Like everyone else who read Romeo and Juliet in middle school, I know love stories can get gritty. I have a medically concerning soft spot for wholesome romance novels, but I can’t turn down a dreadful ballad of passions gone wrong (or right, depending on who you ask) either.
Dark romance stories take our emotions and play with them like putty, bending and beating them until all we can do is beg their star-crossed leads to make out, draw blood, or somehow do both at the same time. So let’s break the sentimental Play-Doh and sink our teeth into the top ten darkest romance books ever penned.
Different strokes for different folks
My time on Archive of Our Own has taught me that people have very different definitions of “dark and twisted romance.” Typical common denominators include morally grey protagonists with dubious but consistent codes of ethics and a willingness to explore exceptionally taboo subjects, such as the subversion of consent, one-sided obsession, and the potential for abuse lurking within all relationships.
Every book on this list features these elements to some capacity, and I’ve ordered them based on how well each uses these tropes to weave the tale of lust at their shadowed, sweaty centers.
10. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
Dark romance books are, well, dark, but Haunting Adeline is easily the darkest I’ve read. Best-selling author Adeline Riley thinks she’s in for a relaxing sabbatical when she inherits her late grandmother’s mansion. Instead, she ends up becoming the newest obsession of Zane, a murderous vigilante who preys on human traffickers, pedophiles, and other criminals who target women and children.
I feel obligated to warn you that Haunting Adeline is about as dark as a book can get. It’s almost laughable how grim this book sometimes gets, and its sheer gratuitousness could be a major turnoff for many readers. I stress again: read with caution.
9. Fifty Shades of Gray by E. L. James
I’m probably not winning many originality points with this pock, but it’d be blasphemous not to put this legendary piece of obscene literature on this list somewhere. Anastasia “Ana” Steele, freshly graduated from Washington State University, chances upon an opportunity to interview Christian Grey, an aloof business magnate. Falling for his charm, Ana soon finds herself locked in a surreal relationship with Christian, one defined by emotional distance, paperwork, and the entrepreneur’s obsession with BDSM.
Fifty Shades of Grey is more sexually charged than an elephant swimming in musth, and there’s something commendable about the boldness with which E. L. James explores BDSM culture. That said, James’ prose is about as papery as papyrus, and BDSM supporters and detractors have both made compelling arguments against the book’s representation of the practice.
8. The Risk by S.T. Abby
I’m not much of a “true crime guy,” but The Risk helped me understand (somewhat) why some people find serial killers so fascinating. Lana’s out for revenge against the people who ruined her life, and she’s not afraid to paint the walls red to get it. When Logan Bennet, an F.B.I. profiler, starts closing in on her, Lana decides the only way to deter him is to give him something else to focus on: a relationship with her.
The Risk doesn’t pull its punches, although I will admit it doesn’t go as far as Chasing Madeline. S.T. Abby knows how to get inside the mind of a screwed-up soul, and she’s not afraid to show how far Lana’s willing to go to achieve her vision of justice against those who’ve wronged her. If you’re looking for a twisted romance that wades into the dark but doesn’t wallow in it, this book’s for you.
7. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
While it’s not nearly as ubiquitous as over a decade ago, Twilight left a bite mark on the public imagination that no metric of contemporary critique can hope to bury. During her first biology class in her new school, Bella Swan sits beside Edward Cullen, a mysterious outcast. After her investigation into the Cullen family reveals Edward’s true, vampiric nature, Bella finds herself sucked into a hidden world of ancient secrets, mortal danger, and untamable passion.
Unlike its movie adaption, Twilight is a surprisingly slow burn. Stephenie Meyer takes her time pulling back the veil over vampire society’s complex inner workings and gives Bella and Edward’s relationship time to develop into something interesting. While a drought of character depth mars it, the book has an undeniable magnetism that later books in the series failed to replicate.
6. The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori
The seedy world of organized crime lends itself well to stories about dangerous, all-or-nothing romance, and The Sweetest Oblivion understands that fact well. Elena, the “princess” of a well-connected mafia family, is far from the happiest person in the room when she learns of her little sister’s engagement to Nicolas Russo, the up-and-coming head of a rival outfit. A secret admirer of the innate brutality of her family’s business, Elena finds herself drawn to Nicolas, or rather, the power a relationship with him could give her.
