Context. I work in an inner city ED and was on triage that morning. Waiting room is packed. 50 minute wait for triage. I come out of my room to give the healthcare assistant my blood cards.
Patient on the corridor: I've not eaten and I really want some toast, can you make me some?
Me: I'm sorry but I cant do that atm, I've got a lot of patients to triage and I cant leave it unmanned.
Patient: asks me literally the same thing as if I'd never spoken
Me: like I said, I'm sorry, I cant do that because I need to continue traiging.
I continue with triage. 10 mins later, nurse in charge (NIC) bursts in.
NIC: you need to apologise to that patient on the corridor.
Me: excuse me? What for? Because I couldnt make her some toast? I wasnt rude
NIC: she didnt like the way you said it, you need to apologise.
Me: I've done nothing wrong. I will not grovel to a patient over toast. This discussion isnt worthy of our time
NIC: she's crying and asked her mum to fetch her home
Me: she's an adult, that's her choice. I've done nothing wrong and I will not apologise. If you want to debase yourself for toast, you're welcome to.
Why are we expected to grovel to a patient over a bit of toast? Why should I apologise because she wanted toast immediately and I was not able.to do it? I cannot stomach that level of servility. I'm beginning to think vocation is toxic AF and its shafting us all
Iโm insatiable for this trope.
So, same as I have posted before. Looking for a book where H severely fucks up and has to grovel and earn hโs forgiveness.
Iโve read a lot of recommended books from hereโฆ The Unwanted Wife, A Husbandโs Regret, Claimed by the Horde King, Unbreak my Heart, Before Jamaica Lane, Lady Gallant, The Divorce, One Eighty, Smokey, Lady Luck, Stoned, Ghosted, Kiss an Angel, Goalie, 4 Years Laterโฆ I can seriously go on and on.
One book I absolutely LOVED was Never Sweeter by Charlotte Stein. Holy fuck. This book scratched all my itches - ex bully doing all he can to redeem himself.
Another book I loved (and I may get some flack) was Virtue & Vanity by Astrid Jane Ray. There is SA and H severely misjudges her until he realizes how bad he fucked up and grovelsโฆ but I really didnโt like how much of a doormat FMC was. That kinda annoyed me.
Would absolutely give you a big fat smooch if you recommend a book where an old bully (PREFERABLY MALE) is making it up to the FMC.
Would give you a big fat smooch, especially to your ass, if you recommend me something sci-fi like aliens.
And yโall, I want something so satisfying. Nothing where the FMC forgives and forgets easily, thatโs my biggest pet peeve. I want MMC to hurt, bro.
Please no super doormat FMCsโฆ I donโt mind a little bit of a doormat but nothing like โuwu okayโ as she gets slapped again lmao. and I am guilty for this but I prefer for the FMC do have done literally nothing wrong HAHAHA.
Feels like the guy always gets off easy in these books which I why I avoid them - but when they hit, they hit hard!
Would prefer no cheating or sexual contact with any other women in the book.
My own recc would be BULLY by Jessa Kane.
I recently read {Tyrant Alphaโs Rejected Mate by Cate C. Wells} and really enjoyed it. I tried Becoming His by Albany Walker but only made it 25%. On the heroineโs first night seeing Him after he rejected her years ago she sleeps in his bed and cooks him dinner. Heโs already calling her baby and other pet names while he tells her that even though he slept with tons of other women he didnโt love them like he loved her. To me, that made her seem pathetic and they were acting way too cutesy considering he supposedly broke her heart and they were virtual strangers. If Iโm missing something and the book somehow improves, let me know.
Please give me a book with some good grovel and a heroine with a backbone.
Buckle up - this is a little long and rant-ish but Iโd love to see who shares the same opinions as me. I tried to make this a spoiler-free as possible. The only thing I'm giving away are tropes.
Okay, I'm not proud to admit - I'm one of those compulsive romance readers who spends more time looking for books than actually reading. These past couple of years I've become EXTREMELY picky and always end up re-reading my favorites because it seems like my perfect book doesnโt exist (I've even seriously considered writing my own book at this point TBH).
I'd first like to thank you all, this sub has definitely led me to some amazing books that I wouldโve never read had I come across it on my own (The Love Hypothesis is one example that immediately comes to mind).
HOWEVER
There is one book I wanted to specifically discuss with this sub. Itโs one that I swore Iโd NEVER read. I'd casually seen it on a bunch of Good Reads lists before joining this sub and I'd always dismissed it.
Like I previously mentioned, my tastes have become extremely picky these past couple of years, to the point where I immediately reject anything thatโs not contemporary romance written in single-POV.
I'd spend endless hours looking through the highest rated enemies-to-lovers/marriage of convenience/trillionaire/single-pov/etc book lists on GR. Iโd always end up exhausted and would just end up rereading my favorites - at least I knew they would never disappoint me.
Itโs important to note Iโd always seen one specific God-forsaken book at the top of each list. Iโve become such an elitist with my tastes (I swear Iโm trying to change) that eventually I would scroll past it just on principle - in my eyes, being published in 1996 essentially made the book a historical romance (Iโm so sorry).
Why would I EVER read a book that was published a year before I was born?
Fast forward to another blurb-binge one night on GR, I decided to consult with some professionals and visited this sub. I eagerly typed into the search bar one single magic word. It's something that all humans crave from time to time, but a common addiction some of us seriously struggle with here. Iโd been experiencing serious book withdrawal symptoms and I REALLY needed a good fix:
GROVEL
As I browsed through all of the popular posts, I became more and more angry. I know Natasha Anders is the queen of grovel but FUCK I ALREADY READ THE UNWANTED WIFE SIX TIMES I NEED A NEW HIT.
Thatโs when I not
... keep reading on reddit โก
Basically the plot of the classics >!Pride and Prejudice!< and >!North and South!<. I loved the angst in these (specially the latter), and how well written the tension is!
Is this a trope? Are there even any contemporary authors who can pull this off? Am I destined to reread the same two books over and over again to scratch the itch? ๐ซ
Letโs talk GROVEL, yโall. This is a popular request, a niche in the romance genre, and several fab threads have been had here lately regarding grovel. Also, a lot of rants.
Iโve read the threads, the rants, and the recs. Iโve also, as a result, read a good deal of books that were described as having โgoodโ or โsatisfyingโ grovel. Some of them resonated with me. Othersโฆ not so much. And thatโs cool. Expected. Everyoneโs preferences are different, after all. However, with some of the books Iโve read recently, not only was I not satisfied by the grovel, but I didnโt see grovel present at all.
Obviously, my definition of what makes a grovel a grovel must be different than other folks. Which leads me to the question: what is a grovel? How is it different from an apology or a grand gesture?
If you had to define it, what would you say a grovel is? Whatโs the formula? What are the ingredients?
Somebodyโs messed up, theyโve abandoned their other half, betrayed their trust, and/or selfishly caused them unbearable (and entirely avoidable) painโฆ. now what?
These are things Iโve come up with for me:
1) There needs to be genuine remorse. Not just regret, but remorse. The groveler must feel guilt, sorrow, and then meaningfully change their behavior. A lot of grovelers say things like โI know Iโll have to earn your trust backโ โ well, okay, yes. Also, no fucking shit. But letโs see it. Through actions, not just words. Talk is cheap, lip service is easy. Let me see that trust earned back on the page.
2) The groveler has to suffer. Ideally commensurately with the SO theyโve hurt if not more. I want them to feel devastated, experience actual pain, and acknowledge that itโs their own damn fault for feeling that way, no one elseโs. If some of the suffering is karmic, that ainโt bad either.
BUT, and this is important, THESE TWO THINGS ARENโT ENOUGH. At least, not for me. A lot of โgrovelโ books Iโve read have had the hero do something awful, often over a long period of time/a majority of the novel, then realize his mistake and express genuine remorse within one scene. The heroine then gets back with him. Thatโs not enough. Itโs also (to me) an apology, not a grovel.
So what else makes a grovel a grovel?
3) Time. Or, more specifically, rejection of the groveler over time.
The apology should be prolonged. The SO done wrong should not forgive the groveler within one scene, and they certainly shouldnโt get back together with them a
... keep reading on reddit โกI have never seen a weaker and waffling interview in my life.
Why would he recant his words before this idiot, he seemed afraid of him?
Am I crazy or is lack of grovel one of the biggest things that romance readers complain about? I've seen so many grovel book requests on here and the qualifying recommendations are few and far between. I want authors to start writing in so much grovel that readers start complaining about too much of it. Seriously, I'd prefer over the top, ultimate pining, knees on the ground, daily flowers on the doorstep, drunken texts, billboard apologies...me starting to think it's getting weird....verses the nothing I'm constantly being given. Jeez. There's nothing worse than finishing a book where the offending character is forgiven way too easily.
Ya'll the latest lack of grovel I experienced that's got me writing this wasn't even by the hero, that's how sick of it I am ๐ญ. It was in Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover. This isn't a spoiler because its addressed at the beginning, but the heroine (age 19) grew up with her addict mother in a trailer and constantly went hungry while raising herself. During that time, she saw her dad like once a year and the past 3 years not at all. The dad even got out of going to her high school graduation by lying about how he had a broken leg. Pathetic. She goes to live with him when her mom overdoses, and finds out he's living lavishly on the beach with a new wife and stepdaughter. Because it's just a side plot, he and the heroine hardly battle it out and he's forgiven so easily. Sigh. Barf. 19 years of neglect!!
Give me angst and groveling please in where at some point, for whatever reason, she ignores him and pretends he doesn't exist and he misses her so much and it kills him that she's not in his life anymore, and the things that used to annoy him about her are now the things and details he misses the most. But I don't want just one or two chapters of this groveling, I WANT A LOT OF PAGES, MAKE HIM SUFFER AND DESERVE HER LOVE AGAIN.
โข Slow-burn.
โข Happy Ending for the couple.
โข ALL GENRES ARE FINE.
โข Fanfics, webtoons, wattpad, tv and movie recs are super okay too! ๐
THANK YOU.
I've read the Lauren Layne books like that, and the Higlander series aswell:))
My major requirment is: Hero hurting the heroine big time. Maybe the hero is hot and cold towards her. Or becomes super mean or obliviously insults her or ignores her in front of his colleague, doesn't value her. Initially she tries to save the marriage but then she says, "enough is enough" followed by grovelling and neat tied up ending.
But please no cheating. I know I am sounding like a broken record (โฅ๏นโฅ) but sometimes I get recommended novels on the said trope only to find the hero is kissing OW or "he was just pulling away" or "it isn't what it seems like. She came on to me".
I can do with jealousy drama with OW/OM as long as their is no mutual physical and emotional affection/attraction. I am fine with evil OW/OM creating troubles between the couples too.
A good example with a shit lot of OW and oblivious stupid hero is "the greek's Christmas baby by Lucy Monroe"
Also, arranged marriages or marriage of convenience where characters wants to make it real but have troubles adjusting to each other are so welcome. Example:
"his baseborn bridegroom by Alice coldbreath"
Devil is a marques by Elisa Braden
The viscount and I by Stacie ried
What price paradise
Lessons from a scarlet lady by Emma wildes
Harlequin presents, HR, contemporary, anything is welcome.
I have read:
The striker by Monica McCarty (it's my personal favourite. HR)
The unwanted wife by Natasha Anders.
One week with her husband by Noelle Adams (cute novella)
Forgotten sins by Rebecca zanette
The captain's midwinter bride by Liana de la Rosa (it's a very cute novella. HR)
Regarding duke by grace Callaway
Method by Kate Stewart
Kiss an angel
Something worth saving
The girl in 24B seat
Lady Isabella's scandalous marriage
I have found some links and gobbled down those novels where my safety was met!
I made this same post several months ago. ๐
I devoured every novel recommended in this post ๐คค
I will add more as I remember.
Thank you in advance! ๐
Have a good day/night
... keep reading on reddit โกIt is pretty annoying when I, Slayer-King of Karak Kadrin, am one turn away from killing Clan Moulder in Praag after destroying Hell Pit with minimal losses, each one written in the book as a grudge against the infested rodent kin, and their horrid leader has the gall to offer a peace treaty WITH NO GOLD and yawn "we're bored of killing dwarf-things"
There isn't enough left of their kin for settling all the grudges we have left.
Hi!
I'm looking for books like Driven (K. Bromberg) in which the hero has committment issues/feels like he is not good enough for the heroine because of a troubled past.
His intention is to have her but at arm's length. He pushes her away when the love siren begins to ring. Heroine is very patient with him though because she knows he has issues. Up until hero screws up big time. Heroine is very hurt, finally gives him what he initially wanted in the first place (be emotionally distant, just after the physical chemistry, take back confessions of love and claim it was a mistake, the whole "wasn't this what you wanted in the first place?" discussion). Hero regrets it and grovels to fix things because he realizes he loves/needs the heroine
Plus plus if he's a jealous type! โค๏ธ Any book that has this "formula"? Preferrably contemporary/new adult please
Thanks :) I am preparing to spend the Christmas break cooped up reading hahaha!
Cate C. Wells, (author of Run, Posy, Run) has a new book out, The Tyrant Alpha's Rejected Mate . (Did the link work? I hope it works.)
I love all of her books, but I have to gush about this one in particular. It has the typical fated mates set up. The FMC, Una, has a disabled leg from an attack when she was young and that puts her at the bottoms of her pack's hierarchy. She is the leader of a group of other bottom-ranked females who are pushing againt the patriarchal rules of pack life. She recognizes the Alpha as her mate and he rejects and humiliates her. The MMC grovels for basically 50% of the book, and I know how this sub feels about a good grovel. The FMC doesn't forgive him right away, but he is completely understanding of that and his patience is so attractive. There is some other plot action happening with rival wolf packs, but the groveling is basically the plot and I am here. for. it. The characters are a little older than typical for this genre (late 20s). I feel like the other rejected mates books I have tried have been new adult age, so I quite enjoyed this change.
Dual POV. MMC is sort of-ish a virgin. The steam is mostly hot, agonized longing with a little on page sex, and my only complaint is wishing for more on page sex. It is a stand alone, but setting up for more books in the world.
