Looking for an unforgettable collection of books like It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover? As an award-winning author and veteran blogger, I’ve spent over a decade reading, analyzing, and recommending the most impactful novels about tough topics like domestic violence and star-crossed love.
You’ll find detailed reviews of a dozen of my favorites in the roundup below. I’ve personally curated this collection from my own bookshelves. These novels portray characters whose partners escalate with extreme possessiveness, jealousy, manipulation, emotional and psychological abuse, and even physical assault. Others simply involve a doomed love that’s not meant to be.
Junior Missing by Khristina Chess
“He kissed me again and again, and I began bargaining once more with the wind. I vowed to do better and try harder to keep this Quentin who loved me and kept me safe. The Quentin who I loved. Who loved me. Who didn’t treat me badly. Sex was the one place where he was always himself. His very best self. “― Khristina Chess, quote from Junior Missing
Wow! Readers who can relate to the relationship violence and unsettling seduction in books like It Ends with Us won’t be able to put Junior Missing down. For me, what makes Junior Missing so special is the slow-boil depiction of how Grace’s forbidden attraction turns into a trap set by an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go!
The story starts as sixteen-year-old Grace Keegan, darling of the child pageant world with a bright future, is missing. At first, police assume she ran away. But when they find her abandoned phone along the highway, the truth becomes far more terrifying.
No one knows about Quentin Brock—the musician she met online. He’s gorgeous, charming, funny, and perfect.
Until he isn’t. Until she’s trapped in another state with no way out.
I highly recommend this intense, thought-provoking, and morally-complex book like It Ends with Us. This mesmerizing novel depicts how someone can so easily be manipulated and hurt in a toxic relationship that turns into domestic violence. I couldn’t put it down.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
“Love and fear. The most destructive forces on earth. Fear had turned her inside out, love had made her stupid.” ― Kristin Hannah, quote from The Great Alone
Leni is 13 when her parents decide to relocate to Alaska. She’s used to moving around a lot and not fitting in, so her expectations about this place aren’t very high, either. Children of all ages share the same schoolhouse, and there is one other kid her age. A boy, Matthew Walker. They become fast friends—and eventually, much more.
Alaska is beautiful. Although the new homestead is wonderful at first, the descent of winter and darkness brings out her father’s abuse. A former POW from the Vietnam war, he is now a violent, alcoholic, and paranoid man whose rage targets his fragile wife.
So many good and terrible things happen in this sweeping novel. Leni is a compelling character, and in fact, there is a whole cast of interesting people in Alaska who protect and care for one another. Survival depends on community in this wilderness place.
If you’re looking for books similar to It Ends with Us that include domestic violence and doomed love, I promise you will love The Great Alone.
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
“To be groomed is to be loved and handled like a precious, delicate thing.” ― Kate Elizabeth Russell, quote from My Dark Vanessa
What a deeply disturbing book. I wondered what made 15-year-old Vanessa so malleable to Strane's grooming and psychological manipulation. It seemed like more than just being a lonely kid in search of approval. Her confusion about what was happening in the early days of the relationship was clear. Did she imagine that? Was it real? And then, the first sexual encounter with them was so horrible. Even in that moment of being raped, she was confused and tried to explain what was happening to her.
It was sad that the adult Vanessa was so messed up. She couldn't break free of him and what he did to her. She even seemed bent on repeating the cycle with another teacher, and I'm not sure I really believe the hopeful notes at the end of the story. I'm not sure Vanessa will ever recover from Strane.
Also, I was confused about what actually happened with the other girls. Was Vanessa really the only one who was raped, or was that just something she told herself?
The psychological elements of this novel reminded me of The Kiss by Kathryn Harrison. If you’re looking for dark, spicy books like It Ends with Us that include seduction and physical violence, I recommend My Dark Vanessa.
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
“Sometimes, it was just a little rough: a blocking bruise. Other times, a hard foul. And if things were really bad—full contact.” ― Sarah Dessen, quote from Dreamland
I've read a couple Sarah Dessen books that were "okay," but wow, this one really, really grabbed me!
It starts when Caitlin's sister, Cass, runs away. I knew the story was about relationship abuse, and I was expecting the runaway sister Cass to be with a bad guy, but no. After she disappears, Caitlin falls for a guy named Rogerson who ends up being the abusive one. Caitlin's downward spiral is emotional, realistic, and heartbreaking. From the first time Rogerson hits her, I kept waiting for someone to intervene or for her to wake up, but it went on and on until the climactic moment when something had to shatter.
