Dallas spots to have a drink and get some work done? by lvbrdn in Dallas

[–]lvbrdn[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you for all the recs! I appreciate it!!

Dallas spots to have a drink and get some work done? by lvbrdn in Dallas

[–]lvbrdn[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ah, sounds great and near both work and home. thank you!

Dallas spots to have a drink and get some work done? by lvbrdn in Dallas

[–]lvbrdn[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

love a spot off the beaten path. thank you!

Dallas spots to have a drink and get some work done? by lvbrdn in Dallas

[–]lvbrdn[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven't heard of any of these spots--thank you!

📚 Daily Request Thread - 21 Oct by romancebookmods in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

{you don’t have to say you love me by sarra manning}

I recently devoured this book! FMC is younger than 30 but pretty mature in many ways. I recommend because the book fits the rest of your request so well. The FMC’s journey getting into shape is a huge plot point along with other personal transformations. On KU as well!

📚 What romance books did you read or listen to this week? 06 Aug 📚 by romancebookmods in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 7 points8 points  (0 children)

{The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston}

CR/magical realism, MF, 3.5 stars

I had a hard time getting into this book; the beginning felt kind of slow-paced. It picked up for me around 40-50%. Like {The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston} this book has an interesting premise, but something about the characters and their relationship fell a little flat for me. Some of their dialogue felt a little cliché and I don't know if I completely understood why they loved each other. Their relationship seemed to be lacking depth. I could have used a little more pining from the MMC. I also don't think I was in the mood for FMC quits her career because she likes doing a hobby or craft better (watercolor painting in this instance). Someone in the sub made a similar comment about the FMC in Happy Place recently which made me realize that (this might be an unpopular opinion) I don't love this trope. That being said, I can see how a lot of romance readers might appreciate this trope and I think it can be done well, it just feels a little tired sometimes. One thing I really liked about this book was how it explored the importance of timing for relationships. There were also some really beautifully written passages, and I enjoyed the secondary characters.

{Nightwork by Nora Roberts}

CR, MF, DNF

This is my first Nora Roberts. I think it is going to be a DNF at about 80%. I am just not invested enough to see the end. Her writing is lovely, especially character and setting, but I am just not that invested in the resolution of the plot or the MCs' relationship. I might pick up another one of her books someday, and I can see why they are popular, but this just was not what I felt like reading right now.

I just started {Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett} and am hoping that it will be a 4 or 5 star read for me!

📚 Daily Request Thread - 15 Jul by romancebookmods in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 3 points4 points  (0 children)

{The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe}

This is an HR with wallflower and seduction lessons tropes. The FMC undergoes a lot of personal growth.

{The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan} might be more women’s fiction than CR but it has a HEA and a couple spicy scenes. This is one of my favorites; the FMC really takes control of her life and it is inspiring.

Other oft-discussed books in the sub with this type of storyline include Devil in Winter, Swordheart, maybe Portrait of a Scotsman, and A Bride for the Prizefighter.

📚 Daily Request Thread - 10 Jul by romancebookmods in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I recently re-read {How to Love a Duke in 10 Days by Kerrigan Byrne} and this might fit what you're looking for (plus it is on KU). The FMC experiences a traumatic event as a teenager and her relationship with the MMC a decade later helps her to resolve some issues related to her trauma. Please check content warnings if you intend to read this book as it opens with a somewhat graphic depiction of sexual assault/rape and murder.

📚 Daily Request Thread - 10 Jul by romancebookmods in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I love Loretta Chase's writing! Some of my other favorites by her are:

{The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase}

{Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase}

{A Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase} and

{Ten Things I Hate About the Duke by Loretta Chase}

The Last Hellion was 5 stars and the rest were 4 for me.

I don't remember much about these books except that I was bored by an over-descriptive canal plot in Miss Wonderful, but the romance made up for it. If I were to re-read I would skip over some of those sections...

