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Readers who have visited the home page of this blog might be wondering why an editor who doesn't work with dark romance is writing about it.
But I wouldn't be a romance editor worth my salt if I didn't do my best to learn about every sub-genre, including dark romance. I have to know about its tropes, trends, and reader expectations, because romance is not a vacuum. Nothing exists in isolation, and if I want to stay up to date on the genre as a whole, that requires dialing down into each part of it.
So, dark romance. You've probably heard of it. It's all over BookTok.
But what does "dark" really mean?
Why is it called dark romance?
The sub-genre gets its name from the content of the books within it, which often explore darker themes, like abuse, captivity, and dubious consent. Dark romances don't pull punches, either; many put trauma and suffering on the page. This is a change from the way trauma used to be handled in romance, when it was part of a character's backstory and might have been hinted at or even mentioned in passing, but wasn't really confronted.
And that's partly why readers love it; it's a genre with the highest highs and lowest lows, bringing characters to the height of ecstasy, only to drag them back into the depths of suffering.
But that's not the only reason readers love it.
Why do readers love dark romance so much?
Dark romance lives and dies by its characters, especially its heroes.
They're morally grey, frighteningly complex, possessive, and, once they love someone, they'll kill anyone who even attempts to hurt their significant other. There's usually a softer side to them, too, and seeing that softer side is partly what hooks readers into these stories. They're not opening dark romances for heroes with hearts of gold; they're in it for heroes who are messed up and might be unlikeable or even loathe-worthy, even if weren't for how well they love the object/s of their affection (and, sometimes, obsession).
Is there a "right way" to write dark romance?
There's no right way to write any romance novel, unless you pen the whole thing in Wingdings. But there are a few good rules of thumb to follow if you want readers to love your book:
1. Include trigger warnings
Because dark romance often includes triggering content, most come with content warnings to notify readers of what they can expect from the book so they're aware of anything that might upset them or make them feel unsafe. It's okay if you don't list the triggers in your blurb; in fact, I'd warn against it, because lately Amazon has been taking trigger words out of context. A sentence like "This book is not for everyone. Check full trigger warnings on ____," and then posting the triggers on your website, is just as effective but won't anger the Zon.
2. Be generous with the steam
While there's growing demand for closed-door stories across the romance genre, dark romance stories err on the steamier side, with multiple open-door sex scenes.
This is because of the tension (conflict) these stories are full of. That tension has to be released somehow, and a hot makeout just doesn't cut it.
3. Know your sub-genre
While dark romance and mafia romance are often used interchangeably, it's a bit like that whole "a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square" thing we all learned in maths at some point in school.
But there's an important difference. Dark romance is a sub-genre defined by the dark elements within it, but it can take place in historical, fantastical, paranormal, or contemporary settings, and can focus on a variety of characters, including but not limited to mafia.
Whereas mafia is almost uniformly dark, contemporary, and includes—you guessed it!—mafia/bratva/Yakuza/insert mafia-like group here.
Dark romance can also include almost any trope, though there are some mainstays you should be aware of.
What are the most popular tropes in dark romance?
Arranged marriage, revenge, blackmail, forced proximity, kidnapping, taboo pairings, reverse harem, and age gap are all reader favourites, but there are plenty of possibilities that haven't been explored, like mail order bride, amnesia, and singles pact.
With dark romance, the sky is the limit. Experiment with different tropes, settings, and storylines. As long as you really put your characters through the wringer before their happily ever after and don't shy away from the tough stuff, you're on the right track.
Until next post, happy reading and writing!