r/MM_Romance

I wanna start by saying that until recently, I was not all that interested in MM books. Just didn’t seem like my thing. But THEN, I read {God of Fury by Rina Kent} and it changed my brain chemistry. God, I loved their relationship so much. And my sweet baby Bran🥹, I can’t even. So then I read {Kiss the Villian by Rina Kent} and {Hunt the Villian by Rina Kent} and decided I do indeed like MM. Very much so. So I have come here to implore yall to bequeath me with more recs. I would love if the setting was like any of the books I’ve mentioned, but they don’t have to be. I’m going to end this my saying Rina Kent is now my favorite author and everything she writes is chefs kiss. Also Nikolai will forever be my top book boyfriend.

So I liked this book, maybe less for the romance and more for the internal monologues that I could really identify with. In my reading, Simon is one of the best autism reps I've read, but he isn't supposed to be? And that makes me feel a bit weird about this, as it is never mentioned in the book, nor by Cat. Why? He is supposed to have OCD and anxiety, but the way he is described, like he is cosplaying a human being most of the time and wondering what to say and do, reads very clearly autistic to me (that btw commonly occurs with OCD and anxiety). And on the one hand, I loved that we are getting such a nuanced representation, on the the other hand apparently it isn't a representation?

It seems like MM authors like to write neurodivergent people, but to be honest it rarely comes through realistically for me. Shane in Heated rivalry is supposed to be on the spectrum, and yeah, sure, he could be, but it's very subtle. Then there is To Catch a Firefly which was recommended here, and whoa at points I felt like I should stop reading because I found it so offensive. And it was like a neurotypical character that happens to only communicate in grunts and shrugged shoulders and treated like a child.... anyway, I was so happy with Star Shipped at first, but then I felt a bit cheated about it?

Spoilers ahead.

I loved YCMAL and the Between the Teeth books and Thrown Off the Ice.

I also loved But Always in Tandem - Robbie and Georgie‘s story really got me. So full of angst and anger and hurt. Now I’m reading the sequel and I can’t get through it. Robbie and Georgie are obviously endgame, and I hate having to read so many chapters of Georgie ruining his life - getting married, having kids, when I know it’s not going to work out in the end. It became a slog. I feel like this book isn’t going where I wanted or expected it to and I’m just wondering if anyone feels the same.

Unfortunately, I rarely read MM romance books because I’m very picky. But I’d like to read more of them. I love uniqueness, but in a well-written style with plenty of emotion. I’m currently reading Samec Valentin’s book, {Passion in 30 Levels}. It’s a romance novel with dark themes, and I’m loving it so far. 

Do you have any ideas for other suggestions that aren’t so well-known? “Not so well-known” often means either the book is bad, or it’s truly unique... And please, no hockey novels—they feel like they’ve been copied 100 times over, and the same story is just told 100 different ways. :D

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for good English MM romance recommendations, MMM+ / poly romances would be amazing, but regular MM is totally fine too, that are available as ebooks on Libby through VÖBB (Berlin public library system).

I’m open to pretty much everything, so feel free to recommend your favorites!

The only thing I’m not into is cheating tropes 😊

Hello!

I’m working on my debut MM romance; a novel about the life of Tom, a tall Anglo-Croatian rugby player with a moderate-severe anxiety disorder and definitely a little bit of hypersexuality.

Tom of course meets Etienne. Etienne is French, beautiful and one of the best rugby players that Tom has ever seen. Etienne also has a reputation for being difficult, egotistical and a bit of a hedonist.

The novel itself is a slow burn, with lots of yearning and missed moments between the two MCs. It will explore issues such as mental health (anxiety and ptsd) and trauma, identity and reclaiming cultural identities, drug use, sex and homophobia within high level sports. It’s character led, rather than plot lead. Whilst the novel is based around the world of European and International rugby, Etienne and Tom spend the whole time playing cat and mouse with each other; to their own devastation.

