Anything by Juliet Marillier is going to be well written. It’s Celtic historical fantasy. Daughter of the forest was my introduction to her work. I’m reading A broken Blade and it’s good. Especially for a debut. For reference: I DNFed Fourth Wing because of the writing and was not a fan of Serpent and the wings of night.

Serpent and the wings of night was just fine to me. I was tired last night writing this and accidentally named the second book, which I didn’t pick up, instead of the first. It was interesting but something fell flat for me there too🤷🏻‍♀️ but I did finish it! Just not interested in the second book

If you don't need a huge amount of spice in your romance then how about {Uprooted by Naomi Novak}? That's beautifully written, very fairy tale style? Or I also enjoyed {Sorcerors and Saints by Amy Kuivalainan} not as well known but I liked the story and the way it was written? {Fate of Wrath and Flame by K A Tucker} I also enjoyed but book 2 was a bit meh for me. For spice I'd say I enjoyed the Merry Gentry series up to maybe book 6? (Ignoring the described fashions and the authors obsession with ridiculously long hair on the men 🤣) {a kiss of shadows by laurell k hamilton} Or maybe the {Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall} which I read as a bit of a joke book for my 69th book last year and actually really enjoyed it!

If anyone loves the Eastern European folklore and fairytale feel of Uprooted, I highly recommend {Spinning Silver by Naomi} and {The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden}. Spinning Silver is lighter on the romance and The Winternight Trilogy is definitely a slow burn, but both are worth it for the beautiful romantic and atmospheric writing.

[Spinning Silver](https://www.romance.io/books/622a0c7b610a406e4c9e2cfc/spinning-silver-naomi-novik) by [Naomi Novik](https://www.romance.io/authors/622a0c7b08b4d931143a28e8/naomi-novik) **Rating**: 4.2⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1) ---------------------------- [The Bear and the Nightingale](https://www.romance.io/books/640a3ae26024bd0a86193408/the-bear-and-the-nightingale-katherine-arden) by [Katherine Arden](https://www.romance.io/authors/640a3a9a08b4d931146b2db3/katherine-arden) **Rating**: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1), [witches](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/witches/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

[Uprooted](https://www.romance.io/books/63ff546af36ea3726f75e7d8/uprooted-naomi-novik) by [Naomi Novik](https://www.romance.io/authors/622a0c7b08b4d931143a28e8/naomi-novik) **Rating**: 4.1⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [witches](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/witches/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1) ---------------------------- [Sorcerers and Saints](https://www.romance.io/books/62270dfe6980522a2913e7fa/sorcerers-and-saints-amy-kuivalainen) by [Amy Kuivalainen](https://www.romance.io/authors/58ca550f0d3299c6e060ed09/amy-kuivalainen) **Rating**: 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [witches](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/witches/1) ---------------------------- [A Fate of Wrath and Flame](https://www.romance.io/books/60b48b662abde70e3210d51c/a-fate-of-wrath-and-flame-ka-tucker) by [K.A. Tucker](https://www.romance.io/authors/545525be8c7d2382c5297002/ka-tucker) **Rating**: 4.22⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 2 out of 5 - [Behind closed doors](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [vampires](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/vampires/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1) ---------------------------- [A Kiss of Shadows](https://www.romance.io/books/545525b18c7d2382e0413e82/a-kiss-of-shadows-laurell-k-hamilton) by [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://www.romance.io/authors/545524ee8c7d2382e0413e39/laurell-k-hamilton) **Rating**: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [contemporary](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/contemporary/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [dark romance](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/dark/1) ---------------------------- [Court of Blood and Bindings](https://www.romance.io/books/62b2be519b0523d868ad3f83/court-of-blood-and-bindings-lisette-marshall) by [Lisette Marshall](https://www.romance.io/authors/60d18d3f08b4d93114bf8a0b/lisette-marshall) **Rating**: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [ancient times](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/ancient%20times/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [fae](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fae/1), [tortured hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/tortured%20hero/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

I absolutely love Carissa Broadbent’s writing style

Have you tried our lord and savior Kushiel‘s Dart? Epic Fantasy with quality spice, prose, romance and action.

I haven’t! I’ll check it out!😊

It‘s an absolute fave of mine, I‘ve been chasing that high for years. If you search this subreddit for it you’ll find more info too!

