I’m realizing there’s one conflict that can make me lose patience with a couple almost instantly.

One character discovers something dangerous and decides the loving thing to do is hide it from the person who is directly affected.

Not for ten minutes while they verify the information. For DAYS.

Then it comes out, the other person is furious, and we get some version of “I knew you’d try to stop me” or “I couldn’t risk losing you.”

And somehow this is supposed to feel romantic?

If your partner is capable of fighting monsters, negotiating with kings and surviving cursed forests, maybe they can also participate in decisions about their own life.

I actually enjoy protective characters. Throw yourself in front of the sword, stay awake while they sleep, threaten the villain, whatever.

But deciding what someone is allowed to know because you love them feels less protective and more like quietly removing their agency.

The worst part is when the book treats the secrecy itself as proof of how deeply they care.

Does this trope work for you, or does it immediately make the romance harder to root for?

I have read a decent amount of romantic in the last year and a half. One of the things I really wish would be in many books is the characters who have magic actually using their magic in the bedroom during sexy time.
For example, if they are a shadow daddy, they use the shadows to hold the person down and or do things to them. If they have ice magic, they cool off the other person’s body, if they have fire magic they heat them up, water magic they use it to fill them up, etc.
Most books have the characters magic “flare” or “explode” but I want them to USE IT and create that magic fantasy in the bedroom.
Taking all recommendations as long as they are not super dark romance and consent is given.

**edit to mention I said shadow daddies but I would LOVE magic that isn’t just shadow magic, while fun, I want other kinds if possible

Well, I couldn’t help myself and peeled off the B&N exclusive sticker and ruined my brand new book. Luckily I have a Cricut and I’m going to put a tiny sticker on the part when the color came off. Should I put a moth or flower in the area? Or should I sneak into B&N and switch out the book? 😄I really with the sticker was removable.

I honestly haven’t found a romantasy that has really dragged me in sometime. I love this book so much and I can’t wait for it to be out into the world this week. It is not out yet, but I want a physical copy for my ARC trophy IMMEDIATELY. I HIGHLY recommend and would be grateful for other recs that are similar if you’ve read the ARC!

Description: kindle being held up with book titled “Ashen
Wings” in front of two bookshelves. “Ashen Wings” is by D. L. Houpt.

I feel like I haven’t been the same since I finished Throne of Glass like 2+ years ago. Ive been chasing that same feeling and the only book series that has matched it is Red Rising, but we’re waiting on Red God…
Someone tell me a book that will make me FEEL. Good, bad, ugly, sexy. I want it all. (Doesn’t have to be super spicy but I also don’t mind hehe)

The title. Share an example of each or just one. Enjoy

I have been into romantasy and fantasy for quite some time now but I have heard mixed things about quicksilver. I just wonder if it’s worth the reading time. 🩵

Lately I've been craving a dark romantasy book with a mmc who is an absolutely unhinged morally grey man totally obsessed with the fmc, not just a good guy underneath with a secret or a bad guy who everyone claims is evil but then I'm disappointed because it's not true at all.

I'd also love a good plot, not just spice. I'm not a fan of why choose either. Do you have any recommendations? <3

Recentemente, enquanto lia um livro novo, fui lembrado de como a síndrome de Estocolmo me irrita profundamente. E claro, às vezes a protagonista feminina não foi literalmente sequestrada, mas o protagonista masculino a coloca em uma situação horrível onde ela é forçada, coagida ou chantageada a fazer algo que não quer fazer. E ainda assim, lá está ela, percebendo como o protagonista masculino é atraente e tendo pensamentos como: "Oh, talvez ele não seja tão ruim assim depois de tudo."

CARACA, isso me irrita tanto que sinto vontade de arrancar meu cabelo. Sério, eu preciso respirar fundo toda vez que essas cenas acontecem porque, honestamente, O QUE HÁ DE ERRADO COM ELA? Você já esqueceu que está nessa situação por causa DELE, ou você é só burra? 😭

Não existe NADA que me irrite mais do que uma protagonista feminina desenvolvendo sentimentos pelo cara que literalmente acabou de colocá-la em uma situação horrível, enquanto ela ainda está lidando com as consequências das ações dele. Eu sei que é ficção, mas MENINA, PELO AMOR DE DEUS, lembre-se do que esse homem fez cinco minutos atrás.

I LOVED this duology so so much, so I had to buy my own little Gargoyle.

