Books like 'Learned by Heart'
Readers who enjoyed Learned by Heart by Emma Donoghue also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical romance lgbtq historical-fiction wlw dark-academia literary-fiction drama friendship
-
The Sea Speaks His Name by Leila S. Chudori
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe tragic yet inspiring story of a group of friends, all young and idealistic political activists who faced the iron fist of power in the waning days of the Suharto regime, in the late 1990s.In the twilight hours of a day in March, Biru Laut was ambushed by four unknown men. Together with his friends, Daniel, Sunu and Alex, he was taken to an unknown location...Categorized as:
drama friendship historical-fiction literary-fiction book family female-author fiction -
![Kromme ploeg by Itamar Vieira Junior]()
Kromme ploeg by Itamar Vieira Junior
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsKinderlijke nieuwsgierigheid naar een mysterieuze koffer onder het bed van hun grootmoeder komt de zusjes Bibiana en Belonísia duur te staan. Het ongeluk verandert hun leven voorgoed, maar brengt ze ook dichter bij elkaar – zo dicht zelfs dat de een letterlijk de stem wordt van de ander... -
![Gone with the Wind, Part 2 of 2 by John Escott, Margaret Mitchell]()
Gone with the Wind, Part 2 of 2 by John Escott, Margaret Mitchell
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn Part 2, the American South has lost the Civil War. Scarlett O'Hara has to work hard to build up her life again, but she has no money. The handsome Rhett Butler is rich, but he is soon to be hanged for murder. Then there is Ashley Wilkes. He is married now, but Scarlett still loves him...Categorized as:
historical-fiction literary-fiction drama romance classics fiction historical womens-fiction -
![Twist and Shout by Gabriel (AO3), Standbyme]()
Twist and Shout by Gabriel (AO3), Standbyme
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDestiel FanficWhat begins as a transforming love between Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak in the summer of 1965 quickly derails into something far more tumultuous when Dean is drafted in the Vietnam War. Though the two both voice their relationship is one where saying goodbye is never a real truth, their story becomes fraught with the tragedy of circumstance... -
-
![Mayluna by Kelley McNeil]()
Mayluna by Kelley McNeil
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA legendary band, an iconic lead singer, and their mysterious connection to a woman whose love helped create the music of a generation. Timing is everything in a powerful novel about fate, regret, and moving on by the author of A Day Like This.In the 1990s, Carter Wills was the lead singer of the English alt-rock band Mayluna, securing his place among music legends... -
![The Tell Tale by Clare Ashton]()
The Tell Tale by Clare Ashton
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA small town, enduring love, a web of secrets.The Tell Tale has been watching and waiting, because there’s something queer about the village of Foel.Beth Griffiths has returned home to raise her daughter in the Welsh hills. They arrive to the open arms of the community, but not all is what it seems and Beth isn’t home for the reason she pretends either... -
![Döden by Jonas Gardell]()
Döden by Jonas Gardell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDet här är berättelsen om mina vänner. Om Paul och Bengt, Seppo och Lars-Åke. Om Rasmus och Benjamin.De som sökte friheten och kärleken i en tid inte långt från nu.Det här är berättelsen om en sjukdom som tog mina vänners liv medan de ännu var helt unga. En berättelse om lidande och om förnedring och om svek men också en berättelse om kärlek som trotsar allt... -
![Four Classic Novels by Jane Austen]()
Four Classic Novels by Jane Austen
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe complete novels of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Emma and Persuasion in one large, brand new and giftable hardcover with perfect dj...Categorized as:
historical-fiction drama literary-fiction romance classics fiction historical anthologies -
![কালবেলা by Samaresh Majumdar]()
-
![Love Poems and Sonnets by William Shakespeare]()
Love Poems and Sonnets by William Shakespeare
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe greatest sonnets ever written, by the greatest poet and playwright in the English... -
![Green City in the Sun by Barbara Wood]()
Green City in the Sun by Barbara Wood
