,

Sick of books promising fantasy/dystopian/sci-fi/adventure that devolve into a pathetic mash of makeouts, "tingles" and goo-goo-eyes? Do you immediately drop a book if the back reads something like "After [female protagonist] meets sexy mysterious bad boy..." This is the list for you!

The books on this list have plots that involve very little romance. Either the book is completely romance free, or the romantic relationships are a SUB-PLOT of the main storyline (and I mean -VERY- SUB-plot). YA, New Adult, and Adult lit welcome. Please no kids books.
1

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3.88 avg rating — 137,266 ratings
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4.24 avg rating — 109,724 ratings
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4.27 avg rating — 136,795 ratings
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4.37 avg rating — 130,445 ratings
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8

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4.16 avg rating — 218,421 ratings
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9

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4.12 avg rating — 2,808,557 ratings
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10

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3.94 avg rating — 89,338 ratings
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3.96 avg rating — 62,813 ratings
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4.10 avg rating — 198,763 ratings
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13

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3.97 avg rating — 2,838,170 ratings
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14

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4.05 avg rating — 631,677 ratings
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15

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4.42 avg rating — 1,285,892 ratings
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16

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4.49 avg rating — 973,093 ratings
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17

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4.03 avg rating — 27,606 ratings
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18

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3.78 avg rating — 83,581 ratings
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19

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4.31 avg rating — 1,473,829 ratings
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20

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3.82 avg rating — 1,490 ratings
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21

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4.02 avg rating — 126 ratings
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22

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4.16 avg rating — 285,854 ratings
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23

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4.18 avg rating — 322,018 ratings
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24

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3.89 avg rating — 53,694 ratings
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24

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3.95 avg rating — 90,537 ratings
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26

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3.91 avg rating — 28,959 ratings
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27

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4.14 avg rating — 1,603,587 ratings
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28

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4.03 avg rating — 176,470 ratings
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29

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4.09 avg rating — 175,983 ratings
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30

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4.13 avg rating — 4,380,954 ratings
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31

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 124,188 ratings
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32

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3.97 avg rating — 378,334 ratings
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32

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4.02 avg rating — 4,553,091 ratings
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34

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3.80 avg rating — 303,320 ratings
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35

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 30,198 ratings
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35

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3.85 avg rating — 225,140 ratings
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37

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3.83 avg rating — 1,337,111 ratings
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38

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3.92 avg rating — 162,748 ratings
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39

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3.94 avg rating — 51 ratings
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39

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3.56 avg rating — 73 ratings
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39

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3.83 avg rating — 12 ratings
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39

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4.42 avg rating — 31 ratings
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39

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3.85 avg rating — 132 ratings
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44

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3.98 avg rating — 98,889 ratings
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45

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3.90 avg rating — 2,836,667 ratings
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45

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4.50 avg rating — 18 ratings
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45

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4.06 avg rating — 81 ratings
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48

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4.17 avg rating — 54 ratings
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49

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4.01 avg rating — 1,223,385 ratings
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49

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4.05 avg rating — 135,000 ratings
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49

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4.14 avg rating — 3,332 ratings
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52

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4.01 avg rating — 7,391 ratings
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52

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3.82 avg rating — 18,168 ratings
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54

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3.85 avg rating — 93,568 ratings
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55

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3.89 avg rating — 9,334 ratings
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56

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3.91 avg rating — 295,746 ratings
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56

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4.17 avg rating — 596,489 ratings
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58

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4.33 avg rating — 14,118 ratings
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59

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3.65 avg rating — 62,430 ratings
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59

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3.88 avg rating — 515 ratings
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59

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 27 ratings
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59

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4.14 avg rating — 34,235 ratings
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63

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4.01 avg rating — 260,747 ratings
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64

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3.77 avg rating — 16,006 ratings
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64

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3.87 avg rating — 142 ratings
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64

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4.20 avg rating — 780,107 ratings
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67

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4.16 avg rating — 70 ratings
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68

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3.61 avg rating — 13,238 ratings
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69

