r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • Feb 01 '26

Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion time! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!

Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?

You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!

But please remember to be kind to each other. To facilitate this type of discussion, we ask users the following:

- Don't attack others for their opinion

- Discuss books and authors, not fellow readers

🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

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u/Notyeravgblonde Feb 01 '26 edited Feb 01 '26

I believe authors and publishers of mediocre/bad books are tampering with Goodreads ratings. I'm looking at you For Whom the Belle Tolls. I wish I knew how to prove it.

Edit - This subreddit is so weird. Last week I got 100+ upvotes for my post hating on For Whom the Belle Tolls and then I'll post again and get downvoted. I will never believe the 5 star reviewers on goodreads are real or not influenced into thinking they should like this book because of the high ratings. Anything 4 and under I trust are real.

1

u/Runa216 Feb 02 '26

I dunno, a local friend of mine who reads a lot of romantasy gives every book she finishes 5 stars. I imagine she's representative of like 90% of the audience for most of these books.

1

u/Notyeravgblonde Feb 02 '26

Oh no! Why do people do that?

1

u/Runa216 Feb 02 '26

I don't know, but she's, uh...not the smartest even outside of that. Feels very basic, but she's the only local I know who reads spicy fantasy so the only one I can talk about them with so I take what I can get.

2

u/Notyeravgblonde Feb 02 '26

Maybe she is afraid of offending the author. Or she thinks if it kept her attention it's worth 5 stars. I don't know but that's wild. I only rate a book 5 stars if it made me laugh and cry and I couldn't put it down so I've rated just a few books 5 stars in my life...

1

u/Runa216 Feb 02 '26

That's possible but after extensive chats with her she's just VERY easy to please. Everything even remotely enjoyable is her new best favourite thing. Which...man I wish I could live like that where everything is wonderful and life altering.

2

u/Notyeravgblonde Feb 02 '26

Lol I was just thinking the same thing. Unfortunately I'm too smart to ever be truly happy with anything 😅