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All of her life Cassie has live in a little tourist town where a ghost known as old salt has hunted every day at 8:15 PM since 1879. Her family has made a living off of catering to the tourists who come to see the clockwork ghost. But Cassie sick of it. Sick of the tavern. Sick of the town. But most definitely sick of the ghost. But when she takes her anger at the ghost a little too far the ghost himself has something to say about it. And did we mention that he’s hot.

Don’t let the tagline fool you. Halloween has nothing to do with the plot of the story. And that’s just fine. Because the story is freaking adorable. Frankly I love this story it is wonderful and sweet and the characters are realistic and there’s tons of funny lines.  William has just the right amount of pathos when you consider that he’s been a ghost for over 100 and some odd years. I mean his unlife sucks, don’t get me wrong. But it hasn’t killed his sense of humor.

Cassie is wonderfully modern and a great character she’s also not stereo typically beautiful being freckle covered. She’s not glamorous or “special” she’s very much an every woman and that’s kind of awesome. Her inner monologue is hilarious. I loved it, a lot.

I do have to say that you need to go in with the understanding that this is a romance where one of the leads is already dead when the story starts. There’s only a few ways they can end up together… which can be off-putting for some people. I’ll put the potential trigger in the tags.

Basically I liked how the universe and the people becoming/staying ghosts worked.

It was a breath of fresh air…

Five easy stars.

If this is your jam, you can get it here.

If you like these kind of honest reviews, please consider supporting us here!

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In honor of the other Hallmark romantic holiday “Sweetest Day” have some romance recs

Looking for a Romance this Valentine’s Day?

So, every publication and blogger is putting out a Valentine’s Day romance list, and we are nothing if not followers. We’ve assembled a large list (33 Books) of a mix of traditionally and indie published books. All of the books on this list are ones we’ve read and feel comfortable recommending. And they all fit the definition of romance - a story where the relationship is central to the overall plot and features a happy for now or happily every after ending.

We’re going to break this down into several categories because not everyone reads Regency romances (but we are going to start there).

Regency Romance

These are books set between 1795-1837. While the Regency itself was only from 1811-1820 most people use these dates including Wikipedia. This was honestly one of the hardest for us to narrow down, mostly because it’s the dominant genre in traditionally published romance – even Contemporary doesn’t hold a candle to Regency right now.

Sweet Disorder - Rose Lerner - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Election hijinks ensue when the local election hinges on who the widowed wife of a newspaper printer marries. Other Notes: Plus-Sized Heroine, Family Drama, Disabled Characters, Everyday People Falling in Love, Marginalized Author (Jewish).

The Baroness Affair - Jean Wilde - M/M/F Romance (Steamy) - A desperate noblewoman enlists the help of a male courtesan to help her get pregnant… no it’s not what you think. Other Notes: Equal Triad Polyamory, Period Appropriate Homophobia, LBGT Romance, Family Drama.

How To Start a Scandal - Madeline Martin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A wallflower and secret society reporter reconnects with the Earl Next Door who’s recently returned from the war. Other Notes: Plus-Sized Heroine, Family Drama, Positive Mental Illness Portrayal, Cute Plot Animals.

Project Duchess - Sabrina Jeffries - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A duke returns to his family after the mysterious death of his stepfather, yet another duke, only to be enchanted by a woman who has a connection to the last person to see his stepfather alive. Other Notes: Older Heroine (the whole series features these), Romantic Suspense Series, family drama. I’m really enjoying the whole series and it’s worth a read.

The Rakess - Scarlett Peckham - M/F Romance (Steamy) - This is a love it or hate it kind of book that flips so many of the conventional romance tropes on its ear. It features a hard-drinking, hard-smoking, highly sexual woman who authors progressive literature and causes a scandal just by living her life meeting up with a mild-mannered reputation conscious Scottish Architect with two small children. Even the cover flips the script on the classic clinch cover. I loved it. A lot people didn’t. Other notes: Period appropriate sexism/hypocrisy/etc., CW: alcoholism, neighbors to lovers, adorable plot moppets.

Paranormal Romance

These are romances that feature a fantastical element. This can be anything from vampires to shifters to time travel. These also will often be series which may or may not continue with the same relationship throughout several books.

Hot Ghost - Annika Martin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - A waitress finds love with the ghost who haunts the pier near her family’s restaurant. Other Notes: Major Character Death (It’s a Ghost Romance…), Everyday People Falling in Love, Novella.

Accepting Fate - Deanna Chase - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Fresh from a bad break up, a woman meets her soulmate at an art gallery opening. Together they have to work through their trauma and find out if they can be happy together. Other Notes: Childhood trauma, Fire Fighter Romance, Soulmates, Artists.

Gretel - Niamh Murphy - F/F Romance (Steamy) - A retelling of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel with a very interesting twist. Other Notes: Age-Gap Romance, Novella.

One Shade of Grey - Monica Corwin - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Dorian Grey, yes that one, has a bit of a problem. He keeps seeing a woman who he thinks is the reincarnation of his lost love. But is she really? Or is he going insane? Other Notes: Positive Portrayal of Mental Illness, Classical Story Retelling, Billionaire Romance, Immortality

Tangled in Time - Barbara Longley - M/F Romance (Steamy) - Cursed to see spirits, Regan is approached by the spirit of a cursed Irish warrior. Now they must work together to lift his curse and fall in love along the way. Other Notes: Fae Romance, Time Travel Romance, Ghost Romance.

