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We are obviously dark academia girlies, but we’re also die-hard romance girlies. This is where our hardcore reading lives started: reading books by torchlight under the duvet that we probably shouldn’t have been reading at the age we were…
Paranormal romance was where we started, rom-coms is where I often find comfort, romantasy is something we’re still dabbling in and finding out what we like, but dark academia romance? That can encompass any other genre along with it and it’s been so much fun exploring what’s on offer.
It’s hard to figure out where to start with dark academia romance, but this should give you somewhere to dive in. Lots of the genres cross back and forth over each other, but we’ve broken down dark academia romance into romantasy, contemporary and dark romance.
Podcast Books
Every so often, a dark academia romance book captures us enough for us to need to read it for the podcast, and the hit rate is…interesting. The romance often overrides the dark academia elements, but the dark academia elements occasionally shine through in the final result, and regardless of what we get, they’re usually a really fun read to break up the season.
A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone
When Poe returns to Thornchapel, she’s reunited by St Sebastian and Auden Guest, and the three of them join and unravel over and over again.
The ‘Thornchapel’ series is a favourite of both of ours and ‘A Lesson in Thorns’ is a standout read from season three. It’s super spicy, thick with mystery and intrigue, and the dark academia vibes are immaculate, if not traditional.
An Education in Malice by ST Gibson
At Saint Perpetua’s College, Laura is thrust into a rivalry with the mysterious Carmilla that leads to
Gothikana by RuNyx
The University of Verenmore is so secretive that an admission letter is something Corvina doesn’t expects. When she learns that every five years, students begin disappearing, and she’s determined to unravel the mystery, and the mysteries of Vad Deverell, her enigmatic professor.
This novel is definitely more of a romance than dark academia, and while it was far from my favourite book of the season,
The Coven by Harper L Woods
Willow has been raised to the magical weapon against the Coven that runs the university and her only obstacle to restoring her magic? her headmaster, who also might be the key to succeeding.
Again, this is a dark academia romance that doesn’t 100% deliver on the dark academia, but it’s a ride.
Nightshade by Autumn Woods
‘Nightshade’ is a ride. It takes the billionaire romance to the Scottish Highlands and tackles it with dark academia in a murder mystery. It’s fun and unserious, and only a sprinkling of dark academia, but it’s a great intro to dark academia romance. Also? The ending made me so mad.
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
‘A Study in Drowning’ has a lush, poetic dark academia setting and an academia rivals to lovers romance that sings.
Effy is a fairytale connoisseur, not helped by the fact that she’s been haunted by visions of a Fairy King since childhood and has found solace in a fairytale epic. When the author’s estate launches a competition, Effy thinks it’s fate.
Nocticadia by Keri Lake
Lilia receives an acceptance to Dracadia University, a place set to be haunted by centuries-old ghosts and a devastatingly handsome pathology professor who can’t keep his eyes off of Lilia…
‘Nocticadia’ is coming up on the next season of the podcast and we’re super excited to see what it has in store for us.
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Dark Academia Romantasy
Romantasy is creepy into everything and dark academia is no exception. A lot of the books around at the moment being tagged as dark academia in the last two years or so are also romantasy and it’s a quickly growing
On Wings and Blood by Briar Boleyn
Medra is the last of the dragonriders - apparently - but what she does know that is that being a half-fae in a school of vampires doesn’t sound like her idea of fun. Then she captures the eye of Blake Drakharrow and he’s determined to make her life as difficult as possible…
This sounds so fun and I may have already downloaded a copy to my Kindle… Yay for KU!
Honor & Heresy by Max Francis
Roy isn’t a fan of the way his society prefers to war to literature and he must decide whether to go to the front lines or investigate their foes in an ancient, abandoned library: the Orphic Basilica. Roy’s partner in the investigation is Percival, a charming scholar who loves to rile up Roy.
Love a library! Love a mystery!
