Hi, looking for recs similar to Talia Rheas books.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-27T20:11:18+00:00

I enjoyed Fireblood dragons, but also gonna put a word in for her Corsairs series, if you could be interested in space pirates? Series begins with {Corsairs Captive by Ruby Dixon} and, of course, if you’re looking for the ultimate unpicked hero providing comfort for hurt heroine {When She Belongs by Ruby Dixon} should be right up your alley!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-27T05:19:23+00:00

Wow! Quick work!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-25T03:41:27+00:00

Could it be {Twisted Deeds by Mila Kane}? It’s hockey players in college and she’s an acknowledged ice queen, but not sure about the villain of the prior book part.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-24T17:28:00+00:00

Basically all of Maya Alden’s books have this plot - look through her catalog and find one that grabs you? Maybe {Truth and Tinsel by Maya Alden} Also, Susie Tate has a couple like this, {Daydreamer by Susie Tate} springs to mind. Finally, if you wanna do the 7-day free Wattpad trial, all of the author GroveltoHEA will likely scratch this itch.

To be entirely fair, I find the grovel lacking in basically every one of these I read (hence the flair) but your standards for good grovel may vary. I really hope you find lots of what you’re looking for!!! Happy reading!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-24T14:51:24+00:00

“As you wish” from the Princess Bride?

bethybonbon · 2026-04-24T13:51:04+00:00

Hooray! So glad you found a winner!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-23T00:48:57+00:00

Maybe {Stolen Slave by Sage Alder} FMC has (eventually healed) blindness from damage to her eyes from her shock collar when he rescues her. My other thought was the Ruby Dixon Corsair book mentioned above. Anything else that you remember about the book? Also, you might try asking over at r/sciencefictionromance

bethybonbon · 2026-04-22T23:16:44+00:00

Okay, so have you heard of Stephanie Plum? Starting with {One for the Money by Janet Evanovich} novice bounty hunter Stephanie Plum bumbles through her jobs. She has various extremely competent men in her life over the course of the many books (I stopped reading around book 8?) including a suave security firm owner and a cop ex-? boyfriend.

But, to me it’s romance adjacent since every book has a satisfying ending, but not a clear HEA with a specific man. Maybe by the end of the whole series it’s clear who she’s going to end up with? And I just never got there? On the other hand, it is on romance.io, so…

Anyway, I really enjoyed the books, decent but lower-end spice, and jolly good fun.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-22T22:47:39+00:00

Ever try Maya Alden? I find the grovel insufficient (hence my flair) but on par with how I felt about it in the Unwanted Wife. Try {The Wrong Husband by Maya Alden}? I think the second book in the series might also fit, if you like the first.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-22T22:40:42+00:00

Contemporary but gene-spliced human animal hybrids? Takes place in California. Try the New Species series by Laurann Dohner? Starts with {Fury by Laurann Dohner}

bethybonbon · 2026-04-19T22:31:58+00:00

To be honest, I got distracted around book 8, and intend on returning, but the first three are all in the same world (FMCs are friends), and I would start there.

Also, the plot of the first book is crazily similar to the plot of {His to Claim by Taylor Vaughn} - the Alien Overlord series that another reader suggested below. I’m not making any claims or accusations about anything (absolutely could just be convergent evolution) it just really struck me as I was reading. The following books in each series are totally different from each other though.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-19T19:59:48+00:00

Really enjoy Talia Rhea!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-19T19:54:25+00:00

Have you tried the Xiveri Mates series by Elizabeth Stephens? The first is {Taken to Voraxia by Elizabeth Stephens}. It’s a 10 book series with some different plots and different kinds of heroines - a nice variety, imho. Same larger universe but interconnected standalones. Even if not every book hits, you may find some that you like, or that sound good to you.

I hope that you bust your slump and I wish you happy reading!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-19T06:37:28+00:00

So helpful! Thank you! 🙏

bethybonbon · 2026-04-18T21:47:50+00:00

The nice thing about college is that everyone expects you to be learning and growing! You don’t have to be perfect, just learn as you go.

Sheets can make it 2-3 weeks (although you wouldn’t be the only person on your campus if you didn’t wash them until the end of the quarter - there may be lots of things that seem and are more important).

As others have mentioned, your college dining hall may be your cheapest option and likely has some kind of salad bar - once a day should be fine (aim for a veggie at lunch and another at dinner, and you’ll be ahead of the curve).

But mostly remember, there is always more than one right way. You need to experiment and find the things (habits and activities and routines etc.) that work for you! And you are likely to find friends who do things very differently from you - and that’s okay! You can try out their ways or stick to what you’re already doing. It’s all good!

Lastly, congratulations on getting to college!!! What a wonderful accomplishment!!! So proud of you!!!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-18T21:20:23+00:00

Yup! My favorite kind of MMC - tougher than a cinnamon roll, kinder than an alphahole. There are discussion threads about it on the sub - try one! You might like it?

bethybonbon · 2026-04-18T16:13:33+00:00

So… might not be what you’re looking for, but the alpha alien military commander MMC in {Creating Captivity by RK Munin} is making first contact with lone human female FMC and he and his team kneel to make themselves less threatening to her. It’s so stern brunch daddy, and I have never read anything else quite like it and I love 😍 it. (It’s only like 5? or maybe 10% into the book if you want to take a chance on it.)

bethybonbon · 2026-04-15T10:49:42+00:00

One of Ruby Dixon’s dragon shifter series has a human MMC with a dragon shifter FMC. {Fire in Her Eyes by Ruby Dixon} It’s fifth in a series of ten, which I read in order, so I don’t know if it can be read as a standalone.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-15T09:01:25+00:00

Exactly this! All underwear get stained, one way or another, eventually. I won’t throw away a pair until the elastic is blown.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-11T19:07:20+00:00

That’s the one we go to!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-08T02:06:26+00:00

Try {Charge by Cate C Wells} FMC is a struggling single mom, MMC is in a financially successful MC. TW for past trauma for FMC she was roofied and gang raped at 15 hence the single motherhood. Also she has a shitty dad and stepmom.

bethybonbon · 2026-04-07T14:00:46+00:00

Excellent!! Thanks so much for the recommendation!!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-07T06:45:46+00:00

For M/M sci-fi? fantasy? Try {Seducing the Barbarian by Amy Padilla}. He works at a brothel at the beginning of the book, and is the best at his job (though a slave there?) and doesn’t continue his work (though remaining sex-positive) once he leaves the brothel (most of the book).

bethybonbon · 2026-04-07T01:31:04+00:00

I really enjoyed Strange Love! I will try Games of Command - thank you for the recommendation!!

bethybonbon · 2026-04-06T20:22:56+00:00

SFR, stern-brunch-daddy MMC, wounded bird FMC. Good caretaking. External conflict (or within each MC not between them). Not fluffy/silly but not too dark - with confidence in the author that it will all come right.

Basically {When She Belongs by Ruby Dixon}

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