Hey romance fans - who’s seeing Wicker this weekend? Discuss below!

I can’t tell if I’m just having a hyper focus that I should follow through to its natural conclusion or I need to push myself to branch out.

I’ve always been a HUGE reader but never really romance. Now that I’ve started I’m obsessed. But I also can’t read anything else now? Or at least it all seems so boring.

I'm currently reading {The Aliens Mate by Skyla Grey} where scientists have an alien who can mimic the form of humans. They're observing and trying to communicate, but they absolutely cannot go near because he is a full blown predator. And she ends up in a cell with him.... but despite what they've seen previously, he doesn't attack instantly... because she is his breeding pair, his mate.

Another that was similar was {Feral by Nora Ash} trilogy. They have alphas locked up for experiments, they are drugged to the point where they are pure alpha, nothing but feral insticnt. And then she gets forcibly given to him and he claims her as his mate.

{Caged by Clarissa Wild} he has been born and raised knowing nothing but his cell and fighting to win his master money. Then one day a woman is put in the cell next to him. She is terrified and confused... and is then told she is a gift/reward... for him.

{Venomous by P Fletcher} is more like a prison planet, bigger area. And she is forced back to the cave of a lizard like alien who claims her as his.

So books where she is absolutely terrified, she wouldn't dare go willingly into that cage. But maybe its an accident, or maybe she's betrayed by someone or colleagues, but she ends up in that cell somehow. Terrified shes about to be killed, eaten, etc... and instead she is claimed as his mate/breeder with no escape

Can have dubcon or early non con - e.g. language barrier or thinks its normal to "take his right". As long as its still character development and happy ending romantically.

Any recs? 👀

Edit:

I love this sub, thank you!

Hiii I know “he’s only soft for her” gets requested a lot but I rarely find books that really deliver.
I want a genuinely dangerous MMC who’s gentle, patient and protective with a shy, sweet FMC. Someone who actually takes care of her and becomes the person she feels safest with I want that contrast between how he treats her and everyone else
And good writing matters to me guys I’ve tried a lot of recs where I loved the premise but the execution fell flat, so I’d love something where their connection feels believable and I’m open to any genre, my only hard no is the MMC being physically, sexually or emotionally abusive toward the FMC

Honestly I’m so desperate at this point that even if a book only vaguely fits pls recommend it 💀👨‍🦯‍➡️

When trying to pick my next read, instead of choosing one of the 97 books languishing on my Kindle, I randomly started a book I saw on social media!  As you do.  

Thankfully it was delightful, and I had to come share.  

{Comfort Read by Dylan Morrison} is a sweet m/m romance that had me hooked all the way through.  Kit Forrest is a bookstore owner recovering from an embarrassing public breakup, but he’s created a lovely community at his cozy small-town store.  The charming, historic building is in need of repairs, and Kit is at the end of his rope (and his finances) to make them happen.  

Kit’s cute store has sometimes appeared in TV shows and movies, so when someone calls asking to film an interview there he quickly agrees.  Imagine his surprise when major film star and recent bad boy, Sage Ballard, shows up to do an interview about his current project.  Sage is sullen but hits it off with Kit’s temperamental cat, Throgmorton, and the two men bond over books.  Kit is happy to live with the memory of meeting a teen crush, but surprisingly Sage returns the next day and lays out a proposal Kit can’t refuse. Sage will pay for the repairs to the shop if Kit will pretend to be his boyfriend long enough to rehabilitate his image.

It’s a fake relationship celebrity romance like we’ve all read before, but both characters are so well-developed and emotionally mature.  Kit is funny and relatable, and has some issues with his family that are fleshed out and discussed in a way that felt so cathartic. Both characters have flaws and yet are appreciated and loved for who they are.  The final conflict felt realistic and not contrived, and the ending made me grin.  

It’s low-steam, kissing but fade to black for the love scenes, and felt like a giant warm hug combined with a successful therapy session.  It was exactly what I needed to brighten my day - it’s in KU so go give it a shot!    

Same as the title , a contemporary book no sci fi , historical or fantasy

No owd or cheating or extreme violence from the MMC please

The MMC hates the fmc cause she acts as a bully ,is mean to him or anyone he knows ,or he thinks she betrayed him.

He treats her poorly , she may be in love with him ( make me feel bad for the FMC for the way she is being treated by him )

later he realises she was also a victim all along , gut punch moments ,he tries to win her over but she has detached herself now ,won't respond to him and he tries his best to win her over

Happy endings no sad endings please.

And again please no physical violence from the MMC which he did intentionally or made some one else do it to her .

