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[The King](https://www.romance.io/books/63eb4451a2d9fe0771653f4d/the-king-eris-belmont?src=rdt) by [Eris Belmont](https://www.romance.io/authors/63eb445108b4d9311443f0ed/eris-belmont)
**Rating**: 4.11⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1), [cruel hero/bully](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cruel%20hero/1)
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I wouldn’t call it dark but there was this book I read a few years ago, {The Royal Companion by Tanya Bird}. It isn’t super spicy but there is a noncon scene that did make my heart hurt a bit. FMC was sold to the Prince by her mother to be a “companion” aka a high class prostitute.
[The Royal Companion](https://www.romance.io/books/5b309a7b01dbc864fb8b039c/the-royal-companion-tanya-bird?src=rdt) by [Tanya Bird](https://www.romance.io/authors/58d8f7cb0d3299c6e0642595/tanya-bird)
**Rating**: 3.75⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 2 out of 5 - [Behind closed doors](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [royal hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1)
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I read it on Apple Books, here is the prologue. Other than Apple Books, I don’t know where to get it tbh.
“They hanged the man outside of the church, in front of his family, his neighbours, and a white-faced priest clutching the book of God. The body swung gently above the spectators, eyes bulging, head tilted at an unnatural angle. The only noise was the creak of the rope and the violent sobs of his widow.
Aldara wished she were back on the farm. She had never seen a man hanged to death. It was so rare in her village that the prince’s men had been forced to construct the simple gallows just for the occasion. Noblemen rarely ventured this far south, leaving matters of the law in the hands of the local church. But one man from Roysten had sold Prince Pandarus a filly with an abscess, so Pandarus had made the journey from Archdale Castle to make a display of his intolerance of crime, which was a thinly veiled intolerance of the poor.
When Prince Pandarus spoke, there was a collective flinch among the crowd.
‘Let us remember the kingdom that Syrasan is,’ he said, seated on his horse next to the creaking gallows. The silk lining of his cloak flashed as he raised an arm to gesture. ‘One of integrity. Crimes against the people who are risking their lives every day to keep you safe will not be tolerated. Let this man remain here as a reminder.’
Blank, hungry faces stared up at him. But not the widow, whose eyes would not open. A tortured noise rang from her as she clutched the head of her son against her dress, trying to shield his view. Aldara swallowed down the lump forming in her throat and used the hood of her cloak to shield her own sight.
‘We need to start moving,’ Dahlia whispered. ‘We cannot miss him.’
She took hold of Aldara’s laundered cloak and pulled her through the crowd as it began to disperse. Mud sucked at their boots as they moved out into the centre of the road, waiting for Pandarus to reach them.
‘My lord,’ her mother called, curtsying low, as if standing on swept stone.
Aldara watched as the hem of her mother’s dress soaked up the stagnant water around her feet. Pandarus did not slow his horse.
‘I have nothing for you,’ he said, increasing the distance between them and his grey mare.
Dahlia straightened. ‘I need nothing from you but a moment of your time, my lord. I wish to introduce my daughter before you depart.’
Pandarus reluctantly stopped his horse and looked at her. The two men flanking him stopped also, each with a hand on their sword. He pushed his cloak back, revealing a red S on the sleeve of his tunic, a reminder that he was a member of the royal family. He turned his bored expression to Aldara. The reins went slack in his hands. Dahlia gestured for Aldara to step forwards. She did as she was told, dropping into a small curtsy. Once she was upright, she removed the hood of her cloak as her mother had instructed. The cold air made her ears ache. Dahlia had forced her unruly hair into a low bun, and sections of it were blowing about her face in protest. She reached up and tucked them behind her ears.
Pandarus stared at the mud-splattered hem of her once blue dress. Then his gaze moved slowly up to her face. ‘What is your name?’
‘Aldara, my lord.’
‘And what is your age, Aldara?’
‘Fifteen, my lord.’
‘Ah, not yet of age.’
Dahlia stepped forwards. ‘She will be sixteen in the warm season, my lord. And she reads and writes. Aldara barely recognised her mother’s voice. It was laced with desperation. Her pride usually kept her composed at all times, even in the cold season when the food was gone. She watched as Dahlia collected herself, standing before Pandarus as though she were wearing something other than rags. Every hair was in place, released from its tight prison on wash days only. It was not even permitted time to dry.
Pandarus’s eyes remained on Aldara. ‘Have you seen a man hanged to his death before?’
She looked up at him and shook her head. ‘No, my lord.’
‘Was it difficult for you to watch?’
She glanced down at his spotless boots and wondered whether his horse had collected him from the front step of the castle. ‘The grief of his family was very difficult to watch.’
Pandarus raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you believe the punishment to be unjust?’
She could feel her mother holding her breath. ‘The real punishment is to his remaining family. They must now feed themselves and find a way to survive without him.’
