Check out our list of top authors like TL Swan to get your next romantic read. These steamy authors offer plenty of compelling tales to explore.
T.L. Swan is a bestselling author of romance books who has works in 20 languages, including many in the number one slot on Amazon for US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and German readers. Swan is a relatively new author, publishing her first book,Stanton Adore*, in 2014. This book started the*Stanton series, which had four total books. After that, she moved on to writeFind Me Alastar andPlay Along**, two standalone novels in 2016 and 2017.
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Must-Read Authors Like TL Swan
1. Christina Lauren
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of a duo of writers, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. Together, they have written 18 New York Timesbestselling novels and young adult books. They are quite successful as a pair, with works in over 30 languages and an induction in the Library Reads Hall of Fame.
Lauren received her doctorate in neuroscience and studied neurodegeneration in aging before she started writing full-time. Christina Hobbs was a counselor in a junior high school before she started writing full-time. The two consider themselves best friends and work well together. The Beautifulseries, starting with [Beautiful Bastard](https://amazon.com/dp/1476730091? tag=work089-20), and theWild Seasonsseries, starting with*Sweet Filthy Boy**, are the most like TL Swan.
“I knew everything happened for a reason. I just wished the reason would hurry up and make itself known.”
Christina Lauren,Beautiful Bastard
2. Colleen Hoover, 1979 -
American author Colleen Hoover writes young adult fiction and romance novels that have won several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Awards and UtopYA Con Awards. A distinguished author, Hoover held six of the top ten spots on the New York Timesbestseller list in 2022, including*It Ends with Us in the top spot. After studying social work, Hoover grew up in Texas and graduated from Texas A&M Commerce.
After graduation, she worked in social work and education before she wrote Slammed, her first novel, which she self-published in 2012. It started selling well, and she wrotePoint of Retreat, publishing it just a month after publishing the first novel. The success of these two works allowed her to quit her job to write full-time. Today, she has 24 novels and novellas to her name.
“It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us.”
Colleen Hoover,It Ends with Us
3. Lucy Score
Reading and writing were in Lucy Score’s blood. As a young girl, her family was known for the dinner table being a place for reading, not conversation. After high school, she got her degree in journalism and settled down in Pennsylvania to write full-time. Known for her romance novels, she has strong heroines in her books that make them appealing. [Pretend You’re Mine](https://amazon.com/dp/172828256X? tag=work089-20), the first book in theBenevolence series, which she published in 2014, was an instant number-oneNew York Timesbestseller. Most of her books are small-town romance novels.
“What am I supposed to do, be all ‘woe is me’ for the rest of my life? I still get access to the same sunrises everyone else does, the same 24 hours in a day. And if I don’t take advantage of those things, it’s my own fault.”
Lucy Score, Pretend You’re Mine
4. Max Monroe
Max Monroe is a pen name for two writers, Max and Monroe, who write steamy romance novels. The two writers keep their first names secret but are well-known for their sarcastic writing style. The Max Monroe books areNew York Timesand USA Todaybestsellers, and the pair has over 30 books. A recent project is theBillionaire Bad Boysseries, which started with Tapping the Billionaire in 2016. This trilogy of books uses humor with steamy romance to create a page-turning rom-com-style book.
“The world is small, baby. But love is large. Big enough that coincidence occasionally rubs elbows with opportunity.”
Max Monroe, Tapping the Billionaire
5. Meredith Wild
Merideth Wild is a successful romance and suspense author from Florida who has reached the top spot on the New York Timesbestseller list. In 2013, she published her first novel, [Hardwired](https://amazon.com/dp/145556513X? tag=work089-20), as a self-published author, and it was successful. Because she has a tech background, Wild quickly built her self-publishing brand, which she named Waterhouse Press.
Under this imprint, her books rose to the top of the New York Timesand Wall Street Journalbestseller lists. She has had the foreign rights to her books sold in over 23 languages and has appeared on The Today Showand CBS This Morning. Hacker, her first series, uses her knowledge of tech and her ability to write a great love story to create an exciting series of books.
“You lose yourself, Erica, because with the right person, who you become together is something so much greater, more than you could even realize right now.”
Meredith Wild, Hardwired
6. Victoria Quinn
Not much is known about Victoria Quinn other than that she lives in Seattle and is happily married. This author is known for her wildly imaginative dark romance books in the Obsidian Series.She also has written theBoss*,Cherry*,Soulless, andHamilton series. These contemporary romance books have a dark edge but are wildly popular. Many have becomeNew York Timesbestsellers. Quinn published her first book, Black Obsidian, in 2017 and finished the entire series the same year. Because she writes so quickly, she has four complete series to her name even though she is a relatively new player in the romance book world.
“The black ring on my right hand felt heavy with commitment. It was the only piece of jewelry I wore other than my watch, and it took some getting used to. To everyone else, it was just a ring. It had no meaning and no voice.”
Victoria Quinn,Black Obsidian
7. Olivia Hayle
Olivia Hayle has sold over a million contemporary romance books, making her one of the top authors like TL Swan. The bestselling author has only been writing romance novels since 2019, selling them through Amazon and Kindle Unlimited. Before she started writing steamy books for her readers, she was an avid reader of romance novels. This allowed her to learn about the genre and how to write it well. To help her readers stay connected with her books, she publishes online bonus content to engage with them from the printed page.
