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 — 18,007 ratings
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2

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4.43 avg rating — 190,319 ratings
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3

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4.07 avg rating — 229,559 ratings
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4

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4.20 avg rating — 101,338 ratings
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5

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4.18 avg rating — 40,780 ratings
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6

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4.39 avg rating — 118,142 ratings
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7

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4.13 avg rating — 170,401 ratings
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8

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4.12 avg rating — 110,264 ratings
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9

by
4.32 avg rating — 203,620 ratings
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10

by
4.28 avg rating — 42,505 ratings
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11

by
4.21 avg rating — 95,754 ratings
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12

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 70,087 ratings
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13

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4.11 avg rating — 3,124 ratings
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14

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4.52 avg rating — 33,059 ratings
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15

by
4.13 avg rating — 37,600 ratings
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16

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4.27 avg rating — 29,504 ratings
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17

by
4.13 avg rating — 554,081 ratings
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18

by
4.26 avg rating — 30,543 ratings
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19

by
4.12 avg rating — 27,986 ratings
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20

by
3.95 avg rating — 2,783 ratings
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21

by
4.16 avg rating — 117,533 ratings
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22

by
4.34 avg rating — 132,286 ratings
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23

by
4.13 avg rating — 206,289 ratings
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24

by
4.16 avg rating — 36,817 ratings
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25

by
4.04 avg rating — 40,832 ratings
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25

by
4.33 avg rating — 87,214 ratings
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27

by
3.65 avg rating — 20,232 ratings
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28

by
4.06 avg rating — 33,603 ratings
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29

by
3.99 avg rating — 769 ratings
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30

by
4.17 avg rating — 49,236 ratings
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31

by
4.08 avg rating — 4,828 ratings
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32

by
4.37 avg rating — 58,840 ratings
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33

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,450 ratings
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34

by
4.04 avg rating — 56,211 ratings
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35

by
4.20 avg rating — 692,169 ratings
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36

by
4.02 avg rating — 23,840 ratings
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37

by
3.72 avg rating — 872 ratings
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38

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4.31 avg rating — 3,660 ratings
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39

by
3.86 avg rating — 1,054,313 ratings
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40

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4.41 avg rating — 28,266 ratings
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41

by
4.33 avg rating — 4,489 ratings
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42

by
3.96 avg rating — 25,632 ratings
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43

by
4.06 avg rating — 29,675 ratings
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44

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4.02 avg rating — 18,049 ratings
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45

by
3.91 avg rating — 13,442 ratings
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46

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4.16 avg rating — 14,468 ratings
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47

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4.12 avg rating — 6,609 ratings
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48

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4.43 avg rating — 33,871 ratings
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49

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4.28 avg rating — 74,401 ratings
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50

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4.25 avg rating — 57,101 ratings
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51

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4.03 avg rating — 7,940 ratings
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52

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4.26 avg rating — 9,823 ratings
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53

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4.13 avg rating — 29,606 ratings
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54

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4.24 avg rating — 35,383 ratings
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55

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4.46 avg rating — 28,253 ratings
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56

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4.29 avg rating — 367,318 ratings
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57

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4.47 avg rating — 2,659 ratings
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58

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4.01 avg rating — 5,750 ratings
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59

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3.95 avg rating — 17,000 ratings
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60

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4.17 avg rating — 5,716 ratings
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61

by
4.19 avg rating — 199 ratings
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62

by
3.91 avg rating — 56,900 ratings
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63

by
4.29 avg rating — 47,264 ratings
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64

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4.02 avg rating — 64,956 ratings
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65

by
4.31 avg rating — 28,885 ratings
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66

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3.79 avg rating — 19,291 ratings
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67

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4.28 avg rating — 21,780 ratings
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68

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4.36 avg rating — 50,740 ratings
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69

by
4.41 avg rating — 32,219 ratings
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70

by
4.38 avg rating — 14,625 ratings
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71

by
4.28 avg rating — 21,635 ratings
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72

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4.11 avg rating — 8,085 ratings
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73

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3.86 avg rating — 2,136 ratings
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74

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4.11 avg rating — 10,035 ratings
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75

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3.94 avg rating — 24,572 ratings
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76

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3.97 avg rating — 563,525 ratings
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77

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4.13 avg rating — 3,790 ratings
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78

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4.05 avg rating — 9,248 ratings
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79

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4.05 avg rating — 2,070 ratings
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80

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4.10 avg rating — 8,836 ratings
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81

by
4.49 avg rating — 63 ratings
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82

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3.94 avg rating — 854,604 ratings
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83

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,241 ratings
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84

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4.17 avg rating — 45,609 ratings
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85

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3.92 avg rating — 4,714 ratings
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86

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4.04 avg rating — 24,942 ratings
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87

by
4.31 avg rating — 34,461 ratings
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88

by
4.19 avg rating — 74,197 ratings
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89

by
4.69 avg rating — 121 ratings
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90

by
4.19 avg rating — 409 ratings
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91

by
4.04 avg rating — 49 ratings
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92

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4.22 avg rating — 68,045 ratings
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93

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4.34 avg rating — 13,434 ratings
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94

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4.32 avg rating — 9,364 ratings
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95

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4.04 avg rating — 20,388 ratings
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96

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4.33 avg rating — 18,939 ratings
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97

by
3.93 avg rating — 51,156 ratings
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98

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3.95 avg rating — 5,616 ratings
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99

by
4.01 avg rating — 322 ratings
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99

by
4.13 avg rating — 223 ratings
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935 books · 853 voters · list created January 1st, 2012 by ☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ (votes) .
238 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
274 friends
Jaimey 1364 books
478 friends
laurie 770 books
218 friends
~ Lei ~ Reading Is An Adventure ~ 4731 books
290 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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