If there’s one thing to know about me, it’s that I am aggressively chronically online. Movies, music, TV, celebrity drama, pop culture discourse— if it’s happening, I’ve probably seen a TikTok thinkpiece about it and formed a very strong opinion that I will immediately share with everyone until they get sick of it.
And yes, I know; Gen Z already has the reputation of being glued to our phones. But honestly, sue me if a girl wants to be informed! I love loving media, and I refuse to feel bad about it. Because pop culture is, and can be, deep; people just don’t want to see it that way!
Valentine’s Day can be… weird when you’re single. It’s either aggressively couple-centric or deeply cynical. But as someone who is A) very single and B) still deeply obsessed with romance media, I like to treat Valentine’s Day as an excuse to lean into the media that makes my heart swirl in a good way.
So whether you’re spending the fateful Feb. 14 alone, with friends, or romanticizing your own life from your bed, here are my Valentine’s-coded movie, book, and music recommendations, curated by a chronically single girl who still believes rom-coms deserve more hype than they’re given.
Movies
- Materialists (2025, directed by Celine Song)
Celine Song’s Materialists, a romance-drama about a New York City matchmaker (Dakota Johnson) who is stuck in a supposed “love triangle” between a rich investor (Pedro Pascal) and her first love, waiter ex-boyfriend (Chris Evans), sparked a resurgence of debate on the “romcom comeback”. Some loved the movie, some hated it. Although marketed as a “romcom”, I don’t necessarily agree with that notion. I read it more as a rom-drama, critiquing the “materialistic” (title reference!) dating world of the 21st century, and how we can’t look at people like they are boxes to be checked. Without giving away the ending, it left me actually asking myself questions about love and capability. Why do we choose the people we do? Financial Stability vs Love? There are many arguments to be made about the film and its love interests, and I think that’s why it continued to sit with me throughout this year.
- Coyote Ugly (2000, directed by David McNally)
I actually found this movie through a TikTok edit a couple of weeks ago, and decided to watch it on a whim! I didn’t know anything about the movie previously, but I decided to watch and give it a chance on a late Sunday night. And I was thoroughly surprised! Coyote Ugly is a drama comedy about Violet (Piper Perabo) who moves from her small town to glittering New York City in hopes of becoming a songwriter, only to end up getting a job at the all-woman’s dancing bar Coyote Ugly (a real NYC bar btw!) Initially, the movie was met with negative reviews but over the last 25 years, has become a cult classic for teenage/young adult girls everywhere! The movie is fun, the costumes are incredible (and I need every outfit) and the dancing is exciting. The plot may not be the most groundbreaking ever, but it’s fun and has great rewatchability!
- To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018, directed by Susan Johnson)
There is something so comforting about this movie; especially on Valentine’s Day! Lara Jean Covey is a romcom obsessed lover girl, who realizes love exists more than inside her favorite stories when she begins to fake date popular jock Peter Kavinsky. I know it sounds corny at first, but this movie truly has stayed with me since I first watched it at 14! Earnest, romantic, awkward, and deeply sincere in a way that feels increasingly rare, especially with the few romcoms we have today. I will always defend this movie with my entire heart, and nothing can change my mind!
Books
- Reckless by Elsie Silver
Romance has been a genre I have fallen head over heels for, for all of my life but this year especially. Elsie Silver’s Reckless was just another example of how in love I am with the genre. It has all my favorite tropes: grumpy/sunshine, oldest sister FMC, and hot cowboys!
Everything a girl needs! I will say though, there is a one night stand to pregnancy trope which I usually am not a fan of. I personally feel like the pregnancy trope is just lazy, and used in most romance books to just tie everything together, OR to keep the MMC and FMC together when they obviously shouldn’t be! But this one was different! It was used as a catalyst in the beginning of the book, not only to introduce our romance between doctor-oldest daughter- notorious grumpy “ice queen” Winter Hamilton and flirty, bull rider cowboy Theo Silva, but also to dictate their individual emotional arcs throughout the story. It’s emotional and sad, as well as romantic, which are the romance books I love the best!
- Beach Read by Emily Henry
Emily Henry is one of the it girls of the romance book genre, greatly due to social media like BookTok, but also because her books are just really good! I mean, 4/5 of her books are already auctioned off to become films (People We Meet on Vacation most recently, thank you Netflix!) Beach Read follows two rivals: romance author January and lit-fic writer Gus who are neighbors in two summer beach houses where they are writing for the summer. It’s the perfect summer beach read, literally, and my favorite Henry book from her entire catalog. Similar to Reckless, but I would say is done even better are the emotional arcs of both January and Gus throughout the story. Yes, it’s a love story, but it’s also messy and sad and frustrating at times, just like modern human life is! It’s a great love story that will make you want to re-read it again and again.
- The Pairing by Casey McQuiston
When I say this book changed my life, I’m not kidding. With gorgeous prose, storytelling, and character work, McQuiston’s fourth romance book has truly knocked it out of the park. Two exes who accidentally book the same food and wine tour in Italy and Spain… sign me up! Equal parts steamy and emotional, some may just write this book off as another bland romance book, but it’s not, truly! This book took over my summer and fall and winter, honestly my whole year! And I hope it takes over yours as well! :)
My Romantic Soundtrack
- Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter
If you already couldn’t tell this about me, I am a pop girly to my core! Taylor, Olivia, Tate, Chappell, Renee, and the most recent: Sabrina, are all loves of mine! Man’s Best Friend is fun, it’s cheeky and a great album to dance to with your best friends! It has hints of ‘80s disco while also keeping that original Sabrina flare! Songs like “House Tour” and “Never Getting Laid” are both stellar tracks from this great album! If you are not over an ex and are hosting any sort of Galentine’s party, “Go Go Juice” is for you…
- I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Jensen McRae
To switch gears to more somber indie folk, Jensen McRae was also a newer artist I found last year and who took over my summer. This album specifically is a perfect breakup album for lonely girls who journal way too much and probably overthink everything! “Novelty” is (dare I say) one of McRae’s best songs, as is equally heartwrenching. Tuesday makes me want to cry, and “Mother Wound” is a masterpiece. McRae is a lyrical genius among my lyrical gods (Hozier, Taylor Swift, etc.) and I highly recommend listening to her sophomore album! Plus, I love to see more Black girls in the indie folk space!
- The Art Of Loving – Olivia Dean
Fresh off her Grammy win for Best New Artist, Olivia Dean is my third choice for an amazing Galentine’s or single girl weekend! If you have not had the absolute pleasure to listen to this beautiful album yet, do yourself a favor and go listen ASAP! Especially to a song like “Baby Steps”, a song literally about loving yourself and putting yourself first above all, which sounds like a great theme to end on for me!
- Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter if you’re single, taken, something in between. If you’re spending Valentines alone or with a tight knit group of friends, the holiday isn’t solely about romantic love, it can also be platonic, or just plain old self love! So get yourself a fun latte, wear that pink outfit, and buy yourself a bouquet of flowers because you deserve it. Just because we do not have romantic love in our lives does not mean we can’t celebrate! Tell your friends you love them, tell your family you love them, and most importantly, yourself. :’)