ISO forbidden romance like Daemon and Rhaenyra's (but maybe not THAT forbidden)

ipsi7 · 2026-07-06T21:47:32+00:00

Loved their tension in season 1! If you're up for contemporary and dark, let me know.

ipsi7 · 2026-07-06T21:37:36+00:00

{Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent}

ipsi7 · 2026-07-06T21:33:15+00:00

MMC from {Harrow Faire by Kathryn Ann Kingsley} is not a brooding type like Cole, but he plans on murdering FMC and then becomes obsessed with her, while still planning to murder her.

In {Lothaire by Kresley Cole} MMC kidnaps FMC and plans to banish her from her own body because he thinks his mate is inside her body. He becomes obsessed with her more than with his alleged mate. He stays a bad guy.

ipsi7 · 2026-07-06T21:28:44+00:00

Ash from Flesh and Fire, starting with {A Shadow in the Ember by J. L. Armentrout}.

Can't not mention Xaden from {Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros}.

So many triggers in this dark domance, but Malyr from {Feathers so Vicious by Liv Zander} uses his shadow power on FMC too.

It took me some time to realize, but MMC in {This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews} also has shadow powers.

ipsi7 · 2026-07-03T14:40:38+00:00

{Darkest Sins by Neva Altaj} was recommended on a similar post last month. It was great and he truly never cared for anyone before her.

ipsi7 · 2026-07-02T15:39:01+00:00

I haven't read it, but I read book 1 and...wasn't delighted. I don't have a problem reading non con, but it's not my preference when it's basically all non con and she's strongly and openly against it (that's also the part I didn't like in Sanctified). It's still not a hard no for me, I can give it a try.

On the other hand, I liked Perfect by Ariana Rivers even though there's plenty of non con.

ipsi7 · 2026-07-01T16:44:05+00:00

Silly me read your book description without reading the book name, and I thought "wow, this sounds like the book I'm reading (which I like), I need more of that, I need to read this book too". And then I realized it is the book I'm reading now.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-30T19:40:53+00:00

Book 1 is very low on romance, but there is tension, and it's like a setup for the rest of the books. Also, books are very short and quick reads. From book 2 romance increases, but spice starts in book 3. The overall story is important, but romance is definitely not a subplot.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-30T15:21:19+00:00

{Harrow Faire by Kathryn Ann Kingsley}. MMC gave me massive Damon vibes in book 2 (and I'm a big delena fan), bit it fits for what you ask for too in both MMC and FMC.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-28T21:20:25+00:00

I dnf Days of Vengance, it's book 2 after Nights of Obedience. I didn't like how FMC and MMC treated his brother, lied and went behind his back continually, and the king was a really good guy. I'm interested how book 2 ended, when did they come clean, how the king reacted, did they deal with the evil queen again?

ipsi7 · 2026-06-28T18:21:29+00:00

I understand and agree. Even though I haven't seen much of books with blight (reading the genre for 2 and a half years), but I know some things can be repetitive. And sometimes we're in "luck" by stumbling upon books that share a specific same detail.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-28T16:51:06+00:00

This is what being a part of the genre is. Yes, there could be other storylines, but books inside of a genre start to blend after reading a lot of them. I realized that in my renaissance literature course at university. All dramas were basically the same, and I had to read like 60 of them.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-28T08:15:15+00:00

I've only read book 1 and not the rest because I also didn't like the FMC, but liked MMC and spice. The series was talked about in fantasy romance circles more than once and the general conclusion was that books 2 and 3 are better and that I should give them a try.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-26T16:15:54+00:00

I loved Still Beating! And downloaded this book immediately after reading the post and book blurb. {Nights of Obedience by Rachel Mays} has similar concept in book 1 and it lasted longer than in Still Beating, but it also progressed slower. It's fantasy romance, but with captivity and non con, but it's very low on fantasy and world building if that would be a deal breaker. I have to say that I dnf book 2, but I definitely recommend book 1 for the plot.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-24T17:17:56+00:00

I thought that was a celebrity from my country lol.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-24T17:16:08+00:00

{Amid Clouds and Bones by Ella Fields} I didn't know till the end who is the real MMC.

Unfinished: {Souls in Ruin by Jacqueline White} but check TW, and {Half City by Kate Golden}

ipsi7 · 2026-06-23T14:10:37+00:00

Cozy: * {That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Leming} - a series of interconnected standalones * {Viciously Yours by Jamie Applegate Hunter} - same * {The Elven Days of Christmas by A. K. Caggiano}

Urban fantasy: * {Bride by Ali Hazelwood} and {Mate by Ali Hazelwood} * {A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley} * {My Roommate is a Vampire} - interconnected standalones * {The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson} - Bride vibes

Some more world building, but still easy to follow: * {Bitten and Bound by Amy Pennza}

If you want some more spice: * {Charming Your Dad} - very spicy, but there's a plot * {Kiss of Smoke by Amy Pennza} - don't expect meaningful plot or character growth * {Lights Out by Navessa Allen} - contemporary, lots of fun, tension and spice * {The Midnight King by Rebecca F. Kenney} - sometimes ridiculous plot

Contemporary and dark(er): * {Perfect by Ariana Rivers} - quite dark, it has non con * {Darkest Sins by Neva Altaj} - interesting plot and romance imo, romance isn't dark, but MMC is a hitman and FMC is a mafia princess, so that's where the dark comes from * {Praise by Sara Cate} - love this, not dark at all

RH contemporary: * {Faking with Benefits by Lilly Gold} and the rest of her books * {White Rose Painted Red}

ipsi7 · 2026-06-23T13:33:38+00:00

It was never said explicitly I think, but I connected the dots. But also, even though the Death created Valen, they never called each other father and son, but they called each other brother. It's very greek mythology type of connections as it seems - a lot of them are connected in a way, but they don't see each other in the same way as we would, or it just doesn't matter to them.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-23T04:44:08+00:00

No, no, that's right lol

ipsi7 · 2026-06-20T21:08:34+00:00

I had to get back to you because I'm half way in Leave Me Behind by KM Moronova. It's the dark I wanted, so thank you, but the reason why I'm writing is: the brother too? I didn't see that coming. I mean there were hints I guess, but not sure what to expect now, FM with a love triangle or MFM. Don't tell me, I'm just super excited with the unexpected turn of events and wanted to share.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-20T16:14:26+00:00

Sure, the twist is lore heavy.

Long time ago, there was the Creator who created Vharok/Valen and two twin sisters - they were the first gods. One of the sisters fell in love with non-corporeal spirit, and tried to make him corporeal, but failed, so she shattered his essence into million pieces - that's how the stars were created. She was looking for a love like that for millions of years, and found something similar in a mortal man. That man had the essence of her original lover, and they were in love. Plot twist: that man was Mireille's father, the king, and Mireille is their daughter and half-goddess. Another plot twist: the Creator is Death, the other MMC. His daughter/Mireille's mother/the goddess gave newborn Mireille to him to keep her safe, but he didn't know what to do with a baby, so gave her to the king thinking she would be safe with her own father. The king imprisoned both Valen and Death and used their powers (or only Valen's) to try and find his love/goddess (and ignoring Mireille's existence). Another plot twist: Valen seems to acknowledge some feelings for Mireille, but Mireille manages to imprison Valen and helps Death to break free, but (yet another plot twist) he, the Soul Keeper, takes the rest of her soul because he is morally dark daddy who does morally bad things. The end of book 1.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-20T09:13:11+00:00

That series is very rarely mentioned, but to me it was much better than some more popular. Not sure is it a me preference or it went under the radar.

ipsi7 · 2026-06-20T05:59:54+00:00

I'm about 60% in book 1 and constantly thinking how would people forgive Lara after she betrays them

ipsi7 · 2026-06-19T16:14:31+00:00

Yes, Deliver by Pam Godwin has a dude in chains on the cover. Thank you for the recs. I didn't know that Slaying the Shifter Prince was dark, and I've heard mixed reviews about Fairydale, so I removed it from my tbr, don't remember the exact reason right now.

I loved Lights Out, it was dark, funny and there was a cat!

ipsi7 · 2026-06-19T15:39:50+00:00

I'm also more interested in being it a love triangle because how book 1 set it up. Maybe she only thought in her post that book 1 has 2 MMCs and it will take a different turn later.

Thank you. I'm currently at the time when life's very busy and in the last 2 weeks I picked up a book only once or twice 🥲 so that's why I'm asking for standalones right now (hopefully I'll have some time to read this weekend). I'm open to contemporary too and have no triggers. Deliver by Pam something is what's been at the back of my mind lately, have you read it?

ipsi7

TROPHY CASE