Recent Romance Reads Just in Time for Valentine's Day
A roundup of some recent releases from the genre
Love is all around us — and so are some great new titles in the romance genre. Check out our roundup of recent additions sure to put you in the loving spirit this Valentine's Day.
Is She Really Going Out with Him?
By Sophie Cousens
Columnist Anna Appleby has given up on love: after a painful divorce, she feels that her two children, cat, and writing position are enough for her. Besides, she'd much rather be single than go through the agony of online dating. But when a rival at the office begins vying for her column, she finds herself pitching a unique storyline to secure her spot: seven dates, all found offline, all picked by her kids. From the mailman to waiters and even her celebrity crush, Anna finds herself awash with awkward encounters and unexpected connections, with one in particular making her reconsider her stance on another chance at love.
Wedding Dashers
By Heather McBreen
When Ada finds herself stuck in London trying to get to her little sister's wedding, she thinks things can't get much worse. The once close sisters have been in a year-long fight, the wedding is in Ireland, and Ada can barely afford the airfare — and now the airline just canceled her connection. At the bar, she finds herself spilling all the details to a handsome, also stranded stranger: the quick engagement, the over-the-top celebration, and the best man she's dreading meeting due to his reputation as a womanizer. The situation gets clumsier, though — this stranger turns out to be the best man, Jack. Now the two must band together and try to make it to Belfast before the ceremony — will the immediate attraction between the two turn into real feelings, or will the mishaps along the way spell disaster for any relationship they may have had?
P.S.: I Hate You
By Lauren Connolly
When Maddie's brother Josh dies of cancer at 29, he leaves in his will one request of her: scatter his ashes over eight destinations that he never had the chance to visit. There's one catch, though — Dominic, his lifelong best friend and the man who broke her heart years ago, must accompany her. Begrudgingly, she embarks on a farewell trip with Dom spanning thousands of miles and shared history, exploring new places and revisiting their complicated past. When a snowstorm leads to forced proximity, she wonders if her brother is somehow playing matchmaker from the grave. But the grief they feel over Josh's death also opens old wounds between the two, forcing Maddie to confront what has happened and how she could ever trust Dom again.
First-Time Caller
By B.K. Borison
As the host of Baltimore's romance hotline Heartstrings, it would only make sense that Aiden Valentine was head over heels in love. But in reality, he's keeping a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. After a young girl calls in asking for dating advice for her mom, Lucie, the interview goes viral and puts them all in the limelight. With all of Baltimore scrutinizing her love life (or lack thereof) and wanting her to find a happy ending, Lucie decides some romance in her life wouldn't be the worst thing. With Aiden calling the shots, Lucie finds herself in the studio trying to find Mr. Right, with all of Baltimore hanging on by a thread. But when sparks begin to fly behind the scenes, Lucie has to decide between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man behind the microphone.
By Ava Robinson
As a recovering alcoholic, Emma has spent the last year sober — focusing on her office job, group meetings, and avoiding bad decisions. She's also taken that year off from dating and decides it's time she puts herself back out there — except life starts coming at her fast: her mother's choice to move in with a new boyfriend, her responsibility to plan the office holiday party, and the reappearance of her estranged father all take a toll on Emma, who is just trying to navigate life. Then comes Ben, the charming IT guy, who seems to understand Emma more than most. Through opening up to Ben and confronting difficult past relationships, Emma navigates her sobriety and finds that taking things one day at a time may be the best option for her chaotic, perfectly imperfect life.
