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If you’re anything like me, there’s something irresistible about a romance that hurts so good. You know the kind—where the tension crackles like static, the banter cuts deep, and you’re left clutching your Kindle at 2 a.m., wondering why your heart is still racing. That’s the magic of bully romance books.
These stories aren’t about picture-perfect love. They’re messy, raw, emotionally charged, and often toe the line between love and hate in a way that keeps us absolutely hooked. The heroes? Often arrogant, wounded, or infuriatingly smug. The heroines? Fierce, resilient, and ready to throw just as many punches (verbal or otherwise) as they take. But beneath all that angst and tension?
There’s undeniable chemistry that refuses to be ignored…
Whether it’s a high school hallway showdown, an elite academy full of secrets, or a twisted dark romance where power dynamics are constantly shifting, bully romance books deliver a reading experience that’s impossible to forget. These are the books that make your heart ache and flutter all at once—and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
So, if you’re in the mood for something deliciously intense, full of emotional roller coasters, complicated characters, and love stories that come with sharp edges, you’re in the right place. I’ve rounded up romance book recs of the best bully romance books out there—each one highly rated and guaranteed to pull you deep into its angsty world.
Dark Bully Romance Novels with Possessive Heroes (Anti-heroes)
Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1) by L.J. Shen
Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down. She paid the price. Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate. That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t. So she hates me. She better get used to me.
Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.
Untouchable by Sam Mariano
I never dreamed I would attract the attention of locally worshipped star quarterback, Carter Mahoney. Never imagined his coveted attention would turn out to be such a nightmare. Beneath his carefully constructed façade lurks a monster, a predator looking for the perfect prey to play with. Now, since I’m the girl no one likes or believes, I guess I’m the perfect target for his dark games and twisted desires.
Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas
Clay Collins and her friends have always turned up their noses at me. The witch with her beautiful skin, clean shoes, and rich parents who torments me daily and thinks I won’t fight back. At least not until I get her alone and find out she’s hiding so much more than just what’s underneath those pretty clothes. The princess thinks I’ll scratch her itch. And when I’m done with her, she’ll never be pure again.
Fear Me by B.B. Reid
He taught me how to be afraid. We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he’s been my tormentor and I’ve been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid. Now he’s back and wants more than just my tears. You see…he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge.
The Boys of Brayshaw High by Meagan Brandy
These boys, they expect me to play along in their games of hierarchy, to fall in line in the social order they’ve deemed me fit. Too bad for them, I don’t follow rules. Too bad for me, they’re determined to make sure I do. Inconceivably attractive and treated like kings…these are the boys of Brayshaw High. And I’m the girl who got in their way.
King of Corium by C. Hallman
Welcome to Corium University, where the most dangerous criminals in the world send their offspring. Aspen was my enemy in every shape of the word. A liar, a thief. I wanted revenge for my family, revenge against her father. I knew the rules. Knew I couldn’t kill her, but I could hurt her. I could make her wish she never came to Corium. She wasn’t made for this place.
The Ritual by Shantel Tessier
I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want. After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival.
Bad Boy Blues by Saffron A. Kent
Cleopatra Paige hates one thing in this world – just one – and his name is Zachariah Prince. He’s rude and arrogant, and she wants to stay as far away from him as possible. But unfortunately for Cleo, she lives in the same freaking mansion as Zach. Only he’s the prince and she’s the lowly maid who serves him.
The Lies We Tell by Becca Steele
Starting over after my father’s sudden death was bad enough, but the four boys who rule Alstone College, my new university, are determined to make my life even more difficult. Of the four, one in particular seems to be out to get me. Caiden Cavendish. Son of my estranged mother’s new husband. My shadow. My nightmare.
Sick Boys by Clarissa Wild
I meet three sick boys of the Skull & Serpent Society: Felix, Dylan, Alistair. Rude, heartless, vicious guys who are obsessed with making me regret I ever stepped foot on campus. They make me a deal: My body in exchange for a glimpse at their violence. Refusing them is impossible, denying them is insane.
Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) by Rina Kent
His first words spiral my life into irreparable chaos. “I will destroy you.” Everything about Aiden King is black. Black heart. Black soul. I should’ve remained quiet and endured the time I have left. I made the irrevocable mistake of provoking the king on his throne. And now, I’ll pay the price. Being hated by Aiden King is dangerous. But being wanted by him is lethal.
Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh
Shannon Lynch has been bullied all her life. She is shy and would rather hide herself away to make it through school. But when she arrives at Tommen College for a fresh start, she meets the notorious Johnny Kavanagh on her first day in a not-so-romantic way. What follows is a complicated friendship that turns into undeniable chemistry.
Worse Than Enemies by J.L. Beck
The first time we met, it was an accident. The second was the night my mother told me she was marrying his father. I didn’t know his name then, but I do now. Hayes Ambrose. Captain of the swim team. Popular, gorgeous, the guy every girl wants, with a smile that’s hiding a million secrets. Overnight he became my worst nightmare, my bully.
Brutal Game by Jo Brenner
In public, Jack Feldman is king on campus: hockey star, golden god, brother to a billionaire, admired and wanted by everyone. In private, he’s my ruthless tormentor bent on destroying me: body, mind, and soul. He’s obsessive, possessive, and determined to wreck me. He’s made it clear he owns me and will never let me go. When I fight back, he fights harder.
Trick Me Twice by Becca Steele
Keep my head down and make it through my final year of school without attracting any attention.
That was my plan. The thing about plans? They change. One day, I was an invisible loner, the next, my name was on everyone’s lips. Why? I caught the attention of the wrong person. I tricked Carter Blackthorne, the king of Alstone High. He found out. And now? Now, he’s making me pay.
Fall by McKayla Box
It’s the first day of my senior year. Which should be awesome. Except I’m in a new town. At a new school. And the guy everyone is telling me to stay away from? The one who rules the school, the one who has mountains of money, the one who is drop dead gorgeous, and the one who does whatever he wants? He’s already made me a target.
Church by K.G. Reuss
Chapel Crest was an asylum moonlighting as a religious school. If this place and its rules didn’t break me, Dante Church and his cult of bullies would. They called themselves the Watchers. They were dark and ruthless—everything a girl like me should avoid. But maybe something was wrong with me because the thought of being on my knees for the four devils appeals to me.
Whew, that was a wild ride, wasn’t it?
Bully romance books truly have a way of getting under your skin—in the best, most emotionally devastating way. They remind us that love isn’t always gentle, that sometimes the road to happily ever after is paved with heartbreak, growth, and a whole lot of tension. And honestly? That’s part of what makes these stories so unforgettable.
Whether you’re drawn to the bad boy with a broken past, the elite school drama with secret grudges, or the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic that keeps you on edge, there’s something so deliciously compelling about this trope. And I hope these recs gave you a few new books to add to your TBR—and maybe even a new favorite couple to obsess over.
If you’ve read any of these titles, or if you have a bully romance that totally wrecked you (in the best way), I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment or send me a message.
Until next time, happy reading—and may your next book give you all the feels 💖📖
