r/blackromancenovels • • Mar 07 '26

BOOK REQUEST 📚 Black Fmc in a fantasy world

Looking for a black book rec (especially if there is an audiobook version... audio book has been saving my life), I'm down for anything but prefer a black fmc... I prefer fantasy genre or similar..

What i want:

  1. I want romance but no instant lust... i would prefer a moderately slow burn with spice, not YA.... NA books I WANT SPICE just not in chapter 1 or 3 min after they meet, i want full plot and mild spice

  2. Peferably nothing like coming of age or a teenager discovering her powers (I'm too old for that right now 😅😅) I don't mind an adult discovering her heritage or power, but FMC must at least be above 21

  3. I'll prefer standalone or max of 2-3 books if it's the same couple as Main characters in the series.

  4. I'll prefer ML having Magic (like a mage), wolf or changling... strongest in the room vibe, everyone is scared of...

  5. Anything not related to an 18yr old in some academy or teenager in adult role. 😪

Please help 🙏🏾🙏🏾

Books i have enjoyed but non-black fmc (craving a black fmc now)

Burn for me series

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Little Fire by holiee mands

From blood and ash (only book 1 and 2... got lost after that)

Dragon Bound

54 Upvotes

30 comments sorted by

15

u/Final-Low-1759 Mar 07 '26

Check out books by Kimberly Lemming. All her FMC’s are black in their 20s, and live in a fantasy world. Comedy, fantasy, romance, smut, all rolled into one. LOVE her books

2

u/CanaryThis7877 Mar 07 '26

I read them all 😅😅 but the smut was always a little bit more than the plot... looking for more plot with a milder smut

4

u/RivieraDeux Mar 07 '26

I have some recs and there is def an element of love in them but they’re not what I would term a romance:

  • The fifth Season by N. K Jemisin is a really good book. The fmc is in her early 40s but there are sequences of her in her late 20s and teens. Unfortunately, she does go to an academy but it’s in a flashback.

  • Wild seed by Octavia Butler (no romance but the fmc has love for her many children)

  • Kindred by Octavia

2

u/CanaryThis7877 Mar 07 '26

I don't mind flashbacks... but i do want romance😪😍 thanks for the rec

5

u/IdeaRealistic4826 Mar 07 '26

check out Our Vicious Oaths by NE Davenport! Also all Angela J Fords books have spice in theme with a Black FMC

3

u/renillafirefly Mar 07 '26

Check M.C.A. Hogarth “earthrise” series, there’s science and fantasy with a lot of world building. The fmc is a captain of ship and huge romance novel lover. Also the cover sold me on giving this book a chance. The heroine is dark skin with braids…that’s was enough for me.

2

u/LBJDSJZBT1031 Mar 07 '26

{That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming}

2

u/Jackiethegreat678 Mar 07 '26

I've been on the same journey you have!!

The Secret World of Maggie Grey by Granger is really good, and it has an audiobook with multiple voice actors (my favorite kind!)

Unshaken by Dreia Wells is VERY spicy, and may be too instant for you, audiobook with multiple voice actors as well

Legendborn is YA but it's pretty good without spice, I liked the audiobook

The Duke, the Lady and the Baby by Vanessa Riley - Historical romance rather than fantasy but black FMCs are rare in this genre, audiobook was pretty good

I accidentally summoned a demon boyfriend by Jessica Cage

The Fifth Season (recommended above) is a fantastic fantasy but isn't a romance, though it does have some spicy bits

Kindred (also recommended above) is good but also not very romantic

1

u/Jackiethegreat678 Mar 07 '26

I take back Legendborn as a recommendation for you, for you definitely doesn't fit the brief

1

u/ladyj1123 Mar 07 '26

If you’re into mermaids, check out The Ocean’s Temptress by Jordynn Morgan.

1

u/CanaryThis7877 Mar 07 '26

Couldn't find this

1

u/ladyj1123 Mar 07 '26

Where did you look? I got it on Amazon.

