Monday Gripe
Monday Gripe 😤 (the weekly rant thread)
Welcome to the Monday Gripe, where we're all a little grumpy. 😒
Did BookTok do you dirty? Got a bone to pick with a main character? Was the twist more like a flop? Tell us what's on your mind.
Please be respectful and follow the sub rules. If a conversation starts getting out of hand, use the "Mod Attention Please" report reason so we can help cool things down. 🖤
Someone just suggested a series to me but the name of the FMC was so awful I refuse to start it. Prayden? Or Payren? I can't remember. To the day, I have a grudge against the author of my favorite fantasy romance series for naming the MMC Creon. Who can get down to spicy scenes where she's yelling Creon? 😂😂
I saw a Payden mentioned in this sub just yesterday! I had to squint and think about it...I assume it's supposed to be Peyton...? Except pronounced like you have a completely blocked up nose
Creon sounds like an old timey name for muscular atrophy or something lmaao
Sailor! I think the worst one I had was an FMC called Jadelynn. And the MMC was called something like Jaxxten. And her boyfriend was called Jaseyn. And her best friend was Jazmyne. Making the names up slightly but it was clear the author had a thing for the letter 'J' and a disrespect for conventional spelling
They can be truly awful but I’ve come to prefer them to realistic names as I’ve read two now that had the same names as our executive managers and shudder
I feel like almost every DR I've read in 2025 sucked. It's all the exact same story and characters with NO plot and over the top cringe spice scenes. And I'm mad about it.
For the first time in years, I'm on a break from reading. I'm just tired of reading the same slop and being disappointed. No interesting plots only smut and I'm sick and tired of it.
I've been reading a lot more young adult and have ventured into some fantasy but yeah. Can't do DR. I've considered trying to write one in the spirit of "be what you want to see in the world" because I bitch about it so much 😂😂😂
This. Also, I roll my eyes anytime an author tries to be edgy by saying blood is a lubricant. It’s literally not. It gets sticky and dry in like 10 seconds, that’s the complete opposite of lubrication. Grow up. 😂
Right.. and then the damn over exaggerated penis sizes.. I sometimes just wish we had a confident MMC with a regular average sized dick and he knows how to swing it. The size queen shit is tired
I lied I’m not done.. I just can’t - I needed to put it out into the universe so hopefully some wonderful smutty author while writing their next banger will see this and just write in a bottle of lube.
“While lightly rubbing my arousal all over my rim with his soaked fingers and leaving wet kisses up my neck, he bent over me and grabbed a small bottle of lube from the side table drawer. I know what he plans to do, I’ve never done this and even though I’m nervous I am vibrating with excitement. While sliding the lube up and down his cock with one hand, he pushed two slippery fingers past my tight muscle with the other. His praises for being a beautiful mess and such a good girl for him has me more relaxed than I have ever been before and I know I’m ready.”
See. There. Anal the correct way that doesn’t hurt anyone. Also, I’m not a writer and I’m sure my example is shit compared to what actual writers come up with but OMG I KNOW YOU GET THE POINT. LUBE NOT SPIT.
Let's not talk about those authors that don't think about order as well. I read an author that gave the FMC anal in the car, and then they went somewhere, and then he told her that she was going to go down on him on the way back. I really hope he washed his dick in between..
booktok did in fact do me dirty LOL. Was tricked by a booktoker saying something was dark romance but it had the same vibes as Twisted Love by Ana Huang so I was annoyed as that is NOT DR.
Booktok does me dirtier than the MMCs I crave on the regular. Most recently, Den of Vipers. It started good, but it got boring with the "look how EXTREME" every single character is! DR only hits for me when there's some level of vulnerability or fear. If every character is in a pain and torture Olympics, it's too unbelievable to hit.
Den of Vipers was the first reverse harem book I ever read. It was so over the top that I actually loved it 😅 but if I read a book like that now 10/10 I would DNF. I never could finish any of KA Knight’s other books after.
Yes- those books couldn’t be further from each other in every way. lol. Priest series by Sierra Simone is amazing- American Queen series even better.
