Books like 'Barely Breathing'
Readers who enjoyed Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary young adult dark romance suspense love triangle athletes sports college angst tortured heroine
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Trouble at Brayshaw High by Meagan Brandy
"You don't belong." No words whispered in anger have ever rung more true. They're the Kings of Brayshaw with the world at their feet, destined for greatness and in need of control. I'm the girl from the gutter with nothing to offer and as defiant as they come. They say it doesn't matter, that I'm one of them now, and nothing could ever change that. Not even me, should I dare try... -
One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker
Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would.. -
Speed by B.B. Easton
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWith Netflix adapting BB's 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN into a new series, you're going to want the full story behind her outrageous adventures. Because BB Easton had so much fun writing her bestselling, award-winning memoir, she decided to give each of her four men his own steamy standalone...Categorized as:
love triangle angst high-school other-man-woman contemporary bad boys military alpha male -
Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes the viral TikTok sensation Say You Swear. When Arianna starts college, she's hopeful this will finally be the year she wins the heart of her brother's best friend. But things don't quite go as planned...and that's when she meets football star Noah... -
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Almost Broken by Portia Moore
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLauren Brooks fell in love with Cal Scott at 21, married him at 22 and had her heart broken at 23 when he walked out of their marriage. At 25, though raising his daughter on her own, Lauren was finally moving on with her life. Until, she learned the reason for Cal's abandonment, the walls she’d carefully built around her collapsed.Categorized as:
suspense college love triangle angst other-man-woman contemporary young adult secret child -
Still Jaded by Tijan
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsSheldon, Bryce, and Corrigan ruled their school until a killer wanted to rule them. Three years later, Bryce’s back home from Europe the local celebrity jock. Corrigan’s busy running his fraternity and Sheldon's about to be pulled back into the social world of drama...Categorized as:
athletes suspense love triangle college other-man-woman young adult contemporary friends to lovers -
Logan Kade by Tijan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsPeople think that just because they know my name, my reputation, and my family that they know me. They don't.They say I’m a manwhore, but who wouldn’t be with my face and body? They say I’m a partier, and that's not going to change. They say I'm a fighter, and hell yes I am. F*ck with mine, and I’ll f*ck you back ten times worse.So, yes. Maybe what they say is true, but that’s not all of me... -
Wicked Princess by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her new dark mafia, high school bully romance series.My entire life has been a lie.The one person I've trusted despite all his secrets has shattered my faith, and the men around me have proved just how unworthy they really are... -
Bradford Butcher by Sheridan Anne
One life. Two lives. Three lives. Four.My hands are stained from the blood and the gore.The screams and cries of agonizing pain.If I lose them now, I’ll never be the same.My sister, my cousin … my whole damn world.It was my worst nightmare come to life, and I don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to survive.I thought that night was the end of it...Categorized as:
high-school suspense angst sports from hate to love new adult young adult cruel hero -
Reckless Dynasty by Tracy Lorraine
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her dark mafia, high school bully romance story set in the Knight's Ridge Empire world.My life has been full of half-truths tangled in lies—I’d been to hell and back more times than I could count... -
Elicit by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsCursed, numb, rejected, scorned, wicked, sinister, dark, twisted...my name is Tex Campisi and this is my legacy. I killed my father in cold blood and lost my soul right along with him. I crave war more than peace, and I'm about to take my place in history as the youngest Capo dei Capi in the Cosa Nostra...that is until someone stops me, saves me from myself... -
Lost Girl by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWho the f&*k gave Slade Cruz this kind of power over me?I don’t know how it happened. One minute he was the guy I loathed and the next thing I knew, I was waking up beside him desperate to get out of there.When secrets are revealed, Slade and I realize that we are more connected than we could have ever known... -
Real Girl by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLucien Valentine must die.It’s the thought that’s kept me going for four long years. I’ve imagined it, dreamed about it, relished in it. I want it so bad, but the question is, do I have what it takes to make it happen?Taking a life isn’t for the faint-hearted. Just ask Lucien, he knows.He’s taken me back to where it all started and I know exactly how it’s going to go... -
Mafiosa by Catherine Doyle
