Dark Romance Books You’ll Want to Read Immediately
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Over the last few years, I have become a big fan of dark romance novels, so I wanted to make a list of all the books I think you should read if you’re becoming a fan of the genre as well.
If you are unfamiliar with dark romance novels, there are some things you should know before getting into them. First, there is always a large list of trigger warnings/content warnings that you should check out before picking up one of these books, and two, dark romance tends to be where horror and romance meet. So, if you’re already not a fan of horror or thriller books, you may not want to try this out and check out spicy BookTok books instead.
Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton
At this point, I think it would be illegal to talk about dark romance and not talk about Haunting Adeline. This is THE dark stalker romance that everyone loves and is most people’s introduction to being a dark romance lover.
If you have been combing through dark romance books, you’ve heard about Zade Meadows, a man who spends all his time hunting down anyone involved in human trafficking who also has a part-time job stalking Adeline, a writer who lives in a very haunted house.
I would also highly recommend checking out the rest of H. D. Carlton’s books. I have been working my way through them, and I haven’t been disappointed. Also, if you’re into a more historical romance vibe, Phantom by H. D. Carlton is a prequel to the Cat and Mouse Duet, and it’s been on my TBR for a good minute. Everyone I know who’s read it has absolutely loved it as well.
Summary
The Manipulator
I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don’t affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He’s always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.The Shadow
I didn’t mean to fall in love.
Haunting Adeline by H. D. Carlton
But now that I have, I can’t stay away.
I’m mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses…
I’ll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I’ll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.
Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
his is a dark romance book series that had me bawling my eyes out on numerous occasions. This is a bully romance, so make sure you keep that in mind. This series is also very long, so check out my full post here on the Zodiac Academy books in order.
This series has a variety of complex relationships, and you will never know whose side you are on. There are so many twists and turns that it’s sure to keep you on your toes. Plus, it’s filled to the brim with triggers.
Summary of Zodia Academy
Twin sisters find out that they’re the heirs to a fae throne. The problem, though, is that they have to prove they’re the most powerful supernatural to claim it. So, they’re off to magic university, and there are absolutely no rules.
Everyone is out for themselves, vampires feed on other students to prove that they can, fae are playing games of smackdown on their peers, and the classes you’re learning from may just kill you in the process.
Four guys who attend this university already have their eyes on the throne and aren’t afraid to show the twins that they’ll never be good enough to claim their birthright. Unfortunately, why is the Dragon-shifter in this group also really hot…
Hooked by Emily McIntire
This is the perfect dark contemporary romance for anyone who loves a retelling. As the name implies, this is a Peter Pan retelling, but it’s a very loose retelling. Personally, I almost enjoy a reimaging more because it feels like there are so many more possibilities.
Summary of Hooked
All James ever wanted was revenge against Peter Michaels. Lucky for James, Peter’s daughter Wendy finds her way into his bar, and what better revenge than seducing his rival’s daughter?
Out of the blue, James’ organization is falling apart at the seams, and he knows there’s a traitor in his midst. All the while, revenge doesn’t seem as important once his feelings for Wendy start to grow.
Wendy knows James is dangerous, but as her feelings for him grow, she can’t muster the feeling of worry. But the more she learns about him, she’s no longer sure if she’s falling for James or if she’s more attracted to the monster known as Hook.
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
This is very much giving rom-com meets dark romance, and I love it. I feel like the cover is so cute, I almost wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I started this book.
To me, this feels like a beach read for dark contemporary romance lovers. Does that make sense? Like, technically, it’s a very light read with a lot of dark themes. This bold, boundary-pushing romance is a great time, and you’re sure to love every minute of it.
Summary of Butcher & Blackbird
Two people who enjoy taking out the true monsters of the world meet and form an unlikely friendship. They decide to start meeting up once a year to hunt down the monster in any given area and make a game out of it.
Slowly, their friendship starts turning into something deeper, and things start coming out of their past. Will they be able to avoid getting caught?
