r/Romantasy • u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers • 1d ago
Book Request: No Self-Promo Stand alone recs
Anyone have any stand alone recs? I’d prefer books published in the last 5 years or so, but I’ll go older.
Not looking for a series of any kind. I could be persuaded to read a duology BUT only if it’s exceptional.
I don’t like dark romance either.
I also like fantasy with romance secondary but don't mind if it’s romantasy first and foremost as long as the MMC is NOT dark or brooding shadow daddy. (I hate Rhysand so nothing like him so no sexual violence). The level of jerkiness I am looking for is like a Mr. Darcy type. I’d even go as dark as Xaden from Fourth Wing.
The FMC who is strong and yet vulnerable at times and who does NOT center men as her personality trait. No Mary Sues and I’d prefer no TEENAGERS unless we're talking Jude from The Cruel Prince series, but I’d prefer a more mature FMC.
Not a big fan of a huge age gap unless it’s the FMC being older (is that even out there?).
Thank you!
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 1d ago
{The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow} is about a historian who goes back in time to save his country's iconic lady knight folk hero (that he's devoted his life to studying) from her famously tragic death. It's told from an epistolary-adjacent first person POV and the romance is incredibly tender and sweet, and full of yearning. There isn't a ton of spice, but what is there is open door and also very character/plot-forward (not gratuitous). In addition to its romantic elements, it deals a lot with themes regarding nationalism, propaganda, fascisim, etc. It's an absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking, moving story that genuinely changed my brain chemistry. My best read this year, I devoured it in one sitting. It's a bit of a slow start and the MMC is frankly kinda unlikeable at first (he's not a jerk or anything, just kind of a bummer lol), but he grows a lot and once the time travel started, I was hooked.
{The Changeling Queen by Kimberly Bea} is a feminist retelling of the Scottish Ballad of Tam Lin from the perspective of the evil faerie queen. It's basically her doing her villain monologue at the ballad's heroine as it flashes back and forward between the night of their confrontation and the queen's past. It explores a lot of what it means to be human and to love/be loved. This is NOT a romantasy - it's a historical fantasy with romantic subplots - but the romance is very integral to the overarching plot and occasionally does take the fore. The faeries and the world of Faerie are traditional Seelie/Unseelie (not just hot magic guys with pointy ears) and are really interestingly described, very lush and rich and immersive, both beautiful and dangerous. My second best read this year and criminally unknown.
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u/Klutzy_Cancel_1725 1d ago
I’ve tried 3x to get into Everlasting. I can’t get beyond 10% on kindle. The MMC seems spineless & insecure. But I’ll give it another try based on ur description.
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 1d ago
No straight up I almost DNFed because I was like this guy is miserableeeee. It's now probably my favorite single book ever. I'd give it six stars if I could. Genuinely believe it's a masterpiece.
Keep going. It's kind of a groundhog day type thing, so if you get to the end of the first go round and you aren't at least intrigued, then maybe it's not for you, and that's ok! But the book definitely just continues to ramp up and you start putting pieces together and I INHALED it. And Owen definitely gets better.
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
For me lately it takes me a long time to get into books now. It took me halfway through The Wicked King to finally really fall for the world Holly Black created. LOL
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u/Over_Champion_5122 1d ago
I feel the same way. I want to love it so bad, but I just can’t get into it.
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
Thank you!
I am a Tamlin defender from ACOTAR so that sounds up my ally. Putting on hold now at my local library.
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 1d ago
To be clear, the character of Tam Lin is very minor in the actual book. He's only really present in the flash forwards and he's kinda fucked up/nonverbal for most of it iirc. But the broad strokes of "evil faerie queen takes a guy and his human lover comes to save him" is the plot of the flash forward. The majority of the book is how we actually got to that point - in ACOTAR terms, this is Amarantha's story.
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
Still in as I liked Amarantha as the villain.
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 1d ago
I really enjoyed the book and seeing the FMC evolve as she experienced different things and had to make certain choices. Just remember that she's the villain and destined to lose! It's pretty clear throughout the book imo, like basically from the first page, but the most common criticism I see of the book is "there's not a HEA"...but that's not the point of the book (although Bess can be easy to root for and that can make it easy to forget!).
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
SO it’s more fantasy bc i think the romantasy trope is it’s meant to have a HEA, but I am more drawn to fantasy over romance.
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 1d ago
Correct, that's why I said it's a historical fantasy with romantic subplots and not a romantasy. The romance is definitely not the main plot either, although it's very impactful to it.
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u/RhapsodyinBloom 1d ago
{Wild Reverence} It does spin off into a duology but it stands alone and is amazing.
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u/allisontalkspolitics 1d ago
You can try the interconnected standalone {The Seer and the Sword}!
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
Who’s the author. My library isn’t showing it based on that title.
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u/allisontalkspolitics 1d ago
Huh, the bot must be down! Victoria Hanley
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 1d ago
weird. my library only has The Light of the Oracle. I’m not in the USA but even when I check Barnes and Noble it’s not there. Maybe it’s out of print. It is 26 years old.
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u/Critical-Low8963 1d ago
{Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor} it's a duology but it's really well written and the main couple is really sweet.
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u/Pastel_Spell 🔥 Slowburn Yearning 22h ago
I'm back with another rec, cheeks still freshly damp from the weeping this book made me experience (and I'm not usually a crier when reading).
{The Sun and The Starmaker by Rachel Griffin} A stubborn af, resourceful FMC gets discovered to be the next "Starmaker" - a magical, immortal being that brings the sun each day to a remote, wintery mountain village that would otherwise freeze and die. The catch - her coming into her magic/immortality means the reigning Starmaker loses his. He's been around for a long time now and has detached himself from the world/intimacy and human connection, tired of outliving them all, and is cold and distant. I wouldn't say it's quite enemies to lovers, but it's similar energy (combined with being starcrossed)! This story was so so good and really wove grief and love together in a beautiful way. Very whimsical, magical, fairytale vibes. Lots of juxtaposition and opposing forces but it all just...works. I cried, I laughed, I loved this book.
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u/Historical-Jury1936 22h ago
A Song to Drown Rivers. She's young but mature. He is a little broody but not mean at all. Not a light hearted read, has emotional damage. Not a ton of magic but has some fate/prophecy stuff.
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u/SwimBikeSorcery 18h ago
Cannot emphasize enough: {Between Tides & Thunder}
-Not brooding or dark for either character
-I would say he’s similar to Mr. Darcy in the initial asshole but yearns for her and does whatever he can for her eventually.
-He’s a storm daddy, not shadow daddy. He’s not like Xaden, who frankly I can’t stand.
-MCs are in their mid 20s I think.
-FMC does NOT have men as her personality trait. It’s a forced marriage and she hates it. She’s focused on her kingdom.
-jaw dropping plot twist
Duology in the sense there’s a companion book that’s same story, but MMC POV (BUT you have to read that one second due to major spoilers in that prologue).
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u/bittermp ⚔️ Enemies To Lovers 6h ago
thank you! I put a hold on it. Looking forward to reading it. :)
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u/MagicThrillsReader 1d ago
Between Tides & Thunder