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Paranormal Romance is the subgenre of {{romance|Novel}} where, instead of being a {{Fantasy}} or ScienceFiction story with a romantic subplot, the relationship is brought to the front and the heroine finds her true love when [[ParanormalTropes supernatural forces]] or sci-fi AppliedPhlebotinum are involved. (For this genre, what's "paranormal" is defined [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible as broadly as possible]].)

So instead of the motley cast of misfits heading out on a journey to slay the EvilOverlord with two characters suffering from {{UST}}, the heroine gets zapped back in time. She's lost, lonely and confused with no known way of getting back. To add to her worries, she doesn't realize she has romantic feelings toward that man standing over there with the top hat and [[HighClassGlass monocle]].

Using sci-fi and fantasy to create an exotic location for your romance story is fine, provided that the budding romance between the two lovers is the main focus, rather than the magical or scientific AppliedPhlebotinum. The story can even take place in the StandardFantasySetting. Setting it in any established fantasy or science fiction [[TheVerse universe]] is also fine, provided it's just FanFiction, or you have permission from that franchise's copyright holders. With permission from Paramount, for instance, you could set a paranormal romance in a ''Franchise/StarTrek'' ExtendedUniverse novel.

That being said, Paranormal Romance can be combined with almost any other genre out there. These stories can sometimes blur the line between focusing on the relationship and focusing on the setting, plot, and action.

Common plots include:
* The heroine moves into a HauntedHouse and [[BoyMeetsGhoul falls in love with a ghost.]]
* The heroine or her true love has [[{{Telepathy}} ESP]] and we get to see how having ESP can both help and hinder the path to true love.
* The heroine meets and falls in love with a [[YouSexyBeast supernatural]] [[DidYouJustRomanceCthulhu creature]].
* The heroine meets and [[BoldlyComing romances a space alien]]--or [[MarsNeedsWomen vice versa]].

Perhaps you've noticed that up to this point, we've been assuming that the more "normal" character in the pairing is a woman. Because most of this genre is marketed towards a female audience (and often written by women), this is usually the case, with a [[AudienceSurrogate relatable heroine]] falling for a hunky supernatural guy. However, plenty of exceptions exist: sometimes it's the guy who is the normal protagonist. Sometimes it's a queer love story and they're both women, or both men, or maybe one (or both) are non-binary. And sometimes it's the more supernaturally-aligned character who is the protagonist.

Compare UrbanFantasy, which is a (very) similar genre but without the focus on romance; A common joke holds that the difference between the two genres is that Urban Fantasy has a half-naked woman on the cover, where Paranormal Romance has a half-naked man on the cover. Compare FantasticRomance, which refers to love stories that may involve time-travel or dimension-hopping.

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!!Examples
[[index]]

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Manga/CallOfTheNight'' is about Yamori, a human, [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove trying to fall in love]] with Nazuna, a vampire.
%%* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', though the supernatural elements are significantly downplayed compared to many other examples.%%ZCE
* ''Manga/InuYasha'' is a borderline example; it's arguable whether the A-plot is Kagome and Inuyasha's budding ReincarnationRomance or the quest for the Shikon Jewel.
%%* ''Manga/{{Karin}}''%%ZCE
* ''Manga/MonsterMusume'' is a RomanticComedy about a human man and a [[HaremGenre harem]] of {{Cute Monster Girl}}s.
* ''Manga/MyLovelyGhostKana'': A man falls in love with a ghost.
* ''Anime/PleaseTeacher''? Yep: it's all about the romantic (mis)adventures of a space alien who's HotForStudent.
* ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' is also at the borderline, depends of the value you give to Tsukune and Moka's relationship.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/VampireBloodDrive'': A LesbianVampire {{Comedy}} comic about a human girl who attends her college's annual "blood drive" and meets a gorgeous, princely vampire girl.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}''
* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Priya reads ''Nightfall'' (a pastiche of ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'').
* ''WesternAnimation/WallE''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
* ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' combines this with BlackComedy. Although in this case the "romance" is more of a VillainousCrush.
* ''Film/BloodAndChocolate2007''
* ''Film/BloodRansom''
* ''Film/{{Endless}}'': Riley and Chris's romance doesn't die with him. It continues somewhat after he's dead and becomes a ghost.
* ''Film/{{Ghost 1990}}''
* ''How To Talk To Girls At Parties''
* ''Film/JackAndDiane''
* ''Film/MyAnimal''
* ''Film/TheShapeOfWater''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Literature/TheAbandonTrilogy
* ''Literature/AlongTheWindingRoad''
* The ''Literature/AnitaBlake'' series
* ''Literature/ArmadilhaParaLobisomem''
* Literature/BlackDaggerBrotherhood
* ''Literature/BloodAndChocolate1997''
* ''Literature/BloodsuckingFiends''
* ''Literature/TheCasterChronicles''
* ''Literature/TheCavaliersSeries''
* ''Literature/CemeteryBoys'', a novel where the romance is between a transgender boy and the [[spoiler:supposed]] ghost of a local bad boy.
* In ''Literature/TheChangeover'', the romance is between Laura Chant, a "sensitive", and Sorenson "Sorry" Carlisle, a troubled young man.
* ''Literature/TheColdestGirlInColdtown''
* ''Literature/TheCornersvilleTraceMythos''
* ''Literature/ACourtOfThornsAndRoses'': There's a major plotline involving the protagonists trying to stop [[SorcerousOverlord evil faerie overlords]] from [[TakeOverTheWorld conquering the world]], but the series largely focuses upon the heroine's romance with faerie royalty (especially in the first two books).
* The ''Literature/CursedSatyroi'' series involves human women becoming romantically involved with cursed satyrs.
* ''Literature/TheDarkHunters''
* The ''Literature/DarkCarpathians'' series, a LongRunner with the first book published in the [[TheNineties early 90s]], makes this a TropeCodifier for paranormal romance.
* ''Literature/DarkKissOfTheReaper'' features a romance between a human girl and the Angel of Death.
* ''Literature/DaughterOfSmokeAndBone''
* ''Literature/DarkVisions'' series
* ''Literature/ADealWithADemon''
* ''Literature/DragonAndDamsel''
* ''Literature/TheDragonScalesTrilogy''
* ''Literature/ElementalSeriesKemmerer''
* ''Literature/{{Evernight}}''
* ''Literature/FireAndRescueShifters'', and most other novels by Zoe Chant
* ''Literature/{{Ghostlight}}''
* ''Literature/GoldenDawn''
* ''Literature/GreenHills''
* ''Literature/AGrimmQuest''
* ''Literature/TheGuardiansMeljeanBrook'' series
* ''Literature/GuildHunter'' has strong shades of this, despite being mainly an UrbanFantasy series.
* ''Literature/Halo2010'' No, not [[Franchise/{{Halo}} that one]]--this one's about a teenage angel stuck in a MuggleAndMagicalLoveTriangle.
