Why Dark Romance? (And No, I Haven’t Buried Any Bodies)

Whenever I tell people I write dark romance, the reactions are… entertaining.

Some blink twice, some smirk, and others glance at my husband as if checking for bruises. (He’s fine, promise. Still very much alive. Still very much leaving socks everywhere without being hurt.)

So, why do I write it?

Well—

Because sourdough wasn’t cutting it.

Some women knead dough to deal with stress. I plot mafia weddings. Cheaper than therapy, hotter than Netflix, and no flour on the floor.

Because I love power struggles.

Not the “who’s doing the dishes” kind. The high-stakes kind. What happens when loyalty, danger, and desire collide? Who bends, who breaks, who takes control? It’s like playing chess with emotions, only the queen sometimes kisses the enemy king.

Because Stephen King got away with it.

Nobody assumes he’s got skeletons in his basement (probably). So if he can write about clowns in sewers and still get invited to dinner parties, I can write about morally gray mafia bosses and still get invited to PTA meetings. Right? Right.

Because love is messy.

Real life isn’t all cupcakes and candlelight. We all have shadows, flaws, contradictions. Dark romance gives me a way to explore that intensity safely. It lets us lean into the chaos without consequences.

And honestly? Because it’s fun.

Writing The Noor City Mafia Series means I get to live inside a world where chandeliers hide secrets, shadows have teeth, and love feels like both salvation and destruction. What’s not to love about that?

So, no—I don’t glorify violence, I don’t have skeletons in my closet, and I don’t personally run with the mafia. But I do believe stories should keep you breathless, unsettled, maybe even a little bit transformed.

👉 If you’re curious, Noor City is open. Start with When Mirrors Blink Red and see for yourself.