The fetish/harem stuff is infuriating, partly because it adds nothing, but mostly because it tends to sneak up on you. You think the book is setting up a normal (if hacky) romance subplot, and then the author starts introducing one or two more characters who could potentially be romantic partners, and then you have that moment of like "oh god, not this shit again." I'm not one of those "there shouldn't be sex in fiction" people, but sometimes I wish that horny jail was real. That said, the point about Patreon whales is a good one.
Thanks for the recommendations! I find it hard to get a sense of what's good from reading reviews because people seem to be all over the place about what they consider to be good writing, and the stuff that's broadly appealing isn't always my jam. Wandering Inn has come up pretty consistently, so with that endorsement I'll put it in the queue.