Our Favorite “Love After Loss” Romance Book Recommendations

UPDATED 04-22-2020!! 😀

Most of today’s reader questions will be recommendation requests for certain tropes. I have received so many lately, so let’s see what new lists we can make, along with what we can add to past lists (updates!!!) YAY!!! 😀

Okay first question is by Amy (and actually Priscilla, too!) and the way it was worded, what first came to mind was… “Does she mean Vampire books”? LOL! You can tell where my romance roots are. 😉 But once she mentioned one of my favorite books ever as an example, I realized we were going much deeper…

She asks:

Amy: Hey Maryse! I noticed you’ve been doing reader questions. I wasn’t sure where I went to submit a question so I thought I’d try here. Thx!

Do you have any recommendations for Love after death trope? I read Unbreak My Heart (Fostering Love Book 1) by Nicole Jacquelyn and LOVED it!

Priscilla: …The guy who lost her wife or girlfriend either in a death or she left him for another man. They hold on to that love and swear to never fall in love again, until that girl appears. Usually these books are Slow burn too. I guess I love when the girl falls first and he kind of pushes her away. He maybe loves her but doesn’t show it until boom he can’t contain himself. I don’t like insta love.

Michele G: This is my catnip! Thanks for working on a list for this Maryse!!

Maryse: YAY!!! Mine too, obviously! I just realized that I’ve read so many (and LOVED them all!!)

Michelle: This list is going to be EPIC!

I absolutely LOVE this theme (and that book too!!! Here’s my review). In fact, it seems to make SO many of our “best of” lists. The grieving widow or widower stories have such a range of emotion and introspection, drawing us into every feeling and ache. And there’s nothing better than the healing that comes with a slow burning friends-to-lovers connection. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

I actually DO have a category for books in that genre, right here, but I agree… it’s time for an official list. So I’m opening this up to our fellow readers. 😀

Any favorites that we must read?

Maryse: Right off the bat, I’m going with one of my latest favorites, Tragic (Lark Cove Book 3) by Devney Perry. Reclusive grieving hero annoyed by his new neighbor. Oh WOW THIS ONE HOOKED ME!!! In fact, here’s my review.

Maryse: ALSO!! Carry the World Another recent favorite (but from a historical era)… he’s a reclusive father raising his two young children after losing his wife. And grieving deeply. Oh this one is POIGNANT!!!!! In fact, here’s my review.

Jan: I’m still on board with Carry The World. It’s still one of my best reads for 2019, and I know I’ll reread it some time. Lots of other goodies up there too.

Maryse: Another one Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 10), and THIS IS a vampire book, is from my favorite paranormal romance series. The Black Dagger Brotherhood. His wife died a few books previous to this one, and this is some of the most intense heartache and grieving I’ve ever read. Here’s my review.

Molly: The Absence of Olivia (Love and Loss Book 1) by Anie Michaels

Anne: The Absence of Olivia sounds angsty and painful. One clicking lol

Amy: Holy moly, The Absence of Olivia looks PAINFUL!!! And it’s mine. 😉

Sharon: Just finished The Absence of Olivia by Anie Michaels. I was really looking forward to this one. Looked like it would be loaded with angst. I had the tissues ready too! It was pretty good! Didn’t need the tissues and it didn’t quite end up where I was hoping it would, but worth the read. I give it a 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star rating and 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ star angst rating.

Maryse: Transcend (The Transcend Duet Book 1) by Jewel E. Ann OMG YES THIS ONE!!! An incredible love story (love triangle!!!) and one of the heroes (yes I said one of ’em 😉 ) is a single father, grieving the loss of the love of his life. MUST READ!!! Here is my Book Review of #1 AND my Book Review of the conclusion #2.

Sarah: Most definitely check out Everything I’ve Never Had! I know you loved Every Rose (even though the tears wouldn’t stop). Love after loss, hot swoony alpha type falling in love with a single mother of 3 kids, Yummy 🙂

Rochelle: In the middle of listening to the of Sons of Blackbird Mountain (A Blackbird Mountain Novel Book 1) by Joanne Bischof. Wonderfully written and it carries you back to the days of hard work and a much more simple life a historical novel and the challenges it brings. An Irish widow finds herself in the Appalachian mountains with three unruly men two of whom fall deeply for her causing a rift which deepens and shatters her dream of being part of a tight knit family.

