#Romance Recs

[darlingofdots]

Hello lovely people, I come before you humbly requesting recommendations for very specific flavours of romance novels! I don't much care about trad/indie/self-pub, but I am equally humbly requesting that self-pub recs should be of similar quality standards re: grammar and punctuation as trad books, I know this makes me a snob but in this particular instance I really don't care.

I am particularly looking for:

paranormal romance featuring m/m or f/f protagonists

historical romance with f/f protagonists that is not Olivia Waite

contemporary romance with m/m protagonists, bonus points if it's in a specific subgenre of contemporary like sports romance

Some stipulations:

published after 2010

preferably written by an American author for reasons of My Degree Is In American Studies, but PLEASE recommend me BIPOC authors if you can!

currently in print or available electronically

needs to be an actual romance novel, which means the romance is the main plot and there's a Happily Ever After

high heat level is fine but should not be crossing the line into erotica, that's just not what I'm looking for in this context

for bonus points, I'd also love to discover some non-contemporary romances with trans protagonists, the funkier the better!

I am trying to fill in some gaps in the corpus of novels I am assembling for academic purposes, which is where these very specific descriptions come from, and I don't trust Goodreads review scores at all, so I come to you, lovely tumblrites, instead.

Thank you all, I am looking forward to your suggestions!

[tea-potato-gt]

G/t recommendations:

Midori Days (Midori no hibi) 2005

The plot: Midori is a shy girl who wants to build up the courage to tell Seiji how she feels. Seiji is a delinquent with a heart of gold who just wants a girlfriend. Fate has a funny way of bringing the two together when they wake up to (a shrunken) Midori becoming Seiji's right hand!

G/t: Midori does remember what it was like to be human so she gets so excited to see food on a larger scale.

Midori’s size change isn’t really emphasized or acknowledged very much. Since Midori is attached to Seiji’s arm, you don't get the classic picking the tiny up to gain her trust scenes. But I love when Seiji holds/comforts her with his left hand.

I had mentioned this story to @racheyace and decided to make a whole “why the G/t community should watch Midori Days” post lol.

This anime is one of my favorite anime romance stories of all time, G/t aside!

The Manga vs the Anime: There are 13 episode in the anime and 8 volumes of the manga (85 chapters). (I have the 1st and 3rd DVD and Vol. 1-6 of the manga.)

I love the anime, it's freaking hilarious and high energy! I watched it first and it got me interested in the manga. I'd definitely recommend the manga more! The manga introduces more characters and has a more developed and believable relationship between Midori and Seiji. Not only are the relationships with the two leads more fleshed out, but most of the side characters too! Everyone has depth and motivations and it feels like their all decisions have meaning!

The time frame in the anime is just a couple of months I think, while in the manga Seiji and Midori are together for about a year. They become so close that the heart break and pain is believable by the end. I cried like a baby at the end of the manga and I felt much more satisfied with how it ended. They are both great, but if I had to recommend one, it would definitely be the Manga.

Queer Rep: The manga has a bit of queer representation! One of the characters, Kouta Shingyoji (male), develops a crush on the male lead Seiji! And Midori and Seiji help two lesbians accept each other's feelings. To quote directly from the manga: "Love surpasses sexual boundaries," this is said while showing a picture of Kouta.

Warnings: The anime is rated “13 and older” and the manga is rated “T+ for older teens.” There is some violence, adult themes, a lot of cursing, suggestive scenes, questionable scenarios, and (some) nud!ty (all bare chest nud!ty, but not always s3xualized). But I am honestly impressed, this story could have EASILY been a h3nti, but's a pretty wholesome story of young love, just with a BIZARE twist.

Where to watch/read: You can read the manga on whatever app you use, I use “Manga Geek.” I’ve seen it on a lot of manga websites too! Or find the physical copies from 2004. (If anyone has Vol. 7-8 pls let me know! I have been looking for them! 👀)

You can watch the entire anime dubbed on Youtube here:

[manikas-whims]

Do you know any mangas that have that Gojohime couple dynamic?

sorry for such a late response anon..i’m not even sure if you check my blog these days but here's some mangas that remind me of GojoHime arranged in the order of most to least similar:

♡ Namaikizakari

• Similarity: its quite like GojoHime in that the female lead is older than the male lead. They are senpai-kouhai just like Gojo and Utahime.

• This is a Sports Shoujo Manga. There's gonna be a lot about basketball as the male lead is a basketball player at his school and the female lead works as a manager for the team.

• Boy likes the girl and decides to pursue her.

♡ The Apothecary Diaries

• Similarity: LITERALLY GOJOHIME IN A HISTORICAL SETTING. the amount of times I've heard people call them gjhm coded. Plus all the crossover fanarts I've seen as well as the fact that Gojo’s ENG VA also voices Jinshi.

• This is a historical, seinen drama. It will revolve around the concubines of the emperor and the royal court politics and conspiracies a lot. Female lead is an apothecary and the male lead’s position in the royal court is somewhat ambiguous but he definitely holds a high position. (DO WATCH THE ANIME)

• Boy develops an interest and later on, a crush on the girl. She dgaf about him. She's very much like Utahime in that 😆. The girl realises her own like for him slightly later. “Hissing Black Cat GF + Happy Golden Retriever BF”

♡ Kaichou wa Maid-sama

• Similarity: very similar because the male lead seems to be good at (and better) at everything, and is quite insufferable. Female lead does not bother with his shit 😆 “the one who easily gets Annoyed + the one who loves to Annoy” dynamic.

• This is a famous classic Shoujo and it’d be surprising if you don't know it already. High School Romance with a lot of comedy, and the occasional heavy moments. The development of the female lead and male lead, and the conclusion is one of my favs.

• Boy develops an interest in the Girl and slowly falls for her. Girl too, slowly begins to see the better sides of him and begins falling for him.

♡ The Script

• Similarity: the hair color? lol the hair colors are similar but aside from that the male lead and the female lead have similar dynamics as the above mentioned.

• Fantasy Romance Manhwa. It also has a light novel (right cover pic) which imo is better. The male lead shape-shifts into a white tiger. The female lead is a shaman and an exorcist. She helps undo curses on people. Love the plot!

• Boy fell first when they met during their childhood. The girl has forgotten him but soon remembers and her feelings reignite as well.

♡ Dreaming Freedom

• Similarity: just like the rest above. Sly Guy and Naive Girl who slowly becomes equally sly 🤭

• ⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: Yandere Male Lead, Toxic Relationship, Self Harm, Physical & Emotional Harm to others. This is a psychological, sorta surreal manhwa. It's about lucid dreaming and it's long term effects with a magical twist added so please do look that up if you don't know already.

• Boy fell first is obsessed with the Girl. Boy is possessive and jealous. The Girl becomes equally jealous and possessive of him so if you're into that you'll enjoy.

Hope at least one of these recommendations is to your liking and you have a great time reading! 🥰

[ddgraywrites]

WIP: Fictional Flame

You've Got Mail meets Beauty Shop when Paige Dela Cruz, a hairstylist aspiring to open the first Filipino-owned hair salon in the heart of little Winnipeg, falls head over heels for Christian Sato, or so she thought.

Paige Dela Cruz is a hairstylist who falls head over heels for the charming and sexy Christian Sato, or so she thought. She's actually talking to Eddy Silva, Christian's cousin.

While Paige and Eddy's messages become more intimate with each passing text, Eddy finds himself wanting to let go of his facade and show Paige the person he truly is.

As if her love life wasn't complicated enough, Paige faces another threat to her well-being. Her boss, Michael Coward. He takes everything from her - her clients, her tips, and her time. As Paige endures the constant nonsensical wrath of her boss, she begins to doubt if she'll ever be able to open the salon of her dreams.

_______________

I've contemplated whether or not I should post this because the more I think about my WIP, the more embarrassed I get which is so bizarre cause I'm over here trying to make it as a romance author. The self-sabotage and imposter syndrome are really sinking in right now which is exactly why I decided to finally share the details of my WIP.

Why did I write this book?

I was a hairstylist for 5 years and met the most amazing (and awful) people in the industry and I wanted to tell a more dramatized version of what happens in this cut-throat world that is hairstyling.

