Hi everyone!

I’m looking for some great M/M romance recommendations to pass along to someone who is completely new to the genre. They are really interested in diving into M/M stories, but they have a strong preference for low to no spice.

Ideally, the books should focus heavily on character development, emotional connection, and plot, without explicit or detailed on-page sexual content.

Because they are a total beginner to the genre, I want to give them a good variety to choose from! Open to any subgenre - contemporary, fantasy, historical, mystery, or sci-fi - as long as the story is captivating and the romantic tension is well-done.

Looking forward to your recommendations.Thank you!!

I just started the 3rd book (no spoilers please!) and it is one of the best books I have read thus far. It's so edgy without being cringe, I really believe in the story and the characterization is so complex and deep I am so invested. I feel like I've never read a true enemies to lovers before this. If anyone has an enemies to lovers recommendation that could potentially follow this.. I'm all ears.

I'm hoping there is a big following for this series because I want merch. Does anyone know of someone who has made fan art for this? Or stickers? I love stickers.

I'll check out any recs you have once I finish to avoid any potential spoilers, but I see myself finishing this by the weekend.

Please any mmm books with twins or two brothers. I don't mind incest. Please no cheating or heavy bdsm.

I love investigations books and I remember when I read one with arsons happening and they are trying to find out the culprit while there’s a romance developing.

It can be investigation with the MC being a fireman (or EMT) but I don’t want police.

Big NO: cheating, love triangle and women characters being bashed.

Thanks 🫶🏻

I've been catching up on Bojack Horseman and i cant stop thinking about Diane's Ivy Tran Food Court Detective book. What really caught my ear is when Sonny asked about a scene where the characters talk about how even though Moose isn't Ivy's friend but she'll always be his, whether she likes it or not. I liked that. I like the idea of these books. Where the characters would solve small mysteries but with there are these stories about social dynamics that are integral to the plot and characters. Where the small mysteries aren't the only thing in the plot. There's these complex slice of life parts of starting fresh after a parent dies, codependent and toxic friendships similar to Bojack and Diane. I'd want to read something like that.

I've gotten tired of the low stress mm romance books i usually read because often the only plot is the romance. And i like that but i've gotten tired of reading it so much. So i want to see if there are books where there is a gay romance and it is integral and advances the characters but its not the only thing. i obviously dont want the romance to just be a garnish where if you took it out, very little would change. i want the romance to matter very much.

But, i also want to read about mysteries and relationships/friendships that are actually complex and make you feel a whirlwind of emotions ( like pity, hatred, and yet respect for the characters all at the same time ). i want it to make me think about relationships and feelings i didn't even know existed in the world.

So, are there any books like this?

What does slow burn mean to you?

Is it when two characters are attracted to each other from the beginning but take a long time to get together? Or is it when they don't even realize they have feelings until much later?

Personally, I prefer the second. I love when they start out as genuine friends, their interactions are purely platonic at first, and they slowly get to know each other. Then they gradually fall in love without realizing it for quite a while. That's what a true slow burn feels like to me.

I'd love to hear how everyone else defines it !

I don't yuck anyone's yum, I am just personally a very "vanilla" person.

I am also asexual and while I do like smut (yeah, idk how that works either) I find books that are mainly just smut boring to read personally. I love it when the sexual content is the result of romantic yearning/pining.

I feel like there are literally no books for me based on these preferences. Not just when it comes to a/b/o but in general. Maybe I'm just not good at searching? It's not even that I want books with ace characters because reading is a form of escapism for me and honestly I don't really want to be reminded of my own identity while engaging with fiction, it feels too real (I am very happy for ace rep though as there's not much of it!).

Yeah, ignore this rambling. Anyway.

Bonus if the book has these tropes:

• Accidental pregnancy (/contraceptive failure)
• Fated mates/soulmate marks
• Modern setting
• No fantasy/scifi elements please (other than the usual a/b/o stuff) <3
• Office/college romance/celebrities
• MCs that bicker a lot

Danmei/Japanese/Korean/Thai/etc bl is also ok.

I am looking for published books or original stories on AO3 that do not require fandom knowledge and have the following:

• A cynical, ruthless, unapologetic MC.
• He falls so hard for the other MC that he becomes completely obsessed with him and can't live without him.
• Intense possessiveness, all-consuming need
• lots of explicit, hot sex (erotic romance would be ideal, but erotica recs are welcome too)

❌ What I'd like to avoid:

• Idiots and endless misunderstandings
• Cartoonishly OTT villains.
• Serial killers
• Endless depressive self-pity or constant "I'm such a monster" narration.
• A tragic childhood that's used to excuse or erase all of his actions. He can have a backstory, but I don't want him to turn out to be "just a misunderstood puppy."
• MC2 being an innocent lamb.

HARD NO: Kids of any kind (pregnancy, single parents, childcare, small siblings).

So i just finished binging the show last night and I am empty. And i need something similar. Like the small town vibes, found family, maybe one of the mcs inherits a motel. I also need well established side characters too. I would like one of the mcs to be an absolute menace and a drama queen and the other one to absolutely adore him for it.
If you have any fanfic recommendations please share.
If maybe have any show recommendations I’ll take those as well
I’m not completely set on the small town setting either i just need a sunshine /drama queen x golden retriever energy from the main couple and some good side characters
I only have one limitation: Historical romance. I’m open to trying out fantasy or paranormal romance too!
TIA!

I'm in a mood and this is one of my most reread stories but I have been struggling to find anything that has the same vibes and emotional payoff. I love the grittiness for lack of a better word and the fact that they are genuinely enemies for a reason that's genuinely difficult to overcome without extreme angst. I feel like so much of the enemies to lovers stuff I read especially in MM ends up being more rivals to lovers and I'm craving that hate chemistry this author does so damn well. 😩 But even compared to her other books this story was top tier for me so would love any and all the recs please!!

I'm open to any subgenre including paranormal, and MMM or more is fine. Just no Daddy dom stuff or incest, it's not a trigger I just find it eugh.

This is a long shot mostly because I didn’t read this book, but saw a user comment describing a scene from a book as part of a recommendation to another user prompt. At the time I was not in the mood for another sports book but now I keep remembering the description and wish I had saved it.

It was a grumpy sunshine setup with a clingy teammate (I assume hockey) and he kept wanting to get to know / engage another teammate who was more of a lone wolf/quiet and absolutely found the other guy annoying/too much. I assume they were the two main MCs not a yuppy side character. Anyway, at some point, maybe when he tries to sit next to him when the team is getting on the bus before (or after) a game, the other MCs gets irritated and ‘pushes him away’ don’t remember if this was in the literal sense. The sunshiny MC takes the hint and starts giving him space which the grumpy MC is at first happy with but soon realises he misses his constant presence and now has to try to befriend again. Sorry, I know this is very loose and just based on this one scene but I would appreciate any guesses. 

I have read Thrown off the Ice, and Between the Teeth, which both have the same puppy dog x leave me alone dynamic, but they didn’t have this particular scene unless I’m misremembering. 

I am looking for books where when the MCs separate not knowing one of them is pregnant or the MC is left alone to raise his child. Either way they meet again after years or months.

My guys, two months ago I finally dipped my toes into the paranormal universe and it’s had me by the throat ever since. I need more.

I’ve recently read:

All of {demon bound by grae Bryan} LOVED

All of {vampire mates by grae Bryan}

{don’t feed the vampire by grae Bryan}

{galen by jaclyn Osborn}

Book 1 and 2 {the reckless damned by lark Taylor}

Book 1, 2 and 3 {hellhounds of paradise by Shannon mae}

I also did try {overeager by grae Bryan} but I don’t think omegaverse is for me? Didn’t hate it but wasn’t my fave so I am open to other recs I suppose.

As you can tell, I enjoy Graes writing. The possessiveness, caring, obsessiveness, the found family, the intimate touches that don’t always lead to sex but also her spicy scenes are so fucking good as well and there is always plenty of them.

Like I said…I NEED MORE PLEASE.

