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This is a silly one but I wanted to share because if anyone will understand my pettiness, this community will. I am reading Alexandra Vasti's otherwise quite good Earl Crush. I just read this sentence :

"It had been 1816—a late July afternoon, hot and blue."

The year 1816 was known as the year without summer across Europe due to a volcanic eruption that lowered temperatures worldwide. Crops withered, people died of cold, etc. So 1816 July would have been pretty cold. Funny how I can suspend disbelief for young handsome dukes, earls etc but I draw the line at temperature 🤣

Image Description: In big text, all caps: “Content Warning” preceded by the following: “There are topics in this book some readers might be sensitive to. You're about to read MM, dubcon, unaliving bad guys, close-call sexual assault (with no gRape), kid-napping, stepbrother lovin', and FF scenes that occur before the harem builds. If any of these things trigger you, please plan on skipping the scenes or finding something else to suit”.

I’m just fucking ✨mad✨. The book is an example, but my rant is on a broader focus.

TL;DR: there isn’t a reason to consider marginalized identities as sensitive, triggering, sexual, or adult topics—whether in media or real life. We should strive for neutral discoverability that respects all readers and their autonomy rather than alienating marginalized groups to protect the comfort of non-marginalized communities.

Definitions: What is a Content Warning, Trigger Warning, Theme, and Mature Theme?

Content warnings (CWs) are a broad umbrella about possibly sensitive topics and intense material. At its core, they are content that needs to be warned about.

Examples:

• Graphic violence
• Self-harm
• Sexual assault

Trigger warnings (TWs), which originated between the 1960s to 1990s through feminist movements and psychology/psychiatry, focus more narrowly on preventing traumitization. They are warning about triggering topics.

Examples:

• Kidnapping and abduction
• Islamophobia
• Antisemitism
• Transmisogyny
• Animal cruelty or death
• Demonization of mental illness

Themes mean that an element has a significant narrative focus. It doesn’t just “exist” (EX: An Afrolatina character), but it’s examined meaningfully (EX: the Afrolatina character struggling with colorism and identity).

Examples:

• Pacifism
• Environmentalism
• Heritage
• Marriage

Mature themes (MT) function largely as a rating category content deemed not suitable for children. It doesn’t need to be graphic, just too complex for children to comprehend deeply.

Examples:

• Graphic Sex
• Drug use
• Violence
• Profanity

How these concepts differ.

• TWs are CWs, but not all CWs are TWs. CWs aren’t warnings specifically related to trauma and are largely for items of discomfort or aversion.
• MT normally isn’t part of CW and TW’s dom/sub relationship. They’re typically with their found family of MPAA/MPA and ESRB ratings (PG, PG-13, M, NC 17+, etc). Even so, mediums outside of films and gaming have used the term to describe “mature” themes.

Let’s review!

• Content Warning (CW): broad warning for possibly sensitive content or content that can cause discomfort.
• Trigger Warning (TW): narrow focus traumatizing subjects.
• Themes: meaningful narrative focus on an element.
• Mature Themes (MT): rating shorthand for content isn’t suitable for children.

We are now on the same page, yes? 🥰

If someone defends queer identities, ethnicities, disabilities, and religions as needing to be content warned, trigger warned, or given a “mature theme” categorization, I’m whacking you with my chancla.

The cheek, the nerve, the gall, the audacity, and the gumption.

Warnings Can Go Too Far

Sometimes, there’s this bizarreness I see in some romance material: warnings and mature theme categorizations slapped onto marginalized identities, such as bisexuality, demiromanticism, MLM relationships, trans people, autism, or some flavor of non-penis-in-vagina (PIV) intimacy. These aren’t neutrally tagged as elements; they were listed as content that may trigger you.

Right next to dub con, rape, and assault.

Meanwhile, neurotypical people, endosex people, cisgender people, hetero identities, man-woman relationships, and PIV get a free pass. No warnings. No nothing.

