It’s the season of love, and what better way to spend it than living vicariously through the love lives of fictional characters.
The seemingly endless daydreams of randomly planted kisses, the swinging of hands intertwined, freshly picked flowers, and white picket fences can only last so long. The best way to cure a creative block for my fictitious, lover-girl daydreams is simple: pick up a really good book and pretend it’s reality. From a second chance romance to a devotion so strong you’d kill for it, here are five books I recommend on love in all its hauntingly beautiful forms.
- Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
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Five-star reviews are often rare on my part, but Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren was granted this notable title. Love unfolds as the tale of Macy and Elliot is told from the perspective of a then versus a now- childhood crushes to adulthood relationships. The two spend sweltering summers in each other’s presence sharing books and flirtatious looks in the confines of a library closet. If you want a heartbreaking yet mesmerizing tale of friendship turned into love, then this is a world you want to dive into. Please forgive me if you end up sobbing at the end… I know I did
- Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
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As the chilling months of a lingering winter leisurely pass by, I can’t help but recommend the love of Oliver’s life in Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. While Oliver falls deeply infatuated with an older man by the name of Elio, I think this story speaks volumes on the many functions that love has to offer. Based in the basking sun of an Italian summer vacation, Oliver’s mind is consumed by romanticizing thoughts. But as a reader, you are taken through the journey of love for places, small moments, and family. There is an immense appreciation created for the things that will never leave, which overcomes the things that do end up leaving. Living vicariously through heartbreak forced me (and Oliver) to focus on the other surrounding beauty that love can bring about.
- Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
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Love in its non-relationship form is a slyly whispered secret. It’s quiet. It creeps up on you when you least expect it, or it often goes unheard until it’s finally revealed and shouted for everyone else to hear. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin tells a story of love through friendship and work. There are more things to fall in love with than a life partner. There is an exquisite deepness when loving your friends and falling in love with something you’re proud of. Sam and Sadie tell an unforgettable story through the collaborative world of video games, and immerse readers into an unconventional relationship between these so-called “lovers.”
- The Secret History by Donna Tart
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A love so strong it becomes devotion. The Secret History by Donna Tart tells the tale of a group of friends driven together through forced proximity in the dark confines of their college greek classics course. This is a love built upon friendship and shared interests but quickly turns to a love founded on death and dedication to those closest to Richard, the main protagonist. Richard finds himself immersed in an unexplainable amount of beauty that he himself doesn’t quite understand. There is nobody that can truly understand Richard and the complicated love that flows through his friend group, but one can attempt to try after reading this dark academia novel.
- If We Were Villains by M.L Rio
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No reading list would be complete if I didn’t mention If We Were Villains by M.L Rio. The story of James and Oliver: a love that doesn’t have a label, but also a love one would kill for…. They are partners. They are brothers. They are friends. They are James and Oliver. If We Were Villains explores both the emotional and physical boundaries of relationships that ends with a multitude of questions unanswered. If you’re looking for a tragically beautiful read check out If We Were Villains by M.L Rio.
Love in all its forms is meant to be admired and can be found in places one doesn’t think to look. These heartfelt stories of unlikely lovers are the perfect reads to get lost in during any month of the year.