Love Me Harder

by Weena Bernabel

He came home carrying ghosts.
She learned how to smile while living with hers.

Alexander “Shadow” Armstrong returns to his small coastal town changed by war—haunted, guarded, and convinced he isn’t meant for peace. Ashley Rockwell has spent years holding herself together with everyday routine, loyalty, and a heart that refuses to harden, even after a devastating loss.

When their paths collide, neither of them is looking for love.
But something about her, steadies him.
Something about him makes her feel safe in a way she never has before.

As attraction turns into something deeper, both must face the truths they’ve been avoiding—about grief, fear, and what it really means to let someone see your scars. In a town where everyone knows your name and secrets never stay buried, their connection will be tested by the past and by choices that could change everything.

LOVE ME HARDER is an emotional, steamy small-town romance about two broken souls finding comfort in each other, learning that healing doesn’t mean forgetting—and that sometimes love arrives when you least expect it, asking you to stay.

Genres: Romance

219 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2026

About the author

Weena Bernabel is a storyteller of intense emotion.
Her novels explore the thin line between light and darkness, where passion feels dangerous and connection feels destined. With a love for gothic atmospheres, poetic prose, and emotionally charged relationships, she writes stories that dive deep into the shadows of the human heart.
Inspired by classic literature, haunting melodies, and the belief that some souls are bound beyond logic, Weena creates worlds where love is powerful enough to defy fate. An old soul at heart, she finds inspiration in 1950s oldies and blues music.
When she is not writing, she can be found cozy with a book, a warm mug of coffee, and Luna by her side.
She believes every being deserves to be loved—and that some loves are written long before we are born.

Reviews

[Weena Bernabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi, hello! 🥰

I wrote this book. Love Me Harder is a piece of my heart. I hope you feel every word the way I felt writing it. 🤍

[C J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from.a Goodreads Giveaway.
I liked this story. Military people do come back from war damaged and regular old civilians have triggers and loss too. This story is about two of those people meeting. You don't always have to be looking to find your lobster ;)

[Nishtha Agnihotri what_do_iread · Rating 4 out of 5]

What stood out to me most in Love Me Harder by Weena Bernabel is how delicately it explores grief—not as something loud and dramatic, but as something quiet that settles into a person’s bones. Alex and Ashley don’t just fall in love; they recognize each other’s pain. Their connection feels less like instant romance and more like emotional safety.

Alex’s wounded-soldier arc isn’t written as just a trope—it reflects survivor’s guilt, emotional withdrawal, and the difficulty of accepting happiness after trauma. Ashley, on the other hand, carries her own scars, and her strength lies in her softness. She doesn’t “fix” him; she simply stays. That nuance made their relationship feel mature and realistic.

The small-town setting adds warmth and contrast to the heaviness of their internal battles. I also appreciated how healing in this story isn’t linear—there are setbacks, moments of doubt, and vulnerability. The quote, “Her light may be the only thing strong enough to reach my shadows,” perfectly captures the emotional core of the book: love as illumination, not rescue.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed Love Me Harder ~ Cannon Beach Series ~ Book 1, by Weena Bernabel, author from the Kindle Unlilmited Program on Amazon.

Two broken people find each other one evening in their home town when they least expected for find a way to get past their grief, guilt, PTSD and panic attacks. Alexander "Shadow" Armstrong had been captured in Iraq and watched his best friend, Arthur die while he couldn't get to him to help him and then his captors attacted him. Ashley "Star" Rockwell had a younger sister that drowned when she was suppose to be watching her and has her share of guilt and PTSD too.

They find a way to help each other in this emotional romance and find a way to face their problems together and to move forward to a life together. Wonderful story full of realist problems and strong couple facing a difficult future with total committment to support each other and find happiness.

[MaryBeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautifully done. It shows how grief and pain can be so all consuming but yet there is always a light to be found in the darkness.

“I look out toward the fading sun and whisper to the empty room, “How can my little Star ever love al my shadows?”

Alex and Ash are so close to my heart. The way they let each other in, you can just see the rawness in each of their souls from their trauma and yet they both choose to stay resilient for one another.

“Two broken souls, stitched together by loss”
“Two people learning, slowly, that maybe love isn’t about forgetting the ghosts—but finding someone who’s willing to stand beside you while you face them.”

