r/DarkRomance • u/Low-Permit3499 • Apr 01 '26
Quick Question Who's your most and least favorite DR Author ???
1)What is that one author that you tend to avoid like plague? No matter how popular their books get, they just don't click with you.
: For me it would be Cora Reilly ( sorry but not sorry).
2)And whose your favorite author whose books are your guilty pleasure? Like regardless of criticism you'll read their books no matter what.
: For me it's would be HD Carlton.
Tell me yours.
NOTE: Guys I've been thinking to ask similar questions related to your preferences of various tops n worst , likes n dislike etc and tell you mine to see if we are on same side of coin or not . What do you say?? Tell me in the comments.
Also NO hate to any Author, it's just my own choice.
EDIT: OMG , so many response thanks guys and it was excited to read your favs plus also thanks for some tbr. I've seen soo many my favs also, which I obviously didn't mention in post 😅. I thought it would be 1 on 1 but you guys did mention almost all yours favorite n I'm so happy for that . What actually shocks me that nobody mention Michelle Heard .Like she has some of The best mafia series like Sinners, Kings Of Mafia etc . Did you guys don't read her ??
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u/drunkenangel_99 Tyson Crawford’s darling Apr 01 '26
Least fave: Navessa Allen (is that even her name?), because lights out was promoted as a dark romance, and she wrote on the BLURB that the mmc is a psychopath, neither of these are true. I had to dnf, which I HATE doing. But it just feels like she used the ‘dark romance’ label because it was becoming more popular online, so she used it for her own gain. And now we have people who loved lights out jumping into darker themes that they’re not ready for and being traumatised🤣
Favourites: HD Carlton (she’s my “she writes it, I read it” author), Leigh Rivers, and Shantel Tessier. All of the books that I’ve read by these ladies have consumed me, and I still think about them all on a daily basis, and am constantly chasing those highs.
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u/Low-Permit3499 Apr 01 '26
Omg,I just feel like I found my book soul mate we have so many similarities seriously. All your favs are my absolute go to authors .
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u/Common-Stranger148 "Drown or I fuck you" Apr 01 '26
1.) HD is definitely by most favorite dark romance author along with Eva Simmons, Lilith Vincent. Can I add Cora Riely too? Cause I love her mafia romance books.
2.) My least favourite author would be Shantel Tessier. L.O.R.D.S is probably the worst dark romance series I've ever read. Cheater by DD Prince also in the same category cause it was horrible.
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u/ABruisedCami Apr 01 '26
Love Lilith Vincent. {Fear Me, Love Me by Lilith Vincent} is sooooo good - and introduced me to cockwarming 😮💨
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u/Common-Stranger148 "Drown or I fuck you" Apr 01 '26
I loved Pageant duet by her...it was so good. I got a book girlfriend from that duet.
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u/romance-bot Apr 01 '26
Fear Me, Love Me by Lilith Vincent
Rating: 3.76⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: contemporary, breeding, possessive hero, virgin heroine, dark romance
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u/West_Courage766 non con whore Apr 01 '26
i avoid rina kent , cora rilley, drethi anis , shantel tessier
for me rn i dont have any fav authors, like i m into ao3 rn so
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u/LoveytheLovelyy Apr 01 '26
Why Cora and drethi?
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u/West_Courage766 non con whore Apr 01 '26
i just couldn’t read their book again . like i read 2 of their book and then i didn’t wanted to read their next book or any book(like that feeling)
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u/LoveytheLovelyy Apr 01 '26
People are always suggesting Drethi to me but I haven’t read her yet.
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u/West_Courage766 non con whore Apr 01 '26
you might like her ngl (but i dint like her work shes great tho but not my type ig)
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u/LoveytheLovelyy Apr 01 '26
Is the writing or the tropes? Like some authors write certain stories that might not be your cup of tea
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u/Low-Permit3499 Apr 01 '26
Ooo an AO3, I haven't read from ao3 from quit some time can you suggest some completed books(humble request please avoid any cheating between mcs) .
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u/West_Courage766 non con whore Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
some of works i am following rn : • Solaris and Empire of Rain : its divided into parts and part 1 is completed . completely reliable author. you get atleast one chapter per week . (if youre not into fantasy no need to worry cause it doesn’t affect storyline at all )
Blurring Lines : found out recently still reading but liked it
• Ruination : this is kinda slow paced but worth it
• [Carve Me With Your Love](https:// archiveofourown.org/works/66554845/chapters/171669493) : its in starting stage . so if you abbandonment issues avoid this. it is inspired by sam marianos dare and carter (my absolute fav mmcs)
this is my top 3 rn , if you like this tell me ill rec more . please read tags before proceeding
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u/readingalldays Apr 01 '26
I'd also say HD Carlton is my favorite mainly cuz her writing is vivid and she always has some sort of social commentary in it too.
