42 books like Protecting Piper

By Cynthia Eden,

Here are 42 books that Protecting Piper fans have personally recommended if you like Protecting Piper. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Sweep of the Blade

Laura Hunsaker Author Of Dark Past

From my list on books where the hero falls in love first.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a reader, and with Irish and Scottish families, I’ve grown up hearing beautiful stories of magic and the fair folk. When I discovered romance novels, I was able to combine my love of happily ever afters and the myth and legend of my childhood. I even took classes on the Mythology of Ireland and Britain while I was obtaining my degrees. With a specialty in British Literature, I have been able to ensure my stories, while full of myth and magic, are also steeped in historical accuracy. The lush and vivid descriptions in my stories are paired with magic and time travel, with every story leaving the reader satisfied with the happily ever after the characters have earned.

Laura's book list on books where the hero falls in love first

Laura Hunsaker Why did Laura love this book?

I love this graphic audiobook so much because not only is the story itself amazing and definitely one of my comfort reads, but the actors do such a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life.

The world-building is top tier, the characters are relatable, even though they live in a world with magic, and the actors doing the voices give this audio book that much more depth. Hearing the hero fall in love with the heroine is delightful.

By Ilona Andrews,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

MP3 CD Format

Maud Demille is a daughter of Innkeepers--a special group who provide "lodging" to other-planetary visitors--so she knows that a simple life isn't in the cards. But even Maud could never have anticipated what Fate would throw at her.

Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her young daughter, Helen, were exiled with him for his treachery to the desolate, savage planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud--completely abandoned by his family--has spent over a year avenging his debts. Rescued by her sister Dina, she's sworn off all things vampire.

Except ... In…


Book cover of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night

Laura Hunsaker Author Of Dark Past

From my list on books where the hero falls in love first.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a reader, and with Irish and Scottish families, I’ve grown up hearing beautiful stories of magic and the fair folk. When I discovered romance novels, I was able to combine my love of happily ever afters and the myth and legend of my childhood. I even took classes on the Mythology of Ireland and Britain while I was obtaining my degrees. With a specialty in British Literature, I have been able to ensure my stories, while full of myth and magic, are also steeped in historical accuracy. The lush and vivid descriptions in my stories are paired with magic and time travel, with every story leaving the reader satisfied with the happily ever after the characters have earned.

Laura's book list on books where the hero falls in love first

Laura Hunsaker Why did Laura love this book?

I love this story because even though the hero falls for the heroine, and he falls hard, by the way, he fights it. 

He really doesn’t believe it could happen to him, so when that Black Moment comes, and he’s lost everything he’s worked for, his appreciation of the heroine is so vivid, so real, that the reader can’t help but fall in love with him too. 

By Kresley Cole,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Considering his history with Mariketa the Awaited, Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan should be pleased when dark forces unite against her. Yet when he discovers how vulnerable the beautiful, wee witch truly is, Bowen, a ruthless warrior, finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive. Mari can't control the awesome power she possesses and recognizes the need for a temporary Protector - even one as cold as Bowen. Though it's rumoured that no one can touch his hardened heart, soon passion begins to burn between them. Once Bowen realizes he wants Mari for his own,…


Book cover of Dangerous Witness

Laura Hunsaker Author Of Dark Past

From my list on books where the hero falls in love first.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a reader, and with Irish and Scottish families, I’ve grown up hearing beautiful stories of magic and the fair folk. When I discovered romance novels, I was able to combine my love of happily ever afters and the myth and legend of my childhood. I even took classes on the Mythology of Ireland and Britain while I was obtaining my degrees. With a specialty in British Literature, I have been able to ensure my stories, while full of myth and magic, are also steeped in historical accuracy. The lush and vivid descriptions in my stories are paired with magic and time travel, with every story leaving the reader satisfied with the happily ever after the characters have earned.

Laura's book list on books where the hero falls in love first

Laura Hunsaker Why did Laura love this book?

I love this story, especially because the hero, Brooks, not only falls in love first but also believes the heroine betrays him, so he breaks things off with her. But Brooks never stops loving her.

