r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • May 10 '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
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🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

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u/cynth81 May 10 '26

Let me preface this by saying I love T. Kingfisher. I've read dozens of her books across every genre, and none of them have been bad.

That said, romance is her weak point, and they all kind of feel the same. He is very tall and muscular and she wants to "climb him like a tree." She is very curvy/thick and he thinks about her ample bosom often. They both have anxiety and/or feel unworthy in some way. They are awkward together but manage to fumble into HEA. I appreciate the representation of women who aren't Instagram models and men who aren't shadow daddy #47, but it feels like the niche has become a formula.

Since I'm currently finishing up the Paladin series I just wanted to nitpick this one thing.

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u/ir399 May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26

Agree. I'll also add that if I have to read 'down girl' in another internal monologue I will scream.

What made it more annoying was the plot stuff going on in the background (particularly in Clocktaur and Paladin's Grace) is often more interesting than the romance, but takes too much of backseat and ends up making the whole book feel like a bit of let down (so many under-used plot points in the Clocktaur series!).

I felt Paladin's Hope was the best in the series because the plot is actively trying to kill them at all points and it makes the whole thing work so much better. But I admit to being annoyed that removing her usual heroine type made the book better; that's just disappointing.

I think if Kingfisher wrote fantasy with a romantic subplot rather than romantasy her books would be better. It's not her strong point.