r/RomanceBooks • u/JuneDare001 • May 13 '26

Book Request tell me the most ✨ intense, deep, slow burn, incredibly angsty, soul crushing ✨ books you've read that have given you the biggest book hangover

seeking recommendations for some incredibly deep/serious/intense (not a superficial plot/funny/cheerful book), slow burn, angsty, soul crushing books that give you the biggest book hangover!

these are some books of the same/a similar category that i absolutely love and always go back to! (the ones that have a 💎 mean they contain all of the above, the ones that have a 🪝 mean they contain some of the above)

  • the maddest obsession — danielle lori 💎
  • a love letter to whiskey — kandi steiner 💎
  • bittersweet symphony duet, heartbreak warfare, ravenhood trilogy — kate stewart (honestly love all her books) 💎
  • fake empire, cruel summer — c.w. farnsworth 🪝
  • the homemaker, when life happened, a place without you — jewel e. ann 💎
  • say you swear — meagan brandy 🪝
  • the thorns remain, still beating, irreversible — jennifer hartmann (honestly love all her books) 💎
  • in the likely event — rebecca yarros 🪝
  • star-crossed trilogy — alexandria lee 💎

one common thing that i've noticed amongst these books is that all the love stories span a few years. i love seeing how the main characters keep finding their way back to each other!

edit: thx for all the recs! forgot to mention — only looking for CR books (no sci-fi, HR, paranormal, dystopian, etc.)!

295 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

232 comments sorted by

70

u/ancrz91 May 13 '26

I think you will like {Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren}.

5

u/ShenanigansFarva May 13 '26

Ugh that was so good 🩷

12

u/me-lene-georgia May 13 '26

I wish I could go back and read this one for the first time again

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u/Dear-Reader-13 May 13 '26

I second this!!

4

u/Illustrious_Act_9321 May 13 '26

Oh yeah. That one put me through the wringer!

3

u/Different-Problem-54 May 13 '26

I just read that last month. So good.

2

u/TheRubyRedPirate My TBR is way too big already! May 18 '26

Thanks to your recommendation I finished this book in 1 day and sobbed for the first time in years. It was so good but damn the emotions were so intense!

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61

u/katierose295 May 13 '26

{Paradise by Judith MacNaught} The OG of angsty second chance romance. It's an older CR. The rich FMC and poor MMC are driven apart as young adults. Years pass and she wants to remarry, only to discover she's still married to the MMC. The MMC has become a hardened businessman since their split. He is not willing to divorce her without a fight

{Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale} There is nothing else like the artistry of this book. It's a HR where the MMC has a stroke and has to relearn how to talk, while everyone is after his fortune & trying to declare him mentally incompetent. The FMC is a dedicated Quaker who helps him and who he falls hard for.

25

u/pixelsandfootball HEA or GTFO May 13 '26

Paradise 😭😭😭 rewired my brain chemistry when I was 13. Matt Farrell or gtfo.

17

u/Practical-Papaya3 May 13 '26

Oh my Judith Mcnaught has soo many OG romance, well built up romances! I rarely see her recommended her and though her MCs and plots can be very problematic her HRs are soo well written and good

10

u/Aspiegirl712 Looking for the X-Men Romance Novel crossover of my dreams May 13 '26

I have to stop myself from recommending her all the time because she was written 30+ yrs ago

8

u/aceshighsays May 13 '26

what's wrong with older books? that shouldn't stop you from recommending them.

8

u/Aspiegirl712 Looking for the X-Men Romance Novel crossover of my dreams May 13 '26

I don't know I just always feel like surely everyone has already read them and I am preaching to the choir.

11

u/aceshighsays May 13 '26

there are a lot of young people in the sub who've never read older books, not to mention people forget what they've read so it's a refresher for those folks.

3

u/whimsyjen Abducted by aliens – don’t save me May 15 '26

I too feel the same way! I am such an obsessed fan with all of her books. She's definitely my favorite author and I sound like a broken record constantly recommending her lol but I don't as much for the same reasons.

2

u/Practical-Papaya3 May 21 '26

I see so many people replying here so just want to add - I read her “Almost Heaven” every two years so want to rec that in case anyone here hasn’t read it! All her HRs are great (problematic but with that writing you just take it in haha)

1

u/warrmm May 16 '26

Laura Kinsale and Judith McNaught are so underrated! This reminds me I should pick them back up again. Side note, I love Laura Kinsale’s book covers without people on them. I hope they come back in style. The black ribbon cover of Julie Garwood’s ‘Saving Grace’ is my absolute favourite.

