Books like 'Defiance Falls'
Readers who enjoyed Defiance Falls by Ali Dean also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mystery high-school sports organized-crime friends-to-lovers slow-burn crime coming-of-age
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Always: A Legacy Novel by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA Legacy Novel A wild boy. A sly girl. Cross Donati defines trouble. He does what he wants because he’s never known anything different. He’s unapologetic, and he owns it. Catherine Marcello is every bit a good girl … on the outside. Her entire world is a legacy, and she lives it. She’s curious, and she’s exploring it. She chases bad things. He never learned to be good...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime slow-burn abuse -
![Be My Brayshaw by Meagan Brandy]()
Be My Brayshaw by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsFrom USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes an enemies-to-lovers, standalone romance about love, lies, and finding the strength to forgive."Cross one, cross all."That's the Brayshaw way.She should have realized this before sliding into our world with secrets too big to bury.She didn't and now the target is on her back... -
![Adler by Jessica Gadziala]()
Adler by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe decided it was time to retire, settle down, become something nice and tame. Like an arms-dealing biker in some town called Navesink Bank. He could get behind that lifestyle. He'd anticipated a lot of things. Drinking. Brotherhood. A little action peppered in here and there to keep things from getting too dull. But there was one thing he hadn't planned on...Categorized as:
crime family female-mc friends-to-lovers organized-crime slow-burn abuse action-adventure -
![Pocketful of Shame: A High School Bully Romance by Chloe Walsh]()
Pocketful of Shame: A High School Bully Romance by Chloe Walsh
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Nothing in Pocketful is as it seems." Chris Capaldi's words of warning haunt my every waking hour. I know I'm in danger, even if I can't identify the threat. Telling Sketch about the night his brother died was a mistake that could prove fatal for all of us. Secrets of this magnitude should stay buried, but it's out now and I can feel the walls closing in on me...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime angst book bullying -
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![Bloody Love by Lisa Renee Jones]()
Bloody Love by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne. Two. Three. The cat is in the tree. As far as Lilah's concern, her note writing stalker just gets more stupid everyday. One, two, three, the cat is in the tree?What is that? And what does it have to do with a wedding turned bloody? The sixth book in the Lilah Love series... -
![Lowcountry on My Mind by Ashley Farley]()
Lowcountry on My Mind by Ashley Farley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsChildhood friends reunite in an explosive tale of family dysfunction and romance gone wrong.Amelia has been plotting to escape her abusive husband for years. When her mama’s untimely death provides an unexpected opportunity, she hops on the next bus to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Her husband will eventually come for her. But she’s prepared... -
![Malcolm by Jessica Gadziala]()
Malcolm by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe was happy with his quiet life.With the club, with his family, with his cabin in the woods.He didn’t think he needed more than that.Not until he came across her.But when a string of unfortunate events starts to seem less like happenstance and more like something someone had planned... -
![Wicked Knight #1 (Knight's Ridge Empire) by Tracy Lorraine]()
Wicked Knight #1 (Knight's Ridge Empire) by Tracy Lorraine
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsUSA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you a new dark mafia, high school bully romance series.The truth is meant to set you free… but not my truth.Mine has sent me deeper and darker, feeding my need for revenge. I want blood for those who wronged me and my family. And my so-called truth is ripping me apart, in a way lies never could... -
![The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid]()
The Moth and the Flame by B.B. Reid
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThey're the best of friends or the worst of friends. Neither one is letting go.THE FLAMEHere lies Louchana Valentine. She was a homeless, orphaned virgin.I never cared what my gravestone would say until I landed in deep with a powerful gangster. Lucky for me, my best friend happens to be ruthless too. I should feel guilty that he's forced to turn on the man who's been a father to him...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family female-mc friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime slow-burn -
![Need Him Like Oxygen by Jessica Gadziala]()
