Best Ya Romance Books 2023

Evelyn Monroe is a 27 year old kindergarten teacher who absolutely loves kids. Things change when Evelyn's twin brother - Everett suggest she becomes his best friend (Cassian James)’s daughter's nanny for a month that was going to be very busy for him. As far as Everett is concerned, it's good as she’s between jobs since she’s planning to move states soon. There is only one problem. Evelyn and Cassian can’t stand each other. They’ve never been able to. She finds him insufferable, and he thinks she’s annoying. Everett convinces them that they haven’t seen each other in 6 years, and they’re adults now. He’s sure the childish bad blood is a thing of the past. He’s wrong. The two still can’t stand each other. They’re at each other’s throats the moment they meet again. The only thing that’s changed is… well… they can’t keep their hands off each other. As it turns out, anger is great passion fuel. Everything is fine, and Evelyn is even beginning to like Cassian. She stays an extra two weeks even, when Cassian can’t finish up work in time. His little girl Amelia is an absolute sweetheart as well. Everything is fine until Evelyn can’t find her period. She’s pregnant, and it’s Cassian’s. She asks Cassian if he wants another child and he says no, which is why he got a vasectomy. Evelyn says nothing about the child, and leaves for her fresh start as previously planned. A whole year passes like this until Cassian is visiting San Francisco for business and decides to drop in on her, hoping to rekindle their flame. He finds her with a baby, and realizes quite quickly that it’s his.

Aurora, a strong-willed and compassionate princess, is next in line to inherit the throne of the mystical kingdom of Eldrador. However, her parents' sudden passing leaves her with a daunting task: choosing a suitable partner to rule alongside her. According to ancient tradition, the queen must select a group of four noble suitors each representing a different element (earth, water, spirit and the sword which slays), to form a sacred bond and ensure the kingdom's prosperity. Aurora is torn between her duty and her desire for true love. As she navigates the complexities of court politics and magic she finds herself drawn to each of the four suitors, each with their unique personalities and abilities. But she has a childhood crush that she cannot move on from, a shadow walker and highly ranked ninja, Kael StarSeekera who would appear later to defy all that she knows and believes.

My husband died six months ago. At least… that’s what everyone said. While I’m drowning in his debts, working double shifts just to survive, the only person who refuses to leave me alone is the man I should fear the most — Drakon Vasilios, my husband’s best friend and the ruthless VP of the Wolves MC. He watched me from the moment I became Nikos’s wife. Now he’s the one breaking down my door, dragging me into his world, and claiming he’s the only thing standing between me and a brutal rival gang who wants me dead. To the club, I’m “property.” To Drakon, I’m something far more dangerous. His obsession is raw. Possessive. Consuming. Wrong. Because when the truth explodes — that my husband is still alive, a traitor, and the reason everyone wants me dead — everything shatters. And then I discover I’m pregnant. The problem? I don’t know if the baby belongs to the man who betrayed me… or the man willing to burn the world to keep me. Now the club is at war. Loyalties are breaking. Blood is being spilled. And the only place I’m safe… is in the arms of the one man I should never love. He’s my husband’s best friend. My protector. My greatest sin. But once Drakon claims something… no one takes it from the Wolf.

My best friend, Scarlett Throne, is diagnosed with cancer. After running away from home, she takes her own life. She leaves behind only a testament and a pair of eight-year-old twins, a boy and a girl. "You're the only person I can rely on in this world. I'm not asking you to adopt them, but just make sure they have enough to eat." Out of compassion, I take the siblings in. For the next 20 years, my husband and I have been working hard together to raise them, buying them cars and houses. But one day, my adopted daughter reports my husband for being abusive toward her. Even my supposedly dead best friend suddenly appears and testifies against him. I demand to know why she does such a thing. My best friend, filled with righteous indignation, says, "I see you as my best friend! I've never thought you adopted my children just to serve your husband's perversions!" My husband's reputation is ruined, and he's been thrown in jail. I desperately try to prove his innocence, only to be forcibly sent to a mental hospital by my adopted son. There, I wither away and die. When I open my eyes again, I find myself back on the very day my best friend was diagnosed with cancer.

“Louder,” he said while watching me like a predator ready to strike, “I-I belong to you,” I stuttered while swallowing the lump formed in my throat. “To?” he gritted his teeth, “Nikolai Vasiliev,” *** Nikolai Vasiliev, the most feared and respected don of the Russian mafia. He was known as the ruthless king of the mafia whose world revolves around blood and lust. Love is forbidden to him as he promised himself not to love again. Juliana Mitchell, a brave, stubborn, hardworking and beautiful woman leaving her normal life, dreaming to find her happily ever after. All her life she was constantly reminded that she’s useless and ugly compared to her younger sister which made her doubt herself all the time. One encounter with the Russian don changed her life completely, pulling her into a web of lies, manipulation and pure torture. She’s ready to do anything to get away from his clutches but the question is, Will he let someone walk away from him the second time?

