#i just love me a rake in a historical romance OKAY

[missygoesmeow]

what if Raphael pretended to be a fancy lord and Tav was unwittlingly indebted off to him. what then. huh??

[mermaidsirennikita]

Dearest rogue in your recs and mentioning the dry humping YEEES!! Dry humping is so underrated and unappreciated, it's so hot and fun I wish there were more books with it

Could you rec some?

Honestly, I think dry humping is in general something people should get more on the program with because society needs to get away from penetration being the only source of pleasure.... and in romance novels it's SUCH a good way to ramp up tension and conversely, because of how society is dumb about it you can have the leads be all "it's not sex it's fine". Like. Okay sure.

Historical:

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare has a famous scene where the hero (a rake) and the heroine (a nerd) are in a room together on a roadtrip deal and hear the couple in the next room having loud sex, and she's all "gross" and he's like "AU CONTRAIRE SHALL I DO A DEMO" and they get off with a sheet between them. It's one of those "well that escalated quickly, that got really out of hand" scenes, which is what dry humping scenes SHOULD BE.

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long has a scene where I think she's grinding on him when they're on like a bench outside? And she's a super inexperienced virgin so she's on a "if it feels good go with it" kick and he's much older and is like "oookkaaaaaaay simmer down there".

It Had to Be A Duke by Vivienne Lorret has another "she uses him to get off" dry humping scene, we love to see it.

The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley. Ian introduces Beth to dry jumping by having her get on his thigh in like... his brother's living room I think lmao? When there are people that could come in at any moment? Tbh, after reading somewhere around 7 books in this series, I feel like the MacKenzie brothers just give each other a 30 second delay before walking into any room and if it smells like sex they're just like "FINE. PLEASE CLEAN MY COUCH AT LEAST". They're usually all at Hart's house at some point. His Victorian dry cleaning bill is probably fucking insane.

Grace Callaway often has this, I think--I feel like Olivia and The Masked Duke has a scene.

I could be wrong about this but I thiiiink The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe has dry humping. It's a sex lessons book, and they often do; I need to reread it.

Contemporary:

The Professional by Kresley Cole has a scene where the hero and heroine start grinding while he's like on top of her in a cornfield lmao. I think this is their first experience together. He's trying to haul her off to Russia to her mob boss father and is all "I CAN'T TOUCH THE MERCHANDISE" but he does touch the merchandise a LOT and she touches back.

The Roommate by Rosie Danan. The setup is that the hero and heroine are roommates, she finds out he's a well-known porn star, she's super repressed and they get an idea to work with other adult film people to create like, sex and sexual health resources for people, and there's a sex position they're trying to like demo together when they're alone to attempt to explain it to people, and it turns into a friend-on-friend impetuous dry hump.

Mafia Madman by Mila Finelli has an excellent scene where Enzo finds Gia chilling Platonically with his brother in the hot tub (a hot tub, where, I might add, Enzo's brothers would just FUCK GIRLS SIDE BY SIDE) and is super ticked about it so he gets in the hot tub and is like "okay babe if you're so hard up for it just hop on my lap and take it for a spin". Which she does. Shamefully lmao.

Paranormal:

Lothaire by Kresley Cole. In general, I think several IAD books have dry humping, but this one is SO FAMOUS and the best dry humping scene I've ever read. Lothaire has Ellie captive because he's, you know, evil, and she's decided to offer him sexual favors in order to get the upper hand (after sagely noticing that he's HARD UP). She's a virgin... but she's not without experience lol, so when he's all "fine blow me" she's like "actually.... I'm an EXPERT at dry humping, and I was FAMOUS in my high school for that" and he's like "lmao sure" but within minutes she has him DYING. She also gets mad at him after and finds him having an existential crisis about it in the shower and throws his cum-soaked jeans at him like "HAVE FUN WASHING THESE ASSHOLE" which I adore. Ellie is my fucking favorite, there are some God tier heroines I will defend to the death and she's one of them.

And in their "own damn thang" castegory....

I mean, all of Sierra Simone's books probably have dry humping at some point, but standouts include:

American Queen: MMF. Ash (President Sexy) makes Greer (his girlfriend at the time) hump his leg to climax while Embry (Vice President Sad Horny) watches because he can Sense The Vibe. And Embry and Greer are all "nooooooooooo :(((" about it while also being very "if you say so :)))))".

Salt Kiss: MMF. After Mark (daddy dom) sends Tristan (bodyguard sub/mild switch?) to guard Isolde (knife sub) on her journey to marry Mark, Tristan and Isolde, who are both very fucked up about Mark but also wildly into each other, have a sparring session that turns into a MAGNIFICENT dry humping scene. I reread it this morning, actually, and it's.... a lot.

A Lesson in Thorns: MMF, FF. A very special scene where during a game of spin the bottle one person makes another person spank the third person, all fully clothed, and perhaps there is some dry humping and perhaps some delicious embarrassment occurs.

[scriberated]

Bridgerton S3 Part 1 Thoughts

TLDR: Worst season to date.

Specifics/spoilers below the cut.

In no particular order:

The costuming is awful - and I don't just mean historically inaccurate, cause they weren't the 1st two seasons either and I wasn't expecting them to be. Pretty much everything is either ugly or blatant product placement or both, with very few exceptions.

The Featheringtons are funny as shit and possibly the greatest redeeming quality of this season.

Too many subplots. Way too many. Mondritchs, Violet & Lord Anderson, Benedict and his FWB situation, Cressida & Eloise, Francesca (I understand they're setting up her season so I get it but it's a lot of screen time to spend on someone who isn't supposed to be the MC this season).

Collin did not do enough groveling.

Debling and Penelope are both hypocrites and ill-suited to each other. Both claimed they wanted a practical match with someone they could be companionable with but inevitably didn't work out because Debling wasn't okay with Penelope being in love with someone else (odd for someone who wasn't seeking love) and Penelope claimed she was resolved to a practical match but was actually hoping for love the whole time.

Considering they're supposed to get glow ups for their season, Collin's… wasn't it. His hair was awful and so was all the botox/lip flip. The coat was acceptable but felt very out of place.

They did make me sympathize with Cressida, which I didn't think was going to be a thing. I like her and Eloise together. Even if they don' t make it canon, I ship it a little bit.

The Balloon was the DUMBEST thing this whole season. The whole scene felt forced and insanely slow - like Pen had a whole 84 years to get out of the way, and it did not feel nearly as dire as they tried to make it out to be.

The soundtrack was the best thing about this whole season.

While I appreciate the parallel between Cressida and Penelope - both in their third season, practically on the shelf, facing dire futures - it didn't land the way it could have. Felt like a wasted opportunity.

Benedict and his FWB situation is annoying and stupid and was given entirely too much screen time.

Mama Bridgerton is canny and I love her for it. The blatant "oh btw Penelope is getting proposed to tonight" to kick Collin's butt into gear is fabulous even if it was obvious.

Brimsley and the Queen's relationship is still my favorite. Besties 4 Life.

I love Francesca and John just sitting together in contented silence. <3 Big fan.

Collin's attempts at being a rake didn't land. Like, if they were intending to do it as a way of showing him trying to be someone he isn't, it felt very forced and flat. Collin's characterization this whole season honestly feels very flat. It almost feels like he is still adrift, not invested in the stakes of the season.

Eloise calling on Cressida during calling hour is Gay and I will die on that hill.

Collin writing regency erotica is eternally funny to me. I see many potential AUs of him being a romance novelist and Penelope being his unwitting muse.

The Queen's wigs getting more and more ridiculous just absolutely sent me. The swans?? How did that even work mechanically? Like I'm all for some creative license but come on.

The Queen striking out three seasons in a row with her matchmaking is hilarious but also kind of sad.

Eloise and Cressida in the box during the last ball? GAY. I like them together. I know Eloise is supposed to wind up with someone else (Sir Phillip?) but GD they have chemistry.

Idc about Danbury's feud with her brother. It's so out of left field. Like I know they're maybe trying to build up to Violet finding someone to... tend to her Garden (and that person being Marcus) but it just feels... bleh. Unnecessary.

Portia Featherington is a shit mother and she deserves to be slapped.

I'll give them props for the increased representation - it was nice to see HOH/Deaf & disabled representation, even if it felt a little... token-y? I'm hoping there will be more so it will level out.

The carriage scene. Was it steamy? Yes. I'll give it to them. Luke and Nicola have great chemistry. But did Collin earn that??? After ruining her prospects and then literally ruining her???? No. His proposal immediately afterwards felt impulsive and lust driven instead of love driven, maybe even duty driven since he 'ruined' her. And we saw way more of him being into her than we did of her being into him, I felt like.

Overall... rushed, too crowded by subplots, flat, and frankly disappointing. I really hope they bring it back around come part two but the teaser honestly just makes it seem like it's going to be more of the same. It's missing the charm of the first two seasons - or of the Queen Charlotte spinoff, which I really enjoyed.

