First I'm hooked on The Expanse series. I finished three books in the series in Jan and I'm nearly done with another one that I'll finish in the next few days. It'll be a sad day when I'm all caught up. But I'll watch the TV series at that point.
Otherwise: I may have finally found my perfect marriage between two of my favorite things: better systems and fewer rules. Decisive is a book about building decision systems because our instincts, our confidence, and even our memory can’t be trusted as much as we think they can. No Rules Rules is a book about stripping away control systems (rules, policies, and fear) so great people can move fast, take smart risks, and do great work without being punished for the mistakes of a few.
Together they hit the same nerve for me: if you want better outcomes, stop relying on intuition alone, be intentional and start relying on the right systems. And if you want great people to do great work, stop building rules for the 3% and start building trust for the 97%.
Depends on your interest.
For true fantasy in a unique set of worlds, the Fae & Alchemy series (Quicksilver and Brimstone so far) by Callie Hart is my top pick. Really good banter (especially Brimstone), quick paced, and the spice isn't overwhelming while being pretty damn good when it happens. Oh, and the audiobooks... Anthony Palmini will be sending chills down your spines.
If you want a bit more... occult? I guess would be the best description, certainly more gothic, fantasy series, then The Eating Woods by Keri Lake (Anathema, Eldritch, third book coming this year) was one of my quickest reads and not because it's short... great story overall, with plenty of plot twists, just be prepared for impossible expectations by the missus (and potentially a piercing parlour appointment for you if she really gets into it...).
Then there's my current read, a modern, well, not exactly retelling but a twist on Greek mythology, Blood of Hercules/Bonds of Hercules. Haven't gotten far into it, but so far, so good.
Oh and talking about historical retellings... Raven Kennedy's The Plated Prisoner series does a mighty Midas retelling. The first book does open with an orgy scene but that's almost all the spice you're gonna get in the first two books.
If you're interested in what most would consider the entry to dark romance - in reality it's more of a dark romcom really - Lights Out is also a good starting point. Now, this one's a bit more focused on the spice, and has a bunch of potentially triggering elements (MMC breaks into FMC's home to record a thirst trap for her before they even meet, then stalks her for a good while, there's also a murder, and so on), but it's lightened by the fact that the MMC is essentially a goofy 6'6 golden retriever and has some of the funniest commentaries. Oh, and the knife scene? Chills. Literal chills.
On the same angle, Brynne Weaver has a few similar dark romcom books: Butcher and Blackbird (two serial killers who only target serial killers, set up an annual competition, they fall for each other, there's a few minor trigger warnings, but the worst part would be the unintentional cannibalism - oh and be prepared to swear off of cookies and cream ice cream for a while...), Leather and Lark (considerably darker, but still a great read/listen), and the final installment, Scythe and Sparrow (I'm gonna be honest with you, this one didn't catch my fancy that much, I'm maybe 1/4 into the book and it's been shelved indefinitely for alternatives). Plus riffing off the first book, Tourist Season is a very similar book in tone. Again, great banter, great comedic scenes, and just enough spice to keep things going.
And if you want proper dark romance, Haunting/Hunting Adeline is a solid option by H.D. Carlton (her name will keep popping up, she's a quite prolific writer). Now mind you these books come with 2-3 page trigger warnings for a reason. The MMC is a psychopath, period.
Finally my most recent read would be I Will Break You by Gigi Styx. The audiobook is okay (I much preferred any of the previously mentioned), but the actual book, to me, was great. Mind you this one has a four page trigger warning (well, only two pages in print but still), with items like "inappropriate use of a thigh bone". Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a psychological thriller mixed with porn. But the literary description of those scenes is.... chef's kiss
Now, onto the books I can't recommend:
You are my freaking hero! This is fantastic and I can't wait to dig in. Thank you for taking the time to outline so much.
I can't wait for us to dig in!
Glad I could be of help!
Another really good audiobook would be Haunting The Hunter.
I'll put that one on the list too! I'm excited for our next WWW now.
Haunting the Hunter is actually quite unique, as instead of the usual 2 character setup, there's 4 - and one of them is the reader.
Also fair warning it's super easy to get into these books and keep listening to them... But it can be extremely awkward when you're e.g. sitting on public transport and a very explicit, very detailed scene comes on.
Particularly when I'm listening to it on a 1980s boom box in my leather jacket and mohawk, right?
You might just get nerve pinched.
If it's by the resurrected Leonard Nimoy, you're welcome planet Earth! 🤣🤣🤣