You even get your HEA that wraps up your heart after you have it gutted with emotions. LOVE LOVE LOVE this book 💜💜

[Alma Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Love Me Harder ✨

Quote: “ Her light may be the only thing strong enough to reach my shadows.”
Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️
Tropes: Healing Romance , Small Town , Wounded Soilder , Her Protecor , Two Broken Souls.

Weena has done it again 👏🏼 ! This story captures how pain and grief can make you lose yourself however with the right person by your side showing you that you aren’t alone can make a difference. Both Alex and Ashley have each gone through something traumatic. The way they both just instantly click and knew right away they needed each other pulled my little heartstrings🥹. Such an incredible story filled with raw emotions and will make you feel everything for these characters. ❤️

[Nichole Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart!!! If you love books that pull at your heartstrings, this is the one. My heart was broken for both MCs, and was slowly pieced back together over the span of the story. Alex is a soldier that has returned home a broken soul. He meets Ash, a sweet girl with trauma of her own. Together they embark on a healing journey that was absolutely beautiful. Their connection was so deep and raw, almost as if they were fated to be together. I love reading books where tragic events lead to something phenomenal and beautiful, and Love Me Harder definitely portrayed that beautifully! I highly recommend giving this story a read. You will not be disappointed.

[Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about grief, healing, strength, and the power of love. Alexander and Ashley broke my heart in two and then put it back together in the most beautiful way. They found the other half of their hearts in each other.

Alexander returns home from a tour in Iraq with a broken soul after losing his best friend. Ashley is experiencing grief of her own after losing someone she loved dearly. Her and Alexander find strength and healing in each other as they navigate life after loss. Their journey was full of raw emotions, heartbreaking trauma, and transformative love. These two were made for each other in every sense of the word.

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book filled with lots of grief, and has a lot of topics that can be triggering. Please read the warnings before diving in!!

Alex and Ashley both have different experiences with grief and how they are processing it. Alex drinks and wants to avoid it all by blurring it out. Ash tries to be there for everyone and sometimes forgets herself in the process. When these two meet, it’s something instant. They both sense the loss, hurt, and ghosts.

They come together and end having a beautiful way to be each other heal and become a little more whole through their love.

[Ashleigh Threatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was sweet and heartbreaking and even had be stressed a few times! I love a book that can make me feel a whole range of emotions. I loved how the FMC and MMC seemed to be perfectly made for each other and fully understood each other's grief. I also liked getting to see the other relationships they had with other characters throughout. I loved both of their parents so much! Definitely touches on some rough topics, so check your triggers, but overall, this book was great! Thank you to the author for giving me the chance to read this as an ARC!

[blossomingwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grief, resilience, a touch of violence, and a dollop of love. This story is not an easy one to read, but a beautiful view of grief and how it can affect people differently.

At times it’s gritty, at times it’s cheesy, and in the end it’s beautiful.

[AshieNightShade · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

This book was so cute and heart wrenching. There were a few things that made me cry but I'm glad they could overcome the past. Alex and Ash were so cute together tbh.

I'd like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity to ARC read this book 🫶🏻💕

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***

What a beautiful story. It’s a quick read with short chapters. This story focuses on healing after a great loss and Learning how to live with the grief.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one!! Hit me in all the feels!

[Mercedes Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional love

This story is so touching! Alex and Ashley’s love is so deep that I almost cried. I’m consider this novel as my favorite ever.

[Jess MacMunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one settled deep in my heart. Love Me Harder is a beautifully written story about grief, healing, and learning how to forgive yourself.

Alexander returns home from the military carrying both physical injuries and a loss that changes everything. Struggling to cope, he spirals into self-hate, feeling lost in the aftermath. When Ashley comes into his life, she becomes an unexpected light—someone who sees him beyond his pain. What begins as two broken people finding each other slowly turns into something deeper, as they begin to find love in a place they never expected.

What really stayed with me is how deeply these characters saw each other—truly saw each other. They’re both carrying guilt, each blaming themselves for the loss of someone they loved, creating such a powerful, unspoken connection.
She feels like a bright light to his shadows, while he grounds her in a way that makes her feel safe and understood. Their emotional chemistry runs deep, but there’s also that undeniable spark and heat between them ✨

Weena’s writing is so raw and emotional—it pulls you in completely and makes you feel every moment right alongside the characters.

Watching them open up, trust again, and find comfort in each other was incredibly moving.

This story is a reminder that healing doesn’t mean the pain disappears—it means finding light within it.
Such a powerful story. This one left a mark on my heart. 💔✨

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an emotional and heartfelt story! Shadow and Ashley's story was heartbreaking and so raw. They both endured so much trauma. My heart broke for both Shadow and Ashley. I loved Ashley's compassion and how she was such a guiding light for Shadow. I really loved how protective Shadow was. He always knew when Ashley needed him and he showed up, no questions asked, just to support her.

Both characters were so broken that I truly think they needed each other to put the pieces back together. They both had suffered so much and had such baggage. They really were the others missing piece.

This could be a triggering story for some so make sure to check that out first. It's written in a compassionate way and handled well. It's a deep story but has a light shining throughout that leaves you with a hopeful feeling. I would recommend it!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Me Harder is a beautiful story of pain, grief and loss and love that heals. It breaks your heart and puts it back together again.

Alexander and Ashley each have such a heartbreaking story and truly find the other half of their heart and soul in eachother. It was a beautiful story to read.
It reminds me that there is hope and light in the darkness.

I love that it is set in Cannon Beach. I go there every summer. It is a wonderous place to be.

The story gave me all the vibes of the romance movies from the early 2000s.
I was reading it and story gave me the feels of watching the beginning of The Notebook when Noah and Allie fall in love. I loved that!

It was a magnificent story and I would read it again!

Thank you to the author Weena Bernabel for the eARC!

[JC Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story, starting with the prologue which was tragically well done. I felt every bit of it and it tore my heart out. Shadow and Star are amazing characters, particularly with the way they confront their past and heal together. The softness of their connection is felt immediately and my heart ached for them as they battled their scars, and as Weena is so beautifully able to illiterate, finds their stars. This book focuses on healing from deep trauma, and not only losing those close to you, but baring the burden significantly. I just love how this was written, and the spice was definitely intertwined throughout to show their passion for one another. I definitely recommend for those who enjoy a romance story about healing, survival, and finding something to live for again.

[The DyslexiCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started crying in the prologue and I don’t think I stopped until well after it was completely finished. You will experience a similar grief in completely different ways.. you will see two souls who found each other when they needed it the absolute most. This book exposes pain in its rawest form, in its lowest point. How healing is not a smooth straight path, it is covered in shadows that makes bumps, valleys, and mountains to climb seem never ending, only to happen upon the brightest star who lights the path showing you that it gets easier, just trust the light. She’s got you. On top of emotional destruction, You get obsessive all consuming touch her and you won’t see tomorrow love. Ending in the most purest form of soul deep love.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This book is beautifully written and incredibly moving. The author captures grief so authentically not as a straight path, but as something messy and painful, and yet filled with moments of light coming through the darkness. “The moon didn’t give me peace in the darkness it gave me her.” Alex and Ash are both broken, yet together they find healing and the courage to grieve alongside each other.

The love and compassion between them feel so real, especially given the trauma they’ve each endured. The emotions hit hard, and the way the author portrays grief resonated deeply with me. This story is emotional, powerful, and unforgettable I loved it!

[J.C. Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely pulled into this story from the first page and ended up finishing it in just 24 hours because I truly couldn’t put it down. Love Me Harder delivers an emotional punch with its portrayal of two wounded people finding comfort in each other. The chemistry between Shadow and Ashley feels both raw and authentic. The small-town setting adds just the right amount of tension, where secrets linger and healing doesn't come easy. Their journey through grief and unexpected love is both heart-wrenching and hopeful, making this a deeply satisfying romance that lingers long after the final page.

[Liv Lowry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an emotional read. I loved how both Alexander and Ashley felt real and a little broken, especially in the way the story handles grief and loss. I loved how they healed each other over the course of the story. The mix of emotional depth and steamy romance worked really well, and that ending had me tearing up. Definitely recommend if you like character-driven love stories with some angst!!

[Jessica James · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a quick, small town, beach town, read then this book is for you! When two broken souls find each other when they are needed most. This book will have you sobbing and laughing. It touches on loss and how sometimes someone can be your light in the dark. This book is pure magic and I hope you love it as much as I do.

[Mags · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did like this book, the reason I rated it three stars is because the format of this book was throwing me off at certain times and also the main characters seemed like they had insta-love rather than developing the relationship over time and then falling in love. Similarly, it seemed like he used her as a crutch a lot. All that being said, I did still love the book.