An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney J Shields
Upon getting rejected from Cygnus University, Claudia doesn’t expect a stranger to offer her a deal: he’ll get her into Cygnus if she figures out how to free him from his prison of stars.
This is another one that’s on my list to pitch Sarah for the next season…
Written by Kathryn Moon
I’ve never read Kathryn Moon, but I know she’s a pretty beloved romance author so I’m so intrigued to see her tackle a dark academia setting within a why choose romance.
Joanna is the new librarian in training and she’s overwhelmed by all of the knowledge newly available to her. When she catches the attention of three professors looking for the fourth member of their coven, she doesn’t believe it could possibly be her.
Neverthorn by Shannon Mayer
A Hero once stood against darkness, but hope dwindled after he died and thirty-year-old Harlow is their best bet: a thief, dropout and troublemaker… Now, along with seven classmates and two professors (one of them super hot), she must defeat the Villain.
I love that there’s an older heroine in a dark academia romance and I’ll all in.
The Exorcism of Faeries by JL Vampa
Atta is studying Botany at Trinity College in Dublin and the Fae are possessing the people of the city. Along with her professor, they are the only ones who can fight against the fae, but can they fight their attraction to each other?
Now, this one isn’t actually out until September but I want it so bad. It sounds brilliant.
Dark Academia Contemporary (and dark) Romance
Considering that dark academia is traditionally a genre existing in the contemporary (aka not fantasy or genre fiction) space, there’s actually not a lot of it that’s not dark romance. So I’ve combined the two. Dark romance is definitely more Sarah’s bag than mine, but I’m more willing to dabble when it comes to dark academia, though I will admit to steering clear from a fair few of these...
Half Truths by Claire Contreras
A dark academia hockey romance? Yeah, I bet you don’t really need to know anymore either. This is right at the top of my list as it’s been recommended by one of our lovely readers and I’ll definitely be pitching it for the next season.
Amelia is a legacy invite, but she’s still fresh meat to a secret society. She transferred to Ellis University to find answers about her older brother, but she’s not expecting to become entangled with the star hockey player, as he’s the only one with the information she needs.
Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Tory and Darcy are twins born under Gemini so they hold elemental magic and they’re the rarest Elementals known to the school, but that makes them a threat to the four celestial heirs who will stop at nothing to knock them out of the way of their inheritance.
I believe this is specifically a bully romance, but honestly, what’s darker than that in romance? (I haven’t read this, and I won’t, so please check the content warnings on this as I believe it’s pretty intense).
Cross My Heart by Roxy Sloane
The first book in the ‘Oxford legacy’ series, ‘Cross My Heart’ is a spicy dark academia romance set at Oxford University where Tessa becomes embroiled with Saint, the future Duke of Ashford, as she investigates what really happened to her sister.
This is one straight from Sarah’s wishlist and is definitely in the running for a future season…
Pretty Girls Make Graves by Steffanie Holmes
Being a good girl may have earned George her spot at Blackfriars University, but she’ll have to break all of her rules and find a new side to herself to survive the Orpheus Society, and the dangerous men at it’s heart.
Is this also on our lists? Yes, yes, it is.
If you love romance as much as we do, keep your eyes peeled on what we have coming up later this year. We may have a bit of a surprise for you and it may be a whole new podcast… Maybe.
Oh man hahaha I honestly have no idea how you’ll guys react to Half Truths if you end up reading it. It’s definitely a different vibe. Looking forward to checking these out
I have been trying to find a book and I wonder if this seems familiar to anyone.
I was based on 4 guys who tormented a girl who looked like she was perfect, dressed impeccably and spoke on the same way.
They bullied her for months until one of them found out she was being abused at home - assault wise and they stoped abusing her and helped her get out of the situation she was in - as you can guess it turned into a enemies to lovers series. The issue is - this was by an author I have never heard of and I have read hundreds of books ... think out side the box and we may find it.
I thought I took a screen shot of the author but it didn't save :(