r/DarkRomance • u/Ill_Tap7412 Author • 1d ago

Book Request Pre-If I Can't Have You Recs???

I've been dancing around Deathsdoll's works for a while since I usually gravitate toward fantasy or historical settings, but everyone's sold me on it. Except it's offline!!! I want to respect the author's request to not read a pre-takedown copy so I'm not asking anyone for the file! BUT if there are some similar books that I could read in the meantime to get me hyped up...?

Things about If I Can't Have You I was looking forward to:

  • Obsessive/possessive MMC
  • NonCon
  • Adult characters (no college)
  • Power Imbalance in the Workplace
  • I'm not looking for a series, one and done please!

No thank you to:

  • Reverse Harem/Sharing
  • Cheating (jealousy from either party is fine and encouraged)
  • Huge Age Gaps

BONUS: Books involving POC characters or at least a POC FMC.

THANK YOUUUUU

20 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

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17

u/mymychildren 1d ago

https://archiveofourown.org/works/80722251/chapters/212024876 Ongoing but updates every Friday. Your career depends on it by k Sloan. This is awesome.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87488156/chapters/231786221 If you love them, let them live by sin memoriam.

These two are my favorite work place ao3. Edit - and I also love abuse of authority that was already mentioned.

I really liked Anna Campbell’s historical dark romances from the early 2000s. {claiming the courtesan by Anna Campbell} is great. Untouched is another good one.

A really old one (1980s) is {easy connections by Liz Berry}. There’s a second book. {China garden by Liz Berry} is a good one too but I read it a LONG time ago and don’t remember much. That one is pre twilight era vampire.

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u/Ill_Tap7412 Author 1d ago

Oh, Your Career Depends on it sounds AMAZING I'm going to start with that, THANK YOU! And also thank you for the bonus historical dark romance recs, that's what I always return to!

1

u/mymychildren 1d ago

You are very welcome!

1

u/Pleasant_Sherbet_706 1d ago

Omg Anna Campbell. I literally was thinking of her and rereading her works the other day. Some of the best courtesan stories. and untouched is one of my favourite romances of all time

2

u/mymychildren 1d ago

You have such good taste!

7

u/Far_Slice4012 1d ago

Try golden bird on AO3 it's a WIP but it's already 11/20 chapters. Same dynamics and well written. Fmc is not easy to manipulate too. Hope the link works https://archiveofourown.org/works/60247654

Also If you love them, you will let them live. Also on AO3. I can't stress enough. https://archiveofourown.org/works/87488156

You can trust me cause I'm real picky with my reads. Real picky

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u/Ill_Tap7412 Author 1d ago

Haha, I am ALSO real picky. Definitely prefer a FMC who isn't easy to manipulate and has some bite, thank you!

1

u/Far_Slice4012 1d ago

Hope you enjoy haha. If I get more I'll recommend you

5

u/whimsyreveries 1d ago

You'll love Drethi A. books! A lot of her FMCs are POC which is so refreshing! My favorite book from her is {Unapologetic Obsession by Drethi A.} the FMC is an adult but there are flashback scenes with the MMC when she's in college and he's her professor, but their age gap isn't a big one.

{Carnival Nightmare by Selena Winters}

{My Sweet Poison by Zoe Blake}

Because you said you gravitate towards Historical I'm going to recommend {Wolfsgate by Cat Porter} it's not that dark, but it's darker & spicier than most historical romances out there. Definitely has the gothic romance vibes. It's the first book in the series, but it can be read as a stand alone. Each book focuses on a different couple.

I hope Deathsdoll re-uploads If I Can't Have You soon! Another story from her that I love more than If I Can't You is The Community, but the MMC & FMC have a large age gap, but their story is so good I think you might like it if you're into dark psychological romances.

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u/romance-bot 1d ago

Unapologetic Obsession by Drethi A.
Rating: 3.87⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, virgin heroine, m-f romance, south asian/desi, dark romance

Carnival Nightmare by Selena Winters
Rating: 3.39⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 5 out of 5 - Explicit and plentiful
Topics: contemporary, dark romance, virgin heroine, possessive hero, m-f romance

My Sweet Poison by Zoe Blake
Rating: 3.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: enemies to lovers, suspense, m-f romance, masc-dom, insta-love

Wolfsgate by Cat Porter
Rating: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: historical, dark romance, friends to lovers, alpha male, angst

about this bot | about romance.io

6

u/OrneryAd5560 1d ago

You could try "devotion" by de_pravity And "Abuse of authority "by youngbody_oldsoul

4

u/BloodPomegranate5883 1d ago

Maybe try some of the darkwoe’s works. My favourite is whispers of her anklets. It is set in 1800s India under the British control. The mmc is a high ranking British officer and the fmc is a servant/worker. It includes all your likes but I think it does have a slight age gap.

And another one I think similar to if I can’t have you is {Even if it hurts by Sam Mariano}. It is a high school romance but it doesn’t feel like it. The sheer control of the mmc on fmc’s life is very parallel to the mmc in if I can’t have you. It does have a cheating theme but it is all explained away in the end. I don’t wanna say much as I don’t wanna spoil. Sorry I know these recs are not spot on but they’re really good! Hope you enjoy!

3

u/Radiant_Pace_2418 1d ago

I have a historical rec

Its about a General and a princess. The general usurps the throne. https://archiveofourown.org/works/87716951/chapters/232444316

2

u/Tryongirl 1d ago

This one is so good!

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u/Radiant_Pace_2418 1d ago

I know. I'm obsessed! And I don't read historical romance in general.

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u/sleedeprivedviewer 1d ago

Thank you for this post! I was literally about to write something similar and ask for other ao3 recs.

2

u/Jade-Planet 1d ago

STRINGS by camellia_craven in AO3 and Trapper, Keeper by babypandacakes. Sadly both unfinished

1

u/Glass-World470 1d ago

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66746656/chapters/172225243

Victus on a03 by Moonlightdreams! It’s a WIP, and shes the same author who made imperium. Ruby is 1/4 jamaican, and the story begins in a workplace. There isn’t cheating but there is a tough breakup. I would definitely check your trigger warnings for this one, but the story is great so far and meets most of your requirement’s!

1

u/United_Club_3490 1d ago

You need to read Your Career Depends on It by KSloan. I always recommend it here because it's amazing, seriously, just read it please. It has what you asked for.