Romance Recs

Dark Romance pt2

• Jordan & Devonnie • Season 2 • Episode 7

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This week, Jordan takes you on a wild ride of her favorite dark romances she didn't have time for last season, while Dev tries to reign her in. This episode will follow a slightly different format than usual so stick with us as we dive deep into this genre of romance. 



*Please be aware that sensitive themes and topic will be discussed in this episode that may be triggering to some. Some of these include non consent, bullying, unaliving, necrophilia, cannibalism, primal play, and spanking.

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Devonnie:

Welcome to Romance recs where book besties explore the world of romance novels and encourage you to expand your TBR. Join us as we dive into the hottest releases and hidden gems of the genre. You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at Romance recs Pod. You can also find us on Discord Romance recs Pod. Hi guys. Welcome back to another episode. As you can tell, this is Def and I am currently listening to A Throne of Broken Gods. Or the throne of broken gods, the throne of broken gods by Amber V Nicole. This is book two in her gods and monsters series and I'm eating it up. I'm so excited that I finally picked up this series. It's been on my TBR for a while. I'm even more excited that Amber is going to be at books, gowns and crowns this week and that I will hopefully get her to sign my first copy of the book. So yeah, I'm really excited about that.

Jordan:

Yay, me too. Hi, I'm Jordan. Get ready for, hearing me a lot tonight. I am currently reading The Blood is Life by Ariella Isabella, which Dev and I felt

Devonnie:

No, you started it. Okay. I have to start that tomorrow. How is it?

Jordan:

I'll talk about it in a minute.

Devonnie:

Okay. That be squealing.

Jordan:

And I'm listening to Pen Pal by JT Geisinger because I just have to know what everybody's talking about. So buckle up for some bookish banter, a lot of Jordan's bookish banter, because today we're gonna take a deep dive. We're gonna dipe deeve, as Dev would accidentally say,

Devonnie:

Oh

Jordan:

My favorite subgenre. In season one, our most listened to by miles is Dark Romance. And so we're gonna do, I'm gonna talk a lot about Dark Romance. I'm gonna give a lot of recs. I'm gonna go on a lot of rants and raves. I'm gonna give you a lot more than what you got, hopefully, in season one for the Dark Romance. Next month we're going to highlight some extra stuff that Dev loves. And then hopefully by December, we'll get Christina back on here and we can have her rant and rave about we're trying to do AO3 and

Devonnie:

Yes. Yes.

Jordan:

that's what we are here to do today.

Devonnie:

sure you're buckled in, babes.

Jordan:

Yes. But we will start like we always do

Devonnie:

Quote. Yes.

Jordan:

So Dev, why don't you start us out with a quote?

Devonnie:

Okay, so as I said, I am reading The Throne of Broken Gods, and my quote is gonna come from that. And this Quote is so like inconspicuous. I don't it's really nothing. It's literally some words in a sentence like I know but what i'm trying to say is it's not spicy. It's not romantic It's nothing but this is so poignant to me because it really shows how down bad the mmc is for his morally black pitch black FMC, which we love, but this is all he says to her, right? He's trying to convince her to, to relax, essentially to cut down on her activities. And he says, come home and teach me what you do I'm sorry. I was giggling and kicking my feet because I'm, I don't want to give anything away for people who haven't read it or people who plan to read it, or maybe you're in book one, cause this is book two, but He's literally trying to stop her from doing her nefarious activities and to convince her He's just come home and show me what you like So you gotta you don't got to keep doing other stuff with other people and I'm just like wow How down bad do you have to be sir? Come home and show me what you do so yeah, that's my quote. He's so swoon worthy.

Jordan:

In the thick

Devonnie:

like a grandpa.

Jordan:

Well, he is. He's so old. He's

Devonnie:

he is literally millennia old, but the way he talks, I'm like, cause everyone around him adapts the language and he's just not getting it. Like he just isn't getting it. So it's Oh,

Jordan:

he's been so, he's been so focused on other things that he hasn't had the time or bandwidth to, to learn the mannerisms of this world. Sometimes you just got to dipe that Deve.

Devonnie:

I will never live that down. Oh man. But yeah, so that's my quote. What you got for us, Jordan?

Jordan:

Okay, so this is my original quote for tonight because originally this is gonna be a different episode But we decided we wanted to do a little bit further investigation into that topic Which we're gonna save for another time But now that we're here for my favorite I decided you know what fuck it We're gonna do another Caroline Peckham and Suzanne Valenti. Try to do something else, but I was like no if this is what we're doing tonight. I'm gonna stop Stick to my guns, I'm gonna do it.

Devonnie:

when I tell you I knew it. Go ahead, girl. Tell us what they said.

Jordan:

I've never even mentioned this duology of theirs. So, this is from The Death Club, book one of the Dead Men Walking series. People were awful, but men were pigs. So I lived by the rule that men didn't exist to me 99. 9 percent of the time. And when they did, they were already on their last warning. Sadly, I wasn't a lesbian. Even the devil hadn't helped me out with that.

Devonnie:

I'm choking. Excuse me.

Jordan:

So, this FMC has spent time in a mental ward. will start that off by saying, She is the definition of unhinged. She, the way she thinks is not typical. I would, it's not even, I, it's, she's on her own wavelength. But it's hilarious. She's very much well, I'm obviously fucked The devil must be on my shoulder God does not help me. It's all the devil. So she's devil didn't even help me with this. Couldn't even be a lesbian

Devonnie:

Right. I hate men. And I'm not even a

Jordan:

I feel this. What a soul

Devonnie:

you girls.

