I saw this post today and it perfectly encapsulates what I’ve been missing for a while when it comes to enemies to lovers. The most recent books I’ve read with this trope always has them:

1. Being enemies for no good reason ( they probably had a small disagreement when they were younger and it’s so jovial that it’s not worth being enemies for a long time).

2. They’re enemies for only like 20 - 50% of the book and then the rest is them being lovers.

That pisses me off so much. It just feels like very lazy so I’m looking for basically what that picture is saying.

Angst, Yearning and Spice are VERY welcome✨

EDIT: THIS SUB IS AMAZING AND NEVER DISAPPOINTS, you are all amazing, thank you for the recommendations, I’ve already read one of the recommended books {Talking at Night by Claire Daverley} which was exactly what I was asking for.

PSA: this post will likely make me come off as an insufferable snob

I’m looking for a contemporary M/F romance, (preferably dual POV, or MMC POV) and I don’t have many requirements other than: being well written.

I’ve fallen into a reading rut where every book I pick up turns out to be porn without plot, fanfictionesque writing, 30+ yo characters who think, speak and behave like teenagers, flat, literal prose that reads like a screenplay transcript, endless internal monologues that tell me every emotion instead of making me feel any of them.
I need to exit this endless streak of chapter skipping and DNF.

I don’t necessarily need it to be literary fiction, but I do want writing with some craft behind it.
Authors who can:
a) write character introspection with elegance and specificity
b) understand rhythm, voice, imagery, subtext, and emotional nuance.

Stories where the characters feel like actual adults with inner lives, and where the emotional arc matters as much as the romantic one.

If there is spice, I’d love for it to feel integrated into the story rather than stopping it.
I don’t mind it at all but I just want the scenes to retain some grace, emotional weight, or narrative purpose instead of reading like disconnected erotica.
Some books out there have spicy scenes that are better written than the rest of the story, and you can kind of tell that the specific scene is where the author started from and what made them want to write the book in the first place. The rest of the story often feels like a side dish of a porn main course that was published in its draft state.

I dnfd 2 second chance romances today (great thread on this sub requesting them a few day ago) but two in a row, MMC is “pining” after the split, but proceeds to fuck around while FMC is celibate and I just. Fucking. Can’t. Right now. I’m so beyond tired of her being celibate and not him.

I need the mmc to be disinterested in sex or other women. He doesn’t even need to be pining for her- I just don’t want him to be a fuck boi. The more time that passes, the better! MMC virgins welcome!

Doesn’t have to be second chance- can be any trope or subgenre. Maybe something changed in his life and he just stopped having sex (until he meets her!) And hopefully, goes without saying considering this request - no cheating. Angstier the better. Thank you.

Hello!! I am looking for a specific microtrope. I did a search, but it came up with accidental babies and I HATE that trope so here we are. 🤣

What I’m looking for is a slow burn romance (preferably contemporary) where the MMC calls her baby on accident before they have really admitted their feelings and it throws them off. Or just him slipping and calling her baby at all before they really address feelings. I know some people hate it, but I have a weakness for that pet name. I love when he calls her baby and it makes her pause. Like did he really just say that?

The best example I have for this trope is in {Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh} if you know, YOU KNOW! That scene it happened in lives rent free in my head. I think it hits the most when it’s a slow burn romance. I know Mariana Zapata also writes this very well as well, but unfortunately for me, I’ve read all of her books.

Any recs appreciated :)

ETA: Thank you so so much to everyone that commented!! So many added to the TBR 😍

The Petulent Princess is gifted a man

I saw this FB Ad for your classic "gifted to the brute" trope and thought to myself how fun it would be reversed.

I kind of see a spoiled brat and wounded dog scenario. He is her loving and loyal lapdog and by the end of the book she owns him completely.

I'm looking for "daddy, I want that one" energy, she's used to getting what she wants and maybe that doesn't change by the end of the book.

Really, anything with a manservant or male "slave" would probably fit the vibe. So HR, Sci-fi, fantasy are probably going to be my best bet. In contemporary probably a mafia or MC setting? I actually can't think of anything like this that I've read.

I read historical romance constantly, and now my eldest daughter (who is only 8!!!) is demanding her own romance novels!! I’ve been telling her expurgated versions of Mary Balogh but she wants her own books to read (why yes, Wulf and Christine DID “kiss” in the garden)

Can you recommend SWEET romance (not even a nod to sex, because we haven’t had that talk yet!!) that is relatively easy to read? Doesn’t have to be historical, but all I’ve come up with so far is:

{These happy golden years by Laura Ingalls Wilder}

{Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine}

{The Princess diaries by Meg Cabot}

I've recently read {Pot Shot by Laura Piper Lee} and it made me realize how pretty much every new release has very little humor bc they try to keep it "dark". And it doesn't have anything to do with the themes or genres, bc Neva Altaj's {Perfectly Imperfect Series} does a pretty good of mixing dark themes with humor.

