“So, what comes after the HEA?”

Happy February, everyone! Did you get to see the Super Blue Blood Moon? My family and I went out to see it but we only stayed to watch for maybe an hour before heading back home since it was a school night for my sister. Still, it was an experience, and my social media timelines today are all moons, which is super great.

I’m still not reading :/ so instead of reviews today I will share with you my favourite books featuring *drum rolls* married couples. 

As I get *coughs* older, I gravitate more towards characters who are in the same age bracket as me or older, and sometimes that includes married ones. For someone who avoids marriage talks like the plague, I sure love my married romance. I love watching these characters keep the flame alive, work through their marriage and reconnecting, you get my drift.

Bonus points if they're angsty—I even have a Goodreads shelf I dedicate to stories with ‘marriage on the rocks’ trope.

RETROSEXUAL BY AINSLEY BOOTH & SADIE HALLER

This is the most recent book I read in this category. I adore this book! I was actually in the middle of reading Prime Minister when I picked up this book, and I finished it in one sitting. Stew didn’t really jump at me in Prime Minister, which is why I was surprised to find him attractive and weirdly sexy in Retrosexual, LOL.

In this book, Stew and his wife, Adrienne, squeezed in time to reconnect as partners because they realized both of them (especially Stew) had been so busy with work and kids. I really like that they worked so well together, and how close they were to each other. Bonus: it’s still free on Amazon!

HAPPILY EVER NINJA BY PENNY REID

OMG I love Greg and Fiona so much #couplegoals. I’ve been rooting for them ever since they met in college (the battle of wits! the tension!) in Ninja at First Sight, their prequel novella. Married Greg and Fiona is a whole new level of awesome. I didn’t want to talk about the plot because it’s best to discover it yourself (it was a direction I’ve never expected Penny to take, and I loved it) but I will leave this quote here:

“It occurred to me in that moment: marriage is an ultimate sport in emotional multitasking. I'm never only mad at Greg. I'm mad and madly in love; angry and concern for his wellbeing; he frustrates and delights me in the same second. We were arguing, but we were still a team.”

MAKING IT LAST BY RUTHIE KNOX

The couple in this book first appeared in How to Misbehave, where they first met. Making it Last is set a decade and so after How to Misbehave, with Amber and Tony together for thirteen years, and married for ten. They were under a lot of stress; Tony’s company wasn’t doing financially well so he was working himself to death to save it, and Amber was physically and mentally exhausted trying to handle three growing boys in his absence. 

I have so many feelings for this couple because they were just trying so hard. Reading this made me realize how dangerous it is to keep your feelings bottled up, and how important it is to communicate with your partners and listen to each other. I also cried a lot reading this because the hopeless feeling that Amber and Tony experienced re: life and their marriage were overwhelming I just want to give them a hug and make them hot cocoa. 

Other titles that I reread from time to time that are all super angsty and have made me cry: 

Turning Up the Heat by Laura Florand  

Arouse by Nina Lane

Still into You by Roni Loren

I think what I love most about this kind of romance is that it depicts the life after the happily ever after, where loving and caring for somebody is continuous work and not always sunshine and roses and smooth sails. There are all sorts of emotions and not all of them are happy; there are frustrations, stress and anger, and hard work work work. It's fascinating to see this side of the story, and it is so satisfying to see these characters come through difficult times a whole lot stronger and more in love with each other. 

Have you read any Married Romance? 

Share with me in the comments!