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites - Joy Demorra - M/M/F Romance (Steamy or Fluffy) - A vampire, a werewolf, and a magic user walk into a plot to end the world. Of course they have to fall in love along the way. Other Notes: Vampire Romance, Werewolf Romance, Magic User Romance, LBGT Fantasy Romance, Bisexual Romance, Postive Mental Illness representation, Marginalized Author (Disabled, Queer, Neurodivergent).

Keep reading

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Arctic Fire by Keira Andrews

Read time: <1 Day Rating: 5/5

The quote: "Hard to keep secrets in Arctic Bay.” “Have you tried?” Kin was silent for a moment. “Everyone has something to hide.“ — Kin Carsen & Jack Turner

Keep reading

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Books I Read in 2021

#78 - Keepsake, by Sarina Bowen

Rating: 5/5 stars

This is more like it! After being stunned by how much I enjoyed the first novel and slightly underwhelmed by the second, this feels like it's got my attention again. Zach is a sweetheart, Lark has issues but she also has reasons, and I found the entire journey from attraction to "we're both hurting but you make it better" to realizing they could actually make their relationship work, if they're smart about it--well, I was hooked. I read this in a single day and really didn't want to put it down the one time I did have to, because my phone was running low on battery and needed charging.

I'm such a sucker for the hurt/comfort dynamic, and that's the main component of the romance, but it's not without any further depth. When they do get frisky, Lark is lovely about Zach's virginity (a trope I'm not always fond of, even when it's the hero and not the heroine.) Zach is also still dealing with his unconventional upbringing--lots of the time it doesn't bother him much, usually about small details, but whenever he tries to think too far ahead into his future, he feels hampered by what he doesn't have--a high school education, a real mechanic's license, and so on. Like with another recent Bowen read of mine (Goodbye Paradise) I feel like this is a much more realistic and balanced take on the "escaped from a cult" trope that I used to encounter a lot in my romance reading, and generally thought wasn't executed well. I trust it in this author's hands, though.

If there's any flaw, it's that condensing Lark's time in mental-health recovery to a chapter of letters doesn't do as much as it could to really convey time passing, but then, it wouldn't be great to linger in her POV there, and it's not like we could spend multiple chapters spinning our wheels with Zach while he's waiting for her. So this is a case of finding something (slightly) lacking but not really knowing how it could be done better...which means I'm just nitpicking, essentially. I love Zach, Lark's pretty great too, I'm genuinely glad to see the Shipleys as necessary but not so much Jude or Sophie, because I thought their book was weaker. So this works out to be everything I had hoped for in a continuation of the series.

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As a Jaguar in a pack of leopards, Vaughn has always been on the outside looking in. A loner. Alone. While out scouting, Vaughn’s curiosity is piqued when he stumbles across a secluded house hidden deep in the Sierra Nevadas. The grand house is guarded by Psy guards. Intrigued, Vaughn intends to find out just what treasure the psychics are hiding . He never expects the treasure to come to him.

One of the rarest and most treasured of Psy, Faith has always been on the inside looking out. A seer, Faith is plagued by visions of the future… and recently of murder. When her sister is found dead—murdered—in a way Faith herself has foreseen, she knows she can no longer sit on the sidelines. She makes her escape only to stumble into the arms of a curious changeling. A changeling whose touch overwhelms her senses and stokes her silenced passions.

This book builds upon the first entry into the Psy-Changeling universe. While this book can partially stand on its own, it is definitely improved by having read the first book in the series. Events are referred to that happened in the first book and both Lucas and Sascha make reappearances

I did like the characters more in this book than I did in the previous book. While I still didn’t love that Vaughn kept overstepping the bounds, the reasons this time were made clear that the boundaries themselves were harmful and Vaughn was making a point that they were. But it’s still not my favorite trope in the world, but at least here the rationale made more sense.

I really liked Faith as a character. I liked her agency and proactiveness especially when everything around her was trying to take away her agency and her individuality and her very sense of self. I like that she struck out on her own and challenged things. She was definitely an interesting character and I do hope to see more of her as the series progresses.

I also really liked something that happened toward the very end with a character that would be a huge spoiler, but I really want to see more of this character in the future.

The plot itself was very standalone. It was similar to the previous book in that’s it’s a hunt for a killer. But unlike the first book, I was surprised as to who the killer was revealed to be. We also got to see more of some of the other characters in different roles and we’ll see how they progress from there. I’m particularly interested in Judd Lauren, who looks to be the hero of the next book.

In all, this was an enjoyable light read. Five stars.

If this is your jam, you can get it here.

If you like these kind of honest reviews, please consider supporting us here!

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Ask from a user who wants to remain anonymous:

Anon request please? Firstly, thank you for this blog I've been getting wonderful reads from your posts. Secondly, are there such thing as cathartic romances? Like a book that's still about falling in love, but also is good for having a good cry? I've read fanfic like this but I'd love to read some traditional romance with this vibe if possible!

