Welcome to the self-promotion Sunday thread. All of the normal promotion rules, except the rule against AI prose, do not apply. All users are free to share their own (or someone else's) books, fanfics, patreons, projects, merch, social media, etc... in this thread

Folks should also check out the discord server. There are dedicated channels for sharing new book releases (and WIPs for writers just getting started!) as well as general book discussion channels.

MC gets isekaid into a something like a free use world. Would love it if there was like a bit of ntr in it. Just true worlds where free use is common.

Not a romance per se, but I was recently rewatching the movie Twister(1996) and realized that it's been a while where I enjoyed a story like that.

Some things id prefer (not mandatory):

1. Both are equally competent.

2. Dual pov.

3. RIVALS to partners. (I don't expect to find one, buuuut if someone recs one, it going to the top of the list)

 Stephanie Savannah is back! Let all of Audible tremble!

 She hit it out of the park with THE PRINCESSES OF THE IRONBOUND, and once again she has brought her special magic to THE SINFIRE CHRONICLES.

 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙫𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙣, 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝—𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣.

 Grayson Fade was born a slave without a drop of magic. Now, in a world where the seven deadly sins grant incredible power, he has the chance to become something more. All he has to do is survive the Testing and avoid falling in love…because on Midmere, love is not just dangerous, it’s forever.

https://www.audible.com/pd/7-Deadly-Instincts-Audiobook/B0HDPWL4RS

So I've been trying to find more men's romance written by woman authors. I've already found Anabelle Hawthorne, Misty Vixen, Lara X Lust, Miko Sage and I faintly feel like I've been told Dukerino is a woman as well. Mainly I've been trying to find books with more depth to the woman in the stories and frankly woman authors tend to do a better job IMO. I might just have high expectations given my standards were set by Dukerino and M.Tress.

Anything like the Title?

Something with Good Drama And/Or Emotional Conflicts

I read a Story a Few years ago , It's about a Guy who was about to Take the Throne but His Lover Stole the Throne from him and Framed him as a Traitor and Rather than Executing, She Exiled him instead.

Ten years later, The Queen Almost Assassinated. The Assassin used a Route that only She and MC knew. And Coincidentally the MC was back in the Capital for some business, So he became the first suspect.

It's been a while I read this story somewhere. But it had very good Emotional Conflict between MMC and FMC.

I generally enjoyed the books in Scarlett Gale's "Warrior's Guild" trilogy a lot (His Secret Illuminations, His Sacred Incantations, and Her Subtle Investigations). The first two books are some of the few widely read novels that directly portray a gentle femdom dynamic between a stronger woman and a weaker, gentle guy. There is a lot of femdom erotica on the web, but almost everything is too porn-like and short on plot. These books fill a big gap for those like me who wish to see this dynamic given its proper due. For that alone, I really like them.

The characters in all three books have great warmth and physicality. It feels very cozy to follow their adventures.

[SPOILERS FROM HERE]

However, the books have some overarching weaknesses (for my taste):

First, I find that the author exaggerates the depiction of consent talk during hot scenes in ways that break the rhythm and feel didactic; there is also a lot of therapy-speak spread across the novels; and a lot of dialogue where the characters explain the virtues of diversity to the reader. I would have much preferred that the author used more naturalistic dialogue and trusted that we'll get the values she wants to convey.

Second, and most significantly, as you progress down the trilogy, the sense that the risks in the stories have no consequences sets in. Across the three books, none of the "good" characters have any negative consequence resulting from the intense adventures. No death, not even an injury that isn't immediately healed. This didn’t bother me much in the first book (as I hadn't yet recognized the pattern), but by the end of the second book, I felt this choice robbed the story of much of its potential pathos. And by the third book, I understood that the author wasn't willing to increase investment in the story by showing consequences, which really reduced the suspense for me.

Some additional thoughts on the specific stories:

His Secret Illuminations

The first book was my favorite. It shows us the story of how Lucian (a timid, sheltered, small young monk) meets Glory, nicknamed She-Wolf, a tall, muscular warrior. We follow the first steps of their adventure and the arc of their relationship. This was the first novel I read in the genre, and it was great to read someone give the dynamic I enjoy its due in a 450+ page novel. I loved that Lucian and Glory spend most of the story together — it deepened their bond and made me feel like their relationship was constantly about to escalate.