[extasiswings]

Top 9 Books*

*I read way too much for this game so instead I'm going with "Top 9 historical romances read for the first time in 2023, no more than one per author and series (with exceptions for honorable mentions)"

Tagged by @tripleaxeldiaz (MWAH) [I don't think this tag game was necessarily intended to be a rec list but here we are - under a cut for length]

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe

Summary: To escape the shackles of marriage, Nellie Young purposely ruined her reputation a long time ago. Now she dedicates herself to hedonistic pleasures only, like kissing a handsome stranger in the ocean under the moonlight... To save his estate, the proper Duke of Lockwood must marry the perfect bride—wealthy, with an unblemished reputation. While in New York he's the perfect gentleman, and no one knows he's suppressing his darkest desires. The last thing he needs is another scandal. Except Nellie sees through Lockwood's charade, straight to the real man underneath. This uptight duke is far more than he lets on, and she can't resist him. Their secret affair turns scorching, far more than either expected. And when his beautiful rebel finds an unconventional cause, Lockwood has to decide if he's willing to sacrifice everything to keep her. Thoughts: Joanna Shupe really saved the best for last to wrap up her Fifth Avenue Rebels series. There is so much that’s so good, not the least of which is that the tension is immaculate after three books of these two sniping at each other from the sidelines. And when it finally snaps, it’s so satisfying. Also, I have a great appreciation for romances where the stakes feel real and relatable and the obstacles aren’t contrived or easily swept aside and I felt that was true here.

A Convergence of Desire by Felicity Niven

Summary: An insatiable rake falls for an eccentric genius. Too bad she's his innocent bride, and he has vowed never to touch her. Harriet “Harry” Lovelock lives a life of the mind, and she knows she can prove a theorem that has baffled male mathematicians for two centuries. But her stepmother wants her married and the swirl of the Season saps Harry’s energy and distracts her from her work. She has to put an end to the tedium of balls. Now. Full stop. Thomas Drake, the Earl Drake, devotes himself to the pleasures of the flesh, even as he wrestles with his own demons and intractable problems. He needs to marry wealth, but could he ever be satisfied by just one woman? She can spend all her time on her proof. He can have any woman he wants, except her. Their marriage of convenience could prove to be the perfect partnership—as long as love never enters the equation. Thoughts: a new author for me, and wow oh wow. First of all, the heroine—I feel like far too often in HR when an author says they’re writing a neurodivergent heroine what ends up on the page is just sort of shades of smart and quirky (maybe with a side of shy or anxious). That is not the case here. Harry is full out Beautiful Mind, doesn’t sleep, doesn’t eat, doesn’t particularly like or understand most people and can be unintentionally cruel at times as a result, finds most facets of generally being alive incredibly inconvenient because they get in the way of her math—and the author doesn’t try to shy away from that. She is messy, she is flawed, she is abrupt and not the most likable at times, and that’s not only okay, it’s the whole point! And Thomas, oh my god, watching him be like “my wife is encouraging me to be unfaithful and leave her alone, this should be the perfect arrangement…except that somehow all I want is to listen to her talk about math and make sure she’s eating and getting enough sleep and actually I don’t want to be with any other women oh hell” is a truly delightful journey. Reader: I cried. I loved it so much.

The Notorious Lord Knightly by Lorraine Heath

Summary: A scandalous book by an anonymous author takes London by storm, and everyone is convinced its villainous “Lord K” is the greatly admired Earl of Knightly. Heartbroken that he left her at the altar, Miss Regina Leyland impulsively sought revenge by revealing the true Knightly to the world but never expected the uproar to bring enemies to her door. To keep her identity hidden, she must trust the one man with the power to destroy her. Furious to be the object of notoriety and gossip, Knightly confronts the lady he suspects of penning the tome only to discover she is no longer the naïve innocent he was forced to betray, but a woman of strength and conviction, who will bow before no man. Knightly and Regina pretend a reconciliation to salvage their reputations and throw the ton off their scent. But false friendship soon turns to powerful passion. When truths emerge, threatening all they hold dear, they must face the consequences of their past if their story is ever to deserve its happily ever after. Thoughts: Lorraine Heath is one of those authors who is truly in a class of her own (which is excellent because she’s been writing forever so her backlist is a million miles long) and this was no exception. I’ll be honest—I love a second chance romance. But only when done well. And it is way easier to write really mediocre second chance romance than put in the work—a lot of the time I feel like either the original stakes are lacking (so that it’s like “really? This was why y’all couldn’t get your shit together the first time and/or you held a grudge for so long over that?”) or very overblown (so it’s “wow yeah that was genuinely super shitty and the justification sucks, get some self respect you don’t have to forgive that”). But this was such a good example of second chance done right. The stakes made sense, the emotions were valid, the journey felt justified, the payoff felt earned…ugh, yes, so good.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles

Summary: Abandoned by his father, Gareth Inglis grew up lonely, prickly, and well-used to disappointment. Still, he longs for a connection. When he meets a charming stranger, he falls head over heels—until everything goes wrong and he's left alone again. Then Gareth's father dies, turning the shabby London clerk into Sir Gareth, with a grand house on the remote Romney Marsh and a family he doesn't know. The Marsh is another world, a strange, empty place notorious for its ruthless gangs of smugglers. And one of them is dangerously familiar... Joss Doomsday has run the Doomsday smuggling clan since he was a boy. When the new baronet—his old lover—agrees to testify against Joss's sister, Joss acts fast to stop him. Their reunion is anything but happy, yet after the dust settles, neither can stay away. Soon, all Joss and Gareth want is the chance to be together. But the bleak, bare Marsh holds deadly secrets. And when Gareth finds himself threatened from every side, the gentleman and the smuggler must trust one another not just with their hearts, but with their lives. Thoughts: QUEER HR MY BELOVED. KJ Charles’ books always have such a great Energy, I can’t even explain it, but this opener to a new series has so much good stuff. It’s got smugglers, it’s got family drama, it’s got murder and intrigue and disaster queer boys (who can occasionally be extremely competent), it’s got political and social commentary, it is, frankly, just a damn good time. (The second book in the series just came out and I am very impatiently awaiting my turn on the hold list at the library). Just read it.

Always Be My Duchess by Amalie Howard

Summary: Lord Lysander Blackstone, the stern Duke of Montcroix, has only one interest: increasing his considerable fortune. After a series of betrayals, he keeps his emotions buried deep. Money, after all, can't break a man's heart—or make promises it can’t keep. But when his reputation for being heartless jeopardizes a new business deal, he finds himself seeking a most unusual—and alluring—solution . . . Once an up-and-coming ballerina, Miss Geneviève Valery is now hopelessly out of work. After refusing to become a wealthy patron's mistress, Nève was promptly shown the door to the streets. When she accidentally saves the life of a handsome duke, she doubts the encounter will go any better than her last brush with nobility. But instead of propositioning her, Montcroix makes Nève an offer she would be a fool to refuse: act as his fake fiancée in exchange for fortune enough to start over. Only neither is prepared when very real feelings begin to grow between them. They both stand to win . . . but only if they’re willing to risk their hearts. Thoughts: Amalie Howard is one of the authors I read for the first time this year where I devoured her books like candy in far too short a period of time and was then left metaphorically turning the bag upside down and shaking it while pouting and wondering why there wasn’t more. Because of that (and the fact that choosing just one was incredibly difficult), she gets an extra honorable mention title. Always Be My Duchess though was a really lovely take on basically “Pretty Woman but make it HR” (she has several books clearly inspired by 90s romcoms that are very well done) and it got me big in my feelings. *Runner Up/Honorable Mention: The Princess Stakes

Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen

Summary: Captain Maximus Harcourt, the unconventional tenth Duke of Alderidge, can deal with tropical storms, raging seas, and the fiercest of pirates. But he's returned home from his latest voyage to find a naked earl - quite inconveniently deceased - tied to his missing sister's bed. And he has only one place to turn. Now he's at the mercy of the captivating Miss Ivory Moore of Chegarre & Associates, known throughout London for smoothing over the most dire of scandals. Miss Moore treats the crisis as though it were no more serious than a cup of spilt tea on an expensive rug. As though this sort of thing happened on the job every day. Max has never in all his life met a woman with such nerve. Her dark eyes are too wide, her mouth is too full, her cheekbones too sharp. Yet together, she's somehow...flawless. It's just like his love for her, imperfect, unexpected - yet absolutely true. Thoughts: what can I say, I love a romance with a detective story and this heroine is basically a HR Olivia Pope. I love her, I love Max, really I loved this whole series—so much fun.

