Reader Jaye sent us this Rec League, searching for characters with a particular background. Here’s the request:
I’d love to call on the Rec League for books that feature protagonists who had terrible childhoods and/or dysfunctional families with one of the main characters being the child of a narcissist. I love seeing characters who had it tough growing up find their HEA!
Examples of what hits my sweet spot would be Lisa Kleypas’ Smooth Talking Stranger (heroine raised by narcissist mother), Nora Roberts’ Vision in White. I enjoy both contemporary and historical romances.
Now romance has no shortage of unhealthy upbringings, but can we find narcissist parents specifically for Jaye?
Pride and Prejudice? Both Lizzie’s parents in their way could be called narcissists.
Ya Ya Sisterhood comes to mind, but not a romance….
For me Sir Walter from Persuasion is a classic narcissist.
Sugar Queen…that mother, I swear.
Kelly’s mother in Back To You, book 3 of The Hurley Boys by Lauren Dane.
“The Sugar Queen” – Sarah Addison Allen;
“Sheltered” – Charlotte Stein;
“Sharp Objects” – Gillian Flynn
When I first read “dysfunctional” and “narcissist” my immediate thought was “Flowers in the Attic!”. Ahah
Judy Christenberry did a great line in ACoN protagonists:
“Randall Riches”;
“Rachel’s Cowboy”;
“Surprise! You’re a Daddy”;
“The Christmas Cowboy”;
“Daddy Unknown”,
“A Ring for Cinderella”.
Partial match with “One Hot Daddy-To-Be?” Doubles with a rare-for-Western-romance fairly Diverse Protagonist. Chicana heroine was NOT raised by her racist narcissist European American father, who abandoned her before birth.
Kristan Higgins’ My One and Only. The heroine’s mother is a narcissist who eventually abandons her. Leads to all sorts of issues in her adulthood, and problems in relationships.
I’m pretty sure Elle’s mom in Megan Hart’s DIRTY is a narcissist, although it’s not explicitly stated in the book. I just recognized her tactics as familiar. *HEAVY book warning for DIRTY*
Some recent reads that come to mind Edge of Night by Jill Sorenson and Wrecked by Shiloh Walker.
The Nora Robert’s Stanislaski series specifically Mikhail’s story fits this category. The heroine’s mother is a narcissist and even thinks that Mikhail should be with her (yikes). An easy read and fun.
The Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee
I nominate Lady Warford in the Dressmakers series by Loretta Chase. She isn’t a complete narcissist by any means, but she does fall into some telltale patterns on a pretty regular basis. Here’s her daughter Clara’s perspective during a family crisis (Clara’s brother Harry has just walked into the house):
“She [Clara] wanted to leap up and run at him the way she used to do when they were children and she was frightened or brokenhearted about this or that: A robin’s nest on the ground and the eggs broken. A sick puppy. An injured horse put down.
But they weren’t children, and Mama was already using all the hysteria in the room. Harry had enough to cope with.”
Both sets of parents in Jude Deveraux’s “The Duchess” totally qualify.
Simona Ahrnstedt’s All In has every kind of catnip, including this one.
While I didn’t particularly care for it (see Rita reviews from a few years ago) When Harry Met Molly might fit the bill. She makes a mistake and gets Jane Eyre’s childhood.
“The Best Kind Of Trouble”, another book in Lauren Dane’s Hurley Boys series.
Too early in the morning to think of more.
Million Dollar Christmas Proposal, by Lucy Monroe
Elyse reviewed it: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/million-dollar-christmas-proposal-by-lucy-monroe/
Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
Felix’s mum is nothing short of blood-curdling
Lead (Stage Dive #3) by Kylie Scott
The mother of David and Jimmy is a complete piece of work
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Hero has a pretty awful dad IIRC
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Simon’s father destroys his self esteem because of the kid’s stutter (Warning: consent issues)
Georgette Heyer does narcissist characters exquisitely, but she mostly plays it for laughs–sincere yet ladylike titters rather than guffaws.
The Quiet Gentleman features the Dowager Lady St. Erth, step-mum to the current earl, who translates everything to her own interests. She comes immediately to mind, but I think possibly the feckless mother in False Colours may qualify as a narcissist of a different colour, getting her way through charm rather than bully-ragging. She’s actually quite likeable in spite of or perhaps because of her self-absorption.
Elaine A– Dirty is what came to mind for me too!
Since Jo Goodman’s books sometimes feature some heavy physical/sexual abuse, I recognize narcissism in the parents. A Season to be Sinful is an example…
Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson– the mother here has some major narc/cluster B tendencies. Super meddling and TERRIBLE.
Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me.