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA magnificent saga of two proud and powerful families—one British, one African—and their battle over Kenya’s destiny in the twentieth century.In 1917, Dr. Grace Treverton arrives in Kenya, determined to bring modern medicine to the African natives. Her brother, Sir Valentine Treverton, has his own dream for the British protectorate: to establish an agricultural empire to rival any in England...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction action-adventure adult book family fiction -
![Secrets by Lesley Pearse]()
Secrets by Lesley Pearse
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCan truth stay hidden for ever? Set in the 1930's, the classic novel from bestselling author Lesley Pearse tells the story of one girl's struggle against cruelty and, her quest for love. Twelve-year-old Adele Talbot's unhappy mother Rose succumbs to madness after a family tragedy and Adele is placed in a bleak children's home... -
!['Til Morning Light by Ann Moore]()
'Til Morning Light by Ann Moore
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe crossed an ocean to escape the suffering of famine-torn Ireland. Haunted by loss, but determined to build a life in the New World, Gracelin O'Malley then crosses the country with her young children to accept a San Francisco sea captain's practical proposal of marriage. But when she arrives, he is not there, and the City of Gold is no place for widows and children... -
![Heart Sings: Heart Series Book 2 by Luci Dreamer]()
Heart Sings: Heart Series Book 2 by Luci Dreamer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat happens when someone from Thomas' past threatens her and her family's future?When the Millers begin a new chapter in their lives, not even a year in the harsh environment of the Klondike could have prepared them for the types of obstacles they’ll face. Thomas and Rachel will need to rely on their bond like never before to overcome the threat neither saw coming... -
-
![In the Shadow of Love by J.E. Leak]()
In the Shadow of Love by J.E. Leak
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe was prepared to lose her life. She was not prepared to lose her heart. Reporter Jenny Ryan didn’t believe in love at first sight. Until it happened to her. An encounter with a sultry nightclub singer led to a secret job at the Office of Strategic Services and an unlikely romance with the woman of her dreams.OSS agent Kathryn Hammond knows she doesn’t deserve love or happiness...Categorized as:
historical-fiction lgbtq wlw literary-fiction romance audiobook historical lesbian-mc -
![Neither Present Time by Caren J. Werlinger]()
Neither Present Time by Caren J. Werlinger
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCan a house save the lives of the people who live in it? Can an inscription written in a book over sixty years ago change the fates of people not even born when it was written? Beryl Gray is solid and dependable – her partner, Claire, thinks so, her family thinks so, her colleagues think so. She has a long-term relationship and a job she likes as a university librarian... -
![The Confession by Jessie Burton]()
The Confession by Jessie Burton
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe sensational new novel from the million-copy bestselling author of The Miniaturist and The Muse. One winter's afternoon on Hampstead Heath in 1980, Elise Morceau meets Constance Holden and quickly falls under her spell. Connie is bold and alluring, a successful writer whose novel is being turned into a major Hollywood film... -
![A Durable Fire by Stephanie Keating]()
A Durable Fire by Stephanie Keating
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the first years of Kenyan independence, three young women return to the East African highlands where they shared a carefree childhood. Hannah is struggling to preserve her heritage at Langani Farm, where a series of unexplained and violent attacks threaten her security and recent marriage... -
![Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran]()
Letters Never Sent by Sandra Moran
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratings"The story unfolds like a flower; the impact of it on each person is profound. It’s a spectacular offering of love gained, lost, and struggled with over a lifetime—a poignant tale with a marvelous reveal at the end."—Anna Furtado, Lambda Literary ReviewThree women, united by love and kinship, struggle to conform to the social norms of the times in which they lived... -
![Watching Over Her by Jean-Baptiste Andrea]()
Watching Over Her by Jean-Baptiste Andrea
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsFrom French literary talent and Prix Goncourt winner Jean-Baptiste Andrea, a “sprawling fresco and star-crossed love story” (The New York Times) following a dwarf and skilled sculptor as he recounts the moments in his life that inspired his mysteriously powerful masterpiece—perfect for readers of Martyr! and The Covenant of Water.In an Italian monastery, a sculptor named Mimo lays on his deathbed... -
