Heartwarming Reads for Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day, don’t just say it with flowers. Say it with books (but don’t forget the chocolate, which pairs very well with books). We’ve put together a list of romantic reads that Cupid will undoubtedly approve of.
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez has had enough of dating. A longtime Jane Austen fan, she is frustrated with not being able to find her own Mr. Darcy. So she settles down to life with her new puppy Bingley. Her coworker George Lenaghan (a nice guy who is nothing like Mr. Darcy and others of his ilk) turns out to be a good source of pet advice. But Charlotte unexpectedly finds herself falling for George. And since George is planning a cross-country move, she’ll have to make a decision soon about what she wants out of life.
In Freya Grove, where magic is a part of everyday life, you can get exactly what you wish for. Lucy Caraway—a high school teacher and a spell caster—wishes she could have more out of life, and inadvertently renders herself unable to say no to anything. Including helping her old crush Alexander Dwyer remove a jinx on his house. So Lucy has to follow through on the unjinxing while she tries to break the spell she’s cast on herself. But Alexander plans to leave town once his house is unjinxed; perhaps Lucy can find a spell to encourage him to stay in Freya Grove?
Meet Caroline Hardcastle, also known as Caro. She is the co-author of a sensational crime column: definitely not a pursuit for a “respectable” lady in Victorian England. When one of her friends is abducted, Caro sets out in search of the truth. Unfortunately, her crime-solving partner on this case ends up being Lord Valentine Thorn, the new Viscount Wrackham: her former suitor and now thorn in her side, so to speak. But will the hunt for a kidnapper also lead to Caro and Val patching things up?
Paris Daillencourt has many interests and passions, including a superb talent for baking, but his self-doubt and his many insecurities override them all. He’s very surprised to learn that one of his friends has entered him as a contestant into a high-profile baking show. And he’s even more surprised when he makes the acquaintance of one of the rival competitors: the kindly and handsome Tariq Hassan. But self-doubt still hangs overhead, especially when the baking show’s fan base rears its vicious head. Can Paris still overcome the sour to find the sweet?
A.J. Fikry’s life is not a happy one. He lives alone following the death of his wife, his bookstore is struggling rather badly, and his cherished volume of Edgar Allan Poe’s poetry has been stolen. He begins to withdraw from his neighbors and other acquaintances. But the arrival of a mysterious package, small but heavy, sets off a series of events resulting in Fikry getting a new lease on life and in love.
Following the death of her beloved grandfather, Emma Burcelli finds herself tasked with decorating the family bookstore for Valentine’s Day: a tradition that Poppi always kept. Emma, whose dating life has been anything but stellar, initially grudges this task, but soon starts to enjoy it—especially when the handsome Lane Forester comes in to help out. Emma enjoys his company, and finds herself thinking she may have a hope for romance after all, but there is one little problem: the Burcelli family expects that Emma’s sister will marry Lane. Will Emma be able to find her happily ever after, or will her newfound romance be over before it begins?
Rose Josten feels like she should be happy with life, with her pug dogs and her thriving professional career, and her side gig of making mindfulness videos. But she feels like something is missing from her life. Ash Stewart’s personal life and filmmaking career both took a severe blow when her ex betrayed her, and she’s trying to find a business-minded financial backer for her last-chance film. When their paths cross, Rose and Ash realize that there is something special between them, but will their respective past lives get in the way of happiness?
Erin Roll is a freelance writer, editor, and proofreader. Her favorite genres to read are mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, and her TBR pile is likely to be visible on Google Maps. Before becoming an editor, Erin worked as a journalist and photographer, and she has won far too many awards from the New Jersey Press Association. Erin lives at the top floor of a haunted house in Montclair, NJ. She enjoys reading (of course), writing, hiking, kayaking, music, and video games.