Cry me a river! 10 Tear jerker romances that will break your heart, then put it back together

Women are complicated creatures. Sometimes we want a light-hearted romance read that will make us laugh after a tough day in the real world. And other times...well, other times we want the direct opposite. Sometimes we just need a good ugly-cry, you know? With that in mind, here are our picks for the best 10 tear jerkers that will  break your heart, then put it right back together again.

(Listed in no particular order)

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Where One Goes
BN Toler  

Amazon blurb:
What happens when the very thing ruining your life ends up saving it?

I was never one to believe in spirits—until six years ago, when a bone-chilling accident changed my life…forever.

My name is Charlotte, but most people call me Char…and I have a special gift.

I talk to the dead.

Make no mistake, I can’t summon them. I’m only able to see and speak to the spirits that linger when they’re unable to crossover. They’re somehow weighted to the world with unfinished affairs. And for the last six years, I’ve relentlessly used my gift to help their lost souls.

But it’s come at a price. My life is dark. Feeling despondent, I’ve begun to give up. And in helping the dead, I’ve realized I haven’t allowed myself to live. With no money, no place to go, and most importantly… no hope, I’ve decided there is only one option—to end it all.

But fate is a funny thing. One minute, I’m about to leap to my death, and the next, I’m saved by Ike McDermott. The strong, striking soldier stopped me from putting an end to my despair. He’s the kind of man that smiles and brightens an entire room. 

Sweet and gentle.

He is my savior.

And he’s dead.

We’ve made an agreement. He’ll help me find a place to stay and a new job if I’ll help him with his unfinished business so that he may crossover.

Ike’s unfinished matter involves his twin brother, George. George has been falling apart since Ike’s death and Ike has not been able to compel himself to crossover in peace until he knows George will be okay.

When I agreed to help, little did I know that I’d fall in love with the charming folks of Bath County, and…Ike and George McDermott. 

Now, as both brothers own equal parts of my heart, I am faced with a cruel and unfair predicament. In saving George, I must let go of Ike. 

But how does one let go of half of their heart?

NOTE: Honorable mention to BN Toler’s Desperately Seeking Epic, too. ​​

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The Full Tilt Duet
Emma Scott  

Amazon blurb:
"I would love you forever, if I only had the chance..."

Kacey Dawson has always lived life on the edge—impulsively, sometimes recklessly. And now, as lead guitarist for a hot up-and-coming band, she is poised at the brink of fame and fortune. But she is torn between wanting to be a serious musician, and the demons that lure her down the glittering, but alcohol-soaked path of rock stardom. A wrecked concert in Las Vegas threatens to ruin her career entirely. She wakes up with the hangover from hell and no memory of the night before, or how she ended up on her limo driver’s couch...

Jonah Fletcher is running out of time. He knows his situation is hopeless, and he's vowed to make the most of the handful of months he has left to him. 

His plans include seeing the opening of his glass installation at a prestigious art gallery…they do not include falling in love with a wild, tempestuous rock musician who wound up passed out on his couch. 

Jonah sees that Kacey is on a path to self-destruction. He lets her crash with him for a few days to dry out and get her head on straight. But neither of them expected the deep connection they felt, or how that connection could grow so fast from friendship into something more. Something deep and pure and life-changing…something as fragile as glass, that they both know will shatter in the end no matter how hard they try to hold on to it.

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All In 

SPOILERS FOR FULL TILT....
Reeling from her loss, Kacey Dawson is grieving and heartbroken, her addictive demons hauling her back into the alcohol-soaked abyss she worked so hard to crawl out of. Kacey teeters on the edge of oblivion, and must fight her way through the pain, to build a new life for herself with her music, and somehow fulfill the promise she made to Jonah…one she feels is impossible to keep.

Theo Fletcher has a secret burning in his heart, one that he holds close, while he struggles to keep strong for his family that is falling apart. His mother’s health is fragile and his father’s disapproval is breaking him down. Theo is afraid if he follows his heart, he’ll fail, and not just himself, but his brother who believed in him when no one else did. 

Drawn together by their pain, Theo and Kacey slowly build a friendship, re-forge old ties, help each other to heal, and give one another the courage to reach for their dreams. Together, from the depths of grief and guilt, they learn to laugh again, to trust again, and quite possibly find something beautiful and lasting amid the shattered pieces of their broken hearts.

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The Darkest Sunrise
Aly Martinez

Amazon blurb:
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.
“You’re pregnant.”
“It’s a boy.”
“Your son needs a heart transplant.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.
Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.

“He’s gone.”
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For ten years, the darkness consumed me.
In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise. 
“Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”

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Out of the Box Regifted
Jennifer Theriot

Amazon blurb:
Betrayal, Lies, Loss, Hurt, Secrets....

With a new beginning on the horizon for Olivia Petersen and Ash Harper, what could possibly stop them from finding their happy ever after? In the midst of joy, this blended family finds they have to trust in love and family bonds to get them through what is coming next...or self-destruct.

In order to move on, Olivia must face the haunting demons from her past life with her ex-husband. Demands and more betrayals force her to come to grips with things she can't change and try to forgive, not only those in her past, but herself as well.

Faced with his own hidden secrets, will Ash allow Olivia to stand by him? How long can he keep parts of his life hidden from those who love him?

