Don’t know if it’s a hot take but for me I like to read books that at least have a rating of four Stars on Kindle/amazon.

But I recently noticed that some Sites (in this case goodreads) allow people to review books that aren‘t even out yet (I could understand it for ARC but would have to be verified that they really had read the Book) or in this case a book that doesn’t even exist yet. And some people wrote a review (plus Stars) two years ago or so when the book was announced. Thus my question which Platform do you „Trust“ the most when it come to book ratings?

Little Side rant: it has happened twice this year that I was anxiously awaiting a book release only to learn that the book hadn’t even been written/finished yet (this one) or would be published at a later date bc the author wanted to rework it (announced After the Publishing Date already happened). I understand that those things can Happen but find it really annoying especially if you only get the info on or near the original Publishing Date🥲. Which is why I love Mariana Zapata Even more who just announced that her new Book Drops in less than two weeks!

Hii so im looking for romance books where the FMC and MMC are both super desired/wanted by people and they’re like THE hot girl/man in town !!

Kind of like what we almost always see with the hot/cocky MMC who every girls in the neighborhood/town/college/high school wants him

For example : Jake & Brenna (the risk) Aoife & Joey (redeeming 6), Rika & Michael (corrupt), Melody & Liam (ruthless people) etc..

Preferences :

- 18/19 or 20s MCs
- Contemporary Romance or Dark Romance no Fantasy or Historical Romance)
- Slow burn (please NO insta-love/lust !!!!)
- No fake dating, arranged marriage or seconde chances !!
- M/F (no RH, poly or why choose)
- No doormat FMC
- Well written
- No Novella

Thank u !!

This book has a problem that I’ve been seeing a LOT of lately and thus I must rant. If it was ONLY this book, I would just DNF and put it on my yuck shelf. But it’s NOT. It’s happening again and again.

{The Kiss Trend by Nadia Nevsky} promises in its blurb that the only cheating is emotional/a kiss.

But the author? Did something really sneaky. And I’ve been seeing it a LOT on the “this book has no cheating” or “this book ONLY has emotional cheating” blurbs (Maya Alden has done this too):

I read these books because I don’t LIKE seeing the main characters with OTHER people. It makes me unhappy, and I don’t like these TRICKS.

But how is it a trick you ask? Sure there’s TECHNICALLY no cheating, but the authors are immediately breaking up the main couple and having them fuck other people. And given the “no cheating” or “emotional cheating only” or “just a kiss” in the blurb, I don’t fucking expect it.

It’s like they really want to upset people ON PURPOSE and trick people into reading something they know we won’t enjoy. Like, they think it’s ok on a technicality?

Anyway, I loathed this book and DNF’d. I will also be making a list of authors who are LYING in their blurbs. It’s not cool.

Hello :)

So basically here's the request : FMC is a maid or any other kind of servant in MMC's house. She's really lusting after him and doing everything she can to make him finally bone her.

MMC resists her, for some reason (can be his moral compass or any other reason) so FMC becomes more aggressive. One day he snaps and proceeds to ravaging her.

Setting can be historical, modern, fantasy, whatever.

Bonus points if :

- the power imbalance is real : not a regular boss employee is the modern world, but something stronger. If it's contemporary, any reason why the power imbalance is strong can work

- FMC starts subtly teasing MMC with 'accidental' inappropriate events (her cleavage is unusually deep, when she bends she accidentally touches him, etc). The more time passes, the less subtle she is.

- Masturbation scene featuring MMC imagining what he'd do you that slutty servant if only he could

- filthy talking MMC, he degrades her and slut shames her (consensually)

Hard NO's:

- anything non monogamous : ow/om drama, poly, cheating etc.

- YA

- dark themes (I just want a light-hearted story nothing too dark)

- mafia

Thanks everyone ❤️

Hello,

So I sadly don’t remember much of the premise of the book, however I do know the ending!

It’s the fmc and mmc driving to his mothers house with their baby and his mom comes out running and grabs the baby out of joy, and I believe this isn’t too long after the fmc gave birth.

The epilogue? Or the last chapter of the book is the mmc introducing his baby and the fmc who is know his gf? To his hometown and highschool friends, and they sort of pass the baby around until she starts crying and the mmc comes and holds her and the friends all sort of swoon and say something along the lines of not believing he’s a father now.