Nothing like a good cry, is there? Especially when there’s a happy ending! Here are some romances that made us tear up, though your mileage may vary. One thing we noticed as we were going through is you may want to take a look at authors who came from fandom, queer authors, disabled authors, and authors of color -- all of whom seem to write more of what you like.

Sweet Solace by Alexa Padgett - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Rockstar Romance, CW: Suicide, book 1 of the Seattle Sound series which are all standalones with characters who know each other and varying levels of angst - try Between Breaths for a double dose of tears

Back to the Start by Elle Keating - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Sports Romance, Second Chance Romance, CW: Miscarriage

The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott - M/F - Unknown - Contemporary Romance, CW: Missing Family Member, CW: Anxiety

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Romance, Interracial Romance, Disabled Romance, Plus-Sized Romance, CW: Chronic Pain, CW: Past Abusive Relationship, CW: Medical Trauma, CW: Gaslighting

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Romance, Interracial Romance, Plus-Sized Romance, Bisexual Romance, CW: Character Death, CW: Anxiety

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Romance, Interracial Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Neurodivergent Romance, Plus-Sized Romance, CW: Ableism, CW: Child Neglect

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros - M/M - No Sex - Gaslamp Romance, Historical Romance, Young Adult, Jewish Romance, CW: Child Sexual Assault, CW: Character Death, CW: A whole bunch more

The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer - M/F - Closed Door - Jewish Romance, Hanukkah Romance, Disabled Romance, CW: Ableism, CW: Bullying

Love, Only Better by Paulette Stout - M/F - Open Door - Women’s Fiction, Interracial Romance, Jewish Romance, Contemporary Romance, CW: Depression, CW: Sexual Dysfunction

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao - M/M/F - Closed Door - Young Adult, Disabled Romance, CW: Rape, CW: Domestic Abuse, CW: A whole bunch more

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade - M/F - Open Door - Disabled Romance, Contemporary Romance, Plus-Sized Romance, Older Romance, Neurodivergent Romance, CW: Ableism, CW: Sexism, CW: Fatphobia 

All The Feels by Olivia Dade - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Romance, Plus-Sized Romance, Disabled Romance, Older Romance, Neurodivergent Romance, CW: Ableism, CW: Fatphobia

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston - F/F - Open Door - Young Adult, Bisexual Romance, Lesbian Romance, Interracial Romance, CW: Missing Family Member

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham - M/F - Open Door - Historical Romance, Regency Romance, CW: Period Appropriate Sexism, CW: Past Sexual Abuse

The Language of Flowers by Christina Rose Andrews - M/F - Open Door - Contemporary Romance, Interracial Romance, Second Chance Romance, CW: PTSD

How to Start a Scandal by Madeline Martin - M/F - Open Door - Regency Romance, Historical Romance, Second Chance Romance, Disabled Romance, CW: Fatphobia, CW: Body Trauma, CW: Emotional Abuse, CW: PTSD

The Duke, The Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley - M/F - No Sex - Historical Romance, Disabled Romance, Regency Romance, Interracial Romance, CW: Suicide, CW: Sexual Harassment, CW: Child Abuse/Neglect

My Heart’s in the Highlands by Amy Hoff - F/F - Open Door - Historical Romance, Time Travel Romance, Highlander Romance, Victorian Romance, CW: Period-Typical Sexism, CW: Dubious Consent

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites by Joy Demorra - M/M heading toward M/M/F - Open Door - Paranormal Romance, Vampire Romance, Shifter Romance, Neurodivergent Romance, CW: Medical Trauma, CW: PTSD, CW: Parental Abuse, CW: Domestic Abuse (Female on Male)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - F/F & M/F - Closed Door - This is on the edge of romance but it is definitely an emotional journey - Literary Fiction, Historical Romance, CW: Sexual Assault, CW: Child Abuse, CW: Character Death, CW: Sexism, CW: Racism, CW: Homophobia, CW: Discussion of Abortion, CW: Discussion of Miscarriage

Feral Heart by Regina Griffiths - M/F - No Sex - Women’s Fiction, Interracial Romance, Second Chance Romance, CW: Character Death, CW: Suicide, CW: Miscarriage, CW: Animal Injury 

The Deal by Elle Kennedy - M/F - Open Door - New Adult Romance, Hockey Romance, Sports Romance, CW: Rape, CW: Child Abuse, CW: Domestic Abuse

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen - M/F - Open Door - New Adult Romance, Contemporary Romance, Hockey Romance, Disabled Romance, CW: Suicidal Ideation, CW: Domestic Abuse (Female on Male)

Beg, Borrow, Steal by Susie Tate - M/F - Closed Door - Contemporary Romance, Medical Romance, Workplace Romance, CW: Teacher/Student Relationship

Perdition by Lindsay Ouimet - M/F - Closed Door - Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, CW: Slut-Shaming (Note: Ending is borderline Happy For Now, on the edge of what we’d consider a happy ending)

The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins - M/F - Closed Door/No Sex - Young Adult, Dystopian Romance, Sci-Fi Romance, CW: Character Death, CW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, CW: PTSD

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!