Anyone want to ELI5 why? 🤔

There is a long, brutal history regarding the sexualization and adultification of marginalized identities that has followed us into modernity, whether we like it or not. Non-PIV intimacy is routinely hypersexualized and delegitimized in comparison to PIV, including “sex” definition homogeneity and BDSM and kink demonization. Non-PIV intimacy being anomalized as inherently too graphic, sexual, or adult is contributing to sex-negative rhetoric that shames sexual expression and creates arbitrary criteria on what type of sexual expression is “normal” and “natural”.

When {Breeding Clinic by Alexis Osborne} had that list of “mature themes” include demisexuality and anal and “sword crossing”, but PIV and heterosexuality weren’t included—

tutting aggressively

If you find that it’s reasonable to prescribe specific identities, experiences, and configurations as triggering, sensitive, sexual, or graphic topics or content warnings—what does this look like when applied to reality?

In the words of that opening line from Round 1 from Pentagon’s (😭) bonus track, let’s find out!

• Before you go inside that Walmart, I see three Muslim women inside. If that’s not okay, we can go to a different Walmart. [There are several people there with markings for Ash Wednesday.]
• Love to recommend you a vet for your pet! But he’s gay and married to a man. Is that okay? Will you be okay with that, or…? [Your past vet was a man married to a woman and you didn’t even know he was married until he brought it up.]
• [We go see a movie and in the movie’s warnings, it says “Contains graphic sex, profanity, and black people”. 98% of the cast is white.]
• You have kids? I’m not sure if you should take them to the fair. It’s not all that safe there and it’s just going to confuse your kids and give them ideas. One of them could be snatched up there too. [shows you a flyer for a family-friendly Pride festival which gives clear hours when the festival will be 21+. A local security firm, masses of trained volunteers, and the American Red Cross will be working as well. Your kids are 17 and 15.]

DM, I would like to do an Eldritch Blast to vent my anger 🥰

Now those examples might seem not at all in the same vein as content warnings about MLM or Hinduism in a book—but they are. Because you are still actively warning about and moralizing specific identities and experiences while finding other identities and experiences barely worth a footnote. You are picking and choosing what needs permission to exist normally and naturally and what doesn’t.

How is that fair or okay?

You don’t need to “content warn” about a Hindu anymore than you content warn about a Christian. A character being acespec isn’t a “mature theme”, just like heterosexuality ain’t. A woman loving another woman is not a “sensitive topic”, just as a heterogendered relationship. Anal and oral sex are not “adult content” anymore than PIV sex is. Because none of those are inherently dangerous, traumatic, disturbing, upsetting, sensitive, or “mature”.

When you warn about identities, you are pathologizing them as contaminating and harmful, especially when you shelve them in the same “triggering” or “sensitive” warning as sexual assault and rape.

That’s not giving a casual heads-up. That’s creating a binary that endosex cisgender able-bodied neurotypical white man-woman heterosexual, heteroromantic, heterogendered relationships with PIV sex are a default and whatever does not conform is a red flag. That is adhering to the rhetoric many use against marginalized identities in order to remove us from conversation.

Neutral Discoverability > Warning for Identities

“But I still think you should be told what’s inside a book! I have personal bad experiences with [things here]!”

✅

That’s why tagging and listing identities, configurations, religions, intimacies, and ethnicities is the best neutral and inclusive way for discoverability of elements.

Tagging and Listing

Here’s examples of neutral ways to list out a books contents that aim to respect reader autonomy while also respecting identities:

Subtitles

• Sapphic Omegaverse
• Achillean Guideverse
• NBi BDSM Romance
• Interracial Romance / BWAM

Listing

This book has:

• transmasc protagonist
• drag queen domme
• black female lead
• Jewish drag king
• forcefemming
• sadomasochism
• anal sex
• white agender character

Introduction/Foreword

The book that I write has characters and experience of a wide range. You’ll find a trans bloodthirsty gramma with shadow magic knitting a blanket for her grandson’s intersex boyfriend. I probably should have toned down all the tentacles and hand holding, but it was needed for plot reasons. But there’s some experiences in here that stem from my own life. The main couple’s femme son experiencing misogyny from his moms is one I faced with my androgyny with my queer parents.

