We asked you what the worst romance novel you’ve read this year is and, with a few exceptions, you all nominated different reads that didn’t work for you. Several of the nominated books have gotten high grades here at AAR which goes to show that in reading–as in 7th grade school photos (that is mine from 7th grade)–YMMV.
If you’d like to share, with kindness, why you disliked the book you read, do so. Let’s stick to talking about books, however, and not people. No shaming allowed!
Who Wants to Marry a Duke by Sabrina Jeffries
Wilde in Love by Eloisa James
A Beauty for the Scarred Duke by Bridget Barton, a DNF/ F- novel, kindle deal, bad choice on my part, a waste of time.
A couple of Harlequins — one western, one suspense. I’ve blanked out the titles and authors. Both DNF
A Dangerous Kind of Lady Mia Vincy
A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert
A Tapestry of Dreams by Roberta Gillis. I haven’t finished it yet. It’s not bad, but I’m having a difficult time getting through it (I’ve been reading it for 3 weeks now). It had been on my TBR pile for a long time and I had enjoyed the sequel without knowing the two books were related. Maybe I’ll like it more once I’ve finished.
After the Wedding by Courtney Milan
Autumn’s Child by Kathleen Giles-Seidel
Back to the Good Fortune Diner by Vicki Essex
Beautiful Beast by Roe Horvat
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (dnf)
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
Can’t say…
can’t think of one
Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart
Come Home to Deep River by Jackie Ashenden
Dance Away with Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Dance Away with Me by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean
Dark Breaks the Dawn by Sara B. Larson
Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan
Dirty (Dan and Elle #1)
DNF’d a lot.
Don’t know
Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole
More than a Mistress by Balogh for historical
Everything A Lady is Not by Sawyer North
everything that Kristen Ashley has published this year. I could not finish any of it. The Rising was perhaps the worst because the book jumped POV so much among 4 or 5 different storylines (couples) in the one book. It was very confusing / disjointed.
Fix Her Up by Tess Bailey
Fortunately, I can’t remember any of them since I purposefully scrubbed my memory of any of them after I finished.
Happily Ever after by Lori Wilde
Haven’t read a really bad one yet thankfully
Her Other Secret by HelenKay Dimon
Hmm, nothing stands out in my dnfs
Husky by Jessica Kane
I DNF The Roommate— so disappointed, given the buzz surrounding it.
I don’t read bad romance. If the first chapter on Amazon doesn’t engage, I don’t buy it.
I don’t finish the book if it’s bad. Hands Down by Mariana Zapata was the most disappointing. I was hoping for less angsy woe-is-me inner monologues from the heroine.
I quit if they are bad.
I usually DNF books that aren’t working for me, but, of the books I finished, Shantel Tessier’s mafia romance, Code of Silence, was pretty damn bad.
I usually love Tessa Bailey but Reborn Yesterday was a huge disappointment.
I won’t finish it if I don’t like it
It’s a tie between Laura Lee Guhkre’s Heiress Gone Wild and The Truth About Love and Dukes. Wallbangers, both of them and from such a usually great author. ”
Let’s Get Textual by Teagan Hunter
Mariana Zapata’s Under Locke
Meet Cute by Helena Hunting “Milla Vane – tried with all three books. So many great reviews, way too much silly sex. Eye rolling.
No idea
No Offence by Meg Cabot
No Offense by Meg Cabot
No Place Like Home by Fern Michaels – Trying to clean my TBR shelf
none
none
Not going to answer this
Pounding Skin by LA Witt
I’m quick to DNF, if it is terrible.
Robin Lovett’s Toxic Desire
Rocky Mountain Haven
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin. Despite loving enemies-to-lovers, this pseudo-historical YA paranormal romance is extremely misogynistic and the hero models many of the red flag warning signs of a domestic abuser.
Show the Fire by Susan Fanetti
Some rando MC freebie
Sophie Jordan’s The Virgin and The Rogue
Sunrise Canyon by Janet Dailey
That would probably be Refuge for a Rogue by L.S. Young. I did at least finish it.
The Bittersweet Bride by Vanessa Riley
The Bookish life of Nina Hill
The Counterfeit Marriage by Joan Wolf
The Countess by Lynsay Sands
The Countess by Lynsay Sands
The Determined Duchess by Erica Monroe (which wasn’t terrible, but it was a cut below anything else I finished; if it hadn’t been a novella, I wouldn’t have bothered to finish it)”
The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
The Hitman by Katrina Jackson
The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren
The Hunter by L J Shen
The Lost Sister by Kendra Elliot
The Master’s New Governess by Eliza Redgold
The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn. It was a DNF for me.
The Outlaw’s Lady by Laurie Kingery
The Princess Problem by Christi Barth
The Roommate
The Surviving Trace by Calia Read
There have been a lot. But I don’t read them, I dnf them. Probably one of the Bully Romance books I’ve tried to read. They’re horrific.
To Woo a Wicked Widow by Jenna Jaxon
Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren
Uncivilized
Vanessa Riley’s A Duke, A Lady, and a Baby
