Valentine’s day is just around the corner so to help you get in the right mindset, pick up one of the following romance novels for a low-key option that only requires you, your imagination and a cozy place. All of the following are books that I love and adore because the characters are interesting and the romance is unique in each one. Beware though, there are serious amounts of sappiness and sugar in all five of these. Side effects may include: crying, sighing and saying “aww” in copious amounts. You have been warned.
1. P.S. I Still Love You
Courtesy: What’s Filming
To everyone who has seen To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix: the book is 10 times better and is only the start of a beautiful series. The sequel to the first book, P.S. I Still Love You, will have you falling in love with Peter Kavinsky all over again. And if you watched until after the credits of the movie you’ll see another one of Lara Jean’s letter recipients eagerly waiting for his chance with her. You can bet he is a main character in the sequel book. And if you thought Josh came between the romance personified that is Lara Jean and Peter, then you really need to watch out for this man John Ambrose McClaren from Model UN.
2. Me Before You
Courtesy: Jess Just Reads
Although the saddest of the romance books on this list, it is worth a read or a reread. Louisa Clarke becomes the caregiver of a man who was involved in a tragic accident leaving him paralyzed from the neck down and with a pessimistic view on life. She slowly draws him out from under that cloud and tries to show him that his life is still worth living and by doing so is pushed out of her comfort zone as well. I finished this book in an airport and let me tell you that was not a good decision at all because I had tears streaming down my face in a public place. Read this one at home. That is all.
3. Anna and the French Kiss
Courtesy: Bookworm Everlasting
This is one of the sappiest book series that I have ever read, which is saying something. Anna, originally from Atlanta, is sent overseas to a boarding school in France and is not happy about leaving her senior year (boohoo you’re living in a foreign country.) When she arrives, she finds the city and the school’s inhabitants to not be what she was expecting. So yeah, start this book for the adorable British love interest and Anna’s love of classic old Hollywood films. Finish it feeling like your teeth are rotting away from all the sweetness. Better yet, read the other two companion books in the series after; the plot points in all three books merge in the last book to create the perfect ending for everyone!
4. The Upside of Unrequited
Courtesy: Amino Apps
If you loved Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda or its movie adaption, Love, Simon then I would definitely recommend checking out this book by the same author. It is a very fun novel centered around Molly and her long line of unrequited crushes. Will she finally be able to break the streak and show how she really feels to the next one she has fallen for? The book follows in Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda with plenty of representation and relatable characters that make this one worth a read.
5. Love and Gelato
Courtesy: Carousell
In this lovely read, Lina goes to spend the summer in Italy due to her mother’s dying wish that she meets and spends time with her estranged father. With her mother’s journal, she discovers all the beauty that Italy has to offer and figures out why her mother left in the first place along with her new Italian “friend,” Lorenzo. Full of romance, mystery and of course gelato, this is a sweet one that is a quick read. This book with a sweep you off to Tuscany with no complaint.
Honorable Mentions: If you find you love a historical or classic fiction romance check out the Outlander series, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, really any Jane Austen novel.