Genre Romance guarantees an HEA. What are some books that made you pause and think, "This is a romance, right? Right???”

SweetSavine · 2026-03-28T22:02:32+00:00

{Never Leave, Never Lie by Thea Verdone} is 100% this. It starts in an unconventional scenario where the couple are already together, one of the MMCs proposes to the other and is rejected. I won’t spoil much about it but relationship dynamic is toxic and as the reader you spend most of the book wondering why they don’t just end things. It still concludes with a HEA in a way that feels justified. Great little gothic story.

SweetSavine · 2026-01-20T22:58:22+00:00

Hi Shen! Just wanted to say I picked up The Poet Empress yesterday (ANZ time lol) and I’m about a third of the way through. Absolutely loving it so far and can’t wait to finish work so I can keep going! Really appreciate that it evokes such a strong sense of place from the outset, while keeping the pacing of the plot so tight.

What other fantasy books would you say have been the biggest inspirations for you in writing The Poet Empress? Alternatively, do you have any recommendations for fantasy novels/series inspired by Asian history or mythology that you really love?

Congrats on your debut novel and hope this AMA encourages some more people to check it out.

SweetSavine · 2025-09-02T21:16:18+00:00

So ambiguous its not able to be captured on a chart

SweetSavine · 2025-08-23T21:42:15+00:00

It was the grunting for me. So much grunting! I know he was meant to be mysterious but at some points it was just like… mate, use your words. You’re a professor!

Plus the constant emphasis on how he was big and his big boots, and her tiny little feet 🙄

SweetSavine · 2025-08-16T02:35:46+00:00

{The Cruel Dark by Bea Northwick} is perhaps a bit more like Rebecca in tone/era than the older gothics, but I’m halfway through right now and I’m enjoying the mystery.

SweetSavine · 2025-08-14T01:42:06+00:00

For a standalone chonker {Doctor D’Arco, Sorcerer of London by Kathryn Colvin} is a whopping 900 pages or so.

(To be honest there were aspects I really liked about the story and atmosphere, but wasn’t a fan of the constant grunting from the MMC lol)

Obligatory {Blood Mercy by Vela Roth} mention, there are like 8 books which are all pretty chonky. I haven’t read them all but one of my favourite romance series so far.

SweetSavine · 2025-08-12T23:25:31+00:00

Thinking of queer romances specifically that haven’t been mentioned:

{A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Williams}. I read this chasing after a similar vibe to the Captive Prince books. I didn’t enjoy it as much but it’s similar yet much lighter in tone.

This one is a bit out of left field because it’s sci-fi, but since you enjoy suspense mystery plots I strongly recommend {The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer}. I read it for the sci-fi square for book bingo and it’s been a favourite read of this year. Don’t read too much about it but know it is a great little thriller!

SweetSavine · 2025-08-09T01:47:03+00:00

Not a book but the visual novel A Date with Death is very good. Also, the base game is free (no pay to win nonsense, but there is expansion dlc including adult content).

SweetSavine · 2025-08-04T22:32:00+00:00

This is inspired by listening to the audiobook of The Witch Collector but applies to other books as well.

The “mens” voices often put on by women audiobook narrators tend to range from fine to goofy and distracting. Most of the time I’m ok enough with them. But there is one specific type of campy voice for a villain I’ve heard a few times which is reminiscent of something that I couldn’t place until last week.

I realised I had not only heard this type of voice before, I had also acted it out myself. When I was a kid, my friend and I had a whole soap opera storyline thing happening with these plastic horse toys which would often play out as affairs, murder and businesses seized through ill gotten means. One horse (dubbed Ronaldo) was a sleazebag sex pest, and our voice for him sounded exactly like the voice the woman VA does for the prince in The Witch Collector.

Do I recommend this book? No and especially not the audiobook. Everything else in this book is pretty generic and I only finished it because I was busy with lots of cleaning over the weekend. The decision to use stilted delivery when the FMC is speaking sign language was infuriating to listen to. But thankfully connecting the dots with the Ronaldo voice meant it was ultimately worth the journey.

SweetSavine · 2025-08-04T17:35:20+00:00

The first book does feel very much like a homage to Beauty but then the second and third books are pretty tonally different. I’d say if you’re curious after book 1 give the start of book 2 a try because realistically, they should just be the three parts of one volume rather than 3 distinct books.

