forcedproximity

17 books found

Not His Girlfriend (Yet): 4 1/2 Dates and a Fracture

Not His Girlfriend (Yet): 4 1/2 Dates and a Fracture

by M.T. Liu

A contemporary romance novella about a graphic designer who says "girlfriend" before it's true — and then has to live up to it. Nora Chen spends two hours before every date perfecting the version of herself she thinks he wants to see. Ethan Morin is a Québécois firefighter who deflects the brave parts of his own stories. She performs. He protects. Neither of them knows the other is doing it. Then an accident leaves Ethan recovering, and Nora does something distinctly un-rehearsed: she stays. All night. In his jacket. Without a plan. Now they're sharing a Montreal apartment, two opinionated cats, a winter that refuses to end, and a hallway that's exactly the wrong length. She thinks he's pushing her away. He thinks she can't wait to leave. He watches her fall apart and thinks it's the best version he's ever seen. He doesn't say it. Neither of them says it. Best for readers who enjoy emotional slow burn, hurt/comfort, forced proximity, caretaking, quieter romantic tension, closed-door heat, and guaranteed HEA. For fans of Emily Henry's quiet emotional weight. [Read More]

Bound To Ash

Bound To Ash

by Rafaela Drougouti

A haunted archaeologist must destroy an ancient mirror that steals hope. But the vampire bound to protect it will turn to ash if she succeeds. Trapped together by a curse, they fall into a forbidden love that could be the loophole to save them both… or the fire that consumes everything.... He's been chained to the cursed mirror since 1623. She's the woman bent on shattering it. One touch — and now she can't let go. If the Sorrowglass breaks, he burns to ash. If she walks away, it devours the world. And the enemy hunting them through the dark wants them both — alive, bound, and bleeding. She came to destroy a monster. She's falling for the man trapped inside him. Some curses don't want to be broken. They want to be kept. Trigger Warnings: This book contains mature themes, including violence, vampire bites and both on and off page death mentions and descriptions. -Clean Vampire Romance -Enemies to Lovers -Forced Proximity -Touch Her and you Die -Reluctant Monster [Read More]

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72

by Catarina T. Vex

She reads paintings. He reads people. Nell Sayer is an art authenticator hired for a seventy-two-hour job at a Boston estate. Private collection. Simple contract. The door locks from the outside. He is calm. Controlled. He never threatens her. He just pays attention, the kind of attention that makes her feel seen in places she has never shown anyone. Nell knows she is being studied. She doesn't know that by the time she understands why, she won't want to leave. [Read More]

Breaking the Captain

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Breaking the Captain

by Megan Tate

Luke Callahan runs the first lap on fresh ice every morning. He keeps his hands flat on his thighs when his pulse misbehaves. At twenty-two he's the youngest captain in the league, the golden boy with the clean stat line — and lately he's been jolting awake at five a.m. from a dream about a faceless man, a hand at his throat, a voice telling him to let go. Then the Titans trade for Evan Mercer: same position, dark hair, broken nose, and zero interest in being convenient for anybody after his last team quietly shipped him out for being caught with the wrong person. Evan looks at the captain wound tight across the faceoff dot and figures he's going to crack. He's right. He's just early. A turf war over one roster spot turns into board battles that last a beat too long, a handshake held a second past polite, and a pull Luke has no language for. Evan isn't asking him to come out. He's just standing there — steady, patient, unafraid — holding the door. All Luke has to do is stop running long enough to walk through it. Breaking the Captain is a slow-burn, explicit MM hockey romance and the first in the Lakeview Titans series. If you like rivals-to-lovers with a closeted control freak, an out-and-proud love interest who refuses to shrink, forced proximity in a scrappy minor-league locker room, and a found family with one menace of a best friend — this one's for you. [Read More]

