Monster Romance Comfort Reads
Because it has been a time, y’all
To be upfront, this newsletter, the whole time, has been about my comfort reads. I got myself into Romance, specifically Monster Romance, as an escape. So, it makes sense.
Because this concern seems to be popping up in parts of the Internet I’ve been occupying, these books are an escape, but that doesn’t mean they ignore the fact that problems exist. Politics, systematic oppression, addiction, crime, slavery, and a whole host of issues we recognize in this world occupy books I review here. The escape for me is having a story where people overcome those problems in the end. Things are bad, but it works out.
Even though everything I review could be considered comfort reading, like any curating collector, I have a specific selection of “the good stuff.” These are the books I bring out when there’s no time to muck about. These are the books I have to get physical copies of, just in case of stuff.
As an aside, here is my friendly reminder to back up or physically purchase your favorites to make sure you keep them. Again, just in case.
The Orc Sworn and Orc Forged Series
When I feel like things are dark, going straight into an already cozy world jars me. The Orc Sworn series embraces objectively bad stuff at the go and finds healing in it. Abuse, manipulation, addiction, war, trauma, rape….the list goes on. And it isn’t about finding the good in those things. It is about finding the good that survives despite those things and using that to fuel resiliency and healing, which leads to thriving. Finley Fenn is so good at this that, unfortunately, she could probably have a full-time job doing just those stories for American readers for several years to come
Ice Planet Barbarians
I don’t know if folks admit how the premise for this series is dark. It is Earth-is-destroyed and humans-are-sex-trafficked dark. Somehow, people seem to gloss over that and go straight to the cozy parts. That’s one of the reasons Ruby is a storytelling goddess.
Ruby Dixon’s Fantasy Books
Because I run practically run this blog like a Ruby Dixon stan account, among other things, I also recommend her flavor of fantasy stories. It's cozy but not tooth-aching, in my view. All of these heroines have been dealt objectively shitty hands. But, darn it, they do a fantastic job standing up for themselves and getting back-blowing orgasms, too.
Bull Moon Rising
The King’s Spinster Bride
The Half-Orc’s Maiden Bride
The Prime Mating Agency
What is with the flipping Canadians writing stuff that speaks to this American? Abel, Fenn, and even Margaret MF-ing Atwood are like literary beacons in dark times for me.
Many of the problems Abel dives into with this series are not so “dark,” in my view, as they are serious and plausible. Cultures are on the verge of dying. Vulnerable people are trafficked. FMCs are talented but survival-driven because of economic or family challenges. But they find love, a banging sex life, and a new chapter in their lives every time.
Cambric Creek
The nice thing about Nascosta’s Cambric Creek books is that her backlog had a spectrum of moods from which to select. You can go from dark (Run, Run Rabbit) to light (Sweet Berries) while staying in the same quirky small town universe. It is a color gradient of what kind of comfort I am looking for.
Leviathan Fitness
I admittedly don’t read this series unless my emotions are going on the upswing. It is just too darn sweet and happy when I’m deep in my feelings.
This is the series where you want sweet with accents of really sweet.
Housekeeping
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