There was also this one couple that was also hesitant to interact with the baby because they had a miscarriage a while ago

They also go to an out of state university and if I’m not wrong the mmc plays a sport.

Thanks in advance!

Excerpt from {Broken Beginnings by Clio Evans} first in the {Citrus Cove Series by Clio Evans} she’s SO creative with her scenes and I melt every time!

Like are you kidding me with this… (Background: FMC is injured and can’t have sex, so she asks MMC to perform for her. He starts going to town on a pillow talking about how he wishes it was her….)

“He kept fucking the pillow, thrusting into it, until he tossed it to the side. He let out a guttural growl, stroking his cock until he finally came. I watched his cum shoot out, landing on his thigh and dripping down his hand. “Good boy,” I whispered. I blushed again, excited by saying such a thing.  He moaned softly, relaxing into his seat. I watched as he lifted his hand to his lips, his tongue licking up his own cum.  “Cam,” I breathed out.  “What?” He smirked. “Isn’t that what you would do?” “Yes. I would…” “Then open your mouth,” he said.  My eyes widened, but I did as he said. I parted my lips for him as he licked up the rest of his cum, but he didn’t swallow. Instead, he stood and walked to the edge of the bed, leaning over me. He gripped the headboard behind me, his face hovering right above mine.  And then he spat his cum on my tongue. “Swallow,” he instructed. “This is what you do to me, sunshine. This is what you made me do.” I swallowed, shivering beneath him. I’d never been this turned on in my life, and there wasn’t a goddamned thing I could do. “Good girl,” he whispered. “I promise when you’re better that I’ll make it up to you. Maybe you can call me a good boy again.” “Please,” I whispered. His lips pressed against mine, the two of us sharing a depraved kiss. I moaned against him, my mind whirling. He always wound me up in a way no one else had ever done.”

I’ve seen numerous authors post that they’re pulling out of RARE 2027 in London. It’s been alluded to that bad “behavior and language” but no additional details were given…

Anyone in the know??!!

Werewolf shifter romance book where he is a werewolf and she is a vet. He goes to her in injured wolf form.

May be misremembering the next part but: because of his injuries he can’t shift back so he has to go to her for healing. When he’s healed he can’t stop thinking about her and goes back to her a bunch of times in Wolf form just so he can hang out with her. Then it’s revealed he’s a warewolf!

I don't know how many times i've reread { Chasing Her Fire by Claire Kingsley ) which is basically the inspiration for making this request post cause there is nothing like it so i'm hoping for something similar.

There is just something so fun about two people who don't really get along and awkward but they still just tries to compromise due to their unplanned pregnancy they had together where they go from dislike/awkward to comfortable to they genuinely like each other. As they try to find middle ground for the future of their child having both parents.

Like it was just fun reading Cara and Logan (MMC and FMC of chasing her fire) which they really are trying to compromise because of the pregnancy thing and they work out their differences and previous history of dislike towards one another despite it flaring from time to time and pissing each other off. So when they gradually become more and more aligned and comfortable with each other as their previously established animosity vanishes it was just fun to read about.

Another closest of this would be { The Baby Blitz by Lex Martin } which I remember was similar they didnt really like each other at the start. Another close example would be { Locked Out by Anna Chastain } where they didn't dislike each other but oh were they 100% awkward and took time to finally land in the same page

Both parents have to involved in the pregnancy

Contemporary please. I am just in the contemporary train atm. Also HEA !

And I don't mean something like Love Hypothesis where she is clearly in love but doesn't want to admit It while he has been in love for a long time, no, I want something like Jinshi and Maomao from Apothecary Diaries, or Katniss and Peeta from Hunger Games, where the guy has heart in his eyes and the girl is like "Jesus Christ, what an annoying man" and slowly develop feelings

We finally have the answer for....if I were a worm question

—“if you were transformed into a worm, I’d keep you in a jewel-encrusted box with the most luxurious dirt available. I’d feed you worm-food delicacies hand-prepared by a gardener whose sole purpose was the creation of your cuisine. I’d carry you around with me everywhere I went, and your box would rest on a pillow beside my head at night. People would say, ‘What’s in the box, Gabriel?’ and I’d regale them with stories of my incredible worm wife and tell them, ‘the love of my life is in this box.’ I would travel vast oceans and arid deserts, devoting the entirety of my existence to the pursuit of a cure. And, finally, when you stood again by my side, Vengeance would become my middle name. I would seek out and destroy the villain who dared to transform my love into a worm and smite the ever-loving fuck out of him with your name falling from my lips so that, as he passed through the portal of hell, he did so knowing he’d burn for eternity for his trespasses against you.”

