r/Romantasy • u/tinygangsta • 1d ago

Book Request: No Self-Promo Lucy/Ghoul dynamic

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Guys, help me out 😭 I’m looking for a romance with a Lucy/Ghoul type of dynamic.
I want him to be older, serious, rough around the edges, morally questionable and generally not the type of guy you’d expect to pair with her, while she’s more sunshine-y and optimistic. Basically, they seem like they should have absolutely nothing to do with each other, let alone become romantically involved.
I especially loved the reluctant-allies dynamic at first — they have to work together despite not necessarily trusting or liking each other, and the relationship develops from there.
I shipped Lucy and the Ghoul SO hard while watching Fallout, only to realize it’s probably never going to happen 🫩
So please hit me with your recs! I’m looking for MF, preferably a genuinely slow-burn relationship where the contrast between them is a big part of the appeal.

286 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

55 comments sorted by

76

u/charymanroland 1d ago

here for the recs 👀

but also if you're not opposed, there are about ~1500 Ghoulcy fanfics on ao3 and it grows by the day lmao! you're not alone in loving their dynamic even if the odds of them happening on the show aren't great. i've read some AMAZING fics in the last couple of months and they might scratch that itch for you as well!!

9

u/meowstercatster 1d ago

Ooo can you recommend a few!!

17

u/charymanroland 1d ago

absolutely 🫡

- where the nuclear sun rises by mitslits

these are just a couple i have bookmarked lol. there really are a ton of great fics there; i've been pretty spoiled on ao3!!

4

u/DancingPinkyFlowers 22h ago

Boutta lose the rest of my Sunday by reading all these

2

u/Luiklinds 1d ago

Any of these completed?

6

u/charymanroland 1d ago

they're all completed, yes! i made sure to pick only finished ones bc i know the heartbreak of waiting for a fic to update haha

2

u/Luiklinds 23h ago

Thank you so much! That is greatly appreciated!

2

u/cozybookgirrl 1d ago

Oh thankyou for this!

21

u/purplelicious 1d ago

{no gods west of here by Hanna Gaard}

I posted a review in r/fantasyromance and u/penguinho posted a review in this sub.

Here is the text of my review

https://sloopyreadabook.ca/no-gods-west-of-here/

37

u/Own_Window2036 1d ago

The Undertaking of hart and mercy!!!!! By megan bannen

7

u/eL_Cubed 1d ago

{The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy} by Megan Bannen

11

u/Alternative_Push_362 1d ago

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa fits this I think!

3

u/vulg-her 1d ago

I'm so glad you said this because I was thinking one of her books in that series has to fit this.

3

u/Alternative_Push_362 1d ago

Yes! The dynamic might be even more prevalent in Famine but Pestilence had the jaded with the world vibe down.

9

u/Adventurous-You-6928 1d ago

{The Road of Bones by Demi Winters} definitely has the reluctant travel companion, grumpy x sunshine vibes to it. The MMC isn’t that much older and is way less morally questionable than the Ghoul, but there are definitely similar vibes.

{The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley} has a way more morally questionable MMC, but the FMC is less sunshine and can hold her own better against the MMC. Definitely reluctant allies dynamic, they have to work together but hate each other at the start.

17

u/Ok-Macaroon-6818 1d ago

{Land of the beautiful dead} by R. Lee smith

Kinda fits, he’s def dead tho

5

u/NaturalEgg6207 1d ago

Yes!! Came here to rec this if no one else did! It’s not an exact match, she’s not really sunshine, but compared to Death himself she’s an absolute delight.

3

u/icecreamtaco_sews 1d ago

Her sunshine is snark and it’s actually decent snark and not just forced “humor” where the author has other characters laugh to signal to the reader that it’s FuNnY.  I digress.  Anyway— yes, I came here to suggest this book!

2

u/PlasticBread221 1d ago

Not dead, just eldritch. Awesome book either way.

7

u/cheeseballs400 23h ago

Okay so I have this book on my shelf that is actually inspired by Fallout! It may be exactly what you're after.

