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walkwithheroes84 · 3 years

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Reading Romance

Updated June 28th, 2021

I read a lot of different types of books, but I’ve never been a romance person. After watching Bridgeton, I decided to give them a try. Here are my thoughts.

Follow me on this journey.

What I’ve Liked:

- They are really quick to get through. I’ve read some 350 page books in a day.

- The plots can be crazy, which is also really fun.

- A lot of the characters are fun and the dialogue can be witty.

What I’ve Not Liked:

- I have an issue with a lot of the romances, as the men seem to sometimes force the women into uncomfortable situations.

Now, let’s talk about what I’ve read:

Bridgerton: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn:

- 2 out of 5 stars.

- I found this couple boring.

- She raped her husband, so no. He shouldn’t have lied, but that’s not an excuse to rape.

Bridgerton: It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn:

- 4 out of 5 stars.

- I loved the couple. There was some problems with the male lead deciding to sleep with the female lead, so she’d have to marry him, as he is not his father’s true son. But I still liked their witty dialogue and the female lead was fun.

Bridgerton: When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn:

-2 out of 5 stars

- It’s one of everyone’s favorite books in the series, but I found this couple to be so boring. I feel like she would have been just as happy with her first husband and for the life of me, I don’t get why the guy was so into her. She was boring.

Bridgerton: An Offer From A Gentleman by Julia Quinn:

- 4 out of 5 stars.

- This book had insane energy. It was silly and fun. The man lead jumps out of a window, scales down a tree, and rushes to a cold lake because the female lead got him aroused and he was like: “Um, not now.”

- I didn’t like that Benedict was so dumb not to see that Sophie was the girl he had met three years earlier and I HATED that he kept telling her to be his mistress, even after she told him that wasn’t what she wanted for herself.

- Though the end in the jail was pure insanity and I was here for it.

First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn:

- 2 out of 5 stars.

- While dialogue was witty and the couple was cute, I felt this one dragged on for way too long. I thought it could have been at least 100 pages shorter.

Love is Blind by Lynsay Sands:

-2 out of 5 stars.

- The plot and characters were just too simple.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham #1) by Julia Quinn:

-4 out of 5 stars.

- I clearly have a type with couples in Julia Quinn books: they need to be fun, bicker, and have a lot of chemistry. I LOVED Jack and Grace. I loved the charm, wit, and fun of this couple.

A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #2) by Kresley Cole

- 2 out of 5 stars

-So...while I like the idea of the world and the overall story that seems to be forming - I COULD NOT get behind the male lead basically raping the female lead throughout the book. Mostly because he hated that she is a vampire (she's actually half) and once he learns she's not a full vampire, he's just like - "My bad. Love you." And she's cool with it?! - Also, what is going on with all the erection? Because the way I read it, this man was walking around with one for 90% of the novel. I don't know, that just strikes me as very uncomfortable and slightly embarrassing..? I don't know, I'm not a man.

No Rest For The Wicked (Immortals After Dark #3) by Kresley Cole

- 3 out of 5 stars

-Kaderin is cursed or blessed with being an emotionless killing machine. Until she meets Sebastian, a vampire who hates what he is. Confused, she runs and he follows. Kaderin spends most of the novel being a bad ass bitch and Sebastian spends most of the novel discovering that he likes the way she is.

-He decides to help her and that he wants her to achieve her dream, even if it means not getting her.

-It was a fun and fast read and I ALMOST forgive Cole for the grossness of her last novel.

Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night (Immortals After Dark #4) by Kresley Cole

-3 out of 5 stars

- I liked this one more that A Hunger Like No Other. Maybe because Mari was a little bit tougher and stronger than Emma. Or maybe because Bowen seemed to have a better understand of boundaries.

- They were a sweet and fun couple, who didn’t really shy away from their challenges. They actually discussed issues!

- But, I have to take away a half point, because again with the whole werewolf NEEDING to claim his mate thing. With all the erections and sex every which way. It was about much for me, especially as a new romance reader. At times, I found myself thinking: “Please calm down.”

-Another thing I enjoyed was the discussions about “monsters” being people and wanting things “normal” people want.

-But, I have to add this, and it’s really more about the series as a whole: each book is about 350-360 pages and there is a looming evil throughout, but it’s not truly faced until the last 50 pages are so. I’d like this world - which is being set up to be very interesting - to be fleshed out more.

Dark Needs at Night’s Edge (Immortals After Dark #5) by Kresley Cole

- 3.5 stars out of 5

- I've now read 4 of them and have had ALOT of mixed feelings about this series. - We start with the hero, Conard: a vampire who hunts his own kind. When he drains people, he takes their memories - which has made him a bit. . .unstable. Interesting (as several have said) every male character within the story (some of whom have REALLY mistreated their wives at different times) discuss how Conard is dangerous and should be "put of his misery" and yet - he treats Néomi very well. He doesn't mistreat her and honestly tries to help her - even if it means they may not be together. - A vampire bounty hunter and a ballerina ghost somehow make a very sweet, angsty, and awesome little romance. It felt free of that "fated mate" stuff from the other novels. Yes, Conard believes that Néomi is his fated mate, but she's also dead. So, there is none of that "have to half you/will stalk you/alpha man" stuff that gets a bit old in the other novels of the series. I really enjoyed the fact that the couple didn't actually sleep together until page 200ish (out of 369). Which was actually nice, because it made me believe that they were a couple who had depth and actually loved each other because of more than being "fated mates". (Not knocking the other couples in the series, but I do sometimes feel that they actually fall for each other only toward the end of their novel.) -So over all, I liked this one. My favorite so far.

Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark #5) by Kresley Cole

-3 out of 5 stars.

- I liked the main couple just fine - both as a couple and as individuals.

