This Rec League request was spawned by a comment from Dread Pirate Rachel. Here’s the request:
Is there a Rec League for romances with neurodivergent heroines? There aren’t many that I can think of. A Desperate Fortune, by Susanna Kearsley, comes to mind, as the contemporary storyline features a heroine with Asperger’s. It was nice to see the representation, but unfortunately I felt like all the conflict and tension of her plot was due to that, which wasn’t great. The historical plot was so awesome that I still rated the book at 5 stars, but I found myself skipping through the contemporary parts as they seemed heavy-handed to me.
For this post, we’re using the definition of “neurodiversity” from the National Symposium of Neurodiversity found on the neurodiversity Wikipedia page:
…a concept where neurological differences are to be recognized and respected as any other human variation. These differences can include those labeled with Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyscalculia, Autistic Spectrum, Tourette Syndrome, and others.
Amanda: One of the books featured in the sale post mentioned above was Water Bound by Christina Feehan ( A | BN | K | AB ). The heroine has autism and has a magical connection with the ocean, and I’d definitely classify it as a paranormal romance.
Sarah: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, I think.
Redheadedgirl: The Lady Hellion, maybe? ( A | BN | K | G | AB | Au )
Sarah: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion . There’s a scene in that book where the hero is venting about something that happened (he’s the narrator) and he says, “And THIS is the world I have to live in!”
Oh – The Witness, Nora Roberts. The heroine is neurodivergent, I believe, in a way that isn’t clearly explained if I recall, but fits a number of patterns.
Redheadedgirl: Unveiled by Courtney Milan, the hero has dyslexia. ( A | BN | K | G | AB )
The Duke’s Holiday ( A ) has a duke with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and I know I read the book, but I can’t tell you how well it’s handled.
Sarah: When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James! ( A | BN | K | AB )
Amanda: Seconding The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie. It’s one of my favorite historical romances.
Know any romances with neurodivergent heroes and heroines? Give us your recommendation in the comments!
Jackie Ashenden has a book (Talking Dirty with the CEO?) with a hero with ADD.
There’s a NASCAR-esque (I think the author didn’t have the rights to use NASCAR) series, and hero of one had dyslexia. I’m totally blanking on the author. The first book in the series was about a woman whose husband died in a racing crash, and she lands up falling for another driver, who is also several years younger than her. The dyslexic hero was the second or third book.
Holly Ashwin in Kresley Cole’s Dark Desires After Dusk has something like OCD.
Talking Dirty With the Boss by Jackie Ashenden has a hero with OCD, who I adored. I think the heroine in Girl Least Likely to Marry (The Wedding Season Book 2) by Amy Andrews has a heroine who is super smart with ADHD maybe? The Theory of Attraction (The Science of Temptation Book 1) by Delphine Dryden has a hero who is a rocket scientist that struggles with social situations. It’s been a while since I’ve read any of these, but I remember enjoying each of them. Just my 2cents! Hope it helps.
It’s a big spoiler, AND it’s called by the wrong name (number dyslexia), but the heroine in Sarah Morgan’s “The Brazillian Boss Innocent Mistress” has discalculia.
Clem Talleyfer for in An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles! <3 <3
He's dyspraxic like me and I love him the most 🙂
and
Lawrence Browne in The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian!
The grumpy but oh so sweet Earl of Radnor is neuroatypical, with sensory processing issues, severe anxiety and is probably asd as well.
I relate to both immensely and they mean everything to me.
I’m another fan of Lord Ian Mackenzie.
One of the heroes of the male/male contemporary romance Misfits by Garrett Leigh has Tourette’s syndrome.
I’m trying to remember the title of a paranormal series I’ve read. The heroine has OCD (if I’m remembering correctly) and collects Christmas ornaments.
I remembered the paranormal series I was trying to recall above ~ Coveted (Coveted, #1) by Shawntelle Madison features a werewolf with OCD.
I haven’t read it but this sounds intriguing ~ Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman.
As someone who has a child with Asperger’s, I am probably a little sensitive to portrayals of autism. I found The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie to be fine, but the main character in The Rosie Project made me want to hurl my iPad across the room. I did not get very far in the book because I found it so horrible. I am sorry, but I do not understand the love that book gets.
It was written in 1981, before autism was widely recognized, but I always thought that Lady Jane Gordon, the heroine of “A London season” by Joan Wolf, would today be considered to be somewhere along the spectrum.