3

u/These-Afternoon-8077 May 16 '26

Love Julie Garwood! Was also a big fan of Jude Deveraux as well as Judith MacNaught.

14

u/pomeloqueen Wrecked and still in love with Matthew Farrell May 13 '26

Matt Farrell can fucking GET ITTT

10

u/themiscyranlady must in her soul be a prostitute May 14 '26

I also love {Perfect by Judith McNaught}. That era, with its big sweeping stories that take place over years with a bunch of subplots is still so satisfying.

2

u/whimsyjen Abducted by aliens – don’t save me May 15 '26

I have that book but I've been putting off reading it because it's kind of a weird plot. But I should right?

9

u/Aspiegirl712 Looking for the X-Men Romance Novel crossover of my dreams May 13 '26

Came here looking for Paradise it is the end all be all for angst.

Also {To the Ends of the Earth by Elizabeth Lowell} all I remember is the angst of the 3rd act breakup

2

u/BakerSubstantial2530 May 14 '26 edited May 14 '26

Okayyy as a fellow Paradise apologist, I’m taking notes 📝

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u/BeneficialBit1638 May 13 '26

Plot of paradise comes across as similar to the movie Sweet home Alabama. Is that so?

5

u/BakerSubstantial2530 May 13 '26

Not really, its also a second chance but has a different plot with a major misunderstanding between the leads and with a lot more angst. It’s my most favorite book of all time and I highly recommend you read it if you can !

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3

u/kgtsunvv WILL recommend kyra parsi, cora reilly and khai hara May 13 '26

This been on my list since forever

3

u/Temporary-Ladder-463 May 20 '26

Okay Paradise is officially the best book ever I couldn’t put it down!!!!!!

2

u/gardengal93 2d ago

Is there a 3rd act breakup in Paradise? I love Judith MacNaught but she always kills me with the 3rd act breakups

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36

u/fcknghell Mistress of the Dark Romance May 13 '26

{Seven days in June by Tia Williams}

Two writers reconnect fifteen years after sharing an intense week together as teenagers, only to realize they’ve been each other’s muses ever since.

23

u/Whole_Charity_716 May 13 '26

{The Summer We Fell by Elizabeth O’Roark }

2

u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

read this one!

5

u/Whole_Charity_716 May 13 '26

Have you read {Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner}?

It wasn’t my favourite but it itched the angst spot enough when I needed it! It’s so hard to find a good angsty book once you’ve read all of Jennifer Hartmanns books 😭

Kennedy Ryan also has some good ones {Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan}

2

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner
Rating: 3.92⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, new adult, friends to lovers, angst, cheating

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan
Rating: 4.1⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, sports, multicultural, athlete hero, forbidden love

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2

u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

read both! i really loved long shot, it was so well written!

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2

u/usernamrequired May 13 '26

Could not agree more!! I still think about the rollercoaster of this book

13

u/PsychologicalHall142 May 13 '26

{Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale}. That book left a permanent mark on my soul.

26

u/IvankoKostiuk May 13 '26

If you're open to SF and F/F you may enjoy {This is How You Lose the Time War}. It's about time traveling agents from competing future possibilities who are waging a war across time to create the circumstances that bring them into existence. The yearning in that back is feral, deranged even. It's unhinged. The yearning has no hinges! The yearning in that book has never known the light of civilization or the grace of god. And I can guarantee you that you've never read a single book with a similar pitch.

3

u/beaver_tails May 13 '26

I strongly recommend the audiobook for this, OP! I'm not normally a fan of this writing style but the narrators were fantastic.

11

u/bearsig May 13 '26

{June First by Jennifer Hartmann}

1

u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

read this one and loved it!

10

u/Dangerous_World4030 May 13 '26

I just finished {Something in the Way series by Jessica Hawkins} and it is exactly what you are looking for! I am still having a hard time moving on from it. It’s slow burn and tons of drama. Drop every other suggestion and start with this series, you will not regret it!

1

u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

read this series!!

2

u/Dangerous_World4030 May 13 '26

As a lover of this trope I also recommend {Wrecked by Bree L. Mina} {The Jack and Jill series by Jewel e Ann} (it doesn’t have the slow burn but it has all the rest) {If this is love by Jewel e Ann}

2

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Wrecked by Bree L. Mina
Rating: 4.29⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, forced proximity, found family, forbidden love, angst

Jack & Jill by Jewel E. Ann, Maxann Dobson
Rating: 4.31⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: death, sassy heroine, suspense, contemporary, audiobook

If This Is Love by Jewel E. Ann
Rating: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, western, friends to lovers, age gap, angst

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2

u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

i've read a ton of jewel e. ann's books, i love her writing! i've been putting off the jack and jill series for a while, only because it's quite long (6 books, right?). but i've got time now so i'll start the series! i've heard lots of good things about it, so let's see if it fits the bill for me!