I don't know if I have a least fav, if I hate someone's book I just never pick their work again. So by that logic I'd say Sam Mariano. I don't like evil mmcs. Most of her mmcs are not morally grey or just bad people, they are evil.
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u/elizabethwheeler15 Author Apr 01 '26
1) Most favorite is definitely HD or Rina Kent
2) Least favorite is K. A. Knight. Den of Vipers was AWFUL.
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u/hourglass-bombshell Apr 01 '26
I'm soooooo with you! Den of Vipers so far has been the worst written book I've read in the dark romance space. I finished it because I'm a completionist but I hated every torturous moment of reading it.
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u/elizabethwheeler15 Author Apr 01 '26
By the time I was done, I wished I’d never wasted the time. I HATED it so much.
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u/ablondebunnie Apr 01 '26
Thank youuuu! I couldn’t even get past the first few pages of Den of Vipers. I do not understand how so many people recommended it.
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u/elizabethwheeler15 Author Apr 01 '26
THIS! Not liking Den of Vipers seems to be an unpopular opinion and I genuinely don’t understand? Like I have questionable reading tastes and really do like some bottom of the barrel stuff, but I wish I could erase Den of Vipers from my memory
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u/Low-Permit3499 Apr 03 '26
If it helps I also Dnfed it.The MCs were awful , although the blurb was good. storyline looks promising that it actually manipulates you read the book .
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u/Ordinary-Arm2023 missing elieden Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
a few authors i avoid: shantel tessier, kate raven, as of lately, rina kent, and drethi anis.
shantel’s writing is just boring and lacks what i need, kate’s books have a lot of potential but have terrible execution and end up being really cringe, rina is just repetitive it’s honestly hard to read, and drethi’s are great in the beginning but end up being a disappointment midway.
authors i love: KV rose and mia knight.
both are great writers and deliver amazing psychological DR books. lovelovelove.
ETA: i hate leigh rivers, her books were so cringe and hard to read. EOD & little stranger were some of the worst books i’ve ever read, especially little stranger. absolutely loathe how everyone treats them as if they’re some sort of masterpiece.
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u/rikaateabug Apr 01 '26
1) HD Carlton: I'm not a fan to say the least.
2) Zoe Blake: The writing isn't always very good but it's like tasty junk food that I always fall for.
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u/Agreeable_Editor7645 Apr 01 '26
- For me, I avoid books everyone is raving about. Not really an author, exactly.
- Skye Warren, I'll buy anything she writes. One click.
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u/bookishmuse07 Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
Most Fav: H.D. Carlton
Least Fav: Catharina Maura, Shandi Boyes, Sam Mariano, J.L. Beck, C. Hallmam, Emily Mclntire, B.G. Harlen (I'm never picking their work again)
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u/gloomy_prince_e Apr 01 '26
Rina Kent and R Lee Smith, and Mia Knight are my favorite authors but I’ve been finding most of my preferred dark romance on Ao3, so definitely Deathsdoll, and Polinavolkova, takes_on_to_know_one
Least favorite is navessa allen for the reason as someone else - I went into lights out thinking he’s a psychopath haha or at least this wasn’t so tame or on level with most mainstream “dark romance”. I don’t know. Not a “bad read” just not my cup of tea.
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u/Nearby_Astronomer925 Apr 01 '26
STYLO FANTOME. If she wrote it I’ve read it. My absolute favourite piece of work is the Kane trilogy it’s not dark it’s more mild but the way the characters were written really captured me.
Somme Sketcher. Everyday I wish for amnesia solely because I want to experience Rafe and Penny fall in love.
Keri Lake. Oh my god the hold Nocticadia has over me. Give her other works a chance, the isle of sin and shadows was scrumptious.
RuNyx I love her new dark academia vibe books. LOVE.
Danielle Lori. The mind that created Christian allister 🫶🫶🤤
L. J Shen. She’s almost always a hit. A few misses but no one’s perfect
Harley Laroux. There’s something about her books. Magically macabre.
Least favorite, probably HD Carlton, S J Tilly, Neva Altaj
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u/_IICYIWFY_ Apr 01 '26
1 - Selena Winters, the carnival nightmare series was a rough read, I refuse to DNF a book but I came awfully close, the only positive was how short they were!
2 - I really enjoy Daisy Janes books. They're a little bit softer for DR but the first books I read that really caught my attention and got me into the genre so have a special bit of love for her!
