Paranormal romance books, explained: Why this supernatural genre has readers swooning
![Portrait of Clare Mulroy](https://cdn.statically.io/img/usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/06/03/USAT/73954566007-clare-mulroy-headshots-02.jpg?crop=2972,2973,x0,y421&width=48&height=48&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
You can say a lot of things about the âTwilightâ books and movies, but you canât say they didnât make an impact. The campy romance ushered in a renewed interest in paranormal love stories (and fan fiction).
The paranormal romance genre exists a bit at the fringes. It has a diehard fan base, of course, but you likely wonât find swoon-worthy supernatural creatures as the next Reeseâs Book Club pick.
Itâs also much more than vampires and werewolves. Hereâs what makes the genre so alluring to readers.
What is paranormal romance?
Paranormal romance falls under the broader romance category and, as the name suggests, contains otherworldly characters or elements in a recognizable world. While romantasy (a portmanteau of âromanceâ and âfantasyâ) is usually fully fantastical, paranormal romance is set closer to reality.
Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist
As such, the paranormal details often have an element of absurdity â a ghost, alien, witch or fairy showing up in a non-magical society. In some stories, a human character falls in love with a paranormal one, like a werewolf or a vampire. In others, both characters exist in a paranormal context.
Even still, recent releases are blurring the lines between paranormal romance and romantasy. New releases have monsters and dragons, typical of strict fantasy novels. Some play with contemporary romance tropes, says Niah Freed, a BookTok influencer.
âPeople are taking more risks when it comes to paranormal romance,â Freed says.
Diverse human characters are among those updates as well. Freed, who has been a paranormal romance reader since she was in middle school, noticed older books often centered around a âshrinking violetâ white, female protagonist who needs a hunky male (insert paranormal character here) to save her. Newer releases are more diverse, featuring strong-willed leads of color or queer storylines.
âPeople are more receptive about wanting to have characters that are layered and that are able to feel and be multifaceted,â Freed says.
Why you should read paranormal romance
Escapism is a key draw for the paranormal romance genre.
âIt lets (readers) explore a romance perhaps that they wouldnât have been able to experience in our world,â says Lizzy Mason, publicity director at Entangled Publishing. âOne of the main elements that I love about romantasy and paranormal romance is that it usually has such an unputdownable, immersive reading experience.â
Themes of empowerment â female agency, self-actualization and choice â also make the genre enticing.
And for romance readers, itâs an easier genre to ease into than diving headfirst into fantasy, says Ashley Doliber, the senior director of marketing strategy at Entangled Publishing.
âOftentimes those stories, at least traditionally, are set in our modern world so it feels recognizable and feels a little bit more like your daily life,â Doliber says.
âVampires are hot,â Freed also jokes. âIâm positive thatâs probably the reason I picked up my very first one. It was not deep.â
Freed is a fantasy reader. She loves a book that takes her outside of reality and stretches her imagination. Paranormal romances do just that. But itâs not just a genre for romance or fantasy lovers, says Freed. Sheâd recommend the genre to any type of reader. Because itâs so established, thereâs something for everyone.
Common paranormal romance tropes
Like its peers in the broader genre, paranormal romances often follows romance tropes, but with fantastical twist.
Thereâs the âfated mateâ or âtrue mateâ trope, where a character has one match just for them. It makes for a comforting read, Freed says, knowing âno matter what I do, or what happens, this person is always going to love me.â
But sometimes, pairings start a little rockier. You may see the âenemies to loversâ or even âfriends to loversâ tropes. Theyâre not as common in paranormal romance as they are in classic romance, but newer books lean on them more, Freed says.
Thereâs often one âalphaâ or more dominant character, typically in werewolf stories (though the shoe can certainly fit with other paranormal duos). It may go hand-in-hand with the âtouch her and you dieâ trope, where the alpha character will do anything to protect their lover.
Perhaps most beloved by readers is the âoutsiderâ trope. These supernatural creatures exist on the outskirts of society, either because they canât relate to others or because theyâve been pushed there â that changes when they find love and unexpected community.
âThat probably really resonated with me when I was 12 and 13,â Freed says. âIt still does and probably always will.â
Best paranormal romance books
âTwilightâ by Stephanie Myers is one of the most well-known paranormal romances, but that doesnât mean it has to be your first foray into the genre. Here are some reads that Freed, Mason and Doliber recommend:
- âBrideâ by Ali Hazelwood
- âDark City Omegaâ by Elizabeth Stephens
- âMating the Huntressâ by Talia Hibbert
- âTwo Scoops of Hellfireâ by Kimberly Lemming
- âAngels' Bloodâ by Nalini Singh
- âDark Loverâ by J.R. Ward
- âThe Undertaking of Hart and Mercyâ by Megan Bannen
- âWitchful Thinkingâ by Celestine Martin
- âCemetery Boysâ by Aiden Thomas
- âPayback's a Witchâ by Lana Harper
- âEven Though I Knew the Endâ by C.L. Polk
- âThe Wren in the Holly Libraryâ by K.A. Linde
- âSweet Nightmareâ by Tracy Wolff
Try cozy mystery next:How this genre combines crime with comfort
Just Curious for more? We've got you covered.
USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "How to return a book on Audible?" to "What makes the best children's book?" to "How to write a poem" â we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.