books like Lights Out: masked fun, dark romance, and morally gray men
you’re probably here because you read lights out and liked it.
me too, girl.
i was genuinely kicking my feet over this one. it was funny, spicy, and somehow made being stalked by a masked man feel… cute?
not my usual dark romance grab, but i had so much fun with it.
but now that you’ve had josh hammond, maybe you want to go a little darker. a little more obsessive. a little less “masked man with jokes” and a little more “this man should probably be in prison.”
so let’s get into some of my favorite stalker romances to read after lights out.
| book | read this if you want… | how dark? | masked man? |
|---|---|---|---|
| that sik luv | the most depraved, obsessive stalker possible | darkest | yes |
| craving venom | a dangerous prisoner completely obsessed with her | very dark | yes |
| haunting adeline | the stalker-romance blueprint | very dark | yes |
| under your scars | a billionaire vigilante and emotional destruction | dark and devastating | yes |
| limerence | dark academia, mind games, and a morally black man | dark and psychological | no |
1. that sik luv by jescie hall
dark. depraved. and more than a little crazy.
this is the darkest stalker romance i have read, so please be prepared and check the trigger warnings before you start.
if josh hammond was your cute little introduction to masked men, aero westwood is throwing you directly into the deep end. he is obsessive, possessive, completely unhinged, and absolutely nothing about this relationship is normal.
That Sik Luv
✓ on kindle unlimited
a dangerously obsessive man becomes the voice of every forbidden desire she’s been taught to bury… and he won’t stop until she gives in.
2. craving venom by s.c. arlette
he is literally in prison when they meet, and she knows exactly who he is.
so when he becomes obsessed with her, is it really stalking if she knowingly walked straight into the situation?
probably. but still.
this one is crazy, addictive, and definitely much darker than lights out. read it when you want the dangerous criminal, masked-man energy without any illusion that he might secretly be a good person.
Craving Venom
✓ on kindle unlimited
poking the bear is easy when he’s a criminal behind bars, until she finds herself face to face with him in the real world.
3. haunting adeline by h.d. carlton
if you haven’t read this one yet… come on.
you already know the drill. masked stalker. cat and mouse. touch her and die. a man watching her from inside her own house.
zade meadows is basically required reading if you are working your way through obsessive fictional men. it is much darker and more serious than lights out, but it belongs on the list.
Haunting Adeline
✓ on kindle unlimited
she can manipulate anyone… except the man who’s been watching her long enough to make her his anyway.
4. under your scars by ariel n. anderson
the softest stalker romance on this list, which is honestly a ridiculous thing to call a book about a masked vigilante and serial killer.
christian is a billionaire with major batman energy, and elena works for his company without knowing exactly who he is. she also lowkey saves his life, but not in a dramatic jumping-in-front-of-a-bullet way.
this one has the obsession and hidden identity, but it also has so much more emotion than you may be expecting.
have the tissues ready for the ending. seriously.
Under Your Scars
✓ on kindle unlimited
a serial killer meets the one girl who sees something human in him… and decides she’s his, even if loving him destroys her.
5. limerence by h.c. dolores
okay, this one is not here for the masked-man angle.
but adrian ellis is obsessive, morally black, completely crazy, and exactly the kind of man i think you will like after lights out.
it is dark academia with a psychological cat-and-mouse relationship, nonstop tension, and two people who are both a little fucked up.
just trust me on this one.
Limerence
✓ on kindle unlimited
at an elite prep school full of secrets, she sets her sights on exposing the golden boy… only to realize he might be a sociopath who wants to ruin her or keep her.
the fictional men, obviously
because we cannot discuss masked stalkers without discussing the men underneath the masks.
josh hammond is the funny one who will stalk your spotify and make you laugh while doing it.
aero westwood is what happens when the masked-man fantasy becomes deeply concerning.
zane valehart is literally a dangerous criminal, but apparently prison could not contain the obsession.
zade meadows is the stalker-romance blueprint. you already know.
christian reeves is our billionaire batman with a very questionable approach to justice.
adrian ellis does not need a mask. that man is terrifying all on his own.
also check out…
still looking for another fictional fix to completely ruin your standards?
→ meet more fictional boyfriends
→ take the fictional boyfriend quiz
→ read my full haunting adeline review
→ find the best dark romance books of 2026
final thoughts
lights out is funny, spicy, and the perfect slight dark romance stalker introduction.
these books are what you read when josh hammond leaves you wanting a man a little darker, a lot more obsessive, and significantly less likely to pass a background check.
start with that sik luv if you want the darkest option, under your scars if you want to cry, or haunting adeline if you somehow still haven’t read the stalker-romance blueprint.
just check the trigger warnings first.
seriously.
want more like this? say less.
the full romance library is waiting.
peek inside the society library
take me to the library →morally gray men, slow burns, hockey romances, villains who should absolutely not be attractive… it’s all there.
frequently asked questions
what should i read after lights out?
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are all of these books masked-man romances?
which book on this list is the darkest?
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is lights out actually a dark romance?
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