Books like 'The Cruel Dark'
Readers who enjoyed The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical paranormal dark romance fantasy mystery suspense boss & employee competent heroine tortured heroine cold hero
-
The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow
The Saint of War spares the life of a servant girl so she can fulfill her destiny as the kingdom’s greatest warrior in this short story of love and loyalty by New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow.Always mindful of the debt she owes, the girl finds her worth as a weapon in the hand of the Prince. Her victories make him a king, then an emperor... -
![Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë]()
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Orphaned into the household of her Aunt Reed at Gateshead, subject to the cruel regime at Lowood charity school, Jane Eyre nonetheless emerges unbroken in spirit and integrity. She takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with Mr... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Nocturnal by Clio Evans]()
Nocturnal by Clio Evans
I was his toxic obsession. He was my sadistic monster.Nora:When I took a job at St. Thorns university as a psychology professor, I encountered something—someone—unexplainable. Fascinating. And deadly.Alec Briar had the eyes of a killer.He’s a botanist who would rather rot in his greenhouse alone than deal with students, professors, or me...Categorized as:
suspense horror mystery m-f competent heroine independent heroine strong heroine 20th century -
![Thorns of Frost by Krista Street]()
Thorns of Frost by Krista Street
Being entered into the Rising Queen Trial is equivalent to death. If I win, I’ll marry my enemy. If I lose, I’ll marry another fae of the king’s choosing. Either way, my freedom is lost unless I find a way to escape.Intent on fleeing, I train my new affinities and learn what’s needed to survive while pretending to vie for the throne... -
-
![A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager]()
A Promise of Lies by Clare Sager
The King is dead. Long live the King. And death to his enemies. Bargained away to Dawn Court, Kat must play the part of a helpless human bewitched by the Day King. But beneath the veneer of submission, she’s playing a far more dangerous game—spying for Dusk Court, and for the one person who holds her heart: Bastian... -
![Between the Moon & Her Night by Jaclyn Kot]()
Between the Moon & Her Night by Jaclyn Kot
“It was like he had lifted the lid to a small locket box, because a soft, beautiful melody began to play—happy and sad, and filled with love and loss.It was the song of us.The song of Life and Death.”Centuries before the events of Between Life and Death and Between Sun and Moon . . . Centuries before she was Sage . . . She was Aurelia, the Goddess of Life...Categorized as:
horror m-f competent heroine possessive hero fantasy ancient times fated-mates demons -
![The King by Eris Belmont]()
The King by Eris Belmont
Annalise has always been told one thing. Submit to the higher power.War has broken out between man and beast. A war that Annalise has managed to stay out of for most of her life. That is until she comes across an intimidating stranger. Not a man, but a beast. and not just any beast.The King... -
![Enchantra by Kaylie Smith]()
Enchantra by Kaylie Smith
Return to the world of USA Today bestselling BookTok favorite Phantasma in this spicy, stand-alone romantasy, where seven immortal siblings are trapped in a deadly game of hide and seek . . . until one mortal woman changes the rules. The print edition includes custom silver foiling on the cover. Welcome to Enchantra. There’s only one rule: Never, ever trust your heart... -
![How to Marry a Lich by Lizzie Strong]()
How to Marry a Lich by Lizzie Strong
Fans of The Addams family, Mary Shelley, and eldritch horror will gobble up this deliciously gothic monster romance.For the last five years, Dahlia Grayskull has sought solace in the shadows of the decrepit, and supposedly abandoned, Rosemont Manor. She's been hiding from her reputation as the shrew of King's Fall, her wicked stepfather, and the shadow of something much more deadly... -
![Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep]()
Man of Shadow and Mist by Michelle Griep
“The world seems full of good men—even if there are monsters in it.”–Bram Stoker, Dracula England, 1890 Vampires are alive and well in North Yorkshire, leastwise in the minds of the uneducated. Librarian Rosa Edwards intends to drive a stake through the heart of such superstitions. But gossip flies when the mysterious Sir James Morgan returns to his shadowy manor. The townsfolk say he is cursed...Categorized as:
