I had always wanted to join a book club, and one of my favorite bloggers Ashley Brooke, started an online book club a year ago! I started reading along in September, and am so glad I did! They are all fun romantic books that I look forward to getting lost in after a long day, or on a long cozy weekend. You can read along here and be part of the discussion if that sounds like something you would like too! A few of these books I found through this book club! There are so many options out there in the genre, so I love some awesome ones being chosen for me.
I always like to have at least one book with me for a trip, whether it is a long car ride or a plane ride, and for at night in the hotel or Airbnb. A lot of these are last minute Target finds that turned out to be amazing. And a few are classics that have been reread a thousand times and you can tell by looking at the spines. For almost every book I have fallen in love with, I have a memory of reading it, or the trip I took it on ect. It is a fun little behind the scenes history of what was going on in life at the time and why it resonated with you.
So, I'll briefly talk about each one, and why I love it!
1. Would Like to Meet: Thank you to the Ashley Brooke book club for this one. I absolutely loved it. It is cute and funny, a little bit predictable but I loved all of the characters and how the story came together. The Premise is "Can you fall in love like they do in the movies?" The main character attempts to act out "Meet Cute" scenes from famous rom coms. It has your classic "main character at a cross-roads" theme in her career and love life, and she is very likeable! A really fun light read. Just finished it.
2. The Coincidence of Coconut Cake: Target find! Read this years ago and fell in love with it. The premise is two characters who randomly meet, one a chef, one a food critic writer, but they begin hanging out under the stipulation that they will not discuss work so they do not know who the other is, although their paths have crossed before. The writing is from two perspectives which I love, and the main chef character Lou, is at a crossroads after having to close her restaurant named for her grandmother. However, of course the two characters eventually realize who the other is and how they are connected. A super fun read, and lots of discussion and description of food which I love.
3. One Day: Pretty famous with a well known film. The film is very good but I absolutely fell in love with the book. It is that rare combination of deep and moving, thought provoking but also funny at times. I wouldn't say it is light, but there are light moments. The two main characters went to college together, but don't really hang out until the night they graduate, and everything starts there. That day becomes meaningful to them over the years, whether they are together or apart.
4. Love in the Time of Cholera. So this book is a huge classic, but I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I found out about it from a Rom Com. In the movie Serendipity (one of my mom and mine's favorite rom coms) the main character loves this book. She has a chance meeting with the other main character one night in New York City. She is a big believer in fate/destiny, so when he suggests that they stay in touch she decides they need to find a way to make it happen by chance to see if it is meant to be. One of the things she does is stop at a used book stand on the street, and write her number in this book. They of course don't keep in touch until years later the other main character is about to get married, but still thinking of her. He tries to find her with no luck, until his fiance gives him this book as a wedding present....and if you haven't seen this movie go watch it haha. ANYWAY. I knew I wanted to read it, and I have a very vivid memory of bringing it to a trip to the Adirondacks. I have reread it many times since and should probably read it again, because I have a feeling it will mean even more to me now, as a married almost 30 something than it did it did to me in high school. It is of course about two young people who fall passionately in love. And that's all I'll say except it has this almost magical quality to it that I can't explain. You need it experience it.
5. We Met in December: A fun light read. I'm including it because the bulk of it does not take place at Christmastime. Another one of my favorites from the Ashley Brooke Book Club. The book spans a year in the life of two housemates, from their two perspectives. The main characters have taken a chance and new directions in their careers. Although she realizes right away that she has a crush on one of their new housemates, she finds out that he is seeing one of the other roommates, so she backs off and disastrously attempts to date other people. A very fun read.
6. American Royals: Quickly becoming a cult classic, my first read from the Ashley Brooke Book Club that hooked me. Very easy to read, ended on a cliff hanger, sequel coming soon! The premise is a re imagination of American history if George Washington had been crowned a monarch instead of elected a President, and America still has a monarchy. There are currently three royal children, the eldest daughter training to be the first Queen, and two younger twins, a rebellious boy and girl. The younger brother would have been king, except for a recent law that allows a woman to hold the throne. Two other women are hoping he falls in love with them, one who comes from an aristocratic background and has been training her whole life to be a member of the royal family, and one who has not. If you love reading about the Royal Family, this is for you.
7. The Sun is Also a Star: a YA novel that recently became a film that I haven't seen yet. Another book that brings in the question of the idea of fate or destiny and meeting someone. Told from multiple perspectives, some of them "fringe" characters, which was unique, we have two very different main characters. One who only believes in science and concrete evidence in the world, and one who has spent his life trying to be perfect for others despite his artistic ideals. He needs to convince the other that destiny is real. Very easy to read, but so thought provoking I couldn't put it down.
8. The Time Traveler's Wife: This is may be my favorite novel of all time. I reread it over and over again. The film is pretty good, but the books is just incredible. Told from two perspectives, one a librarian who involuntarily time travels, and an artist who does not. it is a beautiful love story that makes you feel that they are there.
9. Crazy Rich Asians: So fun I had to include it, and a rare example of where I LOVED the movie version. The main character is from New York City, and agrees to go to a family wedding with her boyfriend in Singapore. However, she has no idea that he is the most eligible bachelor in Singapore, that his family is incredibly rich, his family full of drama, and other women who would do anything to take her down and take her place. I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Super fun. I have to read the sequels.
10, Five Feet Apart: I read this last year, since there was a lot of buzz about the movie, which I liked a lot! It is a YA read, but thought provoking. The premise of the novel being, can you fall in love with someone that you can't be closer to than five feet? The main character tries to control what little in her life she can control, since she has Cystic Fibrosis, but then has to decide between that control and safety, and love. Not exactly light, but a good story with likable characters.
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of these romantic stories for Valentine's week. What are some of your favorite love stories? I hope everyone has a great week!
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