Also, Nora Roberts has a lot of truly horrible parents, especially mothers in her books. Eve Dallas’s parents are a prime example, but the Chesapeake Bay series has a monster mum in at least one of the books. I haven’t read a ton of La Nora, but I have noticed the evil childhood motif paired with her “Nature? Nurture? No excuse!” perspective.
In my romantic suspense ONCE UPON A MCLEOD, the heroine’s parents turn every point for the heroine into a cause for themselves.
For historicals, I recommend Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove novels, especially the ones the have a Highwood sister as a heroine. They feature the kind of mothers who have no respect or interest in the “wallflower” daughter and focus all their attention on snagging a husband for the “pretty” ones. Tessa Dare’s first Spindle Cove novel also features a heroine whose father is obsessed with his inventions and neglectful of his daughter.
The List by Anne Calhoun
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22571689-the-list
Not exactly romance, but for anyone in the mood for a change of pace, I recommend ACoN Richard Glover’s works of memoir.
His comic slice of life essays (“In Bed With Jocasta”; “Desperate Husbands”) are hilarious, and it’s easier to take the awful bits in his memoir (“Flesh Wounds”) – especially that getting ensnared by a pedophile masquerading as a patron of the arts in London part – knowing that he is living his real-life HEA with Debra Oswald (driving force behind comedy-drama TV series “Offspring”).
Kristen Ashely has a few: Rock Chick Regret (Rock Chick, #7). The heroine’s mother though she improves.
Heart Dance by Robin Owens. Heroine’s mother.
(Romantic elements, not romance genre)
Kevin Kwan’s trilogy: “Crazy Rich Asians”, “China Rich Girlfriend” and “Rich People Problems”.
Lavish weddings, sneaky control-freaky parent, epic takedowns – lot to love…once the tacky title shock wears off.
Alisha Rai’s Gentleman in the Street, both of the Heroine’s parents were nasty pieces of work. Warning (advice?) lots of dirty, dirty sex.
I don’t have anything to add, but I do have an email requesting recommendations which has been written, and before I send it I would like to know which address it should go to. I wrote Sarah’s email, but the recommendation posts have lately been by Amanda. Or does it not matter really? Some one will get it?
Lord Caire has a very complicated emotional relationship with his mother in Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt, first in the Maiden Lane series.
I second the Spindle Cove series, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, and Sugar Queen! The first two feature mamas who ignore/neglect/misuse their “plain” daughters. I’d also add Tribute by Nora Roberts – heroine is a former child star turned house flipper whose mom is also a famous star and very much a stage mom.
@Stefanie: I recommend emailing Sarah! I usually just format the posts and content. 😛
Susan Mallery’s “All Summer Long” (Fool’s Gold series).
PamG: “Also, Nora Roberts has a lot of truly horrible parents, especially mothers in her books. Eve Dallas’s parents are a prime example, but the Chesapeake Bay series has a monster mum in at least one of the books.”
Ah, yes, the heroines of “Inner Harbor” and “Chesapeake Blue” both have narcissistic mothers; and actually, the main villain for the whole series is a narcissistic mother.
With This Ring by Carla Kelly or The Ladies Companion also by her fits this theme perfectly and are both great books.
“The Blue Castle” by Lucy Maud Montgomery:
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/guest-squee-blue-castle-l-m-montgomery/
Mia Sheridan’s two book series Becoming Calder & Finding Eden. Parents are Cult members. Definitely a children in peril warning.
Shay Savage’s: Offside. This is a YA (high school).
Helena Hunting’s: Pucked Off. book 5 in a series but can be a standalone.
Callie Hart: Calico
OMG – ALL THE DRAZENs!! C.D Reiss’s series starting with Songs of Submission Goodreads link Their father Declan is an ASSHOLE, Class A, 5* Asshole.
The Songs of Submission & Songs of Perdition series are very heavy BDSM and some mafia stuff in the spin off series Corruption. All featuring some of the Drazen siblings.
You can get a taste of all C.D Reiss’s Heroes in her Alphas book, which is currently free.
For non-romance/nonfiction, The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is difficult to read but moving nonetheless.
I read a bunch of historicals and it seems like there are tons of narcissistic fathers who are gamblers or spendthrifts while the daughter works her fingers to the bone earning their living….why can’t I think of specific titles?
I think some of these examples are conflating narcissism with parents who are strict, concerned about their image and sticklers for propriety.
@Ruth: how so? Which ones specifically?
I agree with @Ruth. Some of the examples are mistaking “narcissist parent” with strict or negligent parents. It’s different.
Maybe only people who truly met or had narcissist parents can tell the difference.
“Typically narcissistic parents are exclusively and possessively close to their children and may be especially envious of, and threatened by, their child’s growing independence. […] Destructive narcissistic parents have a pattern of consistently being the focus of attention, exaggerating, seeking compliments and putting their children down.”