Dark Romance: Where’s Your Line?

I’m noticing a trend with some of the hottest dark romance books on Amazon and in other market places at the moment and it’s a slippery slope. Is it just me or is dark romance getting a little too dark? Everyone likes a severely flawed bad boy (or girl), some strong role play with dominance and submission, and a twisted plot, but some of the stuff I’ve read recently would have the hardcore BDSM community reeling. We already pissed them off with 50 Shades of Grey, and I’m surprised they’re not rioting against some of the new stuff that’s come after.

Before you read any further, know I’m about to hit some hard topics. Mainly because I’m tired of BookTok remaining silent about all the toxic and severely problematic behavior of some of the  male (and female) main characters in recent “romance” books. I use the term romance loosely because it’s closer to erotica with some of the non-existent plotlines I’ve seen, but they still have the label.

I’m just going to get to the point. Since when did blatant sexual abuse become the new sexy? I see the trigger warnings and I know what I’m getting myself into, but I expect that kind of stuff to come from a villain, not the main lead. How can I possibly root for this couple when I can clearly see one is being taken advantage of with some kind of Stockholm Syndrome going on and the other completely ignores the fact they’re re-enacting serial killer type behavior.

Someone get Olivia Benson on the phone. Since when did the dark romance genre become a cover-up for heinous crimes? I can hear it now though. But Lauren, you’re kink-shaming. If your kink is sexual assault then yes, you should be ashamed.

Shame on the writers for thinking this was acceptable smut. It’s lazy writing is what it is.  Shock value shouldn’t be the intent. But Lauren, the characters consented. Did they really though?? Some of the scenes I’ve read sound more like classic frozen moments that we hear victims talk about where they went with it because they felt they had no other choice. Again, coercion is still considered assault.

We need to do better as readers and writers. I’m not saying you can’t have your romance hardcore, but I am saying that the lines are awfully blurry between consensual intimacy and not. We need to set boundaries or at least be more clear. And while these types of romances aren’t geared toward minors, I would say teenagers and young adults can be just as impressionable.

You can have kinks and a healthy relationship, or have we forgotten that? It really makes me wonder if some of these writers are genuinely okay. You know, in the vein of, write what you know? Is toxic all we know now because it’s being romanticized right before our eyes.

I might be a minority over here, or maybe dark romance just isn’t my cup of tea anymore. Either way, someone had to call it out.