The “marriage in crisis” trope is popular in literature, film, and television. It revolves around a married couple facing significant challenges or disagreements that threaten the stability and continuation of their marriage. This trope focuses on the complexities of relationships, exploring themes like trust, betrayal, love, misunderstandings, external pressures, and personal growth. The crisis can arise from various sources, such as:
- Infidelity.
- Financial troubles.
- Personal tragedies (like the loss of a child).
- Growing apart over time or differing life goals.
- External pressures from family or society.
- Personal demons, such as addiction or mental health issues.
You desperately want to know how to save your marriage but have no answers. You don’t even know if it’s possible to save your marriage if your spouse wants out, especially when they repeatedly say that it’s over. He gets furious when you try to talk about it sometimes, he yells. He displays no emotion at other times, but the message is always the same.
You’re making it worse and driving me to leave faster when you try to do anything to save our marriage. They say that trying to save the marriage is pushing further away. So, focusing on the issue, I’m here to give you some book recommendations where you find similar situations and can relate to your real life. Many books are based on marriages in trouble stories. Most of these stories are real-life-based that you want to read.
10 Books For Marriages In Trouble
Should you give up and accept that it’s over instead of continuing to ask how to save your marriage? You may think, if there is hope, I shouldn’t assume it’s over. Are there magic works? If your partner leaves you and moves on, there can come a time to accept your marriage is over and find a path to a different life in a new relationship. There is a definite consequence when you accept that it’s over emotionally, mentally, and physically disconnected from your partner.
I will talk about 10 books for marriages in trouble. If you have a marriage crisis, you will like this book because the stories of these books reflect your daily life. Let’s go!
| Name | Storyline | Tropes |
|---|---|---|
| The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams | A professional baseball player joins an all-male romance book club to save his failing marriage. | Second-chance romance, secret book club, marriage in crisis, high-profile celebrity, male bonding, meta-narrative, role reversal, communication breakdown. |
| Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey | Dual timelines, marriage in crisis, emotional trauma, infertility struggles, unfulfilled dreams, secrets and revelations, enduring love, healing, and hope. | Second-chance romance, marriage in crisis, emotional healing, communication barriers, dual perspectives, quirky side characters, small-town setting, rediscovery of love. |
| Frayed Silk by Ella Fields | A woman’s discovery of her husband’s infidelity unravels their seemingly perfect life, leading to a tumultuous journey of heartbreak, self-discovery, and redemption. | Infidelity, marriage in crisis, emotional turmoil, forbidden romance, betrayal, self-discovery, love triangle, family dynamics, redemption arc. |
| Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath | An estranged wife returns to her husband’s life, leading the notorious Earl to grapple with lingering passions and past betrayals. | Historical romance, second-chance love, estranged marriage, misunderstood heroine, notorious rake, redemption, societal expectations, love versus duty. |
| The Day of the Duchess by Sarah MacLean | A duchess determined to obtain a divorce is resisted by her estranged husband, leading to a poignant journey of reconciliation and rediscovery of lost love. | Historical romance, second-chance love, an estranged couple, noble society, scandal and reputation, mysterious antagonist, family ties, love, and redemption. |
| All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover | A couple’s journey through a marriage strained by infertility is explored through alternating timelines of their past romance and present challenges. | Dual timelines, marriage in crisis, emotional trauma, infertility struggles, unfulfilled dreams, secrets and revelations, enduring love, healing, and hope. |
| Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley | Reunited after a scandalous separation, Lady Isabella and her estranged husband, Mac Mackenzie, grapple with past betrayals while navigating a mysterious threat in Regency-era Scotland. | Dual timelines, marriage in crisis, emotional trauma, infertility struggles, unfulfilled dreams, secrets and revelations, enduring love, healing, and hope. |
| The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman | Dr. Gary Chapman’s seminal work explores how to express and receive love in five distinct ways—words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch—and how understanding these love languages can strengthen relationships. | Self-help, relationship guide, communication improvement, love and connection, personal growth, emotional intimacy. |
| Hold Me Tight by Dr. Sue Johnson | A guide to creating and sustaining secure emotional bonds in romantic relationships using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) principles. | Self-help, couples therapy, emotional healing, attachment theory, communication improvement, relationship building, love, and connection. |
| The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by Dr. John Gottman | Dr. John Gottman’s comprehensive guide introduces seven principles rooted in scientific research to help couples build and maintain strong, lasting marriages. | Relationship guide, scientific approach to marriage, communication improvement, conflict resolution, emotional connection, love and understanding, personal growth. |
1. The Bromance Book Club
This is the first book in the Bromance Book Club series, but you can read the rest of the series as a standalone. So, in this book, we are following Gavin. Gavin is a pro baseball player, and he and his wife have recently separated. They’re not divorced yet, but they are having some issues. Gavin is pretty desperate. He does not want to get a divorce. He loves his wife and children and wants to return home with them.
