In your lifetime, have you experienced bullying? Why do you think people bully each other? Sometimes, it can be insecurity or jealousy, or they might be taking out their negative feelings. They might even regret it later, but you won’t know. Then, you can learn to deal with it in your own space and time before you take it to anyone else.
Try to figure out what are the reasons that make me bully others. Once you’ve identified your triggers, it’s important to talk to someone outside of the situation who can give them advice, perspective, and guidance. That could be a parent or a teacher, and you can always talk to ChildLine. So bullying can affect your life, also it has a romantic side. In high school, a boy/girl bullies in front of their enemies and crushes them. Sometimes, bullying with a crush turns into a romantic relationship.
This article will be a romance recommendation focusing on books with the high school bully romance trope. So, this is one of my favorites. It’s like enemies to lovers, but it usually occurs in high school. There’s a rivalry between the two leads, leading to a romance later. A lot of these tend to fall into the dark romance category. Some have more mature themes, but I have many recommendations for you.
15 High School Bully Romance Books (Teen Romance)
High school bully romance captivates readers with its unique portrayal of love. These novels explore the intricate dynamics between two, where one is the bully and the other the victim. They show the dark side of love and challenge traditional notions of attraction. The stories offer us a glimpse into relationships’ complex and controversial aspects – the dark side of love. They explore power dynamics and the psychological intricacies of attraction.
We’ve been talking about bullying in school situations and classrooms, but bullying can happen at any age. You could be a bully at 30 as easily as you could bully someone at 11. It can happen in clubs or family situations.
From high school to family life, the bully is common in our whole life. But it happens mostly in high school and college as the age is very emotional and competitive. If you like bully romance, then you are in the right place. I will discuss 15 high school bully romance books for you. Let’s go!
Name | Storyline | Tropes |
---|---|---|
Dirty Wicked Prince by Eden O’Neill | A dark high school romance involving a cruel, elite prince and a defiant girl, marked by power struggles, twisted games, and intense confrontations. | Dark high school romance, elite privilege, confrontation, cruelty, twisted games, power dynamics, cliffhanger ending. |
Cross the Line by Becca Steele | An M/M high school enemies-to-lovers sports romance involving secret desires and mutual resentment. | M/M romance, high school, enemies-to-lovers, sports, secret relationships, resentment, standalone narrative. |
Bully by Penelope Douglas | A gripping journey of a young woman navigating through emotional turmoil and complex dynamics with her childhood friend, who becomes her bully and love interest. | New adult, high school, enemies-to-lovers, bullying, complex relationships, emotional growth, redemption. |
Love Me Never by Sara Wolf | A dark, comedic young adult novel about a teenage girl’s struggles with love and high school, marked by a personal vendetta against a popular boy and dealing with her own past trauma. | Young adult, dark comedy, high school, personal vendetta, bullying, heartbreak, secret past, revenge, complex character development. |
Paper Princess by Erin Watt | A poor girl thrust into a world of wealth and privilege, navigating complex family dynamics and romance within a luxurious yet troubled high society. | Riches to rags to riches, High school drama, Love triangle, Cinderella, Family secrets and drama, Bad boy interest. |
Wicked Lies Boys Tell by K Webster | An intense, emotional MM romance exploring the transformation from friends to enemies to lovers amidst a backdrop of emotional turmoil and blurred lines between truth and lies. | MM romance, friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, emotional complexity, angst, blurred reality, transformative relationships. |
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas | A tale of unexpected friendship and self-discovery, featuring Misha and Ryen, two high school students who connect through a pen-pal program and confront their true selves versus their public personas. | Pen-pal relationship, self-discovery, identity and trust exploration, high school cliques, emotional rollercoaster, authenticity, genuine connections, contrasting public and private selves. |
Stepbrother Dearest by Penelope Ward | A complex and emotional romance exploring themes of conflict, forgiveness, and growth in the turbulent relationship between step-siblings Elec and Greta. | Step-sibling romance, high school setting, negging hero, emotional turmoil, family dynamics, conflicted relationships, character growth. |
