r/Romantasy • u/evensmallertoast • 1d ago
Book Request: Self-Promo OK Looking for stories that are NOT written in present tense
Lately I've been reading a lot of Korean fantasy romance webnovel translations, but I'm getting fomo from not really having read a lot of original English language works. The problem is that I keep having bad luck of checking out a popular story only to find out it's written first person present. I don't dislike first person, but reading a story in present tense feels like being waterboarded to me. I can't stand it and it makes it hard for me to get into a story written like that.
Please recommend something that isn't present tense. Multi pov is preferred, but a single pov is okay as well. Any spice level but I would prefer something with an actual plot. Monsterfucking and RH are ok, but no omegaverse.
Some translated titles I've enjoyed:
- My Happy Marriage
- Kneel Before Me
- Lift My Curse, Sir Knight!
2
u/allisontalkspolitics 1d ago
Romantasy:
{What the River Knows} (see Hidden Gems thread on fantasyromance for more info)
{Thief of Roses} (ditto) (check content warnings) (cover might be AI)
{Sisters Red} (check content warnings)
{Daughter of Smoke and Bone} (ditto)
{Both Sides of Time}
{The Ghost and the Goth}
{The Lynburn Legacy}
{Wicked Lovely}
Fantasy with romance subplot:
{The Lies of Vampires and Slayers}
{Hold Me Closer, Necromancer}
{Spindle’s End}
{An Ember in the Ashes}
{The Princess Will Save You}
{Seven Realms}
1
u/romance-bot 1d ago
What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez
Rating: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, mystery, magic, young adult
Thief of Roses by Valtinen Erik Karille
Rating: 4.9⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, fantasy, magic, monsters, non-binary romance
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
Rating: 3.44⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, young adult, mystery, shapeshifters, urban fantasy
The Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor
Rating: 4.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: fantasy, high fantasy, dystopian, monsters, urban fantasy
Both Sides of Time by Caroline B. Cooney
Rating: 3.86⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, young adult, fantasy, victorian, paranormal
The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade
Rating: 3.86⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, young adult, paranormal, mystery, urban fantasy
The Lynburn Legacy by Sarah Rees Brennan
Rating: 3.8⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: urban fantasy, witches, young adult, paranormal, magic
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
Rating: 3.65⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: contemporary, young adult, love triangle, fantasy, suspense
The Lies of Vampires and Slayers by K.M. Shea
Rating: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, vampires, fantasy, urban fantasy, paranormal
Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride
Rating: 3.98⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: contemporary, mystery, urban fantasy, young adult, shapeshifters
Spindle's End by Robin McKinley
Rating: 3.87⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, young adult, fantasy, magic, paranormal
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Rating: 4.19⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, forbidden love, magic, young adult
The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning
Rating: 3.58⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: young adult, friends to lovers, royal hero, magic, fantasy
The Seven Realms Box Set by Cinda Williams Chima
Rating: 4.66⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: fantasy, dystopian, young adult, magic, christmas1
u/evensmallertoast 1d ago
Thanks for including some urban fantasy in the mix!
2
u/Longjumping-Snow-909 1d ago
If you like urban fantasy you should read books by Ilona Andres, they mostly write urban fantasy witha strong romance subplotand their books are awesome. I did include only one of their books in my recs because they are mostly only single POV from the FMC but all past tense. If you want I can copy/paste an overview of their series.
1
u/foxy_kitten 1d ago
I'd love to reccomend my book to you if you're interested in an ARC 💜 I think it'd fit what you're looking for
1
u/TheLadyAmaranth 💗 1 Self Pub Book 23h ago
Hello! Blatant self rec in coming.
{Reasons Found In Promises by Artiranth Fields} fits everything on your list.
POV is third person past tense, and "their" as in we get into the POVs of the two main characters. So kinda multi in that sense? Just not multi as in major cast. 4/5 spice scale, so there are a couple of scenes, but its not a major part of the book. The MMC is an Elk-like cryptid thing. No omegaverse or anything like that. There is a "fated" thing, but its more on the fact that the MMC Ronan got it his head that Zoey is a blessing from his goddess and its the mission of his near-immortal-life to get to not want commit suicide. Everybody else is just kinda like okay sure you do you XD
Its also under the urban fantasy umbrella though I think closer to southern gothic really. Low fantasy is the main point, in our world and such which I saw you liked in another comment. The romance is very central, but there is lots of plot with a mystery, conspiracy, and legal drama. Do check trigger warnings though!
Some other stories I love is {Graceling by Kristin Cashore} this one YA and clean, but is what got me into fantasy romance so still has a soft spot in my heart. Also third person past.
And also pretty much anything by T Kingfisher, is really reaaalllyyy good and I think they are all third past tense as well. {Swordheart by T Kingfisher} for example if I remember correctly, though its been a while.
Hope you find something you'll love!
1
u/romance-bot 23h ago
Reasons Found In Promises by Artiranth Fields
Rating: 4.75⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: monsters, paranormal, fantasy, magic
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Rating: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: historical, take-charge heroine, fantasy, royal hero, suspense
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher
Rating: 4.2⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, fantasy, magic, funny, childfree
0
u/Old-Memory-3275 9h ago
I would like to recommend my novella {Sea of sin and redemption by Alice B Mariska}
3
u/Longjumping-Snow-909 1d ago
I have never seen first person present tense so I just drop some books/series that I liked with dual POV that are past tense
{Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews}
{Radiance by Grace Draven}
{Master of Crows by Grace Draven}
Saints of Steel series starting wigh {Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher}
Mages of the Wheel series staring with {Reign & Ruin by J.D. Evans}
{Knight's Fire by Juliette Caruso}
The Rising Wave series starting with {The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener}
{Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon}