Phew! clutches pearls Did you just binge-read Den of Vipers and now you’re sitting there like, “Wait… why did I enjoy that?” 🙃 Same, friend. SAME. One minute you’re sipping tea, the next you’re knee-deep in morally ambiguous hotties, questionable life choices, and enough tension to power a small city. And guess what? No shame here. We’ve all side-eyed our Kindle at 2 AM whispering, “This is fine… right?”
It’s a full-blown experience. 😮💨 One that grabs you by the throat, drags you into its dark, twisted world, and doesn’t let go until you’re emotionally wrecked, questioning your morals, and maybe… just a little in love with violent, possessive antiheroes who should definitely be illegal.
Books similar to Den of Vipers are the literary equivalent of sneaking into a forbidden nightclub. The bouncer (your conscience) is like, “Should you be here?” and you’re like, “BUT THE VIPERS THO.” So if you’re craving more stories where love wears leather, redemption comes with a side of chaos, and the only rule is “no rules”… be ready, buttercup. We’re into the den. 🖤
And now, here you are. Hungry for more. More morally gray men with dangerous pasts, more unhinged love stories that make your heart race for all the wrong (or right?) reasons, and more scenes so intense you have to look around like—uh, is this even legal?! 🤯
Well, my fellow dark romance addict, you’re in the right place. I’ve rounded up a list of books that deliver that same wild, no-holds-barred, “am I okay??” kind of energy that Den of Vipers gave us. So, pour yourself a stiff drink 🍷, and prepare to descend even deeper into the chaos.
Just… maybe don’t read these in public unless you enjoy giving strangers a free show of your flustered expressions. 👀🔥
7 Books Like Den of Vipers (Reverse Harem)
Den of Vipers is full of real-world themes like trauma, abuse, acceptance, self-love, self-growth, and stuff that is beautifully woven into a sexy story. The storyline follows basic mobsters fighting for control of the city, which is the external plot.
But the internal plot is the romance between the main character and the harem of guys. Roxy has had a lot of physical abuse from her childhood, taking ownership of that. There are so many moments in this book where the author utilizes real-world themes of trauma.
I will discuss 7 mafia polyamorous books similar to Den of Vipers. These novels cover the character’s psyche, growth, and transformation. Characters face internal and external challenges, leading to profound changes in their personalities and actions. Let’s go!
| Name | Key Focus | Tropes |
|---|---|---|
| Resurrection by Siobhan Davis | A young woman navigates love and betrayal amidst dark secrets in a small town. | Enemies-to-lovers, love triangle, hidden identity, dark past, small-town secrets, high school romance, revenge plot, family drama. |
| Lilac by B.B. Reid | A rock star’s dark past collides with a young woman’s innocence, leading to love, secrets, and redemption. | Rock star romance, enemies-to-lovers, tortured hero, hidden trauma, redemption arc, age gap, forbidden love, dark past. |
| Sacrifice by Kate Pearce | A woman is thrust into a world of dark passions and ancient feuds in a paranormal realm. | Paranormal romance, fated mates, ancient feuds, mystical realms, power struggles, forbidden love, destiny vs. free will, supernatural abilities. |
| Idol Thoughts by J. S. Lee | A Korean girl struggles with her career. | Music, Reverse-harem, Interracial love, Inspiration. |
| A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon | A young woman finds herself amidst sensual mysteries and supernatural beings in a secluded manor. | A young woman is amidst sensual mysteries and supernatural beings in a secluded manor. |
| The Beast by Katee Robert | A modern retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” set in the mafia underworld. | Beauty and the Beast retelling, mafia romance, enemies-to-lovers, tortured hero, captivity romance, dark past, revenge plot. |
| Knightfall by Ann Denton | A girl is trying to save her sister, and she faces many problems. | Magic, Vampire, Fae, Dragon. |
| Corrupt by Penelope Douglas | Four former golden boys seek revenge against a girl from their past, leading to a dangerous game of seduction and power. | Dark romance, revenge plot, enemies-to-lovers, high school hierarchies, second chance romance, rich and privileged protagonists, twisted love games. |
| Credence by Penelope Douglas | A young woman’s secluded life in the mountains leads to complex relationships with the three men she’s with, challenging societal norms and personal boundaries. | Forbidden love, age gap, love triangle, isolation, stepfamily dynamics, self-discovery, taboo romance, nature setting. |
| Ruthless People by J.J. McAvoy | Two powerful mafia heirs are united in a marriage of convenience, leading to a tumultuous relationship built on power, loyalty, and unexpected attraction. | Mafia romance, arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers, power dynamics, criminal underworld, love amidst danger, strong-willed protagonists. |
1. Resurrection: The Sainthood – Boys of Lowell High
Resurrection is the first book in the Sainthood series. This is not standalone, and this is a high school bully dramatic. We have gang and past trauma. Everything in this is over the top and dramatic. Harlow is our main character, and it starts with her dad dying, and she goes to a party and hooks up with the four guys. She knows who they are and doesn’t expect to see them again for the whole summer without seeing them again.
