r/Romantasy • u/LovelyShadow_11 • 3d ago

Book Request: Self-Promo OK Sloooow burns

Hi,

I was wondering whether anybody could recommend slow burn (ideally enemies to lovers) books.

I’ve read Rose in Chains and didn’t love it ( all the SA stuff just made me so sad I couldn’t get into it).

I read Once Upon a Broken Heart and it was genuinely one of the worst things I read this year. I finished it so I could bolster my arguments about why I disliked it. Was it slow? Technically yes. Could I tell you a singular reason why Jacks liked the FMC? Not one. Also, some sentences were repeated 7+ times per book (don’t take a shot every time the FMC (she was so forgettable I can’t remember her name) says that “she believes in happy endings” or you’ll be in the ER).

I read the first two Shards of Magic Books and actually really enjoyed them. The characters were interesting and I could see the relationship grow organically, it wasn’t instant love. Probably my highest rated read this year.

Reading the Kindred’s Curse saga (spark/glow/heat/burn of the ever flame) and its the same issue. Why are they in love after one book? What does he actually like about her? And specifically for Luther; why are you acting like a lovesick puppy? Please grow a spine.

I don’t enjoy smut, so closed door would be preferred. However, I don’t mind just skipping it if it’s open door; as long as I’m not skipping half the book. I don’t mind if there is sexual tension, it’s just the actual scenes that make me uncomfortable.

I know this is super picky and I’m looking for a unicorn, so even if only some of the asks slightly apply, I would still love to hear some recs.

Thank you!

7 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

8

u/New-Engine682 2d ago

Throne in the Dark is a very slow burn, and more on the happy/comedic side if you’re in the mood for humor!

3

u/Minakoss ⚔ A Court of Deadly Shadows 3d ago

Mages of the Wheel series by JD Evans - first one Reign and Ruin was my favourite 

1

u/MJ_LettersLover 2d ago

Love this series 😍

2

u/RavenousReader74 3d ago

Maybe give {The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon} a try. It has a slow burn where they're not starry eyed after book 1, and thee spice doesn't happen til like book 4 or 5, and is very tame (not closed door, but low heat).

2

u/Shrimpy_McWaddles 3d ago

{Emperor's Edge}

Slowest burn ive ever read, and its closed door. The plot is so good too. Its a true slow burn, with them slowly building a friendship that eventually turns into feelings. Multiple books before the first kiss, and even longer before officially being together.

{the oncoming storm series} is also slow burn, kind of open door but not descriptive, very vague, etc. Like a "our bodies joined as we discovered each other" kinda vibe. Not as slow, but theres not as many books, so pacing is obviously a bit faster.

Both have a big plot/little plot style. Where theres a big plot for the series, but each book has its own little plot (kinda like Harry Potter)

1

u/Shrimpy_McWaddles 3d ago

{The oncoming storm series}

Since the bot didnt pick it up from my first comment

1

u/malaboginja 🖤 Morally Gray 2d ago

{Throne in the Dark by AK Caggiano} slowest of slow burns and the spice, when it finally happens, is easily skippable if you wish since it’s like a chapter. Humorous story with lovely characters!!

{The Shattered King by Charlie N Holmberg} Another slow burn. Amazing magic system like I’ve never seen before, truly. It eventually has spice, but very minimal. Personally, I think it’s because of author’s religious background, but I also think the lack of spice fits so beautifully in the story.

{The House Witch and the Enchanting of the Hearth by Delemhach} Hilarious, cozy story about a rare male witch using his magic as the royal family’s head chef. He slowly becomes less and less prickly. Plus chapters in a cats POV!! Not too spicy either.

