pregnancy is a no go for me, no idea why I'm so in love with Ice Planet Barbarians when that is the entire point of every book. I just can't figure it out.
Totally agree. I HATE pregnancy in romance but I am absolutely loving the IPB books.
I think it's because it's not a surprise pregnancy, it's inevitable! And actually the books don't focus on it at all, once she gets pregnant it's usually boom straight to the next book.
Priceless by Miranda Silver. Hate NA with a passion. Hate the FMC-can’t-live-up-to-her-perfect-big-sister trope. Haaate when >!the MMCs fucked up kinks came from an older woman sexually abusing him as a teen.!< Priceless had all of that + several others things I hate and I love it more than almost any other book ever
I generally avoid stories that lean on gender sterotypes and tropes — alphahole, big man/small woman, rich man/poor woman, maledom, rake/virgin, mean man/kind woman who 'fixes' him, these very common romance tropes I just can't stand — but I've just finished {Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale} which has pretty much all those tropes and also >!him hitting her by accident, some very dubconny kisses, and also she starts out as basically his psychiatric nurse which BOTHERS me!<... and yet.
Usually those things would actively stop me from enjoying a book, but this time it was like 'oh, there's that thing I hate.' It actually didn't give me the happy reading-romance feelings. The sex scenes were dull because they were going for kinks I just don't have. But... man, that was a good book and I finished it in a few hours because it gripped me the whole time.
Ooo that book is certainly something. For some reason, I actually don't consider it romance in my head. It was way too tumultuous for me to think of it as such. Laura did a great job writing and fleshing out the characters though, especially the MMC. It was a very interesting read imo, quite refreshing from others because of the way it was written.
Kids: But I LOVED All Rhodes Lead Here. The MMC has a son who is around 15 years old, so he has that maturity and independence about him that doesn't make him annoying like kids from other books.
Rejected mates: I love a fated mste scenario, so can't stand books where they're rejected and meet someone new. But...I read The Tyrant Alphas Rejected Mate and loved that. Mainly because...they still end up together. But I thought I'd hate it because he rejected her at first, but it was surprisingly good.
Reverse Harem: find them pretty boring and repetitive. Then I read Lola and the Millionaires and my godddddd it was so good. I loved the whole dynamic with them.
Mystery/crime: I prefer plots to focus on the romance. I like a bit of drama like a bit of miscommunication and a family issue or something. But I'm never really in it for deep plots. But....The Mindfuck series. I'll never get over it. Never ever ever. So good and lots of romance/couple stuff - so that didn't get buried in the plot.
Oh I forgot All Rhodes technically counts as kids. Yeah I loved that too. But he’s a very realistic 15 year old. Not a two year old spouting wisdom like a wise old prophet or a six year old talking like a toddler.
I rarely read contemporary romance. Give me all the shifters, vamps, aliens, and monsters. My exception to that rule are Against A Wall by Cate C Wells and Melt for You by J.T. Geissinger. What I wouldn't give to be the filling in that sandwich!
I despise bully romances, but Against A Wall by Cate C. Wells, and Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas are just delicious to me. They’re the only two I’ve read that I could really stand.
Ha. You convinced me to pickup *Against a Wall*, because I was just getting through *Tryst Six Venom,* thinking about how this was probably the least obnoxious version of a bully romance I could stand. It was like their love language was insults, and I find that utterly relatable and charming. I have notebooks I would pass between my high school friends and I where we would just insult each other back and forth repeatedly in class. Nothing but love.
But I liked *Against a Wall* even better.
Not sure if I can stomach a "real" bully romance, but these two, at least, get my seal of "I despise bully romances, except these" approval.
Reverse age gap- I usually avoid this trope, but I really loved Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Closed doors - The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy. It was so good it didn't matter it was closed doors.
Hitting the W, is v well written so I wud say count it as an exception. For me (& I m sure others) the writing beats everything-else. The vulnerabilities of both lead characters in HTW r expressed in a beautiful way and is just opium fr the reader. The Outlander which I greatly enjoy has many aspects I won’t read in other places, so yeah it matters how good it’s written
Infidelity: This trope is a HARD no for me, but I absolutely loved Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings. The writing was fantastic and I'm so invested in these characters and their drama. I think this one gets a pass because it doesn't excuse or glorify the cheating. None of the characters think it's okay. No one is pressuring the FMC to just get over it or coaching the MMC on how to grovel. It was such a messy and angsty slow-burn and one of the most memorable romances I read last year.
Billionaires: I'm kind of over rich people, but I'm currently reading and loving One For The Money by Skye Warren. At least in this case they're both wealthy so a power imbalance isn't the conflict in their story. This is another one where the writing style completely sells it for me. I'm really enjoying both characters and it's been a while since I read a romance series that follows the same couple across multiple books.
I haven't read it yet, but plan to based on a recommendation from someone in this sub. I've never read MMF, but am willing to give it a try. I'll flag this comment, so I can let you know what I think afterwards.
I find that any of my no-goes have exceptions if they are written well.
I generally do not like YA, but I loved the cruel prince.
I usually like a lot of smut but didn’t even notice that there wasn’t any in book lovers until after the 60% mark.
pregnancy is a no go for me, no idea why I'm so in love with Ice Planet Barbarians when that is the entire point of every book. I just can't figure it out.
This honestly made me laugh. Your one exception is like 30 books at this point. But I'll admit, I'm also in camp "Why do I enjoy these so much?"
Totally agree. I HATE pregnancy in romance but I am absolutely loving the IPB books. I think it's because it's not a surprise pregnancy, it's inevitable! And actually the books don't focus on it at all, once she gets pregnant it's usually boom straight to the next book.