Then, on the first day of her senior year of high school, the four guys walk in. They’ve all transferred because they are taking over the high school for their junior gang, so the gangs have senior members. Then, if you’re in high school, you’re a junior member, and these guys are the head of the junior chapter for their gang, and she is trying to dismantle them.
Author: Siobhan Davis
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Romantic Erotica
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
2. Lilac: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
Lilac is about a girl, and she is a musician. She ends up joining one of her favorite bands, and something happens. If you’re in a band for a long time, you’re stuck with the same people’s friendships. All that stuff ends up falling apart, which happened in this band. She shows up. They don’t want her there.
This book is full of rock star romance and reverses harem as Den of Vipers. You will see Braxton and her group of guys at the beginning, focusing on building up the music and focusing on that portion of the story. Slowly, their relationships grew from there.
Author: B.B. Reid
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: New Adult & College Romance
Available: Paperback | Kindle
3. Sacrifice (Tribute)
Like Den Of Vipers, this is a vampire polyamorous reverse harem-type story. Our main character is a half-vampire, half-human. Her father ends up sending her off to the vampire to be human. There’s chemistry she finds attractive upon meeting Rehz Akran. The next thing she finds more attractive about him is that he doesn’t buy anything with her.
Initially, he wants consent, and he wants her full consent to make an informed decision about whether she wants to be with him. In this world, when a pureblood vampire bites, it makes cum. So, knowing that he wants to make an informed decision and be with her, who wants to be with him of her own free will? They have this chemistry, and slowly, they start to build this relationship, and she feels more comfortable with him.
Author: Kate Pearce
Average Rating: 3.8/5
Category: Science Fiction Erotica
Available: Paperback | Kindle
4. Idol Thoughts (H3RO)
This is about a very likable girl and she lives in Texas. She has a powerful, persevering attitude. She finds out that her birth father recently passed away, and she is inheriting half of his company, a music label in the K-pop industry in South Korea. So she ends up going and taking over part of it.
Her half-brother is the villain of the story. You have this one group of guys who are not the main group in this record label, and she has to be their manager. We can tell that this will be a lot of fun and a great time. If you are interested in K-pop stories, this book is pretty much for you after Den of Vipers.
Author: J. S. Lee
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Asian American Literature, Romance
Available: Paperback | Kindle
5. A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor (Tempting Monsters)
It’s one of the books that many new people to the reverse harem genre have been reading recently. It is about Monster House and a sex freak-girl, Esther. She is an escort for the monsters who pay for membership and enjoy what she does. Again, the main character is another strong, independent woman who accepts the monsters for who they are.
You see different characters from literary fiction like The Invisible Man and a couple of other ones that she gets into her harem. It had a ton of spicy scenes and a lot of intrigue and mystery along the way. This is one to read if you want to see a spicy monster romance like Den Of Vipers.