Need Him Like Oxygen by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWithin the ruthless hierarchy of the mafia, Dav and Cinna reign as powerful capos within the same crime family.Dav, with his gregarious charm and flirtatious disposition, hides a secret darkness that few ever glimpse. Despite his relentless advances, Cinna, strong-willed and fiercely independent, keeps him at arm's length, determined to prove herself an equal in a male-dominated world...Categorized as:
organized-crime friends-to-lovers female-mc slow-burn crime romance contemporary forced-proximity -
![Beautifully Loyal by Nicole Edwards]()
Beautifully Loyal by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes love isn’t enough… Sometimes you’re required to be beautifully loyal. If you think you know her… You’re wrong. If you think you know her family… Wrong again. If you think you know her story… You don’t. Ashlynn Adorite is no stranger to the cruel and unusual world she was born into. In fact, she accepts it, understands it, embraces it... -
![Storm the Gates by Elizabeth Dear]()
Storm the Gates by Elizabeth Dear
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn Saint Gabriel City, there are the Four Families, and there are those who are owned by them.The Spencers, the Hargraves, the Ferreros, and the Knights rule the City together with their exorbitant wealth and iron fists that no one dare challenge...Categorized as:
crime female-mc friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime slow-burn sports action-adventure -
![Seize the Castle by Elizabeth Dear]()
Seize the Castle by Elizabeth Dear
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn Saint Gabriel City, there’s a war brewing.The Four Families have ruled the City for generations, but they made a huge fucking mistake when they murdered my parents and didn’t manage to kill me too.I’ve revealed my true identity, taking the City and Holywell Academy by storm, but the heads of Spencer, Hargraves, and Ferrero continue to underestimate me...Categorized as:
crime female-mc friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime slow-burn sports action-adventure -
![Better Than This by Beth Flynn]()
Better Than This by Beth Flynn
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTime doesn’t heal all wounds. Sometimes they just scab over. Haunted by memories of a failed marriage, trauma surgeon Barbie Anderson escapes to her hometown for a fresh start. But the quaint community of Pumpkin Rest has memories and failures of its own that should stay buried... -
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![The Woman in the Back Room by Jessica Gadziala]()
The Woman in the Back Room by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe hadn’t planned on being a part of the Family.Life had thrown a curve at him at a young age that made him reevaluate his path in life.And he chose out.But when tragedy strikes, awakening the need for revenge, he finds himself wanting back in. To the Family. The life. The people.Including a woman he never could have seen coming, one he never would have thought he’d want in his life...Categorized as:
crime family female-mc friends-to-lovers organized-crime abuse action-adventure adult -
![Love Me Dead by Lisa Renee Jones]()
Love Me Dead by Lisa Renee Jones
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe next heart-racing Lilah Love story is coming. This installment to Lilah's series is a standalone. Women are dying. The killer wants to play a game with Lilah Love. Lilah doesn't play games, she doesn't submit to demands... -
![Boy Shattered by Eli Easton]()
Boy Shattered by Eli Easton
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBrian You’ll make it out of here, Brian. I swear. I had everything—school quarterback, popular with girls, and my dad was proud of me. I told myself it didn’t matter no one knew the real me. And then I nearly died. Landon saved my life. He’s the bravest guy I know. He came out a few years ago, proud and fierce, and he ran into gunfire to help others. Me, I’m a mess... -
![Twisted Complications by Nikita Parmenter]()
Twisted Complications by Nikita Parmenter
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere’s something strange going on at the academy. The longer they’re there the more dark and twisted secrets start to be exposed somehow they’re at the heart of it...Categorized as:
crime female-mc friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime abuse alpha-mc billionaire -
![Mick Sinatra: Love and Shadows by Mallory Monroe]()
Mick Sinatra: Love and Shadows by Mallory Monroe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGorgeous bad boy Mick Sinatra is in a good place in his life. His beautiful, African-American wife has been offered a starring role at a theater on London’s famed West End. His son, Teddy, has taken over the day-to-day running of his ruthless crime family. His daughter, Gloria, has learned the error of her ways... -
![Mick Sinatra 6: Now Will You Weep by Mallory Monroe]()