- But, I’m reading these books one after the other - usually one or even two a day - and the formula used for each book is becoming very clear: Male lead finds his fated soul mate and either denies it or goes after her. Female lead is uninterested, but can’t help be drawn to this new guy. The fight or have misunderstandings. They have sex - it’s usual oral. They have more miscommunication. The “big bad” - whose been mention throughout the novel- appears in the last 50-or-so pages. The couple defeat the “big bad”. They get married. It’s getting a bit old - even if I like the characters.

The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn

-4 out of 5 stars.

- Loved the couple and their humor. A fun and quick read. I think I read it in 3 hours?

Kiss of a Demon King (Immortals After Dark #6) by Kresley Cole

-2 out of 5 stars.

-While I liked the leads as individuals, I found their relationship to be a bit too toxic for my tastes.

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

-3 out of 5 stars

-A light and fluffy read. Our ML was respectful and our FL was sweet. Just a cute morning read. Nothing overly special, but honestly far sweeter than a lot of the romances I’ve read in the last month and a half. I may forget it in a month, but I enjoyed it while I read it.

Untouchable (Immortals After Dark #7) by Kresley Cole

-4 out of 5 stars

-A very interesting read. Who knew you could be creative with ice? I have to admit, I really enjoy the Wroth brothers and their ladies. These men have respect and, unlike some other MLs in this series, they seem to be more willing to let their Brides take the lead.

Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark #9) by Kresley Cole

-4 out of 5 stars

-This book just worked for me. Carrow was an amazing heroine and Malcom was a sweetheart. Add in little Ruby and you have one amazing family.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark #10) by Kresley Cole

-4 out of 5 stars

- Regin the Radiant is doomed to relieve her tragic love affair with the berserker Aidan the Fierce. They will meet, fall in love, she will kiss him, and he will die within 24 hours. So far, they have relived this tragic fate 4 times, and this time Regin is determined to NOT let that happen. The problem? Nix gets involved and Regin is captured by The Order - a group of humans bent on killing all Lore creatures. And one of their leaders just so happens to be Declan Chase aka Aidan.

- I loved a lot about this book, such as the way all the stories are really starting to come together and blend into one another. I also loved Regin here - she doesn't break or bend and she understands that Declan isn't a woobie in need of saving (like so many of the other women in this series) - she knows that he has been through something terrible, but she doesn't excuse his actions. It isn't until Declan shows he's trying to change that Regin accepts him.

- A really fun read and maybe my second or third favorite in the series.

Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #11) by Kresley Cole

-4 out of 5 stars

- I have very mixed feelings on this book.

- I loved Ellie - she was intelligent, forward thinking, and strong. She planned her death, twice. She understood Lothaire would come for her and made sure her family was hidden. She decided to seduce a ages old vampire in order to save herself. She often played him like a fiddle.

-But, Lothaire was a complete jerk for 85% of the novel. I get it, he's damaged and he's old and mentally unstable, blah blah blah. To be honest, he didn't make up for his misdeeds - even if he did promise to take Ellie's kid brother Trick-or-Treating. (That was weird, too. Don't make a villain/anti-hero a sudden sugary sweet brother-in-law.)

-And, how could he not see that Ellie was his Bride?! He was physically and mentally attracted to her. With the other one, they didn't seem to have anything in common, expect: we like killing.

-So while I adored the female lead and I liked certain scenes, the book felt off to me.

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole

-3.5 out of 4 stars

-While I liked some aspects of the book, MacRieve was so horrible to Chloe. I understand he has past trauma and is in major need of therapy. (Like most of the men in this series.) But, he treats Chloe horribly and while Chloe has a bit of spunkiness, she is also just way too forgiving and nice.

-I also have to take away from half a point because it ends on a cliffhanger that may never be resolved!

A Rogue By Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels #1) by Sarah MacLean

- 4 out of 5 stars.

-This is apparently a Hades and Persephone retelling? I can see that.

- I really enjoyed Penelope, who really just wanted a nice life, but that wasn’t to be. She just had a little too much “darkness” in her and she wouldn’t be happy with anyone but Bourne. Bourne could be a jerk, but his feelings for Penelope was great.

- The side characters who will be getting their own novels? Very excited to see them. I think this was my first Sarah MacLean and it was one I really enjoyed.

Ghost (Boston Underworld #3) by A. Zavarelli

- 3 out of 5 stars.

- I read these out of order, so there were people in this that I want to learn more about.

- This was my first mafia romance and, I believe, was my darkest book yet.

-Talia and Alexei were two very damaged people, who were still damaged together. They didn’t magically become well because of their feelings for one another. They may have healed a bit, but they were still working toward betterment at the end of the novel, and I like the realism of that.

- I read this novel in two days, and despite the darkness of the novel, I really enjoyed it. The writing style was enjoyable and I like the way characters from several different novels came into and out of the story. It’s very clear that A. Zavarelli is working on her own little universe, and I always like when authors do that.

Filthy Rich (Five Points' Mob Collection #2) by Serena Akeroyd

- 4 out of 5 stars.

- Again, read this in a couple of days.

- And again, I really enjoyed that Serena Akeroyd is making her own little universe and dropping hints about future stories.

-Inessa was an interesting character, because while sheltered and innocent, the girl was just waiting to let her inner “darker” sexuality out. I liked her a lot - she could be very innocent and sweet, but also very catty and straight forward.

- Eoghan and Inessa, despite of the large age gap, fit one another so well. They were one another’s missing pieces and they just really fit together.

The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1) by Danielle Lori

-4 out of 5 stars.

-The chemistry between Elena and Nico was really great.

-I enjoyed Elena’s POV - she was attracted to Nico, but she also hated herself a bit for it. Not just because he was supposed to marry her sister (don’t worry, sister is in love with someone else), but also because of her own past.

- Nico was a little harder to read, because we didn’t get as much of his POV.

- Knowing that this is yet another mob series that follows several characters - who are slowly introduced in each book - makes me really excited to meet and read about more characters.

