Romance Books With Angst
Do you also prefer reading heartbreaking romance books with angst so heavy that the tears won’t stop? If yes, you’re in the right place. There is something about absolutely angsty stories with drama, forbidden love, and tears that’s just inexplicably beautiful.
We’ve curated a list of some of the most achingly angsty books to not miss this season. These are our top recommendations for romance books with angst.
Romance Books With Angst List
Books On The List
- Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
- Me Before You by Jojo Moye
- Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino
- The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
- The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
- Every Day by David Levithan
- A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
- The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
- The Song of David by Amy Harmon
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Romance Books With Angst
Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
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Short Summary
| Pages | 400 |
| Age Rating | 18+ |
| Themes | Damaged Hero, Trauma Bonding, Healing, Disability, Isolation, Redemption |
| Tropes | Small Town Romance |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Sexual Assault, Disability, Violence, Past Trauma, Loneliness, Death, Abuse |
Bree Prescott moved to the small town of Pelion for a new start after a tragic incident that took away her father. She meets the mysterious Archer Hale in Pelion. From town gossip, she gathers that Archer met a tragic accident that left him mute and traumatized; now the silent man lives an isolated life. Bree is fascinated by Archer’s kindness and love.
But Archer’s insecurities, third-party involvement, and misunderstandings make their journey tough. The story is filled with heartbreaking moments—Archer’s vulnerability, his insecurities, and Bree’s trauma.
Me Before You by Jojo Moye
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Short Summary
| Pages | 368 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Tragic Romance, Opposites Attract, Trauma, Ethical Dilemma |
| Tropes | Forbidden Love, Caretaker Romance |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Suicide, Accidents, Injury, Mental Illness, Depression |
Louisa Clark is a simple girl who does odd jobs to sustain her family. Her life is nothing special until she is assigned as the caretaker of Will Traynor. Will was once an adventurous man who lived life to the fullest, but after an accident, he is bound to a wheelchair.
He is depressed and plans to end his life. When Louisa starts her job, Will is bossy, rude, and hates her eccentric nature but, with time, starts liking her. Louisa also falls for Will, and she is determined to give him a reason to live. What follows is a story of ups and downs, cries and tears, and eventually it’s up to Will to decide.
Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino
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Short Summary
| Pages | 320 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Long-Distance Relationship, Lost Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Dual Perspective, Dual Timelines, College Romance |
| Tropes | Second Chance Romance, Former Lovers |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Death, Loss, Grief, Infidelity |
Matt Shore and Grace Starr met in college. From the instant they met, they were inseparable. Their mutual love for art and great chemistry led to friendship and then love. It was a love of a lifetime—passionate and eternal. But then Matt receives a great career opportunity, and Grace has her own things to look after.
The distance and pressure end their relationship; a beautiful love is lost because of circumstances. But years later, when Matt sees Grace again and the past memories comes crashing back, he realizes what he has lost. What follows is a snapshot into Graces & Matt’s memories. Will they find their way back to each other, or will the lost love be gone forever?
The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo
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Short Summary
| Pages | 368 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | College Romance, Destiny, Love Triangle, Coming Of Age, Loss, Long-Distance |
| Tropes | Second Chance Romance, Star-Crossed Lovers |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Infidelity, Loss, Grief, Death |
Lucy fell in love with Gabe one day at Columbia University. When they meet again a year later, they know it will be a lifelong connection. But Gabe is passionate about his career in photojournalism.
The choices lead him to the Middle East, far away from New York and Lucy.
Lucy pursues her career in the media industry. Due to Gabe’s decision, their relationship ends, and they part ways, but they could never get over each other. Now life has given them another chance. Will this thirteen-year-long love last or die?
The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes
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Short Summary
| Pages | 432 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Lost Love, Dual Timelines, Social Class, Love Letters, Amnesia, |
| Tropes | Second Chance At Love, Star-Crossed Lovers |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Injury, Infidelity, Memory Loss, Emotional Trauma |
The year is 1960. Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital after an accident. She has no memory of her life, her accident, or her husband. She discovers love letters addressed to her by a man named ‘B.’. As she goes through them, she gets to know about her passionate affair with a man named Anthony. Despite being married, she had fallen in love with him, and they planned on running away, but before they could, she met with an accident.
The year is 2003. Ellie Haworth discovers Antony’s letters and is fixated on finding more about the couple. Did they reunite? As she investigates, she also manages her own tumultuous love life and draws parallels between her and Jennifer’s lives. A story about two women who made wrong choices, but it’s never too late.