High-stakes poker games, shady back-alley dealings, and explosive gunfights abound in this high-voltage tale of inter-criminal romance. Elena’s smooth tongue and decisive ruthlessness make her a satisfyingly active protagonist, but Danielle Lori never allows her to slip into a thick plate of plot armor. An omnipresent sense of dread permeates every scene, with threats on both sides of the law waiting in the wings to snap up Elena if she loses the game of wits she’s gotten herself into.
5. God of Malice by Rina Kent
Most people see dating as a keystone of the college experience, but God of Malice shows how dangerous a secondary school relationship can get. Killian Carson is a manipulative, remorseless psychopath who’s fooled everyone into thinking he’s the softest guy on campus. Well, everyone except Glyndon King, the quick-witted and outspoken black sheep of an artistic family who, in her own way, is just as broken as Killian is.
God of Malice‘s charm (for severe want of a better word) lies in the mutual instability of its leads. Killian and Glyndon are not the most well-adjusted individuals, and their competitive and volatile relationship propels the novel’s story forward in exciting and unpredictable ways. There’s also something bizarrely wholesome about their connection, as the two quickly realize that, for all their quarreling, they’ve both finally found someone who understands and accepts them.
4. Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux
What if a demon fell for a sacrificial virgin? That question summarizes the inciting incident of Her Soul to Take well. Leon, an infernal conjured from the depths of the Underworld, finds himself at a loss when he feels compelled to spare Rae, the captive sacrifice offered to him by a cult. Rae’s just as confused by this development, and the two soon find themselves locked in a battle to save Rae’s soul from the persistent cult.
Her Soul to Take is an occult rom-com filled with supernatural hijinks. Leon and Rae’s dynamic is unique and entertaining. Throughout, the two swap between being the master and the student as each learns more about the other’s world. Harley Laouroux’s prose occasionally comes off a shade too serious, but the author knows how to have fun with their demonically creative premise.
3. Hooked by Emily McIntire
Hooked is a book that shows how much fun an author can have with a classic story that’s crossed into the realm of the public domain. In this re-telling of Peter Pan, “Captain” James Hook is the dashing young leader of a rebellious band of ruffians locked in a war with Peter, reimagined here as an aging, child-exploiting crime boss. The perfect opportunity for revenge comes to James when Peter’s daughter Wendy crosses his path, but things, naturally, get complicated as his feelings for his enemy’s offspring deepen.
My favorite part of any genre-bending fairy tale reimagining is seeing what the writer does with elements from the original. Peter Pan is already one of the most imaginative stories ever told. Emily McIntire constantly finds clever ways to adapt the Lost Boys, Smee, and other iconic characters, locales, and themes from J.M. Barrie’s childhood-defining classic, and these new interpretations help bolster the surprisingly endearing romance that blossoms between James and Wendy.
2. We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Young adult dystopia novels love to lock their adolescent protagonists in a cramped room with their hormones, but We Set the Dark on Fire pushes this element onto center stage. The authoritarian nation of Medio trains aristocratic young women to become the wives of the country’s ruling elite, and they’ve paired Daniela Vargas with the son of a prominent military family. What Medio’s rulers don’t know is that Daniela’s a member of the revolution, and she’s planning to tear her nation’s oppressive government down from the inside.
We Set the Dark on Fire combines the ominous social commentary of A Handmaid’s Tale with the cathartic “eat-the-rich” vibes of Red Rising. Daniela is an insightful and inspiring protagonist, and Tehlor Kay Mejia’s thoughtful prose allows her to speak artfully about some very relevant issues, like female autonomy and class division. Daniela’s relationship with her young, idealistic husband-to-be provides plenty of steamy material for romance fans to work with and adds much-needed levity to an otherwise heavy story.
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
If you didn’t see this one coming, you either haven’t been to a coffee shop in a while or weren’t paying attention while you were there last. Feyre, the daughter of a fallen noble family, isn’t thinking about much other than survival when she puts an arrow through a wolf that tries to steal a deer she was hunting. So when a High Fey lord bursts into her family’s cabin, reveals the wolf she killed was his servant, and explains that she must accompany the lord to the realm of Prythian to repay her debt, she willingly goes to spare her loved ones.
A Court of Thorns and Roses has everything a fan of twisted romance books could ask for: a pair of deep and nuanced leads with unique moral codes, a world of strange creatures and stranger magics, and a plot that touches on themes of guilt, redemption, and the restorative power of love. Grab a copy and hop on the “ACOTAR” bus. I’ll save you a seat.
Published: Sep 14, 2024 09:47 am