It makes perfect sense to me that readers are clamoring for books that mash up horror and romance, aka horromance. These are books that aim to give readers actual bodily feelings as they read. Romance readers want to feel the swoon of people connecting romantically, the ache of them being driven apart, and above all, the warmth of the happy ending. Horror readers, on the other hand, want to feel a pit in their stomach. They want ratcheting dread, anxiety stealing the breath from their lungs. Horromance readers? We want it all!
Some horror novels come with a satisfying catharsis at the end. Good vanquishes evil. Other, grimmer books leave you with some combination of misanthropy and nihilism. For a proper horromance, we’re looking for books that fall into that former category. I claim some authority on this because I wrote one myself, titled I Haunt It That Way. It’s a genre romance with elements of gothic horror and a happy ending. When it comes to horromance books, we can see a spectrum. Some come from established romance writers and put the primary focus on the relationship. Others come from a horror perspective, where the romance isn’t as much at the forefront as the horror plot. Romance is still a significant plot in the book, and we’re looking for a satisfying outcome in that relationship.
While I wholeheartedly stand by the happy ending of genre romance, I do think there are books people can legitimately disagree about when it comes to the happiness of the ending. I don’t think, as a purely hypothetical example, that a character going on a haphazard spree murdering innocent people in order to reach their beloved will be a happy ending for every reader. By that token, the further you read into this list, the more you have to be willing to see some pretty twisted stuff as romantic.
 How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee ThompsonHow about a rom-com with slasher elements? Jamie is at a speed dating event when things go south. There was a blackout, and now there are dead bodies all over the place. Lucky for Jamie, she’s a horror movie aficionado, so she’s prepared to be a final girl and survive this night. And trust, she will still make that romantic connection she was after in the first place! |
 Thrall by Rebecca MahoneyIf you’ve read Bram Stoker’s Dracula, you may remember what happens to Lucy, and well, it’s not great. Thrall is a chance for Lucy to get a different ending. In this book, she wakes up from a college party with two telltale wounds on her neck. The host of the campus radio show reaches out to help her figure out what’s happening to her. This one’s brooding, Appalachian Gothic, and oh, did I mention it’s a sapphic paranormal romance? You’re welcome. |
 Muñeca by Cynthia GómezThis historical queer gothic horromance is set in 1968 Oakland. Violeta Miramontes, heiress to Spanish colonial wealth, is stricken with a mysterious illness. Natalia Fuentes thinks it’s dark magic, and she works to get close to Violeta, hoping for a handsome reward. This is a delicious novella that celebrates the working class. It’s also one for people who love a creepy doll (it’s me, I’m people). |
 Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda ChengWhile this YA horror novel is a follow-up to Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, it does stand on its own. If you like folk horror and sapphic romance, you’ll love this. Famous singer songwriter Tian is off to a healing retreat on a remote island with her best friend and bodyguard Liya. But the occult rituals taking place on the island, not to mention whatever is lurking in the woods, are not exactly conducive to healing. Be sure you have a tolerance for body horror if you pick this one up. |
 On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah ScholfieldYes to queer Southern Gothic horromance! This story follows Judith, aka Jude, who escaped an abusive home and found herself a measure of peace as a wisewoman living in a decrepit old haunted house. Then a beautiful and mysterious woman shows up on her doorstep and turns her life upside down. It’s a supremely satisfying book about the all-consuming nature of desire, but do check the content notes for topics you may wish to avoid. |
 The Way It Haunted Him by Laura R. SamotinYou will find readers disagreeing about the happiness of this ending! But if you’re looking for a dark academia novel with Jewish folklore elements, pick this one up. Michael is at the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies, aiming to complete his deceased boyfriend’s dissertation as an act of atonement. There, he meets archivist Jacob, who lets Michael know about the demons dwelling in the archive. He also offers to help Michael uncover the truth of his boyfriend’s death. It’s messy, intense, and you simply won’t want to put this book down. |
If you can’t get enough of horromance, we have some more recommendations for you. Whether it’s the romance or the horror, these are the books that will make your pulse pound.
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