There are a thousand different ways to fall in love. There are also more than a thousand ways to experience it. As a reader, you can get to live this feeling in all its tonalities, through different eyes, lives – and pages. And, as a romantic, there is nothing sweeter than falling over, and over, and over again. So, whether on a trip to Tuscany, a shared flat in London, or The White House itself, here are ten novels to read if you’re craving a dose of fictional, almost tooth-aching, love.
- One To Watch, by Kate Stayman-London
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Bea Schumacher has sworn off dating wholeheartedly. After a disappointing almost-relationship with her best friend, she deems herself not fit for love and steers her attention towards her ascending career as a plus-size fashion blogger – and the indulgence of her favorite guilty pleasure: Main Squeeze, a dating reality show of the likes of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. However, after a viral drunken rant online on the lack of body diversity on air, she gets an offer she can’t seem to deny. Main Squeeze wants her as its next star.
Though she accepts, her conditions are very clear. She doesn’t want to truly, fully fall in love. She aims only to heighten her career and inspire people, subverting the anti-fat agenda in beauty standards and media. But, as the episodes go by, the opportunity to find real-life relationships amid the manufactured reality blooms, contrary to what she anticipated. And this complicates things for Bea. A lot.
A rollercoaster of unexpected feelings, internet uproar, and a handful of drama, One To Watch is a feel-good, yet sometimes a painfully life-like, book. More than romance, this novel questions the politicization of fat bodies, as well as taps into lessons of self-love and personal growth, away from the spotlight, glitz and glam.
- The Flatshare, by Beth O’Leary
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One bed with two inhabitants: one by day, the other by night. That is how The Flatshare, by Beth O’Leary, goes. After a messy breakup, Tiffy needs a cheap flat; Leon could do with some extra cash. The solution? An unusual arrangement, in which they share the same flat, and, alas, the same bed. Only, they never met – and apparently never seem to meet, for Leon works at night and Tiffy, by day.
When a note is left to remember Leon to leave the toilet seat down, a strange communication, composed of correspondence of post-its, sparks between the two roommates, still unknown to each other. Their relationship grows more complex note by note, as they bond over rants, jokes and shared leftovers. As it’s expected, they eventually meet, and dot, dot, dot.
The Flatshare is a sweet, heartwarming debut novel, that doesn’t shy away from serious topics, such as abusive relationships and rough slices of life.
- Beach Read, by Emily Henry
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With Beach Read, Emily Henry delivers a refreshing, enemies-to-lovers romance paired with sensible topics from friendships, regret, dysfunctional families, angst and forgiveness.
January is a romance writer. And, ironically, former romantic. Thrown into a writer’s block due to her newfound lack of belief in love, she moves to her late father’s beach house to seek something to inspire her work. However, as she greets the sand, she faces quite the opposite: the best-selling, cynic author – and very much her nemesis – Augustus Everrett, living in the house beside hers.
With unfinished feelings from a past rivalry, the only thing they seem to have in common is being in a creative slump. But when they strike a deal to get them out of this rut by writing in each other’s style, they discover that, perhaps, they have much more similar than they initially thought. And their challenge, slowly, becomes more than just writing novels.
- Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
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1980s. Summer. El Paso, Texas. Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza is angry. With his brother in prison and his father haunted by the war, he isolates himself from the world in protest – until Dante arrives one hot afternoon at the swimming pool, offering to teach Ari how to swim and sweeping him off his apathy. This interaction quickly becomes a friendship that slowly grows, changes and strengthens. Throughout two years, we follow Ari and Dante through tragedy, accidents, fun and awkwardness – a time ripened with the possibility of love and warmth.
If you’re into a more reflexive, crafted prose and coming-of-age stories, Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe is a pick for you. Sáenz’s lyrical and gentle narrative is not only critically acclaimed and reader-beloved; it throws the reader into the story into a quiet storm, with all its bittersweet raindrops pouring out the feeling of what it’s like to grow up.
- Josh And Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating, By Christina Lauren
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Christina Lauren is a go-to when in need of light, witty Young Adult rom-coms. The New York Times Bestseller coauthor duo knows how to thread romance with humorous, likable characters, and Josh And Hazel’s Guide To Not Dating is no exception.
Although Hazel, unapologetic, clumsy and energetic, has known Josh, serious and mellow, for what seems like forever, they never get close enough. However, when Hazel’s best friend is found to be Josh’s sister, years of embarrassing college memories and unresolved feelings transform into friendship. As best friends, Hazel and Josh decide to start setting up double dates for each other – but as those become progressively and purposefully worse, something stirs between them. They seem incompatible in every way, and would never date each other. But, isn’t that how it goes in fiction?
- The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo
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Evelyn Hugo is an Old Hollywood legend – with nothing but grit and ruthless ambition, she built her way into the movie industry and quickly became a movie icon. No less noteworthy and attention-grabbing is her love life: with seven different husbands throughout her career, her affairs became subject to discussion and interest amid the general public. But, when journalist Monique is invited to write the celebrity’s memoir decades later, she discovers that nothing – that is, Evelyn’s life and even her own – is as it seems. The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a powerful novel about race, sexuality, misogyny and fame, with complex and painfully human characters that lead the reader into a journey of reflection, emotion, trials and tribulations.
- Love & Gelato
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As expected from an endearing title like this one, Love & Gelato is an upbeat, tooth achingly sweet, coming of age novel. Set in Europe, the story is centered around Lina, who moves across continents to fulfill her late mother’s wish: to meet her father, who lives in Italy. However, still dealing with grief and the thought of leaving everything behind, Lina is most definitely not in the mood for the country’s sunshine.
But, when handed a journal left by her mother when she lived in Florence, Lina opens herself to change. Attempting to see the city with her mother’s eyes, the protagonist discovers a world filled with art, hidden bakeries and secrets, as well as sprinkles of love. With underlying themes like friendship, loss and self-growth, this book brings depth in a light, feel-good way.
- From Lukov with Love, by Mariana Zapata
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Ice skating has been a part of Jasmine Santos’ life for as long as she can remember. But, after seventeen years, her “attitude” and being left for dust by her figure skating partner dented and led her career to a halt. Despite her talents, she knows she might have to hang up her skates for good, and sooner than she expected. Enters Ivan Lukov, her sworn enemy – and infuriatingly good, Gold medalist skater, with an unexpected proposition. He wants her to be his partner in the pairs skating category.
From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata is a slow burn romance filled with bickering and humorous moments – but, more than that, it’s also a story about dreams and living and fighting and sticking to them.
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The article above was edited by Giullia Cartaxo.
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