68 books like Lover Awakened

By J. R. Ward,

Here are 68 books that Lover Awakened fans have personally recommended if you like Lover Awakened. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Angels' Blood

Kerrie Faye Author Of Dead Girl

From my list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always felt strongly that there is a world out there beyond our human comprehension where good and evil are at war. Add in the fact that I might have seen my very own angel, and it is a topic that has both intrigued and inspired me. At first, I snapped up every book I could find on angels and demons. Then, over time, I expanded to movies and TV shows. Finally, after consuming diverse media across genres, I wrote my own book centering on a female protagonist who discovers her own Nephilim heritage, the hard way, of course, with demons!

Kerrie's book list on fantasy books with angels, demons and Nephilim

Kerrie Faye Why did Kerrie love this book?

I wanted to be Elena! The chemistry was everything between her and the Archangel Raphael.

Not only does the book play with the trope of human and angel seduction, but there are vampires too!

Slow burn. Urban fantasy. Dark-edgy, hero. After reading this book, I became a Nalini Singh fan for life!

By Nalini Singh,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Angels' Blood as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

FIRST IN THE GUILD HUNTER SERIES!

Nalini Singh introduces readers to a world of beauty and bloodlust, where angels hold sway over vampires.

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux is hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael. But this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other-and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break.


Book cover of Keystone

Why am I passionate about this?

Hi there, I’m Taylor a British writer who instead of seeking help for my severe anxiety, decided to get lost in magical fictional worlds through books, and later on my own writing. To be fair, it’s worked out pretty well for me considering I now get to share the strange and wonderful stories that pop in my head. I’m sure you guessed that my favourite genre is both Urban Fantasy/PNR, mainly because they are very similar to one another but also because they both blur the lines between reality and imagination. Also because of werewolves. And sometimes vampires. 

Taylor's book list on urban fantasy and paranormal romance books with power couples (and why they’re good for your romantic soul)

Taylor Aston White Why did Taylor love this book?

Dannika Dark’s Crossbreed is just one of her many spin-off series but has quickly become my favourite. The relationship between Raven and Christian is slow-burn, with the books mainly focusing on Keystone, an organisation they are both apart of. In the first book Keystone, there is very little romance other than hints and teases, but when they do get together further in the series it’s intense and full of passion while still remaining true to the storyline. I find with many series that once a couple gets together their individuality disappears, but with the Crossbreed series you find Raven is still the main protagonist, and Christian only adds to her character arc. Heat level: 3/5

By Dannika Dark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Keystone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With millions sold, USA Today Bestseller Dannika Dark introduces her next addictive series...
BOOK 1

Raven Black hunts evildoers for fun, but her vigilante justice isn't the only reason she's hiding from the law. Half Vampire, half Mage,she's spent years living as a rogue to stay alive. When a Russian Shifter offers her a job in his covert organization hunting outlaws,dignity and a respectable career are finally within her grasp. The catch? Her new partner is Christian Poe - a smug, handsome Vampire whom she'd rather stake than go on a stakeout with.

They're hot on the trail of a…


Book cover of On the Prowl

Why am I passionate about this?

Hi there, I’m Taylor a British writer who instead of seeking help for my severe anxiety, decided to get lost in magical fictional worlds through books, and later on my own writing. To be fair, it’s worked out pretty well for me considering I now get to share the strange and wonderful stories that pop in my head. I’m sure you guessed that my favourite genre is both Urban Fantasy/PNR, mainly because they are very similar to one another but also because they both blur the lines between reality and imagination. Also because of werewolves. And sometimes vampires. 

Taylor's book list on urban fantasy and paranormal romance books with power couples (and why they’re good for your romantic soul)

Taylor Aston White Why did Taylor love this book?

Patricia Briggs is a huge name within urban fantasy, and I’m sure many people who recognize her will wonder why I’ve chosen Alpha and Omega and not her Mercy Thompson series. The reason is Alpha and Omega are seriously overlooked! Charles and Anna are a powerful couple within their own right. Essentially forced into a mating by their wolves, Charles and Anna have to quickly figure out their relationship dynamic at the same time as Anna deals with the trauma of her old pack. This book is the short story prequel that introduces the characters, but the series, in general, is full of calming patience that slowly builds their deep love for one another. Heat level: 1/5

By Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, Karen Chance

Why should I read it?

1 author picked On the Prowl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Four stories of inhuman passions from four of the hottest authors in paranormal romance...

“Alpha and Omega” by Patricia Briggs
The werewolf Anna finds a new sense of self when the son of the werewolf king comes to town to quell unrest in the Chicago pack—and inspires a power in Anna she’s never felt before.

“Inhuman” by Eileen Wilks
Andie has a secret gift of sensing thoughts and desires. What she senses in her neighbor Nathan could be dangerous. Because he has a secret gift too, and it’s about to be let loose…
 
“Buying Trouble” by Karen Chance
A Lord…


Book cover of Halfway to the Grave

Maxym M. Martineau Author Of Kingdom of Exiles

From my list on fantasy with kick-ass heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a fantasy romance author with a love of creating real, in-depth characters with agency. To me, that’s the very definition of a “kick-ass” heroine. It doesn’t matter how she’s kick-ass (e.g., loud/vocal vs. quiet and cunning; the one charging ahead of the army or the one strategizing the attack), just that she’s in control of her own destiny. It’s important for me to have my characters feel like actual people, facing real decisions and the consequences of said decisions, and then I want those characters to have onus and show off their true bad-assery. 

Maxym's book list on fantasy with kick-ass heroines

Maxym M. Martineau Why did Maxym love this book?

Good lord, Kat simply dominates when she enters a scene.

She leaves no room for argument with all her decisions (some of them bad, some of them good) or dialogue, and even in moments where you’re screaming at her or she’s second-guessing herself, she grounds herself in her resolve and pushes forward.

Plus, Bones is swoon-worthy, and she still honors her own feels in the presence of his…well…everything, haha. I also love her evolution through the Night Huntress series and how her viewpoint toward vampires and paranormals shifts in a way that suits her character development. Also the spice? Heck. Yes.

By Jeaniene Frost,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Halfway to the Grave as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Kicking off the sexiest, smartest, most badass paranormal romance series out there. You won't be able to stop turning the pages.

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of those deadbeats is her father - the guy responsible for ruining her mother's life.

But when she's captured by Bones, a bounty hunter and a vampire, she finds herself forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for his help in finding her father, and still astonished she hasn't ended up as his dinner, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her…


Book cover of Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel

L.R. Braden Author Of A Drop of Magic

From my list on urban fantasy brings magic to modern world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been obsessed with fantasy stories for as long as I can remember, but the books I read growing up usually took place “somewhere else.” When I first started seeing books that brought magic to a world that resembled mine, I fell in love. Reading magic in a modern setting brought it home and made it real. Now, I gobble up every story I can find that brings magic to the mundane, and I even write my own. I hope the books on this list inspire you to look for the magic in your own life, as they have for me.

L.R.'s book list on urban fantasy brings magic to modern world

L.R. Braden Why did L.R. love this book?

I love Anita Blake, the feisty, insecure, kick-butt heroine of this story. She’s everything I want in a protagonist: Strong and clever enough to solve her own problems, naive enough to think that will always be the case, and a stranger to her own heart. Lots of room for growth. And grow, she does.

This book (and series) lean more toward the paranormal romance side of urban fantasy, but it also has a dark and gritty noir feel that walks the line of horror. This genre mash-up checked all the boxes for me, keeping me invested in the characters, the world, and the heart-pounding plot.

By Laurell K. Hamilton,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Guilty Pleasures as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Meet Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, in the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that "blends the genres of romance, horror and adventure with stunning panache"(Diana Gabaldon).

Laurell K. Hamilton's bestselling series has captured readers' wildest imaginations and addicted them to a seductive world where supernatural hungers collide with the desires of the human heart, starring a heroine like no other...