Hayle has three series, New York Billionaires,Seattle Billionaires, andBrothers of Paradise, as well as several standalone novels, [Arrogant Boss](https://amazon.com/dp/9198793713? tag=work089-20)andLook But Don’t Touch**. To help readers who want to read their books wherever they are, Hayle publishes versions with discrete covers that don’t showcase the fact they are romance novels.
“I could party with the best of them. But the business meeting for my brother’s potential contract was at ten o’clock the following day, and despite my promise to Deinse, there was nothing more important.”
Olivia Hayle, Arrogant Boss
8. Rosa Lucas
British writer Rosa Lucas brings spice and sass to her writing. With romance novels often set in London and other British cities, she strives to create strong heroines who partner up with alpha males, giving her stories a fresh take on the romance novel. She weaves humor into her works to make them more relatable and focuses on the tropes, age gap romance, workplace romance, and enemies-to-lovers stories.
The billionaire alpha male also weaves his way into her books. The London Misterseries, which starts with Taming Mr. Walker, was published first in 2022, and there are currently three books in the series. Her fourth book,Fifth Avenue Fling, is the first in the*Billionaires in Charge *series. You might also be interested in our list of authors like Rina Kent).
“I’ve never loved anyone like this before. I want you to be my girlfriend; I want you to be my last girlfriend. I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”
Rosa Lucas,Taming Mr. Walker
9. J.A. Low
Australian romance offer JA Low offers five romance series for fans of the genre. Low started writing in 2016, publishing Suddenly Dirtyand Suddenly Togetherin the same year. These are the first two books in theDirty Texas Rockstars series of five books. After completing that series, she wroteThe Sexy Stranger andThe Arrogant Artist, the first two of theInternational Bad Boys books, followed bySapphire andDiamond**, two Bratva Jewels books, in 2019. The other series of her books arePlayboys of New York, The Hartford Brothers,* and [Paradise Club](https://amazon.com/dp/B089LCF13X? tag=work089-20).
“This is why you never let a man have access to your heart because they will eventually rip it out.”
J.A. Low, Paradise
10. Ilsa Madden-Mills
Ilsa Madden-Mills is an Australian author with 18 novels, and 14 of those have been on the Amazon bestseller list. Dirty English,Not My Romeo, andThe Revenge Pactall ended up at the top spot on the list. Before she started writing romance novels, Madden-Mills was a high school English teacher who lovedPride and Prejudice**. Madden-Mills enjoys a coffee or collects magnets with cheesy sayings when she is not writing. Her books are known for their angst and comedy, and they have landed on theNew York TimesandWallstreet Journal*bestseller lists. Check out these authors like Debbie Macomber).
“Big moments happen with the smallest of actions, and sometimes it’s not until later we connect the dots,”
Ilsa Madden-Mills, Dirty English
11. Kat Singleton
Kat Singleton is a Kansas native who loves iced coffee and writes spicy romance novels, known for their elite banter in addition to their steamy love scenes. In her books, she strives to bring in some emotional turmoil to bring more depth to her characters.*[Black Ties and White Lies](https://amazon.com/dp/1958292060? tag=work089-20) is one of her more recent works, published in 2023.
Her new book, Rewrite Our Story, was published in 2023 and tells what happens when a small-town woman gets a second chance at love with her best friend’s brother. Check out these authors like Tessa Bailey).
“When people have the power to hurt you, they have a hold on you that makes you do unexplainable things.”
Kat Singleton, Black Ties and White Lies
Frequently Asked Questions
What defines dark romance books?
Dark romance books are characterized by complex, often morally ambiguous characters, intense emotional conflicts, and themes that explore the darker aspects of love and relationships. These stories typically feature anti-heroes, power dynamics, and situations that challenge traditional romance tropes while maintaining emotional intensity.
Are dark romance books suitable for all readers?
Dark romance books are not suitable for all readers. They often contain mature themes, explicit content, and complex psychological elements. These books are best suited for adult readers who enjoy emotionally intense stories and are comfortable with morally complex characters and situations.
What are the most popular dark romance books?
Popular dark romance books include ‘Twilight’ by Stephenie Meyer, ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier, ‘Interview with a Vampire’ by Anne Rice, and ‘Tears of Tess’ by Pepper Winters. These books have gained widespread recognition for their compelling narratives and complex character relationships.
How do dark romance books differ from traditional romance?
Dark romance books differ from traditional romance by featuring morally complex characters, exploring power dynamics, and often including elements of danger, obsession, or psychological manipulation. While traditional romance focuses on idealized love stories, dark romance explores the more complex and sometimes problematic aspects of relationships.
12. Elsie Silver
Canadian romance author Elsie Silver publishes romance novels with spirited heroines and plenty of banter. To get her writing underway, she wakes up daily at 5 am to enjoy quiet reading time and coffee. Silver is a newer author, publishing her first book, Off to the Races, in 2021.
She quickly finished theGold Rush Ranchseries that the book started, then moved on to the Chestnut Springsseries in 2022. Because she publishes multiple books a year, she is quickly growing a fan base who love her steamy stories. Check out this list of authors like Yvonne Whittal).
“And that is a heart-wrenching combination… loving someone you can’t respect.”
Elsie Silver, Off to the Races
