Hello Booknerds,

So it's the end of February, and with that, “Valentine's month” comes to an end. Most of us had loved to curl up with a cosy romance read this month. But hey, what if you are someone who isn’t really a fan of mushy romances as a literary genre? Well, then we at Team Booknerds have come up with a solution for you. We have enlisted certain books which have just the right amount of romantic tropes to intrigue you. Sounds exciting, right?

We have a list of certain romantic books which offer much more than the lovey-dovey tropes in literature. Often termed as ‘domestic thrillers’ these kinds of books present romances with plot twists, riveting enough to keep you on the edge till the very end.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

“Marriage can be murder.”

This book sets up the question “how well do you know your spouse?” The writing infuses romantic tropes with a gothic atmosphere and keeps surprising the reader one by one. It narrates the tale of Adam and Amelia Wright who decide to spend a weekend as one of the last attempts to save their marriage. But is there a third person lurking out there who doesn’t want them to be saved? Or is it that they can’t just trust each other for their own sake? Reading this book will surely answer these questions. It is bound to take you on a dark journey revealing their secrets, once and for all.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Well, this is quite a popular one. If you still haven’t read or watched it yet, it's high time you pick this up and binge-read it over a weekend or something. The narrative follows the lives of ex-journalist Nick Dunne and his wife Amy Dunne, who seem to have a not-so-happy married life. But the suspense arises when Amy goes missing and the readers are left to wonder who is responsible for her sudden disappearance.

“There’s a difference between really loving someone and loving the idea of her”. Gone Girl can be full of such romantic speculations and yet be a mysterious psychological thriller. The plot, the subplots, and the twists accompany this gory love story of Nick and Amy, and that’s what makes it so intriguing.

We were Liars by E Lockhart

This is another page-turner which you need to pick up if you want something more from romantic tales. But beware, this suspenseful narrative might end up breaking your heart. It depicts the seemingly perfect Sinclair family and how a heap of lies eventually unsettles them. The characters, Mirren, Johnny, Cadence and Gat are all portrayed very realistically and one might begin to empathise with them over the course of reading the book. One of the best things I liked about this book was that it doesn’t sugarcoat its devastating narrative or themes. It keeps you guessing till the very end. With that, a tale which could have just been a sweet summer romance is transformed into a brilliant domestic thriller.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This book by Moriarty was the recipient of the 2015 Davitt award, apart from making it to the bestselling list. With its plot, narration, and twists it qualifies to be a quirky take on the darker side of relationships. Set in Australia, it makes us meet three mothers -Madeline, Celeste and Jane. Before we delve deeper into commenting about their character arcs, let’s just say that they aren’t women you mess with.

The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

This book is a gothic reimagination of Jane Eyre and needless to say, it's been one of the most mind-blowing reads. It keeps you hooked from the very beginning. Set in Alabama, the narrative shows a broke Jane Bell meeting a charming Eddie Rochester. As both of them embark on an intimate relationship, their dark pasts are gradually revealed. The best part is you can enjoy this suspenseful read even if you haven’t read the original Jane Eyre yet. This book definitely proves that sometimes, romance is just not enough for a gripping read.

So you know what to do, right? Pick up these domestic thriller books for your interest in unconventional romances, and do let us know in the comments below about how you liked them.

Team Booknerds just got started on "Choking on our own Vomit" by Anand Kinayath. So far, it is a raw and honest exploration of the clash between modern Indian youth and traditional society. Drawing from personal experiences, Kinayath offers a unique perspective that is both thought-provoking and polarizing. This book is not for the faint of heart, but it's a must-read for anyone looking for a fresh perspective on the complexities of Indian culture.

Another book which is piquing our interest is Chapter 31 by Ashok Bhasin which is a fast paced thriller about a self published novel which leads to things getting complicated for Rahul Mehra, a retired chief of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)

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Happy Reading!