This makes the content visible to people looking for those identities and experiences in a neutral way. It doesn’t imply that these are sensitive, triggering, or upsetting content. And in an industry that still prioritizes and gives hyper visibility to endocishet, white, vaguely Christian/Catholic, neurotypical, able-bodied protagonists and non-BDSM non-kinky dom-top-masc man and sub-bottom-femme woman relationships—we need this discoverability!

Why is this more neutral and inclusive than content warnings? I think content warnings give informed consent. You’re confusing what content warnings are.

Content warnings means warning about content. To warn means “to give notice beforehand of evil or danger; to put on guard; to caution, to advise that something should be avoided”.

In warning about the existence of non-Christian religions, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, POCs, the disabled—that’s not a neutral stance giving informed consent anymore. That’s telling you that these identities are ones readers need to be on guard of, that people should be cautious about; that readers may want avoid them. That’s misinforming you that those identities are advisories.

Discoverability should extend to dominating and hypervisible identities.

To me, it’s a good practice to still tag identities that dominate the industry or are hypervisible. This helps destigmatize marginalized identities. It supports parity, normalization, identity neutrality, and reader autonomy as well.

I’m grateful I found a book with a nonbinary love interest who presents trad-masc and uses he/him pronouns. The tagging gave me autonomy in reading what I want! But even though the main character is an endocishet white woman, her identities should also be tagged to further enhance discoverability, accessibility, and autonomy rather than assuming her identity would be some default and thus not needing to be discoverable.

Equal tagging = equal footing = people get to engage with the art they want.

Hanlon's razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by ignorance.”

^{It says stupidity but anyways.}

I’m not attributing malice where ignorance can be explained because I don’t know them from Gaia. I don’t want to invalidate people who have had bad personal experiences that lent themselves to confirmation biases, yet they still don’t mistreat others.

But I’m not sure what other way I can stress that it’s offensive for someone to think that the nature of a sapphic relationship equals graphic sex, or that arospec needs the same warning as rape and assault. That sets a dangerous precedent that identities are content to be warned against and specific identities are inherently as vile as rape and assault. That allows people with malicious intent to take advantage of an ambiguous classification and weaponize it for their discriminating agendas.

If you still find it reasonable that some identities should be warned about, I have a few questions:

• How do you explain to your queer friends you find their orientations are on the same level as sexual predation and violence but you being endocishet is normal and fine?
• How do you explain to your Jewish friend that them existing as a Jew is something you warn people about, but you as a Christian should be accepted anywhere and everywhere?
• How do you explain to someone with DID or autism or BPD or they require mobility aids—that them existing is socially upsetting and uncomfortable for people to be around? But you being able-bodied and neurotypical are socially safe and sound.
• How do you tell your friend that them being in an interracial relationship is a mature topic that may need to be avoided in conversation? But you as a white person are married to another white person and that right there is safe for everyone.

Life and art intersect. How you frame the existence of identities is not absolved from criticism just because it’s about a book’s contents. And this is deeper than books.

Many activist organizations have fought the MPA/MPAA, the Hays Code, and other organizations for their enforcement of explicit categorizations for queer and POC content that were less explicit than endocishet, white content. We saw how many weeks ago of queer authors who were targeted in the deindexation of NSFW content due to an Australian hate group and payment processors—and some queer authors spoke about how their work was SFW yet yoinked.

It’s been so widely and historically normalized to adulify and sexualize marginalized and less visible identities in every medium—especially by artists who aren’t themselves those identities—that people correlate normalization to justification without any deeper examination. And I can’t deny that a lot of intersectionality is lost among the book community as POC, queer, and disabled readers and artists feel unwelcome to speak up in “diverse” and “safe” spaces that still largely cater to endocishet white able-bodied neurotypical voices.

But I will fucking die on this motherfucking hill* that we don’t deserve to be content warned, especially not in the same goddamn breath as rape and assault.