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Books I Read in 2021

#56 - Hot as Puck, by Lili Valente

Mount TBR: 53/100

Beat the Backlist Bingo: Kept you up late reading

Rating: 5/5 stars

Keep reading

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When monster hunter, Maggie Hoskie, is called in to hunt down a missing girl, she doesn’t expect to encounter a kind of monster that she’s never seen before. Concerned, She takes it to a medicine man that she knows to hopefully find answers. She gets answers. But unfortunately she also gets a partner, in the form of the medicine Man’s grandson, Kai. Together they try to track down the source of this new monster that threatens the very lives of everyone living in the Dinetah.

I’ve had this book on my radar for a long time. And I don’t know why I didn’t pick it up sooner, because I really enjoyed this post apocalyptic tale Featuring a Navajo monster hunter who is Anita Blake, Kate Bishop, and Katniss Everdeen all rolled into one. I loved Maggie. She was strong but also vulnerable. Hard but with a heart of gold. Intelligent but not infallible. She was flawed and I loved her flaws as much as I loved her ability to take names and kick butt. But as much as I loved Maggie, my favorite character far away was Kai. I never expected to want to cuddle this absolute cinnamon roll of a man. A cinnamon roll who has some massive hidden depths. Like so massive. Hugely Massive. Spoilery massive. Kai reminded me in a lot of ways of Peeta Mellark from the Hunger Games series. And well, that’s not a bad thing. Kai was the balm to Maggie’s burn. A healer and a diplomat, Kai complemented Maggie… and he could stand on his own in a fight. I love cinnamon rolls like that.

It was also really wonderful to see the native peoples being portrayed as modern living and breathing human beings. People who have quirks and foibles and don’t automatically get shoved into the harmful stereotype of the mystic native. Oh there’s magic and there is mysticism in this book–because the story is very deeply rooted in Navajo traditions and Navajo folklore–but it isn’t the kind of story that implies that the people are dead and lost to time. There’s a lot of call outs to the trials and hurts that the Native American people have endured and are enduring currently. But the story isn’t about the struggle. It’s very much a “we need to save the world and find out where these monsters came from: kind of story. You know… pure urban fantasy post apocalyptic kind of stuff. So while the pain and the history of the Navajo people is part of the color that brings the story to life it isn’t the whole story. And what a story it is. In a weird way, at its core its a “Coyote thought this was a good idea…” kind of story, which a lot of Navajo myths are.

But it’s also more than that. It’s a love story that promises to be fully romance in the next book. It’s a hunt to save the world. And it’s about finding and being true to one’s self. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was well crafted. I did not see one of the main points of the ending coming. But looking back at the story I do see it was foreshadowed well. I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing more of what the author has out there. Five stars.

If this is your jam, you can get it here.

If you like these kind of honest reviews, please consider supporting us here!

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Is there a book out there that's slowburn m/m friends to lovers in a typical high fantasy setting?

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!

It feels like you're looking for something very specific here, and there's one thing that's a little hard for us to define if we haven't actually read the book, and that's 'slow burn'.

However, your chosen genre makes this a little easier; you don't get a lot of standalones in high fantasy. Is a romance that doesn't get an HEA until the end of a trilogy or a quartet or quintet a slow burn? By our definition, it pretty much has to be. Friends to lovers tend to be somewhat inevitable in a series like this too; the protagonists start out having to work together and eventually fall in love.

Therefore, what you'll find below is mostly recommendations to first-in-series (sometimes to series bundles, if available). We leave it up to you to take a look and see if you'd like to commit yourself to reading a full series to get to the HEA.

The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey - M/M, Closed Door, TW: Major Character Death. Possibly the 'foundational text' for the M/M High Fantasy subgenre, certainly the first one that came to mind when we saw this ask!

Scorpion by Aleksandr Voinov - M/M, Open Door, Military Romance, BIPOC Protagonists. Memory of Scorpions Trilogy.

Luck In The Shadows by Lynn Flewelling - M/M, No Sex (first book - subsequent books are closed door). Nightrunner series (7 books). First book is friendship only, romance develops in later books.

Lord of the White Hell by Ginn Hale - M/M, YA Fantasy Romance, BIPOC Protagonists, Unknown Heat Level. Book 1 of a duology; there are 5 books in the series so far but they are split into duologies.

Counterpoint by Rachel Haimowitz - M/M, Prisoner/Captor Romance, Elf/Human Romance, Open Door. Book 1 of a duology; Book 1 has a cliffhanger ending.

Note: Sorry for the delay. This ask was harder than it looked. There’s a lot of Gaslamp Fantasy that has M/M slow burn romance but not a lot of High Fantasy.

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It has come to our attention that Romilly King has been credibly accused of plagiarism and therefore we are immediately removing that book from this list. Unfortunately, we cannot edit reblogs, so versions may still float around Tumblr with the original link.

Hi! I’m interested in sci-fi romances with either (or both!) lgbt or disability representation!

This is a tough one and it’s exactly what we’re here for. For disabled romance, we will be including mental and physical disabilities on this list. They will be stated.