I felt really bad for Caitlin. She seemed invisible to everyone who supposedly loved her. She was hiding her pain in front of everyone. And people she loved kept leaving her: first her sister Cass and then her new friend Corinna.
I don’t want to give too much away. If you’re looking for more binge-worthy books like It Ends with Us with abusive romantic relationships, be sure to check out Dreamland.
The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton
“I feel like I don't have all the ingredients a person is supposed to have.” ― Jane Hamilton, quote from The Book of Ruth
I first read this novel when it became an Oprah's Book Club pick (a long time ago), and because I remember loving it, I decided to choose it for re-reading. It's funny how a person's taste in books changes over time. This time, I wasn't sure I liked it at all, but by the end, I saw why this book meant so much to me.
Ruth tells the story. From the beginning, she lets the reader know that she's trying to clarify something that happened, and to do that, she goes for a long time on tangents that don't seem to matter that much. It felt slow, but I kept going on the journey with her. A few times, I even went back to re-read that opening paragraph, where Ruth assures me that there's a point to all of this.
Ruth is poor. She lives with a mother who is poor and bitter about her life. Ruth meets and marries Ruby, who is "off", but who Ruth understands and appreciates. There are several other characters in the story who support and love Ruth: her aunt Sid, her boss at the dry cleaning store, her friend Daisy. Ruth shows us a world that is hard but not without beauty. She shows us the good that exists in all people, even in small portions, as well as the bad that's also there in all of us.
Readers searching for books similar to It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover will enjoy Ruth’s story about the slow unraveling of relationships through domestic violence.
Criminal by Terra Elan McVoy
“But in remembering, and in telling them what they needed to know, that golden feeling I’d had with Dee came back over me—the feeling of being a kind of temple for him. I was someone who worshipped him and understood him, in all the ways he needed and deserved. I could feel them hating me, thinking I was wrong, but they’d never had Dee’s hands on them, never felt him as completely as I had.” ― Terra Elan McVoy, quote from Criminal
This book was so absorbing I read the whole thing on a Saturday afternoon. I couldn't put it down.
It's a sad story about a girl from a bad home who falls in love for the worst kind of guy, and she is pulled into a crime with him. How far will she go to protect him? Why?
I loved Nikki's character. I loved how blind she is by her obsession with Dee. She’s honest, not particularly likeable, but real. Her mother was terrible, and Nikki found friendship and safety for herself with Bird. It was no wonder that she found herself in this bad relationship with Dee. Her world is tragic, but she is strong and makes good choices, even if they're really, really late.
Criminal is not a novel about abuse and relationship violence in the sense that Dee physically harms Nikki. Rather, it is the escalating nature of the psychological manipulation in the relationship which creates the harm.
Pick this one up. Colleen Hoover fans searching for more books like It Ends with Us should give Criminal a try.
The Girl Who Fell by S. M. Parker
“Still, there’s a rumbling in the pit of my stomach telling me I’m missing out on something. Something I wouldn’t have missed for all the world before Alec.” ― S.M. Parker, quote from The Girl Who Fell
In this hypnotic, romantic story, Zephyr Doyle falls in love with the wrong boy. Only, he seems like the perfect boy. A boy she's willing to give up everything for: friends, her hockey team, even her future. He's saccharine sweet, but a bit jealous. Creepy. But she can't see his emotional abuse for what it is until it's too late.
I really enjoyed this one and read it quickly. Although I guessed the relationship was doomed (surely?!), I couldn't tell how it would fall apart and was surprised by the twists at the end. Creepy behavior just escalated into more and more aggressive awfulness. It shows how a person can lose herself in a dating relationship that she believes is love.
This is a another important novel about abuse and relationship violence for readers seeking books like It Ends with Us.
How Girls Are Made by Mindy McGinnis
I love Mindy McGinnis' books. She has been a longtime favorite author. She’s amazing!
However, How Girls Are Made is such a radical departure from her work. I did not like this at all and could not stick it out. Instead of this one, I highly recommend that you check out The Female of the Species and Heroine by this author.
However, if you’re looking for books like It Ends with Us that address themes of dating violence and bullying, this novel includes that.
The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
“The trouble with getting your hopes too far up is: it's a long way down.” ― Nicola Yoon, quote from The Sun Is Also a Star
I loved Nicola Yoon’s Everything Everything, so when The Sun Is Also A Star released, I couldn’t wait to read it. This novel is a star-crossed love story between two teens of different backgrounds: Daniel Jae Ho Bae (a middle-class US citizen of South Korean descent) and Natasha Kingsley (a Jamaican girl who is being deported at the end of the day).
