12 Dark Romance Books That Take Love to the Extreme

Depending on who you ask, dark romance can range from romantic stories with dark undertones to disturbing narratives with just a touch of romanticism. It is difficult to define what it truly is as it exists within the grey areas between horror, erotica, and standard romance.

There are rarely true innocents in these stories, just seductive antiheroes willing to indulge their desires. Pain and pleasure are almost synonymous, and fear is their vehicle of delivery.

Best Dark Romance Novels

Dark romance isn’t for everyone. Its exploration of themes that are taboo can leave many readers queasy. Many of its stories feature varying degrees of difficult subjects, with the most common being rape fantasies, kidnapping and captivity, BDSM, and torture.

1. Captive in the Dark by CJ Roberts

Eighteen-year-old Olivia wakes up bound and blindfolded by a man she only knows as Master. Kept in an unfamiliar place, her fear and panic are eclipsed by the strange attraction she begins to feel towards her captor.

2. Asking for It by Lilah Pace

Vivienne Charles fantasizes about being taken by force. An opportunity to fulfill her fantasies presents itself in the form of Jonah Marks, who offers to “play” with her. Their non-romantic arrangement turns into something more, but secrets from the past threaten to destroy their affair.

3. His by Aubrey Dark

Kat leads a boring life. She’s shy, doesn’t date and party, and works quietly in the library. So when her friend dares her into kissing the next cute guy she meets, she decides to go all in. Little does she know that her chosen prince charming is a serial killer.

4. Pennies by Pepper Winters

At eighteen, Tasmin is taken and sold as a sex slave. Purchased by a sadistic master, she lives in constant fear and hopelessness—that is, until Elder Prest walks into her life. But is she only exchanging one cage for another?

5. Born Sinner by S.L. Jennings

Eden is one of the Called, people born to become weapons of evil for Lucifer’s schemes. Taken captive by a group of warriors devoted to destroying those like her, she finds herself attracted to their leader. Though he reciprocates her interest, their budding romance could well be the death of them.

6. Buttons & Lace by Penelope Sky

While vacationing, Pearl is abducted and sold to sexual slavery. She finds herself shared between two masters, both with an appetite for cruelty. But while one is completely sadistic, the other has a conscience and a softness that draws Pearl into his arms.

7. Rebel by Callie Hart

Alexis witnesses a murder and is later kidnapped and sold twice. Her newest master, Rebel, is not only the president of the most powerful motorcycle club in America but also related to the person Alexis saw murdered. With Alexis his only hope for bringing justice to his enemies, how far will Rebel manipulate her to get what he wants?

8. Wanderlust by Skye Warren

Evie is finally free to explore the world, but her grand plans are interrupted when she’s taken from a motel, stuffed in a truck, and taken cross-country. She plots her escape, but a growing attachment to her bizarre abductor keeps holding her back.

9. Ruthless People by J.J. McAvoy

Melody Giovanni and Liam Callahan are forced into an arranged marriage to end the feud between the Irish and Italian mobs. Both raised to rule, each is struggling to establish who’s the boss of the relationship. With their enemies growing bolder, they must learn to set aside their differences and take down those who threaten the family.

10. Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Ignazio Vitale—mysterious, handsome, and filthy rich—is used to getting what he wants. And what he wants is 18-year-old college student Karissa. Karissa knows he’s a bad man inside, full of dark and dangerous secrets, but that doesn’t stop her from loving him still.

11. Periculum by Natalie Bennett

After a night of partying, Liliana and her two best friends are stranded in the middle of nowhere along with a few hot guys with attitude to spare. Their situation turns for the worst when psychopaths take them captive and plan to kill them in the most inventive and gruesome way imaginable.

12. The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori

Elena Abelli, once the favored princess of the mafia world, finds her reputation in tatters and herself in house arrest. When her sister’s marriage to the notorious Nicolas Russo is announced, the last thing Elena wants is to indulge her attraction to her upcoming brother-in-law. But indulge it she does, and Nicolas surprisingly returns the affection.

What Is Dark Romance?

There isn’t, as of yet, any definitive meaning to what dark romance is. No two sources agree on the genre’s themes, elements, and writing style. This leads to vague or frequently changing definitions that largely rely on a person’s personal view of what the genre is.

Some consider dark romance as simply the antithesis to light romance. While light romance focuses on emphasizing emotional growth through positive emotions, dark romance depicts serious, and often painful emotional journeys.

Others believe it to be an extension of or a synonym to dark erotica, where an emphasis is placed on extreme sexual acts. These practices are meant to disturb the reader while satisfying their curiosity about sex.

Or maybe it’s the same as romantic horror, another niche genre that juxtaposes romance with the darkness usually restricted to the horror genre. These stories position fear and anxiety as arousing elements, making their dark subjects seem more inviting.

Of course, what is painful, disturbing, or horrific depends on you. You might have a higher or lower tolerance than others when it comes to certain subjects. This will lead you to form your own opinion about what dark romance is.

Why Do We Like Dark Stories?

There are two reasons why a lot of people love reading or writing stories about dark subjects: to know evil, and to release trapped emotions.

Humans have always had an intense interest in all things dark and evil. It’s part of our natural curiosity towards the unknown. We explore the morbid and the mysterious to learn what they are without endangering ourselves. Psychologist Phillip Zimbardo, known for the 1971 Standford prison experiment, considers this as our way to identify and resist evil when we encounter it.

Stories, in general, also function as mental pressure valves, helping us process the various thoughts and emotions that accumulate within us every day. It could be because imagining the suffering of others makes us feel good about our current circumstances. Or, on a more positive note, we sympathize with the characters and their situations on some level.

Have you read any dark romance novels recently? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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