LBGTQIA+ Sci-Fi Romance

The Shifting Ice by Alyce Caswell - M/M - Open Door - Interracial Romance

The Whispering Grass by Alyce Caswell - M/F - No Sex - Asexual Romance, Black Romance

The Creeping Moss by Alyce Caswell - FtM/F - Open Door - Transgender Romance

Evolved by N.R. Walker - M/M - Open Door - Android

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz - F/F - Closed Door - Robot, Asexual Romance

That Alien Feeling by Alessandra Hazard - M/M - Open Door - Alien Romance

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell - M/M - Unknown - Alien Romance

In the Wreckage by Hailey Turner - M/M - Open Door - Metahuman Romance, Military Romance.

Omega Revealed by Alexis B. Osbourne - M/M/F - Open Door - Omegaverse

Ecstasy from the Deep by Octavia Kore - M/M/F - Open Door - Alien Romance

Paid to Kneel by Romilly King - M/F - Open Door - Futuristic - BDSM, series It has come to our attention that Romilly King has been credibly accused of plagiarism and therefore we are immediately removing this book from our list.

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Disabled Sci-Fi Romance

The Hunger Games - M/F - Closed Door - Interracial Romance, Dystopia, YA Romance, Series - Peeta is an Amputee, Katniss has hearing loss, EVERYONE has PTSD.

The Grandfather Paradox by J.T. Bock - M/F - Unknown - Time Travel Romance (Sci-Fi based) - Hero is Hard of Hearing and uses a hearing aid - Series

Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh - M/F - Open Door - Urban Fantasy - Shifter Romance. (Note: This series features heroes and heroines with Mental Illnesses and Physical Disabilities. I will try to list which books have the rep in it - As a note, after book 5 the books stop standing on their own... and the Psy-Changeling Trinity series is a pure continuation and cannot stand on its own.)

Visions of Heat (Book 2) - Mental Break, PTSD

Caressed by Ice (Book 3) - PTSD

Hostage to Pleasure (Book 5) - Claustrophobia

Blaze of Memory (Book 7) - PTSD

Heart of Obsidian (Book 12) - Mental Break/PTSD like OMG

Shield of Winter (Book 13) - Malfunctioning Tech on Arm

Ocean Light (PST Book 2) - Implant Malfunction, Mechanical Heart, PTSD

Wolf Rain (PST Book 3) - PSTD (TW: Pet Death)

Alpha Night (PST Book 4) - PSTD

Last Guard (PST Book 5) - Spinal Injury (In Pre-release)

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Both!

The Flickering Flame by Alyce Caswell - F/F - Open Door -  Interracial Romance, Amputee Heroine (who stays disabled)

Surrender Love by Kayelle Allen - M/M - Open Door - Alien Romance, Musician Romance, Nearly Blind Hero (This has the Magical Healing Cock Trope FYI)

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So you might have noticed 4 books by Alyce Caswell on this... Well, you can get all four in one compilation. And there are 3 other books in the Galactic Pantheon Series.

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!

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Ask from a user who wants to remain anonymous:

Can you make this anon?

Lately I've been reading a bunch of romance and it's always with alpha males. I'd really love to read more romance like The Rakess with an alpha heroine where the woman is the dominant personality and the man is not. BDSM is fine so long as it is actually romance and not just erotica. I want to see women in heterosexual relationships being awesome and dominant and the dude totally being okay with it. (Like Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.)

` 

Please help! It feels like romance tends to forget that het/bi/pan women with alpha personalities need love too.

Alpha females are definitely not the norm in most romance, you’re quite correct. We’re glad you already discovered The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham; that author has written a couple of submissive males in her BDSM historicals. Also weirdly enough, some old school historical romance totally gets into this trope - probably because Elizabeth Bennet/Mr. Darcy is the original Alpha Heroine/Beta Hero (unless you count the Taming of the Shrew which depending on the production and interpretation is viable.) And as you likely already know, OP, having an alpha personality doesn’t mean that the woman has to be unfeminine. It just means that in the relationship the woman is the dominant partner.

We’ve scoured around and found a few more you might enjoy!

Historical

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan - M/F, Victorian Romance, Asian Romance (heroine is Chinese, hero is half-Chinese), alpha female, Open Door

Duke of Pleasure by Elizabeth Hoyt - M/F, Regency Romance, Open Door, heroine is a masked vigilante

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - M/F - Regency Romance, No Sex, Heroine is Gentry. Classic Romance.

Desire in Disguise by Rebecca Brandywine - M/F - French Revolution, Open door, heroine is a pirate, Old School Romance.

Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small - M/F - Elizabethan England, Open Door, Interracial Romance, Old School Romance, CW: Rape, Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Slavery. Book 1 of a two book series. Heroine is Irish and head of her Clan and Captain of a fleet of ships.

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole - M/F - Civil War America, Open Door, Interracial Romance, CW: Slavery, Rape, Racism (all the racism). Heroine is a Spy

A Duke Will Never Do by Darcy Burke - M/F - Regency Romance, Open Door, CW: Alcohol Abuse, Withdrawal, Sexual Assault. Heroine is a Spinster.

An Eye for an Earl by Jean Wilde - M/F - Regency Romance, Open Door, CW: Rape, Sexual Assault, Heroine is a Courtesan.

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Fantasy

Tinker by Wen Spencer - M/F, Fantasy Romance, Mechanic Heroine, Elf Hero, Near-Future, Unknown Heat Level - book 1 of 4, HFN in Book 1.

The Stormbringer by Isabel Cooper - M/F. Fantasy Romance, Warrior Heroine, Epic Fantasy, Open Door. Book 1 of 3, each featuring a different couple, heroines are all warriors.

The Edge of the Woods by Jules Kelley - M/F Bisexual (MFC referenced having past relationships with women), Shifter Romance. Open Door - heroine is alpha wolf of her pack, hero is not a shifter

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs - M/F, Shifter Romance, Urban Fantasy Romance, Native American heroine, Interracial romance, Love Triangle, Open Door - book 1 of 13 (and counting) in the Mercy Thompson series

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - M/F, Post Apocalyptic Romance, Urban Fantasy (Magic User), Native American Heroine, book 1 of 2 and likely more.

Alpha Night by Nalini Singh - M/F - Urban Fantasy (Shifter, Psychic), Book 19 of a 20 book and counting series, Heroine is the Alpha of her Pack.

Men Are Frogs by Saranna DeWylde - M/F - Contemporary Fantasy - Fairy Tale Retelling, Interracial Romance, Heroine is a Wedding Planner, Book 2 of a 3 book and counting series.

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Science Fiction

Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair - M/F, SciFi Romance, Smuggler Heroine, Open Door - you cannot go wrong with Linnea Sinclair. Her entire catalogue fits your ask. Try Gabriel’s Ghost or Games of Command or An Accidental Goddess, too.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre - M/F, SciFi Romance, Pilot Heroine, Closed Door - book 1/6 in the Sirantha Jax series. Each book has an HFN and book 6 Jax and March get their HEA.

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YA Romance

You’ll actually find quite a lot of kickass heroines (and the heroes who adore them) in the YA genre. From Katniss in The Hunger Games to Celaena in Throne of Glass and Jaenelle in the Black Jewels trilogy. However, these are not always romance, in that they don’t always fulfill the promise of the HEA or even HFN (Jaenelle doesn’t get either, in particular). It’s very common for the HEA not to come until the end of the series, so bear that in mind when looking at the recommendations below (and any other YA series).

Graceling by Kristin Cashore - M/F. YA Fantasy Romance, Unknown Heat Level, Assassin Heroine - book 1 in a series of 4.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers - M/F, YA Fantasy Romance, Open Door, Assassin Heroine - book 1 of a trilogy.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer - M/F, YA Science Fiction Romance, Open Door, Cyborg Heroine. Book 1 of a series of 4; each featuring a different strong heroine.

Hunted by the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena - M/F, YA Fantasy Romance, No Sex, Magic User Heroine, Book 1 in a Duology.

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Contemporary Romance

Vanessa’s Winter Romance by Christina Rose Andrews - M/F - Open Door - Interracial Romance, Law School Heroine, Black Heroine, Hispanic Hero, Beta Hero. (Bood 2 of a 3 book series)

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert - M/F - Open Door, Interracial romance, College Professor Heroine, Black Heroine, Muslim Hero, Bisexual Heroine, Beta Hero (Book 2 of a 3 book series)

Dirty Sweet Wild by Julie Kriss - M/F - Open Door, Disabled Hero (Amputee and PTSD), Sex Worker Heroine, Veteran Romance, Billionaire Romance (Book 2 of a 4 book series)

Tramps Like Us/Kimi wa Pet/You’re My Pet by Yayoi Ogawa - M/F - Open Door - MANGA Series, CW: Homelessness, Love Triangle. Heroine is a successful Business woman.

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!

[gimmeromance]

Hope Brookes is thoroughly tired of men who see her hourglass figure and red hair as nothing more than an invitation. When hiding from one annoyingly persistent suitor, she meets Luke Duff, recent marquess who is hiding from his brother's widow. Sparks fly, right until a misunderstanding ends with Luke in the nearby fountain. Hope is determined to forget the encounter ever happened - right until he happens to move in next door! While I enjoyed the first in this series about three talented sisters who set the scandal sheets ablaze, I think this one is even better! Hope and Luke have incredible chemistry from the very start, so it's no surprise that tongues start wagging! Their banter is witty and eloquent, and it is clear that Luke's attracted to Hope not just for her body but also her mind.Hope's struggle to be taken seriously as a writer, both by misogynistic publishers and her well-meaning but differently-talented family, still resonates today. Likewise, Luke's overwhelm at his sudden elevation in status is eminently relatable. His mother's secret battle with mental illness is also treated with compassion and dignity. He's definitely flawed - Luke jumps to conclusions and has serious foot-in-mouth syndrome - but he realises his mistakes and apologises at the first opportunity. This is a fabulous read that I couldn't put down (except to share a particularly lovely turn of phrase with my patient flatmates!) and I can't wait until Charity gets her turn in the spotlight!

The Marquess Next Door is available now in ebook or hard copy

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own.