![Blood Sisters by Barbara Keating, Stephanie Keating]()
Blood Sisters by Barbara Keating, Stephanie Keating
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKenya 1957. During their childhood years in the Kenya Highlands three girls from vastly different backgrounds become blood sisters, promising that nothing will ever destroy the bond between them. But the legacy of the Mau Mau rebellion, and the tensions and upheavals of newly independent Kenya, tear their childhood dreams apart... -
![Jane Eyre by Evelyn Attwood, Charlotte Brontë]()
Jane Eyre by Evelyn Attwood, Charlotte Brontë
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsClassic / British EnglishJane Eyre, a poor orphan, grows up in misery until she becomes the governess in the house of wealthy Mr Rochester and falls in love. But mysterious events take place in the house at night, and Mr Rochester appears to be hiding a terrible secret... -
![Women & Children First by Gill Paul]()
Women & Children First by Gill Paul
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe was the most magnificent ship ever built, yet on the eve of 14th April the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic, leaving the lucky ones floating in wooden rowing boats, and the rest struggling for their lives in the icy water...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult alternate-history book family -
![Meet Me Under the Ombu Tree by Santa Montefiore]()
Meet Me Under the Ombu Tree by Santa Montefiore
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPaperback. Language: English Publisher:. Simon & Schuster Ltd Sofia Solanas grew up on a magnificent ranch in the middle of the Argentine pampa. amid the grand traditions of the Argentine nobility and the mysticism of the native gauchos Spoilt. wilful. resourceful and proud . she is loved by all around her. All. that is. except her Irish mother. Anna... -
-
![The Fortunate Ones by Catherine Hokin]()
The Fortunate Ones by Catherine Hokin
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsEvery day he stood exactly where he was directed. He listened for his number, shouted his answer in the freezing cold. He was ragged and he was starving, but he was alive. He was one of the fortunate ones whom fate had left standing. And he needed to stay that way. For Hannah. Berlin, 1941. Felix Thalberg, a printer’s apprentice, has the weight of the world on his shoulders...Categorized as:
drama friendship historical-fiction literary-fiction 20th-century adult audiobook book -
![Song of the Skylark by Erica James, Nathalie van Gent]()
Song of the Skylark by Erica James, Nathalie van Gent
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLizzie has an unfortunate knack for attracting bad luck, but this time she's hit the jackpot. Losing her heart to her boss at the radio station where she works leads directly to losing her job, and with no money in the bank she's forced to swallow her pride and return home to her parents...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction adult anthologies audiobook family female-mc -
![Call of the Kiwi by Sarah Lark, D.W. Lovett]()
Call of the Kiwi by Sarah Lark, D.W. Lovett
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn the exhilarating conclusion to the internationally bestselling In the Land of the Long White Cloud trilogy, the spirited Warden and McKenzie clan continues its trials—and triumphs—in New Zealand and beyond...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction literary-fiction audiobook book coming-of-age family fiction -
![Kärleken by Jonas Gardell]()
Kärleken by Jonas Gardell
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsEn skildring av 1980-talets Stockholm, sjukdomen aids och de människor som drabbas. Här finns Rasmus som 1982 lämnar den lilla bruksorten Koppom och kastar sig ut i de homosexuellas Stockholm, Benjamin som är Jehovas vittne och en dag ringer på hos Paul, den varmaste, roligaste och bitchigaste bögen som Gud någonsin skapat... -
![Toward the Sea of Freedom by Sarah Lark]()
Toward the Sea of Freedom by Sarah Lark
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn mid-nineteenth-century Ireland, charming Kathleen and dashing Michael harbor secrets and dreams. Imagining a life beyond the kitchen and fields of the wealthy family they both work for, they plot to leave their homeland, marry, and raise the child Kathleen is secretly carrying. The luck of the Irish, however, is not on their side... -
![The Immigrants by Howard Fast]()
The Immigrants by Howard Fast
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn a passionate, multigenerational novel set against the backdrop of San Francisco, the son of an Italian fisherman struggles from the rubble of the great earthquake to build a shipping empire. Reprint... -