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA blood war rages on the streets of Chicago.Protected by an infamous mafia family, Sophie is living a dangerous lie, pretending to lead a normal life. But the deceit can’t last for ever. Her heart belongs to a killer and Sophie’s the prime target of a rival clan...Categorized as:
love triangle angst high-school other-man-woman young adult contemporary mystery mafia -
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Ten Below Zero by Whitney Barbetti
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 19 ratings“In here,” he said, pushing on the skin above my heart, “you're ten below zero. And you’re closer to death than I am.” My name is Parker. My body is marked with scars from an attack I don’t remember. I don’t want to remember. I choose to live my life by observation, not through experience. While people are laughing and kissing and connecting, I’m in the corner. Watching them live... -
Always Crew by Tijan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFor the longest time, I was Bren Monroe.I lived in Roussou, California.I had no parents, no brother, but I had a crew.Then things started to change.I never planned for any of it.I didn’t think I’d fall in love.I didn’t think I’d have a relationship with my brother again.I didn’t think that he’d come back.Now I’m in Cain.My crew is in college.They’re growing, going through their own things... -
Taint Her: A Dark High School Bully Romance by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe wants to ruin her. She wants to save him.Hadley Rexford was a distraction I didn’t need. But when she discovers me with blood on my hands, I know I can’t walk away without demanding her silence.I’ll taint her.Torment her.In the end, I’ll ruin her.Cole Jagger was a puzzle I wanted to solve. But he refuses to let me in, and now I’m ensnared in his trap.He’s cold.Immoral...Categorized as:
sports suspense new adult contemporary young adult cruel hero from hate to love dark -
The Resolution of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsThings are well for Callie and Kayden. They’re still dealing with their past and the pain connected to it, but for the most part they’ve moved on. The biggest decision they have at the moment is what they want to do with their lives in the future. Eventually, though, the past catches up with them and they’re left facing tough choices... -
Shame by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsEverything done in darkness, will eventually be brought into the light. I ran, but all it did was keep me one step ahead of my past. I tried to start over; new name, new identity. But you can't change your soul. A fresh start at college was just what I needed. For a while, it worked. I was the party girl, the one that seemed confident, but it was a lie. When guys kissed me--I felt only pain... -
The Probability of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Luke Price and Violet Hayes haven’t seen each other in a couple of months, not since they discovered Luke’s mother’s connection to Violet’s parent’s murders. But when Luke gets into some gambling trouble with the wrong people, destiny decides to throw the two of them together and they head out to Vegas to try and settle Luke’s debt... -
The Destiny of Violet & Luke by Jessica Sorensen
Luke Price's life has always been about order, control, and acting tough on the outside. For Luke, meaningless relationships are a distraction-a way to tune out the twisted memories of his childhood. He desperately wishes he could forget his past, but it haunts him no matter what he does. Violet Hayes has had a rough life... -
What's Left of Me by Amanda Maxlyn
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsLife works in mysterious ways. Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer. I refuse to cry. And I refuse to give in. A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me. He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile. But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him... -
Perfectly Flawed by Nessa Morgan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI thought I was okay.I mean, I went through my days just fine, pushing toward a goal I could easily achieve. I had friends that loved me, an aunt who adored me, and everything was just okay.But what I thought was okay and fine, all of that changed...Categorized as:
tortured heroine high-school contemporary young adult friends to lovers virgin heroine dark -
Fallen Crest Family by Tijan
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsSamantha and Mason are together. Everyone knows it. Not everyone is dealing with it. While Mason's ready to give them the middle finger, there's one not going away. Her mother. Threats are issued. Ultimatums are given. Even blackmail is used, but only Samantha can put a stop to Analise. However, when a trauma from her past is triggered, she may not have the courage or strength to do what's needed...Categorized as:
high-school sports angst athletes love triangle other-man-woman new adult young adult -
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Ride or Die by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGang life isn't for everyone, but a b*tch in colors always looks good.The West Side Wolves claim to be a brotherhood, but what do they do when a sister walks in demanding their attention?To everyone else, stepping into the Wolf Den was an epic mistake, filled with consequential betrayals... -
Out of Breath by Rebecca Donovan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsEmma leaves Weslyn and everyone in it behind to attend Stanford University, just as she always intended. A shell of her former self, she is not the same girl. She is broken, and the only way that she’ll be whole again is through forgiveness. Emma must find a way to forgive herself and recognize her own worth before she can receive the love she deserves...Categorized as:
love triangle tortured heroine college angst other-man-woman m-f young adult contemporary -
Wild Girl by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 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... -
Salvation and Secrets by L A Cotton
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsChastity Falls was supposed to be Ana Parry’s fresh start. But what started as her salvation soon became her undoing. Four months after losing the very thing that gave her reason again, Ana is back at Chastity Falls. Holding on by a thread and trying hard to forget about Jackson isn’t easy when she’s determined to uncover the Donohue’s biggest secrets... -
Normal by Danielle Pearl
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIt's the kind of situation most people would dread. Starting at a new high school, in the middle of my senior year, in a new town, in a new state. I know no one. No one knows me. That's what I'm counting on. A year ago, Aurora "Rory" Pine was just a normal teenage girl - just as sweet and naive as the fairy tale princess she was named after. But this isn't a year ago... -
In Her Wake by K.A. Tucker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBefore you knew him as Trent in Ten Tiny Breaths , he was Cole Reynolds—and he had it all. Until one night when he makes a fatal, wrong decision…and loses everything. When a drunken night out at a Michigan State college party results in the death of six people, Cole must come to terms with his part in the tragedy... -
Enforce by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsThere’s two sides to every story… And ours? Isn’t pretty… Then again, what’s pretty about the mafia? Trace Rooks, that’s what. But she only wants one of us, and I’ll kill him before I let him have her. The only problem ? We’re cousins . And she may just be our long lost enemy. Whoever said college was hard, clearly didn’t attend Eagle Elite University...Categorized as:
suspense college love triangle other-man-woman m-f young adult contemporary bad boys -
A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner
AN AMAZON TOP 10 AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING PHENOMENON...Celebrate five years of sweet, angsty pain with this special edition of A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner...Categorized as:
angst love triangle high-school college other-man-woman multicultural new adult christian -
The Golden Boys by Rachel Jonas, Nikki Thorne
West Golden—easy to hate, yet so hard to resist.Don’t let that pretty face of his fool you. He isn’t the boy next door, or the kind you trust with your heart. He’s the devil in designer jeans, with all the charm of a bona fide psycho.Trust me.He swears I did something to cross him before I even stepped foot inside Cypress Prep, but it’s a lie... -
Before I Break by Portia Moore
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOut of the past six years of my life, I only remember about half of it. After a dozen doctors and thousands in medical bills, I was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder--one that causes me to lose track of time. Sometimes it’s hours, days or even weeks with no recollection of anything. The good thing is it's been almost two years since I had my last ‘black out’...Categorized as:
love triangle suspense other-man-woman young adult contemporary mystery new adult dark -
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Out of the Dark by Danah Logan
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLillyMy name is the only truth they didn’t take from me.Betrayed by my family, my desperate need for answers put me back on his radar.The one person who was never supposed to find me.Again.I was unprepared for the world I got thrust into—the connection we shared.The deeper I dug, the more unstable my future became.With Rhys as my anchor, I will fight to bring my past out of the dark... -
Break Me by Meagan Brandy
I had a plan, and it was solid. Track down what was hidden away and take pleasure in toying with it. Toying with her. It worked like a charm.Until it didn’t. Turned out, the feisty little thing I found was far from what I hoped for. She was different from all I knew and more than I expected. She was light, and I’m the bastard who led her into darkness.But this girl.. -
Tempting Little Thief: Alternate Cover Edition by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFrom USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes a steamy forbidden romance featuring a possessive hero … who falls first and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Bastian Bishop. That’s his name. He’s rough, rugged, and utterly unpredictable. He’s not cautious or contemplative. He’s a volcano. Silent and steady one second, and a nightmare in the next... -
Tempting Little Thief: Alternate Cover Edition by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFrom USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes a steamy forbidden romance featuring a possessive hero … who falls first and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Bastian Bishop. That’s his name. He’s rough, rugged, and utterly unpredictable. He’s not cautious or contemplative. He’s a volcano. Silent and steady one second, and a nightmare in the next...Categorized as:
