Reading guide

Revenge Romance Books: 9 Reads Where the Heroine Gets Even

Revenge romance books start with a betrayal and end with the wronged heroine getting even, sometimes with a slap, sometimes with a recording, sometimes with a deal the man never saw coming. The romance lives in the reckoning: the one who hurt her has to watch her win.

This list pairs revenge-driven novels with complete short stories from Plotlume, from a revenge marriage to a casino set-up. Some of the novels are dark, so check content notes before you start.

Billionaire's Bride for RevengeMichelle Smart · 2018 · Rings of Vengeance #1
Benjamin wants payback on the people who betrayed him, so he plans to steal his enemy's fiancée, the ballerina Freya, and marry her himself. The revenge marriage is meant to be convenient.
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Plotlume original · read the openingThe Birthday Bill41 minOn her birthday, Joanna's werewolf husband freezes every card she owns and leaves her with a thirty-eight-million-dollar bill. The whole pack laughs as he tightens the trap.
Marriage Made in BlackmailMichelle Smart · Rings of Vengeance #2
Luis Casillas wants his reputation repaired after a business feud, so he makes Chloe Guillem pay for her part in it by marrying him. He keeps her on his Caribbean island until she agrees.
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Plotlume original · read the openingAll In on a Bro38 minHer vampire fiancé signs a mate contract with his "bro" Erika in an underground casino, just for laughs. Then the pair deal her into a high-stakes game, and she loses hand after hand while the room jeers.
LothaireKresley Cole · 2012
Lothaire, an ancient vampire bent on a blood vendetta, takes a human woman, Ellie Peirce, captive as part of his plan to seize the vampire throne. She has no intention of making it easy for him.
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Plotlume original · read the openingAll That's Left Is Ash33 minOlivia washes dishes for a month to buy her boyfriend the sneakers he wanted, then overhears that he has been handing her research and her graduate school place to another woman.
The Wrath and the DawnRenée Ahdieh · 2015 · The Wrath and the Dawn #1
A young caliph takes a new bride every night and has her killed at dawn. When her best friend dies this way, Shahrzad volunteers to marry him, planning to survive and make him pay.
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Plotlume original · read the openingThe She-Wolf Who Stopped Hiding40 minFive years after losing her place at her werewolf mate's side, Selena lives shut away in a Manhattan penthouse. At a garden party, the heiresses humiliate the half-werewolf child she has taken in, certain her castoff mother has no power left.
Kingdom of the WickedKerri Maniscalco · 2020 · Kingdom of the Wicked #1
When her twin sister is murdered in Sicily, Emilia summons one of the Princes of Hell to help her find the killer, and strikes a bargain with Wrath to get her revenge.
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Questions

What is a revenge romance?

A revenge romance follows a heroine who has been wronged, usually by a fiancé, husband or lover, and turns the tables on him. The romance and the payback grow together, and the ending is the moment she gets even.

Are there short revenge romance stories I can finish in one night?

Yes. The Plotlume stories on this list are complete short reads of about 30 to 60 minutes each, with the opening to read on the web.

Are revenge romance books dark?

Many are. Lothaire is one of the darker picks here, so check content notes before you start. Each Plotlume story is complete, so you can see the payoff in one sitting.

Revenge Romance Books: 9 Reads Where the Heroine Gets Even

Questions

Read the collection

Read to the last line.