THE DARK DUET by CJ Roberts

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ANGSTY ROMANCE★

As always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if you don’t see one of your favorites listed. You know I love me some book recs 😉

TEMPTING NAVY SEALs series by Lora Leigh

“My money’s on the lady,” he drawled. “You don’t tame a vixen, you just travel in her wake.” – Hidden Agendas

Lora Leigh was my first foray into erotic romance. She was also my first intro into the dirty talking über alphas, and I was instantly hooked! Her Romantic Suspense books are deliciously sexy with some horrible baddies and plenty of action. This Tempting SEALs series has a few novellas and full length books (The novellas are Reno’s Chance, Real Men Do It Better anthology features a novella from Leigh in this series, and Atlanta Heat). Dangerous Games, Hidden Agendas, and Killer Secrets are full books. These are all interconnecting standalones, though I highly recommend reading in order for ultimate enjoyment. My favorite two books in the series was Hidden Agendas and Killer Secrets. Killer Secrets features one kick ass heroine who’s an undercover agent and it just didn’t get more delicious than Ian Richards.

STEAM FACTOR: 10 out of 10

: Reno’s Chance: A Navy Seals Story (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 1)

: Dangerous Games: A Novel (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 2)

: Real Men Do It Better (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 3)

: Hidden Agendas: A Novel (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 4)

: Killer Secrets: A Novel (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 5) Killer Secrets: A Novel (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 5)

: Atlanta Heat: A Navy SEALs Story (Tempting Navy SEALs Book 6)

WILD CARD by Lora Leigh

“No” she jerked back, stared up at him.
Her eyes were like thunderclouds. He’d never seen them like that. Shock and fear filled them. Her face was paper white. Her body shuddering.
“Don’t you leave me!” She gripped his shirt and tried to shake him, tears falling from her eyes. “Don’t you leave Noah.”
His head lowered. He touched her lips with his and knew this woman held the best part of him. The memories of the husband he had been, the man he had been. He couldn’t destroy that. He refused to.
He pushed her to Jordan slowly, loath to let her go. To release her. Knowing that releasing her was the only way to save the memories she held.
“Don’t you leave!” She screamed the order, eyes blazing, her lips trembling as tears fell and hysteria threatened to overwhelm her. “If you leave me, Noah Blake, if you don’t come back when this is over, don’t bother coming back at all.
He touched her cheek. Ran his thumb over her lips. “You are the best part of me,” he whispered. “Always remember that, Sabella. The best part of me.”
Before she could grab him, hold him to her, he pulled away, grabbed one of the rifles Mike had set on the table across the room. And left.

Wild Card is the first book in the Elite Ops series, which is a spin-off from the Tempting SEALs series I mentioned earlier. It’s also my all time FAVORITE Lora Leigh book evah! Nathan Malone is a happily married Navy SEAL, who goes on what’s supposed to be a routine mission. But then he’s captured and life as he knows it is done. He’s no longer the man he once was when he’s finally rescued. And his wife thinks he’s dead.

Nathan is forced to take on a new identity, but nothing will keep him away from his wife. She thinks her husband is dead. He knows he is, and in his place is more monster than man. He’s not the man she once knew. But that’s enough about the plot. What you need to know is this book was AWESOME! It had plenty of action, and sex scenes SO HOT, it’ll burn your kindle. Plus I LURVE me a plot like this.

There are 5 books in the series, though Wild Card and Maverick were the only two I really liked. The rest is good, but not my favorite.

STEAM FACTOR: 10 out of 10

: Wild Card (Elite Ops Series Book 1)

: Maverick (Elite Ops Series, Book 2)

: Heat Seeker (Elite Ops Series Book 3)

: Black Jack (Elite Ops Series Book 4)

: Renegade: A Novel (Elite Ops Series Book 5)

WILD CARD | MAVERICK | HEAT SEEKER | BLACK JACK | RENEGADE

The Mccloud Brothers Series by Shannon McKenna

“You use your tits the way a ninja assassin uses nunchuks.”- EXTREME DANGER

If you love über alphas and I mean UBER alphas. The crazy possessive, protective, dirty talking kind. The borderline domineering but still sexy kind. You know what I mean, here, right? Well, if that’s your thing, you need to check this series out. McKenna has some of the most twisty and intriguing suspense with some true baddies. And in case you’re wondering, YES, they’re VERY steamy. While each book is a standalone, there are bad guys that have story arcs that continue through the series. However, if you want to read them out of order, you wouldn’t be lost because the author gives plenty of background. My favorites in the series were Extreme Danger, Ultimate Weapon, Fatal Strike, and In For The Kill.

STEAM FACTOR: 9 out of 10

: Behind Closed Doors (The Mccloud Series Book 1)

: Standing In The Shadows (The Mccloud Series Book 2)

: Out Of Control (The Mccloud Series Book 3)

: Edge Of Midnight (The Mccloud Series Book 4)

: Extreme Danger (The Mccloud Series Book 5)

: Ultimate Weapon (The Mccloud Series Book 6)

: Fade To Midnight (The Mccloud Series Book 7)

: Blood and Fire (The Mccloud Series Book 8)

: One Wrong Move (The Mccloud Series Book 9)

: Fatal Strike (The Mccloud Series Book 10)

: In For the Kill (The Mccloud Brothers Series Book 11)

KGI Series by Maya Banks

“I know this woman.”
“Who the hell is she?”
He stared both his brothers down. “She’s mine.” – NO PLACE TO RUN

If you haven’t met the Kelly family yet, you, my friends, are sorely missing out. The first 6 books in this series were AMAZING. I’m talking heart-pounding deliciousness with some HOT military men and some HOTTER romance. Just check out this description:

The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business.
Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background.
Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t…

If that doesn’t scream ‘yum’, I don’t know what does. And in case you’re wondering, yes, what’s inside totally matches these hot as sin covers. Each book may be enjoyed as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading in order for even better enjoyment!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

: The Darkest Hour (KGI series Book 1)

: No Place to Run (KGI series Book 2)

: Hidden Away (KGI series Book 3)

: Whispers in the Dark (KGI series Book 4)

: Echoes at Dawn (KGI series Book 5)

THE DARKEST HOUR | NO PLACE TO RUN | HIDDEN AWAY | WHISPERS IN THE DARK | ECHOES AT DAWN

THE BULLET CATCHERS Series by Roxanne St Claire

This was one of the first Romantic Suspense series I’d read when I originally got hooked on the genre, so of course it holds a special place in my heart….and my ovaries. What? It’s true *sheepish grin*

I actually own all of this series in paperback (along with the spin-off I’ll mention right after)

If hot bodyguards, high-octane action, kick ass heroines and even better heroes are your thing, well, you need to be adding this series to your TBR. It centers on a company of elite group of bodyguards and security specialist, that’s run by one kick-ass female, Lucy Sharp. (She gets her story in Now You Die)

The series is 8 books, and each book is easily read as a standalone, though some characters are introduced in previous books so you’d definitely enjoy it more reading in order. If you noticed, some of the titles have a theme (Kill Me Twice, Thrill Me To Death, Take Me Tonight) and (First You Run, Then You Hide, Now You Die). The first are still standalones, but they do have a story arc that continues through the books. The second is actually still standalones, but has a murder mystery arc that runs through the three books, so you definitely want to read those in oder.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

: Kill Me Twice (The Bullet Catchers Book 1)

: Thrill Me to Death (The Bullet Catchers Book 2)

: Take Me Tonight (The Bullet Catchers, Book 3)

: First You Run (The Bullet Catchers Book 4)

: Then You Hide (The Bullet Catchers Book 5)

: Now You Die (The Bullet Catchers Book 6)

: Hunt Her Down (The Bullet Catchers Book 7)

: Make Her Pay (The Bullet Catchers Book 8)

THE GUARDIAN ANGELINOS Series by Roxanne St Claire

This romantic suspense trilogy is a spin-off from The Bullet Catchers, and focuses on the Angelino family that launches a security and investigation firm in Boston. Each book focuses on a different couple and is a standalone. However, similar to The Bullet Catchers, it does have a mystery story arc that continues throughout the trilogy, so they’re best enjoyed in order.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

: Edge of Sight (The Guardian Angelinos Book 1)

: Shiver of Fear (The Guardian Angelinos Book 2)

: Face of Danger (The Guardian Angelinos Book 3)

EDGE OF SIGHT | SHIVER OF FEAR | FACE OF DANGER

DEADLY Series by Cynthia Eden

I’ve loved every book I have ever read by this author (and I’ve read a good share of her backlist), but there’s just something about this sizzling series that has always stayed with me. The books are sexy, addicting, and edge of your seat sort of reads. This is a story trilogy; meaning each book is a standalone, but the story arc runs through each book.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

: Deadly Fear (Deadly, #1)

: Deadly Heat (Deadly, #2)

: Deadly Lies (Deadly, #3)

DEADLY FEAR | DEADLY HEAT | DEADLY LIES

MINE Series by Cynthia Eden

The “Mine” books are dark and sexy romantic suspense novels that focus on the fine line between love and obsession.

Another addicting RS series that I loved from this author is definitely the Mine series. These are all full standalones and have some of the hottest alphas ever. Cynthia writes the best possessive heroes that are always sexy and never domineering and this reader can’t get enough of it! Best news? You can try the series with book 1 for FREE!! Eeep!

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

: Mine To Take (Mine- Book 1)

: Mine To Keep (Mine- Book 2)

: Mine To Hold (Mine- Book 3)

: Mine To Crave (Mine- Book 4)

: Mine To Have (Mine- Book 5)

: Mine To Protect (Mine- Book 6)

LAST CHANCE RESCUE Series by Christy Reece

Series revolves around Last Chance Rescue, Inc., an organization that employs some of the most highly skilled and ruthless mercenaries in the world, with only one goal and purpose. These brave men and women do whatever it takes, no matter the cost, to rescue the innocent. And in the midst of rescuing victims, the heroes and heroines find their true love. The LCR stories include pulse pounding suspense, thrilling, sensual romance and a happy ending.

The above is the description of this addicting series, and it’s spot on. I binged on these books and loved every page and minute of it. You’ll notice some titles have a theme, and that’s because they introduce the characters and continue their stories throughout the books, though each book is a standalone. I highly recommend reading in order: (Rescue Me, Return To Me, Run to Me) then (No Chance, Second Chance, Last Chance) and finally (Sweet Justice, Sweet Revenge, and Sweet Reward) to truly appreciate the characters’ build up.

There’s also a spin-off series called LCR Elite, which I recommend as well.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

: Rescue Me (Last Chance Rescue, #1)

: Return to Me (Last Chance Rescue, #2)

: Run to Me (Last Chance Rescue, #3)

: No Chance (Last Chance Rescue, #4)

: Second Chance (Last Chance Rescue, #5)

: Last Chance (Last Chance Rescue, #6)

: Sweet Justice (Last Chance Rescue, #7)

: Sweet Revenge (Last Chance Rescue, #8)

: Sweet Reward (Last Chance Rescue, #9)

: Chances Are (Last Chance Rescue, #10)

THE BODYGUARDS Series by Cindy Gerard

No assignment is too big, too difficult, or too dangerous for E.D.E.N. Inc., a West Palm Beach security firm. But in these novels of romance and suspense, when it comes to their own personal relationships, the forces of E.D.E.N., Inc. soon find themselves in deep water and sinking fast. These bodyguards will not only guard your body: they’ll steal your heart and fulfill your deepest desires.

Cindy Gerard was THE author that got me hooked on military heroes and Romantic Suspense. She’s one of my favorites and her Bodyguards series is what ultimately introduced me to her writing. After binging on these books, I then went on to binge and fall even more in love with her Black Ops series (a series that follows The Bodyguards that I’ll talk about below).

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

: To the Edge (The Bodyguards, #1)

: To the Limit (The Bodyguards, #2)

: To the Brink (The Bodyguards, #3)

: Over the Line (The Bodyguards, #4)

: Under the Wire (The Bodyguards, #5)

: Into the Dark (The Bodyguards, #6)

BLACK OPS Series by Cindy Gerard

Black Ops, Inc. is a covert paramilitary team that “unofficially” works for the U.S. government, taking on missions that are too hot for the sanctioned government agencies to handle.

This series was AMAZING! Ah-mazing, you guys! It just doesn’t get any better than these special ops military men. The action was non stop and the romance was SCORCHING! I loved every book in this series! Though I have to admit, when I’m looking for a re-read, I do have a tendency to lean towards Whisper No Lies. There’s just something about Johnny Duane Reed that DOES it for me 🙂

I also highly recommend her One-Eyed Jacks series that follows the Black Ops.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

: Show No Mercy (Black Ops Book 1)

: Take No Prisoners (Black Ops Book 2)

: Whisper No Lies (Black Ops Book 3)

: Feel the Heat (Black Ops Book 4)

: Risk No Secrets (Black Ops Book 5)

: With No Remorse (Black Ops Book 6)

: Last Man Standing (Black Ops Book 7)

PASSION FOR DANGER Series by Nina Bruhns

This yummy trilogy was what first introduced me to Nina Bruhns. While each book is a different couple, the story arc of the bad guy isn’t resolved until the third book, so you definitely need to read these in order.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

: Shoot to Thrill (Passion For Danger, #1)

: If Looks Could Chill (Passion For Danger, #2)

: A Kiss to Kill (Passion For Danger, #3)

SHOOT TO THRILL | IF LOOKS COULD CHILL | A KISS TO KILL

SHADOW FORCE Series by Stephanie Tyler

If you like special ops military romance, this series is definitely worth checking out. Each book is a standalone, though characters are introduced early in the series and there’s also secondary romance story arcs that continue through the series.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

ADD TO GOODREADS

: Lie With Me (Shadow Force, #1)

: Promises in the Dark (Shadow Force, #2)

: In the Air Tonight (Shadow Force, #3)

: Night Moves (Shadow Force, #4)

: Lonely is the Night (Shadow Force, #4.5)

LIE WITH ME | PROMISES IN THE DARK | IN THE AIR TONIGHT | NIGHT MOVES | LONELY IS THE NIGHT

MEN WHO WALK THE EDGE OF HONOR Series by Lori Foster

If you’ve never read romantic suspense and looking for a great transitional series, you can’t go wrong with these steamy contemporaries. There’s plenty of action to keep you gripping your kindle while swooning over the romance!

Another fantastic contemporary/romantic suspense from Lori Foster that I highly recommend is her Love Undercover series.

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

ADD TO GOODREADS

: When You Dare (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book 1)

: Trace of Fever (The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book 2)

: Savor the Danger (The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book 3)

: A Perfect Storm (The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book 4)

: What Chris Wants (The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Book 5)

WHEN YOU DARE | TRACE OF FEVER | SAVOR THE DANGER | A PERFECT STORM | WHAT CHRIS WANTS

SIN BROTHERS Series by Rebecca Zanetti

There was a demand in the way he touched her, in the way he kissed. One she should run the hell away from, if she had any sense of self-preservation. The sexy soldier wanted everything she had to give, and she knew better. – TOTAL SURRENDER

Genetically engineered soldiers on the run from the evil black ops military unit that are responsible for their unique power? Um, yes please! And in their quest to bring down the corrupt unit they also find love. In a word? AWESOME!

You also don’t want to miss the spin-off series, Blood Brothers.

STEAM FACTOR: 7 out of 10

: Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers, #1)

: Sweet Revenge (Sin Brothers, #2)

: Blind Faith (Sin Brothers, #3)

: Total Surrender (Sin Brothers, #4)

FORGOTTEN SINS | SWEET REVENGE | BLIND FAITH | TOTAL SURRENDER

BURYING WATER Series by KA Tucker

“He said the truth is like that water: it doesn’t matter how hard you try to bury it; it’ll always find some way back to the surface. It’s resilient.”- BURYING WATER

This series was deliciously suspenseful. If you’re a fan of this author and like New Adult Suspense, you definitely want to check this one out!

STEAM FACTOR: 4 out of 10

: Burying Water (Burying Water #1)

: Becoming Rain (Burying Water, #2)

: Chasing River (Burying Water, #3)

: Surviving Ice (Burying Water, #4)

THE EVAN ARDEN Series by Shay Savage

“What the hell are you doing?” she cries.
“I’m going to tear your clothes off and fuck you so hard you won’t walk right for a week,” I respond. “You want me to stop?”- OTHERWISE ALONE

I read these books when I thought they were a trilogy, since there is a satisfying ending at the end of book 3. However, the author has since added another 2 books. I can’t speak for those two, since I haven’t read them. But the first three books in this series were seriously awesome; sexy and with a sinfully hot anti-hero. If you want to read the first three, it easily reads as a complete story.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

: Otherwise Alone (Evan Arden Book 1)

: Otherwise Occupied (Evan Arden Book 2)

: Otherwise Unharmed (Evan Arden Book 3)

OTHERWISE ALONE | OTHERWISE OCCUPIED | OTHERWISE UNHARMED

FLASH POINT by Brooke Blain

“It was the first rule in the handbook: “Thou shalt not have fucking relations with a client, current or former.”

If you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, but don’t want to commit with a series, here’s a fantastic standalone! Best part? The hero is a total Jason Statham lookalike (or at least he was in my head LOL). Either way, I loved this steamy romantic suspense standalone from the fabulous Brooke Blaine!

He swore to protect her body, but he never promised to protect her heart.”

STEAM FACTOR: 6 out of 10

DGR FAVORITES

I’ve highly enjoyed all of the series mentioned above, but the ones I’m about to list are my TOP favorites. They’re my go-to recommendations and I figure it’s only right to give them a special place on this list!

I-TEAM Series by Pamela Clare

“It’s not so much where I want you,Sophie, as it is how. Nothing tastes quite like a woman, and no woman tastes like you.” – UNLAWFUL CONTACT

This series! This series is EVERYTHING! The series follows a close-knit team of investigative journalists (mostly women), whose reporting takes them into some dangerous places, and the alpha heroes that they meet along the way. What I love most about this series are the fierce heroines that Clare writes. These are not women that are shy to take matters into their own hands. And while the men will protect them, they also hold their own. Each book is easily enjoyed as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series because it’s AMAZING! Though I have to admit, that UNLAWFUL CONTACT is my go-to re-read in this series. Once you meet Hunt, you’ll see exactly why.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

: Extreme Exposure (An I-Team Novel Book 1)

: Hard Evidence (An I-Team Novel Book 2)

: Unlawful Contact (An I-Team Novel Book 3)

: Naked Edge (An I-Team Novel Book 4)

: Breaking Point (An I-Team Novel Book 5)

: Striking Distance (An I-Team Novel Book 6)

: Soul Deep (An I-Team Novel Book 6.5)

: Seduction Game (An I-Team Novel Book 7)

: Dead By Midnight: An I-Team Christmas (I-Team #7.5)

: Deadly Intent (An I-Team Novel Book 8)

KILLER INSTINCT Series by Elle Kennedy

His eyes narrowed as he advanced on her. Like a predator. Because he was a predator. A ruthless soldier, lethal and impassive, and yet right now, she didn’t mind being the prey. If she were being honest, she preferred it. – MIDNIGHT REVENGE

I’ve had a long love affair with all things Elle Kennedy. And while I can’t get enough of her contemporary romance, this sizzling hot romantic suspense series is still one of my favorites of hers. It’s a series that I wish more people knew about it, because it’s absolutely addicting in a way that only Kennedy can write. It’s steamy, heart-pounding, edge of your seat sort of reads that you devour in one sleepless sitting. SO. GOOD. The final book in the series is still one of my all time faves and one of the best series conclusions I’ve ever read.

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out 10

: Midnight Rescue (Killer Instincts, #1)

: Midnight Alias (Killer Instincts, #2)

: Midnight Games (Killer Instincts, #3)

: Midnight Pursuits (Killer Instincts, #4)

: Midnight Action (Killer Instincts, #5)

: Midnight Captive (Killer Instincts, #6)

: Midnight Revenge (Killer Instincts, #7)

: Midnight Target (Killer Instincts, #8)

HOSTILE OPERATIONS TEAM Series by Lynn Raye Harris

She was an itch beneath his skin. A mosquito buzzing in his ear. A compulsion that threatened to tip across the line into addiction. – HOT VALOR

If you like hot military romance that’s equally steamy as it is a non-stop thrill ride of action and suspense, this series is an absolute no-brainer. I was an insta-fan of Harris from the moment I read her first HOT book and I’ve been a goner since. And if possible, the book just keep getting better and hotter with each new installment! If you haven’t read this series yet, welcome to your new addiction, because these books are bingeworthy!

There’s also a seriously yummy spin-off with some hot SEALs (see what I did there?) You definitely want to check out her HOT SEAL TEAM series too!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out of 10

: HOT Pursuit (HOT Book 1)

: HOT Mess (HOT Book 2)

: HOT Package (HOT Book 3)

: Dangerously HOT (HOT Book 4)

: HOT Shot ( (HOT Book 5)

: HOT Rebel (HOT Book 6)

: HOT Ice (HOT Book 7)

: HOT & Bothered (HOT Book 8)

: HOT Protector (HOT Book 9)

: HOT Addiction (HOT Book 10)

: HOT Valor (HOT Book 11)

: HOT Angel (HOT Book 12)

BENEATH Series by Meghan March

…she didn’t have to like me to fuck me; she just had to want me more than she hated me.- BENEATH THESE SCARS

Meghan March became an auto-click author for me the second I discovered her Beneath series. There was only 3 books in the series then, and I may have resembled a rabid squirrel, foaming at the mouth and vibrating in my wait for each new installment. If you’ve never read romantic suspense, this is a great series to start with as it’s mostly contemporary elements with just the right amount of action and suspense to add to the exhilarating buzz. You can still grab the first book in this awesome series for FREE!!

STEAM FACTOR: 8 out 10

: Beneath This Mask (Beneath, #1)

: Beneath This Ink (Beneath, #2)

: Beneath These Chains (Beneath, #3)

: Beneath These Scars (Beneath, #4)

: Beneath These Lies (Beneath, #5)

: Beneath These Shadows (Beneath, #6)

: Beneath the Truth (Beneath, #7)

MASTERS & MERCENERIES Series by Lexi Blake

“I want that connection. I want to feel you, and not only in a physical way. This isn’t playing. Playing is a silly word for what I want from you.”
“What word would you use?”
“Everything. I want everything.” – LOVE ANOTHER DAY

OH. MY. GOD. This series! GAH! I am obsessed, absolutely obsessed with this series. It’s my crack. Crack, I tells ya! Lexi Blake combines scorching hot BDSM with some espionage and edge of your seat, glued to your kindle, heart-pounding suspense and action. It simply doesn’t get better than this series. IT JUST DOESN’T! I will never tire of it and I hope it never ends. Best part? You can grab the first book in this series for FREE! Even better part? Some of these books got a STUNNING facelift with some gorgeous new covers!

STEAM FACTOR: 9 out 10

: The Dom Who Loved Me (Masters and Mercenaries, #1)

: The Men with the Golden Cuffs (Masters and Mercenaries, #2)

: A Dom is Forever (Masters and Mercenaries, #3)

: On Her Master’s Secret Service (Masters and Mercenaries, #4)

: Love and Let Die (Masters and Mercenaries, #5)

: Dungeon Royale (Masters and Mercenaries, #6)

: A View to a Thrill (Masters and Mercenaries, #7)

: You Only Love Twice (Masters and Mercenaries, #8)

: Master No (Masters and Mercenaries, #9)

: From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries, #10)

: Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries, #11)

: Submission is Not Enough (Masters and Mercenaries, #12)

: For His Eyes Only (Masters and Mercenaries, #13)

: Love Another Day (Masters and Mercenaries, #14)

: Nobody Does It Better (Masters and Mercenaries, #15)

DIRTY TIES by Pam Godwin

The strongest love begins from a place of conflict. It’s a volatile journey of committing and fighting and recommitting, but the effort is resolute and evolves into something so consuming the heart aches just thinking about it.

Now if you follow my blog, you already know my obsession with all things Pam Godwin. She writes THE best dark romance! And her Tangled Lies trilogy freaking broke me, it was SO GOOD! But when someone asks me for a sexy romantic suspense standalone, THIS is the book that I blindly recommend. I loved and I mean LOVED everything about it! If you haven’t read this one yet, it’s an absolute must read!

He wasn’t a man women said no to. The way he carried himself, the way he fought. Built like a warrior, he knew how to manipulate torque and power between his legs.

STEAM FACTOR: 9 OUT OF 10

Welp, that’s it for the list. Loved it? Tell me in comments! Did I miss one of your favorites? Tell me about it in comments! I love to hear from you all, so don’t be shy <3

Till next time, dirty birds!

15 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Features, Romantic Suspense · Tagged With: DGRUltimate, suspense

DGR’s Ultimate List of MC Romance & Bikers

June 23, 2018 by Lana · 5 Comments

What is it about a hot tatted man on a bike that just revs our ovaries here? It’s no secret that we love us some bikers here at DGR. We love them all; the sweet, the dark and violent, and the uber gritty. Between Jenn and myself, we’ve binged on so many awesome MC books it’s almost impossible to narrow this list down, but damn if we won’t try. So below you’ll find some of our absolute favorite MC/Biker books that revved our engines and melted our hearts.

And if you’re new to my blog, previous features here:

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ANGSTY ROMANCE★

As always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if you don’t see one of your favorites listed. You know I love me some book recs 😉

MOTORCYCLE MAN (Dream Man Series #4) by Kristen Ashley- Jenn’s pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You have no clue,” he whispered.
“No clue about what?” I whispered back.
“What you handed me last night.”
I took in a deep breath and asked softly, “What did I hand you, honey?”
“What’s lyin’ in that bed.”
That was when I stopped breathing.
“I claimed it,” he went on. “But last night you gave it to me. Gift’s given, no takin’ it back. You get that, Tyra?”
“I think so,” I whispered.
“Get that, baby, it’s important.”

Are you serious? Do I have to spell it out for you? Kristen. Ashley. This is THE book that took my Motorcycle Club virginity, and it felt good. I didn’t even cry. If you haven’t read this book, then we probably aren’t friends. Ok, I’ll let you off the hook a little bit. If you haven’t at least heard of this book, then we probably aren’t friends, and you randomly stumbled onto this blog. Because let’s be honest, every romance reader should have at least heard of Kristen Ashley. This is technically the 4th book in the Dream Man series, so if you are OCD, start with the first book in the series, Dream Man (not an MC).

OWN THE WIND (Chaos Series #1) by Kristen Ashley – Jenn’s pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I never dreamed any fuckin’ dream,” he whispered, and the smile faded from her face as tears filled her eyes.
She understood him.
“Shy-”
“Didn’t dream it, saw it, waited my time, and then you gave it to me.”

I chose to separate this from Motorcycle Man because although it technically is the sequel, it’s a spin-off, and deserves a blurb of its own. This series is not over. Kristen has announced that a novella and full novel in this series will be released in 2018, and I am over-the-moon excited. It’s been way too long since I’ve dipped into this series, and my toes are way too dry.

WALK THROUGH FIRE (Chaos #3) by Kristen Ashley – Lana’s pick
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“I’m done walking through fire for you, High! … I’m done not because I’m done but because there’s nothing left of me to burn. You have it all. You’ve always had it all! I gave up everything so you can have it all! Please! God! Leave me to my nothing.”

ALL OF THE FEELS! OMG! ALL OF THEM!

This book! I love a second chance romance, and this one just hit ALL of my checkboxes. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve re-read it (*cough* 5 *cough*), this quote has me in hysterical tears every single time. EVERY TIME. The emotion of this story is such a deep and memorable one, I will never get over it. I loved and I mean LOVED Millie and High’s long and hard deserved road to a HEA.

FEARLESS (Dartmoor Series #1) by Lauren Gilley – Jenn’s pick
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“Never before had he said such long strings of sentences in French before, like he did now. In the sheltering dark, his thrusts were slow, deep, sure, his hands digging bruises into her hips, the French rolling in thick purrs off his tongue; she had the impression it was sexual, whatever he said, the way the words caressed and encouraged her.”

I know you’re wondering how many stars I rated this book, so I’ll tell you. ELEVENTY BILLION STARS. It’s a number specifically created for Lauren Gilley books. I will shout her name from the rooftops. Because the chick can write an intelligent motorcycle club book. And isn’t that what we all want in life?! I know I do. One of my good friends, Irene, got me hooked on Gilly, describing her writing as Motorcycle Club Literature, and that is exactly how it is!! I will forever be a Gilly fan, and if I ever meet her, she better get ready for a huge fan-girl moment. Her books are ginormous, but no one should care because her writing is BEAUTIFUL.

UNCONTROLLABLE TEMPTATIONS (Tempted Series #3) by Janine Infante Bosco – Jenn’s Pick
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“In a world as dark as the one I live in, sometimes I can’t help but crave sunshine,” he said huskily.
Sunshine.
Me.”

My newest favorite this year, and one of my top favorite on this list. For all of you OCD-ers out there, plug your ears because this isn’t the first book in the series….BUT it is the first MC book. The first two books are targeted to the Mafia side, but it’s like Janine started with Mafia and then wrote this book and refused to go back. And I am so glad. You can read my review on Goodreads because I can’t even begin to express MY LOVE for this book. Life Changing….literally…not figuratively. It changed my life. It’s a very personal review, but I would recommend this series anyway because Janine’s writing is amazing, and you need to read it.

DRIFTER (Nomad Series #1) by Janine Infante Bosco – Jenn’s Pick
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“She isn’t the girl you nail down, she’s the one you watch fly, and if you’re lucky, you’re the bastard who gets to spread your wings alongside her.”

I wanted to include this book because it is the spin-off of the first MC series that Janine wrote, but I would still suggest reading the first series first (this coming from a girl who doesn’t care about reading books in order). I love that she wrote a spin-off instead of trying to continue forever in the first series. It was worth it!

This nomad series picks up where the Tempted Series leaves off.

I swear Janine gets better and better with this entire story and the characters are unforgettable and her books are unputdownable.

REAPER’S PROPERTY (Reapers MC #1) by Joanna Wylde – Jenn’s Pick
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“So why are you called Horse?”
“Cause I’m hung like one,” he replied, smirking.”

If you haven’t heard of Joanna Wylde, you’ve been living under a rock. I remember first seeing this book getting lots of attention from my Goodreads friends, and I saw the cover, because I confess that I 100% judge a book by its cover, I was like “Really?” And the guy’s name is Horse? Come on. But I am so glad I gave in and finally read this first one. The covers looks a lot better than they used to. And I was not disappointed with Horse. Lol. Joanna has a way with her alpha males that makes me want to punch them and screw them at the same time….which is the perfect combination. I love her dual pov’s in each book, and there are plenty of Reapers to go around, ladies.

DEVIL’S GAME (Reapers MC #3) by Joanna Wylde- Lana’s Pick
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“How’s that, baby?” he asked, thumb starting to work my clit again. “Feel good being turned on by a Devil’s Jack?”

While I’ve loved the entire Reapers series, Devil’s Game is definitely my top favorite. It has that Romeo and Juliet feel to it. Daughter of the Reapers MC president falling for a rival MC member? YUM!

This book also had to have had, hands down, THE best heroine in the series. Em was the shit! I had hoped that she would bring her A game considering she’s the darling daughter of Picnic, the MC president. She grew up in the life, she better be kick ass. But I also had my reservations considering how passive she’s been, particularly with her father’s rules in the previous two books. It’s safe to say that not only did Em meet all my expectations, she blew them out of the fucking water. I shit you not, people. Girl not only had a backbone, but knew how to kick ass and take names…poor Hunter’s balls not excluded

SILVER BASTARD (Silver Valley #1) by Joanna Wylde- Lana’s Pick
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“The man was my personal North Atlantic iceberg, lurking under the cold waters, just waiting to shred me wide open.
Fucking biker.”

Ladies and ovaries, prepare to meet the bane of your existence (I’ll explain) and the object of your upcoming pervy dreams, Puck Redhouse. So why bane of existence? Because I honestly thought that my poor ovaries would die a slow and painful death by sexual frustration for a good 60% of this book. But damn, what a way to go. Joanna knows how to give good sexual tension. OH MY GAWD, the sexual tension! It burned with the fire of a thousand venereal diseases, I tells ya. Not that I know what that feels like, but I’d guess it would be like that. Just saying. Moving on…

This is a Reaper’s spin-off and book one in the series. Even though this focuses on Silver Bastard’s territory, we do get a peak at all our favorite characters from Joanna’s other series. There’s Picnic, Horse and of course Painter.

UNDENIABLE (Undeniable Series #1) by Madeleine Sheehan – Jenn’s Pick
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“Name’s Deuce sweetheart. My old man here is Reaper. It was nice talkin’ with ya.”
She put her tiny hand in his and he squeezed.
“Eva,” she whispered. “That’s my name and it was so, so great to meet you too.”
He smiled.
She smiled.
The rest is f*ckin’ history.”

Madeleine and I have a lot of history. Ok, maybe only in my head. I adoooored the first 4 books in this series. Madeline has the ability to make me hold my breath the whole way through a book. The violence. The DRAMA. I can’t get enough. Well, apparently I can. There is a big mystery as to why it took 3 years for her to write the 5^th book in the series, and it’s not really in chronological order. Maybe it was a personal reason. Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it’s none of our business. I’ve heard that the 5^th book is amazing. So maybe one day I will crawl off my high horse and read it because I’m a sucker. Despite ALL of this, I can’t deny that she is a fantastic writer. Hence, this recommendation.

UNBEAUTIFULLY (Undeniable #2) by Madeline Sheehan – Lana’s Pick
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“Baby,” he said gruffly. “Man like me got no business with a girl like you. You’re nothin’ but a fuckin’ beauty and I’m a while lot of fuckin’ ugly who’s already halfway to hell.”

Rip my heart out why don’t ya, Madeline?!! Ripper and Danny’s story was heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, beautiful, real, gritty, dark, emotional, and absolutely, completely, utterly unputdownable!

“Ours was the furthest thing from a picture-perfect romance; it was more of a car crash, a metal-bending, blood-splattered disaster that left no survivors, only bad memories and heartache.
But it was ours.
And because it was ours…I wouldn’t change a thing.”

The first book in this series absolutely gutted me. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I loved absolutely every single painful moment of it. But at the end I was left feeling…like I needed something…something more. It felt like the story wasn’t finished.

After reading this book, I now know why. The story continues on through the series, and even though we had a HEA in the 1st book, the characters get revisited, and I loved that.

If I loved the first book, I am simply at a loss for words to describe how I felt about this one. I feel like nothing I have will do it justice.

NINE MINUTES (Nine Minutes #1) by Beth Flynn – Jenn’s Pick
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“A story about a man who has loved me from the very beginning, from the first glance. The man who always was and still is my soul mate. That’s the only love story now.”

It’s hard to describe this book without scaring you. It’s definitely the darkest MC book on this list. This book is a MF 1/2 = Mind Fuck and a Half. I haven’t read the sequel. I too skeered. This book scared the Jezebel out of me. And I don’t think it was supposed to be scary.

I’ve met Beth Flynn and she is the last person I would have ever expected to write this book. She is the sweetest lady, but her mind is crazy town, and I like it. If you have any triggers at all, you shouldn’t read this book. But if you have a fucked up mind like me and love to torture yourself for funzies, then you should read this book.

NOWHERE BUT HERE (Thunder Road Series #1) by Katie McGarry – Jenn’s Pick
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“You’re beautiful,” I say, and the honesty of my words stings. “You’re beautiful inside and out. I like how you challenge me. I like how I can never figure out what you’re going to do or say. I like how we’ve thrown weird shit in your direction and you take it like a pro.”
I cup her face with one hand and caress her soft skin. “I like how you smile and how you laugh. I like how you love and defend your family and I like how you’re trying to love mine. I love how you trust. But mostly, Emily, I like how I feel when I’m around you.”
Shit. My heart bursts as the words tumble out. “I’m falling for you.”

If anyone can write a Young Adult MC Romance, it’s Katie Mc-fucking-Garry. She is the perfect author for this, and I am so glad that she chose to do it. Because it is flawless. With all of the violence and sex and just downright MC-ness, you would think that a YA MC Romance just wouldn’t be possible, but Katie gave us the middle finger and wrote this series that blew my mind. She is the queen of YA in so many ways. I mean, every YA comes with some angst, which isn’t always my favorite. But Katie includes just the right about the angst that it isn’t too soft…it isn’t too hard…it’s juuuuust right.

It Ain’t Me, Babe (Hades Hangmen Series #1) by Tillie Cole- Jenn’s Pick
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“I have only ever liked one boy in my life. I have only wanted one man to have as my own. I have only ever had one dream since I was eight. Styx, the dream is you. You stole my heart fifteen yes ago and you still haven’t given it back.”

All the Angst. If you love angst, then you’ll love the crackers out of Tillie Cole. This MC Series also has a twisty cult tie-in, which is one of my no-goes, so that is the only reason why I couldn’t read this series. Every single other person has loved it, so I am definitely recommending it.

“I thought you said, ‘it ain’t you who’s meant for me?”

He laughed. He rarely laughed, but when he did, I rejoiced at the sound of it: husky, deep…male. “Oh, it’s me, babe…Ain’t no other man for you…but me.”

