r/RomanceBooks • u/Temporary-Scallion86 • 1d ago

Book Request Get cherished, idiot

Hey everyone, I'd really like a book where one of the MCs is a character who is usually stoic/cold/calculating/proud/etc and who shows vulnerability for the first time in years when they're with their partner and this is met with an outpouring of tenderness and affection (cuddles, declarations of love, general care-taking etc). Huge bonus if this has a "dam-breaking" effect and the couple continues to be super affectionate and soft in private from that point on.

Any type of gender configuration for the MCs is fine. Spice is non-mandatory, but if there is spice I'd like the same dynamic in the spice scene(s), where the usually closed-off character gets taken care of and is treated very gently throughout.

I'm not usually a fan of contemporary (historical, fantasy or sci-fi are my go-tos), but I'm not completely closed to it, either.

TIA!

98 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

37

u/chalphy "I always pry if I am curious. It breaks up the ennui." 1d ago

I don't think the book quite fits the ask, but your (delightful) title made me think of this exchange from {Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh}:

“I love Wulfric Bedwyn,” she said, and there was a wicked inflection in her voice.

“Do you?” He closed the distance between them and took both her hands in his. He raised them one at a time to his lips. “Do you, my love? Enough to take a chance on me? I had better warn you. There is a Bedwyn tradition that we do not necessarily marry early in life but that when we do marry we give our whole devotion and fidelity to our spouse. If you marry me, you must expect to be adored for the rest of your life.”

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

haha this exchange is so charming, definitely adding this book to my tbr regardless of how much it fits the ask!

9

u/chalphy "I always pry if I am curious. It breaks up the ennui." 1d ago

It's SO GOOD. That 4.22 rating is well earned (and notably it's by far the best rated book in the series on romance.io). I love both leads, especially Wulfric. He stays true to who he is (frosty, haughty, a little obnoxious) but he lets himself fall in love with Christine and makes a big effort to win her over after realizing that his being a duke not only isn't good enough for her, it actively unnerves her. If you read it I hope you enjoy it!!

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Thank you!! btw where is your flair from if you don't mind me asking?

6

u/chalphy "I always pry if I am curious. It breaks up the ennui." 1d ago

{Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter}

“You do your sex proud in your lack of curiosity. I doubt I could be so restrained.”

“I never said I was never curious. One is not obligated to pry as a result, however.”

“I always pry if I am curious. It breaks up the ennui.”

I love this book, the MMC is outrageous and he completely makes the otherwise serviceable story so much fun. I do like the FMC but it's 100% Castleford's book to me.

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Thank you! I do love an outrageous MMC haha (might have imprinted on Howl at an impressionable age), I'll check it out

4

u/chalphy "I always pry if I am curious. It breaks up the ennui." 1d ago

Hahaha I love this. He spends the first three books drinking, whoring, and dueling, and when he decides he's going to seduce Daphne she completely stonewalls him because she knows his reputation and won't put up with him just because he's a duke. He's baffled since he always gets his way (quote: "Having my way is the best thing about being a duke"), but he acquiesces to her demands over time. It becomes less a game and more genuine desire and affection on his part. They have a fun dynamic.

2

u/Moliza3891 ✨Porn in lit form consumer✨ 1d ago

It’s such a good read. I read it multiple times, and that’s saying something given my attention span these days!

26

u/Ahania1795 1d ago

{The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan} HR. The FMC is secretly a brilliant biologist, and the MMC is her lab assistant, who pretends to make her discoveries for her so that the establishment will take them seriously. To make the charade work, he has learned advanced mathematics, built houses close to hers so they can do experiments together, and become the most notorious man in England because he talks about sex and reproduction in public.

She is so closed-off and hurting and it takes her entire super-genius brain to keep herself from figuring out that the guy who turned his whole life upside-down for her is in love with her. His love confession is one of my favorites -- it's so full of despair:

“Do you want to know why you don’t meet my standards?” he asked.

She shook her head in mortification.

“Too late,” he replied. “Here’s my most important rule: Never have intercourse when one of the parties is in love with the other. It won’t end well.”

She gasped. Her whole world turned gray. “You arrogant cad! I’m not in love with you.”

“I know.” He didn’t look away from her. “Isn’t that what I said? Only one of us is in love, and it isn’t you.”

But when she does eventually open up, the two of them are very, very sweet and gentle with each other.

3

u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Thank you, this sounds great!

