This week’s Sapphic Book Bingo features sapphic books with a hurt/comfort theme.
One main character is hurt in some way–either physically or emotionally, and the other main character takes care of them and provides comfort. The hurt could be caused by an injury, an illness, or psychological trauma.
15 sapphic hurt/comfort books
Below, you’ll find 15 recommended sapphic books with a hurt/comfort theme:
The Roommate Arrangement by Jae
Comedian Stephanie Renshaw hopes to finally get her big break in LA. A chance encounter lands her the perfect apartment close to the comedy clubs, but it comes with a catch: she needs a roommate to afford the rent.
Enter Rae Coleman, a former police officer working the door at one of the top comedy clubs. After getting injured in the line of duty and losing her job with the LAPD, Rae guards her wounded soul behind a tough exterior.
At first, the two clash horribly before a tentative friendship develops. Bit by bit, Steph manages to break through the walls Rae has built around her.
But Steph has never been in a relationship, preferring casual flings, and Rae isn’t sure she’s ready to be happy again. Will they find the courage to open themselves up to love?
Available at:
Whispering Oaks by Stephanie Shea
Nothing ever happens in Whispering Oaks.
The air is clean; uncorrupted by a tawdry downtown. Birds twitter. Crime is nigh non-existent. It’s the picture-perfect suburb with all the effects of classy restaurants and diverse nightlife. Not to mention block parties marked by face-forward flattery and back-biting.
Cassidy Linden hates it. Rather, the false mystique of it all disturbs her.
Nothing ever happens in Whispering Oaks.
So, when Cassidy’s younger sister vanishes one night, it’s not just surprising, it’s unfathomable—the only trace of her disappearance a trail of red petals and her cell phone left in the grass of her backyard.
No witnesses.
No suspects.
A police department who claim to be doing everything they can, and the poorly-timed return of a family friend.
When a one-night stand with the charming, enigmatic Ashlyn Castille reveals an unforeseen connection, Ashlyn and Cassidy realize they have more in common than either expected.
But one thing is certain, seventeen-year-old girls don’t just disappear. Someone must have taken her. Can Cassidy prove it in time to bring her little sister home? Or is she a fated anomaly?
The perfect mystery for a perfect suburbia.
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The Place I Call Home by Hartley Blaze
Darcy Kenton has been in love with her best friend for as long as she can remember. The only problem is it seems Caitlyn doesn’t love her back. Caitlyn Swailes has harboured conflicted emotions for her best friend for a long time and now Darcy’s coming home after years of being away. Will Caitlyn be brave enough to finally be honest with herself and those in her life? Can they overcome old hurts that drove them apart in the first place?
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Every Path Leads To You by Hayden Quinn
The last thing Rae thinks she will find during her retirement is her long-lost love, yet that’s exactly who shows up while she looks for a hobby to fill her time.
Olivia already has enough on her mind working through the trauma of her previous relationship, she has no intention of jumping into another one, even with the woman she has pined after for years.
In spite of how determined they are to avoid each other, and the demons of their past, the fates won’t stop throwing the two women together.
Will they move on from each other once and for all, or will they let go of the past and spend the rest of their lives together?
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Cicatrice: New Eyes and Brave by Jo Boyle
Jamie Stevens and Mel Lal were best friends at Melbourne’s Parkville University. More than that, they were family. But in October of 2008, something changed. Mel became anxious, secretive and distant. And then Jamie’s life was turned upside down when Mel disappeared.
Five years later, Mel resurfaces. She’s been subjected to a nightmare that Jamie could not imagine, and Mel’s only wish upon stumbling into Jamie again, is to protect the gentle writer from the hell that is Mel’s existence: a relentless pursuit by a vindictive and sadistic arms dealer, hell bent on holding Mel accountable for a debt she can never repay.
Mel’s feelings for Jamie have not faded with time, but Mel cannot reveal the truth of them. To do so would put a target on the woman’s back. The chance reunion, however, sets in motion a series of events that spiral out of Mel’s control, and it seems that after five years of running, the nightmare is only just beginning. If Mel can’t stop Amir Hashim, all of her sacrifice to keep Jamie from a vicious, twisted madman… will have been for naught.
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Here You Are by Jo Fletcher
Would-be artist and romantic Elda Brown is shaken to the core when an encounter with hot-shot barrister Charlotte Mason disrupts the monotony of her daily grind.
Career-minded fixer Charlie Mason has forged a solid reputation inside the courtroom and between the sheets. She’s accustomed to inviting people into her bed rather than her head, but meeting Elda challenges her outlook.
As Elda and Charlie navigate their newfound connection, an unexpected friendship blossoms that gives them a renewed sense of purpose to confront the scars of their past.
