10 Best paranormal romance protagonists who AREN’T vampires or werewolves

For a while there, for some reason (*cough*Twilight*cough*) you couldn’t swing a dead cat without hitting a vampire or a werewolf in Romance Land. (Not that we kill and/or swing cats, because, ew...it’s just an expression) So, it’s not surprising that when you say the words “paranormal romance”, some readers automatically assume you’re talking about vampires that may or may not sparkle in the sunlight and brooding werewolves suffering from unrequited love. But we’re here to tell you that you CAN read paranormal romance that’s not about vampires and werewolves, and we have the recommendations to prove it! Here are our top picks for paranormal romances that DON’T feature a vampire or werewolf protagonist:

(Note: a few of these might be officially classified as urban fantasy, but we’ve included them in this list because there’s a strong romantic element in each, and if the romance was to be removed, the story would be negatively impacted. Plus, it’s our list and we do what we want. No one is the boss of us. So, let’s not debate the differences between paranormal romance and urban fantasy, m’kay? This is just for fun.)

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Wicked Abyss
Kresley Cole

Amazon blurb:
The terrifying king of hell...

As a boy, Abyssian "Sian" Infernas had his heart shattered by a treacherous fey beauty who died before he could exact vengeance. Millennia later, a curse has transformed him into a demonic monster--just as she's been reincarnated. Sian captures the delicate but bold female, forcing her back to hell.

Meets his match.

Princess Calliope "Lila" Barbot's people have hated and feared Abyssian and his alliance of monsters for eons. When the beastly demon imprisons her in his mystical castle, vowing revenge for betrayals she can't remember, Lila makes her own vow: to bring down the wicked beast for good.

Can two adversaries share one happily-ever-after?

As Calliope turns hell inside out, the all-powerful Sian finds himself defenseless against his feelings for her. In turn, Lila reluctantly responds to the beast's cleverness and gruff vulnerability. But when truths from a far distant past are revealed, can their tenuous bond withstand ages of deceit, a curse, and a looming supernatural war?

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Archangel’s Viper
Nalini Singh

Amazon blurb:
Once a broken girl known as Sorrow, Holly Chang now prowls the shadowy gray underground of the city for the angels. But it's not her winged allies who make her a wanted woman—it's the unknown power coursing through her veins. Brutalized by an insane archangel, she was left with the bloodlust of a vampire, the ability to mesmerize her prey, and a poisonous bite.

Now, someone has put a bounty on her head...

Venom is one of the Seven, Archangel Raphael's private guard, and he's as infuriating as he is seductive. A centuries-old vampire, his fangs dispense a poison deadlier than Holly's. But even if Venom can protect Holly from those hunting her, he might not be able to save himself--because the strange, violent power inside Holly is awakening...

No one is safe.

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Burn for Me
Cynthia Eden

Amazon blurb:
Under Fire

Eve Bradley was undercover looking for a story, not a cause. But something about the man they called Subject Thirteen got her involved. The scientists said he was a devil, and they had a decent case: Terrifying power. A bad attitude. And looks that could lead anyone to sin. . .

Cain O'Connor knows the minute he catches her candy scent that Eve could drive him wild. But she's a threat—in a way no one has been for him in years. She's safer away from him, too. But with a powerful conspiracy determined to shut Eve up for good, there's no time to argue. All they can do is trust their instincts—and their hearts. . .

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Fashionably Flawed
Robyn Peterman

Amazon blurb:
You think your job is tedious? Try being the Harbinger of Evil for a day.
I dare you…

What’s the Devil to do when his fire no longer burns away his sins and Fate is screwing with his… well, fate? Easy—lie, cheat, steal and dictate my questionably accurate autobiography slash romance novel to my unwilling and outstandingly rude Vampyre niece.

Welcome to my Hell.

A mysterious darkness is gunning for me and this time it might prevail, but I have little time to worry about that. Instead of seeking it out, I shall simply go about business as usual. If it’s fated, it will find me.

My list is long. Traveling to Earth to promote my bestselling romance novel at an alarming book convention where I must protect my privates from the rabid lady readers is enough to frighten even the Devil. Not to mention, I have to avoid my insane mother like the plague and catch the smart-mouthed, gorgeous soul seller on Earth—who may or may not be someone I’d like to keep.

