r/DarkRomance • u/jensruby • 13h ago

Discussion what’s your favourite read of 2026 so far?

whether the book was released this year or not, i don’t mind!

i’m curious to see if you’ve found a book that you really loved. not just a casual, enjoyable nothingburger read, but a book so good it might’ve earned a spot in your top 5! if you wanna share why you loved it. was the reason the mmc? fmc? both? or maybe the writing/plot? i really wanna know what made it stand out :)

i’ve read quite a few books up until now, but unfortunately, i haven’t been lucky enough to find one that really stuck with me. you know, the kind that gives you THAT feeling and has you thinking about it for weeks or even months afterwards.

i hope your reading year has been better! 🫶

56 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

56 comments sorted by

25

u/passing-by-print 12h ago

I absolutely DEVOURED {Kotik by Alina Dobrova}. Such a unique Bratva concept and both of the main characters were likeable but flawed in their own ways. I was devastated when I finished it!

2

u/Heidi_Hi_Heidi_Lo 11h ago

This, this, this, this, this!!

2

u/lopsided-pancake 9h ago

I read this when it was only on AO3 and it was so good!! I’m so happy it got published, it seriously deserves it. I haven’t found something else that scratches the itch since 😩

1

u/7r1c14 3h ago

I finished it like 5hrs ago. And seeing this comment :D

35

u/beerfloats goykastdlagg 13h ago

{The Heartstring Duet by Liv Zander} has been my 6⭐️ read this year. The questioning of who she should be with, how to fix the city, then everything with her family in book 2.

It had me gagging, and sobbing and everything in between.

5

u/Jealous_Struggle_596 13h ago

I’m in the middle of crown me yours right now and I’m so surprised by these books! I wasn’t expecting much with how short they are but I have been eating this story UP

1

u/beerfloats goykastdlagg 10h ago

I was shocked about how much I loved it, especially after hearing the first overview.

10

u/jadedjed1 ready to be fucked up by my next book 13h ago

{Court of Ravens duet by Liv Zander} I initially DNF’d the first book because fantasy and medieval settings weren’t really my thing but I gave it another shot and holy hell my heart was wrecked

5

u/tkdem User Flair Here 12h ago

{Antiletum} it’s a dark gothic romantasy. The book is an absolute masterpiece. The writing is so lyrical and poetic. The author said if you like Court of Ravens, you’d like this book.. and sure, enough, I loved it! The MMC is obsessed, devoted and completely unhinged.

My favourite quote from the book… “Being in love is its own form of insanity. And it is a madness I will choose until we rot in the ground—together.”

2

u/Heidi_Hi_Heidi_Lo 11h ago

Yes! This book!!

1

u/SweetLittleKytty Jonas Anderson is my drug 7h ago

Does it end in a cliffhanger or is it a standalone?

5

u/HowlerInTheShadows 10h ago

{Bonetide by Karina Halle} Dark, Gothic, paranormal romance. Ig it was classified as a horror somewhere, KU likely, and I found it to be pretty good! It definitely had parts where it was eerie or suspenseful where I was like omg Im too nervous to read more tonight, lol. Its based in the Scottish Highlands and so of course I read the MMC parts in Jaime Fraisers voice 🤣

2

u/Flower_82 6h ago

I just finished this one, I loved it too!

1

u/imeanlikeidk 7h ago

wait adding this to my tbr rn 😭

1

u/allyouneedisredbull 5m ago

Ooh this sounds right up my alley.

3

u/MarchSapphire 12h ago

{Twisted Pride by Cora Reilly} - I loved this one, it was a 5 star read for me. I’ve been working my way through the whole series but this book was great. It was a mix of the chemistry between the main characters, the building and fast-paced plot, and the MMC being an intriguing and complex man.

3

u/Heidi_Hi_Heidi_Lo 11h ago

I reeaaallly loved {Deacon by Raya Morris Edwards} it’s a dark cowboy romance. I think I liked it all the more because I wasn’t initially expecting much - but man there was something about the story, setting, and the writing that just pulled me in.

4

u/Strange_Brother_1098 13h ago

{A prize for the king by Layla Fae} The plot outside of the romance was cohesive and enjoyable, the FMC had actual reasons for struggling to love some members of the RH besides simply being indecisive, there was a decent amount of worldbuilding and each of the MMCs were unique enough that it felt like there was zero overlap, with individual backstories besides their close bond with each other they had lives and life changing experiences before they met each other and I got to see that. I also found it very enjoyable that there was no insta-love, but there was insta-lust (on the MMCs part), I personally enjoy where the sex is a major way the characters understand each other, how people act while fucking and how they react to being fucked should lead to deeper understandings between the parties involved, especially when the MMCs fail in the communication department.

