The Darkly Box

The Darkly Box delivers monthly adult romance books with exclusive covers not available in retail and author signatures. Features all romance subgenres with a focus on spicy content. As of January 2025, the subscription transitioned to book-only format (no additional items). Currently operating on a waitlist system and frequently sold out due to high demand.

The Darkly Box launched as an adult romance variant of The Bookish Box subscription service, targeting readers who prefer spicy romance over young adult romantasy. In January 2025, the service transitioned to a book-only format, removing previously included bookish merchandise and reducing the price to $38/month.

2025 Subscription Changes

What Changed in January 2025:

• Removed bookish goodies and merchandise
• Transitioned to book-only subscriptions
• Reduced pricing to $38/month
• Implemented waitlist system for new subscribers
• Monthly renewals occur on the 20th of each month
• Frequently sold out due to capacity constraints

All Bookish Box Options:

• The Bookish Box: $38/month - New Adult/YA romantasy
• The Darkly Box (this option): $38/month - Adult romance (often sold out)
• The Bookish & Darkly Box Bundle: $63/month - Both books

Pricing

Plan	Price	Features
Monthly	$38/month	1 exclusive edition adult romance book

Additional shipping charges may apply for international orders. All new subscriptions require joining the waitlist. Frequently sold out.

What’s Included

• 1 Adult Romance Book: Across all subgenres with spicy content
• Exclusive Cover/Edition: Unique design not in retail stores
• Author Signature: Included with each book
• No Additional Items: Book-only format as of January 2025
• Collectible Focus: Special editions for adult romance collectors

Romance Subgenres Featured

The Darkly Box rotates through various romance subgenres:

• Contemporary romance
• Paranormal romance
• Historical romance
• Sci-fi romance
• Fantasy romance
• Reverse harem
• Dark romance
• Romantic suspense

Spice Level: Heavy focus on spicy/steamy content for adult readers.

How It Works

The Darkly Box subscription cycle delivers exclusive adult romance editions, though operational challenges significantly impact the experience:

1. Join Waitlist: Due to frequent sold-out status, visit The Bookish Box website and join The Darkly Box waitlist. Provide your email address to be notified when subscriptions reopen. Waitlist duration varies and is not publicly disclosed - could be weeks or months depending on capacity.

2. Subscribe When Available: When subscriptions reopen, you’ll receive an email notification with a limited enrollment window. Act quickly as slots fill rapidly. Select the monthly $38 plan and provide shipping and payment information. Billing renews on the 20th of each month.

3. Monthly Book Selection: The Bookish Box team selects one adult romance book each month across various subgenres (contemporary, paranormal, historical, sci-fi, fantasy, reverse harem, dark romance, romantic suspense). You don’t choose the book - curation is entirely in the company’s hands. Book announcements may or may not be shared in advance.

4. Billing on the 20th: Your credit card is charged $38 on the 20th of each month. This is when your order officially processes. Note that billing does not guarantee immediate shipment - significant delays between billing and shipping are commonly reported.

5. Wait for Shipping Notification: After billing, wait for a shipping confirmation email. Warning: Many subscribers report delays of 3-4+ months between billing and actual shipment, or orders that are never fulfilled despite being charged. Some members receive tracking numbers that never update or show movement.

6. Receive Your Book (If/When It Ships): If your book eventually ships and arrives, you’ll receive:

• 1 adult romance hardcover with exclusive cover design
• Author signature (hand-signed or bookplate)
• Book-only package (no additional merchandise since January 2025 format change)

Important: Multiple documented cases exist of books arriving with quality issues including author names misspelled on covers, chapters printed out of order, bent covers, torn pages, or incorrect books entirely different from what was announced.

7. Inspect Book Quality: When your book arrives, immediately inspect for:

• Printing errors (misspellings, binding issues, incorrect chapter order)
• Damage (bent covers, torn pages, shipping damage)
• Correct book (verify it matches the announced selection)

Document any issues with photos immediately, as you’ll need evidence when contacting customer service.