As a Filipino-Canadian living in little Winnipeg, I also wanted to share glimpses of what it's like being raised by immigrants, the food, and the covert racism I've encountered throughout the years.

Lastly, I just wanted to write my own romance because I love love. I love reading and watching love stories. I've always been a hopeless romantic. After my dad died in 2021, I needed some sort of outlet. I started writing a fantasy about a young girl who also lost her dad but then I reached a point where I couldn’t move on cause fantasy was too big for my brain to fathom lol. So I decided to stick to a genre I knew I could do well, and that was romance.

_______________

I feel incredibly vulnerable right now while I type this because I'm BRACING for the criticism and the eye rolls. Not that anyone has ever done that, it's just the aNxIeTy talking. But again, thank you for following me on this journey to become a traditionally published author (crossing my fingers SO hard) and if you're also a romance author and need a critique partner/beta reader, please DM me so we can do a little swap-aroo (I just lost you there, didn't I?)

Here's the sign-up form if you're interested in beta-reading Fictional Flame: https://docs.google.com/

I'm not sure how to end this so in true Canadian fashion, thank you again and sorry for saying thank you so many times. ❤️

[theromanticartist]

Penelope & Colin Engagement Ball💖

Download the pack with ALL High-Resolution Watermark-Free Bridgerton illustrations for $9.99, including Romantic and Spicy Uncensored content. The pack has more than 12 high-quality finished illustrations + several drawings and painting wips + fanfics, and it’s included in the Scorching Hot tier only until the end of October. 🌹 Next month, only monthly content (decided by Patrons votes) will be available and the pack will be sold separately. I hope to see you there! 😘

Patreon.com/TheRomanticArtist

For so many years Colin has taken Penelope in his arms and danced with her in almost every ball ♥

Bridgertons Book 4 - Romancing Mr.Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

[shellfish-thoughts]

📖🔥 BOOK REVIEW 🔥📖

A Soul To Keep by Opal Reyna

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Hear me out! I would smash! He’s the best guy around! 😍

Orpheus has come to claim Reia as his new “bride.” Sent against her will, she is determined to escape as soon as she can but finds it difficult when Orpheus is so kind and caring—definitely not trying to kill her and eat her as she had anticipated. 😏

I do love me a good ol’ Beauty and the Beast action, but I wasn’t expecting how heartfelt and wholesome this book would be! Our little Duskwalker is just a big softie who just wants some love and company. How could anyone not like him!? A man who is loving, kind, caring, and trying to learn everything that makes you happy?! That’s happy to receive the smallest bit of kindness?! I can’t; my heart will explode. 🥹

And don’t even get me started on the steam! The spice was very spicy! I loved every second of it! I didn’t know almost getting eaten alive would be so fun. 😚

I felt like there was so much time and care put into this book outside of just the romance. There was a whole world we were immersed in with intricate magic and enemies. Every concept and lore of this series is so fun and unique. To have Duskwalker eyes correlate to their emotions was so fun to see executed! To have them feed off of and smell fear played great into our couple’s learning trust (considering he could have eaten her very easily)! 😍

Everything just felt so purposeful and throughout. To see Orpheus’s brother having lesser “humanity”/knowledge really added to Orpheus’s efforts in growing and gaining knowledge to be able to build a home and care for Reia, even though we can see he still has much to learn. Everything combined played a part in helping this love story blossom while making room for more potential characters and couples.

Read it. The monster part just makes it more fun, trust me! 🔥

[thefudge]

If I may dare ask what are your favourite romance novels?????