* ''Literature/HeartOfSteel'' features a ''Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast''-esque romance between a disfigured, reclusive {{cyborg}} MadScientist and a troubled ER doctor he has captured.
* ''Literature/HiddenLegacy'' series
* ''Literature/HisFairAssassin'' series
* The ''Literature/{{Horsemen}}'' series, featuring romance between human women and centaurs.
* ''Literature/TheHost2008,'' described as a "[[TwoPersonLoveTriangle love triangle with two bodies]]," has a PuppeteerParasite fall for the boyfriend of her human host.
* ''Literature/TheHouseOfNight'' series, where the protagonist becomes a vampire; sometimes borders on a harem story.
* ''Literature/HushHush''
* Literature/ImmortalsAfterDark
* ''Literature/ImmortalGuardians''
* ''Literature/KeturahAndLordDeath''
* ''Literature/KanesMountains''
* Most Lynn Kurland novels
* ''Literature/TheLegendOfAllWolves''
* ''Literature/TheLegendOfTheIcePeople'' is a long series of these, all concerning the same family.
* ''Literature/LongsummerNights''
* ''Literature/TheLordsOfSatyr''
* ''Literature/LordsOfTheUnderworld''
* ''Literature/TheMagiAccounts''
* ''Literature/MagicalAnnals''
** ''Literature/MagicalAnnalsAntiquitiesAndArcana''
** ''Literature/MagicalAnnalsAmorAndAugurs''
* ''Literature/TheMediator series''
* ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments'' is a borderline example--it's an UrbanFantasy adventure about a girl who discovers that she has a magical lineage and helps save the world, but her romantic issues also get a lot of focus.
* ''Literature/MyMerlin Trilogy,'' where Myth/{{Merlin}} returns as a teenage boy and winds up dating the main character.
* ''Literature/NightshadeTrilogy''
* ''Literature/NightWorld'' series
** ''Literature/SecretVampire''
** ''Literature/DaughtersOfDarkness1996''
** ''Literature/Spellbinder1996''
** ''Literature/DarkAngel1996''
** ''Literature/TheChosen1997''
** ''Literature/{{Soulmate}}''
** ''Literature/Huntress1997''
** ''Literature/BlackDawn''
* ''Literature/TheOneWhoEatsMonsters''
* ''Literature/TheOtherworldSeries''
* ''Literature/OverTheHillsOfGreen''
* ''Literature/{{Paranormalcy}}''
* ''Literature/TheParasolProtectorate'' series
* ''Literature/PrettyDead''
* ''Literature/PrettyWhenSheDies''
* ''Literature/PsyChangeling'' series
* ''Literature/{{Rainbow}}''
* ''Literature/{{Rolitania}}''
* ''Literature/TheRuthlessLadysGuideToWizardry''
* The ''Literature/ShadowRaiders'' duology, about werewolf soldiers falling in love with human women in post- Civil War America.
* ''Literature/ShiftingElements''
* ''Literature/TheSilverKiss''
* ''Literature/TheSookieStackhouseMysteries''
* ''Literature/TheSyrenaLegacy''
* ''Literature/TairenSoul''
* ''Literature/ToughLove'': Centers around a quintet of horror monsters acting as a supernatural dating service.
* ''Literature/ToWedACentaurKing''
* The ''Literature/TurningVampire Series''
* ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'': In the first book, Bella falls in love with a vampire named Edward; in the following book, it becomes a LoveTriangle with her best male friend, who turns out to be a werewolf. Since the series is a huge seller with a devoted fandom and successful film adaptations, this led to FollowTheLeader, making ''Twilight'' the TropeCodifier for Young Adult Paranormal Romance.
** ''Literature/Twilight2005''
** ''Literature/NewMoon''
** ''Literature/Eclipse2007''
** ''Literature/BreakingDawn''
** ''Literature/LifeAndDeathTwilightReimagined'': A retelling of the first book with the genders of the main characters flipped (notably, Bella is now a human named Beau and Edward is a Romantic Vampire Girl named Edythe), with certain plotlines developing or concluding differently from the original series.
** ''Literature/MidnightSun2020'': A PerspectiveFlip of the first book, told from RomanticVampireBoy Edward's POV rather than Bella's.
* ''Literature/VampireAcademy'' series
* ''Literature/TheVampireDiaries'' series
