World Suicide Prevention Day
Hope, Healing, and the Power of Romance Novels
September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s a day set aside every year to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and remind each of us that hope and help are real.
Before I say anything else, here are resources I want you to have at your fingertips. If you’re hurting, please reach out—because your life matters.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) – Dial or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7.
The Trevor Project (U.S.) – Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678 for crisis support designed for LGBTQ+ youth.
Trans Lifeline (U.S. & Canada) – Call 877-565-8860 to connect with trans peer support volunteers.
Crisis Text Line (U.S. & International) – Text HELLO to 741741 to be connected with a trained counselor.
Please keep these close, share them freely, and use them when you need to.
Why Talk About Romance on World Suicide Prevention Day?
At first glance, romance novels might seem like an odd subject for a day as serious as this one. But here’s the truth: stories can save us.
According to this article on the benefits of reading romance, romance books do more than make us swoon. They can reduce stress, improve empathy, boost mental health, increase feelings of hope, and even remind us of joy during dark times.
Romance novels are built on one radical promise: no matter how messy things get, love wins. There is always a happily-ever-after. For someone struggling with despair, that narrative itself can be healing. It’s never a replacement for therapy or medical care, but it can be a companion.
The Romance Series That Helped Restore My Hope
There have been seasons in my own life when reading romance reminded me not just that love was possible, but that I was capable of healing and joy, too. These series, in particular, restored my hope—mostly in myself.
The Goode Brothers by Sara Cate
Narrated by masters of the genre—Vivienne LaRue, Jacob Morgan, Ava Erickson, Tim Paige, Aiden Snow, C.J. Bloom, Jason Clarke, Teddy Hamilton, Dane Anderson, and Ava Lucas—this series is raw, emotional, and deeply human. It doesn’t shy away from pain, but it insists that love and redemption can rise from the ashes.
The Winston Brothers by Penny Reid
Narrated by Joy Nash and Chris Brinkley, these books are smart, quirky, heartfelt, and funny. They explore the messy beauty of family, small-town life, and love that sneaks up on you. Narrated by Angela Dawe and Chris Brinkley, Beard in Mind stands out for its heartbreaking portrayal of mental illness while still providing the guaranteed HEA. I will never stop recommending this book and this series.
The Brown Sisters by Talia Hibbert
Narrated by Adjoa Andoh and Ione Butler, this series is a triumph. Talia Hibbert centers Black joy, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and queer love in ways that are heartfelt, hilarious, and deeply affirming. Reading these books is like hearing someone whisper, “You are not broken—you are beautifully in progress.”
Why Stories Matter on Hard Days
On World Suicide Prevention Day, I think about how we all need reminders that we are worthy of love, care, and healing. Romance novels, for me, are one of those reminders. They create soft landing places for the heart. They rehearse resilience. They model joy.
No, a book can’t replace the support of a therapist, community care, or medication. But a story can be a lifeline in its own right—a way to remember what hope feels like when everything else seems dark.
That’s why romance belongs in the conversation about mental health. Because telling stories where queer, disabled, Black, Latinx, neurodivergent, trans, fat, over-40, and otherwise marginalized characters get their happy endings says, your story matters, too.
If today feels heavy, please: take a breath. Reach for support if you need it. Open a book if that helps. Or even just sit and let yourself be. You don’t have to solve everything. Staying is enough.
And if you’re looking for something to read this month, I hope you’ll try one of the series above—or any story that whispers hope back into your life.
You are not alone. Your story isn’t over. And yes—your happily-ever-after is still possible.