On Her Flip Side

On Her Flip Side

by Robin Lyndon

When Chloe Yang walks into her new acting class to upgrade her burgeoning figure skating career, she sits next to the prettiest girl in the room and hopes she's found a kindred spirit. Instead, Maya Dunn scorns the entire reason Chloe signed up. Chloe's got enough to deal with: making a splash with her upcoming debut on the senior skating scene, trying to find a more mature style when everyone thinks her sunny performances are childish, and hiding her worries about how hard her mom works to fund her skating beneath her optimistic front. She can stand to make it through one summer of acting classes in the same room as grumpy, abrasive Maya - who barely seems to want to be there in the first place. But as they learn to act out new selves on stage, Chloe finds that maybe Maya is paying more attention than she gave her credit for - and that she's struggling with unhappy feelings of her own. Will one summer be enough to melt the ice between them? On Her Flip Side is a sweet, slow-burn summer romance about opposites finding they have more in common than they think - and finding their own path in life. [Read More]

A Shore Thing

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A Shore Thing

by Emily Shacklette

Juliette Matthews has chased light across the globe—from the Andes to North Africa—but nothing throws her off balance quite like being back at her family’s Jersey Shore summer home. Especially when “temporary” starts looking a lot like staying… and Wesley Olson is everywhere she turns. Wesley never left Ocean City—and never forgot the girl next door who wrecked him in the best and worst ways. He’s spent seventeen years building a life that’s safe, steady, and entirely Juliette-free. That is, until, she shows back up on his front porch like the prettiest ghost he’s ever seen. Because one look at her, and suddenly the past isn’t so past. The summer is hotter, the tension thicker, and staying away? Not an option. Not when every shared glance feels like a dare—and every touch reminds them exactly what they lost. This summer, Juliette and Wesley will have to decide—were they destined to be nothing more than a summer fling…or have they always been a shore thing? [Read More]

Earned

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Earned

by Lilly Manning

Elena Varela built her career on reading people. Adrian West is the first one who reads her back. As a crisis intelligence analyst newly recruited by the secretive Directorate, she's trained for difficult assignments. She isn't trained for Adrian West—controlled, severe, infuriatingly attractive, and convinced she has no business in his world of covert operations and lethal drawing rooms. Their first mission together should be straightforward. Infiltrate an elite private auction at an English country estate, and pose as Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood. Locate a young woman believed to be under coercion before she disappears into a network of stolen art, forged provenance, and powerful people who prefer their crimes wrapped in silk and champagne. But covers have a way of becoming complicated. In public, they stand close enough to convince a room full of watchers they belong together. In private, every correction, every touch, every near-miss turns the performance into something harder to dismiss. Adrian is all control and restraint—a man shaped by one failure he refuses to repeat. Elena is the one variable he can't manage, and the one woman he can't seem to keep at a safe distance. When the mission moves from the estate to a luxury yacht on the Thames, the line between performance and desire finally breaks. To save the woman they came for, they'll have to trust each other with more than the operation. By the time the cover falls, neither of them will be able to pretend it was ever only a lie. EARNED is a slow-burn romantic suspense novella featuring fake marriage, forced proximity, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic set against the backdrop of London's most dangerous social circles. Book I of The Alias Series. [Read More]

Room 002: Devoured and Desired

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Room 002: Devoured and Desired

by Nyx Walker

Emily came to Whispering Hollow for artistic inspiration and ended up with a roommate who howls at the moon. Caleb is gorgeous, guarded, and cursed: a loup-garou bound to the land, he storms out when his wolf threatens to get the better of him. Emily doesn’t flinch—she sketches him, teases him, and maybe stares a little too long. At the Specter Suites, where magic is just part of the décor, Nina—the hotel's owner and resident witch—offers a tea that coaxes truth from the heart. When she proposes a ritual to help Caleb gain control, Emily volunteers. What started as curiosity becomes connection. The ritual forces Caleb to see himself through Emily’s eyes; it forces Emily to decide how much of herself she’s willing to risk. The stakes are personal: a future he chooses, or a curse that keeps choosing for him. Part small-town charm, part dangerous heat, this novella is for those who aren't afraid of the big bad wolf. [Read More]

