Books Similar To One For The Murphys

Content Warning: This is a collection of dark, steamy age-gap romances centered on marriage, possession, and angst. These are stories where vows are a transaction, love is a battlefield, and the only happy ending is the one they fight for. He is always the other father—the guardian, the protector, the older man forced into a role he never asked for. She is the complication, the temptation, the younger woman who disrupts his carefully controlled world. Their unions are never simple. A marriage contract for protection. A vow sworn in desperation. A wedding to secure a future for a child. But behind every practical arrangement lies a dangerous, simmering tension that vows alone can't contain. This collection delivers standalone stories where passion is a privilege earned only after "I do." Expect charged glances across crowded rooms, kisses that feel like claims, and the slow, angsty burn of a man who believes he doesn't deserve her, fighting the overwhelming need to make her his in every way. For readers who like their romance dark, their heroes possessive, and their happy endings hard-won.

"Everyone wants to tear them apart. But he's not giving up without a fight. The last thing Sara Flannigan needs is a man in her life. When she returns to her hometown, she vows to create a happy life for her son and to rebuild her life after a painful divorce. Yet when she meets her son’s new doctor, she can’t deny the spark of attraction that heats between them. The problem? He’s Harrison Thornton, the oldest son of the illustrious Thornton family. His family would never accept a woman like Sara, a woman who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. She tries to ignore the whispers of her past, but she soon realizes secrets can never stay hidden for long. Especially from the man claiming her wounded heart. Growing up in the rich and powerful Thornton family, Harrison has lived a charmed life. A renowned physician, the last thing he expects is to desire the mother of one of his patients. Sara is beautiful and intelligent, and she’s completely devoted to her son, something that only deepens his attraction to her. He doesn't want a single night of passion, though: he wants forever. Yet there are forces at work and people determined to tear them apart. Even Sara turns from him, certain she's unworthy. Harrison refuses to let Sara slip away, and soon, he’s fighting the greatest battle of all. The battle to win the heart of the woman he loves."

Sometimes love finds us in the most unexpected places—through the most unexpected person. At 40, Daniel’s life is a careful balance between raising his three children and running the family business. After losing his wife, he built a cold, impenetrable shell around himself—one he has no intention of breaking. Deanna, on the other hand, is full of dreams. With just one year left before earning her degree in Arts, she’s focused on one thing: making it to the opera stage. But when her best friend Harry begs for her help, her life takes an unforeseen turn. An outdated family rule threatens to keep Harry from marrying his pregnant girlfriend. The only solution? His older brother, Daniel, must marry first. To help him, Deanna and Daniel agree to a fake relationship—a temporary arrangement that should have been simple. But the pull between them is undeniable. She brings warmth into his cold world, while he offers her a love she never expected after a painful breakup. Together, they begin to build something real—something worth fighting for. Yet, not everyone wants to see them happy. Between outside forces determined to tear them apart and their own fears whispering doubts, their love faces an uphill battle. And with a 15-year age gap standing between them, one question remains: Can they defy the odds, or will reason win over the heart?

"Fall in love with THE THORNTONS, a family filled with sexy alpha males, passionate women, and lots of heart, all set in a delightful small town in the Pacific Northwest. It’s Christmas time, and the entire Thornton clan is spending the holidays in a cabin deep in the Washington woods. What could go wrong with twelve adults, four kids, and a dog all staying together in one big cabin? Only the most chaotic—and memorable—Christmas ever! Expect kisses under the mistletoe, lots of (spiked) eggnog, and even a surprise wedding as the Thornton clan celebrates the most romantic holiday of all. Author’s Note: I’ll Be Home for Christmas is set six months after the last book, Till There Was You, ends. It’s recommended that you read the other books first, as this book is an epilogue to the entire series. Merry Christmas and happy reading! ** This book is a part of the LOVE EVERLASTING series, which is one large series following multiple families and friends. Each book can be read as a standalone (unless otherwise noted), or they can be read in order of publication as one long series. Each book is interconnected, with many of the same characters showing up in multiple books. LOVE EVERLASTING THE THORNTONS The Nearness of You The Very Thought of You If I Can’t Have You Dream a Little Dream of Me Someone to Watch Over Me Till There Was You I’ll Be Home for Christmas (A Thorntons Christmas)

When down-on-her-luck Rennie Brooks accepts a job as a live-in nanny for the daughter of cold, enigmatic billionaire Shawn Wolfe, she believes it’s just another job—and another clingy child—until the little girl looks up at her with wide, innocent eyes and calls her “Mommy”… then begins mirroring her every habit. The connection is instant. The tension between her and Shawn, undeniable. Because Shawn isn’t just her new boss—he’s the man from her one unforgettable night eight years ago, the stranger who vanished before dawn, leaving behind nothing but memories and heartbreak. Rennie swore she’d never fall for him again. But under the same roof, every stolen glance and forbidden touch reignites the desire she thought she’d buried for good. Her fragile new beginning shatters when Shawn’s glamorous ex-wife suddenly returns, demanding custody of the little girl Rennie has come to love as her own. Just as she prepares to walk away, a devastating secret surfaces— Diane isn’t Shawn’s daughter. She’s Rennie’s. Now Rennie must fight for the child she never knew was hers and face the hardest choice of her life: between the man who broke her heart and the one who might finally mend it.

Caius Vannister, despite his reputation as one of the most eligible bachelors of the country, was a one-woman-man kind of guy. He had imposed strict rules upon himself, and that is to be loyal to just one woman. He laid no woman in his bed for years, which is why he knew he was in trouble when he felt the heat and the beast awakened at the sight of the drunk Murphy who one night, accidentally barged on his VIP room. Having tasted the sweet scent and pleasure he didn't know existed, he desperately searched for the lady, who fortunately left her business card, the morning he woke up alone. Realizing that the lady was closely acquainted with his cousin, Casper and his wife, a playful smirk was painted on his lips. "Architect Murphy Jayden…you're mine…” As Murphy tried to shoo him away, he was adamant to claim the lips, the body, and the heart of the lady who, from the start, stole his. Caius vowed to know everything about her to plan his next steps, that his vast connection was put to the test when he found no single information about her, apart from what he knew from Casper. Pondering about it for far too long, he could only utter one thing... "Who are you truly, milady?”