Bound by Honor (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #1) by Cora Reilly

- 4 out of 5 stars.

-Aria may be too good and too pure for this world. Luca’s love for her was very sweet. Aria x Luca fan.

- Enjoyable and fast pace.

-I enjoyed the way characters from future novels in the series appeared/made cameos throughout the novel.

-The main couple had a bit too much miscommunication, but they were young and dumb, so I forgive it.

Bound By Duty (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #2) by Cora Reilly

-3.5 out of 5 stars.

-I loved Val. Especially at the start of the novel when her main problem was: “I’m over 20. This is my second marriage. I’m still a virgin. I’ll be damned if I don’t have sex.”

-Dante on the other hand - he took the “Ice King” trope a bit too far. Did he truly love Valentina or was it more about protecting his children and being fond of Val? I’m sorry to sad I didn’t feel like he loved Val as much (or even in the same way) as he loved his first wife.

Bound by Hatred (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #3) by Cora Reilly

-3 out of 5 stars (maybe closer to a 2.5/2.8)

- I know that Matteo and Gianna are a lot of people’s favorites, but their bickering and Slap-Kiss dynamic got a bit old. I also found Gianna really annoying in Bound by Honor, and that didn’t change here.

Bound by Temptation (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #4) by Cora Reilly

- 4 out of 5 stars

- Maybe the most romantic couple? I mean, if a man is willing to start a mob war for you...come on.

Bound by Vengeance (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #5) by Cora Reilly

- 4 out of 5 stars.

- Maybe Growl/Ryan and Cara are a little unbalance and maybe their relationship is dark and twisted, but it works. Again, get yourself a man who is willing to start a mob war for you.

Twisted Loyalties (The Camorra Chronicles #1) by Cora Reilly

-3 out of 5 stars.

- Like Bound by Vengeance, Twisted Loyalties was a way of tying the two series together. But, I didn’t like this one all that much -

- Fabiano’s obsession with Leona (and it felt like an obsession) actually made me fear for her. Leona was “pure” and safe and reminded him of his sisters with her loyalty toward her mother. So, of course Fabiano would want to be with her. But, it was clear Leona wanted a different path for her life - especially at the start of the book.

-I’m not convinced of Fabiano’s development in this book. He still felt emotionless at the end, and I’m not sure if his love for Leona was actually love or an obsession and a need to have someone like his sisters in his life.

- Leona's innocence and naivety were fine, but she annoyed me at times. She wanted to run and I kind of wish she had made it out of Vegas. Maybe then I’d see the so-called love Fabiano had for her.

- I have to mention the Falcone brothers. We have been hearing so much about how terrible their family is. Here we saw them from Leona and Fabiano’s POVs, and they were just as crazy as promised. Nino, no emotions? Interesting. Remo, a true psychotic. Savio, he’s a child, so his “adult” situations made me uncomfortable. Protect Adamo!

Twisted Emotions (The Camorra Chronicles, #2) by Cora Reilly

-4.5 out of 5 stars

- Nino and Kiara were really cute. Maybe the sweetest couple I’ve read by Cora Reilly. I didn’t care for his cheating, though I get why he did it. I just didn’t like it/find it was needed. And, I wanted/needed more chapters from his POV, because it felt like Nino fell in love too quickly. I want to read their next book.

-Nino is supposed to be "emotionless”, having “turned off” his emotions due to childhood trauma. (This was told to me 1000x in the novel, btw). BUT he tries so hard to be sweet and considerate of Kiara. He buys her a piano! He understands her past trauma and tries (in his own way) of being respectful and protective toward her - even standing up to Remo! He follows Kiara’s lead and it’s actually very sweet.

-Kiara is one of the strongest female leads in this series. Yes, she was scared of men - especially Remo - but that is understandable considering what she lived through. She needed to be protected and I liked that she was able to heal, but she wasn’t completely healed in the end - she still had a ways to go. And, her friendship with Adamo was the cutest thing. They were so sweet with one another! And honestly, despite his ‘I don’t like you or what you’ve done to Nino’ attitude - Remo and Kiara are headed toward brother/sister territory.

Twisted Pride (The Camorra Chronicles, #3) by Cora Reilly

-4 out of 5 stars

-So...Remo is in major need of intense therapy. Like, years of intense therapy and I’m not 100% convinced that Serafina didn’t suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. But, as Serafina muses - she and Remo have a twisted love for one another. It’s clearly not 100% healthy, but it works for them. Serafina is allowed to be herself with him and Remo pulls back (a bit) from his destructive behaviors with her.

-Remo...who knew he could be such a family man? Like, you could tell, when he started to fall for Serafina. He slowly started to try and be a bit of a better person. That scene where they got married? And it was just his brothers, Kiara, Fabiano, and the babies - and Remo said it was fine, because it was just the people that matter? Sweet.

-Serafina stood up for herself and didn’t let Remo phase her (well, not as much as he wanted to) and I loved that. She was strong, self-assured, and she wanted more out of life than what the Outfit was willing to give her.

-Speaking of the Outfit - um, why did they not believe Serafina when she stated - several times - that what they think happened with Remo wasn’t actually what happened? Why did her father and brother treat two BABIES like trash? And they tortured Adamo - a fifteen year old child!

Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles, #4) by Cora Reilly

-4 out of 5 stars

- I was disappointed to see that 60% of this novel was just Twisted Pride from Nino and Kiara’s POV.

- I feel like this one was not as well written as the past novels in the series. I saw a lot of typos and things didn’t always flow well. That said - I really do love Nino and Kiara.

Twisted Hearts (The Camorra Chronicles #5) by Cora Reilly

-2 out of 5 stars

-So, Savio loses all his character development in this novel and Gemma deserves better.