BURN DOWN THE NIGHT (Everything I Left Unsaid #3) by Molly O’Keefe – Lana’s Pick
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“You want to fuck, let’s do it. Let’s burn down the fucking place. We got that in us…between us. But when it’s over…all I’ll leave you are bruises.”

If I had a dollar for every time I read about an anti-hero that falls head over balls for the heroine and all of a sudden his switch is flipped form bad to good faster than you can say “golden vag”, I could happily retire in my land of many books. So when I first met Max as the baddie MC prez brother of Dylan in The Truth About Him suffice it to say I was intrigued. Then when Joan carted him off wounded and passed out in her car in the end of that book, suffice it to say I was ready to sell an ovary to get my hands on his book. But I was also fearful that it would be another one of those books that I mentioned above. Joan was an interesting character to say the least in the first two books and I was beyond curious how these two very broken people would fit together. I wasn’t sure what I expected when I started Burn Down The Night, but I can tell you that I certainly didn’t expect it to absolutely blow me away. (Pun definitely intended).

SINNER’S CREED (Sinner’s Creed Series #1) by Kim Jones – Lana’s Pick
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“I was the demon-possessed monster and she was the innocent, naïve angel. But none of that matters. She asks, I give and right now, I’ll kill anyone who tries to stop me from giving this woman what she wants—me.”

Have you ever read a book that touched you on such a visceral level you almost felt like you were living it along with the characters. Where you felt every emotion, every painful revelation, every bruise and emotional scar? A book that gutted you and at the same time you can’t stop thinking about? A book that you just know will stay with you for a long while yet? Sinner’s Creed was that book to me.

Sinner’s Creed is unlike any other MC romance I’ve read in a long time, if ever. And that’s saying a lot considering just how many books I’ve read in this genre. It’s a gritty, unapologetic and violent. It’s authentic and emotion and real. It’s absolutely fucking gut wrenching. Kim Jones brought her A-game with this one and you can feel it on every page. I have a feeling this will be the book I compare all other MC books to. Is it a romance? At it’s core, yes. But it’s so much more than that….

What sets it apart is it’s told entirely in Dirk’s POV. The readers will get a front row seat into the mind of a truly broken man…and learn to love him for it.

CLUBWHORE (Devil’s Renegade MC #1) by Kim Jones- Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

So keep your morals. Stay at your nine to five. Judge me through your rose-colored glasses. View my lifestyle choices however you want. But if being classified as a whore is the only penance I have to pay to feel this good, then stitch an A on my chest. Carve a W on my forehead. Put a label on me to make yourself feel better. Because the reality is, I just don’t give a damn what you think.

Know what I enjoy about this author? She’s not afraid to go there and can write one hell of a fucked up tale and I happen to like it verra much. See, I have a thing for unconventional characters, and when I read the synopsis for Clubwhore, I knew I had to read it. In a sea of cookie cutter heroines, Delilah was a breath of fresh air. She makes no apologies for who she is. She embraces it fully. She loves the MC life, they’re her family and she’ll do anything for them. But while the other ‘clubwhores’ have their eyes on a patch and being someone’s old lady, Delilah wants none of that. She’s happy to have a different man warm her bed each night and promise her nothing in the morning. But there’s also a good reason for why she is the way she is. Sex is her escape, but she craves something much darker too. It’s her dirty secret and her penance. She knows that no man can satisfy her deepest darkest urges…until him.

TANK (Savage Saints MC #2) by Carmen Jenner – Lana’s Pick
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That’s the thing about the broken ones- they’re never too far beyond repair, even though it might seem that way. They just need a little glue and the right pair of hands to stick ’em back together.

After reading Kick, I already knew that Carmen’s Savage Saints MC series was not for the faint of heart. Lucky for me I tend to lean towards those gritty, utterly fucked up reads. After reading her warning in Tank, I wish I can tell you that it prepared me for what was to come in this book. But here’s the thing, nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for what this story did to me. NOTHING. If you think Kick was hard to read, think again, because Tank will break you. Have you ever read a book with your heart in your throat and your stomach in knots the entire time? I’m talking until the last fucking page here. This book owned me. It was devastatingly emotional, gritty as fuck, and harder to swallow than a shards of glass. It was simply fan-fucking-tastic!

REBEL (Dead Man’s Ink #1) by Callie Hart – Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You believe in vengeance?”
“You mean like revenge?”
He shakes his head. “Revenge is a selfish act. Retaliation for something. Vengeance is a different thing altogether. It’s about obtaining justice, usually for someone who can’t claim it for themselves.”

After the tiny peak that we get in the Blood & Roses series, you already knew that this was going to be something amazingly good. And if you haven’t yet read the Blood & Roses series, don’t worry, because you can easily start with this book first.

This is a continuing story arc that will have 2 additional parts, so it does end on a cliffhanger. However as interesting as the cliffy was, it wasn’t that bad because it’s more of a plot cliffy than a relationship one. If you were a fan of the Blood and Roses series, then this book is a must read. And if you haven’t yet discovered this fantastic author, there’s no better book to start with than this one. I can’t wait to see where Sophia and Rebel’s story will lead to next. All I can say is that the set up sounds absolutely delicious.

RUIN & RULE (Ruin & Rule #2) by Pepper Winters – Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

We met in a nightmare, loved in a prayer. We gave everything until both were laid bare.

You know that moment when you pick up a book and you know, you just know that it’s going to be one of those books. A book that will keep you up until the crack of dawn reading. A book that you’d pass on food and sleep to read even if you’ll be a grumpy zombie the entire day. A book that will make your employees think you have a bladder infection because you take so many “bathroom breaks”. What? Too far.

When Pepper first introduced Author “Kill” Killian in Third Debt I was absolutely hooked. I knew that I’d beg, cry, and/or sell an ovary for his story. There was just something so devastatingly broken about him and if anyone knows how to write the broken and broody heroes, it’s this author. Kill was such a multifaceted character, he practically leapt off the pages. There’s this barely restrained violence to him along with something so completely broken and painful that you can’t help but fall head over heels for him right way, right or wrong.

MOVE THE SUN (Signal Bend series #1) by Susan Fanetti – Lana’s pick
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“I love you, Sport. You’re it for me. You fill up a space in me I didn’t even know was empty.”

I’ll keep this short and sweet. I’m a sucker for a good biker book, and the good ones are few and far between. There’s a lot of imitation and lackluster reads, so I’ve stopped getting my hopes up when reading a new MC series.

This is why this book came as such a pleasant surprise, considering I got it as an Amazon freebie back in December. I got my biker fix, and a verra steamy one at that.

I loved how kick-ass the heroine was, it’s not often that’s done right. The sex scenes were plenty and smoking hot, and the story gripped me from the prologue. This whole series is fantastic (book 2: Behold The Stars and 3: Into The Storm being my absolute favorite that one.

SEVEN SONS (Gypsy Brothers #1) by Lili St. Germain – Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Confucius said, “Before embarking upon a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” I planned to dig seven.”

Sweet baby jebus. This series! It was one fucked up, gritty, violent, and totally addicting 7 book read. I was blown away by this debut series from Lili and became an insta fan of hers immediately after book one. Let me warn you, though. This series is NOT for the faint of heart. It’s dark and takes you into the violent and unapologetic underbelly of an MC and vengeance. It spares no detail and hits you where it hurts the most. These books are not meant to be read as standalones. You have to read them in order, and since they’re all out, prepare to binge. Though depending on your tolerance for dark reads, you may need to pace yourself, because I’m not kidding when I tell you just how dark this dark romance is. It’s also incredibly good and utterly unforgettable!

WELCOME TO SUGARTOWN (Sugartown #1) by Carmen Jenner- Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“From the day we’re born to the day we die, we fucking hurt and we cry and we pick ourselves up and, if we’re really lucky, we have people to help us pick up the fucking pieces”

If you’re looking for a light and slightly angsty NA book, this is not it my friends. What it was, was a dark, angsty, slightly intense at times ride…and I loved it.

I liked the heroine, Ana, right off the bat. She’s funny, sassy, and her relationship with her BFF and raging nyphomaniac Holly had me cracking up for most of the book.

“Okay, okay, okay. Knickers?”
“The white G-string you helped me pick out.”
“White? That’s good. Virginal. He’ll be reminded this is a first for you and hopefully won’t just impale you on his pork sword.

And the hero? A tatted dirty talking wet dream!

CRAVING CONSTELLATIONS (The Aces Series #1) by Nicole Jacquelyn – Lana’s Pick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

He was like a wounded animal, and I was the hunter who’d wounded him. I didn’t know if he would ever forgive me.

I went into this book with absolutely zero expectations. I’m a sucker for MC books, but after a recent string of very mediocre reads, I wasn’t expecting much from a debut novel.

Holy shit was I wrong. This book blew me away! It was raw, gritty, painful, emotional, dark, passionate, and unputdownable until the very last page.

Nicole Jacquelyn took two imperfect and fucked up characters and wrote them in such a way that you just couldn’t help but love them.

I am not typically a fan of heroines that are overly emotional but yet I felt for Brenna. Her life hasn’t been an easy one, and although she has made some mistakes she still struggles to bring back the strong woman that she once was. She left behind her life because she didn’t want to be the old lady on the sidelines while her man came home smelling like club whores. Dragon may not be perfect, but the magnetic pull between them is impossible for her to deny.

Welp, that’s it for the list. Loved it? Tell me in comments! Did I miss one of your favorites? Tell me about it in comments! I love to hear from you all, so don’t be shy <3

Till next time, dirty birds!

5 Comments · Filed Under: Bikers, DGR Favorites, Features · Tagged With: DGRUltimate, MC

DGR’s Ultimate List of Hot Cops in Romance

September 3, 2016 by Lana · 2 Comments

Know what’s better than a man in a uniform? A man OUT of uniform and knowing how to use those cuff of his. Uhem. What? So I like me some hot alpha cops. Arrest me. Ha! See what I did there? Alright, enough of my bad jokes.

I know I’m a little late with this month’s list. I try to get these out for you guys on the last Saturday of every month, but unfortunately real life has been kicking my butt lately. But better late than never right?

This month you all voted for my Ultimate List of Hot Cops, and that’s what I’m giving you. Fair warning, this will quite possibly be my longest list ever! We always chat about these lists in my FB group, so if you haven’t yet, join in on the inappropriate fun HERE.

Since this list will be ridiculously long if I let it, I decided to limit my choices to the uber angsty book picks. These are some of my all time favorites and my go-to recs.

And if you’re new to my blog, this a monthly feature I do on the last Saturday of each month! Check out the previous features here:

★ULTIMATE LIST OF ANGSTY ROMANCE★

As always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if you don’t see one of your favorites listed. You know I love me some book recs 😉

You’ll notice I’ll list some of these by author because I loved several of their books, some I’ll list by series, and some will be simply individual books. Now let’s do this thing!

HARD EVIDENCE (I-Team #2) by Pamela Clare
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’m half Italian.”
“Which half?” the words were out before Tessa could stop them. Was she flirting with him? She never flirted with men.
His lips curved in a slow, sexy smile that made her heart trip. “From the waist down.”

If you follow my reviews, then you already I’m obsessed with this series and this author. I’m talking LOVE this series. While this is book 2 in the series, you can easily start with it and not be lost. If you like dirty talking, slightly assholish yet protective cops, then undercover FBI agent, Julian Darcangelo will be right up your alley. My top favorite in this series is definitely Marc “Hunt” Hunter in Unlawful Contact, Hard Evidence is definitely right up there too!

DIRTY SEXY CUFFED (Dirty Sexy #3) by Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I want to lick you and eat you and taste you on my tongue as you come. Then I want to slid my cock into your soft , tight pussy and bury myself so fucking deep that you scream my name.”

Officer Levi Kincaid can do dirty REAL good. But he can also do super sweet.

…this went beyond simple attraction. She was the first woman to stir something deep inside of him when he honestly thought that part of him was damaged beyond repair.

Oh and did I mention he has a very specific kink that happens to involve those handcuffs of his? Cause…yeah.

CUFF ME (New York’s Finest #3) by Lauren Layne
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“He pushed her thighs wider apart. “You have the right to remain silent . . .” Vincent slid his hand upward, one finger sliding slightly into her.
Jill moaned.
“Apparently you’re forgoing that right,” he said, his teeth nipping at her left butt cheek as his fingers continued to play with her.
“Vin, you—”
“Careful, baby. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

Oh I’m sorry…did you actually need more to convince you to read this? OK. Grumpy cop, sassy heroine. There. Now go read it! And don’t miss the first two Moretti brothers in FRISK ME and STEAL ME.

EXPOSED (Unguarded #1) by Ivy Stone
GOODREADS | AMAZON <—- CURRENTLY FREE!!!

He was a cop.
She was a criminal.
Together we were chaos.

Intrigued?

I want him, bad. I want him to slap those cuffs on, tell me what a bad girl I’ve been, and fuck me into oblivion. I hold back my grin. This is so not going to end well.

Ivy Stone had an insta fan in me when I read this fantastic debut full of angst and enough sexy time to keep my inner perv in me satisfied. My love for this series was solidified with book 2, DIVIDED, which I loved just as much if not more.

PAUSE FOR GRATUITOUS KRISTEN ASHLEY FANGIRLING

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of all things KA, and the woman has written some of my favorite cops EVAH, like Hector “Oh My God” Chavez. Seriously now. Have you met the man? Because you need a Hector “Oh My God” Chavez in your life. Below my favorite 3 KA cop heroes.

HOLD ON (The ‘Burg #6)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Need you to get this, Cher. I wanna kiss you. But right now, I wanna kiss you because you’re standin’ in my arms, lookin’ up at me the way you’re lookin’ up at me. I definitely wanna kiss the girl who loves to make me laugh. And I wanna kiss the girl who put that dress on for me. I also wanna kiss you because after I kiss you, I’m gonna take you to my bed and I’m gonna fuck you. But you need to know, in this instant, I wanna kiss you because you’re the girl you are right now, the way you are right now, lookin’ up at me.”

Swoon. I mean, FREAKING SWOON.

ROCK CHICK RESCUE (Rock Chick #2)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Chiquita, women spend a lot of time sittin’ around bitchin’ that there are no good men out there.
I hate to tell you this, but there aren’t a lot of good women either.
The difference is, when a man sees one, he knows it.
Then, he goes after her and wears her down until she’s his.
Then, if he’s any man at all, he won’t let her go.”

A protective alpha male cop, a girl in trouble and a whole lot of shenanigans.

KA at her best with this book!

Though it wasn’t my favorite in the series, I still couldn’t get enough of Eddie Chavez.

ROCK CHICK REGRET (Rock Chick #7)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

Then before I could stop it, to my horror, I started crying.
Really! Where was my Ice Princess? Why did she come along when she wasn’t wanted and disappeared when I needed her? She was beginning to really annoy me.
When the Ice Princess didn’t show, with no other choice so he wouldn’t see me cry, I shoved my face in his neck.
He dropped to the side on his back taking me with him. He rolled us and then we were lying on the couch, me snug between the heat of him and the soft back of the couch.
One of his arms held me close at the waist; the other hand cupped the back of my head and held my face to his throat.
“Let me take care of you,” he whispered through my sobs.
“Okay,” I whispered through my sobs too, too tired to fight it anymore.

This was easily the most emotional book in this whole series, and for me, the most memorable one too!

BREATHE (Colorado Man #4)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’ll let you in on a secret, honey. The knight who has serious chinks in his armor but never falls is the true hero. That means he’s won battles and doesn’t waste time polishing his armor so he can look good while he rides in parades that are tributes to his glory. He just drags himself back on his steed and keeps right on battling. And if he’s the right kind of knight, he never rides alone. The best heroes inspire loyalty. The best heroes keep fighting the good fight, tirelessly, quietly. The best heroes always have scars. If they didn’t, the heroine would have nothing to do. It’s her job to help the hero let all that stuff go in order that her man can be strong enough to fight on but when he’s with her he’s free to just ‘breathe’.”

Chace Keaton. All of the swoons.

LAW MAN (Mystery Man #3)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’ll go gentle, baby,” he whispered against my lips. “I promise. You’ll always be safe with me.”

Oh. My.

“Mitch,” I breathed.

His soulful eyes held mine captive as he repeated firmly, “Always.”

And of course, last but certainly not lease is Detective Mitch Lawson. A cop, a single dad, and all of the swoons!

“You’re Mara, you’re sweet, you’re beautiful and I will not forget until the day I die how beautiful it felt to slide inside you with you wrapped around me, see your eyes get wet and know straight in my gut that you felt how beautiful it was too.”

And now back to regularly schedule programming…

IN A BAD WAY (Bad Boys of The Bay #4) by Karin Tabke
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’ll split you apart and make you beg for more” He dropped his lips to the base of her throat and inhaled her sweet scent. “And I’ll be gone before you wake up.”
“Is that how you court a lady?”
“You’re not a lady and I don’t court.”
“If you don’t court, what do you do?”
“I fuck.”
“Then just fuck me.”

A missing stripper sister, the Russian mob, a smoking hot FBI Agent and the enigmatic woman who lies at the center of it all, is as crazy sexy as it gets.

Sounds delicious? Well that’s because it totally is! And it’s also easily read as a standalone.

ALL I WANT (Alabama Summer #2) by J. Daniels
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Oh sweetie. You might want to go disinfect. he’s got the herp.”
“Oh my God. Are you serious? You have herpes?”
“What? No I don’t!”
“He’s really sweet about it though,” I say sympathetically at the blonde. “He pays for my Valtrex every month.”

What’s better than a second chance romance? A second chance romance with a healthy dose of hate lust and a whole heck of a lot of sass thrown in! You need Luke Evans in your life!

“Oh my God,” I whimper.
“Do I need to tell you what to do with that?” he asks, his voice laced with arrogance as he glances down at my hand that remains stagnant against his cock.
“God I fucking hate you.” I pull his cock free and wrap my hand around it, feeling him thicken in my palm…
“Yeah, I hate you too, babe.”

And if you haven’t met Officer Benjamin Kelly and looking for more enemies to lovers, then don’t forget to check out book 1 in this series, Where I Belong.

FLOORED (Frenched #3) by Melanie Harlow
GOODREADS | AMAZON

…I was irritated. It wasn’t the note, either. It was the fact that Charlie had come over here, tempted me with his whiskey and his cologne and his cuddling, and then kept his word not to touch me. How dare he!

Speaking of enemies to lovers, Floored definitely hits the spot for that trope as well. Plus the hot cop AND the pee yourself laughing sort of humor to boot.