college high-school angst suspense contemporary new adult from hate to love dual-pov -
Left Drowning by Jessica Park
What does it take to rise from life’s depths, swim against the current, and breathe? Weighted down by the loss of her parents, Blythe McGuire struggles to keep her head above water as she trudges through her last year at Matthews College...Categorized as:
tortured heroine college angst m-f young adult contemporary tearjerkers virgin heroine -
Glass Heart Hero by Lindsey Iler
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLoyalty. Corruption. Family.A gauntlet rooted in love and jealousy may be the destruction of the students at Glass Heart Academy.DelaneyParts of me were stolen in the confines of a dark room. No matter how hard I fought, I got nowhere. The damage has already been done.Now I find myself in the arms of an unexpected boy...Categorized as:
high-school tortured heroine love triangle other-man-woman dark new adult cruel hero contemporary -
Connected by A.E. Murphy
Stuck between what feels wrong but should be right and what is definitely wrong but feels so right, Gwen has to deal with her new life and being a single mother to her baby, Dillan. Whilst trying to move on and fill the gaping hole that Caleb left behind, she struggles with the knowledge of what happened to Nathan...Categorized as:
suspense tortured heroine love triangle other-man-woman m-f young adult contemporary strong heroine -
Broken Hate by Thandiwe Mpofu
Rated: 4.25 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.. -
Nova and Quinton: No Regrets by Jessica Sorensen
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsToday is the first day of Quinton Carter's new life. The toxic guilt of his past left him in pieces-but one girl unexpectedly put him back together. Thanks to Nova Reed, Quinton can finally see the world with clear eyes. She's the reason his heart is still kicking behind the jagged scar on his chest. And he would love to have her in his arms every minute of the day . . . but he's not ready yet... -
The End Game by Kate McCarthy
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 20 ratings“Professional athletes are pillars of their respective communities. They are heroes in the eyes of boys and girls and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that positively represents their community.” The public loves a good scandal. Seeing someone fall from the pinnacle of success makes a great headline. No one knows that better than I do... -
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Unlit Star by Lindy Zart
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWe are not guaranteed anything, not even this life. Rivers Young is the popular guy untouchable by reality. He is like a star—bright, consuming, otherworldly. The thing about stars, though, is that they eventually fall, and he is no different. He falls far and he falls hard. Delilah Bana is the outcast enshrouded in all of life's ironies... -
Ignite by R.J. Lewis
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThey grew up together as the closest of friends... and then more. When Sara Nolan and Jaxon Barlow decided to be together, their relationship as a young couple was consumed by a love that was both passionate and beautiful. Sara had it all when it came to a boyfriend: romance, trust, and a protector of all things bad. Jaxon had given her his bleeding heart for the keeping...Categorized as:
suspense love triangle other-man-woman young adult contemporary alpha male bad boys dark -
Kick, Push by Jay McLean
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThere’s a single defining moment within every skater. It lasts only a second. Two if you're good. Three if you’re really good. It’s the moment you’re in the air, your board somewhere beneath you, and nothing but wind surrounds you. It’s the feeling of being airborne. The sixteen-year-old version of me would’ve said it was the greatest feeling in the world... -
Ugly Girl by Sheridan Anne
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSlade Cruz is a d*@k.He’s intimidating, sexy as sin, and unpredictably wild. His eyes draw me in while his vicious smirk screams at me to run and never look back. I’m a toy to him, a pawn to use in his devilish games.I’ve already suffered through hell and back and if it’s games he wants then it’s games he’ll get, but he should be warned, this time it’s my turn to play the lead... -
Wicked Promises by S. Massery
I made a promise to Caleb, and I intended to keep it.I just didn’t anticipate the aftermath.One betrayal.One lie.One devastating cover up.It’s all out in the open now, and this time, I’m not running away.The secrets I hold are enough to destroy us.The truth is supposed to set us free—but we aren’t destined for freedom.This is a dark high school bully romance with mature content and themes... -
Heartless: A High School Bully Romance by Ivy Fox
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI had their love once. They saw me for the girl I am and the person I yearn to become one day—a woman who thrives in her freedom and dances away in her rightfully earned independence.They saw all the strong, unafraid parts of me, and coaxed each one of them out, daring me to dream bigger, climb higher.They never once saw the girl I had been groomed to see in the mirror...Categorized as:
suspense love triangle other-man-woman abuse dark from hate to love reverse harem cruel hero
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