7 Romantic Books to Read on Valentine’s Day
Let’s be honest: relationships can and will disappoint you from time to time… but books will always be there when you need them. They can’t stand you up, they can’t ghost you, and they’ll always be there to cuddle after a long day. Seriously, some of the best dates we’ve ever been on have been going out to lunch with an engrossing, romantic story.
That's why, in honor of Valentine’s Day, we're doing a different kind of swiping — through the pages of a romantic novel. Whether it’s Emily M. Danforth’s The Miseducation of Cameron Post or Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park, do yourself a favor and fall head over heels for these seven love stories.
1/8Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
16-year-olds Eleanor and Park meet on the school bus on the first day of school. They start to connect through a shared love of comic books and music from the '80s and, despite all the other drama and noise swirling around them, begin to fall in love. It's a sweet story from Rainbow Rowell, whose novels are not to be missed.
2/8Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Narrated by the voices of gay men who died during the height of the AIDS epidemic, this is the story of two 17-year-old boys, Harry and Crain, who set out to break the world record for the longest kiss. While locking lips for 32 hours, they become the spark that ignites a plethora of emotions in the people surrounding them.
3/8The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
Set in Montana in the '90s, the novel tells the story of Cameron Post, an orphan who is sent out to religious conversion camp after she falls in love with her best friend. It’s there that she discovers herself and what it means to stand up for your true identity.
4/8The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Jonson
In the lush, future Brazilian city of Palmares Tres, artist June Costa is looking to make her mark. That’s when she meets Enki, the new Summer King. Together they fall deeply in love and embark on projects the likes of which Palmares Tres has never imagined. But, since he’s destined to die like all the Summer Kings before him, they pair know they are ultimately doomed.
5/8If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
Amanda Hardy is new in school and concerned with two things: Keeping her head down, and her secrets to herself. Unfortunately for her, that’s when she meets Grant, a guy she can’t help but let into her life. She wants to let him know her completely but she’s terrified that if she does, he’ll never see her the same way again. The truth? She’s trans and terrified of what will happen should she be outed.
6/8Ronit & Jamil by Pamela L. Laskin
The Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet is recast and retold as a beautiful struggle between two teens set agains the modern day Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Can the pair overcome decades of conflict and find a happier ending than their original counterparts?
7/8Young Wives Club by Julie Pennell
Four friends are at crossroads in their lives. Laura is trapped in a small town she never bargained for, Madison is torn between two men, Claire is desperate not to relive her mother’s own horrible romantic history, and Gabrielle is keeping a secret that could tear her picture perfect life apart. The four come together as a support network for life’s complicated heartbreaks.