I loved A Desperate FOrtune but the historical story was all i cared about. It did occur to me that it was mega convenient that the dreamboat modern guy had an aspie brother so he came equipt with all the understanding and patience.
I seem to remember Brenna Aubrey’s “For the One” in her Gaming the System series has an Aspergers hero, but I haven’t read it yet.
FoodieNinja: I think the car racing books might be the Fast Track series by Erin McCarthy. I immediately thought of it when I read your post. The first book fits and I have read all of them but I don’t remember them well enough to confirm one of the heroes is dyslexic (it might be Ryder from “Hot Finish”). My not remembering the details has a lot to do with the fact that I read about a book a day, the first book came out almost 10 years ago, I read them in real time, and I don’t re-read even if I love a book (way too many other books to read still left!).
The visual novel romance game Backstage Pass by Sakevisual has a heroine with a panic disorder. It’s not the driving force of the plot, but it is a source of misunderstanding/conflict on one of the romantic routes, and something the characters talk about/work around in scenes through most of the stories. Also, there’s a side character with what I think is schizophrenia, and if you’re on the right route with certain actions and stats under your belt, there’s a scene with her and the heroine bonding over how much it can suck that made my heart absolutely melt.
Bo in is an OCD Shifter/tiger and Blayne has ADHD or is just a wildgdog/wolf shifter. Hard to tell.
In another Laurenston, When He was Bad the heroine, who I worship, is likely on the spectrum
A child in Alien Refuge (Clans of Kalquor, #7) has autism. It is intersting to see how the “alien” culture reacts in contrast with the “human” culture.
One of the leads in Rumor Has It (Animal Magnetism, #4) has a brain injury.
Bonnie Dee’s New Life has a hero with a brain injury
Simple Jess, yes, cognitive issues –a slow processor
Heroine is Agoraphobic /Anxiety Beyond Repair Stein, Charlotte
Heart Change (Celta’s Heartmates, #8) Owens, Robin D. Heroine Has depression
Dyslexics
Simply Irresistible (Chinooks Hockey Team, #1) Gibson, Rachel Heroine?
ADHD or ADD
Place to Belong (Serenity House #2) Shay, Kathryn
Breakaway (Heller Brothers, #1) Jamieson, Kelly
Steady Beat (Heart of Fame, #4) Couper, Lexxie
What about Laura Kinsale’s Midsummer Moon? From Carrie S.’s 2013 review right here on SBTB:
“Merlin is a great character, but honestly she is so severely naive and absent minded that I was a little worried about her mental health. She has no notion of the rules and mores of society and no concept of relationships between men and women, sexual or otherwise. Merlin is really only able to focus on one thing at a time, and that’s usually her inventions. Even by the end, when true love has struck, it’s quite clear that if you remove Ransom from her life, she’ll be sad, but if you come between her and a “three-sixty-fourths-inch Vaucanson helical pinion gear” she will be PISSED.”
What about Laura Kinsale’s Midsummer Moon? From Carrie S.’s 2013 review right here on SBTB:
“Merlin is a great character, but honestly she is so severely naive and absent minded that I was a little worried about her mental health. She has no notion of the rules and mores of society and no concept of relationships between men and women, sexual or otherwise. Merlin is really only able to focus on one thing at a time, and that’s usually her inventions. Even by the end, when true love has struck, it’s quite clear that if you remove Ransom from her life, she’ll be sad, but if you come between her and a “three-sixty-fourths-inch Vaucanson helical pinion gear” she will be PISSED.”
Oh.. and inventions.. and a hedgehog..
Not coming up with any heroines. I’m also not surprised that there are more neurodivergent heroes – that’s also true for romances with PTSD. Way more traumatized heroes.
I have a few more mm suggestions.
Clear Water by Amy Lane – contemporary, one hero has ADHD. This is fairly non-angsty Amy Lane – there’s a mystery that I thought was a little weak but I loved the romance.
A Song for Sweater Boy by Vanessa North – YA contemporary novella – don’t remember the anthology. One of the heroes is autistic (and he knits – and true to most knitting romances, there is cancer but with a happy ending).
I was just coming here to rec Midsummer Moon! I love that book, and it’s clear that the heroine isn’t neurotypical. Her hyperfocus and literal-ness (literality?) read to me as tho she’s on the spectrum.
I also really liked Ian Mackenzie, too! And I gave Courtney Milan’s Unraveled to a friend married to a guy on the spectrum because Smite Turner reminded me of her husband. (We both really liked the book, to be clear.) But I feel bad that Dread Pirate Rachel is seeking HEROINES, and it’s SO much easier to think of heroes that qualify. Maybe it’s part of the whole “hot damaged guy” fetishization that does not seem to carry over to female characters. Maybe writers think we won’t identify. Or maybe we’re all so used to rescue-y, healing-y women that neurotypical heroine/non-neurotypical hero is a familiar and comfortable pairing. I dunno.
The heroine of the Fatal series by Marie Fore is dyslexic.
The hero of The Rest of Us Just Live Here suffers from OCD.
Call on Me, by Roni Loren. The heroine’s daughter is neuro-divergent, doing very well in a small private school that helps her – the cost of which requires the heroine to get a second job at a phone sex line.
It rang quite true to me, the parts where the mother will work so hard to provide stability and predictability, etc. I thought it was a true to life portrayal of what a high-functioning girl who has benefited from caring supports and therapy can achieve, and a parent’s difficulty is seeing that achievement (always remembering the “before” and afraid it will come back).
OOPS hopefully Sarah can delete!
@Anna: Got ya, Anna!
“The Wild Child” is a very old book by Mary Jo Putney. The heroine had some kind of terrible trauma in her past, and doesn’t speak, although there is nothing physically wrong with her. She spends all her time in the garden and communicates better with plants and animals than she does with people. I’m not sure what you would call it, but she is definitely neurodivergent. Her family thinks she is incurably mentally ill and if I remember right, one of them wants to lock her up in an asylum.
No Illusion by Lynnette Kent. The heroine is dyslexic. I was impressed with the accommodations she made to keep up her business as a magician.
Out of Control by Teresa Noelle Roberts. BDSM novel. (Possibly novella? It was on the shorter side.) Heroine Jen is a glass artist who has synesthesia and uses it to help her cope with her other neurodiverse condition [spoiler: dyslexia]. I don’t have either condition, but her point of view felt very real to me, and I LOVED the way she talked about the colors she used in her art. Colors are emotionally important to me in a similar (but much milder) way. I’ve never come across another story that resonated so well on this issue for me–I didn’t even realize why I do certain things a certain way until I read this! Her portrayal of an hardworking artist’s life and income was spot-on. The growth in the relationship between Jen and Drake felt authentic. The story is beautiful.
Non-neurotypical heroines are not very common and seem to be punished. I used to read Gini Koch’s Alien series (funny SF with romance), but had to stop because Kitty the heroine is not neurotypical in ways very familiar to me (as a person with ADHD) and although she usually saves the day mostly by thinking differently, she is constantly berated for her differences by almost every other character. I’m still reading the Chronicles of Elantra by Michelle Sagara, which I guess are sort of fantasy mystery, gut it has similar problems with the treatment of the heroine who is constantly rebuked and belittled for the same differences that enable her to resolve problems no one else can resolve.
I’m interested in what people’s recommendations are. Unfortunately when thinking up examples, I noticed how there are many more disabled/neurodivergent heroes than heroines, which is annoying.
– To Charm a Naughty Countess (Theresa Romain): The author describes the hero as having social anxiety, but personally I think a strong argument can be made that he is autistic. I love this book and have read it at least three times.
– The Lawrence Browne Affair (Cat Sebastian): I love this book! I’ve already read it twice and it only came out in February. One of the heroes has anxiety and sensory processing issues.
– One Good Earl Deserves a Lover (Sarah MacLean): I thought the heroine could be read as on the spectrum
– A Private Gentleman (Heidi Cullinan): I thought this book had a really good portrayal of social anxiety; Another one of her books, Carry the Ocean, one of the main characters is autistic and the other has depression
– Moving in Rhythm (Dev Bentham): This is a m/m contemporary where one of the main characters has social anxiety
– Three Weeks with Lady X (Eloisa James): One of the secondary characters in this book is dyslexic, and I actually found her storyline/romance more engaging than the main one.
