Our Favorite Dark and Gritty Biker Romance Books

Time for an update on our favorite biker & MC (motorcycle club) books. We made quite the list a few years ago (our Ultimate List of Biker Books), which I will be updating soon, but then I received this very specific request for recommendations (and a sort of reader confession in itself), and I’m THRILLED to put this together for her (and us).

Okay so… April is looking for some biker book recommendations (HEA NOT necessary). Ooooooh she’s got a dark streak! 😉 She asks:

April: I’m hoping you can help me. Looking for a good M.C. book. And something that is a little darker. I’m not a HEA girl. So the darker the better…

Teri: Woo Hoo! I love me some hot biker books & there are some new to me’s on here!!!!!

Michele: I’m going to be following this also… I would love a good dark biker book. 💕

Oh yessss… I like her risky side. Eeeeeep!! I’m all ears toooooo!!!!

Any recommendations?

Shelly: Sinner’s Creed by Kim Jones.

Mona: ohmygosh! Yes!! Love Sinners Creed!! Have read it multiple times!

Victoria: Lock & Key series by Cat Porter is phenomenal!

Nay: …I loved it! Lots of yummy, sexy biker brooding and grit without being over the top… Re: Fury. That reminds me that I need to get back to Cat Porter’s Lock & Key series. I loved the first 2 books, and Fury is a spinoff–the hero of Fury is a member of one of the rival motorcycle clubs.

Carmen Jenner: The Savage Saints MC by me. It’s brutal in the best possible way.

Teri: Hades Hangemen series by Tillie Cole is dark & dirty – loved it! AND the Undeniable series by Madeline Sheehan is HOT, HOT, HOT. Book 1 is probably my all time favorite biker book. Deuce is #1 hot-biker-alpha-man-candy!

Whitney: Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan

Lucia: Hangman series!!!!

Tammy: I love Tillie’s Hades Hangmen series…Flame from Souls Unfractured will always be one of my favorites…His strong but wounded persona makes my heart melt for him. I’ve read the whole series a few times but admit to having read that one a lot more!

Michele: Nine minute series by Beth Flynn and Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan.

LisaKay: “Nine Minutes” trilogy by Beth Flynn.  …The first two books were fantastic

Felicia: Guys, I just read Nine Minutes based off of a recent biker list and it was amazing

Maryse: Felicia YES!!!!! I loved it too. IT’S CRAZY!!! And what a twist.

Rebecca: Both are complex, gritty, raw and brutal. Family sagas of epic proportions

• Lauren Gilley Dartmoor series
• Madeline Sheehan Undeniable Series

Cindy: Agreed on Nine minutes by Beth Flynn. Adding Chaos series by Kristen Ashley and Gypsy Brothers series by Lili St James (this series is dark and intense.)

Kathleen: Cindy, great choices, loved them all!!

Deborah: I just got done reading the most addicting, intense motorcycle series ever..Have any of you read The Gypsy Brothers Series???? OMG soooo gooood!!! It’s seven books but each one is under 100 pgs …. The girl is absolutely the craziest heroine I’ve ever read and I just loved her to pieces….. It had everything I love in a book!!!! Oh the feels!!!! I still feel like I’m in their world

Northernstar: Kristen Ashley’s Free was an emotional read for me because I loved all her Chaos series so much. I agree with the other posts that there was a lot going on in this book and the story packed a lot in. I missed the usual depth of the other books, but she did tie up a lot of loose ends. Known for her epilogues, KA didn’t disappoint and it was a beautiful ending. While I am sad to say goodbye to the chaos family it was a great ride (pun intended).

Victoria: The Signal Bend series by Susan Fanetti is one of my favorite series of all time and should not be missed. It seems like all the writers that are part of the Freak Circle Press (Lina Andersson, Elayne DiSano, Torrie McLean, Susan Fanetti) are releasing AMAZING stories and all are among my favorite BIKER/MC reads (along with Under Locke! ). All are MUST READS for me and I totally recommend!

Georgia: The Signal Bend Series- Susan Fanetti. You need a box of tissues for each of the 6 books. The best Motorcycle series by far that I have read. Raw, Hot, and quite realistic! Enjoy!

Linda: Her covers are very subtle but the treasure inside is amazingly poignant. Love this author. Her Signal Bend series was off the charts in every way.

Georgia: The Signal Bend Series- Susan Fanetti. You need a box of tissues for each of the 6 books. The best Motorcycle series by far that I have read. Raw, Hot, and quite realistic! Enjoy!

Lisa: Signal Bend series!!!! Loved every one and about to start the So Cal series after Ive finished Swear On This Life. If you havent read them yet and you loved Undeniable and some of those gritty dirty biker books grab them on sale. Awesome awesome books.

Jeri: My 2 top MC reads~ and both happen to be dark are Lauren Gilley’s Dartmoor series and Susan Fanetti’s Signal Bend series. Once you’ve finished them, continue on with their spin offs, and then everything else they write!! Both are very prolific writers! If you follow this plan, you will have months of great reading👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Justine: Lauren Gilley Dartmoor series!

Rae: The Dartmoor Series by Lauren Gilley. It was so well written and I devoured the whole lot one after the other some years ago. If you haven’t read this series grab it.

Linda: The Dartmoor series and all the characters. Loved. What is it about these MC men???? ONLY in books!!! Right??!!

Jan: I finished American hellhound and it was FIVE STARS for me. And that doesn’t happen too often! Dartmoor lovers, you must read it.

Heather: Bink Cummings – HOPE Trilogy and Wrecked & Restless Duet

Diane: The Last riders series by Jamie Begley or The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds by Sam Crescent

Nicole: The Last Riders… you should read all the other books in the series first. They are all awesome. A little bit different than your typical biker book.

MichelleS: So I picked that MC series, and went with book one, since that’s what I’m supposed to do… and um… yeah… you weren’t kidding, whoever it was that said it was a “different” kind of MC Club book. The Last Riders is the series, BTW. So aside from the fact that is so completely unbelievable (the entire thing) I still enjoyed it and gobbled it up. It was seriously debauched…

Nancy: Sons of Templar series by Anne Malcom

Kylie: Joanne Wylde The Reapers MC series –

Kathleen: Kylie, agreed, great series!

Kathy P: My favorite was Reapers Property as it was my first MC read and it got me into a whole new genre which I LOVE!!!

Kim: Kati Wilde Hellfire Riders Series. Jack and Lily are my favourites.

Doretta: To add to the MC list:

• Chantal Fernando,
• Jamie Begley,
• Cathy Cade,
• Gillian Archer and
• River Savage

Kay: Crystal Spears Breakneck series!

Mona: I would just like to mention that last summer when stopping for gas in our small midwestern town, there was a group of 10-12 men from a NY MC that had stopped there. Not a single one of them looked anything like they are described in MC books. (Sigh).

• Predators MC series by Jamie Begley
• Evil Dead MC series by Nicole James
• Raising Riker (Hells Saints MC) by Paula Marino
• Moroad MC series by Debra Kayn

Reni: Lol. I know. Those pics of real life Hell’s Angels are scaaaaary….

Saara: Pls add:

• Amo Jones
• Addison Jane
• Janine Infante Bosco

Fiona: Hi, I am a big fan of MC books & have highlighted I hope authors that have not been recommended yet; although I would also agree with everyone’s recommendations; enjoy!

• Needa Warrant; her MC books are based from the 1970s and 1980s very gritty but good: Bound for Hell MC Series; Nefarious MC; Devious Jokers MC
• JL Drake would be another recommendation; the Devils Reach Trilogy

Lisa M: For you MC lovers OMG I just finished reading Devils Reach trilogy by JL Drake it was so freaking good. I can’t even recommend it enough. Heavy sigh 10 times over!! So sad it’s over!!!

• Ann Mayburn with her Iron Horse MC
• Sophie Summers: This Broken Beautiful

Fiona: Sophie Summers; think she is from South Africa & was a newbie author a few years back; she wrote a bike series well 2 from this genre which were deadly; I read a lot of biker romances & this was goooood!!

• Vera Quinn: The Complete Box Set Demented Revengers MC: Quitman Chapter (Demented Revenger MC: Quitman Series); BlackPath MC
• Rie Warren Blood Legion MC; just out recently/ Bad Boys of Retribution MC
• Nancy Haviland: Steel Jackals MC

Lauren: FYI….if you’re a fan of Nancy Haviland (Wanted Men series), you’ll probably love His Young Queen (Steel Jackals MC) by Tiff P. Raine because they are the same person. …I read an ARC of Ultimate Vengeance….OMG, it’s incredible!!! If you haven’t read Nancy Haviland’s Wanted Men series…READ IT!!!

• Bella Jewel writes great MC books too

Lisa: anything is good by Bella.

Pia: Bella Jewel – she is one of my absolute fav authors and I totally love her books. I have read most by her. …Jokers’ Wrath Motorcycle Club: Boxed set – Books 1-4 … All four books…What a price…. This MC series is soooo good. It was the first books I read by Bella Jewel and since then I have read all her other books. She is one of my fav authors 🙂

• Emily Minton Grim Bastards MC

IsDonIsGood: Beautiful Outlaw – Emily Minton: I love a good MC book, but nothing too confronting and dark. This is a strange requirement for novels about outlaw MCs, but I must not be the only one as there are many out there. This had an interesting premise and set up for an interesting possible series (oh another one…). Not as good as Joanna Wylde I would say (Reaper’s MC), but still great.

• Winter Travers Fallen Lords MC
• Scott Hildreth including Devils Disciples MC but has other MC books series as well

Kathy P: If you are looking for a good MC series, I would recommend his Filthy F_____ers Series. Hard is the first book but I need to caution that there is one scene that might be a trigger for some. But the series is really good!!