Be neutral. Support autonomy. Respect everyone.

Neutrality is boring. It doesn’t skew positive or negative. It has no objective stance beyond, “This exists. Okay. The end.” It, instead, forces you to draw your own conclusions.

And that’s the most wonderful and respectful stance to take.

Categorizing elements neutrally optimizes respect for autonomy. You get to decide if you personally feel that something is harmful to you rather than someone making the choice for all of us. And no one’s identities are negatively affected in that process.

This doesn’t mean trigger warnings and content warnings should disappear. But because they have been used in negatively moralizing diversity, there needs to be constant reformations in warnings and their criteria based on context and impact.

I want readers to read what they want. We should protect and defend reader autonomy. And we can do that without alienating marginalized and less visible communities, I promise you.

All right.

Bye 👋🏾

Supportive Material

    * Bridgland, Victoria. “Cautionary Notes: The Science of Trigger Warnings.” Association for Psychological Science - APS, 19 Oct. 2023, www.psychologicalscience.org/news/utc-2023-oct-trigger-warnings.html.
    * “Content Warnings | Centre for Teaching Excellence.” Uwaterloo.ca, 21 May 2024, uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/content-warnings.
    * Filipovic, Jill. “We’ve Gone Too Far with “Trigger Warnings” | Jill Filipovic.” The Guardian, The Guardian, 20 Sept. 2017, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/05/trigger-warnings-can-be-counterproductive.
    * Garnar, Martin. “Trigger Warnings: History, Theory, Context , Edited by Emily J. M. Knox.” Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy, vol. 3, no. 2-3, 2018, pp. 12–13, journals.ala.org/index.php/jifp/article/view/6738/9332.
    * George, Vishal . “The Psychology of Trigger Warnings.” Behaviouralbydesign.com, 2018, www.behaviouralbydesign.com/post/the-psychology-of-trigger-warnings.
    * Motion Picture Association of America. ““G” Is for Golden: The MPAA Film Ratings at 50.” Motion Picture Association of America, Nov. 2018. 🔗 [**PDF**](https://www.motionpictures.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/G-is-for-Golden.pdf)
    * The Vocal. “A History of Trigger Warnings, and the Price and Diversity of Pain.” Medium, 17 Mar. 2016, medium.com/the-vocal/a-history-of-trigger-warnings-and-the-price-and-diversity-of-pain-ac8e796d0d70.
    * Trigger, Language. “Inclusive Language: Trigger & Content Warnings.” University Housing, 11 Feb. 2025, www.housing.wisc.edu/2025/02/inclusive-language-triggers-and-content-warnings/. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
    * University of Michigan. “An Introduction to Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings Overview.” University of Michigan.  🔗 [**PDF**](https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/equitable-teaching/wp-content/uploads/sites/853/2020/09/An-Introduction-to-Content-Warnings-and-Trigger-Warnings-PDF.pdf)

The MMC is always tall. 6’4”+

Regardless of what the writer has included the MMC I see in my head is always 6’4” or taller. I come from a family of giants, so I am unable to perform the mental gymnastic to picture a ‘tall’ hero as anything less than that.

So what’s the thing that you always picture no matter what a writer says?

Just curious :)

I am looking for contemporary romances with scenes where the mmc is being very vulnerable with the fmc. I want him to cry and beg to her to be with her. Well, the crying is optional. But it should be extremely emotional. One such book I can remember is {The Worst Guy by Kate Caterbary} where Sebastian declares his love for Sara - "No one will ever love you the way I do," he said. I dropped the things I was holding. My hairbrush slid off the bed, onto the floor. One sandal landed in the suitcase. I wasn't sure where the other one ended up. "What?" "You own every valve and chamber of my heart yet you could leave here tonight and meet someone who will give you everything you need, everything you've ever wanted. And I'd be happy for you too. Do you get that?"

Please help me with this extremely unrealistic scenario that can only be found in fiction.

An unhinged request, but I know you folks are good for it.