Jordan:

I

Devonnie:

Love it when women

Jordan:

know. So anyways, yeah, dark romance. I'm going to rant. I'm going to rave. I'm going to give a lot of recs. First of all, I think I'm going to start by listing some of my favorites. I think I'm just going to do a really big list and then I'll do like highlights from there. Dev is going to keep me honest. Dev is going to ask me questions. Dev is going to put in her own

Devonnie:

I have

Jordan:

her own what she thinks, questions. Just why, I think the question is going to be why a lot, I'm just saying. So some books that I absolutely adored in, well, I'm going to say bully slash dark romance. I would say always falls under dark romance, but I love it so much I have to specify it. So I've mentioned Devil's Night series and Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas, The Coven by Harper L. Woods. Hollow heathens. Oh, shoot. Bye. It was here. Anyways, I'll have to look that up. Basically any Tate James from the Shadowgrove worldverse. Losers by Harley LaRue, which I mentioned in our first Dark Romance episode. There's Gothicana. There's basically anything by Penelope Douglas. I have like multiple things on there by them, but Penelope Douglas is awesome. almost always bully romance and it's gonna be dark themes. J. Breeze, Hannaford Prep I've mentioned. And then there is just I'd say everything by Susanne Valenti and Caroline Peckham. So I'm gonna go into their stuff later and it'll be its own little segment I think would be the, I just read Red Fang Royals by Lola Rock. It's part of Pac Darling series. Eva Ashwood writes dark romance, usually why choose? There's a lot of mafia romance there. Katie Robert does a lot of dark romance. What have I read recently? Oh my goodness Blood Bride that is super dark and i'm gonna go on a tangent about that later Just you wait. So remind me Blood Bride by cd reese dishonestly yours by krista and becca ritchie So freaking good. I saw that it's that's the cover with the baby pink strawberry with melted gold coming down the bottom So good. Penn Cassidy writes good stuff. I need to read more of hers. Wickedly sweet. I mean, there's just, I have so much. I love it. But I will do the caveat and I'll go on my rant that when it comes to dark romance, I feel like, there is a line where sometimes I'm reading dark romance, and I DNF dark romance a lot because it feels like some authors will write things just to say, this is dark romance. Look how dark this is. This is as dark as it can get. And I want to say, sweetie, that's just rape. Want to say that's not dubious consent. There is no consent. And, some people like that. That is good for you. I, that's where I draw the line. I can't. So if you're getting into this, and you're like, dark romance oh, that's horrible. It's not all like that. If you have read one like that, it is not all like that. There is consent in dark romance. There is strict consent. If you really want a good representation of that, please read Losers the Duet by Harley LaRue. Safe word. Always explicitly mentioned. They talk about it, their characters mention it, they talk, they fill out a form to say what they're okay with, what they're not, what their maybes are. If you want a good

Devonnie:

Shades of Grey.

Jordan:

I mean, but not in a cheesy way. It was more oh, someone who it's written like someone who's a part of this world actually understands this in real life and has put it into a book. I think that's how it

Devonnie:

Ooh. Not me looking at Harley LaRue.

Jordan:

They've mentioned a lot that this is, this book was kind of their way to really discover themselves in a lot of ways, and that they were really finally able to actualize a lot of things that they felt through this writing. And you can tell this is a passion project.

Devonnie:

Oh, okay.

Jordan:

Caveat. We do not get on this podcast and blast books. We understand that there is a reader for every book and there is a writer for every reader. Just because I didn't like something doesn't mean it's not amazing for someone else

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

so When I talk about this book the writing itself was phenomenal. The writing itself was phenomenal all of the content wasn't necessarily for me because I felt like There should have been like to me. This was straight non con from the male main character Even on to the female main character and or attempted on to the female main character You Right? Attempted, but it didn't work because of magic and supernatural ways. And to me, that's where I draw the line. Like I, that's not for me. So any of my recs will not be that. Will not be that. Because, if the option is to do something with someone, or you will have severe bodily harm, or you will die, or someone you know will die, that is not consent. No matter what is said from that point on, that is not consent. And I feel like some authors really need to learn this lesson and need to change their trigger warnings. And that is a big pet peeve of mine, is people not understanding what consent really is. So this is a serious topic. We will get away from this and it will get more fun. Don't worry. I just, I felt like I needed to say this up front because I don't like, dark romance is such a touchy thing for a lot of readers. And they're not sure, and I just want to say that, you won't find those recs from me.

Devonnie:

Right. They'll be dark, but they won't make you like question your morals a little

Jordan:

Yeah! Well, I mean, they might a little bit.

Devonnie:

Just not

Jordan:

Not those morals. Not

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

where there should be hard lines. None of

Devonnie:

yeah.

Jordan:

None of that. Dev, when you think dark romance though, what do you think? What are like, the subgenres you think of? Or what are some things that come to mind?

Devonnie:

When it's contemporary, I for sure like immediately go bully in my brain. Like I Think of bully romance. When it's like paranormal or fantasy or romanticy, I, for some reason, just immediately my brain goes to shadow daddies. I go to people being held hostage. But yeah, for me, like dark romance could literally be anything that's just a little. It makes you question again, your morals a little bit, but not in a negative way. Just there's just something extra spicy about the way the FMC or the MMC or the group, whatever, whoever the focal point is, the way they handle the situations that they're in. Right.

Jordan:

yeah. I, and I think that comes from, you have these. Dark, usually male main characters, MMCs, right, doing these horrible things, but they have all of their good intentions centered around the FMC. And you know that no matter how dangerous or like crazy things are getting, he puts her safety first.

Devonnie:

Right. She's always the top priority.

Jordan:

yeah, even if there's like blood play or like Asphyxiation, or like any of these things, or

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

run. You know, you know, he's still putting her needs before his in these

Devonnie:

It's all a safe, controlled environment as safe and controlled as he can make it. He's going to make it, but it's still real dark because I mean, she is running barefoot down a wooden, I don't know, path or something. I don't know.