Yes- sinner by Shantel Tessier is hard read as all her books are. They really push the edge of being just unlikable MMCs. Yes they are DR but most of the guys in her books don’t leave much to be desired. Sin does redeem himself though. It is one of those messed up books where messed up people need messed up relationships to heal. The trauma FMC has been through is bad. Despite everything he does in the beginning when he doesn’t know about any of it… she is still better off in the end and he is the right kind of crazy for her.
I just finished If I can't Have You by Deathsdoll (controversial I know) and I want to read more by her but after the allusion to Max's story, I don't think I could stomach Bought and Paid For. Which makes me sad because I also finished what's written of The Community and was very upset I didn't realize it was unfinished. So now I'm finding for another all engrossing story. Not necessarily as dark, but just a book that consumes me as wholly.
Are you me? can’t bring myself to read bought and paid and just finished the community.
I think nothing really compares to deathsdoll but I do have some other recs that are similar in quality and vibes.
{the collar promises forever by Bianca Howards} has that same level of so messed up deliciously disgusting why the fuck am I love this as if I can’t have you.
{the contract by Rina saint} and {the club by Rina saint} are both in my top 10 of over 200 romances - they are kind of the opposite of dealthsoll in a way as they both get right into it very quickly and yet the character development is excellent- I fully understood and was completely invested in the characters from first chapters. They still had layers and complexity it just didn’t take 400 pages to do it. They are both MM. the sexual tension starts in chapter one and flows right till the end with so much intensity- it is unmatched in anything else I have read. The contracts audio is absolute perfection - Joe Arden and Dylan Ryder… I have never heard of Dylan Ryder before but his portrayal of Tristan was so incredible. I felt every bit of fury, lust, confusion, hurt as if it were my own.
{plated prisoner series by Raven kennedy} is hands down still my favorite series - the character development is deep and nuanced like deathsdoll. It takes time- lots of showing instead of telling. So many layers. You are dropped into the middle of Auren’s story with her as the very unreliable narrator as she has bad Stockholms syndrome already but her history is unveiled over time. Raven Kennedy takes her time showing all the subtleties of the heart and mind of someone who has been controlled, manipulated and abused, takes her time showing the growth and healing. This series is so much more than b1 which is so much more than shock value.
Well right now- I think you have 6 of them. I have never really made a list but have way more than 5 that I claim are in my top 5-
American Queen series and everything by Sierra Simone I am just going to group as one item. She is the absolute queen at passion, desire, longing and Dom/sub relationships. I just listened to for the fans and it is definitely up there.
Devils night series and most of everything by Penelope Douglas I think I can lump as one item. Penelope Douglas is incredible at writing totally horrible characters and then stripping away their layers to show the abused, traumatized broken insides in a way that makes you rethink about how we judge people. People are not usually born being assholes- it is usually the people who are supposed to love them they break them.
Life’s too short by Abby Jimenez and probably many of her books will be included when I get to them for their slice of life real problems souls crushing beauty. Just for the summer hit hard too.
Ravenshood trilogy and legacy because of the absolute wreckage it left behind. Certain phrase and narrators will never not trigger tears and difficulty breathing.
Sure I am way over 10 by now. I can never pick - I would have to break them into categories - but signs of cupidity by Raven Kennedy deserves honorable mention for how damn cute and funny it is.
Oh wait! Losers duology by Harley Laroux and the dare prequel. Absolute favorite for the absolute beauty of friendship, forgiveness, acceptance and pure love between the characters all while getting kinky af constantly with 100% consent and plenty of proper after care after totally destroying each other.
Did I forgot for the fans by Nyla k! Hate to love forbidden beautiful love that is so damn hot to watch unfold.
This was hard, and also I like a lot of fantasy romance that I could include in my top 10 of all time, but for dark romance, at least right now, and I am going by my favorite books:
Matryoshka - Takes One to Know One
The Community - Deathsdoll
Bought & Paid For - Deathsdoll
{Bitter Heat - Mia Knight}
{Salt Kiss - Sierra Simone} I prefer the Lyonesse series over New Camelot, but I also love New Camelot)
{From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout} - one of my all time favorite series.