Devil in Winter (Wallflowers #3) by Lisa Kleypas

- 4 out of 5 stars

- I loved Evie and Sebastian. I am reading this out of order, so while I knew Sebastian was the villain of the last book - he was so perfect with Evie here. Is it cliche that the “bad boy” has spent his whole life waiting for the sweet and strong girl - yes. But, did I love it? Also yes.

The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever (Bevelstoke #1) by Julia Quinn

-4 out of 5 stars

- Very sweet and fun friends to lovers romance.

One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (The Rules of Scoundrels #2) by Sarah MacLean

- 4 out of 5 stars

-I know people had issues with Pippa, but I sort of always assummed she was on the spectrim. Cross was really fun - especially when he became so annoyed with Pippa, because she was different and just lived her life.

To Seduce a Sinner (Legend of the Four Soldiers #2) by Elizabeth Hoyt

-2.5 out of 5 stars

-While I enjoyed the writing style, I couldn’t totally love the couple. Japer falls for Melisande, because she’s proper and “not like other girls” or something.Melisande has loved Jasper for 6+ years, but refuses to admit it - even after she marries him and it’s clear he wants a real marriage. Eh.

-I’ll read more from the author, but I didn’t enjoy this one.

The King's Spinster Bride (Aspect and Anchor #0.5) by Ruby Dixon

-2 out of 5 stars.

-While the world building was well done, there weren’t any issues between the couple. He really loved her- he worked his way up to becoming First Warrior for her. She loved him, but was nervous because she was “old”. (She’a 33 and he’s 24). There was also some worry about marriage stuff, but over all, it was just a little read that was neither terrible nor memorable.

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1) by Katee Robert

-3 out of 5 stars

-While I enjoyed the main characters, the world building was poorly done. i did like a lot of the supporting characters and hope they get their own books.

Brutal Prince (Brutal Birthright #1) by Sophie Lark

-2 out of 5 stars (DNF’ed at 40%)

-People have been telling me to read Sophie Lark since March, so I picked this up on audio book. The writing is fairly good (though there are some issues with the mafia aspects), but it was the characters that made me DNF this novel.

-First: you have Aida’s family (she’s 20 and her brothers are all older (I think?) and they all decide to crash the party of a family they hate. Why? They are grown people! Aida causes a fire in the house and steals a pocket watch. And...the two families decide they should get married. Again, why...? Just pay for the damage. Since one of the sons was injured: agree to something for that.

-Second: Aida is 20. She’s also VERY immature. She plays tricks on Callum. (She actually eats a strawberry before kissing him - he’s very allegic to them). She curses and talks about how she’s a “tomboy” and how she hates the family she marries into. She’s a fairly horrible, immature, and bratty young womn. I just couldn’t root for her.

-Third: Callum is 30. He’s 30 and acts like a horny teenager. I listen to the male narrtator discuss sex and p*s*y over and over again. While Aida is verbally and physically harmful toward Callum, Callum is physically and emotionally abusive toward Aida.

-Fourth: Two toxic, immature people do not a rootable couple make. I couldn’t stand these two people and was annoyed the whole time I listened to the audio.

-Fifth: I think I would like to read more from the auhor,but this novel REALLY wasn’t for me.

Bad Guy by Ruby Dixon

-1 out of 5 stars

-This should have been half its size. There was noreal development between characters. Eh.

The Bully (Kingmakers #3) by Sophie Lark

- 4 out of 5 stars

-I read this one first, because so many people said it was the best of the series. I hadn’t like Brutal Prince at all, but I loved this one.

-Seeing the development of Dean and Cat was fun. Was Dean actually really childish for a 20+ (I’m guessing he’s 20-21), but I got it.

-Cat was great. I understand a lot of people found her “boring” in book 2, but it’s very clear that she was just waiting for someone or something to let her out of her shell.

-I’m really looking forward to book 4, as that was set up nicely.

Stolen Heir (Brutal Birthright #2) by Sophie Lark

-3 out of 5 stars

-While I liked Nessa a lot - I wasn’t totally sold on the romance.

Deviant King (Royal Elite #1) by Rina Kent

-3 out of 5 stars.

-While I find Aiden toxic, I cannot deny the chemistry between Aiden and Elsa. I don’t like that she gave in to him so quickly - especially as he had made her life horrible for the last three years - but I can forgive it, as this is a “bully” romance.

-The mystery is interesting, as are the hints of future stories with other characters.

-And, where are the adults!?

Steel Princess (Royal Elite #2) by Rina Kent

-3 out of 5 stars

-Now that Aiden has a POV, we can see that he is connected to Elsa’s past. I like that aspect, as well as Aiden trying to win Elsa over.

-And her dead dad is alive?!

-Also, I love Knox.

Twisted Kingdom (Royal Elite #3) by Rina Kent

-2 out of 5 stars.

-While I enjoyed the way the mystery was wrapped up, I’m not totally in love with it. It closed what happenedto both Aiden and Elsa, but it left a few doors opened and really doesn’t paint their fathers in the best lights.

Black Knight (Royal Elite #4) by Rina Kent

-3 out of 5 stars.

-Getting into Kim’s head (and seeing the emotional and mental abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother) made me so sad.

- What was worse is that she was basically abandoned for EIGHT years and bullied by said ex-friends during that time because of a misunderstanding. Yes, they were eleven, but why couldn’t Xander have confronted his dad or Kim’s dad or someone during that time? Why did he have to be horrible to her at every turn? And let others do the same? And, why was he still hanging out with Kir -? I understand that he was looking out for Kim and Kir and that he still loved her (and that this is geared more toward readers in their late teens/early 20s), but - come on!

-Kim forgave Xander way too easily (a trend in this series), and I was a bit uncomfortable with the fact that right after the big secret was out, Xander decided that he wasn’t “holding back” anymore and that he would be with Kim. Like - shouldn’t you go to therapy?

-I liked the characters and some of their interactions (and those building hints for the rest of the series), but I ended the book truly believing all these characters need massive amounts of therapy.

Vicious Prince (Royal Elite #5) by Rina Kent

-2 out of 5 stars.

-Gone is the carefree Ronan of past stories. Here is the “fake smile” Ronan that has carefully been hidden for the last ten years.

-Teal’s master plan of revenge is what drives her, but only for about 20% of the novel. What was interesting was what we were told: she likes men at least 15 years older than her and she enjoys (or believes she would enjoy) some very kinky stuff.

-(Side note: I’m sorry, but - the 17/18 year olds have access to the records of their parents’ sex club? Where are the adults? Yes, it’s explained that the club only takes members who are 18+, but no.)

-Despite protests that he hates her, Ronan falls for Teal, like 20% into the book? And after having sex once - she loves him back? I know this is a series LIGHT on character development, but...what? Yesterday I could barely stand you and today I want us to be together for ever?

-And, we get another childhood tramua story, which played out WAY too fast and was wrapped up WAY to easily.

-I liked Ronan during the other books and Teal could have been really complex, but we got what we got.

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5lazarus · 3 years

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Dregs

Anders baits Varric, or Varric baits Anders, both drunk at the Hanged Man. There's no resolution to an argument when they're both just angry, thinking about dead mages.

Read on AO3 here.

They were drinking and it wasn’t going well. Hawke had already left, pissed off at Fenris’ rant about the Viscount’s complicity with the Tevinter slave trade, as if any of them could do anything about it, and Fenris was sulking in the corner by himself. Donnic was slumped in his chair, hand loosely wrapped around a dirty glass of whiskey. All glasses Norah gave him were dirty. She didn’t like guards much. Varric kept talking hopelessly, trying to improve the mood of the party, but even retelling the story about Bartrand’s aborted wedding failed to provoke hilarity. Anders continued to glare, eyes glinting slightly, and kept drinking. He was blatantly ignoring him. At least Donnic tried to grunt at the appropriate parts, and Varric had long since given up at getting Fenris to rejoin their table. Varric stopped himself and decided a new tactic was in order. Baiting Anders was always worth a laugh, so he pointed his chin at him and snapped his fingers in front of his eyes to get his attention. “Blondie, what’s up? What’s with all the sighing and the glaring and the doom and gloom? Templar step on your tail?”

