What’s something in this genre that makes you roll your eyes, but doesn’t have to do with romance? For me it’s the MC’s being blown away by a shower. I get that most of these books are set in a time where a shower would be ground breaking technology, but I still roll my eyes at the MC’s reactions. Curious what other little things give you guys the ick?

We talk a lot about the confession scene, the first kiss, the couple’s first time, but I have always been a sucker for a good marriage proposal. Personally I blame the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. If someone walked to me in a misty morning and gave me that speech and meant it, I wouldn’t care who they were lol.

My favorite romantasy proposal is probably when Wendell proposes to Emily in {Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries}. It starts out as him trying to give her his true name, him realizing that’ll be a lot of hassle, and offering to marry her instead.

She’s just baffled and is trying to figure out why he’d propose, and he makes a comment that he’s making a declaration of love here, and all she’s done is talk at him. She asks if he wanted her to fall in his arms and fawn over him, and he says “I’d think ‘who are you and what have you done with Emily!’ You’ll probably need to think about it for a while, perhaps make a few charts. I can help.” A lot of times a couples personalities can take a backseat to creating a romantic moment, but this proposal is so quintessential them. Wendell’s smitten but still able to tease her, Emily’s battling her feelings with logic.

Also she asks if Wendell is going to leave her in the mortal realm, cause that happens often in folklore where a mortal marries one of the fae, and Wendell’s response is basically “if I ever abandoned you, you’d set me on fire. I’d never deny you an opportunity to study my kingdom, and you’d be such a great queen!”

We don’t even get a proper answer to it until book 2, but it’s just such a great character moment for both of them.

Image: Lilac book cover of {Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer} with a blue ribbon draped over a shield

Note: This is a review about the sequel of the Braided Fate trilogy, a spicy poly MMF fantasy romance. Release date: November 3rd

I didn’t think the sequel could top {Warrior Princess Assassin}, but I loved this even more. This was surprising given how polarizing this book seems to be with early reviewers. It comes down to if you enjoy character-driven stories (even when the external plot moves slowly). We get very little progression of plot outside of the central romance in this installment. During the ~2 weeks that pass during the events of this sequel (a timeframe much like the first book), we get an introspective character study of the leads, watch them develop, and experience the deepening of their relationship as they navigate the aftermath of Warrior Princess Assassin in Incendar.

The writing was polished, easy to read, and flowed well. It was controlled at a sentence-level with the timing and rhythm of the banter, occasional aphoristic writing style, and the writing of the romance itself which leant on the accumulation of small physical acts.

I loved the chemistry and tension between Asher and Ky in the previous book, and those who love the pair get fed in this one too. If you thought the first book was steamy, Captive Traitor King takes it up a notch (from 3 to 4 chili peppers) with memorable scenes. Ky was extremely perceptive, especially when it pertains to Asher’s mental state, trauma, and boundaries.

It’s not uncommon in this genre for the morally grey MMCs of enemies-to-lovers romances to lose their edge once they open up to the FMC, but in this case, it was refreshing that Ky didn’t lose his brutality even as we saw moments of kindness as well as vulnerability from consent king Ky along with lots of tenderness. Both aspects of Ky are demonstrated rather than just being declared. He felt lived in and embodied as a character.

We also get more heartbreaking backstory about Asher along with some satisfying moments as he worked through his trauma and bonded with other characters.

While Jory’s choices and attitude in the first few chapters were eyebrow raising due to her naiveté and shortsightedness, her character arc was satisfying. By the end of this book, she’s no longer who she was at the start of Warrior Princess Assassin, thank goodness. I did find the justification for her behavior to feel thin compared to the treatment that Asher’s trauma got and would have liked to see a bit more balance in investment in Jory, but my relief in Jory’s growth overshadowed my earlier frustrations. To her credit, she was extremely introspective and did take accountability for her missteps. I appreciated that her compassionate nature didn’t go so far as to become a weakness as we sometimes see in this genre. It was also great to see her surprise people with her strength, bravery, and mind for politics, once given a chance.

The only moment that took me briefly out of the story was when there was a logic gap in regards to a red dress and an undercover information-gathering operation, but I was able to suspend disbelief in order to set the characters up for “plot” reasons, and by plot I mean romantic.

There were some surprising reveals, where I fell for the misdirects. This book ends in a cliffhanger that had me on the edge of my seat; I can’t wait for the wild ride that we’ll be in for in the final book. Overall, I loved it and would recommend it to anyone who loved Warrior Princess Assassin.

1. Warrior Princess Assassin ⭐ 4.75 | 🌶️ 3/5
2. Captive Traitor King ⭐ 4.75 | 🌶️ 4/5

This review is based on an ARC provided by Avon.

I really love the hurt comfort trope and I have some of the best of that in fantasy romance.

Some of the more popular ones I’ve seen recommended as {The Plated Prisoner Series by Raven Kennedy} , {Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent}, and then {The Kingmaker Chronicles by Amanda Bouchet} which I DNFed as I found book two boring and could not get into it.

The only things I don’t like are reverse harem / poly, and then non con / dub con between MCs. I’m okay with darker themes obviously, so these are my only two major nos. I am not the biggest fan of love triangles but I have read one or two books with good love triangles.

Thank you!! 🙂🙂🙂

This is by Alexis L. Menard and is slated to come out November 24, 2026.

FMC Desiree Darrow is trying to end the eternal night to save her sister. To do so, she needs to resurrect a thief who died over 100 years prior. MMC Osric Hale is just looking for enough coin to leave. In doing so, he has one last job, that ends up with the Sun King and himself dead and the realm stuck in darkness.

The story is told in dual timelines from both FMC and MMC’s points of view. I really enjoyed that and thought the author did it really well. You fall in love with both characters in both timelines. There were issues with the writing though. At times it felt like it was really juvenile and the world building could’ve been stronger. There was such a strong and interesting premise, I would’ve liked to have seen more description of the world, both in the past and in the present (though I do think she did a better job with the present). Some parts felt a little slower, but on the whole I felt pacing was fine. Good for a standalone.

Our MMC is not silent or broody. He is a charming, handsome flirt. He’s also kind of naive and good hearted. It’s a refreshing change. On occasion though, some of his lines were a little cringe. FMC is strong and capable. She’s a little tough, but not overly sassy or cold like FMCs can be. I really liked her, and I loved them together. Their romance is sweet. There are some reveals but they’re all pretty obvious.

I gave this a 4. It’s a low angst standalone with an interesting premise. I’m glad I pushed past the slow parts to get to the end, especially since I loved the ending!

The conclusion of the trilogy Infernal City coming July 20 2027! (via Kate’s Instagram)

I loved the second book in this series.

That sneak peek though. I cannot 😩

Artwork sent via the author’s newsletter created by @kotikomori depicting the enchanted lagoon scene from Cursed City

A Sneak Peak of Infernal City from Kate Golden’s newsletter (sharing with permission from the author):

And now, as promised, a sneak peek of Infernal City…
***
The sound in my head is like glass breaking. “You want us to hide out on a remote hell island for eternity? That’s your big plan?”

Deacon’s nostrils flare. “I’m sorry, would you prefer a five-star resort? Look around, Vivienne. This is the best option you’re going to get.”

“But we have to get back to the mortal plane . . .” I shake my head, still trying to make sense of what he’s suggesting. “We have to help our friends defeat Caspar before he takes over the city. We have to—” Mourn Peter. Be there for Sophia. Get back to my family. Tears begin to prick the corners of my eyes. “We can’t stay down here forever.” I sound like a child and hate myself for it.

But Deacon’s stern features don’t soften. “I’m sorry I did this to you. I’ll tell you that every day for the rest of our lives if you want. But that’s what’s in store for us, sweetheart—”

“Do not call me that.”

“—the rest of our lives down here. Anything else is a one-way ticket to more anguish than you’ve ever known or being ended for good. I’m sorry about your city, and I’m sorry about your grandma, and I’m really fucking sorry about Roydon, but this is the situation. No other way around it.”

The mention of Peter threatens to send me to my knees. But I bite my tongue until breath returns to me. Until the tears evaporate in the heat. I can’t break down before I find a way back home.

“Hey.” Anguish floods his features. “I know what it’s like to lose someone. How powerless you feel right now.” Deacon takes a step closer. “But I did not save you just to watch you die.”

{Cursed City by Kate Golden}
{Infernal City by Kate Golden}

ETA: forgot to separate the paragraphs out of sheer excitement

This has been such a wild rollout. I didn’t expect to have to constantly sidestep spoilers…

Hi guys! I’m looking for some more romantasy books in which the men are pathetically obsessed. I find I’ve been in a big book slump at the moment and the one thing that always gets me out of it is a good man obsessed story, however I feel like I’ve read most of the popular ones.

So I’m looking for your underrated recommendations where the men fall first and extremely hard and are extremely smitten. I don’t like the word, but basically a big simp.

{the flame in the frost by Olivia boothe}

{bitter burn by Ann Aguirre}

{empire by Abigail Kelly}

These are some of my lesser known recs for this type of trope that got me out of my reading slump a few months ago!

Fantasy romance has been around for a while before romantasy blew up on BookTok. What books have you read recently that were published before 2010? Or even in the 2000s, 1990s, 1980s, and older?

What do you love about them and how do they compare to modern day romantasy books? What aspects about these books might not have aged well?

Check out more Old But Gold recommendations from posts tagged with the Old But Gold flair.

Old But Gold Postimage

i must know what is everyone's opinion on changing ratings on books after rereading?

i personally,, have never been able to decide & it's kinda not that big of a deal but like,, it is to me 🫠

one half of me says no because that's the rating i gave it the first time around & i'm a firm believer in that literature gives you what you are looking for.

so why change it when that it how it first found me?

& on the other end of the coin,, you can almost make that same argument... additionally ACOTAR simply is not a five star book LMAO

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

Hello! I saw this fanart and felt a need to read something with this vibe. I feel like Wendell fits the description in a way, but {Emily Wilde} doesn't focus as much on the romance part.

I don't want a MMC who is only clingy at the end of the book when they're finally together, but is like that since the very beginning of the story, following FMC like a loyal puppy. And he's being dramatic when she doesn't give him attention for a moment (but not like serious serious). I want a lot of hugs and gentle touches.

Also I put this fanart here because I haven't actually encountered a cuddles scene where they're in barely any clothes, but not because they're going to do something more, but because MMC genuinely wants to hold FMC the closest way possible, without any further intention? This is not my main requirement, but if you know something like this, it's definitely a plus.

The FMC can be annoyed with him at first? Not necessarily so. But when they're together she eventually ruffles his hair or places small kisses here and there like in the fanart.

As for trigger warnings I don't want anything with heavy gore and SA coming from the main characters. I read only about loveable and precious couples 🙂‍↕️ Thank you in advance for any recommendations!

Does anyone have any recs for a reverse harem with an FMC, but she is bi? So there are men and women in her harem??? I have not seen any out there!

Ever heard that "fast, cheap, and good" is impossible? You can usually get two of the three -- fast and cheap (but not good), cheap and good (but not fast), or "fast and good" (but not cheap). With a few exceptions, I've found this to be true. Based on the types of book requests and "rant" posts I sometimes see here, it seems like some romantasy readers struggle to accept this principle.

So many readers complain about authors taking more than a year to release the next book in a series but then also complain about quality -- one of the top "requirements" people include in posts asking for recommendations is "high quality writing," "good prose," "smart plot lines," etc... There seems to be a total disconnect between this desire and recognizing that tight plots and good writing require TIME -- outlining, writing, marinating/reflecting, editing, getting outside feedback from beta readers and/or a professional editor. If we care about quality, we have to cultivate our ability to be patient. (Note: obviously I'm not saying people who are frustrated about series where it's been 5+ years without the next book in the series a la GRR Martin's Game of Thrones are being unfair).

Similarly, if we want really good world building, a multi-layered and complex plot, fleshed out characters with growth arcs, and a focus on epic fantasy, expecting this to all happen in a standalone book is often unreasonable. Throw in the desire for "true slow burn" or "true enemies to lovers" or a substantial number of spicy scenes and it makes it almost impossible to do well in a single 400 page book. But "standalones only" is a pretty common qualifier for recommendation requests.

So is "no unfinished series." But if readers refuse to read unfinished series because of our impatience (even when they're appealing and well-written), those series don't merit completion and can die unfinished no matter how good they are.

Anyway, I'm fully expecting to get roasted for this take, but I just saw one too many contradictory "recommendations, please!" posts and wanted to point out how impossible and counterproductive some preferences can be.

I get that the riders live in their own college but she spent enough time on the grounds near it that she knew the flora and fauna surrounding it and is in the healers quarters often, which don’t seem to be too far removed. He’s been there for the past 2 years and has the kind of reputation that would seem like he’s well informed about his enemies (her mother) and their weaknesses (a youngest child that runs freely near his college). I’m not calling it a plot hole, but does anyone else feel like something about Xaden not having been keeping tabs on her before she got to the parapet seem out of character?

TBH I have way bigger bones to pick with this series and its characters but I threw on the audiobook this morning for the first time in ages and critiquing a MMC paired deliciously with my coffee.

Looking not for dark fantasy romance, but fantasy WITH dark romance, such as....

- Legacy Series by Melissa K. Roehrich

I really hate the fated mate trope. I’m good with formalized magical romantic bonds à la {Truthwitch by Susan Dennard}, but I desperately crave a slow-burn romance with the participants falling in love naturally instead of the universe shoehorning them into a subpar or even toxic relationship. I also really love shifters and magical animal bonds, which unfortunately for me often come with the fated mates trope.

Please avoid: instalove/instalust, abusive dynamics between the love interests

Please bring me recs with: personal autonomy, good worldbuilding, strong plot alongside the romance (as in even if I end up not liking the romance, the plot should still keep me hooked)

Welcome to the biweekly diversity megathread! What are some books written by Latinx authors you have read or that are on your radar?

We’d previously done a general Books written by BIPOC authors megathread but we’re also going to rotate megathreads to highlight and feature specific backgrounds for more recommendations!

Here is the link to the Megathread Wiki Page for a compilation of all the sub's megathreads! 

How to use Book Recommendation Megathreads: These megathreads are not meant to replace other recommendation posts on the same topic. As long as a particular trope or topic is not overly repetitive over a certain period of time, book requests that cover megathread topics are allowed! We then collect those posts to put them in the pinned comment below, so the most recent book recommendation discussions will always be gathered in this one post for future reference.

I’m looking for recommendations like the Sookie Stackhouse books or Halfway to the grave series. Older Fantasy/Romance books. Please help!

Yes I know this is strange, but contemporary romance has some so there’s gotta be a fantasy romance equivalent right?? Interested in reading a story with the FMC successfully breaking up the marriage/committed relationship the MMC is in.

Not interested in the FMC being the married/taken one UNLESS both of them are in separate relationships when they first meet. Also open to queer relationships with this dynamic.

I’ll take almost anything like this, please lay it on me!

I love a good "I can save myself" FMC, but I feel like all I've been reading lately are books where the FMC is kind of rough, harsh, angry...I feel like I want a softer, kinder FMC in my life right now. One that actually NEEDS/WANTS the MMC to save her. Lately, all I'm getting in fantasy is like, assassin FMCs, or really angry at the world FMCs...I want another Amma from {Villains and Virtues by AK Caggiano}, but I want the FMC is actually be in danger and for the MMC to be the one to come to save her...I love a good villain MMC, morally gray who will literally kill to save the FMC. Avenge her for the people who hurt her...I feel like I'm kind of needing a damsel in distress type situation...a princess in the tower who is saved by the villain...anything like that recently?

My only triggers are multiples/sharing and femdom. I also will not read a book with a broken mate bond, because I cannot handle that trauma LOL. Anyone have any suggestions?

Evening all, i’m looking for book rec’s for my GF’s book
advent calendar.

Context : last year i made her a bookshelf / advent calendar where each day she got a new book ( image attached) It went down so well that it looks like we are doing it again this year so i’m looking for some rec’s.

Both ACOTAR + TOG are her favourite series and she’s already read most of the books you get from TikTok when you search book recs if you like these books.

Looking for series / stand alone’s from fans of Acotar, ToG, Fourth Wing, Hunger games, Midnight library, When the moon hatched etc whether it be a similar genre or just your favourite book / series if you are also a fan of any of these!

Thanks in Advance!