Will Elda and Charlie, flawed and haunted by their own histories, dare to seize the opportunity for romance? Can they gather the courage to unlock their hearts and find the happiness they truly deserve?
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In Bloom by Kat Jackson
Nicole Callahan is certain she has endured the worst heartbreak possible, and she’s in no hurry to dive back into the tumultuous waters of love. She insists that she’s absolutely fine being alone, but a part of her still wonders…
To Avery Pullman, owner of a flower shop filled with thorns less prickly than her exes, the idea of love is just a disaster waiting to happen. She sees no reason to invite pain in, especially when she’s still tending to fresh wounds on her heart.
Neither expects—nor wants—the tiny spark that ignites the moment their eyes lock. If they get too close to it, they might each have to face an uncomfortable truth—that they’ve never really known true love before. And that might be more terrifying than any heartbreak.
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Passing Through by Katia Rose
Nestled in a towering fir forest on British Columbia’s famous Vancouver Island, Three Rivers Campground is calling you to come relax, explore, and maybe even fall in love…
Emily Rivers does not have time for love.
Or dating.
Or even a one night stand.
As the eldest of the Rivers sisters, she’s too focused on keeping her family’s campground running in the wake of a devastating tragedy to even think about romance.
When Kim Jefferies shows up at the local small town bar looking like a lesbian snack on a stick, Emily writes her off as yet another tourist just passing through—no matter how much the butterflies in her stomach try to tell her otherwise.
Only Kim’s plans of ‘passing through’ fade the second she sees Emily Rivers, despite the fact that the whole point of her soul-searching journey was to stop falling for random women in bars who only lead her to heartbreak.
The last thing they’re looking for is a love story, but with the help of some conniving sisters, an interfering bartender, and the magic of the great outdoors, that might be exactly what Kim and Emily are going to get.
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Call of Love by Lee Haven
Separated by fear. Reunited by fate. Will they get a second chance at life and love?
Parker Snow left home at nineteen after being abandoned by her family for loving her foster sister, Kate Cain. She joined the Marine Corps and has had little contact with her parents since. But when she’s transferred back to Washington D.C. and informed that Kate is dying, Parker returns home, filled with anger and fear.
As she struggles to reconnect with her family and adjust to a place that no longer feels like home, Parker has the chance to rekindle her relationship with Kate, the woman she never stopped loving. However, their reunion may be brief and bittersweet. With time running out to find a liver donor, Parker and Kate must navigate their way through their complicated past and uncertain future. Will they be able to find the love and happiness they deserve, or will fate intervene once again?
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Releve by Max Ellendale
Undercover assignments rarely have positive outcomes for anyone involved. For Maya, her successful mission might have brought her closer to her ultimate goal, but the price she paid left her with deep emotional wounds. On her first night back home after three months living the life of someone else, she finds herself alone and homeless in the streets of Seattle. When a compassionate stranger offers her refuge, Maya’s affection toward the kind dancer becomes the only light she can see. As Vivian attempts to help Maya lift herself up from a life of frequent falls, the two begin to explore their deep connection to each other. With the support of her doting cousin, Nora, and her chosen family, Maya slowly begins to lower the tightly packed walls around her heart.
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A Perfect Place to Cry by S-Jay Hart
Rowan isn’t sure she believes in love. Not the romantic type, anyway. She’s been hiding from the prospect of it for years now, an easy thing to do when you live in the middle of an eighty acre campground. She likes her quiet existence, greeting campers, pitching tents, and kayaking on the little river that leads to Lover’s Lake. Besides, her best friend Amber fills her life with enough love related dama for the two of them.
Indie knows a thing or two about secrets. She’s good at keeping them and exceptional at being one. When her three year love affair comes to an abrupt end, heartbroken, she begins to question everything she thought she knew about life and love. But it’s not as easy as simply moving on. Not when her ex can’t seem to let her go. When an accidental invite forces her into close proximity with her secret lover, Indie decides to accept.
Will she be able to get through this and find the closure she’s looking for? Sometimes the answers we seek aren’t as important as the answers we find.
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Truly Wanted by J.J. Hale
After a chaotic childhood in a long line of foster homes, Sam McKenna found her version of serenity in her friendship with Brooke Fields. When tragedy forces Brooke to become a single mother, Sam is there for her. Sam ignores the crush she’s had on Brooke since college. Their relationship is too precious to risk.
After the loss of her husband, Brooke finally dips her toes back into the dating world only to have each encounter end in disaster. If it wasn’t for Sam by her side picking her back up, she might give up on ever finding love again.
