69 Books Like Damien, Forever (Art of Sinners)

This book is the first in A.L. Jackson’s Bleeding Stars series and I can’t say enough about how much I love it. Two very broken people, Sebastian Stone and Shea Bentley, kept me on the ledge, knots tight in my stomach, waiting for their story to unfold. Jackson does an amazing job at building the depths of these characters and developing the consuming, can’t-live-without, love affair. I’m a true sucker for a story that is gut-wrenchingly beautiful. Both the characters have deep secrets, but Shea shows great courage and control over her life which I admire. Quick disclaimer: Jackson leaves a major cliffhanger so be ready to read book 2!

Broken Road is real. Real-life, real struggles, real love. It covers an array of topics that people struggle with every day. Debilitating mental illness, divorce, raising children. The journey of this couple over decades is heartbreaking, but it shows the journey was worth the pain and the heartbreak of finally being with the one who calls to your soul.

This is book one in a trilogy of heartbreak and redemption. The tears I cried for the couple as they fought life and each other were real. They were brought to their knees forced to face the consequences of their actions and forced to recognize their love for each other was never going to be easy. From the first chapter, I was driven into a universe that made me feel real pain and heartbreak, but more than that, real love.  Love that was unconditional and unfathomable. It takes a lot to get there, but their HEA was well worth the struggle.

Look. I could tell you it’s a modern-day gothic. I could tell you it wields its heresy to illuminate the true meaning of God. I could tell you she writes with the clarity of an imprisoned martyr watching the pyre being assembled outside her window. But, really, I just want you to know that I read Sierra Simone with a goofy smile on my face, marveling at how she makes the bonkers believable. She’s a surreal realist. There’s an energy here that’s simply unmatched. The book vibrates. And if you make it through Priest, might I suggest her New Camelot trilogy, which tackles the only thing more sacred than the Catholic church: the American presidency.

Frayed is the first book in the standalone series, Willow Springs. It’s such a heartwarming story, as is every book in the series. It’s about young love, breaking away from people trying to hold you back, and will have you teary one minute and laughing the next. If you love romance and shows like Friday Night Lights, you’ll enjoy this book!

In my eyes, Claire Kingsley can do no wrong. Her small-town romances are epic. They include all the fun details that I love about small towns – nosy neighbors, family drama, small-town quirks (like dueling families and a pack of squirrels that are up to no good) – all while delivering some of the hottest scenes you can read. This series does need to be read in order, but you will not regret it! Each of the Bailey Brothers are so swoony and I promise it will be nearly impossible to pick your favorite! 

To set the record straight, I do not love this book. I still haven’t come to a decision if I even like it. It isn’t the “best” book on my list, yet it is the most disturbing. And it is a must-read.

A warning, though. It’s a book that you won’t be able to stop and you’ll likely feel very guilty for even reading it. It dives into human behaviors that we don’t want to think about and surely would not intentionally want to take part in. I’ve a question for you: Is there a limit to what you would do to another human being if others were doing it too? How confident are you in your answer? The worse part about this novel is that it is based on a true story.

Olive is not a likable character, yet so many readers related to her in the first book, as I did. Strout took a completely different approach in this sequel, which appealed to me even more. We see the larger community in Olive’s life, looking at her through her interactions with friends, neighbors, and a lover who becomes her second husband.

Strout weaves present and past using these different perspectives, showing the rare kindnesses that Olive allows herself. By the end, she was a hero to me because of her changes as a person—the increased compassion tempered her frankness.  A brilliant and realistic exploration of aging, illness, and death.  

Peter Orner creates a startling intimacy with his characters. In these short, pithy vignettes, we see estranged siblings, dying spouses, missing fathers, and a marriage that is ending.  Orner’s gift is to drop us right into the conflict and emotional action of his characters. Every protagonist feels like someone we know and maybe even loved. His writing is breathtaking. Spanning America of the 80s, his stories take place across the country from California to Chicago to the East Coast.

I know Things We Never Got Over, or TWNGO for those of us “in the know”, has gotten all the love, followed by Things We Hide From the Light, but . . . as good as Lucy’s latest releases are, Rock Bottom Girl is still my absolute go-to book by Lucy Score.

While I don’t normally love it when the heroine comes home practically destitute, Lucy makes our main FMC Marley such a loveable screw up that it doesn’t bother me. Essentially, Marley has come home to live with her parents in an effort to kickstart her life. She’s lost her job, her man and essentially all hope.

Even worse is that her blonde, bouffanted (is that a word) high school nemesis now lives next door and seems to have a perfect life. Add to that she’s forced to take a teaching job (and girls soccer coach position)… show more.