21 Books To Read When You're Going Through Heartbreak

They'll love you more than an ex ever could.

We recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us what book has helped them get through a breakup. Here are their inspiring responses:

Getty Images / iStockphoto / elegeyda

1. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed

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"After ending the worst relationship of my life, this book allowed me to cry, to mourn, to completely break down, and finally to feel hopeful and empowered. The last two emotions had been missing from my life for a long time at that point, and it was so good to feel them again." —Angela Greco, Facebook

2. Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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"I read Tender Is the Night a month before the end of a relationship I knew was on the skids. It taught me that people change, and the fact that at one time you cared for someone doesn't mean you should drag out what, at present, amounts to a terrible relationship." —Tess van den Dolder, Facebook

3. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

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"I had just broken up with my first serious boyfriend and felt completely alone. Murakami taught me how to be alone — primarily that it’s OK to be alone — and how to channel that into something positive and productive." —daniellerenees2

4. Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and Maira Kalman

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"It encouraged me to put my finger on the actual causes of our break up. I got a box, and each time I remembered a cause, I wrote it down and put in the box. When I felt bad or sad, I'd just read those things I wrote, and it made me feel better. It is not a classic book, but it did make me realize the small things that had occurred, and it made my breakup easier to deal with." —Giulia Reis, Facebook

5. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

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"Eat, Pray, Love opened my eyes to the fact that I was missing out on the world around me because of my infatuation with someone who didn’t even love me. It taught me that between, food, culture, and spiritual awakenings, I can achieve so much more than some vapid relationship. It taught me to love myself enough to seek more than just a companion, to chase after everything that inspires me." —aubreyelizabethw

"It is an instruction manual on how to cut loose as a free woman, even if I was single unwillingly. I didn’t have the finances to follow the book perfectly, and may never, but you can adapt it to suit you." —laurenmb

6. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

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"After the breakup, which I initiated and which was the hardest decision I've ever made, I reread parts of Jane Eyre, particularly the part where Jane has the willpower and self-control to leave Rochester. I even bought a poster with a quote from the novel — "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me" — and hung it on my wall." — Brooke Robinson, Facebook

7. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

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"I've read The Glass Castle several times now, and it is hands-down my favorite book. My sister showed it to me when I was going through a rough patch, and I ended up reading it in one night. It's the story of a girl who grows up in unimaginable circumstances; it's a story that gives you hope that things will get better if you work hard and have faith in yourself." —Shea Hileman, Facebook

8. Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin

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"At the time, I was comparing every guy I met to my ex, which prohibited me from moving forward after the breakup. But the book reminded me that although your ex might have been a great love, he’s an ex for a reason." —tarad19

9. The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman

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"It's easy to relate with Nathaniel, even sometimes in the worst way, as you see how he goes through the highs and lows of a relationship. Though it was always hard for me to know exactly what I was thinking or how I was feeling, this book made everything clearer. It made me more self-reflective. It was a sigh of relief and a slap in the face all at once!" —Derik Iverson, Facebook

10. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

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"When I was a teen, I really struggled after a terrible breakup. I was unable to function for several months and lost a lot of weight. The only way I could keep my mind off of my heartbreak was to read as much Harry Potter as I possibly could. I wore the ink off of the pages in some places where I would drag my finger under the lines. I credit those books for saving what little sanity I had. This quote is one of my favorites: 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.'" —Ashley E Rowe, Facebook

11. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

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"It’s my go-to book when I have relationship problems. It makes me nostalgic in all the right ways. My favorite thing about the book is Mrs. Dalloway’s fierce independence." —hannahh49346df9c

12. High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

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"It has amazing insights on all relationships. Whether it's your first romance or the love of your life, this book shows that the people who come into your life can change you completely. It's not for nothing." —Ryan Rochelle Shirley, Facebook

13. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

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"The Power of Now touches on metaphysics, but it really focuses on the importance of living in the present and not in the past, which is what you kind of want to do after a breakup." —emilyodomc

14. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

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"Gone With the Wind has helped me through not only breakups, but also every difficulty in life. Scarlett is such a badass who never backs down from a challenge and never lets anything beat her." —patiencew

15. He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo

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"This book actually helped me heal before the breakup occured. My boyfriend was always terrible at being a boyfriend. I picked up this book to read for kicks, and I found that a lot of the characteristics expressed in the book described my boyfriend's demeanor toward me. When we finally broke up, I cried for a day, and then I moved on. I realized that I deserve someone who is actually interested in me and who appreciates and enjoys me for who I am." —Alexzandria Siprian, Facebook

16. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

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"It made me realize two things: one, that there are people out there who are going through the same things that I am, and two, that I shouldn’t even try to be the girl he wanted. He was never going to come back, and I needed to get over that." —brookeb4907edbb5

17. Fever Pitch by Nick Nornby

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"There's nothing better than admitting you’re gripped by passion and knowing, at the same time, there will always be a next chapter." —bradys2

18. A Grief Observed by C. S. Lewis

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"I was assigned to read it for a college course right after my first relationship ended. My ex was my first love and had been a longtime friend — his absence felt like a death to me, like there was this gaping hole in the daily fabric of my life. Reading this book, about a man heartbroken by the pain of losing his spouse, helped me process the grief of losing my first love. It healed me." —laurenmaen

19. America the Beautiful by Moon Unit Zappa

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"America the Beautiful is about a woman being dumped, and it describes what she goes through to try to come to terms with the failed relationship. I loved it because of its honesty and because it made me feel OK that I’m still dealing with a breakup some two years later." —Sarah Bresnahan

20. A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

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"This quote stuck with me: 'Oh you'll remember feeling sort of pleasantly sad. You might remember listening to music and eating chocolates in your room, or walking along the embankment on your own, wrapped up in a winter coat and feeling lonely and brave. But can you remember how with every mouthful of food it felt like you were biting into your own stomach? Can you remember the taste of red wine as it came back up and into the toilet bowl? Can you remember dreaming every night that you were still together, that he was talking to you gently and touching you, so that every morning when you woke up you had to go through it all over again?'" —Marcela Xavier, Facebook

21. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

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"I had just broken up with my first girlfriend when I was in high school, and it was one of those things I immediately regretted. I knew I wasn't ready to have a relationship because I wasn't out to my conservative family yet, and I was dealing with the onset of intense depression and anxiety. But I really liked her, so I would try to call and apologize, but she moved on. It sucked. But I remember reading this book and finding it so encouraging to know that there were other kids who were just as confused and troubled and that even if everything isn't perfect in the end, there are still people who will always be there for you. It was gospel for a kid who felt like a freak." —CJ Dermody-Williams, Facebook

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