Dearest Readers,
While sitting here and listening to some rather spicy audio via my newfound little obsession called „Quinn“, I thought more and more about a trendy genre on Booktok: Dark Romance.
What is Dark Romance?
Dark Romance is a subgenre of Romance but unlike your very beloved Rosamunde Pilcher or Coleen Hoover novel, Dark Romance gives a damn about things like love, consent, morals, and rules. You could say that Dark Romance head dives into the abyss of the human soul and takes a skinny dip in the darkest sexual fantasies one could have. You see, Porn has categories like „Hardcore“ or „BDSM“. It is everything you possibly would never admit to but always wanted to try. Or at the very least, wanted to safely observe.
The Set up
Usually, the female lead is independent and knows what she wants. But then there comes the male lead (or multiple, if you wish for a „reverse Harem“ situation. Reverse Harem means one lady, multiple males) and turns her head upside down but not in a good, healthy way. He could be a mafia boss or CEO (very popular), or a stalker AND a CEO (it’s like two for the price of one), or she got kidnapped and the guy is a simple plain villain. And then it’s … down to fucking. A lot of sex, a lot of unspeakable dark things being done without ending in a Happy End.
Is it all bad?
No. Dark Romance is just another way to explore our own darkest fantasies in a safe space. Authors do give plenty of content warning at the beginning and it is heavily advised to read them and then decide if you wish to go on with the book. Some fantasies are so dark, that society would downright shame you for voicing them. There are women to fantasize about getting kidnapped and raped. Others fantasize about being used like a sex slave and doll.
The thing is; It. Is. A. Fantasy. And fantasies are safe. Just because Dark Romance is a popular genre right now, does not mean that the readers want these things to happen to them in real life. I sincerely think that no one who loves watching Horror movies wishes to land in Saw 6 or The Exorcist.
At the End
The thing is that there are predominately younger girls who walk into the bookstore and buy Dark Romance novels without anyone batting an eye.
So personally, I do think that there should be „age recommendation“ stickers on it and booksellers should have the power to refuse to sell such books to underaged teenagers. Even with all the content warnings, most dark romance novels are heavy to digest. Even the hardcore fans admit they must step away occasionally to keep it up and ground themselves. I do think that this genre has its value. In the end, it is a very safe space to explore your own fantasies without anything happening to you. But it is a tough genre and it should be restricted to people over eighteen if not twenty-one.
Have you ever read a Dark Romance novel? If so, did you finish it? Did you like it? If not, what kept you from it?
Kitty's Chatterbox 