Of Ice and Innocence

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Of Ice and Innocence

by Karen Hunter

She fought for her freedom. He's dying without her. Fate doesn't care what either of them wants. Book 2 of The Dragon's Flame Series. This story stands on its own, set within the world of The Dragon’s Flame. While returning characters make appearances, no prior reading is required. Though readers familiar with the first book may recognise a few extra layers. Laya survived four brutal Chases to remain unclaimed — the only free female wolf in a generation. She chose scars over submission and solitude over a mate who would strip away everything she'd bled to protect. The last thing she needs is a diplomatic mission into dragon territory. Kaeldric, advisor to the Dragon King, has been fading for months — his dragon slowly dying because he refused a mate bond he couldn't accept. When he finally finds her, she's everything he dreamed of and nothing he prepared for: a wolf warrior with claws already extended, who would sooner gut him than acknowledge what they both know. One crumbling railing. One frozen river. One impossible bond neither can outrun. Stranded in the wilderness with broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, and only each other, enemies have no choice but to survive together. But surviving is the easy part. When they return to civilisation, their bond will either become the bridge between two warring peoples — or the spark that ignites the war that destroys them both. A wolf who refuses to be claimed. A dragon who's running out of time. And a mate bond that will demand the one thing neither of them is willing to give. [Read More]

Seasons of War

Seasons of War

by Lindsay French

Dark Dystopian Romance Sergeant Zayne Riven was born to take his father's place as the emperor's right hand man, but he has plans of his own. Trapped inside the corrupt regime he wishes to dismantle, Zayne plays loyal war hero while secretly fighting both sides of the war. He is determined to rise to the top and destroy the emperor, even if it means destroying his soul along the way. That is until one political prisoner shatters all of his plans. The emperor has captured the rebel woman Zayne once secretly saved. The woman he could never stop thinking about. And now Zayne has been ordered to break her spirit and use her to crush the uprising. Kira Stiles is a true revolutionary. She papers alleyways with forbidden news and hijacks the emperor's magi-tech to write messages of rebellion across the sky. And she would die a thousand deaths before helping the emperor destroy the rebels. Captivity will not break her, not even at the hands of the grumpy and brooding Sergeant Riven. But as her imprisonment stretches on, Kira begins to suspect that the infamous war hero Zayne Riven may not the heartless loyalist he seems. He may secretly be as dangerous to the emperor as she is. Zayne faces an impossible choice. Her life or the fate of the entire rebellion. [Read More]

Duskshade

Duskshade

by Madison Patershuk and Ebony Dobson

Ophelia’s life is anchored by the measurable laws of the universe. As a dedicated heliophysicist, she trusts what she can prove and she trusts Nick, the man she believes is her soulmate. But when an impossible fracture in reality violently tears Ophelia, Nick, and her loved ones out of the human world and plunges them into the untamed Fae realm of Fenraeis, all earthly logic shatters. Stranded in a world that shouldn't exist, Ophelia quickly realizes they aren't just lost. They are being hunted. The Crownless, a terrifying and relentless entity, doesn't want her dead; he wants her caged. He intends to enslave Phee to siphon the elusive, ancient power awakening in her blood. It is a dormant, near-endless well of magic that hasn't been seen in an age, and this scientist has no idea how to control it. Desperate to keep the people she loves alive, Ophelia must become the warrior she was never meant to be. To survive, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with Kane—the ruthless, infuriating High King who might be just as dangerous as the monsters hunting them. As her impossible abilities rise to the surface, Ophelia realizes her arrival in Fenraeis wasn't an accident. She doesn't believe in destiny, but to keep her power out of the hands of a monster and to save those she loves, she must forge her own. [Read More]