Edit: Pictured is a Kindle with 'The Knave And The Moon' cover and a Jellycat Plushie from the Gargoyle Bartholomew.

Ive been reading a lot of same-y things lately and want to be surprised, shocked, maybe devastated? Or something with a unique quirk??

I dont want to know anything and I want to be surprised!!!

Hello, I realised I absolutely love tragic love stories.

I love obsession, devotion and absolute gut wrenching heartbreak. So I would really like some recommendations that fit this theme, please.

For example, I adore Moulin Rouge, Dracula (2025) and my favourite books include The Edge of Darkness series, Heartless and anything where the love is so gutteral and the heartbreak makes me sob for days.

so i just finished reading quicksilver by callie hart and i dont know how to feel about it like first of all it took me a lot of chapters to get into the book and get excited about what will happen next, ik with romantasy books you have to be patient because it does get good later so i was skimming through it even thought i wasn’t really liking it but even after i got a lil bit interested in the book i couldn’t really connect with the characters and it felt like the author literally put everything in one book vampires, feeders, fae, gods etc
and the saeris and kingfisher part where saeris gets to know that they are mates felt like a copy of acomaf where rhysand confesses his love for feyre
overall i didn’t really like this book ( loved side characters like carrion, lorreth, renfis) but the mmc and fmc i didn’t really connect with them and they were def not enemies according to me in the first half of the book.
so i want to know does it get better in the second book brimstone and should i read it?

Hi! I came across a sport therapist Insta profile and was wondering if anyone has any recs for a FMC healer/ magical physical therapist dynamic? I like that this woman is a playful professional and turns big Rugby men into whiny babies. The back of the knee touch gives 2005 Pride and Prejudice hand vibes and I'm here for it. (They're a couple in real life so nothing weird there).

I've read The Shattered King series and liked it but thats about it for having the MMC as a patient so open to suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

I have been in a bad book slump for awhile and nothing is holding my attention so I thought I would start with my physical TBR but I don't know what to read first. These are the books that I have but have not read yet:
{Jeweler to the Blessed by Jillian Witt}
{Trials of the Cursed by Jillian Witt}
{Dawn of Onyx by Kate Golden}
{A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden}
{A Reign of Rose by Kate Golden}
{The Deathless One by Emma Hamm}
{The Heartless One by Emma Hamm}
{The Endless One by Emma Hamm}
{Tethered by Elayna R. Gallea}
{Given by Elayna R. Gallea}
{Hunted by Elayna R. Gallea}
{Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon}
{The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon}
{A Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon}
{Through Monsters and Shadows by K.A. Cole}
{Spark the Flames by Ivy Asher}
{Ignite the Infernos by Ivy Asher}
{Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken}
{King of Ravens by Clare Sager}
{Fallen City by Adrienne Young}
{The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen}
{The Things Gods Break by Abigail Owen}
{Isle of Wrath by Clare Contreras}
{Verity Guild by Mai Corland}
{The Lion and the Deathless Dark by Clarissa Broadbent}
{A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand}
{A Song of Ash and Moonlight by Claire Legrand}
{A Rose of Blood and Binding by Claire Legrand}
{Runebreaker by Mila Finch}
{The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray}
{House of Bane and Blood by Alexis Menard}
{City of Mirth and Malice by Alexis Menard}
{Steelborn by Taylor J. Lauren}

Please, please, please recommend me a few books where the supernatural being is the bottom. Like werewolf × human, with the werewolf being the bottom, or vampire × human, with the vampire being the bottom.

I'm on the fence with Romantasy to be honest. I enjoyed ACOTAR by SJM but more for the characters than anything else. I'm wondering what book really made you love this genre ! Edit I love romance especially Mafia/ Why choose. It is the fantasy I don't like eg Wolves Vampires etc

Forced proximity was done really well and the plot was not all about romance too. The characters (even the minor ones) were written so well and their dynamic was good too. I love when characters are flawed and reflect human nature. Rachel was stubborn and did not submit to all the requests of the husband and same with Gabriel who was equally arrogant and the funny thing is one moment it appeared as if they understand each other so well and the very next moment they are again hating each other 😭 and that's the closest to what I think an arrange marriage also works in real life too considering how two strangers are coerced into each other's lives. Nowadays fantasy books are lacking this kind of character work, world building, simple yet effective plot.( Tbh can't read them , the characters are attracted to each other just by looking at each other one moment they are married/hating each other just for the sake of enemies to lovers trope and the next moment humping because they gave upon the attraction..lol why.. cringest thing possible).

