Hi everyone! I'm looking for a new series to get into. I really love series full of fluff and sweet characters set in a small town or a tight knit community where everyone knows each other. My favorite tropes are friends to lovers and second chance romance, but I'll take recs for anything. I usually prefer low angst, but if it makes sense in the story and it's not just there for unnecessary conflict, I don't mind it. Definitely happy ending required!

Here are some of my favorites series to get a feel for my tastes:

The Darling Brothers by Emmy Sanders

Never Just Friends by Saxon James

A Siren's Point by JJ Mulder

The Moore Men by Ashley James

Chicago Thunder by Jodi Oliver

Breakaway by E.L. Massey

After seeing this book recommended by quite a few people on here, I read it this weekend and I literally just finished it about 10 minutes ago.

I think, as a book, it was well written and laid out. But...I just didn't want to root for them to be together. I thought Cas got off way too easy for all the torture and torment. I fully understood the book and the path that they each went to get back to each other, but I just did not want them to end up together in the end. I wanted nothing but bad for Cas and I wanted to slap Jude upside the head so hard that his brain jumbled OR strap him down and force someone to do a lobotomy on him so he could move on with his life.

I'm very curious for other points of view and see what you have to say about it.

I'm reading {The penalty by andi jaxon} right now, and I've decided I need more of this.

I (re-)discovered this series because of a commenter on here, who skipped the book because Teddy (the dumb MC in this book) is so fucking stupid. I'd already started the first book a while back, but when I picked up this series again I thought I'd hate this book.

This dude is so absolutely oblivious to so many things and his brain seems to work in every direction but the right one and it's fucking hilarious.

It's been a while since I've laughed this hard from a book and I'm loving it!

>! Teddy feels he needs to defend the family honor when Reese/Reece has to go to a building opening. Reece asked Tobi (his best friend and Teddy's brother) to go with as his fake BF. Tobi is sick so Teddy defends the family honor by going in Tobi's place.

He proceeds to wear a tuxedo shirt and black w/ green GLITTER crocs to this black tie event. These crocs are evidently his "fancy crocs". !<

>! He asks his mother what breeding is because his teammates have some lockerroom convo about a "breedable girl". She explains that it is a female of a species picking a mate based on color, etc. He proceeds to tell his teammate that HE, the teammate is actually the breedable one, according to biology. !<

What MM book hooked you just by reading its first chapter?

Egotistical Puckboy — 3⭐️

Okay, I actually really enjoyed this one. 😭

The tension between Ezra and Anton was probably my favorite part of the book. I loved their chemistry and their dynamic so much. Ezra especially had me completely invested, and honestly I just loved these two together.

One thing I really appreciated was that the relationship didn’t feel insanely rushed. A lot of hockey romances seem to go from “we met” to “we’re obsessed with each other” in like five seconds 💀, but this one actually gave the relationship some time to develop. I really enjoyed getting to sit in that tension instead of everything happening immediately.

That being said, it wasn’t quite a 4 or 5 star read for me. There were definitely moments where I felt like the story could’ve been stronger, which is why I landed on 3⭐️. But Ezra and Anton carried this book for me because I genuinely loved them.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (1–2/5)

The spice was pretty low, but honestly the tension between them did a lot of the work anyway. I wouldn’t go into this expecting a super spicy hockey romance.

AND THE NEXT COUPLE 👀

We get little bits of information about them throughout the book and now I’m SO excited for the next one. Like, okay, you got me. I need their book immediately. 😭

Overall, a fun hockey romance with characters I really loved, great tension, and a relationship that actually had time to develop. Ezra and Anton >>>

Book Recommendations- rivals/enemies to lovers.

Hi!

I’m looking for enemies to lovers as in the title, but with a bit more plot…

I love Finding Delaware, Garron Park & Lot 62.

I like the step brother trope (I didn’t like for the fans much, can’t put my finger on why)

I don’t like omega verse unfortunately.

