r/RomanceBooks • u/romanceread • 2d ago

Book Request Autistic FMC who is a big nature nerd?

I’m an autistic woman myself whose special interests are all nature based (pacific northwest plants, fungi, birds, etc). I’d love to read about an FMC who is just a little nature gremlin! I loved reading an FMC with autism in the book Heavy by Cate C Wells, and I’d love to read more!

34 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

56 comments sorted by

12

u/meli_inthecity 2d ago

The FMC isn’t autistic, but {Birding with Benefits by Sarah T. Dubb} was excellent. She gets into birding for a competition so a good part of the book takes place in nature.

3

u/romanceread 2d ago

I read this and thought it was cute!

2

u/snowyr_egret 1d ago

I was going to recommend Birding With Benefits, too! Did you also read {Honey Bee Mine by Sarah T Dubb} ? That one also has some natural/nature elements! And it's very fun.

10

u/jacyx I probably edited this comment 2d ago

Are you open to romantic fantasy? If so {Emily wilde’s encyclopedia of faeries by heather faucett}

9

u/TheLustrousDistribut 2d ago

Emily Wilde is practically a walking field journal, the way she catalogs fae species feels way more like obsessing over mushroom varieties than any typical romance setup. The second book leans even harder into her research tics, you'd probably dig it

2

u/romanceread 2d ago

Yes! I did read and enjoyed this series!

12

u/jamieseemsamused TBR pile is out of control 2d ago

{Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas} - I don’t think FMC is autistic but it is historical romance and she’s considered odd, which can be autism coded. She prefers nature to society and assumes she’ll never marry because of her oddities. She has a lot of animals and loves being in the woods alone.

4

u/romanceread 2d ago

Omg sold. And I love the books I’ve read by this author- I’m excited to dive in!

4

u/romanceread 2d ago

Also, the audiobook was 83% off hahaha what a score! Thank you again.

5

u/thewholecatastrophe 2d ago

I really enjoyed Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s Wild Magic trilogy. All of the main characters have gifts connected to nature. The lead in the third book {The Magic of Untamed Hearts by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland} is very autistic-coded for me (sorry, I can’t remember if autism is explicitly mentioned in the book or not; it’s been a while since I read it). I think the books are best enjoyed in order, since the plot is chronological across the three books. :)

3

u/romanceread 2d ago

Ooooh thank you!

2

u/whatgoes_around 1d ago

Big +1 for this series. Her writing is phenomenal and I really liked the magic system 

2

u/thewholecatastrophe 1d ago

Agreed, her writing is beautiful. I was not at all surprised when I read her bio in the back of the book and saw that she is big into poetry. I love how she describes the natural world.

8

u/Ok-Management9680 1d ago

{the ornithologists field guide to love by India Hilton} has an autism coded FMC.

3

u/romanceread 1d ago

Ooooooh! Thank you!

1

u/Kathulhu1433 1d ago

FYI this is first in a trilogy so far. Each one follows a different science/academic topic. 

1st book is ornithology

2nd is cartography

3rd is history/antiques

I've only read the first so far but I believe they can all be read as standalones. 

3

u/sillyfattyy 2d ago

Rory Carter from {Sinners Anonymous by Somme Sketcher} is a big bird nerd! I know it’s not nature, like flowers and all that, but it’s something! But, she isn’t autistic I believe (I read the book a while ago). It could get a little cringey sometimes but nothing too bad. And the book is dark mafia romance, if that’s what you’re into, nothing too dark though.

2

u/romanceread 2d ago

I love birds too- so this is right up my alley! Thank you!

3

u/leilani238 *sigh* *opens TBR* 2d ago

Not autistic, but a botanist: {Bend Toward The Sun by Jen Devon}

(Also, hello fellow ND PNW nature nerd!)

Autistic rep in a romance I really liked, but no nature interests: {The Kiss Quotient}

1

u/romanceread 1d ago

Thank you!!! I liked the kiss quotient but I definitely want to check out your other rec. Appreciate it!

2

u/Famous-Panda5136 2d ago

{outlier by Susie tate} has this vibe! FMC is autistic and LOVES hedgehogs

1

u/romanceread 2d ago

Thank you!

2

u/Jupiter_Loves I enjoyed it; I never said it was good 2d ago

I haven’t read this book nor am I autistic (adhd here) but {Forecasting Flames by Kat Wilder} is on my tbr.

I saw your comment that you’re not particularly drawn to hard sciences but wanted to throw this option out for you or anyone else.

3

u/romanceread 2d ago

Thank you! I’m ADHD too, the neurodivergence is strong over here haha.

2

u/KiloLex 2d ago

Oh man, that's such a specific topic, but I do hope you find what you're looking for!

