BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Partners To Lovers

Book Recs By Tropes is a series where I recommend books according to tropes.

Partners to lovers is the most commonly used trope employed in romance stories starring law enforcement officers. Sometimes, I think, it’s a little too cliche but when done right, it could give you some of the most solid and satisfying love stories out there.

Here are a few of the most enjoyable partners to lovers romances I’ve read. I hope you’ll enjoy them too!

Also, you might want to check out: BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Roommates To Lovers and BOOK RECS BY TROPE: Enemies to Lovers.

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The Wolf At The Door – Charlie Adhara (4 stars)
(paranormal, partners to lovers)

If you are interested in a fresh and ‘realistic’ werewolf series that has no fated mates thing and no magic, except for the shifting part, you might want to check out The Wolf At The Door. This is the super intriguing first book of the Big Bad Wolf series.

The werewolves are treated as ‘normal’, almost like a racial minority that has to fight for their rights and deal with bigotry. There is a Bureau of Special Investigations that handles werewolf related crimes. Our human agent was suddenly partnered with a werewolf. Said agent had been attacked by a werewolf in the past and, needless to say, hackles rose. There are a lot of surprising twists and turns, and snarky humor. Most especially, a werewolf you’d want to hug.

Buy Links: Amazon

Risky Behavior – L.A. Witt & Cari Z (4 stars)
(police procedural, partners to lovers)

If you are in the mood for a gritty police procedural with a beautifully executed age-gap romance, Risky Behavior is a sure bet.

This is the first book of the highly addicting Bad Behavior series. Unlike most police procedural that usually tackles a murder mystery, this is about bringing down a drug gang whose connections go all the way to the top. This twisty series opener is unputdownable. The case was one hell of a hook and for this alone, I recommend the novel to all crime fiction readers, even those who are not into MM.

Buy Links: Bookshop |Amazon

Within the Mind – Alice Winters (4.5 stars)
(paranormal, police procedural, partners to lovers)

For a mindbending blend of hilarious WTFuckery and creepy AF mindfuckery, look no further than Within the Mind. It’s the first book of In The Mind series.

This is a police procedural with a paranormal twist. This is a world where some people have gifts and our MCs are two gifted police detectives working for an unnamed agency. The grumpy one can access memory and the sunshiny one can mimic any gift. He’s also throwing himself at the grumpy one who is valiantly trying to resist but is really secretly in love with the other ever since they were partnered.

The book has ridiculous gags up the wazoo and creep-tastic villains with very disorienting powers. Best read if you are prepared for situations ranging from there’s a six-legged arachnid woman with a face full of teeth coming after me to let me talk out of my ass like Ace Ventura, pleeease!!!

Buy Links: Amazon

Tallowwood – N.R. Walker (5 stars)
(police procedural, partners to lovers)

Tallowwood is another gritty police procedural that deals with loss, grief, closure and moving on. It is intense, gripping and moving with just enough fluff to keep things from becoming too dark. I recommend this for mystery lovers who want to indulge in a weighty case while enjoying one of the best (and gentlest) slow-burn romance out there.

The story is about a Sydney detective who is obsessed with solving cold cases he suspects were murders but were ruled as suicides. The victims were gay men, one of whom was the detective’s boyfriend. He was lone wolfing the investigations when a young senior constable consulted him with a case. They realized they worked well together. This blossomed into a friendship and then something more. The book may deal with serious subjects but it is balanced by bright spots of humor, little kindnesses, unexpected dimples, and magical kookaburras.

Buy Links: Bookshop | Amazon

Ex Meridian by A.E. Via (5 stars)
(action/suspense, police procedural, partners to lovers)

If you like ’em extremely dangerous but covertly sweet, witness two of the toughest, baddest, and bestest mercenary assassins the government has to offer navigate 8 years of mutual pining while exacting revenge on a dead brother’s killers.

Ex Meridian is the seventh book of the super fun, OTT action thriller Nothing Special. It can be read as a standalone. The story took the series to a higher level with a superbly executed plot and the most compelling slow burn romance that can melt the hearts of even the most cold-blooded killers.

Buy Links: Bookshop | Amazon

Who are your favorite MM partners to lovers couples?

HAPPY TUESDAY!