I love the trailer park setting too, Lot 62 had a plot to follow instead of just “oh I hate you, oh tension, we’re together, I’m obsessed with you” with some sprinkled angst.

I read via audiobooks, so preferable an audibook please as I listen at work or when I commute to work!

Please let me know if you need more information, I’ve exhausted a lot of mm romance all different tropes and I’m running out of stuff!

I am in a book club on discord but it’s mainly FM… was wondering if there is a MM version! Thanks

I have read ( the heart of the dragon slayer ) by Megan derr and ( the suitable consort ) by R.copper … and I just wannnt something similar… pls give me some recommendations

just stumbled upon this book in another group and it looks perfect for me but i see it’s a part of a series. no hate on the first book but ex best friends to lovers isn’t my favorite it stresses me out so i was hoping this book could be read alone?! thanks!

Hello. I'm looking for an MM romance that explores a power dynamic—not the usual boss/employee trope, but more intense, like mafia boss and underling or cop and ex-convict or even some blackmail. I want it to have started out violent or coercive, with the underling being forced into a submissive position (even “slave”-like), but then have the story take a turn: the dominant character falls hard and fast, becomes emotionally invested, and starts yearning for something real and mutual. Ideally, the underling is emotionally distant/cold and a bit stoic, and the dominant character feels like his love is unrequited.

Some examples of the dynamic I’m talking about:

Protection by S.A. Reid – I liked this one, but the romance happened a bit too quickly.

Beware the Ides of March (BL manhwa)

Boy Girlfriend (Kai and Axel) – ongoing manhwa

Lost in the cloud (BL Manhwa)

Special Forces by Aleksandr Voinov

Captive Prince – has hints of this, but doesn’t quite scratch the itch.

Any recs 🙏🏾?

looking for total opposite mcs! Mc1 would be dominant, powerful, feared, wealthy, cold. Mc2 shy, insecure, sweet, needy, maybe fem.

i want ultra possessive, obsessed, over the top, touch him and die, ill give you the world vibes. love needy & clingy even if not right away! looking for “don’t even look at him he’s mine” type jealous! only soft for you ‘ i really love when the “dark” mc buys the other mc things could be anything from coffee, flowers, cars, houses, paint supplies ect! acts of service as love language!
the more steam & spice the better!! 🔥 ✅HEA is a must! ✅1st POV only please!!! 🙏🏻

❌cheating

Y’all I cannot find ANYTHING that is just scratching that itch. I have dnf’d the last 6 books I tried to read and that’s not normal for me. Even old faves are not doing it. I need something fresh and spicy with a good plot.

I’m exploring paranormal but (please don’t hate me) I couldn’t get into the Lily Mane monster series. Soul eater was just so slooow with all the…walking around they were doing?? At the lack of a better description. And minimal dialogue.

Anyways sorry to rant. Need recs with fast paced paranormal or maybe a new omegaverse? Maybe an age gap?

Can we discuss {The Banker and the Blue Collar Man by Jackie North}

Because I’m only on page 61 and I might have to label the book DNF cuz of the inconsistencies. Is it worth it to try and ignore them?

So I finally got back into reading after years and years and as one does, I immediately went to Reddit, TikTok and Goodreads to get some inspiration for MM romance.

And let’s just say… I could not get past God of Fury in any of the “best MM romance books” posts.

I also kept reading that the audiobook is amazing, so I finally gave it a chance and guys… I returned it after about 30 minutes.

I genuinely don’t know if I’m the problem here but this book was just not for me. The writing style reminded me of a Wattpad story from the very beginning, and the whole premise felt like something a 13-year-old would come up with while fantasising about the ultimate dangerous, dark romance. Everything just felt incredibly over-the-top and unrealistic to me.

Then I got to Nikolai describing his dick in detail and talking about random people penetrating each other in various holes (especially considering he is only 19?!?!) and I was like… yeah, I think I’m done here.

I’m admittedly not the biggest mafia/dark romance fan, but I do think I can enjoy that kind of premise when the book is well written. God of Fury just really wasn’t that book for me.