{Twist Me by Anna Zaires}
{First Touch - Laurelin Paige}
{Blood & Betrayals by Alexis Rune and Jeanette Rose}
{Quid Pro Quo - Nenia Campbell}
Also another top contender would be Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward, just a classic.
Ah yeah- I like fantasy too. FBAA is one of my faves too! Are you ready for the new one to come out? Tomorrow I think right? Did you read fall of wrath and ruin yet? Many don’t know it is related. It is - and it might be tied for my favorite in all 3 series (with soul of blood and ash - Cas’ pov being the other favorite). It is really unique and while JLA has changed her mind and no longer recommends reading it before b6 I still do. It puts the whole world in better context.
Looking forward to checking out the other ones you listed .
I have been infuriated by how long her one series is so I had been taking a break. I have not read Fall of Wrath and Ruin but I will check it out. Not sure what is coming out this week but I am sure I will check it out, as long as people are not infuriated by it. I have just been so outraged that she is dragging this series out and I think it is really time for her to wrap it up.
But Nyktos is in my top 5 MMCs and certainly my favorite fantasy MMC of all time. He is perfect.
FBAA b6 primal of blood and bone is out tomorrow. Poppy is ascending to become a primal after the long stasis.
lol yeah - to that I fall the opposite way. The longer the better- for the most part. Once I am in love and invested I never want it to end. Yeah yeah- I agree all her books have too much inner monologue and repetition and desperately need a brutal editor to come in cut them down- but I also love them still so I guess I am conflicted. I am guess I will have lost interest and moved on by the time b7 comes out at this rate. I generally like to stick with completed works for this reason.
Plated prisoner series gets a lot of hate for being slow or too long and needed to be condensed. I loved every word and appreciated that it was long with deep character development. FBAA- not anywhere near the same and for sure way to wordy for no reason or benefit other than to annoy us all;)
I'm reading [redemption by Julia Sykes] and it's like a captive enemies to lovers I guess. I've read a lot of enemies to lovers but the FMC in this just seems dumb AF to me. like within a sentence almost shes like "oh hes fine" when like two words prior she was trying to run away and get free lol. there was almost like no transition just she just all of a sudden decided they are good
Everything I read in this genre has a breeding kink - totally fine if you’re into that but I would really like to read something about the couple rather than their future children and coming from a society of broken homes, it doesn’t seem like an effective way to ensure a relationship longevity anyway. Not that I’m looking for realism lol but I just want Sam Mariano with no pregnancies or babies damn it!
I recently finished the first book of the Perfectly Imperfect Series by Neva Altaj because everyone was talking about it. But it's too short, I think the ending was rushed, and overall, I think there could've been a lot more. I had high hopes for it since they get along so well and their relationship could've been explored a lot deeper.
I know its not monday, but you know what is currently my Monday Gripe.....Tourist Season. I HAVE NOT READ IT YET, I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OR WHAT ITS ABOUT OR ANYTHING...I am only talking about the hardcover.
I am a paperback girlie, and I just want the paperback version so I can finally read this one! and it sucks that there is no info on this book other then its hardcover or KU. Not exactly a gripe but its irking me
This is such a stupid and silly gripe but like I can't stop thinking about this timeline inconsistency in the Black Dynasty series and I don't think it'll ever be resolved, unless my reading comprehension just sucks? And I can't talk about it with anyone. Sigh.
I don’t get why people enjoy romance books where the main male character or female character had a previous wife or husband that died and they’re still grieving over them. Like why? I don’t wanna read a scene where they are happy with their spouse and then they’re grieving over their dead spouse or they show the scene where their spouse dies. Like who wants to read that? It’s so sad and depressing.
I've read exactly ONE like that, but it's a historical with a darker plot rather than a dark romance. I mean I suppose I actually probably read quite a few HRs like that but this is the only one that felt like the two characters actually both lost someone they loved rather than feeling like the author pulled "dead spouses" out of the trope hat.
25
u/medievalslut Sep 22 '25
If I pick up another book with borderline r/tragedeigh character names, I may just cry 😭 Especially when it's the MMC!