Anita Blake is small, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: re-animating the dead and killing the undead who take things too far. But when the city's most powerful vampire…


Book cover of First Grave on the Right

Charlene Williams Author Of Unexpected Places

From my list on a supernatural twist.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a big believer in ghosts. I love to read about them both in fiction and in nonfiction. I think ghosts can be used to elevate a plot in so many ways, either in subtle ways via background influences or overtly by making the supernatural entity a vital character. Beyond ghosts, there are so many ways the supernatural and its various creatures/forms can add layers to a text. Not all supernatural stories have to be a horror story. I also enjoy comedic ones and ones that relay a meaningful message. It’s not the things we see that fascinate me; it’s the things we don’t see.

Charlene's book list on a supernatural twist

Charlene Williams Why did Charlene love this book?

Charley’s a grim reaper–that’s all I needed to know to get caught up in this book. I was surprised by it, to be honest. I was not expecting this sarcastic heroine (did I mention I am also one with the sarcasm?) to fall in love.

This love story, if that is what it can be called, and her profession leads into other books in this series, but this first book–made me want a Reyes of my own–and the ability to help people cross over.

By Darynda Jones,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked First Grave on the Right as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer. In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent…


Book cover of Still Life with Murder

Nhys Glover Author Of The Barbarian's Mistress

From my list on hot, tortured heroes saved by love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always read and written Romance. But while my real life took center stage, I consigned my manuscripts to gather dust in my bottom desk drawer and went off to teach English and History and raise a family. When my real life got less hectic and the Indie Revolution started, I dragged my stories out, dusted them off, and started publishing them. Lo and behold, readers loved them as much as I did, and suddenly I had a whole new career. Teaching literature tends to make you critical, and I was super-critical of my ‘trashy’ romances. Now I’m proud I write stories women can read to relax and be entertained by. 

Nhys' book list on hot, tortured heroes saved by love

Nhys Glover Why did Nhys love this book?

This is the first in the Nell Sweeney Mystery series. And the slow-burn romance extends over the whole series. Set in 19th Century Boston, these little gems kept me on the edge of my seat, while immersing me in the historical period.

Normally, I don’t find drug addicts make for the best romantic heroes, but William Hewett is not your typical hero. Sure, he was a surgeon in the Civil War, where he was injured physically and emotionally and has become hooked on opium because of it, but he’s not a scorch-your-panties-off kind of hot. (It is the Victorian era, after all.) Yet he’s a compelling character and perfect for the heroine who helps to save him. I found I was rooting for this pair every step of the way. I wanted him to heal, kick his habit, and have his HEA with the unconventional Miss Sweeney.

By P.B. Ryan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Still Life with Murder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“What a thoroughly charming book! A beautiful combination of entertaining characters, minute historical research, and a powerful evocation of time and place.” —NYT bestselling author Barbara Hambly

Boston, 1868: The dawn of the Gilded Age, an era of burgeoning commerce and invention, of unimaginable new fortunes and lavish excess—for some. Born into poverty, young Nell Sweeney scratches by on her wits and little else until fortune blesses her with a position as nursery governess to the fabulously wealthy Hewitts. But she soon learns that ugly secrets lurk beneath the surface of their gold-plated world.

The Hewitts’ eldest son, William, a…


Book cover of Carrots

Kate Moseman Author Of Silver Spells

From my list on finding magic at midlife.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always loved fantasy books with female main characters, but as I’ve grown older, it’s been difficult to find contemporary women’s fantasy with main characters over the age of thirty-five. So when I discovered paranormal women’s fiction, a new genre label for stories of midlife women with magic, I was instantly hooked. I read everything I could get my hands on. After that, I was so inspired that I decided to write a contemporary fantasy series of my own, one in which every protagonist was a woman over the age of forty.

Kate's book list on finding magic at midlife

Kate Moseman Why did Kate love this book?

Two words: action and adventure! A quick stop at the grocery store leaves our middle-aged main character able to read minds, but now there's a mob boss out to kill her. 

