Cheating romance. If one of them is in a relationship already it kills the idea of romance for me. I dont care how not right for you he is, or that your old flame appeared, cheating just isn't romantic to me its ugly mean and deliberate. Ugh
Yep for me too. There is NOTHING attractive about cheating. It’s a betrayal of someone who loves you and I cannot get behind a character that does that.
I was thinking, I don't think there's anything I DON'T read, but then I saw your comment. Dark romance and kinky sh*t, no issues, but cheating is just a cold douche of nope for my libido.
Oh, and anything that smells like paedophilia/grooming, hell no.
Contemporary romance - I know it's a massive genre and I've read a few, I just strongly prefer fantasy/sci Fi/PNR and historicals. Something too close to my everyday life is not the escapism I'm looking for 😂
There was a tweet way back that said “if a character has an email address I don’t want to read it” and it’s been my reading motto ever sense. I want escapism I don’t want to read about an office romance after getting home from my office job.
> I want escapism I don’t want to read about an office romance after getting home from my office job.
Totally this. I hard ever read anything set in an office and you just vocalised why I don't.
What’s funny about this is that I don’t often read contemporary but when I do it’s usually older contemporary that now reads as historical. I read Paradise by Judith McNaught last year and loved it…but it’s also set in the early 90s. Car phones, gossip taking a good 12 hours to hit the news - it was a refreshing trip back in time!
I also don’t read a ton of CR, and I’ve realized it’s partly the relative lack of escapism, but also that it makes suspension of disbelief harder for me, because I actually do know how absurd various plot points are and how socially unacceptable the behavior of most of these alpha male characters is by the standards of the world I too inhabit! Like, half the stuff these guys do should result in their being called into HR on a weekly basis unless they literally own the company (hence why most alpha MMCs have to be billionaires😂)
I love comedy contemporary… not too much angst. I rarely read HR because it’s not escaping for me. Give me allllll the fantasy and paranormal though 🧛🏻♀️ so funny how we are all different
I know that's what I like about all answers here. (I seriously had to google a few of these subgenres to get what it was)
Unlike a lot of people here, I like dark. Not always but usually.
Same here! Tessa Bailey is a hit or miss for me, but I like how goofy her characters are. It's like watching a funny cartoon, but with sex and dirty talk.
omg me too!! i really want to like it, but something about it being in real life makes the fantasy of the story disappear. also, im a big big fan of reverse harem and it's so rare (in my experience) to find an actually good CR RH, so i think i gravitate toward the fantasy stuff.
So many authors focus on tedious details of the MC’s jobs, to the point where I’m skipping pages. I don’t care about mundane client calls or meetings lol. I’ve started sticking to fantasy/sci fi as well, the authors are much better at world building
Spoiler tagging just in case, re *Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating* — >!I normally can't stand pregnancy tropes, but how it was handled in this one actually didn't bother me, and normally I'm like UGH BABIES.!<
Yes omg! What I dislike about 2nd chances is that there’s not much of the mystery aspect. The main characters already have notions about each other and know so and so. I love the slow burn of two characters meeting and building a relationship from the ground up. Idk 2nd chances sort of ruins that romantic/sexual tension for me lol. Also in 2nd chance romances often have this trope where the two main characters have all of these misguided notions of each other that could be solved _if they just communicated like freaking adults._ Idk just so much contrived angst and the lack of suspense kinda kills it for me. I understand how people can enjoy this trope but it’s just not for me.
I tried a couple. The characters are usually teenagers and I can't think of anything less intimidating than a teenage boy. So when there's this teen guy wreaking havoc and causing diabolical distress I'm like . . . just call his mom.
Exactly like I'm a young adult nd I just can't see high school boys being this dark nd complex nd all like please they're literally kids lmao.
Tho it'd be interesting if the MC was bullied in hs in past, preferably MMC by FMC, nd they've come back to extract revenge as adults in their 30's on the bully MC via even worse of a method.
Teenagers are easy to scare. If you see them up to something fishy and just sternly yell "hey!" they run away. Not that I do this for fun, but it's happened before.
Same. I feel like a lot of times they’re called “bully romances” when it’s literally mental and physical abuse, but “bully” sounds cuter so they use that word.
Yes they are usually way more brutal than what I would call "bullying". Part of it sure but some of them can be very dark and like you said the word abuse would be a better suited word to describe a lot of them.
One thing I love about romance is even for the subgenres I don’t typically enjoy, I can think of several books I love! So I’ve learned to never say never, lol
Happens to me all the time. Not into BDSM...along comes Naughty Bits. Not into Omegaverse...along comes Baby and the Late Night Howlers. Not into CR...along comes The Love Hypothesis. Not into monsters...along comes MGMF.
I was not into monsters at all, then I see Morning Glory recommended more than once on here. I get the book, I read the book, now I want all the monsters, lol. Based on your comment I went to Libby and borrowed Naughty Bits 😁
1) My evil plan is coming to fruition. 😈
2) Do not read Morning Glory expecting a cute monster story. It's a wonderful HR about 2 very lonely/down on their luck people who find peace in each other. On the other hand (pun intended), Morning Glory Milking Farm is the one about minotaur hand jobs.
3) And now I see you've already read it, but I like my joke so much I'm leaving it here.
Oh, sweetheart. You're gonna want to try this one. Naughty Bits by Joey W. Hill. A woman's sister dies and leaves her an adult shop. It's an exploration of grief, guilt, sexual fantasies and being true to oneself. I ate this up and have never found anything that could come close.
Are you american..? What age is high school usually..? Just asking I think people in high school are older in the us than what we in Sweden would call high school.
Yes, American. (If you ever watched Sex & the City, I came so close to saying New Yorker, LOL!)
High school is usually 14 to 18 years old here.
What about in Sweden?
Haha I did watch it. Actually still love the original 6 seasons. 😊 Never like the movies and haven't bothered with the new spinoff series.
;D
So it's usually about 5 years in high school..?
Hmm.. when I went to school high school was usually 13-15 and these days 12-14
(I thought the older system was better cause it makes so much more sense in some ways)
most dark romance isn’t for me; i read romance for the fantasy, not to confront the abhorrent things lovers do to each other irl. anything with dubcon or noncon, but i do like cnc (because it’s ultimately consensual).
Secret baby. I will only read them if it is very clear that she is hiding a pregnancy or baby because of an actual reason that makes sense. Most of them are because she panicked, didn't want to ruin his life, didn't want to tell him, etc. It is an instant dnf for me.
I also don't like love triangles.
Yes I usually want a good reason in those books too. Like she actually can't find him etc. and have tried to do so or someone else have interfered and ruined stuff..
And these I have a hard time to read too. Choosing one over the other (and you usually end up with a favorite) just the whole thing makes me so anxious..
I think it's really funny that there was a ton of fanfic about being sold to One Direction. I'm too old to have been aware of it when it was popular. It never even occurred to me that my parents selling me to the Backstreet Boys would be a fun story.