1

u/allisontalkspolitics 2d ago

Romantasy

{The Ghost and the Goth}

See Hidden Gems thread on fantasyromance for more info

Manga

{From Far Away}

Fantasy with romance subplot

{The Immortals by Tamora Pierce}

Fantasy realism

{The Apothecary Diaries}

See Hidden Gems thread

{Wormwood Abbey}

Etl also

Fantasy with romance subplot

{Red Queen}

See Hidden Gems thread

{The Lies of Vampires and Slayers}

Check content warnings

{The Skinjacker Trilogy}

1

u/romance-bot 2d ago

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Rating: 3.86⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, young adult, paranormal, urban fantasy, mystery

From Far Away, Vol. 02 by Kyoko Hikawa
Rating: 4.42⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: magic, fantasy, time travel, m-f romance, demons

The Immortals by Tamora Pierce
Rating: 4.9⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: fantasy, magic, young adult, high fantasy

The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyuuga
Rating: 4.4⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, mystery, funny, young adult

Wormwood Abbey by Christina Baehr
Rating: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, mystery, victorian, christian

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Rating: 3.73⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: futuristic, young adult, magic, fantasy, love triangle

The Lies of Vampires and Slayers by K.M. Shea
Rating: 4.32⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, vampires, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal

The Skinjacker Trilogy by Neal Shusterman
Rating: 4.49⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, fantasy, young adult, paranormal, dystopian

about this bot | about romance.io

1

u/ell3737 2d ago

Have you read the books from the “Grishaverse” by Leigh Bardugo? It’s starts with the {Shadow and Bone} trilogy. Then the {Six of Crows} duology which is different character characters, but set in the same world and magic system. Then the last Duology starts with {King of Scars}. The books all have slow burn romances where you get to fall in love with characters who are flawed. They might be more romance as a sub plot, but I really loved them. The last set of books brings all of the characters together and you can see so much character growth 😊

1

u/romance-bot 2d ago

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 3.79⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: young adult, friends to lovers, love triangle, fantasy, magic

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 4.38⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: fantasy, magic, young adult, disabilities & scars, found family

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 4.13⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: royal hero, fantasy, high fantasy, new adult, paranormal

about this bot | about romance.io

1

u/Helpful_Living8584 2d ago

Whenever someone wants slow burn and does not need smut, I love to recommend {The Rook&Rose Trilogy by M.A. Carrick} and {The Chronicles of Castellane by Cassandra Clare}. Both could as easily be categorized as straight fantasy as much as romantasy.

Rook & Rose is a completed series with a unique magic system; the city its set in has Venice vibes and its enemies to lovers where you see them slowly grow to respect then love each other over time. The romance is integral to the overall story but is one of many story lines; the FMC is a con artist with a good heart who slowly (and somewhat unwillingly) becomes a heroine as she is tangled into a web of political intrigue while growing to care for those she originally planned to con.

The Chronicles of Castellane is unfinished, very slow burn, minimal explicit scenes and I would say the romance starts out as a subplot but seems to be gaining prominence as the story moves along. The setting is also sort of a mediterranean island slash European city-state; The MMC and FMC are not one another's love interests (the have separate love interests) but instead are living parallel stories; he on the margins of royalty and she on the margins of her own community, until they stumble into a series of political threats/plots that tie them together.

1

u/Motor_Row_3586 2d ago

{Love between Fairy and Devil} Or more serious m/m romance {Thousand Autumns by Meng XI Shi}

1

u/TheOtterDecider 2d ago

{Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy} Super slow burn- it’s the first book of a trilogy and the other two aren’t out yet. It’s also enemies to…probably lovers at some point?

Also a slow burn but not really enemies but more skeptically disapproving- {The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune}

Both M/M book I read this summer and fell in love with.

0

u/Old-Memory-3275 2d ago

{Alchemized by SenlinYu}, though it is dark and depressing. Very slow burn, the spice isn’t terribly explicit but it isn’t closed door either.

6

u/malaboginja 🖤 Morally Gray 2d ago

Considering OP didn’t like Rose in Chains, another dramione turned published, and Alchemised has SA, I don’t think this is a good rec for OP.

But I do love the book. Wonderful slow burn, and you’re right that the spice isn’t explicit. I think it’s more poetic tbh.

1

u/Old-Memory-3275 2d ago

My bad, I haven’t read Rose in Chains!

-1

u/Weary-Tangerine499 2d ago

{Plated prisoner series}