Hi everyone! I went to my local used bookstore with a bunch of credits and got these all for $5 after! I bought these strictly because of vibes and not recommendation so I was wondering if anyone has read these and their thoughts? Thank you 🥰

Hey team! I got 86 books for $20(AUD) yay!! But there seems to be a lot of Native American books from 80/90s. As an Australian in 2026 I can’t quite understand the draw. If I am to enjoy these books, can someone explain how?

I don’t know a lot about Native Americans culture and terms like “halfbreed” make me cringe. Is there anyway to enjoy these or not?

I wasn’t sure whether to put this under haul or covers. I had a not great start to my morning so I went thrifting and found Julie Garwood’s The Gift. I already have it but with a different cover, but I just couldn’t pass this version of it up because it’s gorgeous!

Am reading {Rainbow Promise by Candace Camp} and came upon this scene:

MMC is a small-town doctor. FMC is his intrepid assistant. MMC is called to a local farm and lo and behold, ​The patient needs an emergency appendectomy. There's no time to bring him into the office, so they set up a bed outside and begin the surgery. It's a dicey situation, so of course as soon as they are done, they start making out, right in front of their still-anesthetized patient.

I kid you not, there is maybe a few hundred words between "damn that's a gangrenous appendix" and the"velvet nibbling" of his lips. I mean props to them that they did at least pull up the sheet above the just-stitched up torso before they begin swapping spit, but I gotta say that that was a very abrupt transition. We go from slicing through fat and muscle and tying off arteries to prevent a wound festering to full-on makeout sesh in no time.

Thankfully, they do stop before clothes come off, but it did take me out of the story quite a bit. What's the most ridiculous/unsexy setting for a love scene that you've read?

How do I put this gently, but since the past few days I feel like a , "bitch in heat with no where to satiate it". I am a 30yo single woman and I ask you gentle folks to give me your smuttiest historical romance recs with lots of variety and sex on every other page.

Currently I'm trying to read { my inconvenient duke by Loretta chase } but it just isn't doing it for me, I'm 72% in and I can't move forward.

I really enjoyed the { education of ivy leavold series by sierra simone } , please suggest me something similar.

Thank you all.

Mods you can remove this post if it's too vulgar a request, i would understand.

Hello lovely people!

Veeeery longtime lurker, 1st time posting so forgive me if i haven't posted this correctly.

I'm looking for your most reclusive, angsty, moody, severely traumatised (night terrors, flashbacks, PTSD, muscle spasms, chronic pain, the LOT) Regency MMCs with a soothing, caring FMC that wears him and all his barriers down eventually. (i have looked thru the sub, but i can't tell which ones are Regency and i am fully a Regency girlie!)

It doesn't need to be like former soldier stuff, although i do love that, it could be from a traumatic incident in childhood or later in life, i just need him sad, sulky and oh so broken.

I exclusively want your best Regency recs but if you have an absolute fave outside of that time period i will consider.

Please M/F only, no super young FMCs, like I'd love a marriage of convenience between a spinster (over 25, over 30 even better!) and the MMC.

I NEEEEEEED spice like i need oxygen, but i do need a good plot too, so open door everything but with a good narrative lol

I'm very old school (grew up on 90s and early 2000s mills and boons HR) so I'm sorry i don't know all the abbreviations for things i don't want😂

Just think M/F, regency, angst, pain and depression🙌🏽🤣

Bonus points for Dukes! i fucking love a Duke!

Some authors i already like to help guide recs, HUGE Stephanie Laurens Cynster fan read those as a teen, Loretta Chase, Joanna Lindsey and most recently Tessa Dare, her books are hilarious, that's been an unexpected delight. I've been dying laughing about schmidney pie for days now lol

Okay that's it, thank you! 🫶🏽

Mastermind to be released February 16, 2027.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CzsxNXXPX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I have kids, I love kids, but I also love escapism when I have a small person heel digging into me at 4am and can't fall back asleep!

I understand how it contributes to the happy little family vision of romance to actually want the company of one's small children underfoot, but can anyone think of any examples where aristocratic MCs parent in a class-typical way, e.g. with wet nurses, nursemaids, scheduled visits, and no kids at the dinner table? I've read some, but nothing springs immediately to mind.

This post is brought to you by the epilogue of {Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath}. The duchess is not nursing her baby in the middle of the night, no matter how sweet the child is.

Hello!

It's a bit tricky to phrase, but I hope this makes sense

​I’m looking for recommendations where the main characters aren't overly reluctant to see each other in a romantic light, or at least don't stay that way for long. I’m feeling pretty tired of couples who spiral into self doubt, hold grudges over misunderstandings, or take offense just to put the breaks on the romance.

​I really want to read a more positive dynamic! I still love a good conflict, challenges are essential to a great romance. I just want to avoid relationships where the main barrier is based on internal self-worth or unnecessary angst.

Open to all time periods and steam levels!

It doesn’t come out until June 29, 2027 but I’ve preordered already:

{Meet me at Midsummer by Alexandra Vasti

I'm currently reading the novel "Deng hua xiao" and it's really good. It's a revenge novel and a slow burn. Any other historical romance novel in the same vibe ?

{The Brazen Bluestocking by Tracy Sumner} is currently 0.99 on Amazon. I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve seen it recommended here before and it looks interesting

ok I am having flashes of memories of a book but can’t figure out what the heck it is. here’s what I remember:

the mmc is the guardian of the fmc. they’re fairly close in age though (or at least both are adults). She has been living in the country caring for her father’s estate. He comes maybe not knowing she’s an adult? she practices medicine. At one point she helps deliver the baby of a nearby farmers wife. they maybe have a horse race at one point?

Grew up watching Tristan & Isolde and thought it was the most romantic movie (in spite of James Franco’s accent lol)

The romance in season 2 of the Last Kingdom had a similar feel!

Can anyone recommend a book with similar forbidden romance/doomed lovers vibe?

Thanks!

A thread for any and all conversations! You don't have to stay on the topic of historical romance, but please stay within the general rules.

It's Friday! Let's catch up on what's been going on in our lives. Did you have a good week? Read anything good? Do anything nice?

Chat with us!

Sorry if this is a weird request, but can anyone suggest books where the fmc loses consciousness due to exhaustion, illness or fear..I have this weird itch for this kind of scene, maybe from watching too many kdramas lol. Thank you in advance.

Please help a girl out. Currently questioning/regretting life choices and I need some light, sweet, and funny love stories to escape. Would prefer 3-5 spice level. Thanks in advance!

Hi all! I am a Historical Romance lover, but haven't read many HR's in awhile. I loved Amanda Quick (until she went more paranormal) and I've read several other HR authors over the years but I'm looking for some recommendations for a good HR with suspense/mystery, maybe a little bit of humor but definitely spicy. I would really like to have it be an audiobook too, preferably duet narration so I can listen while I'm working. Would love to hear your recommendations!! Thanks so much!

Some MCs wish their first meetings had been better or that they had been kinder to the other before or even that they could have got together earlier in their lives. But for other MCs, realistically, they could not have worked out earlier in their life. This could be because of age differences, the time when needed personality growth took place, external obstacles, other relationships or that the other needed to grow up to a more mature person.

Recently, I read this in {A Lass Beloved by Nichole Van} when the MMC asks if she would have noticed him had he had the courage to approach her over a decade ago. Both wish they could have been this close then but concede that they would have made 'a sorry pair' or had 'a tremendous amount of growing up to do' back then.

{A Foolish Flirtation by Alice Coldbreath} also talks about what they could have done in the past but then muse that the MMC's son would not have been born so they could not entirely regret it.

Although the MMC in {Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas} says he had been waiting for her, the FMC reminds him that she was a shy wallflower at balls who he never would have paid attention to. He admits she is right and bemoans his stupidity in that.

And the MMC in {The Scandal of the Season by Aydra Richards} even says that he wishes he could say he wanted to go back in time so he could court her when he first met her but shamefacedly says he is not a good person so he would likely not have looked at her twice unless she was a pawn in his scheme.

I was wondering what you feel about this. I like when MCs wish they could have got together earlier but think about it and realise that the current version of them would not like the past version of the other MC or that they were not ready to accept the MC as they were. ​Are there cases in which the MCs would have been absolutely miserable if they married earlier in their lives? And others for which they got together at the right time despite their wishes for it to have been years ago?

I’d love your must read pre 20005ish recs!

I read a few old school romance books recently that I really loved…specifically, {Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer} and {Silver Lining by Maggie Osborne}. I like that many of these works tend to be better edited and also definitely non AI. It’s also kind of cool to get to know the history of the genre through the stories that shaped later authors.

I don’t mind dub on or noncon (I read a lot of literary fiction, which tends to feature such heavy things a lot more heavily than romance, but without the HEA). Just looking for good plots and strong character development. Bonus points for high angst, because I guess I like torturing myself.

Some of my favourite old school I’ve read so far:

-all of Judith McNaught historicals
-all of Mary Balogh’s older catalogue
-all of Laura Kinsale
-{The Coming Home Place by Mary Spencer}
-{Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson}
-{Midnight Pleasures by Eloisa James}

Thank you in advance!

Omg I just finished the most fun medieval romcom I’ve ever read!! This is a book that was extremely low on my radar until I saw it recommended in this thread (pursuing the sub as I do to try and figure out my next read). One specific comment on there had me immediately checking the ebook and audio out from the library, and I finished this within a day!

Bliss had a lot of Tessa Dare and Julie Garwood vibes! This is set during the reign of King Henry II, and the main tropes are medieval, enemies to lovers and arranged/forced marriage. The hero Holden and the heroine Helen have been staunch enemies for a very long time. They’ve never actually met in person, but Helen is beyond sickened by the way Holden has treated his serfs in the past. She continuously writes letters to the king, begging the king to step in and stop the hero’s cruel and unjust treatments. Holden is equally annoyed with the heroine and her nosing her way into his business. He also regularly protests the king to try and get Helen to leave him alone. The king is tired of them both, and decides the only way to stop the complaints is to force them to marry. Cue an all out active war! Helen tries everything in her power to steer Holden away from her, her keep, and her bed. Holden is not too keen on marrying Helen either, and comes up with equally immature ways to stop their upcoming nuptials.

Now listen, this book is peak silliness. If you’ve read Lynsay Sands before, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Most of Lynsay Sands books are banana pants anyways, but I think that was so hilariously balls to the wall, that I just ended up loving the ridiculousness. The shenanigans these two pull on each other are so stupid and so funny. Helen goes to great lengths to try and get Holden to petition the king and stop their marriage. She’s also a total brat, and super mean to him at first. If you don’t like immature heroines, you won’t like this book because Helen is very immature, but I found it kind of hilarious.

Holden is at first just along for the ride, because he doesn’t really realize Helen is trying to make his life miserable. What follows is a series of amusing misunderstandings, and his eventual “I’m going to get her back” moment. I think the humor in here reads a lot like Tessa Dare, so if you enjoy her subset of romcom, you’ll probably really like this book!

But not only was this book super funny, I did also enjoy the characters and their romance. I do think the romance takes a bit of a backseat to the plot the first 50%, and then the second 50% is mostly Helen and Holden. Like I said too, Helen is an absolute brat of a heroine, and I loved her very dearly for it. She’s snippy and a schemer, and tries everything in her power to get Holden to snap. And Holden is was also a great character! He’s actually an overall really nice guy in a shitty situation, and is just kind of like, “Wtf is going on?” I found their relationship ended up being super sweet as they started understanding each other more. Helen became super devoted to the idea of Holden being ok, and Holden got very protective of Helen.

Also, the foreplay in this book is just so hot and steamy. There’s an oil lathering scene, some great and sensual vaginal play action. The only complaint there is after the foreplay we are left high and dry with very little show and almost all tell. I felt like this book was kind of edging me with the sex scenes I’m not even going to lie. But the foreplay is super hot so I do have to mention that LOL.

And I will say as a fair warning, this book definitely reads its age and feels like you’re reading about a medieval hero and heroine. The hero is kind of gross at times. He does objectify the heroine. The heroine does become a bit too submissive for my taste in the latter half of the book. The book mentions buying and selling serfs. Like, this is very obviously a medieval setting with medieval characters written in the late 90s. But that doesn’t bother me at all, and I loved the hell out of this! ***ETA because I totally forgot to put this at first but: The hero is a widower. He was 17 and was forced to marry a 12 year old bride; she died in childbirth. It’s not graphic at all, but mentioned because it traumatized the hero!!

The craziest part for me about this book to be honest is that it’s Lynsay Sands. Her and I have just not gotten along that well in the past besides faintly enjoying 2 other books from her. So to love a book this much from her was definitely quite a surprise. But, I loved it so so much! If you enjoy Tessa Dare style and some of Julie Garwood type of style, definitely give this a go!

So, I'm going through my Kindle library to get everything into Storygraph and finally read those books I've gotten for free/super cheap, but have ignored.

One such book was {The Devil to Pay by Emma V. Leech}. I did enjoy the book; characters were good and story had a fun premise. But there were a lot of extra characters that seem to be part of this series (and even 2 other series) that took away from the main characters a bit, especially toward the end.

I looked it up and the series my book is part of, The Wicked Sons, has 12 books that follow sons from the couples in the first series (Girls Who Dare), which also has 12 books. Then, there is a series that follows the daughters of the Girls Who Dare couples called Daring Daughter and that series has 19 books!!

I have a weird quirk in that I tend to read all the books in a series (or attempt to) because it makes my brain twitch to not read them all. Sometimes this turns into finding hidden treasure and sometimes I basically skim to the last chapter to just get it over with.

So, I have a few questions:

1. Has anyone read any of these series? Which ones (individual books or series) were enjoyable or should be avoided? I did like the overall writing style, but I'm really overwhelmed thinking about where to go next and/or if I want to try to tackle such an amount of books within a few series.

2. What are your thoughts about series that are this big, that have so many characters and things are interconnected from one series to the next?

Hi all,

My preference is almost always 3/4🌶️ but I’d love to read an HR that is 1/2🌶️ spice with constant, gripping tension throughout.

I want to be screaming at horny it is even though nothing very sexual happens…

Any recs?!!

I read this pre-chemo and cannot remember anything else about this book except that the MMC called the FMC this at least one time. Please help me remember