I’m trying to get into romance more, and what’s been stopping me is the writing. So many romance books are written to be light reads, and are too simplistic for my liking (though I definitely do respect the genre, it just isn’t my thing). I’m also not a fan of sad endings in romance, I want something complex, but that resolves itself by the end. I want books that almost read like poetry. I really liked ‘This is How You Lose the Time War’ and ‘You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty’, and am looking for more similar books.
by ahoytheremehearties
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My brother in literature, Jane Austen has been around for more than 200 years
Kink by Kathe Koja
Making Love by Melanie Tem and Nancy Holder, though if it is a happy ending depends on how you perceive it.
The Blood Opera Sequence by Tanith Lee possibly.
Both Koja and Lee’s prose is incredibly good.
The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz
Not light and fluffy with happy endings? Here you go:
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Wives and Daughters by Gaskell
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
If you’re looking for a story about overcoming odds for love, I’d recommend ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It’s a timeless romance that tackles class, pride, and first impressions, showcasing Austen’s sharp wit and keen understanding of human relationships.
‘Call Me By Your Name’ by André Aciman is a book I find myself recommending for its beautiful prose and exploration of desire. The summer romance between Elio and Oliver in Italy is a profound meditation on the intensity of first love and the marks it leaves on our lives.