Author: Kathryn Moon
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Historical & Paranormal Erotica
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
6. The Beast (Wicked Villains)
The Beast is a Disney villain’s retelling, which takes place in the same world as the rest of Katee’s stories. The characters interact with each other because there’s a club. It’s called Hades, or the character’s name that owns it, but it’s an underworld club. Moreover, everybody’s a member of it, and they end up having BDSM relationships.
You have a polyamorous relationship, so all three are in a relationship together. These are quick, fun, and steamy reads. Check this book out if you like Disney retellings and Den of Vipers.
Author: Katee Robert
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Romantic Suspense
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
7. Knightfall (Tangled Crowns)
This is a fantasy reverse harem series, and there are more men than women in this world. So, having four men to one woman as a family unit is normal. It is about the Crown Princess who ran away. She finds a threat against her younger sister, who is now the acting crown princess. So she goes back to the palace to take care of her and faces the four men she jilted at the altar. It is another one where they take a little while to be nice to her, but you get there in this first book.
The magic system is interesting because you have a price to pay for any magic you use, similar to Den Of Vipers. Her price is hidden from the general public. The whole series has many different things and lots of vampire sex. So, the Princess is a lost virgin vampire queen, and her knights find her initially. There are all things that she didn’t know. The plot gets bigger and bigger, and in this reverse haram, she holds all the power. So, all the men are good to her, and they will do anything she wants.
Author: Ann Denton
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Romantic Fantasy
Available: Paperback | Kindle
8. Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
Corrupt is a dark romance set against the backdrop of a prestigious prep school where secrets and old rivalries lurk. Erika Fane is drawn to Michael Crist, a man she’s known but never truly understood. As past actions come to light, the story unravels a complex revenge game. Douglas brilliantly weaves a narrative of tension, passion, and unexpected twists. The boundary between love and hate is blurred, creating a visceral reading experience.
9. Credence by Penelope Douglas
In the remote mountains of Colorado, “Credence” tells the tale of Tiernan de Haarte, an orphaned teenager sent to live with her step-uncle and his two adult sons. The isolation breeds intense and unexpected relationships, challenging societal norms. Douglas crafts a provocative and compelling story, delving into themes of love, consent, and family ties. The atmospheric setting adds a layer of tension and intrigue.
10. Ruthless People by J.J. McAvoy
Ruthless People plunges readers into the Irish and Italian mafia world, where power, loyalty, and revenge are the order of the day. Melody Nicci Giovanni and Liam Callahan enter a marriage of convenience, merging their powerful families. However, the undercurrents of attraction and shared ambitions make their relationship far more complex. McAvoy masterfully combines action, suspense, and steamy romance, crafting ruthless and deeply human characters.
Amidst the darkness, many of these novels touch on themes of redemption, healing, and personal growth, balancing the intense narratives. They cover the characters’ psychology, giving readers insight into motivations, traumas, and desires, making the story more engaging and multifaceted.
Last Words
Alright, you gorgeous chaos gremlin, it’s time to close this tab… or not. Reading dark romance is like adopting a feral cat—thrilling, a little dangerous, and guaranteed to keep your heart rate spicy. 🌶️
Before you vanish into your next “who hurt you?” rabbit hole, do me a solid: Stock up on snacks, charge your e-reader, and maybe text a friend your location. These books? They’re the kind that’ll make you check your locks at midnight and wonder, “Do I need therapy… or a sequel?” (Por que no los dos?)
Drop a comment with your latest toxic fave—or scream into the void with me. We’re all out here chasing that adrenaline rush… and possibly a fictional villain to “fix.” 😏
P.S. If a guy with snake tattoos knocks on your door? Let him in. (Kidding. …Unless?) 🚪💋
Happy reading, you beautiful menace. May your drama stay fictional and your book boyfriends stay… problematic. ✨📖
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