2024 was a year of chaos, and nothing tames chaos and soothes the soul more than a book so shocking and taboo that you have to hide it from family for fear of being disowned. I mixed this year up by adding a bit more suspense into my roster, but I will always come back to a dark romance read for a weekend escape. Last year’s top ten list continues to trend with readers of The Arts STL, so without further ado, here are my ten favorite *mostly dark romance* reads of 2024!

The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar (Pitch73 Publishing, 2015)
Man, this book. Starting off strong, I first read The Paper Swan several years ago, but I came back this year for a re-read and was immediately reminded of how incredible Attar is as an author. It is truly a tragedy that she has so few novels published because I would fill a library with her books. The Paper Swan has romance, but it is not a romance. It is a story of redemption and bringing good from bad, with dark and heavy themes at times. I would categorize this more as a suspense than a romance, but we do get a hero/heroine relationship in the novel. She is a standalone, and a wonderful weekend read.

The Perfect Fit by Sadie Kincaid (Red House Press, 2023)
Insta-love trope, but well written and an enthralling standalone read. Sadie Kincaid is always great when you’re looking for something to escape the monotony of a Monday through Friday life without committing a solid week to read and recover from a book. The Perfect Fit has a strong heroine which is a huge perk for me, and is a why choose novel with some secrets woven into the plot. The novel has a healthy mix of plot with the romance, which is always appreciated.

The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori (CreateSpace, 2018)
The Sweetest Oblivion is book one of a series, but can be read as a standalone. The novel is a mafia dark romance with our heroine being familiar with the underworld—so we get to skip the “initiation to the Mafia” chapters that other books are forced to add when we have a naïve protagonist. Full of angst and a lot of tension, this book was difficult to put down and has actually been a re-read for me when I need something familiar but engrossing. Our supporting characters hold their own and offer more than simple dialogue which adds layers to the novel that are appreciated as well.

Crooked Paradise: The Complete Series by Eva Chance and Harlow King (Ink Spark Press, 2022)
Crooked Paradise is an anthology, but if you prefer to try it out before you commit to the series you can read the first book of the series, Scorned Princess, on its own. Our heroine is a force to be reckoned with, and she is forced to hold her own after her entire family is slaughtered in the opening of the first book. Her heroes add context and plot, but Mercy is able to press forward through the grief and seeks help in a rival Mafia gang. I generally prefer standalones, but this is one series that was worth the read!

Bait by Jade West (2017)
Jade is a queen of dark romance, and Bait was no exception. If you read Debt off of last year’s list, this was a similar trope. I wouldn’t call this book “deep” (hehe) but it was a great surface level read without heavy emotions. I used it as a book hangover cure and it worked well to pull me out of my last book world without leaving me needing another read to get over this one. Quick, sexy, and well written.

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Delacorte Press, 2006)
Full disclosure: I read the Fever Series for the first time many years ago, so it feels a bit deceptive adding it to this year’s list, but I did re-read the first five books in 2024 and was reminded of my absolute love for rainbow girl and Jericho Barrons. This series is a time commitment, with 11 books (nine novels and two novellas) BUT I strongly recommend reading the first five as a series and walking away. After the fifth book, Shadowfever, things are wrapped up neatly and the series begins to feel more like one that is being carried on just for the sake of doing it and not because it is adding to the story. This series is paranormal which is not my standard read, and the first book took a bit to get into, but the series came recommended from a friend so I pressed through. Once Mac makes her way to Ireland, boy does it take off to the point I didn’t sleep for days to finish the series. Spoiler alert—it is a *very* slow burn, but SO worth it.

The Devil’s Revelation by Emily Rose (2022)
The Devil’s Revelation was the second book of a series, but can be read as a standalone which we all know is my preference. I adored this book. We have a strong female lead again—a mechanic—who is used to proving she can make it in a male-dominated setting. Leaving Mafia for a bit, this one is a motorcycle club dark romance, with a strong hero who allows Izzy to be who she is without trying to dilute her for those around her. I’ve re-read this one a few times through the year as well because the plot is so good, the characters work together so well, and even though the plot is predictable it’s still well written and engaging.

Protecting Dallas by Krista Wolf (2019)
Okay—for your own sake—don’t google this one. Don’t look at the cheesy cover that looks like it came from the Dollar Store book section tucked behind some Bibles and skimmed over for years at a time. It was actually good. I’m not sure what prompted me to download this book, maybe I wanted to laugh at what was sure to be a cheesy plot, but I honestly enjoyed it a lot. Our heroine needs protected by a group of sexy Navy SEALs, and, well, you can guess the rest. There was a lot of action—and even more action—but a healthy balance of both made it a fun read that I didn’t need to skim pages to finish.

Wicked Heart by Ria Wilde (2022)
This one can be read as a standalone but does belong in a series if it leaves you wanting more from the Mafia world of Kingston and Eleanor! This is one of those books that keeps you on the edge of your seat with few periods to breathe between major events. Wicked Heart has some really dark themes—be sure to check trigger warnings if you are someone who needs to do this. It is fast-paced and long enough that it wraps everything up nicely, but not so long that you get bored and put it down. This one does have a pretty shocking ending, but it was nice to see a novel that wrapped things up but not in a beautiful bow like so many others.

Verity by Colleen Hoover (Grand Central Publishing, 2021)
I know, I know, a Hoover book on the list. Full disclosure—I have known Colleen since Slammed and while we are not friends, we do have a book relationship as well as a social media relationship. That being said, she influenced this list in no way and is out there living her best life basking in the success of her first feature film, It Ends with Us. Which brings me to my next point: Verity is coming to theaters with the incredible Anne Hathaway in the starring role! This novel is not like any other Hoover book, and I have read them all. It is difficult to keep a seasoned reader on their toes, and I generally have most plots figured out within the first few pages, but Verity is different. This book took me to the last page saying “what the literal f just happened” with the plot twists and shocking caveats to a story I had never heard told before. She does it well and she does it different, and I don’t want to give much away but if you’re looking for a suspenseful novel that will keep you guessing—here she is. | Erica Vining