Keeping a Nymph's Heart

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Keeping a Nymph's Heart

by R.S. Rochelle

Nymph. Hero. Murderer. Orla didn’t want to be anyone’s hero; she wanted to be left alone. For seven years, Orla created a life away from the elven army, where she could avoid her past sins. Prestige, fighting, friendships. She left it all behind when disaster struck because she couldn’t control her magic. But when her king sends for her, she’s forced to go back to the palace; terrified that returning to her old life will bring her face-to-face with the ghosts of her failures. King Mikki doesn’t care about Orla’s fears; he only cares about calling in the bargain they struck. Now a lord from a rival kingdom has arrived, shaking the foundation of what she thought she knew about herself. Orla has to choose if loving him is worth facing the horrors of her past or if she should run from them. Again. Bastard. Lord. Traitor. Owain has only ever wanted one thing: the respect of his people. But elves don’t respect bastards, even if they’re the son of a king. Now Owain has the chance to prove that he’s more than just an illegitimate son. If he fails, he will face the wrath of his formidable father. His plan was working; until Orla, the nymph who single handedly brought ruin to his battalion and killed the heir to his kingdom. She was everything he had ever wanted and the one person he could never have, lest he betray his kingdom in the process. When his plans to seize power are finally realized, Owain has to decide what’s more important to him; taking his rightful place within his kingdom or the forbidden love of his kingdom’s biggest foe? [Read More]

Talk to Me at Midnight

Talk to Me at Midnight

by Stephanie Harina

The voice that once saved her nights is now her trainer at work. Forced out of Bangkok by her dad, Yannie finds comfort in one thing: a mysterious voice who calls her every midnight. He doesn’t know her. She doesn’t know him. And that’s exactly why it works. Until she moves to Manila. And the voice gets a face. Now a teaching intern navigating office politics and Manila slang, Yannie is assigned to Ash Anderson, her serious, exacting English curriculum trainer—who is nothing like the man she talks to every midnight. Except he is that man. To protect her secret, Yannie makes one rule: Ash must never recognize her. Not when he texts her under the table with that ridiculous grin. Not when he stands far too close while demonstrating materials. And definitely not when he singles her out to present in front of everyone… where she’s now a walking disaster in heels. But when her fake deep voice slips, his smirks sharpen, and Ash starts calling her at work, Yannie realizes midnight secrets don’t survive daylight... especially when trouble wears a suit and knows all her confessions. [Read More]

Shattered Edges

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Shattered Edges

by Marion Thomas

A contemporary dark romance about forbidden love and ambition in elite competitive figure skating and what happens when survival leaves no safe choices. (warning: contains graphic, explicit language and mature themes) Richard Hale has spent his life on the ice, chasing precision, relevance, and a career that refuses to wait for anyone. When his skating partner walks away he’s left staring down the quiet, humiliating end of everything he’s built. His younger sister Holly faces the same erasure when her partner’s injury ends her season overnight, leaving her suddenly expendable. The solution is obvious, dangerous and unthinkable. Forced to skate together by circumstance and desperation, Richard and Holly form a partnership that some think shouldn’t exist. On the ice, their connection is undeniable. Off it, the pressure fractures restraint, blurring lines they were never meant to cross and leaving them scrutinized by a world eager to judge what it doesn’t understand. As Nationals loom, obsession threatens to eclipse reason, and desire threatens to destroy the very thing they’re fighting to save. [Read More]

The Witch's Broken Crown

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The Witch's Broken Crown

by Calla Robin

An enemies-to-lovers romantasy with a slow-burn romance and court intrigue. Perfect for fans of star-crossed lovers and aching yearning. She should fear him. He should hate her. But a masquerade ball was all it took to bind them together forever. Her whole life, Elise Thornwall has wished for nothing more than to rid herself of the curse that has controlled her family for over five centuries and to claim her throne on her own terms. But hidden behind a white mask, she found the one man her heart could not refuse. Andrew Aistle is her enemy. And, apparently, her fate. With war threatening their kingdoms and treachery lurking in every shadow, Elise and Andrew must do the impossible. Trust each other. Trusting your enemy is a dangerous game. And falling in love, even worse. Five hundred years of bitterness cannot be undone by love… can it? [Read More]

