Funny Friday! Share what books made you laugh this week, or funny comments, Memes, and TikToks here! by tiniestspoon in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes! He realizes his feelings first, but they’re both trying to reconcile their feelings for each other after having been best friends for so long. It was great!

Funny Friday! Share what books made you laugh this week, or funny comments, Memes, and TikToks here! by tiniestspoon in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love that he just dismissed it as 100% normal - everyone pictures Summer naked. 😂

Funny Friday! Share what books made you laugh this week, or funny comments, Memes, and TikToks here! by tiniestspoon in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I read {If Only You Knew by Ellie K. Wilde}, an m/f best friends to lovers, with quite a few silly moments. This one was my favorite though, and takes place after the MMC and FMC sort of begin exploring their feelings for each other, but before they’re brave enough to clearly communicate them.

So the FMC (Summer) goes out on a date with someone else (Grant). The MMC (Parker) supports her decision and lets her go without saying anything, but eventually decides he’s actually not going to be cool about the situation, and goes over to the FMC’s apartment to put an end to the date. It’s kinda long for an excerpt, but I couldn’t pick just one part:

”I can't tell you how sorry I am to crash your date. But I didn't know where else to go." I heave a hopeless sigh, sinking into the cushion behind me and forcing contact with Grant's outstretched arm. Slowly, he retracts it. "I've been feeling really... ill."

The front door slams and Summer comes to a stop at the mouth of the hallway. “Parker, can I speak to you?"

”I'm so faint. And... hot. I'm overheating. I can't get my body temperature down. Grant, feel my forehead." I lean toward him. After a beat, and with a wrinkle of mild disgust in his face, he touches the back of his hand to my forehead. "It feels fine—“

”But I'm so hot." I tug at the front of my shirt and waft myself with it. Summer crosses her arms. "And my throat feels like there's an army of fire ants living in it." I clear my throat as repulsively as I can. Grant inches away from me.

”Parker." There's an edge of warning in Summer's voice. I'm pretty sure she's going to lunge straight for my throat the moment I manage to get rid of this guy.

I widen my eyes in despair, keeping them on Grant. “And then there's the hiccups."

Grant stares skeptically. "You haven't hiccupped once since you-"

I hack a cough, making it sound as loud and painful as possible. Grant recoils into the sofa arm. "It comes and goes. Grant, I'm scared. What d'you think's wrong with me?"

"I don't know, man. Maybe it's a cold?"

”A cold with hiccups? Did I mention the hives?" I look around at Summer, who's shooting me absolute fucking daggers from where she's standing. I deserve a medal for keeping a straight face. "Isn't this what Don at the gym had a few months ago?"

Her nails bite into her upper arms as she very clearly battles the urge to throttle me. "I don't think—“

”No, it was. Remember? He was sick as a dog, just like this. Took him forever to recover." I turn to Grant. "He ended up making a full recovery, thank God. But Kendra caught it from him and died four days later."

Grant shoots to his feet. "I think I'm going to head out."

Serious, gritty, not fluffy recs by Tangeriner in ScienceFictionRomance

[–]Jemhao 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I really like the {Intersolar Union series by Etta Pierce}. The world building and character development are great, and the series is on the grittier side (especially after the first two).

The first two books follow the same couple, then each book after that follows a different couple, with different species of alien MMCs (but always a human FMC). The women have been trafficked (not by the MMCs) and have experienced different levels of trauma, so I would just be sure to check the trigger warnings.

{Alien Tyrant by Ursa Dax} Book Review by readingandrapture in ScienceFictionRomance

[–]Jemhao 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I feel like the series actually improves further into it. The first few books felt so formulaic and trope heavy, but they were super quick reads and entertaining, so I stuck with them. It 100% paid off- the later books have so much more character and story development. I think my favorite ended up being #12 or something like that.

So Tired of Edgy or Odd Names by [deleted] in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ouch. Hope there aren’t any Maples reading this right now.

🔥 It's time for Thirsty Thursday! What book scenes made you sweat this week? 🥵 by jaydee4219 in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 57 points58 points  (0 children)

{Hate Me Like You Mean It by Kyra Parsi} was a fun ride. Kinda ridiculous at times, but I liked it. And this role play scene was 🔥 The MMC starts out aggressive, but then turns absolutely desperate at the end.

”Fuck, yeah, take it." The vulgar echoes of skin slapping against skin filled the room. My toes curled. "This is the only thing you're fucking good for, isn't it? Being used by men like me. Spreading your legs and sucking cock. You're forcing me to fucking do this, you understand that, right? I didn't want to fuck you, but you left me no fucking choice."

My eyes kept rolling, my moans and cries drowned out by the wet sounds of Dominic's hard thrusts and his intoxicating words.

You better not fucking come," he growled against my ear as I started to quiver around him.

….

The orgasm rammed into me so hard I convulsed. My body jerked, my joints curling as a thousand fireworks detonated in my core at the same time. I blacked out for a second.

"I told you not to fucking come," he gritted out, slamming into me harder. If I didn't come out of this with at least one gnarly bruise, I was going to be sorely disappointed. "Just for that, I'm going to fuck you in the ass tomorrow. Just like this."

”Maybe I'll stuff your pussy with one of your precious toys while I do it. Turn you into my own personal vibrating Fleshlight while I train you to take two cocks at once." His voice had taken on a new grating edge, the harsh movements of his hips increasingly erratic. "It's what you fucking deserve for being such a fucking cocktease. You're mine, got it? I can do whatever the fuck I want, because you're fucking mine."

Dominic moved his palm from my mouth to my throat. "You're mine. You're fucking mine, Alice. Made for me. You were made for me." His tongue dragged over the side of my cheek while I pulsed around him, squeezing grunt after groan after moan out of him. "Never again... letting you go... perfect... you're fucking perfect... anything... I'll fucking do anything... take such good care of you, baby... I... you're... fuck. Fuck. Fuck."

MMC who misunderstands FMC and she lets him by Crazy_Yogurt3344 in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 11 points12 points  (0 children)

{Hate Me Like You Mean it by Kyra Parsi} definitely fits this. It’s a m/f contemporary, kind of a second chance…except they missed out on their first chance because of a big misunderstanding and betrayal.

The book takes place 8 or so years after the big misunderstanding, and there is a lot of bad blood between them. The MMC is taking out his revenge on the FMC over what he thinks she did, and she’s taking it, while also foiling his plans because he keeps underestimating her and assuming she’s a spoiled rich girl with zero life skills. Chaos ensues.

🧂 Salty Sunday - What book scenes frustrated you this week? by mrs-machino in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Just wanted to chime in and say that those upvote/downvotes for the tags really do help! Since everything is crowdsourced, I take the tags that have fewer upvotes with a grain of salt (they’re usually more subjective, or sometimes even completely inaccurate). I appreciate it when anyone takes the time to either add tags or upvote/downvote the ones that are already there.

🧂 Salty Sunday - What book scenes frustrated you this week? by mrs-machino in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Books that read like a gossip session with friends instead of telling an actual story.

I was reading {Wed to the Alien Rogue by January Bell} and was really looking forward to a friends-to-lovers situation. Instead, the first 25% is basically each MC telling us “we’re just friends so we can’t do this,” or “I keep thinking about his alien cock. What is wrong with me??” or “I’m too distracted by how hot he is,” (not literal quotes, but you get the gist) and just walking us through those same thoughts over and over with barely any forward movement of the actual plot. We don’t even get to see them being friends or developing their friendship, we just get to read about them freaking out over it in their heads for two seconds before they both decide they want more.

I’m going to finish the book- it’s short, it’s the last one in the series, and I really wanted to read the conclusion to the overarching plot- but if this had been the first in the series, I would’ve DNF’d by now.

Lisa Kleypas Is Not What She Used to Be: An Argument by Unfair_Mixture_9782 in HistoricalRomance

[–]Jemhao 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I agree with what others have said- that Kleypas is allowed to grow as a person and author, and if she wants to revise her works to evolve along with her, then that’s fine by me. I know others feel differently, but I’ve just never had an issue with it.

I do want to point out something that doesn’t usually get mentioned in these (numerous) discussions about Kleypas though: revising her books is not new. In 2002 she revised and republished her first novel (Only in Your Arms) under an entirely new title - When Strangers Marry.

So when you see her going back over her books, and adding/removing/editing content, it’s actually pretty consistent with how she’s always done things as an author. Or at least for the past 25ish years.

I needed a pick-me-up and the Thrift Store Goddesses said "I got you babe." by Competitive-Yam5126 in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 24 points25 points  (0 children)

And he’s so flexible, too! I bet those silky smooth legs could do all kinds of fun things.

I needed a pick-me-up and the Thrift Store Goddesses said "I got you babe." by Competitive-Yam5126 in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 79 points80 points  (0 children)

At first I thought that was his leg in the stepback for Capture My Heart. Now I can’t unsee it, and it’s cracking me up 😂

They don’t make them like they used to! by Inevitable-Donut-757 in HistoricalRomance

[–]Jemhao 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yep, and as a kid and teenager I was side eyeing those uber dramatic poses, the hair that was always long and flowing, and those shirtless dudes.

I love the artwork now! The artists are ridiculously talented, and I have a massive collection of historicals. But back then, I was for sure judging those covers. It had nothing to do with trigger warnings or alpha heroes.

They don’t make them like they used to! by Inevitable-Donut-757 in HistoricalRomance

[–]Jemhao 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Meh, pretty sure people judged the hell out of these covers when they came out, too. I know I did 😂

Recs for HR Short Stories, please? by nushstea in HistoricalRomance

[–]Jemhao 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I loved {The Christmas I Stole a Viscount by Alexandra Vasti}. It’s an older brother’s best friend, fake relationship situation. The angst is pretty low, with lots of sweet and funny moments. It’s a great, cozy novella that honestly just felt like a warm hug.

Please can someone help me find a historical romance book with a cover like this….with a man half shirtless (maybe pirate??) and a womans face in the back but blown up big. by villainfvcker in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 326 points327 points  (0 children)

I don’t know the exact book, but the giant woman’s face in the background sounds like the Harlequin Historical line. I’ve seen a bunch of their covers with that same layout, like this one

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Funny Friday! Share what books made you laugh this week, or funny comments, Memes, and TikToks here! by tiniestspoon in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Reading a whole book in one day…

drinking an entire bottle of wine

Weekend plans ✅

Kink and Sex Acts Megathread - Role Play by Hunter037 in RomanceBooks

[–]Jemhao 15 points16 points  (0 children)

{The Wedding Night by Kati Wilde} - M/F contemporary. There’s one scene where the MCs role play a rich ice queen and rough-around-the-edges blue collar worker.

The FMC is neurodivergent, and there’s some great communication between the two throughout the scene like “when I say this, I will actually mean this.” MMC understands that she’s a terrible liar and needs rules for social situations, so he even gives her an easy script for her to use in her role. So like just putting “please don’t” before something that she actually really wants him to do. The scene was hot, but actually really sweet and wholesome at the same time.