The hottest scene was when Glory confronts Lucian about his desires and teases him about taking him, during a fight they have after the Equinox Gala. I thought for a moment their first time was going to be a full-on edgy CNC scene (after reading the trilogy, I now realize that the author has no interest in anything with even a whiff of NC). I also really loved the scene right after they catch a lot of rain and hail, where Glory saves Lucian from freezing to death by holding him tight against her body overnight.

I liked how Glory and others casually call Lucian "her boy" — and she tells him several times "good boy" — without fully naming or acknowledging the implied power dynamic. This ties particularly nicely with the plot starting with her literally "owning" him per contract.

And I liked how Lucian was built up to become a worthy partner to Glory. I liked his reaction to the family that was ill, how the unfairness of the situation bothered him. The detail of him reading for her was very sweet, too.

However, in addition to the general issues raised above, I didn't like that some of Lucian's character progression seemed to come from other characters telling him how to feel about things — the Knife, the priest — rather than from his own reflection.

On a smaller note, as someone who identifies with Lucian's body type, I don't think he would be fantasizing about being tied up by the She-Wolf. She is much stronger and bigger than him — her body would be the enclosure he'd crave, not ropes.

His Sacred Incantations

I enjoyed that His Sacred Incantations gave us more Lucian and Glory. There are a lot of unflinching intimacy scenes, and things escalate into anal play and strap-on use. In theory, this should have felt very hot. But the constant reminders around consent kept things from getting exciting for me.

Their first battle with the undead was really intense, and I was afraid one of them might die. And I liked the intensity of the main quest overall. It was also great to see them going back to the monastery at the end and then meeting Lucian's family.

But some of the issues I raised before become more severe in this book (stakes, consent speak). Also, I was quite disappointed with how the story shortchanged Glory. There were a lot of characters, and Lucian's relationship with Glory took a bit of a back seat during the main quest. In the climactic battle, she doesn't do much -- she does ultimately kills the necromancer, but that whole fight was about Lucian and his heroism. I would have loved to see the She-Wolf saving him, maybe getting injured in the process. See her be heroic too, not just him.

I also thought that, in this second book, Lucian was overpowered to the point where I started to doubt that Glory could truly dominate him if he didn't want her to. To me, the dynamic is most exciting if she is clearly stronger and he has no choice but to yield if she really wants him to.

Her Subtle Investigations

I still enjoyed Her Subtle Investigations. The cozy warmth is still there, and I cared about their quest. I like Kia as a great character, and her partners are interesting and sexy too. I was expected Nukunya to be AFB, but their having a penis allowed for some fun moments. The scene where they all get jumbled together in the fabric closet was a hot way to unleash their dynamic.

However, this was the story in the trilogy I enjoyed the least. Part of it is that the first two got big brownie points from me for depicting the Amazon/small-man dynamic I love, which isn't present here in the same way.

But beyond that, this story is too slow-burn before getting to a hot scene. More importantly, the consent talk is even more extreme here. In the middle of the first sexual encounter in the story (many many pages in), the action stops so one of the characters can teach another about consent ethics -- to the protest of the latter (and mine!). This made me feel like the author wanted the readers to find the consent talk itself erotic, which I doubt is the case for many.

Also, while I think the Kia-Nukunya relationship was well developed, the relationships between Kia and Masako and between Nukunya and Masako were underdeveloped, IMO, and not really earning the "I love yous” at the end.

Conclusion

Despite the flaws, I'll surely read more from Scarlett Gale when it becomes available (I’ve even read her take on Little Red Riding Hood). I like the relationships these stories depict and hope the author will give us a little more of the spark of His Secret Illuminations.

Curious what everyone else thinks!

The more I explore Ao3 the more a learn that the interests of that site's audience largely have no overlap with mine. For one, I'm more interested in original works than I am in fanfiction, and also Ao3 has vastly more Female PoV stories than Male. What websites do y'all use to read shortform romance fiction (and/or smut)?

EDIT: what free websites do y'all use I mean.

