Recommendations based on "Dark Succession (Previously Published as the Marriage Contract)"

Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Trust is the thread that binds us . . . and the rope that hangs us.In Nadezra, peace is as tenuous as a single thread. The ruthless House Indestor has been destroyed, but darkness still weaves through the city's filthy back alleys and jewel-bright gardens, seen by those who know where to look.Derossi Vargo has always known. He has sacrificed more than anyone imagines to carve himself a position of power among the nobility, hiding a will of steel behind a velvet smile. He'll be damned if he lets anyone threaten what he's built.Grey Serrado knows all too well. Bent under the yoke of too many burdens, he fights to protect the city's most vulnerable. Sooner or later, that fight will demand more than he can give.And Ren, daughter of no clan, knows best of all. Caught in a knot of lies, torn between her heritage and her aristocratic masquerade, she relies on her gift for reading pattern to survive. And it shows her the web of corruption that traps her city.But all three have yet to discover just how far that web stretches. And in the end, it will take more than knives to cut themselves free...

-- You can take a killer's memory, but not his instinct --All Seth wants is to live free with the man he loves. But escaping death at the hands of the mafia is just the beginning of an uphill struggle. When Domenico wakes up from his impromptu surgery and doesn’t even remember Seth’s name, Seth’s world falls apart. Suddenly it’s him who has to plan an escape from New York City and navigate their way to Mexico. All that without even knowing if the man of his life will ever love him again.Domenico doesn’t know who to trust and what to believe. The man who introduces himself as his brother seems to hide dark secrets behind a cheerful smile. With the mafia breathing down their necks, there is no time to piece together the puzzle of Domenico’s life, and each time he thinks he’s solved it, a new part appears to be missing. Dom needs to find out who he really is, what he’s capable of... and what is the real story hidden behind Seth’s intense eyes.POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: mafia, homophobia, assassin, organized crime, amnesia, road trip, chaseLength: ~88,000 wordsWARNING: Sizzling hot scenes. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you.‘Guns n’ Boys’ is a gritty story with morally ambiguous protagonists. Behind the morbid facade, there is a splash of inappropriate dark humor, and a love story that will crawl under your skin.

--- The ugliest truths blossom into the prettiest lies. ---A year into the relationship with Domenico, Seth still wants him as desperately as ever. Nothing is better than being intoxicated with lust for his deadly man and feeling his steady hands all over.No matter the misunderstandings, the fights... The crash. The burn.Crossing the Mexican border has been a goal for Seth and Domenico for a few months, but the trip couldn’t have ended in more of a disaster. While Domenico is stuck at home, for Seth each passing day becomes more difficult. Desperate to keep his family afloat, he accepts a job offer from Los Sepultureros. The Gravediggers.When Domenico’s need for control starts eroding their trust, Seth is sure their love can conquer all. But when Domenico rips open the wound left after the violence at the beginning of their relationship, it gushes blood all over their cozy lies and this time, there may be no way to seal it.POSSIBLE SPOILERS:Themes: mafia, cartel, assassin, organized crime, trust issues, religion, loveGenre: Dark, twisted romance / crime thrillerLength: ~110,000 wordsWARNING: If you are easily offended, this book is not for you.‘Guns n’ Boys’ is a gritty story with morally ambiguous protagonists. Behind the morbid facade, there is a splash of inappropriate dark humor, and a love story that will crawl under your skin.

THREE indulgent mafia standalone novels in one THICK paperback THREE intoxicating men who adore their fierce women Exclusive BONUS chapters for a deeper dive They're feared. Powerful. Ruthless. And they don't just love-they worship. Welcome to their underworld. This box set features the first three standalones in The Sanctum Syndicate series! Over 700 pages of binge-worthy spicy romance, indulgent angst, and heart-pounding action! Each story focuses on a different couple, with no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Books in this collection: #1 Dangerous Strokes, a Dark Mafia Romance he falls first, con artist heroine, chasing, forced proximity, unexpected pregnancy #2 Reckless Covenant, a Second Chance Mafia Romance first love rekindled, hate to love, found family, deal with the devil retelling, sharing scene #3 Manacled Hearts, a Age Gap Mafia Romance angsty slow burn, emotionally scarred hero, innocent heroine, found family, forbidden love What to Expect: Intense, suspenseful stories with dark themes and morally grey anti-heroes. Complex characters, indulgent spice, and gripping action. A perfect blend of angst, passion, and deeply satisfying resolutions. These stories contain dark themes and difficult situations. Please visit the author's website for full details. Your mental health matters.

Under the bright lights of New York City, a dark romance simmers between a boxing trainer-turned-mafia hitman and the seemingly innocent young woman he can’t stay away from. Grayson Seven years ago, I left the special forces and my home after a tragic betrayal. I carefully constructed a new life in New York. A boxing trainer by day. A Mafia hitman by night. Free to live in the darkness to do what I was trained to do—to kill. But one kiss was all it took to bring it all down. The one woman who hated my guts scaled the walls I built around my black heart. I know how far I’m willing to go to fight for her. But can she truly love someone who could never give her the fairytale she deserves? Maddie I was sick of being the family disappointment—the one who could never get a man to stick around. So, I kissed a lot of frogs to try and find my Prince. Instead, I fell for the villain. The last man on earth I thought I could ever love. He might call me sunshine, but I crave his darkness. I wasn’t meant for his world, but he took me anyway, and I never want to leave. Sometimes life doesn’t give you a choice. Even if loving me puts us both in danger.