mystery suspense m-f forced proximity competent heroine strong heroine cold hero tortured hero -
![Wit'ch Star by James Clemens]()
Wit'ch Star by James Clemens
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsThe three deadly Weirgates are destroyed but the threat of the Dark Lord remains. And so Elena and her companions have gone their separate ways to prepare for what is yet to come. Elena herself has journeyed to the beautiful city of A'loa Glen, there to recover her strength and spirit. Enter Harlequin Quail.Some might call him a fool, but the little man in the jester's suit claims to be a spy... -
![The Broken Girls by Simone St. James]()
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
A suspense novel from the award-winning author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare...Vermont, 1950. There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good. It's called Idlewild Hall. And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted... -
![Darling Unchained by JanJan Untamed]()
Darling Unchained by JanJan Untamed
The thrilling conclusion to Devil's Darling...Categorized as:
cold hero sweet-hero tycoon super rich hero tortured heroine poor heroine competent heroine dark -
![Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall]()
Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall
They call him the Silent Death, because he kills without sound and leaves none capable of speaking in his wake…When the empire’s deadliest fae murderer catches her wielding forbidden magic, twenty-year-old Emelin believes her hour has come. Instead, her inhumanly beautiful captor spares her life, but carries her off on his velvet wings – into the one place from which no human ever returns... -
-
![Bite The Terror That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti]()
Bite The Terror That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti
He gave me his word—and he broke it.Kingsnake promised me he would let me go once he found the cure, but he’s known this entire time and never once shared it with me. And now that I know the truth, that there is no cure, he still won’t let me go. Now I’m his prisoner once again.He asks to feed from me several times, but I refuse all his advances... -
![House of Secrets by Darcy Coates]()
House of Secrets by Darcy Coates
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSophie and Joseph’s escape from Northwood is short-lived. The beast survived, and attached itself to Joseph’s young cousin, Elise. Garrett writes to beg for their help. Joseph and Sophie travel to meet him at Kensington, a long-abandoned mansion that overlooks a dead town. The house offers a small hope: its original owner had dedicated her life to researching the monster that possesses Elise... -
![A Dream So Wicked by Tessonja Odette]()
A Dream So Wicked by Tessonja Odette
A vicious rivalry.A forbidden desire.A curse only her enemy can break.After twenty years stuck in a fae convent with no word from whoever abandoned her there, Briony Rose is all out of hope. But when her parents suddenly claim her and reveal she’s a lost fae princess, she’s burdened with the weight of a kingdom on the brink of collapse... -
![Murder on Hunter's Eve by Morgan Stang]()
Murder on Hunter's Eve by Morgan Stang
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA werewolf terrorizes the city of Lamplight!It's the week of Hunter's Eve, a yearly celebration of monsters, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. But for Huntress Isabeau Agarwal, the event is a stark reminder that in her line of work, there is never a day's rest.Murders rock the city, and Isabeau is charged with solving them before the killer strikes again... -
![The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg]()
The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsA scientific young woman probes the mysterious death of her magically gifted sister in this quasi-Renaissance epic fantasy sequel to The Spirit Lens.Anne de Vernase is fighting to hold herself together as scandal and tragedy tear her family apart. Her father remains at large, convicted of treason and murder thanks to her own testimony—and his pursuit of depraved sorcery... -
![Entreat Me by Grace Draven]()
Entreat Me by Grace Draven
Afflicted by a centuries-old curse, a warlord slowly surrenders his humanity and descends toward madness. Ballard of Ketach Tor holds no hope of escaping his fate until his son returns home one day, accompanied by a woman of incomparable beauty. His family believes her arrival may herald Ballard's salvation. ...until they confront her elder sister... -
![Light by Lacey Lehotzky]()
