Best LGBTQA+ Dark Romance Books
By Brittni Bliss / / No Comments / Recommendations
Why is it so hard to find a good LGBTQA+ dark romance book these days? Many of these titles don’t come as close to the level of depravity of, say, a Haunting Adeline, but it’s a good start for those looking for inclusive perversions.
I tried to keep in mind the dark romance tropes that we all know and love when selecting titles to suggest here. I’ve also broken them out into MM, WW, NB, and so on.
Best MM Dark Romance
God of Fury by Rina Kent (2024)
This MM mafia romance centers on a cold, calculating heir who becomes fixated on a seemingly innocent artist. Their dynamic spirals into manipulation, emotional cruelty, and a push-pull obsession that blurs the line between desire and threat. Violence, power plays, and psychological domination drive the relationship. The romance is built on unequal footing, forcing both characters into morally compromising territory.
Tied to You by Syn Blackrose (2023)
A crime family enforcer becomes entangled with a captive caught in the crossfire of his dangerous world. The relationship develops under coercion, pressure, and emotional volatility, pushing dark themes of control and dependence. Both characters wrestle with trauma, loyalty, and survival inside a violent criminal ecosystem. The romance is intentionally morally murky, rooted in dominance and forced closeness.
Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat (2013)
A prince is enslaved by his enemy and forced into political games, humiliation, and captivity. Their relationship shifts slowly from hatred to a fraught alliance, but the narrative never shies away from exploitation and manipulation. Power imbalance is ever-present, shaping every emotional and physical interaction. Court politics, cruelty, and betrayal create a setting where love is dangerous, rare, and morally compromised.
These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever (2020)
This is a deeply psychological MM romance about two young men whose bond becomes obsessive, codependent, and destructive. Their love is a catalyst for violence, impulsive decisions, and emotional domination. The narrative explores mental deterioration, manipulation, and a toxic intensity that becomes impossible to escape. It’s dark because the romance feels like a shared descent rather than a healing force.
The Wicker King by K. Ancrum (2017)
Two boys drift into madness together as one experiences hallucinations and the other becomes dangerously complicit. Their bond blends devotion, manipulation, and emotional spiraling, creating a romance coded through suffering and co-dependence. The characters enable each other’s worst impulses, leading them into criminal and self-destructive behavior. Darkness comes from the blurred line between love, delusion, and manipulation.
Lord of Eternal Night by Ben Alderson (2021)
Jak’s life has only one meaning; break the curse or die trying. Marius’s life has no meaning; not since he was cursed into the twisted, blood thirsty creature of night. Sent to the creature’s castle as the final Claim, Jak must get close enough to land the final blow. It is what he has trained all his life to accomplish. Not all is as it seems when Jak uncovers secrets and half-truths. The creature is not the haunting beast he had been brought up to hate. And what is more dangerous than hate? Lust.
Best WW Dark Romance
Serpentine Valentine by Giana Darling (2024)
A university student traumatized by assault seeks revenge through seduction and psychological manipulation, targeting another woman. The romance is entangled with vengeance, guilt, and shifting power dynamics. The story leans heavily into obsession, trauma, and morally dubious choices. Its darkness comes from weaponized intimacy and the blurred line between victim and perpetrator.
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1872)
This classic vampire novella centers on a predatory, obsessive, seductive vampire who fixates on a young woman. The relationship blends desire with parasitic danger, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimacy intertwined. Carmilla’s manipulative charm and possession drive the tension, making the romance feel invasive rather than comforting. Gothic dread, secrecy, and slow corruption define the narrative.
Wilder Girls by Rory Power (2019)
A group of girls trapped on an island academy face a body-horror plague that warps both their bodies and relationships. The sapphic bonds formed are intense, fragile, and often shaped by fear, hunger, and desperation. The romantic tension unfolds in a world where death and mutation feel imminent. Darkness comes from the lack of safety—emotional or physical—and the feral survivalism that defines every connection.
Malice by Heather Walter (2021)
A villainous sorceress and a cursed princess fall into a forbidden love rooted in betrayal, corruption, and fairy-tale horrors. The protagonist’s loneliness and rage twist the romance into something perilous and doomed. Magic becomes a tool of both protection and destruction, shaping their connection. The darkness grows as love battles with vengeance in a world that demands monstrosity.
Nonbinary/Genderqueer Dark Romance
Lips Like Ice by Peggy Barnett (2015)
A nonbinary protagonist is abducted by an alien species whose culture and desires are fundamentally incompatible with human boundaries. The romance is laced with coercion, biological power imbalance, and strange, unsettling intimacy. The story leans into captivity, alien psychology, and erotic unease. It’s dark because connection emerges under pressure, fear, and non-human control.
Escaping Fate, Embracing Destiny by Beverly L. Anderson (2017)
An M–NB pairing develops in a world of magic, curses, and unavoidable destiny that forces the characters into painful choices. The romance is shaped by trauma, identity, and dangerous magical forces that erode trust. Power imbalance and emotional vulnerability create a dynamic that feels both intimate and perilous. Darkness comes from the characters’ inability to escape fate or each other.