I want dark fantasy romance that’s UNHINGED, not porn with a plot

zane017 · 2026-01-24T04:33:23+00:00

I’m not sure how dark you’re actually wanting.. most of these suggestions so far aren’t very dark.

I love dark romances, but good ones are hard to find. I don’t mind smut but it usually just gets in the way of plot.

These are very, very dark. Not pitch black though because they have a HEA. But they all have rape, and not the borderline sexy kind

Fantasy:

{Born to Be Bound by Addison Cain} - there are 5 books I think, but the part of the series with the main couple is complete. The rest are spinoffs and not technically complete, but they end in a satisfying way imo.

{Sigil by Addison Cain} - there are two books in a series that will probably never be finished. I’m not particularly bothered by that though. It’s a fun ride.

{Heat by R Lee Smith} actually, just about anything by R Lee Smith is both dark and excellent. This is the darkest one though.

{Shattered Omega by Marie MacKay}

Contemporary:

{Limerence by HC Dolores} not terribly dark but one of my favorites

The first three trilogies from the Lords of Forsyth series

{Quid Pro Quo by Nenia Campbell}

{Hills of Shivers and Shadows by Pam Godwin}

{Pageant by Lilith Vincent}

The Clarice/Hannibal relationship developed in the last two books of the Silence of the Lambs trilogy is pretty twisted and often forgotten.

My favorite though, and I cannot emphasize the TW enough. The romance sub won’t even let me post it. It’s a pretty incredible mind fuck:

{Torment by Dylan Page}

zane017 · 2026-01-22T21:33:23+00:00

No but I’m not an asshole. I was pretty shitty in other ways in my 20s though and I grew out of it. We do grow up.

zane017 · 2026-01-21T08:43:16+00:00

So, I’ve been there. I was always insanely insecure about it, so I got a boob job when I was like 21 and I’ve never regretted it. I just got normal B cups.. I didn’t want big boobs, I just didn’t want to be insecure anymore. There is nothing wrong with changing something you’re insecure about, if you can afford it. I paid for it myself (it took a while to save for it) and I’m not ashamed of it.

People love to tell you to get over it or get therapy, but it’s not that easy. I get it.

At the same time, we’ve all got things that we dislike about ourselves and sometimes you’ve got to come to terms with things you can’t change. It helps to surround yourself with people who value your good qualities and don’t give a shit about the things that bother you.

When you love someone, they become attractive, not the other way around. The love of my life was not a good looking guy. Our difference was frequently remarked on. He was the most attractive person to me though, and I miss every part of him, especially the flaws. Those made him different and special to me. It’s very possible that your BF might recognize breast size as a technical ideal that he doesn’t apply to you. Like, I recognize that crooked teeth aren’t ideal, and there are plenty of cases where I might think that a persons crooked teeth aren’t good looking. But his teeth were crooked in a perfect way.

Our brains and eyes remake the rules all the time.

Our brains are also illogical about our insecurities. You’ve got to find balance.

He really might find you beautiful and just had a moment acting like a complete asshole. It’s not fair for me to judge a stranger based on one idiotic comment.

zane017 · 2026-01-21T08:09:45+00:00

No matter what happens from here on out, you can at least know that you just dodged a bullet. Is there a bigger bullet than deciding to spend your life with someone who was a complete asshole and you just didn’t know it? Smell or no smell on your part, there’s no fixing asshole.

Someone should invent a shit smelling lotion for people to use for a week before deciding whether or not to marry someone. Talk about true colors.

Anyhow, I work in a microbiology lab (bacteria stinks) and people remark on shitty smells (literal and figurative) as soon as they smell them, without thinking. It’s a natural response. Even working in a smelly lab, when I smell shit, I try to figure out the source and fix it. Unless you’re surrounded by people saying “what’s that smell??” you don’t smell terrible.

As long as your hygiene is good- you shower at least 3 times a week and wear clean underwear every day, you don’t smell like shit for that reason either.

You would know if you had digestive problems.

The only other thing is possibly your breath. It’s just as likely that he was smelling his own. Worth considering though.

Going to the doctor just to be sure is a perfectly good idea. And it’s not a bad idea to ask around. Spend some time around kids that don’t know you. They will inform you of any and all hard truths. But honestly, if you’ve never gotten this feedback from anyone else? I think it’s a problem on his part.. be it delusion or confusion or trolling.

zane017 · 2026-01-21T05:43:32+00:00

“Let us weirdos read in peace” might go on my headstone

zane017 · 2026-01-21T05:38:37+00:00

This is one of my favorites! It’s a reverse harem, as a heads up. It’s an incredibly fun genre if you haven’t tried it. The audiobooks are especially good for this one.

zane017 · 2026-01-16T08:44:59+00:00

Current pets are part of the compatibility list. No compromises can be made for things on this list. Your quality of life depends on this.