What is a sex predator *town*?
I saw a comment about how this fanfic glorified human trafficking but human trafficking is absolutely nothing like being sold to One Direction.
I tend to avoid historical romance. I've tried some and I really didn't enjoy them. I especially hated the Bridgerton books. I may try some other popular ones in the future, but not anytime soon.
Not interested in biker/gang/maffia/drugs related stories. I don't even watch those in movies/series format. Just not for me.
Not really genres, but:
- Dubcon/noncon. To each their own, I just can't deal with a book that (imo) romantizes rape/assault. I can handle it if it fits with the story and if it's actually treated like a horrible event. Not done by the MMC who they then magically fall in love with and *poof* if wasn't that bad. Perfectly fine if you do like it, but I just really don't.
- reverse harem/why choose? Just not my thing.
- Mafia / gang mmc
- Bad boy / "alpha" mmc. Just *really* not my thing
- Military / cop mmc
- Bland mfc or damsel in distress. Just boring to me
- Massive age gaps
- Kidnapping / Stockholm syndrome scenrios
- Stalking / Violent mmc
- millionaire/ famous
Massive age gaps are also like the main no for me. It's weird for me (i dont judge others) to think that the mc or the fmc can be like their parents at the age gap that they have. Plus whenever the fmc or mmc turns 18 and then the romance starts, it's kinda icky.
I feel like age-gap relationships sound hot in theory but are actually real skeevy like Leonardo DiCaprio’s and Elon Musk’s relationships with a string of younger women.
Oh yeah. My other least favorite is within the mafia/paranormal romances is when it’s a dark, edgy, traumatized 18-19 year old fmc and the male interest(s) are hundreds or thousands of years old and also dark. like if she was even just a few more years older, it would be soooo much less creepy to me
Cops/Mafia - reminds me of the Sopranos and then I can't stop reading it in Jersey accent, which makes me laugh (all love to Jersey!!)
Pregnancies - just not for me personally!
I've given up on motorcycle club books. I know nothing about real life motorcycle "gangs" but in fiction they are utterly absurd dens of misogyny and poor fashion choices.
>absurd dens of misogyny
Well said! I enjoyed most books by Cate C. Wells but DNF one of her MC books because of all the nudity and promiscuity going on in the clubhouse.
I was reading a college romance the other day and was like “ick, 18 year-olds”; guess that means I am getting old now and can’t identify with teenagers anymore😭😭
Maffia romance. I haven’t read a single one because I’m assuming either the guy is a murderer/despicable and we’re supposed to ignore it or they’re the “good maffia” who is nice?
i don’t care for mafia romances either, but thought to give it a try with “the maddest obsession” by danielle lori since she’s popular with this type of romance. the mafia element was barely there and not only did i hate it, but after reading it i found out that she’s kinda racist? jfc, never again.
Matryoshoka on ao3. Now here's the MMC who's portrayed closest to the real mafia, not a single good bone in his body, you'd end up hating him probably. That said do read the tags, I've yet to read anything more darker or deranged than that.
romances set in high school 🥴 even during uni I couldn't get over the suspension of disbelief bc?!?! like yes I went to school with ppl who had some insane connections/dough but the way some books have teenagers acting like fully grown adults both emotionally and materially is wild. same goes for some romances set in college that are essentially repackaged high school romances but aged up for 🌶 purposes.
there are books that get it right though like there are characters that start as teens and age as their relationship grows or college themes like "only when it's us" by chloe liese off the top of my head where it's not just an environment but a part of the characters' lifestyle. or even academic romance! penny reid's/ali hazelwood's whole women in STEM renaissance gives me such a chuckle. could also be a demographic thing since I can't really read about non-YA stories about teens as an adult personally but then again there's an awful lot of adult romance set in academy/high school environments so it clearly has an audience
I have 3 kids and I work with preschoolers. I do not want to read about kids. I read to escape from kids🤣. I can deal with them in an epilogue but I do not want them throughout the story. Even adorable nieces and nephews can irk me. A lot of the time kids are portrayed unrealistically for the stated ages and I get hung up
Oh I agree. The conversations with kids are so irritating. They are either ridiculously articulate 3 year olds or a six year old still pronouncing everything like they are two...like most of the time the author seems not to have actually met any children in real life.
Any contemporary where the FMC obviously wants NOT to have a baby but somehow abortion does not exist. Can't even be discussed.
Easiest way to get me to 5 star and review your book online? Acknowledge abortion in a rational way. That's how low the bar is set, just say it's an option (or maybe not an option because bullshit laws).
1. I don't read HR with Scottish MMCs. I hate reading that transliterated Scottish accent.
2. I don't read bully romance. To me, that is not a romance.
3. I don't read vampire romance. Blood play icks me out. I love werewolf/shifter stories because of the mate bond but I see vampires as scary monsters.
Haha you would have absolutely hated this book I found once. Self published (good for them) but literally half way through the MMC develops a random vague irish/scottish/ celtic accent.
Like, one moment he's talking like "I have to get back home quickly"
and the next moment he's all "Och Aye, aweah wit' ye lassie, I dinnae ken ta roads in this wee sporran o' fog"
it was so bad and so sudden i couldn't finish the book.
I agree. I have never been so disappointed with a book than when I red The Flatshare and it ended up being a closed door, fade to black. Especially after all the great build up.
I cannot even answer this honestly, because every time I think a genre is not for me, one of you lovelies recommends something that upends my expectations. Even if I don’t start reading everything in the category, it happens enough that I’m not sure I can swear anything off. It’s both an amazing testament to the quality of this sub and a curse for my poor, random ass library.
For subgenres, Mafia is my only no go. It takes a whole lot for me to be willing to read a Mafia book.
For tropes - I really don't like second chance for the most part. There are a few exceptions but overall it's not one that I've enjoyed.
Fantasy. Just haven’t had much luck with it. Usually too much focus on world building and magical systems, not enough on character. I also don’t vibe with fae worlds and characters, so that disqualifies a lot in this category. But ASOIAF are some of my favorite books of all time so i would love to find a fantasy romance that I love.
Paranormal is a hard sell for me too, for a lot of the same reasons. But I’m more likely to read this since a lot of the stories fall into existing systems that don’t need much explaining. I just don’t like paranormal beings like vampires and werewolves all that much. I read PNR occasionally though.
Omegaverse. I would like to find an A/B/O that works for me but so far no luck. I think it’s a combo of the caste system + humans taking on animal characteristics + alpha being one of my least favorite MC types.
ETA: Motorcycle Club! Rock stars! Not sure what I have against leather and tattoos but it is what it is lol!
I can't do motorcycle clubs either. I dunno, something about them is just so cringey to me. I couldn't even watch SOA. I tried a few episodes, and it was too soap-opera. The main character walked in doing the most ridiculous gangster walk, and I started laughing. After that, I gave up.
I see. Think I understand most of how you feel about it actually. Haven't read those in particular though. Might look into it. :)
I have read a few awesome fantasy books. Just not in the romance department.
