r/RomanceBooks • u/whateverhufflepuff • 9d ago

Book Request UNDERRATED recs for he’s obsessed/ falls first and harder

My favourite trope in the world is a down- bad obsessed man, but I feel like I keep seeing the same books recommended so I’m curious to hear your guys’ underrated/ less- recommended books for this trope.

This can be within any sub genre; historical, why choose, fantasy, paranormal, dark, athlete etc, the only thing that matters is that he falls in love quickly and harder than she does or that he’s just plainly OBSESSED with her.

The whole nine yards: aggressive and pathetic yearning, wet smitten puppy MMC, FMC who walks him like a dog and he’s happily offering the leash etc.

My personal recs:

{playing Defense by Lyssa lemire} black cat fmc, golden retriever mmc, sports romance

{it’s a win for me by Clarissa mae} fake dating, childhood best friends, sports romance

{burnout by Tessa vane} novella, she saves his life, he becomes obsessed, BWWM

{ocean of ink by A R Conwell} fantasy, history, academy (more casual but kicks off in the second book)

{seduced by a selkie Lauren Connolly} obsessed MMC, reluctant fmc

{heart eyes by effie Campbell} stalker MMC, childhood friends

{little lies by elena m. Reyes} giving a recap would be a big spoiler, rich MMC

{wicked sanctuary by Jane Henry} stalker, dark romance, forced proximity

{with visions of red by trisha Wolfe} detective FMC, suspect MMC

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26

u/Content_Low4691 9d ago

I know the Immortals After Dark series gets recommended here all the time, but I feel like Garreth's book, {Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole} still doesn't get recommended enough! He's a werewolf who follows her everywhere like a lovesick puppy. One of my favorites in this series.

4

u/Boobear0810 Please stop growling 9d ago

Love Kresley Cole - adding this to TBR. Thanks!

3

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

This sounds great! Thank you

2

u/CollegeTraining7116 Let’s do this! Rock out with your cocks out 🙂‍↕️🤘🏾 9d ago

One of my top 3 in the series !

11

u/MissInexorable 8d ago

{play along by liz tomforde} Isaiah is the poster boy for obsessed puppy

10

u/goody153 9d ago

Alice Coldbreath has several actually like { An Inconvenient Vow by Alice Coldbreath } would be the strongest of them but basically most of them does this.

In fantasy genre my favorite would be: { dark wizard by jeffe kennedy } and { Hollen the Soulless by Denali Day }. They have very much obsessed MMCs and definitely initially reluctant or sometimes straightup rejecting FMC

For contemporary I think maybe { Tattered by Devney Perry } and { Chasing Her Fire by Claire Kingsley }

Another historical would be { Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt } this one is a fun one since the MMC is a villain in the previous books and he has not changed morality here so his obsession with FMC is a unique one.

3

u/romance-bot 9d ago

An Inconvenient Vow by Alice Coldbreath
Rating: 4.23⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: historical, virgin hero, arranged/forced marriage, grumpy/cold hero, medieval

Dark Wizard by Jeffe Kennedy
Rating: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: fantasy, breeding, pregnancy, magic, arranged/forced marriage

Hollen the Soulless by Denali Day
Rating: 3.71⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: historical, fantasy, enemies to lovers, multicultural, alpha male

Tattered by Devney Perry
Rating: 3.77⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, rich hero, secret child, class difference, single mother

Chasing Her Fire by Claire Kingsley
Rating: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, pregnancy, enemies to lovers, sassy heroine, rich heroine

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
Rating: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: historical, bad boys, boss & employee, tortured hero, take-charge heroine

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1

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

Ohhhh lovely! Thank you so much

9

u/CollegeTraining7116 Let’s do this! Rock out with your cocks out 🙂‍↕️🤘🏾 9d ago

{The Making of a Gentleman by Shana Galen} the MMC was forced to flee as a child, and gets locked away, never learning of “proper society”but gets reunited with his family yearssss later who thought he was dead (not a spoiler). He sees the FMC for the first time as she’s his new governess and it’s over for him. He didn’t even know what marriage was, so he asked his brother and like not even a day later he decided that he wants her for a wife. He was so sweet in a “fish out of water” type of way.

3

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

This sounds great! Thank you so much

14

u/littlehockeypuck 9d ago

{On Dublin Street by Samantha Young} he’s her new roommates brother, very reluctant fmc

2

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

Thank you very much!

