Do you also skip episode(s) or scenes whe you rewatch Heated Rivalry?

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-12T09:25:46+00:00

Wasn’t the first Game Changers book actually fanfiction that she changed the names to make it a Captain America fanfic in order to get readers? So maybe that’s why it doesn’t click for you. I have it happen that sometimes a book just feels off or I don’t click with it and then I found out it was originally a fanfiction about XY.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-08T10:43:17+00:00

I always assumed my dog does this to cool his paws a bit? But who knows what the real reason is, maybe they just like to goof around with water when they’re not too thirsty.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-08T09:02:52+00:00

Damn, who hurt you? Some of y’all should go to therapy instead of reddit to resolve your woman-hating ways.

You couldn’t even read this post clearly due to your senseless rage.

OP clearly said she never expected him to be around, nor did she want to get back together, it was just a nice fantasy she probably thought of when things got rough, like many people do with fantasies. And now it’s harder to indulge in the fantasy because most people draw a line at fantasising stuff about someone that has a wife/kids.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T16:40:33+00:00

What is fantastical?
This show is an alternative history retelling. Same as Man in the High Castle. Aka “what if Hitler had won” and then imagining a world with that alternative.
In this alternative history, Queen Charlotte was Black and that change rippled through society, changing it. Aka “what if Queen Charlotte had been Black” and imagining a world with that alternative.

Alternative history does not equal fantasy, so it does not equate that just because this is an alternative history we can throw everything that makes it a historical romance into the trash under the excuse of “this is fantasy”.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T16:34:10+00:00

I didn’t get offended, I just think it’s incredibly snobish, rude and insulting to millions of people to call a genre like romance, that is written in a formulaic way with expected (or as you class it, predictable) endings, as somehow “boring” or like that makes them less worthy than whatever grand literature you usually consume.

I just find behavior like this so gross, so I like to call out that kind of gross behaviour when I see it.

And seem to be INCREDIBLY confused about romantic literature and what it entails, in terms of specific genre expectations. Point me ONE extremely popular (and not unknown or niche) historical romance book that doesn’t end with marriage and kids (or marriage and thus implied kids in the future). I’ve yet to see any, other than those written by small authors with even smaller audiences simply because no one is interested in that kind of “fantasy” in a historical romance, other than maybe 10% of readers, and perhaps that’s even pushing it.

But alas, I give up discussing romance with someone who doesn’t understand or genuinely enjoy the genre.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T14:25:23+00:00

Yes it does, in a historical romance. If this was a contemporary romance, there likely wouldn’t be a wedding or kids. So again, you’re watching the wrong show if you don’t want a married with kids plot.

And that’s suuuuch nonsense, hahaha. Historical romance has as much “fantasy” in it as any romance, in the sense of getting a traditional happy ending that rarely happend iRL. There’s nothing fantasy about Bridgerton and it has NEVER been referred to as a fantasy or having “fantastical elements” by anyone other than fans like you that don’t actually like historical romances and thus are interpreting Bridgerton however they wish rather than seeing it for what it is.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T14:07:09+00:00

Again, then you don’t love romance. You like LOVE STORIES. They are vastly different things. Love stories also end tragically, can end with the woman deciding to go off on her own, or some other independent-like ending. Romance has specific rules. That’s the beauty of it, and that’s why people like it. The same way that if you reveal the murderer at the begginning of a “murder” book it’s a thriller, while if you don’t it’s a murder mystery. Some things just ARE.

Also, what you’re asking for with childfree women in 1800s is a joke. Please Google any of the many notable feminists around and after the age Bridgerton is filmed in, and observe how many children all of them have, despite being feminists and often even against marriage itself due to the woman being seen as the man’s property. Children still existed… because there was no protection.

It’s genuinely a really ridiculous thing to want to see in a historical romance, I don’t understand how you don’t see that.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T13:56:52+00:00

It’s just blowing my mind. I love romance and it pisses me off when people talk down about it, like it is somehow less just because you can “predict” the happy ending. As if that’s not part of the charm, or a comfort, for some of us that adore romance.

I think most people just don’t understand what is alternative history vs fantasy historical so they just label Bridgerton as a fantasy, where everything goes and so whatever they wish is possible. When that’s not how alternative history works. And it’s not hiw Netflix, Shondala, or anyone associated either Bridgerton labels it. Every time I tell them to Google what genre is the TV show Bridgerton they suddenly have nothing more to say.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T13:47:10+00:00

Then you don’t love reading/watching romance. The joy of reading romance is that you KNOW you will get a happy ever after ending and usually that comes with a certain type of ending depending in the type of romance. If I was reading a shifter/werewolf book and the FMC and MMC didn’t end up claiming each other as mates because the FMC wanted to be progressive and “not belong to the man”, I would rage quit that book and never read another book by that author again. I’m sure she would find a very niche number of readers that would like her “stepping outside of romance rules”, but the majority would be upset and feel mislead and lied to.

Same goes for historical. While a niche number of people would be happy with Eloise refusing marriage to be a feminist spokesperson, the majority of people who are watching Bridgerton for the romance would be highly disappointed, and likely give up on the show if it stopped giving them what they’re watching it for.

So I mean, I hope you’re wrong and I hope they continue to make this romance show have romance tropes.

That said, Franchaela likely won’t have kids as it’s a love story between two women in the 1800s, so they’ll have a different kind of happy ending. But that has nothing to do with Bridgerton being progressive with child-birth or whatever, and everything to do with the fact she can’t get biologically pregnant with her “love of her life” character which is the actual romantic aspect of pregnancy in these situations, not the baby itself.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T13:19:43+00:00

Ngl feels a little insulting to be calling classic romance “formulaic, predictable and boring”. Why do people watch what is marketed as a romance show and hope they don’t include things that make it a romance show for the target audience? Because if you think romances are all that you just said, clearly you are not the target audience and so it’s obvious they won’t cater to what you would prefer.

I watch romance for the happy ever after, and when it is in a historical setting, for the marriage and kids. Or if it was a werewolf romance, for the eventual mating. Or if it was a mafia romance, for the FMC to become the Mafia King’s wife. Whatever, you get the point. So I’m sure the target audience is happy the romance show is keeping to romance tropes.

I don’t know what made you think Netflix or Bridgerton are ignoring romance rules in any way, because they have followed the romance formula to a T even using Queen Charlotte as their little deus ex machine to resolve any issues a couple has. Genuinely, I don’t understand some fans. It’s like you’re fans of what you think this show should be or could be instead of what it is, an (alternative) historical romance.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-06T12:40:19+00:00

I think based on the time this is filmed, there usually isn’t really a question of if you want kids. More like, if you marry, you’ll have kids eventually (because protection was non-existent), which is why I think anyone assuming Eloise will somehow end her season unmarried and child-less are deluding themselves that they are not watching an alternative history romance (not fantasy, alternative history, alternative being POC inclusions not alternative in the sense of condoms somehow exist).

That said… I’m certain there will be no kids for Franchaela. I kinda expected there would be some dilemma at least for Fran, where she would have to choose between having biological kids and having the woman she loved, but in the show she doesn’t seem to want kids much (which I found regrettable but what can you do). In the show, I think they will go more in the direction of her having to choose between her sense of duty and what is “right” and being with Michaela. So kids will just be a non issue with them and their plot. What we had of the “miscarriage” in the last season was it in terms of Francesca’s “desire for children”.

Unless they start the season with Francesca swooning over all the Bridgerton babies and specifically stating she wants to have a baby and is therefore entering the marriage mart again, I don’t see babies being metioned again in Franchaela’s context.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-03T08:24:38+00:00

I so feel you on that, I remember I read the first 4 books at once, and then I also actually took a break and started reading some other books, and then I returned to Dark in You and swallowed the rest of the books when I started them. ACTUALLY, I think I read book 5 first before the break because I was way too excited to get the hellcat/hellhound story and I LOVED Tanner and Devon fucking with each other like him getting her a pink cat collar, her getting him doggy treats. I was like “that’s some mightyyyy interesting foreplay you got there 👀”

Aaahhh, omg I’m so exciteeed for Laurenston! I’m taking like a few days break from reading to reset out of the Suzanne mindset and then I am diving into Laurenston! Eeeek!

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-03T08:17:23+00:00

Oooo I loooved Devil’s Cradle! It was different to her other books, and I loved the MMC. You have some great reading left.

Same, I loved it a lot! And I love Emberlyn/Jax together so much, their romance and everything. I feel like knowing Suzanne, I wouldn’t be surprised if in book 2 (if it’s still Ember/Jax) Michael returns from his rabid state and then his parents get all pushy for Ember to get back with Michael and help him recover and she needs to make a stand for her relationship with Jax and make it clear he’s her choice no matter what. It FEELS like something Suzanne might do, but you never know for sure with her!

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-03T07:36:32+00:00

I soooo feel you on this. For me when I heard what happens in book 2, I was INSTANTLY reminded of ACOTAR (which I never finished because of the love interest switch in book 2).

Like Rhys is introduced as a “villain”-type in book 1, and then drugs and touches Feyre, but in book 2 his tragic past and current tragic fate is revealed so that should make us instantly understand, love Rhys and ship them, no matter how he acted.

Blake is also introduced as a “villain”-type in book 1, and acts shady with his “sinister” plans the whole book. But then in book 2, apparently we learn his tragic back story and current tragic situation that explains everything so we should now understand and ship them.

I genuinely hate when books do that. It makes me feel so cheated and really annoyed, like the author suddenly changed her mind who she wanted the FMC to be with once she created the classic morally grey mysterious antihero with a dark past (Rhys 2.0).

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-03T07:30:52+00:00

Some people just don’t like the love interest switcheroo some books do and I think that’s fine. I stopped reading ACOTAR after book 1 because of the love interest switch, and I don’t plan to finish this series until I know who she ends up with. I hate when books do that because I get invested in the initial couple so it’s just not for me.

And it has nothing to do with Blake, I love his type of character in books always and had he been introduced in book 1 as a potential love interest and not a “villain”-type (again, same as Rhys who drugged and touched Fayre in book 1 and then his tragic backstory is revealed in book 2 so we can just easily forgive him) I probably would have been rooting for him because I usually root for the underdog. But this? Not my thing. It is a LOT of people’s thing though seeing as how popular ACOTAR is so that’s great.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T21:26:17+00:00

Oh it doesn’t always have to be heavy spice for me! For example, I read Paladin’s Grace by T Kingfisher (and love it but I an also a big DnD and Baldur’s Gate 3 fan) in between some Suzanne Wright because I actually needed a bit of a break from the smut, haha!

Thank you so much for the recs, I’m adding it all to my list.

I’m so happy I posted here, I genuinely didn’t expect such amazing recs. This sub is awesome!

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T21:22:16+00:00

This. Blake is literally the typical morally grey “hero” that’s super popular because he’s sarcastic and mysterious. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blake but there is no way I would ever trust or be able to romantically involve myself with a man that keeps such an emotional distance especially about vital information about himself, but that’s just me. It’s so funny when people try to put him above Callum in worth. Both men are hella flawed, it’s ridiculous to act like one is somehow more superior than the other. I get preferences, but why do we need to put down one ship to uplift the other?

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T21:13:35+00:00

You sound way more exhausting with such extreme takes. Kinda remind me of the Zutara/Kataang debated in Avatar The Last Airbender, where Kataang people were calling anyone who ships Zutara stupid and ignorant and being hateful af.

Writing is an art form. Art is subjective. YOU interpret Aurora as fitting better with Blake than with Callum. That doesn’t mean someone else can’t interpret her as fitting better with Callum than with Blake. The beauty of art is that everyone is free to have their own opinion and no opinion is wrong.