So today is a day like any other. Punishments must be doled out and chaos must be encouraged. A vacation would be lovely, but there is no rest for the weary… or the evil. Luckily I know how to have an outstanding time doing outrageously bad things. Thank Hades, I’m a handsome bastard.

There is no fated happily ever after for the Prince of Darkness, no matter what ridiculous ending my niece slaps onto my autobiography.

Or is there?

Fate is a bitch, but she usually gets it right.

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NEW RELEASE

The Trouble with the Twelfth Grave
Darynda Jones

Amazon blurb:
Ever since Reyes Farrow escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley Davidson accidentally trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes: Can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?

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Wildfire
Ilona Andrews

Amazon blurb:
Nevada Baylor can’t decide which is more frustrating—harnessing her truthseeker abilities or dealing with Connor “Mad” Rogan and their evolving relationship. Yes, the billionaire Prime is helping her navigate the complex magical world in which she’s become a crucial player—and sometimes a pawn—but she also has to deal with his ex-fiancée, whose husband has disappeared, and whose damsel-in-distress act is wearing very, very thin.

Rogan faces his own challenges, too, as Nevada’s magical rank has made her a desirable match for other Primes. Controlling his immense powers is child’s play next to controlling his conflicting emotions. And now he and Nevada are confronted by a new threat within her own family. Can they face this together? Or is their world about to go up in smoke?

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Incubus
Celia Aaron

Amazon blurb:
An incubus who feeds off the sexual desires of others, Roth de Lis has never been denied the pleasure of a woman's body...until now. Lilah, once a warrior maiden in the service of a goddess, languishes on earth after being cast out from the slopes of Mount Olympus.

Lilah will do anything to return home, including betraying Roth. As she spins her web of lies, Roth begins a slow, wicked seduction that eventually threatens to consume them both. But when Lilah's deceit comes to light, will their torrid love affair be able to overcome a pact with the darkest of gods?

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NEW RELEASE

Semi-Sane
Isabel Jordan

Amazon blurb:
No one knows crazy quite like Dr. Violet Marchand. As the preeminent psychologist to Whispering Hope’s supernatural population, staying calm, cool, and collected in the face of crazy is sorta part of the gig. So, when she starts receiving death threats, Violet isn’t all that rattled. But when her new bodyguard turns out to be the man who betrayed her—the only man who ever came close to breaching the carefully constructed walls around her heart…well, trusting him again might just be a little too crazy, even for a pro like Violet.

Nikolai Aleyev has a lifetime of sins to atone for—not the least of which is betraying Violet’s trust. She’s made it clear she wants nothing more to do with him, and he understands. She’s better off without him.

It doesn’t matter that he’s broken and only semi-sane without her. But when he’s assigned to act as Violet’s bodyguard, Nikolai knows he can’t stay away. Protecting her? That’ll be easy for a dhampyre like him. Keeping his hands off her and controlling the attraction that sizzles between them with every touch? That just might be more than he can manage.

When bullets—and sparks—start flying, Nikolai will put everything on the line to save Violet—his freedom, his heart, his life. Because sometimes, the line between crazy and happily ever after is razor thin, and the reward just might be worth crossing it.

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Spirits, Stilettos and a Silver Bustier
Deanna Chase

Amazon blurb:
All Pyper Rayne—medium and coffee shop owner—wanted was the perfect vintage dress. What she got was a dead shop owner and a sexy ghost who’s suddenly everywhere—at her shop, in her car, and even lounging in her bedroom. But he’s not just any ghost. He’s a witch and able to appear in solid form…sometimes. If only he'd stop disappearing on her.

And Pyper needs his help. When she becomes target numero uno and the prime suspect in the shop owner’s death, it appears her ghost holds the key to solving the murder. In between stolen kisses, Pyper will need to get to the bottom of all of his secrets if she wants to stay alive and out of jail…and maybe finally get that date he keeps promising her.

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And just because we left wolves off the list, doesn’t mean we don’t love them, too! For all the best werewolf romance recommendations, check this out. 

What about y’all? Have any paranormal reads you’d like to add to the list? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you!