Heyyy readers 👋 I desperately need books where the FMC herself uses the MMC as a shield to protect herself!

I don't want the MMC stepping in front of her first. I want her to be the one who runs behind him and uses him as a human shield.

Like maybe she's scared of a lizard, rat, cockroach or literally anything and just grabs the back of his shirt and presses herself against his back while he's standing there confused or amused! Like in {till summer do us part by meghan quinn}

I NEED scenes where she's clutching his clothes for dear life and doesn't even realize how close she's gotten until later. Maybe he's annoyed or maybe he's laughing at her but I want him to be aware of the contact and maybe he looks over his shoulder and they've an intense eye contact 😭

Or it can be a serious scene too. She's scared, nervous, overwhelmed, uncomfortable, and her first instinct is to move behind him and use him as a barrier between herself and whatever's bothering her.

The important thing is that SHE does it first. Not him.

I want the MMC ready to step up, but before he can even move she's already hiding behind him like protect me!! make it go away!!

Bonus points if this happens multiple times throughout the book and eventually becomes her automatic response whenever she's scared or startled. Pls pls pls give me book recommendations also I think {fractured souls by neva altaj} fits partially because she was scared to do anything but it was her trauma response.

I’ve been influenced by a random romance edit and now my brain has decided I need a book with this exact energy:

The chubby girl sat on the quarterback's lap to convince her secret crush they were dating...

But when she tried to get up, he pulled her back.

"Give me a few minutes to calm my cock."

So… yeah. Your honor, I would like 37 books with this.

Also, not to brag, but I somehow managed to marry the green flag version of the popular college athlete (tennis player). He was (and still is) cute as a button, popular, and smart, so I definitely won the lottery. I’m the academically inclined, curvy girl, which is probably why I will never get tired of books where the athlete falls first and falls hard for the FMC. …And now he enables my romance addiction by reading these books with me. It’s a tough life. 📚❤️

Give me:
• At least 4/5 on the spice scale. We are both pretty open, so almost everything is on the table including, but not limited to: pegging, face sitting, spanking, fisting (though not to bdsm heavy)
• Popular quarterback/jock MMC.
• Curvy, plus-size, or chubby FMC (actual representation, not just “she has hips”).
• Lap sitting. Mandatory. Preferably accidental, fake, or “just for a second.”
• Fake dating, fake flirting, or pretending to be together.
• MMC who realizes way too late that he has feelings.
• “Don’t move,” “Stay right there,” or any variation of “I physically cannot let you get up right now.”
• Sexual tension so thick it could qualify as a solid.

Bonus points if:
• FMC is 25–30 years old or at least not 19 🫩
• He’s cocky with everyone else but absolutely short-circuits around her.
• He’s obsessed before either of them admits it.
• Protective/possessive without being controlling.
• Lots of banter and chemistry.
• He spends half the book pretending he doesn’t want her while everyone else knows he’s down catastrophically.

Hard no’s:
• NC or CNC
• Dark romance
• Bully romance
• Virgin FMC

Basically, I’m looking for that delicious combination of “we’re just pretending” and “oh no, my body did not get the memo.”

Please feed my reawaken hyperfixation. My TBR was already crying, so what’s another 37 books? 😂📚

People always say, "That's great in fiction, but it would never work in reality." And sure, some romance tropes are unrealistic or unhealthy to expect from a real partner.

But I'm curious about the opposite.

What's something from romance novels that made you realize, "That's the new bare minimum for me now".

This is very specific cause I REALLY REALLY liked it when this happened on {Call Me Irresistable by Susan Elizabeth Phillips} and oh boy was it executed well which I really enjoyed.

Like it was done in public and the reactions was fun to read about including the FMC going "wow that was stupid

So yes something like this. My only example is the call me irresistable book

Contemporary is preferred but historical or fantasy romance is fine. No cheating and HEA !

PS. if it has 3rd act breakup just let me know.

It MUST be STRANGERS TO LOVERS. I don't want them to have any shared history, childhood connection, past romance, or secret relationship. They should be COMPLETE STRANGERS.

Bonus points if it's a workplace/office romance.

The heroine is misunderstood by everyone. She's cold, aloof, intimidating, and generally disliked, but beneath that icy exterior she's deeply lonely. Her coldness is simply a defense mechanism born from past trauma. (She is not neurodivergent).

The hero is her complete opposite. Everyone likes him - he's charismatic, confident, sociable, and effortlessly charming. He's genuinely kind, not a playboy or womanizer. He's also highly intelligent, observant, and emotionally perceptive.

He's always been intrigued by the ice queen and may have even developed a small, secret crush on her from afar, but never approached her because of how intimidating and prickly she is.

When they finally begin interacting, he's patient, gentle, and quietly persistent. He loves teasing her just enough to get a reaction, and he finds her fiery, prickly side incredibly attractive. Meanwhile, she tries to hide how flustered he makes her by becoming even colder and more defensive.

I want a true slow burn, where every wall he helps her tear down only makes him fall deeper in love with her. Once he learns about the trauma she's been carrying, he becomes fiercely protective of her.

Please recommend romance novels that match this dynamic as closely as possible. I've been searching for this kind of romance for a long time. 🥹

The way I ran here after seeing this!

Some of you might remember my emotions thread after I read {Pen Pal by J. T. Geissinger} and the twist at the end ruined me because I wanted them to get their HEA dammit! … well, looks like they are finally going to! I can’t wait for this book 😍😍

The new book is called Pen Pal: Afterlife and releasing Nov 24

I’m looking for books like Ain't She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

I love the "it girl comes home" trope — the popular, beautiful FMC who left her high school heartthrob and the town she swore she’d never return to. Rich, spoiled princess energy. Broke hearts. Ruined reputations. Comes back years later broke and desperate.

But here’s the twist I need:
She’s the one who dumped the popular MMC in high school, and he moved on. Now she’s back and he’s already with another woman he doesn’t love. I don’t mind OW/OM drama as long as there’s angst, jealousy, and both of them pining.

In Ain't She Sweet, Sugar Beth and Ryan don’t end up together. I want the opposite — FMC and MMC DO get their happy ending, despite everything.

Hiii, I’m specifically, I’m looking for scenes where the MCs aren’t officially together yet or it’s benefits situation, or the MMC is still denying his feelings), and they’re at a club, party, bar, wedding, or some other social event. Any variation works where the MCs aren’t officially not officially together yet or if one of the MC believes they are not together.

An OM starts flirting with or trying to pick up the FMC, and the MMC. I want him to swoop in with major “back off, she’s mine” energy. The more over-the-top, and irrational his reaction is, the better. Bonus if this leads to angst afterwards because the FMC is confused and calls him out. They’re not together, so what right does he have to act like that? I’d love for the MMC to have to confront his own feelings after being so possessive. Open to contemporary, sports, mafia, dark romance, paranormal, fantasy, and omegaverse. No cheating or RH please.
Thank you!

Thought you guys might like my little crafty joke.

*I know it's very not perfect, but I was just having some fun!*

I am currently at 70% into the book and thinking to DNF but at the same time thinking maybe I should just finish it. I was wondering if you have any limit

Lots of books today couldn’t scratch the itch for me due to the lack of the art of subtlety in the writing and the characters were always OTT and immature brat.

If anyone have any recommendations for mature characters with subtle writing and dialogue, please point me and tell me what the book is about and what the characters are like. Thank you 🙏

I prefer M/F, contemporary, historical, dark romance .

I just feel like reading about someone who is maybe a bit of a psycho, but in a quiet way, not OTT and cringey.

I used the magic search button but havent found anything like this there are other novella recs. Its hard for me to dive into novellas which are set in normal day to day lives without more background. Which I find is best for me to read a novel.

What i need is the story is set in remote setting like in a mountain, farm, wilderness, just something which is not set in too realistic life.

I want all types of smut, MF, reverse heram, apocalypse. Just something which will not make me think about normal life.

I dont want any fantasy novella.

I dont have many authors for reference purpose as i have not read many novellas, one author i liked was Clair Kent but hers are short novels.

Currently reading {in a jam by Kate canterbary} and damn do I love a scene where the FMC gets drunk and texts (or calls) the MMC, and he gets all worried and jealous and comes to pick her up. But she’s not calling and asking to be picked up, he just realizes she’s drunk from her texts and is all “don’t you dare move, I’m coming to get you”. Give me allllllll of the possessive MMC’s because I need more of this please!