8. Contact Support If Needed (Prepare for Frustration): If your book has quality issues, is damaged, or never arrives despite billing, contact customer service via email. Warning: Multiple reports indicate:

• Slow or no responses to support emails
• Difficulty getting refunds for unfulfilled or defective orders
• Cancellation requests ignored or not processed
• No phone support available

Consider disputing charges with your credit card company if The Bookish Box doesn’t resolve issues.

9. Attempt to Cancel (If Desired): If you wish to cancel, submit your cancellation request well before the 20th of the month to avoid being charged again. Critical Warning: Many subscribers report cancellation requests being ignored, continued charges after cancellation, and needing to dispute charges with credit card companies to stop recurring billing.

10. Manage Expectations: The Darkly Box appeals to collectors of exclusive adult romance editions, but operational realities mean:

• Expect delays - 3-4+ months between billing and receipt is common
• Quality control is inconsistent - printing errors and damage occur frequently
• Customer service is unreliable - resolution of issues is difficult
• Cancellation may require escalation to credit card company

The subscription works best for extremely patient collectors willing to accept significant risk in exchange for exclusive signed romance editions.

Reality Check: Unlike typical subscription workflows where steps proceed smoothly, The Darkly Box’s process is marred by documented operational failures at nearly every stage. Proceed with awareness of these risks.

Operational Challenges

The Darkly Box shares the same operational infrastructure as The Bookish Box and has experienced similar operational difficulties:

Shipping Delays

Orders commonly face significant delays:

• Orders delayed 3-4 months beyond promised dates
• No proactive communication about delays
• Refunds difficult or impossible to obtain for delayed orders

Quality Control Issues

When books arrive, quality concerns include:

• Printing Errors: Author names misspelled on covers
• Binding Problems: Chapters printed out of order
• Damage: Books arriving with bent covers or torn pages
• Wrong Items: Incorrect books sent

Customer Service Limitations

Support responsiveness has been problematic:

• Slow or no responses to emails about order status
• No phone support available
• Difficulty getting refunds for unfulfilled or defective orders

Cancellation Difficulties

Multiple customers across Bookish Box subscriptions report:

• Cancellation requests ignored or not processed
• Continued charges after cancellation within policy window
• Having to dispute charges with credit card companies

Sold Out Status

The Darkly Box is frequently marked as sold out, which could indicate:

• High demand for adult romance exclusive editions
• Intentional capacity management to improve fulfillment
• Limited production capacity for special editions

The waitlist system may help the company manage volume and avoid the severe delays that plagued earlier operations.

Who It’s For

Best For:

• Adult romance readers who love spicy content across all subgenres
• Collectors of special edition romance books with exclusive covers
• Exclusive edition enthusiasts wanting author-signed copies
• Extremely patient readers comfortable with 3-4+ month delays
• Risk-tolerant buyers willing to accept quality control issues

Not Ideal For:

• Those Expecting Timely Delivery: Delays of 3-4+ months are common; if you need books on schedule, choose alternatives
• Customer Service Prioritizers: Unresponsive support and difficult issue resolution make this frustrating
• Easy Cancellation Seekers: Cancellation requests are often ignored; may require credit card disputes
• Budget-Restricted Readers: $38/month risk on potentially delayed or defective orders is significant
• YA/NA Romantasy Lovers: Consider The Bookish Box instead for younger adult content
• Merchandise Seekers: Book-only format means no additional items since January 2025

Alternatives to Consider

For adult romance books:

• Book of the Month: Reliable service with romance selections
• FairyLoot Adult or OwlCrate Adult: Adult fantasy/romance boxes
• Direct from Publishers: Many romance publishers offer signed editions
• Independent Bookstores: Often have signed romance copies

Final Assessment

The Darkly Box appeals to adult romance readers seeking exclusive signed editions with spicy content. The book-only format at $38 (reduced from previous pricing with merchandise) simplifies the value proposition. However, the subscription inherits the same operational challenges as The Bookish Box - shipping delays, quality control issues, and difficult cancellations.

The frequent sold-out status and waitlist system may indicate the company is managing capacity more carefully, which could potentially improve fulfillment. However, documented operational issues persist across all Bookish Box variants, making it a higher-risk subscription choice.

Romance readers seeking exclusive editions should weigh the appeal of unique covers and signatures against the documented risks of delays, quality issues, and cancellation difficulties.