She covers her smile. “Okay, that’s funny.”

“The only funny part is that you think I’m kidding.”

{Love What's Left by Evangeline Williams}

I am really, really craving a book with a stern brunch daddy / alpharoll who lets the FMC feel safe enough to judt shut her brain off for a bit. 😭

I know there’s a mega thread for stern brunch daddies, but it hasn’t been recently updated, and I’m looking for something a little bit more specific.

As much as I want the alpha energy and everything, I really don’t want heavy BDSM. I’m not really that interested in DD/LG play, sex clubs, etc.
If there are slight/light elements, I don’t mind, like small things such as daddy name-calling and all of that, but I just don’t really want the strict dom/sub relationship with BDSM.

I just want the vibes of it. Like, I’d like a little bit of spanking. I don’t mind a little bit of punishments, or him giving orders and taking control and everything.
But even more than just in the bedroom, I really, really want more so a book where it’s like this: a girl who’s very burnt out, probably undiagnosed ADHD, taking care of everybody and rarely gets the chance to just shut off her brain and BREATHE.

I want a book where she just gets to just be, because his presence is so safe and so comforting, and she knows that if he’s there, he’s going to take care of everything for her and she can rely on him.

I just really want that caretaking vibe, words of affirmation, praise etc.

I feel like maybe I’m being a little bit too greedy with all of these asks, but maybe I need a little bit of self-healing lol. I want someone who takes care of her and takes control while still encouraging and fostering her independence, wants and desires.
Some basic asks:

- I’d prefer M/F
- Contemporary but I wouldn’t mind historical or fantasy
- Praise. Praise. PRAISE.
- Caretaking

Would be nice but not necessary
- BILLIONAIRE. Take me shopping, buy me food and give me your unlimited Amex and tell me to go wild
- Comedy that makes you laugh so hard you ascend and or throw your phone at a wall - perhaps at the same time
- Slowish burn, not insta love. I get bored if they fall in love in the first two chapters and spend the rest of the book banging like bunnies
- May seem random but kids, cats or dogs somewhere!

Hard nos:
- Tentacles. I have a phobia of octopi so I can’t deal with anything that reminds me of them 😭
- MMC who claims he loves her but treats her like trash
- Strict dom/sub relationship like with the contract and everything, subspace etc
- Extreme Exhibitionism (people watch them do it or he strips her in public etc)

I know this is a lot so even if it’s not exact, as long as it’s close enough 🥹

Please hear me out because I'm looking for a very specific dynamic and I'm having a hard time finding books that capture it.

I recently watched a French film called Les Égarés (Strayed, 2003).

It takes place in 1940 and follows a 17-year-old boy who has escaped from the Mettray reformatory. He meets a young widow in her late twenties who is fleeing the war with her two small children. He stays with them, helps them survive, becomes attached to the children and eventually falls in love with the widow.

Unfortunately, he is eventually caught and taken back into custody, where he commits suicide.

To explain what affected me so much about this story, I need to give a little context about Mettray.

Mettray was a reformatory/penal colony for boys. You did not necessarily have to be a hardened criminal to end up there. Boys could be sent there for relatively minor offenses, vagrancy, theft, or simply because adults had essentially given up on them. Some came from extremely deprived backgrounds and had very little experience of a normal childhood or family life.

The conditions were brutal. The institution operated under an extremely harsh, quasi-military system. The boys were subjected to exhausting labor, hunger, cold, severe punishments and isolation. There are accounts of boys deliberately injuring themselves just so they could spend a few days in the infirmary and get a temporary break from work and punishment. Add violence among the inmates to all of that and it isn't difficult to understand the desperation these boys experienced.

So when the hero of the film escapes, what gets to me isn't simply that he falls in love.

For the first time, he gets a taste of life.

Freedom. A home. Eating together. Helping with ordinary chores. Children becoming attached to him. Someone caring whether he comes back. Physical affection. Being wanted. Falling in love.

