12 Forbidden Romance Books to Read if You Love the Benedict-Sophie Dynamic

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. As the Maiden, the entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders. When Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life, when every thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she’d be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball—or that she would be spinning in the arms of her “Prince Charming”—the devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton. But when the clock strikes midnight, Sophie’s enchanting evening in this Cinderella retelling ends. Since that night Benedict has been able to think of nothing but the bewitching young woman, and he’s sworn to find and wed his mystery miss. Yet will another unexpectedly steal his heart—and his chance for a fairy tale love?

Rue Siebert is a successful biotech engineer working at Kline, a promising food science start-up. One of her best friends is her boss, and she gets free lab access and time to work on her personal project. It’s a pretty sweet gig… until it isn’t. When Eli Kilgore and his business partners arrive at Kline, announcing their plans to acquire the company, they threaten to upend Rue’s career. But Eli and Rue still can’t stay away from each other and enter a secret, no-strings-attached arrangement that has a clear end date: the day one of their sides prevails in the fight for Kline.

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, becomes something more. Except the discovery of their bond would mean the death of each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win.

Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle. His only exception? Ayana Kidane. The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession. He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire. She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her.

Imogen Nel is in hiding. From a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monsters. From a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. And from her own alluring abilities. But when a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is and believes she can save their kingdoms from an even greater monster. When Imogen’s power threatens to reveal itself, the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee together, and the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur.

When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognizes her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become. As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that may cost her everything, all over again.

As the adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya’s only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival. Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, and an enemy to her father’s crown. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

Callum Prescott’s boring life working in an insurance call center in California takes an unexpected turn when, thanks to misbehaving relatives, he becomes the new heir to the British throne. England is ready to revolt against the monarchy, but he made a vow to his grandmother that he’ll do everything possible to help her save the crown. Then the broodingly handsome prime minister, Oliver Hartwell, bursts into his life. Innocent messages of support turn into late-night chats—and unexpected feelings. But there’s one major problem. The royal family must remain politically neutral at all times.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight. The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

The rules were simple: keep his hands off his agent’s daughter and stay out of trouble. But professional bull rider Rhett Eaton doesn’t need a babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can’t stop running. A mouth he can’t stop thinking about. But there are boundaries they shouldn’t cross, his reputation can’t take any more hits—and neither can her damaged heart.

In 1926, Shanghai is home to two gangs who run the streets red, leaving the city in the grip of chaos. Juliette Cai is the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang, a network of criminals far above the law. Roma Montagov is the heir of the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. Roma is also Juliette’s first love—and first betrayal. As deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.