* ''Literature/ViridianSaga'', about Andromeda Slate, the most ordinary girl in America, who winds up [[DidYouJustRomanceCthulhu literally romancing Cthulhu]]. Naturally, she prevents him from destroying the world with ThePowerOfLove, but also gets into a LoveTriangle with her MuggleBestFriend. [[spoiler:Actually a StealthParody of this genre written by several authors, most notably [[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick Team NChick]], under a pseudonym]].
* ''Literature/WarmBodies'' has a ZombieApocalypse where one of the zombies falls for a girl, in part because [[BrainFood eating her boyfriend's brain]] gives the zombie his memories.
* ''Literature/WeCantRewind'', a romance involving paranormal ''events'' rather than ''creatures''.
* ''Literature/WhatSheWants'', a romance involving a shape-shifting centaur.
* ''Literature/WickedLovely''
* ''Literature/WhyborneAndGriffin''
* ''Literature/WolvesOfMercyFallsSeries''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/{{Beauty and the Beast|1987}}'' is an UrbanFantasy take on this trope.
* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022''
* ''Series/LostInAusten''
* ''Series/PushingDaisies''
* ''Series/{{Shadowhunters}},'' an adaptation of ''Literature/{{The Mortal Instruments}}'' (see above).
* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'': All of the supernatural romantic pairings classify as this.
* ''Series/WolfLikeMe''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/{{Monsterhearts}}'' encourages this, since its characters are all teenagers and supernatural beings.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/TenDaysWithMyDevil''
* ''VisualNovel/TheArcana''
* ''VisualNovel/AstoriaFatesKiss''
* ''VisualNovel/BeautyAndTheWarXPlayingPieces''
* ''VisualNovel/BlackWolvesSaga''
* ''VisualNovel/BlossomingLove''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Changeling|Otome}}''
* ''VisualNovel/CinderellaPhenomenon''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Cinders}}''
* ''VisualNovel/DaCapo''
* ''VisualNovel/DaCapoII''
* ''VisualNovel/DaCapoIII''
* ''VisualNovel/DateWarp''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Demonheart}}''
* ''VisualNovel/DiabolikLovers''
* ''VisualNovel/EnchantedInTheMoonlight''
* ''VisualNovel/EverAfterAcademy''
* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''
* ''VisualNovel/FatalHearts''
* ''VisualNovel/FortuneArterial''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Hakuouki}}''
* ''VisualNovel/TheHauntingOfBraidwoodManor''
* ''VisualNovel/HavenfallIsForLovers''
* ''VisualNovel/HerTearsWereMyLight''
* ''VisualNovel/HiiroNoKakera''
* ''VisualNovel/KissesAndCurses''
* ''VisualNovel/LadsInDistress''
* ''VisualNovel/LoveAndLegends''
* ''VisualNovel/MagicalDiary''
* ''VisualNovel/MagicalWarriorDiamondHeart''
* ''VisualNovel/MysticDestiniesSerendipityOfAeons''
* ''VisualNovel/NamelessTheOneThingYouMustRecall''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Nekojishi}}''
* ''VisualNovel/NeNoKamiTheTwoPrincessKnightsOfKyoto''
* ''VisualNovel/ReigningPassions''
* ''VisualNovel/RoseOfWinter''
* ''VisualNovel/SeduceMe''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateAngelOrDevil''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateBloodInRoses''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateDestinyNinja2''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateLostIsland''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateMagicSword''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateMyFairyTales''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateObeyMe''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateOz''
* ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDateWizardessHeart''
* ''VisualNovel/SinWithMe''
* ''VisualNovel/StarCrossedMyth''
* ''VisualNovel/StarlightVega''
* ''VisualNovel/StarshipPromise''
* ''VisualNovel/StrawberryVinegar''
* ''VisualNovel/SweetEnchantments''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}''
* ''VisualNovel/VillainousNights''
* ''VisualNovel/War13thDay''
* ''VisualNovel/WickedLawlessLove''
* ''VisualNovel/YoJinBo''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomic]]
* ''Webcomic/SeeYouInMy19thLife''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* ''WebVideo/CarmillaTheSeries''
* ''WebVideo/LastLife'' - specifically, a ReincarnationRomance.
[[/folder]]

[[/index]]
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