In need of some romance to get you ready for Valentine’s Day?
Or maybe you're not too bothered about this particular holiday and just want something new to read.
Whatever the occasion, here are six books I’m recommending to you if you need a little love in your life – including a sneaky anticipated release. This is a mixed bag of romance choices so hopefully you find something that takes your fancy this February.
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne If you are in the mood for some type of enemies to lover’s situation (and you also appreciate some office banter) then The Hating Game will hit that sweet spot. It follows two main characters, Lucy and Joshua who both work at a publishing company and are trapped working together in a shared office. The tension between these two characters is as tantalising as it is charming. They clash. They get competitive. They begin to play games – and I don't mean board or video. If you loved Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks in You’ve Got Mail then you should love this hilariously brilliant romance.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
I told you this list was a mixed bag. The Song of Achilles is a glorious and heart-breaking retelling of the Trojan War. We follow the protagonist, Patroclus, an awkward young prince who has been exiled to the court of King Peleus, where he meets Achilles. The book follows the bond Patroclus and Achilles form at a young age through to adulthood and the inevitable battle. To sum it up, the relationship between the two characters made me fall in love before ripping out my heart and tearing it to shreds. If you don't know much about Greek mythology, don't let that scare you off! Madeline Miller's writing is so accessible and wonderfully done I believe anyone can enjoy. The epic Greek mythological battle combined with the beautifully moving romance hurled this book straight into my favourites list.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
We’re moving to Hollywood to meet Evelyn Hugo, a movie icon who is finally ready to tell the world about her glamorous yet scandalous life. Evelyn shares her life with us from her travels to Los Angeles in the 1950s to leaving it all behind in the 1980s. Of course, we can’t forget about the seven husbands along the way. Monique Grant, an unknown magazine reporter has been selected for the job of writing Evelyn’s biography but all she can wonder is ‘why me?’
As Evelyn tells and Monique writes, all truths are revealed. From forbidden love to unexpected friendships, the two women get closer and uncover more than they may have planned to.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
A romance like you’ve never read before. For 30-year-old, Stella Lane, maths is her one true love. Her logical, algorithmic brain has left little time for dating. Having Asperger’s and her image of French kissing being more akin to ‘a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish,’ doesn’t really help. Which is exactly why she hires an escort, Michael Phan, to strategically help her figure out what she likes when it comes to kissing, foreplay and much, much more. This romance is refreshing and unlike anything I’ve read before.
My Policeman by Bethan Roberts
Brace yourselves everyone for we have… a Harry Styles recommendation. I had to include it in the same way I had to read it once I found out. My Policeman is a book Harry was spotted carrying around earlier in 2020, unsurprisingly as he is also set to star in the film adaptation.
But now onto the actual plot if that didn’t already tempt you. The book is set in Brighton during the 1950s. Our main character Tom meets Marion, who instantly is infatuated with him and the two get married. However, Tom keeps his real truth, his affections for Patrick, hidden. In a time when homosexuality was severely criminalised and with Marion and Patrick both in love with the same man, this story portrays a tragic tale of misplaced hope and erratic love.
Anticipated Release: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
Grace Porter takes a much-deserved girls’ trip to Vegas after completing her PhD in astronomy. She is definitely not the type of person who would get so drunk she would marry a stranger in Vegas. Until she does just that.
Grace is a classic Type A, high achieving workaholic. She is under constant pressure from her parents to succeed in life, which leads her to escape to New York with her unexpected new wife, Yuki Yamamoto. What was meant to be a summer break for Grace turns into a reality-check to face what she’s really been running from – fears, family scars and the general chaos that comes with adulthood.
Honey Girl is due to be released on February 23, 2021.
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