Many things contributed to them finally separating. But the main one that Gavin is very reluctant to tell anyone is that his wife has been faking orgasms for quite a few years now. So, his fragile male ego is hurt, and he acts like an idiot after finding that out. When Gavin finally confides in his friends what is going on with him and his wife, they take it upon themselves to help him. By helping him, they invite him to join their book club.
So this is a bunch of guys on his team or friends they get together. They read romance books to try and help them with their relationships or help them get a girl. They get Gavin in on it. Also, he is slowly trying to win back his wife. It is a unique take on the marriage in trouble because many are super emotional and deal with heavy topics.
Author: Lyssa Kay Adams
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Sports Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Library Binding | Kindle
2. Love Her or Lose Her
This book follows Dominic and Rosie, high school sweethearts who happened to get married. They have always had a picture-perfect relationship. Dominic was all about Rosie, but lately, things have changed. They still have chemistry and attraction, but it’s almost as if they’ve lost their spark. They don’t talk anymore and don’t spend time together. Rosie tried to talk to Dominic and tried to get through to him.
So, she finally decides to move out while they go to marriage counseling. She finally got Dominic to agree to go, and their marriage counseling was hilarious. The counselor has quirky, very off-the-wall exercises for them to do. At first, Dom does not have it, but he wants things to work out with Rosie. He loves her and adores her. Dom is a total alpha, and he shows his love language through acts of service. Rosie wanted him to do it, and he wanted desperately to have their marriage work out.
During this counseling, they learned how to work with each other. When they were younger and in high school, what worked before needed to grow and develop as they got older?
Author: Tessa Bailey
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Contemporary Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
3. Frayed Silk
This one is Ella Field’s debut novel, and when you read it, it’s incredible. We are following Lia and Leo. At the beginning of this book, Your heart is breaking for Lia. She is so desperate for a divorce from her husband. They have been married for ten years. They have two children, and things were going perfectly. But a few months ago, something happened, and her husband, Leo, completely shut down, and he would not talk to her. He refuses to give her a divorce, and Lia doesn’t know what to do. She is desperate for something to change.
So, Lia volunteers at a homeless shelter. There, she meets a very young, attractive guy named Jared. He makes it very obvious that he is interested in Lia. At first, they become friends, and Lia is using him to try and get a reaction out of Leo to see if he still cares, to see if he would even care. It turns into more, so this one has a bit of cheating. Leo shows the reaction that comes from him when he finally realizes what Lia is doing with Jared. This one is so emotional, especially for a debut novel.
Author: Ella Fields
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Contemporary Romance Fiction
Available: Paperback | Kindle
4. Passions of a Wicked Earl
This is a historical romance, and we are following Morgan. He is the oldest Lyons brother, the Earl of Westcliff, and has been betrothed to Claire. He is eight years older than her, and Claire is very nervous when the time finally comes for them to marry. She’s very scared. So she asked for help from Morgan’s brother. The plan that Stephen comes up with to try and make her more comfortable and less scared is dumb.
But Claire goes along with it, and instead of helping her, it completely ruins any chance Claire and Morgan had for love. He is pissed. They go their separate ways after they are married. Now it’s three years later, and Claire shows up at his townhouse, and she has two requests.
So the first one is she wants to help her sister and needs Morgan’s help. Her sister is about to go into the season, and she wants her to have a good season. Then, the second is for them to work on their marriage and to have a true marriage. Claire is determined to fight for their love and to have a marriage that she knows they both deserve.
Author: Lorraine Heath
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Historical Romances
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
5. The Day of the Duchess
This is book three in the Scandal and Scoundrel series. In this book, we follow Malcolm Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, and Serafina, or Sarah, the Duchess of Haven. They married a little over three years ago, and this book is told in the past and present. So, in the past, we’re getting glimpses of there.
Malcolm is forced to marry Sarafina after believing she has set a trap for him to get a title and money. This breaks him. He’s pissed because he thought they had real and would have a marriage. So after they married, they went their separate ways. At the beginning of this book, Serafina burst into a parliament meeting and demanded a divorce from Malcolm. So Malcolm says, I’ll give you your divorce, but you must help me find my next duchess because he wants an heir.
Serafina moves into his home, and they spend so much time together. It takes a long time for them to get through everything that happened. Sarah has to work hard to forgive him for things that have happened. So Sarah is working through that, and Malcolm is working through his things. He is grieving the loss of their child as well. Plus, he’s trying to trust Sarafina after believing that she set him up and that what they had wasn’t.