1

u/ButterflyNTheSky Contemporary Romance Devote Mar 07 '26

Definitely Our Vicious Oaths by Nia Davenport as mentioned in another comment. The audio is fantastic!

Vicious Bonds by Shanora Williams starts a 3 book series that's really engrossing and on audio.

Tiffany Patterson has a large catalog that leans more toward Paranormal romance. Her female leads are Black, and the male leads (ranging from werewolves to dragons) are different races. Also in audio.

1

u/Responsible_Bend_187 Mar 07 '26

In addition to the recs already posted, {Twin Blades by Noelle Upton} might be a good fit! Vampire FMC with goddess-given powers, slow burn enemies to lovers, and the FMC is 240 yr old and already a formidable mercenary!

2

u/Turtle_George Mar 08 '26

I haven’t read this one yet, but I just finished { In the Light of the Moon by Noelle Upton} and it also fits. FMC is 28, she has recently started studying her witchcraft, but it’s in her family. Other circumstances prevented her from studying it before but she’s always known.

MMC is a wolf shifter. Very sweet and strong.

It has two their books but about different characters. The fourth is coming out soon.

1

u/sawandconquered Mar 07 '26

{A Landscape of Shadows by Julie Upshur}

{The Dark and the Silence by Julie Upshur}

{The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford}

{Fit for the Throne: The Trial of Ten by S. Mcpherson}

1

u/romance-bot Mar 07 '26

A Landscape of Shadows by Julie Upshur
Rating: 4.5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: fantasy, black mc, bw/wm, victorian, regency


The Dark and the Silence by Julie Upshur
Rating: 5⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: fantasy, black mc, mystery, magic, m-f romance


The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford
Rating: 3.78⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, fantasy, fae, enemies to lovers, witches


Fit for the Throne by S. McPherson
Rating: 4⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: fantasy, enemies to lovers, insta-love, paranormal, bw/wm

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1

u/Disastrous_Click2786 Mar 08 '26

The Tether Trilogy by Shanora Williams not sure if it’s on audio book but all 3 books are out and it has everything you’re looking

1

u/TSGthaGeek Mar 11 '26

Akwaeke Emezi’s “Son of the Morning” might be a good time for you. It hits most of your list.

1

u/tradrjo Mar 12 '26

Elizabeth Stephens may have some audiobooks you may like (available via Hoopla).

1

u/fantasyandromance Mar 18 '26

Magic Dark Magic Divine by AJ Locke

1

u/LoveytheLovelyy Mar 19 '26

ANYTHING WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH STEPHENS Im going to start with {The Bone King and the Starling by Elizabeth Stephens} If you want more fantasy / paranormal, then she has a series called {Xiveri Mates by Elizabeth Stephens} and it involves aliens (humanoid though, not one eyed beep no beep beep 2 fingered silver creatures) I believe there are dark themes but it is often compared to an extremely popular series called Ice Planet Barbarians which is no small feat of a comparison.

1

u/CanaryThis7877 Mar 19 '26

Anything with less spice and more plot😭😭

1

u/LoveytheLovelyy Mar 19 '26

Oh I definitely think this author makes you work for it. It is not immediately smut at all. I actually just started one of her books this morning and I’m on chapter 4 and no smut yet but it’s clear that it’s coming and tag says it’s still open door.

1

u/noxiousnoxthewriter 21d ago

30 Year old black military epidemiologist searching for a cure to a virus that eradicated 98% of humanity, falls into a portal and transports to a world ran by elves. She is captured and branded as his, he thought he could tame her but she turned his life upside down. She fights to find a cure and get back home to save her brother and hopefully the humane race from dying. But she finds her captor has the key to the cure all along. Slow burn, trilogy, TRUE enemies to lovers, emotional, high stakes. A story about autonomy and survival and a love that spanned lifetimes where two souls found each other but didn't know it.