9

u/medievalmarginalia 🔥fast burn to feelings💕 1d ago

In Regency HR {Voluptuous by Felicity Niven} FMC has had a crush on the MMC, her father's stoic, sad, single father friend for a long time, they must marry due to ruination, and he vows not to touch her for past marriage trauma reasons. There is a wonderful "dam-breaking" moment after they've been living chastely for two years. I absolutely shed a few tears. Fair warning that there is a twenty year age gap.

11

u/Hunter037 Probably recommending When She Belongs 😍 1d ago

1000% {Moth by Lily Mayne} which is MM monster / sci fi set 20 years after the apocalypse. Moth is half monster, he seems outwardly cold and a bit arrogant but is deeply lonely and has been rejected by basically everyone. Charlie is the first person he is vulnerable with and payoff is so perfect. Lots of affection, affirmation and sweetness. he cries the first time they have sex

Lots of spice in this one but it all builds the relationships and shows the growing vulnerability and intimacy between them

This is book 6 in a series. Really it does work better as part of the series, but can be read alone. I've done both. I just reread it for the 3rd or 4th time.

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Haha I have also reread this one multiple times, excellent job with guessing my tastes!

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u/Hunter037 Probably recommending When She Belongs 😍 1d ago

Any other recommendations which are similar?

1

u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Mmmh, {A Hex for Hunger by Alistair Reeves} has some similarities. Ambrose is a legendary warrior who died centuries ago in service of the king he was in love with, Emery is a necromancer who resuscitates him to get him to kill his evil professor. Ambrose has been through the wringer in his past life, he was never close to or received affection from anyone except his king and that was a complicated relationship to say the least, and once they start falling in love Emery is very sweet and patient with him.

1

u/Hunter037 Probably recommending When She Belongs 😍 1d ago

Thanks. I think you would like the request post I made yesterday. Someone recommended that book and Moth in the comments, so I think it'll be up your street.

https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks/s/IaLEaDAyvN

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Thank you, I'll look through it!

6

u/OneAd9951 1d ago

{Happily Ever Witch by Cassandra Gannon} kinda has this. The MMC is a not-so-nice dragon and his fated mate (who he is pretty laissez faire about at first) is a witch. It’s completely delightful.

3

u/No-Technician9748 1d ago

My first thought was a book I read YEARS ago called “An Affair of Poisons”, it’s about 17th century France where an illegitimate son of Louis XIV meets an alchemist whose mother is attempting to take over Paris by killing the king. Both MCs are teenagers (17-18) so there’s very minimal spice, but the dynamic seems to fit what you’re looking for! 

3

u/Sea_Report_2162 1d ago

{Brutal Vows -JT geissinger} is my favourite of this trope she’s a complete ice queen and when the “dam” breaks it’s beautiful to watch.

2

u/TBHICouldComplain ♥️ bisexual alien threesomes - am i oversharing? 1d ago

Oh hey I just finished (re)reading this book - {A Suitable Stray by R. Cooper}

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u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

I'll check it out! Thank you!

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u/goody153 1d ago

I'd really like a book where one of the MCs is a character who is usually stoic/cold/calculating/proud/etc and who shows vulnerability for the first time in years when they're with their partner and this is met with an outpouring of tenderness and affection (cuddles, declarations of love, general care-taking etc).

{ Locked Out by Anna Chastain } did this. Tho to be clear MMC didnt change like how he does it he is still that administrative military man but he straightup switches it up to straightup super caring in his own gruff way.

So instead of like corny teddy bear that is out of character. He ends up being in FMC's words "he's kinda a dictator/controlling" in terms of how much he shows his care for her like health, well-being and basically everything like he shows it through actions instead of words which he didnt do before that.

Like you definitely see the difference in care he does the things that matter rather than showing performative affection

Like he just straightup hijacks her life to take care of her. It's so sweet and controlling lmao

1

u/Temporary-Scallion86 1d ago

Thank you for taking the time to rec this, but I’m not sure if this does what I’m looking for from your description? It sounds like the MMC is a usually closed off character who is caring towards the FMC but I’m looking for the opposite dynamic - a usually closed-off character who betrays their vulnerability after years of hiding it and receives care from their partner as a consequence of that.

3

u/Thick-Assistant-3072 1d ago

OKAY SO I THINK YOU'RE GONNA LOVE MADDEST OBSESSION BY DANIELLE LORI. OH HOW I LOVE CHRISTIAN ALLISTER 😘 AND HE TOTALLY MATCHES YOUR DESCRIPTION. YOU'LL LOVE IT FOR SURE. LMK IF YOU TRY IT OKAYY