Jordan:

awfully specific, Dev. Wow.

Devonnie:

you know what I'm

Jordan:

I do know what you're saying.

Devonnie:

It's still a dangerous environment, but it's safely dangerous.

Jordan:

Yeah, and I

Devonnie:

Yeah, that's just what I think of.

Jordan:

and for me, after living on this earth for almost 34 years, as a woman it's nice to see women in dangerous situations that they know they're not in danger. And they can fully let go. It's,

Devonnie:

Oof, love that.

Jordan:

why all dark romance is fantasy.

Devonnie:

Not real, not, I was just about to say, not real life being a dark romance without the romance.

Jordan:

It's just

Devonnie:

Psychotic. Yeah, just dark. Real life is just

Jordan:

Q, welcome to America. Okay, so let's get some fun things going from this because this got real dark real fast.

Devonnie:

know. Wait, I do have a question for you because I have questions. I have questions listed out for you. So one of my questions, yes. Yeah, I was on it. One of my questions is, Which dark romance trope do you secretly love the most? Of all of them. Or, I was going to say kinks, but no. Whatever

Jordan:

do that

Devonnie:

come up with.

Jordan:

I just loved, I love bully romance so much. I do, Cool. I don't know why do I, if I really look deep, could I tell you why? Probably. Is it appropriate to share on a podcast where anyone could hear? No, I

Devonnie:

Not your dad listening to this and now trying to do the math.

Jordan:

that would not surprise him. Not that's weird, but I don't think that would be surprising. Like I, but within that trope, my favorite is when the MMC. grovels and has to earn that trust back and I think that's what I love about it is that redemption

Devonnie:

Mhm.

Jordan:

And that final like release of Their true feelings or release of whatever was holding them back whether it be out external forces and pressures from other people or themselves and their own trauma because there's usually trauma involved and It's kind of it's a reckoning And it's a reckoning for everyone involved, and I just love, I don't, I love that moment. And, because it also, I feel like Bully Romance is done right, also create the best slow burn, and the because you have to go through all of this shit, and then you have to reconcile. I think when you have them all of a sudden I mean, if they're hate fucking, then great, they can hook up. But if they're all of a sudden Lovey oh my gosh, we made love and I don't know why it started out so angry. I don't want it. I want

Devonnie:

Groveling. Intense.

Jordan:

I need groveling or I need both of them angry and hate fucking and then they come to a conclusion of things later. But I just love the tension and I think that's what it is because bully romance creates a very unique kind of tension.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

I don't know why I'm sighing about bullying. Bullying

Devonnie:

I know that.

Jordan:

please. I hate it.

Devonnie:

real life, yes.

Jordan:

as an elementary school teacher, I have to tell you, bullying is never okay. Okay? This is, these are fictional worlds. Don't get it twisted. Please.

Devonnie:

Thank you for that anecdote, Teacher Jordan. I love

Jordan:

Any, yeah, I will say, and I think that's why I love Caroline Peckham and Susan Valenti so much is because they write so much bully romance. But they do it in fantasy worlds, they do it contemporary, and the way they do it, I'm just, I just love it. Because usually the female main characters, give just as good as they get. And that's what I love, too. I don't like the meek I mean, the FMCs that just take it and they're just beat down and then they're like, Oh, now he's giving me love and now he changed his mind. Oh, no, I love you. No, I don't like that kind of bully romance. Don't give that to me.

Devonnie:

That feels

Jordan:

need a strong I need a bad bitch who's got a strong backbone. She can cry about it in private, but in their faces, she's gonna she's gonna

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

the bird while her face is in the mud. Like she's gonna

Devonnie:

make me cry if she's soft and she's being bullied. Like I will actually cry because how. How am I supposed to enjoy this

Jordan:

Well, because then they're just assholes. If they can go back and forth, then I like it. Then it's yeah, of course, they're gonna get you back. Of course, there's gonna be repercussions. Get them. Like

Devonnie:

You're sick.

Jordan:

I Yeah, well, weird, but I feel like I don't, I like dark fantasy, but I don't think I like it nearly as much.

Devonnie:

Really? You know, I think I'd prefer dark fantasy over dark contemporary.

Jordan:

Right, and I understand that because there's a level of it not being part of this world So you can excuse some behaviors because it's not a part of their culture or that's not a part literally their world Like and I get that I think that's why I like Zodiac Academy because that's not like that's not how their world works Literally, But there's something about that whole process. I don't know. I like it being

Devonnie:

set

Jordan:

modern world. I don't

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

Because the tension is real to me. It's not outside forces like mate bonds or things like that are forcing them together. It's genuine attraction

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

understanding of each other and I think that's why I like contemporary dark romance.

Devonnie:

Okay. Wait, I have a question. So, if. Knowing you like contemporary, what, which FMC in a contemporary dark romance would you trade places with? Would you would be her in the book?

Jordan:

Lark. What was her name? And

Devonnie:

Oh my gosh. From Leather and Lark.

Jordan:

Huh.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

I don't that's

Devonnie:

I'll allow

Jordan:

to mind.

Devonnie:

Amazing. Bravo. 10, 10. No notes.

Jordan:

yeah. Yeah instantly. I was like because I also felt That was the first, I think, contemporary, especially contemporary story that I read of any romance book that I felt so, I related so much to that character, on a personality level and just like the criticisms that she got as a person and the things she worked through on a personal level. Obviously not the like, unaliving bit

Devonnie:

right.

Jordan:

but, that I just, I saw myself in that book, and that's such a weird book to see yourself in. Yeah.