Anders drew himself up in his chair. “I wish you wouldn’t joke about that.” He took Donnic’s glass from him. Donnic blinked at him and blearily protested, but Anders drank it regardless. Varric was amused. He was pretty sure Norah spat in that. “Right. The sighing? The templar? Or the tail? You’ll have to be specific.” Varric wasn’t in the mood to be easygoing anymore--he’d been trying to cheer them up all night, and they could at least return with a story. “Evelina,” he says. “Huon. I knew them, you know. And they were better than what became of them. They weren’t-- blood mages . They were desperate! They were scared. They missed their families. They deserved help , not Tranquility. Not death. Not the templars. They deserved more . So, I guess you’re right.” He stares at his empty drink bitterly. “‘Templar step on your tail’--what haven’t they stepped on?” Varric is only temporarily speechless. Anders never has anything good to say, he shouldn’t have asked, at least not without Isabela gone, she could normally get him to laugh. Varric personally thinks the ending is a little too depressing, he gets tired of the constant misery of the mages--and the templars made her Tranquil because she was going to turn into an abomination, she was already using blood magic. He’ll have to write it cleaner than it happened, because yet another Tranquil blood magic lacked the tragic punch. Varric says, “Well, shit. That’s crazy. That’s how it goes sometimes.” “ All the time,” Anders hisses, and reaches for Varric’s drink. Varric stops his hand warily. “Buy your own,” Varric said. “This round’s on you.” Anders, unimpressed, gets up and goes to the bar. Donnic raises his head, tired. “Careful,” he says. “Don’t bait him too much.” Varric snorts. “Or else? I get a fireball to the face?” Donnic says, “No. You can only push someone so far before they break.” He drops a couple coins on the table. “Get your last round on me.” He leaves, stumbling only slightly, and Varric marvels at his perspicacity. Donnic does like his one-liners--the man’s so anodyne, he has to spice him up when he finishes Hard in Hightown . Aveline already forbade him from writing about anything interesting, since her investigations into the corruption of the guard were still ongoing. He shakes his head at the exit. Donnic, what would they all do without Donnic? Live exactly the same as they did without him--and for that blessed quality of irrelevance, he has to write a story about him. Anders returns to the table and sets down his whiskey. Varric squints at him. “You sure you should be drinking that?” he says. “Don’t want Justice taking control.” “You were laughing,” Anders says. “What were you laughing about?” Varric sighs. He gets that watching what happened to those Circle mages bothered him, it bothered him too, but Varric knows all too well that sometimes you just have to breathe and let it pass, because there’s no use obsessing over the past. He glances at his crossbow, which he had given its own chair: perhaps he’s a hypocrite. He’s a lot of things--but he’s not paranoid, and he doesn’t want to deal with this. Varric says, “Oh, you know, everything. Donnic. You. The same old stories shaking out the same. You and me bristling over a drink. What to talk about between disasters. The usual shtick.” Anders drops into his chair suddenly, so fast Varric reaches for Bianca. “Oh,” he says. “So glad you can find the humor in it. I guess it’s easy to laugh when you’re not in it.” Varric scowls. “Not in it? Blondie, I live here.” He gestures grandly, to try and take the sting out of his tone. “Don’t be obtuse,” Anders says. “You know what I mean.” “I know I’ve lived here longer than you,” Varric says testily. “Not getting nativist. But I know this city’s problems. Been stuck in the muck of it longer than you have, Blondie. By a good thirty years.” Anders’ eyes flash, Justice peeking through. He snaps,“That is not what I mean and you are deliberately misunderstanding me.” Varric raises a hand wearily, glancing to see who has taken notice. A few apostates in the corner are watching, but they’re friendly with the Mage Underground, so that’s fine. Fenris looks up, eyes narrow, but Varric shakes his head at him. Anders isn’t going to blow up in public, at least not tonight. He’s prone to picking fights, but Varric’s not going to fall for it. “Sure,” Varric says. “Tell me what I’m deliberately misunderstanding.” Anders flashes, “Don’t patronize me.” “Okay,” he says. “I’m not. Sorry.” He reaches for Anders’ drink. He really doesn’t need more liquor in him, and Varric’s got money and the influence that comes with money, but not even the Merchants’ Guild can bribe Meredith to look the other way if Anders goes on a Justice-rampage in the middle of the Hanged Man. Donnic is at least gone--they’ve put him and Aveline in enough difficult spots, lately. Sometimes Varric wonders if Hawke realizes how stressful it is, being their friend. Varric grimaces and sips at the whiskey. It’s alright for what it is. He’s fine with it. Anders says, “You don’t know what it’s like, to be hunted. For people to want to-- lobotomize you, just for existing. That people think there’s something fundamentally evil about you, just because you--see things and feel things!” His voice breaks, and he says raggedly, “The Maker made me this way, Varric. He made us like this. Don’t tell me you know what it’s like. To be made to be punished.” Varric says, “Well, shit. You are drunk. Let’s get you out of here.” “Fuck you,” Anders says. “Really, from the bottom of my heart. Fuck you.” Varric scowls. “Cool it, mage. I get you’re upset about your friends being Tranquil, and yeah, it sucks, but what did you think was going to happen? They ran away from Meredith , they were dealing with demons, and that Huon guy put the whole alienage in danger, coming back to his wife. It was fucked up. You gotta admit that.” “That his family loved him and wanted him safe?” Anders says. “What’s so fucked up about that? You think Nyssa wasn’t elated when he came back? She’d been smuggling--” He stops himself, and Varric realizes that there is a story there, there is something he’s not saying, there is something he probably shouldn’t know. “But sure, think what you like. Write it whatever way that makes you happy. Crazed blood mage beating his wife. Clinging Ferelden refugee selfishly taking care of two orphans. Compassion’s just a despair demon, after all. Hope is really just pride. And Justice? That’s just vengeance. As we don’t deserve any recompense. No, forgive and forget, that’s what you want. Reconciliation. Compromise by surrendering all of our rights.” Varric says, “What the fuck is your problem? I haven’t said any of that shit. I have been nothing but a friend to you. Sure, I think you’re crazy. Bit of an asshole too, and I don’t even pretend to get that Fade shit you got going on with Justice. But you do good work in Darktown and you don’t get in the way of my business, and that’s fine for Kirkwall. I want what’s good for Kirkwall. I don’t get what you mean by ‘compromise,’ forgiving and forgetting. I just want the job fucking done. And your job--you take care of the refugees. No one else does that. You take care of Hawke and keep the rest of us patched up. That’s nice too. But get out of my face with this pity-me bullshit.” He says that, and realizes that perhaps he is drunk too: well, shit. He tries to roll it back. “Let’s get you back to the clinic, you’re drunk.” Anders says, “And you’re not?” Varric says, “Your point?” Anders settles back in his chair and crosses his arms. Justice has left his eyes now, and he smiles grimly at him. “No fucking need. You made it for me.” Varric stares at him and considers violence, considers stomping all the way to Hightown and shaking Hawke for sticking him with this mule disguised as a man. He throws his hands. “Right! So glad to help.” He shakes his head. “You’re impossible, do you know that? Fucking impossible sometimes.” “Yeah,” Anders says. “So I’ve been told.”

#varric & anders #varric tethras #anders #da2 #dragon age fanfic #donnic #fenris #hawke #fanfic

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shekindness-a · 3 years

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@dutybcund said: we just can’t seem to get it right, huh? short angst sentence starters. accepting!

it burns beneath her skin, every single time that she is around him. ella yearns, with each passing day, to be at his side and be able to help him through all that troubles him. were it not for the wretched woman who continued to meddle in her life, who ruined her family name and doomed the only remaining tremaine child to a life of misery, perhaps things could have been different for the two of them. ella would be in society proper as the daughter of a well-loved viscount. she would be be seen as a worthy match for one of the most eligible men on the marriage market, shadowed only by his legacy as a notorious rake.

such labels have never mattered to ella when it came to those that she cares deeply about, and she has come to realize the same of anthony. there are flashes in the moments that they share, of a life they could have had if things were different. only now, they play a dangerous game.

❝ i do not know that we were ever meant to. ❞ ella answers quietly, hands folded in her lap as she sits on the opposite end of the park bench as him. just close enough that those who promenade around them would not think twice of it. ❝ there will come a day that you will find a woman worthy of being your wife and your viscountess. her family will be kind, and she will have every luxury to her life that you could possibly wish for. why should we continue to fool ourselves, anthony? ❞

#dutybcund #v: feat. dutybcund ( i. )#someday we'll let them be happy for like five mins #today is NOT THAT DAY APPARENTLY

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dr9com9ge-ix · 1 year

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New icon! Its this guy!

#viscount #Viscount of Doom and Misery #artists on tumblr #digital art #oc #cosmosdex #fortuna

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dr9com9ge-ix · 2 years

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I have drawn this man and just this man these past few days. 😔

#artists on tumblr #digital art #oc #cosmosdex #fortuna #Viscount of Doom and Misery #Viscount #Darknidow

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arawynn · 6 years

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Fairy tales are told by time - Part 2

Bucky X Reader Fairy tale / Royal AU

Summary: You are the unloved adoptive stepdaughter of Lady Hela Redhorn, Countess of Essex. As a slave in your own home, your life is miserable. But one encounter in the forest and a royal ball give you the chance to escape the misery. Will you get your fairy tale ending? Or is it doomed to fail?

