Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

Hi all! I’m looking for contemporary slow burn recommendations. I’ve read every Zapata book, and loved most of them. Something similar would be great!

Not a fan of smut, 1-2 sex scenes are okay. Any trope is fine :) TYIA!

ETA: I’ve seen the lists, I’d rather have recs from people who have read a book and can recommend it

Hi everyone,
I’m Emiko and I just self-published my very first short story on Kindle.

It’s called “The Red Scarf I Forgot to Return”, and honestly… I still can’t believe I clicked “publish.” I’ve been writing in notebooks and phone notes for years, too scared to show anyone. This is the first story I ever completed and gave to the world even though I felt small while doing it.

It’s a soft, poetic winter romance. The kind where:
a boy falls in love through shared books and candy rituals,
a girl leaves without a goodbye but forgets her red scarf,
and 10 winters later, love returns with daffodils.


It's quiet. It's slow. It’s not dramatic or spicy just gentle, like warm tea ☕ and soft snow.

I don’t have a following. I don’t know how to market.
I just know that this story was my way of healing something, and I’m hoping someone out there might find warmth in it too.

👉 https://a.co/d/aCbEHqa
The story’s around 43 pages long.

If you do give it a try, I’d be grateful beyond words if you could leave a short, honest review on Amazon. Even a line. It means the world to new authors like me who are just starting.

And if you didn’t enjoy it — thank you still, for giving a nobody a chance. I’m still learning, and I’d love to improve.

With love and a hopeful heart,
– Emiko

Maybe you’ve never left a scarf behind.
But if you’ve ever left a piece of yourself with someone… quietly, gently, without knowing if they’d keep it .....
Then maybe this story is already yours......

And maybe, just maybe,
it’s been waiting for you too. 🧣✨❤

Masque of Deceptions — A Regency Romance with Intrigue, Danger, and Desire

1814. A glittering London season. Behind the masks, secrets are brewing.
When Drusilla Davenant attends a masked ball, she steps into a world of hidden agendas, whispered scandals, and a dangerous game of deception. Her path will cross with unexpected allies, ruthless enemies, and a romance that tests every rule of society.



Winner of the Book Readers’ Appreciation Group (BRAG) Medallion and the Global Book Award Gold Medal, Masque of Deceptions blends historical detail with high-stakes mystery and heart-stirring romance.

📖 Read more or grab your copy here: https://books2read.com/u/m271pk

For those who love Regency romance, what’s your favourite setting for intrigue? A ballroom, a carriage ride through London at night, or a quiet country estate hiding dangerous secrets?