I love the apologies, I love the way actions speak louder than words in this book, and I love the way they get back together for a well-deserved HEA (happily ever after).

By Katie Reus,

Why should I read it?

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


Book cover of The Wrath

Laura Hunsaker Author Of Dark Past

From my list on books where the hero falls in love first.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been a reader, and with Irish and Scottish families, I’ve grown up hearing beautiful stories of magic and the fair folk. When I discovered romance novels, I was able to combine my love of happily ever afters and the myth and legend of my childhood. I even took classes on the Mythology of Ireland and Britain while I was obtaining my degrees. With a specialty in British Literature, I have been able to ensure my stories, while full of myth and magic, are also steeped in historical accuracy. The lush and vivid descriptions in my stories are paired with magic and time travel, with every story leaving the reader satisfied with the happily ever after the characters have earned.

Laura's book list on books where the hero falls in love first

Laura Hunsaker Why did Laura love this book?

I am recommending this book as one of the best books where the hero falls in love first because it’s not your typical love at first sight, or the hero falls first trope.

When Rathbone realizes he’s in love with Neeka, it’s a turning point in the book. So many things fall into place for him with that realization. And in that moment, he knows he needs her to love him back. 

By Gena Showalter,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a new book in the tantalizing Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a brutal Hell king and the irresistible beauty who upends his world.


For centuries, Rathbone the Only, King of Agonies, has existed for one purpose: recovering the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. He's never been closer to success. But a new enemy has risen. A band of deadly war gods who have thirty days to destroy her or suffer the consequences. With time running out, Rathbone hires a maddening harpy-oracle, unaware she…


Book cover of Five Total Strangers

Keely Parrack Author Of Don't Let In the Cold

From my list on YA set in the cold and that leave you with chills.

Why am I passionate about this?

There is something about books set in the cold, you know immediately bad things are going to happen! It may be my early childhood in Scotland, or my English upbringing, but I have always been drawn to the dark side of stories, the things under the bed, the monsters in the closet. I still love to be scared by the twists and chills but also am a sucker for a happy ending. In my novels, I always strive to entertain, to scare, and surprise, but ultimately there needs to be an emotional truth beneath everything. And this is true of the books I read as well. 

Keely's book list on YA set in the cold and that leave you with chills

Keely Parrack Why did Keely love this book?

Five total strangers trapped in a car together, during a blizzard trying to get home against mounting impossible odds – what’s not to like? I love believable situations which you know as a reader have so much potential to take a deadly turn! 

When a storm strands Mira at the airport with no way to get home, she welcomes the kind offer of sharing a rental car with a woman from her flight. But when this also involves another three people, who all seem to have their own personal baggage and agendas, you know this is not going to be a smooth ride. As if driving in a storm isn’t enough of a problem, personal items keep going missing, and it soon becomes obvious that one of the five is trying to make sure they don’t all make it back alive! This is a fast-paced fun, twisty read, a perfect…

By Natalie D. Richards,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A New York Times Bestseller
A "page-turning thriller that will keep readers guessing until the very end" (School Library Journal) about a road trip in a snowstorm that turns into bone-chilling disaster, from New York Times bestselling mystery author and "master of tension" (BCCB) Natalie D. Richards.
She thought being stranded was the worst thing that could happen. She was wrong.
Mira needs to get home for the holidays. Badly. But when an incoming blizzard results in a canceled connecting flight, it looks like she might get stuck at the airport indefinitely.
And then Harper, Mira's glamorous seatmate from her…


Book cover of Killing Women: The True Story of Serial Killer Don Miller's Reign of Terror

Alan R. Warren Author Of Murder Times Six: The True Story of the Wells Gray Murders

From my list on covering the criminal justice system in America.

Why am I passionate about this?

When writing about true crime it is important for me to write about the victim’s lives before, during, and even after the crime happened. Unlike the rest of us, after the trial ends, their life continues dealing with the after-effects including parole hearings for the murderer. I've written 12 true crime books and I am the host and producer of the popular true crime history radio show House of Mystery on NBC news talk radio network throughout the U.S. & Canada. I am autistic and I have a master’s degree in Music from the University of Washington in Seattle, and a bachelor of Arts in Criminology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. 

