Ahhhhhhhh… forbidden love. Always so angsty, and painful, and intense (and sometimes, so tragic) and yet sooooooo satisfying. The ultimate guilty pleasure! Forbidden can be for so many reasons (age issues, positions of power, and even more risqué stuff) but this version of “forbidden love” is a classic!! Forbidden to be together due to family feuds and loyalties… such unfairness for the two that are so in love.
Julie asked for this particular list and I AM THRILLED to compile it with our favorites. 😀
She asks:
Hi Maryse! Do you have any book recommendations or an already established list for Romeo and Juliet type of romances?
I am in the mood for a forbidden love story of two people from two families at feud or similar.
READER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Ryn: JM Darhower has a number of books like this! My favourite is By Any Other Name (Forbidden Book 1).
Tessa: JM Darhower’s By Any Other Name. Sad, but good. I’m obviously not going to say what happened, but really enjoyed it.
Stacey: I read By Any Other Name last week and LOVED it.
Amanda: Sweetest Sorrow by J M Darhower… sequel to By Any Other Name
Amy: Sweetest Sorrow…just that name makes me ache. Or maybe it’s because I was already aching. *sigh* Isn’t that the star-crossed rival family book?
Lisa: One of my all time faves… After The Night by Linda Howard…sniffle.
Nay: Maryse–I think I remember someone asking about Romeo and Juliet-type book suggestions? Well, I just happened to run across one on GR. You may already know of it, but it’s a series called Sins of the Heart by Monica James and the first book is called “Absinthe Of The Heart (Sins Of The Heart Book 1).”
Amy: Absinthe of the Heart was a definite click. Reviews used the word “gutted” so YES please.
Tessa: Family Ties (Morelli Family, #4) <— I’m still in Morelli land. I’m on book four, and I almost feel like this couple is too nice so something horrible is going to happen to them. lol …This one, though, promises ANGST. A Romeo and Juliet situation. She’s a Morelli and he’s one of their biggest rivals.
Rebecca: Nico: A Mafia Romance (Ruin & Revenge Book 1) by Sarah Castille from the Ruin & Revenge series. Incredible chemistry between the two main characters, slick writing and quirky.
Rebecca: Also Star Crossed (Battered Hearts Book 2) by Kele Moon, its book 2 of her Battered Hearts series which leads onto the Untamed Hearts series. The Enforcer from Untamed Hearts is one of my top ten books of all time in 40 plus years of reading. Detailed, complex classy writing with heart stopping moments that turned everything you knew from previous books on its head and gave clarity to all sorts of nuances to characters and plot. Outstanding.
Maryse: YESSSS!! I LOVE this whole series and I LOVED this one too!!! Great recommendation for this list. P.S. Here’s my Book Review
Lisa: OMG Read Star Crossed this weekend and loved, loved, loved it. I can’t wait for the others to come out because the ending left we wanting more.
Sue: This is one of the best series I have read this year. I could not put them down. I read both books in two days. I had to go back and reread the end of Star Crossed because I just could not let them go LOL. I have put Kele Moon on my autobuy list. I cannot wait for Wyatt’s book. Now that I have read that she plans on six books, I cannot wait for them all. The characters jump off the page and into your heart, no lie. I hope everyone takes a chance on this series. It is lovely.
Suze: …who does not LOVE Romeo Wellings from Star-Crossed, Book Two in the Battered Hearts Series by Kele Moon. …swoon worthy.
Kele Moon: LOL! I got a thing for Star Crossed Lovers. . . I dunno why. . .
Yamara: Unforgiven by Elizabeth Finn might fit this category
Lisa: I love Unforgiven…read it at least once a year!
Dinah: Unforgiven by Elizabeth Finn!!!!!! They were friends in the past but something huge happens and 6 years later he hates her. He tells her he hates her but……he just can’t stay away. He goes from hot to cold and she just accepts it because she feels guilty. This book is awesome!!! I highly recommend it!
Lauren: …unforgiven by Elizabeth Finn. Oh myyyy good god! amazing I’d love to hear your thoughts! …Perfect flow of writing just what I love in a book! 🙂
Avid: Unforgiven by Elizabeth Finn. Whoa, it was AMAZING! This book was steamy and spicy and gut wrenching and everything in between. 5 star read for me and I read everything I can get my hands on… Get your tissues and READ this BOOK!
Maryse: P.S.!!!! To all who loved this book, did you know there’s a sequel out??? Unforgettable <— “The sequel and conclusion of Unforgiven.”
Cynthya: The Confidence Game Duet <— I just finished book two, and I reread the last page multiple times. I was reluctant to allow myself to reach the final sentence knowing that when I did it would be over. I loved this story. I have this dream of writing just one thing in my life that is so hauntingly beautiful it echoes across the pages of history. If any book(s) should get that honour its this beautiful duet. Watch your back Romeo and Juliet, Sayer and Caro have a love that will raze all that stand in their way. Unlike you these two do not give up.