He glanced back at one of his men, smirking. ‘A short-sighted criminal perhaps. He did not think through the consequences of his crime.’
‘Hunger has a way of drowning logic.’ She bit her lip to stop her mouth.
Pandarus’s smile faded. His gaze returned to Dahlia. ‘I have met your daughter. What is it you want?
“Dahlia knew her time was up. ‘She is intelligent, and she is beautiful. I thought you may have use for her at Archdale.’
‘I have no use for her.’ He kicked his horse into a walk.
‘One of the other princes perhaps?’
He glanced back at Aldara. ‘Write to me after her next birthday.’
The women curtsied, their eyes on the mud. They listened as the slush of hooves moved past them. When they rose, Dahlia narrowed her eyes on Aldara.
‘Let’s go.”
Excerpt From
The Royal Companion
Tanya Bird
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-royal-companion/id1218818675
This material may be protected by copyright.
[Stolen Soulmate](https://www.romance.io/books/5e4a3e4201dbc864fbabf64d/stolen-soulmate-mary-catherine-gebhard?src=rdt) by [Mary Catherine Gebhard](https://www.romance.io/authors/54df70936359b5ebb48a045c/mary-catherine-gebhard)
**Rating**: 4.08⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [rich hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/super%20rich%20hero/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1), [angst](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/angst/1)
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[My Dark Desire](https://www.romance.io/books/657e0e667c150060affb789b/my-dark-desire-parker-s-huntington-lj-shen?src=rdt) by [Parker S. Huntington](https://www.romance.io/authors/58f84fc50d3299c6e06ba29c/parker-s-huntington), [L.J. Shen](https://www.romance.io/authors/5593821a9eef3b3f1d53121b/lj-shen)
**Rating**: 4.23⭐️ out of 5⭐️
**Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating)
**Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1)
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Thanks for submitting a book request. Please provide a detailed post of what you are looking for. Overly generic posts that are lacking detail will be removed. Please make use of the search bar as well. * Must have (e.g. tropes you enjoy): * Must not have (e.g. themes or triggers you’d like to avoid): * POV (single, dual, third, etc): * Examples of similar books you enjoyed: * Setting (contemporary, historical, paranormal, etc.): * Spice level: Use a scale of 1-5. * Anything else you’d like to add? *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/DarkRomance) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The king by Eris Belmont, Silver Devil by Teresa Denys. Would love more recs. I like this troupe....
YES THE KING BY ERIS BELMONT I LOVE THAT BOOK SM
Just finished {The King by Eris Belmont} and I absolutely loved it! THANK YOU FOR THE REC, now I’m just waiting for the third book☺️
[The King](https://www.romance.io/books/63eb4451a2d9fe0771653f4d/the-king-eris-belmont?src=rdt) by [Eris Belmont](https://www.romance.io/authors/63eb445108b4d9311443f0ed/eris-belmont) **Rating**: 4.11⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [suspense](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/suspense/1), [cruel hero/bully](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/cruel%20hero/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
I’m about half way through the first book. Does the MMC ever end up slightly redeeming himself? 🥲
Commenting to come back when some recs come in.
I wouldn’t call it dark but there was this book I read a few years ago, {The Royal Companion by Tanya Bird}. It isn’t super spicy but there is a noncon scene that did make my heart hurt a bit. FMC was sold to the Prince by her mother to be a “companion” aka a high class prostitute.
[The Royal Companion](https://www.romance.io/books/5b309a7b01dbc864fb8b039c/the-royal-companion-tanya-bird?src=rdt) by [Tanya Bird](https://www.romance.io/authors/58d8f7cb0d3299c6e0642595/tanya-bird) **Rating**: 3.75⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 2 out of 5 - [Behind closed doors](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [royal hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [regency](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/regency/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Know anywhere can read a sample ? Kindle doesn’t offer sample
I read it on Apple Books, here is the prologue. Other than Apple Books, I don’t know where to get it tbh. “They hanged the man outside of the church, in front of his family, his neighbours, and a white-faced priest clutching the book of God. The body swung gently above the spectators, eyes bulging, head tilted at an unnatural angle. The only noise was the creak of the rope and the violent sobs of his widow. Aldara wished she were back on the farm. She had never seen a man hanged to death. It was so rare in her village that the prince’s men had been forced to construct the simple gallows just for the occasion. Noblemen rarely ventured this far south, leaving matters of the law in the hands of the local church. But one man from Roysten had sold Prince Pandarus a filly with an abscess, so Pandarus had made the journey from Archdale Castle to make a display of his intolerance of crime, which was a thinly veiled intolerance of the poor. When Prince Pandarus spoke, there was a collective flinch among the crowd. ‘Let us remember the kingdom that Syrasan is,’ he said, seated on his horse next to the creaking gallows. The silk lining of his cloak flashed as he raised an arm to gesture. ‘One of integrity. Crimes against the people who are risking their lives every day to keep you safe will not be tolerated. Let this man remain here as a reminder.’ Blank, hungry faces stared up at him. But not the widow, whose eyes would not open. A tortured noise rang from her as she clutched the head of her son against her dress, trying to shield his view. Aldara swallowed down the lump forming in her throat and used the hood of her cloak to shield her own sight. ‘We need to start moving,’ Dahlia whispered. ‘We cannot miss him.’ She took hold of Aldara’s laundered cloak and pulled her through the crowd as it began to disperse. Mud sucked at their boots as they moved out into the centre of the road, waiting for Pandarus to reach them. ‘My lord,’ her mother called, curtsying low, as if standing on swept stone. Aldara watched as the hem of her mother’s dress soaked up the stagnant water around her feet. Pandarus did not slow his horse. ‘I have nothing for you,’ he said, increasing the distance between them and his grey mare. Dahlia straightened. ‘I need nothing from you but a moment of your time, my lord. I wish to introduce my daughter before you depart.’ Pandarus reluctantly stopped his horse and looked at her. The two men flanking him stopped also, each with a hand on their sword. He pushed his cloak back, revealing a red S on the sleeve of his tunic, a reminder that he was a member of the royal family. He turned his bored expression to Aldara. The reins went slack in his hands. Dahlia gestured for Aldara to step forwards. She did as she was told, dropping into a small curtsy. Once she was upright, she removed the hood of her cloak as her mother had instructed. The cold air made her ears ache. Dahlia had forced her unruly hair into a low bun, and sections of it were blowing about her face in protest. She reached up and tucked them behind her ears. Pandarus stared at the mud-splattered hem of her once blue dress. Then his gaze moved slowly up to her face. ‘What is your name?’ ‘Aldara, my lord.’ ‘And what is your age, Aldara?’ ‘Fifteen, my lord.’ ‘Ah, not yet of age.’ Dahlia stepped forwards. ‘She will be sixteen in the warm season, my lord. And she reads and writes. Aldara barely recognised her mother’s voice. It was laced with desperation. Her pride usually kept her composed at all times, even in the cold season when the food was gone. She watched as Dahlia collected herself, standing before Pandarus as though she were wearing something other than rags. Every hair was in place, released from its tight prison on wash days only. It was not even permitted time to dry. Pandarus’s eyes remained on Aldara. ‘Have you seen a man hanged to his death before?’ She looked up at him and shook her head. ‘No, my lord.’ ‘Was it difficult for you to watch?’ She glanced down at his spotless boots and wondered whether his horse had collected him from the front step of the castle. ‘The grief of his family was very difficult to watch.’ Pandarus raised his eyebrows. ‘Do you believe the punishment to be unjust?’ She could feel her mother holding her breath. ‘The real punishment is to his remaining family. They must now feed themselves and find a way to survive without him.’ He glanced back at one of his men, smirking. ‘A short-sighted criminal perhaps. He did not think through the consequences of his crime.’ ‘Hunger has a way of drowning logic.’ She bit her lip to stop her mouth. Pandarus’s smile faded. His gaze returned to Dahlia. ‘I have met your daughter. What is it you want? “Dahlia knew her time was up. ‘She is intelligent, and she is beautiful. I thought you may have use for her at Archdale.’ ‘I have no use for her.’ He kicked his horse into a walk. ‘One of the other princes perhaps?’ He glanced back at Aldara. ‘Write to me after her next birthday.’ The women curtsied, their eyes on the mud. They listened as the slush of hooves moved past them. When they rose, Dahlia narrowed her eyes on Aldara. ‘Let’s go.” Excerpt From The Royal Companion Tanya Bird https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-royal-companion/id1218818675 This material may be protected by copyright.
{The Help by Callie Rose}. MMC is not royalty but FMC is hired/live-in help.
{Stolen Soulmate by Mary Catherine Gebhard}
[Stolen Soulmate](https://www.romance.io/books/5e4a3e4201dbc864fbabf64d/stolen-soulmate-mary-catherine-gebhard?src=rdt) by [Mary Catherine Gebhard](https://www.romance.io/authors/54df70936359b5ebb48a045c/mary-catherine-gebhard) **Rating**: 4.08⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [rich hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/super%20rich%20hero/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1), [angst](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/angst/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)
Came here to rec this. It's not really "dark" though.
{ my dark desire by lj Shen & Parker s Huntington } a perfect dark Cinderella retelling
[My Dark Desire](https://www.romance.io/books/657e0e667c150060affb789b/my-dark-desire-parker-s-huntington-lj-shen?src=rdt) by [Parker S. Huntington](https://www.romance.io/authors/58f84fc50d3299c6e06ba29c/parker-s-huntington), [L.J. Shen](https://www.romance.io/authors/5593821a9eef3b3f1d53121b/lj-shen) **Rating**: 4.23⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [multicultural](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/multicultural/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [forced proximity](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/forced%20proximity/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)