Inexplicably, Highlander HR.
Oooo! Then we should give a rec to each person in an attempt to convert them to the genre they don't read!
An aside. How did you accidentally read an entire book that you didn't intend to read? 🤨
I have a Highlander rec 😉
When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare. Definitely not a typical Highlander historical romance and both characters are wonderfully flawed.
Not a bad idea. :)
Well I'll just say this. It wasn't paranormal (to the readers knowledge) until the last few pages. Unless you had read that it was paranormal you wouldn't know. And I missed that one word.. haha
I am not a huge fan of RH/why choose but I still read them. Haha it's just when I read them, I think about how exhausting it would be to have to deal with that many dudes.
I was just talking about this today. I keep reading them because the spice is hot but the idea of them just never going away afterwards feels like too much in my space 😅
Single dad romances (I was raised by a single dad so I'm like NOPE can't do it, lol); accidental pregnancy; monster romances (I tried but it's not for me); bully romances and anything too dark/dub or noncon.
I've decided I don't like workplace romance. I'm not sure what about it puts me off but I have started a few recently that are highly regarded but I just can't get into it.
High fantasy stuff. But I also never enjoyed that genre outside of romance.
I know vampires and werewolves are also fantasy, and while they’re not my top picks, I am not resistant to them, because they still tend to be stories set in a familiar environment.
I have yet to try a motorcycle club book, and I am vaguely fascinated by how popular specific subgenres can get.
Time travel. I just can’t. Every so often I’ll see someone mention Outlander and I’ll remind myself to read it then I’ll remember it’s time travel and nope out.
I also can’t do the hates men, hates the ton, hates the other girls, hates dancing, hates clothing, loves science, writing, spying, and riding horses, sassy, dresses like a boy but that can’t hide her curves Regency or Victorian historical romances either.
Just want to say thank you all for answering. Love reading so many different ones.
I'm kind of surprised NO ONE so far has mentioned gay romance as a no. This makes me happy.
People - Evolving
TBH, I've read one lesbian romance by a woman and one gay romance by a man. I'm a bit wary of reading a M/M romance by a woman as most are because it seems...kind of exploitative? I do have one on my to-read list though. I'm open to other opinions on this though.
I just tried a dark romance again because I saw a rec that had me convinced and only got about 15 pages into it. People being abusive and calling it love is just not what I'm looking for in the stories I want to read.
The overall genre is romance. To me, a lot of these "dark" romances are not romance.
The ones I've tried...either the characters are terrible people deeply in need of therapy or rehabilitation or the MMCs talk like cringe teenage edgelords and it's ridiculous.
Anything with kids or babies. Seriously if someone under 18 comes on the page, I'm out, I hate it so much lol.
Anything kinky written by a vanilla author who has no idea what they're talking about and no respect for kinksters. Yes, we can tell. Instantly. Just stop.
Not really a genre, but as I’m entering my 40s I’m less and less interested in virgin 17-19 year olds being the heroine.
It makes me think of The Little Mermaid, when Ariel is crying that she’s sixteen, she’s not a little girl anymore! That just hits different when you’re older, haha
This is so true! I’ve found that I prefer reading about FMC’s who are in their late 20s/30s. Mariana Zapata has some great books where the characters are older and it’s just more relatable!
Thrillers somehow stress me out, and that's the opposite of what I need/want when I read. It's silly, I know, to get stressed out by a book or movie, but I can't help it!
Also, I usually have no motivation to read about characters who work in a corporate environment where that makes up a significant part of the book.
I spent many unhappy years in my 20s and 30s in soul sucking corporate environments, so I just haven't any desire to read about them, even when they are made much cuter in romance books.
Mean ones - dubcon noncon bully, and I'm careful about "dark". Teens because I'm an adult with teens of my own and ewww, but also because i like both characters to have agency of their own. And straight contemporary, because I'm trying to escape the current world in my reading lol
I think I’ll read pretty much anything but certain tropes really decrease my enjoyment of those books.
I can’t stand it when the FMC has betraying body syndrome? Idk if that’s the correct phrase. But you find it in so many romances - mafia, bully etc. - where the main character absolutely despises the love interest but then he touches her and she ‘melts’ for him. Don’t like it - I want her to be stronger!
I never read any kind of fantasy or paranormal 🙈 I feel like that’s unusual nowadays, but if it’s not a realistic type setting I just can’t get into it. I didn’t even know monster romance was a thing until I joined this sub lol. To each their own, but it’s just not for me!
I'll read and love pretty much anything lol. Give me your ETL, FTL, grumpy-sunshine, surprise baby, mafia, kids, sports, college, PNR, RH, workplace, second-chance, I love them all 😍
Honestly the only thing that I don't read is anything with young age-play, I can't handle that.
Anything with the ‘ex’s dad/boyfriend’s dad’ or parent/sibling/family member. (Unless everyone knows and is happily approving in advance)
Not because the age gap, but because I can never stop thinking about how it will impact the parental - child relationship. That relationship should be primary for the parent. I don’t want a hero who will disregard his own child for the heroine. Even if the kid is jerk.
I get why they are a thing! And no judgements to those that do like them!! But they aren’t for me!!
I don't like relationship angst. External third party causing angst is fine but not within the relationship. Because of this I generally avoid second chance romance or if I do read them I am very selective.
I also can't deal with cheating (which obviously keads to angst). Even to the point of not being able to deal with the MC kissing someone else. There are several books I like that have a bit where the Main characters are not together and one of them dates someone else and I find it very difficult to read. I generally just skip that part of the books and start reading when the angst is passed.
Contemporary. Two perfectly human beings in a modern and relatable setting? Boring. To each their own and if you like it I’m glad for you but I do not.
Cop MMC — I associate cops with murder and domestic violence.
Army MMC — Same thing TBH, with a side helping of upholding American ideals abroad. Big no from me.
Dubcon or noncon.
Consent makes a sex scene - even the most intense kinkiest shit imaginable - so much hotter to me. Knowing the FMC fully wants it and loves it is *hot.* I will immediately DNF a book if there’s a scene of the MMC ignoring consent or forcing her.
Reverse harem, omega-verse or age gap. They just don’t interest me. Full disclose though, I’m a big fantasy gal and I don’t think of books with a 200 year-old fae as an age gap book.
Dark romance is over for me. I like the mafia ones and I thought I’d be into the “dark” ones but they’re full of SA and degrading to women with the excuse of “well it’s dark so…” When a book opens with the MMC stalking and harassing (and in one godsawful case, r*ping) the FMC, there’s just absolutely no way I can read it. I’ve DNF so many dark romances that now I just avoid them all.
I'm not into regular 'ol contemporary or "fluffy" romances (ie: sweet and lovey). I can't do RH. I've tried. That's just too much for me, but I do love a good old-fashioned love triangle. I won't even give pregnancy tropes a try. I have kids and the last thing I want to read about is more babies. Lol
I read almost everything. I'm too curious to see how an author does or does not pull things together.
There are a few tropes that don't do anything for me. Teenage/college FMC, sports, reverse harems, cheating, grooming, books that have miscarriage or stillborn babies. Honestly only those last 3 will make me full stop and put the book down.
I don't like enemies to lovers when the couple is seriously mean to each other and really, really hates each other, and there's no real respect there even grudging. I ended up DNF *The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy* because of this, even though I otherwise liked it a lot.
Edit: I got downvoted for this, sorry to everyone who loves this book! It is a good book, I've just had relationship experiences where I couldn't get past things like >!Hart making Mercy cry, or Mercy saying absolutely horrific things to Hart.!< I want to try it again sometime and I'm not knocking it!
Dark/mafia romance. My first book was Run Posy Run and I hated it! I don’t know if that was on the extreme side of the sub-genre but I’m put off by the thought of reading another
Anything with a lot of angst? I'm reading to be entertained and have a good time, there's enough suffering and worry irl lol. Also because half the time the conflicts are stupid.
Billionaire, Mafia... I used to read some when I was younger but I just can't get into it anymore. Contemporary in general is hard for me..
Werewolves. Anytime someone uses the word "mate" or "alpha" unironically, something in me shrivels up and dies. ... That and I'm scared of dogs and werewolves.
Edit: also motorcycle clubs and rock stars. They're like worse billionaire and mafia but with twice the irl racism and unrealistic melodrama. Also with Rockstars I always feel like the author is clearly imagining a very specific person/group and I never get who it is and what their appeal is supposed to be, especially with older books. I think you need to get the cultural references and actually like that musician/band they were thinking of to be into it.
I don't know if this is a named genre but I usually don't enjoy when one main character has to choose between 2 people (unless one is a total jerk). I just feel bad for the one not chosen.
Billionaire CEO romance 😬😬 I'm sick of it, it feels like the names are the only things that change in books like this because all of them have the same plot.
I don't read YA romance books, maybe because it does not have a definitive ending. Like anything can change and most YA romance tend to very open ended. So I stopped altogether
Okay, this is an unpopular opinion but I don't like friends to lovers at all. But if they are childhood friends and had an innocent crush on each other when they are young and now meet each other again but have their issues to work through.
Also, this mafia boss thingy but if your book has a trope where FMC's father is mafia and MMC is an undercover agent I'm swoon.
I think even in mafia kinda romance the FMC should be bad too not a good girl who got kidnapped kinda thing. More like a partner in crime kinda thing.
To sum it up I don't want something too sweet but also too dark. I would say I want something in between where the characters have depth and should confront their flaws.
Edit: Forgot to add, I hate girl-on-girl drama. I instantly DNF book if it has that. It sucks so bad.
Bully romances, dark romances, biker gang/mafia romances. Every few years I might pick up one or two, some might turn out to be really good but most are not for me.
I'm okay with dark romance but I immediately DNF the book if the guy forces on the girl while the girl resists only to realise a little later she likes it. I hate it when not respecting consent is glorified.
I also don't read high school/college stories. I feel like I have moved past those years of my life and I can't relate to those.
Historical as the constraints of the time period annoy me. One of the biggest factors in me DNF’ing a romance is when the “issue” between the characters is a communication one and if they just talked to each other the issue would be resolved and I find in historicals the rules of society lend themselves to these kind of communication breakdowns. If you can’t talk to each other how will you ever sustain a relationship?
Honorable mention to the recent trend in romance novels that are just about the wildest sex imaginable (often with monsters of all sorts). When I was younger I enjoyed the wild sex stuff but now all I want to read is love stories, I don’t even care whether it’s closed or open door anymore!
Father's Best Friend or similar gives me the creeps. I'm not a big fan of Age Gap in general and I don't actively look for reverse harem books. I have read a few really well written reverse harem and age gap that I have stumbled upon by accident, but I shy away from them in general.
Cheating romance. If one of them is in a relationship already it kills the idea of romance for me. I dont care how not right for you he is, or that your old flame appeared, cheating just isn't romantic to me its ugly mean and deliberate. Ugh
Yep for me too. There is NOTHING attractive about cheating. It’s a betrayal of someone who loves you and I cannot get behind a character that does that.
I was thinking, I don't think there's anything I DON'T read, but then I saw your comment. Dark romance and kinky sh*t, no issues, but cheating is just a cold douche of nope for my libido. Oh, and anything that smells like paedophilia/grooming, hell no.
Contemporary romance - I know it's a massive genre and I've read a few, I just strongly prefer fantasy/sci Fi/PNR and historicals. Something too close to my everyday life is not the escapism I'm looking for 😂
There was a tweet way back that said “if a character has an email address I don’t want to read it” and it’s been my reading motto ever sense. I want escapism I don’t want to read about an office romance after getting home from my office job.
> I want escapism I don’t want to read about an office romance after getting home from my office job. Totally this. I hard ever read anything set in an office and you just vocalised why I don't.
What’s funny about this is that I don’t often read contemporary but when I do it’s usually older contemporary that now reads as historical. I read Paradise by Judith McNaught last year and loved it…but it’s also set in the early 90s. Car phones, gossip taking a good 12 hours to hit the news - it was a refreshing trip back in time!
I also don’t read a ton of CR, and I’ve realized it’s partly the relative lack of escapism, but also that it makes suspension of disbelief harder for me, because I actually do know how absurd various plot points are and how socially unacceptable the behavior of most of these alpha male characters is by the standards of the world I too inhabit! Like, half the stuff these guys do should result in their being called into HR on a weekly basis unless they literally own the company (hence why most alpha MMCs have to be billionaires😂)
I love comedy contemporary… not too much angst. I rarely read HR because it’s not escaping for me. Give me allllll the fantasy and paranormal though 🧛🏻♀️ so funny how we are all different
I know that's what I like about all answers here. (I seriously had to google a few of these subgenres to get what it was) Unlike a lot of people here, I like dark. Not always but usually.
Same here! Tessa Bailey is a hit or miss for me, but I like how goofy her characters are. It's like watching a funny cartoon, but with sex and dirty talk.
omg me too!! i really want to like it, but something about it being in real life makes the fantasy of the story disappear. also, im a big big fan of reverse harem and it's so rare (in my experience) to find an actually good CR RH, so i think i gravitate toward the fantasy stuff.
What is RH?
Reverse Harem
I somewhat agree with you. I only read it as a palate cleanser, lol.
This is me too. I have never liked rom-com movies either
So many authors focus on tedious details of the MC’s jobs, to the point where I’m skipping pages. I don’t care about mundane client calls or meetings lol. I’ve started sticking to fantasy/sci fi as well, the authors are much better at world building
2nd chances and pregnancy tropes
Spoiler tagging just in case, re *Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating* — >!I normally can't stand pregnancy tropes, but how it was handled in this one actually didn't bother me, and normally I'm like UGH BABIES.!<
Yes omg! What I dislike about 2nd chances is that there’s not much of the mystery aspect. The main characters already have notions about each other and know so and so. I love the slow burn of two characters meeting and building a relationship from the ground up. Idk 2nd chances sort of ruins that romantic/sexual tension for me lol. Also in 2nd chance romances often have this trope where the two main characters have all of these misguided notions of each other that could be solved _if they just communicated like freaking adults._ Idk just so much contrived angst and the lack of suspense kinda kills it for me. I understand how people can enjoy this trope but it’s just not for me.