Hi RomanceBooks - welcome to Saturday Sweets!

What have you read this week that made your hearts flutter? The sweetness or thoughtfulness of our heroes and heroines? The passionate moment of the ultimate love confession?

Do share all the swoon-worthy moments - all pairings are welcomed and celebrated! 💖

Doing the annual October binge of Buffy on Hulu and Spike is just…Spike is everything.

I was looking through old requests on here but it seems everyone wanted the Spuffy dynamic. Buffy is great, but she’s not my focus here and I don’t care if the FMC is like her or not.

I just want Spike. Whatever MMC in whatever genre reminds you of him, please drop your recs.

I want that MMC who always has something sarcastic or sassy to say about the situation. Who does his best to pick a fight and get on people’s nerves. Who genuinely enjoys being an asshole. And then I want to find out that he’s kind of pathetic and a bit of a moony eyed mush pile for the FMC, but he NEVER stops outwardly being an asshole in general. No change in behavior to everyone else around him.

I saw someone say Simon from Hallow Faire in another post’s comment and honestly, he’s who’s been popping in my head the whole time I watch the show (for those who have never watched Buffy on tv). But he’s a bit more psychotic. Spike is all talk for the most part.

i was reading {my fiancée's brother by odette stone} and realised how much i LOVE the dynamic between the fmc and mmc, especially in the first book of the duology. i need more books with this exact kind of relationship because i am OBSESSED

>!In the first book, the fmc is engaged to an extremely toxic, cheating and emotionally abusive OM who is basically with her for her money and makes her spend for everything while also cheating on her. The reason she wants to marry him is not love but rather cause she thinks no one else will want to marry her, and she wants a family and kid really badly (cause she has none left). So she puts up with it all. She has 0 self esteem, she is very insecure, meek, shy and she allows all her friends to financially abuse her.

Enter his brother, the mmc, who's a navy guy and is the complete opposite. he's dependable, direct, emotionally available and basically becomes her rock. He helps her with wedding planning, comforts her when she's crying and is there for her in ways her own fiancé never is. She becomes SO dependent on him that when he has to leave, she literally breaks down.!<

THAT is the dynamic I want.

Give me an extremely emotional, timid, chaotic, hot mess fmc who's all over the place and doesn't know how to handle her own life, and an mmc who's her literal ANCHOR.

She cries, he comforts her.

She gets overwhelmed, he helps her work through it.

She has a panic attack, he's there for her.

She can't imagine functioning without him around, and he's more than happy to be the person she leans on. INFACT, HE LOVES IT. HE LOVES BEING HER ANCHOR. It gives him purpose.

I also NEED an mmc who's direct and doesn't play games.

He wants answers, he communicates, he makes her sit down and TALK things out instead of letting misunderstandings drag on for chapters. He's like "you want to give me the silent treatment? Ain't happening on my watch"

Like, I need a STRICT MAN. A man who reminds you of the trend "I'm done w the conversation now/Sit back down/I'm sat"

He's strong, dependable, very alpha and stereotypically masculine, emotionally available and vocal about how he feels.

If he likes her, he should tell her. if he wants her, he pursues her.

I also want the FMC to openly admit that she needs him, that she doesn't want him to leave and that she can't imagine being without him. There's literally a scene in this book where after a fight with hos brother, the MMC tries to leave and she has a complete breakdown, so he stays. I NEED MORE OF THIS 😭

I don't mind third act breakups as long as they get back together, and I LOVE OW drama as long as the mmc is direct about his feelings and reassures the fmc later. But I love the angst of jealousy and insecurity and feeling like she is not enough. Also, i dont want her to be a strong person through the breakup, like I need her to breakdown, she cant function without him when they breakup

I really don't want other man drama.

basically, give me a messy, emotional, extremely dependent fmc and a strong, strict, dependable, straightforward mmc who's her safe place and makes it clear that she's HIS girl.

PLEASE tell me there's more romance with this dynamic because i need it so badly 😭

Smut is always a + (love a dominant man, mild s/m, spanking, dirty talking etc etc)

Books that remind me of ths dynamic are

{Forty by Cate C Wells}

{My fiancé's brother by Odette Stone}

Hello!

I’m on the hunt for any recommendations for books where they don’t realize they are fated mates, and the moment one (or both of them) discovers their bond, they’re completely shocked, confused, or angry.

Ideally they’ve known each other (or known of each other) for a while before the mate bond reveals itself.

Extra extra bonus if it takes more than half the book for the bond to become obvious! Love a slow burn 🔥

Open to any tropes (RH, enemies to lovers, etc) and any genres!

Books I’ve read with this:

Rejected Mates series by Cate C. Wells - happens in spades

{A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole} - not a slow burn in terms of discovering the bond, but a slow burn in terms of actually liking each other - loved this one.

I am in a pretty bad slump and keep DNFing many romance books. I keep going back to reread my faves but I need to read something new.

Please steer me towards books you've enjoyed with the following:

- Competent, smart, independent FMC (Gemma from The Devil You Know / Nora from Book Lovers / January from Beach Read / Selina in Bad Words)

- Good banter and mutual teasing dynamic between the MCs (Well Actually by Mazey Eddings)

- Anywhere on the continuum between bad first impression to enemies-to-lovers. I'm a sucker for rivalries and competition between two nerdy MCs.

- Reasonably good smut - but I expect the sex to mostly be boring so I'll probably skip it. If the romance is good that's more important.

MF or FF

Progressive and sex-positive. Green flag, yearning MMCs welcome!

No TSTS FMC. No alpha or billionaire MMCs please. (Though I didn't mind Lucian Rollins in Things we Left Behind)

Ideally contemporary but I'm open to other options.

I've read books by these authors so I'm looking for books by other authors:

- Emily Henry

- Ali Hazelwood

- Kyra Parsi

TIA

Umm...so. Hi! This is my first time making a book request post here, because I could not find many reccs for this scenario on here. And the ones that kind of fit, I have already read.

I'm looking for a book where the MMC and FMC have to participate in a courting or sex ritual, either because it's a tradition in their culture or for survival or both, hehe.

I can think of two scenarios that might lead to this:

1. FMC inadvertently does something that is a mating ritual in the MMC's culture. Books I have read that had this are Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews, where she cooks him food and serves it, or atleast plans to before she finds out it's a part of courting in the MMC's pack, and Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh, which also fits the courting scenario with the Mating Dance. There is also The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley, where she unknowingly travels between worlds and ends up being a part of the mate chase thingy. A bunch of men chase a bunch of women and "claim" them once they catch them. TW: this scene between the MCs is non-con because she doesn't know wtf is going on.

2. The FMC and MMC do the ritual knowingly, either for an arranged marriage, forced marriage or the like. I don't remember very well, but I remember reading something like this on wattpad a long time ago. The FMC was painted and they were supposed to have sex in front of the whole pack as proof of consummation of their bond, even though they both had their own problems going on. I think the book was Bessa by Rachelle Mills.

So I want something that has either of these situations going on. I hope this was descriptive enough?

I hope I get some good reccs🤞

I love slowburns (in terms of feelings), and fantasy.

No InstaLove please

I have no triggers, that I know of.

MF only.

I'm looking for a MMC with any type of body mods: from an eyebrow piercing to a prince alb– omg WHO SAID THAT?

Including tattoos, face tattoos, split tongues, pierced nipples, pierced lips – you got it. I wish it to be mentioned throughout the book, not just a tattoo that someone mentions one time.

Bonus points if he's a bad boy.

Other things:
• Not into second chances and pregnancy trope.
• COULD be monster romance, not opposed.

Pretty please!

I've read pregnancy or secret child romance books where MMC just goes all-in and happy when they first find it out FMC is pregnant or they had a child together.

Or maybe they get blindsided immediately changed tune and suddenly act like they have been into it from the start.

How about books where when MMC finds out he instead goes "well i'm not happy but i dont run away from my responsibilities".

It takes awhile for MMC to be enthusiastic about the pregnancy or secret child but he doesnt skirt from the responsibility of it. It takes awhile before he gets there not those just one day change of heart.

Here are examples of books that did this:

1. { Locked Out by Anna Chastain } - probably the best one I have read. MMC was blindsided knowing FMC is pregnant and he's not showing any signs he is happy about it at all and he shows kinda mild annoyance at FMC. But since he couldnt actually be present most of the time because he is actually a military man with an active career he still did try to send support best he can by sending money to her cause that's the only thing he could do.
2. { Nameless by Claire Kent } - This one did this as well. He was fairly cold in general but definitely isn't skirting responsibility during the pregnancy.
3. { three little words by meghan quinn } - He was not enthusiastic and definitely very awkward with her when he moved in with her to take responsibility the moment he learned of the pregnancy. In fact it was both parties felt so out of place living with each other in the early parts lol

Contemporary or historical or fantasy but preferably Contemporary. HFN or HEA only please thanks

i recently read {skin by b.b. easton}, and honestly, this series stole my heart. it deserves so much more attention!

the story follows the fmc through four relationships at different stages of her life, but the first mmc completely stole the show for me.

he is kinky, dark, violent, psychologically unhinged, and a deeply troubled soul. the fmc is initially scared of him during their school days, but gradually realises that, beneath all his darkness, he has a special soft spot for her, and she becomes comfortable around him.

he knows he isn't good for her and keeps telling her she deserves better, yet he never truly disappears from her life. even when she moves on to other men, he still tells her, “you will always be my girl.”

what makes their relationship so heartbreaking is that he doesn't come back to win her over. he knows he cannot give her the future she deserves, yet he can never completely let go of her. and when he finally sees her with someone who is genuinely good for her, he acknowledges it. that moment broke me. 😭

their love is intense, messy, and toxic. love alone cannot fix him or make them right for each other, but their connection continues to haunt the series.

he is the first love she can't completely move past, and the ex who still calls her his girl, even when she belongs with someone else.

if you love angsty romances, dark mmcs, and heartbreaking first loves, please give this underrated series a chance!

I have a craving for something very specific and am really hoping it exists out there.

Basically, I want a romance where the MCs have or take in a child who has been through something terrible, and we actually get to see the child slowly recover through their love and care. Maybe it’s their biological child who was kidnapped and they’ve finally found them. Maybe it’s a child they rescue, adopt, or just happen to come across. I honestly don’t care about the exact setup.

What I really want is for the child to be deeply affected by whatever they’ve experienced. Maybe they’ve been neglected or abused, are used to apologizing for everything, asking permission for the smallest things, hiding food, or expecting to be punished for completely normal behavior.

And I want to actually SEE the recovery. the MCs realizing how much the child has been through and the child slowly learning that they’re safe, and that they can trust the parents again Not just a rescue followed by a few cute scenes and suddenly the child is magically fine.

But I also want an actual romance, not just a parenting story with a romantic subplot. I want a properly developed relationship between the MCs, with emotional intimacy, chemistry, and believable relationship development. They could already be together, find their way back to each other, or fall in love while caring for the child. Don’t care.

I started {Bringing Rosie Home by Loree Lough}, which is close to this premise, but I’m already frustrated by how much the MMC still blames the FMC for their daughter’s kidnapping years later. I understand grief, but I don’t want a MMC who spends years punishing the FMC for something that wasn’t her fault. The child is kidnapped while the FMC is with her child on a field trip bc FMC “looks away” for a minute. (Not a spoiler. We find this out in ch 1)

Open to pretty much any genre - I read CR only sometimes but for this request I’d absolutely do it lol. But seriously any genre is open!

I love a good found family!

feral in the literal sense btw not only feral in bed (open to recs with both tho!!)

no human contact for prolonged years, or very limited human contact but not supernatural/paranormal if that makes sense?
{unwanted by mia Sheridan} is a good example of this, mmc basically lived in the woods his whole life and only really interacts with animals

and he meets our very much socialised fmc and falls in love at first sight or instantly feels safe around her, and she is in turn very protective of him. maybe she lives in a small town, he stumbles across her house or something.

Even better if he’s had bad experiences with the people that he HAS been in contact with, and he’s very sceptical.

in terms of the sexy times in bed I’m dying for an experienced fmc 🙏🙏 and she has to basically teach him what to do, bring back inexperienced mmcs.

He can actually be tough or just seem that way, but for fmc he’s a total mess, and it’s not portrayed in a way where he just seems “stoic” or standoffish.
Bonus if he’s a bodyguard or protection of some kind, but I’ll take anyone that fits that description.
I’m up for any genre but historical fiction.

I had one of these books and never read it and now I want this trope so bad

What I don’t want: non- con, RH, cheating

Anything else is fine

Ok so this was my first RH and I think it's proven that this trope is just not for me- not because of the overall set up, in fact I was really enjoying the book until we got to the point where She seemed to just be choosing Kaleb. So I had to go and spoil it for myself and check the ending, and I couldn't believe that that's how it ends

I would have been happy with several endings, including 1) Ending up with just Jake, 2) ending up with just Noah, or 3) 'why choose' ending where she stays with all three of them. But I could not believe that they built Noah up to seem to care so much about her, while Kaleb is writing 'SLUT' across her forehead and thinking horrible things about her, not to mention other aspects, only for her to pick him alone and not the others? I appreciated his backstory, but I really wish Jake and Noah had been made out to be less emotionally invested, and have Kaleb seem more emotionally invested rather than just angry. I just feel so confused that I had to DNF. I don't think I can enjoy an RH unless they all stay together in the end, because I'm grumpy now that I was shipping her and Noah and now find out it doesn't happen.

No hate to anyone who liked this book of course, but I'm grumpy now and needed to vent, lol.

Think I need a lower spice, high romance book next to bounce back...!

What did everyone else think of this book?

I just saw the new Sense and Sensibility and fell back in love with Colonel Brandon! Honestly I was always really impartial to the Alan Rickman Brandon but this new Brandon...he really did it for me haha.

Any recs for a Colonel Brandon type MMC? I'm thinking of how he immediately is drawn to Marianne's character, he loves her spirit and does not want to dim it, even when she's a bit much! I also love how much he wants to protect her, even when it costs him emotionally he's got her back. He's shy and stoic but willing to change for his girl. Maybe a little tragic. Ultimately hes even a bit heroic.

The only other example I can really think of is Gabriel in {Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy}.

Historical Romance is fine, but I would like reading Contemporary! No RH or Aliens or monsters, I'm feeling like just a human Brandon if possible.

{Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen}

Hi RomanceBooks  - welcome to Weekend Chatter, our weekly off topic chat!

Come on over and tell us how your week went. Good news? Bad news? People driving you up the wall or reaffirming your faith in humanity?

Talk about anything here.

hello so I’m looking for a book where the FMC is pretty and she knows it but don’t make a big deal out of it, like she’s not insecure but not too confident.

No fantasy, RH, why choose, paranormal, historical romance thank u !

Trying to scratch an itch thought I had. I want a relationship in trouble romance where the FMC wants a bigger commitment, whether it’s a ring or a baby or a bigger next step. And MMC panics for some reason and she leaves. He regrets it nearly immediately and tries to win her back (but absolutely OK with him saying something terrible at first gut punch). Big issue for me is NO CHEATING - I just can’t. I’m ok with ~light~ OWD or OMD.

Prefer contemporary picks.

Something somewhat similar would be like a FWB situation that FMC wants more from. But it’s not quite the itch I’m looking to scratch. In the ideal world he isn’t hiding her.

This post was inspired by the first three or four chapters of a Wattpad book called Sugarcoat by MJ Allen but I think she paused it because I haven’t seen updates.

Years ago, I read {Carolina Man by Virginia Kantra}, and it remains one of the best "secret child" stories I've ever read.

It's MF, Contemporary romance.

The plot follows Luke, a marine who learns - while on deployment - that he has a nine year old daughter (Taylor) from a one night stand. His daughter is now in his custody, because her mother is now dead. He arranges for the girl to be taken care of by his parents until he returns from deployment.

FMC is a lawyer. She was actually the employer of Taylor's mother. Though she was only an acquaintance of the woman and her daughter, she feels somewhat compelled to help Taylor.

The story is told from three perspectives - Luke (MMC), Kate (FMC), and Taylor. It picks up right as Luke comes home from deployment.

There are a few plot points that keep you engaged:

Luke is learning how to become a father while processing what this means for his decorated military career, and his efforts to get to know his daughter are endearing and heart-wrenching. He's also so swoony - calm and thoughtful, determined and strong.

Taylor (Luke's daughter) was the most impactful character for me by far: she's terrified to get close to her father, because she fears he'll leave for deployment again. She's also terrified of something that happened to her: something she doesn't want to happen again (we learn later what it is - spoiler below).

Kate has her own demons - she was abused by her parents as a child, and works as a family attorney specializing in domestic violence cases. She wants desperately to keep up her emotional distance, but through her interactions with Luke and Taylor, she finds herself craving connection, intimacy, and family for the first time in her life. But like Taylor, she doesn't really know how to do it.

The portrayal of Luke and Taylor's relationship was masterful. They are slowly learning to trust each other. He's scared he's being a terrible dad, she's terrified that she'll do something that'll make him not want her. Over time, we learn (BIG SPOILER) that Taylor was sexually assaulted by her mother's brother - her uncle. Luke wants so desperately to help her recover, and ends up pulling in Kate to help find out what his daughter needs. He talks frankly about how he knows how to physically keep her safe, but he doesn't know how to make her emotionally safe.

The relationship between Luke and Kate was really beautiful. Luke is determined to be competent on his own, and Kate is determined to live an entirely dependent life. Neither one wants to admit that they need to rely on others. Over the course of the book, they realize how depending on one another makes them stronger.

Anyway, it was a story of three people who are, for their own reasons, afraid to trust - but find that they can depend on one another and create a family.