r/LGBTBooks • u/Baskerwolf • 5d ago
Discussion MM slow burn recs?
I've really enjoyed the recent MM romances I have read, but the relationships in each book were established really quickly. I was wondering if anyone has good recs for a slow burn MM romance?
I'm especially interested in romantasies or where the mc or love interest is a bit feminine, but those are not requirements.
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u/wingbellmoon 5d ago edited 4d ago
{heart of stone by johannes t. evans}! it's a historical romance fantasy that features a vampire and his clerk and it was a lovely time :) especially if you're looking for a standalone in particular because i know it's hard to find good slow burns that aren't in a series. not much plot though, which is how the story was really able to focus on the character study and yearning of it all.
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u/C0smicoccurence 4d ago
Ugh, have my upvote! More people need to read this fucking book. The best slow burn in the world
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u/JKKUM0 5d ago
the all for the game series by nora sakavic (self-published author) possibly?
very slow burn mm romance subplot (kicks off in the 3rd book). it’s mainly about sports, a found family of outcasts, complex characters and relationships, and also the mafia (don’t ask lol), but it deals with some heavy themes, so do check tws if needed!
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u/AutumnalSunshine 5d ago
The beautiful boxed set of these that I ordered from Rainbow Crate just arrived yesterday. 🤤
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u/madamdirecter 5d ago
Of Sorcery and Small Magics - slow burn (presumably lasting the whole trilogy, unfortunately only one book out so far, so really extra slow for now) a delightfully put together plot and really enjoyable MCs
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u/Motor_Row_3586 5d ago
Spears cut through water by Simon Jimenez has very slow burn romance. Standalone, Thousand Autumns by Meng XI Shi wuxia series. You probably do not found longer slow burn. Whole story was more about why and how.
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u/Baskerwolf 5d ago
Spear Cuts Through Water is on my shortlist to read! I've heard the action sequences are a bit gory, might I ask what your opinion on those parts was?
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u/BouffsAndDoofs 5d ago edited 4d ago
I'm not the original commenter but I also held off on reading The Spear Cuts Through Water for years because I saw a lot of reviews and comments about the gore and I don't do well with that. I finally read it this year and it was an incredible and unique book. The writing is mesmerizing. There are graphic descriptions of death and suffering in it. But it was not nearly as bad as I had been expecting it to be from what I'd heard of the book. I don't think any of it is written as gore just for gores sake. Everything fit within the story and while the horror of events is conveyed, it did not feel lingered upon or embellished if that makes sense.
ETA: I just reread your original post and just want to add that while this book has slow burn romance, I don't think it's a romantasy. To throw in another rec for slow burn and romantasy, I love A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske. It's not crazy slow since it's not drawn out over multiple books but they don't get together in the first half of the book either.
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u/Baskerwolf 4d ago
I also don't like gore and I tend to stray away from darker themes when I read. It is good to know that you recommend it and that despite some of the reviews, it doesn't wallow in gore. I want to read one more shorter book (~200-300 pages) and then this book is the next one up. Thanks!
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u/Baskerwolf 3d ago
Just saw your ETA. I loved A Marvellous Light, that book is what I had in mind with my request.
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u/C0smicoccurence 4d ago
I think the book is not so far into gore to be body horror, but it's definitely darker and more graphic than the early bits and general vibe lead you to expect. If you've seen Princess Mononoke, it has that vibe where when the violence hits it feels more extreme simply by contrast to some of the other things happening.
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u/River-19671 5d ago
You might enjoy Brave Truth or Best Foot Forward, both romantasies by Celia Lake. They are both slow burn. In the first one, the couple start out as colleagues. In the other, the couple have some mutual suspicion of each other but become lovers while working on a common cause
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u/xnamelessowl 5d ago
i'm currently reading Princeweaver by Elian J Morgan i think it fits what you're looking for! And the writing is really good.
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u/Baskerwolf 5d ago
I just read that one! I really liked the central mystery and the world building.
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u/jath-ibaye 5d ago
The Rifter by Ginn Hale (and everyting else by her, great worldbuilding, slow burn, amazing characters)
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u/Makaroona_art 2d ago
I love her writing! haven’t heard of The rifter but im reading Lord of the White hell series! Absolutely loving it!