Devonnie:

get you. But if you take out the, her extracurricular activity, she's just a girl, you know? There are things she's, she was going through. So I get that. And the book, sorry, I don't know if I said the title, but it is Leather and Lark by Bryn Weaver. That's the book that, Jordan is talking about, but yeah I get it. If you've read that book, you can understand because alongside, and that's the good thing about Bryn's writing too. She writes like these dark nuanced characters and stories, but if you remove the unaliving, the severing of body parts, then you get these FMCs and these MMCs who are like actually going through normal people stuff and trying to navigate. What that is so I totally understand your answer of picking lark. That's cool I don't

Jordan:

Well, it's all of her issues. Yeah, it's like you what?

Devonnie:

I don't think I don't want to be in any of those dark romances

Jordan:

no, do I want to no, but do I see that being like me?

Devonnie:

When you would yeah

Jordan:

just if I had the stomach for it

Devonnie:

Yeah, I mean, yeah

Jordan:

No, she's down there just working on her art. She's that's what i'm saying, too That's what I was referencing Like she's just down there working on her art pieces

Devonnie:

It's arts and crafts Her home The home is big. She has to do arts and crafts. What else is she gonna use?

Jordan:

Yeah, and where else is she gonna put a finger

Devonnie:

Right. It only works in a snow globe my love. There's no where else you can put a severed finger.

Jordan:

else are we supposed to do with it? Yeah, because I don't think I'd want to be part of a mob family I'm, not I like to

Devonnie:

little too

Jordan:

mob mafia like crime No,

Devonnie:

I would not survive. I don't have it in me. Every day your life is an adventure. I can't manage. manage.

Jordan:

at least they have money but at least they have the funds to take care of the small things like they're not Doing their own laundry. You never hear them doing their own laundry. You don't hear them dusting their bookshelves They are not vacuuming. They are not cleaning out the fridge of last week's leftovers. They don't do that What are leftovers to

Devonnie:

a killer, yeah. If I have to run from a killer and also plan next week outfits, I'm gonna, I might start actually unliving some people. So you're right. They have balance. They do. They do have a good

Jordan:

Well, I mean, if you have that much time and money, what else are you gonna do? You're gonna take over the city where you live. Naturally.

Devonnie:

just nothing else to do. Naturally. Naturally, when you have money, you're just going to start unaliving people.

Jordan:

Oh my.

Devonnie:

Not be side eyeing the rich. It's a good thing I'm not rich.

Jordan:

Well, I mean, a lot of stuff is coming out now. Like we didn't already all think it in the back of our head oh, this is probably happening, but now we're like, oh, this is definitely happening, and all of you are involved. Wow.

Devonnie:

Yeah. Interesting. I'm just looking at them crazy now.

Jordan:

Well, this episode got awkward real quick.

Devonnie:

that's like a head embarrassment from our own podcast. Yeah. It's crazy. Wild. The things that are happening in the world. Okay. Do you have another wreck? Another dark romance wreck that you think Give us one that you think it's kinda entry level, but not something that a lot of people, if they're looking for dark romance what is a What is something you'd ease them into

Jordan:

Okay, I want to do this one. Let me make sure I, is it considered dark?

Devonnie:

Even if it maybe not be like fully dark, but have darker themes in it?

Jordan:

okay. So, Dishonestly Yours by Krista and Becca Ritchie. I'll start with that one. So this rec follows Phoebe and her best friend Haley. They were raised together, their moms are best friends. And by best friends, I mean like they are ride or die. They are each other's actual soulmates. But their moms are con artists. And

Devonnie:

Oh god What in the thelma and

Jordan:

were And their fathers are in on it. So they have So their moms have these families. And their families were raised together, working cons, okay? So, hear me out. They both have brothers. They're both the only girls in their families. but it follows Phoebe. They've been through shit together you can imagine, right? They're early 20s now, early to mid 20s it's a family empire,

Devonnie:

Oh God.

Jordan:

but their parents have been using them since they were little kids to be like, the cute cons, and that's how they lure people is through the cute Phoebe has two brothers, and Hayley has two, three brothers. Two or three. Three brothers, I think. Two or three. I don't know. Sorry. That's not important. Anyways, after this certain job that Phoebe and Hayley work together, Hayley calls their secret code word, which means no matter what happens You go, and you go with them. You, it's like their safe word. I'm requesting you do this one thing, no matter how you feel about it. And they've, only one of them has used it once in their life. Because these girls are ride or die just like their moms are. Like, it's,

Devonnie:

Right, right.

Jordan:

but Haley says, I want out. I want to, us to go get fake IDs of our own without telling our parents. I want us to leave, and I want us to go. start a new life, an honest life. So this is them trying to start an honest life, Phoebe has this tension, sexual tension history with Rocky, who is Haley's older brother.

Devonnie:

Ooh,

Jordan:

They have been Yeah, I do too. They have been forced on jobs together. So they have played each other's siblings. They've tried to play each other's like boyfriend girlfriend. They've played fiance. They've played married. They've played like all these things for different cons, right? That their parents like schedule and make up and like plan. It's crazy. But Rocky finds out and he's I'm going with you. You guys can't live an honest life. You can't get a nine to five. You can't do this. And it's just them trying to make a life without running cons, even though that's all they've ever known. You don't learn about the job that kind of was the snapping point for Hayley, until later in the book. And it's the slow, you get like flashbacks throughout the book. And it's so good. So there's a lot of high stakes. And then the end, I didn't realize this is, It's an incompleted series because it's newer it came out this year and I've seen it a lot of places but I didn't realize this is the first of I think two or three I don't how many there's gonna be but it

Devonnie:

Wait, is it the first?

Jordan:

yeah it ends on a cliffhanger

Devonnie:

thought it was the second.

Jordan:

no I wish the second one was out it is I need to know like I was reading this and I'm like okay It's okay. Oh my god. It's okay. No, it's okay. I need to know what happens. It was like that build

Devonnie:

Yeah. It just kept go getting better. Yeah. So it has darker themes in it.

Jordan:

there's there's violence and Deceit I mean, so that's dark in that way. Do you know I mean, so if you really want to see Oh, do I want like darker drama? That would be a good one. If you want to dip your toe into let's say spicy mafia, nothing too complex, middle of the road, good writing, storyline is there. This has a why choose. So Vicious Kings by Eva Ashwood. Grace left the life of being a mafia princess when her father took her and they left their life in Chicago behind six years ago when she was a teenager after her mother was murdered. She, because her father he was one of the top people in this. Mafia. So she led a charming life and boring, average, suburban lie. Cause her father, they left, she said, he goes, we will never speak about our former life ever again. He got them new identities, everything. I think it was in Washington or Idaho. I think it was Idaho. So a life full of lies and hidden identities until her wedding day, when four dark men from her past storm in, guns blazing in a shootout in the church and drag her back into their lives. With her father now dead, there are unanswered questions and a debt to be paid, because

Devonnie:

Yeah. That's a

Jordan:

she thought they left scot free but they did

Devonnie:

There would no, oh

Jordan:

Will her old friends, her four best friends, be her captors or her salvation? And so, it is a why choose, and it's dark. I mean,

Devonnie:

yeah. It sounds dark.

Jordan:

There is spice off the bat, and it's just This,

Devonnie:

Why choose spice off the bat?

Jordan:

Huh,

Devonnie:

I'm so

Jordan:

like the leader of the four, they are, but they also, one of them is the son to the capo, so like the head of their mob or mafia, sorry, I know these terms have different meanings. I'm not going to lie. I get them mixed up. Okay. I'm sorry. And I also read a few of these, so I get them all, forget which one is which, So she was best friends with these boys in her early teenage years. Oh, two of them are twins, hold up, two of them are twins, identical twins, and her first sexual encounter were with both of them because they share everything.

Devonnie:

Okay, so, okay, I think that might be a trope that actually I do not like. I think the twin

Jordan:

It's, if you think about it, it's gross.

Devonnie:

it

Jordan:

If you think about it, it's gross.

Devonnie:

The a dark series that I actually have not finished and I don't think I DNF'd it, but I think there's just so many other good things that I have to read that

Jordan:

Oh, I know which

Devonnie:

back burner. What is the series called though? The, with the twins in it and the, it's the Peter Pan retelling, but I can't,

Jordan:

king,

Devonnie:

is it Nikki St. Crow who wrote that book? That series? Yeah, Vicious Kings or yeah, it's a dark Peter Pan retelling and the only thing about that book that gives me pause is honestly the twins. That's it. And I think there was a scene with them too. And I was just like, okay, my Southern sensibilities. I don't like, I don't know. I had

Jordan:

My

Devonnie:

I had to put it down.

Jordan:

Oh, I don't like that Don't like that.

Devonnie:

First of all, I'm not Southern. But yeah, I just, I

Jordan:

The lost boys, I think isn't

Devonnie:

The Lost Boys series. Yes, by Nikki St. Crow. I'm pretty sure she's right there. The Author of that series. But yeah, so the twin sandwich thing for me may be the thing in dark romance that makes me like, Ooh, I don't know if I can do this.

Jordan:

Yeah,

Devonnie:

might be the one.

Jordan:

when you

Devonnie:

a

Jordan:

about it, it's real gross but if you just suspend reality and you don't think hard about The concept of not gonna say that, nope, nevermind. Nope, nevermind,

Devonnie:

What I tend to do is just remake them. One, they're not brothers. They are not related at all.

Jordan:

hot who happen to look similar.

Devonnie:

Yeah, exactly. That's it. And I have to do that for me to enjoy what's happening anyway.

Jordan:

Yeah, no I fully get that. I fully get that. So, anyways,

Devonnie:

the same one who enjoys a decent stepbrother romance. So I don't know that's weird. So

Jordan:

Okay, but Stepbrothers on Bright is I, no, I can't say that either. That makes, gives me the ache. step, okay, step brother I can do. Step parent, absolutely not. What the situation

Devonnie:

never read

Jordan:

I will never do. I haven't either because I never will. I don't think that's one I can do. No, I know that's one I can't do. I have a step parent. That's absolutely fucking disgusting.

Devonnie:

Yeah. Nope. Nope. Can't do that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I can't And stepbrother for me, has to be done. It has to be done right? Like they can't have been holding hands on the playground at three. And then also I want y'all to have met at

Jordan:

pubescent. Yeah. Pre pubescent. Absolutely not. Even even teenage, like younger

Devonnie:

no. I need 18. And 18 and up. Y'all met at 18 or your parents met at 18, y'all realized y'all are joining family. And then you're like, but also, why are you kind to.

Jordan:

or you had a crush before.

Devonnie:

right, right. Yeah, right. And then now y'all are joining families and it's oh, this is awkward It's two couples in the house like, you know, like something like that, but I can't do anything other than that

Jordan:

Penelope Douglas did Step Siblings, right? So check out their stuff. I think it's in the Followay series.

Devonnie:

but did they also do uncle daddy or something?

Jordan:

Okay, let's talk about Credence for a minute.

Devonnie:

Please, because I will never understand.

Jordan:

Credence by Penelope Douglas. This is one of the most hyped books on, I'd say, BookTok, Bookstagram, anywhere. It's, I don't know if It's their most popular book, but I think it's the most viral, probably because of the relationships. So, have you read it?

Devonnie:

Have not, will

Jordan:

Okay. I

Devonnie:

spoil it.

Jordan:

I have read it because I just needed to read it and I needed to understand. It's actually not for me, and I love Penelope Douglas. Their writing is amazing. They have some of my absolute favorite books. I forget the female main character. She was basically forgotten and neglected by her parents who were like in Hollywood and famous. And she was just kind of left alone with a caretaker or nanny, like her whole life. Her parents only lived for each other. When one of them was dying from cancer, they decided to do joint suicide and they And their daughter was about to turn 18. So she was seven. Oh God, was she 17 at this moment? 17 or

Devonnie:

Oh

Jordan:

18? Son of a fuck. That's not great. Anyways Even though she's lived in like boarding schools and by herself this whole time, she still has to go like her. Guardian is her dad's step brother,

Devonnie:

Oh.

Jordan:

so her step uncle

Devonnie:

Got it.

Jordan:

and his two boys in the wilderness of, I believe it was Colorado. And they are like, they live in a small town, but they live like an hour outside, like up in the mountain to the point where once the snow hits, they are snowed into their house for months, for three months out of the year.

Devonnie:

No.

Jordan:

So,

Devonnie:

no,

Jordan:

So it's

Devonnie:

brain is already doing the

Jordan:

her step uncle and her two step cousins who are her age and then a few years older. Does she fuck all of them? Yes. Is, does she lose, she is a virgin when she goes up there. Does she lose her virginity to her step uncle in the back of his, Truck? Spoiler alert, yes. One of the biggest scenes in this book is when she's downstairs, oh, and one of her cousins does not speak because of a traumatic event when he was young. He doesn't communicate, so he doesn't sign, he like has no way of communicating. That's a whole thing, so she's sitting on the couch and both of her quote unquote both of the boys I'm just gonna say both

Devonnie:

Please do not say brothers.

Jordan:

the young men. I mean they're brothers. They are brothers

Devonnie:

Oh God.

Jordan:

They're down in the living room and this is before she's Fucked. Pike is his name. Her step uncle. So she's down there with them, and they turn porn on, and there's this big moment between, like, all of them where something almost happens, and they kinda start to and almost do, and Pike walks in on them, and he's get the fuck away from her. Go up to your room. And he sends them, and then he spanks her over his knee. for it. I should have put spoiler alert on all of this, but I'm

Devonnie:

My flabbers are gasted. I

Jordan:

love this shit. And I was just like, this sounds so fucking awkward. And then he sends her to her room after he spanks her over his knee and she gets all,

Devonnie:

gonna spank me and send me to my room. Are you joking? Are you joking? Like another child? No, I don't love that. I couldn't. I love a good spe you know what, I'm not gonna finish that sentence. But,

Jordan:

love a good spanking. I think that's, I think that's acceptable on this pot.

Devonnie:

but in this situation I will burn the house down. Once you're finished and you send me to your room, I'm burning the house down with all of you. No, I can't read this book. Okay.

Jordan:

It wasn't my, again, really well written, not my

Devonnie:

So the writing,

Jordan:

Oh, yeah, Penelope Douglas, all the writing is great, but it is the kind of dark romance, all of their books, where you're either gonna love the story, or it's not gonna be for you. None of it is gonna be like Bad.

Devonnie:

yeah,

Jordan:

I, a lot of peop I saw a lot of people DNFing their latest one, Five Brothers. Oh, my god. My new favorite of theirs. And I didn't think anything could top Devil's Night series, and I think it's right up there tied with it for me. And

Devonnie:

really interesting. Does it include five

Jordan:

Five Brothers, yes.

Devonnie:

Oh, okay. And it's why choose?

Jordan:

No, it's not. She ends up with one brother.

Devonnie:

Oh, okay. That's like a little romantic or something.

Jordan:

Yeah, I mean, does she fuck m does she fuck all of them?

Devonnie:

Oh

Jordan:

Yeah, but does she end up with one of them? Yes.

Devonnie:

sweet. Christmas will be so good at their house in the upcoming years.

Jordan:

Oh, no, she does and she and it is it's totally fine. Like you just have to read it. It's so good. I love it so much. I think you might like it.

Devonnie:

Nope.

Jordan:

you might I don't think you would nope it.

Devonnie:

Okay. All right.

Jordan:

it sounds worse and you have to okay and I have to say remember what I said at the beginning of this episode how I do not Fuck with, non con, or even dubious dubious consent has to be, like, acknowledged dubious consent. So I started reading this book, and it does start out with a certain scene, and I was like, I can't believe they wrote this. This is not like them. This is even further than I thought, but at the end of the chapter you find out that it was This Talked about beforehand. So I just have to say anyone who like DNFs in the first chapter Please get to the end because it was a whole scene that they had already planned out. So

Devonnie:

But we're just arriving in the middle of it.

Jordan:

Yeah, and I was like what's happening? Oh, no. Oh, no

Devonnie:

Interesting.

Jordan:

Mini spoiler, but

Devonnie:

but

Jordan:

yeah, but sometimes they lose me before because I'm like Oh, no, too

Devonnie:

Yeah. Yeah

Jordan:

I put Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas. It's so good. It's a standalone, but it also is interconnected with Trist Six Venom which is a sapphic story, from the Jaeger sister who is like the brother the five brothers of the Jaegers You And she's the only girl

Devonnie:

okay,

Jordan:

so they did her they did hers first And then the brothers and I think there will be more there better be more.

Devonnie:

Oh That's good

Jordan:

Yeah

Devonnie:

I do have another question for you

Jordan:

Okay

Devonnie:

of all the books that the dark romances that you've read every single one Which one would you pay serious money to see in a film exactly as it was written? Exactly as it was written all of your money would go to them.

Jordan:

hbo

Devonnie:

HBO, there's no like at this point the content warnings is just black They just have a black box like cuz everything's gonna be included It can be a series too. If you can't, if like the book you're thinking of is not just a standalone and it's part of a series I'll give you, it can be a series and they'll transform the entire series for you.