Alan's book list on covering the criminal justice system in America

Alan R. Warren Why did Alan love this book?

This is a relatively new book, but not only does it take you through the case of serial killer Don Miller it explains how difficult it can be for the survivors to move on with their lives. In general, most people think that once the trial is over  that everyone can move on with their lives, but that’s not always the case. Killers like don Miller come up for parole, and that’s when the second part of the journey continues for these survivors. It becomes really hard to move forward with their lives when they have to relive the murders at every parole hearing until either the killer is released or dies.

By Rod Sadler,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

"Rod Sadler takes us through the twisted world of a serial killer, in a labor of love that pays respect to those lives the monster destroyed and reminding us why they should never be forgotten and he should never be free." - Dave Schrader, host of Darkness Radio and True Crime Tuesday, and host of The Travel Channel's 'The Holzer Files'

Will A Serial Killer Soon Walk The Streets Again?

Don Miller was quiet and reserved. As a former youth pastor, he seemed a devout Christian. No one would have ever suspected that the recent graduate of the Michigan State…


Book cover of Milkman

Nell Freudenberger Author Of The Limits

From my list on what it’s really like to be a teenage girl.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in Los Angeles in the 80s and 90s. I was a shy teenager, an obsessive reader, and a secret writer.  I went to an all-girls high school where we wore uniforms, did a lot of homework, and mostly had no idea how to meet boys. The teen girls I encountered in movies, TV shows, and even literature were sexualized to the point of being unrecognizable to me. Now that I work with teenagers (and am a mom to one), I’m fascinated by the variability of girls this age, their wide-ranging intelligence, passions, and ways of being in the world. I love novels that reflect that complexity.

Nell's book list on what it’s really like to be a teenage girl

Nell Freudenberger Why did Nell love this book?

I loved this book because it tells the story of a young woman in a perilous political situation who doesn’t cave to horrifying violence or conform simply to stay safe. I admire the voice Burns creates for the main character, called “middle sister,” because it’s unlike any narration in any other novel. 

For me, the strangeness of middle sister’s narration gets at the disconnect between the way a young woman sees herself and the way the rest of the world sees her—as inconsequential, as a sexual object, as a target. I love the way that she thinks her way out of the traps all around her, using humor and clear-sightedness to survive ‘the troubles’ in Northern Ireland during the 1970s.  

By Anna Burns,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Liberty fabric covered editions bring classics from the Faber backlist together with important modern titles, putting them in conversation and celebrating both the history and the future of Faber & Faber.

In this unnamed city, to be interesting is dangerous. Middle sister, our protagonist, is busy attempting to keep her mother from discovering her maybe-boyfriend and to keep everyone in the dark about her encounter with Milkman. But when first brother-in-law sniffs out her struggle, and rumours start to swell, middle sister becomes 'interesting'. The last thing she ever wanted to be. To be interesting is to be noticed and…


Book cover of Bloodline

Michael Callahan Author Of The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard

From my list on beach reads from midcentury America.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a little boy growing up in Philadelphia, I couldn’t have dolls. So I collected Hot Wheels, gave them all wild names and backstories, and moved them around through scandal and adventure on our pool table. As a voracious reader, I devoured hefty novels from my parent’s bookcase as a teenager, and in the 1980s, I adored prime-time soaps like Dallas and Dynasty. I also discovered great midcentury melodramas from filmmakers like Douglas Sirk and Mark Robson, leading to reading related books. Today I review books for the New York Times, and I remain passionate for period melodrama. (Don’t get me started on my Mad Men obsession!)  

Michael's book list on beach reads from midcentury America

Michael Callahan Why did Michael love this book?

Ok, so this is not technically midcentury (it was published in 1977), but I had to include one of those amazing 1970s yarns. I chose this one because I remember reading this as an adolescent and feeling it was sort of like a more adult, sophisticated Nancy Drew book, replete with cliffhangers at the end of each chapter.