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4.26 avg rating — 58,891 ratings
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70

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3.97 avg rating — 2,838,170 ratings
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71

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4.08 avg rating — 159,225 ratings
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71

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3.80 avg rating — 5,453 ratings
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73

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4.30 avg rating — 48,773 ratings
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74

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3.67 avg rating — 4,546 ratings
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75

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3.95 avg rating — 61,310 ratings
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76

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4.22 avg rating — 2,016,206 ratings
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77

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3.60 avg rating — 5,984 ratings
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78

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3.84 avg rating — 16,924 ratings
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78

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4.11 avg rating — 271,116 ratings
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80

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4.22 avg rating — 2,016,206 ratings
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81

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4.27 avg rating — 1,615,859 ratings
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82

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3.89 avg rating — 276,593 ratings
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83

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4.41 avg rating — 3,150,890 ratings
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84

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4.02 avg rating — 42 ratings
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84

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3.77 avg rating — 2,679 ratings
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84

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3.96 avg rating — 163,551 ratings
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84

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 45 ratings
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84

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4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings
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84

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0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings
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84

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4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings
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84

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2.33 avg rating — 3 ratings
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84

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3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings
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84

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3.80 avg rating — 20 ratings
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84

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3.28 avg rating — 18 ratings
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84

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3.93 avg rating — 30,589 ratings
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84

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4.24 avg rating — 33 ratings
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84

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4.03 avg rating — 4,753 ratings
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84

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4.29 avg rating — 123,950 ratings
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84

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating
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84

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3.73 avg rating — 445 ratings
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281 books · 98 voters · list created April 1st, 2013 by Jaylee (votes) .
62 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Jaylee 4361 books
179 friends
Lauren 89 books
79 friends
Jensen 44 books
64 friends
Emily 323 books
1 friend
Zinnober 9 821 books
0 friends
K 59 books
0 friends
Sarah 13898 books
226 friends
Talyah 1865 books
75 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-6 of 6 (6 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Sarah (new)

Sarah Should Divergent really be on here?


message 2: by Shelby (new)

Shelby Suderman Coolcurry wrote: "Should Divergent really be on here?"

That's just what I was thinking. I haven't read it but I saw the movie, and that was definitely romance focused . . .


message 3: by Katsuyo (new)

Katsuyo Shelby wrote: "Coolcurry wrote: "Should Divergent really be on here?"

That's just what I was thinking. I haven't read it but I saw the movie, and that was definitely romance focused . . ."


It is, but the plot isn't. It's been a while since I read the first book, but as far as I can remember the romance is pretty separated from the main plot.


message 4: by Jaylee (new)

Jaylee Katsuyo wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Coolcurry wrote: "Should Divergent really be on here?"

That's just what I was thinking. I haven't read it but I saw the movie, and that was definitely romance focused . . ."

It is,..."


Oh wow this is an old topic. Haha. Divergent the book has a romantic sub-plot, but it's extremely understated. Lol I made this plot in 2013 because I was an angry child sick of reading blurbs about really cool fantasy plots that just devolved into romance, and for that, I say Divergent doesn't do that at all. It's 100% about the plot.

(but also I write romance novels now and am laughing at myself that i was so Mad about this six years ago)


message 5: by Sarah (last edited Jan 29, 2019 05:55AM) (new)

Sarah Jaylee wrote: "Katsuyo wrote: "Shelby wrote: "Coolcurry wrote: "Should Divergent really be on here?"

That's just what I was thinking. I haven't read it but I saw the movie, and that was definitely romance focuse..."


I think what I was looking for was books without much or any romance at all. Which is still something I would like to find! But now I have a lot better idea why than I did six years ago...


message 6: by Dana (new)

Dana Salman "Do you immediately drop a book if the back reads something like "After [female protagonist] meets sexy mysterious bad boy...""

Probably an old list by now but that description is exactly me XD. I just want a good fantasy story, not a shallow romance. Hope I'll find something to like in this list! (Also love that The Book Thief is in the top spot!)


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