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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 — 17,975 ratings
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2

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4.43 avg rating — 190,046 ratings
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3

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4.07 avg rating — 229,461 ratings
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4

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4.20 avg rating — 100,883 ratings
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5

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4.18 avg rating — 40,694 ratings
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6

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4.39 avg rating — 117,988 ratings
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7

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4.13 avg rating — 170,173 ratings
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8

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4.12 avg rating — 110,071 ratings
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9

by
4.32 avg rating — 203,336 ratings
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10

by
4.28 avg rating — 42,422 ratings
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11

by
4.21 avg rating — 95,641 ratings
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12

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 69,982 ratings
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13

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4.11 avg rating — 3,097 ratings
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14

by
4.52 avg rating — 33,023 ratings
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15

by
4.13 avg rating — 37,494 ratings
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16

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4.27 avg rating — 29,384 ratings
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17

by
4.13 avg rating — 553,428 ratings
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18

by
4.26 avg rating — 30,486 ratings
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19

by
4.12 avg rating — 27,961 ratings
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20

by
3.95 avg rating — 2,782 ratings
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21

by
4.16 avg rating — 117,483 ratings
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22

by
4.34 avg rating — 132,072 ratings
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23

by
4.13 avg rating — 205,892 ratings
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24

by
4.16 avg rating — 36,745 ratings
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25

by
4.03 avg rating — 40,713 ratings
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25

by
4.33 avg rating — 87,082 ratings
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27

by
3.65 avg rating — 20,231 ratings
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28

by
4.06 avg rating — 33,536 ratings
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29

by
3.99 avg rating — 769 ratings
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30

by
4.17 avg rating — 49,105 ratings
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31

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4.08 avg rating — 4,815 ratings
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32

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4.37 avg rating — 58,795 ratings
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33

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4,435 ratings
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34

by
4.04 avg rating — 56,159 ratings
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35

by
4.20 avg rating — 688,876 ratings
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36

by
4.02 avg rating — 23,777 ratings
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37

by
3.72 avg rating — 872 ratings
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38

by
4.31 avg rating — 3,655 ratings
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39

by
3.86 avg rating — 1,053,164 ratings
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40

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4.41 avg rating — 28,243 ratings
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41

by
4.33 avg rating — 4,486 ratings
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42

by
3.96 avg rating — 25,602 ratings
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43

by
4.06 avg rating — 29,636 ratings
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44

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4.02 avg rating — 18,014 ratings
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45

by
3.91 avg rating — 13,389 ratings
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46

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4.16 avg rating — 14,461 ratings
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47

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4.12 avg rating — 6,610 ratings
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48

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4.43 avg rating — 33,822 ratings
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49

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4.28 avg rating — 74,260 ratings
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50

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4.25 avg rating — 56,980 ratings
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51

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4.03 avg rating — 7,929 ratings
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52

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4.27 avg rating — 9,818 ratings
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53

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4.13 avg rating — 29,589 ratings
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54

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4.24 avg rating — 35,318 ratings
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55

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4.46 avg rating — 28,187 ratings
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56

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4.29 avg rating — 366,953 ratings
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57

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4.48 avg rating — 2,655 ratings
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58

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4.01 avg rating — 5,721 ratings
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59

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3.95 avg rating — 16,986 ratings
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60

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4.17 avg rating — 5,711 ratings
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61

by
4.19 avg rating — 199 ratings
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62

by
3.91 avg rating — 56,860 ratings
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63

by
4.29 avg rating — 47,226 ratings
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64

by
4.02 avg rating — 64,828 ratings
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65

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4.31 avg rating — 28,860 ratings
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66

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3.79 avg rating — 19,263 ratings
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67

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4.28 avg rating — 21,756 ratings
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68

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4.36 avg rating — 50,690 ratings
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69

by
4.41 avg rating — 32,196 ratings
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70

by
4.38 avg rating — 14,609 ratings
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71

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4.28 avg rating — 21,618 ratings
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72

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4.11 avg rating — 8,089 ratings
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73

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3.86 avg rating — 2,124 ratings
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74

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4.11 avg rating — 10,017 ratings
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75

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3.94 avg rating — 24,537 ratings
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76

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3.97 avg rating — 562,844 ratings
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77

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4.13 avg rating — 3,779 ratings
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78

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4.05 avg rating — 9,242 ratings
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79

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4.05 avg rating — 2,068 ratings
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80

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4.10 avg rating — 8,835 ratings
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81

by
4.49 avg rating — 63 ratings
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82

by
3.94 avg rating — 851,278 ratings
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83

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2,237 ratings
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84

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4.17 avg rating — 45,575 ratings
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85

by
3.92 avg rating — 4,711 ratings
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86

by
4.05 avg rating — 24,896 ratings
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87

by
4.31 avg rating — 34,451 ratings
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88

by
4.19 avg rating — 74,148 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

by
4.22 avg rating — 68,036 ratings
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93

by
4.34 avg rating — 13,416 ratings
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94

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4.32 avg rating — 9,359 ratings
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95

by
4.04 avg rating — 20,369 ratings
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96

by
4.33 avg rating — 18,926 ratings
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97

by
3.93 avg rating — 51,102 ratings
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98

by
3.95 avg rating — 5,593 ratings
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99

by
4.01 avg rating — 322 ratings
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99

by
4.12 avg rating — 221 ratings
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932 books · 851 voters · list created January 1st, 2012 by ☽ Rhiannon ✭ Mistwalker ☾ (votes) .
238 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


☽ Rhiannon ✭ 3650 books
87 friends
Anna's Herding Cats 5615 books
1418 friends
Kate 2942 books
791 friends
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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