In this episode of Ink Plots, we explore three unforgettable stories that redefine romance in all its forms — from the fiery, forbidden, and deeply emotional to the mysterious and the dangerously thrilling.

✨ Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood — a sun-soaked love story that challenges what’s right, wrong, and worth the risk. 🌙 Layla by Colleen Hoover — a haunting, supernatural romance that proves even love can become a ghost. 🎬 Once Upon a Crime by Brynn Kelly — a smart, pulse-racing romantic suspense set against the glittering danger of Hollywood.

Each book takes us deeper into the truth about love — that it’s not always gentle, not always safe, but always worth the page it’s written on.

• The gray areas of love: power, pain, and redemption.

• The strength of women in romance storytelling.

• How indie and contemporary authors are reshaping the genre.

• Why love stories that break rules often stay with us the longest.

1. Problematic Summer Romance – Ali Hazelwood A sizzling, age-gap love story that turns a week in Sicily into a study of desire, honesty, and growth.

2. Layla – Colleen Hoover A haunting paranormal romance that blurs reality, obsession, and what it means to truly know someone.

3. Once Upon a Crime – Brynn Kelly Hollywood glam meets danger in this romantic suspense filled with wit, chemistry, and high-stakes emotion.

• Dark romance and emotional suspense

• Tropes like brother’s best friend, haunted lovers, and famous actor meets everyday heroine

• Beautiful writing that isn’t afraid to get messy

• Stories that linger after “The End”

“The best love stories are the ones that dare to go too far.”

Follow for weekly episodes featuring indie and bestselling romance authors, story deep dives, and the books that remind us why love stories will never die.

📸 Instagram: @inkplots 💌 Newsletter: theinkplots.substack.com 🌐 Website: www.inkplots.com 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever stories find their voice.

Episode Summary: Light your pumpkin candle and sharpen your fangs — this week on InkPlots, KL Adams dives into the best-selling Halloween romances lighting up the charts right now. From witches with bad ideas to vampires with worse intentions, these reads deliver all the spooky, swoony energy October deserves.

Featured Best-Sellers:

• Mate — Ali Hazelwood (brand-new paranormal, fated mates, signature Hazelwood banter)

• Road Trip with a Vampire — Jenna Levine (witch + vampire rom-com, instant USA TODAY bestseller)

• Remain — Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan (paranormal romantic-suspense, moody and mysterious)

Rapid Recs 🕯️

• Head Witch in Charge — Avery Flynn (chaotic witchy rom-com; enemies-to-lovers with broomsticks)

• BookBub’s 2025 Witch & Vampire round-up — browse for quick TBR fuel

• Amazon’s live Best Witch Romances & Best Vampire Romances lists — check what’s spiking this week

Backlist Treat: A Hunger Like No Other — Kresley Cole (the classic fated-mates paranormal that defined the genre)

BookTok / KU Pulse: The cozy-spice trend is back — The Pumpkin Spice Café and other small-town witch romances are topping Kindle Unlimited again.

Trope Talk: Why witches + vampires always own October — danger without doom, coven community, and spice with stakes.

Connect with KL Adams 🖋️ Find show notes, full book lists, and links on Substack → theinkplots.substack.com Follow on Instagram / Threads @kladamsauthor Tag your current spooky read with #InkPlotsReads

Headliners (new & charting):

• • Mate — Ali Hazelwood (paranormal, fated mates; B&N feature, new release) Barnes & Noble

  • Road Trip with a Vampire — Jenna Levine (instant USA TODAY bestseller; witch + amnesiac vamp romcom) PenguinRandomhouse.com+1

  • Remain — Nicholas Sparks & M. Night Shyamalan (paranormal romantic-suspense; appearing on PW lists) PublishersWeekly.com

• Rapid Recs:

  • Head Witch in Charge — Avery Flynn (witchy romcom; Fall 2025 lists) The Contented Reader

  • BookBub’s 2025 witch/vamp guide (browse picks) BookBub

  • Check Amazon’s Best Witch Romances & Best Vampire Romances for this week’s spikes Amazon+1

• Backlist treat: A Hunger Like No Other — Kresley Cole (fated-mates PNR classic) TIME

• Seasonal note: Kindle Unlimited readers are again cozying up with café/witch small-town vibes (e.g., The Pumpkin Spice Café popping onto lists) The Sun+1

In tonight’s episode of InkPlots, the line between love and fear blurs. What happens when desire becomes a haunting presence? KL Adams takes you into the dim corridors of dark romance, where temptation wears many faces, and every secret carries a cost.

The tension builds slowly — a whispered promise, a heartbeat too loud, a moment too close to resist. This week, we dive into the books that are setting the indie dark-romance world on fire, explore what readers are saying, and celebrate the twisted beauty of love gone wrong.

00:00 — Intro Theme: “Unexplained Mystery” 00:15 — Welcome to InkPlots 01:00 — The Allure of Obsession in Dark Romance 03:20 — Top 5 Indie Dark Romance Releases 12:00 — Fan Reviews & Community Reactions 18:30 — Closing Reflections 19:15 — Outro Theme

• Dance of Defiance by Jagger Cole — A brutal Bratva world where love is both salvation and sin.

• Bound to the Beasts by Ari Wright — One woman. Three monsters. Endless temptation.

• Burning Daylight by Emily McIntire — A forbidden Romeo & Juliet retelling steeped in legacy and betrayal.

• Pucking Unhinged by London Snow — Dark sports romance meets dangerous obsession.

• The Never Queen by Camille Dwight — A ruthless rise to power where emotion is both weapon and weakness.

“Ari Wright’s writing is flawless. Addictive. Gripping.” “Jagger Cole’s heroes walk the edge of madness, and I’m addicted.” “Burning Daylight is full of longing and tension — every kiss feels like betrayal.”

These stories are lighting up Goodreads, Reddit, and TikTok — proving that darkness, when written with passion, always finds its audience.

Intro / Outro Music — “Unexplained Mystery” via Pixabay Music (Royalty-Free)

💌 Subscribe to InkPlots on Podbean for new episodes each week. 🖤 Follow @InkPlotsPodcast on Instagram and Threads for behind-the-scenes updates. 💬 Share your favorite dark romance moments using #InkPlotsPodcast.