Warnings: mention of domestic violence, swearing

A/N: This is supposed to act in England during an undefined medieval era.

Ranks of high nobility (descending): Duke/Duchess, Marquess/Marchioness, Earl/Countess, Viscount/Viscountess

“You…you are the Prince. Prince James.”, you said with numb lips.

Your mind raced. Treating a member of the royal family with such disrespect like you had – no matter how unintentionally – could get you in serious trouble. Very serious trouble. Including exile or even death penalty in worst case.

“Well done, Steve. Really well done. Finally somebody who treats me like a person instead of a title and you have to ruin it!”, the Prince Royal growled sour. “I’m here to protect you. It took me half an hour to convince His Majesty to send me alone with you instead of two dozen soldiers.”, the blond answered unfazed.

“Y-your Highness…I didn’t…I beg your pardon.”, you stammered. Strictly speaking, you were supposed to curtsey in front of the Prince. Or any member of nobility at that matter. But you were unable to move. He gave you a bleak smile. “Don’t apologize. It was nice not to be treated like the Prince Royal for a change. But I’d be very grateful to you if you could keep this private. At least my name.”, he said softly.

This time, you managed to curtsey. “Steve, we return to the palace. Now.”, he added noticeable firmer. The blond bowed slightly. They left without saying another word; leaving the already chopped wood and even the axe behind. You got the handcart and filled it with the already uneven logs of wood before starting to chop more.

All the time Prince Barnes was constantly in your mind. On the one hand, you couldn’t believe how fucking dense you had been not to recognize him as who he actually was. In your defence you could say that nobody would expect the Prince Royal to be somewhere in a forest – without dozens of guardsmen. On the other hand, you were floored how down to earth, kind and normal he had been.

You returned to the estate in the early afternoon – at least one hour earlier than you would have usually. Phil – the head of the staff who had become your second father after the Earl himself had died – seemed to wait for you. “Lady Hela wants to see you urgently.”, he broke the matter to you.

You raised an eyebrow. As much as the landlady loved to bully you and push you around, she hated your presence. Your stepmother only bore with you if necessary. Calling for you urgently happened once in a blue moon. “Why? We both know she hates me.”, you answered.

“A royal herald was here, right after noon. Five days from today, there’ll be a royal ball. Every young noblewoman and daughter of noblemen who is neither engaged nor promised to somebody is expected to attend. There are rumours that His Royal Highness The Prince will choose a bride among the young dames.”, Phil answered, calm as ever.

That was the fly in the ointment. Lady Hela had always been out for finding a good catch for her children, especially her only daughter Wanda. The perspective of her daughter on the throne of England was her dreams coming true. And it had to send her in a frenzy at the same time. You already knew that the days until the royal ball would be a nightmare, for you and every servant of Lady Hela.

It got even worse than what you had expected. Your stepmother wanted new dresses for herself and Wanda, along with a new suit for her son Pietro. Sewed from the finest fabrics. Decorated with intricate embroidery and jewels. Lady Hela wanted her dress to be green, Wanda’s was crimson and Pietro’s suit ice-blue. The colours they wore most and which sat well on them. You were the only one allowed to make the clothes. When it came to this kind of work, you were the only one the Lady of Essex trusted to meet her expectations.

Fortunately the other servants silently took over your other duties so you could focus on making the clothes. But you still barely managed to get them finished on time. Even though the last stitches happened literally minutes before their departure. You watched the departure of their carriage with tears in your eyes. “Why didn’t you accompany them, Y/N?”, Phil asked gently. “I wasn’t allowed to.”, you answered. Tears were sliding down your cheeks.

“She has no right to do that. The King’s order was crystal clear – every young noblewoman or daughter of a nobleman who is neither engaged nor promised to somebody. You are by adoption the daughter of an Earl. You are neither engaged nor promised to somebody. Your presence is expected.”, the older man answered, visibly upset.

“Even if Lady Hela allowed to attend the ball…I don’t have a suitable dress. I can’t appear at a royal ball in rags.”, you answered. A little smile appeared on the face of the Head of the Household. “Well, then it’s a good thing that Maria trusted her intuition when Lady Hela came here for the first time. She took and hid some of your mother’s belongings. Dresses, jewellery, linen…not enough that Her Ladyship would notice it, but nonetheless enough to give you a small dowry. Just give me a few minutes.”, he told you.

You sat down in the kitchen while you waited for Phil. The fact that he and Maria had been thinking about your future and taken care of it so deliberately amazed you. The deep love of this gesture warmed your whole body and brought you to new tears at the same time.

You had calmed down again when Phil returned. He carried the most wonderful dress you had ever seen. The fabric in your favourite colour was soft and light at the same time. The ornaments were beautiful, but didn’t make it ostentatious. You had never seen anything like this. It was simply perfect for a royal ball. “Put it on. You’ll look fabulous.”, Phil said gently.

When you returned in the dress and matching shoes, the thrill of anticipation had already subsided again. “I still can’t go to the ball. Her Ladyship will recognize me as soon as I enter the ballroom.”, you said miserable. But the Head of the Household held something up. A beautiful mask exactly in the same colour as your dress. A warm smile appeared on your face. “Of course you cover all the bases.”, you said and carefully took the mask.

“Not all the bases, sadly. I couldn’t get you a carriage.”, the older man answered with a sad smile. You laughed and hugged him. “I don’t care if I get a carriage or only a horse. This is a wonderful present you gave me.”, you mumbled. For a few seconds, Phil returned the hug before letting go. “Go now. You’re already late.”, he said softly.