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley

Summary: As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a polite young lady—or a bawdy old man. She’ll do whatever it takes to solve the cases her family takes on. But when Tommy’s beautiful new client turns out to be the highborn lady she’s secretly smitten with, more than her mission is at stake . . . Bluestocking Miss Philippa York doesn’t believe in love. Her heart didn’t pitter-patter when she was betrothed to a duke, nor did it break when he married someone else. All Philippa desires is to decode a centuries-old manuscript to keep a modern-day villain from claiming credit for work that wasn’t his. She hates that she needs a man’s help to do it—so she’s delighted to discover the clever, charming baron at her side is in fact a woman. But as she and Tommy grow closer and the stakes of their discovery higher, more than just their hearts are at risk. Thoughts: QUEER HR MY BELOVED, ELECTRIC BOOGALOO SAPPHIC EDITION. God. GOD. This book…it’s so MUCH. There’s so much of this whole series that’s very fun and lighthearted but then unexpectedly you’ll be punched in the gut with emotions, and there were definitely moments in this one that ripped me to shreds in the best way (and then gently put me back together again). You will laugh, you will cry (I certainly did), you may very well cheer, and the HEA here was everything my queer ass ever wanted.

Her Wanton Wager by Grace Callaway

Summary: A Wager She Can't Afford to Lose When her brother falls into the clutches of gamester Gavin Hunt, feisty heiress Persephone Fines will do whatever it takes to save him. Hunt offers her an outrageous proposition: he will release her brother… if she can resist six nights of seduction. Can she withstand the scoundrel's wicked charm—and the shocking desire he rouses with each touch? A Bet He's Determined to Win A product of London’s violent stews, Gavin Hunt has clawed his way to success and power. Now he will stop at nothing to achieve his life-long goal: revenge upon the man who betrayed him. He plans to seduce his enemy’s sister… but doesn't count on losing his heart. Will he give up his need for vengeance—or risk forsaking the only woman he’s ever loved? From Six Nights to Forever As the battle of the sexes rages on and seduction flares into uncontrollable passion, Gavin and Percy must also fight a hidden enemy. Only by trusting one another can they defeat the threats of past and present. In this high-stakes game of love versus sin, what will be the outcome of… Her Wanton Wager? Thoughts: OKAY LOOK. Grace Callaway is another author in the category of “I read her for the first time and within like two weeks I had read everything and was screaming crying desperate for more because she’s SO GOOD.” So she gets one spotlight and then honorable mentions from each separate series because all of her books are so good. I think I had to go with this one (despite the very fierce competition) because at the end of the day Iiiiiiiii am a huge slut for a “dark and twisty criminal hellbent on revenge and the lady who may become the light of his life but will also take no shit” story ESPECIALLY if it involves scandalous (consensual) bets over sexual favors. And this one fucks (pun absolutely intended). *Runner Ups/Honorable Mentions: The Duke Who Knew Too Much (from the Heart of Enquiry series—spinster debutante catches kinky duke engaged in certain Activities and wildly misconstrues the situation, when his lover turns up dead and he’s framed for the murder, she tells the police that he totally must have done it because of the aforementioned kink that she wildly misconstrued, he takes her to a sex club to be like “FFS I’M NOT A MURDERER I’M A DOM” and she feels so guilty that she insists on helping him clear his name. COMEDY); The Duke Identity (Game of Dukes series—policeman and disgraced scientist/inventor goes undercover to become the bodyguard to the granddaughter of the criminal underworld’s most notorious kingpin, a woman who definitely does not want a bodyguard, and they have to ultimately work together to save the day when something turns out to be rotten in the state of Denmark); Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl (Society of Angels series—oh my god you guys it’s HR Charlie’s Angels and it’s the BEST. This particular one is debutante who is secretly a detective solving crimes for women needs to get married so she can get out from under her family’s thumb and have some independence to continue being a detective, enters into a marriage of convenience with a man who is secretly an agent for the Crown, both of them fully intend to just keep lying to each other until their separate investigations turn out to be linked…literally every book in this series is a Delight).

Knockout by Sarah MacLean

Summary: With her headful of wild curls and wilder ideas and an unabashed love of experiments and explosives, society has labeled Lady Imogen Loveless peculiar…and doesn’t know she’s one of the Hell’s Belles—a group of vigilantes operating outside the notice of most of London. Thomas Peck is not most of London. The brilliant detective fought his way off the streets and into a promising career through sheer force of will and a keen ability to see things others miss, like the fact that Imogen isn’t peculiar…she’s pandemonium. If you ask him, she requires a keeper. When her powerful family discovers her late-night activities, they couldn’t agree more…and they know just the man for the task. Thomas wants nothing to do with guarding Imogen. He is a grown man with a proper job and no time for the lady’s incendiary chaos, no matter how lushly it is packaged. But some assignments are too explosive to pass up, and the gruff detective is soon caught up in Imogen’s world, full of her bold smiles and burning secrets…and a fiery passion that threatens to consume them both. Thoughts: LMAO y'all had to know this list wasn't ending without some Sarah MacLean. Anyway, 12/10 no notes, I waited two years for this book knowing it was going to give Everything because the moment these two were introduced back in Bombshell I was obsessed (I mean, who DOESN'T love a girl who likes to blow things up and flirt shamelessly with entirely too honorable policemen who are at their wits end?). As always, thank you Ms. McLean for my life.

[triviareads]

ARC Review of In Want of a Viscount by Lorraine Heath

Rating: 4.5/5 Heat Level: 3.5/5 Publication Date: February 20th

Premise:

Leonora Garrison has come to England in search of investors for her struggling family business. One night, she goes to the pleasure club with the intent of getting a kiss from a stranger, but she later learns the stranger is none of than Rook, the Viscount Wyeth. Neither of them intended for any more than one night together, but now Rook is not only a potential investor, but also a potential lover.

My review:

Lorraine Heath has done it again! This book is swoony, sexy, complete a hero who is fiercely in awe of the heroine and is completely and utterly obsessed with her right from the get-go.

Rook is a pretty uptight, repressed guy, and that's on purpose to distinguish himself from his absolute whore of a father (how repressed, believe me, I was surprised but deeply excited to find out), to the point where his horse is named a "Well-mannered", and he has regularly-scheduled freak-out sessions about how Leonora brings the *animal* out in him. He's adorable. Meanwhile, Leonora is vibing around (mostly) unaware of this because she's on a mission to save her family business, now headed by her useless brother, by getting investors for the typewriter she's invented all while getting zero credit for neither the invention nor her attempts to raise capital.

A super repressed hero does have his benefits, namely, Lorraine went all in on that repression and made some relatively innocuous moments WILDLY sexy. For example, Rook loves to kiss and has multiple rendezvous with Leonora where they just kiss, and I really appreciated that after reading a string of HR heroes who bend the heroine over within a couple chapters (no judgement, obviously). But the greatest moment that will forever live rent-free in my head is when Leonora lies about having a pebble in her foot, and Rook knows it's just an excuse to escape her mother AND YET he makes her sit, takes off her shoe and hands it to her so she can "check for pebbles" all while he is CARESSING her foot and quite frankly, that was the HOTTEST thing I've read in a long time.

I loved reading about Leonora's passion for machines and engineering skills— she's not just a businesswoman, but also an inventor. And on a romance level, it was lovely to read Rook understand what makes Leonora tick so early on and embrace it. He invites her to disassemble a roulette wheel at his club so she can understand its inner workings. He arranges for a private tour of Big Ben (and not just so he can make out with her on the clock tower).

There is a third-act breakup in this book; it's nothing super dramatic but it's a case of two people who are amazing together, but one of them feels that their goals are fundamentally incompatible with the other's lifestyle and that, for me, actually hit harder on an emotional level because it feels super realistic and plausible.

One last note: for those of you who complain about rakes in historical romances never facing the consequences of their actions... well, the rake in question didn't in this book either, but his son sure as hell did and handled it with great dignity.

The sex:

Okay first, the line "a couple can fuck without actually fucking" was uttered and I literally started applauding there. Bravo. Well done. Obviously, Lord Repression knows how to bring it, though not in a freaky way, but definitely in a thorough way.

And the sex itself is SO well-written— erotic, worshipful... it's a way for Leonora and Rook to escape the real world and lose themselves in one another (and the word "feral" is employed a few times :D ).

Overall:

I adored this book; the chemistry between Rook and Leonora was gorgeous, and the investor subplot as well as Rook's family situation kept me engaged throughout the book. I'd recommend this to literally any historical romance reader looking for a relatively simple, but well-executed love story.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[viscountessevie]

As a fat woman with a similar story to Penelope's (in the book) it's incredibly disheartening to see what they have done with her character and people praising it. Book Penelope was someone I could relate to as the ugly, unattractive friend that no one ever looks at twice. But even if I did some things I now regret (for example commenting one or twice on my friend's thinness even if it was out of worry, which I now know is not a cool thing to do) I was never actively a bully or used my weight to play victim. And now I can't relate to the only fat woman on a regency period romance I have seen because she is using her 'oppression' to hurt others (I do think fat people are very discriminated against but this isn't Penelope's case since she has had to face the same amount of insults as the rest of the characters (most of them coming from her herself too)) and that's not how period dramas really work. Maybe in modern times it could have worked but not in a show like the bee one.

Took me a while anon but I made it!!! Since I am on a roll talking about Pen, it motivated me to finally finish writing and post this ask :D Thank you so much for waiting and I hope you're still around on my blog to see this!

I can't quite remember when this ask got prompted but I feel like it was during my S3 speculation era so it was likely the My Fair Lady essay that prompted a lot of S3 asks. Aights then, let’s get into this: 

First off, I want to genuinely thank you for feeling safe enough to share this with me and I’m so sorry the show massacred the one character you related to. I’m sending you all my love and hugs <3 

Also it must not have been fun growing up thinking of yourself in that way but I’m here to let you know that I see you and I’m sure you’re lovely!! Glad to know that you recognised those comments to be harmful and have learnt from it. We all make mistakes. The best thing we can do is reevaluate,  apologise and move forward to do better. 

I have seen because she is using her 'oppression' to hurt others (I do think fat people are very discriminated against but this isn't Penelope's case since she has had to face the same amount of insults as the rest of the characters (most of them coming from her herself too)) and that's not how period dramas really work. 

You’re so right for this and honestly I don’t have anything to add much tbh. I think the one thing in-universe that hasn’t be horrible is that no one in the Ton really shuns Pen? Only her sisters poke fun at her, but mostly Pen is largely ignored. As my friends and I’ve mentioned here, if anything the showrunners are the ones villainising her and not giving her a proper romantic arc. Maybe it will get better in S3 but that remains to be seen at the moment. 

I hope you’re doing okay though, anon. I understand the feeling of not being seen or represented in the media you love and I know there aren’t other Regency romance shows that feature a fat woman as a main character or love interest but I thought this list of show and HR books might help ease that hurt, enjoy!

Shoutout to @jeanvanjer @hptriviachamp @sharmasandcorgis and @kateandanthonyaremyparents for all the amazing suggestions thank you guys so much for helping me with a bulk of this list!!

HR (Historical Romance) Novels: 

Callie from Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean 

Hattie from Brazen and the Beast (also by MacLean)

The Perfect Wife by Lynsay Sands

Hannah and the Highlander by Sabrina York 

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas 

Contemporary Books:  

All of the Brown Sisters books by Talia Hibbert - Get A Life, Chloe Brown - Take A Hint, Dani Brown - Act Your Age, Eve Brown 

Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert Honestly all of Talia’s books feature plus-sized WOC leads it’s great I mainly recced The Brown Sisters because I read all three and they’re just so amazing! Dani’s love interest is a hot brown guy named Zafir and that was my fave book of the three ehehe

Anything Naima Simone has written - she writes body diversity well I’m told

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl by Sierra Simone

Glutton for Pleasure by Alisha Rai (Plus-sized Indian Girl let’s gooo) 

Spoiler Alert series by Olivia Dade (its about fanfiction ehehe) 

Electric Idol by Katee Robert (kinda more fantasy but still mythology romance)

Shows/Movies: 

Rae from My Mad Fat Diary

Annie and Fran from Shrill 

Mindy Lahiri in The Mindy Project  

Helen in The Tourist on HBO

Penelope ‘Lupe’ Alverez from One Day At A Time (my personal favourite Penelope on a show shkjdh)

Anything Michelle Buteau is in: Isn’t It Romantic, Always Be My Maybe, Someone Great 

Sookie in Gilmore Girls 

Amber RIley in Glee (this may give you brain damage but she was iconic in it) and The Wiz 

Everything Gabourey Sidibe is in - especially Precious!

*Kate Pearson from This Is Us

*Willowdean in Dumplin

*I was hesitant to name the last two because while they are great reps, the early seasons of This Is Us kind of made being fat Kate’s whole personality but I will say it has improved since then and she becomes a fully flashed out person. 

I can’t speak directly to the discourse around Dumplin because I wasn’t around for it but I do know some people did enjoy it same with Kate in This Is Us hence why I kept them on the list! Feel free to ignore those two suggestions if you aren’t interested in seeing those journeys; while the other characters simply just exist as characters and are treated like everyone else which I thought was cool - that’s how I believe we should normalise fat rep: not all their stories need to be about them on a journey to accept themselves, the story already starts with acceptance! 

Anyone else has any recommendations - feel free to share via reblogs and comments, I’ll add them to the post/reblog! Thanks for reading yall and hope you enjoy the recs and better rep for you all because you deserve the best! 

[dhaaruni]

This is going to sound strange, but do you know of any historical romance novels that are about the bourgeoisie or the petite bourgeoisie?

Hmmm let me think. Of late, historical romance writers are trying to be more nuanced in their depiction of class differences etc. and you can read the descriptions of books and usually get a good idea what they're about. A lot of these are interclass romances and may not be what you're looking for but you can pick and choose what works for you.

Sarah MacLean's Rules of Scoundrels series is about disgraced noblemen who open a gambling club and her Bareknuckle Bastards series is about like a band of brothers who literally fought bareknuckle to feed themselves.

Eva Leigh's London Underground series is excellent, and the third book in particular, Dare to Love a Duke is my favorite and the heroine of it is a sex club owner and former sex worker who's trying to open a school for underprivileged girls, and she's just so awesome.

Joanna Shupe's Uptown Girls series takes place in Gilded Age New York and it's basically about the Schuyler Sisters (from Hamilton) falling in love with downtown men, and the second book, The Prince of Broadway is particularly excellent since Florence is so smart and confident but is also just a total dumbass and the entire book is her getting herself into bad situations and everybody else going "okay but you had to know this was a stupid idea."

Lisa Kleypas has a lot of interclass romances like my favorite is of course Devil in Winter which is a marriage of convenience with the heroine basically being at the financial and emotional mercy of her family and marrying Sebastian St. Vincent, a major ~rake, to escape.

Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series and her Girl Meets Duke series are all interclass romances and at least one party is often genuinely impoverished. Like, my personal favorite, Any Duchess Will Do, has a heroine that's a barmaid taking care of her disabled sister, and the hero's a duke with a legitimately sad backstory. The book made me cry and has probably one of the hottest sex scenes in any romance novel bar none lol.

Elizabeth Hoyt's Maiden Lane series is a thriller romance series of 13 books, and some are definitely stronger than others but my favorite, Duke of Midnight, has a hero that's a duke (and more...) and the heroine is the impoverished cousin of the woman he's courting. This book has also one of the most memorable sex scenes in any romance novel ever lmao.

The leads in Lorraine Heath's Sins for All Seasons are all bastards who are adopted by the same woman and while they marry into the nobility, they all work for a living and that's a huge part of the conflict in the books.

Hopefully that gets you started! Sorry if I wasn't able to be of more help, and sorry I keep repeating myself with the same books lol.

[alrightsnaps]

Hey. I want to read more historical romance. After the Bridgerton series, what do you recommend? Are there any good authors or series I can try. I am new to this genre...

Yay historical romps recs!!!

Okay so obviously tastes vary when it comes to romance so just to let you know, personally I found I lean more towards romance books that have a more romcom-y, humorous and banter-filled tone. If you liked the Bridgerton series you'll probably enjoy them as well.

If you found enjoyed the Bridgerton family dynamic you should start some other Julia Quinn series. Her older ones (pre Bridgerton) aren't really my thing as they have a very different style, but I adored her later series. They all take place within the same universe too so again if you loved the Bridgertons that will be an extra treat for you!

The Smythe-Smith Quartet which follows four Smythe-Smith cousins (special shoutout to The Sum of All Kisses because it simply stole my heart)

The Rokesbys which is a prequel series to the Bridgertons

The Bevelstoke Trilogy (though I'd stir clear of the first book...the second and third are amazing though, and as with all Regency romances they're standalones)

How to Marry A Marquis

Then you should definitely give Tessa Dare a go. Her books have a hilariously modern vibe and are a total treat to read.

The Spindle Cove series is a must (my personal favourites: A Week to be Wicked and A Lady by Midnight)

Castles Ever After (When a Scot Ties the Knot stands out for me because I have a weakness for Scottish/English romance!)

Girl Meets Duke

Julie Anne Long's Pennyroyal Green series is worth a go as well. Her books can be a hit or miss, but I definitely recommend these:

Like No Other Lover

What I Did For A Duke

How the Marquess was Won

It Started with a Scandal

The Legend of Lyon Redmond

After Dark With the Duke

Vivienne Lorret is another author I enjoyed a lot who has a couple of good series:

The Mating Habits of Scoundrels (Lord Holt Takes a Bride being my personal favourite)

Wallflower Weddings (favourite book: Finding Miss McFarland)

Misadventures in Matchmaking

The Rakes of Fallow Hall (especially The Elusive Lord Everhart)

Steicy Reid's When the Earl Met his Match is a great read (and it features a deaf male lead!) and you may like Sabrina Jeffries' Hellions of Halstead Hall that also revolves around siblings like the Bridgerton books. Lenora Bell is worth a go too (If I Only Had a Duke is pretty good).

Another author that I didn't really love but many do and whose style is close to Julia Quinn is Eloisa James.

Now if you prefer more plot heavy, angstier books:

Lisa Kleypas' Wallflowers series (the historical context being Victorian rather than Regency) is pretty much iconic among historical romance lovers. Kleypas isn't really my cup of tea but I enjoyed it overall, though I deeply hated the third book (which is pretty much everyone's favourite in the entire genre!). My favourites were It Happened One Autumn (though TW: there is a dubcon sex scene pretty similar to that of Bridgerton's The Duke and I, except the genders are reversed) and Scandal in Spring. If you enjoy Kleypas' writing, she has tons of romances (Suddenly You is a pretty good one), including a sort of sequel series to the Wallflowers.

Sarah MacLean is also loved by fans and is closer to Lisa Kleypas rather than Julia Quinn. Again, not really my thing, but Eleven Scandals to Steal a Duke's Heart wasn't bad.

Kerrygan Bern's Victorian Rebels series is really good (I loved The Highlander).

Loretta Chase is a popular one as well, particularly Lord of Scoundrels, but personally I didn't like it so I didn't give any other book of hers a go.

If you prefer books which are pretty light in sex scenes and more historically accurate you need to read Mary Balogh! She's a great writer and probably the most period accurate author I've come across. Her Bedwyn Saga focuses on family like the Bridgerton books, following a Bedwyn sibling per book (Slightly Dangerous, which is the last installment, is amazing)

If you're more into American rather than British history, though I can't give you any personal recommendations since it doesn't really appeal to me, I've heard that Beverly Jenkins is pretty great.

Regency authors I haven't read yet but I've seen recommended a lot: Elizabeth Hoyt, Connie Brockway, Courtney Milan, Olivia Waite and of course Georgette Heyer aka the original Regency romance writer.

(The above recommendations are basically historical romps, but if what you're looking for is more serious historical fiction I must recommend Sarah Waters, she writes the most incredible lesbian love stories!)

[bleulone]

i love your analysis so much! i have a question as well, like, how do you envision polin's sex scenes ? thanks for your answer (:

    Hey! Thank you very much :)) I have no idea if they are that even good but I’m happy you like them. It’s just my brain tending to produce some iNsIGhiTfUL analyses though they usually end up drowned under a huge wave of stupidity and horrid spelling/grammatical mistakes XD. So, about Penelope and Colin’ sex scenes, I guess we’re getting spicy in this house 🌶. I mean, I don’t blame you. Who’s not hot for Polin ?! The steamy Polin hours have already begun and they’re legit challenging my patience. (Be still my Polin heart, be still).

   Okay, without further ado, let’s talk about sex baby, shall we ? It’s a pretty long answer/meta so bear with me.

    I don’t know if you’ve read Romancing Mister Bridgerton, but a quick reminder (for those who haven’t... yet), there are a bunch of iconic steamy scenes that I’m dying to watch on screen. First we have the famous “thank you” scene where Penelope, now a 28 year-old spinster, asks Colin to kiss her because she doesn’t want to die without having been kissed... then ends up thanking him— which happens to be humiliating for our 33 year-old boy because he thinks that she thinks he did it out of pity while he absolutely did not. The man definitely felt butterflies in his stomach... and in other places as well lol. We also have the ICONIC carriage scene where Colin gives Pen’s generous bosoms™ the attention they deserve. This is followed by his proposal. Later on, after the announcement of their engagement, there’s a pretty hot make-out scene on Lady Violet’s sofa. Finally, we have their first time in Colin’s bedroom, after sneaking out of their own engagement party... which leads Colin to push the wedding date forward. At this point, I just love their horniness, especially Colin’s who’s just so freaking amazed by Penelope for more than 300 pages straight (duh! who isn’t ???).

    When you say envision, I suppose you mainly refer to the way those scenes will be filmed right ? I’m afraid I don’t have an advanced knowledge in film-making but let me start by telling you what elements need to be depicted. I would love Shonda and Chris to capture the real essence of our boos’ feelings : the yearning, the love, the respect and the guilt (specifically on Colin’s side) in their eyes. The more we move forward throughout the seasons, the more we see different layers of the perceptions of they have of each other, going from a childish idealization/immature ignorance to a sudden realization. A mature one. Penelope goes beyond the facade of the charming devil-may-care guy to meet the seriousness and temper of her significant other. Meanwhile Colin discovers how confident, powerful and attractive this woman is and always has been. It echoes what I’ve written about the importance of the gaze in Polin’s love story in this meta. By the time season 4 hits, man... their heart eyes and eye-fucking will jump OUT XD, all fibers of their beings, burning with need. The fact that this evolution took literally years is very emotionally painful, which is why I find it important to keep the slowness aspect of their relationship before and during their love making. I’m really looking forward a slow build-up toward their intimacy. It would differ from Daphne and Simon who merely shared one hell of a kiss in Lady Trowbridge’s garden then shared their sexy times after they married or Anthony and Siena’s rough sex... In fact, there’s a certain (sweet) ardent tenderness in Polin I like due to the fact that they’re slowly (re)discovering each other, as adults. Since they were both introduced in season 1, the audience will have all the time in the world to notice numerous evidences of the many natures of love they have for one another : from an affectionate and friendly love to a more carnal and enduring one.

    Okay so, in terms of filming, with Netflix’s Bridgerton being a show which promotes the female gaze, it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise watching those sex scenes being shot from Penelope’s perspective, like it was the case with Daphne in the first installment of the series. Most of the time, sex scenes in Historical Romance are not gratuitous. Their presence serve an important purpose in a hero/heroine’s journey. In Penelope’s case, they’re here to help her learn to embrace and love herself. In other words, sexuality is synonym of freedom. I don’t know if they’ll show a lot of skin, but I won’t be complaining considering the fact that we’ll have the chance to get a chief kiss treat on screen : a plus size woman in a major successful Netflix period drama getting a love story as romantic and steamy as other more “fit” female characters. No, your weight doesn’t prevent you from being desirable at all. As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t watched a plus-size female character portrayed as an attractive protagonist in a period drama (please if you have, let me know, I can be wrong). Having a beautiful half bare curvy body like Nicola’s being equally filmed like numerous slim actresses will be so inspiring and powerful to watch, especially for (young) women who struggle, like Penelope, to love their body shape which, to them, doesn’t “fit” the “beauty standards”. By showing her female gaze and portraying her as seductive, Pen’s “supposed” imperfections transform themselves into mighty assets, loved and worshipped by our dashing Mister Bridgerton. That’s body positivity at its finest darling ;).

    It will be deliciously erotic watching the undressing process being exquisitely slow, garment by garment, while their gaze are all heated and hungry. Their sex/make-out scenes should be tender and passionate, sweet and raw. The lightning, colored by a dark blood orange yellow or a blue depending the locations^^. Moreover, the depiction of the exploration of Penelope’s desire can translate itself thanks to multiple close ups. For instance, I can imagine a few ones on Pen’s fingers gently roaming over the smooth skin of Colin’s firm chest and back/touching his hair right after he removed his shirt. And a disheveled Colin letting his hands and lips making a journey of their own, mapping, conquering the alluring unknown territory that is her gorgeous voluptuous body... kissing her on the places he knows oh too well will give her pleasure (is this me wanting him to go down on her?— um yeah I sure hope it IS! If he doesn’t, trust me imma riot... AGAIN). Even a close up on her face while Colin is performing his addictively pleasing torment will be a marvelous proof of the female gaze. By the way, why not even adding a post-coital scene after their first time ? I can picture Penelope waking up first and contemplate her handsome soon-to-be husband. She’d bring her hand to his face and let it travel all around his forehead, his cheeks, his lips, his neck and let it rest on his heart— making sure that what she’s just experience was real... obviously, Colin will wake up in the process and he’ll take this as his cue to go for another round of sexy times under the sheets.

   Showing Pen reaction is essential according to me because she was stuck with the idea that she would never experience the luxury of being loved, giving pleasure nor receiving it... she ended up being happily wrong. Throughout her multiple intimate encounters with Colin, I want her to progressively realizes that she can be an active partner. In the carriage, she knew she had an effect on him, but it’s not until their first time that she actually realizes it. Hence the reason why I WANT the mirror’s introduction in one of their sex scenes. Here’s as a little reminder an excerpt from chapter 18 :

“I want to see you sitting up," he groaned, "so I can see them full and lovely and large [about Pen’s breasts]. And then I want to crawl behind you and cup you." His lips found her ear and his voice dropped to a whisper. "And I want to do it in front of a mirror."

“Now?” she squeaked.

He seemed to consider that for a moment, then shook his head. "Later," he said, and then repeated it in a rather resolute tone. "Later.”

   It would be such a shame if the show doesn’t use the incredible potential of this object (/kink). I mean, the symbolism is pretty clear. Penelope has always fled her “ugly” reflection but it seems like Colin wants to show the real her, the beauty that holds every single inch her alabaster skin and the effects they have on him. Thus, I would love to watch a scene where Colin just praises the alluring goddess and siren that is Penelope Featherington. Just imagine! Just IMAGINE the power of this scene : a shirtless Colin sitting behind her on a bed, meeting her gaze in the mirror, his lips touching her right ear, biting and licking the lobe sometimes, whispering all kinda of dirty yet poetic words to her while letting his hands caress her thighs, her hips, her arms, her lovely bosoms™... oof. At the same time, a wonderful and harmonic instrumental music will play in the background and match the melodic partition of shudders, breathes and moans let out by our lovers. I can imagine Luke inspiring himself from his performance in the 2019 short film, Youth In Bed. The way he conveyed the awe and the yearning on his face, in his eyes with his mouth slightly open when he knelt before his partner Shun Yin was just captivating and— and so Colin! I cannot help but bring myself to picture Ethan, the character he played in YIB, in a Polin steamy scene. I cannot unsee this anymore jsksk. I mean, all this gifset radiates this book4chapter18!Colin, you cannot tell me otherwise!

    Also, I would love Shonda and Chris to keep Pen and Colin’s cute/emotional pillow talk. One thing I really love in JQ’s books is the concern she gives to her male protagonists about potentially hurting their partner during the act of penetration. Colin is a rake, and what his experience with women taught him is that he needs to be very gentle with the love of his life. It was so adorable seeing him not wanting to harm her and asking her to tell him if he does anything she doesn’t like 🥺. Plus, before actually doing it, Colin and Penelope shared a few kisses and just laid down side by side, confessing their love. Though our boy kept feeling guilty about not returning her love after all these years. He desires nothing but to make up for the lost time and show his love and desire during this special intimate moment. I hope they’ll keep all of chapter 18’s dialogue. It’s just so telling of our boos’ feelings, you see.

    All in all, I can’t wait to watch those Polin steamy scenes. As much as I may sound crazy, I want them after two other seasons of pure pining and yearning in order to have a very good payoff. I’m not an expert on depicting intimacy on screen, but I loved so far what Lizzy Talbot, the intimacy coordinator who worked on the show, have done in season 1. Sex scenes in Bridgerton seem very real and dive you in the intimacy of the moment, leaving you all flustered and hot. So probs to her! I have faith in her work and have no doubts about what her and the directors will serve us in future seasons. Though, in the end, I think it’s mostly up to the actors, Nicola and Luke, to see if they’re comfortable filming sex scenes.

    If you guys have any suggestions or wishes for those steamy polin scenes, please do share them :) by commenting on this post or by sending me asks! I’d love reading your thoughts/take on this very important matter ;)) 

[mistwraiths]

1.5 stars

I'm a sucker for books set in 1700s and upon beginning to read it learning that it featured a biracial couple, I was very excited. However, this book was just really unenjoyable for me. I really tried but near the last 100 pages, I started skimming because I was desperate to finish and I regretted not DNFing this earlier.

Look, I'm not an idiot. I know homophobia and racism were there. I just didn't expect it the book to go so hard for that when I believed I was getting a romantic adventure of hijinks and consequences of reckless actions. But those two along with abuse factor in the book predominantly. It's dealt with in an unflinching way and historical though. But I thought this was going to be a fun lighthearted romance but I didn't really have fun at all.

The main problem is Henry Montague himself. Monty is probably one of the most insufferable characters I have ever read. I expected him to be a bit of a rake, promiscuous and maybe sarcastic or cheeky. He's just deeply self-centered and says quite awful things without any care or regard. And he knows sometimes after that he's said something he shouldn't have but he never goes out of his way to apologize or make an effort to be better that isn't the lowest bar of decency. He's constantly unaware of his privilege and getting rude with people. He tells his black friend, and the one he's in love with, to go serve drinks at one point as a comeback when the servants are actual slaves. He calls a girl a whore when he shrugs off the comment his sister made about the consequences the girl he half undressed being left behind to deal with the people who caught them after he ran away naked would face. He whines that his black friend doesn't stick up for himself and doesn't try to understand that he couldn't get away with half the shit Monty does. That's just a few off the top of my head. He also just doesn't think about anyone else? He whines about his life and I really don't think he ever just asks anyone else about their thoughts, their feelings, their problems, their day. It is very much Monty charges forth and everyone else doesn't really get a say.

I know the book was trying to make me believe that Monty was going to grow but like... I couldn't really find any evidence he did. He doesn't make an effort to apologize for the things that he's done. There's a "Oh I'm so awful I can't stand myself" bits but that's not enough.

Percy and Felicity were better characters by far and made reading this book slightly better. Felicity and Monty at least felt like siblings. The romance was just okay for me but honestly because I think Percy is a Saint and dealt with more awfulness than he should have.

The pace was definitely good since they were always going and going, but the plot itself was a little everywhere and wild. I did not expect a whole alchemical plot with a dead but not dead person with a cure-all heart or whatever. The stealing and being chased across countries and pirates-ish were enough. I might have enjoyed it more if I liked other things.

[mermaidsirennikita]

I really don't understand some readers's issues with the male character having seduced other women before (or even after) being with the main heroine. If the guy makes it clear she's the only one that he'll ever truly want, what's the big deal?

Honestly, I don't even mind the hero being like "no I very much wanted other people before you, but you're the only one from now on". Unless, obviously, they're polyamorous/have an open marriage. I liked how Scarlett Peckham dealt with this in The Portrait of a Duchess--the hero and heroine end the story in love and with each other as primaries, but they're both free to sleep with other people, bring them into the bedroom, etc. Obviously, if you're looking for a monogamous romance novel that's not what you want, but for someone who isn't only into monogamous romance novels... I thought it was a refreshing take. Most poly books I read are about the central people in the triad or whatever, but in that one it was about a couple--they just happened to also fuck/love(?) other people as well.

I know that the point of romance is a fantasy, but sometimes, something pushes me over the edge into "okay this is so far removed from reality, it doesn't feel authentic anymore". Like, I don't know. So many historical romance readers want the heroine to be a virgin, and the hero is either a rake who never fucks or a non-rake who's had a few "discreet liaisons" yet the sex is sooooo amaaaazing.

And I guess for me... It's not like I need proof that these guys are good in bed with other women, lol. It's just jarring to see them go (and this is a big complaint I have with all subgenres at the moment) from "aw shucks I'm just a golden retriever nice boy" to "TAKE IT LIKE A GOOD GIRL SHOW ME THAT PUSSY SIT THAT ASS ON IT" and it's just. Lol. Sure Jan.

Are there golden retrievers who get real nasty in bed? For sure. But the degree to which these guys switch from "some fairly realistic if too good to be true boy you could take home to mom" to "alpha male in the sack" is just... it feels like I'm reading about a real guy doing a scene in the bedroom, but nobody set up a scene, nobody went over their safe words, lol. I'm supposed to buy that he becomes this completely different person in bed, in like... a vanilla setting.

It's different from the gentleman in the streets/freak in the sheets thing, too. Because those guys--like, the Westcliffs, the Lockwoods--are buttoned up to keep this dick you down daddy persona at bay. The thing I'm talking about feels like a sloppy way of having your cake and eating it too, as a writer. You don't want to write a hero with rough edges, but suddenly in the sex scenes he has them? Idk.

[respectingromance]

So you’d like to try romance

If you’re interested in reading romance or would just like to know a bit more about the genre by reading books instead of going off of whatever nonsense you’ve heard about it, here’s a list grouped by arbitrary categories that I made up as I went.

“I have a shelf of chick lit, but I just don’t know where to start with those books.”

Congrats! If you read “chick lit,” then you’ve probably already read romance because the generally agreed upon definition of a romance novel is a story that 1. centers on a love story and 2. has an emotionally satisfying ending. Lots of chick lit fits those two rules. It’s all just marketing.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Roomies by Christina Lauren

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Pretty much anything with a colorful illustrated cover featuring two people: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston; Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert; No Judgments by Meg Cabot; etc.

“I have a shelf of historical fiction and historical romance is such a natural fit for me it’s really a wonder that I haven’t read any of it yet.”

Three Weeks with Lady X by Eloisa James

Diary of an Accidental Wallflower by Jennifer McQuiston

A Lady by Midnight by Tessa Dare

One Night in London by Caroline Linden

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

“Listen, if I’m going to read romance, I want to read the classics.”

I’m listing the classics that I like because it’s my list. 

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas (2006)

Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey (1990)

Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (2002)

Mackenzie’s Mountain by Linda Howard (1989)

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale (1992)

Ransom by Julie Garwood (1999)

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (1994)

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase (1995)

Sea Swept by Nora Roberts (1998), Vision in White by Nora Roberts (2009), anything you want by Nora Roberts, including Naked in Death by J.D. Robb (who is Nora Roberts) (1995)

“You’re giving me too much REALITY. Where’s the fantasy?!”

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

The Magpie Lord by K.J. Charles

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole

“No, no, no, that’s all too far-fetched for me. I want to read about things that could really happen.”

Hard Hitter by Sarina Bowen

Something About You by Julie James

Act Like It by Lucy Parker

“No! I’ve spent years hearing about all the weird stuff in romance novels! Give me your wildest shenanigans or give me nothing!”

Warrior’s Woman and Keeper of the Heart by Johanna Lindsey (Actually, just read any old-school Lindsey.)

The Red Hot Cajun by Sandra Hill

I listed Dark Lover by J.R. Ward above. Keep reading the Black Dagger Brotherhood series if you want to go from the shallow end to the deep end and beyond.

Iron Cowboy by Diana Palmer -- or just read this review on Smart Bitches Trashy Books.

Pregnesia by Carla Cassidy -- or just read this review on Smart Bitches Trashy Books.

“Okay, now I’m really pissed off because I knew romance had a ‘diversity problem’ and you didn’t include enough writers of color or diverse characters or people who aren’t straight for me.”

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins

A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon

A Seditious Affair by K.J. Charles

Trade Me by Courtney Milan

The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian

“I’m a dedicated romance reader, you didn’t include my favorite author or favorite book, and now I’m annoyed.”

Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson

Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath

Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

Beard Science by Penny Reid

Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan

Look, just imagine I included your favorite here, okay?

“Wait, I know of some pretty big novelists who aren’t on this list. Why aren’t you recommending them?”

Nicholas Sparks is a jerk about the romance genre, even though romance readers are the reason he’s rich. Screw him.

Same for Diana Gabaldon.

Danielle Steele doesn’t write romance novels.

Everyone knows about Jane Austen.

Georgette Heyer was an anti-Semitic trash person.

That about covers it. Happy reading!

[femvimes]

So you’ve watched and read Good Omens, now what?

Hi there! Your friendly local Terry Pratchett fan here. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been looking for something Good Omens-ish to read ever since you finished the show. I’ll start with the caveat that I haven’t read much of Neil Gaiman, so others can chime in on appropriately-similar things that he’s written. 

First step would be, of course, to read the book itself. Okay, back already? Done that?

Next, well, it depends on what aspects of the show you want to focus on. Obviously we all love Crowley and Aziraphale, and I’ll get to them. They’re actually kind of unique in the pantheon of characters that Terry wrote, so I’ll move on to:

The Them

Terry tried out the kid dynamic only a few years after Gomens with the Johnny Maxwell trilogy. They are Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny and the Dead, and Johnny and the Bomb. Like Adam Young, Johnny is a “Just William”-like character and has a gang of friends whom weird things happen to.

Neil wrote a book that I would consider similar to Johnny and the Dead which you may have heard of: The Graveyard Book. It’s been some years since I read it, but I think it was my first Gaiman and I enjoyed it. It’s about a baby who is abandoned in a graveyard and gets raised by ghosts.

The Four Horsemen

This one is super easy, because Gomens Death has kind of been transplanted from Discworld. Like Gomens!Death, DW!Death TALKS LIKE THIS, has a similar aesthetic, and shows up whenever important characters die. DW!Death has a surprisingly deep sense of justice and has saved the world on more than one occasion. Two memorable occasions are in Reaper Man and Thief of Time. ToT includes another take on the Four Horsemen’s ride and features Death’s human(ish) granddaughter Susan. Reaper Man is a fan-favorite and involves Death retiring and becoming human.

Neil created his own psychopomp, Death from the Sandman comics. I know next-to-nothing about this character except for the fact that she appears as a kind young woman, so if that sounds intriguing, check her out.

Heaven and Hell

This element is unique to the show, but I was reminded of the office politics of the demons in Eric by Terry. Also, Terry’s first ever short story, written when he was twelve, was about a man making a rather unique deal with the devil. It’s called “The Hades Business” and you can find it in the short story collection A Blink of the Screen. Small Gods and The Last Hero, both from the Discworld series, deal with the Discworld gods. Small Gods is more Big Idea like Gomens, and widely considered to be one of his best.

From Neil, of course, there’s American Gods, which is my personal favorite of his. Also deals with belief. It’s less lighthearted than Gomens and has some excellent American Gothic. I think Neil’s outsider perspective on America allowed him to write one of the most American novels ever.

Anathema/Newt/Shadwell/Tracy

Sorry, I’m just going to lump these all in together. Newt and Anathema follow a very recognizable early Terry relationship profile, of a kind of incompetent man and a practical women. Find this again in Wyrd Sisters and Moving Pictures. For Shadwell and Mme. Tracy, I look to that holy bible of Discworld books, Guards! Guards!, which features two unlikely characters no longer in the prime of their life getting together at the end. (And making one of my favorite couples in literature.)

Agnes Nutter comes up again (kind of) in the Discworld books as the witch Agnes Nitt. The characters aren’t similar except for the fact that they’re both witches. Agnes is proudly fat, practical, and has an otherworldly singing talent. Her best books are Maskerade and Carpe Jugulum.

Aziraphale and Crowley

Gays throughout history GAYS THROUGHOUT HISTORY

I practice self care by reading queer romance novels, and you should too. As I said before, Terry and Neil (as far as I know) never wrote another dynamic that was quite like Aziraphale and Crowley. So, as a gift to you, I’m just going to recommend my favorite gay novels, in roughly historical order:

Thick as Thieves by Megan Whalen Turner (This is NOT CANON but I have hopes for the sequel.) (Alternative history Ancient Greece.) This is the fifth in the incredible Queen’s Thief series, but it’s a great standalone. A guard from an enemy country frees a slave, the slave is conflicted about it, and they go on a big ol’ gay road trip.

The Ruin of a Rake by Cat Sebastian. (Regency era.) God, this BOOK - Julian Medlock writes a book and models the villain after his hate-crush Lord Courtenay. When Courtenay’s reputation is so smeared he can’t visit his beloved nephew, Julian’s sister (and Courteny’s friend) Eleanor convinces them to team up to bring Courtenay back into society’s good graces. It’s fluffy and incredible, y’all.

An Unnatural Vice by KJ Charles. (Victorian era.) Nathaniel Roy feels obligated to expose charlatan medium Justin Lazarus, even though they have a definite attraction to each other. When they’re both caught up in a sordid (and dangerous) scandal, Nathaniel spirits them away to his family’s country house where they fall in love. This is the second in the Sins of the City trilogy, and the whole series is interconnected, but this one’s my favorite.

And there you have it! Again, anyone else feel free to chime in on more read-alikes by Neil Gaiman. It’s really interesting to see them both use the themes that they introduced in Gomens in their other work. Gomens is similar to a lot of late-eighties/early-nineties Pratchett, and I would imagine the same applies to Neil.

[nellygwyn]

Could you recommend me some good novels about England under the Stuarts? Which ones are in your opinion the best to read and why? Thanks Empress :)

There are A LOT that I’ve enjoyed but I think I’ll list my favourites so the list isn’t incredibly long. I’d suggest all these novels:

The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell - This is about Nell Gwynn. It’s really gritty and vivid, Bagwell obviously did a lot of research into what Restoration England looked like, smelled like, sounded like and tasted like.

Forever Amber by Kathleen Windsor - Kind of a classic, really. It’s about Amber St. Clare (not based on an irl person) who works her way up the ranks of Restoration society through sex and marriage. She becomes an actress, too.

The Illumination of Ursula Flight by Anna Marie Crowhurst - Ursula Flight (not based on an irl person, though has an air of Aphra Behn about her), born at the cusp of England’s Restoration era in the late 17th century, wants to become a playwright and a libertine, but her genteel family have other ideas.

The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson - It’s hard to describe this series because it’s an alternate history/science fiction series set in the Restoration and early 18th century Europe. Stephenson also didn’t publish it as trilogy, but rather, as volumes. I think my favourite volume is Quicksilver (which is the first volume).

The Children of the New Forest by Captain Marryat - This is a classic children’s book from the 19th century. It is set during the English Civil War. The children of the aristocratic Beverly family have their house destroyed by Roundheads and are orphaned so they find refuge with the forest keeper who tries to keep them safe from hostile Roundheads and raise them as foresters. They do meet some sympathetic Puritans so it’s not completely one sided, and they end up saving and befriending a Spanish Rromani boy named Pablo. They also help young Charles II escape to the continent near the end of the book.

The Countess and the King by Susan Holloway Scott - Scott has written several historical fictions set in this era (a book about Louise de Kerouaille, a book about Barbara Villiers, a book about Sarah Churchill etc.) but this is my favourite: it’s about the life of Catherine Sedley, daughter of the rake, Charles Sedley, who eventually went on to become the mistress of Charles II’s brother, the Duke of York (later James II). Catherine wasn’t considered beautiful but she was considered incredibly funny, which this book showcases, and I also think this book does a good job of showing the gradually deteriorating friendship between Catherine and the Duke of York’s young wife, Mary of Modena.

The Ashes of London by Andrew Taylor - This has been critically acclaimed recently: it’s a murder mystery/historical thriller that takes place just after the Great Fire of London has devastated the city. It is so vivid. There are actually a few murder mystery books set in Stuart London!

As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann - Two soldiers fall in love amongst the wreckage and devastation of the Civil War. Really beautiful but sad.

Lady on the Coin by Margaret Campbell Barnes - Not to be confused with 'The Girl on the Coin,’ this is the story of Frances Stewart, who famously and consistently refused to be Charles II’s mistress but did choose to elope with the Duke of Richmond and Lennox instead. Lennox is so sexy in this book….he’s very “troubled genius” and likes to drink a little too much.

