23 Dark Romance Books That Will Make You Shiver

On the picturesque island of Capri, Favel Farrington has lived with her father for most of her life. when she meets Roc Pendorric, she allows herself to be swept off her feet by the dashing stranger. Soon, they are wed and she is taken from her home to the ancient family home of the Pendorrics in Cornwall. Her new life starts well, but soon she feels that there's something sinister going on in this castle. 

Roc's twin nieces begin watching her carefully. His sister seems inordinately fascinated by her. On the walls hang portraits of two other Brides of Pendorric who died both young and tragically. As Roc grows more distant from Favel, she fears that she might become the third dead Bride of Pendorric.

After becoming a vampire to save her life, Ellie is taken under the protection of centuries-old London vamp William James Austen. (We can only hope he’s related to Jane Austen somehow.) 

Will has long loved Ellie, but the new vamp isn’t taking her transition very well—paranormal romance readers should expect a dark, winding road to love in this steamy series.

Check out the novel that inspired the famous movie starring Brooke Shields. David and Jade are young, beautiful, and obsessively in love. Their loves are consumed by their mutual adoration, a kind of addiction that nobody else could ever hope to understand. Jade's father fears that the romance has gone too far, so he banishes David from the house. Little does he know that this will only make the problem worse. David begins to fantasize about being a hero, saving Jade's family and earning their forgiveness. His plans only make things worse, and his love turns into a danger that threatens to consume everyone and everything around him.

As the only survivor of a horrific car crash, Lila Amberson is left to deal with scars both physical and mental. She doesn't remember much about the accident but she can't help but feel that something more sinister is at play. Jack Foley is reeling from the shock of losing his sister in the crash and when he first meets Lila, he lashes out, blaming her for Stephanie's death. When Lila gives him a locket that she believes belonged to his sister, it leaves him wondering what happened in that crash. 

Was it really an accident? Lila and Jack must uncover the truth. It seems that there is someone out there who will do anything to ensure that those connected to the crash are gotten rid of permanently.

Brittany has long had a crush on wealthy Ethan, but it’s not until he’s temporarily blinded and puts out an ad for someone to read to him that she gets up close and personal—real personal. 

Brittany, a book editor, winds up reading Ethan erotic stories, which charges the sexual tension between them. But will the passion they share last after Ethan’s sight is restored and he no longer needs his sweet storyteller?

Artist Ann Marcel is going through hell. Her ex-husband Jon turns up on her door covered in blood. He has been accused of a shocking murder, and nobody but her believes his innocence. It falls upon her shoulders to uncover the truth. To do so, she must step into the shadows of the New Orleans underworld, a seductive and dangerous place of erotic clubs, after-hours jazz joints, and shady but seductive figures. 

Joining her on her crusade is Detective Mark LaCrosse, who believes Jon is guilty but needs to find out the truth before someone else dies. They must work together, but the closer they get, the more they risk losing it all.

In this New York Times bestseller, Hollis Temple used to love her husband's music. She and Ricky Sands weren't just married, but they were also business partners: She wrote the music, and he performed. After Ricky's death by suicide, however, Hollis can't bear to hear the haunting strings of Ricky's guitar, which seem to follow her to a secluded country home on Long Island's North Shore.

Is someone playing a trick on her? Why would anyone want to do that? To find the answers, Hollis must dive into some of her husband's secrets that might have been better left buried. 

Dark romance gets deadly in this romantic suspense novel by New York Times bestselling author Susan Andersen. Emma takes her little girl away from their home in New Orleans and ends up in the town of Port Flannery, Washington. 

There, she hopes to hide out, but danger comes knocking on her door. Luckily, so does protective Sheriff Elvis Donnelly, a tall, rugged cop with a tragic past of his own. 

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees the perfect way to exact his vengeance. He'll seduce Wendy and wreck everything Peter holds dear. But Wendy is no naive waif. She's been hidden away from the world for most of her life by her cold father and she wants to break free. Why not indulge in an all-consuming affair with the notorious James? 

But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook.

Hot Night is a dark romance that’s both sizzling and suspenseful. After acquiring a Spanish gold exhibit at her museum, Abby discovers someone is after the treasure and will try to take it by any means necessary. 

Realizing she’s not safe, Abby’s locksmith, Zan, appoints himself as her bodyguard. As danger grows, so does the irresistible chemistry between Abby and Zan. Deception, greed, murder, and white-hot passion combine to make this book an irresistible read. 

A New York Times bestselling paranormal romance (and start of the series of the same name), Hush, Hush will make you believe in dark forces. And maybe smoking hot ones, too. 

High schooler Nora is bored—until a strange boy named Patch gets her attention in bio class. Patch is a fallen angel, complete with charisma, mind powers and a lot of spiritual baggage…

Heart of Danger kicks off the Ghost Ops series by Lisa Marie Rice, which follows a small unit of elite soldiers. Most of the Ghost Ops soldiers were massacred after being betrayed by their commanding officer, but three survive. Framed and disgraced, the three remaining soldiers disappear off the grid just before their court marshal. 

