Romance has many subgenres, including contemporary romance, historical romance, young adult romance, and one that has surged in popularity in the last few years: dark romance.
What Are Dark Romance Novels?
Dark romance is a subgenre that blends traditional romance dynamics with elements of other genres, including suspense, mystery, and horror. There is a love story key to the main plot, but it comes with obstacles like suffering and sometimes even depravity.
It can include elements of psychological tension as portrayed in intense, problematic relationships fraught with angst and conflict, some that may include power struggles, manipulation, murder, stalking, captivity, or other morally ambiguous situations. They have darker, more challenging themes that are often set in a fictional world that is far removed from normal life.
Just as in traditional romance, there are taboos associated with dark romance, including arranged marriages from enemy families, forbidden relationships, criminal activities, sinister paranormal activity, or things like cannibalism, rituals, and less accepted sexual practices. And just as regular romances are rated in terms of “spice,” dark romances are rated in shades of darkness.
Characters in dark romance novels have messy, complicated, or even twisted relationships. Love-hate relationships portray tension between the two main characters, where both struggle to accept their feelings for one another. The protagonists are frequently portrayed as flawed characters who engage in questionable or criminal behavior. They’re not without redeeming qualities; often, they are fiercely loyal and protective of what and who they love. They take it to a different, grittier level than characters in a traditional romance.
For example, in a typical, light-hearted romance, the male love interest may show interest in his lover’s gardening activities or help her frost cupcakes for the upcoming fundraiser. In a dark romance, they might destroy the lives (either figuratively or literally) of perceived rivals or anyone who’s ever wronged their sweetheart.
Emotions involve more than angst and longing, often delving into extreme displays of jealousy, possessiveness, and revenge acted out through physical violence.
Popular Dark Romance Book Classics
Wuthering Heights by Emile Brontë
This novel, set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, delves into the passionate and tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff, an orphan brought to live at Wuthering Heights, and Catherine Earnshaw, the daughter of the estate’s owner. Despite their close bond, Catherine marries Edgar, a wealthy man, for social status. Heathcliff returns years later, now a man of wealth, determined to seek revenge. He marries Edgar’s sister, manipulating and tormenting those who wronged him.
The novel explores themes of love, revenge, social class, and obsession. Its dark, gothic atmosphere and complex characters have made it a timeless classic.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The narrator, a young woman who remains unnamed, impetuously marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter. Upon her arrival at his estate, Manderley, she is haunted by the memory of his first wife, Rebecca, and tormented by the sadistic housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Rebecca was not the perfect wife as everyone had believed, and her true nature and the circumstances of her death are finally uncovered. The novel explores themes of love, jealousy, manipulation, and the oppressive nature of the past woven into a story of mystery and psychological tension.
Best Dark Romance Series
The Dark Gothic Series by Eve Silver
This collection of historical gothic romance novels features female protagonists who encounter dark men and mysteries.
Dark Desires features Darcie Finch, who becomes the assistant to a doctor on an eerie estate that holds secrets, disappearances, and murders.
In His Dark Kiss, Emma Parrish accepts a governess position at an isolated manor owned by a master with a dark past, surrounded by rumors of madness and murder.
Dark Prince tells the tale of Jane Heatherington, an innkeeper’s daughter who is sold into servitude to a man with a shadowy reputation. She encounters passion along with secrets and danger.
These books blend chilling atmospheres, tormented heroes and passionate heroines, with themes portraying the struggle between danger and desire.
The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez
After the devastating loss of her fiancé, Charlotte meets Porter, a firefighter dealing with his own personal trauma, their paths crossing in a moment of shared grief. But as their relationship develops, their individual struggles and the impact of their trauma threaten their closeness.
The story, which is part of a duet, is a poignant romance that explores themes of loss, healing, hope, and the power of love.
