Dive Into Your Deepest Desires with Our Favorite Dark Romance Books
If you've ever dabbled in the romance genre, you're likely quite familiar with cutesy, heartwarming romcoms and magical, mystical romantasy. But what if you're craving something with a little more danger? Dark romance could be just what you're looking for.
What is Dark Romance?
Dark romance is one of the many subgenres found within romance novels. These books revolve around the more shadowy side of attraction, exploring intense themes, dysfunctional relationships, power dynamics, and morally questionable behavior. Despite the intense and at times controversial subjects, dark romance books are increasingly popular.
Common Tropes in Dark Romance Books:
Since nothing is really off limits, navigating the subjects in dark romance books can be tricky. When browsing dark romance books, keep in mind that titles within this book genre can contain these tropes and trigger warnings:
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Forbidden love
- Stalkers and obsession
- Anti-heroes and heroines
- BDSM
- Power imbalances
- Morally grey characters
- Age gaps
- Predator-prey dynamics
Fall in Love with Our Favorite Dark Romance Books
If you're looking for a whole lot of spice and not a lot of nice, these dark romance books are sure to satisfy your literary cravings:
The Ritual by Shantel Tessier
In The Ritual, Barrington University is the home of the Lords, a secret society that, with a blood payment, ensures they rise to be the most powerful men in the world. When they reach their senior year, they are offered a "chosen one." Blakely Anderson, set on making her cheating boyfriend jealous and taking fate into her own hands, becomes the chosen one for the ultimate alpha and anti-hero, Ryat Archer. But what starts out as a game quickly becomes a fight for survival—and the only way out is death.
Read Shantel Tessier's Other Standalone Dark Romance Books:
Hate by Tate James
Fans of the "why choose" trope will eat Hate up! After Madison Kate Danvers was framed and charged for a deadly riot and released back into Shadow Grove, she only has one thing on her mind—revenge. But her plans for teaching the boys who framed her a lesson are derailed when she finds all three, Archer, Kodiak, and Steele, living in her home, right down the hall! Determined to resist their charms and games, Madison is hellbent on teaching them just how cold her hatred can run.
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life, without worrying about his endless debt, where he can work in his leather studio and forget about his traumatic past. When the chance at freedom arises and his boss offers him a plea deal—marry Lark Montague, a singer-songwriter that seems to be all sunshine and glitter and is the daughter of his most important business partner—it should be a simple yes. There's just one problem: the two can't stand one another. As they navigate the treacherous dangers of the world around them, it becomes harder and harder to discern their fake marriage from a real one.
Though it's a part of a dark romance book series, each title stars its own couple—and Leather & Lark is our favorite of the three! If you want to read the Ruinous Love trilogy in order to understand the throughline, make sure to start with Butcher & Blackbird.
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
In Punk 57, when Misha's teacher set him and his classmates up with pen pals from another school in fifth grade, he never expected to develop a relationship. But, for the next seven years, Ryen was his everything. They only had three rules: no social media, no phone numbers, and no pictures. But when Misha comes across a photo of a girl named Ryen online, he knows he has to meet her—he just didn't expect to hate what he found.
Ryen has gone three months without a single word from Misha. Knowing all she does, she can't help but wonder if he was arrested or even died. When a mysterious and handsome new student named Mason arrives at her school and a mysterious vandal starts leaving messages for her, she can't stop thinking about how Misha might be gone forever. But what she doesn't know is that this new stranger who appears to know just how to hurt and heal her could be just who she's looking for.
Distance by Luna Mason
Freshly single and ready to build her new life in New York, Sienna has sworn off men—they've never stuck around long enough for her to believe in fairytales, anyway. That is, until she meets Keller, a rags-to-riches heavyweight boxing champion trapped in the mafia. Unable to fight their attraction, can the two get past their fears of love and fight for their freedom? Find out in Distance, a drama-filled, dark, and sporty romance book where love collides head-on with danger.
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
Trauma nurse Aly Cappellucci spends her nights thirsting after steamy, masked content creators online, dreaming of being hunted and taken by one man in particular: Josh Hammond. Who could've guessed that sending one drunken text would turn her deepest desires into reality? The two strike up a deal to live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has managed to capture the attention of someone with more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. Find out how far Josh is willing to go to turn from predator into protector for the woman he's obsessed with in Lights Out!
Can You Find Dark Romance Books on Audiobook Services?
Many romance lovers prefer to listen to their favorite dark romance books. Many audiobook services have an extensive selection of dark romance books to choose from. In audiobooks, professional voice actors bring these steamy and titillating stories to life in ways you wouldn't believe!
Understanding the Spice Scale for Dark Romance Books
When you start reading dark romance books, you'll notice that many BookTokers use a five-chili pepper scale to denote how "spicy" or sexually explicit a title is. Here's a breakdown of what each pepper means:
- 1 Pepper: minimal to no sexual content and "closed door" scenes (more evident in YA romance books)
- 2 Peppers: mild references to sexual content but no explicit on-page scenes
- 3 Peppers: at least one intimate scene with detailed descriptions of physical intimacy
- 4 Peppers: multiple, detailed intimacy scenes and potentially explicit language
- 5 Peppers: high level of "open door" sexual scenes, explicit kinks, and potential for trigger warnings
Dark romance books have it all: thrilling twists and turns, breathtaking danger, intense emotions, and countless taboos. If you're in the market for a steamy read for your next book club or want a title to keep you warm at night, swing by Novel to browse our selection for yourself!