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What are your favorite books with an abused or traumatized heroine? Who did you enjoy watching overcome pain and suffering to get her Happily Ever After?
1

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4.13 avg rating — 17,932 ratings
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2

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4.43 avg rating — 189,619 ratings
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3

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4.07 avg rating — 229,354 ratings
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4

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4.20 avg rating — 100,061 ratings
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5

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4.18 avg rating — 40,559 ratings
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6

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4.39 avg rating — 117,767 ratings
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7

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4.13 avg rating — 169,898 ratings
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8

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4.12 avg rating — 109,735 ratings
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9

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4.32 avg rating — 202,913 ratings
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10

by
4.28 avg rating — 42,326 ratings
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11

by
4.21 avg rating — 95,526 ratings
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12

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 69,822 ratings
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13

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4.11 avg rating — 3,049 ratings
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14

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4.52 avg rating — 32,932 ratings
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15

by
4.13 avg rating — 37,328 ratings
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16

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4.27 avg rating — 29,217 ratings
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17

by
4.13 avg rating — 552,341 ratings
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18

by
4.26 avg rating — 30,353 ratings
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19

by
4.12 avg rating — 27,877 ratings
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20

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3.95 avg rating — 2,779 ratings
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21

by
4.16 avg rating — 117,427 ratings
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22

by
4.34 avg rating — 131,733 ratings
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23

by
4.13 avg rating — 205,078 ratings
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24

by
4.16 avg rating — 36,620 ratings
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25

by
4.04 avg rating — 40,563 ratings
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25

by
4.33 avg rating — 86,906 ratings
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27

by
3.65 avg rating — 20,222 ratings
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28

by
4.07 avg rating — 33,471 ratings
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29

by
3.99 avg rating — 768 ratings
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30

by
4.17 avg rating — 48,858 ratings
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31

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4.08 avg rating — 4,803 ratings
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32

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4.37 avg rating — 58,712 ratings
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33

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,423 ratings
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34

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4.04 avg rating — 56,077 ratings
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35

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4.20 avg rating — 682,696 ratings
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36

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4.02 avg rating — 23,665 ratings
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37

by
3.72 avg rating — 871 ratings
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38

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4.31 avg rating — 3,647 ratings
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39

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3.86 avg rating — 1,051,325 ratings
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40

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4.41 avg rating — 28,206 ratings
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41

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4.33 avg rating — 4,472 ratings
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42

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3.96 avg rating — 25,553 ratings
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43

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4.06 avg rating — 29,591 ratings
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44

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4.02 avg rating — 17,966 ratings
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45

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3.91 avg rating — 13,297 ratings
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46

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4.16 avg rating — 14,456 ratings
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47

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4.12 avg rating — 6,602 ratings
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48

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4.43 avg rating — 33,768 ratings
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49

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4.28 avg rating — 74,036 ratings
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50

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4.25 avg rating — 56,797 ratings
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51

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4.03 avg rating — 7,910 ratings
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52

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4.27 avg rating — 9,801 ratings
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53

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4.13 avg rating — 29,561 ratings
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54

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4.24 avg rating — 35,247 ratings
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55

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4.46 avg rating — 28,117 ratings
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56

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4.29 avg rating — 366,279 ratings
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57

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4.48 avg rating — 2,647 ratings
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58

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4.01 avg rating — 5,682 ratings
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59

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3.95 avg rating — 16,944 ratings
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60

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4.16 avg rating — 5,692 ratings
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61

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4.19 avg rating — 199 ratings
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62

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3.91 avg rating — 56,781 ratings
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63

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4.29 avg rating — 47,152 ratings
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64

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4.02 avg rating — 64,568 ratings
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65

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4.31 avg rating — 28,842 ratings
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66

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3.79 avg rating — 19,213 ratings
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67

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4.28 avg rating — 21,735 ratings
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68

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4.36 avg rating — 50,574 ratings
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69

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4.41 avg rating — 32,141 ratings
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70

by
4.38 avg rating — 14,575 ratings
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71

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4.28 avg rating — 21,592 ratings
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72

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4.11 avg rating — 8,087 ratings
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73

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3.86 avg rating — 2,109 ratings
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74

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4.11 avg rating — 9,991 ratings
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75

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3.94 avg rating — 24,448 ratings
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76

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3.97 avg rating — 561,798 ratings
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77

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4.13 avg rating — 3,762 ratings
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78

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4.05 avg rating — 9,223 ratings
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79

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4.06 avg rating — 2,061 ratings
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80

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4.10 avg rating — 8,827 ratings
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81

by
4.49 avg rating — 63 ratings
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82

by
3.94 avg rating — 845,529 ratings
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83

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,236 ratings
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84

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4.17 avg rating — 45,482 ratings
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85

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3.92 avg rating — 4,712 ratings
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86