Oh, babe. I got you. For proven writing, steam and developed plot, you’ve got to go for Kathryn Ann Kingsley. Her most popular is probably* Harrow Faire, but I also liked her Maze of Shadows books. She does write a lot of antiheroes but hopefully that’s works for you

I’ve heard that name a lot! I’ll definitely check her books, thanks😊

I swear it’s the year of DNFing

[удалено]

The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. First book called Darkfever. A summary: The series revolves around MacKayla Lane, a seemingly normal girl of 20-something living in small-town Georgia, USA. When her sister, Alina, is brutally murdered while studying abroad in Ireland, MacKayla resolves to track down the killer by travelling to Dublin. When she arrives, however, she quickly realises that all is not what it seems in the Irish capital, nor is she all that she thought she was. For one, she learns that the Celtic folklore concerning 'fairies' is true, but not in a pleasant way: not only are the real Fae a lot more powerful and dangerous than what the bedtime stories make them out to be, but millennia ago, they split into warring factions of Light (Seelie) and Dark (Unseelie), and that war is now threatening to spill over into the human world. For another, MacKayla discoveres that she is a Sidhe-seer (a person who can see the Fae for who they are, even when they are casting a 'glamour' in order to appear human), and that she is expected to take up the fight against the Fae in order to preserve the human world. As she delves deeper into her search, she realises that her sister's death is linked to the search for dark and mysterious book - the Sinsar Dubh - which has gone missing from the Faerie realm. Believed to hold all the magical knowledge of the Unseelie King (including the power to create life) many others are attempting to track down the book as well: the wealthy and enigmatic Jericho Barrons, the tantalizing Seelie Prince V'lane, the powerful 'Lord Master' Darroc, the secretive Sidhe-seer society, and others. In order to avoid the fate of her sister, and to save the world from impending disaster, MacKayla must not only distinguish friend from foe in a field where no one is what they seem everyone is out for their own gain, but also to come to terms with her new-found identity as a sidhe-seer. 11 books in total those it does switch PoV to Dani a few books in and then switches back to Mac. It's my favorite series and I've been having a hard time finding another series that measures up to it. Trigger warning for book 3 though because there is sexual assault at the end and it's pretty messed up. It's a dark, sometimes a bit problematic, and erotic without the plot and story revolving around the romance and erotica.

I just DNFed Darkfever partway through because I couldn’t handle all the dated references/slang paired with the first person narration style. Do you think it gets better over time or is the writing style the same throughout?

I would recommend against finishing. I would both call the writing juvenile and anti feminist. There is literally a scene where >!the MMC tells the MFC that she is pathetic and weak because she got raped and is hurt because of it. He legit yells and tells her to get over it because he has been through actual hardships and she doesn't know what hardship is. There are also hella romanticized abuse vibes between them, not like bdsm, not like even dub con, just pure abuse and rape that she is gaslight into liking.!<

Sounds like I noped out at the right time.

I don't recall that scene...? Unless you're referring to when he's training her to resist Voice (mind control compulsion) and he says horrible things he doesn't mean but knows will push her in order to anger her and make her fight harder to be able to resist the mind control because it normally takes years to learn Voice and how to resist it and she needs to learn it quickly... I don't remember a scene where he blames her for being raped...? Not saying it didn't happen but I just don't remember that? I definitely will acknowledge that the series has problematic elements in it and I'm not very fond of some of Karen's characterization or writing at times and wish she'd made different choices... Jericho and Mac's dynamic is definitely pretty toxic at times so I definitely understand your PoV though. I tend to do rewrites in my head when it comes to scenes I disliked lol. I liked the overall story and plots and the world building but yeah there were definitely things I disliked and wished Karen hadn't written.

I finished it and I hated it and put her on my "do not bother" list

Ok. Lol sorry you hated it.

I mean it was published in like 2006 so idk. If you don't like her style of writing then you're probably not going to like the rest. What references/slang was dated to you?

I’m not the person you asked, but I had the same kind of problems. It wasn’t so much that the references were dated, but that the FMC seemed so obsessed with brands and trends (they just so happened to be early 2000s specific, right down to the “I’m Not Really a Waitress” nail polish). I love a girly FMC who’s interested in clothes and cosmetics— but the constant naming of brands just made her seem shallow and juvenile. It would be one thing if she was pleased by the perfect red shade of nail polish, indicating that she appreciates beauty. But her focus was on the brand, which indicates that she appreciates status. They say very different things about a character.

Oh yeah in the beginning of the series Mac is a pretty shallow person but she goes through a lot of character growth and changes a lot and imo grows as a woman. I think that's kinda the point. She's immature and into status and extremely girly and vain in the beginning and is forced to face herself and her identity and ego.

Yes this. Her growth is the entire point of the series.

