI’m king of the criminal underworld.I always get what I want.And she’s my obsession.Cora is new to the city of sin.Her innocent blue eyes beg for me to claim her.But I’m not the billionaire she thinks I am.There’s a darkness within me.And Cora is a shining light.She’s beautiful. A virgin.I’m ruthless. A beast.She found me for a reason.She’ll be my queen... -
The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume Three by Audrey Carlan, Samantha Brentmoor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Audrey Carlan, discover The Marriage Auction: Season One, Volume ThreeWhat 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... -
Bully Me: Class of 2020 by Shantel Tessier, Siobhan Davis
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsLoving your tormentor isn’t easy, especially when they collect broken hearts and parade them around like trophies. They’re the bad boys, the alpha a**holes, and the thorns in our sides. They push us past our limits, turn us on, and break us. They’re our bullies. They’re the class of 2020...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love new adult contemporary anthologies cruel hero dark alpha male -
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Angel's Promise by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEverett Ramses came into my life like a hurricane on a dark New Orleans night. With a deep voice and penetrating gaze, his mere presence tingled my nerves and twisted my insides much like the city’s legendary stories of spirits and ghosts. As the ruler of New Orleans, Everett Ramses lives life hard and takes what he wants without apology.He wants me to be his queen...Categorized as:
suspense from hate to love arranged marriage contemporary dark alpha male mafia age difference -
Savage Prince by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen my best friend dumped her fiancé on their wedding day, I thought it served him right.After all, the first time I met Kellen Hawthorne, he offered to buy my panties before he even knew my name.But of course, the rich prick’s enormous ego can’t handle being rejected.He threatened to hold everyone in the church hostage unless I agree to marry him right then and there... -
Lost In The Light by Kerry Taylor
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRescued by the brothers she never knew, Addy has found some solace from the hellish nightmare she lived & survived for two long years. She now has a place to call home, family who will do anything to care for and protect her, and three guys who make her feel safer than she has ever felt in her life... -
Bind Me by H.M. Slade
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThey betrayed me, and now I'm left in the wake of the destruction.Cerberus made a promise to save Axton Harbor from the sickness that has corrupted it for far too long. And somehow, I became collateral damage in their quest for justice... -
The Avenged King by Juliette N. Banks
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’ve got my own reasons for hunting out Connor Barrett and joining his team of Dark Kings. None of them have ever asked me and I’m grateful. If they knew, I wouldn’t be standing in the headquarters in Manhattan. I could be dead.I don’t deserve these men as my brothers.And I don’t deserve her.Which is why I don’t let her see my desire. Which is why I pretend I don’t see hers... -
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 forced proximity contemporary dark bad boys alpha male length-short
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