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My favorite book recs
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items If you love romance — sweet, spicy, or straight-up addictive — these are the books that grabbed me from page one and didn’t let go. I read everything from slow-burn love stories to full-blown spicy “don’t read this in public” romances, and these are ...
Sections
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Spicy Romance Series to Binge
Romance Series You’ll Get Attached To
Spicy One-Book Reads
One-Book Romance Favorites
Other Standalones I Loved
Twisted Series — Ana Huang
Spicy Romance Series to Binge
A collection of addictive, high-heat romance series you won’t be able to put down. Perfect for readers who love slow burns, explosive chemistry, and entire worlds you can fall into for days.
If you love messy, addictive, “good girl finally snaps” energy, this book delivers. It follows a preppy, people-pleasing girl who has one wild October night with the “Losers”… and accidentally unlocks a darker, braver version of herself she didn’t kn...
Losers: Part I — Harley Laroux
Book two picks up right where the chaos left off. Same characters, but now she’s fully leaning into the side of herself she spent years trying to hide. It’s darker, steamier, and way more emotional as she lets herself explore what she truly wants — a...
Losers: Part II — Harley Laroux
The explosive final book in the Lo
sers universe. If you want a filthy, tense, addictive dark romance that ties everything together, this is your treat. It’s bold, unhinged, and absolutely binge-worthy. I highly, highly recommend the whole series — i...
The Dare — Harley Laroux
A dark romance about two serial killers… killing other serial killers. It’s twisted, funny, spicy, and shockingly wholesome underneath all the chaos. If you like morally gray couples and unhinged chemistry, you’ll devour this one.
Butcher & Blackbird — Brynne Weaver
A forced-marriage romance between a contract killer and a vigilante — yes, it’s as wild as it sounds. This book mixes violence, banter, and real emotional depth, and the chemistry is insane. If you love “touch her and you die” energy, this is right u...
Leather & Lark — Brynne Weaver
A gypsy and a doctor — two worlds that should never collide, but absolutely do. It’s softer, a little sweeter, but still dark and delicious. Perfect if you want a romance that balances danger with heart.
Scythe & Sparrow — Brynne Weaver
A forbidden Hades/Persephone-inspired dark romance with kidnapping, obsession, and Greek-myth-energy spice. This series is a MAJOR seller because each book is about a different couple and gets DARKER.
Promises and Pomegranates (Monsters & Muses 1)
Romance Series You’ll Get Attached To
Emotional, character-driven romance series that hook you from book one and stay with you long after the last page. Ideal for readers who want deep connections and unforgettable stories.
One of the most powerful romance/drama novels I’ve ever read. This book dives deep into generational cycles, strength, and when love isn’t enough. It’s heartbreaking but inspiring — the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page.
It Ends With Us — Colleen Hoover
A beautiful story about breaking cycles, choosing better for yourself, and finally getting the love you deserve. This book shows what healing looks like when you stop repeating old patterns and start fighting for your future. It’s emotional in the be...
It Starts With Us — Colleen Hoover
Spicy One-Book Reads
Standalone spicy reads with fast pacing, high tension, and instant payoff. When you want heat, drama, and a full story in one sitting—this section delivers.
A toxic rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance that keeps you guessing the entire time. The tension? Immaculate. The spice? Chef’s kiss. If you want drama, obsession, and slow-burn intensity — this is that book.
Tryst Six Venom — Penelope Douglas
Dark romance with heavy mystery, intense mental-health themes, and a shadowy man you cannot figure out until the end. Twisted, emotional, and binge-able — perfect if you love darker storylines.
Five Brothers — Penelope Douglas
This book unlocked a whole new kink category I didn’t even know existed 😏
Dark, twisted, creative, and addictive — the imagination behind this story is WILD in the best way. You will not read anything like it.
Lights Out — Navessa Allen
A competitive diver and a competitive swimmer? The tension writes itself. This one follows two athletes juggling life, pressure, and a very slow-burn, very adorable connection. Light, sweet, and easy to fall into.
Deep End — Ali Hazelwood
Imagine falling for someone right before you’re supposed to leave town — and suddenly your whole plan shifts. Emotional, sweet, and heartfelt. If you love the “right person, wrong time” trope, this one delivers.
Say You’ll Remember Me — Abby Jimenez
Suspenseful, dark, and addictive. This romance blends danger, obsession, and emotional depth perfectly. Definitely one of my go-to dark romance favorites
Leave Me Behind — K.M. Moronova
You get hired by your ex-boyfriend’s older brother.