Jordan:

That is that's

Devonnie:

a hard question.

Jordan:

that's so diabolical.

Devonnie:

If you wanna circle back

Jordan:

No give me just a second. Give me a second, my first instinct is one of the the Zodiac Academies, but I don't actually want that in a series unless it's anime. Which, I guess I could do anime.

Devonnie:

You can.

Jordan:

oh fuck, I don't want to say that. Okay, then I have two answers.

Devonnie:

okay. I'll allow it.

Jordan:

Okay so, traditional long episode style. I think I would do Madison Kate series by Tate James. I think that would be really good And it had to be the series because there's an element of mystery to it. There's things we don't know that we had to find out throughout the series and things like that. And I think that would, I think it would translate really well to that format, like HBO, like Game of Thrones style,

Devonnie:

Yeah. Yeah.

Jordan:

I think that'd be so good. I think Devils,

Devonnie:

plot.

Jordan:

Right, I think Devil's Night series could maybe do it, but I think it's almost too There's too many dark themes that I think that would be good in like a CW Remake. I think the CW could do Devil's Night like in a Vampire Diaries way, but it's contemporary So I think that could be good. Huh.

Devonnie:

That's a Those are good answers.

Jordan:

Yeah, but I think that the Zodiac Academy world, I think there's, cause there's three series in that world in the Solaria world. I think those would be really good animes because I don't like seeing powers like where there's a lot of powers or minds reading or like where a lot of the internal monologue is in the book or they're shape shifting. I don't want to see someone try to recreate that with AI. I want to see, And I would have Netflix do the anime because Netflix is coming out with some great anime right now I could talk anime too. Let's go

Devonnie:

Yeah. I see. This is like the perfect question for you.

Jordan:

like, Hold on

Devonnie:

HBO, NCW, if you're listening, Jordan just gave you guys some fantastic ideas of where to

Jordan:

So much content

Devonnie:

Yeah. All of those have like multiple books.

Jordan:

Dedicated fanbase.

Devonnie:

True.

Jordan:

Dedicated. Although I think they should be doing Sarah J Maas, too, because, I mean, I'm sorry. Mind speaking? Real life? No. The wings? Whenever you got wings poppin out, I don't wanna see CGI wings. I

Devonnie:

I'm really trying to think of the last time I saw a movie or show that did those things well

Jordan:

The 90s when it was okay to be cheesy?

Devonnie:

true, but we don't want, I want it to be

Jordan:

No, I don't want

Devonnie:

Don't you

Jordan:

I want,

Devonnie:

No. Oh, absolutely

Jordan:

charmed was perfect for charmed.

Devonnie:

In harry potter hear me out in harry potter When he's speaking like parcel tongue and when voldemort doesn't voldemort pop up in that brain not like to have a conversation

Jordan:

You're talking in an ex pothead.

Devonnie:

Hold on. I just got a cramp at my c section. Hold on. I laughed too hard

Jordan:

been a while since you've had one of those.

Devonnie:

I know Oh god, I can't I finished it. There's no drink oh god, that was a good laugh. Ooh, your parcel tug is just fantastic.

Jordan:

Yeah, I know. It's bad.

Devonnie:

Ow, my stomach. That was so funny. Okay, so not Harry Potter. Oh god, Jordan, that was such a good laugh. Thank you.

Jordan:

It's the parcel tug where he's opening the chamber of secrets and I know the exact tis.

Devonnie:

Hold on, because I can't actually breathe. Yeah, I was going to try to use that as like a reference for how they can do like mind speak

Jordan:

But then it gets so intense all the time and they have casual conversations.

Devonnie:

yeah, that's true. Right. Yeah. That would be hard. Okay. So yeah, we just have yet to see. And guys, if you have recs for TV shows or movies that have done the things that we're discussing, well, please let us know. Pop over to Instagram. For this episode and leave us a comment about it because we'd love to go check it out We want these shows done, right if they're ever done. So

Jordan:

Or send us a message because you can send us a text message from this episode wherever you're listening. There should be a link under the description of this episode. You can or any episode. You can go and send us direct messages. Send them to us. Subscribe.

Devonnie:

do

Jordan:

Send it.

Devonnie:

please

Jordan:

Just let

Devonnie:

We want to talk to you guys. Yeah, that was so funny Oh man, what

Jordan:

Oops. That slipped out.

Devonnie:

with you

Jordan:

don't know. I can't. I don't know. Although, I think, and I can see this Bryn Weaver's series. I could totally see her getting a deal. And the Ruinous Love Trilogy.

Devonnie:

yes,

Jordan:

Actually, I think, isn't she getting a deal? Wait, did I see

Devonnie:

I think so. Yeah,

Jordan:

Because that would be good,

Devonnie:

and it's like dark enough romance where it's it's dark and has Weird things, but it's at the heart of it. It's a rom com series to be fair So I think it would be adapted to screen really well that would be nice to see for sure. I agree I butcher and blackbird is like one of my favorite Listen slash reads Of all time. It was really good. I enjoyed that

Jordan:

Yeah, the next one should be good. I mean, Sexy Creepy Clown?

Devonnie:

I might actually be terrified. Yeah, I might actually be terrified of that one. So we'll see how that goes.

