Entertainment

Best-Selling Author's Novel Ranked Most Popular Steamy Audiobook

Summer is already sizzling. But Navessa Allen's viral audiobook, Lights Out, is currently sending temperatures soaring. The dark romance sensation has become Audible's hottest listen, thanks to its blend of taboo fantasy, sharp humor, and seriously steamy narrator chemistry.

TheNew York Times bestseller, which is currently in the top spot of Audible's most popular erotica audiobooks, is also blowing up on TikTok, with fan reactions ranging from "chokehold" to "obsessed."

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@navessa.allen

When his intentions are bad but his soul is good. #darkromance#stalkerromance#masktok

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Despite 27 trigger warnings, fans cannot get enough of this dark romantic comedy. The first entry in Allen's Into the Darkness trilogy, the novel follows Aly Cappellucci, an overworked trauma nurse who decompresses with social media. When she haphazardly sends a dirty screenshot of the masked influencer she's crushing on to the wrong number, a kinky game of cat-and-mouse unfolds.

"Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally gray male lead," Audible writes. "Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book."

Another reason fans are flocking to Lights Out is its narrating duo, Elena Wolfe and Jacob Morgan. The two bring Allens' characters to life with emotional depth, intense chemistry, and sharp, laugh-out-loud banter that balances the novel's darker and steamier themes.

"Let me get this straight: This is the most joyful stalker romance I've ever read," one fan writes. "The narrators are hilarious and amazing, the story is fast paced and captivating. And the background stories are solid and give a strong foundation of the characters."

"I laughed till my cheeks hurt," another says. "A riveting story that is perfectly paced and phenomenal comedic timing. The past trauma was heartbreaking, but these characters balanced each other."

"The narrators had bills to pay!" yet another comments. "They sold this story as if they were in a real relationship. A great storyline with a level of dark romance that doesn't leave me questioning my morals."

For those wondering why the audio version trumps the tangible page-turner, think about this: It's ideal for easy road trip, beach, or poolside listening; or maybe you just don't want prying eyes to see what you're reading. Plus, you don't want to miss out of the addictive dual narration, Allen's ideal blend of dark and light, and the plot's "he fell first' energy.

The popularity of Lights Out also illustrates the current revolution in audiobook consumption, pairing dark romance tropes with highly engaging narrations perfectly suited for TikTok and BookTok audiences. Allen's novel feeds that craving for immersive, safe-space fantasy.

Give it a go before the series adaptation hits Netflix.

Then, dive into the rest of the series. Caught Up, which debuted at No. 1 on the NYT bestseller list upon release in June 2025, and Game On, which arrived last March, are both available in audio versions with multi-cast narration.

Related: Best-Selling Author's Wildly Popular Novels Are Back in the Spotlight for the Best Reason Ever

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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 1:17 PM.

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