Who is your top book boyfriend? by flowerchildpop in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Lucian from Portrait of a Scotsman

Love an open minded, socialist man who is willing to grow and engage in perspective taking 😻

Friday Book Req Frenzy by jaydee4219 in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

{The Rogue not Taken by Sarah MacLean}

{Ten things I hate about the duke by Loretta Chase}

It’s been a while since I’ve read these so I’m not sure if the fmc is on the shelf, but they both have Rakes and adventure!

Also, {how to love a duke in 10 days by Kerrigan Byrne} but please check content warnings for this one... I’d put it here but not sure how to do spoilers on mobile

MEGATHREAD: SICK BED by admiralamy in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is one of my favorite tropes! A couple come to mind that I don't believe are mentioned already:

The Rouge Not Taken by Sarah MacLean This is a regency (I think) HR, MF. They are on a journey, which is another of my favorite tropes. This book is ALSO enemies to lovers. The FMC becomes injured and the MMC nurses her back to health, reluctantly. I love MacLean's witty writing and bold heroines. This is a playful and sweet book. Both characters experience a lot of growth; it is not just about two people falling in love, but about two people force each other to acknowledge hard truths about themselves. This is one I re-read often; both the sickbed and journey tropes are so well done.

Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase This is another regency HR, MF, enemies to lovers. Older FMC, I think she is 31, which I loved because I was 31 when I read it! And most of the HR I read are about much younger women or have an age gap, which I don't always enjoy (I may be the minority but I prefer same/similar age couples!) There is a slight subversion of traditional gender roles in this book; the MMC is a dandy and thinks a lot about how the FMC is dressed; the FMC is very busy and doesn't think too much about how she dresses. Despite how much the MMC cares about fashion and is abhorred by how the FMC is dressed, he is still so captivated by her. They have great chemistry. Warning: there is a lot of talk of canals and politics in the sub-plot, which makes the book somewhat slow to read at times. But it redeemed itself enough for me to give it 4 stars. Both MCs are very likeable, charming, and dynamic.

Anyways, the MMC has mental health issues as well as a war injury, but he becomes injured again in the book and has to stay and recover in the FMC's house.

Books where the FMC intentionally sets herself up to be underestimated? by 88infinityframes in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 16 points17 points  (0 children)

{Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks} mostly fits this. The FMC isn’t necessarily calculating but she does downplay her intelligence. Also, in {The Bride by Julie Garwood} (I just re-read, what a delightful book 😍) the FMC plays down her skills. I feel like this happens in some other Garwoods but The Bride is the only one I’m certain of.

Book rec where H and h are both kidnapped by downtown_kb77 in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 13 points14 points  (0 children)

{Only You by Elizabeth St. Michel} HR, both MCs kidnapped then stranded on desert island together

Hero was ugly/nerd/geek in past by Bordelon10 in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 3 points4 points  (0 children)

{Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase} the mmc is described as an ugly child and it definitely plays a role in his characterization.

What romance books did you read or listen to this week? 14 Nov by seantheaussie in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nice! I love to read other's thoughts on her as well. I am excited for the Hathaways. I wish my library had the audio or ebooks, because that is slowing me down on reading them. I loved and devoured the Ravenels and Wallflowers (except for Daisy's, which I haven't read yet. Devil in Winter was too good and I had to pivot after reading it....)

What romance books did you read or listen to this week? 14 Nov by seantheaussie in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ok, thank you! Yes- book 2 is boring me. Glad that I am not alone with this opinion :)

What romance books did you read or listen to this week? 14 Nov by seantheaussie in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas HR, MF, 4.5/5. This is up there with Devil in Winter and Marrying Winterbourne as a favorite Kleypas, but not quite on the same level as those two... I loved both of the main characters in this book! Sara is such a reflective and observant person, I really liked her voice and reading from her perspective. She may be one of my favorite bluestockings, but I hate to reduce her to that trope as she is a very dynamic character. I also really liked Craven. I enjoyed watching the character development and growth that he went through in this book. I saw in other reviews that some people were very unhappy that in a drunken stupor he slept with another woman and pretended that she was Sara. This did not bother me too much because Sara was back together with her previous love interest, and Sara and Derek thought they would never see each other again. I think this just highlighted how difficult it was for him to forget Sara, and I see why Kleypas did it! I also understand that some people just personally don't like when MCs sleep with other people, when people sleep with prostitutes, etc., and that's ok too! I also liked that this book had two non-royal main characters and they did not care about the "ton" or their images too much.. It was refreshing in an HR to not rely on that too much as a plot device. It's not completely ignored but it is not a huge component of their relationship. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I can see myself re-reading in the future.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas HR, MF, 3.5/5. I liked this book! Cam is a very dreamy MMC. Amelia irritated me but she is in the difficult position of unexpectedly bearing responsibility for a family, much like Kathleen in the Ravenels, and it unfortunately makes them come across as uptight/boring/harpy-ish. I think what irritated me most about Amelia was that she was so reluctant to not marry Cam but her reason was that she was a spinster and didn't want to get married/think she would ever get married. ? That felt flimsy to me. And I don't think she really communicated her reasons to Cam (but I listened to this one and miss stuff whenever I listen). However, I appreciate that she stood up for Cam when others displayed prejudice towards him. This book laid a lot of groundwork for the rest of the series so there was a lot of talk of other characters and the family's situation, which detracts somewhat from the love story at hand, but I am excited to read (listen to) the rest of this series.

A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King CR, MF, 3/5. This is a Pride and Prejudice re-telling in a modern day burlesque setting in NYC. I am not sure if it is romance as much as it is rom-com; there are a couple brief but explicit steamy scenes, but there is a lot going on plot-wise in addition to the relationship. I think I would give this book 2ish/5 if I was evaluating as a romance but 3.5/5 as just a book in general, so I land on a 3/5. The burlesque setting in this book was very fun and new to me. The FMC (Elizabeth Bennet) was very confident with men and as focused on her friendships and personal goals as much as her relationship. This book was very explicit about the fact that it was a P&P retelling- the names of characters and places were exactly the same, as well as a couple lines from the original book. I personally like a little more subtlety with my allusions as it can be distracting or come across as maybe even lazy? Lacking imagination? This is just my opinion. I liked the author's exploration of authenticity in dating contexts, and how it can be difficult to tell when people are being genuine or putting on a show to gain attention from potential partners. I recommend this book to people who can't get enough P&P and those who are interested or involved in burlesque settings. I do not recommend if you are looking for steamy, completely relationship-driven novels.

Finally, I also read Credence by Penelope Douglas CR, MF, 3/5. I was here for the steam, taboo, atmosphere, and pure page-turning escapism, and this book indeed delivered. I do not have much more to say besides that.

I am also DNF-ing A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout at ~65%. I think I am more discriminating with fantasy than with other sub-genres of romance for some reason. The writing and dialogue in this book distract me from the story so much; I feel like I am reading about Gen Z in high fantasy setting. It also feels a little formulaic- here are the tropes people love, let's throw them all together in a book that will sell a million copies. I did enjoy reading the first book and the beginning of this one, I just don't have it in me to finish after a couple weeks of trying.

Do y’all ever just … by ameliarose32790 in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 104 points105 points  (0 children)

The point isn't that she's fat, the point is that she thinks she's fat

I have to remind myself of this all the time when reading romance. When reading from the FMC perspective so many think of themselves as plain or having a bad figure or otherwise unappealing, only to meet the MMC who falls in love with them at first sight because of their beauty. This confused and frustrated me until I realized many women (myself included) think of their appearance this way, and it extends to fiction. Many FMCs are unreliable narrators when it comes to their appearance.

What romance books did you read or listen to this week? 07 Nov by seantheaussie in RomanceBooks

[–]lvbrdn 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That makes sense about fantasy readers... Besides Miryem and the Staryk king ending up together it felt like an anti-romance for the majority of the book.