Joëlle Touati

Hi there! I'm Joëlle Touati, and I write dark romance that explores the shadows we all carry inside us. (Yes, even you with the perfectly curated Instagram feed – we've all got demons lurking beneath the surface.)

I was born and raised in France, where I grew up devouring both classic French literature and contemporary romance novels under my covers with a flashlight. My mother would always tell me "Joëlle, your imagination is going to get you in trouble someday!" Well Maman, looks like you were right – now I make a living writing about dangerous men and the women who refuse to tame them.

My Monsters in the Dark series started as a way to explore the duality of human nature – those blurred lines between good and evil that fascinate me endlessly. When I wrote "Larmes amères" (Bitter Tears), I never expected it would resonate with so many readers. But it turns out I'm not the only one drawn to stories where love blooms in the darkest places. (And let's be honest, the darkest places are usually where the most interesting things happen.)

I write in French because that's the language my monsters speak to me in. There's something about French that captures the raw elegance of darkness in a way English can't quite match. My characters aren't heroes or villains – they're both, sometimes in the same breath. They're complicated, messy, and unapologetically real. Just like actual humans. Wild, right?

When I'm not writing, you can usually find me wandering the streets of Paris with a notebook and an embarrassingly large coffee, people-watching and imagining the secrets behind their carefully composed faces. Every stranger has a story, and some of those stories end up twisted into my books. (If you've ever made eye contact with a woman scribbling frantically in a café, that might have been me stealing your essence for a character. Sorry not sorry!)

My writing process is chaos wrapped in routine. I write every day, usually starting before dawn when the world is still quiet enough to hear my characters whispering. Some days the words flow like wine at a French dinner party. Other days it's like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. But I keep showing up, because these stories demand to be told.

The Monsters in the Dark series grew darker and more complex with each book, culminating in "Larmes silencieuses" (Silent Tears). It's like watching someone fall down a beautiful, terrible rabbit hole – you know you should look away, but you can't. And honestly? Those are the best kind of stories.

To my readers: thank you for being brave enough to walk into the darkness with me. Your messages about staying up all night to finish "just one more chapter" make me smile every time. (Though maybe don't blame me for your dark circles at work?) Your support means everything, and I promise to keep delivering stories that make you question your moral compass while simultaneously reaching for a fan.

Fair warning: my books aren't for everyone. If you're looking for light, fluffy romance where everything is tied up in a neat bow at the end, you might want to look elsewhere. But if you're ready to explore the beautiful mess of human nature, the complex tangle of love and darkness, and the kind of romance that leaves scars... well, pull up a chair. We're going to have fun together.

And yes, there will be more books coming. The monsters in my head never stay quiet for long, and they're always hungry for new stories to tell. So grab your favorite wine (or coffee, I don't judge), get comfortable, and let's dive into some deliciously dark romance together.

À bientôt, Joëlle

P.S. If you see me in a Paris café, come say hello! Just don't be surprised if you end up inspiring a character in my next book. Consider it immortality, of sorts. 😉