After a night of unexpected passion when Brooke and Sam cross the line of friendship, Brooke can’t help but yearn for more with Sam. A chance encounter leads Brooke and Sam on a journey to Sam’s birth family, uncovering the ghosts of Sam’s past and revealing wounds that threaten the friendship both once believed to be indestructible, and any chance for something more.
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The Hideout by Melissa Tereze
Juliet Saunders quit her soul-killing law career while she still had her sanity, but she’s not sure yet if buying a private bar qualifies as sane. Determined to make it work, she decides to shake things up with a new menu of signature cocktails.
Juliet never mixes emotions with business or pleasure, but there’s an irresistible spark with her new mixologist, a stunning, flirty blonde who ignites Juliet’s body in a way she hasn’t felt in years.
Paige Harrison Googled her new boss pre-interview, but nothing prepared her for Juliet’s sultry looks and slow, sensual smile. Maybe, after hopscotching through a succession of short-term bar jobs, she’s found a safe place—because in a members-only bar like The Hideout, her past isn’t likely to follow her through the door.
But in the glow of a surprising new relationship, it’s too easy to forget that safety can be an illusion…and the past is never more than a step or two behind.
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Thunder by Barbara Winkes
She wants her, but she has a job to do.
Get it done, and get out of town. Kelli Jameson is tasked with finding a missing teen accused of a crime he’s never been held accountable for. Neither the town’s authorities nor the residents are forthcoming with information.
She finds a reluctant ally in teacher Merin Burke, but Merin has secrets of her own. Attraction flares between them, but giving in to it would come at a cost.
Will they make it through the storm that’s about to break lose?
Available at:
You Matter by Jazzy Mitchell
Chrissy Kramer became pregnant during her senior year of high school and was abandoned by her parents, her boyfriend, and her friends. She became a loner, working hard to provide for her son. It was her and him against the world. She eventually earns a paralegal degree and works for a powerful female attorney, Reggie Esposito, a senior law partner at a leading Boston law firm.
Chrissy’s smitten from the beginning, but she refuses to jeopardize her job by acting on her feelings. When a disgruntled former client attempts to kill Reggie after she loses his lawsuit, Chrissy prevents him from shooting Reggie, but she’s hurt in the process. While Chrissy and her son, Ben, stay in Reggie’s home to recuperate, Chrissy’s connection with Reggie deepens, and they embark on a romantic relationship.
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Leave a comment
What book will you be reading for the “sapphic hurt/comfort book” category? Are there other books that are a good fit for this category? Let us know in the comments!
Trying to decide if Those Who Wait by Haley Cass counts. Charlotte supports Sutton through her nerves and fears, but she’s not necessarily hurt per se.
Hmm… I’d tend to say it’s not the best fit, at least as far as I remember.
I think you’re right. Also debating Meeting Millie by Clare Ashton, definitely some hurt/comfort there.
I haven’t read that one yet (though it’s on my to-be-read list), but if you feel it might fit, I say go ahead!
Thanks for your input! :)
I definitely think Meeting Millie would count!
I think Chaos Agent – Lee Winter and When You Least Expect It – Haley Cass are my favorites. The “discovery” scenes in both of these just makes my heart ache.
Both books are fantastic!
The Boss of Her by Anna Stone seems to fit this category.
Jae, wouldn’t your 2 books with the police person and rape victim and then the abandoned girl in next of kin count?
But I am thinking there are so many more and I would love people less known with an audiobook share their book.
My degree is like yours and sounds like a great category for me.
But it is my favorite area and I would love something new.
If authors chimed in. I can think of several. Everybody hurts. I am not easily triggered so I would love recommendations from authors I don’t know.
Definitely certain books in Nancy Ann Healy and J A Armstrong’s series have trauma.
Many characters in books are from foster care or abuse. And then I wonder about the Senator’s Wife.
Or even Felicity.
I would love the opportunity to find something deep WITHOUT a serial killer … on audio:
Yes, Conflict of Interest and Next of Kin both have a strong hurt/comfort theme.
For more suggestions, have you checked out the folder in my Facebook reader group, where authors uploaded their book cards to an album? Each image describes what categories the book fits into.
I would suggest Escape & Freedom by Claire Highton-Stevenson great read and audio. Trigger warnings for spousal abuse and trauma from loss.
Would love a story about a transwoman … that journey is huge for most.
The next Sapphic Book Bingo post will feature trans and nonbinary characters, and there should be several books that should fit the hurt/comfort theme too.
At the top of my head, one that might fit the bill is: Knowing Her by Raquel De Leon
Sea Wolf by Anna Burke fits this pretty well
The Flight Risk by Macon Leigh! Top of the list.
Loved this story!