Love is in the air—and in the pages of some great reads! If your significant other is a bookworm, a book can be a thoughtful gift to give (and a nice gift to give yourself if you’re flying solo!). You can choose a romance book from your special person’s TBR list, but if you need some inspiration, the research experts at Writer’s Relief have put together a list of the best books to give as Valentine’s Day gifts. How many will make it on to your own reading list <3?
Great Books To Give As Valentine’s Day Gifts
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Plus-size fashion influencer Bea Schumacher is surprised to be cast on her favorite reality show, Main Squeeze. She agrees to be on this dating show under the condition that she doesn’t actually fall in love. But matters get complicated once the lights and cameras are on and the men are vying for her attention. One to Watch was named a best book of the year by Time and NPR.
Love Times Infinity by Lane Clarke
Michie is a high school junior writing scholarship essays for college. Her future hangs in the balance as she struggles to define herself. All of this changes when she falls for basketball player Derek de la Rosa, and her estranged mother reaches out to her. Love, family, and purpose collide just as Michie must decide whether to open old wounds or move forward into the future.
Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp
Penelope Prado wants to open her own pastelería next to her parents’ restaurant, Nacho’s Taco. She bonds with Xander Amaro, who has started working at Nacho’s. The two navigate what it means to be immigrants in America, young and in love, and part of the local Chicanx community.
Letters of Note: Love compiled by Shaun Usher
Historic love letters from Beethoven and Napoleon Bonaparte, along with letters to the ACLU asking for help fighting Jim Crow laws against interracial marriage, and many more are offered in this collection that features love’s many forms, from first blush to unrequited feelings to the ache of loves long past.
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Brought together by a shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, retired Major Pettigrew and Mrs. Ali, a Pakistani village shopkeeper, soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But when both the residents of their quaint English village and Mrs. Ali’s tradition-minded family members take exception to the burgeoning romance, their future together is suddenly in doubt.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
Twenty-three-year-old August moves to NYC to dispel the notions of magic and whimsy that surround the city. She moves in with a group of oddball roommates and waits tables at a pancake diner. But on her mundane commute, she is struck by the beauty of a girl named Jane. Perhaps the magic of NYC has found August after all…
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Two authors, Eva Mercy and Shane Hall, meet at a literary event. The attraction is immediate and apparent to everyone in attendance. What the other writers don’t know is that these two shared a week of passion when they were teenagers, and fifteen years later it is obvious the chemistry is still there. But Shane broke Eva’s heart all those years ago, and she needs some questions answered. Seven Days in June is a Reese Witherspoon book club pick!
Camp by L.C. Rosen
Camp Outland is a summer camp for queer teens, and sixteen-year-old Randy Kapplehoff is head-over-heels for Hudson Aaronson-Lim. Randy is determined to make Hudson fall for him but has to sacrifice his love for musicals and nail polish to impress masculine Hudson. But is love worth giving up your true identity?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
We can’t leave out one of the all-time romantic classics! The mannerly, eighteenth-century verbal sparring of the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet soon leads to romantic sparks flying. But can they both overcome preconceived notions and the expectations of society to express their true feelings for one another?
At Writer’s Relief, when we’re not reading books we love, we’re helping writers boost their publishing odds and to connect with literary agents and editors. Whether you want to take the traditional publishing route or are thinking about self-publishing, we can help. Give us a call, and we will point you in the right direction!
Question: What is your favorite literary love story?