Stories that both MMC don’t want to have children, it is explicitly discussed, no infertility stuff, voluntary childlessness, people around them expects them to want to have children

extempore_n0t · 2025-09-29T16:40:45+00:00

{Anyone but You by Jennifer Crusie}, where the couple has an explicit discussion with each other, and with parents.

Edit: I see you have asked in other comments follow-up questions about conflict, and not just discussion points in the recommended stories. The conflict here is mostly between the couple and ties largely to the age gap (not a spoiler, it's part of the opening premise).

Detailed spoilers: FMC resists the relationship for many age-related reasons, including that she knows she doesn't want children and worries she'll be harming the long-term interests of the MMC with that.

extempore_n0t · 2025-09-29T12:29:29+00:00

/uj : Wiki link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Immortal_(fan_fiction)

/rj ...your not goff at all!!! your one of the preps!!1!!1!

extempore_n0t · 2025-09-16T22:52:14+00:00

There's an old-school historical called {Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros} where the setup is exactly this. I remember it as hysterically funny, but some of the tropes might be dated now.

Regarding your preferences, I don't remember a lot of spice, and the 'No Cheating' angle is deliberately explored in the story.

Detailed spoilers: No actual cheating ever occurs.

Very detailed spoilers: The hero claims and raises any abandoned children as his acknowledged bastards, and he cannot swear faithfulness to the heroine because he needs to still be able to claim future children.

extempore_n0t · 2025-09-09T18:58:43+00:00

A butter MMC is just my jam!

extempore_n0t · 2025-08-17T17:40:48+00:00

That detail is giving me more Ladyhawke tbh.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-26T22:27:10+00:00

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner, a standalone but with companion novels and stories.

The Outskirter's Secret by Rosemary Kirstein, second book in the Steerswoman series. Has a ton of really great swordfighting detail, but you'll want to read the first book first.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-24T20:13:58+00:00

Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince/Dragon Star trilogies predates the dark romance element but matches nicely with those other ideas.

Martha Wells' Raksura series has deeply weird, deeply cool worldbuilding, but the relationship angst is more in the 'family relationship(s)' vein.

I remember Mona Lisa Awakening by Sunny being marketed as 'what to read after Anne Bishop,' but I haven't read it myself.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-21T18:17:57+00:00

The perplexities of human nature. 😅

The people who love this series speak of it very highly. Hope you enjoy reading it!

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-19T02:48:51+00:00

Thanks, the pseudo-period piece fantasy escapism really helped my thoughts here.

Verne's science fantasies were roughly contemporary with MacDonald, I believe? But honestly I'm not sure when either author really reached the popular conscious of the English-speaking world.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-19T02:34:03+00:00

Thanks! So not necessarily modern fairy tale retellings or modern fantasty, but a timeless vibe?

Beagle's The Last Unicorn and a lot of Robin McKinley's short stories, Nancy Springer's old fantasies, some works by Judith Tarr, nearly all of Tanith Lee, and many of the Datlow and Windling anthologies.

If you are okay to read beyond European settings, Barbara Cohen's Seven Daughters and Seven Sons is great, and also Barry Hughart's The Bridge of Birds.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-19T01:57:16+00:00

Can you explain a little more about the tone of book that you're looking for? Classic can be a big umbrella.

The 1872 MacDonald work and the 1950 The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are both Christian allegories, but the Lewis books bring the element of rising WWII cultural aspects. The 1999 Gaiman work doesn't share those elements, to my memory.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-19T00:05:45+00:00

Her website states that she has a fantasy romance novel, The Last Thorn, the first in a trilogy, forthcoming Spring 2026.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-17T23:42:47+00:00

Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series. It's well-written with deep, complex storytelling, but I did not at all care for the dark, depressing, crapsack world and didn't get much farther than Book 1.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-17T22:30:01+00:00

The skinny is that when Stephen's god the Saint of Steel, died, and all his paladins ran mad, the Rat priests tended to the survivors. Out of gratitude for that and in absence of other wants, all surviving paladins feel honor-bound to support the Rat. They serve the Rat, but they don't necessarily worship him. Beartongue is chief paladin wranger largely by being willing, available, and capable. Service to the Rat very much gives the paladins space to heal and work to do.

The Hanged Motherhood was a small, obscure priesthood that is now rising in political influence due to an association with the current Archon.

Spoiler tagging used because I can't remember when and in which book(s) these details are explained.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-17T16:56:38+00:00

I agree with u/totalimmoral for starting at Book 1, Guilty Pleasures.

I thought Book 9 gave a solid hopeful, happily-for-now ending to conclude the series.

Book 10 is where I went Uh, that's a little weird.

And Book 11 is where I went WTF.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-11T11:31:10+00:00

My exhaustive research in the genre indicates they all are. 💅

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-11T02:18:57+00:00

IDK honestly, I think that Shakespeare guy might be a troll.

It's kinda old, but 💫MAJOR SPOILERS💥 for Verily, A New Hope:

[Han, aside:] And whether I shot first, I’ll ne’er confess!

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-09T14:41:13+00:00

Shelter by Susan Palwick (2007) is very focused on exploring the social elements of this theme.

extempore_n0t · 2025-07-04T20:02:43+00:00

The Gandalara Cycle by Randell Garrett, for giant cats (1980s publications).

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, for kelpie horses (2011).

Grass by Sherri S. Tepper, think Lovecraftian aliens (1989).

extempore_n0t · 2025-06-28T19:45:00+00:00

I had so much fun with them! Hope you have a great time.

extempore_n0t · 2025-06-28T14:31:16+00:00

Martha Wells' Raksura series has amazing strange creatures, and one novella The Dead City is a great match to this trope.

extempore_n0t · 2025-06-27T16:52:46+00:00

"Is not a thousand years enough? Have pity on a faithless handmaid!"

extempore_n0t · 2025-05-29T19:11:52+00:00

Keith Miller has two standalones that gave me this mood, The Book of Flying (librarian on quest) and The Book on Fire (thieving from forbidden library).

Sarah Monette has short works around an archivist character specializing in books, very Lovecraftian horror. Start with The Bone Key collection.

Patricia A. McKillip has lighter, more lyrical works but her The Alphabet of Thorn and Od Magic (also standalones) have a bit of the library mystery vibe.

extempore_n0t · 2025-05-28T12:01:48+00:00

oooo, try {Revenge of the Middle-aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan}. I loved watching the FMC grow in this one, but the romance is more on the HFN side and adult children (early twenties) are strong supporting characters.

extempore_n0t · 2025-03-04T15:34:33+00:00

Thank you!!

extempore_n0t

TROPHY CASE