Hello all! I hope the month of May is treating you well so far! This month I’m going to talk about a favorite of mine…menage! (Heck, why stop at a trio? the more the merrier!)
Menage was something I stumbled upon quite by accident. At the time, I was strictly reading MF it wasn’t very common to find. I almost stopped reading the first time, assuming it would be similar to a love triangle, which is one of my main reading turn-offs. I suppose to explain what I truly love about menage, I have to explain what I personally don’t enjoy about love triangles.
Love triangles seem to be extremely common in hetero romance, at least at last I’d read. Even more prominent in YA romance stories, almost a requirement it felt at times. I came to detest the trope through my hours of reading YA and adult romance because I loved romance for the LOVE, and love triangles always left my heart feeling bruised for the poor soul who didn’t get the girl in the end. And how often was it so clearly the wrong boy chosen by the flighty woman?! I could hardly keep myself from throwing my Kindle across the room at times with the injustice of it all. And truly, how much can you love a person if it was so difficult to choose between the two?
Needless to say, I’d gotten to the point that love triangles were automatic DNF stories for me (and still are). So, when I first stumbled upon a menage, I was wary. I was worried it would be little more than another way of presenting a love triangle- one unfortunate character always fighting for crumbs of love while the other two rode of into the sunset. What I discovered was something else all together.
As I said, what I love about romance is…well….LOVE! Nothing in the world makes me happier than the fuzzy, sweet, happiness of love. And as I came to discover, poly romances were all about love being multiplied rather than divided! A well written poly romance sees partners who find everything they need and more in partners who also need each other. It’s not all about the bedroom fun (although poly sex scenes are VERY interesting). But the way these characters love and care for each other, strengthen each other, and complete each other is truly beautiful.
If you’ve never read a menage or poly romance, check one out and see why I fell so in love with the trope!
Here are a list of my top favorites!
Manchester Menage Series by Nicole Colville
No Shame Series by Nora Phoenix
Three’s Company by N.R. Walker
And shameless self plug…Going Commando by yours truly K.M.Neuhold
Do you read poly romance? What’s your favorite?
I’ve read all the ones you’ve mentioned!
The first mmmm I read was the Chess series by Sean Michael and I never looked back! Just be sure it’s a HEA!
I’ve read so many menage stories that I search them out. I am writing a series that starts out with one husband, then a second husband and then a third (it is fantasy so there are no legal ramifications LOL) It is based on the Hobbit. Three of the characters have bullied me into writing an AU for them to play in. It started out simple enough with the two of them giving me ideas but then the third just walked in and took over the show. So I am letting them guide me through their romance. Seeing as it is in 21st century I am tweaking the rules a bit. I love Susi Hawke’s books and I fell in love with the series about Unicorn omegas (I can look it up if you want to know it) But yeah, Menage is love for me not smut (okay some write it as smut and I don’t read those)
This is a favourite of mine as well.
Off the top of my head, just to name a few:
New series by Ella Frank – Robbie
Sean michael – does have lots not just Chess, Jarheads, Drawing straws
Jessie G – The Protector (i think)
Sloane Kennedy – more than one
Middleman – Jane Rylon
Dark Horse Trilogy – Kate Sherwood
M.Q. Barber – its M/M/F – but it’s fantastic!
5 Sided Heart – Max McGowan
Piper Vaughn and Avon Gale – Last Call
Silvia Violet’s Fitting In Series
What He Left Behind and The Distance Between U by L. A. Witt
garrett leigh ?
Tooth and Claw Series by – Mary Calmes
Broken Pieces series by RileHart