Sonia is looking for recommendations, and I know we’ve read a bunch like these (especially the arranged marriage ones). Let’s see if we can make a new “best of” list. 
These are the genres that make me FURIOUS… and yet I can’t out ‘em down. Definitely tends towards “bully” anti-heroes.
She asks:
Hi Maryse,
I hope you could help me out. I’ve already searched goodreads. But came up with reads with hero’s that were so-so cruel not truly cruel.
I’d like to read a book . Where for some reason . The hero married and has rejected his wife. But before doing so he’s been very cruel towards her. Which is showed throughout the book. Or a book where the hero raped the heroine and now regrets it.
Now he’s trying to repent.
Books that I’ve read so far are The Unwanted Wife (The Unwanted Series Book 1) and A Husband’s Regret (The Unwanted Series Book 2).
I read The Unwanted Wife!!! I remember how popular that one was back in our early indie-days. Another that comes to mind is Aleatha Romig’s “Consequences” series. OMG!!!!! Perfect recommendation for this.
Anyone have more to suggest?
Robyn: OMG! You so need to read Unbreak My Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn. The H and h aren’t married in the first half of the book, but he is married to her best friend. She has loved the H all her life and he is sooooo mean to her even though the h helps take care of his 4 kids with her BF while he deploys. EEEEEK! I totally love this book!!
Maryse: YES Robyn!!!! HE WAS SUCH AN A$$!!!!!! Great suggestion, I read and loved that one!
Karen: Life Without You by S.P. West. Just finished this one. It was hard to give the husband a second chance on this one.
Tessa: Accidental Witness (Morelli Family, #1) by Sam Mariano is one. She witnesses him kill someone and he has to marry her to prevent her death.
Dena: Accidental Witness (Morelli Family, #1) by Sam Mariano The series is full of that.
Charity: Consequences of Deception by Ella Fox. They aren’t married but the h was always in love with the H but misunderstandings and events took separated them. Then the H comes back and the H is cruel and mean to the h until the truth comes out.
Jen: there is another book where they are forced to marry each other but i can remember the name of it. he brings another woman into their bedroom and sleeps with her and her makeup gets all over the wall and that is how the wife finds out. does that sound familiar to anyone?
Maryse: GASP!!!!! JEN!!! That would have made me throw my eReader!!!!!
Billie: Jen. Yours is Sparrow
Jen: Billie, Yes! Sparrow! That was a good one! Thank you for helping me!
Maryse: YES!!! I read that one. That’s true, and I think there was extreme ranting and raving by me. How did I forget that??
D.G.: Maryse …Sparrow was one of my five stars!!! I just LOVED it! It got the emotions going!!! Oh and Virtue & Vanity by Astrid Jane Ray!!!!! Arranged marriage, total misconceptions, and he does hurt her…so definitely has triggers.
Melinda: 53 Letters For My Lover. I loved that book. It’s Arranged marriage and Shayda gets raped. Then the husband won’t have anything to do with her. And then she meets someone else while she’s married.
Carla: Ohhh I crave these books as well. Acually I read a bunch these last days. I’d recommend you:
- Unbreak My Heart (Fostering Love) by Nicole Jacquelyn (amazing book)
- The Contract (The Contract Series Book 1) by Melanie Moreland (I never expected it to be so so good)
- Kiss an Angel by Suzan Elizabeth Phillips (he’s so cruel to her)
- Sparrow by L.J. Shen
- Duncan’s Bride by Linda Howard
Cicely: Wrecking Ball by B.N Toler is a good one too!!! Made me cry buckets 
LOVED that one, and the second (A Husband’s Regret (The Unwanted Series Book 2)) was pretty good as well. But something about The Unwanted Wife was extra touching and still sticks with me to this day. GAH!!! I have Sparrow but I can’t do the whole forgiving-the-H-after-cheating thing.Dangit!! And now I have Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus stuck in my head…
I am happily addicted to reading but I need to expend my book energy (especially when one puts me in an emotional frenzy - SO fun!). So, I release my feelings about the stories, by writing them down here. It's my book therapy. 
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
OMG! You so need to read Unbreak My Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn. The H and h aren’t married in the first half of the book, but he is married to her best friend. She has loved the H all her life and he is sooooo mean to her even though the h helps take care of his 4 kids with her BF while he deploys. EEEEEK! I totally love this book!!
Life Without You by S.P. West
Just finished this one. It was hard to give the husband a second chance on this one.
YES Robyn!!!!
HE WAS SUCH AN A$$!!!!!! Great suggestion, I read and loved that one!
Consequences of Deception by Ella Fox. They aren’t married but the h was always in love with the H but misunderstandings and events took separated them. Then the H comes back and the H is cruel and mean to the h until the truth comes out.
there is another book where they are forced to marry each other but i can remember the name of it. he brings another woman into their bedroom and sleeps with her and her makeup gets all over the wall and that is how the wife finds out. does that sound familiar to anyone?
Accidental Witness by Sam Mariano is one. She witnesses him kill someone and he has to marry her to prevent her death.
Jen. Yours is sparrow
GASP!!!!! JEN!!! That would have made me throw my eReader!!!!!
Maryse …Sparrow was one of my five stars!!! I just LOVED it! It got the emotions going!!!
Oh and Virtue and Vanity by Astrid Jane Ray!!!!! Arranged marriage, total misconceptions, and he does hurt her…so definitely has triggers.
53 letters for my lover. I loved that book. It’s Arranged marriage and Shayda gets raped. Then the husband won’t have anything to do with her. And then she meets someone else while she’s married.
Billie, Yes! Sparrow! That was a good one! Thank you for helping me!
Accidental Witness by Sam Mariano
The series is full of that.
Wrecking Ball by B.N Toler is a good one too!!! Made me cry buckets
My first thought was The Unwanted Wife but…great minds and all.
LOVED that one, and the second (A Husband’s Regret) was pretty good as well. But something about The Unwanted Wife was extra touching and still sticks with me to this day.
GAH!!! I have Sparrow but I can’t do the whole forgiving-the-H-after-cheating thing. Dangit!!
And now I have Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus stuck in my head…
Ohhh I crave these books as well. Acually I read a bunch these last days.
I’d recommend you:
Unbreak my heart by Nicole Jacquelyn (amazing book)
The contract by Melanie Moreland (I never expected it to be so so good)
Kiss an angel by Suzan Elizabeth Phillips (he’s so cruel to her)
Sparrow by L.J. Shen
Duncan’s Bride by Linda Howard
Maryse thanks for the email reminder. Gals thanks for the help.
Some of the books I’ve already read like consequences series, 53 letters to my lover, unbreak my heart.
But I’ll definitely be added the rest xxxx
My pleasure Sonia!!!! I’m so glad you asked us.
Dena I have a question for you.
I know you have to read the seriws in order. But the other book seems about other characters. So can I read accidental Witness then resisting Mateo? Then so on or do I have to read the whole lot.
I thought I could skip because one book about Mateo right man another about his sister.
I read Duncan bride and frankly I never found him that cruel.
I feel unbreak my heart hero was worse. Also the hero in virtue and vanity.
I read both books last year. I’m not sure about Life without you by S.P West.
I read the reviews on gd and it seems like the hero cheated. But heroine took him back minus any grovelling. In cheating I prefer grovelling.
I would like to add Take this regret on the list.
Because the hero was mean at the start which caused the heroine alot heartache. But he grovelled alot.