Tasha J: I really liked Constant by Rachel Higginson.
Leah: The Wedding Pact (The O’Malleys Book 2) by Katee Robert … It’s kind of like The Godfather meets Romeo and Juliet, but for a Boston Irish crime family. And the cover Is SO HOT.
Teri: Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid Book 1)-Georgina Kinkaid series by Richelle Mead. Fabulous. It’s paranormal but more like contemporary romance than heavy paranormal. She and her star crossed lover have been reunited over the centuries but neither one realize it. Enough said you have to let it unfold for yourself. Edgy, sexy and super angsty. Highly recommended.
Andrea: the Succubus Series/ Georgina Kincaid by Richelle Mead. OMG this is a great great series. You HAVE to read it.
Jennifer: Richelle Mead’s “Georgina Kincaid” series is full of vampires, succubus, angels, and demons. It’s very addictive and will keep you guessing.
Kimberly: Just finished Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel and it was glorious! It’s M/M about the president’s son and Prince of Wales falling in love. The families aren’t at odds, but the story has a similar feel, I think. I’d heard great things and this book did not disappoint.
Cindy: Immediately thought of the Indebted series by Pepper Winters. This series was intriguing and dark and unlike anything else.
Cristina: Definitely the Indebted series by Pepper Winters. That series gutted me!
Grey: Indebted… gah, make sure you have batteries for your flashlight and a buddy because it gets realll dark! But, so worth it if that’s your thing, obviously, it’s mine, LOL!
Linda: I read the Indebted series over Christmas break! Wow mind f**key is correct.
Gabrielle: Just read “Don’t Mention the Rock Star” by Bree Darcy. Was a really good second chance romance. Her first love became a rock star. Star crossed lovers type of book…
Amber: I have to say, the Star-Crossed series by Rachel Higginson was the BEST series to read after Twilight… ….SERIOUSLY! Read these books! They are literally the best I have ever read, I just love them to death…
Tessa: finished the Star-crossed series! *grins* I adored it. Just what I love in YA PNR. *spins*
Amy: Yes Tessa! Happy Star-Crossed memories indeed. 😀 Kiran and his dream world… *swoony sigh* …wasn’t the Star-Crossed series fun? Perfect YA PNR goodness.
Jackie: Thank you so much! Loved reading all the recommendations! Here are some of my favourites:
Privilege (Renzo + Lucia Book 1) by Bethany-Kris- Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal Book 1) by Bethany-Kris and London Miller
Ela: I just started Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal, #1) by Bethany-Kris and loving it…
- Black hearts by Karina Halle
Amber: Black Hearts was HOT! I loved it!
- Becoming Calder by Mia Sheridan
Jean: I can’t stop thinking about Becoming Calder and Finding Eden!!!!!!! Read both books over the weekend……AWESOME!!!! Didn’t realize it was about a religious cult when I started it! Both the H and h are amazing. These books were filled with hope and resilience! Cried like a baby with Finding Eden….. tears of sadness and joy! Please read them guys! I almost loved them as much as Archer’s Voice and that’s saying something!
Amy: I just read Becoming Calder after Jean gushed over it not long ago, and WHOA! Some pretty intense moments in it, especially with not really knowing what’s going to happen.
- Reckless & Ruined (The Chicago War Book 2) by Bethany-Kris
- Vendetta by Catherine Doyle
- Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy Book 1) by Wendy Higgins
Erika: Kaidan from Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. There is just something about the son of the Duke of Lust 😛
- The Violet Eden Chapters by Jessica Shirvington
- Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Kimberly: My favorite book this year… The Starcrossed trilogy by Jospehine Angelini…
I meant to mention the other day, Emma Scott’s In Harmony has the “daughter kept from the H” thing happening. And speaking of JM Darhower, Sempre gave me that “feel.” Maybe it was just the epicness of it. IDK.
I like this theme if it’s not *too* angsty (cos I’m lame like that 😉 ). I can’t think of any to add to the list right now, but I’m gonna check some of these out 😀
Speaking of the Battered hearts series anyone know why she left the Untamed hearts series incomplete? Readers have been holding their breath for two years (a very long time) for Enforcers Revenge to come out, not to mention everyone’s favourite – Novas book
If it wasn’t Kele Moon people would’ve forgotten about the whole thing.
Thank you so much! Loved reading all the recommendations!
Here are some of my favourites:
Privilege by Bethany-Kris
Where the sun hides by Bethany-Kris and London Miller
Black hearts by Karina Halle
Becoming Calder by Mia Sheridan
Reckless and Ruined by Bethany-Kris
Vendetta by Catherine Doyle
Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins
The Violet Eden Chapters by Jessica Shirvington
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
YAY!!! Thank you Jackie! I just added your list into the main post. 😀