So I read {Trouble by Lex Croucher} and I love the dynamic of a woman who is just stern and sarcastic and generally bad tempered lol and the guy who is very charmed by her (even though that was not her intention...like, at all). Like, a female Grinch if you will🙏

He can take time to be charmed by her, I don't mind, but I just love female characters who aren't really "agreeable" yet the MMC can't stop falling head over heels for her.

Anything works, can he contemporary or historical or anything really, I just love this dynamic

I would like a book like this. I don't mean it in a Mr.Darcy way where he's awkward and doesn't know how to express himself. The mmc doesn't know this feeling and he doesn't understand it and hates it, he believes he's not capable of love until he sees the fmc and is shocked/obsessed, kind of like {Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase} Dain's dramatic and angsty thoughs about the FMC was great, while the FMC knows her mind and is (mostly) emotionally intelligent. No cheating pls.

Hello everyone,

I have recently been reading lots of book series and I came to the devastating realization that just because there are many books to a couple, friend group, family, etc. it does not mean that it will be good.

I know that this is pretty common knowledge but for some reason I believed that if you stick to a book series for long enough, you would subconsciously get connected to it and love it even if you didn’t think it was the best at first.

I now realize I was sorely mistaken after reading 4+ book series (all with 3+ books) and not liking them and not really getting attached to the worlds either.

I was curious as to what book series you have read that have made you so attached that you feel like you are missing the world after you end the series and why. I don’t mean “oh that book was good”, I mean you put down that final book and have to take a breather to take in the fact that the series is done, the kinds of books that made you smile after listening to a song in public and realizing it was in the series. The kinds of series that you think of for months and can’t find anything that compares to it.

NOTE: I was going to put this in discussions but I didn’t want the mods to think I was trying to sneak a request into discussions. I really am interested in peoples reasons for falling for certain series and just didn’t know what to label it under 😭

So I’ve been reading some dark romances (specifically AJ Merlin) recently and there is usually this moment where the MMC pushes the FMC into doing something she isn’t comfortable with, be it BDSM, public sex, derogatory language etc. And, inevitably tis causes the FMC to have an awakening that she actually likes being treated this way and yay for MMC for helping her discover this about herself.

But now I want a rec where the FMC is not having a kinky epiphany. She genuinely is not thrilled about being randomly spanked, or stalked, or called Daddy’s little slut. Or maybe she does like all that but this time the MMC pushed it too far past her comfort zone. Point is, he made it weird or uncomfortable or unsafe and he realizes it.

I don’t necessarily need a grovel (although I do love those) but looking for a book where the MMC at the very least has an “oh shit, I fucked up” moment

And for those of you that read Dom by SJ Tilly, this post is semi-inspired by that too, in that he lowkey broke the FMC, realizes he fucked up, and at least internally resolved to fix it (although sadly no grovel there)

Hi all. So I read all of Lisa Kleypas’ Ravenels and then Wallflowers last year, and I still sooo often find myself thinking of the way those MMCs kindly guide the virginal heroines into taking dick lol

Truly, Helen’s opening chapters live on in my head and I check in on them maybe more often than I should. ({Marrying Winterborne} is so good, but you have to start with {Cold Hearted Rake}, just fyi, because Helen and Winterborne’s scenes and romance start there.)

What I’m looking for is kind of a situation where they “have to” have sex, but maybe she doesn’t even know what all that’s going to entail but he’s reassuring about it.

I know virgin FMCs aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, but all I’ve read lately has been jaded, plenty-experienced women, and then my head floats back to Helen and Winterborne. I like the wonder of an FMC “giving in” and also the trust she has to place in the MMC. So more of that, please.

Aside from Kleypas, I’ve seen basically the dynamic I’m looking for in {Under the Oak Tree}, where they have to have sex or they won’t be married (he’s not as gentle at first but becomes more gentle with her as the story goes and as he realizes more where she’s coming from and that’s fine for me) and in {The Alpha of Bleake Isle} where he lets her explore his body the first night and takes his turn with hers the next before they ever even actually have sex.

