Tag Archives: Emotional Abuse & Gaslighting

Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But one day, Adrienne starts hanging out with Jen, the most popular girl in class and the leader of a circle of friends called The Group. Everyone in The Group wants to be Jen’s #1, and some girls would do anything to stay on top . . . even if it means bullying others. Now every day is like a roller coaster for Shannon. Will she and Adrienne stay friends? Can she stand up for herself? And is she in The Group—or out?

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Physical, emotional & verbal sibling abuse
  • Sexual assault of a minor (forced kiss)
  • Bullying

Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart. Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks. Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Slavery
  • Emotional abuse & gaslighting
  • Knife & sword violence
  • Poisoning
  • Physical assault
  • Fire
  • Loss of autonomy (mind control)
  • Animal attack
  • Animal death & injury
  • Animal cruelty
  • War themes & battle scenes

Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

Meet the blue-eyed devil . . . His name is Hardy Cates. He’s a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston’s oil industry. He’s got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind. Meet the heiress . . . She’s Haven Travis. Despite her family’s money, she refuses to set out on the path they’ve chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Emotional, physical & verbal child abuse
  • Domestic abuse (theme)
  • Rape
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder
  • Cancer mentioned
  • Bullying
  • Cyberbullying & doxxing

You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie

You Don’t Have a Shot by Racquel Marie

Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear. Embarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. But the competition might be… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Grap

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Emotional child abuse
  • Anxiety & anxiety attacks
  • Alcohol consumption mentioned
  • Physical injuries (minor sports injury)
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a mother from breast cancer
  • Bullying

The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel

The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel

Liya Thakkar is a successful biochemical engineer, takeout enthusiast, and happily single woman. The moment she realizes her parents’ latest dinner party is a setup with the man they want her to marry, she’s out the back door in a flash. Imagine her surprise when the same guy shows up at her office a week later — the new lawyer hired to save her struggling company. What’s not surprising: he’s not too thrilled to see her either after that humiliating fiasco. Jay Shah looks good on paper… and off. Especially if you like that whole gorgeous, charming lawyer-in-a-good-suit thing… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Grap

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Slut-shaming & victim-blaming
  • Sexual assault of a minor
  • Domestic emotional abuse
  • Death of a parent from fire

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

She just wanted to claim her inheritance. What she got was a husband… Xeni Everly-Wilkins has ten days to clean out her recently departed aunt’s massive colonial in Upstate New York. With the feud between her mom and her sisters still raging even in death, she knows this will be no easy task, but when the will is read Xeni quickly discovers the decades-old drama between the former R&B singers is just the tip of the iceberg. The Secrets, lies, and a crap ton of cash spilled on her lawyer’s conference room table all come with terms and conditions. Xeni must marry before she can claim the estate that will set her up for life and her… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Bimisia
  • Racist microaggressions
  • Emotional parental abuse
  • Pregnancy mentioned
  • Abortion recounted
  • Miscarriage recounted
  • Hospital
  • Heart attack
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a family member

When the Lights Come On by Katia Rose

When the Lights Come On by Katia Rose

Paige Rivera doesn’t intend to end up among the twice-fooled. It’s been six years since Youssef Salah let her down, and not even the shock of his reappearance is enough to make her consider letting him do it again. She learned a lot from that first fall: how to pick herself up, brush herself off, and push away anyone with the ability to knock her off her feet. He’s no longer the teenage boy she knew, but Youssef still possess the powers of a gravitational force, so Paige employs her failsafe strategy: head down, eyes on the prize. The prize in this case is her burgeoning career…. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Racism
  • Familial estrangement
  • Emotional child abuse
  • Drugging

Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly

Something Wild and Wonderful by Anita Kelly

When Alexei Lebedev finally comes out to his conservative community, it does not go well. That’s how he ended up on the rugged Pacific Crest Trail, hoping he can figure out a new life plan in the thousands of miles it’ll take to walk the famed hike. He’s prepared for rattlesnakes, blisters, and months of solitude. What he’s not prepared for is the ray of sunshine named Ben Caravalho. Charismatic and outgoing, Ben’s personality and infectious laughter are a stark opposite of Alexei’s quiet, reserved demeanour. But no matter how determined Alexei is to hike the trail alone, it seems he and Ben can’t avoid… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Homomisia & homomisic slurs
  • Familial estrangement due to religious-based queermisia
  • Coming out recounted
  • Emotionally abusive relationship recounted
  • Social anxiety
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Death of an aunt from Alzheimer’s Disease

You Can Have Manhattan by P. Dangelico

You Can Have Manhattan by P. Dangelico

Sydney Evans is no stranger to hard work. It’s the one constant in her life. And with no family or friends to speak of it’s been easy to pour everything she has into her career as general counsel for Blackstone Holdings. She wants for nothing. Until her boss offers her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. All she has to do in return is marry his good-for-nothing son. Scott Blackstone used be a party whore. Pardon, party animal. He hasn’t been that guy in a long time though. Not since he moved to Wyoming, bought a failing cattle ranch, and turned it into a profitable business. All is good.. Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Arranged marriage, on-page
  • Physical & emotional child abuse recounted
  • Death of a friend from suicide, off-page
  • Cancer

Total Exposure by JA Huss

Total Exposure by J.A. Huss

Evangeline’s life is dark and lonely. She’ll do anything to change that. Anything. Even play a game with a stranger she’s never met. What starts out as “therapy” soon turns into a passionate anonymous love affair. Her blindfold is like a security blanket and his touch is what lights a fire inside her. I have no idea who he is, what he looks like, or why he agreed to play this game with me. But I don’t care. I don’t even care that I have to wear a blindfold before he’ll come into my room. I don’t care that he watches me sleep, and dress and wants to know all my deepest, darkest, saddest secrets… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger & Content Warnings

  • Child emotional neglect
  • Mental illness (scopophobia)
  • Stalking & voyeurism