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Quick answer: If you finished If Only I Had Told Her, try If He Had Been with Me, All the Bright Places, They Both Die at the End, The Fault in Our Stars, Eleanor & Park and Looking for Alaska. All are emotional YA romances about love, loss and the words people never say.
Laura Nowlin's novel tells the story of Finn and Autumn from Autumn's side, and the pain comes from everything left unsaid. Readers usually want more stories where timing, grief and first love collide. These 15 books are mostly young adult romances with emotional endings. Keep tissues nearby, and note that several deal with death, grief or suicide.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| If He Had Been with Me | Laura Nowlin | 14+ | the companion read |
| All the Bright Places | Jennifer Niven | 14+ | fans of heartbreaking romance |
| They Both Die at the End | Adam Silvera | 14+ | readers who like a bittersweet premise |
| The Fault in Our Stars | John Green | 14+ | readers who want a cry |
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | 14+ | readers who like quiet romance |
| Looking for Alaska | John Green | 15+ | readers who like thoughtful, painful stories |
| Before I Fall | Lauren Oliver | 14+ | readers who like second chances |
| The Sun Is Also a Star | Nicola Yoon | 14+ | readers who like a one-day romance |
| Everything, Everything | Nicola Yoon | 13+ | younger YA readers |
| We Were Liars | E. Lockhart | 14+ | readers who like mystery with romance |
| I'll Give You the Sun | Jandy Nelson | 14+ | readers who like poetic writing |
| The Perks of Being a Wallflower | Stephen Chbosky | 15+ | readers who want a letter-style story |
| Five Feet Apart | Rachael Lippincott | 14+ | readers who want a fast read |
| A Walk to Remember | Nicholas Sparks | 13+ | readers who like a sweet tragedy |
| Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist | Rachel Cohn and David Levithan | 15+ | music lovers |
1. If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin
The first book tells Finn's side of the story, so reading both gives the full picture. A tender, tragic tale of missed chances.
Best for: the companion read.
2. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
Violet and Finch meet on a school bell tower and begin a project to explore their state. A moving story that deals with mental health.
Best for: fans of heartbreaking romance.
3. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
Mateo and Rufus learn they will die within a day and spend it together. The title is honest, and the story is deeply human.
Best for: readers who like a bittersweet premise.
4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Hazel and Augustus, two teens with cancer, fall in love and travel to Amsterdam. Funny and sad in equal measure.
Best for: readers who want a cry.
5. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits in 1986 Omaha fall in love over comics and mixtapes on the school bus. Honest and sweet.
Best for: readers who like quiet romance.
6. Looking for Alaska by John Green
Miles joins a boarding school and meets the unforgettable Alaska Young. The story is split into before and after a tragic event.
Best for: readers who like thoughtful, painful stories.
7. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Samantha relives the last day of her life seven times and learns to change it. Powerful and thoughtful.
Best for: readers who like second chances.
8. The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
Natasha and Daniel meet on a day when she faces deportation. Told from several perspectives with a focus on fate.
Best for: readers who like a one-day romance.
9. Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Maddy has not left her house in years because of a rare illness, until the boy next door arrives. Sweet and surprising.
Best for: younger YA readers.
10. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Cadence returns to her family's private island and tries to piece together a summer she cannot remember. Twisty, with a shocking ending.
Best for: readers who like mystery with romance.
11. I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Twin siblings Noah and Jude tell their stories across different years in lyrical, vivid prose. Art, love and family secrets.
Best for: readers who like poetic writing.
12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie writes letters about his freshman year and his new friends, while hiding a painful past. A modern YA classic with mature themes.
Best for: readers who want a letter-style story.
13. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott
Stella and Will have cystic fibrosis and must stay six feet apart, but they cheat by one foot. A short, easy, emotional read.
Best for: readers who want a fast read.
14. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
Landon, a popular teen, ends up falling for the quiet pastor's daughter Jamie in a small North Carolina town. A gentle, classic tear-jerker.
Best for: readers who like a sweet tragedy.
15. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Two strangers spend one night in New York following a band and music. Funny and fast.
Best for: music lovers.
How to Choose
Start with If He Had Been with Me if you have not read it, since the two books are best together. For a similar mood, try All the Bright Places or They Both Die at the End. For lighter picks, choose Eleanor & Park, Everything, Everything or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. All the Bright Places and Looking for Alaska discuss suicide, so read a summary first if you or your teen are sensitive. If you are in the US and need support, call or text 988.
Related: Why Only Bookish Knowledge is Not Enough · The Last Thing He Told Me Ending Explained
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read the companion first?
You can read either one first, but many readers prefer If He Had Been with Me because it sets up what Autumn later reveals.
Are these books for teens?
Yes, mostly. Most are YA, but many adult readers enjoy them. Check the content notes for grief and suicide.
Which book is the saddest?
They Both Die at the End and The Fault in Our Stars are the most likely to make you cry.