What could possibly go right?
Funny, messy, and full of tension — perfect for readers who love chaos with their romance.
In Good Company — Kat Singleton
We all know a good smutty comfort read when we see it.
One rule: Do not fall for the bad boy.
Of course she breaks it — and of course it’s delicious.
The Bad Boy Rule — Maren Moore
They say never mix work with pleasure — but this dark romantic comedy proves that rule was made to be broken. Suspenseful, funny, and just the right amount of spicy chaos.
Shadowed Obsession — Evelyn Leigh
Your ex-boyfriend’s father accidentally unlocks something in you… and suddenly your whole world shifts. A spicy, emotional, forbidden romance that hits harder than you expect. This series is elite.
Praise — Sara Cate
A gritty, possessive, mafia-edge romance that follows a girl protected (and controlled) by the dangerous biker who has always claimed her. This one is messy, jealous, territorial — dark romance fans eat this up every damn day.
Sicko — Jade West
A psychological suspense dark romance with one of the biggest plot twists TikTok readers STILL can’t shut up about. Atmospheric, creepy, and extremely binge-worthy.
Penpal — J.T. Geissinger
A dark, emotional, slow-burn standalone where a kidnapped man is rescued after years — and the woman who grew up next door is the only person he trusts. Deep trauma healing, soft MMC, aching tension, and SPICE that hits hard once it happens. Absolute...
Lotus — Jennifer Hartmann
A dark, obsessive, hitman romance with some of the wildest spice and tension in standalone romance. He’s a killer who can’t stay away from the one woman he should avoid, and she is WAY too soft for his world — which makes him fall harder. Twisted, ho...
Mercy — Debra Anastasia
One-Book Romance Favorites
Complete, heart-filled romance stories wrapped up in a single novel. No series commitment—just vibes, chemistry, and satisfying endings.
A beautifully devastating retelling of Achilles and Patroclus that mixes Greek mythology with slow-burn love, loyalty, and heartbreak. This one hits emotionally hard and stays with you long after the last page. No spice — just pure, gut-punch romance...
The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
A mind-bending, obsessive psychological thriller.
She’s hired to finish another author’s book… and discovers something she was never supposed to read. Twisty, dark, and impossible to put down.
Verity — Colleen Hoover
Romance with a supernatural twist that will keep you glued to the page.
Creepy, emotional, and NOTHING like what you expect — this one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Layla — Colleen Hoover
A heartbreaking coming-of-age story about love, loss, and the “what if” that never leaves you.
This one sits heavy on your heart in the best way.
If He Had Been With Me — Laura Nowlin
Dark, intense, and emotional.
Sloan is trapped between survival and desire, caught up with a dangerous man who blurs every moral line she has left. One of CoHo’s darkest stories.
Too Late — Colleen Hoover
A mystery with a romantic edge — Charlie and Silas wake up with no memory and have to uncover the truth about their past before it happens again.
Creepy, addictive, and super bingeable
Never Never — Colleen Hoover & Tarryn Fisher
A raw, emotional story about a marriage falling apart — and the promises that still hold it together.
Beautiful, painful, and deeply relatable
All Your Perfects - Colleen Hoover
A psychological suspense story about secrets, trauma, and survival.
Rainy is forced to face her past — and the truth may be the most dangerous part.
An Honest Lie — Tarryn Fisher
Other Standalones I Loved
A mix of unique and powerful standalone books that left a lasting impression. These stories don’t fit neatly into one trope, but they absolutely belong on your shelf.
No matter where you stand politically, this is one of those books you have to read for yourself. It covers what really happened in Butler and the aftermath that followed. I don’t always agree with everything he says, but I ordered this the second I s...
Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump
Twisted Series — Ana Huang
A top-tier popular romance series filled with billionaire brothers, dark secrets, high spice, and unforgettable couples. If you want drama and luxury, start here.
Cold, quiet, emotionally damaged Alex falls for sunshine-soft Ava, and when he’s assigned to protect her, it turns into obsession, danger, and one of the best slow burn toxic romances out there. Their chemistry is unreal.
Twisted Love — Ana Huang
A forbidden romance between a bodyguard and a princess — the tension is delicious. Protective energy, slow-burn build, and one of the most addicting relationships in the series.
Twisted Games — Ana Huang
Enemies-with-benefits that becomes enemies-to-lovers real quick. Jules and Josh absolutely hate each other… until they really don’t. Spicy, chaotic, hilarious.
