Cover of Heart on a Chain

Heart on a Chain

Cindy C. Bennett

young adult romance(17k)

A popular boy from her past sees the girl she used to be — but Kate can't believe anyone would truly want her.

Content Warnings
abuse (physical)abuse (emotional)addictionbullying

Description

17-year-old Kate has lived her whole life in abject poverty, with an alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother, who severely abuses Kate. At school, her second-hand clothing marks her as a target. Her refusal to stand up for herself makes her the recipient of her classmates taunts and bullying. That is, until Henry returns. Henry Jamison moved away six years earlier, just as he and Kate had begun an to develop feelings for one another. He returns to find the bright, funny, outgoing girl he had known now timidly hiding in corners, barely speaking to anyone around her, suspicious of even him. Kate can't figure out what game Henry is playing with her - for surely it is a game. What else would the gorgeous, popular boy from her past want with her? Kate finally decides to trust Henry's intentions, opening her heart to him. Just when it seems he might be genuine in his friendship, tragedy strikes, threatening everything Kate has worked so hard to gain. Can Henry help her to overcome this new devastation, or will it tear them apart forever?

Books like this

Cover of My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door

Huntley Fitzpatrick

young adult romanceGarretts #1
(156k)

A senator's guarded daughter falls for the boy next door — until her mother's secret threatens everything.

opposites attractsmall towngolden retriever hero

7 tropes in common

Cover of A Thousand Boy Kisses

A Thousand Boy Kisses

Tillie Cole

young adult romanceA Thousand Boy Kisses #1
(468k)

He came back for answers. She'd been keeping the most heartbreaking secret of all.

childhood sweetheartssecond chancesmall town

7 tropes in common

Cover of All the Bright Places

All the Bright Places

Jennifer Niven

young adult romance
(633k)

Two broken teens find each other on a bell tower ledge — but not both of them will make it through.

opposites attractsmall townwallflower heroine

9 tropes in common

Cover of Second Chance Summer

Second Chance Summer

Morgan Matson

young adult romance
(56k)

One last summer at the lake house — and her first boyfriend is back, cuter than ever, as her family faces the unthinkabl

childhood sweetheartssecond chancesmall town

5 tropes in common

Cover of Binding 13

Binding 13

Chloe Walsh

young adult romanceBoys of Tommen #1
(614k)

A popular rugby star refuses to give up on the shy, damaged girl trying to disappear into the background.

small towngolden retriever herowallflower heroine

9 tropes in common

Cover of A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember

Nicholas Sparks

young adult romance
(848k)

A rebellious teen falls for the minister's quiet daughter in 1950s North Carolina — and she changes his life forever.

opposites attractsmall townwallflower heroine

7 tropes in common

Cover of A Texas Ranger's Promise: A Clean & Wholesome Romance

A Texas Ranger's Promise: A Clean & Wholesome Romance

Gabriella Reign

contemporary romance
(14)

Arrested by her high school sweetheart, a professor must clear her name while fighting old feelings.

childhood sweetheartssecond chancesmall town

7 tropes in common

Cover of The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)

Jenny Han

young adult romance
(1.1M)

Every summer Belly loved him from afar — but this summer, the boys finally notice her back.

childhood sweetheartssmall towngolden retriever hero

6 tropes in common

Cover of Fake Skating

Fake Skating

Lynn Painter

young adult romance
(82k)

Childhood best friends reunite years later — but the nerdy boy she remembered is now the town's hockey god.

childhood sweetheartssmall towngolden retriever hero

5 tropes in common

Cover of Nineteen Steps

Nineteen Steps

Millie Bobby Brown

historical romance
(21k)

A London girl caught between a loyal warden and a charming American airman in the Blitz of 1942.

small towngolden retriever herowallflower heroine

8 tropes in common

Cover of The Last Song

The Last Song

Nicholas Sparks

young adult romance
(573k)

An angry city girl spends the summer at the beach with her estranged father — and finds her first love.

small towngolden retriever hero

7 tropes in common

Cover of That Boy (That Boy, #1)

That Boy (That Boy, #1)

Jillian Dodd

young adult romanceThat Boy #1
(48k)

She's been best friends with two boys her whole life — but only one of them is That Boy.

childhood sweetheartssmall towngolden retriever hero

4 tropes in common

Cover of Redeeming Love

Redeeming Love

Francine Rivers

historical romance
(377k)

A God-fearing man marries a broken prostitute and loves her unconditionally — even as she keeps running away.

second chancesmall townwallflower heroine

10 tropes in common

Cover of Collision Course

Collision Course

S.C. Stephens

young adult romance
(13k)

The sole survivor of a deadly crash becomes a small-town outcast — until a tentative new connection offers hope.

small townwallflower heroine

7 tropes in common

Cover of Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Malinda Lo

young adult romanceLast Night at the Telegraph Club #1
(121k)

In 1954 Chinatown, two girls risk everything to love each other in a world that forbids it.

small townwallflower heroine

6 tropes in common

Cover of The Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller

historical romance
(2.0M)

Patroclus narrates his epic, doomed love for Achilles from boyhood to the walls of Troy.

childhood sweetheartsgolden retriever hero

6 tropes in common

Cover of I Hope This Doesn't Find You

I Hope This Doesn't Find You

Ann Liang

young adult romanceI Hope This Doesn't Find You #1
(78k)

A model student's secret hate-email drafts are accidentally sent — including the ones about her infuriating cocaptain.

childhood sweetheartswallflower heroine

4 tropes in common

Cover of Her Greatest Mistake

Her Greatest Mistake

Hannah Cowan

sports romanceGreatest Love #1
(28k)

Hockey's golden boy must fake-date the childhood sweetheart who broke his heart — eight years too late.

childhood sweetheartssecond chancesmall town

8 tropes in common

Cover of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Becky Albertalli

young adult romanceSimonverse #1
(469k)

A closeted teen is blackmailed into playing wingman while falling for a mystery boy over email.

golden retriever herowallflower heroine

4 tropes in common

Cover of Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything

Nicola Yoon

young adult romance
(682k)

A girl allergic to the world risks her life for the boy who moves in next door.

small towngolden retriever hero

5 tropes in common