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If you finished Hooked by Emily McIntire and immediately needed another dark romance with a dangerous man, a revenge plot, a heroine pulled into a world she does not fully understand, and a love story that feels like stepping willingly into a trap, this list is for you.
Hooked works because it is not just “Peter Pan but dark.” It is villain romance. It is obsession. It is revenge turned desire. It is the kind of book where the hero is not softened into someone safe just because he falls in love.
James is not a misunderstood cinnamon roll in a leather coat. He is dangerous. He wants vengeance. He uses Wendy as a weapon before he realizes she is becoming his weakness. That is the exact flavor this list is chasing.
These books are not carbon copies of Hooked. Instead, they share the pieces readers usually want more of:
- morally black or morally gray men
- revenge-driven romance
- mafia, criminal, or underworld settings
- “he should be the villain, but I want him anyway” energy
- possessive heroes
- dangerous bargains
- dark fairy-tale or gothic atmosphere
- heroines who get dragged into power games, secrets, and obsession
Content note: Dark romance can include graphic themes. Always check trigger warnings before reading.
More Dark Romance Guides You Might Like
Before you dive in, you may also want to check out:
-
Best Dark Romance Books of All Time (Ultimate Guide for Obsessive Readers) https://eerieefficiency2.developer-wordpress.xyz/2026/03/25/best-dark-romance-books-of-all-time/ 25 Dark Romance Books With Jealous Possessive Heroes (Obsessive Men Readers Love) https://eerieefficiency2.developer-wordpress.xyz/2026/05/18/dark-romance-books-jealous-possessive-heroes/ 15 Dark Romance Books Like God of Malice https://eerieefficiency2.developer-wordpress.xyz/2026/05/30/books-like-god-of-malice/ 15 Dark Romance Books Like Little Stranger https://eerieefficiency2.developer-wordpress.xyz/2026/05/27/dark-romance-books-like-little-stranger/ Dark Romance Books Where He’s Obsessed With Her Immediately (No Slow Burn, Just Obsession) https://eerieefficiency2.developer-wordpress.xyz/2026/05/05/dark-romance-books-instant-obsession/ - He Was My Brother’s Best Friend First or What Breaks You— for readers who want possessive, forbidden, emotionally messy romance
1. Crossed by Emily McIntire
Why readers love it:
If what you loved most about Hooked was the villain-retelling concept, Crossed is an obvious next stop. It stays in Emily McIntire’s Never After world, but this one has a darker religious-guilt, forbidden-desire, “monster in a holy place” feeling.
The hero is not soft. The atmosphere is heavier, sharper, and more gothic. Instead of nightclub danger and revenge against a powerful father, you get obsession tangled with morality, sin, punishment, and temptation.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 5/5
Trigger warnings: Religious trauma, violence, stalking, self-harm references, torture, abuse-related themes, explicit sexual content. Check the author’s full warnings before reading.
Best for readers who liked:
The villain-retelling structure of Hooked, but want something more gothic, sinful, and emotionally disturbing.
2. Hexed by Emily McIntire
Why readers love it:
Hexed is another strong choice for readers who want the Never After vibe without rereading the same dynamic. It keeps the “villain gets the love story” promise, but leans into a different kind of dark seduction.
This is for readers who like powerful women, morally questionable attraction, revenge, violence, and fairy-tale inspiration that feels adult rather than whimsical. If Hooked gave you the thrill of watching the villain become the romantic lead, Hexed gives you that same forbidden pull with a fresh setup.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4.5/5
Trigger warnings: Explicit sexual content, violence, death, gore, sexual assault references, domestic violence references, and body-related triggers. Check the author’s full content warnings.
Best for readers who liked:
The dark fairy-tale angle of Hooked, but want something more witchy, vicious, and femme-fatale coded.
3. Savage Lover by Sophie Lark
Why readers love it:
If you liked the underworld danger in Hooked, Savage Lover gives you mafia chaos with fast cars, family pressure, crime, loyalty, and a hero who feels reckless enough to ruin your life.
Nero Gallo is not polished. He is volatile, violent, impulsive, and magnetic. Camille is drowning in family problems, and Nero becomes the kind of dangerous solution that might save her or destroy her peace completely.
This one has a different tone than Hooked. It is more street-level mafia than fairy-tale villain. But the appeal overlaps: a dangerous man, a heroine caught in trouble, and the feeling that falling for him means crossing into a world she cannot easily leave.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 3.5/5
Trigger warnings: Mafia violence, danger, threats, crime, explicit sexual content, family illness, coercive situations.
Best for readers who liked:
James’s criminal-world energy, possessiveness, and “he is a problem, but he is her problem” dynamic. Sophie Lark describes Nero as passion, anger, and violence wrapped in temptation.
4. Broken Vow by Sophie Lark
Why readers love it:
This is one of the best picks on this list if you wanted more forced proximity, danger, and a hero who decides the heroine needs his protection whether she wants it or not.
Riona Griffin is smart, controlled, and used to handling herself. Then someone tries to kill her, and Raylan Boone is assigned to protect her. That setup creates instant pressure: she does not want a shadow, he refuses to back off, and every threat pushes them closer.
The Hooked connection is not fairy-tale retelling. It is the intensity. The feeling of being watched. Protected. Cornered. Wanted. The romance grows inside danger instead of around it.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 3.5/5
Trigger warnings: Violence, attempted murder, stalking/threats, weapons, mafia-family danger, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
The danger, obsession, and protective-possession side of Hooked. Broken Vow is described as a standalone bodyguard mafia romance with no cliffhanger.
5. Heavy Crown by Sophie Lark
Why readers love it:
Heavy Crown is for readers who want their romance tangled with family war, mafia politics, loyalty, revenge, and a hero who sees a dangerous woman and decides he wants her anyway.
Sebastian and Yelena have that “wrong family, wrong timing, wrong world” kind of tension. Their attraction sits inside a violent mafia landscape where love is not just emotional. It is strategic. Risky. Potentially fatal.
If Hooked made you love the idea of romance inside a criminal chessboard, Heavy Crown gives you more of that power-play energy.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Mafia violence, family warfare, kidnapping/abduction elements, death, threats, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
The crime-family danger and revenge atmosphere of Hooked. Heavy Crown is positioned as a standalone dark mafia romance and the conclusion to the Brutal Birthright series.
6. Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin
Why readers love it:
This one is a very strong match for Hooked readers because it has one of the key ingredients: revenge through the daughter of an enemy.
Aleksio was once a boy with a past full of violence and betrayal. Now he is grown, ruthless, powerful, and determined to reclaim what was taken from him. Mira becomes tangled in that revenge, and the romance has that dangerous edge where attraction and threat are almost impossible to separate.
If you wanted another book where the hero’s original plan is not love, this belongs on your list.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, mafia violence, revenge, threats, coercive power dynamics, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
James using Wendy as part of a revenge plot before feelings complicated everything. The book’s setup centers on Aleksio seeking revenge and power while pulling the heroine into his violent world.
7. Kingpin’s Foxglove by Bree Porter
Why readers love it:
This is a delicious pick for readers who want more mafia atmosphere, a powerful criminal hero, a heroine with intelligence and survival instincts, and a bargain that feels like signing a deal with the devil.
Elena is widowed and trapped in a dangerous world of gangsters, poisons, and power. Konstantin is the kind of mafia man who feels calm on the surface but lethal underneath. The tension is slower, more strategic, and more quietly menacing than Hooked, but the appeal is similar: the heroine is pulled into a dark man’s orbit, and freedom becomes complicated once desire gets involved.
Spice level: 3.5/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Mafia violence, death, forced proximity, threats, manipulation, grief, captivity-adjacent power dynamics.
Best for readers who liked:
The criminal underworld, danger, and “bargain with the monster” feeling of Hooked. The book’s setup places Elena at the mercy of Konstantin Tarkhanov, a Bratva leader, after she becomes a widow.
8. Stolen Touches by Neva Altaj
Why readers love it:
If you liked how Hooked blurs the line between desire and danger, Stolen Touches may work for you. This one is intense mafia romance with a possessive, controlling hero and a heroine who wants a life outside mafia expectations.
Milene wants freedom. Salvatore wants her. That clash creates the whole engine of the book. It is not light. It is not gentle. It is the kind of romance where the hero’s devotion comes wrapped in control, jealousy, protection, and emotional pressure.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Controlling behavior, mafia violence, possessiveness, threats, explicit sexual content, autonomy/power-dynamic triggers.
Best for readers who liked:
The possessive, dangerous, “he wants her even when he should not” feeling in Hooked. Neva Altaj’s mafia world is described by the author as full of blood, deceit, revenge, possessive antiheroes, and dangerous mafia power.
9. Reaper’s Property by Joanna Wylde
Why readers love it:
This is not mafia, but it scratches a similar itch: criminal world, dangerous hero, coercive bargain, and a heroine who gets pulled into a man’s world because of someone else’s debt.
Marie is trying to recover from a bad relationship when she crosses paths with Horse, a biker who is absolutely not safe boyfriend material. When her brother steals from the club, Marie becomes part of the payment.
That setup gives Hooked readers a familiar thrill: a heroine in danger, a morally dark hero, and desire developing in a situation where power is not equal.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Abuse references, coercive bargain, motorcycle club violence, threats, explicit sexual content, objectification/property language.
Best for readers who liked:
The dangerous-man, criminal-world, “this romance should not feel this addictive” side of Hooked. The premise involves Marie’s brother stealing from the club and Horse demanding what he wants in return.
10. The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne
Why readers love it:
For readers open to historical romance, The Highwayman is a gorgeous dark-romantic option with a scarred criminal hero, captivity/protection tension, and a heroine who becomes central to his revenge and survival.
Dorian Blackwell is called the Blackheart of Ben More for a reason. He is wealthy, feared, ruthless, and shaped by brutality. Farah is not simply a helpless heroine, though. She has secrets of her own, and Dorian’s protection becomes both a cage and a lifeline.
This is one of the best “dark fairy tale without actually being a fairy tale” picks on this list.
Spice level: 3.5/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Childhood trauma, violence, kidnapping/captivity, abuse references, forced marriage/protection bargain, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
The villain-as-hero feel of Hooked, especially if you want a more gothic, emotional, historical version. Dorian is described as a ruthless villain and powerful criminal figure who takes Farah to his Highland sanctuary.
11. Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
Why readers love it:
If James from Hooked made you realize you like a hero who is not easily redeemable, Duke of Sin is a must-consider.
Valentine Napier is a blackmailer, manipulator, and chaos machine in silk. He is not a good man pretending to be bad. He is bad. That is the fun of it. The romance comes from watching a clever heroine stand toe-to-toe with someone who should terrify her and somehow becomes obsessed with her.
This is historical, but the villain energy is extremely relevant to Hooked readers.
Spice level: 3.5/5
Darkness level: 3.5/5
Trigger warnings: Blackmail, murder, kidnapping, manipulation, class power imbalance, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
The unapologetic villain romance aspect of Hooked. Valentine Napier is described as a notorious rake and blackmailer seeking revenge.
12. The Villain by Victoria Vale
Why readers love it:
The title says exactly what it is selling.
The Villain is dark historical erotic romance with revenge, bargains, power imbalance, humiliation, and a hero who is meant to feel dangerous. This one is not for readers looking for soft redemption or cozy angst. It is for readers who want the villain to stay villainous for a long time.
The Hooked similarity is the emotional trap: the heroine confronts the man tied to her family’s ruin, and the bargain between them becomes darker, hotter, and more complicated than either expects.
Spice level: 5/5
Darkness level: 5/5
Trigger warnings: Dubious consent, coercion, BDSM, humiliation, revenge, sexual power dynamics, assault-related themes. Check warnings carefully.
Best for readers who liked:
The revenge, villain, and dangerous-seduction pieces of Hooked, but want something more extreme and historical. The book is commonly categorized around vengeance, possessive hero, hate-to-love, and dark erotic romance themes.
13. Nightfall by Penelope Douglas
Why readers love it:
If you liked the psychological tension in Hooked, Nightfall brings a darker, more atmospheric kind of obsession. It is full of secrets, resentment, isolation, and the sense that the characters are trapped inside a past that refuses to die.
This is a better pick for readers who like dark romance with emotional damage, mind games, and a setting that feels almost haunted by what happened before. It is not a fairy-tale villain retelling, but it does have that “dangerous boy became a dangerous man” pull.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Trauma, abuse references, captivity/isolation, violence, bullying, explicit sexual content, psychological manipulation.
Best for readers who liked:
The dark obsession, secrets, and morally gray hero energy of Hooked, but want something more psychological and emotionally twisted.
14. Conclave by Penelope Douglas
Why readers love it:
This is a novella, so it is not the same deep dive as a full-length dark romance, but it has the closed-in, intense, secretive feeling that Hooked readers often chase after finishing a villain romance.
Think tension, secrets, dangerous group dynamics, and the sense that everyone in the room knows something you do not. It works best if you already enjoy Penelope Douglas’s darker worlds, but for Hooked readers, the appeal is the atmosphere: seductive, tense, and not entirely safe.
Spice level: 3.5/5
Darkness level: 3/5
Trigger warnings: Dark romance themes, secrets, manipulation, violence references, explicit sexual content.
Best for readers who liked:
The suspenseful, secretive, morally messy atmosphere of Hooked.
15. Dark Side of the Sun by Addison Cain
Why readers love it:
This is a strong pick for readers who want something gothic, strange, obsessive, and intense. It does not have the exact same crime-world setup as Hooked, but it has the same sensation of being pulled toward someone dangerous and not fully understanding the rules until it is too late.
The romance is moody and unsettling, with a hero who feels more like a threat than a comfort at first. If you like dark romance that feels eerie instead of just violent, this one belongs on your radar.
Spice level: 4/5
Darkness level: 4/5
Trigger warnings: Obsession, manipulation, power imbalance, trauma themes, explicit sexual content, dark psychological elements.
Best for readers who liked:
The gothic, dangerous, “I should run, but I want to stay” feeling in Hooked.
Quick Comparison: Which Book Should You Read First?
If you want the closest villain-retelling match, read Crossed or Hexed.
If you want mafia revenge like Hooked, read Dark Mafia Prince.
If you want dangerous mafia families and possessive heroes, read Savage Lover, Broken Vow, Heavy Crown, Kingpin’s Foxglove, or Stolen Touches.
If you want a coercive criminal-world romance, read Reaper’s Property.
If you want historical villain romance, read Duke of Sin, The Villain, or The Highwayman.
If you want darker atmosphere and psychological tension, read Nightfall, Conclave, or Dark Side of the Sun.
Build Your Dark Romance Reading Setup
Once you pick your next book after Hooked, you might as well make the reading experience feel like an event.
Dark romance is not exactly a “read one chapter and peacefully move on with your night” genre. It is more like: one chapter becomes six, six becomes midnight, and suddenly you are wide awake wondering why fictional villains have better emotional range than half the men on earth.
So before you disappear into your next morally questionable romance, here are a few reader-friendly extras that fit the vibe.
If you do most of your reading at night on a Kindle, phone, or tablet, these blue light glasses are a practical little add-on for late-night reading sessions. They are especially useful if your “just one more chapter” habit usually turns into staring at a screen until 1 a.m.
For paperback readers, this adjustable book stand with a reading light is perfect if you like reading at a desk, in bed, while journaling, or while taking notes on your next dark romance obsession. It gives you that hands-free setup so you can sip coffee, annotate, or spiral over a fictional villain without fighting to keep the book open.
And if you are the kind of reader who likes your bookmarks to match the drama of your books, this dragon sword bookmark has the perfect fantasy-villain energy. It is extra in the best way, which is exactly the kind of energy a Hooked reader can appreciate.
None of these are required, obviously. But if you are building the kind of reading corner where morally gray men, revenge plots, and villain romances can fully ruin your sleep schedule, they fit the mood beautifully.
Why These Books Work for Hooked Fans
The mistake a lot of “books like Hooked” lists make is recommending any random dark romance with spice. But Hooked has a specific formula.
It is not just dark. It is theatrical.
It has a villain name everyone recognizes. It has revenge. It has an innocent-adjacent heroine stepping into a dangerous man’s world. It has family betrayal, criminal power, obsession, and the sense that the hero’s love might be the most dangerous part of him.
The best follow-up reads need at least one of those ingredients:
1. The villain must actually feel dangerous
Readers who love Hooked usually do not want a hero who is only “morally gray” because he broods in a black shirt. They want someone who makes questionable choices. Someone who lies. Threatens. Plots. Takes revenge. Crosses lines.
That is why books like Dark Mafia Prince, Duke of Sin, and The Villain work so well.
2. The romance should feel like a trap
A huge part of the appeal is that Wendy is not stepping into something safe. She is entering James’s world, and that world has teeth.
Books like Kingpin’s Foxglove, Reaper’s Property, and Stolen Touches recreate that feeling beautifully. The heroine is not just falling in love. She is negotiating danger.
3. There should be obsession, not casual attraction
Hooked is not memorable because two attractive people flirt. It is memorable because the attraction feels consuming.
That is why readers may love Broken Vow, Nightfall, and Dark Side of the Sun. These books understand that dark romance works best when desire feels inconvenient, dangerous, and impossible to ignore.
4. Revenge makes everything sharper
Revenge gives dark romance a built-in engine. The hero wants justice, power, payback, or control. Then the heroine becomes the complication.
That is the heartbeat of Hooked, and it is also why Dark Mafia Prince, The Highwayman, Duke of Sin, and The Villain belong here.
FAQ: Books Like Hooked by Emily McIntire
What should I read after Hooked?
If you want to stay close to Emily McIntire’s villain-retelling style, read Crossed or Hexed. If you want another revenge-driven dark romance with mafia danger, try Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin. If you want a possessive mafia hero and high-stakes danger, try Broken Vow or Heavy Crown by Sophie Lark.
Are these books as dark as Hooked?
Some are lighter, and some are darker. The Villain, Crossed, Stolen Touches, and Reaper’s Property may feel especially intense depending on your triggers. Savage Lover and Broken Vow are dark but more accessible for mafia romance readers.
Are there more fairy-tale retellings like Hooked?
Yes. Emily McIntire’s Never After series is built around dark, adult, villain-centered reimaginings. For this list, Crossed and Hexed are included because they were not on the provided exclusion list and still fit the “villain gets the romance” appeal.
Do I have to read the Never After books in order?
The Never After books are generally treated as interconnected standalones, so many readers jump around based on which villain or fairy-tale inspiration interests them most. If you love the concept more than the order, you can choose based on mood.
What dark romance has the closest revenge plot to Hooked?
Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin is probably the closest revenge-match on this list because the hero’s past, power, and revenge plan pull the heroine directly into danger.
What book has the most villainous hero?
For contemporary mafia, try Dark Mafia Prince or Stolen Touches. For historical villain romance, try Duke of Sin or The Villain. If you want the villain label to feel literal, those two historical picks are especially strong.
What should I read if I liked James from Hooked?
Try Aleksio from Dark Mafia Prince, Konstantin from Kingpin’s Foxglove, Nero from Savage Lover, Valentine from Duke of Sin, or Dorian from The Highwayman. Each has that dangerous, possessive, morally questionable pull.
Are these books spicy?
Yes. Most of these are open-door, high-heat romances. Spice levels vary, but this list was built for adult dark romance readers who want emotional intensity and sexual tension.
Are any of these beginner-friendly dark romances?
For a slightly easier entry, start with Savage Lover, Broken Vow, or The Highwayman. For heavier reads, approach The Villain, Reaper’s Property, Crossed, and Stolen Touches with more caution.
Why do readers like villain romance?
Villain romance works because it lets readers explore danger, obsession, power, and surrender inside fiction. The appeal is not that the hero is safe. The appeal is that he is not safe, but the heroine becomes the one person he cannot treat like everyone else.
Final Thoughts
If Hooked ruined you for normal romance heroes, you are not alone.
Once you fall for a villain romance, sweet and safe can start to feel a little too easy. You want the knife edge. The obsession. The revenge plot. The man who should be the warning sign but somehow becomes the fantasy.
The best books like Hooked do not simply copy James and Wendy. They recreate the feeling: the thrill of watching a dangerous man lose control, the tension of a heroine stepping into his world, and the delicious fear that love might not save either of them.
It might just make them worse.
And honestly?
That is exactly why we keep reading.
Keep Reading
If you liked this list, you may also enjoy:
- Dark Romance Tropes Explained
- Dark Romance Books With Unhinged Heroes
- Masked Men Dark Romance Books
- Books Like Butcher & Blackbird
- Read my dark romance fiction
