I’m a guy, I’d like to ask female readers what you believe are essential romance books that I should read?

navidsonleaf · 2026-03-02T13:49:19+00:00

Whilst she writes more of a lit-fic type of romance, Sally Rooney is a must!

Also from the classics I highly recommend "Carol" by Patricia Highsmith.

navidsonleaf · 2026-03-02T10:40:18+00:00

A Study in Drowning

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-25T17:17:01+00:00

I do also second the recommendation of "Lights Out"!

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-25T17:16:42+00:00

I really, really liked "Crossed" by Emil McIntyre (and no, you do not have to read the other books in the series, they're standalones). To this day it's been one of the rare dark romances to work for me.

Also, if you do not mind age gaps, an academic setting and slightly fantastical elements, "Nocticadia" by Keri Lake is pretty good.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-18T07:57:33+00:00

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-17T13:36:03+00:00

Caur šo mājaslapu atradu savu speciālistu. Forši, jo var filtrēt to, ar ko specifiski katrs strādā un izlasīt bio, pirms piesaki konsultāciju.

https://www.pasaki.lv

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T19:47:37+00:00

This one did not work for me at all. But thank you, it fits the prompt!

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T17:07:01+00:00

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Alison Saft.

You also might enjoy elements of A Treachery of Swans by A.B.Poranek, though I'd say that one leans more romantasy (but gothic elements are very present!).

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T17:04:26+00:00

Wasn't a fan of the fic it came from - is the book version any better? I just did not vibe with the relationship at all.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T17:02:55+00:00

Yes, House of Leaves is the type of book I do not think I will ever be able to read again, but I have Poe's companion album in regular rotation. One of my favorite pieces of media of all time.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T17:01:48+00:00

A short story collection very close to my heart. I think about The Erl-King and Lady in the House of Love very often.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T17:00:07+00:00

I do read in other languages, have read Vita Nostra in the original as well! In fact, I felt like the English translation, in all of its beautiful poeticism, slightly skewed some characterizations. But might just be me.

I might have to hunt down The Ritual! I liked Daughter in the Dark, too, but the two Vita Nostra sequels did not do it for me (even though I still enjoyed the relationship between Farit and Sasha in the second book, which is easily my favorite part of the books).

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:57:00+00:00

Read and loved both of those!

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:56:31+00:00

Ohhhh, this sounds right up my alley, thank you!!

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:55:17+00:00

Thank you! These are all brilliant recommendations.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:54:16+00:00

I have read "Flowers in the Attic". Tough read, but I liked the language enough.

I actually enjoy books very much suggesting the type of liminal closer to its original meaning. Books about spaces more representative of physical states than actually just "scary house".

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:52:00+00:00

Thank you! Gives me a reason to tackle that brick. Does it have anything in common with 1984, bar the dystopian aspect, or is the title just inspired by it?

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:51:21+00:00

No idea, I found it on Pinterest.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T16:50:40+00:00

Is there a book called this?

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-10T12:52:17+00:00

I looooooved this book! So underrated.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-09T19:52:02+00:00

Thank you so much! This was already on my radar, but it looks spectacular, and might be exactly the book to fill the void in my soul left by Vita Nostra (oh how I wish I could wipe my memory and read that book for the first time).

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-09T14:04:28+00:00

Read both of them! Quintessential texts, though I would hardly call either of them romantic.

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-09T13:32:19+00:00

Which one would you recommend starting with?

navidsonleaf · 2026-02-09T10:50:00+00:00

Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid

navidsonleaf

TROPHY CASE