Have you heard that old joke: Honey, the secret to happiness is to find you a man who’s good around the house. Find a man who takes you out on dates and has a good time. Find a man who’s good in bed. Find a man who shares your values in life.
And most importantly of all, don’t let them find out about each other!
It’s a joke, of course, but there is a sub-genre of romance that exists on the premise of this joke. Called “why choose?” or reverse harem, it’s usually one woman and multiple men, although different gender partnerships exist in the genre. Why choose tends to take those pesky love triangle situations and, as you might guess, not ask any of the three in the triangle to choose. Everybody gets to live happily ever after. Reverse harem ups the stakes by having one woman with 3 or more men in her harem.
And when it’s done right, it really does sound like the secret to happiness. Yes, it’s complete and utter fiction. Pure, Grade A, escapist fluff. Reality has no place here. This is about imaginary fun, and lots of it. For this list I’ve tried to pick either books that I’ve read myself and recommend, or read trusted reviews on, and I was choosy about there being plot as well as smut. I wanted reverse harems where each of the men has a personality, and they all fulfill a need in their group. The woman has some actual personality, and because she’s the focal point of a pretty diverse group I also feel confident in saying it’s a STRONG personality. No TSTL main characters here.
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Starting off strong with my personal favorite, SciFi/Alien Romance. There are a lot of reverse harem plots in this genre because the world building is so much easier and believable, so why choose? Just read them all! (you see how I worked that in there? Eh? Eh?)
Beth’s Stable by Amanda Milo. Ignore the crappy title and get into this one for the pure, Milo signature humor. It’s so much fun.
The entire Valos of Sonhadra series, by multiple authors, is set around the premise of an alien world where a reverse harem of mates is the cultural norm. There are also different types of aliens (the Valos) with differing abilities and powers. The whole series is a lot of fun! I particularly enjoyed Shadowed by Isabel Wroth, and Unleashed by Tiffany Roberts. Books vary, but usually MMMF to MMMMF
Susan Trombley has a whole series centered around two women and their alien mates that have gotten pulled into the DeadFall. Imagine a planet surrounded by wormholes like Sakaar (from the Thor comics and movie) with alien creatures and ships and just general trash pulled in from all over the universe and now trying to survive together on this mix and match planet with uncertain odds and random deadly creatures who have been sucked in from their own worlds. Then imagine being pulled in as a human, and having to survive. Now add a lot more sex. It’s excellent, is what I’m saying. MMMMF
Jeanette Lynn is one of the original reverse harem romance authors. She decided to go straight up kookoobananas with it, and we love her for it. She has several great series for you to try, because this kind of writing is her jam. If you want adorable and intense Yeti type heroes, try Brides of the Hunt series. Each book stands alone, but they are interconnected with repeating characters. Of Another Dimension is a standalone with three alien heroes who really stand out as unique characters. MMMMF or MMMF
And last but not least try the Cherished Galaxy series by Cady Austin. Each story (3 books) stand alone, but have the common element of a reverse harem and some serious peril for the heroine. Diamond Girl is the first book. MMMMMF or MMMMF
As you’d expect, this trope is much less of a thing in Contemporary Romance. It’s hard to pull off even the vaguest plot when you place a reverse harem in contemporary times because it takes a lot of suspension of disbelief to imagine this kind of plot existing.
Nevertheless, Tate James has done it with her four book Madison Kate series. The first book is Hate, and it’s got some serious enemies to lovers going on. All the content warnings! Kate has some real violence in her nature. MMMF
Den of Vipers by K.A. Knight is a lot of reader’s initial foray into reverse harem, and it’s a doozy. There are content warnings for blood, torture, murder, and kidnapping, but what else would you expect from a mafia RH romance? This is the only contemporary RH I’ve read and . . . yeah. Those content warnings. MMMMF
The Boys of Bellerose series by Jaymin Eve and Tate James somehow manages to combine both mafia and rockstar into a modern reverse harem? Don’t ask me how that one works because I haven’t read it, but I’m gonna assume there is angst galore and a ton of cliffhangers, since it’s stretched out over four books. The reviews were mixed on this one, to warn you. MMMMF
Monster Romance is really its own genre now, it’s become so popular. You could probably also term these Fantasy Romance, but the main point of them is the monsters. Lets be real.
It’s set in Victorian England, but we’re going to call A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon a monster romance anyway. It might technically be Victorian, but it’s also a house of ill-repute with some monstrous clients and one heroine who is happy to be on call. And their monstrous attributes? Chef’s kiss for those, Kathryn Moon. MMMMMF
Try Vicious Devotion by Aveda Vice for an alpha/pack with an arranged marriage, revenge plot, and reluctant allies falling HARD. MMMF
Alana Khan tried her hand at this genre with a sort of parallel/alternate future universe with mutated humans who have monster appearances and abilities. This future universe really sucks for women, although the series is about changing that status through a satisfyingly bloody revolution, so I have to emphasize the content warnings on this one! Start with the first book, Monster’s Genesis. MMMF with some sword crossing. Each book is standalone with interconnected storyline and some repeat characters showing up as the B plot.
And let’s finish up with some seriously fantastic Fantasy Romance and Paranormal Romance, recommended partly by Reddit threads. (Don’t judge. You are literally reading a reverse harem rec post right now.)
Colette Rhodes has not one, but two amazing retellings of classic fairy tales with a reverse harem thrown in. She packs in so much humor but also so much emotion. Seriously, my heart had that lovely sweet ache by the end of each. Strong heroines who hold their own and kick some ass, with protective mates? Gah, I love it. There’s Goldilocks and her three bears, start with Gilded Mess for that one. Or Red Riding Hood with her three various shifters (not all wolves) in Scarlet Disaster. Can’t recommend these enough to you. Both series are MMMF
Four Psychos, by Kristy Cunning. A lady ghost who is currently stuck haunting four guardians of hell, and is a salty little poltergeist about it. Eventually she’s not just visible but tangible to her guys (this is a slow burn series, to warn you) and when she is . . . whoo boy. MMMMF
The Deadwood Series by Marie Mistry. Three book series full of dark magic, pirates, shapeshifters, fae, murder plots and revenge. Nilsa, the main character, builds her harem organically out of the five pirates onboard the Deadwood with her, but there’s also an intriguing hint of fated mate who hasn’t shown up yet. . . MMMMMMF
Broken Bonds by J. Bree. A lot of angst! The main character runs away from her five Bonds because dramatic reasons, and then has a lot of making up to do when they (inevitably) find her. MMMMMF
Carnal Cryptids by Vera Valentine I have read and personally can recommend. There’s some fated mates elements going on with our cryptids, and a super strong heroine who is out to save her men! MMMF and there is sword-crossing.