Confession: I actually said a little prayer here, something along the lines of Dear God, I hope you’re not watching this but I’d really, really be grateful if I could get through this without gagging or choking, and also it would be great if this was the best blowjob he ever gets in his entire life. OK thanks, go away now.

Oh and you can easily read it as a standalone!

DOWN ON HER KNEES by Christine Belle
GOODREADS | AMAZON

A warm summer breeze kicked up as he clamped his fingers tight around her wrists and pinned her to the hood with his hips, hard enough to make her gasp.
“Tell me no,” he murmured against the soft shell of her ear, “and I won’t slide my hands up that little dress and work that pussy until you scream.”

*Pervy shudder*

Officer Rafe could arrest ME any time. Any. Time.

This book had by far one of the HOTTEST cop role plays I’ve ever read, and it was with an actual cop too! Well, fictional. But you get what I’m saying here.

PAUSE FOR GRATUITOUS TESSA BAILEY FANGIRLING

I mean, the woman has only written some of my all time favorite dirty cops to date. How do you even have a list like this and NOT have at least her entire Line of Duty series? HOW I ask ya?!

PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS (Line of Duty #1)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Listen to me, baby. From the time we walk in the door to my apartment, you will have less than a minute before I put my cock inside you. No foreplay. No kissing. There won’t be any time, because you’ve got me strung so damn tight I can barely thing straight. I need you to keep yourself wet for me on the ride home. Starting now.”

HIS RISK TO TAKE (Line Of Duty #2)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’ve been ready for you since Saturday morning. It’s going to take me hours of fucking that tight little body of yours to satisfy it. I hope you know what you’re in for”
She looked up at him, bold and determined. “I’m here, aren’t I?”
He growled, equally exhilarated and annoyed by the way she insisted on pushing him back. “I’m going to put you on your knees, Ruby. You’re going to hate how much you love it.”

OFFICER OFF LIMITS (Line of Duty #3)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Just that in my experience, guys who talk the biggest game are usually a letdown in the end.”
“It wouldn’t be disappointing.”
“I’ll tell you what. You’ve got one minute to prove me wrong.”
His eyes narrowed. “Elaborate.”
She slipped her phone out of her pocket and held it up. “I’ll set the timer for one minute. You’ll have sixty seconds to prove you’re not just a bunch of talk.”
Daniel glanced at the bed behind her. “The things I want to do to you, Story, would take a lot longer than sixty seconds. Your phone’s battery would die well before I finished.”
“Then show yourself the door.”
“Set the damn timer.”

ASKING FOR TROUBLE (Line Of Duty #4)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Aw, what’s wrong, Brent? Jealous? After all, if ever there was someone who deserved to have a jackass named after him, it’s you.”
“Yeah? And what would they name it? How about…Spanky?”
“How about Oversized Dickhead?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t hear you complaining about my oversized—”
She shot to her feet, jostling the table. “Can I speak with you in private?”
“You need it right now?” He feigned exasperation.“We’re in the middle of dinner, woman. You’re insatiable.”

AND NOW BACK TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

LIBERATING LACEY by Anne Calhoun
GOODREADS | AMAZON

Without a word he led her through the bar to the sultry heat of the parking lot, heading for the shadows created by an enormous black SUV arrogantly angled across three parking spaces in the back corner.
“Yours?” she asked as they rounded the truck’s hood.
“Nope, just a place for a private conversation.” He backed her up into the passenger door. Hands braced on either side of her head, he fastened his teeth on the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder, sucking at her skin with just enough pressure to make her gasp.

Older woman meets younger man in one of my all time favorite Anne Calhoun books EVER. Hunter Anderson brought all the swoons and all the sexy and I loved the ever-loving hell out of him!

UNCOMMON PASSION by Anne Calhoun
GOODREADS | AMAZON

My God, he was broken. So broken, this frightening vulnerability protected only by pieces of bulletproof vest held together with razor wire, attitude, and a smile that broke her heart every time he flashed it.

Broken alpha for the win! Clearly I’m a fan of this author so it’s not a shock she appears on my list once more for hot cops. In Uncommon Passion you get Swat Officer Ben Harris and man oh man will you fall hard for this broken man.

This book had everything! The feels. The sizzling sex. And the romance! In true Anne Calhoun passion, she crafts strong heroines that balance out her broody heroes perfectly!

CROSSING THE LINE (Battered Hearts #3) by Kele Moon
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Wyatt didn’t want it, but without his permission, his heart started beating again.
It had always beat for Tabitha.”

Second chance romance so emotionally gripping, it’ll make your heart beat. No one and I mean NO ONE writes gritty and emotional love stories quite like Kele. What makes Sheriff Wyatt Conner sexy? It’s not that he’s a former MMA fighter. It’s his absolutely unwavering love and devotion for Tabitha.

If you want swoons and feels and a sizzling hot romance, you need this book AND this series in your life!

PACKING HEAT by Kele Moon
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You like being forced to just lay there and wait for me. I like it too. You look so good all open and ready for my cock. Just being still and obedient like a good little cock whore.”

A cop AND a firefighter in a sizzling hot MM?!! Be still my ovaries! Sure this is a shortie of a book, but man oh man does it pack a one two punch straight to the ovaries!

A LOT LIKE LOVE (FBI/US ATTORNEY #2) by Julie James
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’d like to know more about this undercover agent who posed as my daughter’s date. The ubiquitous Tall, Dark, and Smoldering.’

Nick put on his best meet-the-parent smile. ‘I generally prefer to go by Nick.”

Sassy heroines, laugh out loud humor, & sexy romance with grumpy and broody heroes is what makes this series absolute crack for me! I’ve been a huge fan since meeting Special Agent Jack Pallas in SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, book 1 in this series. And while I loved that little enemies to lovers romp, there was something about A LOT LIKE LOVE that stuck with me even more.

But then again, this is a series that just got better and better with each new installment.

EXTREME DANGER (McCloud & Friends #5) by Shannon McKenna
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You use your tits the way a ninja assassin uses nunchuks.”

If über alphas are your thing, then this series will be pure catnip for you. Because let me tell you, Shannon McKenna writes some SUPER uber alphas. These men are dirty talkers, crazy possessive, domineering, protective, and hit the spot for me each and every single time. Most of the series focuses on the McCloud brothers and their investigative and security business, but Extreme Danger was about cop Nick Ward, undercover to investigate a dangerous enemy when a beautiful and innocent woman lands in his crosshairs and he simply can’t walk away.

MORE SEXY ROMANCES FEATURING HOT COPS

These are all titles I’ve read and loved and would strongly recommend to all my fellow dirty birds 😉

RUN THE RISK (Love Undercover #1) by Lori Foster
GOODREADS | AMAZON

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her…

Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer’s crosshairs?

MIDNIGHT SECRETS (Wildefire #1) by Ella Grace (pen name for Christy Reece a DGR fave author)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT, THE HEAT BEGINS

On a hot southern night, with a storm on the horizon, a family is shattered. Three beautiful daughters—Savannah, Samantha, and Sabrina Wilde—go on with their lives, each significantly changed, as they bear the memory of the murder-suicide that killed their parents. For years, they have stayed away from Midnight, Alabama. Until Midnight calls them home.

Savannah is the first one back, when a grueling case in Nashville leads the young prosecutor to seek shelter in the quiet of the once grand Wilde mansion. But when she finds letters casting doubt on her family’s dark, shameful past, she realizes that peace in Midnight is a shallow façade and sinister secrets lurk beneath the surface. Zach Tanner, once the town’s bad boy, is now the new police chief and still has a wild hold over her. Zach can feel it, too, but he hurt Savannah once. As teenagers, they broke every rule together. Now it’s his job to keep her safe, even though he isn’t sure who her enemies are—or which ones might be his own.

ARRESTED BY LOVE by Virna DePaul
GOODREADS | AMAZON

In the steamy world of bestselling romance author Virna DePaul, there are bad boys and good girls on both sides of the law. And when they mix, it’s always an explosive combination. Now the three novellas of her contemporary Red-Hot Cops series are available together in this eBook anthology:

COPPING TO IT

Though Claire Fullerton, a respected journalist, isn’t afraid to walk on the wild side, she’s terrified that unleashing her inner vixen will expose her to getting hurt. But when Claire is captured by a notorious gang of bikers, she recognizes a friendly face from her darkest fantasies: undercover cop Ty Williamson, who has managed to infiltrate the gang to bring them down from the inside. Now Ty’s determined to bind Claire to him and prove that he wants all of her: the good with the bad. In fact, the badder she is, the better they’ll be—together.

COP APPEAL

People used to call her Sure-Thing-Sarah, but the only thing Sarah Larson’s sure about these days is the torch she’s carried for undercover cop Luke Anderson. Four years ago, Sarah made the biggest mistake of her life: leaving Luke to marry another cop. Now, a year after her divorce, Luke’s back in her life—ready to convince Sarah that he’s the one when it comes to love. But Sarah has a big fear—that her dangerously possessive ex-husband is out to make sure that her second chance at happiness is destroyed forever.

COPPING ATTITUDE

As a former centerfold, Jenna Mills is a pro at deflecting male attention, and with good reason. A painful past has made her mistrustful of all men—and hell-bent on getting revenge on one in particular. But first she needs help overcoming her fear of physical intimacy. And honorable cop Noah James might just be the perfect place to start. Noah’s used to making a woman feel safe, in bed and out. But when Jenna makes him an indecent proposal, Noah’s willing to give her everything she’s asking for . . . and more.

MINE TO HOLD (Wicked Lovers #6) by Shayla Black
GOODREADS | AMAZON

A friend’s duty.

Tyler Murphy was an LAPD detective, single and happy—until a near-fatal tragedy crippled his friend, fellow detective Eric Catalano. While Tyler supported Eric, he also became a shoulder for Eric’s wife, Delaney, to lean on. But with one naughty suggestion from Eric, a drunken night with Delaney spilled into erotic abandon. Before it was over, Tyler saw his best friend’s wife as a woman and yearned for more. When Eric struggled to deal with the aftermath, Delaney begged Tyler to leave. Crushed, he fled to Louisiana, hoping to escape his longing for the one woman he could never have again…and unaware of what he’d left behind.

A lover’s desire.

After two years of living with regret, Tyler finds Delaney on his doorstep, her husband having abandoned her long ago. She’s protecting a shocking secret and desperately needs refuge from a stalker determined to see her dead. As they fight to stay alive and catch the killer, they struggle to resolve the guilt of their past pleasures. But they can’t deny that what was once a spark is now a flame burning out of control. To possess Delaney—body and soul—Tyler must heal her pain and thwart the evil that’s a mere breath behind her…

INTO THE NIGHT (The Reliance Group #1) by Janelle Denison
GOODREADS | AMAZON

A former Marine and Las Vegas Vice cop, Nathan Fox has seen it all and then some. Heading up security for The Onyx Casino is tame compared to his past, but it’s not his only job. Working for The Reliance Group is his real passion project. His current case: A missing woman. His mission: To find her. But soon Nathan must deal with a stubborn—and stunning—journalist who’s nosed her way into the investigation…and into Nathan’s fantasies.

To reporter Nicole Hutton, exposing a ruthless, twisted criminal who abuses vulnerable teens isn’t just a job. In fact, this story has become very personal, especially now that she’s gotten tangled up with sexy Nathan Fox. But before she can break the story, and help rescue a missing girl, she and Nathan must brave the labyrinth of Vegas’s dark underbelly…where the heat simmering between them is about to burst into flames…

DEADLY HEAT (Deadly #2) by Cynthia Eden <— my top favorite series by this author!!
GOODREADS | AMAZON

She wants revenge…
Six months after her lover died in an arsonist’s blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI’s elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned – not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

He wants her…
Kenton’s interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can’t get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case – and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can’t hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer’s sadistic, fiery game.

A vicious killer wants only…
DEADLY HEAT

MEN OUT OF UNIFORM anthology
GOODREADS | AMAZON

The hottest thing about a man in uniform is imagining him out of it…

They may enforce the rules, but when men in uniform are off duty and under the covers, they’re experts at breaking them. In this searingly sexy anthology, popular authors Maya Banks, Sylvia Day, and Karin Tabke present men in uniform-unzipped…

Taking the Heat by Sylvia Day
It’s time for protected witness Layla Creed to come out of hiding and take the stand. Layla has only three days to reconnect with federal marshal Brian Simmons—and slake the white-hot lust that has simmered between them for years…

Soul Possession – Maya Banks
Jessie spends a hot night with two sexy-as-sin detectives, only to be accused of murder the very next day. But when Jessie becomes the target of a serial killer, her two detectives will risk everything to have her back in their arms—and in their bed…

Karin Tabke’s Wanted follows the X-rated exploits of bad-boy cop Colin Daniels and the soon-to-be-ex-wife of a mob boss. He’s been hired to guard her body, but it drives him to distraction instead, putting his career—and his life—on the line…

FAITH & FIDELITY by Tere Michaels
GOODREADS | AMAZON

New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli has lost his wife, the only person he ever loved and slept with. He’s trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children.

Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He’s depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed.

The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out.

Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly — can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity?

DANGEROUS BOYS AND THEIR TOY by Shayla Black <— super hot MFM with GFY
GOODREADS | AMAZON

Trading orgasms for information isn’t their usual way of doing business, but when a missing criminal-turned-star-witness and fifty grand are on the line, bounty hunter R. A. Thorn and Detective Cameron Martinez are prepared to put their bodies to the task and give gorgeous Brenna Sheridan everything she needs. An exchange they never anticipated becomes an experience none can forget—or walk away from. Sexual hunger sizzles the threesome, but the stakes and danger rise as a mafia bad-ass stalks Brenna. Soon, their “deal” is no longer about information—or sex. Emotions bind Brenna, Cam and Thorn together more tightly than they ever imagined as the men protect—and serve—the beloved woman neither can live without.

Welp, that’s it for my list. Loved it? Tell me in comments? Did I miss one of your favorites? Tell me about it in comments! I love to hear from you all, so don’t be shy <3

Till next time, dirty birds!

2 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Features · Tagged With: cuff me officer, DGR Fave, DGRUltimate

★DGR’S Ultimate List of Angsty Romance★

July 2, 2016 by Lana · 12 Comments

Let’s talk angst.

angst

äNG(k)st/

noun

a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.

“adolescent angst”

synonyms: anxiety, fear, apprehension, worry, foreboding, trepidation, malaise,
disquiet, disquietude, unease, uneasiness

ANGST just so happens to be pure catnip for this reader. I gobble it up like the starved addict that I am, and love every hair pulling second of it. If a book can make me feel like I want to throttle someone, scream at the ceiling and rip my hair out by the roots, I know I got myself a winner. What? Like you don’t have your vices? Sheesh. Judgy much?

This month you all voted for my Ultimate List of Angsty Romance, and that’s what I’m giving you. Fair warning, this will quite possibly be my longest list ever! We always chat about these lists in my FB group, so if you haven’t yet, join in on the inappropriate fun HERE.

Since this list will be ridiculously long if I let it, I decided to limit my choices to the uber angsty book picks. These are some of my all time favorites and my go-to recs.

And if you’re new to my blog, this a monthly feature I do on the last Saturday of each month! Check out the previous features here:

As always, I’d love to hear from you all in comments if you don’t see one of your favorites listed. You know I love me some book recs 😉

You’ll notice I’ll list some of these by author because I loved several of their books, some I’ll list by series, and some will be simply individual books. Now let’s do this thing!

THOUGHTLESS by S.C. Stephens
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“What if I don’t choose you, Kellan? What will you do?”
He looked away, a tear rolling down his cheek. “I’ll leave, Kiera. I’ll leave, and you and Denny can have your happily ever after.” He looked back at me. “You wouldn’t even need to tell him about me. Eventually, the two of you…” his voice broke and another tear fell on his cheek, “the two of you would get married, and have children, and have a great life.”
I fought back a sob. “And you? What happens to you in that scenario?”
“I…get by. And I miss you, every day,” he whispered.”

Sweet mother of hair pulling, wanting to run the heroine over with my car, while rocking myself in a corner somewhere ANGST. GAH! GAH I tells ya! This freaking book. I don’t know how I even survived it. It put me off life triangles for years. And yet when I think of angst, this is the first one that pops into my head. Clearly it left an impression. And let’s be real here for a hot second, because it just doesn’t get much better than Kellan fucking Kyle *pervy sigh*

THE THOUGHTLESS SERIES
THOUGHTLESS | EFFORTLESS | RECKLESS | THOUGHTFUL | UNTAMED

TRISTAN & DANIKA trilogy by R.K. Lilley
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I knew we were going to be a dangerous combination. Bad things were going to happen if we spent too much time around each other.

First I read book one, and thought, well this isn’t so bad. Then I read book two and thought I’d been hit with a two by four full of feels, and then I barely BARELY survived book three because holy hell!!! I LOVED this trilogy. Absolutely loved it. It spans years and had one of the most memorable love stories I’ve read. The angst was in apoplectic proportions and I loved every single painful second of it. It was utterly delicious!

I convinced myself that it had all been passion, not true love. True love was a myth, a misdirection from the solid things in life. What I’d felt for Tristan had been big and all consuming, but I told myself, like a mantra in my head, that it had never been solid. Even so, every little thing brought him to mind. We’d had too much together, been through too much, felt too much, and every feeling had a memory.

THE TRISTAN & DANIKA SERIES
BAD THINGS | ROCK BOTTOM | LOVELY TRIGGER

CAROLINE & WEST duet by Robin York
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I want you, and I don’t know how to stop wanting you. I want to get deep inside you, and then deeper, until I’m so deep I don’t even know what’s me anymore and what’s you.

What’s better than angst? New Adult kind of angst. Yum yum yum. This is one of my all time favorite duets. These books took me through the emotional wringer and I don’t regret it even a little. I adored the heroine and I loved to hate the hero. But who am I even kidding? I mostly loved him even when I wanted to hate him!

“I could tell you how much I’m hurting, or I could get out of the car, slam the door, hitchhike to the airport because fuck you, fuck you, West, how could you do this to me? How?

What I can’t do is pretend I don’t know what you did,” I say. “Or pretend I don’t still care about you.”

THE CAROLINE & WEST DUET
DEEPER | HARDER

BULLY by Penelope Douglas
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You were my tempest, my thunder cloud, my tree in the downpour. I loved all of those things, and I loved you. But now? You’re a fucking drought. I thought that all the assholes drove German cars, but it turns out that pricks in Mustangs can still leave scars.”

If you haven’t at least heard of this phenomenal series, odds are you’ve been living under a rock. Well climb on out from under there my friend, because you are seriously missing out. This is easily of my top favorite NA series and the angst is utterly delicious. I have a motto when it comes to books by Penelope Douglas; she writes them, I read them. Period. No exception.