Light by Lacey Lehotzky
Perfect for fans of The Plated Prisoner, Crystal Bloom, Game of Thrones (tv show), or anyone who wanted to see trauma addressed in ACOTAR. LAST WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! Izidora Why does this keep happening to me? Kidnapped again by the Iron Fae, I must survive long enough to get back to my friends in the Night Realm...Categorized as:
forced proximity competent heroine possessive hero tortured hero spanking magic dark fantasy -
![Bump in the Night by Cassie Mint]()
Bump in the Night by Cassie Mint
He’s smart, handsome, and we have an instant connection.Pity all these ghosts keep interrupting our moments…All my life, I’ve wanted a ghostly encounter. It’s my greatest dream, and it’s never happened for me—not even in Belladonna Bay, where every other building is haunted...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity m-f strong heroine possessive hero sweet-hero contemporary paranormal -
![Circle of Freaks by Delilah Croww, Carmen Rosales]()
Circle of Freaks by Delilah Croww, Carmen Rosales
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSince I was a little girl, I fell in love with the circus. It's all I ever wanted to see up close or be a part of. There was no room for things like that where I grew up. There was no room for anything except bad memories and bad expectations.Every year around Devil's Night, since we moved to Stockbridge, the Circle of Freaks paranormal circus comes to town... -
![Monster Of Ruin by Marlowe Mack]()
Monster Of Ruin by Marlowe Mack
Elliott Knight is a hunter. And I’m his prey. He’s obsessed. I’m his addiction. He won’t stop until he’s made me his. He’s decided I’ll be his no matter what. He makes the rules. And I can only live by them. He stalks me. He calls me his flower. Every bit of him is dark. Haunted. Possessed. Elliott is an evil man, a real-life nightmare. The kind your mother warns you to stay away from... -
-
![Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley]()
Bone Rites by Natalie Bayley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"I collected the first bone when I was twelve. This fact was not mentioned in court... Such a tiny little bone, more like a tooth. I only kept it to keep him safe." Kathryn Darkling, imprisoned in Holloway, is facing death by hanging for her vengeance killing... -
![The Willows by Algernon Blackwood]()
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsHow is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Illustrated About The Willows by Algernon Blackwood The Willows is a novella by English author Algernon Blackwood. It is one of Blackwood's best known works and has been influential on a number of later writers. Horror author H.P... -
![Slayer of the Pirate Lord by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
Slayer of the Pirate Lord by Rebecca F. Kenney
Risa works the docks in the port city of Knockaine, servicing multiple men each night. When she's offered a large sum of money to seduce and slay a particular man, she thinks the job will be easy--until she discovers he's a magically-gifted pirate captain with a suspicious nature... -
![To Poison a King by S.G. Prince]()
To Poison a King by S.G. Prince
S.G. Prince's new standalone is a breathtaking fantasy about sacrifice, self-discovery, and a girl tasked with saving the very man she aimed to kill.Selene is the youngest daughter in a gifted line of healers, born to serve as the king's royal physician. Yet when Selene's mother Persaphe embroils her in a plot to kill the king, Selene finds herself poisoning the very man she is sworn to protect...Categorized as:
m-f class difference caretaking competent heroine tortured heroine tortured hero witches fantasy -
![Curse of the Thorn King by Lisette Marshall]()
Curse of the Thorn King by Lisette Marshall
Killing a fae king is hard. Doing so politely is even harder.Briannis Iavi – well-bred lady and accidental assassin – is so close to securing the life of her dreams. All she needs to do is complete one last make her way into fae territory, sneak into the enchanted halls of Rosethorn Keep, and kill the king of Faerie... -
![A Heart So Cold and Wicked by Rebecca F. Kenney]()
A Heart So Cold and Wicked by Rebecca F. Kenney
He saved her from a murderer. But can he protect her from himself?Kidnapped by a serial killer, Feather has lived in a remote cabin for years, surviving by cleverness and caution. One night, she unwittingly summons a Fae demon known as Krampus, who enacts vengeance on her kidnapper and leaves Feather free... but with nowhere to go and no memory of the family from which she was stolen...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine strong heroine tortured heroine fantasy christmas paranormal captive -
![Bite The Power That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti]()
Bite The Power That Feeds by Penelope Barsetti
Ellasara came at me with a blade—and she defeated me.But my eyes open to my bedchambers and I see Kingsnake sitting at my beside with Fang next to my pillow. I expect to feel the horrible pain of my injury, but I already feel healed. When I sit up, the room doesn’t spin and I don’t feel weak. In fact, I feel better than I ever have…Kingsnake takes my face in my hands and pulls me close... -
![A Hunt So Wicked by Britt Andrews]()
A Hunt So Wicked by Britt Andrews
Fans of Bridgerton and Game of Thrones will love this brand new dark fantasy romance.The guards arrive at my humble cottage with a ridiculous offer: Come to an exclusive and mysterious isle to compete for the hand of a royal husband.Enjoy a week of glittering balls, dancing, ostentatious wealth…and a royal hunt... -
![In Death We Part by M. Bonnet]()
In Death We Part by M. Bonnet
My routine was simple - classes, work, repeat - then an unearthed family secret changed everything. Four mysterious men shattered my life and stomped on the pieces until I had nothing left. They were strangers to me, but I was no stranger to them. They had been watching me… waiting until the time was right to strike... -
![The New Black by Laird Barron, Brian Evenson]()
The New Black by Laird Barron, Brian Evenson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe New Black is a collection of twenty neo-noir stories exemplifying the best authors currently writing in this dark sub-genre. A mixture of horror, crime, fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and the grotesque—all with a literary bent—these stories represent the future of genre-bending fiction from some of our brightest and most original voices... -
-
![The Lost Princess by Raven Storm]()
The Lost Princess by Raven Storm
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI was the diamond of my father's court, and his most prized possession--his 'gift from the gods'. My shimmering skin and pale complexion set me apart from the other nobles of the court. I was cherished. I was loved.Until I wasn't. My father sold me north to settle his debts, and I was shipped off to a strange kingdom...Categorized as:
forced proximity m-f dark paranormal fantasy ancient times historical from hate to love -
![Fractured Wings by M.T. Morgan]()
Fractured Wings by M.T. Morgan
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsStarlette doesn’t remember the crimes everyone seems to assume she committed. And without any evidence of transgression, she is set free. Only for her parents to have her committed to Mount Point Psych Ward.She’s had countless therapists, none of them lasting, except him. The brooding, beautiful doctor who’s come in to rain on her parade...Categorized as:
suspense forced proximity strong heroine mystery m-f dark contemporary age difference -
![The Hemlock Queen by Hannah F. Whitten]()
The Hemlock Queen by Hannah F. Whitten
In the second installment of New York Times bestselling author Hannah Whitten's lush, romantic epic fantasy series, a young woman who can raise the dead must navigate the dangerous and glamorous world of the Sainted King's royal court. The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right hand side...Categorized as:
m-f class difference competent heroine cold hero tortured hero super rich hero fantasy magic -
![Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson]()
Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson
Once he had scorched the world. Once he had driven back overwhelming darkness. Once he had loved with such passion, his name was legend... TAIREN SOULLong ago, in the magical holocaust known as the Mage Wars, the immortal Fey and their allies fought to defeat the grasping evil of the Elden Mages and their dark-gifted supporters... -
![Then, Earth Swallowed Ocean by Shiloh Sloane]()
Then, Earth Swallowed Ocean by Shiloh Sloane
Then, Earth Swallowed Ocean is an intensely dark romance and erotic horror set in post WW2 Appalachia.After a violent tragedy, Sadie makes a deal with the Devil: if she exchanges an evil soul for her own within a month, she can have a second chance at life... -
![The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb]()
The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsIn the tourist town of Wharton, on the coast of Lake Superior, Tess Bell is renovating her old family home into a bed-and-breakfast during the icy dead of winter…As the house’s restoration commences, a shuttered art studio is revealed. Inside are paintings Tess’s late grandfather, beloved and celebrated artist Sebastian Bell, hid away for generations... -
![My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen]()
My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen
In a world where the dead can wake and walk among us, what is truly real?Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth—strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries—is the only good thing in Roos’ life, which is filled with sordid backroom séances organized by her mother... -
![Fyneshade by Kate Griffin]()
Fyneshade by Kate Griffin
Rated: 3.97 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMany would find much to fear in Fyneshade's dark and crumbling corridors, its unseen master and silent servants. But not I. For they have far more to fear from me...On the day of her grandmother's funeral, Marta discovers that she is to be sent to be governess at Fyneshade, her charge the young daughter of the owner, Sir William Pritchard.All is not well at Fyneshade... -
![The Bladesmith Queen by Sarah MacLean]()
The Bladesmith Queen by Sarah MacLean
They called her a witch. The only daughter of a long line of bladesmiths, Orsa had no choice but to take up the hammer and forge when it was her turn. But she was unlike those who came before her. Her swords are legendary—said to be undefeatable. And when she makes them, she can see their future...and the truth of the warriors who wield them. Brutal. Cruel. Unworthy of her skill. Until him... -
![The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman]()
The Shadow Key by Susan Stokes-Chapman
On an isolated estate in late-eighteenth-century rural Wales, a young English doctor uncovers dangerous secrets that may threaten his own life in this spellbinding Gothic tale from the bestselling author of Pandora.Dismissed from his post at a prestigious London hospital, Dr... -
-
![Red by K.D. Miller]()
Red by K.D. Miller
They don’t go into the woods…Every full moon, the Beast rises within the woods. Every full moon, some poor soul is sent into that forsaken forest as a sacrifice. Every full moon, the village holds its collective breath that the sacrifice will be enough. Any other time, the woods are supposed to be safe, but no one dares take a chance.Not until Sloane Whelan... -
![Mind of the Phoenix by Jamie McLachlan]()
Mind of the Phoenix by Jamie McLachlan
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMoira is a powerful empath, a psychic graced with the ability to read emotions and memories. Her skill is as much a curse as a gift, for in the harshly stratified city of Braxton empaths are slaves. Clever and beautiful, Moira has learned to rely on no one but herself. Determined to escape life as a concubine, she kills her master, and is imprisoned for the crime... -
![악녀를 죽여 줘 1 [Agnyeoreul Jugyeo Jwo 1] (Kill the Villainess (Webtoon) #1) by Your April, 사월생]()
악녀를 죽여 줘 1 [Agnyeoreul Jugyeo Jwo 1] (Kill the Villainess (Webtoon) #1) by Your April, 사월생
소설 속 악녀, 에리스 미제리안.착하고 사랑스러운 주인공 헬레나를 질투해음모를 꾸미다 사형당하는 후작가의 외동딸.그녀에게 빙의한 '나'의 목표는 오직이 세계를 탈출해서 집으로 돌아가는 것.그것을 위해서라면 죽음도 불사하겠노라 각오했지만'나'를 옭아맨 세계의 법칙은 끈질기기만 하다.예전과는 달라진 에리스의 모습에에리스를 증오하던 소설 속 세 남주,황태자와 대신관, 용사마저 시선을 보내기 시작하는데…."그렇다고 해도 나는 도저히이 세계를 사랑할 수 없다."여기를 나갈 방법이 오직 죽음뿐이어도.그걸 위해 마녀와 손을 잡는다고 해도... -
![Das geheime Turmzimmer: 2 CDs by Laura Andersen]()
Das geheime Turmzimmer: 2 CDs by Laura Andersen
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe Gallagher family has called Deeprath Castle home for seven hundred years. Nestled in the Wicklow Mountains of Ireland, the estate is now slated to become a public trust, and book lover and scholar Carragh Ryan is hired to take inventory of its historic library... -
![Crimson Peak by Nancy Holder]()
Crimson Peak by Nancy Holder
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsWhen her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red a place filled with secrets that will haunt her forever. Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak. From acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro... -
![Creatures of Charm and Hunger by Molly Tanzer]()
Creatures of Charm and Hunger by Molly Tanzer
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTwo young witches, once inseparable, are set at odds by secrets and wildly dangerous magic. In the waning days of World War II, with Allied victory all but certain, desperate Nazi diabolists search for a demonic superweapon to turn the tide...
![악녀를 죽여 줘 1 [Agnyeoreul Jugyeo Jwo 1] (Kill the Villainess (Webtoon) #1) by Your April, 사월생](https://s3.amazonaws.com/romance.io/books/small/6589df3d26bb4881ceac8f1d.jpg)
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
