The Top 5 Dark Romances You Need To Read
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If you’re anything like me, then you’re a dark romance person—drawn to the tension, the shadows, and the delicious danger that only the men in dark romance books can deliver. These are the stories that make your pulse quicken, your thoughts linger, and your thighs squeeze together in ways you weren’t prepared for, leaving your heart aching in the best way.
In this list, you’ll find a mix: some dark romance reads you may not have heard of yet(and are about to become your new favorite obsessions), and others you’ve probably seen whispered about on BookTok or by readers who swear Rina Kent and Shantel Tessier will ruin you (I too think those books will ruin you). If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally add them to your TBR, this is it. So here are the top seven dark romance books you need to read right now. PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!
Take Me With You by Nina G. Jones
- Tropes: Captive/captor romance, stalker romance, morally void antihero, obsession that crosses every line.
- Mini Synopsis:
He watches. He studies. He prowls. He hunts. Years of strict rules have kept him hidden, but when he sees her, every rule blurs—and he breaks the one that keeps him safe: he takes her with him. She’s always felt eyes on her, icy turquoise with a golden fleck, but brushed it off as stress and shameful fantasy. Until the fantasy becomes a nightmare. Now her only task is survival. - Emotional Reaction:
I need to be in a straight jacket committed to a cell with four padded walls, my head examined on the weekly (if not daily) basis—because this book drove me out of my mind in the best way. Nina G. Jones isn’t afraid to drag you into the darkest, deepest pits, pushing every comfort level and still making you fall in love with the story. This man is vantablack—there’s no redemption, so don’t go looking for it. - Rating:
Currently sitting at a 4.0 rating, Take Me With You is one of those romance books BookTok whispers about when it talks “dark.” - Why You Should Read It:
If you think you’ve read dark romance before, this is the book that will prove you haven’t. Add it to your TBR and prepare to question everything you love about the genre.
Deliver by Pam Godwin
- Tropes: Captivity, forbidden romance, morally grey heroine, enemies-to-lovers edge.
- Mini Synopsis:
Her name is only known as the Deliverer. She lures young men, breaks them, and delivers them into the hands of those who buy obedience. As long as she delivers, her family is safe. But when one captive refuses to bend—Joshua Carter—he flips the rules. She was meant to deliver him into slavery. Instead, he just might be the one to deliver her from herself. - Emotional Reaction:
Deliver is full of suspense, steam, and razor-sharp tension. Pam Godwin crafts a romance book that is not for the faint of heart, but one that pulls you under with every page. This story is twisted, compelling, and unapologetically dark. Forcing you to feel everything from anger to disgust to a dangerous kind of love. - Rating:
With 3.94 stars overall on Goodreads, Deliver has cemented its place among the most talked-about dark romance books. Readers praise its unrelenting suspense and unforgettable characters. - Why You Should Read It:
If you love romance books that blur the line between villain and savior, Deliver will grip you until the very last page. And leave you questioning who really holds the chains.
Deliver is currently free on to purchase on Amazon! Now is the perfect time to read it, what’s there for you to lose.
Sacrificial Lambs series by C.A. Rene
- Tropes: Rockstar romance, obsession, violence as foreplay, revenge and ruin.
- Mini Synopsis:
For Tempest Skeigh, dance has always been her escape—whether on a stage or a pole. It was supposed to save her, not throw her into the clutches of a man who could destroy her. For Raiden James, music and blood are twin addictions. Singing gave him fame, but vengeance drives every step, and Tempest lands in his path at the worst possible moment. Between music, lust, and violence, their collision is inevitable—and deadly. - Emotional Reaction:
I knew this book would be dark, but it was so far beyond dark it landed me in a deranged happy place. C.A. Rene always tests my limits, and Sing Me a Song was no different. Her writing style is exquisite and wholly unique. I still can’t decide after that epilogue if I want Tempest to take her revenge or Raiden to strip her soul bare all over again. - Rating:
With a 3.93 Goodreads rating, Sing Me a Song has divided readers, but for those who live for romance books that go too far, this one hits every nerve. It’s twisted, shocking, and unforgettable—a BookTok-worthy dark romance that thrives in shadows. - Why You Should Read It:
If you want a dark romance that pushes boundaries until you’re gasping for more, this novella will drag you to the edge—and dare you to keep reading.
vow of deception by Rina Kent
- Tropes: Mafia romance, arranged marriage/forced proximity, identity deception, tormentor husband.
- Mini Synopsis:
Adrian Volkov is the most notorious man in the city, and when he offers her a job, refusal isn’t an option. Act as his dead wife or go to prison. Choosing a roof over her head seems like the safer option—but stepping into another woman’s life spirals out of control. Every move she makes is under Adrian’s ruthless watch, and survival means surrendering to the most dangerous man she’s ever known. - Emotional Reaction:
I am addicted to dark mafia romance, but Vow of Deception felt like a wild ride even by Rina Kent standards. Adrian Volkov is raw power and authority, charming in a dark, intense way, and completely unforgettable. The mindfuckery in this book left me reeling. It was such an experience that I ended up giving it five stars just for the emotional chaos it put me through. - Rating:
With a 3.90 Goodreads rating and thousands of reviews, Vow of Deception stands as one of the most talked-about mafia romance books in Rina Kent’s world. Readers either fall hard for Adrian Volkov’s dark intensity or get trapped in the addictive spiral of the trilogy. - Why You Should Read It:
If mafia romance is your favorite guilty pleasure, this book is your sign to dive headfirst into Adrian Volkov’s world. Just know—you’ll be hooked until the very last book in the trilogy.
The entire Deception trilogy is on Kindle Unlimited.
Captured by Lauren Biel
- Tropes: Captor/captive romance, obsession, morally bankrupt antihero, toxic love.
- Mini Synopsis:
Alexzander has lived his life beaten down, conditioned to hurt others, and stripped of anything resembling love. Until he captures Ophelia. She isn’t like the others. Her survival instincts and resilience spark something in him, something he can’t let go. Their bond is twisted, born from captivity and control, but it consumes them both. He knows he should release her. Instead, he decides she’s his—and no one will take her away. - Emotional Reaction:
Captured isn’t just dark—it’s pitch black. This story tested every limit, made me question my own sanity, and still left me completely addicted. Lauren Biel doesn’t shy away from the darkest corners of romance, and this book proves it. There are no heroes here. Only villains whose broken pieces somehow fit together in a way that’s as horrifying as it is magnetic. - Rating:
With a 3.50 Goodreads rating and a reputation strong enough that the ebook was removed from Amazon. This is a romance book you’ll want in physical form. If only to keep revisiting the chaos. It’s the definition of a mindf**k, with a long list of trigger warnings that should not be skipped. - Why You Should Read It:
If you crave dark romance books that challenge your comfort zone and make you feel guilty for loving them, Captured is the story you won’t forget. And maybe won’t forgive.
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