Twisted Hate — Ana Huang
A fake dating romance with a soft, obsessive billionaire who will burn the world down for the woman he loves. Quiet guy, loud devotion.
Twisted Lies — Ana Huang
Magnolia Parks Universe — Jessa Hastings
Toxic, emotional, addictive modern romance with messy characters and heartbreaking love stories. The closest thing to literary reality TV—this universe is a ride.
A chaotic, heartbreak-filled London romance between two emotionally damaged people who can’t stay away from each other. Dramatic, toxic, and absolutely addictiv
Magnolia Parks — Jessa Hastings
A spin-off following Daisy, trapped between crime family life and forbidden love. Dark, emotional, and impossible not to get attached.
Daisy Haites — Jessa Hastings
Book two of Magnolia’s storyline — more heartbreak, more chaos, and deeper emotional punches.
Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home — Jessa Hastings
Daisy’s world crumbles and rebuilds in this emotional, character-heavy sequel. Dark, romantic, and messy.
Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing — Jessa Hastings
Magnolia’s journey gets even deeper, exploring grief, healing, and the complicated man she can’t shake.
Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark — Jessa Hastings
The newest addition — more family crime, emotional chaos, and romantic tension. A gripping continuation.
Daisy Haites: A Kingdom of Cards — Jessa Hastings
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder Trilogy — Holly Jackson
A gripping YA thriller trilogy with twists, mystery, and an unforgettable final book. Perfect for mystery lovers who enjoy smart plots and bingeable storytelling.
The series starts off strong — a smart teenage girl reopens a closed murder case and uncovers way more than she expected. She solves what the police missed, and the mystery keeps you hooked the whole way through. Fast, addictive, and super easy to bi...
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (#1)
Right when she thinks she's done, she gets pulled back in. Someone goes missing, and she’s the only one who sees that something’s truly wrong. A really solid follow-up that raises the stakes and keeps the mystery tense.
Good Girl, Bad Blood (#2)
The final book gets dark. She starts noticing a disturbing connection between her past stalker and an active serial killer… and once she puts it together, everything unravels. Easily the most intense book of the series — I read all three back-to-back...
As Good As Dead (#3)
The Inheritance Games Series — Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A mystery-puzzle romance series full of secrets, riddles, and swoony brothers. If you love Knives Out meets YA romance, this is your next obsession.
A broke girl suddenly inherits a billionaire’s fortune — but she has to solve puzzles and deal with four brothers to learn why. So fun
The Inheritance Games — Jennifer Lynn Barnes
More riddles, more secrets, and deeper twists as Avery digs into her past and the Hawthorne boys’ family history.
The Hawthorne Legacy — Jennifer Lynn Barnes
A high-stakes finale with huge reveals, emotional moments, and the final puzzle pieces falling into place.
The Final Gambit — Jennifer Lynn Barnes
The Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing) — Rebecca Yarros
A dragon-riders fantasy romance sensation taking over BookTok. High stakes, high spice, and a world you’ll want to live in.
A deadly war college, dragons, enemies-to-lovers tension, and nonstop danger. Violet’s journey into Basgiath is brutal, addictive, and full of chemistry.
Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros
Book two goes darker, deeper, and more emotionally intense. Betrayals, heartbreak, trauma — everything hits harder.
Iron Flame — Rebecca Yarros
Stephanie Garber Fantasy Romance Universe (OUABH series — magical, romantic, and heartbreak-heavy)
A magical, whimsical fantasy romance collection with immersive worlds, romantic intrigue, and characters that feel like myths brought to life.
A girl makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts, and everything spirals into magic, fate, and heartbreak.
Once Upon a Broken Heart — Stephanie Garber
Whimsical, emotional, and devastating. The romance blossoms and breaks your heart at the same time.
The Ballad of Never After — Stephanie Garber
The final book delivers answers, twists, and a beautifully magical ending to the trilogy.
A Curse for True Love — Stephanie Garber
The Cat & Mouse Duet — H.D. Carlton
A dark, twisted duet filled with obsession, fear, danger, and forbidden romance. Not for the faint of heart—perfect for dark romance lovers.
A dark stalker romance where obsession turns into something dangerous and impossible to walk away from.
Haunting Adeline — H.D. Carlton
The duet gets even darker and more intense — trauma, healing, chaos, and raw emotion.
Hunting Adeline — H.D. Carlton
The Plated Prisoner Series — Raven Kennedy
A golden fantasy romance retelling with trauma healing, slow-burn spice, and a heroine who grows stronger with every book.