Mick Sinatra 6: Now Will You Weep by Mallory Monroe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsGorgeous gangster Mick Sinatra has recovered from the vicious attack that nearly took him out, but the organizations that spearheaded his downfall are still up and running. His own organization is fractured and bleeding and his ability to maintain control is questioned. He knows he must trust no man, he must verify everything, and he must fight to the death to reassert his dominance... -
![Obsession by T.K. Leigh]()
Obsession by T.K. Leigh
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne week. No names. No expectations.That was our agreement. We were supposed to walk away after our time in Hawaii was over. No matter what.That was before…Before I learned who she is.Before I realized how interconnected our lives are.Before I fell in love.But our love isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of.Demons lurk around every corner.Good doesn’t necessarily prevail over evil... -
![Mick Sinatra 4: If You Don't Know Me By Now by Mallory Monroe]()
Mick Sinatra 4: If You Don't Know Me By Now by Mallory Monroe
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHeartthrob mobster Mick Sinatra is on a roll. It’s six weeks after the birth of his twins. His beautiful African-American wife is enjoying success in her business unlike she’d ever had before, and they both are looking forward to success in the bedroom after six weeks of abstinence. His grown children are all working for him, with Teddy Sinatra as his new enforcer... -
![Acceptance by K.E. Osborn]()
Acceptance by K.E. Osborn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTry to forget. It's easier said than done. My past—violently haunts my dreams. My present—belongs to an MC. My brothers, my support, my family, my life. But what if you left someone behind? You failed them. And set in motion a series of events no one could have predicted. But in deserting him, you found her. A constant. A guiding light... -
![Fateful Secrets by Kay Riley]()
Fateful Secrets by Kay Riley
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt was a mistake thinking Kyro would choose me over his family. Even love doesn’t come before his own blood.I betrayed him and then ran like hell.I buried Vanessa Ace and became someone new. For seven years. Until Kyro found me and dragged me back to the life that I never expected to survive.His father’s gang needs my help and they’re taking it, without giving me a choice...Categorized as:
organized-crime slow-burn friends-to-lovers family crime female-mc contemporary new adult -
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![Pocketful of You by Chloe Walsh]()
Pocketful of You by Chloe Walsh
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"Nothing in Pocketful is as it seems." Evil is lurking all around us and Sketch and I cannot escape the secrets of our past. A past that, up until now, neither one of us knew existed. Torn apart by our cruel, vindictive fathers, we face our biggest challenge yet; staying alive. Pocketful of You is the third in a four-book series. Therefore, the storyline continues into the fourth book...Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime abuse alpha-mc angst -
![Friends & Forever by J.M. Darhower]()
Friends & Forever by J.M. Darhower
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFriends: One moment. One wrong choice. That was all it took to destroy a friendship. *takes place before Sempre* Forever: Halloween. With a three year old. 'Nuff said... -
![Leith by Jane Henry]()
Leith by Jane Henry
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsCairstina Reilly was locked in silence when I found her.When I ravaged my way through weak men to save her.When I killed for her.Now our fates are tangled together in a web of lies, danger, and betrayal.I have to take her hostage.Drag her from her silent, private world,And force her into mine... -
![Dare to Dream by S.B. Alexander]()
Dare to Dream by S.B. Alexander
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe'll do anything to protect his love, even if it means trading his life for hers... Bad boy Kade Maxwell knows the pain of loss. His sister's death tore his family apart. His life seemed destined down a nightmarish path until he met Lacey Robinson, a light that cuts though his darkness. Despite her own tragedy, her beauty, determination, and dedication makes him believe he can dream again... -
![Heathen: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance by Rachel Leigh]()
Heathen: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance by Rachel Leigh
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’ve done very bad things. I’m not a good man. There’s skeletons in my closet And blood on my hands.I should be reaching for that sliver of light. But deep in the darkness lies the loyalty of my friends. Along with the secrets we’ve buried. It’s become comfortable and safe and all I really know. It’s all that I deserve. Yet, there’s someone who thinks I’m worthy of conviction... -
![The Last One You Loved by L.J. Evans]()
