Help me have an affair

[DuckCootLoon]

I have a lot going on in my life at the moment, and I think the excitement of falling in love would be a good distraction.

I hate clichéd writing and normally like literary fiction, but I fancy something more easy and immersive at the moment.

I have a long running love for Mr Darcy, a man with some flaws is welcome. The popular series like 50 Shades and ACOTAR don't appeal because I'm not interested in a borderline abusive relationship.
I'm open to experimenting with LGBTQ.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Hmmm....how about C J Samson's series? I can't say I fell in love with Shardlake but I spent many happy hours in his company. Or Inspector Montalbano - bonus is you get good food too.

I have a crush on Bruno a French policeman. There are about 15 books by Martin Walker. If you like the Dordogne, good food and wine…. He’s your man!

Washington Poe sounds like he might intrigue and interest you, even if it's for a brief fling

https://mwcraven.com/series/washington-poe/

Thanks. There seems to be a theme of detectives and french food, and I do like both. Is there enough sex or romance too?
I've reserved some from the library to try.

If you want actual sex, I think I’d turn to Jilly cooper. Bruno disappears off with various lady friends but it’s not graphic!

Jilly Cooper is a good shout. Hopefully it will be nicely distracting.

Susan Hill's DCI Simon Serrailler might be what you're looking for. He's handsome, intelligent, artistic (he paints) and he has hidden depths, with an enormous capacity for tenderness. The first book is The Various Haunts of Men.

Also, Samantha Shannon's The Bone Season, series, an urban dystopia/steampunk series. The central romance is heterosexual and very compelling, but there are other relationships too, especially one involving Nick, the MFC's gay best friend and another clairvoyant, and another with two women, Maria and Verca. The narrative takes place in a world where a lot of things are deemed unnatural, eg clairvoyance, but private morality isn't policed in the way we're used to. The first one is The Bone Season.

Ice Planet Barbarians. Don't judge me :-)

I’m a big fan of good detective series with slow-burn romance subplots. Both the Cormoran Strike books (Robert Galbraith) and the Dr. Ruth Galloway series (Elly Griffiths) fit the bill there.

I’d say you need Lord Peter Wimsey in your life. Start with Clouds of Witness, then Strong Poison, Have his Carcase, Gaudy Night and Busman’s Honeymoon.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd never noticed before how much overlap there is between detecting and romance.
Thanks also to @Tortielady and @Suzyloo for the different suggestions.
Plenty of opportunity for enjoyable distraction.