Auren lives locked away in a gilded cage, literally turned to gold by the man who claims to protect her. This book sets up the world, the manipulation, and the slow realization that everything isn’t what it seems.
Gild — Raven Kennedy
Auren is taken from the man who “owns” her and suddenly sees the world outside her cage for the first time. New allies, new enemies, and the first real cracks in everything she’s been taught
Glint — Raven Kennedy
The fan-favorite book. Auren steps into her power, learns the truth about herself, and the romance tension EXPLODES. Huge character growth and major plot twists.
Gleam — Raven Kennedy
War, betrayal, healing, and reckoning hit all at once. Auren’s transformation becomes unstoppable, and this book digs deep into trauma recovery and reclaiming identity
Glow — Raven Kennedy
Auren lives locked away in a gilded cage, literally turned to gold by the man who claims to protect her. This book sets up the world, the manipulation, and the slow realization that everything isn’t what it seems.
Gold — Raven Kennedy
THE CROWN OF NYAXIA DUET — Carissa Broadbent
A deadly vampire competition, brutal tension, and a love story born from enemies. A perfect mix of fantasy, violence, and longing.
A human girl enters a brutal vampire tournament where only one competitor survives — and she’s the only human there. Allies become enemies, enemies turn into forbidden romance, and the worldbuilding is 🔥. Perfect for fans of ACOTAR + Throne of Glass...
The Serpent and the Wings of Night — Carissa Broadbent
The romance tension skyrockets here — betrayal, destiny, sacrifice, and an emotionally heavy reunion that will rip you apart. The stakes are higher, the danger multiplies, and the ending hits HARD.
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King — Carissa Broadbent
The Mindf*ck Series — S.T. Abby
A serial-killer heroine romance packed with adrenaline, revenge, and jaw-dropping reveals. Once you start, you WILL binge all five books.
A killer with a tragic past falls for the FBI agent hunting someone just like her. Dark, seductive, fast-paced, and sets up the most addictive cat-and-mouse dynamic you’ll ever read.
The Risk — S.T. Abby
The tension spikes, the danger escalates, and the secrets start slipping. Book 2 digs deeper into the twisted cat-and-mouse game and makes it impossible not to binge the entire series.
Sidetracked S.T Abby
More blood, more twists, and a plot that punches you in the throat. Sometimes justice requires getting your hands dirty — she just happens to paint with red.
Scarlet Angel - ST Abby
Everything begins to unravel as truth claws its way to the surface. The betrayal hits hard, and the emotional fallout is brutal.
All The Lies - ST Abby
The explosive finale. Every secret, every lie, every kill comes full circle. A brutal, brilliant ending that dark-romance readers STILL talk about years later.
Paint It All Red — S.T. Abby
MAPLE HILLS SERIES — HANNAH GRACE
The cutest, coziest college hockey romances BookTok can’t stop screaming about. Sweet, spicy, and addicting comfort reads.
A classic sunshine-and-grumpy, hockey-player-meets-figure-skater romance that is full of banter, chemistry, and modern TikTok-style spice. If you like fun, flirty, binge-read vibes, this one delivers.
Icebreaker - Hannah Grace
Two summer camp counselors with messy pasts and even messier chemistry end up breaking the “no hooking up” rule instantly. Cute, chaotic, warm, and spicy — with a friends-to-lovers vibe readers adore.
Wildfire — Hannah Grace
A charming, low-angst romance about a hockey rookie trying to find his place…and the girl who's already taken his attention. Light, flirty, and perfect if you want something sweet but still addictive.
Daydream - Hannah Grace
🖤 Dark Romance Best Sellers
Top-trending dark romances with high impact, morally gray characters, and plots that push boundaries. For readers who like their romance with edge and danger.
A brutal, emotional, heart-shattering dark romance that starts with two enemies who are kidnapped together. This book is raw, messy, devastating, and somehow still turns into a powerful love story. If you want a book that rips you apart and puts you ...
Still Beating — Jennifer Hartmann
A chaotic, mysterious, unhinged, steamy dark romance set on a creepy, isolated island. A morally grey MMC, a heroine running from her past, and enough tension to choke you—this book is pure TikTok gold for dark romance lovers.
Does It Hurt? — H.D. Carlton
A gritty, violent, obsessive love story with mafia vibes, jealousy, and heavy emotional twists. If you love the “I’d burn the whole world for you” kind of hero, this book delivers all of it.
Sicko — Amo Jones
A poly dark romance with revenge, bullying, obsession, and spice. It’s messy, toxic, addictive, and impossible to put down. TikTok readers DEVOUR this series.