Her Soul to Take by Harley LaRoux
This dark contemporary romance features so many things you’ll love. First of all, I will never stop reading monster romance, so of course, I was won over when they said demon. Then, you keep pulling me in with talks of the occult, gods, and hauntings. It’s really my jam.
This is a series in which all the books take place at the same time, from the point of view of three different couples. So, be prepared to kind of choose your favorite… Just kidding, unless you really want to.
Summary of Her Soul to Take
Leon has been kept by magicians in a cult for far too long. Recently, they want Rae taken out, and they’ve tasked Leon to do it. Leon, however, is not interested in losing his new favorite toy.
Rae has always enjoyed the supernatural, but summoning a demon was never supposed to work. Now, the demon stalking her may be the only thing that can keep her alive, and he wants her soul.
God of Malice by Rina Kent
This is very light dark mafia romance, but it’s more of a college life dark romance. I have been having such a great time reading through this series, but there are a lot of trigger warnings, so make sure you take a look at that before starting. Honestly, that’s pretty standard for any book on this list, though.
Summary of God of Malice
While Killian may have fooled everyone else, Glyndon sees the psychopath within. While she knows she should run in the opposite direction, she knows he’ll chase her, and even worse, she knows she wants him to catch her.
That Sik Luv by Jescie Hall
Okay, so we have to have a little talk about this book. If you are religious, like at all, like even a tiny bit, give this bad boy a skip. Okay? Okay. Glad we got that out of the way.
This book is full of morally gray characters and is a super captivating story about the life of a woman growing up in a cult-like Christian small town. I could not put it down. It was such a fun read for me.
Summary of That Sik Luv
Aero releases that which Briony has been told should always remain hidden. Her religion has taken her voice, and Aero is determined to make her scream with it.
Aero wants to bring out her darkest desires, all while helping her get to the bottom of the people she’s always been told are holy.
Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers
This book as an audiobook? 10/10. Super taboo, but a super great time. This daring romance is a wild ride from start to finish.
The audiobook of this is a duet between Joe Arden and Heather Firth. I have quickly become such a fan of the duet style, and I truly think that if you have two POVs and two voice actors, it should always be a duet, but that’s just my opinion.
Summary of Little Stranger
In Malachi’s eyes, Olivia betrayed him and had him sent to prison. Now, he wants revenge on his foster sister, but more than that, he wants to own her. His obsession has never faded, no matter how wrong he knows it is.
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
If you have been hunting for a delicious masked men romance book, look no further. This beautiful book is a wonderful time. It’s also super funny, which is a great turn.
I personally read this as an audiobook; Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan did an absolutely amazing job with this book, so I recommend you go that path as well.
I cannot wait for the second book to come out in this dark romance series, I am truly hoping it will be just as good as the first.
Summary of Lights Out
Aly is a trauma nurse with a particular penchant for masked men. There’s one on TikTok in particular that she can’t get enough of, and she’s left quite a few flirty comments on his post to let him know how interested she is. She also wouldn’t mind if he happened to take her up on her offer and break into her room at night…
Josh spends his daily life avoiding attention, but that doesn’t factor into his masked thirst traps online. After reading Aly’s comments, he decides it would be a good idea to take her up on her offer…
Aly has caught someone else’s attention, and Josh has to go full protector mode to keep her safe.
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight
Who doesn’t crave a dark reverse-harem? To top it off, it’s also a mafia romance.
If you’re building your dark romance collection, this book is one you don’t want to miss. It was also a BookTok favorite for quite a while, so you’re sure to find friends who love it just as much as you will.
Summary of Den of Vipers
The Vipers are a mafia family that runs this town, and Roxy’s abusive father sells her off to cover his debts. Now, Roxy is stuck in a penthouse with Ryder, Garrett, Kenzo, and Diesel. They think they’re in control, but little do they know, she knows how to bite back.
Do you have more suggestions for good, dark romance books? Leave them in the comments below!