I adore historical and fantasy but usually get bored with contemporary (but if it’s really, really good I’ll check one out).

Totally fine with dubcon and even noncon as long as he’s kind. Hell, I actually kind of love dubcon, so maybe mention if that’s a thing and I’ll read it faster.

I kind of like a power imbalance in my fiction. If he’s older or something, so much the better.

The only trigger I want to avoid is vore (cannibalism - doesn’t come up too often, but that’s my line).

I thank you all in advance for feeding my brain new daydreams. 💞

I want something a little more mature than Meghan Quinn type stuff. Maybe pro ball instead of college ball? I have seen too many Savannah Banana reels and now I need to read about it. I do have KU

Does anyone else find it goddamn adorable when a super alpha hero like military or mafia has a massive sweet tooth?? Something about a possessive and dangerous hero melting for a cupcake sends me into giggles and feet kicking EVERY TIME. Tell me it’s not just me??

Why is this so common? I read the full gamut, dark romance, sports romance, cozy, mafia, bratva, historical, fantasy, sci-fi. I have to go out of my way to research books that have a fmc with any sort of strength that I often find myself spoiling plots. I really enjoy going in mostly blind, if I like a concept I’ll pick up the book. But 7/10 fmcs are boneless idiots. I had to give up on finding a RH I enjoyed because these chicks will go from a literal gangbang to being unable to form a sentence or tell anyone what they want or think.

I’m so tired of the stammering fmc who can’t pull two thoughts together or move her tongue. “Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth” is a TRIGGERS for me. I’m exhausted by these leads who have nothing to say; no agency in their story, no substance to them but to be awash with ineptitude.

Why do I have to go to extended lengths to find a book with a strong female lead who will actually communicate and show a modicum of self respect and inner strength? Why do the majority of these fmc have to be broken and bent, and wracked with insecurity and self doubt?

It could be a novella or full length novel.

I can't recall if she was a nurse or librarian, but FMC hasn't worked in the prison for long and meets MMC there. I recall that she lived with her sister and the sister's child(ren). MMC is released and is walking in the rain when she passes by in her car and picks him up.

I recall that MMC moves in with his brother (we later find out he took the blame for his brother and served his time because the brother had a baby on the way). After his release, I think the MMC is working as a mechanic? He's upset because his brother is staying out late, drinking, possibly cheating on his wife - basically squandering the chance at life MMC gave him by taking the blame.

I think FMC's sister isn't a fan of them getting together bc of MMC having served time.

Please help!! Thanks!!

We've had some really wild rec requests in the past day or two, so I figured this one would fit right in! I'm mainly asking for what's in the title, but specifically, where semen harvesting isn't the intent of the initial exam. (It may become a thing later in the story, but doesn't have to.)

No gender preference for the AMC. They may be beyond human gender categories.

I can foresee three possible outcomes.

• MMC gets tuned on and finishes during the exam.
• MMC gets turned on, and the AMC finishes him to provide relief.
• MMC gets turned on and finishes himself after the exam.

This is one rare occasion where I'm open to dubcon, noncon, and poly stories. Edging and tentacle sex are welcome. I'm also not open to short stories and anthologies as well as novels.

Pretty much the title. She was one of the first romance authors I read and has always held a special place in my heart and on my shelves. I haven't seen any new publications just republications of her older titles. I've tried googling, but there is no definitve answer. There has been no new posting on her Facebook for a long while.

Hello, with football starting I am looking to read some NFL romance books but I keep running into the same tropes over and over again. All of which are ones I don’t enjoy lol. So looking to see if anyone has any recommendations

What I don’t like

Fake dating— I can’t stand this one just have a conversation 😂

Time frame—I don’t want college nor do I want the guy on the brink of retirement. I want him to be actively playing in the NFL and that’s part of there issues. Maybe the travel, the fans, the craziness is something they have to deal with

Rom-coms are ok but I’d prefer something with a bit more drama

Strangers to lovers is preferred

I read the {Play-by-Play series by Jaci Burton} and that’s more in line with what I’m looking for

EDIT

OMG THANK YOU. So many have now been add to my TBR list not even sure where to start but I’m so excited too

I hope there's someone out there to match my freak - but if you don't pretend you didn't see anything.