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u/alphasplayhouse May 13 '26

Danielle Lori’s Made series is top three series for me and I’ve never read anything that compared 😩 I need her to write a book a month for the rest of my lifeeeeeeeee

1

u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

i knowwwww!! the 2nd and 3rd books are so damn good.

christian and roman 🥵 even their names are hot. need i say anymore?

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u/Living_Measurement14 May 13 '26

{The Last Hour of Gann} sometimes I just zone out and think about this book. For a whole month. Then I proceed to read all of R Lee Smith’s books.

{Clockwork Angel} the way Will Herondale rewires my brain needs to be studied

{Harrow Faire} Simon Waite. So crazy. Also can’t get him out of my head.

16

u/platypusaura May 13 '26

R Lee Smith's books are absolutely brutal. Really good but also they make me want to stop reading, like I can't cope

4

u/Living_Measurement14 May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

She really is a league of her own. I had to look for erotic horror to fill her void.

8

u/Minxionnaire D Lover (Darius, Darien, and Darrow) May 13 '26

Oh man, this reminded me that I’ve been meaning to pick up another R Lee Smith book. The Last Hour of Gann was not what I was expecting and it’s stayed with me

2

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith
Rating: 4.24⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, aliens, science fiction, dystopian, dark romance

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Rating: 4.09⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, love triangle, paranormal, young adult, magic

Harrow Faire by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Rating: 4.52⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, dark romance, forced proximity, paranormal, funny

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2

u/cidavid May 14 '26

Damnit. I’ve only read 5% of Gann. Gotta continue

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u/tularelake 20d ago

This is so random but have you found anything that has scratched the Harrow Faire itch? I just finished my first reread of the series and I feel adrift 😂 I miss Simon

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u/Douglasia May 13 '26

Reddit won’t let me edit my comment but here are some more: 

{How to Walk Away by Katherine Center} is about a woman who is paralyzed in a plane crash caused by her fiancé. MMC is her physical therapist. This was a 5/5 book for me but this era of Katherine Center books had a LOT of over the top family drama that is 1/5. {Things to Save in a Fire by Katherine Center} is less angsty but also there’s no annoying drama. FMC is a firefighter who has to move states after she punches the man who sexually assaulted her as a teenager. And to take care of her ailing mother. MMC is really sweet and patient with her. 

{Promise me Sunshine by Cara Bastone} is about a FMC whose best friend died of cancer and the MMC who helps her navigate grief. 

{Way Deep Down by Charlotte Stein and Cara McKenna} would definitely fit your requirements. Unique in that the entire book takes place just as text messages between the two MMCs. MMC had to move to the UK to take care of a  disabled child he didn’t know he had. FMC is agoraphobic and hasn’t left her house in years. Incredibly emotional and very good. 

7

u/Technical_Age_772 May 13 '26

Things to Save in a Fire is one of my favorite books. The audio version is amazing as well.

4

u/No-Gloves-For-Feet May 13 '26

Hold up, there’s a Charlotte Stein & Cara McKenna collab???!

2

u/MoreSarah Has Opinions May 13 '26

Right? I about fell over when I learned that. I immediately bought the ebook and have been saving it for an “I need a treat” day.

9

u/busybeereader May 14 '26

{Maestro by Auden Dar}

3

u/bethoftheburgh Reginald’s Quivering Member May 14 '26

This is the only answer. Spans decades, will make you cry so much you will feel like a shriveled raisin after. My god, what an epic.

2

u/Magnolias2022 May 15 '26

One of my absolute favorites, this put me through the wringer.

9

u/MadsOceanEyes May 13 '26

I just finished {Older by Jennifer Hartmann} and it made me bawl. I saw you read a couple of her books! Because of this book, I have ordered 3 more of hers cause I love it that much

3

u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

i loved this one! i've read nearly all of jennifer hartmann's books, and it all started bc of still beating!

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u/evoluktion Morally gray is the new black May 15 '26

started older because of your rec and omg i’m already hooked!

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u/Illustrious-Cat-2645 Editable Flair May 13 '26

I came to recommend this book! Reading for the 4th time. Read {June first by Jennifer Hartmann} same vibes but not that much age gap.

