SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE WITH DIVORCED OR SEPARATED COUPLES RECOMMENDATIONS!! Ooooh one of my favorite tropes. Totally my catnip ’cause of all of the emotional angst potential.
These stories run the gamut of all sorts of romance drama (from unrequited love, to more common marital strife issues, growing apart due to resentments, secrets, and life stresses… to some with PTSD, all the way to infidelity issues), and this list promises to tear our hearts out… and despite all odds, possibly mend ’em, too (hence, the “second chance romance” part). π Sometimes love really IS enough.
Tamara requested (and while I do have a few similar categories for what she’s looking for) I figured I’d open her question up for all of us to sort through, since her request was pretty specific. π
She asks:
“Iβm really into stories where the couple are married or have been married and are now separated/divorced and are reunited or one party is trying to win back the other party etc, etc.
My all time fav book like this is Mend (Waters Book 2) by Kirvin Wilson (which I never see get any love on similar list posts and it is such a fantastic read!)”…
READER RECOMMENDATIONS:
Rae: Β loved Kirvin Wison. I forgot about that book. Thanks ladies got another load onto that list !Β π€£
Celeste: Ohhh. I read Mend by kirvin, didnβt know there was a sequel.Β ππππ
Beth: Following this!
Susan: FollowingΒ π
Kristen: Between Me and You: A Novel by Allison Winn Scotch!
Cheryl: Just finished Between Me and You. I mostly loved it and it had the βfeelsβ I love. It made my tummy hurt from the beginning- wondering how it would end and for all the miscommunications and bad timing that the MCβs experienced.
It did get a little redundant with the MCβs gripes/issues and it was somewhat confusing because the chapters were not in chronological order. (I had more parts highlighted and notes than I generally do trying to keep everything straight). It is in dual pov, but I didnβt think it took away from the angst level. FYI it does have cheating.
Yvonne: After I Do: A NovelΒ by Tara Jenkins Reid
Maryse: YES!!!! I LOVED IT!! Here’s my 5-STAR Book Review
Rhonda: After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Ashley: The Retrieval Duet byΒ Aly Martinez!!! My FAVE in this trope everΒ π₯π₯
Maryse: YES!!! I loved this duet so much! Here are my book reviews of #1 (Retrieval)Β Book ReviewΒ & #2 (Transfer)Β Book Review.
Ε½eljka: Every Wrong ReasonΒ by Rachel Higginson
Maryse: LOVED this one!!!Β π Here’s my 5-STAR Book Review
R: I loved Every Wrong Reason
Cheryl: Every Wrong Reason was a great read also, not as gut-wrenching as After I Do, but still good. …Itβs a well-written, βreal-feelβ look at a broken marriage and decision to divorce. Angsty, sad, although maybe not as angsty as After I Do. Still I really liked it.
Kim: I just finished βEvery Wrong Reasonβ and all I can say is βWowβ that was some journey the author took me on. I really loved it…
Sam: Fisher’s Light! So good!
Maryse: OH YESSSS!!! He infuriated me!!! π Here’s my Book Review.
Jenn: fishers light!!! So good. Have neglected the housework all day to read! Almost finished!!
Caro: Back to You (Hurley Brothers Book 3)Β by Lauren Dane
BN Toler: Wrecking Ball by meeeeeeΒ π
Bethany: I have one! 8 Weeks (Time for Love Book 1) and it’s free!Β π
Rhonda: thatβs a great one!
Anne: I can only think of Here With Me, Choose Me and Save MeΒ by Heidi Mclaughlin and Wife in Name Only (Entangled Indulgence) by Hayson Manning
Rachelle: Just finished Here with Me β SOOO Good! …Read it in less than 24 hours, 5 stars!
Sherry: Wow, *Here With Me* sounds heartwrenching and full of angst.
MichelleS: Here With Meβ¦.. yikes!!!! the brother???? oh no no noβ¦β¦ I like the forbiddeny thing.
Grey: Iβm reading that Here With You and Choose Me set right now and wowβ¦ angsty yowch!
Laurie: Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar Book 2)Β by Devney Perry!
Melanie: Currently reading Letters to Molly, love second chance romances.
Jody: Devney Perryβs Letters to Molly …I love Devney, and have read everything else of hers. This one Iβm sure will wreck me.
Rae: The Divorce (The Relationship Quo Series Book 1)Β byΒ Nicole Strycharz is awesome
Kayla: Thereβs my Confession Duet!
Tracey: Great story!Β Before the Lie andΒ Truth Revealed by KD Robichaux
Kayleigh: Cole: A second chance romance (Bachelors of the Ridge Book 3)Β byΒ Karla Sorensen. Part of the Bachelors of the Ridge series, but can be read as a standalone. In fact, Cole was my first, and I went on to read everything written.
Marnie: Winning Her Affection (Thirty-Something In The City: The Coopers Book 3)Β byΒ Bailie Hantam. Actually, it’s just been released!
Tasara: All Your Perfects: A NovelΒ by Colleen Hoover. Itβs not exactly like the request, but itβs close and SO good.
Maryse: Excellent!!! Loved it too! Here’s my 4.5 star Book Review
Leslie M: Maryse, I love that although our tastes can be quite different, we still have some same faves! I was dying laughing at our freak outs over All Your Perfects.
Jaime: All Your Perfects is an incredible book! Colleen Hoover killed it with this book.
MichelleS: Iβm reading All Your Perfects. I have friends who struggled with infertility, so itβs really emotional for meβ¦ wondering if thatβs what they thought & felt. Better have a HEA, all Iβm sayinβ.
Kayleigh: Kiss Me Like You Mean It: Inspired By A True Story!
Cynthia: KISS ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT byΒ Jen Rogue
Christina: Kiss Me Like You Mean It byΒ Jen Rogue
Gloria: Definitely Kiss Me Like You Mean it by J.R. Rogue
Robyn: Kiss Me Like You Mean It, oh geewilikers!! My heart! If only the synopsis did that to me, what is the whole book gonna do?!
Amy: …am STILL loving Kiss Me Like You Mean It. At first I was cringing and thinking, βDonβt hurt him!β And now all I can think is βFreaking hurt his stupid a$$!!!β
Robyn: I finished Kiss Me Like You Mean It. I was emotionally exhausted at the end. Gwen has lots of problems. Conner is the constant in her life. It was raw, gritty, just like most real relationships are. Gwen explains why itβs hard to be in love with someone like her. I thought the book was ok. I guess when I read the blurb, I expected something else. The plot wasnβt what I expected. I for one, donβt like to be emotionally exhausted after reading a book, but then again I couldnβt get off the train either. So go figure. LOL…
Kaylee: Lacey BlackΒ and I have one. It’s Not Over: A Second-Chance Romance Novel (Paths To Love Book 1), and it’s on sale right now
Kimberly: Itβs Not Over byΒ Kaylee RyanΒ andΒ Lacey Black!!! Itβs so good!!
Kim: The Mrs. Clause: BBW Holiday Romance, Evie Mitchell
Ε½eljka: My Biggest MistakeΒ by Leddy Harper
Cheryl:Β My Biggest Mistake sound good. The blurb for MBM makes my heart hurt- Angst!!
Grey: My Biggest Mistake gives me a huge angst jolt though⦠and it may steal my attention!
Amy:Β My Biggest Mistake. It was really good and pretty heavy emotionally in the first 40% or so. Itβs in her POV, and I couldnβt help but feel for Donnie (the hubby) and her as well. He (understandably) puts up a fight, and she has to deal with the consequences of what she did.
One of my only complaints is the time span of the bookβ¦the entire thing takes place in a period of a couple of weeks, and things happened way too fast for that sort of situation. Also, the crying. Oh lawd the crying.
… BUT, the tummy-twisting, heart-aching drama with some angst thrown in made up for it, and it was a great emotional ride! π
Katie: Tessa Bailey just released Love Her or Lose Her: A Novel where the heroine decides she wants a divorce but they ultimately agree to counseling & trying to get their relationship back on track. Lots of winning each other back actions.
Jamie: Roller Coaster Love (Roller Coaster Love Series Book One)Β by J.S. Wilsoncroft
Magan: Saving GraceΒ byΒ A.D. Justice
Christina: Goalie: A Texas Mutiny Soccer Romance by ME Carter
Nicola: Does it need to be a contemporary? One of Eloisa James’ Duchess books had this trope, and I think Jennifer Haymore had one too, where her husband was presumed dead, she took up with someone else after 7 years, and then the husband came back. A Hint of Wicked (James Family Book 1).