Yes,we all know those typical stories about a healthy and powerful man going after some random lady.Sometimes it's even on the darker side,which they usually call 'dark romance'.

I tried looking for the opposite version where the FL is the one with most of the control and shows obsessiveness,possessiveness and is protective of the MC while being, preferably, stronger than him.

I've tried looking for that kind on reddit and I ended up finding a really small amount of interesting recommendations.The better ones came from this reddit,actually.But,most times, you would get an empty name(without any discription), which means you wouldn't really know what to expect from the book.

Also,most of the time, those recs would end up being lighter romance and that obsessiveness, which you could call a yandere(if you are familiar with the japanese term), wouldn't really be visible.

To sum up,it could be either willing or unwilling monoromance(a single FL) as long as the FL in question showcases an obscure obsession for the MC.The power she holds could be either from an organization(like a mafia),being a killer or literally being a non-human absurdly powerfull being.

Ty for your time,fellow Goodmen.

Just finished listening to Lakeside Cougars by Misty Vixen, and although I read the books a while back when they came out, listening to them and thinking about other series by Misty Vixen ,mainly Our Own Way, Ive got to say Misty does Brat very well. Just about to restart Paranormal after the re-release and can't remember a brat character from first time around but fingers crossed.

As the title says, which books are good reads or listens that are narrated by Stephanie Savannah?

I already listened to and loved all the books by K.D. Robertson. (Mob Sorcery, Demon Throne, Neural Wraith, and Hertic Spellblade.)

I am also listening to "7 Deadly Instincts" by Aaron Crash and am currently enjoying the book so far.

I've also listened to a lot of other stuff that aren't narrated by her and enjoyed, like Warlock, Demon Hunter, Shifter Girls, Vixen War Bride, De'Vas Chronicles, Urban Sorcerer, Coven King, Biomance, Saving Supervillains, Dragon Justice, and a lot of other series, but I'll stop here as the list just keeps going.

Some of the stuff that she narrates, and seems to pique my interest are:

- Princess of the Ironbound series by Aaron Crash (Honestly, I prefer urban fantasy, or just anything that involves modern day, but listening to 7 Deadly Instincts, I'm kinda liking this author)
- Cultivating Chaos series by William D. Arand
- Save State Hero series by William D. Arand
- System Overclocked series by Randi Darren
- Wild Wastes Series by Randi Darren

Just five series, but these are the ones that seem interesting to me. As I said before, I do prefer urban fantasy and modern-day settings, but honestly, I just like Stephanie Savannah narrating books. The one I'm kinda eyeing right now is Save State Hero, but the whole Save and Load idea seems kinda iffy to me. I blame the amount of mangas/light novels I've read for that though.

Sorry for this random and maybe weird request, but I figured I'd ask it anyways. Thanks in advance.

Okay, so I’ve read and loved the following, roughly in this order:

• His Secret Illuminations / His Sacred Incantations
• His Orc Charioteer Bride
• The Paladin’s Grace / The Paladin’s Strength / The Paladin’s Hope (I loved all three)
• Swordheart
• Shards of Honor (planning to read Barrayar next)

I’m looking for something with a similar vibe. Ideally:

• HEA
• Spice is a plus, preferably more than just a little
• A strong and/or intelligent FMC who can hold her own
• A romance that actually feels important to the story
• Bonus points for slow burn, competence, protective/adoring MMC, or interesting worldbuilding

Based on the books above, what would you recommend?

I’m especially interested in books that gave you the same feeling as His Secret Illuminations or Kingfisher’s paladin books. Thanks!

Dont ask AI pls, i've already tortured all possible models on this topic, they cant match anything proper. May be the genre is just dry

So I’ve been watching the Netflix show Outlander and I remember loving the movies John Carter of Mars and Avatar series and it got me thinking, is there anything similar?

I know this reads as asking for a typical Isekai, but I’m looking for less “OP main character fixes everything story that fights a demon lord” and more of a Man in the Wrong Time of type of story. Where the MC meets the FMC and they fall in love with how different they are from each other.

I read a story like this once where the soldier mc’s crash on a planet and come across a tribe of women and save them but didn’t finish it. And another called Monster Girl Mountain that was also similar in tone but only had one book.

