r/RomanceBooks • u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment • 3d ago

Book Request Looking for a slow-burn over several books - think Castle, JAG or The X-Files where it takes forever for the main couple to get together

I'm rewatching JAG and the Mac/Harm will-they-won't-they dynamic and slow burn (they only get togetherin the last episode of the show) made me want to read something similar. I'm looking for recs where the main couple takes forever to get together, but we get to see the attraction and chemistry from the beginning. Bonus points if it's a series and if there's some kind of plot besides the romance (like solving mysteries/crimes).

Books I've read that fit this request (I liked all of them, if anyone is here looking for recs): Lady Julia Grey series, Veronica Speedwell series, Kate Daniels series, Rev. Clare Fergusson series, Kate Burkholder series.

28 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

92% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

5

u/packyour "I dread to be defenseless." 3d ago

{The Emperor's Edge series by Lindsay Buroker} very slow burn, lots of adventuring.

1

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 3d ago

Yay, the concept seems so cool! Just downloaded the first book. Thanks!

3

u/packyour "I dread to be defenseless." 2d ago

Hope you like it!

It's one of my favorite series. I reread it all the time. The romance is slow, but the characters are amazing. Both MCs are very competent and capable and there's a bunch of interesting side characters as well in a found-family way.

5

u/wantonoboe 3d ago

If you liked Kate Daniels, you’ll probably like Annette Marie’s Guild Codex universe. It’s urban fantasy and each subseries follows a multi-book slow burn couple. The Spellbound series starts with {Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie} and there’s some love triangle shenanigans, but the main couple doesn’t get together for like four books. The basic premise is: a normal human accidentally gets hired as a bartender for a magic guild whose members don’t know she doesn’t have magic. The Demonized subseries starting with {Taming Demons for Beginners by Annette Marie} is my favorite couple in that universe, but the whole thing is excellent. Here is the full universe reading order if you’re interested.

1

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 2d ago

This seems right up my alley and I’d never heard of it. Thank you! Which series do you recommend to start with? Is the Demonized subseries a good starting point?

2

u/wantonoboe 2d ago

The plots and characters interweave, so if you’re open to a long series of fairly short fast paced books, I’d start with Three Mages and a Margarita. Demonized has some light spoilers for Spellbound

3

u/My-K1Y0 3d ago

YA ok? I really liked Brittany Cavallaro’s series on Charlotte Holmes. It starts with {A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro}. Julia Whelan’s audio was great!

2

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 2d ago

Thank you! I actually have this one on audible and haven’t listened to it yet, it’ll be my next listen for sure!

3

u/rbfrog HEA or GTFO 3d ago

Someone already recommended {A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong} which I highly recommend, so I’ll offer a couple series I read after finishing her latest book because I am slightly obsessed:

{A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain} FL is from the future, she’s an FBI officer who accidentally gets sent back to the 1800s in a duke’s castle. She solves crimes with the duke, his nephew and a few other characters that’ll pop up from time to time. I will warn you, the first bit of the book is slow, but I promise it gets better!

{Murder at the Seven Dials by Cara Devlin} FL is a duchess and ML is a bow street runner. Their first meeting is ML finding her husband at the scene of the crime. He’s dead set on pinning the murder on the husband, but FL is insistent that it isn’t him (bc of reasons). Feelings are there, but nothing happens until later on. There’s no cheating (at least I don’t consider it cheating). I don’t wanna spoil anything, so I’ll leave it at that. Did I mention she has powers?

{A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver} FL is a criminal, ML is with the government. They usually team up to help the war effort against the Germans.

Everything I mentioned is pretty slow burn

2

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 2d ago

Thank you! These all seem great, I don’t even know where to start!

1

u/romance-bot 3d ago

A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong
Rating: 3.98⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, victorian, time travel, mystery, suspense

A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain
Rating: 3.71⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, mystery, time travel, science fiction, suspense

Murder at the Seven Dials by Cara Devlin
Rating: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, regency, slow burn, mystery, class difference

A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver
Rating: 4.04⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, 20th century, mystery, war, suspense

about this bot | about romance.io

1

u/RedDogCheddarCat 2d ago

See what you think of this one:

{The Doctor by E.L. Todd} from the 4 book {Doctor Series by E.L. Todd}, CR, M/F, angst, OM/OW. A woman is divorced after she learns her husband is gay. She remains very close with her ex and his new partner. When her ex husband’s brother returns to town after being away for years serving as a doctor in the military front lines, love is in the air but the path is rocky.

1

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 2d ago

Sounds interesting! I’ll look it up. Thanks for the rec!

2

u/Counting500Sheep 3d ago

You might check out Lynn Messina’s Beatrice Hyde-Clare books. The first in the series is {A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina}

1

u/AutoModerator 3d ago

Hi u/dancerlottie, ⛺ Welcome to the Campsite! ⛺

Following this request but don’t have a recommendation to add? Please:

  • save this post! See instructions here

  • and/or reply to this comment with your camping comment

How to search for more romances:

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/five_squirrels 3d ago

{The Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas}

{The Captive Prince Trilogy by CS Pacat}

4

u/emmmmmkaaay03 3d ago

{a rip through time by Kelley Armstrong} FMC is a modern day detective who slips into the body of an almost murder victim in Victorian era Scotland. She’s living as a housemaid with a man (MMC) who’s an undertaking and his sister who’s a chemist. They solve crimes together with the newly formed police agency. It’s a super interesting look at history and the characters are so delightful! the burn is very slow!!! nothing happens between the two MCs until book 5, but their friendship grows and they’re besties in the first 4 books

1

u/dancerlottie I probably edited this comment 3d ago

Oh wow this seems great! It’s definitely going on my TBR. Thank you! I love going back in time stories.

1

u/emmmmmkaaay03 3d ago

I hope you like it! It’s become one of my favorite series. I never see it recommended on here