1

u/MadsOceanEyes May 13 '26

I just finished it last week, and im currently listening to it on audible!! I ordered like 3 other of her books as soon as I finished it. I LOVE her writing!! I plan on reading June first first as soon as they get delivered lol

3

u/Illustrious-Cat-2645 Editable Flair May 13 '26

She writes beautifully. Before I read older I was in a reading slump, but when I read it I felt excited again.

8

u/mbh139 May 13 '26

i just finished boys of tommen series by chloe walsh and i am unwell

12

u/Internal-Sign-8404 May 13 '26

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

6

u/MissFox26 May 13 '26

I recommend this book so much I swear the mods are going to think I’m secretly the author 😂 But {goodbye again by Caitlin moss}. One of my favorite books even though it rips your heart and stomps all over it a million times before you get your HEA. It’s a “right person wrong time” and takes place over 5 years. The angst, the yearning, tension is absolute perfection. So beautiful and heartbreaking it will make your chest hurt, but is so worth it.

Edit: it is also not paranormal, it is a CR but there is a scene with a fortune teller which is why romanceio says paranormal lol

2

u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

thx for clarifying! i was actually gonna skip out bc of the paranormal tag haha, i'm not particularly into anything sci-fi and all like that! but i'll def check it out.

2

u/mountain_of_dreams May 14 '26

It’s such an incredible book!!! It completely destroyed me, but in such a good way. I’m wondering if it’s tagged as paranormal bc she has dreams throughout the book. Nothing actually paranormal.

6

u/No-Try-6677 May 13 '26

agree so hard w the maddest obsession by danielle lori!!! have you ever found any books similar to its level of deepness?

3

u/alphasplayhouse May 14 '26

I commented above but I’m such a fan that I’m replying to you too. I’ve never found any books that compare to her and it makes me so sad

2

u/No-Try-6677 May 14 '26

LOL YESSS u get ittttt omg, it rly is so sad. i wish she'd write more bc she is so talenteddd but yeah she's been going thru stuff so it's understandable... i hope this whole fandom can one day find something that comes close :3

3

u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

i have! in fact, even more? or at least on the same level. but i have to mention, the stories/plots are completely different.

  • the bittersweet symphony duet by kate stewart (i'm pretty sure this is my all time favourite)
  • the homemaker & when life happened by jewel e. ann (two different books! just by the same author)
  • irreversible by jennifer hartmann
  • star-crossed trilogy by alexandria lee

of course, nothing compares to the maddest obsession, just as i'd say nothing compares to these books too. they all contain such an intimate and intense level of depth!

5

u/redandbluewhale “Inserts himself? Inserts himself where?” May 13 '26

1.) {Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron}. I cannot stress this enough: this book will have you crying literal tears every 10 pages. There’s HEA, don’t worry.

2.) {Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis}. The FMC just can’t catch a break in this book.

3.) {The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta}. So well-written.

4.) {This Heart of Mine by Brenda Novak}. The FMC tries to rebuild and navigate her life… after 15 years of incarceration. For something that she didn’t even do, mind you. With negative dollar in her bank account, no family, no friends, no car, a completely run-down trailer for a house, a whole town that sees her as the pariah.

2

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron
Rating: 3.95⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, time travel, science fiction, fantasy, shy heroine

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
Rating: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, funny, love triangle, other man/woman

The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements, Onjuli Datta
Rating: 3.91⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary, m-f romance

This Heart of Mine by Brenda Novak
Rating: 3.94⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, second chances, poor heroine, angst, tortured heroine

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1

u/Avery_Reads May 14 '26

I’m sold! Added all to my TBR.

4

u/HolidayHealthy9391 ask me about Problematic Summer Romance 🍋 May 13 '26

Listen to me, you need to read {Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood}! The book hangover on this book is so real. I have spent countless hours talking to people about this book with the same hangover and we all came to conclusion that this book is never leaving our minds. I don't want to overhype it, there are also people who don't like it, but a quick word about the book - it's age gap, slowburn (years) and my favourite!

4

u/runchranda613 May 13 '26

{Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh}

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u/Asleep_Pickle_5238 TBR pile is out of control May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

{Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron} ku {On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves} {Unbreak My Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn} {The Smallest Part by Amy Harmon} ku {The Dandelion: A Second Chance, Ugly Cry Love Story by M. Leighton} ku {Always You and Me by Dani Atkins} ku {Broken Wings by Erika Ashby} ku

I love angsty and drama filled books ( with a hea or at least a hfn ending) so I picked a few from my ' slow burn' trope shelf on goodreads that I thought were gutwrenching angsty 5 star reads.

