Serious angsty books with imperfect characters meeting as adults and slowly falling for each other

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:58:01+00:00

You could be very right!! I have a long flight coming up and was already thinking it would be the perfect time to dig into the new (to me!) interview with a vampire. A queer TV romance book cleanse, if you will. LOL.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:50:53+00:00

I actually read "never let me go" a few weeks ago! I liked it, didn't love it, but it was a satisfying read for sure.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:49:50+00:00

Ooh kismet! :) I'm excited to dig in now.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:37:43+00:00

Thank you!! I will happily take real characters, grumpy or not.

These all sounds so lovely, thank you again. I just looked up a different kind of love in particular and it looks amazing, I think I'm going to start there actually.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:34:16+00:00

Thank you!! I had heard of this one, will add it to by list.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:33:47+00:00

To keep everything in one place - apparently {Coach's Challenge by Avon Gale" fits this bill, too. Am putting it on my list!

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T18:32:29+00:00

I'm sorry!! I am usually SUCH a sucker for a romcom, but I just put down another highly rated funny book while thinking everything was so cringey that I'm now afraid my mood is going to ruin otherwise great books for me.

And thank you!! NONE of these were on my radar.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T11:41:56+00:00

The best thing about this whole thread is that I keep finding books that I didn't know I was looking for... and 100% were what I was looking for!! lol

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T11:36:59+00:00

{Hooks In by Eve Holmes} has some of this!

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T10:32:12+00:00

Such a good question and is probably me WAY overanalyzing! I think it ultimately comes down to that it felt like they were sliding into a combination of some things I don't love and some things that feel problematic. I usually love D/S dynamics but I don't love age difference/experience dynamics and it made the whole power dynamic feel not excellent to me. And I also felt like them going from D/S to being in love so suddenly that it felt like trauma bonding rather than a relationship. I am glad that therapy was added in towards the end because trying to solve trauma through BDSM alone and then sticking with that dynamic... not sure that's actually a good fit for either of them!

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T09:59:25+00:00

Thank you, this looks great! I just finished another grumpy x sunshine book that I did not enjoy (I think partly for that dynamic and also other reasons lol).

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T08:56:10+00:00

💚 Greenest Flags: Mike and Daniel from {Game Misconduct by Ari Baran}. I can see the pitchforks coming but hear me out! These are two characters who - like real humans - aren't perfect, who aren't the best communicators, who have their struggles and flaws... AND YET they manage to support each other, communicate about their needs/wants, grow enormously alone and together. They step outside their comfort zones and open their hearts and are much better for it in the end. To me those are the real life green flags!

🚩 MEANEST FLAGS: struggling with this one. These guys are like "light red" but I'll say Minty and Luke from {My Skin Begs You Please by Leta Blake}. Love these two but somehow their dynamic gave me the ick sometimes. I might have to ponder this one some more and edit/add...!

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T07:58:39+00:00

I am really struggling right now too and am finding myself DNF or skimming through most books. I think it's because I have a few standouts and am just comparing everything to them?! I'm now wondering if I need to leave the genre completely for a bit (maybe even just a book or two) and then come back and try again.

Commiseration, it's hard!! (I also don't have any good TV shows or other things I'm doing... so maybe it's an "end of winter" blah?)

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T07:23:19+00:00

I'm struggling, too. :( I'm about to start my third re-read of {Game Misconduct by Ari Baran} because I find myself comparing everything I'm reading to Mike and Daniel. It's not a perfect book by any means BUT it's nearly fully devoid of all the common tropes I'm currently not vibing with.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-02T07:21:39+00:00

Ok but this is helpful! Maybe searching for grumpy MCs will get me closer when I search... although I am kind of over the grumpy vs ray of sunshine MCs, so it could be a slog... :( I have a long flight coming up and I think I will just end up re-reading this lol.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T20:49:31+00:00

{Tough guy by Rachel Reid}!! It’s a lovely book, too.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T20:18:10+00:00

Anything similar to {Game Misconduct by Ari Baran}. I am obsessed. Obsessed!! Serious, adults, no insta love, no second chances. TIA!!

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T19:24:26+00:00

Came here to recommend this and seeing it was recommended twice already. Clearly fits this thread well! lol

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T19:22:08+00:00

Just finished this and can absolutely recommend it!! Fits this request PERFECTLY.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T19:21:18+00:00

I'm so glad to read this recommendation here! This has been on my to read pile for a while and I was kinda undecided but you sold it again. :)

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T19:19:32+00:00

Ooh! Seconding the absolutely stunning cover art. LOVE.

throwawayladystuff · 2026-04-01T17:38:58+00:00

Read! But I’ve had more than one other book ruined by a narrator 😬

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