Jean: ….no one writes like he does…..he seriously kicks a$$! …there is something about a male author’s writing….it is just so good!

• DD Prince: Beautiful Biker MC
• Ker Dukey & D.H. Sidebottom: Taking Avery: A Lilith’s Army MC Novel

Ela: *waves hands* *over here* Read D.H. Sidebottom…yes very dark, she also likes to team up with another scary dark author, Ker Dukey sooooooooooo there you have it!

….The name Ker Dukey ALONE gives me the chills and hairs stand on my arms! …one of the masters of Dark Reads!

Tessa: Ker Dukey is a twisted author.

Mindy: Also I am a fan of the DH Sidebottom books 🙂

• Lila Rose; Hawks MC

Melissa: Holding Out (Hawks MC) book 1 by Lila Rose …It was very steamy and a great read.

• KJ Dahlen Satans Span MC
• RA Black: Black Angels MC; out fairly recently
• AJ Downey Sacred Hearts MC and the Virtues
• Lisa J Hobman: Company of Sinners MC
• KB Winters: Reckless Bastards MC/ Caos MC
• Jordan Marie: Devils Savage MC

Mary: …Jordan Marie. All her books are good

Colleen: …you should read the 5 book series Savage Brothers MC. The first book is called “Breaking Dragon: Savage Brothers MC.” Right now it is free on kindle and all books are part of Kindle unlimited There are characters for that series in the Devils Blaze series. All of these books are amazing. Jordan Marie is a great writer.

Lauren: Jordan Marie’s Devil’s Blaze MC series …So many readers are going INSANE over this series!!!! So far, in the Amazon Customer Discussions, there’s 560 posts in just ONE thread that started a couple of weeks ago.

• Marysol James: The Road Devils MC
• Autumn Jones Lakes: Lost Kings MC

Lisa M: I had to squeeze in Zero Regret by Autumn Lake Jones!!!! Amazing mc series!!!!!

• Honey Palomino including Gods of Chaos MC
• Mara McBain: Club Ties
• Lina Andersson: Mauraders Book Series
• Teri Anne Browning: Angel Halo MC Series
• JM Walker: King’s Harlots MC
• Max Henry; Fallen Aces MC
• Kathyrn Kelly: Death Dwellers MC
• Bijou Hunter writes a lot of MC books including the Damaged Series, Serrated Brotherhood…

Barbara: the Damaged series by Bijou Hunter. I love this series. …It also deals with a MC.

• S Nelson: Knights Corrunption MC
• Ryan Michele: Ravage MC

Kathy P: I just started Consume Me (Ravage MC) by Ryan Michele. I have read all previous 3 books and they definitely satisfy my MC fix. Even better, this one is free with Kindle Unlimited.

• Kathleen Kelly: Savage Angels MC
• Carmen Jenner: Savage Saints MC
• Dawn Martens: Angel Warriors MC
• Sapphire Knight: Oath Keepers MC
• Nina Levine Storm MC

Tammy: Have you read Storm by Nina Levine? On sale … at the moment! I loved it (it’s an MC book). …HOT and a great, fast read!!

• Amo Jones; Sinful Souls MC
• Elayne DiSano: Mountain Skulls MC
• Jessica Gadziala: Henchmen MC

Stacey: There is no mention of Jessica Gadziala or Anne Malcolm, these are two amazing authors you should check out!!

• Nicole Snow: Prairie Devils MC

Vicki: Total biker addict!!! Katie Ashley, River Savage, and Nicole Snow have amazing biker books too.

Jamie: I just finished the new dark romance Watch Me Fall by Nora Flite and Nicole Snow’s new biker book Wicked Kind of Love. Loved them both.

• Stacey Lynn: Nordic Lords

MichelleS: The Nordic Lords MC club series reminded me a lot of KA’s style…. I read them back-to-back, I liked them that much, if you’re in the mood for hot guys in MC clubs. …Nordic Lords was gritty – I thought – maybe not Sheehan gritty – not sure, I may have gotten over some of my initial shock once I read Sheehan – so nothing much scares me off now

…I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think this may be one of the best yet…. right up there with Sheehan, Wylde, Ashley, Jewel…. it’s just so real. The dialogue works. It’s not over the top. Just enough of everything. Really likable characters. People who love each other but are torn apart by all the dealings of others, and how they find their way back to each other. Love it….

• Victoria L James; Babylon MC
• MariaLisa deMora: Rebel Wayfarers MC
• Avelyn Paige: Heavens Rejects MC
• Alexis Noelle: Death Stalkers MC
• Simone Elise: Satan’s Sons MC
• Alana Sapphire: Death Dealers MC

Hope you will enjoy reading some of the above recommendations; told you I was a fan of MC books;
Best
Fiona

What else should we add? 😀

P.S. Can’t get enough of biker books? Check out all of the posts categorized “Bikers” here on the blog.