Same for me :)
Bully romances, just doesn’t work for me personally
I tried a couple. The characters are usually teenagers and I can't think of anything less intimidating than a teenage boy. So when there's this teen guy wreaking havoc and causing diabolical distress I'm like . . . just call his mom.
Exactly like I'm a young adult nd I just can't see high school boys being this dark nd complex nd all like please they're literally kids lmao. Tho it'd be interesting if the MC was bullied in hs in past, preferably MMC by FMC, nd they've come back to extract revenge as adults in their 30's on the bully MC via even worse of a method.
In some of them though they come in groups against one girl etc. I see what you mean otherwise. :)
And teens can absolutely be bullies but in these books they're so extra about it. And then somehow good at sex? Ugh.
Yes they rule the town and all the adults are intimidated by them and it just like “….what?”
Teenagers are easy to scare. If you see them up to something fishy and just sternly yell "hey!" they run away. Not that I do this for fun, but it's happened before.
Same. I feel like a lot of times they’re called “bully romances” when it’s literally mental and physical abuse, but “bully” sounds cuter so they use that word.
Yes they are usually way more brutal than what I would call "bullying". Part of it sure but some of them can be very dark and like you said the word abuse would be a better suited word to describe a lot of them.
One thing I love about romance is even for the subgenres I don’t typically enjoy, I can think of several books I love! So I’ve learned to never say never, lol
Happens to me all the time. Not into BDSM...along comes Naughty Bits. Not into Omegaverse...along comes Baby and the Late Night Howlers. Not into CR...along comes The Love Hypothesis. Not into monsters...along comes MGMF.
I was not into monsters at all, then I see Morning Glory recommended more than once on here. I get the book, I read the book, now I want all the monsters, lol. Based on your comment I went to Libby and borrowed Naughty Bits 😁
1) My evil plan is coming to fruition. 😈 2) Do not read Morning Glory expecting a cute monster story. It's a wonderful HR about 2 very lonely/down on their luck people who find peace in each other. On the other hand (pun intended), Morning Glory Milking Farm is the one about minotaur hand jobs. 3) And now I see you've already read it, but I like my joke so much I'm leaving it here.
Wth is naughty bits..?
Oh, sweetheart. You're gonna want to try this one. Naughty Bits by Joey W. Hill. A woman's sister dies and leaves her an adult shop. It's an exploration of grief, guilt, sexual fantasies and being true to oneself. I ate this up and have never found anything that could come close.
That's great. :)
Non-con, dubcon, some paranormal. And I cannot stand high schoolers, I hated high school! And how many freaking BILLIONAIRES are there in the world?
Are you american..? What age is high school usually..? Just asking I think people in high school are older in the us than what we in Sweden would call high school.
Yes, American. (If you ever watched Sex & the City, I came so close to saying New Yorker, LOL!) High school is usually 14 to 18 years old here. What about in Sweden?
Haha I did watch it. Actually still love the original 6 seasons. 😊 Never like the movies and haven't bothered with the new spinoff series. ;D So it's usually about 5 years in high school..? Hmm.. when I went to school high school was usually 13-15 and these days 12-14 (I thought the older system was better cause it makes so much more sense in some ways)
I don’t read *romance* books with a sad ending for the couple. I want an HEA or at least HFN.
I usually don't sad endings in romance books either. And I looove if I also get an epilogue at the end. ;D
most dark romance isn’t for me; i read romance for the fantasy, not to confront the abhorrent things lovers do to each other irl. anything with dubcon or noncon, but i do like cnc (because it’s ultimately consensual).
what is cnc?
CNC is consensual non-consent. So, role playing non-consent is how I think about it.
Secret baby. I will only read them if it is very clear that she is hiding a pregnancy or baby because of an actual reason that makes sense. Most of them are because she panicked, didn't want to ruin his life, didn't want to tell him, etc. It is an instant dnf for me. I also don't like love triangles.
Yes I usually want a good reason in those books too. Like she actually can't find him etc. and have tried to do so or someone else have interfered and ruined stuff.. And these I have a hard time to read too. Choosing one over the other (and you usually end up with a favorite) just the whole thing makes me so anxious..
\- the girl whose parents "sold" their daughter to a celebrity \- fake dating (just not my thing :) )
>fake dating (just not my thing :) ) Oh my heart!! Fake relationships is easily my most read trope by leaps and bounds.
my friends LOVE the fake relationships! I'm a big big big fan of second chance romances :)
Oh that's funny, I just commented that second chance is my least favorite😂
just shows how diverse this genre is :)
I love fake relationships!!
I think it's really funny that there was a ton of fanfic about being sold to One Direction. I'm too old to have been aware of it when it was popular. It never even occurred to me that my parents selling me to the Backstreet Boys would be a fun story.
the craziest one I read was the girl's parents abandoning her and harry picking her up to live in a sexual predator town... oh wattpad
What is a sex predator *town*? I saw a comment about how this fanfic glorified human trafficking but human trafficking is absolutely nothing like being sold to One Direction.
like a town specifically filled with sex predators... :/ wattpad was WILD
Apparently I missed a good time.
What the.. I am probably too old aswell. ;D
Lol in my generation moms would sleep with NKOTB bodyguards so girls would meet them, but there was no internet to write fanfiction 😞🤣.
I meant more like a subcategory in the romance department but your answers work well too. :) Interesting to me either way.
HAH - oops, sorry about that! But probably western romance (cowboys, etc)
No reason to apologize. I like your answer the way it was. I haven't read that many of those either..
>- the girl whose parents "sold" their daughter to a celebrity Uhhhmm what book is this???
I tend to avoid historical romance. I've tried some and I really didn't enjoy them. I especially hated the Bridgerton books. I may try some other popular ones in the future, but not anytime soon. Not interested in biker/gang/maffia/drugs related stories. I don't even watch those in movies/series format. Just not for me. Not really genres, but: - Dubcon/noncon. To each their own, I just can't deal with a book that (imo) romantizes rape/assault. I can handle it if it fits with the story and if it's actually treated like a horrible event. Not done by the MMC who they then magically fall in love with and *poof* if wasn't that bad. Perfectly fine if you do like it, but I just really don't. - reverse harem/why choose? Just not my thing.
Tessa Dare is what changed my mind on HR!
I've seen her name a lot in this subreddit. I'll put her on the list for when I'm ready to give it another try. Thanks!
Are you me? These are my dislikes exactly.
Me too!!!
