Kelly Kilburn (Author)

Look, I write dark romance.
In shades of morally gray.

I don’t implode the relationship just to emotionally wreck you.

The dark moment has purpose.

It gets worse before it gets better.

And I always deliver the better. 🖤

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#romancelandia

Scandalized is finally here!

My spicy college mafia romance is available on KU, as an ebook and audiobook!
🖤 Arranged marriage
🖤 Reverse grumpy sunshine
🖤 He falls first

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#romancelandia
#darkromance

Saw a debate today about whether a romance is “clean” or “closed door” since the sex is only implied and there’s no swearing.

I laughed—because I was stressing earlier about how to market one of my books and realized… yeah. At least there’s one concern I’ll ever need to solve. 😉

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#romancelandia

Every day while writing dark romance, I pause and think: is this too much?

And then…

I keep typing. 🤣🤣🤣

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#darkromance
#romancelandia

Best part of the holidays: Having everyone home as a family.

Worst part of the holidays: Waiting for everyone to leave so I can finally watch Heated Rivalry. 🔥🏒

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#romancelandia

2025 was about learning.
2026 is about building.

Two new Heirs of the Organized books are coming, and I’ve started something brand new that I’m deeply excited about.

If you love dark romance, morally gray characters, and high-stakes stories…I’ve got you. 😘

#romancelandia
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2025: the year I stopped calling myself an aspiring author.

I debuted. I learned. I kept writing.

Thank you to every reader who took a chance on my first book… you made this year unforgettable.

Onward. 🖤

#writingcommunity
#author
#romancelandia
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In honor of Festivus, the airing of the grievances 🎄

• Em dashes ≠ AI
• Audiobooks count as reading
• Authors don’t need to be tagged in negative reviews
• Rage bait isn’t bookish culture

I’m here because I love stories, characters, and the people who create them. 😘

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#writingcommunity
#author

a woman is making a funny face with her eyes closed . ALT: a woman is making a funny face with her eyes closed .

Me… trying to decide if I want to give Scrivener a try instead of Google Docs.

#author
#writingcommunity

In case you’re wondering what I want for Christmas, I’m a size 300-400 page mafia romance. 🥰

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#romancelandia

Me: Don’t open the Amazon package… it’s Christmas presents.
Hubby: I moved it to your dresser… but honestly? Felt like another book haul.
Me (aloud): Thanks, babe.
Me (mentally): And so what if Santa reads dark romance? 🫢

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#romancelandia

Happy Thanksgiving, dark romance fam 🖤

I’m grateful for morally grey men, messy heroines, and readers who love them both.

🥂 Here’s to full plates, full hearts, and even fuller TBRs.

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#romancelandia
#darkromance

Dear 🦋 Algorithm,

Please connect me with dark romance readers who love angsty, page-turning, he growls “you’re mine” mafia romance.

Looking for friends whose TBRs are as spicy and unhinged as mine.

All my love,
Kelly Kilburn
Writer of obsessive men, capable women & questionable life choices
🌶️📚💙

Anything bookish works! I have lots of readers in my life!

I need all the ideas for bookish gifts please! About to start my holiday shopping. ❤️

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#reader
#author
#writingcommunity
#romancelandia

If the Legacy of Gods series and the Off Campus series had a baby… it’d look a lot like the Heirs of the Organized series. 🫢
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#romancelandia

Husband: “So apparently—”
gets distracted by his phone and forgets entire sentence.

Now I’m stuck here living in the cliffhanger of a conversation that never happened. Sir, you cannot give me the trailer and then cancel the movie.

a man is making a funny face while wearing a black shirt and a silver chain . ALT: a man is making a funny face while wearing a black shirt and a silver chain .

I swear I outline… and then my characters improvise for 300 pages. 🌶️📚💙
#author

Just read a sauce recipe that said “one small onion and ONE clove of garlic.” One. Singular. Where is this person from … and do they need help??

Anybody else looking forward to Season 2 of Maxton Hall? 👏👏👏

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#romancelandia
#amazonprime
#maxtonhall

Happy to share that my Heirs of the Organized series (books 3 & 4) has been picked up by Carina Press! Can’t wait to share these stories!
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#romancelandia
#writingcommunity
#author

Yes! Good luck with the edits. I always find the waiting is the hardest part!

It’s wild how much changes when you go from reading romance to writing it. I used to lose sleep over book boyfriends. Now it’s over which TikTok trend will convince strangers to buy my mafia romance. 🙄
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#author
#romancelandia
#writingcommunity

Read what you love. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.🔥

🌶️ Smut doesn’t make you shallow.
🤫 Closed-door romance doesn’t make you boring.
📚 DNFing a book doesn’t make you a quitter.

It makes you a reader who knows exactly what they want. And that? That’s power.

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#romancelandia

Then they might read it! God help me then! 🤣

I told my family my book is “like Fifty Shades” because their frame of reference is either that or a Hallmark movie. I wasn’t going to get into the various levels of trigger warnings and dark romance tropes! I might cause my mother-in-law to have an aneurysm! 🤣
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Love dark romance? Here’s a great starter pack if you’re looking to follow others who love morally gray (and sometimes pitch black) goodness! 🌶️📚💙

go.bsky.app/PTdkzqi

Ever since I got a Kindle Paperwhite, I’ve been taking a ridiculous number of baths. I’m gonna turn into a prune… but… it’s water resistant! I can’t help it. 👏👏👏

#reading

a black and white photo of a woman wearing a turtleneck sweater and a dress . ALT: a black and white photo of a woman wearing a turtleneck sweater and a dress .

I should be writing, but I also really want to put a dent in my TBR this weekend. Not sure if I can accomplish both!

I waited the whole series for that book! ❤️