Tags: @imamotherfuckingstar-lord @learisa @feelmyroarrrr @marvel-royal-aus

#Royal AU #Prince Bucky #Bucky X Reader #Fairytale AU #Cinderella AU

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arawynn · 6 years

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Fairy tales are told by time - Part 1

Bucky X Reader Fairy tale / Royal AU

Warnings: mention of domestic violence

A/N: This is my contribution for @ugh-supersoldiers 1k writing challenge. I chose Bucky Barnes and the Royal/Peasant AU. It’s supposed to act in England during an undefined medieval era. It’s mostly based on the fairy tale Cinderella, but some elements of the Anastasia-story invited themselves over as well.

Ranks of high nobility (descending): Duke/Duchess, Marquess/Marchioness, Earl/Countess, Viscount/Viscountess

Word count: 1137

You were in the woods, about three miles away from the estate. The landlady, Countess Hela of Essex had commanded you to go cutting firewood. A hard and tiring task, even for sinewy men. And a lot more so for a young woman such as yourself, no matter how used you were to hard work.

Lady Hela – the second wife of your deceased adoptive father – hated you. Plain and simple. After your father’s death fifteen years ago, she had downgraded you from the deeply loved oldest daughter of the Earl to the one servant who was responsible for the most exhausting and unpopular tasks. You didn’t even have a bed of your own, let alone some personal space.

When you were close to the place where you usually chopped the wood, a loud and angry curse made you stop instantly. Nobody was allowed to be anywhere at this section of the forest. It belonged to the private property of Countess Hela. She was a stingy person and known for her harsh punishments throughout the Earldom. No resident of Essex would ever dare to enter the forest uninvited.

You decided to find out what was happening and left the handcart behind in order to remain undetected. It wasn’t your intention to get the intruder in trouble. At least, as long as that person was peaceful and reasonable. You could always tell Lady Hela later so she would deal with them.

Exactly at your chopping spot was a man. Tall and broad, with chin-length dark hair that was tied together in his neck. His clothes were those of a lumberjack, but something about them was…off. You couldn’t exactly pinpoint it from the distance. The man cursed again – he seemed to have problems with cutting wood and was now frustrated because of it.

You decided to show yourself and confront the stranger. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he finally noticed you. “This forest belongs to the private property of Countess Hela of Essex and I doubt she allowed you to cut wood out here.”, you said firm and calm. The man paled and started to fumble around with a glove that covered his left hand. “I didn’t know that this is already Essex. My apologies for trespassing.” He spoke quietly and deliberate.

You decided to run the rule over him. From close up, you could finally pinpoint what had been off about his clothes. They were new and from finer material than anything actual lumberjacks would ever wear. Partly because it was too expensive and partly because it would tear too fast. “I will not report you to Lady Redhorn. But you cannot take any of the wood with you. And I wish to know why a young nobleman is out in the woods to do the work of servants.”, you finally said. The young man smiled, equally embarrassed and thankful.

“That’s alright with me. I’m surprised you can so easily tell I’m a nobleman. My father was of the opinion, that I spend too much time away from home avoiding my duties. He punished me by tasking me with chopping firewood. I should do something useful if I was spending all the time in the forest.”, he told you bashful. “Not very successful.”, you answered with a quick glance around. The few actually chopped logs were uneven and of different sizes. “It’s the first time I ever did this.”, the brunet answered with a lopsided grin. “I’m Bucky, by the way. What gave me away?”, he added.

“Y/N. Your clothes gave you away. They are too expensive and don’t look robust at all. They’d be torn within a few days if you actually worked as lumberjack. And I can show you how to properly chop wood.”, you responded. The young man sceptically raised an eyebrow. “That’s men’s work.”, he answered. You secretly agreed, but it still hurt some of your pride. After all, you could do this better than him. “Let me prove you women can do it as well.”, you answered and indicated to him to give you his axe. Your own was still in the handcart. Despite his visible doubt, Bucky handed you his axe and kept an eye on you.

You placed a piece of wood on the chopping block and took a moment to get a feel for the axe. Then, with a quick movement, you raised the axe above your head and let it dash down even faster. The wood was cut in two perfect halves. With a cocky smile, you passed the axe back while Bucky stared at you completely flabbergasted. “Do you still want to tell me it’s men’s work?”, you asked teasingly.

“No. And I apologize for doubting your skill.”, the brunet said sincerely. You smiled at him, brightly and beaming. There weren’t many men who’d admit that they had been wrong. Especially not towards a woman who was moreover untitled in contrast to them. You had never met a nobleman who was as humble as Bucky. Who admitted his mistakes and tried to correct them. A warm, fuzzy feeling grew inside of you.

Before any of you could say another word, you were yanked away from Bucky and the cold metal of a blade was pressed into your throat. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”, a male voice asked. “Steve, let her go. She means no harm.”, Bucky ordered, his intonation firm and demanding. He was definitely parading his rank in this moment.

The man who had been detaining you instantly followed his command. He was tall, muscular and blonde. His longsword was in excellent condition – and he didn’t sheathe it. You made sure to retreat far enough so you were out of reach of the weapon. He made you feel very uncomfortable.

“Steve…” Bucky’s voice was a low, warning growl. The blond finally sheathed his longsword. But with his arms crossed in front of his broad chest he didn’t appear any less intimidating. “What are you doing here, maid?”, he asked with an audible hostile undertone. “Steve, leave it alone. This is already Essex. The private property of the Countess, to be exact. We are the intruders. I already talked to this young lady. She won’t report us to the Countess but we have to leave the wood here.”, Bucky answered in a tone that ended every discussion before it began.

The blond considered it for several seconds. “Well, so be it. Your punishment was to chop wood. His Majesty never said a word about bringing the wood along.”, he finally said. You instantly froze. Bucky had told you that his father was the person to send him chopping wood. And there was only one person who was addressed as ‘His Majesty’.

“You…you are the Prince. Prince James.”, you said with numb lips.

Tags: @imamotherfuckingstar-lord

Next Part

#graceys1kchallenge #Royal AU #Prince Bucky #Bucky X Reader #Fairytale AU #Cinderella AU #Writing Challenge

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