Dark romance books: where to start
Start Ella Miles’s dark romance books with Mistaken Hero for a complete six-book mafia story, or Marked by Moonlight for an ongoing paranormal series. For a shorter complete sequence, read Dirty Beginning before Dirty Obsession. Use this hub to choose a series, find its first book, or follow a guide to the mood you want.
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These guides are for adult readers. Check each book’s description before choosing; themes differ by title.
Which dark romance series should I start with?
The best dark romance books for your next read depend on the story you want. Retribution Games begins with a mafia princess and revenge. Mateless Shifters begins with a broken mating bond and a curse. Dirty brings obsession and dangerous families into three numbered novels plus a prequel.
For captivity and betrayal, choose Truth or Lies. For a hitman and a shared past, choose Lies. Sinful Truths starts with a rescue and dangerous promises, while Retribution Kings follows marriage deals and two connected couples. The short introductions and reading orders below help you choose a starting point.
Pick by mood or trope
Follow a focused guide for the kind of story you want, from mafia games and possessive relationships to revenge or marriage arrangements. The paranormal and wolf-shifter guides follow the same Mateless Shifters series.
This hub is the broad series index. The adult dark romance guide offers the existing content guidance; the contemporary and suspense guides help compare those parts of the catalog. Some focused guides also include contemporary stories outside the dark romance category.
- Mafia games and series reading orders
- Possessive mafia romance
- Dark romance for adults: content guidance
- Dark contemporary romance
- Romantic suspense
- Paranormal romance
- Rejected mates and wolf shifters
- Marriage arrangements and fake marriage
- Revenge romance
- Find your first Ella Miles book
- Browse every book
- Join the reader club for a free book
Mateless Shifters reading order
Start with Marked by Moonlight for a broken mating bond, rival alphas, and a curse to break.
Ongoing series. Books 1–3 are available. Book 4, Forsaken by Nightfall, is a preorder scheduled for December 8, 2026.
Full descriptions and retailer options4 numbered books
| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marked by Moonlight | Broken mating bond, Prophecy | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Bitten by Bloodmoon | Rival alphas, Betrayal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Owned by Moonfire | Blood deal, Love versus duty | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Forsaken by Nightfall | Story themes not specified | Book 4; preorder | Amazon |
Three released novels and one preorder; four numbered entries are listed.
Retribution Games reading order
Start with Mistaken Hero for a mafia princess, revenge, and a deadly contest.
Complete six-book series; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options6 numbered books
| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mistaken Hero | Mafia princess, Revenge | Cliffhanger; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Forbidden Princess | Mafia princess, Revenge | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Tempted Hero | Rescue, Dangerous games | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Fatal Princess | Betrayal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 5 | Tortured Hero | Love versus duty | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 6 | Dangerous Princess | Mafia princess, Secrets | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Collection 1 contains books 1–3; Collection 2 contains books 4–6. Find both on the series page.
Retribution Kings reading order
Start with Lennox for marriage deals and revenge across two connected couples.
Four listed novels in a connected series, following two couples. Completion status is not specified; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lennox | Marriage deal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Rialta | Revenge | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Hayes | Mistaken identity | Cliffhanger; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Lilith | Revenge, Marriage deal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Collection 3 contains Lennox, Rialta, and Hayes; Lilith is separate. Find collection details on the series page.
Lies reading order
Read Lies We Share before Vicious Lies for a shared childhood, a hitman, and secrets.
Six numbered novels plus a prologue in a connected series story. Completion status is not specified; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options6 numbered books , plus a prequel or prologue
Before book 1: Lies We Share (prologue)
| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (prequel) | Lies We Share | Shared childhood | Prequel; read before book 1 | Amazon |
| 1 | Vicious Lies | A hitman, Secrets | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Desperate Lies | Love versus duty | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Fated Lies | Love versus duty | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Cruel Lies | Secrets | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 5 | Dangerous Lies | Love and danger | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 6 | Endless Lies | Love versus duty | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Vicious and Endless are separate collection editions; Lies We Share is the prologue. See the series page for all retailer options.
Sinful Truths reading order
Start with Sinful Truth for a rescue from the ocean and dangerous promises.
Six listed novels in a connected series story. Completion status is not specified; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinful Truth | Rescue, Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Twisted Vow | Dangerous promises, Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Reckless Fall | Love and debt | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Tangled Promise | Dangerous promises | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 5 | Fallen Love | Love and danger | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 6 | Broken Anchor | Love and danger | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Sinful and Broken are collection editions, separate from the six numbered novels. See the series page for all retailer options.
Truth or Lies reading order
Read Lured by Lies before Taken by Lies for captivity, betrayal, and secrets.
Complete six-novel series plus a prequel novella; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options6 numbered books , plus a prequel or prologue
Before book 1: Lured by Lies (prequel 0.5)
| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 (prequel) | Lured by Lies | Assassin and target | Prequel novella; cliffhanger | Search AmazonApple Books · ebook |
| 1 | Taken by Lies | Captivity, Betrayal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Betrayed by Truths | Captivity, Secrets | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Trapped by Lies | Captivity, Betrayal | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 4 | Stolen by Truths | Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 5 | Possessed by Lies | Love and danger | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 6 | Consumed by Truths | Secrets | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Taken collects books 1–3; Stolen collects books 4–6. The prequel’s verified ebook link is on Apple Books; the Amazon search link is provided separately.
Dirty reading order
Read Dirty Beginning before Dirty Obsession for obsession, captivity, and dangerous families.
Complete three-novel series plus a prequel novella; read in order rather than as standalones.
Full descriptions and retailer options3 numbered books , plus a prequel or prologue
Before book 1: Dirty Beginning (prequel 0.5)
| Book | Title | Main tropes and story themes | Standalone or cliffhanger | Buy links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 (prequel) | Dirty Beginning | Story themes not specified | Prequel; read before book 1 | Amazon |
| 1 | Dirty Obsession | Obsession, Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 2 | Dirty Addiction | Obsession, Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
| 3 | Dirty Revenge | Revenge, Captivity | Series book; read in order | Amazon |
Dirty: The Complete Series includes Dirty Beginning, the three numbered novels, and Dirty Epilogue. The epilogue is included in that collection; it is not a fourth numbered novel.
Questions readers ask
Is it complete?
Retribution Games, Truth or Lies, and Dirty are complete. Mateless Shifters is ongoing. Completion status is not specified for Retribution Kings, Lies, or Sinful Truths.
What order do I read them in?
Choose a series and follow its numbered order below. Read Lured by Lies before Taken by Lies, Lies We Share before Vicious Lies, and Dirty Beginning before Dirty Obsession. Collections are alternative editions, not extra numbered novels.
Is it a cliffhanger?
Mistaken Hero, Lured by Lies, and Hayes have identified cliffhangers. Other table entries say when to read in order without promising a particular ending. Check the full description before choosing.
Where can I buy it?
Use the Amazon links in each table or open the series page for full descriptions and every supported retailer option. A search link is labeled when a direct Amazon product is not listed.
Which series has the fewest numbered dark romance novels?
Dirty has three numbered novels, plus the Dirty Beginning prequel. Dirty: The Complete Series also includes Dirty Epilogue. Read the prequel before Dirty Obsession.
Where should I start with Ella Miles dark romance?
Start with Mistaken Hero for mafia games and revenge, Marked by Moonlight for supernatural bonds, or Dirty Beginning followed by Dirty Obsession for a shorter complete sequence. Choose the story premise that appeals to you, then follow that series in order.