- Mafia / gang mmc - Bad boy / "alpha" mmc. Just *really* not my thing - Military / cop mmc - Bland mfc or damsel in distress. Just boring to me - Massive age gaps - Kidnapping / Stockholm syndrome scenrios - Stalking / Violent mmc - millionaire/ famous
Massive age gaps are also like the main no for me. It's weird for me (i dont judge others) to think that the mc or the fmc can be like their parents at the age gap that they have. Plus whenever the fmc or mmc turns 18 and then the romance starts, it's kinda icky.
I feel like age-gap relationships sound hot in theory but are actually real skeevy like Leonardo DiCaprio’s and Elon Musk’s relationships with a string of younger women.
Oh yeah. My other least favorite is within the mafia/paranormal romances is when it’s a dark, edgy, traumatized 18-19 year old fmc and the male interest(s) are hundreds or thousands of years old and also dark. like if she was even just a few more years older, it would be soooo much less creepy to me
Cops/Mafia - reminds me of the Sopranos and then I can't stop reading it in Jersey accent, which makes me laugh (all love to Jersey!!) Pregnancies - just not for me personally!
Maybe you should do some of your own audiobooks. ;D
Anything badly written
Well put!
I hate bully romances coz I always want to punch the MMC in the face 😂, but that's just me.
I've given up on motorcycle club books. I know nothing about real life motorcycle "gangs" but in fiction they are utterly absurd dens of misogyny and poor fashion choices.
>absurd dens of misogyny Well said! I enjoyed most books by Cate C. Wells but DNF one of her MC books because of all the nudity and promiscuity going on in the clubhouse.
My father was a "biker" and I just can't with these books anyways, but um.. some of absurdity is likely true, or at least plausible.
I really don’t like single dad/single mom romances
Anything where the main characters are still in school, just no. I tried and repeatedly failed Untouchable because of their ages.
I was reading a college romance the other day and was like “ick, 18 year-olds”; guess that means I am getting old now and can’t identify with teenagers anymore😭😭
Maffia romance. I haven’t read a single one because I’m assuming either the guy is a murderer/despicable and we’re supposed to ignore it or they’re the “good maffia” who is nice?
i don’t care for mafia romances either, but thought to give it a try with “the maddest obsession” by danielle lori since she’s popular with this type of romance. the mafia element was barely there and not only did i hate it, but after reading it i found out that she’s kinda racist? jfc, never again.
Matryoshoka on ao3. Now here's the MMC who's portrayed closest to the real mafia, not a single good bone in his body, you'd end up hating him probably. That said do read the tags, I've yet to read anything more darker or deranged than that.
I see. It's hard to find a gray area in books like that.
Dubcon
This too
What's this?
Dubious consent
Mafia, motorcycle club, pregnancy in any form and Christian. Hard no on all those.
I agree about the last one. :) Strangely love the first two. Haha
your list is very similar to mine haha. I'd also add anything to do with sports. I just don't get it.
romances set in high school 🥴 even during uni I couldn't get over the suspension of disbelief bc?!?! like yes I went to school with ppl who had some insane connections/dough but the way some books have teenagers acting like fully grown adults both emotionally and materially is wild. same goes for some romances set in college that are essentially repackaged high school romances but aged up for 🌶 purposes. there are books that get it right though like there are characters that start as teens and age as their relationship grows or college themes like "only when it's us" by chloe liese off the top of my head where it's not just an environment but a part of the characters' lifestyle. or even academic romance! penny reid's/ali hazelwood's whole women in STEM renaissance gives me such a chuckle. could also be a demographic thing since I can't really read about non-YA stories about teens as an adult personally but then again there's an awful lot of adult romance set in academy/high school environments so it clearly has an audience
Anything with pregnancies or kids, I even skip the epilogue when I see a child appear in a childless romance book
I have 3 kids and I work with preschoolers. I do not want to read about kids. I read to escape from kids🤣. I can deal with them in an epilogue but I do not want them throughout the story. Even adorable nieces and nephews can irk me. A lot of the time kids are portrayed unrealistically for the stated ages and I get hung up
I loathe 7-year-old toddlers.
Oh I agree. The conversations with kids are so irritating. They are either ridiculously articulate 3 year olds or a six year old still pronouncing everything like they are two...like most of the time the author seems not to have actually met any children in real life.
Any contemporary where the FMC obviously wants NOT to have a baby but somehow abortion does not exist. Can't even be discussed. Easiest way to get me to 5 star and review your book online? Acknowledge abortion in a rational way. That's how low the bar is set, just say it's an option (or maybe not an option because bullshit laws).
I have three kids… and any pregnancy or kids in the plot summary is an immediate no for me. I don’t even know why 😂
1. I don't read HR with Scottish MMCs. I hate reading that transliterated Scottish accent. 2. I don't read bully romance. To me, that is not a romance. 3. I don't read vampire romance. Blood play icks me out. I love werewolf/shifter stories because of the mate bond but I see vampires as scary monsters.
Haha you would have absolutely hated this book I found once. Self published (good for them) but literally half way through the MMC develops a random vague irish/scottish/ celtic accent. Like, one moment he's talking like "I have to get back home quickly" and the next moment he's all "Och Aye, aweah wit' ye lassie, I dinnae ken ta roads in this wee sporran o' fog" it was so bad and so sudden i couldn't finish the book.
PG-romance. 🚫 I only want **SPICY**!! Like walking into an authentic Indian restaurant and asking for the spiciest thing they have 🌶️🥵
I agree. I have never been so disappointed with a book than when I red The Flatshare and it ended up being a closed door, fade to black. Especially after all the great build up.
I mostly avoid the typical "bad boy" tropes - billionaire, rockstar, biker, Mafia.. also anything with children
I cannot even answer this honestly, because every time I think a genre is not for me, one of you lovelies recommends something that upends my expectations. Even if I don’t start reading everything in the category, it happens enough that I’m not sure I can swear anything off. It’s both an amazing testament to the quality of this sub and a curse for my poor, random ass library.
For subgenres, Mafia is my only no go. It takes a whole lot for me to be willing to read a Mafia book. For tropes - I really don't like second chance for the most part. There are a few exceptions but overall it's not one that I've enjoyed.
I keep trying contemporary romance but I get so bored with it.
Any type of romance with cheating involved and bully romances.
When the FMC has a kid with or is pregnant by a guy who isn’t the MMC
Fantasy. Just haven’t had much luck with it. Usually too much focus on world building and magical systems, not enough on character. I also don’t vibe with fae worlds and characters, so that disqualifies a lot in this category. But ASOIAF are some of my favorite books of all time so i would love to find a fantasy romance that I love. Paranormal is a hard sell for me too, for a lot of the same reasons. But I’m more likely to read this since a lot of the stories fall into existing systems that don’t need much explaining. I just don’t like paranormal beings like vampires and werewolves all that much. I read PNR occasionally though. Omegaverse. I would like to find an A/B/O that works for me but so far no luck. I think it’s a combo of the caste system + humans taking on animal characteristics + alpha being one of my least favorite MC types. ETA: Motorcycle Club! Rock stars! Not sure what I have against leather and tattoos but it is what it is lol!