![The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley]()
The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThirty years have passed since Greta Marchmont left the mansion in which she had once found a home. Now she returns to Marchmont Hall in the snowy mountains of Wales - but she has no memory of her past because, since a tragic accident, she suffers from amnesia... -
![The Irish Boarding House by Sandy Taylor]()
The Irish Boarding House by Sandy Taylor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratings24 Merrion Square. The house stands empty, the old stone steps overgrown with thorny rose bushes. But Mary Kate feels a deep connection to the neglected, silent rooms. Could this be the place to help her heal?Dublin 1952. When Mary Kate Ryan receives a surprise inheritance from the woman who abandoned her as a tiny baby, she’s stunned...Categorized as:
historical-fiction drama literary-fiction friendship romance fiction audiobook historical -
![Шуурах өндөрлөг by Hilda D. Spear, Эмильи Бронте]()
Шуурах өндөрлөг by Hilda D. Spear, Эмильи Бронте
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 26 ratings...Categorized as:
dark-academia drama historical-fiction literary-fiction adult audiobook book classics -
![The Devil Behind Us by S.C. Wilson, Elizabeth Saydah]()
The Devil Behind Us by S.C. Wilson, Elizabeth Saydah
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Devil Behind Us is the much-anticipated sequel to The Devil Between Us.After enduring unimaginable tragedy and heartbreaking loss, Jessica “Jesse” Pratt has actually found happiness in her life again. A relationship she once thought lost forever has been restored. She has managed to win the heart of Abby, the woman she loves. And, she is no longer forced to hide her true identity... -
-
![Cast Me Gently by Caren J. Werlinger]()
Cast Me Gently by Caren J. Werlinger
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTeresa Benedetto and Ellie Ryan couldn’t be more different, at least on the surface. Teresa still lives at home. As much as she loves her boisterous Italian family, she feels trapped by them and their plans for her life. Their love is suffocating her. Ellie has been on her own for years, working hard to save up enough to live her dream of escaping from Pittsburgh to travel the world... -
![My Hero by Glynnis Campbell]()
My Hero by Glynnis Campbell
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWealthy and powerful, the de Wares are one of the most respected noble families in England. The heirs to the de Ware legacy—Duncan, Holden, and Garth—are true warriors...and reckless lovers... Unlike his brothers, Garth de Ware had always preferred peace to war. As the youngest son, there were few opportunities for him to earn his fortune, so he chose a career in the Church... -
![Tiopa Ki Lakota by D. Jordan Redhawk]()
Tiopa Ki Lakota by D. Jordan Redhawk
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWi Ile Anpo is a girl born to Lakota warrior, Wanbli Zi. But the tribal shaman has a vision that Anpo is wicakte - a two-souled person embodying both male and female spirits. She will become a great warrior and a great asset to her people... -
![Juliana by Vanda]()
Juliana by Vanda
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“An Absolutely Beautiful and Moving Novel!”--Philip Crawford, author of Mafia and the GaysReaders say, “I can’t wait for the next book in the series."She went looking for fame, and found her true self, instead.New York City, 1941. Alice “Al” Huffman and her childhood friends are fresh off the potato farms of Long Island and bound for Broadway...Categorized as:
historical-fiction lgbtq literary-fiction wlw 20th-century action-adventure adult book -
![Love and Honor by Leslie Arlen]()
Love and Honor by Leslie Arlen
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSaga of the Borodins, one of the families who for centuries steered the golden destiny of Russia, amid the fabled Court of the Tsars. The dynasty that rode high to the crest of power-only to reach the brink of a rebel-torn New Age. Prince Peter: the unbending heir to the tempest of change. Ilona: the heartstrong Princess, slave to a renegade passion... -
![Little Gold by Allie Rogers]()
Little Gold by Allie Rogers
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe heat is oppressive and storms are brewing in Brighton in the summer of 1982. Little Gold, a boyish girl on the brink of adolescence, is struggling with the reality of her broken family and a home descending into chaos. Her only refuge is the tree at the end of her garden. Into her fractured life steps Peggy Baxter... -
![Heart of Disaster: A Titanic Novel of love and loss by Rachel Wesson]()