Just watched a music video where the guy is trying to take a vampire on a date. He’s this skinny little nervous looking guy and she’s a very no-nonsense strong looking woman. The whole day he’s trying to find things they can do together while holding an umbrella at precisely the right angle to keep the sun from hitting her. When she tries to bite someone he just rushes over and gets her so as not to cause a scene but isn’t upset with her at all. The whole day he’s just so happy to be around her even though she clearly isn’t reciprocating yet.

I want to read a book with a similar vibe. Doesn’t have to be vampire or monster. I’d prefer if it wasn’t. I just like the idea of flipping the normal dynamic upside down. Every book is the big strong tough MMC, and I’d like to see one where he’s completely at her mercy, knowing she’s more competent and needs to call the shots and is happy to be submissive.

Books I’ve already read like this are: {His Secret Illuminations by Scarlett Gale} {Maneater by Emily Antoinette} Both were great. Looking for MMCs and FMCs similar to that. Preferably contemporary or dark romance.

Thanks!

Someone posted the ballroom scene from Van Helsing and I'm looking for recs that have similar, palpable crazy chemistry the leads had in that bit. I'm talking fmc/mmc dynamic and interactions that made you squirm.

• forced proximity, fmc and mmc have sizzling tension so there's some motive pulling them together

• predator- prey vibes, either straight up or undertones (enemies to lovers). Another example in addition to the Van Helsing scene is leads from {Soul of a Witch by Harley Laroux}. Scared but lowkey aroused(?) type of stuff. Think of the breathless / heaving heroine trope.

"You make my skin crawl.

This is not all I could do with your skin"

• scenes with palpable chemistry, desire and yearning. Fmc is reluctant/hesitant at first but the chemistry is there from the jump= chase

• type of scenes I'm specially looking for: the linked ballroom scene, when MMC comes across FMC for the 1st time in the Soul of the Witch and when MMC corners FMC in {The Highlander by Kerrigan Byrne} before they kiss.

Bonus points if:

• gothic atmosphere chef's kiss
• if they REALLY hate each other's ass at the start too
• genres in addition to HR (already posted in that sub)

There are a few books I've read with such brilliantly written chemistry that gives you butterflies. 2 great mentioned examples are The Highlander and the Soul of the Witch.

Some examples in mind would be like maybe MMC is a apprentice to FMC's father who is blacksmith and he wants to for mmc to take over the business. Or if they live in modern timeline then maybe MMC is a rich investor with a vision and FMCs father wants a merger. And like to keep the business in the family they have their daughter which is FMC marry MMC.

Or it could even be maybe it isnt a business but rather a family estate or castle and FMCs father want some warrior to be take care of it so he gets him to marry her daughter.

Whatever similar case it is to the same concept

A great example of what I read would be { About a Rogue by Caroline Linden }

Preferences:

• HR, Contemporary or Fantasy would be fine
• No cheating
• HEA
• Straight romance
• No monster/supernatural/alien/post-apocalyptic please
• opendoor (the spicier the better)
• The more domestic scenes the better
• The handling of business should be explored
• They consummate the marriage and dont do the marriage by name only things(kinda sick of this troupe)
• Big business, small business, mergers, estates and even just small shops. Scale doesnt matter to me

Any recommendation ? Thanks

I want to read something where both parties feel the attraction and interact/become friends but try to resist because of circumstances.

Could be that they're in relationships, or they're coworkers, or patient/doctor or some other dynamic where a romatic relationship would be frowned upon.

Cheating, or otherwise breaking the rules is fine, but I want to feel the angst first.

No age gap, because I'm trying to avoid the friend's/boyfriend's dad trope.

Would prefer CR, M/F.

Any recs would be appreciated :)