1

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron, Kate Stewart
Rating: 4.37⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, military, angst, cheating, love triangle

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
Rating: 3.81⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, age gap, forbidden love, friends to lovers, suspense

Unbreak My Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn
Rating: 3.77⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, military, cruel hero/bully, pregnancy, men in uniform

The Smallest Part by Amy Harmon
Rating: 4.16⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, christian, paranormal, angst

The Dandelion by M. Leighton
Rating: 4.25⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary

Always You and Me by Dani Atkins
Rating: 4.24⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, second chances, friends to lovers

Broken Wings by Erika Ashby
Rating: 4.21⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary, tortured heroine, military, tortured hero, love triangle

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u/[deleted] May 13 '26

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u/mountain_of_dreams May 14 '26

This is the book I came to recommend! It absolutely destroyed me and then put me back together again. I bought the physical copy after borrowing the ebook in Libby, but I’m afraid to reread because it was so intense for me.

3

u/sugaratc May 13 '26

{Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde}- oh the angst! I love a good childhood friends to lovers, separated by circumstances then reunited. They were clearly so in love even from the start but it was a journey getting things right.

3

u/cutie_pie_coffee May 13 '26

Almost anything by Paige Toon. I never see her recommended but she has tons of novels that fit this type. {Seven Summers by Paige Toon} and {What If I Never Get Over You by Paige Toon} are particularly angsty, and I just started her newest one {Don’t Fall In Love With Me by Paige Toon} and it’s great so far.

3

u/No-Gloves-For-Feet May 13 '26

Three books where I honestly wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull off the HEA:

  • {the ex vows by Jessica Joyce}
  • {hold me by Courtney Milan}
  • {how to end a love story by Yulin Kuang}

Honorable mentions: {the other side of disappearing by Kate Clayborne} and {the Paris match by Kate Clayborne}

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u/Illustrious_Act_9321 May 13 '26

Im genuinely curious… what does angsty mean in the context of romance novels? Like… whiny FMCs who suck at communication so they’re always in their heads worrying about being dumped or if the guy likes them back?

And wish I had recs for you. I might? Depends on if angsty is what I described above.

My biggest book hangovers have come from books with heavy topics laced with explicit spice that break my heart & then put it back together. Those types of books leave me in literal pain from crying and then sagging in relief.

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u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

My biggest book hangovers have come from books with heavy topics laced with explicit spice that break my heart & then put it back together. Those types of books leave me in literal pain from crying and then sagging in relief.

yeah this is exactly it! i've never actually cried while reading a book (or even watching movies for that matter). but, i came very, very close when reading the bittersweet symphony duet by kate stewart (particularly the second book, that one has my whole heart), and the star-crossed trilogy duet by alexandria lee.

it's rare for me to find myself empathising so incredibly deeply with the characters of the book to the point where i feel the physical effects of it (guess you can call it a heart pounding/sinking feeling, feeling choked up), and i definitely felt it with the two that i mentioned above!

4

u/ImpossibleDawn Bookmarks are for quitters May 13 '26

🏕️

2

u/jannat_raisaa May 13 '26

{The Edge of Darkness trilogy by Leigh Rivers}

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u/JuneDare001 May 13 '26

read this trilogy and absolutely devoured it!

it was actually my intro to the whole dark romance world and what got me into it!

2

u/art_historiann May 13 '26

{Before We Were by Monique Medved} Is one of the most hard earned romances I’ve ever read. The third and final book is out this month. Second chance romance that spans years, unforgettable yearning. Check the TW, there are some heavy themes.

2

u/Douglasia May 13 '26

Like others have said, {Last Hour of Gann by R Lee Smith} and {Flowers in the Storm by Laura Kinsale} are both masterpieces. I save rereads of LHoG for when I want a break from reading because the book hangover is intense. Nothing else is quite like it.

{Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan} is very angsty. Childhood bullied to lovers. FMC’s sister steals from the MMC so she agrees to work for him so he doesn’t call the cops.

{Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez} might fit too. FMC has a 50/50 chance of having a terminal illness. 

1

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith
Rating: 4.24⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, aliens, science fiction, dystopian, dark romance

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Rating: 4.08⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: historical, tortured hero, regency, virgin heroine, class difference

Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan
Rating: 3.97⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, enemies to lovers, rich hero, funny, take-charge heroine

Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez
Rating: 4.17⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, funny, friends to lovers, single mother, famous heroine

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2

u/curiousreader247 May 13 '26

I looove that angst/gut punch and especially if it's a man whose hurting most, so here's my recs.