Astephens: You can’t beat At Peace (The ‘Burg Series Book 2) by Kristen Ashley. It’s my favorite book by her.

Maryse: AGREEEEED!!!!!!! OMG YESSSSSSS!!!! *swooooooney sigh* Joe. In fact… here’s my Book Review.

Rosa: After You: A Standalone Second Chances Novel by Stephanie Rose ❤️❤️❤️

Jan: Look the Part by Jewel E. Ann. Lovely CR about a music therapist who falls in love with a widower who has a mildly autistic son. To the widower’s surprise, he falls in love too! It’s a lovely, funny and sensitively told story. Really well-written.

Linda: Loved Look the Part by Jewel E. Ann!! I swear she never disappoints!!

Cheryl: Look The Part- loved the strong h;

Julie O: I finished Look The Part yesterday and loved, loved, loved it. Flint was truly broken. Hard to come back from something like that. I also liked that Ellen had pet rats. Nobody understands having them for a pet unless you do if that makes sense. My daughter had one named Stella who did tricks and followed her wherever she went in the house. The whole family was in tears when Stella passed. Off the subject….read Look The Part.

Kathy P: I just finished Eight (Love by Numbers Book 6) by E.S. Carter. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Of course it had my catnip of widowed Dad with small children. I definitely recommend it.

Jan: First Lady (Wynette, Texas Book 4) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. A few years old now, but a great read. The widow of the President goes on a crazy, secret road trip to escape her life, and finds love along the way. I liked this one.

Kathy P: True North (The True Series Book 1) by Liora Blake (widowed novelist meets rock star in the green room at a talk show). Loved his book!!

Lisa: Read Louder Than Love (A Love & Steel Novel Book 1)!!! More mature H/h, a widower and a washed up rock star. But its not really a rock star romance. Its just……amazing. One of my favorites.

Maryse: YESSSSS!! Another one of my early-indie days favorites (although I don’t think it was an indie, it had that old-school indie awesomeness feel)!!!!! Here’s my Book Review!!

Jan: I’d forgotten about Louder Than Love. Liked that one too. I might check out some of the other recs. *claps hands happily*

bev: One gunslinger one I LOVED was The Outsider by Penelope Williamson. He is a gunslinger loner (as they are) and she a widow single mom & Amish. He shows up wounded on her ranch. …Opened it on bus and was smiling like a loon all the way home. The heroine, Rachel Yoder, is of the Plain People, recently widowed, & a mom to a young boy. Not first line but about her hair 😀 and bittersweet.

“She did her hair last. It was thick and long, curling down to her hips, and it had the color of polished mahogany. Or so the only man who’d ever seen it let down had once told her. A soft smile touched her lips at the memory. Polished mahogany, he had said. And this from the mouth of a man who’d been born into the Plain life and known no other, and surely never looked upon mahogany, polished or dull, in all of his days. Oh, Ben.”

Holly: What about The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson

Maryse: HECK YESSSSS!! MY FAVORITE!!!!! In fact, here’s my Book Review

Amy: Five Stages is BEAUTIFUL

Jean: I loved the Five Stages of Falling in Love and I just recently read it after putting it off for a long time! I hope you like it!

Jan: Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight (Windham Book 6) by Grace Burrowes…. For some reason the titles of the books about the girls in the Windham series are all pretty corny titles. But enjoyable books all the same. (And it’s not even Christmas LOL). I like series about siblings. Joseph in this book is a wounded vet of the Napoleonic War. He is also a widower with two sweet little girls. Louisa has some shady secret, but I know all will be well in the end 🙂 Happy sigh…….

MichelleS: Mists of The Serengeti was a good one

Maryse: YES!!! Absolutely!!!!! Excellent recommendation for this list. Here’s my Book Review.

Molly: Cruel & Beautiful (A Cruel and Beautiful Book Book 1) by Terri E. Laine & A.M. Hargrove

Shara: Cruel and beautiful by A M Hargrove. I loved this book and it’s a real tear-jerker

Maryse: YESSSS!! OMG I LOVED this one!! Here’s my book review!

Leslie M: Love this trope! I know I have read a bunch of these but some faves that immediately come to mind:

• Virgin River: Book 1 of Virgin River series (A Virgin River Novel) by Robyn Carr
• Heat Wave by Karina Halle
• Waiting for the Sun: Waiting for the Sun, Part One by Robin Hill
• The Next Best Thing (Gideon’s Cove Book 2) by Kristan Higgins
• Confess: A Novel by Collen Hoover
• Driven (The Driven Series Book 1) by K. Bromberg
• Buns (The Hudson Valley Series Book 3) by Alice Clayton
• Under the Northern Lights by S.C. Stephens
• The Birthday List (Maysen Jar Book 1) by Devney Perry
• Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, Book 1) by Claudia Connor
• Dear Bridget, I Want You by Penelope Ward
• Cement Heart (Viper’s Heart Duet Book 1) by Beth Ehemann
• Flat-Out Sexy (Fast Track Book 1) by Erin McCarthy

Bethany: I have one! More than Exist!

Brenda: Connected (The Connections Series, Book 1) by Kim Karr……great book

Sofia: LOVE this list <3 What about the Full Tilt series by Emma Scott? Full Tilt (book 1) and All In (book 2).

Maryse: ABSOLUTELY YES!!!! One of my FOREVER favorites makes my heart ache justing thinking about it. Here’s my Book Review of book #1 and Book Review #2

Jessica: Perfectly Lonely is love after loss!

Michelle: I’ve told you this one before but

• Discovering Stella by KM Golland is my favourite love after loss book.
• There’s also The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry and
• Falling Into You (The Falling Series Book 1) by Jasinda Wilder

Julie: My novel, Love Lost Her Way: A tragic story about a girl who lost all hope is love after loss. 💓

Yericka: hell yeah it is!

Skye Warren: Both Bittersweet and Married for Christmas (Willow Park Book 1) by Noelle Adams

Skye Warren: The Reluctant Dom (Siren Publishing Menage and More) by Tymber Dalton

Maryse: YESSS!! I forever-LOVE this one!!! Such an unusual situation and handled beautifully. LOVE IT!!! CRIED!!!! Here’s my Book Review

Rebecca: Hj Bellus The Flight of Hope

Rebecca: CA Harms Don’t Be Afraid

Maryse: That one looks amazing!!!

Candace: The Posse: A Crystal Cove Book by Tawdra Kandle

K. Street: I have one! Where Forever Ends (Maplewood Falls Book 1)

Rebecca: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amber: What about The Smallest Part by Amy Harmon? I think it would fit into this category.

Jen: I finished the Smallest Part already and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! You get to see Moses again! Amy Harmon has an amazing way of sucking in so bad you get no sleep because you have to know what happened and go to work like a zombie the next day. Today I’m a zombie. I loved the book! Totally worth it!

Lisa: I am loving The Smallest Part so far. It is a touch of paranormal I guess you’d say (although I don’t really think of it that way), a harkening to The Law of Moses (which I haven’t read), and it’s just so perfectly Amy Harmon all the way!!!

Jan: Ooh I love this trope too. Didn’t realise how many of them I’d read till I browsed your list, Maryse!

For those who like their romance with a touch of nineteenth century England (I know you’re out there LOL), one of my fav HRs is Mary Balogh’s classic Slightly Dangerous (Bedwyn Saga Book 6). A cold, lonely duke who was unexpectedly dumped by his fiancee, years ago. (Why????? He he). A warm sunny, loveable woman who is a now widow and doesn’t expect to marry again. Neither of them wants to fall in love with the other. He thinks she is sooo not suitable to be a duchess. But they can’t fight it. *happy sigh* A really beautiful book.

And what about Freya North’s The Turning Point: A gripping love story, keep the tissues close…. It’s so emotional and powerful. Happy and sad. I want to read it again but I’m kinda scared when I remember how hard I cried when I read it the first time. Eek!

Amy: …here’s another vote for The Turning Point with a HUGE ugly cry warning (seriously, it’s a doozy and will kick the sh!t out of your heart) but it’s beautiful and worth it.

Kararara: Totally Angst-packed:

• Dear Everly by London Casey & Jaxon Kidman
• Awaken Me by Alex Grayson
• In Sarah’s Shadow by Harris Channing
• Stolen Course by Aly Martinez

Maryse: OMG HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN this one??? Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 10) by J.R. Ward. TOTALLY destroyed us (and him) when his wife was murdered a few books back, and this is him… now. HOLY MOLY. Here’s my Book Review. 😀

➔➔➔  Looking for more of our favorite recommendations? Browse our “Ultimate Favorites Lists” here. Are you in the mood for a certain kind of story? Browse our favorite “genre/trope categories” here.