Jordan:

I'm excited. Should be good. I'm trying to think of what else would be a good rec. I mean, Karina Halle

Devonnie:

Yeah, I think Karina has a lot of dark. The last thing I read from Karina was Oceans of Sin and Starlight, which is her Ariel retelling. Which was very dark. Like, when you hear an Ariel or Little Mermaid retelling You expect it to be like light and fluffy and cute No, this is not a mermaid retelling. First of all, they're not mermaids. They're sirens So off rip you already know this is going to be a different kind of story but it is Dated so think of the same time period as the little mermaid But it was so dark. It was so dark and it was so good I really enjoyed it and there is a You Second book that came out. So, Oh, sorry. I messed that up. Oceans of sins and starlight, I think is the second book. The first book is a ship of bones and teeth. Yes. Just a double check that when you see, but if you go to Karina Holly, you'll be able to see all her work. She also has the, like the. Underground gods or the dark god series that is pretty dark. Like the main male characters, death himself. So

Jordan:

Oh, I love when

Devonnie:

a little rough around the edges. Yeah, I do love it. And he the best part about death is that he actually cannot touch anybody or he will kill you. Can you imagine? He can't touch

Jordan:

that trope is good. That trope is

Devonnie:

yeah, that's a good one. Yeah, because then you got all the other things they can do and normally they're equipped with like

Jordan:

the other things they

Devonnie:

is

Jordan:

And then of course the obvious, the thing that everyone can do. I mean, everyone can whip out their shadows and just fuck their partner. That's fine. They've either got that, they've got tentacles, they've got tails that don't count, they've got

Devonnie:

reanimate

Jordan:

something.

Devonnie:

objects or something. Yeah. Something to keep the spice

Jordan:

oh,

Devonnie:

I don't think he can do that, but I'm just saying,

Jordan:

Interesting. Okay.

Devonnie:

you're with a shadow daddy who reanimates a corpse? No, that might draw that.

Jordan:

Corpse?

Devonnie:

Yeah. A corpse.

Jordan:

did this happen?

Devonnie:

No, this doesn't happen, but I'm saying, imagine a book. I mean, I dunno, it might be in a book, imagine that he can't touch you. He can't touch the

Jordan:

So whenever I see necrophilia, like intentional necrophilia, is this what it means? I've never read a book with it, but I have seen it on trigger warnings, and I'm like

Devonnie:

Is necrophilia and necromancy?

Jordan:

necrophilia is

Devonnie:

No. Oh yeah. No,

Jordan:

Necromancy is reanimating, like magic with the dead.

Devonnie:

So essentially what I'm talking about would be a little bit of Yeah,

Jordan:

You're using necromancy for necrophilia. I think we've gone too far. I think we, I think this

Devonnie:

I think that's the line and we've gone over it. Yeah,

Jordan:

basically what I have learned about dark romance, though, And dipping my toe into looking at other people's lists is There is a lot more that I have yet to read. So I say I love all these things I need more please if you have some that you're like jordan I just need to know what you think about this or please Read this because I need someone to talk to about it. Give me those recs. I will read them Give me a week two tops. I will have reddit and I will be talking with you about it Let's talk fan theories. Let's talk like giddy moments. Let's talk. What the fuck was that? I would love it. So Let me know or if you're looking for something specific or you're wondering about things that I've talked about Please reach

Devonnie:

Jordan's got the recs for you guys. She is our resident dark romance baddie because I could never, like I read dark romance, but I am not a connoisseur my love. And most, like I said earlier, the most of the time I need my dark romance to exist in another realm with fantastical beings. I want to be as far away from real life. When I read my dark romance, it's possible. Except for Butcher and Blackbird. For some reason, I was totally fine with them being in the streets of

Jordan:

it's cuz it was rom com It's

Devonnie:

Yeah, I think, yeah, it's cause True, yeah. The rom com ness of it all was,

Jordan:

She suspends reality for you. You there is no effort needed to suspend that reality

Devonnie:

Yes. You're already like, there's just no way.

Jordan:

but there could but if there was This would be

Devonnie:

I just, the way Bryn Weaver ruins foods for people is actually psychotic. I don't think I've had cookie and cream ice cream.

Jordan:

oh, it's in my

Devonnie:

Oh, I can't,

Jordan:

I it's in my fridge right now diana and i've

Devonnie:

I could never. That's crazy that you would feed her cookie and cream ice cream. You don't know what's in it.

Jordan:

Okay, if you haven't read, please skip one whole minute. Okay, but it was only come I mean like I know it's gross when you're not expecting it, but tell me you haven't already Swallowed that in your life and

Devonnie:

First of all, it's how we cape, okay? It's not even the fact that it was in it. It's how that scene starts. How we get there. How we are introduced to it. Who's sittin and eatin it? With the tub and a spoon? That is my problem.

Jordan:

see to me It was funnier than it was gross like I mean yeah, if you really I'm like of all the things but of all the things That you would have to eat. Okay, I gotta stop talking. This is too far from people are not gonna want to listen anymore. They're like, Jordan's a fucking, what's

Devonnie:

and no, they don't think that I think, like you said earlier, there are books for everybody. I think you'd probably be surprised how many people are going to actually love the recs already love the dark romance recs that you talk about and love talking about it because there's, I feel like there are limited spaces where you can vocalize how much you love dark romance. So

Jordan:

Please reach out and tell us. It can just be a short message. Just be like, keep it up, or you've gone too far. That's fine. Don't be mean about it, but Give us some feedback. All we have is that Dark Romance is doing the best out of all of our tropes. I need to know how far you want us to take this. Tell me.

Devonnie:

exactly.

Jordan:

So let us know. And subscribe. And follow us. Thank you for listening to us ramble about My favorite dark romance books. If you're looking for more romance recs, other than just these, be sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok at Romance recs Pod. We're also over on Discord if you'd like. You can find our favorite book recs from our episodes, as well as behind the scenes content, because we also have interviews now. Go check them out. Again, that's at Romance recs Pod. So make sure to follow us. And we'll be back in a week or two, with another episode. Bye!

Devonnie:

Bye guys.