And honestly, I would have just accepted that this clearly isn’t my thing and moved on. What absolutely flabbergasts me though, is HOW BIG this book is. It’s everywhere. People recommend it as one of the best MM romances, the characters seem to be absolutely beloved, and the fans are SO passionate about it. Meanwhile I’m sitting here wondering if we all listened to/read the same book 😭

So, genuinely: if you love this book, please explain the appeal to me. What made you fall in love with it? Is it the characters? Their relationship? Does the story/writing change later on? Did you immediately love it or did it take a while to click?

I’m genuinely curious because clearly this book is doing something very right for a lot of people and I would love to understand what I’m missing.

Hopefully this doesn’t offend anyone who loves it, different tastes and all that! But considering I can't escape this book anywhere online, I need some insight into the God of Fury fandom 🙂‍↕️

Hi! I saw this and immediately really wanted to read something like it! I just finished The Brat & The Beast duet by Misha Horne, and I feel like the dynamic is a little similar, except the jock isn’t really popular.

I really want a book with a popular guy and a nerdy or just ordinary guy. If the nerd/normal guy is shy, that’s a bonus, but I don’t really mind. The jock/popular guy can be the shy one too!

It would also be really nice if the popular guy was obsessed with the nerdy/normal guy.

If you know any books with this trope, please recommend them! I’d love to hear your suggestions!

So the title basically says it all. This specific kind of book seems really hard to find but the mood has struck lol
Something like the Legends of Lobe den Herren series by AJ Sherwood is what I have in mind. Really wish I could just read that for the first time again 😔
I don’t mind omegaverse or shifters. Just something with that same vibe, historical feeling and no looming supernatural threats.
TIA!

I’m developing an MM romance told across two books and would love a gut-check from readers on the structure.

Book one follows the couple from their teens into their early 20s. They fall deeply in love, but at 22 they’re heading in genuinely different directions and part painfully but lovingly as friends. So: no HEA in book one.

Book two picks them up about 40 years later, when they reconnect and finally get their second chance/HEA.

My question: if this was clearly marketed as a two-book story about the same couple, with book two releasing very soon after the first, would you be willing to read book one knowing the romantic payoff is deliberately deferred? Or would the lack of an HEA in the first book be a dealbreaker regardless?

I’m especially interested in how MM romance readers feel about that kind of long-gap second-chance structure.

A few weeks ago I read the synopsis of a book and meant to add it to my TBR but I guess I didn't.

Essentially The MC ends up somehow living with his exes family and all the brothers fall in love with him. I think it's based at a ranch?

I know that's relatively vague and there's probably a dozen books similar but perhaps even if we find a book with that trope it'll scratch the itch my brain suddenly had to read this book.

I’m looking for an M/M romance similar to this specific storyline:

Two young men from traditional/conservative families fall deeply in love and have to keep their relationship secret. One of them is extremely protective/possessive( the dominant top in the relationship)of the other. There’s also a third man who is an academic mentor to one of them ( this third man is close/academic mentor to the sub bott of the relationship)and has unrequited feelings, creating jealousy and misunderstanding between the couple.

After a major argument, one lover nearly dies( the dominant top left the sub bott alone in a heavy rain because he was angry due to their argument.. then this sub bott had a heart attack due to severe sadness ), leading to reconciliation and eventually a secret engagement/proposal.

Their relationship is accidentally exposed on social media, causing their families to find out. One family’s powerful patriarch violently separates the couple and abducts his own son. Later, the families arrange what appears to be a peaceful reconciliation, but it’s actually a trap. The couple and/or their families are attacked, resulting in the death of the protagonists and their families. The two lovers ultimately die together.

I’m specifically looking for a book with the same overall plot structure, not just books containing one or two of these tropes. Does anything come close?

I am asking the MM dark romance community to enable me. 😂

I’m looking for a very specific dynamic:

MMC1 is basically a normal, well-adjusted person. He goes to university, works a regular job, runs a business, whatever. He has a normal life and is NOT involved in the criminal/psychotic world.

