We love a good long book, but sometimes, the mood calls for a short and spicy novella. And by spicy, we mean downright filthy.
There are so many good short dark romances out there. If we could include all of them, we would, but that would be near-impossible! So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite steaming-hot dark novellas for you to pick from.
Whether you’re just looking for a palette cleanser, you need a reading slump cure, or you’ve run out of one-handed reads to reach for, we’ve got a great list of dark and smutty novellas that’ll hit the spot.
Most of these fall into the dark romance novella category, but a few stray more into dark erotica stories, so make sure you check for an HEA/HFN if that’s what you’re looking for!
Even without a happily ever after, all these dark novellas still have happy endings. 🖤
An Illicit Seduction by Chencia C. Higgins
❤️ Standalone (Book One in the Taboo & Voodoo Series)
🔎 What’s Inside: MF, incubus, noncon, cousins (non-blood related), taboo, HFN
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 4.17
📖 Ebook Availability: All retailers & in Kobo Plus
If you love dark stories with a twist, this one is for you. Imagine waking up from a very spicy dream to your obsessed, non-blood related cousin having his way with you. And somehow, it gets more complicated from there. This is a standout book for us and is exactly what you need if you want scorching-hot spice in your next read.
Chase Me by Natalia Lourose
❤️ Standalone (Book One in the Dirty Desires Series)
🔎 What’s Inside: MF, chasing, CNC, degradation, instalust, overstimulation
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.93
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
An app that matches people based on kinks? Sign us up! This hot little novella follows two people exploring their mutual primal kink. Coming in at 50 pages, this is more of a short story than a novella, but we love it so much we had to include it.
The Mask by Mila Crawford
❤️ Interconnected Standalone (Book Four in the Dangerous Sinners Series)
🔎 What’s Inside: MF, primal, CNC, degradation, age gap, possessive MMC
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.67
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
Meet the man of your darkest dreams at a club specifically catered to your primal kink. For our book baddies who love a good chase scene, a man with a mysterious and tragic past, and over-the-top possessiveness, this spicy, dark novella will give you everything you need.
Moonflower by Elira Firethorn
❤️ Standalone
What’s Inside: MFM, friends to lovers, CNC, depression rep, alt characters, found family, HEA
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.69
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
We love obsessed men, and in this novella, you get two. They’re both determined to make their childhood best friend theirs on Halloween weekend at whatever cost necessary. Any desire she has, they’ll fulfill—including chasing her through the woods and spitroasting her in a graveyard.
It Was Only A Kiss by Ashley Michele
❤️ Standalone
What’s Inside: MFM, faucest, possessive MMC, age gap, plus-size FMC, HEA
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.30
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
For our taboo romance lovers, this little novella delivers. Our heroine’s step-brother and step-father get in on the action in this one. Add in a sprinkle of murder for fun! What could go wrong?
The Dare by Harley Laroux
❤️ Prequel (Read before the Losers Duet)
What’s Inside: Why choose (four guys), bully, knife play, clowns, Halloween, hate to love, HFN
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.61
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
A high school rivalry finally reaches its peak at a Halloween party. Mix four outcasts and the girl who bullied them for years with alcohol, degradation, heavy tension, and a butterfly knife, and you get this steaming-hot novella. Honestly, steaming is an understatement. This book might as well replace the dictionary definition for “one-handed read,” that’s how hot it is.
Death’s Obsession by Avina St. Graves
❤️ Standalone
What’s Inside: MF, stalker, possessive MMC, paranormal, shadow play, HEA
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.50
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
What would you do if Death was obsessed with you? If he stalked you? If he wrote you love letters?! In this dark paranormal romance novella, not only will Death whisk you off your feet, but you’ll also witness the heroine processing unimaginable grief. Top it off with Graves’ beautiful prose, which we believe turns this debut into a dark and twisted masterpiece.
Bloody Seven by K.M. Baker
❤️ Interconnected standalone (the Renegade Stories)
What’s Inside: MF, revenge, feminine rage, secret society, serial killer, second chance, HEA
⭐ Goodreads Rating: 3.67
📖 Ebook Availability: Kindle Unlimited
We love a book with feminine rage. This is yet another dark romance that tackles grief, love, and revenge. Add in an unexpected ally whose past is far more connected with the heroine’s than we realize, and suddenly, it looks like love and vengeance are in reach.
We love a good, dark, spicy read. In fact, our TBRs are piled precariously high with them. So we know better than most how many smutty dark romances there are to choose from. Even if we narrow it down to novellas, there are still thousands upon thousands! We hope our little collection helps you sift through your own personal TBR to find your next one-handed read. 💎
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