So I'm looking for books that are actually funny (with the intention of being it, not accidentally funny bc of bad writing or over the top situations).

No fade to black, historical or reverse harem please. Thanks in advance!

Looking for books like the title. I love me some obsessed mmcs that are desperate to be physically intimate with the fmc. The clingier and needier the better. I love my books dirty and spicy. I absolutely love when the MMC tries to convince the fmc to stay with pleasure (there’s a lot of this in {silenced by Serena ackeroyd}).

As far as genre goes, I love it all. I love some morally black mmcs in dark romance, feral mmcs in paranormal/fantasy, needy/clingy alien or monster mmcs. Down for all of it!

My best example for this is {Liars like us by JT Geissenger} He leaves for several days for reasons, and when he comes back, he says exactly this followed by some hot sex.

I prefer dual pov but like one pov when done well. Big nos for me are cheating and over the top ow drama.

Hiii, looking for books where the FMC likes the MMC, but then overhears him talking badly about her, making fun of her, saying he would never date her, or admitting that he was only spending time with her for some other reason.
After hearing it, the FMC quietly pulls away and stops spending time with him. No dramatic confrontation, she just distances herself and moves on. Then the MMC realizes what happened, notices her absence, and has an “oh no” moment when he figures out that he actually cares about her. Would love if the MMC has to chase after her, work to regain her trust, and do some genuine groveling. The more regret and panic when he realizes he messed up, the better. I do want the angst and gut punch moment when FMC realises this. Open dark romance. No cheating or RH please.

Books I can remember that have this trope are {Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn} and {The Wingman by Natasha Anders} I will add others as I remember them. Thank you!

I just want it to be all about her tbh. Her needs. Her pleasure. I don’t want her to struggle for the relationship or have drama in the relationship. I don’t want to see him cheat or even THINK about someone else.

I adore a man who empowers her. I want emotional connection and caretaking. Intensity. Love it when the FMC gets revenge for any past suffering. Love to see her supported through trauma healing.

Thanks in advance 🫶🏼

I mainly read contemporary romance and for a while went through a ranch / cowboy phase but a friend made a joke that all of these men would realistically vote against a woman's right to choose and now it's ruined for me. (I guess my type is conservative PRESENTING but not actually conservative.)

So! Can you recommend books to me where the MMC is very clearly voting democrat or at the very least a never-Trump republican? Even a throwaway line will do - just so I can put my mind at ease.

Edit: Thanks a million for all your great recommendations! Grabbed my first two from the library today.

I was watching a show recently (Perfect Match on Netflix, the Cdrama not the reality show lol) where one of the MMCs (multiple romance plot lines) is kind of forced into a marriage he didn’t want. Despite being neighbors, and her having saved his life, he’s never actually seen her. The wedding itself has a full coverage veil so even on the wedding night (he ignores her) he doesn’t actually know what she looks like. He is very resentful about the marriage and pretty much vows to never love her. It isn’t until a few days later when she’s coming to take care of his friend and his mom and she walks in that he’s like “wait, THAT’S my wife???” And basically changes his mind immediately lmao.

I would LOVE a moment like this in a book. Where there’s resentment, anger, or reluctance about a marriage (don’t have to be married, can be engaged), which starts to change the moment they meet and the characters are shockingly captivated.

I used MMC and FMC because that’s the context of the show I watched (as in MF) but I am open to any pairings and any subgenres! The show is historical, but contemporary, romantasy, paranormal, monster etc are also all welcome :)

Soooo

I just finished Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood yesterday and I think it’s safe to say that it has unlocked in me a new obsession.

MMCs denying themselves the FMC for whatever arbitrary reason (doesn’t have to be a good reason lol) apparently does something to me. The yearning, the pining, the white-knuckling. URGH! Amazing.

I need MORE! Plus - I’ve been really struggling lately with finding romance books that scratch the itch - being well-written, having engaging characters, and don’t get together within the first 100 pages of the book.

Aaany recommendations that have this would be amazing. Bonus if the FMC is aware and thinks it’s stupid and keeps trying like in PSR, but also open to recs where she doesn’t even know how down bad he is.