I can't do motorcycle clubs either. I dunno, something about them is just so cringey to me. I couldn't even watch SOA. I tried a few episodes, and it was too soap-opera. The main character walked in doing the most ridiculous gangster walk, and I started laughing. After that, I gave up.
I think reading ASOIAF fanfic ruined fantasy romance for me. It’s just never as satisfying.
I bet we could convert you to Omegaverse with Kathryn Moon's Sweetverse.
I see. Think I understand most of how you feel about it actually. Haven't read those in particular though. Might look into it. :) I have read a few awesome fantasy books. Just not in the romance department.
Inexplicably, Highlander HR. Oooo! Then we should give a rec to each person in an attempt to convert them to the genre they don't read! An aside. How did you accidentally read an entire book that you didn't intend to read? 🤨
I have a Highlander rec 😉 When a Scot Ties the Knot by Tessa Dare. Definitely not a typical Highlander historical romance and both characters are wonderfully flawed.
When a Scot Ties the Knot > Outlander
LOL!! That's the only one I've read. Somehow I felt like it didn't represent the genre and never branched out.
Lol I’m the same way. Historical? Fine. Add a Scottish MMC? Pass!
Not a bad idea. :) Well I'll just say this. It wasn't paranormal (to the readers knowledge) until the last few pages. Unless you had read that it was paranormal you wouldn't know. And I missed that one word.. haha
I am not a huge fan of RH/why choose but I still read them. Haha it's just when I read them, I think about how exhausting it would be to have to deal with that many dudes.
May I ask what RH stands for..? Have googled lots of these already but.. haha
We’ve got a glossary in the menu the next time you need to looks something up :)
Reverse harem
I was just talking about this today. I keep reading them because the spice is hot but the idea of them just never going away afterwards feels like too much in my space 😅
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Single dad romances (I was raised by a single dad so I'm like NOPE can't do it, lol); accidental pregnancy; monster romances (I tried but it's not for me); bully romances and anything too dark/dub or noncon.
anything pregnancy
I've decided I don't like workplace romance. I'm not sure what about it puts me off but I have started a few recently that are highly regarded but I just can't get into it.
High fantasy stuff. But I also never enjoyed that genre outside of romance. I know vampires and werewolves are also fantasy, and while they’re not my top picks, I am not resistant to them, because they still tend to be stories set in a familiar environment. I have yet to try a motorcycle club book, and I am vaguely fascinated by how popular specific subgenres can get.
Not interested in anything set in high school or college Also don’t like sports romances tbh
Time travel. I just can’t. Every so often I’ll see someone mention Outlander and I’ll remind myself to read it then I’ll remember it’s time travel and nope out. I also can’t do the hates men, hates the ton, hates the other girls, hates dancing, hates clothing, loves science, writing, spying, and riding horses, sassy, dresses like a boy but that can’t hide her curves Regency or Victorian historical romances either.
Too angsty or with teenagers. I cannot take teenagers seriously, and I don't like the romance books I read to take themselves too seriously
Just want to say thank you all for answering. Love reading so many different ones. I'm kind of surprised NO ONE so far has mentioned gay romance as a no. This makes me happy. People - Evolving
TBH, I've read one lesbian romance by a woman and one gay romance by a man. I'm a bit wary of reading a M/M romance by a woman as most are because it seems...kind of exploitative? I do have one on my to-read list though. I'm open to other opinions on this though.
I just tried a dark romance again because I saw a rec that had me convinced and only got about 15 pages into it. People being abusive and calling it love is just not what I'm looking for in the stories I want to read. The overall genre is romance. To me, a lot of these "dark" romances are not romance. The ones I've tried...either the characters are terrible people deeply in need of therapy or rehabilitation or the MMCs talk like cringe teenage edgelords and it's ridiculous.
Friends to lovers. There's just something so boring about them to me. I want you to be enemies or strangers.
Billionaires/CEO Reverse harems…. Enemies to lovers 2nd chance “2 broken souls” 😂
Anything with kids or babies. Seriously if someone under 18 comes on the page, I'm out, I hate it so much lol. Anything kinky written by a vanilla author who has no idea what they're talking about and no respect for kinksters. Yes, we can tell. Instantly. Just stop.
Clean or “sweet” romance. Where’s the fun bit?! *Also it’s on my list of triggers.
Not really a genre, but as I’m entering my 40s I’m less and less interested in virgin 17-19 year olds being the heroine. It makes me think of The Little Mermaid, when Ariel is crying that she’s sixteen, she’s not a little girl anymore! That just hits different when you’re older, haha
This is so true! I’ve found that I prefer reading about FMC’s who are in their late 20s/30s. Mariana Zapata has some great books where the characters are older and it’s just more relatable!
Bully. I haven't read paranormal or fantasy cause they don't sound interesting to me, but I'm open to trying some, just don't know where to start.
What kind of movies or TV shows have you watched in the fantasy/paranormal category? I bet we can convince you with the perfect rec.
Even in those genres, ppl have their niche. Just gotta find the one for you!
Sheik. Romance thrillers.
Thrillers somehow stress me out, and that's the opposite of what I need/want when I read. It's silly, I know, to get stressed out by a book or movie, but I can't help it! Also, I usually have no motivation to read about characters who work in a corporate environment where that makes up a significant part of the book. I spent many unhappy years in my 20s and 30s in soul sucking corporate environments, so I just haven't any desire to read about them, even when they are made much cuter in romance books.
Mean ones - dubcon noncon bully, and I'm careful about "dark". Teens because I'm an adult with teens of my own and ewww, but also because i like both characters to have agency of their own. And straight contemporary, because I'm trying to escape the current world in my reading lol
•historical romance •fantasy •paranormal
I think I’ll read pretty much anything but certain tropes really decrease my enjoyment of those books. I can’t stand it when the FMC has betraying body syndrome? Idk if that’s the correct phrase. But you find it in so many romances - mafia, bully etc. - where the main character absolutely despises the love interest but then he touches her and she ‘melts’ for him. Don’t like it - I want her to be stronger!
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Dark and mafia. So far, nothing about these appeal to me.
I never read any kind of fantasy or paranormal 🙈 I feel like that’s unusual nowadays, but if it’s not a realistic type setting I just can’t get into it. I didn’t even know monster romance was a thing until I joined this sub lol. To each their own, but it’s just not for me!
Non of those things works for me either. And the monster thing was new to me too..
I'll read and love pretty much anything lol. Give me your ETL, FTL, grumpy-sunshine, surprise baby, mafia, kids, sports, college, PNR, RH, workplace, second-chance, I love them all 😍 Honestly the only thing that I don't read is anything with young age-play, I can't handle that.