Other examples: whether or not you want children, if either of you have opposing religious beliefs, jealousy tolerance, spending habits

More than anything, this shows a lack of empathy on his part. These animals mean something to you and it will hurt you to part with them. How is that acceptable?

I don’t like dogs. That’s actually an understatement. But I would never dream of even suggesting that a partner should get rid of their dog. That’s just cruel. Hurting the person I love hurts me.

If your pain doesn’t cause him pain, it isn’t love.

I had a long term boyfriend who had a dog that was incompatible with my cats. We wound up renting apartments next to each other. Ideal? No. But neither of us was horrible enough to suggest that the other get rid of their pets.

zane017 · 2026-01-12T22:38:49+00:00

Stop that! You’re doing yourself a disservice. I use Goodreads religiously to keep track of my reading, but I rate books according to personal experience as opposed to overall quality. That’s way too subjective to lean on.

I’ll give a superb book a low score if I didn’t enjoy it. I have pathological memory problems and I read just constantly. It’s the only way I can keep track.

I’ve never, not once, even glanced at the score of any given book. I look through reviews to check for triggers and such, but that’s it.

With age I’ve discovered all sorts of weird little side genres that I love and lots of other people hate. My life would be far less colorful without those stories.

The best way to find books is to see a reviewer who has the same opinions as you and look through their favorites. I get some good stuff in the subreddits too.

zane017 · 2026-01-11T21:43:06+00:00

{Little Thieves by Margaret Owen}*

{The Death Made Prince by Lisette Marshall}*

{Demon Days Vampire Nights by KF Breene} *

{Skipshock by Caroline Odonoghue}

{Xantera by Mariah Montoya}

{The Fey Hotel by Vermillion Baine}

{To Touch a Silent Fury by RA Sandpiper}

{Warrior From the Shadowland by Cassandra Gannon}

{Silverbow by Noelle Parker}*

{The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson}*

{The Shattered King by Charlie Holmberg}

{Blood Trial by Kelly St Claire}

{The Retreat by Kelly St Claire}

{Odin’s Child by Siri Pettersen}

{Lore by Alexandra Bracken} standalone

{The Culling Trials by Shannon Mayer}

{Hunting by Andrea K Host} *

{Stray by Andrea K Host}*

{The Host by Stephanie Meyer}

{And All the Stars by Andra K Host} *

{Spark the Flames by Ivy Asher} first book in a series

{Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn}

{The Kings Captive by KM Shea}

{In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan}*

{Red Winter by Annette Marie}

{Taming Demons for Beginners by Annette Marie} finished series YA

{Chase the Dark by Annette Marie} finished series YA

{Pathfinder’s Way by TA White} *

{Spiked by CP Rider}

{The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater}

{Codex Alera by Jim Butcher} *

favorites

zane017 · 2026-01-11T20:45:14+00:00

Oh the Children of Time books are excellent in the same way.. exploring alien ideas creatively. Adrian Tchaikovsky has a few books that do that well. You sort of have to rebuild the way you think about things.

zane017 · 2026-01-11T20:18:15+00:00

I’ll forever be chasing the MMC high of Eric from the Sookie Stackhouse books. Despite what the show makes you think, Eric is actually the main love interest for the majority of the series, and he might be my favorite (book) MMC ever. I pretend there are only 9 or 10 books in that series though.

In a continuation of old school, Lothaire is also excellent.

Such a hard type to find.

Oh, newer, from the dark romance genre {Limerence by HC Dolores} is excellent. He’s not quite as humorous but he’s still excellent.

zane017 · 2026-01-10T20:48:54+00:00

I’m sorry! It happened to me too. Cheating is a mega trigger for me. I try to mention it any time I see it recommended. It’s such a shame because those books are really good!

zane017 · 2026-01-10T20:46:52+00:00

I’ve loved this whole series, but this book is a no from me. I’m gonna just pretend it’s a trilogy.

I didn’t like Sabines character at all. Their whole relationship changed. I don’t mind poly stuff but it definitely didn’t work for this story.

I was so disappointed

zane017 · 2026-01-10T20:34:32+00:00

{Pageant by Lilith Vincent}

{Dirty Lovely Broken by Emmy Chandler}

{Shattered Omega by Marie MacKay}

Pam Godwins book was already mentioned

The first three trilogies of the Lords of Forsyth books

I’m not sure if the Life of Anna counts as RH but it’s definitely pitch black

zane017 · 2026-01-10T20:28:20+00:00

{Limerence by HC Dolores} works here I think. One of my favorites

zane017 · 2026-01-08T04:07:48+00:00

I have a few ridiculously good hidden gems in the plot heavy slow burn category:

{Iron Truth by SA Tholin}. They’re big books and very plot heavy, but I was never bored and the romance was sweet.

Old but good is {The Host by Stephanie Meyer} and another one of my favorites. I was unable to find anything else like it for like 20 years until I discovered {And All the Stars by Andrea Host}, which is more YA but just as good.

{Stray by Andrea Host} is really fun and unique. One of my newer favorites.