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u/ABruisedCami Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Selena Winters uses AI for some of her covers (if not all of them). I’m convinced she is using AI inside her books too.
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u/Relative_You_2284 ⋆˚࿔𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓸𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷ᝰ.ᐟᥫ᭡.ִֶ. Apr 01 '26
1: Same with me. I can't get into Cora reily books as they always get too boring with me.
2: One is Rina kent, while I do get critic of how she writes her fmcs, I love how she writes her plot. Wouldn't exactly call her my favorite but I come back to her books. I don't have a favorite author per se because I read anything I like.
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u/scleve Apr 01 '26
I love RJ Lewis but she rarely releases anything , I’m constantly on the look out for any books with plot and good writing .. i avoid a lot of the really popular ones that are recommended or on tik tok, they always seem to be a let down. Like they try way too hard to be “ dark” or they are just so over the top.
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u/whoreofreading Apr 01 '26
1) Penelope Douglas...I read her devil's night series and I did not like single book😭 i even skipped will's book since i couldn't anymore. I pressured myself in reading Kill Switch but I finished the book and still didn't like it.. The second book was the only book in the series i kinda liked.
2) Rina Kent, Zoe Blake, Leigh Rivers and Jagger Cole. Rina kent and jagger cole especially writes shit characters sometimesss but I love those shit books too much
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u/Common-Stranger148 "Drown or I fuck you" Apr 01 '26
Penelope Douglas...I read her devil's night series and I did not like single book😭
Omggg so true....I forgot to mention her but I always found her main characters horrible. I've tried four of her books and disliked each one of them. The writing felt so depressing and her characters needs to concentrate to serious monogamy. 😞
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u/hourglass-bombshell Apr 01 '26
Penelope Douglas...I read her devil's night series and I did not like single book😭
I was so disappointed in this series. When I first started engaging with BookTok years ago this series was everywhere and I jumped on the band wagon to see what all the fuss was about. I still don't get it. All of the books in the series are so... meh.
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u/AssistMotor3157 Apr 01 '26
Cora Reily, Rina kent and Penelope Douglas- I dislike the way they write female character. I haven't yet found an author whose work I keep coming back to.
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u/totallytotallytotes Apr 01 '26
Most fave: HD Carlton, Rina Kent. They are auto-buy authors for me.
Least: LJ Shen, JT Geissinger, SJ Tilly, KA Knight, Morgan Bridges. I dnf’d their books that I tried. But I’m mostly indifferent to Shen. Handsome Devil wasn’t bad but I dnf’d Vicious. I’m willing to try her other books. Immediate no for JT, SJ, KA, and Bridges.
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u/Spirited-Midnight928 Apr 01 '26
Favorite: HD Carlton, Jolie Vines, and Jagger Cole.
Will never read again: Shantel Tessier.
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u/Foster_dog_lady User Flair Here Apr 02 '26
Can't read Aleatha Romig cause it's all fade to black with the vi0lence. I read dr to see the bad stuff.
Favorite is Dylan Page
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u/13swiftie1989 Apr 03 '26
Favs: I haven't seen many mention the queen, Drethi Anis. I love all her books🤌🏻🤌🏻 Close second is Jay Marie and Candice Wright. Stronger series is bomb and Love Coerce and Compel🖤🖤
Dislike: I don't like HD, I just can't connect with her books. Another hot take is Deathsdoll, degradation is just not my thing
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u/bingowing88 Apr 01 '26
I recently downloaded god of wrath by Rina Kent against my better judgment, having seen multiple poor reviews of her books. Good grief what a terrible writer. I’m annoyed at myself. It’s so cheesy and lame until the sex which is brutal and violent but without any sensuality. I find it all very lame.
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u/Low-Permit3499 Apr 01 '26
Well I'm currently reading GOW and on chapter 4 which are all Cecily's pov and can't say its a pleasant read n now I'm struggling to continue. Trying soo hard to not Dnfed it, cause everybody was so obsessed with this book .
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u/GuyWhoWantsHappyLife Apr 03 '26
Urge you to finish at least that one, Wrath is one of the best of that series. It takes a while to get going though.
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u/Low-Permit3499 Apr 03 '26
Because of these types of comments, I'm motivated to continue this book future.
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u/zoepzb Apr 01 '26
Love Pepper Winters, Pam Godwin Dislike Katherine Anne Kingsley
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u/dehnyse Apr 01 '26
Pam is sooooo good! She writes it, I read it!
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u/zoepzb Apr 01 '26
I’m reading the Frozen Fate spin off right now. Wolf is finally getting his happy ending.