Carrots is a thrilling magical story for fans of Stephanie Plum and similar female-led thriller stories, and there are plenty of books in this series to keep you busy reading.

By Colleen Helme,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Carrots as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A mind-reader, a mob-boss, and a hit-man. What could go wrong? More fun than you can imagine! Book 1 in the Shelby Nichols Adventure Series

"One of the best and rarest gems of the indie book market."~ Matthew LeDrew

USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Colleen Helme offers a clever mix of mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, and page-turning adventure in the highly acclaimed Shelby Nichols Adventure Series.

Stopping at the grocery store for some carrots shouldn't be dangerous, but in Shelby's case, it changes her life forever. During a bank robbery, she is caught in the cross-fire and grazed…


Book cover of Demon from the Dark

Nhys Glover Author Of The Barbarian's Mistress

From my list on hot, tortured heroes saved by love.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always read and written Romance. But while my real life took center stage, I consigned my manuscripts to gather dust in my bottom desk drawer and went off to teach English and History and raise a family. When my real life got less hectic and the Indie Revolution started, I dragged my stories out, dusted them off, and started publishing them. Lo and behold, readers loved them as much as I did, and suddenly I had a whole new career. Teaching literature tends to make you critical, and I was super-critical of my ‘trashy’ romances. Now I’m proud I write stories women can read to relax and be entertained by. 

Nhys' book list on hot, tortured heroes saved by love

Nhys Glover Why did Nhys love this book?

Malkom Slaine is the archetypal hot tortured hero, as long as you’re into horns. He may not be the son of Satan but a demon from a demon world isn’t far off. He’s another blood and sex slave, who was sold into slavery by his whore demoness mother and forced to kill his best friend. When he meets his one true mate Caro, a witch, he is being set up for betrayal, yet again. Caro has to trick him into coming to the human plane, to be imprisoned and tortured some more, to save her adopted daughter. He has a lot of healing to do and Cole takes the time to make the process realistic.

Yet again, this book is part of a bigger series, where the many storylines intermingle. There’s a lot of fight scenes and action, but little actual torture, thank goodness. This was a very exciting book…

By Kresley Cole,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Demon from the Dark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A scorching tale of a demon outcast poisoned with vampire blood and the vulnerable young witch he vows to protect - even from himself. Malkom Slaine, tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, is pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard. Carrow Graie, hiding her own sorrows, lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving. In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose…


Book cover of The Darkest Night

L. S. Bethel Author Of The King's Seer

From my list on romance with supernatural worldbuilding.

Why am I passionate about this?

Give me all the supernatural and fantasy intrigue with love on the side. Sometimes this world of ours is too much to deal with and it’s nice to visit other worlds. To read and write about the justice, love, and magic of other things that may be lacking in your life can be cathartic and gives us something to look forward to and strive for. While some of the more supernatural aspects might be out of reach, the beauty of unbreakable bonds forged in love and trust, people willing to sacrifice for what they believe in, and seeing justice prevail also gives me the hope that it's not unreachable if you believe it. 

L. S.'s book list on romance with supernatural worldbuilding

L. S. Bethel Why did L. S. love this book?

The first and my favorite of this series that sets up a world beyond our own with interesting and multiple interesting and tortured characters all trapped in their own personal hell and I was here for it. This book focuses on one particular members of this poor group and how one person can come in change absolutely everything with love and faith. There is a setup for the multiple books in the series that do not take away from the main story or characters and will have you wanting to know more. Heavy on not just the romance but the action and violence had me flying through the pages to feed my need for more. Entertaining, fun, tense, and never giving a dull moment, I recommend this for a fun night or nights of reading. 

By Gena Showalter,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Darkest Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive—and unimaginably powerful… Don't miss a single book in this stunning paranormal series from New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter!

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member—a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger that calms their torments…and ignites an irresistible…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the paranormal, vampires, and worldbuilding?

The Paranormal 237 books
Vampires 281 books
Worldbuilding 145 books