Why not make a date with one of these delightful romantic reads this Valentine’s Day?
Billy & Me by Giovanna Fletcher: with vibes of a modern day fairytale, Giovanna Fletcher’s story of a celebrity and ordinary person falling in love with one having to deal with learning to deal with how to cope with dealing with dating someone well known is heartwarming and well grounded. It is a cosy and easy read that makes you fall in love with the characters as well as the story that is unfolding.
One Enchanted Evening by Anton Du Beke: for his debut novel (which has now become a book series), Anton Du Beke has created a lavish and glamorous world set in the Buckingham Hotel, in which romance lies at the very core as well as plenty of intrigue and secrets along the way. It certainly has the feel of a lovely drama (that I wouldn’t mind seeing adapted into a tv series to be honest) and well rounded characters that sweeps you away into a whole different world.
The All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness: beginning with A Discovery of Witches, this magical adventure is an ideal read with its blend of history, romance and science as Matthew and Diana’s forbidden love has the power to change life as creatures know it. It is a series that has been intelligently and passionately written and keeps the reader coming back for more.
One Day by David Nicholls: having been made into a film as well as the new Netflix limited series now available to watch, there is plenty of reasons why to read this authentic and heartbreaking love story of Emma and Dexter – a love story that takes place over twenty years it is difficult not to be moved by this story.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen: for those who prefer something more classic, how could you not want to read this story? With a wit that defined Jane Austen’s style, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s love story is beautifully told , allowing them to come together while they discover more about themselves along the way – it is hard not to fall in love with them as individuals as well as an eventual couple.
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding: ok, on the surface it is a modern re-telling of Pride & Prejudice, but on a deeper level it is the story of a character who many of us can relate to trying to have it all in a modern world. It shows us that it is our flaws as much as our assets that make people fall in love with us.
The Duke & I by Julia Quinn: who can resist a regency romance? Julia Quinn’s hugely successful Bridgerton novels are consistently heartwarming and funny that it is hard to resist the characters that she has created. The way in which she intertwines the characters from other stories so that the reader get a sense of consistency and still feel close to the characters is wonderfully done, while the romance is passionately written.
Out of the Blue by Belinda Jones: romance and travel go hand in hand together, with Belinda Jones being the perfect writer of expressing this (there were too many to choose from so I selected my absolute favourite). Set predominantly in Greece (in fact it was this book that partly made me want to go to Greece in the first place), there is misunderstandings, betrayal, friendship and of course romance blended in the perfect way!
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen: while the expression of ‘running away with the circus’ has a bit of a romantic connotation to it, Sara Gruen’s book is a slightly more gritty romantic drama that showcases the poverty and damage of the Wall Street Crash as seen through a circus troupe with some interesting characters at the centre. More than simply of the love between two humans, it highlights beautifully the bond that can be formed between animals and humans.
Book Lovers by Emily Henry: for those who love reading and a romantic story of enemies turned to lovers, this is certainly worth a read. It follows the story Nora (a literary agent) and Charlie (an editor who just happens to be Nora’s work nemesis…) who happen to end up in the same small town who just happen to have more in common than originally supposed…
By Emma Clarendon