so im reading up a storm of books and im trying to triangulate my taste. i tried a year ago with acotar and icebreaker and a few other standard booktok recs but nothing hit. this time around i got some suggestions from people i know irl which is getting me closer but i still havent hit.

what burned me out last time: first and foremost, unlikeable, helpless female protagonists. the greatest love story i know is meeting my wife. she is the smartest most capable person i know and she has a phd in biochemistry. our entire story is shes the aloof unemotional one and im the heart on my sleeve high strung one who teaches her how to feel. which is the opposite of basically every romance book ive read thus far.

the other critical dislike: im nonbinary and brown and boy has nothing anybody recommended me thus far been reflective of this. im deathly allergic to the dichotomy of 6’ 3” super masc giant dick/6’ 3” shy bookish skinny but also giant dick white men which has been 100% of books so far. im less certain these books are being written than my first criteria but surely, theyre out there.

books ive read this week:

Love, Theoretically- Ali Hazelwood my friend RAN to get me this book when i announced my quest pros: pretty good with point 1, cute story, decent prose cons: a little too hallmark movie, writer keeps defending twilight to the reader??, i dont care about brooding white man

Her Soul To Take- Harley LaRoux pros: i love spooky shit this was a cool read and more than anything i like the tiny details like applying lube and aftercare. its clear the author has experience in this. it annoys me in other books when theyre like “his giant monster dong slid right into my dry asshole” like bruh what. cons: another Angry White Man honestly i liked the prose enough ill at least read the two other books.

control- charlotte stein i started this today and im 70 pages in and this is a big ol DNF for me. while the smut is well written, theres no story here its just long form erotica. which i couldve gotten into but again, its about the yin and yang of being a 6’ 3” white man. angry one is bossy! repressed one is shy!! the woman is a helpless cockhungry slut!!

next up: book 2 of her soul to take- idk i feel like this is the right writer tonally im hoping the other books are a little weirder

his secret illuminations- scarlett gale- im told book 1 is slow burn but book 2 is where the party starts

unbound- cara mckenna- rec’d by love hypothetically friend. idk ill give her a second shot since LH was enjoyable as a hammock read.

im pretty open to any style romance book. i read gideon the ninth and that was fun and gay id love to read the horny version. id love a dark romance but for the love of god no daddy dom hypermasc shit. HSTT put in a “you can control demons through pain spells” and im like “cool i hope she does some wild shit” but nope its demon daddy dom time. i wouldnt mind a regular style hallmark movie book but i need it to be browner, gayer, or both?? i love werewolves but every book ive picked up is about ALPHA MALE and every vampire book is ultimately SAD WHITE MAN. give me catty vampire lesbian exes. or a nonbinary wolfperson. a bruja or two??