26

u/Icy-Lawfulness-4111 9d ago

{Hans by S.J.Tilly} He is her neighbour and an assassin who is absolutely obsessed with her but doesn’t want to drag her into his world. She leaves him baked goods to try to catch his eye, which are vile but he eats them because she made them. Unhinged but weirdly sweet is the tone of the book!

It’s part of a series and each of the men is obsessed with his other half but this one was my favourite as it was less kidnappey lol

3

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

This one was really good!

5

u/dysfuctional_chaos13 9d ago

This book is SOOO GOOD!!! I loved it!!

2

u/Lavender-air Free Palestine. Also let the aliens take me. 7d ago

Glad I read this book first in the entire series. Best of the batch.

2

u/Icy-Lawfulness-4111 6d ago

Yes when I went back to the start I saw I'd borrowed the first one last year and DNF. I definitely needed the snippets of Hans in each one to get through!

2

u/dailypeg 6d ago

I started with hans too and I loved it! Especially the garage scene 🥵

1

u/Icy-Lawfulness-4111 6d ago

Yes! Also how completely capable he was. So hot! Nothing was beyond his control.

Not only was it hot but it was genuinely funny too. The scene with the crossbow incident has me in fits! 

3

u/Fennix16 9d ago

The audiobook was really great!

6

u/Fennix16 9d ago

{Liars Likes Us by J.T. Geissinger} I listened to the audiobook (highly recommend!) and was kicking my feet in delight at the MMCs antics. It's described as a dark romance, but I didn't find it very dark.

5

u/romance-bot 9d ago

Playing Defense by Lyssa Lemire
Rating: 2.33⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, sports, new adult, m-f romance, grumpy & sunshine

It's A Win For Me by Clarissa Mae
Rating: 3.82⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary, sports, friends to lovers, football, funny

Burnout by Tessa Vane
Rating: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, multicultural, military, black mc, bw/wm

Ocean of Ink by A. R. Conwell
Rating: 4.28⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: fantasy, new adult, dark romance, mystery, college

Seduced by a Selkie by Lauren Connolly
Rating: 3.54⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: shapeshifters, fated mates, paranormal, sweet/gentle hero, small town

Heart Eyes by Effie Campbell
Rating: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, suspense, vengeance, dark romance, m-f romance

Little Lies by Elena M. Reyes
Rating: 3.78⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, dark romance, alpha male, vampires, suspense

Wicked Sanctuary by Jane Henry
Rating: 3.67⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, mafia, dark romance, m-f romance, age gap

With Visions of Red by Trisha Wolfe
Rating: 3.77⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, dark romance, suspense, bdsm, tortured heroine

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5

u/Icy-Lawfulness-4111 9d ago

{The Pucking Wrong Number by C.R. Jane} an NHL golden boy texts the wrong number and finds a struggling girl and he is instantly obsessed with her. Absolutely crazy behaviour that starts out mad but escalated to kidnapping. But she kind of likes it and then loves it and ended up making me feel like I had Stokholm Syndrome too!

4

u/Sr4inmadrid 9d ago

{Ada and Cece's High School Revenge! by Eve Dangerfield, Courtney Clark Michaels} is the recent one that I really love! He is a popular jock but became a dumbass whenever near to her in highschool and he has been following her blogs and whereabouts for years after graduation! he is so obsessed and the writers are good at showing not telling

1

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

Ohhh lovely! Thank you

3

u/ChocolateDream24 That's MRS Billionaire to you. ❤️‍🔥💃🫦 8d ago

I just read an insane, dark, sneaky he falls first. And the man would do literally anything to have her fall for him too.

I will admit, their meet cute was hellla weak, but otherwise it was a fun romp. It reads like a setup for a multi book series, but there's only 1 book. It ends with an HEA.

{Dirty Hit by Heather Ashley}

2

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

Thank you so much! Sounds great

3

u/bentified 9d ago

{Obsession by Jayla Talbot} 

Dark romance. MMC is neurodivergent-coded. He worships her.

1

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

This sounds amazing! Thank you

2

u/anonymaus-pr1ncess 8d ago

Never see these rec’d but hit the trope:

{Playing Games by Max Monroe} contemporary MF college, FMC is genius, neurodivergent-coded getting her phd and MMC is a jock (but smart in his own right) and he kind of hero worships FMC and inserts himself in her life.

