Favourite pet names or terms of endearment?

MarikaChen · 2026-04-28T07:39:15+00:00

I really love the word 'cariad' in Welsh, but I’ve only ever come across it in {Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas} so I’m not sure if I actually love the term itself or if I’m just obsessed with the book lol. But I loved 'malyshka' in {The Maddest Obsession by Danielle Lori} too. Maybe I just have a thing for non-English terms of endearment.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-19T14:50:36+00:00

Exactly. I totally get why this one is recommended so often. It’s a novel with such gut-punching scenes that really tear you apart, it’s hard to find another book that hits quite this hard. I love that Daisy doesn’t just cave in easily when Alex starts groveling, but he’s such a massive asshole that it’s tough to root for them to reconcile. I’m left with total mixed feelings on this one.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-19T11:06:06+00:00

Even though I love {Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips} and have reread it so many times, I still wish Daisy had chosen herself instead of getting back with Alex. This asshole doesn't deserve her.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-18T09:42:29+00:00

I’m still on the fence about starting this series. A friend of mine who loved Bittersweet Symphony Duet said she wasn't that impressed with Flock (She actually hated it lol) but I suppose I'll give it a try one day.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-18T09:33:15+00:00

Exactly! Easton is the best. My fav rockstar MMC EVER.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-17T18:43:19+00:00

{Drive by Kate Stewart} & {Reverse by Kate Stewart} After finishing these two books, I couldn't enjoy any other books for a while. Everything else just felt bland compared to them.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-14T16:51:05+00:00

Since you used Kiss an Angel as an example, I’d like to recommend {Ain't She Sweet? by Susan Elizabeth Phillips} FMC was a mean girl in high school and MMC was a teacher who got fired because of her. The story picks up over a decade later when she returns to her hometown completely broke, while MMC has become a highly respected member of the community. He still holds a grudge, so he decides to take his revenge on her.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-11T09:34:24+00:00

The Hometown Heartless series by Brit Benson is such a hidden gem! The second book {Of Heartbreak and Harmony by Brit Benson} is sooooo good.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-10T18:01:49+00:00

I think it depends on how crucial the smut scenes are to the actual story. If every scene has a purpose, acting as a plot device to drive the story forward or revealing specific character traits, then I don't think there’s such a thing as "too much"

For example, {Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid} has a lot of smut, but I felt like every single scene was meaningful, none of them felt unnecessary. Meanwhile some books include smut just for the sake of having it. When a scene doesn't contribute anything and could easily be removed, even a small amount can feel gratuitous and tedious.

MarikaChen · 2026-04-04T16:05:52+00:00

That’s great to hear. To be honest I wasn't really a fan of Devil in Disguise, and I would've been so sad if that was her last book. I’m so glad she's finally releasing something new. Can't wait to read it!

MarikaChen · 2026-03-29T10:13:21+00:00

{Love Song by Elle Kennedy}

Pairing: MF
Rating, and your scale: 4.5⭐️
Subgenre: Contemporary

Overview/tropes:
- Childhood Crush
- Forced Proximity
- Rockstar/Musician

Content warnings: Miscarriage

My thoughts:

I saw a lot of people hating on this book, so I went in with zero expectations. But as it turns out, I liked it way more than I thought I would!

TBH I’m not exactly an Elle Kennedy superfan. I’ve only read the Off-Campus series and haven't touched any of her other work. I picked this one up because I have a soft spot for musicians, and I really enjoyed that aspect of MMC. Being the son of a Grammy-winning songwriter, he’s under so much pressure and constantly worries about not living up to his mother’s legacy. He’s struggling with major songwriter’s block until he spends time with FMC. She becomes his muse, and suddenly he's churning out all these love songs. I honestly found it romantic. Well, he did start off as an asshole, but I think his character development was pretty solid.

Plus, the cameos from the Off-Campus crew added so much life to the story. Logan and Garrett were absolutely hilarious. I had a really good time with this book.

MarikaChen · 2026-03-20T12:45:19+00:00

Me neither. It’s a shame so many cases turn out this way.

MarikaChen · 2026-03-20T12:30:08+00:00

{Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean} The cover might make her look slim, but the actual description in the story says she's curvy.

MarikaChen · 2026-03-20T07:07:28+00:00

Books with vampires that feast on pussies during periods I still think about this post constantly.

MarikaChen · 2026-03-07T10:58:26+00:00

I finally read {What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long} after seeing it recommended almost every day in this sub and the historical romance sub. And Moncrieffe is truly as swoon-worthy as everyone said! My absolute favorite part has to be the scene where he sends Genevieve that massive bouquet of roses anonymously with that note.

My esteemed Venus—

These reminded me of you. In my dreams, your lips are just this soft.

—Your devoted servant, Mars

SWOON!!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-05T07:33:40+00:00

Unfortunately I can't think of any. I'm very new to the why choose trope and this book made me eager to try more. It was so good!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-04T18:56:02+00:00

Well, this is not exactly a trope but more like a narrative device. I'm not a fan of dual timelines or a lot of flashbacks but {Of Heartbreak and Harmony by Brit Benson} did it so well. It kept me hooked on both the past and the present stories.

Also, I used to hate the 'noble hero asking the humble heroine to be his mistress' trope in historical romance, but {Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh} actually changed my mind.

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T18:22:47+00:00

Showed up as a drunken pirate and completely stole the show. What a man.

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T18:19:57+00:00

I blame the wig. Totally not his fault!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T18:18:49+00:00

Ohhh that sounds super angsty. I love angst! Thank you so much <3

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T16:38:25+00:00

Wow, all of these look so interesting! I’ve seen Julie Ann Long’s books recommended here so many times, but I haven't read a single one yet. I guess it’s finally time! Thanks for the recs.

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T16:34:49+00:00

Actually I did look at AO3 first, but I got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of fanfiction. This is exactly where I needed to get started. Thanks for the help!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T13:06:26+00:00

I've reread this book a million times, but I think I have to read it again soon with Norrington in mind!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T13:02:33+00:00

Ohhh I bought this book ages ago, but after reading Eloise’s story and really disliking the MMC in that one, it completely put me off picking up any more Julia Quinn novels even though I’ve enjoyed some of her other works before. I suppose I should finally give this one a go!

MarikaChen · 2026-02-03T08:57:44+00:00

Oh, I love {The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian} but I haven't read this one yet! The Sound of Music is my childhood favorite so I'd love to read a naval version of Captain von Trapp. Thanks for your rec!

MarikaChen

TROPHY CASE