Author Hanna Harp Teases Haunted Hearts, The Book Soundtrack, & Upcoming Spinoffs

Published Oct 13, 2026, 4:31 PM EDT Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes. Dani is also part of ScreenRant's books team, using their fiction writing and literature studies as the backbone for their book analyses. They have covered events, such as the Denver Fan Expo. Professionals in the field, such as Damien Leone and Lucy Hale, have shared their articles. Their review of Ponies was quoted in the show's TV trailer. In university, they majored in English Writing with a minor in psychology. They have always had a passion for analyzing TV and movies, even taking filmography and scriptwriting classes in university. They also studied and participated in onstage and onscreen acting extensively from the ages of 7 to 18. Aside from working at Screen Rant, Dani has worked as a freelance editor and writer over the past decade, often in a ghostwriting capacity. EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of Haunted Hearts' October 27 release, ScreenRant interviewed author Hanna Harp about her new book, with exciting new reveals like the official soundtrack and a Bound Duet spinoff in the works. Great horrormance books are all the rage right now. Luckily, plenty of new titles are on the way, including Haunted Hearts by Hanna Harp, the sequel to Haunting the Hunter. This popular duology walks the line between dark fantasy romance and light horrormance. Having read an ARC of Haunted Hearts, I can confirm it has everything that made the first book great. Once again, the reader is Cade Halloway's ghostly love interest, and the relationship is trusting and sweet. The fan-favorite shadow daddy, Alabaster, is back and better than ever. Plus, the book ramps up the high-stakes fantasy story, the romance, and the spicy scenes. Haunted Hearts is the kind of book that will keep you up until the early hours of the morning finishing the story, even though you have to work the next day; yet, it's so good you won’t regret the decision. Ahead of the book’s highly anticipated fall release, ScreenRant caught up with author Hanna Harp through email to discuss her new book and future plans for the series. Here’s everything the author had to say. This article has been lightly edited for clarity. ScreenRant: What do you think makes Alabaster the ultimate shadow daddy? Hanna Harp: I may be a bit biased, but Alabaster is my favorite shadow daddy. Aside from him being 6” 9 with white hair and horns, the fact that he is capable of turning ethereal and seducing his love interest as a literal shadow, is a plus. His personality is sarcastic and cocky, yet with Calli, we see a different side of him. He’s one of those characters where you feel like you can’t fully trust him, despite wanting to love him. And for me, that balance is what makes a good shadow daddy— when you never quite know where their true intentions lie. ScreenRant: Haunting The Hunter has a curated playlist at the start of the book, which is missing from the sequel. Will Haunted Hearts have a playlist for fans to enjoy online? Yes! Haunted Hearts, unlike Haunting The Hunter, received a physical ARC, and I was very careful about how I wanted the playlist arranged. It will be in the official release as well as my trigger warnings "The Menu." Music is a massive part of my creative process and oftentimes I assign a song to a chapter, not always, but always for the ones that hold weight. Though I have not yet shared this playlist publicly, I am happy to share it now with you, as [there are only 14 days left] until Haunted Hearts releases on October 27th. Figured You Out- DEVKOTA Monster Made Of Memories- Citizen Soldier Only When It’s You- Bleeding Verse I’m Yours- Isabel LaRosa Body- Don Toliver Show Me Love- WizTheMc and bees & honey Strangers- Kenya Grace Wrong- Chris Grey You Broke My Heart- kobzx2z & Myla Past Self- Sleep Token Death Won’t Do Us Part- Chris Grey (with Ari Abdul) Left With Nothing- Shias Maisel and Clark Even In Arcadia- Sleep Token Forbidden Fruit- Tommee Profitt with Sam Tinnesz and Brooke ScreenRant: Who are your other favorite dark romance writers? Who inspires your writing? For me, these two questions are separate, and inspire me in different ways. To name some of my favorite dark romance authors I love, would be Emily McIntire, Nikki St. Crow, and Laura Thalassa. The way they can take existing stories and make them their own is amazing. Their talent and storytelling has inspired me stylistically, and always have me wanting to come back to their books and re-enter their worlds. Something I wish for my readers to feel about my stories. But the authors that inspire my worldbuilding, are the greats like Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, Hans Christian Anderson, H.P. Lovecraft, and Brothers Grimm. These authors pushed my imagination and tested me as a creative. They truly set the standard of what I want to achieve as a writer. ScreenRant: Are there any Bound Duet spinoffs in the works? I’m proud to say that there is more to the story. I’m currently working on a project I started almost 10 years ago that is very close to my heart. And technically, though it is a continuation, the story takes place long before our brother-sister duo in Cade and Callisto were born. Where we get to see what really happened through the eyes of the monster who started it all. ScreenRant: How do you, as a dark romance writer, find the perfect balance between spicy scenes and plot? I chose dark romance as my medium because I wanted the freedom to write dark themes, but also love. I have a range of very graphic and traumatic themes in my books included in the plot, as well as a fair amount of spice. The trick is in power dynamics, character agency, and the narrative purpose of an intimate scene. For me, I like my spice scenes to reveal something about the characters. If a character is afraid or emotionally shut down, a spicy may not make sense for them. On the flip side, if intimacy becomes away for a character to regain control, or shift a dynamic or mindset, then it can move the plot forward just as much as any action scene could. We see that very duality in Haunting The Hunter with our main male character Cade and the little ghost(you), and his sister Calli and her love interest Alabaster. Finding balance in any story is tricky, the key is trusting your characters. About Haunted Hearts "Cade Halloway is done running. The Covenant still stands—fractured, desperate, and willing to burn the world to reclaim their power. They still want his sister, Callisto, but Callisto is no longer the girl they marked for death. She trains in secret, learning to wield the power she was born with. And the rules begin to change. With the help of an old friend, a monster forced into human skin, and you—the unseen presence bound to Cade—they prepare for the war coming to their door. As Cade moves to finally dismantle the Covenant, his connection to you deepens into something he no longer questions. You are no longer a ghost, you are a part of him now. And he intends to find you. But while alliances take shape, something else watches from the shadows. Waiting for every piece to fall into place. This time, survival won’t be enough." - Description from Simon & Schuster Haunted Hearts will be available at all major retailers on October 27, 2026. To get the sequel as soon as it releases, you can preorder the book now.