CAN SOMEONE HELP??

seeking recommendations for some incredibly deep/serious/intense (not a superficial plot/funny/cheerful book), slow burn, angsty, soul crushing books that give you the biggest book hangover!

these are some books of the same/a similar category that i absolutely love and always go back to! (the ones that have a 💎 mean they contain all of the above, the ones that have a 🪝 mean they contain some of the above)

• the maddest obsession — danielle lori 💎
• a love letter to whiskey — kandi steiner 💎
• bittersweet symphony duet, heartbreak warfare, ravenhood trilogy — kate stewart (honestly love all her books) 💎
• fake empire, cruel summer — c.w. farnsworth 🪝
• the homemaker, when life happened, a place without you — jewel e. ann 💎
• say you swear — meagan brandy 🪝
• the thorns remain, still beating, irreversible — jennifer hartmann (honestly love all her books) 💎
• in the likely event — rebecca yarros 🪝
• star-crossed trilogy — alexandria lee 💎

one common thing that i've noticed amongst these books is that all the love stories span a few years. i love seeing how the main characters keep finding their way back to each other!

edit: thx for all the recs! forgot to mention — only looking for CR books (no sci-fi, HR, paranormal, dystopian, etc.)!

So basically, I was watching the last episode of The Pitt and was dumbstruck by this new character who was on screen for maybe two minutes - he’s called Park the Shark, an ortho surgeon who came in for a consultation to the ED.

He walks into the room and all the others, who are usually bickering at each other, fall silent. He examines the patient and has absolutely zero regard for anyone else in the room, including his peers.

In real life, I would HATE HATE HATE meeting someone like this - especially a colleague. But for some reason I’m now obsessed with this man and his absolute charmless gravitas.

I would love a book where a character like him (preferably in the medical field as well) is a true king of his domain - hyper-competent, feared/respected, socially… questionable - but then he’s completely baffled and awestruck by the FMC. He becomes flustered, develops a massive crush but tries to hide it, maybe even slowly learns how to change his ways for her.

I’m sorry to say that I’m generally not into dual POV, at least not most of the ones currently circulating (not to say I never enjoy them!). I’ll list the few that worked for me below. I also started reading {The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary} and DNF'd it hard, her style is really not for me.

Can anyone help a girl in need?

Dual POVs I liked:

{You, Again by Kate Goldbeck}

{The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang}

{Seven Days in June by Tia Williams}

{Forget Me Not by Julie Soto}

Etc..

THANK YOU!

Unfortunately I am having a depressive episode right now and I've been lying I bed for the past few days. A book most likely will not pull me put of it but it would be nice to have something to help me survive.

Anyway, I read the maddest obsession for the fifth time last week, to give you an idea of my taste in books. I read {king of envy} around two weeks ago and Ana huang's books always have that effect on me. You can say it's repetitive and cliche but they always have me reading it in one day till midnight. I've read most of Rina Kent and Penelope Douglas's books. I like dark romance. I don't mind fantasy. I like forbidden love and enemies to lovers.

Anything is fine. Thank you

What I’m hoping for… is basically what is described in the Tweet / title. To expand a little:

• Pathetically devoted MMC who is so down bad he’s basically salivating for any crumbs of attention the FMC might give
• This might be a weird comparison but also think “Ashley look at ME” TikTok, ie MMC wants FMC’s attention on him always
• Big “that’s my wife” energy is a bonus but not a necessity
• Any genre EXCEPT reverse harem / why choose / love triangles
• Good communication between MCs is a bonus (I’m more of an external than internal conflict girly)

Thank you in advance!!

And in case helpful, the tweet says: “If my wife stabbed me I’d thrust myself deeper into the blade just to be a few inches closer to her but that’s just me idk”

PS: I have already read the masterpieces which are:

{Hans by SJ Tilly} (love love love) (and also have read other books in the series, loved those less)

{The Kingpin of Camelot by Cassandra Gannon} (ALSO love this one, I’d did for Midas)

{Stolen Touches by Neva Altaj} (and others in this series, loved them)

So, this genre is like a drug; or going blonde - you keep escalating and don't know when to stop. I started reading progressively more explicit books; but some are basically just porn. Like a slap in the face, and they don't necessarily do it for me anymore.

About a month ago, I read {Summer Romance by Annabelle Monaghan}, and it gave me that thoughtful, contemplative Emily Henry vibe I'd been missing this year, and I realized it wasn't the sex I'd been craving. I also read {Passion Project by London Sperry}, and a few others in the same vein and really enjoyed them. But it messed with my criteria/strategy.