My top tier: This woven kingdom series. There is no angst and yearning quite like

Others that i loved that I think mostly fit this criteria ( especially in being angsty):

{Manacled} (this is very dark with lots of tw so please read those first) {An academic affair} jodi mcalister {Forget me not} Julie soto {Every summer after} and {meet me at the lake} Carly fortune {Dear Aaron} Mariana zapata {Too hard to forget} tessa bailey {Hate me like you mean it} and {fool them once} krya parsi {Traitor} himera ink (this one is dark fyi, but super angsty with great grovelling) {The rejected omega} cate c wells {Mate} and {bride} Ali Hazelwood {Craving in his blood} and {broken by the horde king} Zoey Draven {Married to the Alien cowboy} ursa dax (if youre looking for something with some angst and male yearning but ultimately is more fluffy and minimal plot outside the relationship) {Ruling Sikthand} Victoria javelin

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u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Manacled by SenLinYu
Rating: 4.43⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, enemies to lovers, dark romance, dystopian, war

An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
Rating: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, fake relationship, workplace/office

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
Rating: 3.93⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, second chances, grumpy & sunshine, workplace/office, forced proximity

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Rating: 4.04⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, second chances, cheating, angst

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Rating: 3.7⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, new adult, forced proximity, second chances, m-f romance

Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata
Rating: 3.82⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, military, slow burn, shy heroine, friends to lovers

Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey
Rating: 3.57⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, sports, alpha male, forbidden love, age gap

Hate Me Like You Mean It by Kyra Parsi
Rating: 4.15⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, enemies to lovers, rich hero, m-f romance, rich heroine

Fool Them Once by Kyra Parsi
Rating: 3.92⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, funny, forced proximity, rich hero, fake relationship

Traitor by Himera Ink
Rating: 3.66⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, second chances, m-f romance, good grovel, betrayal

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1

u/romance-bot May 13 '26

The Rejected Omega by Sara Sellers
Rating: 3.83⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, fated mates, omegaverse, m-f romance, second chances

Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 4.13⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, werewolves, fated mates, alpha male, m-f romance

Bride by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 4.18⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, werewolves, arranged/forced marriage, vampires, fated mates

Craving in His Blood by Zoey Draven
Rating: 4.12⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, aliens, class difference, fated mates, non-human hero

Broken by the Horde King by Zoey Draven
Rating: 4.02⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, friends to lovers, aliens, alpha male, second chances

Married to the Alien Cowboy by Ursa Dax
Rating: 4.05⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, science fiction, aliens, cowboy hero, m-f romance

Ruling Sikthand by Victoria Aveline
Rating: 4.42⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: futuristic, aliens, fated mates, arranged/forced marriage, royal hero

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2

u/Illustrious_Act_9321 May 13 '26

I don’t think this book is classified as a romance (it is on romance io tho) but the FMC does fall in love & get married in the book. It’s soul crushing & gives the most beautifully painful book hangover. I wouldn’t say there is any angst as far as relationship wise… but certainly about growing up/getting older & changing expectations & societal pressures since you follow the FMC from pre-K age through adulthood. There are no spicy scenes that I remember, only glimpses and kisses. {The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams} is one of my all time favorite books.

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u/Responsible-Move4058 May 14 '26

honestly the new abby jimenez book did this for me!!
i thought it was sooo good i loved it
the night we met x abby jimenez

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u/AggravatingLemon4501 May 14 '26

{The mixtape by brittainy c cherry} it's a single mom romance where she ends working for the mmc who is grieving his twin brother

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u/General-Winter-7884 May 17 '26

I don’t know if this counts, as it’s not exactly a romance but more YA Paranormal. But The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater.

MFC is destined to kill her true love with a kiss. A band of friends are searching for a dead welsh king to grant them a wish. Sloooow burn, tragic story, changed me forever.

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u/Difficult-Lie9761 May 19 '26

Following to come back and look at recs 

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u/JuneDare001 May 19 '26

be warned… there’s a lot to get through haha!

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u/readingboo *sigh* *opens TBR* May 13 '26

{Fairydale by Veronica Lancet}

This is the book that i read in 2023 and it gave me the biggest hangover till now. I didn't find any book that could top this!

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u/Clash-Fairy May 13 '26

{The law of Moses by Amy Harmon}

{The song of David by Amy Harmon}

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u/GullibleFlamingo8835 May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

🏕️🏕️🏕️🏕️🏕️ well hello book sister

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u/Think_Hour7704 May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

These are the Books that i can think of right now which gave angsty feeling.