this will sound obnoxious, but i tend to love romance best when i encounter it in other genres (and i could definitely make a list of novels from different genres where the romance isn't the point but it goes so hard for me, and i think i have made some lists like that in the past? i really have to organize my books/book recs/book rec tags. and maybe make more lists)

but if we're going by novels that are considered and (could be) classified as romance, here's an imperfect list:

all of austen of course, but especially pride and prejudice and persuasion

jane eyre by charlotte bronte

the age of innocence by edith wharton

anna karenina by tolstoy (where i think i'm fonder of the kitty/levin pairing)

doctor zhivago by boris pasternak

gone with the wind by margaret mitchell (hate/love relationship but i am not immune to it, i'm afraid! i will say i prefer the book to the movie)

excellent women by barbara pym (god, i love the grumpy hero/heroine pairing here)

bridget jones's diary (the first book especially)

girl with a pearl earring by tracy chevalier (the movie too! colin firth and scarlett johansson had such good chemistry, it was surreal)

the blue castle by l.m. montgomery (love that we have a genuine "plain jane" heroine that doesn't turn out to be beautiful if she lets down her hair or any of that nonsense)

the french lieutenant's woman by john fowles (a postmodern romance, in many ways, but the yearning is so good)

spring snow by yukio mishima (i do think this is a romance, first and foremost, and my goddd, the angst and the yearning)

eligible by curtis sittenfeld (a modern p&p retelling; i know a lot of ppl hate this one but i really like it, though it could have been shorter. some of the lizzy/darcy moments in this book made my brain go brrr. the humor is great too)

sofia khan is not obliged (but just the first book in this series - another fun p&p retelling with a muslim heroine)

conversations with friends by sally rooney (i promised i wouldn't stretch the genre but this to me read as more of a romance than anything. and though i struggled with some parts of this book, i will admit that the affair between frances and nick did get to me. there were some particular sex scenes where rooney was doing what i like with the smut in terms of revelation and vulnerability)

the princess diarist by carrie fisher (okay, i'm doing it again, this is technically classified as memoir but again, the sections about harrison ford?? INSANE in terms of romantic anguish and angst. theee RPF of all time)

who's that girl by mhairi mcfarlane (some scenes in this book literally made my heart skip a beat?? this is a celeb/journalist romance that really worked for me. mcfarlane doesn't always strike the right chord with me but here, omgg. i hated her a bit for that ending, but some of the moments between the hero and heroine made me kick my feet like a lil kid)

birthday girl by penelope douglas (i don't know if i'd call this favorite, but it did the age gap thing right, while also being hot and well-written. it didn't toootally win me over, but i appreciate it when an author takes the "fell for my boyfriend's dad" trope seriously)

[mermaidsirennikita]

Do you have any Christmas/winter romance recs?

Sure!

My favorite Christmas romances are Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy's Christmas Notch books. They're all set around a group of people who alternately are connected to a popular former boy band or a porn company, making these Christmas Hallmark type movies in a town that literally exists for these movies to be shot within, so everything about it is Christmas, including a Christmas strip club.

They include:

A Merry Little Meet Cute—heroine is a porn star who subs in for an actress who had to drop out, hero is a boy bander who unbeknownst to her has been subscribed to her onlyfans for quite a while

Snow Place Like L.A.—m/m second chance novella

A Holly Jolly Ever After—heroine is a former child star who's never had an orgasm with a partner (or maybe ever), hero is her co-star, part of the same boy band as above and famous because of a sex tape that leaked in which he was QUITE impressive... he teaches her how to have pleasurable sex, complications ensue

Seas and Greetings—f/f novella set on a cruise ship, bodyguard/client

A Jingle Bell Mingle—the widower of the boy band offers to let a former porn star stay at his Christmas mansion while they both attempt to figure out their next Christmas-themed projects; brooding/sunshine, with the twist being that she was the first person he slept with after his wife died... in a one night stand threesome... so maybe she was technically the second?

Then I'd recommend:

All By My Elf by Olivia Dade—Cute novelette/novella in which the hero and heroine are coworkers who get stranded in a blizzard on the road, confessions ensue

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood—Another novelette that's best friend's younger brother in which the heroine and the guy who's always wanted her get involved in a game of truth or drink over the holidays; angsty goodness

Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria—Novelette, the heroine and hero are neighbors who've lusted for each other and meet at a "dressed like Santa" holiday party; banging ensues

How the Dukes Stole Christmas is a cute collection with novellas by Sarah MacLean, Tessa Dare, Joanna Shupe, and Sophie Jordan. MacLean's is my favorite, as it's Sexy Ebeneezer Scrooge.

I Will by Lisa Kleypas is a fun novella in which the heroine wants the hero "trussed up like a Christmas goose" because she's so mad at him. But then it turns into like... as close to bondage as Kleypas has come lmao. Besides Then Came You, probably.

Of course, if you've read The Wallflowers and haven't read A Wallflower Christmas, you're missing out.

I have a few more I want to read this season!

[the-smut-analyst]

Kinktober 2023: Monster Lovers Edition

A kinky Halloween reading list for all my monster lovin' girlies out there (part 1 of 2)

Hope you enjoyed Part 1 of the Kinktober 2023: Monster Lovers Edition list!

For links to the books mentioned above, simply click on the image!

Disclaimer: images include affiliate links which help me to keep creating content :) I appreciate your support xo

[physalian]

Can somebody recommend me some wholesome romances? I’m talking Gomez and Morticia Addams-level wholesome.

I need a palate cleanser. Don’t care about the medium, I just need my faith in romance writers’ ability to not publish toxic bullshit and call it love restored.

Preferably queer. Preferably fantasy/historical/scifi. But I’ll try anything.

Please and thank you.

[sullyfound]

i need every single person in the world to read a letter to the luminous deep… like now

its an adorable romance set in a dense fantasy/sci-fi setting, written in an epistolary style (meaning the story is told through letters, notes, journal passages, etc)

if you’re looking for something fun to sink your teeth into it’s definitely worth reading! not to mention its an excellent debut by sylvie cathrall, and the first in a series, so there’s much more to follow. i just finished it and i’m already considering rereading.

[foxholeprince]

‘When you make love to me like that, I can’t think.’

‘Don’t think,’ said Damen.

‘Don’t,’ said Laurent, ‘toy with me. I have not the means to— defend against this.’

‘I don’t toy with you.’

— King’s Rising, C.S. Pacat

[artofkhaos404]

I enjoy novels with a bit of romance just like the next guy, but I'm getting sick of reading the same lame ass relationship dynamic where a masculine man with anger issues and overprotective tendencies (that end up paying off in the end) is with a feminine woman who has little to no personality besides sarcastic comments and sex appeal (and was obviously written by a man who had no idea how to write women).

That being said, does anyone have any book recommendations featuring a relationship dynamic that's more interesting and less misogynistic? Preferably where the woman is the dominant, masculine one in the relationship and the man is softer and more feminine.

(Bonus points if there's a kidnapping involved. I eat that shit for breakfast.)

[amysbooksnthings]

read the rainbow

just in case you're still looking for LGBTQIA+ romance books

[love-and-swords]

It's ya boy Zade Meadows baby!

I'm not ready for Where's Molly 😭 It came out two days ago and I'm dying to start it.

Art: DreamworldDweller

[theromanticartist]

“My God, I want you,” he gasped, grinding his hips down. “I want to strip you bare and sink into you and never let you go.”

Penelope groaned with desire, unable to believe how much pleasure she could feel from mere words. He made her feel wicked, naughty, and oh-so-desirable.

And she never wanted it to end.

Colin felt himself trembling as he kissed Penelope’s neck, his desire for her like a wildfire that he could not quench. She was his best friend, he wouldn’t—couldn’t—take her virtue. Even so, he continued to kiss and lick her back and neck up to the sensitive spot behind her earlobe. He grazed his teeth on her earlobe, and she gasped with pleasure him. He was lost; he had to have her.

“I want you, Penelope, but I can’t...,” he said, twisting her nipples between his fingers.

“Please, don’t stop...” Penelope moaned.

“I’ll show you one or two things we can do without risking you getting pregnant.”

“I don’t want cake. I want something else, but I don’t know what.”

“Cake?” he frowned, confused.

Someone told me that when a man brings cake to a woman, she can get pregnant.

Colin held back a chuckle. She was so innocent and beautiful. He lifted her chin toward him and kissed her with a slow devotion, savoring her. Then, he dropped his lips to her ear, “The wicked things I’m going to do with you are way better than cake...”

Penelope cooed in anticipation with his words. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but whatever it was, it would be good because it was with Colin. (Continue reading at my Patreon page)

Characters from the book Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn.