Books like 'The Empress'
Readers who enjoyed The Empress by Kristin Cast also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy paranormal funny new adult magic m-f fake relationship forced proximity caretaking
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Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu Vol. 1 by 墨香铜臭, Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
Born the crown prince of a prosperous kingdom, Xie Lian was renowned for his beauty, strength, and purity. His years of dedicated study and noble deeds allowed him to ascend to godhood. But those who rise may also fall, and fall he does--cast from the heavens and banished to the world below... -
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
When mysterious faeries from other realms appear at her university, curmudgeonly professor Emily Wilde must uncover their secrets before it’s too late in this heartwarming, enchanting second installment of the Emily Wilde series. Emily Wilde is a genius scholar of faerie folklore—she just wrote the world’s first comprehensive of encylopaedia of faeries...Categorized as:
magic m-f political-intrigue neurodivergent caretaking forced proximity hurt-comfort fae -
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Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy. Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries...Categorized as:
magic forced proximity neurodivergent m-f career professional multicultural caretaking hurt-comfort -
Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater
It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul. Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal...Categorized as:
new adult magic neurodivergent tortured heroine hurt-comfort m-f caretaking poor heroine -
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A Rake of His Own by A.J. Lancaster
Marius Valstar doesn’t know which is worse: the dead body in his greenhouse or the naked fae prince on his desk. The only rakes of interest to Marius are garden tools. Not fae princes. Certainly not the arrogant, selfish fae prince he has the misfortune to have a history with...Categorized as:
bad boys magic forced proximity alpha male multicultural political-intrigue bodyguard-hero fantasy -
Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
This isn't the kind of fairytale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him. Marra never wanted to be a hero. As the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter, she escaped the traditional fate of princesses, to be married away for the sake of an uncaring throne... -
How I Stole the Princess's White Knight and Turned Him to Villainy: Miracle 5 by A.J. Sherwood
Part 5! Blurb and tags to come. -
My Feral Romance by Tessonja Odette
A painter in need of a model. A matchmaker seeking a subject. An arrangement that will tangle their hearts. Fae shifter Daphne has landed the opportunity of a illustrating her favorite author’s steamy romance novels. If only she could master male physiques…and other essential anatomy. What she needs is a model...Categorized as:
magic m-f hurt-comfort bad boys shy heroine neurodivergent height-difference caretaking -
Sent to a Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me: Volume 1 by Jaclyn Osborn
Evan just wants a quiet life where he escapes into books, drinks a ridiculous amount of coffee, and devours every muffin in sight. But then he's transported to another world with magic, sword-wielding knights with big. .. hearts, and men who find him too adorable to resist. Complicated? Well, that's the understatement of the century. And for Evan, the adventure is only beginning... -
A Man's Skin by Hubert, Zanzim
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsIn Renaissance Italy, Bianca, a young lady from a good family, is of marriage age. Her parents find her a fiancé to their liking: Giovanni, a rich merchant, young and pleasant. The wedding looks set to go smoothly even though Bianca can’t hide her disappointment at having to marry a man she knows nothing about... -
On the Care and Keeping of Orcs by Kass O'Shire
Stealing some horses from a magical fortress should be easy after raising twins and enduring two weeks with the orc that broke her heart. Catrin's half-orc children are going through a difficult. .. growing phase. But since their orcish father left while she was pregnant, she doesn't know how to help...Categorized as:
magic m-f height-difference multicultural caretaking forced proximity fetish fantasy -
Sent To A Fantasy World and Now All the Men Want Me: Volume 2 by Jaclyn Osborn
Life in another world isn't so bad. Evan has found true love, a group of knights who all like pestering him, a cat-boy best friend who loves cake, and even a job. Okay, so maybe there's still the demons in the dark forest to worry about. .. and the ultra-powerful demon lord. There also may be bandits sweeping through the surrounding lands, headed straight for the kingdom. But that's okay...Categorized as:
insta-love magic height-difference hurt-comfort new adult caretaking multicultural bodyguard-hero -
The Traitor's Curse by Eliot Grayson
Betrayed, beset on all sides, and possibly bewitched…. Since the sudden, suspicious, and unlamented death of his father, only one man stands between Lucian and the grudging acceptance of his Benedict, a powerful dusk mage, a military hero, the favorite of the ducal council…and Lucian’s stepbrother. Not that Benedict wants a shackle disguised as a crown...Categorized as:
magic forced proximity political-intrigue bodyguard-hero hurt-comfort betrayal alpha male fantasy -
How I Took the King on a Bone-a-Fide Quest of Piracy, Piemu, and Profit: The Complete Works by A.J. Sherwood
You have found a sentient dragon skull. Accepting this quest entails half a dragon’s hoard. Would you like to assemble the dragon? (YES) (no). My boooOOOOOOoooones. Must we take the dragon skull on said quest? Sadly, yes. Add Piemu and Pirate sidequests? (YES) (NO). Tan...Categorized as:
magic multicultural political-intrigue bodyguard-hero alpha male bad boys fantasy queer -
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Tryggred by the Orc by Finley Fenn
He’s supposed to run… but he wants to be caught. In a world of orcs and men, Eben of Clan Ka-esh is shy, awkward, and desperately lonely. No one notices the sickroom’s quietest scholar, not even when he’s saving lives, or offering up decadent pleasures in Orc Mountain’s darkest depths. Until Tryggr, of Clan Skai. A tall, shameless, laughing orc warrior, who can have anyone he wants. .Categorized as:
praise-kink height-difference forced proximity hurt-comfort other-man-woman alpha male fantasy m-m -
The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton
Two rival spies must brave pirates, witches, and fake matrimony to save the Queen. Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities... -
A Rivalry of Hearts by Tessonja Odette
Two rival writers. One prestigious publishing contract. A bargain of hearts and seduction. They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she's trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget... -
A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty by Stacia Stark
Risk everything for your kingdom…. Or be destroyed by it. In a world darkened by deceit, the truth is a light that won’t be dimmed. Even when it illuminates Lorian’s betrayals more starkly than I could ever want to see. They call him the Bloodthirsty Prince. His reign of terror has left a trail of blood across this continent...Categorized as:
new adult magic m-f forced proximity height-difference hurt-comfort political-intrigue betrayal -
Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson
Miss Mildred Percy inherits a dragon. Ah, but we’ve already got ahead of ourselves…. Miss Mildred Percy is a spinster. She does not dance, she has long stopped dreaming, and she certainly does not have adventures. That is, until her great uncle has the audacity to leave her an inheritance, one that includes a dragon’s egg... -
A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis
Margaret, Lady Riven, never expected to find herself married, much less enjoying a honeymoon with her vampiric husband. Of course, they’ve only agreed to stay married for logical, practical reasons, but Lord Riven has kept his promise to supply her with excellent tea and even better company as they travel together across the continent...Categorized as:
magic m-f caretaking marriage of convenience neurodivergent fantasy vampires historical -
Destroy by Sandra R. Neeley
Destroy. Whispers From the Bayou. Book 2. Destroy is beautiful, strong, charismatic and charming. He is also selfish, shallow, petty and jealous — or is he? One misunderstanding centuries ago resulted in his being labeled as not good enough, untrustworthy, self-serving... -
I’m a Villainous Daughter, so I’m going to keep the Last Boss (Manga) Vol. 3 (I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss (Manga) #3) by Anko Yuzu, Sarasa Nagase
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThird volume of an exciting romantic story. Avoid the BAD END! That's the goal of the villainess in this plot-twisting story! ! She has been reborn into the world of an otome game as the villainess, Irene... -
The Leviathan's Debt by Merri Bright
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThere’s a price for everything. Forty years ago, Wren was attacked by King Talon the day after their wedding. She fled and was lost at sea…and then found by an ancient being, who saved her with his blood. The price for her life? Someday, the monster will return to claim it. Now, she’s become the mysterious Ankelsang, the Angel of Blood who protects the vulnerable... -
Under the Oak Tree: Volume 1 (The Comic) by Suji Kim, namu
Most fairytales end with a wedding and a happily-ever-after—but this is no fairytale. The first volume of the official webcomic based on the hit webnovel by Suji Kim. When stuttering Lady Maximilian is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father’s schemes, her stumbling communication and his gruff manner sour their relationship before it can begin...Categorized as:
forced proximity magic alpha male m-f height-difference caretaking political-intrigue shy heroine -
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This Is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland
Set near the Scottish border at a rugged castle on the edge of the sea, this is the story of a courageous lord who lost everything he held dear. Of a strong young woman willing to sacrifice everything for happiness. Two lost souls who find in each other a reason to live again, to laugh again, and to love for the first time. .. -
Dragon on Top by G.A. Aiken
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsTry a little dragon tenderness. I am Glheanna the Decimator. I am a warrior. A soldier. I know no fear. No pain. No mercy. I do, however, know acute embarrassment! How could I not after getting dumped by a bastard dragon in front of my own troops? So I tuck tail and return to my cave, drowning my sorrows in ale—as is my family’s way... -
The Trials of Ophelia by Nicole Platania
The Angels are calling, and so her hunt begins. After the devastation on Daminius, Ophelia threw herself into restoration to cope with her losses. Two months later, answers to an ancient curse still evade her, a queen threatens her life, and war rages in the southern mountains. Despite her scars and the loved ones lost, Ophelia knows she must move forward for her people... -
The Midsummer Bride by Kati Wilde
A Barbarian Who Must Lie. When a prideful queen comes to his prison cell with an unbelievable proposal of marriage, Warrick of the Dead Lands is quick to accept … but not merely to secure his freedom. Because he recognizes the powerful jewels the queen wears — jewels pilfered from the temple of a goddess, who unleashed her wrath upon a kingdom... -
Pieces of Silver by Iris Foxglove
The coronation of King Adrien de Guillory is fast approaching, but there’s one problem: The crown of Staria is missing. Captain Ferrin Leonhart only has a few clues to go by; A young thief caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, rumors of a man in a green cloak, a city guard captain who knows too much… and Silver, the royal tailor and former thief... -
Primal Love by Misty Vixen
A STONE AGE LOVE STORY. Ara is a huntress, a warrior. Descended from another tribe of ruthless brutes, she towers over everyone in the region and can take on anyone with raw strength alone. The daughter of her tribe's Chieftain and destined to one day assume his mantle, the responsibility she shoulders is immense...Categorized as:
m-f height-difference new adult magic caretaking forced proximity hurt-comfort bodyguard-hero -
The Guards' Haven by Merri Bright
They're guarding her body. She's guarding her heart. After thirty years of cruel captivity in Verdan, Haven convinces the new, magic-wielding queen of neighboring Rimholt to allow her to open a school for poor children. It’s everything she’d hoped. Except the school is an abandoned brothel. The students are tiny criminal masterminds...Categorized as:
magic insta-love forced proximity shy heroine tortured heroine alpha male bodyguard-hero medieval -
The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
A young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age debut novel. It's 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband...Categorized as:
tortured heroine caretaking insta-love m-f neurodivergent height-difference humor victorian -
Wicked Memories by Nina Bangs
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsReturn to the Castle of Dark Dreams, where USA Today bestselling author Nina Bangs lures readers into a world of pleasure, adventure, and revenge…. Thorn Mackenzie was a young Viking when he met Sparkle Stardust long ago. She used him and then abandoned him. Over a thousand years later, he has finally found a way to repay her... -
My Demon of Fire by Rosemary A. Johns
When a billionaire demon prince abducts me in a case of mistaken identity, I never expect him to claim me as his mate…. The hot-as-hell Shifter Demons are savage. Deadly. Sexy. And on my birthday, they steal my twin. When the arrogant but gorgeous dragon shifter, the Demon of Fire, mistakes me for my twin, who’s his fated mate, he whisks me away into the secret underworld... -
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A Tale of Tail Brushing: A Heartwarming Quest of Sword Thrusts and Head Strokes by Kirk Mason, Gwen Grayson
Black-haired cats are bad luck. What about catgirls? The best part about being a knight is the peaceful treks across rolling hills, with nothing but gentle winds and bubbling streams for company. Unfortunately, Richard's next quest breaks that solitude. He needs to gain entry into the fabled Clawmire, and only a flighty catgirl heading the opposite way can help him...Categorized as:
m-f new adult magic shy heroine poor heroine alpha male bodyguard-hero height-difference -
The Brush of Black Wings by Grace Draven
During a foray into the woods of Neith, Martise stumbles upon a ruined temple and reawakens not only a power she thought lost, but also something far more malevolent. An ancient darkness, imprisoned in an eternal cage, sees a chance at freedom in a woman once held in bondage... -
The 12 Hunks of Herculeia by C. Rochelle
I thought I was living the dream—until the fateful day I found my boyfriend in bed with my boss. As a professional copywriter, it was the tired cliche that hurt me the most. What’s a big city girl to do but pack my bags and go solo on that Grecian cruise I’d booked with my ex...Categorized as:
forced proximity praise-kink m-f alpha male career professional magic height-difference caretaking -
One Night Of Scandal by Teresa Medeiros
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsProper decorum has never come easily to Carlotta Anne Fairleigh --- not even tonight, when the lovely, impetuous miss is finally making her debut. As she waits to make her entrance, she can't help wondering about the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the "Murderous Marquess...Categorized as:
marriage of convenience m-f regency historical paranormal fantasy tortured hero humor -
何为贤妻 To Be a Virtuous Wife by Yue Xia Die Ying, 月下蝶影
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA time traveling romance -. from the author's description:... -
흑막 용을 키우게 되었다 1 [Heugmag Yong-eul Kiuge Dweeossda 1] (I Raised A Black Dragon (Novel) #1) by Dalseul, 달슬
빙의한 몸이 하필이면 전과 15범의 악녀다. 용두사망 원작에 끼기도 싫고, 이번 생은 가늘고 길게만 살고 싶어 떠나 주기로 했다. 악녀는 그간의 악행들을 깊이 통감하고 반성하며 시골로 내려갑니다! 모두 행복하세요! …그랬는데.Categorized as:
magic m-f new adult height-difference fake relationship forced proximity bodyguard-hero fantasy -
Five Gifts for the Blacksmith's Wife by Lyonne Riley