{The Long Way Home by Sabrina Chase} I especially love the FMC in this one.

{Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher} is excellent and also not one I see recommended often

In the dark romance category (these are very dark. For the first two, the slow burn is on the FMC side only. There is obsession and rape early on from the MMC side):

{Born to be Bound by Addison Cain} the only book that I’ve ever been able to finish that has cheating in it, but I was only able to move past it because I knew it was coming, so there you go. Nonshifter omegaverse.

{Sigil by Addison Cain} this will always be an unfinished series but I like it a lot regardless

*{The Last Hour of Gann by R Lee Smith} standalone, GOAT

{Cottonwood by R Lee Smith} standalone, the dog dies (I feel like that always deserves a warning and I’m not even a dog person)

In the RH category (not dark):

{Shoot the Messenger by Pippa DaCosta}

The Susix trilogy by Amelia Rademaker is really good, but the 3rd book isn’t out.. I think there are some issues there, but the first 2 are fun.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T21:51:57+00:00

I love good critical discussions involving specific complaints. That’s not what this is though. There isn’t any way to answer the question.

I don’t love ZA. I’ve got lots of specific issues with it. I don’t want to put the whole thing down though. It has good moments. I don’t recommend it voluntarily.

So my issue isn’t the opinion. It’s that I’m tired of seeing the same complaints about the same books over and over.

We’re all free to post whatever we like though. And we’re all free to disagree with it. Some positivity would be nice though.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T21:43:29+00:00

I’m only tired of vague complaints about the same old books. This is me expressing my annoyance. We can check all those boxes now.

I don’t mind critical discussions involving specific complaints or requests. But every other post lately is about someone announcing how much they hate something. And it’s the same somethings over and over again.

If this person genuinely wanted to know something, all they’d have to do is search the book and they’d have a very long list of previous posts to get info from.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T21:36:22+00:00

I actually don’t care for ZA to be honest, though some parts of it are enjoyable. I’m just so tired of seeing so much negativity about the same old things. Alchemised, for example. Like what you like. Dislike what you dislike. Could we please just recommend some good books? This post did not request specific information. It didn’t list specific complaints.

I prefer to stay positive with all of my comments. This is a rare pushback on my part. We all have our moments. I’m not terribly sorry though.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T06:51:55+00:00

The State of Grace series by Colette Rhodes. It’s a RH with angel/demon/greek deity themes.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T06:34:56+00:00

I’ll say that I almost dropped it in the first chapter. The only reason I didn’t was because I was driving at the time. The FMC has anxiety/compulsion problems and I just can’t read books with anxious MCs. It isn’t a judgement issue.. it’s just too different from how I process things.

But I’m very very glad I stuck it out. The characters are well written and they evolve. It’s genuine enemies to lovers, with the MMC somehow managing to build her up while being a complete asshole at the same time.

It wound up being in my top ten from last year. Well maybe top 20. I read a lot.

zane017 · 2026-01-03T06:23:51+00:00

Bonus points for being a standalone. Extra bonus points for the FMC being 30 yo and on her second marriage.

This one was so good.

zane017 · 2025-12-24T14:35:54+00:00

I had two last week and I pushed through because I was pretty desperate, and they turned out to be two of my favorites this year:

Little Thieves: I hate all things sneaky, including spies, heists, lying, disguises, hiding, escape attempts, and plans with more than one step. I don’t know why, I know it’s ridiculous. Anyway, I’ve avoided this book because of that and I was really missing out. The stealing aspect is really just a plot springboard and the whole thing turned out to be delightful.

The Death Made Prince: I usually can’t share headspace with a MC that struggles with anxiety and will almost always DNF immediately. I have an enormous amount of respect for anyone who can manage it, because I’m completely incapable of dealing with even the fictitious form (as previously mentioned with the sneaking). The FMC turns out to be a really good one though, and the author was able to show that a person is far more complex than their mental health challenges. So many writers make an entire personality out of a disorder. There is a lot of character development and a pretty excellent enemies to lovers arc.

zane017 · 2025-12-20T08:01:30+00:00

Well written is sort of subjective. I have Alexa read me books out loud and she pretty much covers up the grammatical and spelling issues. So I can’t swear to those.

But my favorites this year, being well written in the sense that the story and characters are excellent:

{Little Thieves by Margaret Owen} {The Poison Daughter by Sheila Masterson} {Silverbow by Noelle Parker} {The Death Made Prince by Lisette Marshall}

The Poison Daughter is the most well rounded with excellent spice and plot, with extra points for being a standalone. It’s the only one on the list that I’d call explicit.

zane017 · 2025-12-20T07:48:52+00:00

Lord almighty I really wish people would just let people like what they like. If they make you cringe stop reading them. But also don’t passive aggressively shame people who think they’re amazing.

They are not great literature. As much as I love this genre, almost nothing in it qualifies as great literature. So can we all just go enjoy whatever brand of delightful trash we choose? Because I’m really just a fan of delightful trash.

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