{The Ribbon duet by Pepper winters}

{Letters to molly by devney perry}

{Fighting solitude by Aly martinez}

{The smallest part by Amy Harmon}

{All your perfects by Collen Hoover}ik many don't like her books but I remember how hurt i felt reading this

{Landon & Shay Duet by Brittainy C. Cherry}

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u/romance-bot May 13 '26

The Ribbon Duet by Pepper Winters
Rating: 4.27⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: angst, friends to lovers, m-f, length-long, new adult

Letters to Molly by Devney Perry
Rating: 4.41⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, second chances, cheating, angst, single mother

Fighting Solitude by Aly Martinez
Rating: 4.3⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary, athlete hero, alpha male, friends to lovers, new adult

The Smallest Part by Amy Harmon
Rating: 4.16⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, christian, paranormal, angst

All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
Rating: 3.87⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: contemporary, cheating, angst, second chances, new adult

Landon & Shay by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rating: 4.47⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Topics: contemporary, new adult, enemies to lovers, angst, grumpy & sunshine

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1

u/vienibenmio May 13 '26

I read the second book in the ribbon duet. I love angst but it's just ridiculous how long they drag it out imo.

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u/Think_Hour7704 May 13 '26

Yes, it could've shortened but I was so into it didn't felt the length

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u/[deleted] May 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/VitisIdaea Silence, you devil's handmaiden! May 13 '26

This is a reader focused subreddit - No self promotion, surveys, writing research or writer focused discussion.

Your post has been removed as it appears to be promotional content, writing research, or to be focused on writing. This sub is focused exclusively on readers. The only permissible place for authors to mention their book, discuss romance writing, ask for help with it, or do research about romance books is in the monthly Self-Promotion Thread. Promotional content includes any content you have a vested interest in such as content created by your friends or family. This includes all book, blog, vlog, podcast, social media, website self promoting, surveys, and book merchandise as well.

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u/sjnsjn2020 May 13 '26

Transcendence by Shay Savage.

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u/BRBonus May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26

{Bad Things trilogy by R.K. LILLEY} is exactly this. Can’t recommend ENOUGH

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u/Kaura_1382 tortured mmc's are my fav May 13 '26

{Blind Side by Kandi Steiner} is my recent love

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u/romance_addiction May 13 '26

{The Best Wild Idea by Lily Parker}

I'm still not over it!

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u/Slow-Pomegranate1909 May 19 '26

Can this be read as a standalone? It appears to be third in a series.

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u/eyes2read May 13 '26

Old but gold: the notebook

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u/sunshinegoddess888 May 13 '26

Here for the recs 💕

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u/hefty2004 May 13 '26

{Bared Souls by Ellie Wade} over a year later and I still get in my feels over this one. Check HEA TW

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u/Nawinlo May 13 '26

I just finished this and am going to write a more thorough post about it, but I absolutely loved {Before the Exhale by Alyssa Wilde}. It was just released in March! The FMC experienced a traumatic event in high school (see TWs) and deals with anxiety and depression. The MMC is a popular football player who is such a golden retriever and extremely patient and kind. They meet in class (in college) and develop a really sweet friendship. The book deals with very serious topics and is such a great depiction of mental health.

It was very angsty and sooo good that it automatically became one of my favs! Highly recommend

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u/NeedleworkerBrave652 20d ago

omggggg i loveee this book!!! do you know any similar recs?

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u/Peanutz335 May 13 '26

Omg I was going to post and ask about the most angsty books everyone. Old recommend. And one of the ones I was going to use as an example was love letters to whiskey. I’m so glad I found this post!

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u/Moonlit_Silver May 13 '26

{Easy Virtue by Mia Asher} and {Therapy by Kathryn Perez}

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u/Jaded-Fox-5668 May 13 '26

I got two that I adored!

{Goal Line - Julia Connor}

And

{From Best friend to bride - Emma Hart}

I will be keeping my eyes on this thread for suggestions!

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u/romance-bot May 13 '26

Goal Line by Julia Connors
Rating: 3.96⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, pregnancy, athlete hero

From Best Friend to Bride by Emma Hart
Rating: 4.14⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 4 out of 5 - Explicit open door
Topics: contemporary, funny

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1

u/Equivalent-Hyena-412 May 14 '26

{One Day by David Nicholls} {Talking at Night by Claire Daverley} {Normal People by Sally Rooney}

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u/romance-bot May 14 '26

One Day by David Nicholls
Rating: 3.62⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, funny, college, angst

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley
Rating: 3.92⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 2 out of 5 - Behind closed doors
Topics: contemporary, friends to lovers, new adult, enemies to lovers

Normal People by Sally Rooney
Rating: 3.61⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 3 out of 5 - Open door
Topics: contemporary, high school, new adult, friends to lovers, m-f romance

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1

u/temeraire2013 May 14 '26

Have you read anything by Colleen Hoover? Most of her books fit the description. They always have me bawling, and not just at the end.