– Tempting the Bride (Sherry Thomas) & Unlocked (Courtney Milan): secondary characters (hero’s daughter and heroine’s mother, respectively) I would describe as on the spectrum
– Only a Promise (Mary Balogh), Twice Tempted by a Rogue (Tessa Dare), Seize the Fire (Laura Kinsale) are some I can think of I read recently where the hero had depression/PTSD
– Only Enchanting (Mary Balogh): the hero deals with memory problems and other affects of a brain injury
There’s another Theodora Taylor story where the hero and heroine both have children with Asperger’s who are in a special education program together. The plot is rather extreme; the boy’s father is an assassin and the girl’s mother is on the run from a mafioso-type. But they both work at being good parents and providing the best for their children. Don’t know the title.
I can’t believe I didn’t remember this until now: I reviewed Girl From Mars by Julie Cohen a few years ago, and while I didn’t love everything about the book, the story was very unique, as were the characters. A discussion arose in the comments about whether the heroine, Fil, is neurodivergent, though it’s not confirmed either way.
Elizabeth Moon, “Speed of Dark”, Nebula Award winner, has autistic hero who works in an R&D department peopled by neurodiverse folks valued as ‘outliers’ for their alternate creativity. Corporate merger antagonist wants to ‘cure’ them; they discuss it, both men and women giving voice to self perceptions to decide if they have a ‘disease’ or whole and valuable for their unique perspective.
Moon’s “Remnant Population” showcases a self isolated crone in ‘first contact’ with an alien species whose survival depends on neurodiversity. Gender seems pfftt to them, with two exceptions: it determines social placement during gestation and nesting, and when egg carriers are elderly, suits only them to insure the safety and education of all young. Best book I’ve read so far this year. Turns social norms, including love and romance, top over teakettle, BUT ends with a wedding, so GHE.
Last week I finished a wonderful mystery series by Estelle Ryan. The series character, Dr. Genevieve Lenard, is a renowned expert in nonverbal communication who faces the daily challenge of living a successful, independent life because she has to deal with her high functioning Autism. She studied nonverbal communication because she couldn’t understand what others felt, or wanted her to feel, when they were speaking to her. I have no personal experience, but her characterization felt “real” to me and the supporting characters were excellently written. Over the course of 10 novels Genevieve finds love, friends, acceptance and is able to expand the boundaries of her world a bit.
eeks
Forgot the quotes: “a renowned expert in nonverbal communication who faces the daily challenge of living a successful, independent life because she has to deal with her high functioning Autism.”
Wicked, My Love by Susanna Ives has a heroine who I’m pretty sure would fit the bill.
The Doctor’s Deadly Affair, by Stephanie Doyle (Silhouette Romantic Suspense, 2011) edges a really great romance with mystery, and the heroine has OCD. I read it when it first came out and still remember scenes from it, it was that good.
I want to thank Vivi12 for the recommendation ofA Rational With Arrangement by L Rowy It was amazing! Perfect for this thread.
The world building was divine and the I love you because of who you are perfect. Also, giant talking cats. Yeah. So good.
Cat – I should have mentioned the giant talking cats!
Alicia- I read the Speed of Dark years ago and LOVED it. I mourned the loss of the previous personality when some characters chose to be “cured.” It was very thought provoking…
Emery Lord’s When We Collided has a bipolar heroine. Also, Upside Down by Lia Riley has a heroine with OCD. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini – the main character checks himself into a psych hospital for depression. The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev has a heroine with mental health issues – not 100% a fan of it’s portrayal of mental disorders, but a good read for sure.
Emery Lord’s When We Collided has a bipolar heroine. Also, Upside Down by Lia Riley has a heroine with OCD. It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini – the main character checks himself into a psych hospital for depression. The Bollywood Bride by Sonali Dev has a heroine with mental health issues – not 100% a fan of it’s portrayal of mental disorders, but a good read for sure. Oh and Fangirl also has a Dad character with bipolar tendencies.
Just finished The Demon Prince (Ars Numina Book 2)
by Ann Aguirre
The heroine is on the spectrum. It is excellent!
Not a romance rec, but “This Alien Shore” by C. S. Friedman is an Sci-Fi novel featuring multiple neuro-atypical protagonists. It is absolutely glorious and I’m forever sad that it’s a standalone novel :/
Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths’ WILL AND PATRICK WAKE UP MARRIED series is a great one if you like m/m. Patrick is on the autism spectrum, and is a fantastic romantic hero: a neurosurgeon and concert-level pianist, and incredibly perceptive of Will’s needs. (I fell hard for the sexy smartaleck almost instantly.)
(BTW, how do you make a Rec League request? Don’t wanna hijack the thread with my sudden plot jones…)