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.
Slave to Sensation (Psy/Changeling Series) by Nalini Singh
Nalini Singh is the queen of paranormal romance and you can’t go wrong with this series. This world is split into the robot-like Psy and shapeshifting Changelings who live in uneasy peace. In the first book, a daughter of one of the Psy leading business women starts feeling things and she cannot shut it off. It only gets worse when she has to work with a shifter who’s on a mission to find out who’s been killing women in his pack. As you can expect, the passion between them only grows. This series has around 40 books, plus various spin-offs so you can really sink your teeth into it.
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.
Magic Bites (Kate Daniels Series) by Illona Andrews
The Kate Daniels series has 10 books and it’s a really well-imagined world that you’ll enjoy visiting. The first book follows the titular Kate Daniels, a mercenary down on her luck, whose guardian (and father figure) just got killed. She wants to investigate who did it but this puts her right in the middle of two dangerous groups accusing each other of a series of murders. One is a group of paramilitary shapeshifters, and the other a group of necromancers. This book is really awesome, and Kate is such a great heroine, that gets a lovely romance which takes a while to develop.
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series) by Patricia Briggs
As I usually mention when I talk about this book, I really don’t like the cover, but the story is good! You start by meeting Mercy Thompson, a coyote shifter and a mechanic, as she saves a young, starving werewolf boy (or, well, helps him). But she’s been living outside of the shifter circles and she really doesn’t want to get back into them, so she reaches out to a werewolf alpha named Adam. And inevitably, she has to go back to her roots. Mercy is a fun character and Adam is also quite cool, so give this book series a go (there’s 15 books, if that helps).
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.
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Series) by Deborah Harkness
Maybe you’ve seen the TV show, but of course, the book is better. It’s a story about a historian named Diana, who is a witch but doesn’t really keep up with her heritage, until she finds a mysterious book in the library, and all of a sudden the whole of the magical world is upon her because the book is a coveted treasure and only Diana can access it. Chief among them is the vampire Matthew Clairmont, with whom she slowly develops a forbidden, taboo relationship. This series has 6 parts and they all revolve around Matthew and Diana.
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!
A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark Series) by Kresley Cole
If you want a series of around 20 books about werewolves and vampires, this is probably the most popular one. The first one tells a story of a wolf shifter and pack leader named Lachlain, who has endured years of torture from the vampires, only to find that his mate is actually part vampire (part Valkyrie). Emmaline has lived a sheltered life and she finally has a chance to investigate her parents’ murder, when Lachlain claims her as his own, and takes her to his castle. Each book is about a different couple, so plenty of stories to enjoy (without needing to commit too much).
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.
Cold Hearted by Heather Guerre
Cold Hearted is a shorter series, and less spicy than some of the others on this list, but the romance is good and if you love werewolves, you’ll like this one. The story follows a heroine who moves to a small Alaskan town looking for some peace, only to find a man called Caleb there. He’s surly and rude, but she soon starts warming up to him. There’s something dangerous in her past, coming for her, and small town secrets that have to be revealed, all the while our heroes are finding each other and falling in love. There are four books in the series, with different couples, but it’s really good so give it a try!
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.
Castle of the Cursed by Romina Garber
If you feel like reading something more ghosty and gothic, I recommend Castle of The Cursed. In this story, our heroine Estela is haunted by survivor’s guilt after both her parents die in a mysterious attack. She accepts an invitation to go live with her aunt in a castle in Spain where it seems she might find some family secrets and perhaps a solution to the mystery of her parents’ death. But she also meets a silver-eyed boy named Sebastian, who says he’s trapped in the castle and offers to help her. And as they investigate, they also start to develop feelings for each other.
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.
The Wolf At The Door (Big Bad Wolf Series) by Charlie Adhara
If you want a perfect blend between paranormal and mystery, try this series. It has 5 books in which you follow the story of an ex-FBI agent who gets roped into an investigation of a series of werewolf attacks and has to work with — you guessed it — a handsome werewolf partner to discover what happened and who did it. It’s spicy, swoony, and also has a plot that will keep you going, so I highly recommend reading this.
Mating the Huntress by Talia Hibbert
Talia Hibbert writes some of the best contemporary romance books ever, so it’s no wonder she also has some really good paranormal romances too. In this one, our heroine is a werewolf hunter and our hero is a werewolf. She’s supposed to kill him on sight but he’s determined to seduce her and prove to her that not all wolves are bad. This one is more spicy with less plot and the focus is on the romance, but sometimes you’re just in the mood for that, so give it a go when such a mood strikes.
Bear With Me by Lucy Eden
This is cute and silly, a perfect book to break you out of a reading slump and make you happy for an afternoon (it’s short, like 150 pages). The story follows Chellie, an influencer who has a major meltdown when her boyfriend publicly breaks up with her and gets engaged to someone else, which doesn’t make her sponsors happy. To rehab her reputation, she goes to a mountain resort where she meets its very grumpy owner (and a friendly bear?). Since both she and the resort need better PR, she decides to help out and along the way falls for this handsome lumberjack.