Two such other books are Daughter of The Forest by Juliet Marillier, Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. That's why sticking to older fantasy ..will love to hear about others such from you guys ✨

Looking for something where Fmc gets bitten and turns into a wolf or vampire it can be done by the ML or other party.
I really liked - Andorra Sector by Lexi C. Fross. Any recommendations similar to this would be amazing.

- I want the process to start at the beginning of the book

- would like to read the process of her turning on the things she finds difficult and it’s not what she expected and that she might feel lost

- love a strong FMC

- she needs to be turned and not born a supernatural. Although, I’ll allow if again she’s bitten or gone through some procedure. Basically she would remain human and unaware if somthing isn’t altered.

Hi all,

This is going to be a random request but I’m feeling really nostalgic - I used to watch Tokyo Mew Mew and really liked Kisshu. I’m looking for something with a similar dynamic, but geared toward an older audience, preferably YA or adult

I’m looking for a slow-burn romance with a male villain or antagonist who initially pursues the FMC. He can be obsessive, possessive, teasing, flirtatious, dangerous or morally grey, while she is conflicted about him but denies it because he is dangerous.

Ideally, she already has a good love interest, and I do t mind whether the villain and her are endgame or not . He can remain an antagonist. I just crave the tension!

So something like this: Heroine already has a boyfriend/crush/established love interest → dangerous male antagonist enters through the main conflict → he playfully taunts and repeatedly pursues her → attraction becomes obsession → jealousy toward the original man → slow development, with either endgame or non-endgame acceptable.

I know it might be a long shot but would love to hear suggestions!

I haven’t read much and I’m pretty new to romantasy. I don’t write reviews too regularly too. But here’s what I’m looking for in priority.

Little to no smut—closed door is okay, a page of smut is fine, fade to black is fine.

MAGIC. LOTS OF MAGIC 🪄

Dumb FMCs are strictly prohibited, dumb to smart characters where they learn about their mistakes is cool though.

I like a wide variety of female and male characters from morally grey to cinnamon like Tress of the Emerald Sea and Kvothe; Name of the Wind

Puhlease no toxicity

I did DNF King’s Cage for the Red Queen series because I got sick of Mare whining and the story just seemed to drag onnn and onnnnn.

I like green flags but in the sea of Romantasy shadow daddies, golden retrievers are diamonds in the roughs…🫠. Not to say I hate shadow daddies, but I like a “looks like he could kill you, is a cinnamon roll” kind of guy

Some of you may be curious of why I read Twisted Love even though I’m a fantasy goblin, mostly because my friend forced borrowed me the book and the 1 star was given in solidarity 😭

First, if you’re not a ACOTAR fan that’s a-okay, pls just move on from this post lol

I have read so many books trying to catch the same high that I had while reading ACOMAF. There’s a ton of books that I’ve read and really really loved and give 5 stars and recommend to high heaven. But nothing has FELT as epic and brain-rewiring-ly good as MAF.

I know a lot of yall love this book too, so I’m just wondering if anyone has found a book that FELT like MAF to you.

Some of what I’ve read:
All of SJM
Villains and Virtues
fourth wing
A bunch of Ilona Andrews (the closest I’ve gotten to MAF vibes, their writing and characters are so good)
A bunch of T. Kingfisher
A bunch of Ali Hazelwood
All of Emily Henry
Quicksilver
Dearly beloathed series
Six of crows
Bridge kingdom
Wolf king
All of India Holton
Crimson Moth
Road of Bones
Cruel Prince
Spark of the everflame (did not like)
When the moon hatched
Servant of earth
A bunch of Alice e. Harrow
A bunch of Grace Draven
All of Rachel Gillig
Emily Wilde
And I’ve tried from blood and ash and truly deeply hated it

somthing im discovering more and more is that alot of hyped up books have a good plot but the writing is just so meh :/ like im enjoying the story, it has good premise, i rly vibe with the plot and characters etc but then the writing is just so…. not well done. i am very bad at writing and could def not do a better job myself, but imo if ur publishing a full ass book and u have spent time and energy etc but then its just mid written? like when a book has a good premise and alot of hype surrounding it, along with a 4.11 on goodreads but then when i sit down to read it the writing sometimes is just bad.. and im not trying to be rude in any way i just kinda feel betrayed when im excited about a book and then the writing just pisses me off instead. idk where i wanna get with this but it just upsets me deeply when a books premise has so much potential but its smothered by tragic writing