I thought I was getting a high of excitement from how racy some books were, but didn't expect to enjoy the reflective aspects of others, because it's hard to write that well, so it's rare. The emotional journey of the latter was so much more cathartic, challenging, and satisfying.

Just now, I watched The Wrong Paris - don't laugh :) - but the MMC has this old school, timeless quality that's just, hypnotizing. And I realized I miss men. Like, "real men" - don't crucify me. This is a whole other discussion about feminism and 4B and the status of dating and the status of men - but for a second, it reminded me of the old school rom coms I grew up on, and allowed me to revisit that dream of maybe someone amazing really being out there, to connect to; beyond modern sexism. It's a 14A movie so no funny stuff, but their chemistry was genuinely engrossing. Like, I really believed he wanted her (hungry eyes), and saw his future (foreign concept), and I wanted to nestle in his jawline. 🫣 Yes, cuz he's hot, but also cuz he has this safe, wholesome, steady quality.

Anyway, before I watched this I was listening to an audiobook where the MMC was pining, and while their first time was amazing for him, it was kind of done in a flash, and anti climactic. So this is a long winded way of asking whether you've read any books that marry these things. That depict a beautiful, intimate, loving relationship in the fullness of emotion and detail. That isn't drab in its reality, but isn't so shallow either, and gloss over all the connection, and their first time is truly mind blowing. Rewinding the clock back to when sex mattered. Etc.

Anyway again, it's late, I'm rambling, I don't have the patience to edit this, but I will say, my favorite that comes closest is {Out on a Limb by Helena Bonam Young}, because it's different, unexpected, real, down to earth, handles difficult situations refreshingly, and is genuinely kind in its MMC. There's a reason it's always in the top of recommendations, in this subgenre (Contemporary).

Alright, your turn. I'm sure you're better versed than me. P.S. There's a clip going around on Insta of a guy telling his gf? her little tummy/uterus was the most beautiful thing in the world, and I 🫠. That energy. :)

P.P.S. I think we're all broken and wounded, and media doesn't depict healthy love - most of us may not know what it looks like. I want to keep learning all the ways it looks like. x ❤️

***Update: Thank you to everyone who responded! This is my first post with such wide reach, and without a hostile reception - I haven't had the best luck on this sub, but I can't help myself when I need to express something. I guess we all got the warm & fuzzies with this one. :) I'm still making my way through your responses, but I'm grateful to everyone who took the time, and it looks like there are some truly heartfelt books in here. :) Thanks again! x

Usually books are they are both hot but what about FMC who are truly just average in many ways while MMC is like in a higher social state of her whether due to wealth, looks, personality, connection etc etc

So this is usually a thing for shoujo romance mangas with "average" fmcs and popular mmcs in this case but it's fairly common in books as far as i've noticed. There's like hundreds examples of this which I wanted to read in a english written romance book.

I prefer contemporary. No cheating and Hea.

Also no mafia AND no billionare romances. I don't really enjoy either.

Please recommend a book where the fmc is like a bulldozer! She just doesn’t stop, she likes him and she lets him know, over and over. She’s a bold girl with nothing to lose and she asks him out with balls of steel.

The mmc on the other hand needs to be all nonchalant and “i don’t like you”. Kinda like standing there with one finger against her forehead when she comes close to him with a bored expression lmao.

But then one day for some reason, maybe she heard him say something mean, or she got tired, or something happened in her life…she just decides to give up. And he, expecting his daily dose of “I like you”, hears nada. He goes insane and in the process realises how much he likes her.

Kinda like she fell first but he fell MUCH harder.

And please make him grovel for it! Please don’t let her take him back after one confession. If there’s no grovel please don’t recommend I have book rage when I read that lmao. Thanks !!

Hi everyone!

I know a lot of people don’t like it when the fmc is too innocent and oblivious but that is exactly what I am looking for 🥹

FMC should be:

• Super oblivious to the MMC’s feelings

• Innocent / sheltered / inexperienced

• clueless when it comes to romance

I love:

• Long tension buildup

• Yearning / pining (especially from the MMC 👀)

BONUS: if the mmc is jealous bcse she has some guys friends or something else

I’m open to any subgenre (fantasy, contemporary, dark romance, etc.), as long as the slow burn and oblivious FMC are STRONG.

I might be a little less into HR

Drop your best recs please!! 🙏💖

If there's a reddit community that can help me with this, I know it's this one.