The Last Wolf by Maria Vale
This is a really good werewolf story about a werewolf woman named Silver who is despised by her pack and has no chance to find a mate or have a good life. Until, that is, she runs into a man named Tiberius, who appears human and is also severely beaten and wounded. She decides to risk it all to save him, but Tiberius isn’t all he seems. This book has really great world building and a delightful heroine, so give it a try!
My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine
My Roommate is a Vampire is another really silly but good story about an artist named Cassie who has to move into a spare bedroom in a strange apartment because she has no money. Things seem too good to be true, and her new roommate is weird too. He sleeps all day, goes out all night; but he also leaves lovely notes for her, looks really good shirtless, and he cares about her art. It’s only when Cassie discovers bags of blood in the fridge that she realizes why exactly everything seems so strange. The roommate is a vampire, and he has a proposition for her (don’t worry, he just wants her to teach him about the modern world, Frederick is a sweetie).
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch
Don’t let the cover trick you (though it’s so pretty, isn’t it?) into believing this is lighthearted! I mean it is, at times, but it goes a lot deeper than that. So the basic story is that these two very different people, from very different backgrounds, are fighting for the same research grant. Sebastian is a human, first of his military-going family to go to college, and Elethior is a half-elf and a member of the rich family who made their money in war. They do not like each other for various reasons, but they have to work together in the end. It’s a really lovely story about making the world a better place, dealing with trauma and with family as an adult, and so much more. I highly recommend it if you want something fun but also kind of deep.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
If you want a YA take on werewolves, I would suggest trying Shiver. I read this immediately after Twilight because I really wanted more werewolves, and I loved it. It’s much… healthier, I’d say than Twilight, and it has a good plotline while still having enough romance. The story begins with our heroine Grace, who’s been obsessed with the wolves in her backyard (sort of) since she was a child — and one yellow-eyed wolf in particular. When she meets a hauntingly familiar yellow-eyed boy, her whole world gets turned upside down. Sam is a wolf shifter, who is a winter away from being turned into a wolf permanently, and they have to figure out how to stop that.
The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
Este is overjoyed to finally get to go to a university her father attended (despite it being infamously haunted and riddled with student disappearances) and even more so to follow in her father’s footsteps. But she runs into this mysterious, teasing boy who frames her for stealing a book and he definitely is a ghost. So now she has to track him down or risk being expelled from the school. As she explores the school’s secrets, hidden hallways and rooms, she realizes that the haunting rumors and urban legends about students going missing are not just stories.
Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood) by J.R. Ward
Black Dagger Brotherhood series is sort of legendary in the paranormal romance space. It’s about vampire warriors, and Wrath specifically, the last purebred vampire and the king of the species. He wants revenge on the slayers who killed his parents. But when his best warrior is killed, he has to train his daughter Beth who doesn’t really know what she is. There’s 24 books to read, and each one is about a different couple. It’s a bit outdated and silly in places, and definitely more on the erotica side, but it has been going strong for years so you might like it.
Dark Prince (Dark Series) by Christine Feehan
This is another very long-running series that may be a bit old-school (it started in the 90s), but it’s a fan favorite and I couldn’t not include it. It’s about an immortal race called the Carpathians who need a lifemate or the darkness will consume them. Mikhail is reaching that point and he’s tired of being alone, until an oracle named Raven reaches out and the moment their minds touch they form a connection. Again, be warned that this book is old-fashioned and the hero makes some unwise choices, but you might enjoy the series if you like fated mates (and if you do end up liking this, you’re in for a treat because the series has 36 books).
Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse Series) by Charlaine Harris
If you ever watched True Blood and want to know where the story came from — well, this is it. It’s a story about a cocktail waitress who can read people’s minds (and hates it, of course) until one day a vampire walks in and she can’t read his mind at all. Sort of a reverse Bella and Edward situation. And then a series of murders happen and they have to investigate them together.
Written in Red (The Others Series) by Anne Bishop
If you want slightly less spice, and more worldbuilding, this series is for you. It’s a very slow burn story about a human oracle (or blood prophet) who’s on the run from her captors and lands straight into the business district of Others (shapeshifters). Simon Wolfguard is not happy to hire her because he senses something off, but hire her he does, and so their romance begins (again, very slowly).
If you enjoy slow burn romance, these books will steal your heart!
Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega Series) by Patricia Briggs
If you liked Mercy Thompson, you might like this other series by Patricia Briggs. It’s set in the same world as Mercy Thompson, but it’s about Anna who is a wolf omega and has spent years abused by her pack before Charles saves her from that bad situation. They both find healing in each other, as Charles is on the hunt for a rogue werewolf and they encounter a lot of danger.