The timeline of the novel is 12 hours, and in that time, the characters fall in love. With every page, I kept hoping that something would change and something would stop the inevitable from happening. Because it wasn’t fair. Daniel and Natasha just found each other.
This one isn’t about domestic abuse, but if you enjoyed the “doomed love” aspect of It Ends with Us, give this one a look.
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer E. Smith
"We keep thinking there are only these two choices: We either grow apart or grow together. But maybe we can just kind of each grow on our own, and see how it goes. And then later, if it's right, we'll come back to each other and start again." ― Jennifer E. Smith, quote from Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between explores the relationship of Clare and Aiden as they prepare to separate before heading off to college. Along the way, they spend time with a cast of friends and visit places where they enjoyed some of their most memorable moments. I didn’t love-love the story and characters the same way that I did some of the other novels in this list, but there were sweet and romantic moments that kept me invested.
Readers who enjoyed to “doomed love” aspect of It Ends With Us might like Jennifer Smith’s book.
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
“I just can’t believe that life would give us to each other,” he said, “and then take it back.”
“I can,” she said. “Life’s a bastard.” ― Rainbow Rowell, quote from Eleanor and Park
It's been a long time since I've encountered a novel that I literally couldn't put down. Eleanor & Park was one of those books. I loved every minute. I sat on the porch, on the couch, on the floor by the window... and devoured this book. It was a wonderful reading experience about first love. Sweet and heartbreaking and everything I wanted. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, romantic young love story.
The story unfolds from alternating points of view, both Eleanor and Park, as they fall in love over the course of one year. The dialog is witty, snappy, and fun.
If you’re looking for books similar to It Ends with Us that include star-crossed lovers, I promise that Eleanor and Park will give you all the feels about falling in love.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
“But it is the nature of stars to cross, and never was Shakespeare more wrong than when he has Cassius note, ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves.” ― John Green, quote from The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is the ultimate YA book about doomed lovers. Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace are two teens with cancer, and they fall in love during a sweet time of remission. They talk about literature and philosophy, and they go on a wonderful journey to meet the author of Hazel’s favorite novel. This person is not at all what she expected—a huge disappointment, as a matter of fact—but then, life happens that way.
When the inevitable plot turn comes and twists the knife in your heart, it doesn’t matter that you’re expecting it. Augustus and Hazel are supposed to be together, so every bittersweet moment of their parting is a gasp. Every breath counts. Every syllable.
If you’re looking for the sweetest and most heart-wrenching star-crossed love story, pick up this classic. And if you read it a long time ago, it’s just as good the second time around. Trust me. In a list of books like It Ends with Us where love is doomed, you will devour The Fault in Our Stars.
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
“What a terrible feeling to love someone and not be able to help them.” ― Jennifer Niven, quote from All the Bright Places
After re-reading All the Bright Places a second time this year, I enjoyed this profoundly sad story every bit as much as the first time. I loved the writing, the dual character viewpoints, the plot, the language, and the symbolism. I loved everything.
The story is straightforward. Violet Markey wants to escape the grief that lives in her hometown where her sister recently died.
Her friend Theodore Finch has more than a touch of the blues.
Violet and Theodore are an unlikely couple, paired together on a school project to explore the natural wonders of their state. At first, Theodore seems to be the one helping Violet with her sadness, but Violet doesn’t have any understanding about the depth of Theodore’s despair. Along their journey, they make several unexpected discoveries about one another.
Blue is a primary color.
All the Bright Places is one of the most powerful books about doomed love that I’ve read. Jennifer Niven handles all of these difficult topics with honesty and resonance. If you’re looking for books like It Ends with Us, give this best-selling novel a try.
Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippencort
“If I’m going to die, I’d like to actually live first.” ― Rachael Lippincott, quote from Five Feet Apart
Stella and Will are two kids with cystic fibrosis who literally have to stay away from one another to survive. Infections are bad, possibly deadly, and Will is like kryptonite to Stella, who doesn’t want to lose her place on the transplant list.
But the heart wants what the heart wants—even when the lungs are failing.
Stella and Will disobey all kinds of orders in their love pursuits and put their lives at risk. They have so much positive energy that you want them to beat the odds. Tragedy won’t touch them.
If you like books similar to It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, don’t miss this popular and romantic novel about star-crossed lovers. You will love Stella and Will’s story. The movie was pretty great, too!
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
If you are looking for other books like It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover, Goodreads also offers a great book list: Readers Who Enjoyed It Ends with Us. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of book reviews.
About the Author: Khristina Chess
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