Currently I’m still working on the manuscript, but I’m finding I’m losing steam and getting writers block more and more. So this is where I have some questions;

- What kind of tropes do you like to see in MM? Is a slow burn where the characters don’t have sex a turn off?
- My biggest worry is that this will be like Heated Rivalry, and my friend has said it seems to be very similar to HR. Is this a problem that most sports romances will have?
- Are flawed, traumatised, non-perfect characters a turn off?

I will be looking for ARC and beta readers once edits are done and I actually finish my first draft.

Hi diva's

What are your favourite mm romances written by men, I'm looking for any recommendations

Hey friends! Betrayal is my all time favorite trope, and I feel like I’ve read all the popular books with it. What I love about it isn’t the groveling, I just rly like when one MC does something really stupid or shitty (or maybe it’s just a misunderstanding 😱), and then the other MC is PISSED. The whole love -hate - love again arc is my absolute favorite. And when the loving, sweet, caring MC gets betrayed and suddenly shows that he shouldn’t be messed with, that he can be mean and/or dangerous? LOVE that shit hahhah.

I guess this will be part request and part recs from me. Also sorry for the long ass post lol.
I’m really hoping for is some wild indie rec, maybe a new release I missed, or even something that isn’t strictly romance. I’m open to anything.

Here are some good betrayal recs (spoilers below):

1. {Down Low by Parker St. John} - THE BEST betrayal. MC1 abandons MC2, then comes back years later, and MC2 is holding a grudge like nobody’s business.>! I loved the juxtaposition between the past chapters, where they were so sweet with each other, and the present, where MC2 is cold and sometimes mean toward MC1 (the betrayer)!<. Really good writing. Amazing book, 10/10 recommend. The rest of the series follows different characters and also has betrayal and friends-to-enemies-to-lovers elements.
2. {Any Old Diamond by KJ Charles} - Loved it. BIG spoilers, >!the betrayal happens at the end, and MC2’s reaction wasn’t as severe. He says something really mean to MC1 and tries to hurt him, but it gets resolved pretty quickly!<. Still, this book is fantastic, and the betrayal was the cherry on top. 10/10 recommend.
3. {Jackdaw by KJ Charles} - Another good book. Wasn’t a favorite. I’ve read it three times because I keep forgetting the damn plot, and I still can’t remember what happened lol. I know it had betrayal, and I enjoyed reading it, but... yeah. I still recommend it haha.
4. {Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa} - >!The betrayal happens off-page, but then MC1 tries to betray MC2 again (on-page),!< and it was fun to read. Quite a long book, and it dragged a bit toward the end, but overall really good and fresh. Highly recommend, 8/10.
5. {Prince and Assassin by Tavia Lark} - Loved everything about it. I know it’s not most people’s favorite for some reason, but the characters were amazing and interesting. It had light moments, dark moments, and the betrayal was great. The fallout felt proportionate, tense, and sexy. Just 10/10 recommend.
6. {The Billionaire’s Revenge by Anne Lyn Birch} - This is both the most fitting rec and my least favorite among my favorites. >!There’s betrayal (or maybe a misunderstanding, I don’t remember), and basically the whole 500-page book is MC2 exacting revenge for it. But it became too much, there was barely any balance. We got some chapters from the past showing how good things used to be, but we mostly stayed in the present, and MC2 was kind of a creep lol!<. Still, I liked it. 6/10 recommend.
7. {Whisper in the Dark series by Chani Lynn Feener} - The betrayal happens off-page here, and we’re reading the consequences. Not bad. If you don’t mind a somewhat cliche dark romance, I think you can have a good time with it. I did.
8. {Pretty Policeman by Fifer Rose} - There is some betrayal, but from what I remember, MC2 wasn’t very angry (or barely angry at all), so it didn’t fully scratch the itch. Still a decent book.
9. {One for Sorrow by Louise Collins} - >!There is definitely betrayal here. But MC2 doesn’t really get angry, so it didn’t quite work for me. !<Still, a good book if you like dark romance and morally gray characters.
10. {Shift by Joel Abernathy}
11. {Liar City by Allie Therin} - >! Well, the MCs aren’t together by the end of book one (from what I remember), so the betrayal isn’t as impactful or hard-hitting. Also, I don’t think MC2 got angry, or maybe I just don’t remember.!< Overall, still a good read. MC1 is really sweet.