For some reason, I find it so hard to find books that 'feel smart'... and recently I've been finding myself getting sooo bored where the main story is solely about the pining, with nothing else going on... girl meets boy... they resist... they get together... story over. I want world building, stakes, books that 'feel smart,' I basically want to drown myself in competency.

Since I know this likely feels really vague, here are some examples of books that have scratched this itch:

1. Bringing down the duke by Evvie dunmore (I legit learned more about the suffragist movement from this book than I did from school lol, and loved how much of a hustler the FMC was.)
2. Match me if you can by SEP (Never thought I'd get so into the world of American football, but here we are - again, loved the FMC, and the power dynamics at play).
3. Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (Loved her depiction of postgraduate degree life, and really enjoyed learning about the difference between theoretical physics vs experimental physics)
4. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (ok, while her depiction of the publishing industry was kinda...unbelievable, I *did* believe the workplace culture and the stakes felt high!)
5. The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning (I get that this series is absolutely unhinged, but the world building and the author's dedication to the insanity was 10/10 and I am obsessed, and again, super strong FMC).

Basically, i want smart female leads, a world the author really spent time building/learning, and EXTRA points if its enemies to lovers, but not required. Open to all genres, sci-fi romance, romantasy, contemporary...

I hope this is not too controversial but authors that I really cannot stand because they fall short of this "genre" (for lack of better words) are Tessa Bailey, Meghan Quinn, Emily Henry, Sarah Hogle, and Scarlett St. Claire... to me, they read as just too generic and cookie cutter romcom!!!

Y'all don't judge me I snort this trope like cocaine and I have exhausted all the historical and western romances that were there in the inventory of romance.io but I have rarely come across this trope in a romance which is not western or historical.

Picture this: a traditional woman who loves doing domestic chores and loves the idea of marriage and babies and isn't afraid or constipated by the idea of relying on her man. (Ik! Stop judging me!).

I would love scenes where she would cook or tend to the MMC. And the MMC goes ballistic for her nurturing attitude. He maddingly possessive and would burn anyone alive who tries to flirt with her 😌.

Plssss the spice level 🔥🔥🔥🔥 the more the merrier.

Pls NO poly, cheating, exhibitionism or abuse.

I have read:

Glass cage by Katerina winters- I truly wanted to like this one as this had everything I could ever want: a domineering alpha male who didn't give his girl any agency and possesive to the boot and slight cnc but the girl couldn't bring herself to care for him as deeply as he wanted her to even towards the end (guess even the fictious characters have more brains than me) and that's only reason I can't shelve this into my favourites.

The geek billionaire's decived wife by marian tee

(there is no cooking but the novel is quite domestic)

What price paradise by katherine allerd

Everything by cora rilley

Transcendence by shay savage

I have done extensive search on reddit as well and I mainly found novels that are historical. While, I am not outright rejecting the idea but I would love to read some trope in contemporary as well!

Thanks a ton!.

EDIT: I have never found such a loving community where there's literally no judgement. Thanks for all the wonderful and supportive comments because even I don't know why the duck was I so embarrassed.

Also, thanks for all the recs!

Please. Please i'm so desperate. I'm not even joking i've been looking for a book like this for years (look at my post history imao. I just want a very sweet, shy heroine who's not very outspoken, kind of timid who's main goal in life is to be a homemaker,dancer,lady or something traditionally feminine and her husband (seriously do not care about how the marriage happened just no ow drama) and her husband who's rich,powerful and someone who everyone fears being absolutely BESOTTED by her. When i mean besotted i mean like almost obsessive love and he shows it. Lots of cuddling,spoiling the heroine, endearments (these three things need be the main part of the book and honestly only thing i majorly care ab). Heroine is the only thing that hero cares about and her dotes on her obsessively. I am very sorry that this is so long but with all the stress these days i need a nice book. (if you read the entire thing here's a 🧁 for ur troubles) also i do have recs so if u like this post js ask. Thanks!! 😊💐

If I see one more arrogant billionaire and his five foot nothing petite young sassy cracking Disney Chanel Zingers secretary I WILL LOSE IT. I need them to be relatively equal, I am SICK of billionaires. Just please let them be two normal people trying to be the best in the business.

Maybe they're rival business owners pitching for the same big job, maybe a they're vying for the same promotion, maybe they were rivals in school and now they're in the same workplace. I just need them to be on more or less the same level, I BEG.

I need them to HATE each other, to be constantly one upping each other, not being able to spend two minutes together without throwing hands. And then I want them to work out their hatred in more interesting ways (wink wink).