Flirting with the Devil by Kym RobertsSometimes the greatest sins...are born out of love.Federal Prosecutor Samantha Bennett knows how to weed out the bad guys and put them in their place--behind bars and that's exactly what she did to the mob boss of Vendetti la Cosa Nostra. But her dedication cost her what she values most, her marriage, because she didn't see her husband's betrayal coming--at all.Wade Evans will do anything to get Sam back--and a plot that enlists the people she relies on the most is his best chance of winning her heart a second time. But suddenly Wade's not sure he's the right man for his soon to be ex-wife, because he wasn't the one to save her from the violent mob hit. He failed and the man she trusts most, Ty Beckinsale, saved the day.When Sam takes a vacation alone, both men arrive to keep her safe from a hitman determined to put her six feet under. And now Sam must decide if heaven on earth is possible, or if the man who stole her heart will lead her straight to hell.

Gentlemen don't look at engaged women the way Ras Sorrentino looks at me.Ras Sorrentino is the underboss of the most powerful clan in the Camorra. He's also chaos and danger poured into a sleek Italian suit.The first time I met him, I thought he was there to kill me. The second time, I wanted to kill him.The third was in Ibiza, where I glared at him across the church as my sister married his boss.It's not his sharp tongue or his taunting smirks that I hate the most. It's his gaze.How it narrows when I flinch. How it hardens when he notices the bruises on my face. How he stares at my engagement ring like he wants to melt it off my finger.I know it's a bad idea to let him push my buttons. After all, the fate of my family rests on my upcoming marriage and my fiancé is only interested in me because of my pristine reputation.A reputation Ras seems to have no qualms with stomping all over.It's a good thing him and I live on the opposite sides of the world.Until he tells me, he's coming back to New York with me.And he's staying.

The gripping second instalment in Blood for Blood, the heart-racing Mafia romance trilogy from number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle. Still reeling from the traumatic Mafia face-off that shattered her broken family even further, Sophie is determined to piece her life back together. But Nic, the Falcone brother who represents everything she's trying to forget, won't give up on their love - and it's Luca's knife she clutches for comfort. It's not long before another Mafia clan spoils the fragile peace and Sophie finds herself torn between two warring dynasties. With her heart drawn in one direction and her blood in another, she's in deeper than ever... Praise for VENDETTA: 'A grimy, tense, crime/gang thriller with a dynamic cast of characters; VENDETTA brings drama and realism to a dark story of grudges, revenge and passion.' - Alice Oseman, author of SOLITAIRE and HEARTSTOPPER 'I stayed up until Late o'clock finishing VENDETTA... It's AWESOME. Great fighting. Great kissing.' - C.J. Daugherty, author of the NIGHT SCHOOL series 'A vibrant new twist on Romeo and Juliet. Full of energy and intrigue!' Lucy Christopher, author of STOLEN 'Fan-freaking-tastic ... I honestly can't say enough good things about it! I would read anything Cat Doyle writes after flying through VENDETTA!' Victoria Scott, author of the FIRE & FLOOD series Praise for INFERNO: 'It's bloody brilliant, even better than VENDETTA if that's possible ... It's exciting and violent and sexy and heartbreaking. Loved it!' - Louise O'Neill, author of IDOL and AFTER THE SILENCE 'Darker, sexier and more dangerous than ever before ...' - Melinda Salisbury, author of THE SIN EATER'S DAUGHTER 'It's the best, best, best YA romance-slash-Mafia action film that you could ever HOPE FOR ... IT WAS SO GOOD. SO GOOD.' - Lauren James, author of THE QUIET AT THE END OF THE WORLD and THE NEXT TOGETHER series

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of If You Dare and If You Desire comes the third in the MacCarrick Brothers series featuring a handsome and mysterious Highlander. Ethan MacCarrick was a heartbreakingly handsome rake until a powerful nobleman ordered him brutally beaten and his face scarred for a crime he didn't commit. Ethan's reprisal—bankrupting the nobleman and forcing his exile—does little to appease his wrath. Ten years later, a haughty, mysterious beauty enchants Ethan—the daughter of his enemy. At last, Ethan will have the revenge he's craved; he'll promise her marriage, seduce her, then cast her aside. When Madeleine van Rowen's family was suddenly plunged into destitution and dishonor, she steeled herself against further heartache. She never weakened, never trusted, until a towering, scarred Highlander relentlessly pursues her, breaking down her defenses. The passion between them burns hotter than Ethan's fury, and soon he finds he can't let her go. But when Madeleine uncovers the truth about him, can Ethan convince her to accept all he now offers—when he once destroyed everything she had?