There was a time when reading romance in public called for a bit of strategy. You’d ward off the judgment of fellow commuters by sliding that book with the brooding, shirtless hero inside something more innocuous (maybe that dry biography you swore you’d get through but never did). At home, guilty pleasure reads were stashed away before guests arrived. And at the library, you’d brace yourself for the librarian’s silence as she scanned your latest picks.

We want to let you in on a little industry secret: Your librarian was never judging you. She’s the one curating those mafia love stories and werewolf sagas, making sure the shelves—and now, the Libby app—are stocked with your favourites (and hers too).

Ebooks and audiobooks on Libby are gloriously private and expertly curated, so you can indulge in morally grey love interests and wickedly addictive plots with ease. So, if dark romance is your thing—or if you’re just dark-romance curious—try our recommendations to unlock new worlds and characters, including graphic novels, all-new romantasy, and some hauntingly good reads from authors Down Under.

Adult Fiction

Exquisite Corpse by Marija Pericic
🎧 Audiobook

Set in Stockholm in 1930 and based on true events, Exquisite Corpse is a story about the madness and horror of a romance that knows no bounds.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer
🎧 Audiobook

Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Promise of Darkness by Bec McMaster
🎧 Audiobook

In a realm ruled by magic, the ruthless Queen of Thorns is determined to destroy her nemesis, the cursed Prince of Evernight.

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
🎧 Audiobook

The first book in the Sevenwaters series brings a mixture of history and heritage, myth and magic, legend and love.

Die for You by Lauren Jackson
🎧 Audiobook

A vampire bodyguard is in charge of protecting her while she searches for her sister and a malicious creature hunts them down.

The Lyre Thief by Jennifer Fallon

Two sisters embark on a Shakespearean tale of switched identities, complicated love triangles...and meddlesome gods.

Young Adult

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
🎧 Audiobook

A romantic YA seafaring adventure with pirates, sirens, and treasure.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
🎧 Audiobook

Torn between two men, will Juliette be a weapon or a warrior?

The Beasts We Bury by D. L. Taylor
🎧 Audiobook

In this electric enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy, the heir to the throne falls for a thief who plans to manipulate her into helping him steal from her father in an act of revenge.

Piper by Jay Asher

The classic Pied Piper legend is reimagined in this powerful graphic novel about loneliness, love, and vengeance.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

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