dark romance
noun1
Neologism A book genre featuring romantic relationships in which characters act in unethical or abusive ways.
- Contrary to fears that dark romance promotes violence or unhealthy relationships, many readers engage critically with these narratives.2024 November 19, Magali Bigey, “Reading dark romance: The ambiguities of a fascinating genre”, in The Conversation, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2025:
- What's calming for one person might be a nightmare for others, which is why dark romance as it's currently understood has often been a genre found easiest through authors who self publish.2025 February 11, CT Jones, “Why BookTok Is Absolutely Obsessed With Dark Romance”, in Rolling Stone, New York, N.Y.: Penske Media Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2025:
1 more example
- Villains who love to the point of obsession, characters who bare the bloody wounds of their trauma, lovers who will kill to protect what's theirs — these are among the hallmarks of dark romance books.2025 September 25, Brynne Weaver, “Brynne Weaver's Favorite Dark Romance Books”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Sep 2025: