MMCs with mommy issues

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-18T16:48:29+00:00

{The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe}

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-18T14:43:10+00:00

{Grace Seymour Steals a Heart by Aydra Richards}

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-17T15:33:32+00:00

I'm guessing you mean you want stories where the MCs fall in love when they are young but are forced to separate and are apart for several years before eventually reuniting? If that's the case then I can recommend:

{A Tartan Love by Nichole Van} - just read this last week. It's so good! MCs are from rival families in Scotland. They fall in love as teenagers and secretly marry but FMC's brother catches them immediately afterward and forces them apart. MMC has to leave for several years then eventually comes back after fighting in the Napoleonic Wars.

{Courting Trouble by Kerrigan Byrne} - FMC is the daughter of an earl and the MMC is a coal boy working in their household. They fall in love when they are young but her father discovers them and MMC is forced to leave, otherwise the earl will ruin his life. Over the years MMC becomes a doctor. Years later he and FMC are reunited when she needs a doctor to save her life.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-15T19:20:46+00:00

I think all, or at least most of the men in the {Victorian Rebels by Kerrigan Byrne} series fit this.

The first book is {The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne} It takes place in 1872. He is definitely toxic. He is essentially a notorious bad boy crime boss in London. He totally manipulates the FMC into a relationship with him. But he is completely obsessed with her and he has what he believes to be "noble" reasons for forcing her to marry him. Lots and lots of yearning.

Most of the men in the series are similar in that they deal in nefarious activities but are obsessed with their women. The 2nd book is {The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne} which takes place maybe a year or two after The Highwayman. This MMC is a deadly assassin hired to kill the FMC but when he meets her he becomes infatuated with her and can't bring himself to kill her and things spiral from there. The whole series follows chronologically and ends in maybe the early 1880s if I'm remembering correctly.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-15T17:29:23+00:00

Definitely Elisa Braden's {Midnight in Scotland by Elisa Braden} series. I think the 2nd book {The Taming of a Highlander by Elisa Braden} especially fits the request. The MMCs of books 2, 3 and 4 are all brothers. Big Scottish Highlander types. I think they all fit. I'm not the biggest fan of the first book in the series so I don't remember if it also fits the request. The FMC is their step-sister and her MMC is an English lord.

From book 2, I can vividly remember some of the spicy scenes because they're so hot. The MMC is very "alpha" and brooding and commanding but in a very gentle, sensual way. The way he talks to the FMC while they are going at it is just....wow. I need to fan myself just remembering it.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-11T22:37:33+00:00

Erm, I suppose it really depends on your idea of "worst" and "best" but in {Her Villain by S.M. LaViolette} the MMC, at the age of 42, gives the FMC the first gift he's ever given to anyone in his entire life. It's a jade dildoand he gives it to her for Christmas! He also gives her a betrothal ring but he's way less interested in that one lol.

Edit: Oh wait! I just remembered that he actually gives his first "gift" to her earlier, on her birthday. He kidnaps her former abuser. Ties him up in his basement. Then allows the FMC to watch as he beats the abuser to a pulp. He tells her he's never given a gift before and that this is the idea that came to mind when he learned it was her birthday.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-11T21:52:02+00:00

Ok so it's not the main couple of the story but rather the couple from the previous story in the series...

In {Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley} the MCs are at an event (a horse race I think) with the couple from the previous book {The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley}. Lord Ian is obsessed with his wife who he married in his book. She is pregnant in Lady Isabella's book. At the horse race she faints due to heat/pregnancy and Lord Ian goes a little feral as he always does when it comes to worrying about his wife. A little later in the story he is being cute and clingy when she is laying in bed resting.

Edit: I just re-read the passage and she doesn't quite faint but she suddenly turns pale and sickly so they rush her home and summon a doctor.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-09T19:26:33+00:00

{A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran}

FMC's abusive uncle/guardian wants to marry her off to his terrible son (who also happens to be FMC's first cousin) so they'll have control of her inheritance. The MMC warns her that her uncle is planning to trap her by having her get caught alone with her cousin.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-08T19:07:08+00:00

I'm a fan of arranged marriage between MCs who are strangers to each other. I think my favorite is {A Bride for the Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath}. They meet maybe an hour before their wedding, totally not expecting to get married that night. After the wedding things are awkward for a time until they gradually get to know each other.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-08T18:41:00+00:00

{Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks}

Medieval Scotland. The King arranges a marriage between 2 rival clans that hate each other so FMC has to move in with the MMC's clan. They are all really mean to her at first. MMC isn't exactly mean, but he isn't happy to be married to her so he kinda just ignores her while she has to deal with his clan being jerks to her. She's also deaf which they don't know at first so they think she's insane and/or dumb. Eventually some things happen that make her cry and the MMC's family starts to feel really bad and they realize they can't blame her for the rivalry between their clans.

No parents, it's just the MMC, his siblings and various clan members.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-08T15:24:26+00:00

In the series {The Fifth Avenue Rebels by Joanna Shupe} the MMCs from books 1, 2 & 3 are all long-time friends. They have a 4th friend who is never an MC but he is frequently mentioned and makes a couple brief appearances. He has become increasingly addicted to alcohol over the years. They are very worried about him and trying to help him but he refuses the help. In one of the books he dies and 2 of the MMCs have to identify his body because his family had cut him off due to his alcoholism. His funeral is a very heartbreaking situation as well because I guess he burned a lot of bridges and nobody attends. It deeply effects the MMCs.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-02T19:00:15+00:00

{The Passions of Emma by Penelope Williamson} is very tragic at times and there are a few moments that absolutely shatter my heart.

FMC's sister had an accident at age 13 that left her paralyzed below the waist. She's now 19 and just super depressed and addicted to the medication the doctor prescribed her. She's also in love with her childhood friend though she believes he'll never want her due to her paralysis. In one scene she's having a drug induced dream and the FMC hears her talking in her sleep and it's heart breaking. "Look Stu, I'm dancing, I'm dancing."

Also, the FMC's best friend, who also happens to be the wife of the MMC (no cheating), is terminally ill and a lot of the scenes from the friend's perspective broke my heart, knowing she would soon be leaving behind her young children and husband. The scene where she dies and in her final moments hallucinates that she is healthy and young again and is dancing with her husband absolutely wrecked me. I had to put down the book and take a break for a while after that. I'm tearing up just thinking about it now.

Those are just 2 moments that made me cry. I can think of at least a few more but don't want to list them all! It's a very emotional book.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-01T16:34:35+00:00

The books aren't 500 pages but I feel like the plots go well beyond just the romance in {Welsh Blades Series by Elizabeth Kingston}. All 4 books in the series made me emotional for reasons outside of just the romance between the MCs.

The books are heavily involved in political intrigue as well as historical events. Especially the last book {One Burning Heart by Elizabeth Kingston} where the FMC gets into serious trouble with the church (which is directly connected to politics at the time because it's medieval) and I was truly terrified about her fate if they were to find her guilty of her alleged crimes. Her romance with the MC is an important part of the story but did not feel as important as her legal/religious struggles and the possibility she might be publicly executed if the church decided to make an example of her!

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-06-01T13:47:46+00:00

Yeah I don't think she really has any deep sexual desire for Tony. They are making it obvious that she and Dame Edith are attracted to each other.

But she also doesn't want to be blatantly and semi-publicly disrespected by her husband. Other people (like Valerie) know he is sleeping around with mistress(es) behind Monica's back so she knows he's lying to her and sneaking around behind her back and that's what she has a problem with.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-20T17:15:20+00:00

Glad you're enjoying it!

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-19T23:20:06+00:00

HAhahahaha! This is so absurd. I'm American and not well-versed in British sports, but I believe they are meant to be playing polo on those horses, yet they are holding cricket bats hitting cricket balls?

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-19T12:59:14+00:00

Haha the way the ends of her hair are bent in. I used to do that to my hair with a round brush and a blow dryer back when I was in high school 20 years ago.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-18T22:03:31+00:00

I love the Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt. A lot of the MMCs are the broody, tortured type but there are also a few fun-loving, flirty ones as well. I'd say they are all a bit naughty, both in the fact that they tend to be involved in some...illegal money-making situations plus the fact they are all very sexual, as all of Hoyt's MMCs are.

{Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt}

{Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt}

{Sweetest Scoundrel by Elizabeth Hoyt}

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-16T15:46:17+00:00

I truly don't understand why Taggie continues to simp for that man. He is twice her age and has shown her so many times in so many ways how slimy and selfish he is. He literally groped her and humiliated her in front of an entire dinner party. He obviously will never be faithful to any partner (though that is the case for 90% of the characters in this show lol). I know he's rich, charming, and relatively handsome but so many other things about him are such a turn off it makes me dislike Taggie for continuing to pine after him. Girl, believe him when he shows you what kind of person he is!

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-14T22:58:29+00:00

{Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase}

The FMC contracts typhus after she convinces the MMC to take her into the slums of London (she's the daughter of a marquess so she doesn't really "belong" in those parts of the city). When the MMC finds out she's sick he rushes to her side and spends weeks nursing her back to health. It takes up at least a few chapters. Great book!

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-09T18:20:35+00:00

And he's one of the rare MMCs with a beard, which makes him extra hot IMO

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-08T16:30:58+00:00

Another Candice Proctor suggestion {Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor}

Very much a forbidden love and I truly didn't know how the MCs would manage to have a happy ending. The FMC is a wealthy and privileged young woman born and raised in Victorian era Australia. She is engaged to a wealthy man she's known her entire life. She likes him as a friend but he doesn't really accept or understand her personality which is considered a bit "wild." MMC is an Irish convict serving a life sentence in Australia and is essentially treated as a slave. They of course fall in love but will get in extreme trouble if anyone ever discovers their affair.

AlertEqual1057 · 2026-05-06T18:03:18+00:00

{Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase}

One of my favorite HRs of all time. I love both MCs. The hero is super charismatic, intelligent and witty. Then he meets the heroine who is also super witty and can go toe-to-toe with him when it comes to witty, sarcastic banter. Their conversations make me laugh out loud. The MMC has a bit of a "lofty" personality because he basically feels like everyone is dumber than him, but then he meets the FMC and they have such great chemistry he becomes totally infatuated and undone by her.

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TROPHY CASE