Instant gratification is out, and soul-crushing obsession is in. Not the cute kind of yearning that gives you butterflies, but rather the kind that makes you slightly uncomfortable. The kind that has you questioning your sanity and wondering just how far you’d go to get what you want. Of course, wanting something we can’t have isn’t new, but these three books take desire beyond simple longing and explore what happens when it becomes something much harder to control.
Trigger Warning: Titles may contain potentially triggering content, such as murder, suicidal thoughts, and past child abuse. Please exercise personal care while reading and read all trigger/content warnings before purchasing.
HOT PICK
Evil Genius by Claire Oshetsky
SYNOPSIS:
Nineteen-year-old telephone operator Celia Dent lives a controlled life with her domineering husband, Drew, in San Francisco in 1974. When she hears that a woman she knows was murdered by her husband after a romantic rendezvous gone wrong, Celia becomes fascinated by the kind of passion that could turn deadly. Her new curiosity about whether love could kill begins to bleed into her own life through dark fantasies, violence toward her husband, and marksmanship lessons at the gun range.
WHY:
Claire Oshetsky’s Evil Genius is a comic noir about the dangers that follow a young woman who dares to imagine a better life for herself. Celia is rebellious in her obsession. She doesn’t just want another life partner; she yearns for a new life, and because she has so little agency over the one she’s living, her desires take a darker, more violent turn. Oshetsky’s novel is perfect for readers who want to explore the burning temptation of disobedience and the possibility of a better life waiting on the other side.
COFFEE SHOP
Jean by Madeleine Dunnigan
SYNOPSIS:
Jean is a seventeen-year-old student attending an alternative boarding school for troubled boys in 1970s England. Even among the outcasts, Jean feels like an outsider: his mother is a German-Jewish refugee, he’s attending on a scholarship, and he’s struggling academically. When Tom, a wealthy and popular classmate, befriends Jean, he no longer feels so alone. Soon, their relationship turns romantic, and Jean finds himself increasingly infatuated — not just with Tom, but with what it feels like to be wanted.
WHY:
Jean by Madeleine Dunnigan reminds us that desire doesn’t have to be purely romantic or sexual to be consuming. Both Jean and Tom are deeply flawed, and their relationship is just as much an exploration of queer youth as it is a desperate desire to feel chosen and wanted. If you’re a fan of Call Me By Your Name and want something with a dark academia vibe, Jean is for you!
DARK HORSE
Heap Earth Upon It by Chloe Michelle Howarth
SYNOPSIS:
Four orphaned O’Leary siblings arrive in the rural town of Ballycrea, Ireland under strange circumstances. Evasive about their past but desperate for a fresh start, the siblings are taken in by Bill and Betty Nevan, an older, well-respected couple who always wanted children of their own. Slowly, one of the O’Leary sisters, Anna, grows increasingly attached to Betty. That attachment soon develops into obsession, while the O’Learys’ secrets threaten to destroy the future they’re trying to build.
WHY:
Chloe Michelle Howarth, author of Sunburn, explores queer yearning and repression with a dark twist. As the title suggests, we all have thoughts, feelings, or past experiences that we intentionally or subconsciously repress. While the O’Leary family tries to bury their past, Anna tries to do the same to her feelings; neither can be repressed. Howarth’s Gothic story is perfect for fans of sapphic obsession and slow-burning stories where you can feel something luring beneath the surface.
Desire can make us do strange things: push us towards freedom, make us desperate to be wanted, or turn yearning into obsession. If you enjoyed this week’s Three To Read and yearn for more, then make sure to come back for more themed recommendations!
Click here for more dark romance recommendations: check out 12 Bully Romances You’ll Want to Binge in One Sitting!
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