Reader Recommendations – Our favorite books where the heroine doesn’t end up with the lead guy…

LIST REQUEST TIME!!! 😀 We’re in the mood for something a little different, romance-wise. 😉 Romance yes!! But with a twist.

And this time, it’s (by nature of the trope request) “spoiler-ish” because pretty much right off the bat – for most of these suggestions anyway…  we’ll know who the winning guy ends up being.

So unless you don’t mind already knowing a specific outcome in a love story, you might want to skip this one (and not look at the recommendations below).

But if you too, are looking for this exact thing, if this is what you’re in the mood for, let’s make a list!!

Priscilla asks:

I wanted to see if I could get recommendations of books that the lead girl doesn’t stay with the lead guy, a secondary is the lucky guy.

Like:

• Bound Together series by Marie Coulson
• Taking Chances (Taking Chances Series Book 1) By Molly McAdams (which we don’t really know who was the lead)
• Westbrook Series by Laura Clark
• Book Boyfriend series by Erin Noelle
• The Right Song By Shane Morgan

Probably I have read more but I forgot the titles, I don’t know if you can use those book I mention as references as it will tell who she ends up with.

Thank you In advance

Any recommendations for us?

Maryse: The first one that came to my head is going to be one of my absolute favorites, and was quite a shock to me, that the authors let it GO there. But then again, I’m not surprised because I already know that one of the authors, (Kate Stewart’s) brand of “love stories” definitely throw us into love triangle heartaches, and I can’t ever get too comfortable with the “book-boyfriend team” I’m on. 😉

But I’d say: Heartbreak Warfare might fit this category & romance mood. To be honest, I can’t even really tell who the “lead guy” is in this one, so I guess it depends on your perspective. From my perspective, she didn’t end up with who I expected her to. P.S. Here’s my Book Review

Paula: Sugar Daddy: A Novel (Travis Book 1) by Lisa Kleypas. In the first half of the book it gives you the impression that the main guy is her childhood love. She ends up meeting the love or her life later on and the childhood friend gets his own book in the series.

Maryse: I’m adding it. I read that one, too! Thanks for reminding me. 😀 Here’s my Book Review.

Nancy: BOUND DUET by Stephie Walls

Nancy: Night Shifts Black by Alyson Santos.

R. Renee: What about Night Shifts Black (NSB Book 1) by Alyson Santos? It’s been a while since I read it but I *think* it fits the bill.

Maryse: OH YEAH!!!! YES!! PERFECT!! It was that switch that made me love it less, because I was so invested in the initial potential of HIM. All that hurt…

Here’s my Book Review.

R. Renee: Others that *might* fit, but I’m probably reaching:

• The Devil’s Playground series by Ashley Jade,
• Rainfall by Melissa Delport??? 😬
• Pure Abandon (Abandon Collection Book 1) by Jeannine Colette,
• Full Tilt (Full Tilt Duet Book 1)/All In (Full Tilt Duet Book 2) (definitely reaching),
• A Little Too Far,
• Jezebel???

This is hard! I keep coming up with love triangles!

Maryse: THESE ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, R!!! These definitely ring right (and some… in their own super-clever ways). Tee hee!!! And I like that some of these examples, you’re not 100% who is the main guy and who is the secondary, so it still keeps us guessing. Depends on perspective, I guess. 😉 And while I’m here, here are my reviews of some of these 😀

• Book Review – Rainfall
• Book Review – Pure Abandon
• Book Review – Full Tilt
• Book Review – All In (Full Tilt Book 2)
• Book Review – A Little Too Far
• Book Review – Jezebel

Tara: If I remember correctly (it’s been a few years), I believe ‘The Monday Girl (The Girl Duet Book 1)’ by Julie Johnson.

Skye Warren: Sugar Daddy = Forever Favorite!!

Then Came You (Gamblers Book 1) (also by Lisa Kleypas) I think counts. Of course it always assumes we know who they think is the main hero. I personally think the heroine picked right in both Sugar Daddy and Then Came You <3 <3

Jan: Huh. I couldn’t think of any books I’d read that fit. But I’ve read both of the Lisa Kleypas ones, so there you go. Sugar Daddy is a fav for me too.

Also relevant to your interests is this free boxed set (fair warning, I have a book in it), and at least 1-3 would qualify: Love Triangle: Six Books of Torn Desire

Christine: The idea of you

Maryse: YES!!!!!! PERFECT! Here’s my Book Review.

JulieO: Would ARSEN fit in this category?

Maryse: I’d say absolutely since we weren’t really sure who she’d end up with. It was quite a surprise for me!! P.S. Here’s my Book Review.

Lisa: How about The Beginner’s Guide to Necromancy by Hailey Edwards. The shift comes by the first two books I think but it’s a good series overall. And there’s some tension between the two male protagonists throughout the series.

Stephanie: Maryse, The Kathleen Turner Series by Tiffany Snow would definitely fit into this category. Its action-packed, suspenseful, and angsty! Plus, each book gets better and better. It’s one of my all-time favorite series ever written! I highly recommend it!

Lisa: Yes!!!

Michele: JA Huss INTO HER…can be a “love triangle’ or ‘did she pick the wrong guy”? I recommend listening on Audible.com.

Franziska: What about ‘It ends with us’ from Colleen Hoover?

Maryse: Oh yes!!! I didn’t even think of that one. LOVED IT! Here’s my Book Review.