That crushing/hurt feeling she gets when she hears something bad about her… and then the slow build (and burn) as he realizes he was so wrong.
She asks:
Hi Maryse
Thank you for getting back to me.
I’m looking for books where the hero says something mean about the heroine and she over hears him like Kristen Ashley Sweet Dreams.
I love this kinda book.
If you have any suggestions that would be amazing!!!
Thank you
Katie
Hi Katie!! YOU BET!! 😀
I’m going to start us off with a few already made lists that have a similar feel (though not necessarily exactly what she’s looking for) but likely similar hurtful “feels”:
- Reader Question – Looking for book recommendations where the husband rejected his wife, and is now trying to repent…
- He doesn’t want her – Unrequited Love Book Recommendations
- Looking for a book recommendation with an alpha male and some unrequited love… AND
- all of the posts that we’ve categorized “Unrequited Love”
- everything tagged: Groveling Heroes on the blog
- everything tagged: Alpha Jerks on the blog
- everything tagged Bossy Bullies on the blog.
Any recommendations?
Michelle: Tate….
Maryse: Right?? First GRRRRRR! Then… *swoooooon* with a few grrrrs in between. LOL!! 😂
Michelle: Hahahaha! Exactly! 😂
Cindi: Tate…dang…the urge to reach inside that book and punch him was HUGE…but..BUT..he’s Tate…❤❤❤
Michelle: totally!!! Tate was my first read of KA’s MANY years ago. Been hooked ever since! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Cindi: my first was Mystery Man but Sweet Dreams is my go to feel better with the world❤❤
Ashley: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is one of my ALL time favorite books! I’ve read and listened to it about a dozen times! I’ve actauly been in the mood to do a relisten.
Nicole: Gibson by Mia Malone!
Alexis: Oh man, KA’s Breathe should also definitely be on this list 💙 I want a reread now… Chace and Faye are a favorite of mine
Janie: Can anyone think of any books where the heroine is a little “nerdy”? I read Breathe by Kristen Ashley and loved Faye and want more heroines like her!
Maryse: YESSSSS!!! I LOVED that one! Thank you for reminding me, Mony!!! Here’s my 4.5 STAR Book Review. 😀
Kathy: If you sports romances and a single Uncle, this is a great read.
Jackie: Wrecking Ball by P. Dangelico …I’m late to the party, but I absolutely loved it. What a fun book.
Robyn: I just finished P. Dangelico’s Bulldozer, book 3 in her Hard To Love series. I also have read the first 2 books Wrecking Ball and Sledgehammer. These books are so good and funny. They hit all of the feels. I have decided that this author is a cross between Marina Zapata, Lani Lynn Vale and N A Alcorn. Broody H meets quirky h, they have altercations with lots of funny humor and angsty moments and eventually fall in love against all odds. perfect! You have to read these books!
Margie: Suggest reading Beyond Repair by Susie Tate. Great heroine who overhears hero bad mouthing her to friends. Ms. Tate has other books in this same theme.
Fiona: Others by Susie Tate that match this criteria also are Beg Borrow or Steal as well as Limits….
Cheryl: I loved all Susie Tate’s book – the Broken Heart series was great and the new one that starts with Beg Borrow or Steal is also well worth reading.
Michelle:
Repeat by Kylie Scott
Lisa M: Whoever is in a book funk should read Repeat by Kylie Scott. I finished it today. I was so emotional reading it & felt so much for the characters. I was hooked fast & couldn’t put it down until I was done, heavy sigh!!!
- Nash by Jay Crownover
Stephanie: I’m also a sucker for Nash from the Marked men series by Jay Crownover!
Stephanie: Marked Men series. … I loved them all 🙂
Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart
Rochelle: …just finished Heartbreak Warfare which I’ve had on my reading list for months but was afraid of the “ugly cry “emotions that I don’t have time for in my life. However once I jumped into it I was sucked in and so worth the read and not quite the ugly cry I was expecting. This is a good rainy day read.
Dora: Heartbreak Warfare!!!! Insanely good. One of the best books I’ve read in years.
Maryse: I LOVED it too!! Crazy angst!!!!!! Here’s my 5-star Book Review!!
Heidi: BEST BOOK EVER! Maryse, Life got busy for a while, so when I found my nook, charged it, and made a New Year’s Resolution to read one Fiction and one Non-fiction book per month, the first place I headed to was your website for recommendations to begin my January fiction book. I chose Heartbreak Warfare per your recommendations. Holy Cow – I think this is my favorite book of all time!! I have now been reading my Nonfiction book for two days, and still can’t get Heartbreak Warfare off my mind. THANK YOU for this AWESOME recommendation!
The Boy and His Ribbon series by Pepper Winters
Michele G: The Boy and His Ribbon…yep it’s got all kinds of angst!!
Stacey: Finished “The Boy and His Ribbon” and also “A Girl and Her Ren” last night and let me say….WOW……just…..there really are no words. Book hangover of your life. BEST OF 2018. It has been years since a book gave me all the feels that this one did and these words still feel inadequate to describe this book…..so Ill just say this…..This book sneaks its way into your soul, grabs a hold, rips it out, and doesnt let go. I can tell it is one of those books that stays with you literally FOREVER.