Make You Beg by Shantel Tessier | A dark and intense bully romance focusing on Henley’s struggle against her former friends’ revenge and betrayal. | Dark romance, bullying, betrayal, revenge, emotional turmoil, psychological conflict, complex relationships. |
Nero by Sarah Brianne | A steamy, high-stakes romance involving the son of a mafia boss and a mistreated high school girl, set against a backdrop of power dynamics and emotional complexity. | Steamy romance, high school setting, alpha male, mafia involvement, abuse and survival, power dynamics, unexpected romance. |
Deviant King by Rina Kent | A gripping dark romance set in a high school, featuring a complex relationship between a dominant anti-hero and a strong yet troubled female protagonist, filled with suspense, challenges, and emotional depth. | Dark high school romance, anti-hero, strong female protagonist, suspense, emotional trauma, complex relationships, power dynamics, cliffhanger ending. |
Vicious by L.J. Shen | A turbulent romance between a troubled, complex man and a strong-willed woman, marked by a blend of intense emotions, deep-seated conflicts, and a journey towards understanding and redemption. | Complex characters, love-hate relationship, emotional depth, personal transformation, social disparity, past and present narrative, intense romance dynamics. |
Angry God by L.J. Shen | A dark, emotional romance exploring themes of first love, redemption, and confronting past traumas, centered on the complex character Vaughn Spencer in a high school setting. | First love, second chances, and overcoming significant losses at a young age. |
Cruel Prince by Ashley Jade | A gripping tale of bully romance and second chances, exploring intense emotional dynamics and tumultuous pasts between Dylan and Jace. | Bully romance, dual perspectives, emotional turmoil, second chances, angst, complex relationships, high school drama. |
Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan | A sixteen-year-old who endures a challenging and abusive home life with her aunt. | Abusive parents, high school setting, Secret relationship, Trauma and recovery, Coming of age, Love interest, Friendship dynamics. |
1. Dirty Wicked Prince (Court Legacy)
This one follows a girl (Noa Sloane) who grew up with a father who didn’t always have a steady job after being bounced around from different school districts her whole life. Her father passes away, so she and her brother are left to his friend with her brother. They move in with him. He’s super-rich, lives in a luxurious town, and they attend a private school.
At this school, some boys run everything. It’s always like a guy with three friends known to rule the school. They have some family heritage that makes them elite to everybody else. Noa’s tough and doesn’t take it when they’re trying to bully her. So, it starts a feud, and the story goes from there.
Author: Eden O’Neill
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Fiction about Alternative Families, Loners & Outcasts Fiction (Best Seller)
Number Of Pages: 319
Available: Paperback | Kindle
2. Cross the Line (Alstone High)
This is a shorter novella book, but it’s an excellent read to hit a reading goal and get more books in for your monthly reads. It is about a boy (Preston) who moves from America to the UK. He tries out for the soccer team and takes the popular guy’s spot who was suspended from the team.
Kian is unhappy that this new kid is coming in and taking his spot. Preston is openly gay, but not to the team yet. They form an enemy thing, and it goes from there. At first, Kian bullies Preston, but he feels something special over time. I liked the enemies-to-lovers bully aspect and the gay romance of this one.
Author: Becca Steele
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Gay Erotica
Number Of Pages: 130
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
3. Bully (Fall Away)
Without mentioning this one, I couldn’t have made a high school bully romance book. It is a part of the Fall Away series, but you can read the first book standalone. It’s about a girl and a guy (Tate and Jared) who grew up as best friends. One summer, Jared stays with his dad and returns to a completely changed person. They’re no longer friends. He has this hatred towards her that she doesn’t understand.
Tate’s finally fed up with it and decides that she will fight back and not let him rule her life and be mean to her. So we’re seeing them through their senior year and how their interactions occur. It’s the perfect bully romance, and it doesn’t have that aspect of all the friends who rule the school. Jared’s random guy happens to have vengeance for her for some odd reason that we don’t know about until we read.
Author: Penelope Douglas
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Contemporary Romance Fiction
Number Of Pages: 333
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
4. Love Me Never (Lovely Vicious)
The story is about a girl (Blake) who recently moved to a new school. She’s similar to the girl from the first book, and she’s very obsessive and does her own thing. One night, she goes to a party where Jack Hunter is popular. She makes fun of one of the girls with whom she’s at the party and punches him in the face. Also, she makes up a rumor that he kissed her and that she wasn’t into it.
Jack doesn’t like that. So a feud ensues between these two, a bully war happens, and the story progresses. Blake was fantastic; it was such a change of pace for a romance protagonist. So I highly recommend it.
Author: Sara Wolf
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Contemporary Romance
Number Of Pages: 256
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
5. Paper Princess (The Royals)
This is the first book in The Royals series. You don’t have to read the whole series. This is about a girl (Ella Harper) whose mother passed away. Her father has never been around, and she subjects herself to stripping. Even though she’s 17 years old and one of her dad’s old friends takes her in, he has five sons. They’re not happy with the fact that she’s staying with them. So they make it their mission to make her life difficult by bullying.
One guy (Reed Royal), in particular, is the meanest. He’s the one that’s the love interest. The whole bullying aspect made the story super interesting. It got crazier and crazier as you continued. So you could read book one, but you’ll want to continue after reading the first book because it’s that wild.
Author: Erin Watt
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Humorous Fiction
Number Of Pages: 286
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
6. Wicked Lies Boys Tell
This book follows two boys who were once best friends. Something strains their relationship, and they become mortal enemies at school. It’s more so that one of them hates the other one. There was a bad boy, and one was antisocial. The one dorky guy is a different level of character that you don’t see much in enemies to lovers.
So I enjoyed that aspect, but I loved the friend to lover romance in this one. If you haven’t read it, it is standalone. So it was the one book, but it’s worth the read. It is a male-male romance, so you can avoid it if you are not used to it.
Author: K Webster
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Gay & Lesbian Romance
Number Of Pages: 276
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
7. Punk 57
This book dealt with a boy and a girl (Misha & Ryen). They were paired up as pen pals when they were in high school. As the years progressed, they continued to write to each other. The book starts with Misha, a happy-go-lucky guy, especially in his letters to Ryen. But something tragic happens, affecting his perspective on life and making him very angry.
Misha ends up transferring schools to be with Ryen. He knows it’s her, but she does not know it’s him. They had promised each other not to look each other up. He breaks that promise, and he knows that it’s her. She’s been talking to her whole life over letters, and he is mean to her. I wouldn’t expect this plot to go that way, where they become enemies at school. But that’s how it goes, and this book is a wild ride.
Author: Penelope Douglas
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Coming of Age Fiction
Number Of Pages: 343
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
8. Stepbrother Dearest
This book follows a girl (Greta) in high school when her mother remarried, and her stepdad has a son who doesn’t live with him. But Elec moves in for his senior year of high school, so she’s never met him. They have a rocky start immediately, and he’s super mean to her. He doesn’t want to be there, but she can’t help but push his buttons and make him a little agitated.
So they have an enemy arc and a bully aspect. The rest of the book takes place seven years later after something happens. It might seem weird that their step-siblings only know each other in that sense for about three months of their whole life. So, if you think this will be weird, I recommend still checking it out.
Author: Penelope Ward
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Social Abuse & Erotica
Number Of Pages: 232
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
9. Make You Beg: A Dark Bully Romance
This is another one that’s the style of multiple guys who are rude towards Henley. She ends up having a relationship with one of them. Also, she was best friends with these guys, but something happened that made them her enemies and made them all hate her. So she’s at school with them, constantly getting bullied and ridiculed by them, even though they were her friends at some point.
You’re unraveling why that is what happened. Also, Henley does have a relationship with two guys, not just one. So, I’m curious to see how that happens in the different styles of the bully.
Author: Shantel Tessier
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Sports & Psychological Fiction
Number Of Pages: 489
Available: Paperback | Kindle
10. Nero (Made Men)
The story is about a guy called Nero, the son of a mob boss, and a girl named Elle. She is pretty poor and works as a waitress after school to help pay for her tuition. One night, when she’s finishing work, she witnesses a murder, and the mob boss decides to send his son to insert himself into his life and find out what he can about what she knows. It’s so ridiculous.
The story is mad and trashy but very enjoyable. The writing was pretty poor, which was a problem for me. The dialogue was juvenile and cringy. These people are supposed to be about 17, and they spoke and acted as if they were about 12 years old, which was off-putting at first. But as it progressed, I got into it. So Elle and Nero together are excellent. Nero is possessive and jealous, but he’s sweet and protective and puts himself out there for all, which is fantastic.
So, in this book, old-school life is pretty miserable. This is a buddy romance, and Elle isn’t attacked by Nero specifically, but he doesn’t do anything to stop it. He never intervenes, even though he could. He always sits by and lets it happen until he is tasked with putting himself in her life. Then he changes lives, which is fantastic, even though he is selfish and does it for selfish reasons. The chemistry between them was brilliant.
Author: Sarah Brianne
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Crime Romance
Number Of Pages: 401
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
11. Deviant King (Royal Elite)
Aidan King is your typical prep school rich, the famous main character, and Elsa Quinn is the stereotypical heroine. She’s pretty poor, as seems to be the trope in these books. She’s bullied and has a pretty miserable time of it at school. Elsa has a best friend who has a hard time protecting her. These girls aren’t tortured in the way that the characters from Nero were, but there’s a pretty shitty time of it.
Aiden is the cause of all of Elsa’s grief from her first day at school and decides that he will put a target on his back. He ensures the entire school knows he hates her and doesn’t have her protection. From the start, it is a bit of a deck. It gets worse. Also, he is very abusive. So, if that is going to be triggering for you, do not read it because this book is very physically violent.
It’s very manipulative and psychologically abusive, but Aiden is physically violent with her, a problem for many people. Then, the chemistry between them is nuts. It’s still a fun story.
Author: Rina Kent
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Sports Romance
Number Of Pages: 362
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
12. Vicious (Sinners of Saint)
The story for this one is wonderful. It’s told from a dual perspective, and you get past and present or past and future. Vicious is a stereotypical hero. He runs the school, and his parents employ the heroine’s parents as staff members in that large estate. Emilia is the main character, and her parents are servants. She goes to the same school as Vicious and all of the fancy, miss-rich kids in the area because she lives in the geographical area. It is a normal public high school in America.
Vicious causes Emilia to flee her hometown and leave early in the book, and they meet up again as adults. He is a lawyer running his farm and company with some friends. Emilia is a starving artist, pretty much. She works for him through a series of events, and they reconnect. Now, she didn’t like him when they were kids. Also, Vicious didn’t want her when they were kids, and he doesn’t like her now.
So it’s an enemy to love a romance, which is brilliant. It’s a second-chance romance, too. But these guys are awful and amazing together at the same time. It’s pretty toxic. All of these books are romance, and they’re not particularly happy relationships, but there’s something about this one that works. So Vicious is your typical alpha hole. He’s controlling and rude, but he’s also caring in the way that he’s possessive, and you root for them.
Author: L.J. Shen
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Action & Adventure Romance Fiction
Number Of Pages: 340
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
13. Angry God(All Saints High)
This is about two kids attending a private art school in England. When they’re older, they decide to go to an American high school for whatever reason before returning to the art school as they age. Something happens at the beginning of this book, which kicks off events when they are kids, then flashes forward.
Our main characters are Vaughn and Lenora. Vaughn is very alcoholic and arrogant. Everyone loves him, and pandering to him is rude. He’s emotionally closed off and stunted. But Lenora is the opposite. She’s vibrant and full of life. They are both talented art students, and they’re competing for the same position at this prestigious art school that they want to go to.
Throughout the book, you get involved in the twisted web they’ve been involved with since they were kids. You will understand their motivations and why they dislike each other so much.
Author: L.J. Shen
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: European Geography & Cultures Fiction
Number Of Pages: 386
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
14. Cruel Prince (Royal Hearts Academy)
This series has four books, and I’ll tell you what the first book follows. The first book is Cruel Prince, which follows Dylan, a childhood friend of a young boy called Jace. But she moved away for most of the school, returning in her senior year of high school. Then she returns, and he has this massive grudge against her.
Jace hates her, and she doesn’t understand why. So it’s all about that. He bullies her, and we’ll have to wait and see what happens. They have nice, funny, light-hearted moments. I find one character funny, but he has a very sad story throughout the series.
Author: Ashley Jade
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Academic Sports Romance
Number Of Pages: 408
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
15. Reason to Breathe (Breathing)
This book follows Emma, a young girl who’s made to live with her aunt and uncle. Her cousins and her aunt abuse her. Emma falls in love with a boy in her class called Evan. She wants to stay under the radar. But he sees her and falls in love with her, and it’s a lovely story. Certain situations are stressful.
So it’s quite dark, and if you don’t like triggering books like that, I wouldn’t recommend this one. It’s a story that stays in your mind for a long time. Many of you might have read it, but it’s an older book. Some of you might have passed over it. So It’s a sad girl who falls in love.
Author: Rebecca Donovan
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Realistic Fiction, Dark Romance
Number Of Pages: 466
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
5 Dark High School Bully Romance Books
Dark high school bully romance books are a subgenre of young adult or new adult fiction with intense, sometimes controversial themes. These stories typically revolve around characters facing complex and challenging relationships in a high school setting. Here are five books in this category:
“Paper Princess” by Erin Watt (The Royals Series): This book introduces a world of wealth, excess, and intrigue as Ella Harper finds herself thrust into the lives of the rich and privileged Royal family. The story includes bullying, romance, and drama in a high school setting.
“Bully” by Penelope Douglas (Fall Away Series): This novel focuses on Tate and Jared, who used to be close friends until Jared turned against her. The story explores their complicated relationship and the thin line between love and hate in a high school environment.
“Fear Me” by B.B. Reid (Broken Love Series): The book tells the story of Lake Monroe and Keiran Masters. It’s a tale of revenge, power, and a relationship that blurs the lines of hate and attraction. The story contains elements of bullying and dominance in a high school setting.
“Untouchable” by Sam Mariano: This book follows the story of Zoey and Carter, where a series of events lead to an intense and complex relationship between them. The novel explores dominance, obsession, and power dynamics in a high school context.
“Vicious” by L.J. Shen (Sinners of Saint Series): The story revolves around Emilia and Vicious, who is cruel and seeks revenge against Emilia for reasons she doesn’t understand. Set against the backdrop of high school and later adulthood, the novel covers love, redemption, and overcoming past torment.
5 Possessive Bully Romance Novels
Possessive bully romance novels are a specific subgenre of romance where the narrative revolves around intense and complicated relationships, usually featuring a dominant, possessive male lead and a female protagonist. These stories are quite intense and typically include themes of redemption, power dynamics, and emotional growth. Here are five novels that fit into this category:
“Fear Me” by B.B. Reid (Broken Love Series): This novel tells the story of Keiran Masters, a dominant and intimidating character, and Lake Monroe, the girl who becomes the focus of his manipulative games. The book explores dark themes and a possessive romance in a high school setting.
“Vicious” by L.J. Shen (Sinners of Saint Series): The protagonist, Vicious, is the ultimate bad boy – cruel, vindictive, and possessive. Emilia, the heroine, finds herself caught in his web. The story spans their high school years into adulthood, depicting a complex and intense relationship.
“Bully” by Penelope Douglas (Fall Away Series): This novel features Tate and Jared, who were once close friends until Jared turned on Tate, making her high school life miserable. As the story unfolds, the complex layers of their relationship and Jared’s possessive nature are revealed.
“Cruel Intentions” by Siobhan Davis (Rydeville High Elite Series): Abby finds herself trapped in a twisted game orchestrated by the elite boys at Rydeville High. The story shows dark themes, manipulation, and a possessive romance in a high school setting.
“Deviant King” by Rina Kent (Royal Elite Series): This story covers Elsa, who attracts the attention of Aiden King, a dominant and enigmatic student at Royal Elite School. The novel features themes of mystery, dominance, and a dark, possessive romance.
5 Steamy High School Bully Romance Books
“Punk 57” by Penelope Douglas: This novel explores the tumultuous relationship between Misha and Ryen, who were pen pals and friends until a twist of fate brings them together in high school under less-than-ideal circumstances. The story is popular for its intense chemistry and steamy scenes.
“Fear You” by B.B. Reid (Broken Love Series): A sequel to “Fear Me,” this novel continues the story of Lake and Keiran. The relationship dynamics evolve as they face their senior year of high school.
“After” by Anna Todd: This spicy series starts with the story of Tessa and Hardin. Their relationship begins with intense, problematic dynamics and evolves into a complicated love story.
“Boys of Brayshaw High” by Meagan Brandy: This novel follows the story of Raven and the Brayshaw boys, who rule the school. The relationships and power dynamics in the story are complex and lead to intense and steamy interactions.
“Broken Wings” by Jaymin Eve and Tate James (Dark Legacy Series): This book introduces a dark and intense world where the main character, Riley, finds herself involved with the heirs of a powerful family at an elite high school.
5 New High School Bully Romance Books
“Blame it on the Pain” by Ashley Jade: This novel explores the tumultuous relationship between a girl who hides her pain behind a perfect façade and a boy who uses anger to mask his. Their complicated dynamics lead to an intense and emotional story.
“Rich Boys of Burberry Prep” Series by C.M. Stunich: Starting with “Filthy Rich Boys,” this series introduces a world of privilege and power at an elite prep school. The protagonist finds herself involved with a group of influential boys, leading to complicated bully romance dynamics.
“Saints and Sinners” by Sophie Lark: Set in an elite high school, the story shows the complex relationship between a girl seeking revenge and the boys who rule the school. The book mixes romance, drama, and suspense.
“The Envy of Idols” (Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #3) by C.M. Stunich: Part of the “Rich Boys of Burberry Prep” series, this book continues the story of the protagonist facing her relationships with the elite boys at her school. The series is popular for its complex characters and intense romantic elements.
“Hate Me” by A. Jade: This novel shows the dark and complicated relationship between a girl seeking redemption and a boy consumed by hatred and revenge. Their story unfolds in a high school setting, filled with drama and emotional conflicts.
5 Dark High School Bully Romance Books With Pregnancy
Dark high school bully romance books that involve a pregnancy plotline add complexity and emotional depth to the story. Here are five books for you:
“Fear You” by B.B. Reid (Broken Love Series): This series, popular for its intense and dark themes, includes elements of bullying and complicated relationships. The series’ progression introduces complex situations that may include pregnancy, adding to the story’s emotional depth.
“Broken Knight” by L.J. Shen (All Saints High Series): Part of a series set in a high school environment, this book explores intense relationships with themes of bullying and emotional turmoil. The storyline evolves to include significant life-changing events, such as pregnancy.
“Trouble at Brayshaw High” by Meagan Brandy (Brayshaw Series): This series is set in a high school and revolves around complex relationship dynamics, including aspects of bullying and power struggles. As the series progresses, it shows more mature themes, including pregnancy.
“Badly Behaved” by Meagan Brandy: This standalone novel features a high school setting with dark themes, including bullying and intense romantic relationships. The storyline encompasses various dramatic twists, including unexpected life events like pregnancy.
“Sweet Home” by Tillie Cole: This novel, while not strictly fitting into the bully romance category, does feature a high school setting with dark and intense themes. The story includes a romance that faces significant challenges, including those brought about by an unplanned pregnancy.
Last Words
In conclusion, high school bully romance novels provide a unique perspective on love, focusing on the dark side of human emotions. These novels challenge societal expectations and explore power dynamics in relationships. They offer us a thought-provoking and emotionally charged reading experience. Dive into the world of these romances and discover a new dimension of emotional storytelling.
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