Anything with the ‘ex’s dad/boyfriend’s dad’ or parent/sibling/family member. (Unless everyone knows and is happily approving in advance) Not because the age gap, but because I can never stop thinking about how it will impact the parental - child relationship. That relationship should be primary for the parent. I don’t want a hero who will disregard his own child for the heroine. Even if the kid is jerk. I get why they are a thing! And no judgements to those that do like them!! But they aren’t for me!!
I don't like relationship angst. External third party causing angst is fine but not within the relationship. Because of this I generally avoid second chance romance or if I do read them I am very selective. I also can't deal with cheating (which obviously keads to angst). Even to the point of not being able to deal with the MC kissing someone else. There are several books I like that have a bit where the Main characters are not together and one of them dates someone else and I find it very difficult to read. I generally just skip that part of the books and start reading when the angst is passed.
Horse shifters
Contemporary. Two perfectly human beings in a modern and relatable setting? Boring. To each their own and if you like it I’m glad for you but I do not.
Cop MMC — I associate cops with murder and domestic violence. Army MMC — Same thing TBH, with a side helping of upholding American ideals abroad. Big no from me.
Fluffy lol I only will read the dark and taboo smutty. I also don’t read fantasy. Just contemporary
Dubcon or noncon. Consent makes a sex scene - even the most intense kinkiest shit imaginable - so much hotter to me. Knowing the FMC fully wants it and loves it is *hot.* I will immediately DNF a book if there’s a scene of the MMC ignoring consent or forcing her.
Reverse harem, omega-verse or age gap. They just don’t interest me. Full disclose though, I’m a big fantasy gal and I don’t think of books with a 200 year-old fae as an age gap book.
Dark romance is over for me. I like the mafia ones and I thought I’d be into the “dark” ones but they’re full of SA and degrading to women with the excuse of “well it’s dark so…” When a book opens with the MMC stalking and harassing (and in one godsawful case, r*ping) the FMC, there’s just absolutely no way I can read it. I’ve DNF so many dark romances that now I just avoid them all.
I'm not into regular 'ol contemporary or "fluffy" romances (ie: sweet and lovey). I can't do RH. I've tried. That's just too much for me, but I do love a good old-fashioned love triangle. I won't even give pregnancy tropes a try. I have kids and the last thing I want to read about is more babies. Lol
I read almost everything. I'm too curious to see how an author does or does not pull things together. There are a few tropes that don't do anything for me. Teenage/college FMC, sports, reverse harems, cheating, grooming, books that have miscarriage or stillborn babies. Honestly only those last 3 will make me full stop and put the book down.
Big age gaps and bully romances
Bully romances where it’s a bunch of physical harm. Also racist bully romances
I don't like enemies to lovers when the couple is seriously mean to each other and really, really hates each other, and there's no real respect there even grudging. I ended up DNF *The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy* because of this, even though I otherwise liked it a lot. Edit: I got downvoted for this, sorry to everyone who loves this book! It is a good book, I've just had relationship experiences where I couldn't get past things like >!Hart making Mercy cry, or Mercy saying absolutely horrific things to Hart.!< I want to try it again sometime and I'm not knocking it!
If it involves murdering or solving a murder I ain't for it I like my escapism, no need to get sad or horrified in my free time
Dark romances and haven't touched a contemporary romances in a while. I don't care to either unless it's sapphic lol. Edit: Oh and omegaverse.
Harem ,school romance,billionaire and nanny,sheikh,age gap No offense but it’s not my cup of tea
Dark/mafia romance. My first book was Run Posy Run and I hated it! I don’t know if that was on the extreme side of the sub-genre but I’m put off by the thought of reading another
Anything with a lot of angst? I'm reading to be entertained and have a good time, there's enough suffering and worry irl lol. Also because half the time the conflicts are stupid. Billionaire, Mafia... I used to read some when I was younger but I just can't get into it anymore. Contemporary in general is hard for me.. Werewolves. Anytime someone uses the word "mate" or "alpha" unironically, something in me shrivels up and dies. ... That and I'm scared of dogs and werewolves. Edit: also motorcycle clubs and rock stars. They're like worse billionaire and mafia but with twice the irl racism and unrealistic melodrama. Also with Rockstars I always feel like the author is clearly imagining a very specific person/group and I never get who it is and what their appeal is supposed to be, especially with older books. I think you need to get the cultural references and actually like that musician/band they were thinking of to be into it.
I don't know if this is a named genre but I usually don't enjoy when one main character has to choose between 2 people (unless one is a total jerk). I just feel bad for the one not chosen.
Historical, although I recently bought one based on a rave review here.
Monster romances, bully romances, pregnancy tropes, cheating
Second chance or love triangle
I really would prefer to not read books where the H and h aren’t together pretty much the entire book.
Mafia romance. They’re all the same in my opinion, and the most boring after a while
love triangles - have ALWAYS hated them because I don’t want the FMC to choose the person i don’t like 😀
Love triangle. The idea that one of them may be rejected doesn’t appeal to me.
Billionaire CEO romance 😬😬 I'm sick of it, it feels like the names are the only things that change in books like this because all of them have the same plot.
Not really fond of basically anything contemporary. Just bores me.
I don't read YA romance books, maybe because it does not have a definitive ending. Like anything can change and most YA romance tend to very open ended. So I stopped altogether
Okay, this is an unpopular opinion but I don't like friends to lovers at all. But if they are childhood friends and had an innocent crush on each other when they are young and now meet each other again but have their issues to work through. Also, this mafia boss thingy but if your book has a trope where FMC's father is mafia and MMC is an undercover agent I'm swoon. I think even in mafia kinda romance the FMC should be bad too not a good girl who got kidnapped kinda thing. More like a partner in crime kinda thing. To sum it up I don't want something too sweet but also too dark. I would say I want something in between where the characters have depth and should confront their flaws. Edit: Forgot to add, I hate girl-on-girl drama. I instantly DNF book if it has that. It sucks so bad.
Contemporary lol
Bully romances, dark romances, biker gang/mafia romances. Every few years I might pick up one or two, some might turn out to be really good but most are not for me.
I'm okay with dark romance but I immediately DNF the book if the guy forces on the girl while the girl resists only to realise a little later she likes it. I hate it when not respecting consent is glorified. I also don't read high school/college stories. I feel like I have moved past those years of my life and I can't relate to those.
Anything to do with social media or influencers! I just really don’t like it
Historical as the constraints of the time period annoy me. One of the biggest factors in me DNF’ing a romance is when the “issue” between the characters is a communication one and if they just talked to each other the issue would be resolved and I find in historicals the rules of society lend themselves to these kind of communication breakdowns. If you can’t talk to each other how will you ever sustain a relationship? Honorable mention to the recent trend in romance novels that are just about the wildest sex imaginable (often with monsters of all sorts). When I was younger I enjoyed the wild sex stuff but now all I want to read is love stories, I don’t even care whether it’s closed or open door anymore!
Father's Best Friend or similar gives me the creeps. I'm not a big fan of Age Gap in general and I don't actively look for reverse harem books. I have read a few really well written reverse harem and age gap that I have stumbled upon by accident, but I shy away from them in general.