Some people love Valentine’s Day, some people hate it, and some could not care less. Then there are the hopeless romantics who just love love. From one hopeless romantic to another, here are some beautifully sweet romance novels that I think everyone should read at some point!
1. Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren
Everyone has a first love, and with that comes the inability to ever forget them. This holds true in this novel. Love and Other Words is a beautiful romance that jumps between two timelines: one when Elliot and Macy are teenagers and another when they are adults. This book is painful at some points but so incredible at other parts. This is one of those books where you are rooting for the main characters. It’s so easy to connect with them, and for some, maybe even see yourself in them.
2. Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
I read this book near the end of last year and loved the rom-com vibes that it gave off. This is a young adult novel, but it honestly is written very elegantly and that makes it feel like much more. Liz is a romantic, and she absolutely loves rom-coms. She has a crush on Michael, but the only way for her to get him as her prom date is to become friends with her annoying, yet attractive, neighbour Wes. Can you see where this is going?? It may be predictable (like most romance novels are) but it’s adorable and a nice quick read for when you are looking for something happy and uplifting.
3. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I just finished this book (it was heartbreaking), but I’m happy with how it resolved. This is a book about a girl named Emma who is approaching her one-year wedding anniversary with the love of her life, Jesse. On the day of their anniversary, Jesse’s helicopter crashes, and he is presumed dead. A few years later, Emma reconnects with her old friend Sam and finds herself falling in love again. Just when everything is going right, Jesse is found… alive. Honestly, how do you choose? I thought I knew what I would do, however, I found myself jumping back and forth between Jesse and Sam. This book does more than just portray two beautiful love stories, it explores all aspects of love: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I wanted to share my favourite quote from the book, one that I think everyone needs to hear: “I don’t think that true love means your only love. I think true love means loving truly. Loving purely. Loving wholly. Maybe, if you’re the right kind of person who’s willing to give all of yourself, the kind of person who is willing to love with all of your heart even though you’ve experienced just how much it can hurt… maybe you get lots of true loves then. Maybe that’s the gift you get for being brave”.
4. Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Ali Hazelwood does it yet again. She just knows how to write an enticing romance. This one is a young adult romance, but I was just as immersed in it as I was for all her adult romances. Now this book does involve chess, which for me was an added bonus, but I understand that it is not everyone’s strong suit. I would still say to give it a chance. Mallory has vowed not to play chess again, but she is asked to play in one more charity tournament. It is there where she beats the world champion Noah Sawyer. Mallory did not plan on returning to chess, but there are some cash prizes that are too good for her to pass up. As Mallory climbs the ranks, she starts to see a bright future when competing against the smart, attractive, very frustrating world champion.
5. Any of the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn
Normally I read books before I watch any show or movie, but I made it through the first two seasons of Bridgerton before reading the first book. Now I have read the first four out of eight, and I would highly recommend them. The first book, which focuses on Daphne and Simon, is good but not my favourite. Now the following three are incredible (in my opinion). I liked the second season of Bridgerton better as well, as I felt that Anthony and Kate were a better couple. Books three and four focus on Benedict and Colin respectively, and I found them both to be remarkable. I’m a sucker for 1700-1800s England. I am fascinated by the lifestyle, the balls, the rich clothing, the jewellery, and the beautiful homes. This series has been a very well-crafted historical romance, and I highly recommend it.
This is just a small list of some romance books that I’ve enjoyed lately and would recommend to anyone looking for something cute and immersive. If none of these are of interest to you, some other romance authors that I would recommend for a light read include Emily Henry, Tillie Cole, and Megan Clawson.