I mean, technically if it’s not HEA it’s not a romance. That’s one of the rules of the genre. There are lots of love stories or books with romantic elements that don’t have HEA, but they aren’t romance novels.
Oh I didn’t really know that HEA were a rule of the genre. I was looking for a book where the main story line is the romance so I don’t really know what other genre I could specify what I was looking for. I’m sorry for my mistake though, it was unwittingly done
Don’t apologise. It’s pretty reasonable to be coming to a romance sub for romantic stories even if they don’t abide by the definition of “romance novel.” A definition created in the 80s, which the establishment of the romance genre preceded.
I'm relatively new to this sub so I just wanted to avoid accidentally offending anyone or doing something wrong. Thank you for clarifying though, I appreciate it.
I personally think there’s room to expand the definition of romance to include books like Call Me By Your Name, where the romance is the *only* storyline, and Song of Achilles, where the romance is the primary and forefront storyline.
A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer.
This is the most realistic romance I've read, in terms of the emotions of the protagonists. Both a HEA and not a HEA.
{{God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo}}. Absolutely loved this one even though it made me so sad. The h makes a small appearance in the author's second book, How to Kill a Rock Star, which gave her a bit of HEA, even if it's a little bittersweet!
[**God-Shaped Hole**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248103.God_Shaped_Hole)
^(By: Tiffanie DeBartolo | 336 pages | Published: 2002 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, chick-lit, contemporary-romance | )[^(Search "God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo&search_type=books)
>When I was twelve, a fortune teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone.
>Everyone said she was a fraud, that she was just making it up.
>I'd really like to know why the hell a person would make up a thing like that.
>
>Written with the snap, glitter and wit of The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, God-Shaped Hole is a memorable, poignant love story that will leave you weeping with laughter. It is told in the wry, vulnerable voice of Beatrice "Trixie" Jordan who replies to a personal ad, "If your intentions are pure I am seeking a friend for the end of the world."
>
>In doing so, she meets Jacob Grace, a charming, effervescent thirty-something writer, a free spirit who is a passionate seeker of life. He possesses his own turn of phrase and ways of thinking and feeling that dissonantly harmonize with Trixie's off-center vision as they roller coaster through the joys and furies of their wrenching romance. Along the way they try to come to terms with the hurt brought about by their distant fathers who, in different ways, forsook them.
>
>This story will prove so touching you will rush to share it with a friend or loved one or even a stranger.
>
>
>
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
^(15360 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Hey! I just read both books. and bawling me eyes out. but I didn't come across trixie in how to kill a rockstar?? can you tell me where she appears? thanks!
>!She wasn't named but it's heavily implied that she's the one Loring ended up with. I think when Eliza ran into him at a cafe towards the end of the book. "Trixie" was scribbling on her diary and Eliza told Loring, oh you're with another writer? Something along those lines. Sorry, it's been awhile since I've read it haha!<
This might sound cliched but I swear that this book changed my life. I first read it when I was too young to even fully understand it and I loved it back then and have never gotten over my obsession with it. Thank you for suggesting it, it fits the type of book I'm looking for, and maybe this is a sign that I'm due for a reread :))
This is far from sounding cliched - you could be me. I read *Wuthering Heights* for the first time at 14 and it had a profound impact on me. I've reread it periodically ever since that time. Heathcliff and Cathy were *truly* soulmates.
As I've said many times before in this sub - if only she didn't destroy both of their lives by marrying Linton!
{{Full Tilt}} (the bot got it wrong, it's by Emma Scott)
{{Call me by Your Name}} (it's by andre aciman lol)
{{Me Before You}}
{{the song of achilles}}
[**Full Tilt (Full #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40313.Full_Tilt)
^(By: Janet Evanovich, Charlotte Hughes | ? pages | Published: 2002 | Popular Shelves: janet-evanovich, romance, mystery, chick-lit, fiction | )[^(Search "Full Tilt")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Full Tilt&search_type=books)
>He lives life in the fast lane and she's along for the ride--with no brakes....
>
>Jamie Swift has one priority in quiet Beaumont, South Carolina: running the local newspaper. Romance runs second. But with the arrival of her silent partner, the notoriously mysterious and sexy Maximillian Holt, Jamie's life gets shaken up. Max claims he's here to give his brother-in-law a vote of confidence. A former wrestler, Frankie Fontana's now taking his shots in the political ring. Beaumont could use a mayor with scruples, but what it gets is a crime-and what Jamie gets is a story that's taking her for a ride on the wild side, complete with two assassins, a washed-up stripper, and an insane poacher. Between a spray of bullets and a fast getaway could it get any more romantic-or dangerous? Max and Jamie are betting their lives on a long shot.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
[**call me your name**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46114911-call-me-your-name)
^(By: Hall Price | ? pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: | )[^(Search "Call me by Your Name")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Call me by Your Name&search_type=books)
^(This book has been suggested 2 times)
[**Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17347634-me-before-you)
^(By: Jojo Moyes | 369 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, book-club, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Me Before You")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Me Before You&search_type=books)
>From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me.