Becoming hard at heart isn’t an intersection in your brain where you have a choice to turn left or right. It’s coming to a dead end, and you just keep going, over the cliff, unable to stop the inevitable, because the truth is you just don’t want to.
There is freedom in the fall.

THE FALL AWAY SERIES
BULLY | UNTIL YOU | RIVAL | FALLING AWAY | AFLAME

THE VINCENT BOYS by Abbi Glines
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“ If I’d ever taken the time to wonder about my soul being as black as this town seemed to believe, I knew the moment Ashton stepped out of her little white Jetta looking like an angel from Heaven that my soul was damned to Hell. ”

I have a love hate relationship with Abbi Glines books. No really. See I love to hate them. No I don’t mean that in a hater sort of way. What I mean, is she’s a guilty pleasure author for me. I may not always love every book, I may want to throttle most of the heroines, and yet I still enjoy the ride. Kind sick saying it out loud lol. I’ve read her entire backlist, and I absolutely ADORED her Sea Breeze series. To date, that’s my favorite series by her.

But what began the obsession was this book. The Vincent Boys. And to be clear, I’m referring to the uncut edition, because let’s be real, if I’m forced to endure YA angst, I need steam to dilute it. I devour her books in one sitting. I adore every hero she’s written. What can I say? The struggle is real with this addiction I have and I’m not even sorry. Even when I hate the heroines, the heroes more than make up for it.

AN ORDINARY GIRL by Barbara Elsborg
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I can’t believe I’ve found someone that’s more fucked up than me.”

I don’t remember why I read this book exactly. I think I stumbled on it by pure chance actually. Something about that synopsis just hooked me. I ended up devouring it in one sitting! This author has a signature blend of angst and dry wit and humor that just calls to me. I love it! She’ll add a bit of OTT drama that also somehow just works and at times a dash of suspense and voila! Instant addiction. I went on a Barbara Elsborg binge right after this and the addiction still continues. Not only does she write great angst, but the steam level is through the roof! She writes amazing MM, scorching MMF, and deliciously dirty MF. I can’t recommend her enough!

DGR’S BARBARA ELSBORG FAVORITES (all angsty perfection)
STRANGERS (MF erotic) | TO KISS A FALLING STAR (MF erotic) | FALLING (MM) | BREAKING (MM)

THE UNWANTED WIFE
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I’m your husband…”
“No. You are not my husband,” she interrupted in a voice thickened with hatred and tears. “You have never been my husband. A husband loves, honours and cherishes! A husband is a lover and a champion….Look into the next room if you want to see what a real husband is, because you are no such thing!”

What would happen if you combined Harlequin presents with some crazy angst? This. Book. Holy mother! I loved it! I loved it so freaking much! Natasha Anders definitely has a signature style to her romance. I love watching her heroines grow into their own and stand up for themselves. I love seeing her royal alphaholes of heroes realize their mistakes and perform some epic kind of groveling. All of it just speaks to me and I can’t get enough!

DGR’S NATASHA ANDERS FAVORITES (all standalones and all angsty, of course)
A HUSBAND’S REGRET | A RUTHLESS PROPOSITION

THIS HEART OF MINE by Brenda Novak
GOODREADS | AMAZON

She’d wanted him so badly seventeen years ago. And now that he wanted her, regardless of what anyone said, she wouldn’t come near him.

This was the first book I had read by this author and boy was I kicking myself for it after. Hard. If you love second chance romance and redemption stories, this is an absolute must read. It’s emotional, heart breaking, beautifully written, and completely unforgettable. While it is a part of a long-standing series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

No it’s not exactly the smutty smut that I normally gravitate to so if you’re expecting lots of steam, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But this book was not lacking it for me. Not even a little. The story was so emotionally powerful and the romance was so beautiful with just the right amount of tasteful love scenes, that I fell head over heels for This Heart of Mine.

THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Katherine Owen
GOODREADS | AMAZON

LIFE CAN CHANGE in as little of fifteen seconds. I know this.
Fifteen seconds.
An SUV clips my car, kills my sister, and changes me and my life forever.

Thirty seconds.
The time it takes for a stranger to lift me up and carry me away and save me from the burning wreckage.
Thirty seconds.

One night.
The time it takes to fall in love with Lincoln Presley and forge promises that neither of us can keep.
One night.

Thirty seconds.
In thirty seconds, a heart can break.

If you like your angst to feel like you’ve been run over by the mac truck of feels, boy do I have a rec for you. Because this book? It will actually physically drain you. I’m not even a little kidding. It was fucking painful, people! I still have no idea how I survived it but I feel like I needed a cookie, a hug, a medal and all of the alcohol after it. In that exact order. This does end on a cliffhanger and I recommend reading the full trilogy to get a much deserved HEA.

THE TRUTH IN LIES TRILOGY
THIS MUCH IS TRUE | THE TRUTH ABOUT AIR & WATER | TELL ME SOMETHING TRUE

IF YOU LEAVE by Courtney Cole
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“That day, that one day, changed me forever. It taught me that everything you love, everyone you love, even if you love them and hate them at the same time, can be taken away in a moment and there isn’t anything you can do to change it.”

The Beautifully Broken is a series of 4 books, but it wasn’t until this book, IF YOU LEAVE (book 2 in the series), that I fell in love with the series. If You Leave deals with many heart wrenching issues; the biggest being the hero, Gabriel’s, PTSD from his Army Ranger days. It’s an emotional romance filled with angst, feels, and enough steam to keep you panting.

I loved every book in this series, but 2 and 4 have to be my all time favorites. If you haven’t read these yet, I strongly recommend you check them out.

THE BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN SERIES
IF YOU STAY | IF YOU LEAVE | BEFORE WE FALL | UNTIL WE FLY

THE EDUCATION Series by Jane Harvey-Berrick
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“What do you think I’ve got here that I wouldn’t give up in a heartbeat to be with you? There’s nothing to keep me here: I’ll go anywhere, do anything to be with you.”

What happens when a 30-year-old woman stuck in a loveless marriage has an affair with her 17, soon to be 18-year-old neighbor? One of the most gripping, emotional and powerful romances that I have ever read. Book one is The Education of Sebastian and tells the heart wrenching story of how these two fell in love. The Education of Caroline takes place ten years later, when these two lovers finally reunite. If you haven’t read this series, it’s seriously an absolute must read.

“Be happy, Caro, because that’s what you deserve.
I love you, I have always loved you, and where I go after this world, I will always love you.
Sempre e per sempre.”

THE EDUCATION OF SERIES
THE EDUCATION OF SEBASTIAN | THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE | SEMPER FI

UNBEAUTIFULLY by Madeline Sheehan
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Baby,” he said gruffly. “Man like me got no business with a girl like you. You’re nothin’ but a fuckin’ beauty and I’m a while lot of fuckin’ ugly who’s already halfway to hell.”

You want angst? You want grit with a big chunk of dark MC romance? Welcome to your next addiction! While I enjoyed every single book in this series, I have to say that UnBeautifully is easily my absolute favorite. There was just something so powerful about this beauty-and-the-beast romance that just spoke to me. It wasn’t an easy read and far from a light one. But it was an unforgettable ride from beginning to finish.

THE UNDENIABLE SERIES
UNDENIABLE | UNBEAUTIFULLY | UNATTAINABLE | UNBELOVED

ROCK CHICK REGRET by Kristen Ashley
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“No really,” I whispered, letting the sweet, peaceful feeling steal over me. “It only matters if there’s someone to care if you don’t wake up. It’s okay if I don’t wake up because there’s no one to care.”

I have three words for you: Hector OMG Chavez. That is all. No really. That’s all. If you’ve read this book, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven’t? You need to get to reading it right freaking meow because MAN! So. Good.

This was probably the heaviest and most powerful book in the series for me (right up there with Stella and Mace in ROCK CHICK RECKONING, which is also a HUGE angsty rec). But there was just something about RCR that stayed with me for all these years. Maybe it’s what the heroine went through and watching her grow? Maybe it’s the story as a whole. Whatever the case may be, I simply adored it.

DREW + FABLE series by Monica Murphy
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Maybe it was a mistake leaving you.
And I don’t know how to make it right.
Regret fills me every single day.
So much of it builds up I
Hate myself for
Missing you. Hurting you.
And I want you to know i…
Long for you
Love you
Others may come and go in our lives but…
We belong together”

New Adult angst? This has it. In spades. This was the book that made me fall in love with Monica Murphy’s writing. It was the first book that I read by her and I was hooked. I recommend reading them back to back because the cliffhanger in OWG will leave you so ragey, it’ll make you want to slap someone.

THE ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND SERIES (these need to be read in order)
ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND | SECOND CHANCE BOYFRIEND

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES but with new characters
THREE BROKEN PROMISES | FOUR YEARS LATER

DESTROYED by Pepper Winters
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I was obsessed with finding redemption. Destroyed by love. Possessed by hope. Consumed by a past I couldn’t shake.”

So Pepper Winters advertises this as her “gray romance” but please don’t let that fool you. While this is certainly not quite on her usual dark scale it still packs a mean punch….straight to the mother effin feels. My. God. This book tore my heart to shreds and put it back together…barely. I was a damn mess reading it. I don’t remember the last time I cried that hard in a book but DAMN. Just DAMN.

This is a full standalone.

WICKED HEART by Leisa Reyven
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Heartache doesn’t teach you to be resilient. It teaches you to protect your fragility. It teaches you to fear love. And it draws a bright red circle around all the ways you’ve failed as a person and laughs while you cry.”

Ah…sweet sweet second chance romance angst. How I love thee. Let me count the ways….Liam, Liam, Liam…wait. That’s not right.

While a lot of my friends loved the first two books in this series, I struggled a little with them. But I continued with the series because not only did I love the writing style, but I saw where it was going and I knew it was only a matter of meeting the right characters for me to fall in love with the story. And Wicked Heart? It was exactly that book for me.

THE STAR-CROSSED SERIES
BAD ROMEO | BROKEN JULIET | WICKED HEARTS

UNFORGIVEN by Elizabeth Finn
GOODREADS | AMAZON

You don’t fall in love with the person responsible for your greatest loss. And God help you if you do.

God help you indeed. This book was a crazy rollercoaster of emotion. It was almost physically painful to read at times. But man. MAN. What an incredibly powerful and angsty romance. To date, this is my favorite book by this author. And Elizabeth Finn happens to be one of my go to’s for angst, so I don’t make that statement lightly.

I’ll list some other notable favorites below. All are full standalones.

WORTH IT by Linda Kage
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I craved every little second I got to see her, but I knew I should stay away. It was torment, the two cravings rivaling and constantly churning in me, playing tug-of-war between what my heart wanted and what I knew was best.

I’m seriously obsessed with this New Adult series and can’t recommend every book in it enough. I love it that much. Worth It had some darker undertones to it that the others didn’t. It wasn’t dark, just more emotional and a touch heavier if that makes sense. The whole series packs a good amount of angst and if sexy NA romance is your thing, prepare to binge.

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER by Francette Phal
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Nicholas Grayson wasn’t a nice person. In fact one could call him an asshole and he wouldn’t dispute it. He was as jaded as they come, eighteen years old, with a moral compass fixed permanently on diabolical. … His goals in life were to piss off his parents, break a few laws and generally screw his way through life.”

Cruel Intention meets Soap Opera in this deliciously angsty YA romance and I gobbled up each page like the addict that I am. Holy crap, people! This book HURT. Complete with a mother of all cliffhangers. But no worries, because you do get a much deserved HEA in the conclusion, REDEMPTION.

FACADE by Nyrae Dawn
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I don’t see the future; I just notice shit. When you’re seven years old and scared of your own shadow, too scared to get close to anyone like I used to be, you learn to pay attention. To study people’s loves because it’s the only way to feel like you’re living and to think about how differently you’d be doing if you had the balls to man up. Or, hell, if you hadn’t been given such a shitty hand to begin with.

While I loved the entire Games series, Facade was easily my favorite. I couldn’t even tell you why exactly. It just was. Something about a broken boy finding love in the girl he least expected. I just loved it.

THE GAMES SERIES
CHARADE | FACADE | MASQUARADE

A LUSH BETRAYAL by Selena Laurence
GOODREDS | AMAZON

I know almost instantly- this is it- I’m done. This woman will either be my salvation or the death of me. There is no question. I’ve lost control now that I’ve touched her. There’s no going back, and she’s the most spectacular thing I’ve ever experienced.

Rockstars. Betrayals. Redemptions. Second chances. This book had it all. This was my first book by Selena and I was hooked. A Lush Betrayal is still free on amazon, so if you like the sounds of this one, you need to grab it quick!

THE LUSH ROCKSTAR SERIES
A LUSH BETRAYAL | LOVING A LUSH | LOWDOWN & LUSH | A LUSH REUNION

Twisted by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott
GOODREADS | AMAZON

He could do anything, survive anything, but he couldn’t turn away from Jazz. She would sustain him where every other drug had failed.

It’s no secret that I love everything these authors write. I first fell in love with their Love In Oblivion series when I stumbled on ROCKED by pure chance. And from then, it was as they say, history. While each book focuses on a different member of the band, I don’t recommend reading it out-of-order. There is a story arc that continues throughout the series that you wouldn’t be able to appreciate having read the books out-of-order. I highly recommend starting with the prequel (SEDUCED) first. It really introduces the characters and gives you a taste of things to come.

TEN TINY BREATHS by K.A. Tucker
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Just breathe,” my mom would say.
“Ten tiny breaths…Seize them.
Feel them.Love them.”

Does this book even need an introduction or an explanation for being on my list? C’mon now!

“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. Give me your heart, Kacey. I’ll take everything that comes with it.”

THE TEN TINY BREATHS SERIES
TEN TINY BREATHS | IN HER WAKE | ONE TINY LIE | FOUR SECONDS TO LOSE | FIVE WAYS TO FALL

THIN LOVE by Eden Butler
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I don’t want easy. I want the impossible. I want love so thick, I drown in it; it’s the only thing worth having and, I’m sorry Kona, you’re a nice guy when you’re not acting like an entitled jackass, but I really don’t think you’re capable of being anything more than that.”

To date, this is still one of my favorite second chance romances. The angst is in epic proportions and I do mean epic. This book will make you rip your hair out, it will make you sob hysterically, it will make you scream like a lunatic, but ultimately it will make you feel every single emotion right along with the characters and love every second of it.

UBEARABLE GUILT by Emma Grayson
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I was ripped from heaven with an angel, and tossed into the fiery pit of hell by myself with no way out. I wouldn’t ever allow myself to be released from its relentless grip.

If you ask me how this book first came on my radar, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. All I remember is reading that synopsis and knowing that I had to read it. And boy was I glad that I did because I absolutely loved it! I mean….just read this:

Kane Archer hasn’t always been tormented; he hasn’t always hated himself or been full of rage. He hasn’t always lived his life with an overpowering sense of guilt that threatens to destroy him. There was a time when his life was different. He was optimistic; he smiled and laughed; he loved passionately; he had it all. Kane was content—until the unthinkable took it all away. Two and a half years later and still reeling from his fiancée’s death, Kane returns to the one place he vowed he’d never visit again—Camden—with the promise to find the men who killed her and bring them to justice, regardless of the cost. Emotionally numb, stricken by guilt, and haunted by the events preceding Aimee’s death, the last thing Kane wanted was to meet someone he connected with; someone who made him feel again. As Kane gets closer to those responsible for Aimee’s death, he is thrown a curveball when he discovers a secret so devastating it rocks his world and threatens to destroy his chance at happiness. Whitney Jareau packed up her life when tragedy struck her family, leaving everything behind. Finally free from the persistent and domineering family that insisted she do the one thing she couldn’t, Whitney found peace in Camden. Two years later, her family wants her to come home and will stop at nothing to get her there. Wearing her heart on her sleeve for Kane Archer, a man so gorgeous it hurts to see the pain he carries, Whitney fights her family and refuses to return home to carry out their wishes. Can Whitney stay strong without giving in to the demands of her family? Can Kane let go of the past and move forward with the woman who brought him back to life? Or, will he walk away from her and carry the burden of UNBEARABLE GUILT

This is book 2 in the Breathe Again series, but easily enjoyed as a standalone

BROKEN by Lauren Layne
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I almost want to laugh at how messed up we are.
Two completely shattered souls doing a weird approach-and-recoil dance around each other.

A New Adult take on beauty and the beast by the super amazing Lauren Layne? Hell. Yes.

Lauren Layne first hit my radar when I read ISN’T SHE LOVELY which funnily enough turned out to be the prequel to this amazing series. But don’t be fooled, it’s not a novella. It’s a full length novel that introduces the characters, so I think that’s why it’s not considered the prequel? But it has its own fabulous HEA. Each book in the series is easily enjoyed as a standalone.

THE REDEMPTION SERIES
ISN’T SHE LOVELY | BROKEN | CRUSHED

WALK THROUGH FIRE by Kristen Ashley
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“I gave you up, walking through fire to do it but I did…
I did it in the end. I gave you everything.”

Holy mother of ugly cries!!! I was a pathetic mess reading this book. Utterly pathetic I tells ya! I don’t remember the last time a book made me ugly cry to quite this caliber. I’m talking crocodile tears level here, people!

You already know I love me a second chance romance and Walk Through Fire had an absolutely epic one. As a matter of fact, I’ve re-read one particular scene in this book at least 4 times now and each time the water works start. It’s just that powerful. So. Good.

DIVIDED by Ivy Stone
GOODREADS | AMAZON

He wasn’t supposed to show up on that bridge.
He wasn’t supposed to fill me with a slither of hope, for more, for different. But he did.

I first discovered Ivy Stone when I read the first book in her Unguarded series, EXPOSED. I fell in love with her writing style, her broken characters, and I knew I found myself a new author to stalk.

While each book in this series focuses on a different couple and their HEA, I highly recommend reading them in order because the backstory starts in the very beginning and you’d appreciate the story that much more having read each book.

BREAK EVEN by Lisa De Jong
GOODREADS | AMAZON

To an outsider, I have it all- the job, the husband, and the house- but inside I’m nearly empty.

I’ll be honest, I was afraid to read this book. Utterly terrified. I’m not typically a reader that enjoys reading about a heroine that cheats, no matter what the circumstance. It’s a horrible double standard I have and I own it, because I’ll forgive the hero but not the heroine *hangs head in shame*

But this book is nothing like what I thought. It’s incredibly unpredictable, erotic, and utterly unputdownable. If you read any book by this author, please make it this one. Trust me. Take a chance on something outside your comfort zone. You will not regret it.

PAPER HEARTS by Claire Contreras
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“How would you describe the #feeling of #love in 140 or less characters?
Answer : Like somebody is gripping your heart, but you don’t want them to let go because the ache would worsen without them.”