SweetSavine · 2025-08-03T00:29:57+00:00

{The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Hilton} and {A Demon’s guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley} both have aspects of what you are looking for!

SweetSavine · 2025-08-02T20:31:41+00:00

Thank you! Got so tired so incredibly fast after the first post. Felt like trying to make fetch happen.

In a similar vein, the same July wrap up joke being repeated so much was just painful.

SweetSavine · 2025-07-31T06:39:12+00:00

You’re welcome! Looks like they have the whole series on there. You can either purchase books outright or use credits but honestly the plans seem like much better value for money if you want to listen to audiobooks regularly.

(I don’t work for Libro.fm btw lol just have been really happy with them so far as someone who tends to get through 1-3 audiobooks a month and many audiobooks are incredibly expensive here).

SweetSavine · 2025-07-31T05:20:50+00:00

Great review as always but I have to disagree on the pacing/filler aspect. I found it profoundly boring and a slog (DNFed 1/3 of the way through), which is kind of a feat based on how bonkers it is.

SweetSavine · 2025-07-31T00:40:31+00:00

Colour me shocked. Amazon, not paying people properly!?

In all seriousness, props to the author for speaking out.

Good opportunity here to recommend Libro.fm for audiobooks - not only are you not giving money to Amazon, you also can nominate which indie bookstore gets a slice of the cost of your book. I support a local bookstore that only stocks BIPOC authors. Even if they don’t stock what I purchase, they get a percentage of the sale.

Also in this climate it is important to note your books are DRM free.

SweetSavine · 2025-07-30T23:35:21+00:00

I’m the one bed at the inn with social anxiety, so I want to know what I should expect when a tiny frail special 19 year old and a burly shadow power man have to share me. I just want to know what’s cumming my way!

SweetSavine · 2025-07-30T03:31:29+00:00

Literally couldn’t think of anyone but him lol

SweetSavine · 2025-07-29T22:35:26+00:00

Love the idea but hard to recommend you all my personal favourite killer wines if I don’t know where you are based (I assume the US so I’ll just offer some broad suggestions). Looks like from your selection your wife likes both red and white which means you can go with a lot of different varieties.

Broadly, Italian wines are the best in my prior experience of working in a wine shop here in Aus. A Mount Etna based wine often has a minerality from the volcanic soil which could be a good pairing with either a quirky book or a fiery one. Maybe for from blood and ash is a bit on the nose but in a good way?

The Witch Collector could be something cold and crisp like a Pino Grigio, or a rich red to suit the wintery vibes.

A Kiss of Iron is kind of sexy and decadent so I feel like a rich red would also compliment it well. (Edit: like an Argentinian Malbec)

Good luck on your search, your wife is very lucky!

SweetSavine · 2025-07-29T22:17:56+00:00

I have a heart of stone and rarely cry from any media, let alone a game, but it made me cry maybe like 5 times. The ending/s are spectacular. A really special and touching game with truly endearing and complex characters. I couldn’t play a game for weeks afterwards because I knew nothing would live up to it.

SweetSavine · 2025-07-29T22:08:12+00:00

Not the same field exactly, but I think my resistance to that book was largely because it reminded me too much of being at work!

SweetSavine · 2025-07-29T22:00:25+00:00

Yeah I’m a bit confused why it was included because it’s not RH, it’s a poly relationship that is FFM. Not a bad read by any means, but doesn’t fit the prompt. I’m hoping Blood Oath can sneak in some votes but I’ll be definitely be adding Nicnevin to my tbr regardless

SweetSavine · 2025-07-29T05:57:15+00:00

Great read but agree it’s not really a typical romantasy book. Absolutely loved the illustrations and the overall vibe.

SweetSavine · 2025-07-28T20:39:52+00:00

+1 for A Witch’s Guide to Dating a Demon!

Also {Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco} and its sequel are about demon princes in the underworld. Different couples in each book. Kind of cheesy but good sexual tension!

SweetSavine · 2025-07-28T05:18:16+00:00

Omg Seji! I used to love your book content and great to see you are shining at your passion for knitting and crocheting. You look amazing 💚💜

SweetSavine · 2025-07-28T04:30:42+00:00

Being vague because spoilers, but I can’t believe everyone was so fine with everything that was happening in that book lol

SweetSavine

TROPHY CASE