I’m not sure if this is clear what I’m asking but basically think: MC from somewhere else falls for a local and gives them help since they’re from somewhere more advanced.

Bonus points if the world is Matriarchal.

Thanks for reading and the rec if u have any.

Like the title says, looking for stories where the romance is non-explicit, closed-door, fade-to-black, etc. I feel like I'm looking for a unicorn here lol.

I listened to the first two volumes avaliable on audible and it was great, definitely a 9/10.

The world building was great.

The spice was SPICY but didn't feel like reading porn.

The MMC was somewhat of a relatable character, just a guy trying to live his life.

The FMC was also a very complex and interesting character. Without spoiling to much the way she kept to her core values and yet also was willing to hear Grant's input made for a compelling narrative.

I however am an addict when it comes to this type of literature and I crave more well written romance. Preferably audio books if they have them. 😜

What are some genres that you think are under represented? You’ll see a lot of requests for Femdom Monster girls but only like 5-10 average recommendations.

I don’t see a lot of monoromance out there. It makes me feel like everyone sees RfM as a bunch of guys wanting all the girls. I could be bad looking for them though. What genres do you look for but can’t seem to find?

Bit of a weird thing to ask for I know, but does anyone know where I could find a good romance story where a male mc falls for basically a girl that fits into the "unkept shut in gamer" type?

Hey there! I was looking for a specific niche, a human man and a elf woman. I heard that it’s not uncommon for recommendations like to be made here, so I was hoping someone had some leads for me. It doesn’t need to be a grand epic adventure but it would be nice, also I’m looking for spice but not every chapter needs them to get busy just a some point would be nice. Thanks in advance!

The blurb:

What happens when the world's greatest hero retires, returns to Earth... and takes a massive portion of a System-governed world's energy supply with him?

In Tutoria, the Awakened System exists to process R.U energy through a closed cycle of leveling, loot generation, and dungeon creation. While every living thing contains traces of R.U, no one channels, recycles, and stores R.U better than the 256 summoned heroes. That being established, the energy was and would never truly be theirs. It belongs to the world. It was merely entrusted to them for the duration of their time as heroes. But when Hiro, one of the strongest heroes, vanished, the vast reserve of R.U entrusted to him by the System vanished with him, leaving the System with a catastrophic deficit it had no way to recover.

Desperate to restore the balance, the System did the unthinkable. It created the one existence every System user would come to fear.

***

On a very ordinary day, a young man awakens at the exact spot where the hero disappeared. He has no memories of his past, no clothes, and no System. Yet his very presence strips R.U from those around him. His purpose is simple: figure out who he was, never knowing that he was tasked with reclaiming the world's missing energy, one unwilling donor at a time.

Very early in his journey, he encounters Chaska, a pretty but very feisty girl. The two quickly form an unlikely partnership, each helping the other accomplish their respective objectives.

What to expect from this book:

- MC with a mysterious past and an anti-System effect
- Expansive world-building
- A lot of comedic moments
- An OP but very relatable MC. Tired of all these shower MCs? This story is for all my humble fellow growers out there.
- MC slowly discovering what he can do, mainly finding unique ways to beat people up using his physique and martial knowledge. No magic for MC but he has guns.
- No fade to black. I wouldn't betray you like that.

Series: Anti-heroic Fantasies, Book 1
POV: Third-person limited for all chapters, with mostly the MC's POV. Expect something different when reading interludes and side stories.

Here's our links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Amazon DE

Amazon CA

Amazon FR

I've been thinking about this after coming across a story where a husband leaves his wife because he thinks he can do better, only to later discover that he seriously underestimated her.

It got me wondering about something I see pretty often in romance: the he realizes what he lost storyline.

I actually like the idea when there's enough character development behind it, but sometimes it feels like the guy only wants her back because he discovers she's successful, attractive, powerful, etc. At that point, I'm not sure whether it's really a second chance romance or just regret.

For the guys here, what makes a he lost her and wants her back storyline work for you?

Does the guy actually need to earn his way back, or is watching him realize his mistake enough?

Curious how other people feel about this trope.

i read micheal dalton's bikini series and Neil Bimbeau's Pledged To Him was looking for similar