Along with being a film buff, I happen to be an avid reader. For Valentine’s Day, I also wanted to share some of my favorite romance books to read.
Here are some suggestions if you’re in the mood for a beautiful tale with no happy ending.
1. “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller
The book retells the Trojan War from the point of view of Patroclus and follows the romance between him and Achilles.
The book is ultimately heartbreaking, and you truly feel for the pair. Sacrifice is an important part of the plot, so I’d definitely recommend bringing tissues for this read.
2. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book follows Evelyn Hugo after she leaves her little town to pursue her career in Hollywood by marrying the first of her many husbands. The events surrounding each of Hugo’s marriages are the book’s central theme, covering her life.
I cannot vouch for this book more than I already do. Evelyn and her longtime lover, Celia St. James, are the cutest couple when together, but ultimately end in a tragic way.
3. “They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera
This book follows Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio. The pair learn they have less than 24 hours to live through a shadowy group called Death-Cast. The two barely knew each other before all of this, but end up going on an adventure together.
True to the name, they do both indeed die at the end. With that warning, it still takes you through an emotional journey.
If you want some recommendations with happy endings, here are some.
1. “Red, White & Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston
The book follows the first son of the United States, Alex Claremont-Diaz, and his private relationship with Prince Henry.
While I covered this in my film recommendation list, I also have to call out the book for being what I fell in love with first. This romance is one for the ages and has a sweet ending despite the hardships endured first.
2. “Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe”by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
After Dante and Aristotle first meet in a local swimming pool where Dante teaches Ari how to swim, the two teenagers explore different aspects of their identities while dealing with societal conformity, cultural standards and family secrets.
This film explores love and the difficulties of exploiting it with POC families and different ethnicities, as both characters are Mexican American.
3. “She Gets the Girl” by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott
This book is one of my favorites. It follows Alex as she tries to help Molly get the girl of her dreams for her own gain of getting her ex-girlfriend back. When the two fall for each other instead, a new set of problems emerges.
I recommend this book to anyone wanting a quick but lovely read. It is a slow burn with “will they/won’t they” events in each chapter and with a great ending.
I recommend each of these books and especially encourage anyone to read them for Valentine’s Day. I’m a sucker for both happy endings and sad endings and wanted to give anyone a variation to choose from. Hopefully, at least one of these called out to you.