Every Day by David Levithan
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Short Summary
| Pages | 400 |
| Age Rating | 12+ |
| Themes | Tragic Love, Body-Swapping, Isolation, Depression, Pining, Heartache |
| Tropes | Star-Crossed Lovers, Forbidden Love |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Body Invasion, Self-Harm, Abusive Relationships, Suicide |
Every Day is a one-of-a kind romance book with angst. The book follows the narrative of a mysterious being named ‘A’. It doesn’t have a physical form or gender. ‘A’ wakes up every day in a different body. ‘A’ can be anything tall, blonde, Asian, short, woman, or man. One day ‘A’ wakes up as Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend Rhiannon.
It’s an instant connection. ‘A’ feels a deep bond to her and wants to break the rules. As ‘A’ switches to a different body, it starts seeking Rhiannon, disrupting the usual cycle. The ache of not ever being able to be with your lover and always pinning is undeniable. A story about two people who are cursed to never together.
A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
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Short Summary
| Pages | 320 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Tragic Love, Reconciliation, Terminal Illness, Limited Time |
| Tropes | Childhood Sweethearts |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Death, Illness, Grief, Loss |
Rune Kristiansen was a kid when he moved from Norway to Georgia, where he met Poppy Litchfield. They were childhood sweethearts and then lovers. Poppy’s grandmother gave her a jar filled with a thousand paper hearts and instructed her to fill them with each kiss from Rune.
The jar symbolized their love and cherished memories. But then Rune had to move back to Norway. After moving, Poppy cut him off, which deeply hurt Rune. After two years he returns to town and discovers a devastating secret behind Poppy’s decision. Now they have limited time, and they’ll make the most of that time and fill the jar with a thousand boy kisses.
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
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Short Summary
| Pages | 448 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Damaged Protagonists, Hurt/Comfort, New Kid in School, Healing, Redemption, Trauma |
| Tropes | Healing Romance |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Sexual Assault, Death, Violence, PTSD, Trauma |
Nastya Kashnikov survived a brutal attack that left her traumatized. She is now moving to a new town and wants to forget everything. She makes sure to keep everyone at a distance. But then she meets Josh Bennett.
He is just as isolated as her. He keeps quiet, is deeply traumatized, and is losing his family. Some strange force draws Nastya to Josh. She won’t back down easily. But is Josh ready to trust someone, and is Nastya ready to reveal her secret? A story of two equally damaged individuals trying to heal through love.
The Song of David by Amy Harmon
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Short Summary
| Pages | 260 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Resilience, Blind Protagonist, MMA fighting, Terminal Illness, Redemption Arc |
| Tropes | Healing Romance |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Trauma, Abuse, Autism, Illness |
David Taggert is a brutal MMA fighter. He has had a rough past, which gave him a tough exterior. He was content with his life until he saw Millie. She is a blind woman filled with resilience. She takes care of herself and her autistic brother. Her fighting spirit and strength draws David in.
As they come closer, their relationship deepens, but then life throws a curveball, and David is forced to leave without telling Millie. Why did he leave the girl he loved so much? Millie is devastated but resilient, so she sets out on a journey to find David for what it’s worth.
If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin
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Short Summary
| Pages | 400 |
| Age Rating | 16+ |
| Themes | Regret, Friends To Lovers, Reconciliation, Peer Pressure, High School Drama, The One That Got Away, Lost Love |
| Tropes | Childhood Sweethearts, Second Chances |
| Readability | Easy |
| Trigger Warnings | Death, Sexual Content, Grief |
Autumn and Finny were childhood best friends and neighbors. They spent their childhood practically glued together. Autumn was a nerd, and Finny was the popular guy. People always questioned their friendship. They were inseparable until high school. The peer pressure, high school drama, and friends separated them.
They started hanging out with other people, and their bond broke. They soon realized that they hurt each other. The bond once cherished was now gone. Autumn and Finn do find their way back to each other, but sometimes it’s too late. Autumn wonders if he had been with her; things might be better.
Honorable Mentions
Romance Books With Angst
- All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
- Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
- The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller
- They Both Die At The End by Matt Haig
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
- Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
- I Fell In Love With Hope by Lancali
- Looking For Alaska by John Green
- The Fault In Our Stars BY John Green
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Looking for more romance books with angst? Read more…
Conclusion
These were our top recommendations for romance books with angst. These books will deliver all the heavy feels with a poignant story.
There is nothing better than an emotionally charged, well-written book. Each of these reads is brimming with tears, angst, and emotions. So go grab your tissues and get ready to commence on an emotional journey with these heartbreaking romance books with angst.
