Revenge, romance, and a secret-stained campus—Nightshade by Autumn Woods is a dark academia TikTok sensation you won’t want to miss. At elite Sorrowsong University in the Scottish Highlands, Ophelia Winters is determined to uncover the truth about her parents’ deaths. But when a stalker begins to threaten her, she must rely on the one person she vowed to destroy: Alex Corbeau-Green, son of her prime suspect. Packed with romantic suspense, enemies-to-lovers tension, and haunting atmosphere, this story will leave you breathless.
Dark academia and romance is a genre mash-up that’s meant to be. The heightened suspense gives characters a reason to rely on each other and form close bonds… if they can survive whatever dangers they face. These six dark academia books are excellent gateway points into the genre for romance readers—or vice versa, dark academia fans interested in reading more romance.
If you’re unfamiliar with dark academia, we’ve written about it many times, so here are some articles to get you started. First, here’s a guide towhat dark academia isand one on why it’s perennially popular. Then, you can dive into the tropes and themes of the dark academia genre.
Because the dark academia romance subgenre is fairly new, I’ve included some dark academia novels with strong romantic subplots. I’ve also included some books that might be categorized as romantasy, so long as they have an academic setting and romantic elements.
Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian
Cambridge student Aurelia Schwartz keeps her magical powers hidden from her classmates while finishing her Medieval History degree. This double life works quite well for her—until her powers inexplicably begin to fade. To investigate the cause (and evade the witch killer on her trail), she forms a tense alliance with her rival, Theodore Ingram.
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
Folklorist Lorelai Kaskell’s mentor is murdered while on a remote expedition. The only person who can help her catch the killer is Sylvia von Wolff, her longtime academic rival. As they investigate the secrets left in their mentor’s wake, they discover unexpected feelings for each other.
Blood over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
After becoming the first woman highmage in Tiran, Sciona quickly discovers that her colleagues refuse to respect her in title or as a person. Her lab assistant, Thomil, is a Kwen hunter who hopes to understand and dismantle the magic that powers their city. As they work together, they uncover dark secrets about the source of Tiran’s magic.
The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Professor Sapphire Walden takes her responsibilities at Chatwood Academy seriously, and for good reason. Her students may have magical powers, but there are stronger and deadlier forces in the world beyond the school walls. As demons threaten to infiltrate their campus, Dr. Walden must keep her students safe while also navigating a complicated relationship with her colleague, Chief Marshall Laura Kenning.
Angel Eye (Cursebreakers #2) by Madeleine Nakamura
Cursebreakers follows Adrien Desfourneaux, a professor who investigates magical curses plaguing the city of Astrom. Angel Eye, the second book in the series, features a romantic subplot that Adrien navigates while trying to stop a serial killer targeting hospital patients and recovering from a flare-up related to his bipolar disorder.
The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee
This one isn’t coming out for about six months (January, to be exact). But, as someone who grew up during the vampire romance craze of the late 2000s, it’s very high on my to-read list. Vampire hunter Rebecca Charity goes undercover at a university for vampire and human students to avenge her parents’ deaths. But despite her roommate Aliz Astra representing everything she wants to destroy, they grow dangerously close while trying to break a curse on campus grounds.
For more romantic dark academia reads, try these spicy dark academia books, including An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson and An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson.
Looking for more genre mash-ups? Try these Dark Academia and Horror Recommendations, like The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean and What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher.