Dark Romance Is Not Your Punching Bag

When Authors Attack Other Genres

An author recently commented on my post saying they loved how "sweet" my book was. Then they ripped apart dark romance, claiming it's nothing but spice, rough scenes, and non-con.

The problem? I write dark romance.

And they left this comment on a post clearly labeled as dark romance.

How I Found My Genre

I didn't set out to write dark romance. When I published my first book, I didn't even know what dark romance was.

It wasn't until after publishing that I realized my book fit into that category.

My books aren't pitch black, and I doubt I'll ever write books that are. But as my trigger warnings grew, so did the darkness in my world.

And I've never felt ashamed about that.

Not Every Book Is For Everyone

They're too dark for some or not dark enough for others. Too spicy or not spicy enough. Too many plot twists or not enough. Too expensive for some readers' budgets.

That's fine.

We all have different tastes and preferences. If everyone liked the exact same things, we'd have no creativity because only identical books would sell.

Being Professional Matters

As authors, we're all human. But we also have a public presence to maintain.

Commenting on another author's post that you love it "isn't dark" while tearing down dark romance and reducing it to nothing but rape scenes is unprofessional and harmful.

And as an author who has been around for twenty plus years, you should know better, do better. Identify your shame and work on that internally.

I'm not here to teach you or align with your perspective. I'm here to write my books and connect with readers who enjoy them.

Dark Romance Has Value

Dark romance isn't just "spice with non-con." It explores complex emotions, dangerous situations, and the shadows of relationships in a controlled environment.

Readers deserve choices. Authors deserve respect for what they write—whether that's sweet romance, dark romance, or anything between.

There's room for all of us. No author should trash another's work just because it's not their thing.