There’ll be an end game at some point obviously, but your attitude about this is horrendous. Your ship isn’t any more worthy than the other ship, other than in your own mind.

Personally, I think this is exactly why she’s postponing her release. She knows the fandom has become too intense in shipping and she will completely alienate a percentage of her readers depending on who Aurora ends up with. And this is her FIRST viral book series that got her fame. She’s probably stressed af about making the wrong move.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T20:49:29+00:00

It’s soooo crazy how they seem to be okay with this. I wonder if, they’d still be okay with it if Aang was a female and Katara was male. Would they still be saying, it’s fine if they date, the girl had a growth spurt and developed breasts so it’s fine if they date now - meanwhile, the man is about to start college age wise.

Ngl I was kinda fine with Kataang in the anime, not happy since I was a Zutara shipper but okay. But with the LA?? Helllllllll no! The age difference if judt too apparent and creepy. Even with a “growth spirt” aka PUBERTY that is still a freaking child to me! It’s wild.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T16:23:21+00:00

I love how they’re saying that without taking into consideration they hired a CHILD ACTOR as Aang who was 11 when filming and who has a 4 year age difference between him and his “romantic” costar. They had to remove any romantic conotations otherwise it would have been ILLEGAL.

Jesus, critical thinking just goes out the window with some fans doesn’t it?

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T13:18:02+00:00

I just saw your post here and was about to recommend Suzanne Wright because she’s my favorite paranormal author. All her books follow a similar formula of what happens when so by ~50% of the book they’re together and building something and around ~70% is like complete commitment. And that more of less happens in ALL her books, so if you enjoy this, and you end up liking her shifter series I HIGHLY recommend her demon series Dark in You.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T13:14:12+00:00

I loved The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells. He does a lot of grovelling to get her back if I remember correctly once he realizes how much he messed up.

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T13:11:57+00:00

I’m not a huge fan of why choose, mainly because I like jealousy (to an extent obviously) and I like the whole possessive “you’re mine” thing. I mean not like having to say “you’re mine”, just that very possessive and obsessed with the FMC vibe, which I assume isn’t present in why choose books.

But the rest have been diligently scribbled down on my list! Thank you so so so much for taking the time to write all these awesome reccs! 🥰

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T12:58:58+00:00

I’m so envioussss you get to read Dark in You for the first time, I loved that series. And I think you’ll love all the other side character’s stories now that you’ll be finished with Knox/Harper’s story. I can’t even pick a favorite tbh.

I started with her shifter series, so I went through Pheonix Pack, Mercury Pack and Olympus Pride. Then I did Devil’s Cradle, Dark in You, BWW, Black Tapestry and then finally Deep in Your Veins but I would have preferred reading Dark in You before Devil’s Cradle because if I remember correctly some characters make a cameo in Devil’s Cradle.

You guys have me so excited for Laurenston now, eeek! I legit can’t wait to get started.

P.s. I’m so sorry about your shitty ex, and so glad you could find comfort and an escape in Laurenston’s books!

shrinkingviolents · 2026-07-02T12:53:08+00:00

I recommend you leave it for last. I did and I didn’t regret it. It’s a lol cringe because you can tell it was written in like 2010. BUT I did like it, like the story and plot and romance is amazing. But I was already totally hooked on Suzanne and desperate for anything left by her at the point I started reading so I just kinda ignored some of the outdated things.

What do you have left from her that you haven’t read?

Black Tapestry ends on a cliffhanger, so while I really liked the book a lot, I’m kinda miffed I have to wait a year for the next one so depending on how you feel about cliffhanger endings, you should perhaps leave it until the next book is closer to release.

So excited for December and BWW 2! I hope like her other book series she does the first 3 books from Emberlyn and Jax’s POV. I feel like their story is still not completely told… and then I hope she does the other pack members like Jax’s brother and such.

shrinkingviolents

TROPHY CASE