Steffanie Holmes

Hi! I'm Steffanie Holmes, and I write deliciously dark romance where Gothic atmosphere meets modern snark. (Think Victoria-era aesthetics with plenty of f-bombs.) If you love your romance with a side of murder mysteries, eldritch horrors, and morally gray characters who definitely shouldn't be trusted but are impossible not to love... well, you've found your bookish soul sister.

I grew up in New Zealand, where the landscape itself feels like something out of a Gothic novel – misty mountains, ancient forests, and more sheep than people. While other kids were reading Sweet Valley High, I was devouring Edgar Allan Poe and staying up way too late watching The X-Files. My mom probably should've been concerned, but instead she just kept feeding my obsession with supernatural mysteries and dark romance novels. (Thanks, Mom!)

My journey to becoming an author wasn't exactly straightforward. I studied classical archaeology and spent years digging up ancient ruins, which honestly was perfect research for writing about dark secrets and buried mysteries. Between digs, I played bass in a metal band and worked as a museum curator. Yeah, I know – total Gothic romance heroine vibes, right?

But stories were always my first love. I started writing seriously in 2012, and my first books were paranormal romance featuring archaeologists (write what you know!). But I really found my groove when I started mixing genres together like some mad scientist in a literary laboratory. My books blend dark romance with mystery, paranormal elements, and enough plot twists to give you whiplash.

Take "Prose and Cons" – it's basically what would happen if Jane Austen wrote Ocean's Eleven while binge-watching Sherlock. My heroine Mina gets tangled up with a brilliant con artist who might be framed for murder, and she has to solve the mystery before he ends up behind bars. (Or before she falls completely in love with him. Whoops, too late!)

Then there's my "Ignited" series, which asks the important question: "What if we took H.P. Lovecraft's cosmic horror and added hot guys and kissing?" It's a reverse harem romance where our heroine has to navigate both ancient evil entities AND complicated relationships with multiple love interests. Because why deal with just one problem when you can have ALL the problems?

My writing style? Think witty banter, complex mysteries, steamy scenes that'll fog up your e-reader, and characters who are definitely too smart for their own good. I love writing strong heroines who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty (sometimes literally – there's often a body count), and heroes who are equal parts dangerous and irresistible.

When I'm not writing, you can find me exploring old cemeteries for inspiration (totally normal hobby, right?), playing with my rescue dogs, or attempting to perfect my gothic aesthetic in a country that's way too sunny for it. I live in a tiny house with my husband, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, which sounds romantic until you realize how many spiders we share our space with. (I've named them all. They're part of the family now.)

To my readers: I promise to always deliver stories that keep you guessing, characters you'll fall in love with despite your better judgment, and endings that satisfy even if the journey there is delightfully twisted. My books aren't for everyone – they're for the readers who like their romance with teeth, their mysteries with magic, and their happily-ever-afters earned through fire and darkness.

Fair warning: if you pick up one of my books, expect to stay up way too late reading "just one more chapter" and possibly develop inappropriate crushes on characters who are definitely bad news. But hey, that's half the fun, right?

Want to join my dark little corner of the romance world? I hang out way too much on Instagram sharing behind-the-scenes peeks at my writing process, book recommendations, and pictures of my dogs (because priorities). You can also find me in my readers' group, where we discuss everything from plot theories to which fictional characters we'd want on our zombie apocalypse team.

Remember: Life's too short for boring books. Let's make it weird and wonderful together.

xo, Steffanie