Basically, this:

MMC: "Your father put you up as collateral in case he couldn't pay back his debts. Now you must marry me."

FMC: "Why?"

MMC: "...What do you mean, why? It's in writing. You have no choice." (shows her a contract) "See?"

FMC: (reads it, tears it up)

MMC: "What the fuck?! That's a binding contract!"

FMC: "Not for me. I'm not bound by a contract to which I wasn't a party."

MMC: "Yes, you are! Your father even signed it in a solution of your mother's menstrual blood and the liquefied vomit of a magical space unicorn!"

FMC: "Okay, first of all, ew. Second of all, the fact that I never signed anything already rendered this thing null and void. Third of all, even if it hadn't, the attempt to compel me into marriage would have. And, finally, even if it were legally enforceable, what were you gonna do? Sue me for breach of contract? Expose your whole thing in front of a room full of lawyers?"

MMC: "THE MAGICAL SPACE UNICORN WAS NAMED BUCKY!"

FMC: "Cute, but still no. Are we done here?"

MMC: "NO! No, we're not!" (holds a gun to her father's head) "Marry me or he dies!"

FMC: (shrugs) "Go ahead. He might have sucked at selling me out, but he sure gave it a try. I don't need to care what happens to him anymore. Hell, give ME the gun. I'll do it myself. Also, you just admitted that you have to resort to blackmail because your contract isn't actually worth shit."

MMC: "But I've been secretly lusting after you for years! I'd want to marry you regardless!"

FMC: "Amazingly, that doesn't make any of what just happened better."

MMC: (sighs) "All right. You leave me no choice." (walks over and looms over her)

FMC: "Um, what are you doing?"

MMC: "I am making you wet and pliable by summoning the power of dominant alpha hotness."

FMC: "Your tie is in your zipper."

MMC: "Motherf--" (fixes it) "Okay, now."

FMC: (waits) "Yeah, I'm drier than Death Valley right now. I'm leaving."

MMC: "Not unless Frankie over by the door stops you."

FMC: (not even turning around) "Hey, Frankie, there's some nice gabagool in the kitchen."

FRANKIE: "Gabagool?!" (runs out)

FMC: "Anything else?"

MMC: "Student loans."

FMC: "Fully funded 529."

MMC: "Fleabag apartment."

FMC: "No, it's pretty clean."

MMC: "Unfulfilled dream of opening a bakery."

FMC: "Why would I want to get up that early every day?"

MMC: "THIS. NECKLACE."

FMC: "I hate peridots."

MMC: (defeated) "Can I offer you a ride on Bucky?"

FMC: "Not if he's still vomiting. See ya."

Might be weird, but I want a story where the plot is around marine animals, the main characters are scuba divers, maybe in a live in boat, or an island.

Could be marine biologists or scuba instructor / student, I don't know haha

I just want them to dive in the ocean and see beautiful animals and then bond over the exhaustion after a dive 😅

Hi r/RomanceBooks! It's time for a TBR Binge or Bin (yes, we used to call it TBR Round Up, but alliteration is fun).

So, what books have been languishing on your TBR? Anything you've wondered "Is this worth reading?" or "Does this get better?" Want to know if Booms and Bangs, Book 2 in the Fireworks Forever series should be your next read or if the new Sandra Sunshine is right for you?

Post here and let someone convince you to binge 'em or bin 'em.

I had an interesting time knowing how my fellow reader friends of this sub handle book length from my last post.

It sparked another curiosity to know how you guys deal with episodic fiction. To be clear, novels that get released chapter by chapter or a set of chapters get released at once and we get the next set once it's released rather than the traditional book series that we get. These are usually web native. If they're offline they're usually released as a part in daily or weekly magazines.

Excluding all kinds of TV and web series, I've read a few episodic novels and comics. I've been on three the sides, patiently reading all of it and loving it by the end, dropping it somewhere in the middle as it was a drag or I don't like where the plot goes or any other reason, also reading it eagerly and loving it only for the author to stop continuing the story.

Third one is the worst that I wouldn't wish for an enemy. I'm still sulking for the stories that didn't get an ending.

What are your thoughts? Such a pleasure to read them. I'm loving to see how other romance reading friends are doing things.