The Last One You Loved by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMaddoxBetween my badge, my daughter, and my hometown, I’ve got a busy life. It’s a mostly happy one. But late at night, when the house is quiet, I still see her face. McKenna may have left me and this town behind a decade ago, but a century wouldn’t be long enough to get over her.There’s only one thing worse than never seeing her again...Categorized as:
family friends-to-lovers slow-burn high-school female-mc romance contemporary suspense -
![Broken Hate by Thandiwe Mpofu, Thandie]()
Broken Hate by Thandiwe Mpofu, Thandie
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat’s wrong Baby Blue? Did you mistake his forced sincerity for love?Every kiss will fade in time.Every memory will fade in time.Every smile, every teardrop, every wound—it’ll all dry up—in time.But every lie? That shit only gets bigger and more devastating with time.In time.. -
![Lift You Up by Jessica Gadziala]()
Lift You Up by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFriends of the family were forbidden fruit. You didn't get to take a bite, no matter how tempting it might be... -
![Renata Vitali by Parker S. Huntington]()
Renata Vitali by Parker S. Huntington
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDamiano De Luca: a curse with no cure. Before he ruled the De Luca family, before he became the man everyone feared, before he scoured an empire in search of me, he chose me to ruin. I was an innocent. An untainted princess. The heiress to the Vitali mafia throne. And I was in the wrong place at the wrong time when I met the wrong boy... -
![Wild Girl by Sheridan Anne]()
Wild Girl by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHave you ever known what it feels like to die?It’s not great. Trust me, I don’t recommend it.I’ve always said that my life is about surviving, but I didn’t realize how true that was until the devil sent me soaring off a bridge with the love of my life and lodged a bullet through my thigh.It’s not my time to die... -
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![The Angels by Ruby Vincent]()
The Angels by Ruby Vincent
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMy parents forgot something when they ran… me.After scamming most of our town out of their life savings, my folks disappeared in the middle of the night.Forced to take me in, my estranged aunt and uncle shipped me off to Raven River Academy the first chance they got.In my town, the line between the haves and the have-nots is actually a twelve-foot gate that keep the unwanted where they belong...Categorized as:
crime female-mc friends-to-lovers high-school organized-crime slow-burn abuse alpha-mc -
![Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas]()
Falls Boys by Penelope Douglas
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe HELLBENT Series—a spin-off to the Fall Away series—is coming! “The kids are growing up—different from their parents but the same in so many ways…” ARO Hawken Trent. So polite. So sweet. Such an upstanding young man. A virgin, too, I hear. He never gets naughty with a girl. Probably because Jesus told him not to. And now here he is, trying to be the hero by protecting another girl from me... -
![Homecoming by Lauren Gilley]()
Homecoming by Lauren Gilley
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt pays to be top dog.It’s spring in Knoxville, and the Lean Dogs are expanding, buying up new business fronts on Main Street, including the infamous Bell Bar. But with success comes challenges – and, in this case, the challenge comes from a now-familiar enemy, one hellbent on destroying the Dogs.Carter Michaels is dealing with his own, personal turmoil... -
![Tortured Skye by Gwyn McNamee]()
Tortured Skye by Gwyn McNamee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratings***Tortured Skye is not a standalone and is best enjoyed after reading Savage Collision***Falling in love with Gabe Anderson was as easy as breathing. Fighting my feelings for my brother’s best friend was agonizingly hard. I never imagined giving in to my desire for him would cause such a destructive ripple effect...Categorized as:
crime family female-mc friends-to-lovers organized-crime action-adventure adult alpha-mc -
![Wrath by Gwyn McNamee]()
Wrath by Gwyn McNamee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAll I see is red.Blood.Pain.Rage.It consumes me.The moment he took her, wrath invaded my soul.I only have one purpose. End him and take back what’s mine. Love isn’t always clean, and wrath is the deadliest sin... -
![Darkest Sin by J. Saman]()
Darkest Sin by J. Saman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEveryone has an ex who haunts them. Mine shot me in the arm and told me to run or he’d kill everyone I ever loved. And then he’d kill me. Years later, he’s made good on that promise. I’m the only one left. He’s got his sights set on finding me, and my options on places to hide are quickly running out. Until I meet a gorgeous assassin with an agenda of his own..Categorized as:
