u/TiredButNotNumb

So, I need help from (spicy) audiobook enjoyers because I don't use them.

I don't know if this is a personal perception of mine, but I noticed that straight romance books published in recent years with dual POV have the sex scenes either 50-50 —as if half are from the female POV and half from the male one— or are skewed toward the MMC's POV. At first, I thought that was because there are people who find pleasure in "seeing the desire" through the eyes of the MMC (cue the Margaret Atwood's quote about the male gaze).

But I just thought that (and I don't know) if the male POV's are narrated in audiobooks by actors, then it could be that authors, purposely or not, are writing more sex scenes from an MMC's POV to be narrated by actors. Because I don't read audiobooks, but I noticed that people tend to praise their works in romance more than the actresses', so I'm assuming they are more popular or readers find them hotter.

I feel like I invented a conspiracy, and I need people to tell me that I'm wrong and it's just my impression. Because it's a bit sad (in my opinion) to lose the female POV about their own desire in romance. So:

1. Do you think there are more sex scenes narrated from a male or a female POV? Do you think it has changed in the last few years?

2. Are dual POV books narrated by men too, or is it all a woman with dialogues interpreted by a man?

3. Are male voice actors more popular than female voice actors when it comes to spicy/erotic romance?

I love Mina Le's new video about why romance book covers are so similar, with the same cartoon-ish style (particulary contemporary romance), and why it sells so well for now. It got me thinking what will be the future of romance covers.

There's this very popular article, "Everybody is beautiful and no one is horny", and I wonder is there's a relationship with romance as a genre and with the aesthetics. Will we go towards covers with more beautiful people, but less expressive? Will we adopt a more AI style of blank perfection?

I'm trying to get to perfection with SDV Expanded. In the meantime, I'm planning my next playthrough. I've played Ridgeside + ES with almost all the recommended add-ons before, but it was too much for me, so I'm going to ditch Ridgeside. I want to know what other mods add content and "life" and go well with East Scarp + add-ons and retain the "vanilla-like" style. It could be other locations, animals, crops, farms, etc.

Thanks in advance!

It's June, it's very hot in here, and I want to feel the chills.

I've been reading some books by A.J. Merlin, and I love the way she integrates horror staples into romance/erotica. Maybe it's because I've read too many insane stories in my life, but I would call her books "soft dark romance". So I'm looking for something/someone similar.

What I like about her books and I hope to find in others:

- Halloween/Spooky/Horror vibes. She's really good at embracing the "corniness" of the genre, particularly the slasher horror.

- Refreshing FMCs. I found them very distinctive and interesting. Looks like she likes to make non-normative heroines that also deal with personal problems.

- Over the top but caring and reassuring MMCs. So far, my favorites are Wren and Gabriel from {Brutal by A.J. Merlin} and {Vicious by A.J. Merlin} (EDIT because I mixed one of the books)

- Great settings and ambiance descriptions.

What I would also like:

- More in-depth descriptions of emotions about the characters' relationship, and more detailed descriptions about what she's feeling before/while/after having sex/spending time together. I want more than the physical descriptions of what's happening. I don't know if I can explain it, but like... I want longer sexual/emotional scenes that stay in the moment, instead of a quick description of sex.

- Summerween vibes are welcome.

- I'm equally fine with books that go for the more horror aspects and with the more spooky/comedic/light ones.

I'm open to almost everything (RH, Monster romance, paranormal, etc.) except: 1. Explicit descriptions of rape/sexual abuse to the FMC (dub-con is fine) and 2. High school/college settings (teens to very young adults).

Thanks everybody!

I've been on a stalker romance binge, and while most of them are fine, none are giving me exactly what I want.

So basically, I want someone similar to Elliot from Mr Robot Season 1, but in a romance book: a socially awkward dude (even anxious in public) who uses his hacker abilities to watch over and stalk the FMC because he's obsessed with knowing everything about her and protecting her. But she isn't into it instantly. I want her to be scared at first and even (try to) run away. They could be neighbors, or coworkers, or maybe she helped him one day. Something more than "I look at her once and she's so hot that I fell in love".

He doesn't need to be exactly a hacker, but at least uses surveillance to observe the FMC and leans more on the awkward nerd rather than the "I'm so alpha" type. I want A LOT of stalking, and a chase that is mostly psychological.

I prefer it to not be mafia-related, and not explicit depictions of rape to the FMC by other characters. I don't really like the "all the other men in the book are rapists/abusers towards the FMC, so the MMC looks like a good guy in comparison". But I also understand it's a very common trope.

Thanks!