I parted my lips to speak, when Lila cut in. "It's a sensitive topic, father. Can we eat now?" She requested. I sighed gratefully, watching his actions without showing that I was. He held a glass of wine, and raised it gracefully. I stifled a moan. Goddess, his actions alone were enough to arouse me. He took a sensual sip, and I looked away, feeling my nipples hardening. When last had I felt the life being fucked out of me. Ever since my last boyfriend, that was. I hadn't had good sex since then. ~~~ "If you'll excuse me please." My voice barely sounded like a whisper. Without waiting for another minute, I rushed away, towards my room. I placed my back against the door, breathing hard. I didn't need to check, I could feel my juices soaking through my painties. It was lucky none of them saw my hardened nipple peeking through my dress. Goddess knew why I hadn't worn a bra. I needed a release. The thought had hardly formed in my head, when I rushed towards the bathroom, shutting the door close. I got under the shower, and turned it on. Placing my left leg on the wall, I closed my eyes. I pictured Vincenzo tracing his hand over my shoulder and I shuddered. I pushed my head back, my finger moving farther down my leg. I rubbed gently on my folds through the material, and moaned softly. I was fucking aroused. **** After banishment from her pack, Ella seeks refuge in her friend’s pack. The last thing she ever thought would happen was to fall for her friend’s father and the pleasure he has to offer. Can she navigate the treacherous waters of forbidden love and still maintain her relationship with her best friend?

"I've seen the way you look at me, I know you want me..." Jackson said while I gasped hard for breathe. He was right, I crave every part of this man but I can't have him. He's not only twice my age, he's also Arlene’s dad. She's my best friend and she would never forgive me… The first time Laura saw Jackson was on her sixteenth birthday. She had gone out with friends, hoping to get over her boyfriend, who just broke up with her. The moment she saw Jackson, she fell in love with him and wanted every bit of him. He seemed to notice her keen perusal too but she was only sixteen, and they were only able to share a few sexy glances. Laura left that night but never forgot him, she didn’t even get his name but his face and aura was registered in her being. Standing before her three years later, the memory and feelings gushed back. She still wanted every bit of him and more but the problem is, he is her best friend's dad, and also twice her age. Their love was against all norms and if made public, would make them face a lot of ridicule and backlash. What will she do? Will she sacrifice everything for true love or will she cave and back down?

We shouldn’t be doing this,” Nate said like he meant it. But he didn’t move away. All I wanted was a fresh start. New city. New apartment. New version of me. So when my best friend, Olivia, offered me a place in her brother’s building, I didn’t hesitate. What I didn’t expect was Nate. Her older brother, my landlord, and a man who already belonged to someone else. The kind of man who looks at you once and makes you forget every reason you shouldn’t want him. I knew the rules. I knew the risks. I broke them anyway. But desire has a price. And mine came with a friendship on the line, a past that refused to stay buried, and pressure closing in from every direction. The smartest thing I could’ve done was walk away. The problem? Nate had already made me forget how. The moment we crossed the line, everything I came here to rebuild was suddenly at risk.

"I've tried to not want you, but everytime I'm near you, my whole being craves for you. It's not supposed to be that way, Lola," I held in an excited scream. Even though I was happy, I still had a mission to accomplish. "Then let's play a game. Let's get rid of all these sexual tension between us. I'm sure one night will be enough to clear it away," "One night," He growled. "One night is all there will be," In one quick movement, my towel dropped to the floor with his lips devouring mine. ~~~~ Lola thought her life had come to an end when she lost her father, but it was only an invitation to a new phase when she accidentally meets her late father's best friend in a club. A myriad of sparks flicker at first sight, but he never pays any attention to her until one rainy evening, followed by a passionate steamy night, Rowan falls twice harder for the lady he's supposed to protect. Now he's ready to fight the world and even his son to keep the woman he's hopelessly in love with by his side.

She returned to bury her father. Instead, she was forced to marry his enemy’s son. - Rosalind Marlow returns to New York to settle her father’s affairs, once one of the city’s most feared mafia bosses, only to find he died beside his greatest rival… and left behind a contract binding her to the rival’s son. Viktor Marino is cold, calculating, and infuriatingly magnetic. Rosa has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, not in grief, not in business, and definitely not in bed. But Viktor plays a long game, and with every stare, every challenge, he pulls her deeper into a world of secrets, power, and heat. She was raised to be untouchable. He was born to conquer. And in the space between vengeance and desire, who is going to lose control first? (Contains mature and dark content) ***** EXCERPT ‘Why would you want to leave this behind?’ he growled in my ear, his chest rumbling against my back. Because I can’t trust you. Because I don’t know what I want. ‘Because it’s cruel,’ I whispered. And then he pulled away, leaving me trembling, desperate, and furious.” ❦