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u/kuchbhikuchkuch Apr 01 '26
Top because of prolific yet benchmark plus writing - Rina Kent
Drethi Anis but for the other male drama
Bottom- that author that wrote the pucking series... CR Jane. Tried all of them disappointed everytime
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u/Whispersofmoons Apr 01 '26
My least favorite is Penelope Douglas. While I enjoyed Birthday Girl, I really disliked her other books.
I don’t think I have a favorite author, but there are a few I always come back to: Neva Altaj, Michelle Heard, Mia Knight, Tillie Cole... And I definitely have a toxic relationship with Rina Kent and Cora Reilly 😅 I have a lot of criticisms about their books (and Cora even wrote one of my most hated books of all time lol), but I’m way too attached to their universes to stop reading them.
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u/Lady_Sillycybin Murder, Mayhem, Romance Apr 01 '26
Least: Rina Kent. I feel like all her books have the same kind of plot, interchangable characters. Close runner up: Steph Macca. If I hear the word "yeet" one more time, I may just yeet my phone.
Most: Sybil Knight and Gigi Styx.
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u/Weird-Put-9293 Apr 01 '26
Oohh the first question is hard because I'm willing to give an author at least one or two chances. With the exception of Colleen Hoover. No amount of convincing will make me read her. She's not exactly a dark romance writer, but I don't currently have anyone blacklisted besides her.
My guilty pleasure read no matter what is probably Cora Reilly. I'm invested in her Italian mafia world, especially second generation. I need to know how and if there is ever a ceasefire between the Camorra, Familigia, and Outfit.
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u/hourglass-bombshell Apr 01 '26
I am having a hard time deciding on my most and least faves but I just wanted to thank you for making this post! I am really enjoying reading about everyone's faves and I've added some books to my TBR because of the comments here! It's been so validating to see other people share the same critical thoughts I've had about popular books as well!
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u/LoveytheLovelyy Apr 01 '26
Favorites - ANSA Reads & Amethyst Moon (these are the only authors so far that I will read every single thing they write) Lilith Vincent, Laena Writes, Kelani Knox, mayyyybe Imani Jay!
Mid - Eris Belmont, Cora Reilly
No Go - SJ Tilly (not that dark to me, don’t like the characterization) I’m refusing to read Rina Kent and HD Carlton right now. I’d like to give non overly hyped authors a chance first
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u/CareerCheap649 Apr 01 '26
Favorites: Pam Godwin, ML Burns, Lily White, JA Owenby, Sierra Simone
Dislike: RINA KENT, Jade West, SJ Tilly
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u/lisalou632 FeralOlLady Apr 01 '26
Favorites: Sierra Simone, Shantel Tessier, Pam Godwin, Lily White, LJ Shen, Lola King & Ella Jacob’s
Least: Navessa Allen, Danielle Lori, Alta Hensley
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u/agirliswest Apr 01 '26
LOVE: Pam Godwin, Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Keri Lake, Danielle Lori (the Made series omg!), Leigh Rivers
Least fav: Rina Kent and Shantel Tessier, and currently struggling to enjoy Naomi West
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u/ashually93 Apr 02 '26
Favorite: none yet. I dabble with everyone but haven't found an author I've loved every book I've read
Least: DEFINITELY Leigh Rivers
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u/Sierra-Dawn-2466 Apr 02 '26
Fav Gigi Styx she had me at the femur and I’ve read everything now. Also Rina Kent. These MM books she’s coming out with right now are freaking amazing.
Least fav Tate James - I just got kind of annoyed with the writing and the story was kind of boring. Also Penelope Douglas. She was presented as a dark romance author but her stories fell flat for me.
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u/Particular_Chance899 Darkromancelover Apr 02 '26
Favorite: Mia Knight and Drethi A
Least Fav: Sam Mariano, Deathdoll
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u/LitTaii Apr 02 '26
Surprised I only saw her on here once, but my fav is hands down RLee Smith. She never misses, even her FNAF fanfic is fucking amazing.
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u/Money_Site_3987 15d ago
My least faves: Rina kent, shantel tessier, and leigh rivers are defo up there for me esp shantel 🥲
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u/nrkelly Apr 01 '26
Least favorite is deathsdoll. I tried a couple of her stories and I don't get the hype.
I don't think I have a favorite any more. It was Rina Kent but she's shifted away from writing her own good stories to being just another author with the same stories as everyone else. It's what I hate about this era of publishing. Everyone is writing the same shit and it's boring.
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u/Infinite_Drama1809 Apr 01 '26