coming-of-age crime family female-mc organized-crime slow-burn action-adventure adult -
![Dace by Stephanie St. Klaire]()
Dace by Stephanie St. Klaire
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe O’Reilly brothers are back with a vengeance in another riveting novel overflowing with mayhem and murder. Dace O’Reilly is in for the fight of his life to clear the name of the woman who stole his heart... -
![Shot on Goal: Seattle Sockeyes Hockey by Jami Davenport]()
Shot on Goal: Seattle Sockeyes Hockey by Jami Davenport
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen you're at the top, there's nowhere to go but down. Two talented skaters. Two bright futures. Two shining stars. One ruined by a career-ending scandal and another by a father's ruthless ambition. She was the darling of the winter games, winning a bronze in pairs figure skating one week after losing both parents in a car accident... -
![Spark of Hope by Kathleen Kelly]()
Spark of Hope by Kathleen Kelly
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMy woman has been taken.As President of the Loyal Rebels MC, I look out for a lot of people.Lola has never been one of them. She’s always taken care of herself.I’ve never officially claimed her.Everyone knows Lola is mine, and no one touches what’s mine. She’s been with me for four years, but Lola has secrets, ones I never even thought to ask her about... -
![Restless Things by Samantha Lovelock]()
Restless Things by Samantha Lovelock
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow do you keep the truth from the one who holds your heart?Payne Emerson is my best friend. The boy I grew up with and the keeper of all my secrets. Well, all except the biggest one.The fact that I’m in love with him.My mother’s sin cost me the only family member who ever loved me. When I lost him, I lost part of myself, and Payne was my lodestone, my light home...Categorized as:
high-school friends-to-lovers crime female-mc coming-of-age dark contemporary new-adult -
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![Wasted Love with You: Season 1 by Whitney G.]()
Wasted Love with You: Season 1 by Whitney G.
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe last time my husband gave me an orgasm was … Well, that's never happened. And from the way our marriage is crumbling under the weight of his lies, it never will.Alas, after fighting like hell for a divorce, I promise myself that I'll never waste love on anyone else.I don't even want to 'date' anyone else... -
![Rebellion of a Kingdom by G.N. Wright]()
Rebellion of a Kingdom by G.N. Wright
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsALL'S FAIR IN BLOOD & WAR ELLE She's gone. My world has been taken from me and I see no way out. I thought I was one step ahead of them, but I was wrong. Now without her I'm broken and forever bleeding. They have taken from me for the last time. She saved my life and now it's my turn to save hers, even if I have to become a Donovan to do it. Whatever it takes.MARCUS She's gone... -
![Sabato: The Cross by M.J. Fields, Veronica Parks]()
Sabato: The Cross by M.J. Fields, Veronica Parks
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings***USA Today Bestselling Author, MJ Fields, brings you the sizzling story of Sabato Efisto*** la fame.... Sabato Efisto is a cursed man. Born from sin, raised in revenge, he’s made a name for himself doling out pleasure and punishment in the lush Italian Riviera. io brucio... -
![Promise Me by Kristin Mayer]()
Promise Me by Kristin Mayer
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWith her best friend happily married and now pregnant, Sam Matthews should be overjoyed. Instead, she can only see what is missing in her life. Pushing her emotions aside, she retreats to a piece of her past that she’s kept hidden, something that even her best friend knows nothing about. Taking a step into her future, Sam moves to North Carolina where she once again encounters Mark Robertson... -
![Like You Hurt by Kaydence Snow]()
Like You Hurt by Kaydence Snow
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDonna What kind of idiot gets on my bad side on his first day at my school? Hendrix Hawthorn is arrogant, cocky, infuriatingly attractive and clearly doesn’t realise I can make his life hell.Which is exactly what I intend to do… until he shows up in the one place no one knows I go to – the one place that makes me feel alive... -
![These Dark Hearts by L.A. Cotton]()
These Dark Hearts by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHarleigh Wren Maguire has loved Phoenix Wilder for as long as she can remember.He's everything she isn't.Brave.Reckless.One-hundred percent unapologetic.But it's Halloween... the perfect excuse to dress up and be someone you're not. To step out of your comfort zone and do things you wouldn't usually do.And Harleigh is determined to make her best friend notice her for once.There's only one problem...Categorized as:
high-school sports friends-to-lovers crime coming-of-age romance new-adult contemporary
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