Author: Sarah MacLean
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Regency Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
6. All Your Perfects
This book follows Quinn and Graham, who have a very unconventional start to their love story. They have been married for seven years now. They are completely in love, but some things are out of their control, which has changed some things. Moreover, they’re trying to work through them.
This book is told in the past and present, and you’re getting into the past relationship and how they first met. Then, many in the present you’re dealing with some very heavy stuff that is weighing down on them and making their relationship hard to work through. What they’re dealing with in the many resent is so heavy that you get glimpses of their sweet story when the past comes. It lightens the mood.
Author: Colleen Hoover
Average Rating: 4.6/5
Category: Psychological & Family Life Fiction
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Library Binding | Kindle | Audio CD
7. Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage
This is book two in the Mackenzie’s and McBride series. In this book, we follow Isabella and Mac. Mac and Isabella married six years ago. They eloped, and it created a big scandal. Then, three years after they married, they separated, creating an entirely new scandal. Isabella left Mac because he dealt with things she couldn’t handle anymore. He had hurt her so many times, and she did not want to be hurt again. So, she decided that it was time for her to leave.
Isabella is such a strong heroine. She left Mac but still loves and cares for him. It’s been some time since they have seen each other, and Mac claims that he has changed and Isabella is trying to work through something. This book has a bit of a mystery, so they’re spending a lot of time together. He is slowly trying to win her trust back.
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Scottish Historical Romance
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
8. The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman
In this transformative guide, Dr. Gary Chapman introduces the concept that everyone has specific ways they understand and receive love — these are the ‘love languages.’ Whether through words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, or physical touch, understanding one’s primary love language and partner’s can pave the way for better communication and deeper emotional connection.
Chapman combines decades of counseling experience with real-life examples to provide practical advice on how to nurture love and fill the emotional needs of one’s partner. For couples struggling to connect or facing communication barriers, this book offers valuable insights and tools to foster understanding and intimacy.
9. Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson
Dr. Sue Johnson, a clinical psychologist and developer of Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, presents a book that focuses on the emotional underpinnings of relationships. She introduces the concept of ‘attachment bond,’ suggesting that the need for emotional connection and secure attachment continues into adulthood.
The book is structured around seven transformative conversations, such as “Recognizing the Demon Dialogues” and “Forgiving Injuries,” which aim to foster understanding, rebuild trust, and enhance intimacy. Johnson’s research-backed approach provides couples with actionable steps to break negative patterns and rebuild their bond.
10. The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by Dr. John Gottman and Nan Silver
Grounded in extensive research and clinical experience, Dr. John Gottman presents a comprehensive guide addressing common marriage issues. He introduces the concept of the ‘Sound Relationship House’ as a foundation for marital bliss.
The book identifies negative communication patterns that can predict divorce and provides tools and exercises to overcome them. From enhancing admiration and fondness to turning towards each other instead of away, the principles are practical and based on years of observational studies. Couples will find this book a resourceful tool, rich with insights, quizzes, and exercises to rejuvenate their relationship.
5 Husband hates wife romance novels
The “husband hates wife” or “marital disdain” trope is a dramatic and intense theme in romance literature, leading to deep emotional confrontations and character development. Here are five books that feature this dynamic:
The Unwanted Wife by Natasha Anders: All Alessandro de Lucci wants from his wife is a son, but after a year and no baby, he’s grown cold and distant. Theresa, desperate for her husband’s affection, must face the pains of their marriage and decide if it’s worth saving.
Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Daisy is forced to marry Alex Markov, a man who seems to despise her. Set in a traveling circus’s backdrop, the two navigate a challenging relationship filled with bitterness and hidden pain. As secrets are unveiled, their dynamic evolves.
The Italian’s Inexperienced Mistress by Lynne Graham: When Gwenna is married off to the rich and powerful Angelo, it’s far from a love match. Angelo believes she married him purely for money, fostering disdain for his new bride. However, the relationship becomes more complex as true intentions and emotions come to light.
The Sheikh’s Forced Bride by Leslie North: Sheikh Khalid Al-Qasimi’s royal duty is to marry a woman he’s never met, but he’s surprised to find out it’s the same woman he’s fantasized about for months, and also a woman he once despised. Their marriage begins in hostility, but unexpected feelings start to emerge.
Marriage for Sale by Carol Devine: When Rian’s husband sells her to the highest bidder to pay off his debts, she’s angry and humiliated. Her new husband, Chase, is equally unenthusiastic about their forced marriage. They struggle with this challenging relationship, and hidden truths and emotions emerge.
Each of these novels offers a tumultuous journey from disdain or even hate, through misunderstandings and emotional revelations, toward a more loving and understanding relationship.
Read More Abusive Romance Books:
15 Books About Arranged Marriage
Table of Contents