Can Olivia gain the confidence she needs to explore the new life Ash is offering and still remain true to herself?

Follow Olivia on this next chapter of her journey as a re-gifted woman and watch as she discards the meek, obedient wife role and morphs into a free spirited, determined woman who commands respect from those in her life. Can she maintain the courage to seek what she needs to be free from the past, while hanging on to the future Ash offers? And is Ash her Mr. Right?

Out of the Box Regifted is a Women's contemporary romance, centering on second chances, family and life after divorce. 

Contains adult language and situations, and is intended for readers over the age of 18.

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Carnage
Lesley Jones

Amazon blurb:
A boy who dreamed about rock and roll.
A girl who dreamed about a boy.
A story about obsessive love, betrayal, loss and learning.
This is NOT, your typical love story, but this is OUR story. The Story Of Us:
'I was just eleven years old, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt I staring into the eyes of the boy I was going to love forever'
No matter how many lies are told, no matter how many people conspire to keep us apart, despite the fame and the distance, it will only ever be him.
Carnage is an epic love story that breaks all the rules, transcends the generations and spans over twenty years
Georgia and Sean's story will stay with you long after you read the final word.
An emotional, gut wrenching read.

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Tied
Carian Cole

Amazon blurb:
He was the myth and the legend of our small town. But no one knew the truth... except me.

Me
My childhood was stolen by a monster. I’ve forgotten what love feels like. What happiness feels like. What hope feels like. I am numb.

Him
He’s possibly as damaged as I am. Maybe even more. Scarred just as much on the inside as the outside. Just like me. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t smile. He hides in the woods like an animal. I should be scared of him. But I’m not. He’s the only one that has ever made me feel. And I want to make him feel, too.
Everything…

NOTE: Check out our 5-star review of Tied!

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Ruin
Rachel Van Dyken

Amazon blurb:
I'm not your typical girl. I've been running away from the memories that haunt me for so long that depression has become my only comfort. I was content in the darkness...until Wes Michels offered to be my light.

I didn't know that time wasn't my ally—that every second that ticked past was one step closer to the end of something that was beginning to mean the end of myself. He tried to warn me. He promised me all he was able to offer—each moment as it came—but it would never be enough.

Sometimes when you think it's the end, it's only the beginning. Wes thought he could save me, but in giving me everything, he ruined me. Because after one kiss, one touch, I couldn't—I wouldn't ever be the same.

And from that moment on, his heartbeat became my own.

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Against All Odds
Angie McKeon

Amazon blurb:
Our lives shattered... Our hearts broken... Our souls torn to pieces...

He was my world, my whole life. My reason for breathing. I had a perfect marriage, a baby on the way, and I felt fulfilled—almost invincible.

Until the day life hit, leaving me broken, vulnerable, and alone.

She was my life. My ray of hope on the cloudiest day. With her, I thought I had the ultimate safety. A love that would never hurt or betray me. I gave her my heart, my body, and my soul.

Until she broke me, destroying every dream and illusion I had about life, love, and marriage.

In our grief, we made a mistake. A mistake I'm not sure we can come back from.

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Cry No More
Linda Howard

Amazon blurb:
Count your blessings; they can be snatched away in an instant. It is a sentiment Milla Edge knows too well. With an astonishing blend of savvy, instinct, and passion, Milla displays an uncanny gift for finding lost children. When all seems helpless, desperate souls from across the country come to her for hope and results. Driven by an obsessive desire to fill the void in other people’s lives, Milla throws herself into every case–all the while trying to outrun the brutal emotions stemming from a horrific tragedy in her past.

Traveling to a small village in Mexico on a reliable tip, Milla begins to uncover the dire fate of countless children who have disappeared over the years in the labyrinth of a sinister baby-smuggling ring. The key to nailing down the organization may rest with an elusive one-eyed man. 

To find him, Milla joins forces with James Diaz, a suspicious stranger known as the Tracker who conceals his own sinister agenda.

As the search intensifies, the mission becomes more treacherous. For the ring is part of something far larger and more dangerous, reaching the highest echelons of power and influence. Caught between growing passion and imminent peril, Milla suddenly finds herself the hunted–in the crosshairs of an invisible, lethal assassin who aims to silence her permanently. 

Intense emotion . . . potent suspense . . . pounding action. Linda Howard weaves these elements into page-turning fiction. Cry No More is a seductive thriller of heartbreak and obsession that moves with a vengeance.

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Taking Chances
Molly McAdams

Amazon blurb:
Her first year away is turning out to be nearly perfect, but one weekend of giving in to heated passion will change everything.

Eighteen-year-old Harper has grown up under the thumb of her career marine father. Ready to live life her own way and to experience things she's only ever heard of from the jarheads in her father's unit, she's on her way to college at San Diego State University.

Thanks to her new roommate, Harper is introduced to a world of parties, gorgeous guys, family, and emotions. She finds herself being torn in two as she quickly falls in love with both her new boyfriend, Brandon, and her roommate's brother, Chase. Despite their dangerous looks and histories, both men adore Harper and would do anything for her, including taking a step back if it would mean she'd be happy.

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Got a go-to ugly cry fav that didn’t make the list? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you.