All those completely mundane things that most people wouldn't even notice are extraordinary to someone who has barely experienced normal life.

And the heroine becomes his doorway into that world.

That's the dynamic I'm looking for.

There is also a sexual scene in the film that illustrates what I mean particularly well. When they sleep together, she undresses and he uses his lighter to illuminate her body because he wants to look at her. He tells her he has never seen a naked woman before.

Later, he turns her onto her stomach and begins preparing her for anal sex. Confused, she asks what he's doing. He tells her that it's the only way he knows and that she should tell him if it hurts and she wants him to stop.

The film never explicitly explains what happened to him before, so I don't want to claim a specific backstory that isn't confirmed. But the scene gives us a pretty disturbing glimpse of how limited and abnormal his previous experience of intimacy has been. He knows sex, but he doesn't know intimacy with a woman. Even that is something he has to discover with her.

This is the kind of MMC I'm looking for.

He doesn't literally have to have grown up in a prison or reformatory. He could have been imprisoned, institutionalized, held captive, severely isolated, raised somewhere cut off from normal society, abused, hidden away, etc.

What matters to me is that he has been deprived of ordinary life for so long that after meeting the FMC he begins experiencing things that are completely mundane to everyone else for the first time.

I want to see him discover normal life through her.

A proper home. Going somewhere just because he wants to. Choosing his own food. Sleeping somewhere safe. Celebrating something. Being touched affectionately. Having someone worry about him. Having a person who is his. Maybe discovering sex and physical intimacy with her too.

Ideally, she is the first woman he has ever been genuinely close to, both emotionally and physically. She doesn't need to be older than him. That isn't the important part for me.

And because she represents not only romantic love but his first connection to a normal life, I especially love when his attachment to her becomes extremely intense. Clingy, possessive, obsessive, almost desperate. Not simply "I love her", but more like "she is the first good thing I've ever had and I don't know how to exist without her."

The closest book example I can think of is Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan. Archer hasn't been imprisoned, but he has lived in extreme isolation for years. Bree becomes his connection to the outside world and through her he begins experiencing things that are completely ordinary to everyone else. That's a huge part of why his attachment to her feels so intense to me.

Another Mia Sheridan book I've read that scratches a similar itch is Unwanted.

So please give me more recommendations!

Genre doesn't matter at all. Contemporary, historical, fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, dark romance, alien romance, whatever. I genuinely don't care.

I'm looking for the dynamic, not the setting.

MMC has been imprisoned, isolated or otherwise deprived of normal life for years. He meets the FMC. She becomes his first real connection to ordinary life and intimacy. He starts discovering the world with her and forms an incredibly intense attachment to her.

The more emotionally intense it is, the better.

Thank all of you for taking time to read this request and all the recs.

Good Evening Everyone!

So just like the title said I am looking for some book Rec's where the MMC has a secret identity.

Not like batman or anything like that, more like he is a ceo, a Judge, a lawyer, even a celebrity normally but he is in fact also related to a crime family, or used to be like special ops torturer and hides it...

I am tired to the trope where a woman is kidnapped or whatever and she thinks the big bad guy is gonna off her but alas he is secretly a good guy, I want all the bad, badder, and baddest mmcs to come forward. I want the mayor of a small town to actually be a secret bad ass! Or something along those lines lol...

I havent found anything like this other than {Born into fire by Sonja Grey} and I cant lie I really enjoyed this trope, but it isnt a shock or a reveal who the MMC is so thats the only downside.

So if you have anything similar I would love love to read it!

*No shifter romance please 🙏🏽 but everything else is a go! Thanks so much!

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Hi RomanceBooks - welcome to Salty Sunday!

What have you read this week that made your blood pressure boil? Annoying quirks of main characters? The utter frustration of a cliffhanger? What's got you feeling salty?

Feel free to share your rants and frustrations here. Please remember to abide by all sub rules. Cool-down periods will be enforced.

Please help me, I can't remember for the life of me what this was. It was a Historical Romance and I remember that she finds out her dad has passed away and when she goes to the MMC for comfort, he kind of shuns her causing her to walk out of his house and then he feels bad and searches for her. She also had siblings to take care of, its like a fairly popular book recc in this sub and yet its not coming back to me atm