[gimmeromance]

Mr Masters by TL Swan

Blurb: He was powerful, older and my boss, a lethal combination. Job satisfaction has taken on a whole new meaning. When I lied on my resume, I didn’t expect it to matter. I mean any child would love me; I was born to be a nanny. I applied for a position working for a woman, or so I thought. But Julian Masters is definitely all man…the kind you dream of licking chocolate from. The first day was bad. The kids were the spawn of the devil and I spied through a window and caught him doing something obscene…. and equally fascinating. The second day was worse, he caught me snooping in his bathroom cabinet in my skimpy pyjamas and all hell broke loose. On the third day, I ran over him in a golf cart. And by day four I had decided that I wanted that chocolate…all of it. Melted….on me. But intelligent, widowed Judges don’t fall for ditzy nannies. Or do they?

My Review: TL Swan has quickly become one of my favourite romance (and steamy) authors! I find all her books are different, with a range of diverse characters and storylines.

Mr Masters is a nanny / boss trope - And I was all for it! This gave me major “The Nanny” vibes, especially as it is set in London, except with extra steam! This story follows Bree as she joins her best friend, Emerson (featured in TL Swan other book - Find Me Alastar), as they both adventure off to London for a new job experience overseas. Emerson on an art internship, and Bree taking a new job experience as a nanny. What Bree didn’t expect when arriving in Heathrow airport was for a 39 year old handsome man to be her boss; Julian Masters. Julian & Bree have a connection straight away. They find themselves attracted to each other and being able to share banter quite easily. Julian is a widow, and with this brings a lot of heart ache. Julian only wants a play mate - Not a girlfriend (especially his nanny). So they decide to be friends with benefits outside of work. What Julian didn’t expect, was to fall for Bree when she was working. The connection that Bree makes with his children is one of the best parts of this book. Bree finds herself bonding with his closed off 16 year old daughter; Willow. Who is bullied for not having a mum and for being different. Bree takes the opportunity to make sure Willow knows she is loved and she is no different then anyone else. Willow automatically starts looking at Bree like a parent, and it truly was emotional to watch them both bond. Julian’s other child, 9 year old Sammy, also finds himself looking at Bree as a mum. And while Julian & Bree try their best to keep their “arrangement” separate from the children and Bree being the nanny - This becomes difficult when Julian finds himself looking up to Bree as well and her fun positive energy. Did I cry in this book? Yes. Did I squeal in this book? Yes. That is when you know you have read a 5 star read. You feel each character’s emotion and you find yourself never wanting to stop reading about these characters. I was so happy that the author did an extended epilogue and how the story ended. I can’t say more without spoiling it but please, read this book. The emotional and physical effect it will have on you is unforgettable. I was so happy I purchased a signed copy of this book from the authors website! 5/5 star read with 4/5 steam.

[gimmeromance]

5.29.2021

Love cannot be planned so carefully, my dear. It will stir things up a bit. That is part of its charm.

This was such a cute, quick read for this afternoon! And apparently the lighthearted book I didn’t know I needed this week!

The Honorable Jeremy Malcolm has a list of what he’s looking for in his future wife, and he holds all the young ladies of the ton to this list. He’s snubbed a few just because they don’t meet one of the requirements on his list, and one of those girls, Julia, the cousin of his good friend Lord Cassidy, is out to get some revenge on him for it. Julia pulls an old school friend, Selina, into the plot in the hopes of finding out exactly what is on Malcolm’s list without him falling in love with Selina. But all plans go down the drain when Selina and Malcolm find themselves falling in love with each other, despite the list. Julia tries to take matters into her own hands, but muddles the relationship that’s formed between Selina and Malcolm. She and Cassidy spend the rest of the book trying to get the two of them to make up and get back together, along with the help of Malcolm’s mother, all while Julia finds herself falling in love with Henry Ossamy, another one of Cassidy and Malcolm’s friends.

Towards the end of the book, when Malcolm and Selina are in the middle of their fight, Malcolm’s mother says something about love that really stuck with me. She said, “Love cannot be planned so carefully, my dear. It will stir things up a bit. That is part of its charm.” She’s completely right with this, and it makes me reconsider the short list of requirements I have for a future husband (especially since my roommate is trying to set me up with one of her co-workers). But, I think certain requirements are necessary; at least for me as a Christian there are certain things I look for that take priority over everything else, but I feel that’s a post for another day/time. Still, though, Malcolm’s mother’s words ring true - we shouldn’t have a long list of requirements for our future spouse; love will take us by surprise and stir things up a bit, just as it should.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[gimmeromance]

Hey @leahazel couldn't help but notice this in your tags...

#i guess open doors means like#they could get together after the ending#or something#romance taxonomies confuse and frighten me Please allow us to clear up a little confusion! You can find this in our FAQs... Question: What do closed door and open door mean?  Answer: We have five categories. They are erotica (sex is integral to the story), open door (sex is shown), closed door (sex is implied but not shown), no sex, and unknown (we don’t know how much sex there is). You might also want to check out our Glossary in which we give definitions for pretty much every Romance-specific term we could think of... but if you do come across a term in Romance we haven't defined that you don't understand, please feel free to drop by and ask us to clarify it for you!

Ask from a user who wants to remain private:

With Leverage being renewed, I’m suddenly craving a good heist romance. Got any recs, please?

Oh we love a good heist…and we adore Leverage! So here’s some to try.

