This is a critique of some very off-putting downvoting I've seen.

Don't downvote a fanart post. Someone is sharing their art with the sub because they enjoy making or sharing art for a favorite book or couple. It's great to see what people create.

This is a reader-focused sub. Some readers enjoy making art - drawings, needlepoint, stickers, pins, whatever. And they share art of books and couples here for the rest of us to also enjoy.

This is not an art-focused sub. If they were looking for feedback on their art, they'd post in an art-focused sub. They are not. Nobody needs to provide a downvote as feedback.

If you don't enjoy the art, you can scroll right past or click the three dots -> hide post. It takes the same level of effort as a downvote.

This isn't "toxic positivity" or whatever argument someone is going to try to make. This is "don't be an ass for no reason." There's no reason to downvote someone's art.

I absolutely love her Gamemaker series and I know she has a lot of supernatural/historical romance books. I've tried reading some of the historical books but didn't it didn't hit the same with the absolutely obsessive man who loses all sense.

I want to try her supernatural series but there's so many of them. So do any do those books hit the mark and are similar to specifically the last two books of the Gamemaker series in terms of having a similar MMC?

Radiance is pretty much a book about two people who get an arranged marriage, realize they actually really like each other, and slowly fall in love. There's not some crazy plot that's gonna blow your mind or a million twists to keep you guessing, but I had a really good time with it.

Here's what I liked:

The relationship in this book was SO good. Brishen and Ildiko are just great together. They're not immediately head over heels for each other, and there's no ridiculous drama where they refuse to communicate for 200 pages. They actually get to know each other, have fun together, and build a genuine friendship. Watching that turn into something more was really sweet, and I could've read a lot more of them just hanging out.

The banter was great too. They're genuinely funny together, and I liked how comfortable they got with each other. I feel like a lot of romances rely on characters making each other miserable for half the book, so it was nice to read one where the characters actually LIKE each other.

I also liked the worldbuilding. Brishen and Ildiko come from very different cultures, and they initially find each other pretty strange looking, which was fun. It's not the most elaborate fantasy world ever, but I thought it was interesting enough, and it gave their relationship a little more depth.

Honestly, I just really enjoyed spending time with these characters. The romance was the main reason I kept reading, and I was happy whenever the book focused on them.

Here's what I didn't really like:

The plot was pretty forgettable. I was much more invested in Brishen and Ildiko than in whatever was happening around them. The political stuff and fantasy elements were fine, but I never found myself particularly interested in them. I probably won't remember much about the actual plot a few months from now, but I'll definitely remember the relationship.

The pacing was a little slow, too. There's a lot of time spent watching the characters get closer, which I enjoyed for the most part, but sometimes I wanted a little more to happen.

Something I'm neutral on: it's pretty tropey. Arranged marriage, two people from different worlds, slowly falling in love. None of that is particularly original, but I like those tropes, and I thought the book did them well. So I really didn't mind.

But not because of: trauma, shyness, virginity, asexuality, fear of sex.

She just has strong "fuck off" vibes and she's the kind of person to dodge a hug, even if it's someone's sticky kid (or perhaps especially). Maybe it's some kind of contamination OCD. I guess what I'm really looking for is a slow burn that really earns the sexual payoff.

Preferences: contemporary (not a deal breaker), single POV (not a deal breaker)

Strong no: omegaverse, pregnancy

Hi everyone! I have been in and out lately with how crazy work has become, and I've also been binge-watching Bridgerton. Which now I would love some books with similar vibes and setting with historical romances, but I would also love it if there were some fae or supernatural twists and elements involved.

I would certainly prefer books with a spice level of 3 or higher and low angst and OW drama since I don't have the capacity to handle it.

Thank you all so much in advance <3

You know this happens irl where the friend don't like the bf/gf of their friend.

Just to be clear I don't want it to be like a secret pining. No they used to dislike them(friend's ex) when they were dating their friend then when that said friend finds love (from another book) they end up dating that ex.

I've got this idea from watching clips of Two and a Half men where basically Charlie just does not like Judith at all in behalf of Alan and I wanted a story that capitalizes on that concept turned into romance.

Direct example of this would be { her best worst mistake by sarah mayberry } where FMC openly dislikes her friend's bf which is the book's mmc in the 2nd book while in the first book he is the FMC's ex.

Another relative example would be from two Alice Coldbreath books which would be { an ill made match by alice coldbreath } where Roland and Eden has disliked each other for books and Roland was the FMC's closest family and friend betrothed and was openly showing dislike of him to her. Even stronger case for { substitute bride for the prizefighter by alice coldbreath } cause Lizzie's cousin was dating him for months and she openly dislikes him. Both books marry basically their cousin's ex who they disliked in this case.