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4.05 avg rating — 24,845 ratings
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87

by
4.31 avg rating — 34,412 ratings
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88

by
4.20 avg rating — 74,035 ratings
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89

by
4.69 avg rating — 120 ratings
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90

by
4.20 avg rating — 408 ratings
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91

by
4.04 avg rating — 49 ratings
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92

by
4.22 avg rating — 67,999 ratings
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93

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4.34 avg rating — 13,393 ratings
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94

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4.33 avg rating — 9,336 ratings
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95

by
4.04 avg rating — 20,338 ratings
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96

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4.33 avg rating — 18,912 ratings
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97

by
3.93 avg rating — 51,054 ratings
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98

by
3.95 avg rating — 5,564 ratings
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99

by
4.02 avg rating — 321 ratings
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99

by
4.12 avg rating — 221 ratings
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930 books · 850 voters · list created January 1st, 2012 by ☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ (votes) .
237 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


☽ Rhiannon ✭ 3650 books
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Anna's Herding Cats 5615 books
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Kate 2942 books
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Lisa M 610 books
30 friends
FlibBityFLooB 14846 books
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Jaimey 1364 books
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laurie 770 books
218 friends
~ Lei ~ Reading Is An Adventure ~ 4731 books
291 friends

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Comments Showing 1-16 of 16 (16 new)

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☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ Ok, so I really just made this list in the hopes that other folks would come across it and add to is so I could find some recommendations! I got lazy in ordering my votes so disregard the numbers. :)


message 2: by Jaimey (new)

Jaimey PNR wrote: "Ok, so I really just made this list in the hopes that other folks would come across it and add to is so I could find some recommendations! I got lazy in ordering my votes so disregard the numbers. :)"

I'll add some books to this list (I have to go through my "read" list first) but I have a question in the meantime. Would you object to me adding a couple of my own? They do fit the description but I won't add them if you'd rather I didn't since it definitely could be considered self-promotion.

:O)

~Jaimey


☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ I'm fine with authors adding their own books, so long as they fit the theme! :)


message 4: by Jaimey (new)

Jaimey PNR wrote: "I'm fine with authors adding their own books, so long as they fit the theme! :)"

Thanx! :O)


☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ I guess maybe my definition of "trauma" is different than others, but I would appreciate it if people would stop adding books where something vaguely unpleasant happens to the heroine. This list was meant for stories of a heroine surviving rape or abuse or violence and overcoming her fears and insecurities that arose from trauma. Not for girls who are sad their boyfriend broke up with them.


message 6: by Kirsty (new)

Kirsty Dallas Thanks to whoever added Saving Ella, my debut novel.. it also somehow made the best romance by an indie author and cracked #1 there.. Yeah baby... And Ella is definitely a heroine who has lived a difficult life... She is well and truly beaten, but never down!!!


message 7: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Hi,

Check out my bookshelf. I have tons of raped/abused heroine books.


message 8: by Marie-Ève (new)

Marie-Ève PNR wrote: "I guess maybe my definition of "trauma" is different than others, but I would appreciate it if people would stop adding books where something vaguely unpleasant happens to the heroine. This list wa..."

Yeah, same here.
It's sad because it seems like this list has now become a list of romance/erotica books...I don't feel books like 50 shades of grey should be there...


message 9: by Elyse (new)

Elyse Is this list just for novels? I added some non-fiction books but will remove them if you mean just romance novels.


message 10: by Anna (last edited Jul 24, 2016 05:34AM) (new)

Anna I aded a few one of them just came out Pennies (Dollar, #1) by Pepper Winters a very dark book and heroines trauma is shown brilliantly


message 11: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Dec 27, 2016 07:08AM) (new)

BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) PNR wrote: "I guess maybe my definition of "trauma" is different than others, .."

Same here, as I was wondering about some of the titles.


message 12: by Scarlet (last edited Dec 27, 2016 07:03AM) (new)

Scarlet Bonnet Hi all. I am a new author and would love to hand out some ARCs of my new novel Call Me Ana (viewBook.at/CallMeAnaGR ). The main character overcomes abuse/rape. Shoot me a message if you'd like a copy.


message 13: by Millystargirl (new)

Millystargirl this whole category is so disturbing


message 14: by ☽ Rhiannon ✭ (new)

☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ I'm sorry it bothers you. For some people, watching a heroine who has been abused heal (in romance novels, through her relationship with the hero) can be positive and hopeful. But it is certainly not for everyone.


message 15: by Millystargirl (new)

Millystargirl i suppose so...i think i thought it was another list which glorifies abuse/even rape/ horrible men i'v seen a fair few of these lists but its a lot better than i first assumed


message 16: by Midniteillusion (new)

Midniteillusion Millystargirl wrote: "i suppose so...i think i thought it was another list which glorifies abuse/even rape/ horrible men i'v seen a fair few of these lists but its a lot better than i first assumed"

I always go with the heroine overcoming her past trauma and finding someone (the hero) who gets her an her trauma.

I do keep a separate shelf for books I feel romanticize and glorify abuse and I wouldn't put any of them on these kind of lists.


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