The Alpha's Healer: Rebirth and Revelation

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The Alpha's Healer: Rebirth and Revelation

by Marina Belle

Lucia survived the Wilds. Now she has to survive the beast who bled for her—and the truth of what she is. Separated from the Blackwood Pack, and from Kaelen, the Alpha who swore to protect her but kept her in a gilded cage, Lucia is stranded on the edge of the human world. Her only protector is Ragnar. The pack’s Enforcer is brutal, possessive, and dangerously intoxicating—and he has no intention of coddling a fragile human. He wants to teach her how to bite back. But as care turns into something darker, something territorial, Lucia is pulled into a war she doesn’t understand. The Wilds are waking. The creatures are calling her my lady. Her power is changing. And so is she. Because the truth of Lucia’s bloodline won’t just change her… it will tear the shifter world apart. Caught between the Alpha who holds her heart and the beast who demands her soul, Lucia must decide who she is willing to become. Because to survive what’s coming, the healer must die— and something far more dangerous must rise in her place. ------------------------------------- Series: Book II of III (continues into final installment/ cliffhanger) Genre: Dark Paranormal Shifter Romance / Dark Fantasy Tropes: Dark psychological love triangle • Fated mates (twist) • “Who did this to you?” Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (light–medium, high-heat moments, intense intimacy) Darkness: Medium — this is a dark PNR Content Warnings: Attempted SA • Graphic violence • Blood/gore • Injury detail (animal/shifter attacks) • Pregnancy struggles/infant loss POV: Alternating third person (Lucia, Kaelen, Ragnar) Vibe: Dark, gothic, wintery For readers who love monster heroes and heroines who embrace their darkness [Read More]

Marked in Blood

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Marked in Blood

by Emmett Vance

He cut his own hand instead of mine. It was the kindest thing he ever did to me. They sold me to the Sasso syndicate to seal ninety days of peace — a hostage, a clause in a contract, blood witnessed across two open palms while two armies watched. The new boss was supposed to be a monster. Kiril Sasso is worse than that, and better: a wreck of a man with shaking hands and a cruel mouth, so certain he ruins everything he touches that he'd rather bury me than risk keeping me. He locks the doors. He swears he'll end me when the ninety days run out. And when he reaches for me in the dark, he does it rough, like a man taking the one thing he's sure he isn't allowed. I was thrown away once, a long time ago. I learned the wrong lesson from it: I don't leave. Not when he's cruel. Not when he shoves me toward the door. Not when there's a debt in a ledger neither of us has seen, waiting a very long time to come due. So I'll do the one thing that terrifies a man who's never been kept. When the doors finally open — I'll stay. ═══════ WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ═══════ ✦ Dark M/M Mafia Romance — Enemies to Lovers, Blood Vow ✦ Self-destructive boss × hostage who won't break (he cuts his own hand instead of yours) ✦ Forced Proximity — ninety days, one locked house ✦ Hurt/Comfort, Dual POV (Kiril + Eli) — broken man held, not fixed ✦ Explicit, on-page, 18+ — rough turning tender ✦ HEA guaranteed — Book 1 of a trilogy ═══════ CONTENT NOTES ═══════ Explicit on-page M/M sex (18+ / rough turning tender) / self-harm at the blood vow (he cuts his own palm) + blood / captivity + hostage / organized-crime violence / past child abandonment / HEA — not a cliffhanger, but one open season-thread. ═══════ FOR ARC READERS ═══════ If you're here for the dark, welcome home. Marked in Blood is for readers who want the broken one held instead of fixed. Book 1 of three. The Tally trilogy. HEA guaranteed. — Emmett Vance [Read More]