Confession: I Don’t Do Horror… But These Heart-Filled Scary Reads Won Me Over

From haunted love stories to survival-friendship tales, here’s my gentle gateway into horror—no nightmares required.

Oct 28, 2025

Halloween might not be my season — I’m much more at home with cozy mysteries and happily-ever-afters — but every now and then, I crave a story that makes my heart race for a different reason.

I’ve learned that horror-romance and survival stories scratch that itch. They combine the emotional punch of love and loyalty with the edge-of-your-seat tension that keeps me turning the page long after I should’ve gone to bed.

I can’t do ghosts in the attic, but give me a final-girl friendship or a haunting love story, and I’m all in.

These horror-romance and friendship recommendations were curated by my bestie, Francesca, from Under the Covers Book Blog, during our Novel Hour Halloween episode. We had so much fun swapping spooky-season picks and talking about which ones even a cozy reader like me could handle.

Watch for even More Recommendations

🎥 Novel Hour still airs every Thursday at 12 p.m. on YouTube, so come hang out with Francesca and Victoria live for more bookish chaos and new recs each week.

Why Horror-Romance Works for Me

As someone who lives and breathes romance, I think horror works best when it adds conflict — the kind that tests not just survival but trust and devotion. Whether it’s two people clinging to each other in the dark or a friendship pushed to its breaking point, the fear heightens every emotion.

It’s not just about scares; it’s about stakes. Love, loyalty, and fear coexist in the same heartbeat, and that’s what makes these stories unforgettable.

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The Books That Prove It

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins

Two best friends take one last hiking trip before college — and everything that can go wrong, does. What starts as a YA adventure turns into a terrifying survival story that tests the girls’ bond and resilience.

Why I Loved It: I’m a sucker for a final-girl story, and this one delivers friendship, fear, and fierce determination. It’s a reminder that sometimes loyalty is the scariest (and bravest) emotion of all.

Dark House by Karina Halle

A grumpy-sunshine ghost-hunter romance where sparks fly amid the supernatural. Perry and Dex’s haunted adventures are filled with tension — both romantic and paranormal.

Why You’ll Love It: The slow-burn chemistry adds levity to the scares, and the ghost-hunting setup gives it that nostalgic “monster-of-the-week” vibe that’s pure fun.

The Devil’s Metal by Karina Halle

Think Almost Famous meets The Exorcist. A young music journalist joins her favorite rock band on tour — and discovers their success might have come from a deal with the devil.

Why You’ll Love It: It’s rock-and-roll, retro, and deliciously eerie — perfect for readers who like their romance with a supernatural twist.

Thicker Than Blood by Madeline Sheehan & Claire C. Reilly

In a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, two women fight to survive — and to hold onto their humanity.

Why You’ll Love It: Survival friendship at its finest. It’s raw, emotional, and horrifying in the best way — the kind of story that proves love doesn’t have to be romantic to feel epic.

I’ll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong

A newly widowed woman joins a séance to contact her late husband, only to find herself trapped in a house full of secrets and a presence that won’t let go.

Why You’ll Love It: Moody, mysterious, and beautifully written — this one captures the ache of loss and the hope of connection beyond the veil.

Know someone who swears they “don’t do horror”? Send them this post and let’s convert them.

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates by Shailee Thompson (Coming 2026 — Pre-Order It Now!)

A humorous, swoony, and downright terrifying horror romance in which a cinephile gets caught in the middle of a murder spree at a speed-dating event and must use her encyclopedic knowledge of rom-coms and slasher flicks to survive as a real-life Final Girl.

When Jamie Prescott and her best friend Laurie sign up for speed dating, they expect awkward small talk and maybe a decent cocktail — not a serial killer. When the lights go out and one of Jamie’s dates winds up dead, it quickly turns into a bloody game of survival. Armed with her knowledge of every horror trope imaginable (and a few makeshift weapons), Jamie fights to stay alive — and maybe find love amid the chaos.

Why I Loved It: Dating is HARD, especially in New York City. As someone who’s actually attended a few speed-dating events in the city, I can totally picture this setup — you’ve got five minutes to decide if someone’s your match, or possibly… a murderer. The eerie Brooklyn setting, the isolation, and Jamie’s slasher-movie fandom made this one such a clever horror rom-com mash-up. It’s the kind of book that balances laughs, love, and literal survival.

If you’re a fan of Love in the Time of Serial Killers or Butcher & Blackbird, you’re going to want to pre-order How to Kill a Guy in Ten Dates the second it’s available. This is one killer love story — and easily one of my most anticipated reads of 2026.

Why I Keep Coming Back to Horror with Heart

Even though I’ll always reach for a cozy mystery or a swoony romance first, I love how horror pushes those same emotional buttons in extreme ways. The fear makes the affection sharper, the loyalty stronger, and the hope brighter.

I like to call it emotional horror — those stories where the monster isn’t always a creature, but sometimes a broken relationship, a secret, or a betrayal. And honestly? That might be the scariest thing of all.

💬Let’s Chat

Okay, your turn — what’s your perfect level of scary?

Would you rather face a haunted house, a zombie apocalypse, or a disastrous date gone wrong?