The King’s Touch by Jude Morgan - the story of Charles II’s Restoration and reign told from the perspective of his illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth. LOVED this one.

Cavalier Queen by Fiona Mountain - Okay, so this is like......kind of inaccurate since it plays up a romance between Queen Henrietta Maria, Charles I’s queen consort, and Henry Jermyn, Earl of St Albans (which was rumoured to slander her but probably never happened). It is a very good novel about Henrietta Maria’s marriage to Charles I, her life during his reign and her experiences during the ECW and his eventual execution though. I really do like it, and....Jermyn is sexy, I Won’t Lie. 

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell - Whilst this book flits between both the mid 19th century and the early 17th century, I wanted to recommend it because it is so damn scary. Such a good gothic horror novel. A newly widowed London wife, used to bustling and glamorous living, has been left her husband’s family estate. Surprise surprise, it’s a dilapidated manor house with an eerie air. And worse still, it seems to be plagued by a collection of 17th century wooden painted figures that hold a dark and terrible secret.

I’m also going to check out Jean Plaidy’s Stuart (and Georgian) series soon. She’s written loads of books about various female figures from the Stuart era, including some stuff set in the reign of Queen Anne. I’ve heard she’s a brilliant writer. 

[mad-madam-m]

Can you tell us your favourite romance books? While I'm at it I want to ask your favourite fantasy books too =)

Romance

Literally anything by Courtney Milan - No, I’m not exaggerating. She’s one of the few authors on my “oh hey you have a new book coming out score let me go buy it on Amazon immediately” list. I don’t read them immediately because I save them for when I know I need a really good book, because I’ve never hated a book of hers. Some of them I like better than others, but they’ve all been great. Personal favorites include The Governess Affair, The Heiress Effect and The Suffragette Scandal. She writes both contemporary (the Cyclone series) and historical (the Turner series, the Brothers Sinister series, and currently the Worth Saga). Seriously I could probably go on about her books all day long, so I’ll stop there. They’re amazing and I love them all.

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie - This book is hilarious and kept me up until 1 in the morning so I could finish it. The bet was great, the side characters were just as fun as the main couple, and I really liked how the happy ending showed that different people have different definitions of a happy ending: one couple had kids, one couple didn’t, and one woman never got married because she didn’t want to. In Romancelandia, where the happy ending almost always involves the hero and heroine getting pregnant, that was a really refreshing change.

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase - I know a lot of people are put off by the asshole alpha hero trope, and Sebastian…definitely fits it, but oh man, Jessica is more than up to the task of putting him in his place and it’s an absolute delight to read about. (SHE SHOOTS HIM BECAUSE HE’S A DICK. IT’S SO SATISFYING.) I flipping adore this novel, and I adore Loretta Chase’s work in general. If you’d prefer one of her books with a hero who’s not quite as much of a complete jerk, I’d suggest Miss Wonderful, Mr. Impossible, or Last Night’s Scandal (all of which rank just as high for me).

A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare - Tessa Dare writes what I like to call “historical romantic comedies,” because her stuff always ends up making me laugh out loud. This one is basically a road trip AND a fake elopement as the hero (a notorious rake) and heroine (a bookish nerd) head to Scotland so that she can present her findings at a geological symposium and potentially win a prize of 500 pounds. It’s…so good, especially watching them fall for each other as they travel and how into it he gets because he sees how important it is to her, even if he knows nothing about geology. (I...actually ended up rereading this book as I was answering this ask because I picked it up just to remind myself of where they were going and...didn’t stop. >.>)

The Jade Temptress by Jeannie Lin - I’ll be honest, I read the first book in this series and I liked it, but I didn’t love it. In fact, I almost didn’t pick up this book because I was so meh on the first one. But boy howdy, I’m glad I did, because The Jade Temptress? Holy monkeys this book was fantastic. The heroine is a courtesan accused of murder, and the hero is the constable investigating the crime. It’s set in ancient China, the mystery plot is so, so good, and the tension between the two leads was delicious.

(Yes, these are mostly historical romances. What can I say, I like historical romances. XD)

Romance/Fantasy

The His Fair Assassin series by Robin LaFevers - This is a YA series and a little more alternate history than true fantasy, but the series is just so rich and fascinating. The characters are amazing, the political intrigue is just *kisses fingers*, and the way the stories weave together is just brilliant. The first two, Grave Mercy and Dark Triumph, are my personal favorites, but the final one is very, very good as well.

The Iron Seas series by Meljean Brook - Okay, this is steampunk more than fantasy, but I absolutely adored the worldbuilding in this series. Like. Wow. The steampunk world and the history she’s built out is just fascinating, and I’ve loved every glimpse I’ve gotten of it. The third book in the series, Riveted, is my favorite, but I haven’t yet read the fourth book or most of the accompanying novellas.

Fantasy

The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett - Pratchett’s satire is on point and he’s one of the rare male authors who can actually write female characters well. Personal favorites in this particular series include Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms, and Witches Abroad. But honestly, just pick up a Discworld book and give it a go. The Night Watch series and the Witches series are the best places to get started, IMO, but I’ve yet to read a single Discworld novel that I straight-up didn’t like.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin - Oh man, first-person POV fantasy isn’t often something I’m into, but Yeine’s narration is just glorious to read. I ended up bingeing the last 60% of the book all in one morning because I just couldn’t get enough of it. I’ve also read the next book in the series, The Broken Kingdoms, and it was just as good. The only reason I’m not reccing the entire series is because I haven’t read the final book yet. But if it’s as good as the others, the whole series will be one of my favorite fantasy series ever.

The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger - Okay so this is steampunk, which probably falls more into science fiction, but holy shit I love this series so much. The writing style is like a more accessible Jane Austen’s and it’s hilarious (there’s a line in the second book that’s “Tea was a medicinal necessity at this juncture” and let me tell you, I quote that shit on a daily basis), and it’s a really interesting steampunk world with fantastic characters (including several queer characters). There are vampires and werewolves and Alexia, our main character, is curious in that she’s soulless—that is, she nullifies any supernatural creature’s powers as long as she’s touching them.

The first book would be classified as a steampunk paranormal romance, but the rest are more adventure/mystery. I’ve been slowly making my way through the YA prequel series (The Finishing School series; I’ve only got the last book left to read) and I have the first book of the sequel series sitting on my TBR shelf. Gail Carriger probably ties with Courtney Milan for my favorite author.

The Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce - Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series (serieses?) was absolutely formative for me, but the two that stand out are The Immortals and The Song of the Lioness. Daine and Alanna are some of my favorite female fantasy characters ever, and they have fantastic stories and powers and lovely romances (some of which work out and some of which don’t). I can definitely see more of the seams in the series now that I’m older and I’ve reread them, but 15-year-old M does not care and 15-year-old M loved the shit out of these books. (Also let’s be real, the Immortals series is at least 50% responsible for my “I have no shame” with regards to age difference in OTPs. XD)

The Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson - The magic system in these books is absolutely fantastic, and I love how he uses it and ties it into not just the world and the fight scenes, but the actual plot. The first book is actually a fantasy heist, and I loved the concept that this is set a thousand years after the chosen one failed to save the world. All the characters were so great and the story went in directions I didn’t expect. Also, there was a romance! And it was a good romance! (I’m…fairly used to male authors falling down on romance, and tbh that’s a solid part of the reason both Mistborn and Discworld are on here.)

One caveat: the series has a satisfying ending, but it’s not a trope I normally read, write, or rec, and this is probably the only exception to that rule I’ve found thus far.

God knows I’m probably forgetting some books---I’ve read a lot in these two genres---but these are probably the ones that have stuck with me the longest.

[nestavipers]

Spectacle Santa with a glass of Koolaid here 😎 I haven’t gotten to reply to our OTHER two conversations yet. (Probably tomorrow, mid-errand, because Tuesdays hate me) Just popping in to say that I’ve been reading the first Bridgerton book and first of all, why are all the regency period men tall, handsome rakes and where do I go to become a character in one of those time travel romances you mentioned? Second, the interactions between all the siblings are too cute and I’m absolutely here for it. Third, I’m not very far in yet, but if Daphne doesn’t want Simon by the end of the book, then I’ll take him!

I’m surprised, though—the opening seems really different from the tv show 👀

OKAY *claps hands together* get ready for LOTS OF WORDS FROM ME.

I'm so glad you're enjoying the first book so far! I cannnnnot wait for you to get to book 2 (and book 6 aka the best in the whole series). I've truly jumped in the deep end with historical romance these past few months and I can confirm that yes, all of these regency hunks are tall and have intense eyes and thick hair.

The siblings are adorable! Do you have a favourite so far? I love Penelope and Eloise's friendship <3

Yeah, the TV show gets the broad-strokes the same but it doesn't quite capture the feeling of the books. That's not even a bad thing, necessarily, I appreciate them both and enjoyed them both but the books feel funnier and like, cozier?

Also lol @ the other ask you sent with the quote about not lusting after thy friend's sister. The Regency Bro Code in full force hahaha.

Okay! On to the next (long ask)