You already know that second chance romance is my crack of choice, so are you even a little surprised to see this book on my list? Really? Are you? Of course you’re not! I adored Kaleidoscope Hearts, but I loved Paper Hearts even more. If you’re a fan of angsty second chance romance and you haven’t read these books yet, you need to get on them right now. RIGHT. NOW.

THE HEARTS SERIES
KALEIDOSCOPE HEARTS | PAPER HEARTS | ELASTIC HEARTS

HOPELESS by Colleen Hoover
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

Um…I’m sorry, but do I even need to say anything here? I don’t think so. Carry on…

“The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you’ve never felt anything when someone’s kissed you, then no one’s ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you.”

“I live you, Sky,” he says against my lips. “I live you so much.”

FISHER’S LIGHT
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I’m going to fix this. I have to fix this… I hate every moment that I’m away from her, but I will do whatever it takes to find the man she once loved and bring him back to her.”

Yet another second chance romance that I adored! I seriously loved every single angsty page of this! One of my top reads of that year.

How do I get that back when the darkness is hell bent on taking over, holding me in its clutches and making sure I never see the sunshine again?

TOXIC by Kim Karr
GOODREADS | AMAZON

Jeremy McQueen.
He wasn’t just any boy- he was “the boy”. The only one I never should have met, and the one I’d never trade meeting for the world.

And since we’re on a second chance romance angst kick, how can I not mention this deliciousness?

I loved him once, even though I’d never told him I did. And as I looked at him, everything I’d ever felt for him came rushing back.

PAPER PRINCESS
GOODREADS | AMAZON

“You should know whatever game you’re playing, you can’t win. Not against all of us.
If you leave now, you won’t be hurt. If you stay, we’ll break you so bad that you’ll be crawling away.”

Book. Crack.

Warning: this book will cause nervous break downs, eye ticks, random screaming episodes, cause you to perve on a 17 yr old alphahole and be glued to your kindle from beginning to finish. That is all. You’ve been warned.

This will never be my home. I don’t belong in splendor, I belong in squalor. That’s what I know. It’s what I’m comfortable with because squalor doesn’t lie to you. It’s not wrapped up in a pretty package. It is what it is.

THE ROYALS TRILOGY (Warning: Rage inducing cliffys ahead)
PAPER PRINCESS | BROKEN PRINCE | TWISTED PALACE

UNBREAK MY HEART by Jacquelyn
GOODREADS | AMAZON

I’d pushed her aside for so long that there was no foundation to build on. Just a mess of shattered pieces that I’d crushed with a sledgehammer every time she’d grown closer than I was comfortable with.

Quite easily my favorite angsty romance I’ve read all year. ALL OF THE ANGST!!! Oh man! If you love serious alphaholes, angst so thick you can choke on it, and a story so addicting that you can’t stop reading it for even a second? Read. This. Book.

For the past couple of nights when I’d lain down beside her, after she’d called asleep and I knew she couldn’t hear me, I’d promised her that she’d never have to forgive me again if she could do it one last time.

OTHER DGR ANGSTY FAVORITES

The following are all book recommendations I’ve received (thanks to my favorite angst pusher, Carolin Jache)

12 Comments · Filed Under: DGR Favorites, Features · Tagged With: angst, DGR, DGR Fave, DGRUltimate

★DGR’s Ultimate List of Mafia Romance★

May 28, 2016 by Lana · 7 Comments

It’s that time of the month again, dirty birds! You know, the time where I bring you a brand, spanking new Ultimate List with a category of your choosing. Oh yeah. By the way, I post the category choices at the beginning of each month in my Facebook group HERE. So if you haven’t yet, make sure you join the inappropriate fun 😉

But I digress…

With all the craziness of last month, I totally missed doing my list and I’m so sorry! I’ve been a bad girl and deserve a spanking (preferably from one of the heroes in the books I’m about to list here…uhem…) But no worries, this will not be repeating itself. I post these lists monthly, and monthly you shall get them.

This month you guys wanted to see Mafia Romance, and since this happens to tickle my particular fancy as well, I was beyond happy to deliver. Now keep in mind, this will be kept specifically to mafia only. I passed over some books that had a similar vibe but weren’t “organized crime” centered in order to stay as true to the category as possible. As always I’ll give you guys my recs of the books I’ve personally read and loved, and I’ll follow that with a list of recs that I’ve received and have purchased the books for.

And if you’re new to my blog, this a monthly feature I do on the last Saturday of each month! Check out the previous features here:

Now without further ado, let’s do this thing.

THE PROFESSIONAL by Kresley Cole

GOODREADS | AMAZON

“When a woman singles me out”—he leaned down to murmur at my ear—“it’s because she wants to get fucked. She looks at the scars and tattoos and knows she’ll get fucked hard.”

I’ve been a HUGE Kresley Cole fan for years. I have her entire IAD series in paperback. I’m slightly obsessed, I admit. The woman is the queen of sassy heroines and uber alphas. I love her PNR.

When I saw that she was coming out with a new erotic romance that just happens to feature some mafia baddies, suffice it to say I was all over it like a stripper on a pole. True story. Now I’ll admit, the first book didn’t quite blow me away, but it’s deliciously dirty and if you’re looking for a super sexy dirty talker, Mafiya enforcer Aleksei “The Siberian” Sevastyan will be RIGHT UP your pervy little alley. Originally released as a 3 part series, THE PROFESSIONAL is now a full novel in a series of 3. Each book is a different couple and may be enjoyed as a standalone though I recommend reading in order 😉

GAME MAKER SERIES ORDER

THE PROFESSIONAL | THE MASTER | THE PLAYER

EVAN ARDEN by Shay Savage

How did I get here? I wasn’t stupid. I also wasn’t so far gone to not remember the basics of what happened. After serving my tour of duty as a Marine sniper in the Middle East coupled with eighteen months as a prisoner of war, being exiled to Arizona for screwing up a hit for my mob-boss, spending too much time thinking about the girl I met there, and killing my favorite hooker for betraying me, I’d finally lost it and started shooting up the neighborhood.

Got your attention now, didn’t I? Don’t lie, you’re intrigued. Well you should be! A former Marine suffering from PTSD and battling his inner demons throughout his life as a hit man for the top Chicago mafia boss, Rinaldo Moretti? It’s as delicious as it sounds. This box set has all 5 books in the series. The first 3 is what I read and has a HEA at the end of book 3. The author later released a novella and a novel which I didn’t read for personal taste reasons, but I hear it was just as good as the first 3. And all of these are in this fantastic box set!

COMPLETE CORRUPTION by CD Reiss

MONSTER IN HIS EYES | TORTURE TO HER SOUL | TARGET ON OUR BACKS

“I tried to stay away,” he said. “I’ve never wanted a woman this much in my life. I’d burn cities to have you. I’d fight armies. I’d commit murder to take you right now.”

Originally released as a series of 3, this is the full set. Hurrah for no waiting! I was a HUGE fan of CD’s Songs of Submission series. If you haven’t read that, I can’t recommend it enough.

Songs of Corruption focuses on the story of Theresa Drazen (who’s the sister of Jonathan from SoS). But you don’t need to read SoS in order to enjoy SoC. And of course the hero here is the sinfully sexy Mafia capo, Antonio Spinelli.

MONSTER IN HER EYES by JM Darhower

GOODREADS | AMAZON

He’s a whirlpool of darkness, and I feel myself getting sucked deeper and deeper into the depths of his abyss. I’m drowning in him.

Gah. GAH! This book! This series!! I can’t even. First of all, no one writes mafia romance quite like JM Darhower. I’ve loved each and every book I’ve read by her.

Monster In His Eyes is book 1 of 3, and follows the story of Karissa and Naz. Monster in his Eyes is told in Karissa’s POV, Torture To Her Soul follows that with Naz’s POV. The amazing conclusion is Target on Our Backs.

MONSTER IN HIS EYES series order

RUTHLESS PEOPLE by JJ McAvoy

RUTHLESS PEOPLE | THE UNTOUCHABLES |AMERICAN SAVAGES

She would never convert to what I needed her to be. She was a ruthless savage, and if you cannot break a ruthless savage, you need to figure out how to tame them.

What happens when an arranged marriage puts the head of the Irish mob with the head of the Italian mob? A whole lot of crazy fuckery! Holy fuck, this series is crazy! There is no good guys to be found. Both the hero and heroine are absolutely batshit and bad to their bone, and I freaking loved it! This is a trilogy that must be read in order since the story isn’t complete until the final book.

RUTHLESS PEOPLE Series order

REAP by Tillie Cole

Our desperate gazes met.
He took a deep breath.
Then he whispered, “You are…for me?”

While I didn’t quite love the first book in this series, I have to say I really enjoyed this one. The set up is darkly intriguing; you have ‘slaves’ who are imprisoned and conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, known only by their numbers. Reap focuses on prisoner818 who raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221. He cannot act or think for himself. Knows only death and bloodshed. The heroine happens to be a mafia princess and the daughter of the Russian Bratva boss.

Reap is book 2 in Tillie Cole’s Scarred Souls series, and while you may read it as a standalone since it focuses on a different main couple and their HEA, I highly recommend you start with book 1. Because while Reap tells the story of Zaal and Talia, it also gives the readers a continuation of Luka through his POV. It builds up on what has begun in Raze and it would connect you to the story that much more having previously read that.

SCARRED SOULS SERIES

RAZE | REAP | RAVAGE (releasing Aug 16, 2016)

FLAWED by Francette Phal

Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That’s what you are to me. You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy.

Hmmm…how would I describe this book? Basically his it’s like the love child that would result if Seduced In The Dark and Dexter ever had wild monkey sex and then had a baby that was seriously fucked in the head. Like SERIOUSLY fucked in the head.

The hero is utterly fucked up. If you want rainbows and unicorns, fuck right off with that. I’m not even kidding here. The man is basically a hit man. A sociopath on a good day. He gets off on pain and death… and yet I absolutely loved this book. What the fuck does that say about me? Don’t even answer that right now! Flawed is a cliffhanger and book two (CARNAGE) is hopefully coming out end of August this year.

THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT by Katee Robert

Whatever she’d expected from this kiss, it certainly hadn’t been desire. Though DESIRE was too tame a word. She’d felt desire before, and this wasn’t it. This was…need. All-consuming need that devoured everything in its path, leaving only destruction in its wake.

As far as grit and darkness, The Marriage Contract is a bit on the lighter side. This one had a case of the insta-love and yet it was still a fabulous read. The series focuses on the O’Malley family; a powerful Irish Boston mafia family. The head of the O’Malley family is intent on marrying off his children in order to solidify powerful mafia alliances with other families, and the result is one intriguing story. I’ve read both The Marriage Contract and The Wedding Pact, and enjoyed both thoroughly. Though I did love the set up of book 2 a bit more with the forbidden romance of two warring families element being the major focus.

THE ENFORCER by Kele Moon

I fucking love you, Brianna…
I wouldn’t just bleed for you… I’d bleed motherfuckers out for you.”

If you were to ask me what my all time favorite mafia romance book was, this book would be it. Bar none. Nothing ever touched me on such a visceral level as this one did. Brutal, powerful, emotional, gut wrenching, all consuming, gritty, and so raw it’ll make your heart bleed.

Yeah. This book is just that good. I’ve been a huge fan of all things Kele Moon for many years now, but she absolutely blew me away with Tino’s story. I’d highly recommend starting this series in order so you can truly appreciate all the character’s backstories. Keep in mind Enforcer is part 1 of a 2 part story. On that note, it ends in a very satisfying place that I wouldn’t quite consider to be a cliffhanger. If you read any book from my list, this one should be at the very top. I simply can’t recommend it enough.

UNTAMED HEARTS SERIES

THE VIPER | THE SLAYER | THE ENFORCER

That’s it for books that I’ve read an loved, but I have recommendations galore from fellow readers and I’ll include those below. I have all of these books on my kindle already, since you guys know I won’t recommend anything that I wouldn’t personally be interested in reading myself. So here we go…

MADE by JM Darhower

This is easily the most recommended book I have on my list. Everyone and I mean everyone that read it absolutely loved it!

Corrado Moretti.

The world knows the notorious Kevlar Killer, but few have ever seen what lies beneath his armor. The abused child. The neglected teenager. The broken man. He always did whatever he had to do in order to survive.

It’s kill or be killed.

Throughout his life, he has been there in the shadows, a witness to everything from beginning to end. Bound by loyalty and honor, there’s only one thing he would sacrifice it all for: family.

Never get close. Never get attached. It’s a lesson that has been brutally pounded into him since childhood, but they’re words the DeMarcos make it difficult for him to follow. Through them he finds love and grieves loss, realizing the world isn’t quite as black and white as it’s made out to be.

A LOVE OF VENGEANCE (Wanted Men #1) by Nancy Haviland

A LOVE OF VENGEANCE | THE SALVATION OF VENGEANCE | AN OBSESSION WITH VENGEANCE

Once the most feared member of an Italian Mafia crime family, Gabriel Moretti returns to New York at the request of his mentor, Russian crime boss Vasily Tarasov. Vasily needs someone he can trust in Seattle to protect his estranged daughter, Eva Jacobs, while he avenges the murder of the young woman’s mother. Gabriel is unstoppable in a fight, whether he’s using fists, blades, or bullets; but innocent, onyx-haired Eva may just be the most dangerous—and beautiful—thing he’s come up against.

Intense sparks fly between the two, tempting Gabriel to mix business with pleasure while in the Emerald City. But once word gets around that Gabriel has shown up in New York, Stefano—his vengeful brother and the de facto head of the family—decides that Eva is the key to ending the feud between them…permanently.

In this pulse-pounding romantic thriller set against the backdrop of New York City’s storied underworld, loyalties will be tested, secrets will be told, and mob justice will be served.

WANTED MEN series

LUCIAN (Filthy Marcellos #1) by Bethany-Kris

Lucian Marcello is aware of the expectations following him as the oldest son of one of North America’s most infamous Cosa Nostra Dons. Family in his world is more than blood and sharing a last name. It’s the honor, respect, business, and the life. Being a Capo is just a stepping stone until it’s time for him to take on the role of underboss but a chance meeting with her could be the one thing he’d risk it all for.

She is exactly what he didn’t know he was looking for.

Jordyn Reese spends her time trying to stay under the radar of a man who wouldn’t think twice about killing her. Unwillingly affiliated with a dangerous MC gang, her life is dominated by the men surrounding her and her future rests solely in how useful she can be for them. The last thing she needs is some Mafioso gaining her more unwanted attention from the club.

He is everything she should stay away from but can’t.

Notoriously violent when it comes to getting what he wants, Lucian will stop at nothing to make the target on Jordyn’s back disappear. But sometimes the worst threats are the ones you can’t see until it’s too late. The truth behind Lucian’s history is about to take center stage in more ways than one, and it’ll either save him … or kill him.

This world leaves everyone a little filthy.

Filthy Marcellos, Book One

FILTHY MARCELLOS series

LUCIAN | GIOVANNI | DANTE

CROW (Boston Underworld #1) by A. Zaverelli

He’s a killer. A mobster.

The last man on earth I’d ever want to be with. I won’t lose my head just because he’s hot, Irish, and has a wicked accent to boot.

He’s one of the only leads in my best friend’s disappearance, and I don’t trust him.

So I’ve got a few rules in mind when it comes to dealing with Lachlan Crow.

1. Keep a clear head and don’t get distracted.
2. Do what’s necessary and never forget why you’re there.
3. Never, and I mean never, fall for him.

Fourth and final rule?

Throw out the book altogether. Because the rules don’t apply when it comes to the Irish mafia.

It was only supposed to be temporary, but now Lachlan thinks he owns me. He says he’s not letting me go.

And I believe him.

***
Lachlan.

I don’t know who she is. I don’t know why she’s here.

But if it’s my attention she wants, she has it.

The Russians want her dead, and now it’s up to me to look out for her. This girl is trouble. A distraction I can’t afford.

So why have I already decided she’s mine?

I’ve claimed her and there’s no going back now.

This is a full-length standalone novel full of hot Irish bad boys with accents. Steamy and dark mafia themes throughout. HEA included.

BOSTON UNDERGROUND series

CROW | REAPER

HIGH STAKES (Vittorio Crime Family #1) by Vanessa Waltz

There are a million reasons why I should stay away from Vincent Cesare.

This was supposed to be temporary. I was supposed to deal for his illegal card games and get some quick cash. That was it. I wasn’t supposed to fall for him.

Little by little, I see the monster grinning at me through the cracks in his pretty suit. He won’t tell me what he does, and I’m not sure I want to know. The darkness in his eyes terrifies me. He’s seduced me into his web of lies with his charm, and now I’m trapped in his life. He’s taken control over me without me even realizing…or resisting.

I’m in way over my head.

He promised that nothing would ever happen to me. The Vittorio family wants me dead and there’s only one person I can turn to. But what scares me is what I’ll have to do.

I’ll need to become his.

VITTORIO CRIME FAMILY series

HIGH STAKES | DOUBLE BLIND | END GAME | HIS WITNESS

FOOTSTEPS (The Pagano Family #1) by Susan Fanetti

Carlo Pagano Jr. is the eldest son of a large Italian-American family in Quiet Cove, Rhode Island. He’s a disappointment to his father but a hero to the young son he is raising alone, after his wife abandoned them.

Sabina Alonzo-Auberon is a beautiful Argentine native married to one of the most powerful and wealthy men in New England. Though James Auberon is highly esteemed, the power and glamour the world sees hide a darker reality that exists within the walls of their home. Sabina is trapped in a life of control and abasement, living with a man too powerful and vengeful to escape.

Sabina doesn’t wish to be rescued and whisked away on a white horse. She’s not looking for a fairy tale hero; she knows the fairy tale is a lie. She’s waiting for the chance to save herself. But she won’t turn down help if it comes.

A fateful meeting with Carlo brings Sabina the chance to break free and make a life on her own terms. If any name demands respect and strikes fear more than Auberon, it’s Pagano. Carlo’s uncles head one of the most powerful ‘families’ in the Northeast, and they will offer their help—for a price.

What begins as an offer of assistance deepens into an intense bond, but before Carlo and Sabina can be together, they must overcome the obstacles in their path.

Together Carlo and Sabina seek true and honest love, and freedom from the demons of their pasts, but no quest was ever without its trials.

THE PAGANO FAMILY SERIES

FOOTSTEPS | TOUCH | ROOTED | DEEP | PRAYER

MAFIA CAPTIVE by Kitty Thomas

Faith Jacobson was in the wrong place at the wrong time. After witnessing a mob hit, she’s only moments from death when Angelo Raspallo decides to give his brother an unlikely gift. Leo has avoided involvement with the family business, but it doesn’t make him a saint. He’s troubled and ashamed by his darker sexual desires, one of which is to own a slave. But when his brother throws Faith at his feet, repainting the scenario to make Leo the hero rescuing her from certain death, his moral fortitude will be tested. If Faith were kinky, it would be easy to live out his fantasy, but she’s not. Not even a little bit. Even the mildest spanking sparks terror in her that Leo can’t bear. The gift soon becomes a burden as he fights with himself over how to handle the addition to his home. He could release her, but his brother doesn’t do loose ends. The only thing keeping her out of the bottom of the harbor is Leo’s mercy. She’s like a beautiful piece of art he keeps in a glass case but can never touch. Is possessing her enough?

ROUGH (Chicago Underground #1) by Skye Warren

GOODREADS | AMAZON (Currently FREE on Amazon)

I’m a cautionary tale. A statistic. A victim. A single teenage mother from the poor part of town. Most of the time I’m too busy working and struggling to care what people think. Survival doesn’t come easy.

I have a dark secret, a pressure valve, a rare moment just for myself. On these nights I visit a club. There I find men who give me what I need. Men who aren’t afraid to take what they want.

Men like Colin.

But he takes more than a few stolen hours. He demands more than my body. He wants my heart and soul–my happily ever after. I never thought I’d be Cinderella. I never thought a man that rough could be my prince.

THE CHICAGO UNDERGROUND SERIES

BOUND BY HONOR (Born In Blood Mafia Chronicles #1) by Cora Reilly

GOODREADS | AMAZON (Currently FREE on Amazon)

Born into one of the leading Mob families in Chicago, Aria Scuderi struggles to find her own path in a world where no choices are given. Aria was only fifteen when her parents betrothed her to Luca – The Vice – Vitiello, the oldest son of the head of the New York Cosa Nostra to ensure peace between the two families.
Now with eighteen, the day Aria has been dreading for years is looming dangerously: her wedding to Luca.
Aria is terrified of marrying a man she hardly knows, especially someone like Luca who got his nickname ‘the Vice’ for crushing a man’s throat with his bare hands. Luca might be one of the most sought after men in New York thanks to his good looks, wealth and predator-like charisma that radiates power, but the society girls throwing themselves at him don’t know what Aria does: that the bad boy aura isn’t just a game; blood and death lurk beneath Luca’s striking gray eyes and arrogant smile.
In her world a handsome exterior often hides the monster within; a monster who can just as easily kill as kiss you.
The only way to escape the marriage to Luca would be to run away and leave everything she’s ever known behind but Aria can’t bear the thought of never seeing her family again.
Despite her fear, she decides to go through with the marriage; Aria has grown up among predators like Luca and knows that even most cold-hearted bastards have a heart and she has every intention of working her way into Luca’s.

Born In Blood Mafia Chronicles series

BOUND BY HONOR | BOUND BY DUTY | BOUND BY HATRED | BOUND BY TEMPTATION

HOLD YOU AGAINST ME (Stripped #4) by Skye Warren

Once upon a time the daughter of a mafia king fell in love with a foot soldier.

This fairy tale didn’t have a happy ending.

My sister and I barely managed to escape alive, and we’ve lived in relative hiding ever since. I’m safe now, but I can never forget the boy who gave his life to save mine.

Except there’s a chance that he’s still alive. And he’s fighting a war.

Even knowing the risks, I have to find him. I have to find some way to protect him, the way he protected me. But he isn’t the boy I left behind. He’s a violent man. A criminal. And he’s been waiting for me—the final pawn in a dark game of survival and love.

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★DGR’s Ultimate List of Second-Chance Romance★

February 27, 2016 by Lana · 4 Comments

Let’s talk second chance love and all the reasons why this particular read loves it…

Angst? Check! a grovel oftentimes being one of the best I’ll read? Double check!

There’s plenty of reasons I love this particular trope, but not all second chance romances are cut from the same cloth. Some are swoony, some are rip your hair out angsty. Luckily, I’ve been able to compile (what I think) is a balanced combination of both! As always, the books on this list are those that I have personally read and loved. If there are any favorites that you see missing, please drop me a rec in comments! I love to hear from you guys and you know I love me my book recs <3

If you’re new to my blog, this a monthly feature I do on the last Saturday of each month! Check out the previous features here:

But now, without further ado, let’s get to my list. These are in no particular order…

WILD CARD by Lora Leigh

AMAZON | GOODREADS

It was supposed to be simple. All Navy SEAL Nathan Malone had to do was rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, then allow himself to be captured just long enough to draw out a government spy. That was before his mission went disastrously wrong…and before his wife, Bella, was told that Nathan was never coming home.

Bella’s mourned her husband’s death for three long years. But she has no idea he’s still alive. Forced to assume a new identity, the man Nathan was is now dead. If he can get back to his wife, can he keep the secret of who he really is…even as desire threatens to consume them? And as danger threatens to tear Bella from Nathan’s arms once more?

What kind of list would it be without my very first erotic romance book? It also just so happens that it had the delicious second chance love romance in the shape of husband coming back form the land of the dead to woo his wife back while pretending to be another man. Is your head spinning yet? Don’t worry, it’s not as complex as I make it sound. But if you like uber alphas and super hot sex with dirty talk galore all wrapped around a second chance romance I’m not sure why you haven’t read this book yet!

LOVELY TRIGGER by R.K. Lilley

GOODREADS | AMAZON

“Love doesn’t let you walk away clean. Love is messy. Love takes a fucking piece of you before it’s done.”

Sweet mother of angst! I have no freaking idea how I survived this trilogy with even half my sanity intact…. or did I? *babbles incoherently*

But seriously though, it’s not often that a trilogy manages to suck me in as much as this one had. My book ADD typically kicks in right around book two with a major case of feeling-like-book-filleritis. But something about this one just worked for me. The angst, the hate, the lies, all of it built up into this amazing conclusion of one hell of a second chance romance! If you haven’t met Tristan and Danika yet, you’re in for one hell of a ride!

A HUSBAND’S REGRET by Natasha Anders

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Revenge, they said was a dish best served cold. He’d been waiting for two years. And how much sweeter the payback would be no that he had her very firmly within his grasp.

OK, so this is not your typical second chance romance because the hero isn’t exactly groveling back right away. Let’s just say there are some assumptions and he wants revenge on his wife that he kicked out two years ago. But when he finally understands the enormity of his mistake? Second chance grovel goodness!

BELONG TO ME by Shayla Black

GOODREADS | AMAZON

She’d never required someone for her next breath the way she did Logan in that moment. God, she’d been hoping to bring them both closure, but now he felt like a part of her… so necessary to her existence.

Uber and super possessive alphas, BDSM, and a hot lot of smexy? This series has it. Belong To Me was probably my favorite in the series and two words why: Second. Chance.

The main couple were high school sweethearts that were torn apart by a dangerous secret, to be reunited as adults. Yumminess ensues.

UNLAWFUL CONTACT by Pamela Clare

“No, Hunt, it’s simple. If right now is all we have, if this is all we get, then I’ll grab it with both hands and take all I can.”

Firstly, if you haven’t met Marc “Hunt” Hunter, you haven’t lived. No really. Trust me on that.

Sophie and Hunt were childhood sweethearts. She was the good girl, he was the elusive bad boy. Now he’s the elusive escaped convicted murderer that’s taken her hostage. Sound delicious? Because it totally is!

NO CHANCE by Christy Reece

“Sometimes she wondered if those who felt too deeply were the ones who, when hurt, shut down their emotions even tighter than others.”

If you’re a fan of steamy romantic suspense, you need to read Christy’s Last Chance Rescue series. No Chance is book 4 in the series, but it’s easily read as a standalone. I highly recommend reading the entire series because I loved it!

Here’s the book blurb to entice you further:

DO OR DIE

Skylar James told a lie to the man she married, and eight years later she still bitterly regrets the deception. Unknown to Skylar, her husband, Gabe Maddox, now lives in the dangerous shadows of elite operatives who rescue victims. When Skylar tries to save a naïve young beauty, kidnappers come after her. For Gabe, Skylar had been his last shot at trust and love. But news of her disappearance battens down his anger and launches him into action. Saving Skylar is Gabe’s only chance for peace and his last chance for happiness.

THE DARKEST HOUR by Maya Banks

GOODREADS | AMAZON

“She laid her head against his collarbone, and he kissed her temple. To her shock, she felt a shudder roll through his body about the same time she registered wetness against her skin. Tears. His tears.
She started to turn around, but he tightened his grip.
“Stay,” he said in a choked voice. “Just let me hold you, baby. Just let me hold you.”

A wife he believed is dead for a year is very much alive and ex-Navy SEAL Ethan Kelly will stop at nothing to get her back. But when he does, the battle for her heart and memories might be even harder than the battle to rescue her! What a swoony read this was. Don’t expect Maya’s typical erotic romance with this, because this was more mild on that scale. But boy the feels of it all!

NOW AND THEN by Mira Lyn Kelly

GOODREADS | AMAZON

There was something primal about the way he felt with her. It was unreasonable. Irrational. And he didn’t fucking care, because that feeling was so good, the only thing that mattered was making sure he got more.

Does the title not give it away? Because it totally should! If you haven’t read the fun and steamy Dare to Love series by Mira Lyn Kelly, then get yourself some. The book before this one was a great friends-to-lovers! And each book is easily read as a standalone.

There’s one author that’s given me plenty of favorite second chance romances and that’s Kristen Ashley. I should really just dedicate a list just for her…

GOLDEN TRAIL by Kristen Ashley

Tanner Layne and Raquel Merrick fell in love young, hard and fast and both of them knew a beautiful life they thought would be forever.

Until Rocky left Layne, no explanation, no going back.

Layne escapes The ‘Burg only to come back years later because his ex-wife has hooked herself to the town jerk and Layne needs to make sure his sons get raised right. Layne manages to avoid Rocky but when Layne gets three bullets drilled into him while investigating a dirty cop, he can’t do that because Rocky stops avoiding Layne. They make a deal to work together to expose the dirty cop but they have no idea the strength of their enduring attraction or the sheer evil at work in The ‘Burg.

As Tanner Layne and Raquel Merrick play their game and dance around the pull that draws them together, Layne has to discover the dark secrets buried so deep in Rocky’s heart she doesn’t even know they’re there at the same time untangle a sinister web of crime so abhorrent it has to be stopped… at all costs.

And to do it, Layne has to enlist everyone, including his ex-CIA mentor, Rocky’s detective brother, the town’s unpredictable informant and Layne’s two teenage sons all the while stopping Rocky from doing something crazy and keeping their game secret so Layne won’t get himself dead.

PLAY IT SAFE by Kristen Ashley

No connections. Play it safe. These were the rules Ivey lived her life by.

Until she hit Mustang, Colorado, a perfectly imperfect town where the citizens were welcoming and one of them included the tall, beautiful, macho man rancher cowboy, Grayson Cody.

On the run for a decade, Ivey knew she was supposed to play it safe. But she was tired of being on the run. She wanted a normal. She wanted real. She wanted a home.

And she wanted Grayson Cody.

And Grayson Cody wanted Ivey.

No one who looked at them couldn’t see they belonged together. There was one man in this world for Ivey and one woman in this world for Grayson Cody.

So they fell in love.

But just as quickly as they fell together, they were betrayed and torn apart. Separated for years, Ivey was certain her life would not include her rancher cowboy. Until the town of Mustang reached out to her when Gray was in trouble. Even though she thought he broke her heart, she charged in to help. Then Gray and Ivey discovered they were betrayed and, not only that, Gray had an enemy who would stop at nothing to defeat him.

CREED by Kristen Ashley

Way too young, eleven year old Tucker Creed and his six year old neighbor, Sylvie Bissenette, find they have something awful in common. Creed then decides he’s going to do everything in his limited power to shield his Sylvie from her ordeal. So he does and Creed and Sylvie form a bond that grows and blossoms with their ages.

They plot to leave their lives behind, the town they live in that will hold them down and the histories they share that, unless they break free, will bury them. Sylvie goes to their special place, Creed never shows and she doesn’t see him again until it’s too late.

With Creed gone, Sylvie is forced to endure a nightmare and do the unspeakable to end it. To deal, she develops a hard shell with sharp edges that very few can break through. So when Creed again finds his Sylvie, he discovers the girl he loved is locked away and he has to find his way back into her heart without getting shredded in the process.

ROCK CHICK RECKONING by Kristen Ashley

Stella’s the lead singer and lead guitarist of The Blue Moon Gypsies and Stella used to be Mace’s girl. Mace broke up with her, though, and the loss of him rocked her world. But Stella gets a call, late at night (again) from one of the members of her crazy band. She has to go play clean up (again) and runs into Mace and a shed load of police, and ends up getting shot.

Mace finds he doesn’t like it much that his ex-girlfriend got shot right in front of him but it’s worse. A very bad man has thrown down the gauntlet and all the Rock Chicks are in the firing line. Stella doesn’t want Mace to be the one to keep her alive, but she has no choice. Mainly because Mace isn’t giving her one.

WALK THROUGH FIRE by Kristen Ashley (and holy ugly cry, batman!)

The flame never dies . . .

Millie Cross knows what it’s like to burn for someone. She was young and wild and he was fierce and even wilder-a Chaos biker who made her heart pound. They fell in love at first sight and life was good, until she learned she couldn’t be the woman he needed and made it so he had no choice but to walk away. Twenty years later, Millie’s chance run-in with her old flame sparks a desire she just can’t ignore. And this time, she won’t let him ride off . . .

Bad boy Logan “High” Judd has seen his share of troubles with the law. Yet it was a beautiful woman who broke him. After ending a loveless marriage, High is shocked when his true love walks back into his life. Millie is still gorgeous, but she’s just a ghost of her former self. High’s intrigued at the change, but her betrayal cut him deep-and he doesn’t want to get burned again. As High sinks into meting out vengeance for Millie’s betrayal, he’ll break all over again when he realizes just how Millie walked through fire for her man…

And now back to regularly scheduled programming with the rest of my list!

REKINDLE THE FLAME by Kate Meader

Nine years on, and nothing had changed. Beck Rivera was still the boy who heated her from the inside out….

Don’t let the slightly cheesy cover fool you, this book is super steamy and super fun! If you follow my reviews, you already know my love for this author. If you’re looking for a taste before you jump into her entire backlist, this novella is the way to go 😉

Did I mention the hero is a smokin’ hot fire fighter? No pun intended. Ha! Who am I kidding? It totally was

FIGHTING TO BREATHE by Aurora Rose Reynolds

I wanted her fifteen years ago, and I still fucking want her now. There isn’t a single part of me that doesn’t know she’s my future…

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a total guilty pleasure read for me. Her uber OTT alphas and swoony and sexy romances seem to hit the spot for me every time. They’re nothing crazy and the stories aren’t exactly something I haven’t read before…and yet? They seem to do it for me every time.

UNTIL LILLY by Aurora Rose Reynolds

“I’m going to make you fall in love with me again.”

This has to be one of my favorite books by this author to date. While it’s book 3 in her Until series, it’s also easily read as a standalone. Nothing like those Mayson brothers and their Boom. If you want a good dose of sexy alpha, this is a go-to.

ONE MORE SHOT by Victoria Denault

Hockey was the only thing in my life that made me feel right. It used to be hockey and Jessie, but then I lost Jessie. It had been hockey and only hockey ever since.

Hot hockey player? Check! Friends to lovers turned second chance romance? Check! Angst? Check and double freaking check!

FISHER’S LIGHT by Tara Sivec

I’m going to fix this. I have to fix this… I hate every moment that I’m away from her, but I will do whatever it takes to find the man she once loved and bring him back to her.

Oh the swoons! Oh the feels! Oh mylanta! Gawd but this book packed a hell of punch…straight to the mother effin feels! I adored every single wonderful page of it. The hero is suffering from crippling PTSD and the crumbling of his marriage to his beloved wife. Now he wants to fight like hell to get his woman back and he’ll stop at nothing for that second chance.

How about some rockstar second chance romances now? You can never go wrong with rockstars!

FOREVER MY GIRL by Heidi McLaughlin

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her. Her smell, her smile.

And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.

ROCK HARD by Olivia Cunning

An ultimatum can break your heart…

Every night lead singer, Sed Lionheart whips thousands of women into a frenzy with his voice alone. But the stage is the only place Sed feels any passion since he lost Jessica…

If you’re not willing to break all the rules…

It shattered her heart, but law student Jessica broke off her engagement to Sed, determined to be successful on her own terms. But no other man can ever hold a candle to Sed…

Then a chance meeting and tortuously close quarters lead to uncontrollable flares of passion and rediscovery of their unique penchant for public encounters. Now, in addition to the risk of mutual heartbreak every time they get together, they’re in danger of truly scandalous public exposure…

TORN FROM YOU by Nashoda Rose

Love is like an avalanche. It hits hard, fast and without mercy.

At least it did for me when Sculpt, the lead singer of the rock band Tear Asunder knocked me off my feet. Literally, because he’s also a fighter, illegally of course, and he taught me how to fight. He also taught me how to love and I fell hard for him. I mean the guy could do sweet, when he wasn’t doing bossy, and I like sweet.

Then it all shattered.

Kidnapped.
Starved.
Beaten.
I was alone and fighting to survive.
When I heard Sculpt’s voice, I thought he was there to save me.

I was wrong.

And now back to regularly standard programming with the rest of my list…

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE by Monica Murphy

*Sequel to the USA Today Bestseller ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND*

New Adult Contemporary

Lost. That one single word best describes my life at this very moment. I lost the last games of the season and both my team and my coach blame me. I lost the last two months because I drowned in my own despair like a complete loser. And I lost the only girl who ever mattered because I was afraid being with me would destroy her.

But now I realize how truly lost I am without her. She has become my story…and even though she acts like she’s moved on, I know she still thinks about me just as much as I think about her. She’s beautiful, sweet–and so damn vulnerable, all I want to do is help her. Be there for her.

Love her…

If only I could convince Fable to give me a second chance. Then I wouldn’t feel so lost anymore, and neither would she. We could be found together.

Forever.

AXEL by Harper Sloan

Fate hasn’t always been friends with Isabelle West. In fact, fate has been a downright bitch.

Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn’t by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.

For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle…her ex-husband.

When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door.

Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now. He’s carried his anger for so long he isn’t sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated.

How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards are put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces?

THE EDUCATION OF CAROLINE by Jane Harvey Berrick

“Caro… I don’t understand – why do you love me?”
“Just because… because the sky is blue and the sea is green.”

One of the most memorable and emotional second chance romances I’ve read, and it’s not available in one single edition for only $3.99. This is a duet that begins with The Education of Sebastian. The heroine is older, and trapped in a loveless marriage. The hero is just 17 at the time. Their love story truly takes off in the second book which takes place ten years later. This was the book that first made me fall in love with this incredibly talented author.

NO REVERSE and FAST FORWARD by Marion Croslydon

Cassie used to make me feel. She also used to keep me from thinking straight. Some things didn’t change.

This is a duet about love, second chances and forgiveness. It’s more emotional than steamy with a healthy amount of angst thrown in.

This was my chance- our chance- to make things right. I’d made a promise to Cass and damn it all to hell, I’d never break it.

Book 3 in the series, You Turn, is another great second chance romance with a different character that was first introduced in the duet. I highly recommend that one as well.

ALL I WANT by J. Daniels

“It’s possible to hate someone, to look at them and wish you weren’t aware of their every move, and to want them more than you’ve ever wanted anything in your life.”

Luke *pervy sigh*

If you follow my reviews you already know I’m obsessed with all things J. Daniels and her Alabama Summer series just so happens to be one of my favorites. While Luke and Reed from When I Fall are my top 2 favorite heroes she’s written, there’s just something about Luke that makes him my number one. Maybe it’s the addition of hate/lust in this book in addition to the second chance romance? Whatever the reason is, this book and this series are an absolute must read!

CROSSING THE LINE by Kele Moon

Every story had an innocent beginning, even theirs, and Tabitha found herself wishing she had a chance to go back and relive it one more time, because she didn’t want to let go any more than Wyatt did.

Speaking of authors I’m obsessed with, Kele Moon is at the tippy top of that particular list. I stalk the loving hell out of the poor woman and she still puts up with me. She’s a saint on top of an incredibly talented author, clearly. But I digress…

Crossing The Line is book 3 in her Battered Hearts series, and while you technically could enjoy it as a standalone, I highly recommend reading this amazing series in order…and quickly following that up with her Untamed Hearts series (anti-heroes FTW). CTL was an incredibly emotional and erotic second chance story and to this day continues to be one of my all time favorites.

LOVE AND LET DIE by Lexi Blake

He was going to kill her. He was going to wrap his hands around her pretty throat and squeeze. Except the minute he had the vision of killing his back-from-the-dead wife, she was suddenly naked and he wasn’t thinking about throttling her anymore. Maybe he could fuck her to death. That would be a better way to go.

Since we’re on the subject of series/authors I’m obsessed with, we need to talk about Lexi Blake and her Masters & Mercenaries series because OMG! I lurve this series so freaking hard, it’s not even funny. Now this is definitely a series I highly recommend reading in order because while each book is a different couple, at times there’s a plot arc that continues through several books. Love and Let Die centers on my favorite Dom and his reunion with the wife he thought was long dead and still mourning. Oh yeah. It IS as good as it sounds!

BLIND FAITH by Rebecca Zanetti

He was an experiment created in a test tube, maybe without a soul, perhaps without any hope. But for a brief time, with this woman, he’d felt whole. Real. Good. Even if they just had the night, he wanted that feeling again.

Blind Faith is book three in Rebecca’s Sin Brothers series and easily my favorite since…second chance and everything. Nate reunites with the one woman he gave his heart too that also happens to be the daughter of his mortal enemy.

Based on a band of brothers who carry unnatural powers genetically engineered into them by a black ops military unit, the series has a little PNR twist to it, but mainly it’s pulse pounding romantic suspense. I recommend reading these books in order for maximum effect 😉

THIN LOVE by Eden Butler

“You were mine and I never loved anything more. I never wanted anything or anyone like I wanted you. Like I still want you. My always, Keira. You’re still my always.”

Sweet mother of angst! The angst! All of the angst! It hurt so good. If you want a book that will rip the heart out of your chest through your throat and then slowly put it back together, this is the book you NEED to read. Man on man but I loved it. It’s told it two parts; the first being when the H/h meet and fall in love when they’re younger and the story of what leads to the falling apart of their relationship, and the second part is their reunion. Both parts are equally amazing and if you read one book from my list, this should be at the very top!

HARDER by Robin York

“Because I love you. I don’t want to, okay? I think there are some things that are so hard, you shouldn’t have to do them, only no one can take them from you. There are feelings so sick, so obviously unhealthy, you shouldn’t have to feel them. But there they are. I still love you, and I’m not ever going to see you again, not ever. You did that to us. Not your dad or your family. just you. So I could hit you. I could rage at you right now, and call you every ugly name I know, and I know a lot. I could tell you how much I’m hurting, or I could get out of the car, slam the door, hitchhike to the airport because fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, West, how could you do this to me? How?

Speaking of angst….this book got it. In spades! Holy shit but it has it! And it’s utterly delicious. This is book two in a duet and must be read after DEEPER.

POWER PLAY by Mallery Malone

This was much more than she remembered. He was much more than she remembered.

Firstly, if you’re looking for a deliciously smutty and yet well developed series of novellas, you need to check out the entire The Billionaire’s Club.

Power Play is a a super sexy second chance romance about rich MMA playboy and the woman from his past that he never forgot.

THIS HEART OF MINE by Brenda Novak

She’d wanted him so badly seventeen years ago. And now that he wanted her, regardless of what anyone said, she wouldn’t come near him.

I can’t describe to you just how much I loved this crazy emotional romance of redemption and second chances. The heroine has spent years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit and now she’s back in town where everyone hates her and her high school sweetheart and father of her son is at the top of that list.

This book had everything; the feels and the swoons. And one of the most unforgettable stories of redemption I’ve ever read.

FORGETTING AUGUST by J.L. Berg

“Loving me destroyed you…”
“Loving you brought me back to life.”

A woman trying to move on from a man that shattered her. A man that wakes up from a coma not remembering who he was or how he ended up there. What do they have in common? A turbulent and unforgettable love. This is not the typical second chance romance but man I loved this. August, the hero, has amnesia. And the heroine is engaged to a different man now. But there’s a magnetic force that still draws them together while August struggles to regain his memory.

MY ONE AND ONLY by Kristan Higgins

“COME ON FLOREANCE !” I yelled out of the window. “CAN YOU MOVE IT?”
The driver of the car extended and arm….and a finger.
It was a male arm and a finger.

And then the car door opened,with my ex husband stepping out.

If you want sweet and funny, and I’m talking laugh out loud kind of funny, this book is a must read. Simply a must read for any contemporary romance fans.

TAKING FIRE by Cindy Gerard

And there they stood, locked in an embrace of emotions that bound them together with a common history, a common fear, and a common goal.

Romantic suspense with a sexy hero and an amazing kick-ass heroine? Oh yeah! This book definitely had it! It was also a wonderful second chance romance as well. The hero first meets the heroine on a mission overseas and they share one steamy night between the sheets…only for him to wake up the next day and realize her betrayal. Now six years later, love throws them together again with one hell of an explosion…both literally and physically!

If you haven’t read any books by this author, you’re seriously missing out. Taking Fire is book four in her One Eyed Jacks series, but also easily read as a standalone.

PAPER HEARTS HEARTS by Claire Contreras

“Some say I loved her to the point of madness, bordering on obsession. She said I put her on a pedestal that her real self couldn’t attain. Perhaps they’re all right. Perhaps I am mad. And if that’s the case, to be frank, I don’t give a damn. What I know is that she sets me on fire, and if you were to perform an intradermal test on me, you’d know when she was in it because you’d see the trails of blaze she left behind. Because that’s what I feel at the mere thought of her, and I’d rather live my life in flames than be numb without her.” He paused, and I let out a breath, but then he said one last thing. “Come back to me, my little Road Runner, my world is cold and boring without you.”

Easily one of my favorite second chance romances I’ve read to date. Period.

That’s about it for my list. But I’d like to do something different this time around, and also include some recs from fellow readers in my DGR’s Den of Iniquity group for this trope! Thank you Maria, Emma, Seyna, Carolin, and Jennifer <3

4 Comments · Filed Under: Features · Tagged With: DGR Fave, DGRUltimate

★DGR’s Ultimate List of Hate-To-Love Romance★

January 30, 2016 by Lana · 7 Comments

Let’s talk about hate-to-love for a hot minute here, shall we? It just so happens that this is easily my favorite trope to read…EVAH. No joke. Something about the banter, that repressed sexual tension, the sparks that fly between the H & h when they argue yet you know they’re probably 2 seconds from jumping each other. *shivers* Delicious. So obviously what this means is that I’ve read a lot in this genre…like a lot. So much so, that when I started to put together my list, my brain began to hurt. There are so many books that I wanted to put on this list, but they’ve also been in my previous ones and so I decided not to mix genres. A lot of the hate-love I read in my dark romances, but since that’s not everyone’s cuppa and I already made my ultimate list of Anti-Heroes, I decided not to be redundant and skip this particular genre. If you’re curious about the Anti Hero list, you can read it HERE.

If you’re new to my blog, my Ultimate List is a monthly feature that I do on the last Saturday each month with my favorites in various categories, tropes, and whatever else. If you’ve missed any of my previous ones, you can read them all here:

But let’s get back to hate-to-love. You’ll notice my list is random and features books that were recently published and some from quite a while ago. I’ve read all the books on the list and they’re my go-to recs for this trope. I loved them! Of course there’s probably plenty that I haven’t read yet, so I’d love to hear about any of your favorites that I may have missed in the comments below. Now without further ado, let’s get to the list!

[Read more…]

7 Comments · Filed Under: Features · Tagged With: DGR Fave, DGRUltimate, enemies-to-lovers, Feature, hate/love

DGR’s Ultimate List of Anti-Heroes

December 19, 2015 by Lana · 12 Comments

If you know me or read my reviews then you already know I tend to have a type of book I gravitate to: the gritty and fucked up sort. It’s no secret that I love an alphahole, but what I love even more is the anti-hero. The baddie that you just can’t help but love, and you do end up loving them. Hard. He may hero that may be inherently good but does bad things. Or he may be downright bad, but there will be a woman out there that is just perfect for him. Or he may be something of a cross between those two. Whatever or whoever he is, it’s pretty much guaranteed that I will be shaking in pervy glee to be reading about them. Does that make me slightly screwed up? Nah. Just makes for one kick-ass read. Though the years I’ve read my fair share of anti-heroes, but the ones I’m about to list below are my ultimate favorites. They’re the ones I recommend blindly whenever someone asks me for a rec. You’ll notice I’m going to be spotlighting my very favorites, and below I will also give you a few other worth mentioning. That’s not to say I didn’t love those books either, I loved each book on this list. But the ones spotlighted are hands down, bar none, some of my very favorites.

So let’s get right into it, shall we?

THE DARK DUET by CJ Roberts

What kind of list would this be without the book that first began my obsession? Caleb was the anti-hero that first popped my cherry, and damn what an anti-hero to start with. This man is utterly FUBAR. If you’ve read this series, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven’t? Umm…I’m fairly certain you must have been living under a rock somewhere. No joke. Climb on out of there and come join us on the dark side. We have cookies. Or is it cockies? I get confused…

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

CAPTIVE IN THE DARK | SEDUCED IN THE DARK | EPILOGUE

In the Company of Killers by J.A. Redmerski

In the theme of going by reading order, let’s talk about Victor Faust. When I first read Killing Sarai, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. All I knew is that I read and loved The Edge of Never and then went, “Oh look! A new book by J.A.!” Boy did I step into it… LOL! Here I went from angsty NA to gritty romantic suspense. As far as dark books, this one barely bleeps on the scale. It’s more thriller and suspense, but Victor is all baddie. A contract killer and a girl that’s desperate to escape nine years of captivity. This book was AMAZING! I haven’t read past the second in this series, but I hear they’re just as good as the first! Reviving Izabel is the continuation of book 1, but the rest are different characters.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

KILLING SARAI | REVIVING IZABEL |
THE SWAN & THE JACKAL | SEEDS OF INIQUITY | THE BLACK WOLF

BLOOD & ROSES series by Callie Hart

Zeth fucking Mayfair. Does he even need an introduction? If you haven’t read this series yet, prepare yourself for a binge. They’re impossible not to read back to back. The story of Zeth and Sloane is gritty and so erotic, you may need to keep some ice on standby for your ovaries.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

And you need to check out Callie’s spin off series, DEAD MAN’S INK. Rebel is another favorite of mine, though slightly different from Zeth he’s still just as much of a badass. The series focuses on the Widow Maker’s MC of which Rebel is the President and the heroine is Sloane’s sister, Sophia.

Rebel | Rogue

Consequences series by Aleatha Romig

Mr. Anthony Rawlings. The man who pretty much guaranteed that you will never look at a cocktail napkin the same again. The man who fucked with your head almost as much as he did with Claire’s. If you’re looking for a mindfuck and a half, this is a series that you need to read…and probably be rolled straight to your local loony bin. Not even kidding.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

CONSSEQUENCES | TRUTH | CONVICTED

UNFINISHED HEROES series by Kristen Ashley

It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite in this series, so I won’t. I’ll just tell you about the one that started it all. Knight “Daddy” Sebring. Le sigh. Now I have a love hate relationship with this book. I loved the story to pieces, but the daddy thing downright creeped me out. Yeah. I’m one of those perverts with some limits apparently and the daddy thing is that one limit. BUT if you can overlook that, the story is absolutely amazing and so is the entire series. I was lucky enough to read an advanced reader’s copy of Sebring and I can tell you it’s just as good if not the best in the series. These are milder on the dark and gritty scale. The heroes in these books are inherently good men that just happen to do some bad things but for good reason. If you haven’t read these yet, they’re currently on sale for only $1.99 in anticipation of the release of Sebring on January 11.

CAN BE READ AS STANDALONES

KNIGHT | CREED | RAID | DEACON | SEBRING

DESTROYED by Pepper Winters

This was my first Pepper Winters book and it absolutely blew me away. I ugly cried myself through the ending and couldn’t stop thinking about it for days after. Having read all of Pepper’s books since then, I can definitely tell you that on Pepper’s particular scale of dark, this is gray. But in its own right? It’s not easy read. It was gritty and emotional but yet wonderful all at once. An underground fighter and the woman who wants to heal him and yet they heal each other. *dreamy sigh*

Destroyed is a standalone title.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS | PURCHASE

THE BUTCHER series by Francette Phal

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Captive in the Dark and Dexter had a love child? This fucking book is what! My. God. Do you like a dark romance with a redeemable hero that slowly succumbs to his inevitable love for the heroine? Perhaps an anti-hero that has what you’d like to think is a semblance of a conscience? Well fuck that and your delicate sensibilities! Because you sure as fuck won’t find it here! DOn’t say I didn’t warn you. This book is fucked the fuck up. I’m not even kidding. But it’s also seeeeew gewd. Like ridiculously addicting good. Oh and it also ends on a motherfucker of a cliffhanger, so…yeah. I’ve been stalking Francette for news on book two and she’s working in it but there’s no definitive release date just yet.

FLAWED | CARNAGE

PURCHASE ALL 3 IN A BOXSET

PRISONER by Annika Martin & Skye Warren

This book had one of the most intense first meetings I have ever read. Period. It may have had something to do with the hero being led down the prison hall as an inmate when it happened? Yeah. That could have been it. But really, this is probably my favorite Skye Warren book I’ve read to date. It’s gritty, sexy and completely unputdownable. While part of a series, each book will be a different character and this one had a fully finished HEA. I’m absolutely salivating for any news that these authors will be writing more in this series but so far nothing. So I’ll just be in my corner…rocking and crying.

ADD IT ON GOODREADS | PURCHASE

KING by T.M. Frazier

I have yet to read a book by this author that I haven’t devoured in one sitting. This woman knows how to write one dark and utterly fucked up romance. King and Doe’s story was no light read but man was it delicious. Their story spans over two books; King and Tyrant. We now also got Bear’s book in Lawless and I’m eagerly anticipating the continuation of that with Soulless.

KING | TYRANT | LAWLESS | SOULLESS

ADD IT ON GOODREADS

MONSTERS IN THE DARK by Pepper Winters

So no surprise that Pepper Winters heroes make numerous appearances on my list. But there’s just something about Q from Monsters in the Dark that never left me. Quintessentially Q gutted me. That book touched me on a visceral level and I still think about it to this day. One of the best dark romances I’ve read to date and one of my favorite couples. Simply unforgettable. If you haven’t met Tess and Q yet, you haven’t lived.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER

TEARS OF TESS | QUINTESSANTIALLY Q | TWISTED TOGETHER

VANQUISH by Pam Godwin

Now here’s a baddie for you. Vanquish is book 2 in Pam’s Deliver series but you can also read it as a standalone. Van was first introduced in Deliver and he was ALL bad. This was a straight up villain. And yet, when you took a deeper look, you’d notice something just below his surface. Something…vulnerable. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a dark romance and Van is no good guy. Hell, he basically stalks the heroine in the beginning. But there’s also something much deeper to him that makes you fall for him. I adore Pam’s writing and this book shows you exactly why.

CAN BE READ AS STANDALONES

DELIVER | VANQUISH

DEBT by Nina G. Jones

You know the phrase “uncomfortably aroused”? You will after reading this book. I guaran-fucking-tee it. Sweet baby jesus and all that’s holy, I don’t know how and if my ovaries survived this book. It’s taboo, gritty, and so freaking hot, you’d be surprised that your kindle doesn’t burn in flames. And if you haven’t read it, I don’t even want to talk to you until you do. That’s it. Run along now and don’t come back until you’ve read it.

This is a standalone title.

ADD IT TO GOODREADS | PURCHASE

SAVAGE SAINT MC series by Carmen Jenner

You may see this author pop up on a lot of my ultimate lists. Well that’s because the woman is a fucking rock star and can write the hell out of a book. She’s also the jack of all trades; rock stars, angst, and gritty as fuck MC are all part of her repertoire now. While I loved Kick, book 1 in her Savage Saint MC series, Tank was in a category of his own. This book was downright amazing. I can’t name any other author that can take a heroine that’s a drug addict and MC whore, and completely redeem her. Tank you will fall for right away, without a question. His and Ivy’s journey isn’t an easy one or filled with rainbows and unicorns, but it’s completely unforgettable.

SHOULD BE READ IN ORDER

KICK | TANK

INDEBTED series by Pepper Winters

Another Pepper Winters book? *Le gasp* I know, I know, try to contain your shock here, will you? What can I say, the woman writes some of my favorite anti-heroes and Jethro is definitely right up there. Indebted is a serial, but don’t get confused because these are not serial length books. They’re full length novels, so this is definitely one lengthy serial. But you’ll be gobbling it up like the crack that it is. That I promise you.

MUST BE READ IN ORDER