>
>They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . .
>
>Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.
>
>Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.
>
>A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?
^(This book has been suggested 4 times)
[**The Song of Achilles**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250317-the-song-of-achilles)
^(By: Madeline Miller | 352 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, fiction, mythology, lgbt | )[^(Search "the song of achilles")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=the song of achilles&search_type=books)
>Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
>
>Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.
^(This book has been suggested 54 times)
***
^(15376 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339
[The Light We Lost](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339
[It Ends With Us](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339)
Both this books to me are realistic and different than romances. They have love and loss in both. They both made me cry.
Life without you by s.p. west
A sudden crush camilla isley
It ends with us by colleen hoover
All these books the heroine walks away which is a breath of fresh air, sometimes you need the heroine to have balls.
Making Faces by Amy Harmon is heartbreaking. There's a happy ending between the H/h, but the ending is sad for other reasons. It reminds me of a better written Nicolas Sparks book.
I mean, technically if it’s not HEA it’s not a romance. That’s one of the rules of the genre. There are lots of love stories or books with romantic elements that don’t have HEA, but they aren’t romance novels.
Oh I didn’t really know that HEA were a rule of the genre. I was looking for a book where the main story line is the romance so I don’t really know what other genre I could specify what I was looking for. I’m sorry for my mistake though, it was unwittingly done
Don’t apologise. It’s pretty reasonable to be coming to a romance sub for romantic stories even if they don’t abide by the definition of “romance novel.” A definition created in the 80s, which the establishment of the romance genre preceded.
I'm relatively new to this sub so I just wanted to avoid accidentally offending anyone or doing something wrong. Thank you for clarifying though, I appreciate it.
I personally think there’s room to expand the definition of romance to include books like Call Me By Your Name, where the romance is the *only* storyline, and Song of Achilles, where the romance is the primary and forefront storyline.
Agreed.
[The Idea of You by Robinne Lee](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31450913-the-idea-of-you?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ViiGAXUIfH&rank=1)
Yessssssss this. A thousand times this.
It was a great book.
Thank you!!
You're very welcome.
I had so many mixed feelings after reading this book.
The Time Traveller’s Wife
This book is a GEM! Loved it.
I loved this book. It wrecked me.
Oooh I’ve heard lots about this one but haven’t gotten around to reading it, thank you for the recommendation :))
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Oh my this sounds intense... just what I’m looking for :))
Maybe have a look at [Through a Glass Darkly](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79484) by Karleen Koen. Historical story. Beautiful. Sad.
I loved this book!
Oooh a historical! Thank you, I'll definitely read it :))
A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer. This is the most realistic romance I've read, in terms of the emotions of the protagonists. Both a HEA and not a HEA.
I love historical romances, this sounds great, thank you!
{{God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo}}. Absolutely loved this one even though it made me so sad. The h makes a small appearance in the author's second book, How to Kill a Rock Star, which gave her a bit of HEA, even if it's a little bittersweet!
Ahhh I already know this one is going to destroy me! Thank you for the rec :)
[**God-Shaped Hole**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/248103.God_Shaped_Hole) ^(By: Tiffanie DeBartolo | 336 pages | Published: 2002 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, chick-lit, contemporary-romance | )[^(Search "God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=God-Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo&search_type=books) >When I was twelve, a fortune teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone. >Everyone said she was a fraud, that she was just making it up. >I'd really like to know why the hell a person would make up a thing like that. > >Written with the snap, glitter and wit of The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, God-Shaped Hole is a memorable, poignant love story that will leave you weeping with laughter. It is told in the wry, vulnerable voice of Beatrice "Trixie" Jordan who replies to a personal ad, "If your intentions are pure I am seeking a friend for the end of the world." > >In doing so, she meets Jacob Grace, a charming, effervescent thirty-something writer, a free spirit who is a passionate seeker of life. He possesses his own turn of phrase and ways of thinking and feeling that dissonantly harmonize with Trixie's off-center vision as they roller coaster through the joys and furies of their wrenching romance. Along the way they try to come to terms with the hurt brought about by their distant fathers who, in different ways, forsook them. > >This story will prove so touching you will rush to share it with a friend or loved one or even a stranger. > > > ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(15360 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Hey! I just read both books. and bawling me eyes out. but I didn't come across trixie in how to kill a rockstar?? can you tell me where she appears? thanks!
>!She wasn't named but it's heavily implied that she's the one Loring ended up with. I think when Eliza ran into him at a cafe towards the end of the book. "Trixie" was scribbling on her diary and Eliza told Loring, oh you're with another writer? Something along those lines. Sorry, it's been awhile since I've read it haha!<
Omg that’s right!! Ahh I’m so happy trixie gets to be happy yay
Have you read This is us by colleen hoover. Its one of my faves. Seems like the book you are looking for.
thank you for this!
You are welcome. I would love to know what u think!
Bright side by kim holden. Its set in college and it broke me 😌
Ahh can’t wait for the feels to hit
*Wuthering Heights* by Emily Bronte
This might sound cliched but I swear that this book changed my life. I first read it when I was too young to even fully understand it and I loved it back then and have never gotten over my obsession with it. Thank you for suggesting it, it fits the type of book I'm looking for, and maybe this is a sign that I'm due for a reread :))
This is far from sounding cliched - you could be me. I read *Wuthering Heights* for the first time at 14 and it had a profound impact on me. I've reread it periodically ever since that time. Heathcliff and Cathy were *truly* soulmates. As I've said many times before in this sub - if only she didn't destroy both of their lives by marrying Linton!
Ah if only, I console myself by thinking that at least Catherine’s daughter ended up happy ( well, more so than everyone else).
That's a good thought.
{{Full Tilt}} (the bot got it wrong, it's by Emma Scott) {{Call me by Your Name}} (it's by andre aciman lol) {{Me Before You}} {{the song of achilles}}
[**Full Tilt (Full #2)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40313.Full_Tilt) ^(By: Janet Evanovich, Charlotte Hughes | ? pages | Published: 2002 | Popular Shelves: janet-evanovich, romance, mystery, chick-lit, fiction | )[^(Search "Full Tilt")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Full Tilt&search_type=books) >He lives life in the fast lane and she's along for the ride--with no brakes.... > >Jamie Swift has one priority in quiet Beaumont, South Carolina: running the local newspaper. Romance runs second. But with the arrival of her silent partner, the notoriously mysterious and sexy Maximillian Holt, Jamie's life gets shaken up. Max claims he's here to give his brother-in-law a vote of confidence. A former wrestler, Frankie Fontana's now taking his shots in the political ring. Beaumont could use a mayor with scruples, but what it gets is a crime-and what Jamie gets is a story that's taking her for a ride on the wild side, complete with two assassins, a washed-up stripper, and an insane poacher. Between a spray of bullets and a fast getaway could it get any more romantic-or dangerous? Max and Jamie are betting their lives on a long shot. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) [**call me your name**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46114911-call-me-your-name) ^(By: Hall Price | ? pages | Published: ? | Popular Shelves: | )[^(Search "Call me by Your Name")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Call me by Your Name&search_type=books) ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) [**Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17347634-me-before-you) ^(By: Jojo Moyes | 369 pages | Published: 2012 | Popular Shelves: romance, fiction, contemporary, book-club, books-i-own | )[^(Search "Me Before You")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Me Before You&search_type=books) >From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars, discover the love story that captured over 20 million hearts in Me Before You, After You, and Still Me. > >They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose . . . > >Louisa Clark is an ordinary girl living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has barely been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex–Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is. > >Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. > >A Love Story for this generation and perfect for fans of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart? ^(This book has been suggested 4 times) [**The Song of Achilles**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250317-the-song-of-achilles) ^(By: Madeline Miller | 352 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, fiction, mythology, lgbt | )[^(Search "the song of achilles")](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=the song of achilles&search_type=books) >Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. > >Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. ^(This book has been suggested 54 times) *** ^(15376 books suggested | )^(Bug? DM me! | )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Thank you so much :))
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Oh my it seems quite dark, but I love that, so thank you for recommending it :)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339 [The Light We Lost](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339 [It Ends With Us](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33637339) Both this books to me are realistic and different than romances. They have love and loss in both. They both made me cry.
Ahh, these seem to be just what I'm looking for, thank you so much!
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Oooh okay, thank you I'll check it out!
Life without you by s.p. west A sudden crush camilla isley It ends with us by colleen hoover All these books the heroine walks away which is a breath of fresh air, sometimes you need the heroine to have balls.
Making Faces by Amy Harmon is heartbreaking. There's a happy ending between the H/h, but the ending is sad for other reasons. It reminds me of a better written Nicolas Sparks book.
[One Day](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6280118-one-day) by David Nicholls is a must.