I want to read something where a character was rich but now is working class. I want the MMC to be the former rich one, when these tropes apply to women they usually have to humble the arrogant woman and I don't like that.

The FMC takes pity on him and helps him budget and grocery shop adding rice/oats to stretch ground beef "brilliant" putting a meal in the slow cooker before work so you won't be tempted to eat out "genius".

And I would prefer for him not to be a billionaire at the end.

Hello!!!! I’ve been thinking about this specific trope? For a while, and I’ve yet to sadly come across any books that may have it.

There’s a sort of specific scene/moment/storyline where it’s rooted in found family and the mmc needs to appear as if he had died and everyone in his friend group or close family is aware of it except for the fmc, and she can’t know, maybe for her safety I’m not sure just a very good reason.

And it takes his family and friends to comfort her in ways and then to give the mmc updates and he’d emotionally dying from the hurt the situation is causing her. She’d start to close off or just not be herself.

And then obviously it’ll be relieved mmc is actually alive but fmc goes ballistic because like whaaat?

Anyways, recommendations are greatly appreciated! (No RH, HR, omega verse or paranormal please!)

You know how we’re always reading about MMCs who’ve slept with half the city, only to toss women aside like they meant nothing?

I need the role reversal.

Give me an FMC who’s the player. She sleeps with many men with zero strings attached. Commitment and clinginess makes her sick, and the only guys she’s willing to keep around are reliable booty calls with good dick. She can be a nice whore (non-derogatory) or an egotistical menace, I genuinely don’t care.

As for the MMC, he doesn’t necessarily have to be meek or shy (which, it’s fine if he is). I just want him to be inexperienced and/or someone who genuinely believes in love. And if he’s neither of those, I’ll happily take a tall, muscular grump who’s never cared enough about sex to bother with it…until he meets our FMC, of course.

I also want the MMC so down bad, it’s not even funny. I want him relentlessly pursuing her, doing literally anything he can to get her to give him a real chance.

I’m so tired of sexually liberated women getting the worst representation in romance. The “slut” is always the groupie, the side piece, the puck bunny, or the MMC’s unhinged former hookup who refuses to leave him alone. Meanwhile, the MMC who’s slept his way through his entire country gets a heartfelt redemption arc. I’m so over this trope. 😭

Bonus points if the FMC annoyingly does literally *ANYTHING* in her power to avoid her feelings for him once they start creeping in. Denial, self-sabotage, emotional constipation, pushing the mmc away, trying to get the mmc out of her mind by linking with her past-hookups. I mean ANYTHING.

Going off of Phoebe Somerville in {It Had to be you - Susan Elizabeth Phillips}.

Hey guys:) basically the title.

I'm looking for a story where FMC is scared as fuck of MMC but must marry him. MMC is already smitten and treats her like gold. She eventually warms up to him because he's so nice to her. MMC doesn't need to be a cinnamon roll, as long as he's nothing but nice and gentle to her.

Requirements:

- No mafia

- No age gap greater than 10 years

- No YA

- No sports/musician

- No pregnancy/children (i'm not bothered by children in epilogue)

- Strict monogamy (no love triangle, no cheating, no RH or harem etc)

Bonus :

- FMC is smart and thinks a lot before doing anything

- no third act drama

Thank y'all 😊

This has been on my mind for a while, I'm interested in knowing if there's any books like this. When I think of grumpy/sunshine I think of a brusque, grizzled war veteran that everyone finds unapprochable and a complete cinnamonroll, but I think it'd be very fun to have sunshine be the intimidating one. A cheerful villain grinning as they do evil deeds? A martial or magical prodigy outclassing their opponents and who doesn't take shit? Someone with conviction in their beliefs, good or bad, whose opposition quivers in fear?

The closest example I know of is Nina from Six of Crows, in love with a big gruff burly soldier whom she could kill at any moment if she really wanted to with her powers. Very sweet and richly characterised and who isn't the sort of person who's going to roll over without a fight. Matthias on the other hand is grumpy but not really intimidating in the way you'd expect.

Also, this may just be me, but there can be something very intimidating about someone who loves and respects you unconditionally. Their openness demands that you remove your own armour until there's nothing hiding your squishy underbelly.

Personally I'm looking for grumpy MMC/sunshine FMC but feel free to leave the opposite in case anyone is interested. Thanks!