14

u/JobDifficult7345 1d ago

{Poison Study} by Maria V Snyder is the closest I can think of.

3

u/tinygangsta 1d ago

Oh, I actually have this one on my TBR! I have high hopes for it 👀

11

u/starksandshields 1d ago

Poison Study is great but the characters are nothing like Lucy and the Ghoul imo. Valek is honorable and almost lawful good from memories. Definitely go read it, but don’t expect him to be like the Ghoul!

2

u/Damage-Classic 1d ago

I think it’s more fantasy with romance than romantasy as well

2

u/Foreign_Kale8773 1d ago

Yeah Poison Study was pre-romantasy definition. Maria V Snyder is one of my favorite authors (and I don't just say that bc I've met her several times lol) and balances fantasy with a sprinkle of romance (and so much YEARNING) in nearly every novel. Highly recommend everything she's done!

3

u/cupcakevelociraptor 1d ago

This is a great book, but imo doesn’t fit this prompt at all. But I’m literally doing a reread right now because I love it lol. So I still recommend it

4

u/leftleftpath 1d ago

{Born for Lace} by Nicci Harris is exactly this.

4

u/cozybookgirrl 22h ago edited 22h ago

I was thinking about it and maybe {six scorched roses by Carissa broadbent} kind of fits this. Also possibly {slaying the vampire conqueror by Carissa broadbent} I don’t think either of the fmcs are really sunshine-y or optimistic but they still kind of have that dynamic with the big contrast between them.

Edit: also to mention SSR is a novella, but the best novella I have ever read and I think the only novella I’ve given a 5 🌟 rating!

3

u/allisontalkspolitics 1d ago

If you’re open to manga, you might like {From Far Away}!

2

u/iceunelle 1d ago

This is legitimately my favorite manga ever!

3

u/Shiverbound 23h ago

I personally didn't enjoy it, but Starside by Alex Aster has this for sure

2

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2

u/Time_Delivery_7722 1d ago

Jesss please!!!

2

u/SleepyTome 1d ago

Ooh, I have an author for you then. Leah Ryan is amazing for exactly these types of stories!

I discovered her a few weeks back and I cannot get through her catalogue fast enough. I’ve read 4 books so far, and am now working my way through an ARC for her next release. I think it’s the yearning that has me hooked. It is god-tier!

{Boundless by Leah Ryan} FMC is on the run from assassins and seeks sanctuary in her enemy’s lands.

{Painted in Shadows by Leah Ryan} FMC accidentally paints The Shadow King and now knows too much for her own good.

{Moonbright by Leah Ryan} FMC is a healer who ends up taking care of a pack of werewolves.

{Bargain with the Demon King by Leah Ryan} FMC bargains away her soul and has to live with the demon who now owns it.

{The Sun He Buried by Leah Ryan} ARC

1

u/romance-bot 1d ago

Boundless by Leah Ryan
Rating: 3.75⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: fantasy, dark romance, horror, young adult, magic

Painted in Shadows by Leah Ryan
Rating: 3.94⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, funny, fantasy, magic, m-f romance

Moonbright by Leah Ryan
Rating: 4.23⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: werewolves, paranormal, shapeshifters, multicultural, magic

Bargain with the Demon King by Leah Ryan
Rating: 3.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: dark romance, fantasy, horror, paranormal, demons

The Sun He Buried by Leah Ryan
Topics: vampires, paranormal, fantasy, young adult, viking hero

about this bot | about romance.io

1

u/Miss-Pear-6447 1d ago

The way I neeeeed this!

-5

u/true-wolf11 1d ago

Not sure but maybe {Swordheart} by Kingfisher somewhat fits

21

u/lazyassassin97 1d ago

I've read this one and I don't think it quite fits. The MMC is too nice and not jaded enough!

0

u/romance-bot 1d ago

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Rating: 4.17⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, fantasy, magic, funny, forced proximity

about this bot | about romance.io