Sara: Oh my! The Boy and His Ribbon Series, I think is one of my all time top 10 books ever!
- A Gift of Time by Beth Flynn
Roomhate by Penelope Ward
Leslie M: RoomHate …*BLEEPING* awesome!!!
Grace: I’m reading RoomHate now. Why does this ouchie I can’t have what I really, really want feeling feel so good????
Maryse: OHHHHH YESSSS!! Another fantastic love triangle/unrequited love while he was so mean to her and about her!!! Here’s my book review. 😀
Terry: I don’t know if you like historical romance but Romancing Mr. Bridgerton fits the bill for unrequited love. He isn’t super mean to her but she over hears him say something bad about her and it is wrenching. I highly recommend it! New to your site and I love it!
Rae: Ooh great list!
Cait: Gonna be fab
Maryse: Ohhhh!! And that one was a guess for THIS reader question too!!! Sounds so ANGSTY!!
AND!! It was also a suggestion for our “the other woman” reader favorites list!
Lisa M: The After series by Anna Todd & I’m still not finished it – 4 books just done book 2. So freaking good! Hardin he’s a Travis from Beautiful Disaster with way more issues!!
Elisa: I read this entire series and it’s well worth the cost. The author is incredibly talented in the way she wrote this story, I had re-read it and love the dysfunctional relationship of Hardin and Tessa, it’s beautifuly chaotic.
Ashley: I know this is a little off topic but can we please talk about After on Netflix?? Omg 🤤🤤🤤😊😊😊 I loved the book so much but the movie was better. Hardin was somehow softer and more redeeming. Swoon.
Roxy: Hi Maryse, I’ve been a big fan of your blog for a few years. Found a great deal of books to read by following your and “your posse’s” recommendations.
“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.”
Ouch!
Fiona: Some come to mind Maryse; one would be:
Maryse: YESSSS!! I LOVED this one!! Here’s my Book Review!!
Colleen: Big *hug* for the ‘The Coppersmith Farmhouse’ rec. I’ve gotten totally sucked down the rabbit hole with this series and it’s solved my big-time book slump. It also makes me want to book a vacation to one of those fancy clamping spots in Montana, Wyoming, etc. Hah!
Aurora Rose Reynolds the Until series such as Until November and Until July have a lot of alpha men that for various reasons have to grovel with their H after they have initially messed up etc.
Michelle M: The guys in this series are very alpha and very hot, but have just enough vulnerability and sweetness you can’t help but swoon big time. Read these Maryse! You will like. 😀
Finally the “50 Loving States” series from Theodora Taylor has a lot of alpha men and stories wherein the main H has messed up big time with their leading ladies.
There are so many more out there!
Ana: Under Locke by Mariana Zapata is also very similar to sweet dreams and belong to that category too I think
Gibson by Mia Malone!
YAY!!! I’m adding it! 🙂
Wrecking Ball by P Dangelico…Hero says something really mean about the heroine before her interview with him and she overhears him. A great slow burn read.
YESSSSS!!! I LOVED that one! Thank you for reminding me, Mony!!!
Windows by Emily Minton…..definitely
YES!! Thank you! Adding it. 🙂
Oh my! The Boy and His Ribbon Series, I think is one of my all time top 10 books ever!
I need to read this!!!
They are AMAZING!
Some come to mind Maryse; one would be the CopperSmith Farmhouse (Jamieson Valley Book 1) from Devney Perry, the Sheriff has a lot of groveling to do with the H aka Gigi.
Aurora Rose Reynolds the Until series such as Until November and Until July have a lot of alpha men that for various reasons have to grovel with their H after they have initially messed up etc.
Borden by RJ Lewis wherein the main H Marcus Borden is very mean/ spiteful to Emma the main H and tries to push her away based on his previous history; it continues in Borden 2.
Finally the “50 Loving States” series from Theodora Taylor has a lot of alpha men and stories wherein the main H has messed up big time with their leading ladies.
There are so many more out there!
Thank you!! I added them!! 🙂
Sticks and Stones by Susie Tate
Others by Susie Tate that match this criteria also are Beg Borrow or Steal as well as Limits….
Thank you Fiona!! I need to read this author!!
YESSS!!! And I hear a lot of her books have that “badmouthing hero” theme and she overhears. PERFECT! Thank you!!
Thank you all so much, so many I haven’t read!!!!
Hi Maryse, I’ve been a big fan of your blog for a few years. Found a great deal of books to read by following your and “your posse’s” recommendations.
How about, Pride and Prejudice, the “great-grandmother” of all “love-hate” relationship books? Lizzy and Mr. Darcy meet for the first time at the local assembly and she overhears him saying, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.” Ouch!
ABSOLUTELY THIS ONE!!!!! 😀 I’m adding it now. 😀 Thank you Roxy!!!