Let's dissect this because power dynamics are the entire spine of the genre, but 'romantic plots' can mean wildly different things. Some books frame the power imbalance as the central romantic conflict that must be resolved or inverted for a HEA, while others treat it as a more permanent, darkly erotic feature.
For a classic where the power shift IS the romance, 'Captive in the Dark' by CJ Roberts is foundational. The journey from captor/captive to something far more complex hinges entirely on the evolution of that dynamic. It’s brutal, but the emotional entanglement feels earned precisely because the power isn't static. Conversely, 'The Submissive' by Tara Sue Me explores a consensual, negotiated power exchange within a BDSM framework where the romance develops alongside, not in spite of, the structure. The 'power' here is a gift, not a theft, which creates a different romantic tension.
Then you have books where the romantic plot exists almost as a critique or examination of the trope itself. Anne Rice's 'Beauty' series, under the A.N. Roquelaure pseudonym, presents a fantastical world of total subjugation. The 'romance,' such as it is, emerges from the characters finding slivers of identity and connection within an absolute power structure. It’s less about overthrowing the dynamic and more about humanizing the people trapped inside it. That distinction matters for what a reader is seeking.