Paranormal romance books have a special place in my heart. It all started with Twilight, and then it just grew the older I got and the more amazing books I read. There’s just something so wonderful about a fantasy set in a more modern world, about witches and werewolves and vampires, it’s just impossible to resist.
Over the years, I’ve found some truly amazing paranormal romances, and so I present them all to you here. Some of these are very long series (which is great when you want a world to constantly go back to for comfort) and some are stunning standalones. There’s funny and silly books, and then some that are darker and more serious. So, whatever your tastes are, I have a book for you here.
If you want more books about werewolves specifically, I have a long list here. And if you’re more into witches, here are my favorite witchy books.
Starling House by Alix E. Harrow
Starling House is one of my favorite books ever! It follows Opal, who’s been raising her little brother and making ends meet by working hard but also thieving and tricking people out of their money. She’s very closed off and prickly, but all she ever wanted was a home. And then she gets hired by the mysterious Starling heir, and strange things start happening. One, the house seems to change and shift; two, there are suspicious people asking about said house; and three, the Starling heir is very moody. But they slowly open up to each other, as the mystery of this small town and its secrets, but also Opal’s origins unfolds. Full review here!
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Bride is an amazing arranged marriage story between a vampire named Misery and a werewolf alpha named Lowe. They should hate each other and try to kill each other (as Misery expects) but the wolves are actually quite nice and more than that, her new husband Lowe is more than willing to help her find her best friend who went missing. Too bad Lowe already has a mate, because the chemistry they have together is sizzling and Misery finally feels like she found home. Ugh, this is one of my favorite romance books ever. I have a full review here if you want to check it out.
Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew
Your Blood, My Bones is technically part of a series, but I read it as a standalone first, and didn’t have any issues. It’s this amazing story about a girl who goes back to her childhood home after her father’s death, determined to burn it to the ground. But instead she finds her childhood friend Peter chained in the basement. The only way for him to be free of the house is to kill her, and the only way she can be free of the house is to kill him, so they’re in a standstill, while old feelings for each other stir and dark family secrets unfold. This is a YA book, but everything about it is so good, from the characters to the prose, that I implore you to read it. You might hate me in the end, but you’ll be happy about it? See my full review here.
A Quick Bite (Argenau Series) by Lynsay Sands
A Quick Bite took me by such a surprise. I really didn’t expect to love it but these vampires are so silly. Like, what do you mean you’re a vampire who can’t stand the sight of blood? And what do you mean your mom gave you a psychiatrist for your birthday (tied to a bed with a bow, no less) so he can heal your phobia? All of it is bonkers and so funny, so I highly recommend it. But yeah, that’s the plot! There’s 37 books in this series (!) so you have so much to enjoy.
A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley
This is a charming little story about a witch who’s supposed to be the most powerful of her generation, but all she wants to do is run her little shop and live her best (free) life. And then she accidentally summons a demon and she doesn’t know what to do with him (read: how to explain him to her overbearing family) so she fake-dates him. The fake part slowly fades away though, and she finds herself in a future no one could predict for her. The series has three parts and my favorite is A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire, which I reviewed here.
Wolf Gone Wild (Stay a Spell series) by Juliette Cross
This is such a fun (and funny) book! So, the plot is basically that our hero, the werewolf named Mateo, is having trouble with his inner wolf because it feels uncontrollable. He’s an artist and this is preventing him from working. So he asks a witch named Evie for help. And his wolf adores Evie, so he asks if she can sit with him while he works. Over time, slowly, they end up becoming friendly and then more. It all happens in New Orleans and it’s a beautifully imagined book. The series itself has 6 books and you get to see a bunch of characters of all sorts find love.
Bound by Ali Hazelwood
I listened to Bound on audio first because that’s the only way it was available, but now you can find it as an e-book as well. It’s a great little story about an art forger (or, well, she does books) who is kidnapped by a mysterious professor to forge an ancient manuscript. They strike a deal and as she starts working in his house and spending more time with him, she realizes not all is as it seems, and there might be more to him and the people living in his house.
Not The Witch You Wed (Supernatural Singles Series) by April Asher
This book is a paranormal romantic comedy, and sometimes that’s precisely what you need. In this one, a magic-less witch named Violet and a wolf alpha named Lincoln (who broke her heart as a teen) have to fake-date in order to stave off their families and the urgency to find a mate. The problem is, there are old feelings still simmering between them and secrets that could destroy any happiness they might find. The whole series (of three books, each about a different couple) is adorable, sweet and spicy, so give it a try!
Wolfsong (Green Creek Series) by TJ Klune
Wolfsong is a story about a boy named Ox and the Bennet family, who move in next door one afternoon and practically adopt Ox, especially their youngest, Joe. They spend lovely years together and even though there are some odd things about the Bennets, Ox feels at home. But then he finds out what they really are, and soon after disaster strikes. To get revenge, Joe and half his family leave the small town, and Ox is left reeling with the remainder of the family. And when Joe comes back, three years later, he’s a very different man, but determined to charm Ox and keep him forever this time. This book (and series) is kind of cozy, with some high-stakes elements, but it’s a good read. You can find my full review here.
Maggie and Arthur’s Magic Moment by Leslie Rene
If you want a more recent release and a standalone to boot, this is your book! It’s very cute (and spicy), with magic schools, spells, and something like an office rivalry. So, the story is about Maggie who has a lovely kiss with a masked man at a party, and Arthur, who’s a surly professor whose office is under a dangerous spell. He needs to move into Maggie’s office, and she is not okay with this, especially because he’s so handsome and intimidating. But she decides to help anyway, if only to get him out of there, and so their friendship (and more than friendship) begins.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
You all know Twilight, right? But I can’t make a list of the best paranormal romance books and not include the one that introduced me to it. My mom and dad got me Twilight as a Christmas present one year, and I finished the whole book the next day (at 13). The story follows Bella Swan, who has to move from sunny Phoenix, to rainy Forks to live with her dad. There, she meets a bunch of new people but she’s especially curious about the Cullen’s. They seem odd, though very beautiful, and one of them, a boy named Edward, can’t seem to stay away from her (while also looking like he hates her). It’s a perfect book for the hoa hoa hoa season, and I implore you to read it again if you haven’t since you were a teen.
The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Ancrum
This story follows Hollis, a poor boy with anger issues who provokes others into beating him. He and his friends go to a small town that is rumored to be haunted one night, and strange things begin to happen. Then Hollis runs into a boy he wants to help, and after that, it seems he’s possessed: there’s a voice in his head, he can’t control his body, and he even does things he doesn’t know about. But the ghost in his body is different, and slowly they come to accept each other, as a lovely romance develops as well as the story of a little town and its people working together to make the world a better place. I really loved this book, and you can find my full review here.
