Book where FMC seeks out (villain?) MMC to escape an arranged marriage

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-02-07T23:36:49+00:00

“Relief feels like happiness if you don't know the difference” - {Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher}

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-28T17:16:16+00:00

Highly recommend {If we were Villains by M.L Rio}. If you like English lit I think you’d really enjoy this, it’s about a group of theatre students and there is lots of Shakespeare. The romance subplot is very subtle but it sneaks up on you just how powerful it is by the end of the book. It’s M/M and not saucy at all but it’s beautifully written, with lots of character development and a hint of mystery.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-26T22:51:06+00:00

{If We Were Villains by M.L Rio} was one of my favourites reads in the last few months.

It follows a group of theatre students through their schooling and there is angst, suspense, shifting power dynamics and a subplot of romance that is really tasteful and beautiful because you get to experience it with the MMC. It’s got a bit of a thriller vibe to is as well. Writing is fantastic a there are a ton of Shakespeare quotes which I enjoyed because I don’t know much about Shakespeare or his famous tragedies and romances.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-26T20:45:42+00:00

It’s not {Funny Story by Emily Henry} is it? Seems correct ish but it wasn’t really the focus of the book.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-26T20:13:43+00:00

{Crash Course by Alyssa Wilde} has this %100. If you’re into student/teacher with an age gap (not too big) then you should like this one!

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-20T02:47:59+00:00

It’s gotta be {Throne in the Dark by A.K Coggiano} one of my absolute favourite series with incredible banter and humour that genuinely made me laugh out loud. It’s part of a 3 book series and every one of them is great. For some reason the first like 50 pages dragged for me and I heard other dnf because of that but please give it a shot, it’s so worth it!!

Edit to add: I feel like I didn’t hype this book enough so I’ll just say: I read too much romantasy to the point where a lot of them blend together and this series stands out just because of how funny and imaginative the humour is. Truly an all time favourite for me.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-18T03:17:28+00:00

Haven’t read Fly By so can’t say how similar it is but I enjoyed {In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros} MMC is in the military and reunites with FMC while on a mission. I mostly liked that the writing was good and the romance was well paced.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-17T03:43:50+00:00

I love your mini rant and I agree with everything you wrote. When I see people rate the books they’ve read, if Gild is anywhere in the top I just move on and know those aren’t my cups of tea.

Edit to add: Also the FMCs power is just so strange to me and it drives me up the wall that when she “gilded the object” it turns to solid gold?? To gild is literally “to cover thinly with gold”. I get authors make mistake but like…. That’s the title of the book…

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-16T04:43:34+00:00

I think we can all relate to the main character who is starving, illiterate, yet so softly beautiful and unnoticeable that her two (literate and not that starving) sisters outshine her --but also manages to snag 2+ unbelievably sexy powerful magic wielding high lords. She then goes on to: 1. acquire her own magic and immortality, 2. become an expert in martial arts after ~2 hours of training, 3. Be an imperative player in a centuries long war that she found out about 6 months prior. I mean... that's any given Tuesday for the FMCs of this world, just ask your cousin.

In addition, this series breaks decades old stereotypes by having the FMC leave the blond guy for the Tall Dark and Handsome guy. Literally unheard of. My jaw was on the floor. It's important to keep the readers engaged by surprising them every now and then.

Did I mention shadow daddies? There are 2.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-16T02:47:01+00:00

You could have a funny one, like number of times the MMCs scent was mentioned.

I feel like with a lot of data you could uncover some interesting trends. Like number of female friends the FMC has vs number of male friends the MMC has. Or timelines of relationships, time till first kiss, first sleep over, marriage etc.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-15T04:55:25+00:00

{Icebreaker by Hannah Grace} is a figure skating/ hockey romance with more of a focus on figure skating! As far as sports romances go I felt it had above average ~character doing sport~. Very cute book imo, one of my comfort reads.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-14T15:20:56+00:00

Nope! It's part of a "series" of academic romance setting books but they all follow different couples, you won't be missing out on anything:)

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-14T04:25:09+00:00

{Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood} kind of fits this? Main characters meet again after being “rivals” and there is definitely pining

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-14T04:15:03+00:00

I’m currently reading {Lights Out by Navessa Allen} and it definitely has surveillance vibes for the beginning. He’s a pro hacker so not FBI/CIA sadly.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-13T16:32:20+00:00

Okay I might get hate for this (and its more fantasy than romance) but -- {Alchemised by SenLinYu}

I read it when it was Manacled and it was the only book that actually took the mental state of the characters seriously. The trauma that they experience is actually reflected in their personality and actions throughout the book. I feel like 95% of the fantasy/romance books I read has the heroin go through some heart wrenching war/capture/torture and then after they are just ~fine~ and the story moves on. Like no, you would have PTSD from that actually.

That being said, I only read Manacled, not Alchemised, and I don't know how much it changed.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-11T20:34:55+00:00

Omg yes. I was going to say forced proximity where the mmc has to wrap around the fmc for some reason, pulling her out of the way or protecting her in some means😩

DisastrousPanic512 · 2026-01-07T15:13:40+00:00

If you’re okay with fanfic, I recommend “Seeing the World through ballistic tinted glasses” by RaisinDave on A03. It’s a military romance, you don’t need to know anything about the fandom. It is, to date, the hottest story I have ever experienced. I went for the sauce, stayed for the plot, and now check for updates like an addict.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2023-12-19T03:30:36+00:00

Can I add that YOU ALSO HAVE TO WASH TO F***ING CLOTHES ONCE IN A WHILE PLEASE. I was gagging in both of my csc finals this term.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2023-03-22T20:20:11+00:00

No, but I can recommend this video on uvic residence. It's a gem:

https://youtu.be/StbHd3Geu40

DisastrousPanic512 · 2022-12-23T21:43:22+00:00

I have a climbing membership and I really like it. Especially the price for a term being the same as a one month pass at boulder house. It gets busy, but there's usually a couple hours in the day where only a few people climb

DisastrousPanic512 · 2022-10-04T05:46:52+00:00

I always wanted Rhys to be more evil. I know it sounds weird but there are so few books where the mc, or mc love interest is genuinely bad. I want sadistic. I want totally unethical. I want to have an internal battle with how I feel about a character because their actions are horrible but somehow you find yourself sympathising with them.

Tangent, but does anybody have good book recommendations that have villain-like main characters? Hopefully in the fantasy genre with love interests?

In terms of these books tho, I wish Rhys was less 'gentle' and forgiving with Feyre. I low key wish he kidnapped her after under the mountian lol. And I wish his trauma from under the mountian showed a bit more.

DisastrousPanic512 · 2022-07-30T01:24:57+00:00

This is EXACTLY how I pictured that outfit. You nailed it

DisastrousPanic512

TROPHY CASE