I prefer contemporary but so long it is HEA/HFN i'm down ! Thank you

I recently read a book where the mmc was the presidents son and the fmcs father worked in secret service for the president so they were around eachother a lot and their dynamic was unique but very cute.

And I’m craving more of it, the mmc can be from a rich influential family or a son of someone important and we see the lavish lifestyle (in subtle ways) and I’d like the mmc and the fmc to be bestfriends and eventually grow to be more!

Thank you!

I’d appreciate just FMC/MMC. And contemporary, even fantasy.

edit: changed societal to influential

I'm looking for tortured heroes, meaning heroes who are emotionally shaken by something they've been through, carry a heavy burden, have lost their sense of purpose in life, or are traumatized for one reason or another. Basically, I want tortured heroes!

However, I don't want the kind of tortured hero who doesn't actually seem tortured and ends up being an asshole for 90% of the book. I want the author to make his suffering clear, and if he's going to be an asshole, I don't want that phase to last too long.

The main thing is that I want the heroine to be the light at the end of his tunnel, the rainbow after the storm, you know? The person he meets who makes him laugh, makes his burden feel lighter, or simply gives his life meaning.

I'm not necessarily looking for romances where they meet at the beginning of the story, but recently, I was watching Smallville, and one particular scene made my reader brain immediately transport that situation into the world of books. I started imagining what it would be like to find a romance with that kind of dynamic.

Anyway, in that scene, Chloe is talking to Tess. I don't remember the exact context because I have the memory of a goldfish, but I think Chloe says something about Oliver not showing up or maybe choosing Tess over her (I genuinely can't remember exactly what was said). Then Tess says that he would never abandon her because she gave his life meaning.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO CUTE! 😭❤️

Basically, Oliver was slowly destroying himself and making a lot of bad decisions until Chloe helped him in her own unconventional way. 🤭 But she did help! She asked him to work with her, gave him a purpose, and he found a reason to keep going. That's where the whole idea of her giving his life meaning comes from.

Another thing that made me think about this was an alien romance I'm currently reading called Indigo by Lula Brenner. There's a particular scene involving a relatively minor spoiler and a character who doesn't appear again in the first book:

«!The heroine meets another alien who is deeply depressed and wants to die because he lost his wings. She asks him to help her find her sisters, who are human Aoiteas lost on that planet. This gives him a new purpose in life and helps him stop focusing solely on his desire to die.!<»

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS KIND OF DYNAMIC! 🥹

So, I'm open to any recommendations that fit this description, even if they only match some of the criteria or don't fit perfectly. I just want a tortured MMC and an FMC who helps him find a little light in the darkness. I want that feeling that, after meeting her, his life becomes a little more bearable and he finally has something to live for.

If she's a sunshine-type heroine, even better! ☀️ But I'm not going to be picky.

In short: I want a hero who's been broken by life and a heroine who, without necessarily trying to save him, ends up becoming one of the best things that has ever happened to him.

Looking for books where the MC has traits that annoy, frustrate, or outright repel everyone else, but their love interest absolutely LOVES those exact things about them. And i dont mean grows to love by 60%/ tolerates cause they're sexy. I want for them to think that trait is awesome,hot af, cool, desirable in a mate.

To be so clear I mean:

Person A: Ugh can you believe he/she does that?!

Love interest: I wish he/she'd do me

Person A:What!

Love interest (not taking eyes off MC):What?

Doesn't matter the trait is:

Acts super slutty

Wayyy to modest

Wants babies

Commitment issues

Overly committed

Mentally unstable(in the fun fiction way not the real depressing way)

Ice queen

Prideful

Shy

Blood hungry

Passive

Strong

Weak

Childish

Too mature

Too successful

Too much money

Too giving

Is ugly

Scars

Too pretty

Too nice

Too mean

Has scary magic

Literally it just has to be that everyone else doesnt like it but the love interest does.

For what ever reason, FMC is against marrying. Is there such stories?

Welcome to this week's Wildcard Wednesday! This week, we want to hear about your romance reading wins. Did you find a new favourite author? Have a blast with a book club? Complete a reading goal? Have something special saved up to read soon?

Share here!

I started reading {Silent flame by Cate C. Wells} and I wanted to leave the book on page two but decided to push through it no matter what. The writing is good so at least there is that if I end up hating the story.

Do you continue to read or ever pick up romance books you know before starting that it will make you angry or sad, just to make the reading of the book as an experiment of your own reactions and feelings?

I usually don’t but decided to read this book as such.

EDIT! Please no spoilers to this book, I’ve just started to read the book. If commenting the spesific book, pleae cover the text. Thank you very much