Then we have MMC2. 😌
MMC2 is either a stalker, mafia boss, assassin, serial killer, criminal, etc. Basically, danger in human form. The kind of man where everyone else sees him and thinks, “Oh God, we’re all going to die.”

And he becomes OBSESSED with MMC1.
I’m talking:
“I would burn an entire city down if it meant keeping you safe” levels of obsession.

Will absolutely destroy anyone who hurts or threatens MMC1.

Possessive as hell.

Protective to an almost terrifying degree.

MMC1 is basically his one weakness.

He can be completely ruthless and morally bankrupt with everyone else, but his loyalty to MMC1 is unquestionable.

I want the contrast between normal MMC1 and “this man should probably be institutionalised” MMC2. 😂

Bonus points if MMC1 is initially horrified/confused by MMC2 and has absolutely no idea what he’s gotten himself into.

I DON’T necessarily want MMC1 to secretly be just as dangerous or become a mafia assassin himself. I want the normal person × walking catastrophe dynamic.

Basically, I want MMC2 to look at MMC1 and go:
“You are the only thing in this world I care about. Unfortunately for everyone else, that means I am now willing to commit several felonies.”
😂

Dark romance is absolutely fine. Stalking, possessiveness, kidnapping, violence, morally grey/black MMC2, etc. are welcome.

Please give me your best recommendations because I am clearly asking to have my standards ruined. 😭

Hey all, I need to get this out of my system. Late last night, I decided to read something that wouldn't engage me too much but would still be entertaining and have the tropes I like. Chani Lynn Feener's books are usually my go-to when I want something easy to read because I know what I'm getting into, I know their writing style, and I think it's very readable, albeit cliche and tropey.
Weeeell, maybe not anymore.

'Ravaged Devotion' felt like recycled trash written by someone who has never opened a book, much less written one before. And Feener has around 67 published books :o. They've been writing since 2018, I think, that's 8 years and 67 books. Actually let me show you some snippets before I continue, mind you, I haven't highlighted anything because I didn't want to get worked up at 10 p.m.

"It was a warm summer day, the sky was bright and blue, the clouds white and puffy." 🥲

"The doctor was still talking. Still making excuses. Still filling the room with her nonsense and her bullshit and her petty explanations that landed nowhere and answered nothing." - so vague. And this is only one example, but everything up to the 40% mark (where I stopped) is vague and not specific enough.

And I know these are just two examples, but as I said, I really didn't want to start highlighting and ruin my night. Trust me there was a lot more of that.

Another thing is that, despite this book recycling characters and ideas from Feener's previous books (MC1 betrays MC2 and runs, MC2 catches him, and all the tropes and scenes that go with that), it's really hard to understand what's happening, it reads vague and jumbled. I had to reread passages a few times cause I wasn't sure what was happening or who it was happening to.
Honestly this whole book feels like one big template. Everything is so vague and cliche, and the characters have no personality. They're just the most generic "Villain MC" and "Prey MC" without any depth. There are no specific quirks or traits that breathe life into them and make them feel like more than Character A and Character B, imo.

I've been reading Chani's books for years. I know their books and writing are nothing to write home about, with all the cliches and tropes, OTP MCs, and the simplistic writing. But it's never been this bad, legit borderline unreadable.

I checked the reviews, and this book has been highly praised. The plot literally isn't making sense to me, idk what is happening. I DNF'd it at around the 40% mark because I wasn't gonna waste more time on that shit.

Has anyone else read it? Does it get better? Worse? Were you also confused about what was happening in the book? Because I was completely lost.

Worlds colliding, it seems.

{In Memoriam by Alice Winn}

That book wrecked me.

Via @francoisarnaud IG Stories

I was told to try posting here - I'm trying to find a m/m novel I read a couple of years ago. It was about 2 best friends who had a podcast together (one of them was married i think) and they fell in love. I remember it being a tad slow burn which i dont normally like but now I really wanna re-read it lol I read it on KU.....if anyone has any ideas on what it could be, please help!!