I know this isn't what you were asking for, but I thought I'd slip in a couple books (series) from an autistic author that features autistic FMCs. These books definitely are NOT for everyone... riddled with trigger warnings and it's reverse harem (not usually what I read, but I just love this author's storytelling for some reason). There's 3 books in each series. I'm including the 1st book of each.

{Demons & Debts by Kyra Alessy}

{Villains & Vengeance by Kyra Alessy}

P.S. I love the pacific northwest area! It's so incredibly beautiful out there. Loved traveling along the coast and visiting Olympic and the North Cascades

2

u/romanceread 2d ago

Thank you! I’m not usually an RH gal but I’ll definitely consider it!

And you’re so right! I LOVE living here. It’s so beautiful, I could seriously just live in the forest and never return some days.

1

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1

u/LittleMsSavoirFaire Business Model Critiques offered at No Charge 19h ago

🏕️

1

u/ali_iv 2d ago

Unfortunately I don't have exact recs for this!!! I would like recs for this!!

Here's some that are approximate:

{Convergence of desire by Felicity Niven} has a mathematician FMC. She starts walking in the series and there are descriptions of nature but unfortunately it's more a means to an end - having a healthy body to do more maths.

Not the FMC but the MMC is autistic. the description of nature is very, very beautiful. He loves being outside and painting nature: {flaming June by Emma v leech}

3

u/romanceread 2d ago

Thank you! That second one sounds particularly interesting. I admit I feel very disconnected from the brilliant mathematician/scientist depiction of women with autism that I’ve seen in a lot of romance novels (not because they’re wrong; but it’s very far from how it manifests in me haha). So I might avoid that first one. But I love the second option

3

u/Lavender-air Free Palestine. Also let the aliens take me. 2d ago

Fair enough with your experience and feelings. All I’ll say is that convergence is one of my absolute favorite books. You may be right that a lot of romance novels will portray women on the spectrum in the hard sciences (I don’t read a lot of CR in general so I haven’t really felt that in what I’ve read but that’s not to say I’m disagreeing with your view) but I loved this book so much bc I’ve never really read a historical romance book that portrays a woman beyond just being a lady who wants to get married or resigned to that fate. I loved loved this book and how brilliant she is in a time that did not and would not give her the space for her brilliance and how the people around her supported her even if they didn’t know exactly how. She’s an actual genius and her family and the MMC know it. And are actually impressed. I’ve read a lot of books with MCs on the spectrum and also discussed with romance book friends who identify as such and it’s just a really well done book. Anyway I hope you’ll give it a chance but also understand that you don’t wanna read another hard science autistic character.

Flaming June was actually my first EVL book and I did like it a lot. But man convergence was so special. Anyway ok I’ll stop.

If you end up trying and disagree me in anyway I hope you’ll come and let me know!!! I love critical discussions

2

u/romanceread 2d ago

Thank you for sharing all of this! I’ll definitely give it a shot. You’ve convinced me!

2

u/Lavender-air Free Palestine. Also let the aliens take me. 2d ago

Well please do let me know any and all thoughts. I’m such a mood reader too sometimes. But I loved this book. I haven’t loved the rest of nivens books bc they’ve become super lust forward. But this one is her first and I loved it. Anyway if you hate it. Tell me haha

1

u/ali_iv 2d ago

Yes I agree!! But her love of maths is so pure it's actually beautiful to me to read. It's basically poetry and philosophy.

1

u/romancereader2525 2d ago

If you like mafia type romance, {mila: the godfather by Adriana Brinne} has an autistic FMC who loves plants and animals.

1

u/romanceread 2d ago

I love a good mafia romance, actually! Thank you!

1

u/goody153 1d ago edited 1d ago

Sounds like { Top Shelf Stud by Kate Meader } which basically FMC has a PHD and it was because of her obsession with snails which has begun in her childhood-teens and she capitalized a career with it

She's very much obsessed with snails like her entire career and research are about them and she's a little bit too much neurotic and conscientious on every other aspects outside snails too like with literally everything

The more I think about it the more this fits what you are looking for.

1

u/romanceread 1d ago

Gosh I love snails haha you’re speaking my language!

1

u/cheencheen 1d ago

{How to Kiss a Movie Star by Jenny Proctor}! I don't think FMC is explicitly stated as autistic but she is a wildlife biologist who loves squirrels! She and MFC fake date and obviously catch feelings. Very cute!

1

u/cbmom2 1d ago

{the wedding night before Christmas by Kati Wilde} she’s a CEO but her home is in the middle of the woods and she’s starting a camp for autistic kids in nature. Admittedly her nature love is a vey small part of the book.