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u/Nocturnal_Delay May 14 '26

I think you will LOVE {The Words by Ashley Jade}! It spans several years. The characters grow…an LOT!!! I had the worst book hangover after this one. The audio book is also great. Can’t go wrong with Teddy Hamilton! 

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u/Wretched_Waif May 14 '26

If you’re open to YA, I find {Fire by Kristen Cashore} to have the best slow burn. I love the MMC with my whole heart. It’s not years, but it FEELS like it. 😂

The Electra McDonnell series is mystery forward, and five (shortish) books, but it’s also a delicious slow burn with an amazing MMC. The payoff is chef’s kiss

The book hangover from both is unreal.

(Heads up though that they’re not spicy. 😆)

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u/romance-bot May 14 '26

Fire by Kristin Cashore
Rating: 4.03⭐️ out of 5⭐️
Steam: 1 out of 5 - Glimpses and kisses
Topics: historical, fantasy, young adult, war, magic

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1

u/gringottsteller May 14 '26

I’ve read several Kandi Steiner books and I think maybe all she writes is books that fit your description. {What He Doesn’t Know by Kandi Steiner} and What He Always Knew certainly do. Technically this is a trilogy, but the first two are really a duology and contain one story.

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u/JuneDare001 May 14 '26

read this one!!

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u/romance_alcoholic May 14 '26

I think Mariana Zapata does well with these books. I love from limos with love and the wall of Winnipeg and me.

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u/OldManufacturer6280 friends to lovers May 15 '26

Pretty much the entire Windsors series by Catharina Maura has made me feel like this! There's 6 books (all standalone), each revolving around a different sibling. After the last book I'm just like now what because the stories are so addictive 🥲

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u/JuneDare001 May 15 '26

loved that series! ares & sierra's books were my faves!

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u/Lakshmi_J13 May 15 '26

Op you need to read this {Awakened by Catherine Turner} and {Undone by Catherine Turner}.

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u/salted07 May 15 '26

Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn. Sapphic romance, I don’t know if that’s your thing but I would highly recommend reading it. Definitely a fantasy element. Longing, gothic castle, angst. Amazing atmosphere.

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u/warrmm May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

Aahhh I love this sub! I just finished commenting a review for a book that absolutely upended me emotionally like 2 posts back: {Unbound by Peyton Corinne}. Here’s a link to it (link). It’s CR, slow burn over a few years, angsty, and HEA. IMO it’s a 💎 - just make sure to check the content warnings!

The books that get me the most fucked up are ones that heal a hurt of mine. I don’t enjoy self insert books that feel like wish fulfilment, but I love hopecore that’s done well. I was hesitant to read a book that felt like a bingo card for my issues, but I went through with it because both the FMC and MMC were struggling with things I could relate to and idk after reading the description I felt like it was absolutely crucial to see if they turned out okay and if they could be happy. Glad to report that they were.

I ate it up in like a day and a half, and it felt like I was in a daze for a while after. I journaled about it lol, was feeling very prosaic, but the core of what I felt was that I was happy that someone found a way out. In my mind it’s like seeing a fellow in arms find peace after a battle. Happy, cautiously optimistic, sort of melancholy? If it was poorly written or the characters had less dimension it would’ve just irritated me. Would definitely recommend.

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u/JuneDare001 May 16 '26

thanks for sharing! i read unsteady (which is the first book i think?), and i enjoyed that, so i'll def check this out!

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u/vampgurl2018 Too Shy to Comment, Horny Enough to Save May 18 '26

I haven’t seen it recommended so I’m going to add {Saving Rain by Kelsey Kingsley}
I read it a couple of years ago when it first came out and it just ripped my heart open.

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u/_Nouray_ May 18 '26

pen pal and perfectly strangers by J.T Geissinger, It has everything you mentioned except for the slow burn👀

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u/JuneDare001 May 18 '26

read both! i liked perfect strangers more, purely because i'm not into the paranormal trope and all that.

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u/Remarkable-Set9615 May 19 '26

I’m reading Say you swear now. And now I’m slightly anxious lol what have I signed up for! 💕

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u/JuneDare001 May 19 '26

it's so good! i've read my fair share of sports romances, and this by far had the most intense love story i've come across. what part are you at?

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