Heart of Disaster: A Titanic Novel of love and loss by Rachel Wesson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThursday, April 11, 1912 Inspired by true events, Heart of Disaster is the fictionalized story of the Irish steerage passengers who joined RMS Titanic. The legend says "Thursday's child has far to go" but nobody knew just how troublesome this journey would prove. Four single friends, a newly married couple and a stoker who works in the belly of the gigantic ship meet that fateful night... -
![In the Shadow of the Past by J.E. Leak]()
In the Shadow of the Past by J.E. Leak
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe fell for the wrong woman ... now it's going to cost her.In the shadowy world of 1940s New York City, a sultry spy falls for the one woman she shouldn't. When reporter Jenny Ryan’s father is murdered, her burning need for justice drives her to take on a ruthless tycoon. But her plan goes awry when she falls for the criminal’s alluring mistress, OSS agent Kathryn Hammond... -
![The Devil Between Us by S.C. Wilson]()
The Devil Between Us by S.C. Wilson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJessica Pratt is only ten when her world is destroyed. After witnessing unspeakable acts of violence, she flees for her life, becoming lost in the untamed California wilderness. Terrified and alone, she fights for survival as each step takes her further away from everything she has ever known. For nearly a decade Jessica calls the mountain home until tragedy strikes once again... -
![Drinking from a Bitter Cup by Angela Jackson-Brown]()
Drinking from a Bitter Cup by Angela Jackson-Brown
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“1978. The year I turned ten and the year my mama killed herself. She was thirty-five, and dying is the last thing that should have been on her mind.” After the death of her mother, Sylvia Butler’s father, a man she knows only from an old photo, takes her from Louisville, Kentucky to Ozark, Alabama to live with his family... -
-
![A Place to Call Home by Jae]()
A Place to Call Home by Jae
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTogether, Luke and Nora survived the hardships and dangers along the Oregon Trail in 1851. What started out as a marriage of convenience between a woman living as a man and a former prostitute slowly grew into love. But now that they have arrived in Oregon City, the real adventure is just beginning... -
![Lessons in Love and Life by Jae]()
Lessons in Love and Life by Jae
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAmy Hamilton finally has everything she ever wanted when Rika, the woman she loves, moves to the ranch. But years of having to hide her feelings leave her insecure, and her fears get the better of her. Convinced that Rika is growing bored with ranch life, Amy comes up with a daring plan... -
![1931: Caleb's Err by M.L. Gardner]()
1931: Caleb's Err by M.L. Gardner
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe saga of The 1929 Series continues as Aryl’s battle with opiates forces Jonathan and Caleb to take drastic measures in an effort to save him. Claire clings desperately to the hope that the man she fell in love with, and lost, will reemerge from the depths of his addiction.Ava confronts a dark secret from her past that sends her spiraling deeper into postpartum depression... -
![In the Twilight, in the Evening by Lynn Morris, Gilbert Morris]()
In the Twilight, in the Evening by Lynn Morris, Gilbert Morris
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCheney fights with the hospital staff of St. Francis for the fair treatment of San Francisco's undesirables. Cheney Duvall, M.D. book 6... -
![The Rain Queen by Katherine Scholes]()
The Rain Queen by Katherine Scholes
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwo women, bound by a shocking event, drawn to a vast and beautiful country they cannot forget. Kate Carrington has cut all ties with Africa, the land of her birth. Her past is buried alongside her missionary parents, the last reminders locked safely away in the attic. But when a mysterious woman moves in next door, Kate's carefully constructed world is torn apart...Categorized as:
drama friendship historical-fiction literary-fiction adult book colonization fiction -
![Matilda's Last Waltz by Tamara McKinley]()
Matilda's Last Waltz by Tamara McKinley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAfter the tragic death of her husband, Jenny travels to Churinga, a remote sheep-station in the Australian Outback that he intended to give to her for reasons she doesn't understand.Churinga is harsh and unforgiving, but also has its beauty...and its secrets...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