The Monster of Hotel No. 7 by K.V. Rose
In Writhe, an evil secret society, Karia is a princess and has all she ever wanted except for one thing: Sullen Rule, the son of Writhe’s former leader. He stays in the shadows after a lifetime of suffering at the hands of his father, until his encounter with Karia at Hotel No. 7, a place with an eerie atmosphere and hidden secrets. Their intense, forbidden attraction takes them on a ride through the seedier side of society as they risk survival to be together.
The Monster of Hotel No. 7, part of a duet, examines themes of horror through its setting and the cruelty displayed by some characters, and themes of identity and transformation by its exploration of Sullen’s tortured past and Karia’s obsession with him.
Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters
Tess has the perfect life. A sweet boyfriend, Brax, one more semester of school before launching a career…a future full of promise. But her romantic trip to Mexico with Brax turns into a nightmare when she is drugged, kidnapped, and forced into a world of sexual slavery. Now at the mercy of a mysterious monster who calls himself Q, Tess must find her inner strength before it’s too late.
This novel explores themes of love, torture, violence, and resilience. There are many trigger warnings because of the graphic and violent content.
Spicy Dark Romance Books
The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen
The story of a romance that develops between Frankie, a woman from a powerful crime family who is forced into marriage with Wolfe, a powerful and mysterious man with an icy demeanor. Initially Frankie is resistant to Wolfe, who harbors secrets, but she is soon drawn into a web of deception and she finds herself torn between loyalty and desire.
Exploring themes of personal freedom, power dynamics, and the nature of complex relationships, this book features elements of drama and intrigue.
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Sloan and Rowan are rival serial killers with a mutual passion for murdering other serial killers. While forging a friendship, they agree to engage in an annual competition targeting specific serial killers, with the winner granted the privilege of taking down an elusive villain called the “Forest Phantom.” As months pass, sparks fly, and the pair navigates love, vulnerability, and acceptance while dealing with the violence of their competition.
The novel explores themes of forbidden love, vigilante justice, and the complexities of relationships in dark circumstances.
The Ritual by Shantel Tessier
Blakely is tired of the shackles imposed on her by growing up in wealth. When she encounters the Lords, a powerful secret society at Barrington University, she crosses paths with Ryat Alexander Archer, who promises her an alternative life by being his chosen one. But among acts of depravity, broken promises, and twisted words, Blakely discovers she has only traded one prison for another. What started as a game turns into a fight for survival, and death may be the only way out.
Themes explored in The Ritual include self-discovery and freedom, survival and desperation, betrayal and manipulation, and power and devotion. There are numerous trigger warnings for this book.
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz
Nora Sutherlin is a successful author known for her unconventional works of erotica. When she writes a more serious and personal manuscript, her editor, Zachary Easton, agrees to handle the book, provided she gives him complete control. When he demands she rewrites the entire book to his standards in six weeks, she agrees, leading to challenging and arousing interactions.
Two men from her past complicate the present: a dangerous former lover, and a wealthy friend. Her interactions with them reveal deep secrets, desires, and conflicts that challenge her perceptions of love, power, and identity.
The novel explores themes of desire, control, and the nature of true love, written with provocative content.
Very Dark Romance Books
Still Beating by Jennifer Hartmann
Cora can’t stand her arch-nemesis Dean, who’s engaged to her sister. But when a madman kidnaps the pair, they struggle together to survive and escape, forcing them to confront their feelings. The line between hate and love starts to blur, especially in the aftermath of their harrowing experience.
Still Beating delves into themes of love, resilience, trauma, and the unexpected ways humans can connect in difficult times.
Little Bird Lost by Jessie Walker
When a young girl is kidnapped by a perverse character known as the Fowler and taken to his mansion called the Aviary, she finds herself trapped within an endless wintry forest. Fowler and his three depraved sons serve as her jailers and tormenters, as well as her only means of salvation.
This nightmarish and twisted story blurs the lines between good and evil, exploring themes of captivity, character transformation, and the struggle for survival. There are so many potential triggers in this book, the author lists them on her website.
