Favorite authors for 2* spice level, softer MMCs, and really good characterization?
I recently read both of Nichole Van's HR series and I LOVED them. I was very impressed by her writing and how fleshed out her characters were, and that she rarely used miscommunication as a plot device. All of the things that make my favorite authors! I found her MMCs to be very likeable and I loved that they all had a softer, emotional side. And I hadn't gone down to 2* before, but I found I really liked it cause I was getting kind of burnt out on smut.
Most of my reading list is 3*+ but I kind of want to stick with the lower spice level for a bit, so now I'm searching for more series with 2* spice levels with well developed characters and minimal miscommunication as plot devices. Especially fond of MMCs who fall first/yearn hard, or softer/less 'alpha' MMCs, but that's not a hard requirement. Suggestions?