Now, Dr. Catherine Young must find a man who's as good as dead. Even when she finds Tom “Mac” McEnroe, former Team Leader of the Ghost Ops, Catherine can't be sure she can trust him … or trust herself in his presence. Because in this paranormal romance, Catherine has the ability to see into others' hearts, and every time she looks at Mac's it's like staring at danger itself.

Cassidy Porter is falling in love with Brynn Cadogan. It’s not a simple love story—Cassidy’s father brutally murdered a slew of girls in the past, and he doesn’t want to bring someone into the darkness that surrounds him. But love finds a way in this incredible story of heartbreak and triumph. 

Sawyer is on the run from a life of utter anguish. She finds herself seeking refuge in a decrepit lighthouse by a cruel sea. There, she meets Enzo Vitale, a strange and alluring man who has dedicated his life to his duties at the lighthouse. But he's also a dark and dangerous figure. He lured Sawyer into his realm, seeking vengeance for her past crimes. Sawyer can't escape. Does she even want to?

Looking for something you can finish in one sitting? Try this quick story by Tiffany Reisz. At 56 pages, there's no time for fluff in this one, which tells the story of trained submissive Eleanor. Eleanor thinks spending time with reclusive widower Daniel could be therapeutic for him, but she's determined to keep her guard up. 

Daniel, however, is a Dom who has other ideas in mind …

Skye Warren’s gritty Endgame trilogy begins with The Pawn. Avery’s world comes crashing down and she’s forced to sell her virginity to survive. And Gabriel, the man she sold it to, is the same person who destroyed her father…and he might just be using Avery to get even more revenge. Torn between love and hate, survival and need, Avery and Gabriel play a dangerous game in this wicked novel. 

Pepper Winters has given us many excellent dark romance books, from her Indebted series to Tears of Tess, the addicting first novel in her Monsters in the Dark series. But we especially love this enthralling duet. 

Several years ago, Elle was saved by a mysterious man she can’t forget. Now she’s expected to marry Penn Everett, the powerful man who demands her hand. There’s something familiar about Penn. If only he wasn’t cloaked in so many lies … 

A Russian assassin, Peter’s faced unspeakable tragedy, and now he’s out for revenge. On his list is Sara, who’s done nothing wrong but is linked to the wrong people. Peter takes her in for questioning, scaring her senseless … but captivating her all the same. And even after he’s taken what he needs, Peter can’t seem to let her go. 

Fans of twisted dark romances will devour this edgy read with its sexy, shocking plotline. It’s just the first in the Tormentor series, which currently contains three books. 

Tiernan de Haas grew up with vast wealth and privilege but her parents, a film producer and his starlet wife, didn't provide her with what she really needed. Shipped off to boarding schools from an early age, she has never felt a true human connection. When her parents pass away, Jake Van der Berg, her father’s stepbrother and her only living relative, assumes guardianship of her.

Sent to live with him and his two sons, Noah and Kaleb, in the mountains of Colorado, Tiernan soon learns that these men live a very different life from what she's used to. They teach her to work and survive in the remote woods far away from civilization. It's a world where she now feels like a real person, but she's now vulnerable to a new predator. These three men all want her, and they won't let her go so easily...

Mara Eldritch is a broke and struggling artist who is trying to carve out a name for herself in the San Francisco creative scene. She has no idea that she's become the plaything to a total psychopath. Cole Blackwell is a respected artist with money to spare. He's also a prolific serial killer and Mara is his newest obsession. She's his, and he'll do anything to keep her, especially since she's become the object of fascination to another monster. Alastor Shaw is Cole's biggest rival, and he wants Mara too.

Another New York Times bestselling author, C.D. Reiss is well-known to fans of addicting contemporary romance. This first book in the Sins Duet centers on Margie, a girl in 1980s California who falls for two rockers, Strat and Indy. What follows is a story of the wild passion between them, before Margie settles down to become a lawyer. 

But the past is not done with her yet, and when Indy walks back into her life—reminding her just what she’s been missing—things get more complicated than ever.  

In this RITA Award-nominated young adult romance novel, Echo has an awful encounter one night that changes her life forever. It’s not until she befriends bad boy Noah that she starts to feel understood—and ready to open her heart again. 

If you like complex, heartfelt love stories, you’ll be drawn to this book, which bestselling author Gena Showalter called “an edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go.”

Chasing down a serial killer doesn't give the most romantic vibes, but the thrill of Heather Graham's The Killing Edge is undeniable. The case is personal for Chloe Marin, a psychologist consulting with the cops. Unfortunately, the police department dismisses her concerns. Her only ally on the case is British policeman-turned-private investigator Luke Cane.

Luke and Chloe don't really trust each other, but sparks start flying anyway as they try to bring these killers to justice.