Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
woman reading a book on a couch in a library
woman reading a book on a couch in a library
Via Seven Shooter on Unsplash
USF | Culture > Entertainment

5 Books You Should Read to Get In The Valentine’s Day Spirit

Anneliz Romero Student Contributor, University of South Florida
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at USF chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

As the holiday of love approaches, I’m preparing to spend the month listening to Taylor Swift and reading the most feet-kick worthy rom-coms. Valentine’s is one of my favorite holidays purely for the thrill of finding a new story with a beautiful romance intertwined in the pages. I’ve always loved romances growing up, the feeling of that ideal love story and perfect partner destined for me was always something I wanted. Unfortunately, (fortunately?) I have been single for 20 years, but that time has made me an expert in the hopeless romantics department and given me the time to find the best love stories. These are a few I’ve read the past couple of years around Valentine’s Day that make the holiday feel extra special. 

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter 

If there is ever the most perfect book for Valentine’s, it’s this one. The Do-Over is a young adult rom-com set on Valentine’s Day, or should I say multiple Valentine’s Days. A time loop situation leads Emilie Hornby to relive her nightmarish Valentine’s over and over again while she is forced to watch her boyfriend cheat on her each time and question why the universe is so intent on having her and her classmate, Nick, cross paths. Painter combines a swoon-worthy romance of an unlikely pair with laugh-out-loud comedic situations and sprinkles in the realistic feelings of an average teen, she truly is the queen of Young Adult (YA) romances. 

Like many, I fell in love with her stories after reading Better than the Movies through so many BookTok and friend recommendations, but The Do-Over truly solidified her as a favorite author for me. I read it back in 2023 on Valentine’s Day actually, which was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made as a hopeless romantic who had nothing better to do that day. For fans of early 2000s rom-com movies, Taylor Swift’s Lover album, and those who want to feel all the Valentine’s vibes, no matter if you’re single or have a significant other, this is definitely a book that should be added to your TBR.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson 

Don’t be scared away by the title, this adult contemporary romance is filled with laughter and romance. Our leading lady, Phoebe Walsh, has been obsessed with true crime from an early age, so much so that her PhD dissertation is about the genre of true crime. But when complications and loss strike her family, she is led to Florida for the summer, forced to deal with her tangled feelings and write her dissertation at the same time. However, her paranoia kicks in when she becomes convinced that her (hot) neighbor is a serial killer and the summer becomes a lot more interesting than she anticipated.

Perfect for fans of the true crime-esque genre that still want a little rom-com feel thrown in there. Thompson has a way of making it campy in all the right places, convincing both Phoebe and the readers that there is something cynical about the neighbor, while also giving us a deep dive into the emotional world of grief and feeling out of place in your own family. 

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

Calling all DND enthusiasts and musical theater enjoyers! There’s a YA rom-com just for you! Dungeons and Drama is one of my favorite bingeable reads from last year (literally couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting). We follow musical lover Riley as events lead her to have to work at her dad’s game store. However, she’s too busy trying to save her school’s musical, so she and her coworker, Nathan, come up with a plan to get her out of working and for him to get the gamer-girl of his dreams to notice him. But in a classic fake dating trope, the plan doesn’t work out quite how they thought it would.

This story adds a unique and quirky spin on the tropes we commonly see, especially in romance, such as the fake-dating and slow burn tropes. We also get the cozy atmosphere of found family and the joy from game nights. If you’re like me and can’t get enough of the quirky YA scene, especially after reading this one, you won’t have to look further as the second book, Dating and Dragons, just came out and is ready for our enjoyment.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

If you’re on BookTok, you’ve definitely heard of Ali Hazelwood, the queen of adult STEM romances. She perfectly combines the science world with a steamy and swoon worthy romance. This was my first Hazelwood book back in 2023 and it definitely wasn’t my last. Our main character, Bee, is offered her dream role, leading a neuro-engineering project, but when she is told it’s a co-lead position with her arch nemesis Levi, she couldn’t be further from happy. While it definitely has some cringe moments, it contains a cute romance that has readers giggling and kicking their feet, making it perfect for smarties who want a cute read on Valentine’s.

Now, I’m not a STEM major or a science girlie so the neuroscience talk kinda flew over my head but it was wonderful to see the advocacy of women in STEM taking to popularity.

Daydream by Hannah Grace

While this is technically the third book in the Maple Hills series by Hannah Grace, it can easily be read as a standalone (though I recommend reading the first two, Icebreaker and Wildfire, just to know the characters a bit more). Daydream is truly a love letter to book lovers around the world as our main lead, Halle, a bookish eldest daughter, and Henry, captain of the hockey team, help each other in their studies and in Halle’s ambition to write a novel. It’s a bit of a slow burn, friends-to-lovers situation but it produces such a heartwarming and safe romance that these characters deserve. Not only is it a sweet romance story but it also includes mental health and body positivity representation, as well as a diverse cast of characters.

Trust me, the slow burn was frustrating at parts but Henry is the greenest green flag to exist and Halle was the sweetest among them, and their love had me squealing in the middle of my room at 3 AM!

Romance is one of the world’s leading genres and for good reason. It allows readers to escape and feel that immense joy that comes from love, something everyone needs in their lives. You better believe that this Valentine’s Day I’ll be cozied up in blankets with a romance book in my hands. 

Anneliz Romero

USF '27

Anneliz is a sophomore at the University of South Florida. She is studying English with a concentration in Literary Studies and a minor in Mass Communications. In her spare time, Anneliz enjoys reading, coloring and listening to music. She is an avid coffee drinker and enjoys the drink while curling up with a good book.