Oh, and checking her webpage, it looks like she has a contemp along the original request, appropriately titled “The Reunion: A Sugar Cay Novella.”Β πΒ I haven’t read it but I do like this author.
Nicola: Itβs old, but Suburban Renewal (That Business Between Us Book 3) by Pamela Morsi.
JulieO: I forgot about SUBURBAN RENEWAL. Read it long before kindles were around. Very good. How do I know it is very good? Because as soon as I heard the title I remembered the goodness of the book. So will go find my paperback and blow off the dust.
Another reason is the last time I moved I went through all my paperbacks and only kept the ones I truly care out about and SUBURBAN RENEWAL made the cut.
Jolie: I have not read this book yet mostly because of the spoiler below but this came to mind. Forget Me Not by QB Tyler.
*spoiler*
*spoiler*
*spoiler*
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Infidelity involved.
Lana: Β I recently read Forget Me Not by QB Tyler that I quite enjoyed!
Ashley: My favorite is Forget Me Not byΒ QB Tyler!!!!! Hands down, holy infinity stars.
Looking for more in these genres? Check out:
- my entire MARITAL STRIFEΒ category
- my entire DIVORCE category
- my entire SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE category
- Reader Favorites β Marital Strife Romance Book Recommendations
βββ Β Looking for more of our favorite recommendations? Browse our “Ultimate Favorites Lists” here. Are you in the mood for a certain kind of story? BrowseΒ our favorite “genre/trope categories” here and our reader favorites lists too.
Perfect timing Maryse! Sarah Latchaw’s Hydraulic Series!
Oh YAY!!!! I am going to eat that trilogy UP!!!!!!!!
Do you remember how frustrated we were reading EXPERIMENT IN TERROR Series by Karina Halle? Dex & that awful girlfriend that he wouldn’t get rid of. Felt so sorry for Perry! Book after book, I thought how to get rid of her. Some were not very nice!!
LOL!!!!!
Ohhhhh the drama. It hurt so bad (and yet soooooo good).
THE MIGHTY STORM by Samatha Towle. I loved the scene where she was with her other half. And he was on stage & sang Mr. Brightside.
TRUE LOVE STORY by Willow Asher
ARSEN: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher
COVET by Tracey Garvis Graves
Oh YES!! HOLY MOLY I LOVED Covet!!!!!!!! I’ve been dying for another book like that one for so long.
Love, in English by Karina Halle
Natasha anders books my favorite is the unwanted wife
I forgot about SUBURBAN RENEWAL. Read it long before kindles were around. Very good. How do I know it is very good? Because as soon as I heard the title I remembered the goodness of the book. So will go find my paperback and blow off the dust.
Another reason is the last time I moved I went through all my paperbacks and only kept the ones I truly care out about and SUBURBAN RENEWAL made the cut.
Oh wow! Now I’m going to relook this one up!!!
Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron
Hello and sorry for the inconvenience, I am writing to you because I saw on your blog a very large list of titles, romantic books, military topic. I’ve been looking for a book title for a week, unfortunately I don’t remember the author or the cover. What I do know is that the fiction is contemporary. The H is ex military and curently working at a security company. The H and h are married but have been separated for a few years.
She is seeking divorce but the H doesn’t want a divorce and proposes a few months of living again together. They lost a baby. The h is devasteded because the H left on a mission when the tragedy happend.
The H’s colleagues do not know that he is married or about the baby. Hope you are healthy in these crazy times. 10x
Adina O. I have 2 books that might be it.
1st book –
“The Spy Who Left Me” by Gina Robinson
2nd book –
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” by Lexi Blake
I check the books that you recomended but no luck:(
The H is not a spus,fbi agent or royal.
Thank you Molly!
I’ll add them to the question post anyway (with Adina’s response) since we can make a list of “this trope” while we’re at it. π
Hi Adina!
I just posted yourΒ reader question and there are already 3 guesses on it. π
Take a look and keep an eye on it and let me know if you see the right guess:
https://www.maryse.net/reader-questions/reader-question-the-book-about-the-couple-that-is-getting-a-divorce-after-they-lost-a-baby.html
*safe hug*
Maryse
Hey Adina
That sounds exactly like True to you by Jodi Watters
Hi Cynthia!
You’re right, it was that one. π It was solved on her official question post linked up there. Thank you so much!! π