Recommendations: Dark Romance 2 Electric Boogaloo
"I'm at home in misery and pain," I whispered. "I don't know where I fit around beauty and peace."
(Birds of Paradise, Malcolm)
In honour of Twitter being insane this week (coinciding with me also being insane and falling face first into a stack of romance books) I give you: this list.
There is something a bit baffling about reading hot takes that leverage dark romance as something inherently dangerous and destructive when it's been the only thing keeping my skull screwed on. Sometimes it's nice to engage in a little self-flagellation and dive deep into the darkness. You just might find a deeply insecure and neglected protagonist grow into herself to receive all-encompassing love. Or maybe you'll just read a sex scene so filthy it makes God cry. Either or. I'll take both.
Birds of Paradise by Anne Malcolm
An agoraphobic woman, after having been abused by both her parents and her husband, has her home broken into by a hitman. However, after seeing what she has become after years of neglect chooses instead to spare her life and attempt to keep her. The man is a collector of rare, taxidermied birds, and considers death his only worthy companion. So how will she fit in? This is truly the darkest of dark romances. They simultaneously make each other better and worse, alive and among the dead. It was extremely bleak and beautiful, I loved the imagery utilized. (CW. physical abuse, neglect, BDSM, bad BDSM protocol, kidnapping, bad mental health protocol, death, murder, verbal abuse, sexual violence, consensual violence)
Triple Threat (Deception Duet) by K. Webster
A girl is trapped in her home under the oppressive hand of her abusive, powerful father, only staying to look after her deaf sister. Unknown to her, three brothers, triplets, of a competing powerful family are instructed to disrupt her life by any means possible. They invade her school and her home, disrupt her sister's schooling, threatening to upend her uneasy peace entirely. However, the brothers have a history of pursuing the same woman, and this time is no different. This is extremely filthy and very in line with Webster's other works. (CW. Reverse harem, mafia, child abuse, rape, incest, physical abuse, deception, violence, murder, dubious consent, potentially bad rep of personality disorders)
Dangerous Temptation (Dark Dream Duet) by Giana Darling
A girl looks after her young brother while her mother, a fragile woman who frequently abuses substances, brings men home. After her accidental death, the girl is forced to contact her last lover, a standoffish, cruel man, who is then placed as her and her sibling's guardian. Unknown to her, he plans on using the two of them as blackmail for an opposing mafia family, with the girl, in particular, being a target. This one was truly everything I wanted from a guardian and ward romance, very dramatic, very forbidden. (CW. Underage, mafia, neglect, medical issues, overdose, abuse, violence, consensual violence, BDSM, betrayal, dubious consent, power imbalance, murder)
When Heroes Fall (Anti-Heroes in Love) by Giana Darling
A beginner lawyer is frequently taken advantage of by the men and her life and her family and thus, adapts herself into a cold, unfeeling mask. When she is set up to defend her sister's brother-in-law, and best friend, a powerful mafia don, from a murder she's thrown into chaos. Soon, he seeks to break down her walls and earn her trust, but she's not going down without a fight. An extremely emotional duet for me, she's mean and insecure and desperate for someone to love, and her development is amazing to watch. Their chemistry is next level. (CW. Murder, physical violence, kidnapping, BDSM, sexual assault, blackmail)
Shades Of Twilight by Linda Howard
An orphaned girl is the scapegoat of her rich family and is frequently berated and teased by all except her cousin. When her cousin's wife is killed and they're both accused by the family, he decides to leave town and she steps in to aid her grandmother. Years later she's tasked with bringing him home, despite both their reluctance and long-buried secrets being dug up in the aftermath. Insanely dramatic, a forbidden romance, murder mystery, and family drama all in one. (CW. Murder, dubious consent, blackmail, neglect, verbal abuse, bullying, incest, physical violence, mental health issues, sexual violence)
Consort by Ada Dart
A steampunk world in which violent storms called "rift events" take place and riftborns, those with mutations and abilities exist. When the territory master finally lays his claim on her as her guardian, a young riftborn woman must leave her remaining family to join him. However, she does not know whether she's to be a companion or a specimen. Powerful and charming, she's immediately taken by him, but also by his right-hand man and guard, who happens to be her fated mate. (CW. Reverse harem, steampunk, supernatural, physical violence, power imbalance, consensual violence, BDSM, blasphemy)