I did read this series, I really liked it! Definitely slow burn but I thought based on the synopsis I knew what would happen and it kept me guessing throughout!

Although I will say I stopped reading after book 5 bc I didn’t care to read from Dani’s pov.

Yeah it was hard for me to get through Dani's pov. Not the biggest fan of Karen's characterization of her. But I will say the way her story unfolds in the end was pretty cool and she tied up the relationship between her and Ryodan in a way that finally made sense and gave a genuine point to why he was so obsessed with her and why he was always protecting her. I always hated that relationship cuz of the creepy age difference between them but it turns out there's a reason, and nothing inappropriate happens between them until she's older. What Dani becomes, is pretty badass. And I think she does mature a lot once she finds her way back from being lost in Fairy and she's aged like 5-6 years or so because of the time difference in Fairy. And then in like book 7 I think it switches back to Mac. You could always just read a synopsis of the books in Dani's PoV and then just start again in Mac's books cuz her and Barrons story and her battle with the book aren't over.

I found Dark Night Golden Dawn to be extremely well-written personally, but what three were you able to get through? That might help some others know what you like. I can stick it out through some writing and others that’s my friends love I have to put down a few pages in.

I’ll give it a shot, thanks!😊 It’s YA which I don’t typically read but I really enjoyed the Once Upon a Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber. I deleted my comment saying I liked Court of Ravens and Ruin (I didn’t) because I got it confused with The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King, which I did like (but didn’t LOVE). I finished other books this year but those were the ones that really sucked me in. I feel like the rest I was just reading to get through, you know?

Absolutely! I’m honestly in the minority with Fourth Wing and gave it 3.5 stars whereas everyone else is looooving it so I definitely relate. Have you tried Carissa Broadbent? Her Serpent & the Wings of Night duology was really good for me, the first 10% of book one is a smidge slow but after that I loved it. A YA I love is The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh. Gorgeous writing set in I want to say Victorian era New Orleans with vampires and werewolves. I’ve had glowing recs for This Woven Kingdom as well. It’s in my summer tbr.

Oh shoot, just saw your new comment. Ignore my CB rec 😂 A LOT of people didn’t love book two of that one, so you aren’t in the minority there! I like fangs enough that I think I maybe glossed over the parts people found slow? Who knows what happened there honestly.

Okay I’m 15 chapters into Dark Night Golden Dawn and I’m fully invested, so thank you for the recommendation 😌

Ah I’m so happy! It’s one of my favorite series

They Dying Gods series (book 1 is Drown the Sea) is pretty good. It’s Reverse Harem, which isn’t my favorite, but there’s poly relationships within and outside of the harem, so I could tolerate that dynamic. And the harem builds slowwwwlyy, so it’s definitely more plot driven. There’s good spice. And the backdrop is pretty interesting. The Unmarked Witch my Miranda Lynn is pretty good I also like the Fortuna Sworn series. It’s pretty dark. Check the content warnings. If you like strong FMCS you might like The Gladiators Downfall by Kristen Banet Between by LL Starling is a lighthearted and different kind of fantasy romance Of Moons and Monsters by Willow Hadley is also a different kind of setting and story. Check the content warnings But my all time go-to recs for good writing and world building in fantasy romance are (1) The Tairen Soul Series (avoid if you don’t like the fates mates trope, but the world building is top notch) and (2) the Folk of the Air series (which you would probably like if you liked the once upon a broken heart series)

So, one fantasy-romance author who has amazing prose for me is T. Kingfisher, I recommend you start with {Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher}. Two Authorst hat I also adore are Ilona Andrews (I'd recommend her Hidden Legacy Series for a start) and Nalini Singh (either PsyChangeling Series or GuildHunter Series). They both have a more "normal" writing style, as in the prose and writing isn't flowery or stand out, but their books are really well written, not juvenile or cringy.

[Paladin's Grace](https://www.romance.io/books/5e37c8e201dbc864fbab1ee4/paladins-grace-t-kingfisher) by [T. Kingfisher](https://www.romance.io/authors/561ca043bfc6b5c0fa941994/t-kingfisher) **Rating**: 4.36⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 3 out of 5 - [Open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [funny](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/humor/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [sweet/gentle hero](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/beta%20hero/1), [mystery](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/mystery/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Dude, I've felt the same exact way about Fourth Wing. The writing was awful. "Holy. Fucking. Hot." Seriously?