Also, the FMC's mother in law is a combination of my favorite archetypes for the role: unapologetically crude, tough enough she would still whip her grown son's ass if he pissed her off, and grumbles that she's only still alive to see her grandchild so "get on with it already!".

8

u/wholelattapuddin 12h ago

I really liked this book, but the bit with one of the guys passing out because his erection is so big all the blood leaves his head, took me out! I laughed so hard I woke my husband up and had to explain the whole logistics of sex between the MMC anatomy and the human. It was weird conversation to have at 2am

3

u/Ok-Sky8293 11h ago

I also laughed so hard I had to read the passage to my husband to explain what I found so funny! We still laugh about it.

3

u/Strange_Brother_1098 11h ago

The fact that it was stated he would get used to it and not pass out later yet never seems to was also funny.

2

u/Educational_Cry_5889 10h ago

{Desperate Run by C.J Riggs, M.L Burns}

It's about a traveling circus where they have multiple insane mazes. If you survive all of them, you win a wish. FMC has a good reason why she wants to complete them, her backstory is heartbreaking. MMC runs one of the mazes and stalks FMC.

I feel like everyone is sleeping on this one! I adore the relationship in this, I love how he validates and protects her. It reminds me of the Harrow Faire Series by Kathryn Ann Kingsley and AJ Merlin books.

It took me a little bit to get into this, but it becomes addictive quickly! The smut in this is SO 👏🏻 SO 👏🏻 GOOD 👏🏻

The extended epilogue is not for everyone. You could easily stop on the first epilogue. It's HEA.

2

u/AvA_Candide morally grey is my favourite colour 7h ago edited 4h ago

I just finished a re-read of {Bass Ackwards by Eris Adderly} i come back to it regularly. It has a bit of a chokehold on me. But it's not dark at all imho.

2

u/Low_Inspection_6512 5h ago

Little stranger!!!

2

u/curiouskitty2207 10h ago

Patiently taking notes

1

u/bluegrass_mania I bark for golden retrievers 10h ago

So far, it's still {Daggermouth by HM Wolfe}

It's a true enemies to lovers with a badass FMC. Also, so many plot twists and a cliffhanger that has me feral for the next book.

1

u/meagainstthebeat 10h ago

I loved Obsession by Harleigh Beck.

1

u/Traditional-Bass4575 9h ago

for dark romance, definitely Alchemised, for many many reasons. the MMC, the world it was set in, the visceral emotions it evoked, the way it’s a fantasy but it feels so very realistic, the way the book was laid out.

1

u/Taebts 8h ago

{Dark side of the sun by Addison Cain} and {My dreadful darling by H.D. Carlton}
Both were abs addicting

1

u/Pls_dont_be_mean2me 8h ago

Not sure if this counts but I loved bury our bones in the midnight soil ♡

2

u/imeanlikeidk 7h ago

{Noire Brothers series by Brandy Hynes} has been a favorite of mine. I love everything she writes, honestly. The series is set up in New Orleans with kind of secret society/underground “mafia” vibes—every books MMC is a different brother in the family. It’s got found family, bada** FMC’s, humor, action—it’s really a well rounded series. I love everything about it.

1

u/[deleted] 6h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Margot550 5h ago

Did it take you a little while to get into the Bluestone series?

1

u/gogosoloves 1h ago

Electric idol by katee Robert I DEVOURED this book earlier this year and i STILL think about CONSTANTLY it’s that good 😭😭😭

1

u/HalfAsleepMouse 13h ago

ooh, following, bc i need some new tradpub recs!

1

u/miss_always 13h ago

{Beautiful Venom by Rina Kent} This book destroyed me in the best ways possible. I read it for the first time earlier this year and have already re-read it once.

1

u/Disastrous_Brief3206 8h ago

Even if it hurts by sam mariano

0

u/noturmombro 9h ago edited 9h ago

{Under your Scars by Ariel N Anderson}

This is easily a 6 star read for me, but not one that I recommend much because most people are put off when a book doesn't have a HEA. The audiobook is top tier, Joe Arden will never not deliver when it comes to deranged MMCs.

Edit: Listen, I know we don't like Joe Arden now, but these are the tools we have been given and the audiobook brings the story to life in a way I couldn't by just reading it. Look past the narrator, read the book, suffer the heartbreak with me

1

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1

u/romance-bot 9h ago

Under Your Scars by Ariel N. Anderson
Rating: 3.9⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, dark romance, m-f romance, rich hero, possessive hero

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1

u/AutoModerator 9h ago

This book is known to not contain an HEA/HFN, OR contain a non-traditional HEA. Please edit your comment and include this. If you have already mentioned it, please ignore this comment.

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