Lords of Pain — CoraLee June & Rebecca Royce
One of the most viral dark romances in 2024–2025. A secret society, a dangerous “chosen girl,” heavy spice, and a possessive MMC. This book stays trending because people binge it in one sitting.
The Ritual — Shantel Tessier
Dark Romance Viral Hits
Books blowing up on TikTok right now—obsessive heroes, twisted plots, and unhinged chemistry. These titles are dominating dark-romance book feeds.
A dark, obsessive, storm-trapped romance that follows a morally messy heroine and a man with secrets deeper than the ocean they’re stranded on. It’s toxic, tense, twisted, and impossible to look away from
Does It Hurt? — H.D. Carlton
Sinners Duet — Sophie Lark (2)
A gritty, high-tension mafia romance duet with obsessive chemistry, dangerous stakes, and characters who will burn the world down for each other. Perfect if you want dark vibes, intense emotion, and a fast binge in just two books.
A serial-killer-vs-serial-killer romance where obsession turns into the hottest, most chaotic bond imaginable. TikTok pushes this duet HARD because of how addictive, twisted, and uniquely written it is.
There Are No Saints - Sophie Lark
The explosive conclusion, darker and more intense with the character development people rave about all over BookTok. Perfect follow-up for anyone who picks up Book 1.
There Is No Devil - Sophie Lark
The Four Horsemen— Laura Thalass
A viral apocalyptic fantasy romance where each Horseman brings destruction AND a fated love story. Dramatic, emotional, and TikTok famous.
A dystopian dark romance where a girl tries to kill one of the Four Horsemen and instead becomes the reason he starts questioning humanity. BookTok LOVES morally grey + apocalypse vibes.
Pestilence (The Four Horsemen #1) — Laura Thalassa
Blood, destruction, and a heroine who refuses to bow to the Horseman determined to conquer the world — or her. Explosive chemistry paired with a massive, action-packed plot.
War — Laura Thalassa
This book is pure emotional damage in the best way. The softest Horseman, the saddest backstory, and a love story that feels like healing in the middle of ruin.
Famine — Laura Thalassa
Death himself meets the one woman he can’t bring himself to destroy. Dark, tender, devastating, and the perfect finale to the series.
Death — Laura Thalassa
❤️🔥 ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS MUST HAVES
The best tension-filled romances where hatred turns into chemistry, banter, and obsession. If the couple starts off wanting to kill each other, it belongs here.
A toxic, addictive romance about two anonymous pen pals who hate each other in real life but don’t realize they’re actually falling for each other online. Drama, jealousy, miscommunication, and tension so thick it’s crazy.
Punk 57 — Penelope Douglas
A grumpy professor and an awkward PhD student fake-date each other… badly… until the hate slowly turns into fondness, and then into one of the cutest slow-burns ever. Smart, funny, and super TikTok-loved.
The Love Hypothesis — Ali Hazelwood
A YA rom-com where the sweet nerdy girl goes to war with the boy next door over parking spots, dances, and who she’s going with to prom. They “hate” each other until suddenly they don’t— and it’s adorable.
Better Than the Movies — Lynn Painter
A workplace rival becomes the last person she expects to take to a wedding. Big tension, big slow burn, big payoff. TikTok ate this book UP
The Spanish Love Deception — Elena Armas
A hockey star and a stubborn, brainy girl make a deal that they both hate… until they can’t keep their hands off each other. Funny, spicy, and great chemistry.
The Deal (Off Campus Series #1) — Elle Kennedy
A grumpy boss and a sunshine creative clash over a Dreamland theme park project — full of sharp banter, grudges, and slow-burn chemistry.
The Fine Print — Lauren Asher
A blackmail marriage between a ruthless billionaire and the one woman who refuses to fear him. Tension, spice, hate, and obsession all rolled into one.
King of Wrath — Ana Huang
A witch and a witch-hunter forced into marriage — pure enemies-to-lovers gold. Magic, banter, tension, and a romance that explodes.
Serpent & Dove — Shelby Mahurin
The ultimate workplace enemies-to-lovers romance — two coworkers locked in a petty rivalry, constant bickering, forced proximity, and enough slow-burn tension to melt steel. Cute, funny, addictive, and one of BookTok’s favorite gateway romances.
The Hating Game — Sally Thorne
A wedding planner and the ex she absolutely cannot stand are forced to work together on the biggest event of their careers. This one is packed with chemistry, spite, longing, and some of the best banter enemies-to-lovers has had in years.
Forget Me Not — Julie Soto