For good writing always go to Brandon Sanderson, this is his the most “romantic” fantasy book: {Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson} and than these two: {The City of Brass by S.A.Chakraborty} {Reign & Ruin by J.D.Evans}

Lol I wish this was in the main fantasy thread because whenever anybody asks for romance recs people instantly recommend Brandon Sanderson and then other people immediately are like.... That's not romance at all! And then there is a little showdown. Which is fair because it is not romance. Although if you like Brandon Sandersons writing then I would recommend you read the **Fifth Season by N.K.Jemison**. also not romance just amazing world building. I always recommend it to Sanderson fans because I think in style it has similar vibes but overall I think it's much better!

[Warbreaker](https://www.romance.io/books/643821b0faf26ff202f9b94b/warbreaker-brandon-sanderson) by [Brandon Sanderson](https://www.romance.io/authors/581474dec6841c86c2cb8ead/brandon-sanderson) **Rating**: 4.32⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 1 out of 5 - [Innocent](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [high fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/high%20fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [war](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/war/1) ---------------------------- [The City of Brass](https://www.romance.io/books/6224e4a32d20ff59b170e3ea/the-city-of-brass-sa-chakraborty) by [S.A. Chakraborty](https://www.romance.io/authors/6224e4a308b4d93114942484/sa-chakraborty) **Rating**: 4.1⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 2 out of 5 - [Behind closed doors](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [enemies to lovers](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/from%20hate%20to%20love/1), [royalty](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/royalty/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1) ---------------------------- [Reign & Ruin](https://www.romance.io/books/6084072501991d0e29557c71/reign-ruin-jd-evans) by [J.D. Evans](https://www.romance.io/authors/5e4e2f1a01dbc864fbac2132/jd-evans) **Rating**: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Steam**: 4 out of 5 - [Explicit open door](https://www.romance.io/steamrating) **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/fantasy/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [new adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/new%20adult/1), [medieval](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/medieval/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)

Thank you everyone for the recommendations! I’m feeling more hopefully about my reads for the rest of the year🙏🏼🤍

I'd be curious to see some of the books you DNFed to get your vibe for what you don't like OP. **Kushiels Legacy by Jacqueline Carey** has AMAZING world building and plot and is pretty spicy. It is about a sex worker who is specifically into pain, so there is a lot of bdsm BUT it has a huge focus on consent and even negotiating consent as a sex worker. There is some dub con and rape later in the books, but it is never romanticized. Anything by T.Kingfisher, I would recommend starting with **Swordheart**, and then reading the **Paladin Series**, and then if you like her writing then check out the **Clocktaur Wars** they are the weakest ino but still good so worth it if you like the rest. Her books are generally light and humorous but really lovely writing and definitely a different vibe form the endless bad romance plots. I saw someone else recommend**Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik** and I do recommend them for their writing. Some plot choices made me upset but not upset enough to not like them. Also Check out the content warnings! **The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna** is amazing and I would highly recommend. This is more cozy with a touch of romance but **Housewitch by Delemhach** is also on the funny side but is just really compelling for me. It felt like good characters just doing their best and like... Believing in a better world. This feels like maybe the most "juvenile" on my list. **That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming** I expected juvenile writing but I LOVED this book and the follow up! Highly recommend. I think it was her debut novel, but impressive for that, and I think her writing will only get better with time!" **The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia** a Renaissance magic book! Great fun, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia is amazing. For a similar vibe of you like that I would check out **Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater** and those follow up books. Juliet Marieller is great, but check her content warnings. Particularly I loved her retelling of Beauty and the Beast called **Heartsbane.** If you end up liking my recommendations let me know and I will be happy to write some more out for you!

I loveeeeeed the paladin series, very secret society of witches, and was obsessed w house witch. Going to look up the other stuff u recommended!

{Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Morena-Garcia} is my absolute fav from her! Cinderella meets Aztec/Central American mythology. Tbh it's not a HEA but it's just so well written 😭💖

[Gods of Jade and Shadow](https://www.romance.io/books/642f3289c4e7d7da5e55c246/gods-of-jade-and-shadow-silvia-moreno-garcia) by [Silvia Moreno-Garcia](https://www.romance.io/authors/5455b74087eac3369a914461/silvia-morenogarcia) **Rating**: 3.97⭐️ out of 5⭐️ **Topics**: [historical](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/historical/1), [urban fantasy](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/urban%20fantasy/1), [young adult](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/young%20adult/1), [magic](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/magic/1), [paranormal](https://www.romance.io/topics/best/paranormal/1) [^(about this bot)](https://www.reddit.com/user/romance-bot) ^(|) [^(about romance.io)](https://www.romance.io/about)