When her village faces a winter of starvation, Sita draws the shortest straw. Now she’s to be given to the orcs across the river in exchange for food and supplies so her family can survive. Given the chance to choose her own husband from among the eligible orc bachelors, she selects Gurrek, the reluctant blacksmith, who clearly doesn’t want her. He’s the safest option...Categorized as:
m-f forced proximity height-difference caretaking poor heroine multicultural fantasy length-medium -
Spellcracker's Honeymoon by Tansy Rayner Roberts
Our honeymooning heroine must unmask a magical murderer. Happily married, Mrs Mnemosyne Seabourne travels to an island of no magic, for a relaxing honeymoon with her new husband Thornbury. But the magic-free Isle of Aster is not what it seems. There's a monster roaming the hills, a royal scandal brewing on the horizon, and (of course! ) an impossible, magical murder to be solved... -
악녀의 남주님 3 by Haron Lee, R.su
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratings어느 날, 눈 떠보니 소설 『달의 마음을 녹이는』의 악녀, 유니페 마그놀리아가 되어버렸다. 남주 이시드 루크렌체를 사랑했던 소설 속 유니페는 여주 라엘을 괴롭히다 그녀의 전 남자친구인 카시안에게 죽임을 당할 운명이다. 그나마 다행인 건, 원작 시작 한참 전인 마법사 아카데미 입학식 날의 유니페에 빙의했다는 것. 원작과 같은 불행한 결말을 맞고 싶지 않기에, 유니페는 이시드와 라엘을 피해 무사히 아카데미 졸업에 성공한다. 하지만 원작 시작 1년 전, 유니페는 그토록 피해 다녔던 이시드와 아주 진하게 엮여버리고 만다. 단순한 해프닝이라고 생각한 유니페와는 달리 하룻밤 관계는 하지 않는다 단호하게 말하는 이시드... -
The Reluctant Queen by M.A. Lakewood, Kayleigh Allery
Welcome to Selwas, where love and magic reign . . . along with a king just trying to do his job. King Ehmet is exhausted. One year into his rule, he’s juggling a scheming great-uncle vying for his crown and an overbearing mother pressuring him to marry... -
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Catch Me by Reese Rivers
How do you survive time travel to 17th century France…while wearing a bathrobe…with nothing but a chap-stick and an iPhone? How do you avoid being burnt at the stake as a witch for possessing that ‘magical’ evil iPhone? Start by being rescued by 4 hot AF men dipped in sexy sauce. Accept that vampires and wolf shifters are real and then make peace with the fact that you can have them all...Categorized as:
m-f insta-love alpha male magic multicultural height-difference forced proximity hurt-comfort -
Howl by Allegra Hall
For wolves, there is always the small chance that fate will choose your partner. Werewolf and practicing witch Bronte may be the chosen heir to her grandmother’s dynasty, but when she makes a split decision it threatens to alter the course of her future...Categorized as:
magic m-f forced proximity height-difference hurt-comfort praise-kink betrayal tortured heroine -
악녀의 남주님 2 by Haron Lee, R.su
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratings어느 날, 눈 떠보니 소설 『달의 마음을 녹이는』의 악녀, 유니페 마그놀리아가 되어버렸다. 남주 이시드 루크렌체를 사랑했던 소설 속 유니페는 여주 라엘을 괴롭히다 그녀의 전 남자친구인 카시안에게 죽임을 당할 운명이다. 그나마 다행인 건, 원작 시작 한참 전인 마법사 아카데미 입학식 날의 유니페에 빙의했다는 것. 원작과 같은 불행한 결말을 맞고 싶지 않기에, 유니페는 이시드와 라엘을 피해 무사히 아카데미 졸업에 성공한다. 하지만 원작 시작 1년 전, 유니페는 그토록 피해 다녔던 이시드와 아주 진하게 엮여버리고 만다. 단순한 해프닝이라고 생각한 유니페와는 달리 하룻밤 관계는 하지 않는다 단호하게 말하는 이시드... -
Imagine by Jill Barnett
A classic Jill Barnett love and laughter romance, Romantic Times calls Imagine "a delight to read. .. ". After years imprisoned on Devil's Island for a murder he never committed, escaped convict Hank Wyatt knows how to survive and believes his luck has finally changed. But when he stows away on board a ship destined to sink, his luck turns bad... -
The Wrath of Ashes by Lilo Quie
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAsha is a kind young man, the bastard firstborn of the earl of a once-thriving valley kingdom. As war has torn his country apart, the earldom has grown poorer by the year, and his father meaner. In a land where man loving man is relegated to the dragons and their lands, Asha vows to be celibate, to earn his keep and flee to live a better life anywhere but there...Categorized as:
magic caretaking hurt-comfort political-intrigue alpha male queer shapeshifters paranormal -
Wild by Jill Barnett
A legendary warrior. A mission to tame the rebellion of the Welsh Borderlands. A wild Welsh beauty. For years Teleri of the Woods, shunned by superstitious villagers, has lived her life in solitude among the creatures of the forest. But when she discovers a man ambushed and left for dead in her woods, she must try to save him with her healing skills...
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