Looking for a romance book filled with tension, drama and a billionaire husband? In that case, ‘King of Wrath’ is the one you should definitely check out.

An elusive billionaire CEO named Dante arranged to marry his new enemy’s heiress, Vivian Lau, under the threat of blackmail. He aims to destroy the evidence and  break this betrothal by all means. “There’s only one problem: now that he has her… he can’t bring himself to let her go…”

Toxic forbidden love. Sexual tension. Criminals that are morally grey. Dark romance has taken over the book realm by storm, but it is also a genre conveying love unrealistically. From romantic devoted men, to toxic possessive partners – the blurring of these two elements bounds a questionable philosophy of the realism of healthy relationships. 

Mafia romance is a subgenre of dark romance in which the Cosa Nostra is glamorised for their wealthy and savage lifestyle, masking the reality of their violent ways of life. The subtle power exchange from dominant to submissive, the fictional men in these books have readers fawning over their personas. 

It is a form of escapism, in which the reader can gently dissociate themself from the world’s raring example of love. 

“Our generation now is very much a ‘one night stand’ culture and it is hard to find a relationship which is consistent, devoted and lacks an element of toxicity.” – Senara Miller, 20.

The urge to live out this fantasy engulfs readers into the realm of dark romance where they can explore a lifestyle that they will never necessarily experience. 

The genre’s popularity stems from the author’s attentiveness towards the female gaze. One can get lost in books, in a world where there is no judgement. Women are portrayed beyond their exterior, allowing the men to be painted from the lens of a woman’s perspective. On social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, #menwrittenbywomen is a current trend, easily found within the dark romance community. 

“When I read dark romances, my feminism goes out the window… I enjoy a fictional man who is morally grey.” – Brooke Cole, 21.

Men are depicted as dominant and possessive yet still loving. Their devotion to woman and family conceals their negative traits. The juxtaposition of these qualities within fictional romance, plays a major role in how readers perceive men in real life. Romance novels challenge societal standards of what a romantic relationship is. Men and women are seen as equals with power exchange, hopeless romantics who are willing to do anything for their lover. Readers develop these high standards in relationships and demand them in reality, which isn’t impossible but relatively uncommon.

These novels also paint an unrealistic image of how these powerful yet dangerous men treat their partners in real life. Unfortunately, it isn’t all romance and tension, rather treacherous and violent. 

“You get unrealistic expectations of how you want men to treat you…and you know they’re never going to treat you like this.” – Sarah Adamson, 20.

Yet, it is still comforting to read how men in books are willing to go to any extent to protect and care for their beloved. Their dangerous occupation doesn’t hold them back from treating their partners with respect and affection. 

Words: Mathumithah Kandiah | Subbing: Anna Kamocsai