Now for some books that I know have betrayal, but I either don’t remember well enough, didn’t like, or flat out dnf'd. Still, most of them are really beloved, so I’m sharing them:

1. Mortal Skin by Lily Mayne - vague memories, but there’s betrayal. I should reread it.
2. The Man Who Loved Cole Flores by KA Merikan - didn’t like it at all.
3. Until You by Briar Prescott- gave it 3 stars, don’t remember a single thing lol.
4. Feel My Pain by KA Merikan- temporary DNF.
5. Finding Delaware by Bree Wiley
6. Never Say Never by Brea Alepou- really cliche lol.
7. The Will Darling Adventures by KJ Charles- I know this is beloved, but I just can’t get into it at all.
8. A Power Unbound by Freya Marske
9. The Husky and His White Cat Shizun - DNF.
10. Villain by Chani Lynn Feener - >!the betrayal happens in another book in the series, and it was huge with a strong reaction from the betrayed MC, but I absolutely hated it. (MC1 gets raped by MC2 as punishment for the betrayal.)!<
11. If I Were to Die by LA Cannon - the book was going great until it wasn’t. The ending pissed me off so much. If you decide to read it, please check the trigger warnings, even if that spoils things.
12. Hostile Takeover by Lucy Lennox
13. Where Death Meets the Devil - DNF for now.
14. Wanted, a Gentleman by KJ Charles

And that’s all I’ve got!

Would really appreciate any recs. I’ll read pretty much anything, YA, books where romance isn’t central, no HEA, even fanfics. Maybe just not danmei. I really loved Little Mushroom by Shisi, but besides that, everything else has been a dnf.

Thank you! Hope someone finds something good to read. ❤️

So i just finished the Heartbreak Hockey series (in audio) and am looking for a new audiobook. I usually have an audiobook on the go and one physical book (usually books that don't have audio or if i don't like the narrators), i'm still not sure if i should eyeball read or listen to garron park, pls let me know what u thought

For years, my answer to this question was Heated Rivalry, but I've come to the conclusion that the search is futile. Looking for a hockey romance, or enemies to lovers, or a rivals to lovers romance won't get you close to what you're looking for. Rachel Reid's recipe is its own thing and can't be replicated.

The other book I always think of is Pictures of You by Leta Blake. If I told you this story had me in the pits of despair, it still wouldn't convey how much of the main charater's heartbreak I felt as if it were my own. It never came across as manufactured angst; it's real, it's human, and it's achingly grounded in reality. I even felt sympathy for the person who was the cause of so much anguish for our main character. I understood his choices, selfish as they were, and I ended the series wishing that I could read about a grown-up version of him. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it happens one day.

Which MM romances make you feel this way?

I recently read those two, and they are scratching a very specific itch for me. The romance plot isn't necessarily to die for (I find Rachel Reid as the gold standard for that), but they feel a lot deeper than your average romance, with beautiful writing, quotes I want to remember, and themes that make me think. Like the whole second-chances thing in You Should Be So Lucky feels personal, I felt like it sometimes turned a bit literary in a good way. I know some people didn't like all the internal monologues that had nothing to do with the romance itself, but I think they gave the book a lot of depth. Like those books made me think about my life and journal for hours, while other books might just make me horny and a bit lovesick, and I mean sometimes that's all I want, but I quite enjoyed doing the former now.

I was thinking about reading more from her, but then just reading some quotes from her older books, and looking at the covers, they looked more like they might have no deeper themes beyond the romance. So if you've read more of her work, how do those two books compare?

Just curious if others have the same problem. Not trying to yuck anyone’s yum.

A lot of my favorite tropes are often paired with tropes that I don’t enjoy reading...

For me personally, it’s:

• age gap and daddy kink. I LOVE age gap, but I can’t read daddy kink. I've never even had a father irl lol. I have no idea why I can’t learn to at least ignore it...
• sex workers and mental health issues. I like reading about sex workers, but I’ve never found a book where they aren’t tortured, abused, depressed, hating touch, or suicidal. Yes, a lot of sex workers do struggle with these things, but not everyone does. There are better and worse conditions, and there are also different backgrounds for how people end up in that kind of job, whether they were forced into it or chose it themselves. How do I know? I did it for a decade.
• pain play / rough sex and dom/sub dynamics. I do like reading different kinks, MCs exploring new ways to have fun, trying stuff out, but they often end up falling into dom/sub or slave/master dynamics. I can read it if it stays in the bedroom only, but I’m tired of it. If it becomes their lifestyle outside the bedroom, I’m out. If I read about one more orgasm denial / cock cage for weeks and one MC bossing the other one around, I might cry.

When you look at a blurb and think "There is a zero percent chance I'm going to enjoy this."

For me it's:

MC1 talks about MC2 in first person.

MC2 talks about MC1 in first person.

List of tropes

on the hunt for sharing with friends recently read a book where the two mc’s share (hook up) with their best friend sometimes but the main focus is on the two mc’s (not poly)

any recs like that?

1st POV HEA

I was always a consumer of queer media but only recently got into romance and subsequently mm romance books (this is mostly what I have been reading so that’s why this is being posted here). I didn’t have good relationship models growing up and reading this genre has been oddly healing and informative (especially bc I have autism so like I really don’t get a lot of social rules). As I read these books they are pretty good at modeling both healthy and unhealthy dynamics and communication in a way that a lot of movies and tv kind of gloss over. Like how to apologize to your partner and mean it was never something I was taught how to do and seeing it modeled has helped me be more secure and communicative in my own relationships. I especially appreciate when authors depict growth in a character when they deal with something poorly, acknowledge it, apologize, and do the right thing in the future. It sounds so trivial but idk it makes me feel good. I know it’s not a perfect model of real life but even the slightly dramatic outline I think has been helpful.

This has been my wholesome rant :) let me know your thoughts

Hello! I am looking for a book for my sister for her birthday that’s coming up. She loves MM romance but I don’t want to get her a book that’s with a lot of smut

One or two scenes is fine but I want it to be mainly clean.

Please help!

I’m trying to find fantasy/paranormal romances (MM or FM) where emotions, attraction, or intimacy physically affect the character’s magic/powers/species traits in visible ways.

Not just “this character has powers,” but where the powers become an emotional language or vulnerability marker.

Some examples of the vibe I mean:

a weather witch/stormbringer whose emotions affect the environment (rain when upset, lightning when angry, static in the air around someone they like, accidentally shocking them during touch because they lose control)

winged species with wing sensitivity, wing grooming, molting, feathers puffing up when flustered, protective wing wrapping, etc.

magic becoming unstable during emotional intimacy

powers reacting involuntarily to attraction/fear/protectiveness

one character being the only person who can calm another’s dangerous abilities

vampire feeding/bonding that feels emotionally intimate

instinctive/supernatural bonding dynamics

body language through supernatural traits (glowing eyes, claws/fangs showing unintentionally, temperature changes, magical surges)

touch having supernatural consequences

emotionally reactive magic systems in general

Basically I’m looking for romances where fantasy biology/magic is used as emotional storytelling instead of just cool lore. I love when the characters can’t fully hide how they feel because their powers/instincts/body betray them.

Enemies-to-lovers, rivals-to-lovers, forced proximity, obsessive dynamics, emotional repression, dangerous characters becoming soft for one person, etc. are all bonuses.

I recently started reading Malum Discordiae and the weather witch/stormbringer dynamics are EXACTLY the kind of thing I mean. Humans really gave emotions meteorological side effects and called it romance. Incredible decision honestly.