“There was before you and there was during you. For some reason, I never thought there would be an after you.”
If you loved Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover, you’re certainly not alone – this heart-wrenching contemporary romance has captured the hearts of readers everywhere. Its emotional depth, complex characters, and themes of redemption and second chances make it a standout in the realm of modern romance novels. But, if you’re craving more stories like Reminders of Him, you’ve come to the right place. Today at What We Reading, we’re rounding up our favourite books similar to Reminders of Him that fans of emotional, tear-jerking romance won’t want to miss. From novels exploring love, loss, and forgiveness to small-town romances filled with heart and tension, these books capture the same raw, emotional storytelling that makes Colleen Hoover’s work so unforgettable. Whether you adore modern romance books or stories to tug on your heartstrings, this list is all you need for your next read to fall in love with.
Reminders Of Him Summary
After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t completely closed the door on her is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter.
But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressures around them, but as their romance blossoms, so too does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future of hope and healing.
Confess – Colleen Hoover
Kicking off our list of books like Reminders of Him with another one of Colleen Hoover’s most emotional works, Confess introduces readers to Auburn Reed, a woman determined to rebuild her shattered life with no room left for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to become deeply attracted to the studio’s enigmatic artist, Owen Gentry.
For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping a huge secret from her. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything that Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it – but can she do it?
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Before We Were Strangers – Renee Carlino
Before We Were Strangers is another one of the best second-chance stories similar to Reminders of Him. The story follows Matt and Grace, two former college sweethearts whose love was once obvious, but faded as life hauled them both in different directions. They met at NYU – he, a passionate photography student, and she, a gifted cellist – and they were soon inseparable. However, as graduation approached, miscommunication and missed timings caused them to drift apart, leaving them both with just their memories.
Fifteen years later, Matt spots Grace in a fleeting subway encounter. It’s just a glimpse, but it’s enough to stir everything he thought he’d forgotten about. Determined not to let her slip away again, he posts a “missed connection” ad, hoping that fate will lend them another chance. What follows is a moving tale about love lost and rediscovered, as they confront their shared past and what might have been.
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Archer’s Voice – Mia Sheridan
When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man that no one else sees.
Archer’s Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the night whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love, making it the perfect book to read next if you loved Reminders of Him.
The Sea Of Tranquillity – Katja Millay
Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning her past, and to make the boy who took everything from her pay. Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life. Now all he wants is to be left alone, and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you a wide berth.
Everyone except Nastya. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions start to pile up, he begins to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding – or if he even wants to. The Sea of Tranquillity is a rich, intense, and brilliantly imagined story about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.
Love Lettering – Kate Clayborn
Meg Mackworth’s hand-lettering skills have made her famous as the Planner of Park Slope, designing beautiful custom journals for New York’s elite. She has another skill: reading signs others miss. Like the time she sat across from Reid Sutherland and his gorgeous fiancée, and knew their marriage was doomed to fail. Weaving a secret word into their wedding program was a little unprofessional, but she was sure no one else would spot it.
A year on, Reid has tracked Meg down to find out – before he leaves New York for good – how she knew that his meticulously planned future was about to implode. But with a deadline looming, a fractured friendship, and a bad case of creative block, Meg doesn’t need Reid’s questions. Yet, as they gradually open up to each other, both try to ignore the fact that their unlikely connection is growing deeper.
Love And Other Words – Christina Lauren
Macy Sorenson is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine. But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulous – the first and only love of her life – the careful bubble she’s constructed threatens to burst. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s whole world, only to break her heart on the very night he declared his love for her.
Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, Love and Other Words is another emotionally charged book similar to Reminders of Him, brimming with second chances and nostalgia. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s silence, and will need to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.
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The Things We Leave Unfinished – Rebecca Yarros
Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s infuriatingly arrogant, and she’ll be damned if he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel, even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.
Yet as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they begin to realise why she never finished her book. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and whilst the chemistry and connection between her and Noah soon becomes undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes – even if it means destroying Noah’s career.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