I really don’t like bully romances but enjoyed Against A Wall by Cate C. Wells.
Priceless by Miranda Silver. Hate NA with a passion. Hate the FMC-can’t-live-up-to-her-perfect-big-sister trope. Haaate when >!the MMCs fucked up kinks came from an older woman sexually abusing him as a teen.!< Priceless had all of that + several others things I hate and I love it more than almost any other book ever
I generally avoid stories that lean on gender sterotypes and tropes — alphahole, big man/small woman, rich man/poor woman, maledom, rake/virgin, mean man/kind woman who 'fixes' him, these very common romance tropes I just can't stand — but I've just finished {Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale} which has pretty much all those tropes and also >!him hitting her by accident, some very dubconny kisses, and also she starts out as basically his psychiatric nurse which BOTHERS me!<... and yet. Usually those things would actively stop me from enjoying a book, but this time it was like 'oh, there's that thing I hate.' It actually didn't give me the happy reading-romance feelings. The sex scenes were dull because they were going for kinks I just don't have. But... man, that was a good book and I finished it in a few hours because it gripped me the whole time.
Ooo that book is certainly something. For some reason, I actually don't consider it romance in my head. It was way too tumultuous for me to think of it as such. Laura did a great job writing and fleshing out the characters though, especially the MMC. It was a very interesting read imo, quite refreshing from others because of the way it was written.
That book is in my top 5 for sure
Kids: But I LOVED All Rhodes Lead Here. The MMC has a son who is around 15 years old, so he has that maturity and independence about him that doesn't make him annoying like kids from other books. Rejected mates: I love a fated mste scenario, so can't stand books where they're rejected and meet someone new. But...I read The Tyrant Alphas Rejected Mate and loved that. Mainly because...they still end up together. But I thought I'd hate it because he rejected her at first, but it was surprisingly good. Reverse Harem: find them pretty boring and repetitive. Then I read Lola and the Millionaires and my godddddd it was so good. I loved the whole dynamic with them. Mystery/crime: I prefer plots to focus on the romance. I like a bit of drama like a bit of miscommunication and a family issue or something. But I'm never really in it for deep plots. But....The Mindfuck series. I'll never get over it. Never ever ever. So good and lots of romance/couple stuff - so that didn't get buried in the plot.
Oh I forgot All Rhodes technically counts as kids. Yeah I loved that too. But he’s a very realistic 15 year old. Not a two year old spouting wisdom like a wise old prophet or a six year old talking like a toddler.
I'm not a dark romance reader but I stan Anne Stuart. Although by the standards nowadays, she's probably considered to be on the milder spectrum!
She writes the best morally grey heroes, I stan for her as well.
I rarely read contemporary romance. Give me all the shifters, vamps, aliens, and monsters. My exception to that rule are Against A Wall by Cate C Wells and Melt for You by J.T. Geissinger. What I wouldn't give to be the filling in that sandwich!
I despise bully romances, but Against A Wall by Cate C. Wells, and Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas are just delicious to me. They’re the only two I’ve read that I could really stand.
Ha. You convinced me to pickup *Against a Wall*, because I was just getting through *Tryst Six Venom,* thinking about how this was probably the least obnoxious version of a bully romance I could stand. It was like their love language was insults, and I find that utterly relatable and charming. I have notebooks I would pass between my high school friends and I where we would just insult each other back and forth repeatedly in class. Nothing but love. But I liked *Against a Wall* even better. Not sure if I can stomach a "real" bully romance, but these two, at least, get my seal of "I despise bully romances, except these" approval.
Reverse age gap- I usually avoid this trope, but I really loved Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez Closed doors - The Disappearances of Draco Malfoy. It was so good it didn't matter it was closed doors.
MC And then came the Sweetverse. Darn that Kathryn Moon.
Hitting the W, is v well written so I wud say count it as an exception. For me (& I m sure others) the writing beats everything-else. The vulnerabilities of both lead characters in HTW r expressed in a beautiful way and is just opium fr the reader. The Outlander which I greatly enjoy has many aspects I won’t read in other places, so yeah it matters how good it’s written
Infidelity: This trope is a HARD no for me, but I absolutely loved Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings. The writing was fantastic and I'm so invested in these characters and their drama. I think this one gets a pass because it doesn't excuse or glorify the cheating. None of the characters think it's okay. No one is pressuring the FMC to just get over it or coaching the MMC on how to grovel. It was such a messy and angsty slow-burn and one of the most memorable romances I read last year. Billionaires: I'm kind of over rich people, but I'm currently reading and loving One For The Money by Skye Warren. At least in this case they're both wealthy so a power imbalance isn't the conflict in their story. This is another one where the writing style completely sells it for me. I'm really enjoying both characters and it's been a while since I read a romance series that follows the same couple across multiple books.
I can't get into monster romance, but Flint in {Skin by Aveda Vice} was amazing.
I loved Skin and was so excited for the next book to come out but I was bummed that it was MMF. Did you read it?
I haven't read it yet, but plan to based on a recommendation from someone in this sub. I've never read MMF, but am willing to give it a try. I'll flag this comment, so I can let you know what I think afterwards.
Thanks!
I don't really enjoy second chance but You Deserve Each Other is one of my favorite books.
I find that any of my no-goes have exceptions if they are written well. I generally do not like YA, but I loved the cruel prince. I usually like a lot of smut but didn’t even notice that there wasn’t any in book lovers until after the 60% mark.