Nos: daddykink and enemies to lovers (I’m kinda over that trope atm)

Help a girl out x

I'm looking for romance books with a strong found family vibe where the LI's parents slowly become parental figures to the MC.

What I'm not looking for is an MC who's grieving their parents or trying to replace them. I'd rather the MC be someone who never really had loving parents in the first place. Maybe they're an orphan, maybe their parents were neglectful or abusive, maybe they always favored another sibling, or maybe they were just emotionally distant. The point is that the MC has never really known what it feels like to have parents who genuinely care about them.

Over time, the LI's parents just naturally become those people. It isn't because they're trying to "adopt" the MC or because the MC is looking for replacement parents. It just happens through lots of little moments like checking if they've eaten, worrying when they're sick, inviting them to family dinners and holidays, giving advice, teasing them, making sure they got home safely, treating them like they belong without making a big deal out of it.

The specific scene I'm hoping for is an accidental "Mom" or "Dad" moment. I don't really care how it happens. Maybe the MC is sick, half-asleep, exhausted, distracted, or just completely on autopilot. Maybe they're in a crowd and the parents are looking for them, so they absentmindedly call out, "Mom, over here!" Maybe they're thanking them or asking for help without thinking. The situation itself doesn't matter.

What matters is that it isn't intentional. It just slips out because, somewhere along the way, they've started thinking of these people as their parents without even realizing it.

I'd love it if the LI notices before the MC does, or if everyone hears it but no one says anything because they know pointing it out would only embarrass them. I think it's even sweeter if the MC doesn't realize what they said at all, and everyone else quietly understands what it means.

I'd also prefer the LI's parents to feel like real people rather than perfect "storybook" parents. I don't want the MC's family to be completely awful while the LI's family is flawless. Let them have flaws, make mistakes, get frustrated sometimes, and handle things imperfectly. As long as they're kind, loving, and genuinely care about the MCs , that's exactly the dynamic I'm looking for.

Hardnos : NC/DC, Daddy/Degradation kink, Incest,BDSM,Poly, Omegeverse

I'm not a huge K-pop fan, but I recently came across a reels where two singers from the same band exchange longing glances and casual touches. They're incredibly cute, and you can tell there's something between them, or there could be. I would love to find something that has a similar vibe. MC1 and MC2 know each other, they are not friends but they may know each other at least by name. I'm looking for everyday characters rather than showbiz superstars. And now I want there to be secret looks, pining after at each other, longing in their eyes, etc., but they don't really do anything about it except make those cute gooey eyes. Definitely a slow burn and contemporary.

Thanks in advance for your help and sorry for any errors, but English is not my first language 🖤

I’ve got a real craving lately for something rural, contemporary and British. I think it’s partly because I keep seeing info about a drama called “On the sea” (it’s set in North Wales) and partly because I relate more to rural life than city life.

Yes please: contemporary romance, paranormal, thriller, mystery, horror, whatever. Set in small towns, villages or farming communities in the UK. Full length novels only please (I prefer over 200 pages but over 150 is a must). Older characters are much appreciated. Especially if they are in their 30s or 40s.

No: historical romance. It’s just not what I’m after right now. No main characters under 20. I’m not going to set any other hard boundaries on content since I’m open to horror and whatnot but if you think there are any content warnings I should be aware of then a heads up is appreciated.

Books I’ve read:
{Not that complicated by Isobel Murray} - I liked this one though it leaned into the quaint charm a little too much for my liking

{Under gorse and stone by Lily Morton} - loved the depiction of the countryside, didn’t love the plot.

There are a couple of books by Ripley Hayes that I’ve read or am aware of that would probably fit my request.

{Handy Man by C J Matthewson} - I read this a long time ago but I loved the village life aspect of it.

Thanks in advance!

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I love the tension that comes with the temporary mistreatment because of a misunderstanding.
Could be thinking they are dating someone else, or betrayed them in some way. I’m looking mainly for the physical aspect, pushing, hooking with and treating coldly, jealously etc.

Hard no’s mmm, a high amount of physical pain.

Thanks yall!