The Pirate & I by Katharine Ashe - M/F Romance, Open Door (Historical, Regency)

Confidence Tricks by Tamara Morgan - M/F Romance, Open Door (Contemporary, Romantic Comedy)

Never Mix Sin With Pleasure by Renee Ann Miller - M/F Romance, Open Door  (Historical, Victorian) [in Pre-order]

Bow Street Bachelors series by Kate Bateman - M/F Romance, Open Door (Historical, Regency) Book One / Book Two / Book Three

The Will Darling Adventures by KJ Charles - M/M Romance, Open Door (Historical, Queer)

Heiress for Hire by Madeline Hunter - M/F Romance, Open Door (Historical, Regency)

Faking It - Jennifer Cruisie - M/F Romance, Open Door (Contemporary, Romantic Comedy)

Zorak by Cyndi Friberg - M/F Romance, Open Door (Sci-Fi, Alien)

The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham - M/F Romance, Open Door (Historical, Regency)

Hunted by the Sky by Tanez Bhathena - M/F Romance, No Sex (YA, Paranormal)

A Pocket in Time by Lexi Post - M/F Romance, Open Door (Time Travel, Regency)

The Knight of Ambra by Lyn Brittan - M/F Romance, Open Door (Contemporary, Romantic Suspense)

The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles - M/M Romance, Unknown Heat Level (Regency, Queer)

Brazen Angel by Elizabeth Boyle - M/F Romance, Open Door (Historical)

The Financier by Liz Maverick - M/F Romance, Open Door (Contemporary, Romantic Suspense)

*These suggestions are not endorsements. Please read the description and the reviews to decide whether you want to read the books!

[gimmeromance]

Mathilde Gosselin is young and naive when her father sends her to the Parisian court of Isabella, Queen of England. Overwhelmed when the queen singles her out for attention, she pledges her loyalty. Unbeknownst to her lady, however, Mathilde meets Henry Wright, illegitimate but honourable, and thereby blossoms a friendship that as the months pass, blossoms into something more. The queen isn't content to live in comfortable exile, however, and her ambition will force Mathilde to choose between her queen and her love.

I'm not terribly familiar with this turbulent period in English history, but I was very impressed with how the author managed to weave two believable and sympathetic characters into historical events. Their relationship grows slowly with gaps of weeks or months as Henry's duties take him away from Court but I was fully invested, especially as it became clear that certain choices were going to cause tension between the pair, not least Mathilde's devotion to her queen. While both leads (and many supporting characters) are well-fleshed out, this is not at the expense of plot, for history marches on and there is little time for naval gazing.

Beautifully researched with brilliant characterisation and just a pang of heartbreak to deepen the emotional resonance, this is a fabulous historical romance set in a less usual time period. I'm definitely keeping an eye out for this author in the future!

A Marriage Made in Secret is available in ebook or hard copy.

I received a copy of this book from the author; all opinions are my own.

[gimmeromance]

By turns heartbreaking and heartwarming, I absolutely loved this Australian rural romance about a mid-thirties couple both trailing a lot of baggage in their wake finding happiness together in the small (fictional) town of Hanrahan in the Snowy Mountains. Josh is the vet of the title and I’m here to tell you; if you’re wary about vets in fiction because there are occasionally surprisingly gory and confronting scenes, you’re quite safe here. While the facts of life for a vet are that they have to make hard decisions on a daily basis, everything is tastefully handled off the page. Similarly the sex scenes in the book are closed door; they happen but it’s fade to black and nothing is explicit.

Josh has quite a past, having left Hanrahan after something of a cloud after getting a trainee teacher pregnant right after he graduated high school - and never setting the record straight on when their relationship actually started. He worked construction for a decade to make ends meet before finally getting to go to vet school, so now in his mid-thirties he’s only just qualified and is late on starting his career. Good thing his little sister (also a vet) has invited him to come partner with her in her practice. Josh’s teenage daughter Poppy also makes an appearance, and it’s interesting to watch her navigate the town where she’s infamous for merely having been born. I find myself hoping Stella Quinn gets to write more books set in Hanrahan; Josh’s sister Hannah definitely deserves a romance (and there’s the setup for one in her acrimonious relationship with a local horse stud owner) but I’d like to see Poppy get her own happily ever after somewhere down the road too.

Vera is our heroine, opening up a new cafe in town, and despite Josh’s troubles, Vera’s the one whose problems are very real and present, as she’s facing a court case and potential jail time after just trying to expose poor treatment of her aunt in a nursing home. Aunt Jill has dementia and is fading, and Vera does have to deal with her loss here. Vera thinks she’s alone but discovers her ‘found family’ in a gorgeous cast of characters from Hanrahan who are absolutely not about to let her struggle.

I loved everything about this. I’d have liked more time for Josh and Vera to explore their romance, but both of them have such a lot going on it’s hard to carve out time for each other or even themselves… which honestly, feels very reflective of real life and real relationships! The town of Hanrahan with its heritage feel is beautifully brought to life on the page and I definitely hope we get to spend more time there in future books. Five stars for a really great read which handles sensitive topics with a delicate touch.

The Vet From Snowy River is available now.