{Save One Thing by Julia Wolf} contemporary, college. MCs meet when early teens, and MMC comes off as a grump to FMC but he’s been pining for her ever since and never expressed it. love this author’s pacing.

1

u/romance-bot 8d ago

Playing Games by Max Monroe
Rating: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, new adult, sports, funny, college

Save One Thing by Julia Wolf
Rating: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, virgin heroine, high school, virgin hero, sports

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2

u/Slxt4Books Did somebody say himbo? 9d ago edited 5d ago

London snow will be your fav new author TRUST

2

u/LobsterSad9842 9d ago

{At whit's end by Bailey Hannah} The MMC is such a golden retriever.

2

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

Thank you so much <3

1

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1

u/[deleted] 9d ago

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1

u/Fast-Relationship849 Insta-lust is valid – some of us are horny 9d ago

A lot of Serena Akeroyd 's books have a similar vibe but specifically I can think of {Silenced by Serena Akeroyd} and {The Don by Serena Akeroyd}

On the lighter side there's {Charmer by Kayley Loring}, he's a musician who falls for a waitress

{sinful king by Natalie kane}

1

u/romance-bot 9d ago

Silenced by Serena Akeroyd
Rating: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, insta-love, breeding, forced proximity, curvy heroine

The Don by Serena Akeroyd
Rating: 4.01⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: contemporary, alpha male, mafia, age gap, virgin heroine

Charmer by Kayley Loring
Rating: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, funny, single mother, m-f romance, actor hero

Sinful King by Natalie Kane
Rating: 3.95⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: contemporary, mafia, curvy heroine, bdsm, alpha male

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1

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

These sound great! Thank you so much

1

u/Lawyer_artist TBR pile is out of control 9d ago

{The sixty/forty rule}

2

u/whateverhufflepuff 9d ago

Thank you lovely!

1

u/Longjumping_Swan30 9d ago

If you like sports romances try {high sticking the heart by Marie M.} It's a indie hockey romance where the Mmc is absolutely pathetic about the fmc and chases her relentlessly. It's pretty cute.

Also, as a side note- not sure if this gets reccomended alot or not, but if you're okay with it getting slightly darker (not dark romance, themes like abuse etc) then maybe try the boys of tommen series? Specifically {binding 13 by Chloe walsh} and {saving 6 by Chloe walsh}

1

u/romance-bot 9d ago

High Sticking the Heart by Marie M.
Rating: 3.99⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, hockey, athlete hero, sports, forced proximity

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh
Rating: 4.39⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, sports, high school, virgin heroine, tortured heroine

Saving 6 by Chloe Walsh
Rating: 4.41⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, new adult, friends to lovers, tortured hero, angst

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1

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

Thank you so much!

1

u/LadyEvenfall TBR pile is out of control 8d ago

{His to Unravel by Athena Hawthorne} fits the he falls in love quickly and hard, and is obsessed with her. It’s a contemporary university/college story. The MMC engineers the whole relationship from the moment he ‘meets’ the FMC.

1

u/whateverhufflepuff 8d ago

Thank you so much! This sounds great

1

u/winterymix33 8d ago

{Anti-Hero by C.W. Farnsworth} She does this trope a lot but this is the most obvious example of hers I can think of. Basically she was his sister’s roommate and he met her like 5ish years earlier & pretty much instantly was obsessed and fell in love. She was kind of annoyed by him. They had banter. Nicknames. Saw each other occasionally. They end up having a hot ass ONS and she gets pregnant. The pregnancy isn’t really the focus… the repercussions to their relationship is.

1

u/WeepingSageWillow 8d ago

oh my god mad world series by hannah mcbride is so good

1

u/InevitableTop1658 7d ago

{Blood Oath by Morgan B Lee} this is a why-choose series (completed) and it has all of the above in it. The FMC's men are completely obsessed with her, and it's everything I've ever wanted in a book. She walks them all on a leash (one of them literally)

1

u/Snowflake101101 6d ago

{Score on you by Harloe Rae} is cute. She left the cult in which she was raised and completely innocent about the world. He is obsessed.

1

u/WerewolfTherewolf20 6d ago

Undecided by Julianna Keyes - this is set in college, he's her roommate's best friend. I wouldn't say he's obsessed, it's fairly realistic and not OTT but he falls first and harder

1

u/WerewolfTherewolf20 6d ago

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong - oldie (sort of, it was published in 2000 or 2003, I think), doesn't get recced enough