My Favorite Love Stories
I love love stories. From romantic relationships to friendships to family stories, I am constantly fascinated by human connection. There’s a reason why in most films, plays, and books there’s chemistry between characters featured. Some love stories are featured more prominently, but we spend most of our lives looking for connection. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I rounded up some of my favorite love stories!
My favorite kind of love stories are the ones that sweep me away, that I connect to, and that show how someone can love someone through their flaws. I’m really hard on myself so I really value seeing characters go on a journey of self forgiveness and growth. I think one of the best things you can find in a book is a person connecting with another, seeing them for all their mistakes, and loving them anyway. It’s comforting and real.
The Simple Wild by KA Tucker
If you’re a regular reader of the blog, I mention this book quite a lot but that’s because it has everything I look for in a Romance: grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, banter, a sweeping and transformative setting, and character growth. Set in Alaska, it follows Calla as she reconnects with her estranged father who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. Along the way, she clashes with Jonah, a burly pilot.
Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
This is a new addition to my favorite love stories but it will break your heart and put it all back together again. It’s heartbreaking but deals with grief in such a real, messy way. It follows a divorced couple who are parents of two but are dealing with the loss of their stillborn child. It’s about forgiveness, time, and support.
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
Another achingly romantic story that will make you feel everything and at the same time, still laugh and swoon. It’s an age gap romance (she’s 10 years older) and highlights finding love after an emotionally abusive relationship. It’s been compared to Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls as there are class differences between the two main characters.
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
This book made me cry and swoon and feel like I was sitting on a dock in the sun beside a lake. It’s a second chance romance told in alternation timelines between the past and the future. It’s messy and real and the feeling is so visceral, I haven’t forgotten my experience reading it.
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
The second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series will forever be one of my favorite books of all time. It’s action packed and sexy, but also so full of heart swelling love. I think it’s one of the books that also made me want to read more romance because it provided such a “high”.
A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
The fifth book in the same series as above completely wrecked me. I’ve never been able to relate to a character like I have for Nesta. Her stubbornness, self hatred, snappiness…I felt very seen, especially because Cassian loves her through it all.
You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria
If you’re looking for a story that is funny, blisteringly hot, and sweet, this is the book for you. It’s about two actors on a Netflix style show who struggle to resist their chemistry off camera…
To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
I think I love this book more thanks to the movie, but I love Peter K and Lara Jean’s relationship so much. I think this is the story that made me fall in love with the Fake Dating trope as well. It’s YA but the books read very young, so just be aware of that before going in.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Prince Charmont was my first book boyfriend and he’ll forever be on the list! I love how mature this book is, though it was meant for children. I reread it in 2020 and was so happy that it held up because it’s the book that made me a reader.
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
This is another book that was a gateway to Romance for me but I didn’t know it at the time. It’s a fictional version of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s love story. But honestly, my favorite part of the book is the friend group. That is the kind of love I can’t get enough of.