This global potboiler, about a beautiful pharmaceutical heiress marked for murder, has enough twists and turns to keep anyone reading way past bedtime. I think it also planted the seed for me to write my own novels of courageous, Grace Kelly-style heroines caught up in the throes of romantic mystery and adventure. 

By Sidney Sheldon,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

One of Sidney Sheldon's most popular and bestselling titles, repackaged and reissued for a new generation of fans.

The daughter of a rich and powerful father, Elizabeth Roffe is young, beautiful - and sole heir to a billion dollar fortune.

Then tragedy strikes. Her father is killed in a freak accident and Elizabeth must take command of his mighty global empire, the pharmaceutical company Roffe and Sons. It makes Elizabeth the richest girl in the world. But someone, somewhere, is determined that she must die.

From the backstreets of Istanbul to the upmarket offices of New York, Bloodline is a…


Book cover of Confessions on the 7:45

Karen E. Olson Author Of An Inconvenient Wife: A Modern Tudor Mystery

From my list on mysteries told from more than one point of view.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a former journalist, I was trained to look at all sides of a story. When I read, I am drawn to books that have multiple characters with their own narratives. Sometimes the stories intersect with an “aha!” moment, and sometimes they’re told side-by-side inside each character’s head. Either way, it’s intriguing to have different perspectives—especially in a mystery or thriller. That’s why I use the points of view of three wives in An Inconvenient Wife to give my readers insight into each of these fascinating women.

Karen's book list on mysteries told from more than one point of view

Karen E. Olson Why did Karen love this book?

I am a huge fan of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train, and this book is an homage to that film—but in the form of a domestic thriller.

A mysterious stranger on the train, a wife troubled by her husband’s infidelity, a missing nanny: each has her own story to tell that eventually intersects with the others and kept me guessing until the end.

By Lisa Unger,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Confessions on the 7 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'WHAT A READ!... Completely engrossing, undeniably enthralling... The biggest five stars.' NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars

'A masterclass in storytelling... Unforgettable.' Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife

Everyone has a secret. Who would you trust with yours?

On Selena Murphy's train home from work, a mysterious woman named Martha strikes up a conversation and shares a confession: she's having an affair with her boss. In turn, Selena shares her own secret: she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny.

At Selena's station the two women part, and Selena never expects to see her again. Until she receives a message.…


Book cover of I See You

Marilyn Levinson Author Of Dewey Decimated

From my list on psychological thrillers I've recently read.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write mysteries and I love to read them. The mysteries I write are traditional and cozy. The focus is on my sleuth as she solves murders, her relationships, and on the local setting. These past few years I've enjoyed reading mysteries quite a bit edgier than the ones I write. These books are filled with characters that are often unstable or emotionally damaged. The murders are more brutal; the plots are more complex. Psychological thrillers veer off in many directions, and the person narrating the story is not always reliable. You can't take for granted that what a character says is true. Your best bet is to observe the action and enjoy the ride!

Marilyn's book list on psychological thrillers I've recently read

Marilyn Levinson Why did Marilyn love this book?

Zoe commutes to her job every day on a crowded train on the London underground. She discovers that someone is posting advertisements in a local paper saying which women take which trains. And there's a photograph of herself, claiming she's up for some "discreet casual action." Who is behind this and why? Zoe becomes suspicious of everyone in her life—her boss, her significant other—wondering who is cruel enough to set up unsuspecting women that commute by train. She's shocked when she finds out the truth, part of which she never discovers. A final zinger.

By Clare Mackintosh,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Discover the twisty, gripping Richard & Judy Book Club pick and Sunday Times Number One bestseller. And don't miss the next nail-biting thriller from Clare Mackintosh. Hostage is out now.

You do the same thing every day.
You know exactly where you're going.
You're not alone . . .

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it's there. There's no explanation: just a grainy image, a website address and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it's just someone who…


Book cover of Sweep of the Blade
Book cover of Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Book cover of Dangerous Witness

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,187

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in stalking, heroes, and New York City?

Stalking 36 books
Heroes 112 books
New York City 1,143 books