Like most writers, I’m a voracious reader and my favorite books to read are those that bring out the emotion in me. In fact, when I first decided to start writing my goal was to make my reader cry. I figured if I made the reader cry then that reader was emotionally invested in my characters. That’s still my goal. I love to write stories driven more by the characters and their emotions than the actual plot. To me, the plot is secondary. For me, it’s about how the characters adapt and overcome.
There have been so many books that have touched me emotionally but a few stand out. Ironically enough, the one that stands out the most isn’t a romance at all. Well, it’s sort of a romance, but not a traditional romance.
How To Talk To A Widower by Jonathon Tropper. Oh, my. Be prepared for a roller-coaster of emotion when reading this one. I remember when I read it I was sitting by the pool and one minute I’d be laughing out loud and the next tears would be pouring down my face. It’s about a man who lost his wife in a plane crash. The story begins a year after her death and explores how he’s coping. He has a stepson who still needs emotional support and a host of quirky family members who think it’s high time he gets back into the dating scene. I highly recommend this book.
Another one is probably one many of you have read but which touched me in so many ways. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. I was riveted by Jamie’s story and cried like a baby at the end.
Another good tear-jerker is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I read that one when I was something like 15 1/2 months pregnant with my son (okay, I wasn’t that pregnant. It just felt like it). I was supposed to go to a friend’s house for girls night out but I ended up being late because I was at the end of the book and couldn’t put it down. Needless to say I showed up with a blotchy face and a runny nose.
So has a book ever brought you to tears? If so, which book was it? And what does it take to move you as a reader?
If you comment, you’ll be put into a drawing to win an ebook of Her Dark Knight, my newest release from Carina Press.
Madelaine Alexander is on a mission. When her boss sends her to the hottest nightclub in town to meet with the owner, she won’t be deterred, even if that means standing in line for fifty-eight minutes in torturous heels while she’d rather be home in her pj’s with a bowl of popcorn.
Knight of the Templar, Christien Chevalier was given immortality along with the responsibility of protecting the treasure of the Templars. He’s been unwavering in his task for centuries until his one true love—who died seven hundred years ago—shows up in his club, demanding his attention.
Christien couldn’t protect Madelaine when they first fell in love. She was married to a lord and he was simply a knight. Now, through some unknown miracle, she stands before him again and they have a second chance. But Christien fears that Madelaine is being used as a pawn in a dangerous game, a game of good versus evil that could affect all of mankind…
Buy links
Kindle | Nook | From Carina Press
Sharon Cullen is the author of paranormal romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance and historical romance with Samhain Publishing and Carina Press. If you’d like to find out more about her and her books, you can visit her at her blog or her website. She’s addicted to social networking so you can find her on Facebook and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion—books.
Honorary Mention of Book Sluts 'R' Us Blogger Awards by 
RR@H Novel Thoughts & Book Talk 
O yes, I easily cry over sad parts in a book. Have you ever read Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon? I really did cry buckets. Or the Dark Jewels series by Anne Bishop, all the ghastly things that happen to our main characters. So sad at times, but of course not all of the times. Truly great books. And yes, I guess if my emotions are touched, the better the book.
Never heard of Sharon Cullen before, but the blurb is interesting.
You are the second person to recommend Outlander this week to me. I really must read that book.
Congratulations on your newest release. Knights of the Templer…I love that era in time and this book sounds fantastic.
Marika
maw1725@gmail.com
I tend to get weepy fairly easily during sad parts of books. I try to limit the number of books that really make me cry, and follow them up with a couple of light, funny reads to lift my mood after them.
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
There are some stories that make you weepy because they can be so sad. I’ve not outright cried over one yet. Crying is good for us anyway. It shows we still feel deeply about things. It means we’re human.
Please don’t laugh, but the first book that came to mind that made me cry was ‘Marley and Me’…I am such a sucker for dogs! There have been many romances that have had me a little weepy, but without some research, I can’t give names…I read a LOT!! Thanks for the opportunity to win your book.
Janice – My youngest daughter was at the dinner table one night telling us about Marly and Me and she started crying. I totally understand!!!
Walk to remember by Nicholas Spark. Everytime I reread this, I need a box of klenex. The story really touches your heart, how love changes someone to be a better person and keeps you through a life.
Suzanne’s diary for Nicholas by James Patterson. It is a sad ending story too. A story of a woman who has cancer. She can’t life with her son because death separates them. So, the woman makes a diary for her son and a congrat card for his every b’day .
Okay, just reading your blurb of it had me teary-eyed. Sniff
PLEASE DONT PUT ME IN FOR THE E DRAWING. BUT HAD TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
Bring me to tears of course, lots:
Three Wishes by Barbara Delinsky
Sarah’s Child by Linda Howard
Home Again by Kristan Hannah
Anything by Nicholas Sparks
Already Home by Susan Mallery
All wonderful reads.
Yes, yes, yes on Sarah’s Child. I don’t think I’ve read the other ones.
When I read Rachel Vincent’s ALPHA I cried. I never cry whether I’m reading or not. But there is a scene in this book that ripped my heart out. So it takes quite a bit to get me crying. I do get upset and sad while reading all the time but crying is another story all together.
Thank you for the excerpt, it looks good.
I have to throw in another one…we family read (read out loud, with my husband and I sharing the reading with our daughters) all of the Harry Potter Books. The las book had all of us crying, laughing, sobbing and smiling. OK my husband didn’t cry (I’m the only one that cam do that to him) but it was an emotional roller coaster for us having invested so many hours reading, discussing, waiting for the net installment, etc. It was a crying experience that became a bonding experience.
So now I am off to buy How To Talk To A Widower and I agree with another comment Nicholas Sparks makes me cry every time. So did Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom… and a dozen Romance books with authors I adore. I believe I am officially a wussie marshmallow.
Too many to name. I am a cryer. Almost anything makes me cry. The ones that had me crying the most were: Message in a Bottle, The Time Travelers Wife, My Sisters Keeper, and Violets of March. Any of Mitch Alboms books had me crying also.
To be honest, I get teary eyed quite easily. So I would have to agree on The Notebook and The Time Traveler’s Wife.
I have cried over many books, one of my favorites though is LOVER AWAKENED, by JR ward. I cried ALOT during this book. It is my favorite, but also the hardest to read because it stirs such emotion. Zadist is my favorite Brother from that series.
Congratulations on your first book!
The book that brought me to tears was Winterdance by Gary Paulsen. Well, tears of laughter. I was laughing so hard I cried and couldn’t read! But there were also a lot of teary parts, too. About running the Iditarod. Yeah, I know. Sports. I hate sports, but loved this book!
Please don’t enter me ~ I already have it, and can’t wait to read!!
But can’t resist commenting ~~ Fatin is the Queen of snagging me on those books that KILL me, tear me up inside ~~ but I will always remember the book From Moment to Moment by Esther Sager ~ I read it the first time when I was a teen ager, and even then it moved me in so many ways ~ it IS a romance, but not with a traditional HEA. But it makes takes you from pure happiness to pure agony, and she managed to make me FEEL the emotions in a way I’ve never forgotten. To this day I recall scenes from that book. And yeah, Maya Banks and Sara Mayberry are just a couple off the top of my head that are great at getting my emotions in an upheaval ~ and can just just about BET I’m going to cry when I’m reading one their
b books!! GREAT blog!!
I truly love a book that makes me feel… whether it is happy or sad… I know I have read a truly great read when a book makes me laugh or cry… it shows that the feelings and emotions of a character come across the pages and affect me…
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon. The ending had be bawling, though I had its sequel right next to me! LOL
I cried like a baby during all of the Outlander books so far. Love Jamie to pieces 🙂
I have periods in my life, when I’m overwhelmed, that I feel tearful more easily than others, when I feel more in control (oh the sweet, sweet illusion!).
Like you, Outlander has brought me to tears (especially near the end–dear Lord!). Another book I’ve mentioned often that makes me cry is Linda Howard’s Cry No More. But one of my favorite novels, that touches me every single time I read it, is LaVyrle Spencer’s Morning Glory. Elly and Will *sigh*
I’ve read Morning Glory. Excellent book!
I have cried with some books I’ve read… can’t remember their titles at this moment. However, I really don’t like to cry reading a book. I like to laugh sometimes while reading… but not cry. I’ve not read Outlander… but need to since this isn’t the 1st time I’ve read about it (though not if it’s going to make cry!)
Thanks for the contest!
I’ve definitely been brought to tears by books–it depends a bit on my mood. The last one I remember vividly was Kristin Hannah’s The Winter Garden.
Megan Hart is an author that can always make me cry. I cried like a baby when I read Broken. I also cried when I read Lauren Dane’s Second Chances. That story made me do the ugly cry. LOL
If a book moves me then it’s likely because it’s such a wonderful story. I like stories that evoke emotions from me, whether it is tears, joy or happiness. The Bronze Horseman trilogy by Paullina Simons made me cry. Pretty much all of Kristin Hannah’s books including Night Road and Winter Garden.
Oh lord… I’m one of the worst when it comes to crying over books. Seriously. I’m SUCH a weenie. I cry ALL THE TIME. I cry over pretty much every Jodi Picoult book I read. Emily Giffin’s “Love The One You’re With” freaking KILLED ME. I wrote Thursday 13 post specifically about the books that wrecked me (http://mamakittyreviews.com/?p=2550) and the one that immediately comes to mind -and haunts me still- is We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I heard they made it into a movie, and I’m not sure I can see it because the book seriously turned me into such a walking zombie, I cried SO HARD.
There’s been quite a few books that have brought me to tears. Admittedly there are times of the month that it doesn’t take very much for a book to do that, but their are a few that come to mind by Renee Vincent that really moved me. I love her writing.
I have a few books that have brought me to tears and my hubby just looks at me and shakes his head 😀 I think the last one i read was Domme by Default by Tymber Dalton. I think i am a sucker when a strong man cries.
I frequently cry when reading books but then I will cry when I see a Hallmark commercial. Lauren Dane makes my cry.
Many of Elizabeth Lowell’s books bring me to tears:
A Woman Without Lies, Angel and Hawk’s story, when he views her stained glass art piece with the crying hawk
Untamed when she feeds the gravely injured Dominic
Eden Burning set in Hawaii, studying volcanoes, Chase’s treatment of Nicole had me crying.