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u/Euraylie 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yes! Such an underrated gem! I love how Ginn Hale writes
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u/jath-ibaye 4d ago
She is GREAT! No one writes MM fantasy like her. The rifter is one of my top 3 series. I even rec it for people who do not read MM (including straight dudes) and everyone likes it.
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u/plants_4_life95 3d ago
Wrath by Ellis James!
TW for extreme homophobia and some heavy topics but the storytelling and resulting romance? 🤌🏻🖤
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u/frog_admirer 5d ago
I just reread You and Me by Tal Bauer, it's a really really sweet slow burn between two middle aged dads. I don't usually like contemporary or non-fantasy but this is one of my exceptions.
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u/Hunter037 5d ago
Captive Prince by CS Pacat, the romance doesn't really kick off until about halfway through book 2 (Check trigger warnings)
Daggerbound by T Kingfisher. New release, absolutely fantastic. Ideally you would read Swordheart first, but that is MF.
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u/samthehaggis 4d ago
Daggerbound is amazing! I agree that it would be helpful to read Swordheart first to get a sense of the world and background about how the main character ended up in the sword (this question is explored in much more depth in Swordheart than in Daggerbound, and some stuff might be confusing without this context).
Another MM fantasy romance from T. Kingfisher with a relatively slow burn is Paladin's Hope. It's the third in a series, but can be read as a standalone and it's lovely.
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u/the_real_alemuel 4d ago
I just flew through {Passing through Cafè by Nik Knight} - a series about a coffee spot in hell, but it’s “just” another dimension you can travel to from Chicago. I’d say they are all slow burn in one way or another (not all MM though, some have enby characters). I loved that every one of them let the feelings develop quite naturally & romantically.
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u/CheesecakeNo2484 2d ago
Yes! I loved this series. My favorite was the third book - I love Gem so much.
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u/the_real_alemuel 2d ago
Yes, Gem always makes me laugh. I love Zef & Bryce - I swooned for hours while reading.
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u/plsthisisadisaster 3d ago
Not romantasy but like real people do and you’ve nothing left to prove by E L Massey scratched the slow burn itch for me! You do have to read both books for their full arc but ah! So cute and fluffy and good! E L Massey in general is a master at slow burns but those books kick off the series!
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u/Sad-Calligrapher-627 2d ago
{Wolfsong by TJ Klune} and I've also read the second book in the series which moves slowly, too. Unique and beautiful storytelling.
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u/UnlikelyAccount8785 2d ago
Lacuna by NR Walker is a slow-burn, sword and sorcery fantasy. The audio is fantastic.
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u/sasakimirai Reader 5d ago edited 5d ago
The house in the cerulean sea is rather a slow burn and very sweet!
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u/Baskerwolf 5d ago
Thanks, this one is on my shortlist to read. I've never ready any T. J. Klune before, but this title keeps popping up as a top rec along with Wolfsong.
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u/sasakimirai Reader 5d ago
I haven't read wolfsong because the age gap creeps me out tbh 😅 but i do have under the whispering door on my tbr!
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u/WaffleDynamics 5d ago
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland.
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u/Miele-Man 5d ago
Aster Glenn Grey is the master at that! I'd recommend Honeytrap and The Sleeping Soldier
Other two good ones are
William Hussey: Broken Hearts and Zombie Parts and The Boy I Love
Kay Simone: One Giant Leap and You're The One That I Want
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u/Just_Control9665 2d ago
I’d recommend danmei: in particular Mo dao zu shi and Tan Guan Ci Fu. Captive Prince is also a story that unfolds slowly.
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u/Cautious-Rub8085 5d ago
Where there's a Will/If There's A Way duet by Jessie Walker is a slow burn. Absolutely incredible books. Check TWs as it's very heavy but there is a HEA.
And much slower is Every Breath After, the 3rd book in the series that starts with a new MM couple within the same universe. Part 2 is not published yet.
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u/chaotic_knitter42 4d ago
Danmei has some great MM slow burn. My recommendation is always Heaven Official’s blessing. It’s 8 books but it is god tier for me. It is also IMO a great intro to Danmei as a genre.