Does It Hurt? by H.D. Carlton
Sawyer Bennett has been supporting herself as an identity thief but is on the run after killing her abusive brother. When she robs a stoic shark expert named Enzo Vitale, she discovers she’s crossed the wrong person. Focused on vengeance, Enzo lures her onto his boat under false pretenses. When a massive storm leaves them shipwrecked on an island, their relationship evolves as they unite in their struggle to survive.
This novel explores themes of human nature and redemption with Enzo and Sawyer’s senses of morality existing in varying shades of gray. Their connection demonstrates the transformative power of love, and they heal from past traumas and find their inner strength.
Dark Romance Films
Here are some examples of films that explore the more intense and sometimes disturbing aspects of love:
Cruel Intentions (1999)
An adaptation of the 1782 novel Dangerous Liaisons (“Les Liaisons Dangereuses”), the film revolves around Kathryn and Sebastian, two wealthy and manipulative step-siblings who make a wager. Sebastian must seduce Annette, the virginal daughter of the school headmaster. If he wins, he gets to sleep with Kathryn; if he loses, Kathryn gets his prized sports car. But Sebastian begins to fall for Annette, complicating his plans.
The film explores themes of betrayal and manipulation and the dark side of relationships.
Heathers (1989)
Veronica Sawyer is part of a popular clique in high school that includes three wealthy and beautiful girls, all named Heather. Veronica feels like the odd girl out after witnessing their cruel behavior, but finds a kindred spirit when she hooks up with J.D., a new student with a dark, mysterious, and rebellious personality. Suddenly the pranks she pulls with J.D. escalate into murder, and Veronica realizes her fun new relationship has spun out of control.
Heathers is a cult classic known for its dark comedic take on teenage angst and satirical view of high school stereotypes.
Harold and Maude (1971)
While the film itself isn’t dark, this story of a romance between a 20-year-old and a 79-year-old woman is quite unusual. The dark, awkward tone pushes it into the dark romance category. Harold is an emotionally disturbed young man obsessed with death. During one of the many funerals he attends to feed his morbid fascination, he meets Maude. Her zest for life captivates Harold, and the two begin a strange relationship that turns romantic. Through Maude, Harold learns to embrace life and appreciate its beauty.
The themes explored in Harold and Maude include love and connection—the idea that love transcends age and societal boundaries, demonstrating the power of genuine human connection.
Blue Velvet (1986)
This film combines elements of noir, mystery, and psychological drama as it explores the dark and twisted side of suburban life and desire. Jeffrey Beaumont returns home after his father’s heart attack and discovers a disturbing underworld as he investigates the disappearance of a woman. He becomes entangled in a complex and unsettling romantic relationship as he is drawn into a web of deceit, violence, and sexual tension.
The film explores themes of corruption and the disturbing darkness that lurks beneath the everyday life in a serene suburban setting, challenging perceptions of normalcy and morality.
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
A black comedy, Grosse Pointe Blank follows the story of Martin Blank, a professional hit man growing bored with his line of work. While planning a visit to his hometown for a contract, his secretary convinces him to attend his high school reunion, where Martin hopes to reconnect with his old flame. He faces many challenges, including eluding federal agents and rival assassins, along with handling his own emotional baggage.
The film blends dark humor with action, violence, and romance, showing how love can impact even seemingly irredeemable characters.
Tips For Reading the Darkest Romance Books
Because many dark romances involve problematic dynamics and troubled relationships, often involving violence and criminal activity, some may argue that this subgenre romanticizes unhealthy behaviors and taboos. The power imbalances, non-consensual elements, and depravity can be triggering or harmful to readers who have experienced trauma or abuse.
As with any genre, it’s up to individuals to determine their comfort level with subject matter. As a writer, it is highly recommended to provide trigger warnings about content that could be considered disturbing or upsetting. This may include, but is not limited to, sexual content, violence, language, and abuse.
Dark romance isn’t for everyone, but many feel it provides a safe place to explore darker themes without real-world consequences. While dark romance stories aren’t always pleasant for the love interests, the heightened stakes make the characters finding love in the end more satisfying. A happily ever after is what makes a romance appealing to many readers, even when the love interests have gone through hell so they can finally be together.
