With February comes the red hearts, roses and hot dates. But finding a nice, respectful, and emotionally-intelligent hot date in the age of Tinder, “WYD” texts and “exclusive situationships” instead of an actual relationship is quite difficult. So, instead of falling victim to dating apps or the many “matchmaker” Google Forms circling around the Boston student social-sphere, take a trip to your local bookstore and swipe right on a cozy new-read!
SWIPE RIGHT:
“Book Lovers” by Emily Henry
Perfect for anyone whose guilty pleasure is the endless supply of god-awful Hallmark romance movies, “Book Lovers” takes every classic trope – the career-driven woman who neglects her family, the quaint small-town, the charming small-town boy, the cutthroat city people – and turns them on top of their heads to produce something far more compelling and realistic for contemporary-minded readers. By simultaneously playing into and subverting the archetypes we’ve come to know all too well, Henry writes a thoughtful tale of overcoming familial challenge and difficult love without sacrificing your own values.
“Normal People” by Sally Rooney
Perhaps one of the most vivid coming-of-age stories of the 21st century, “Normal People” tells the very Irish story of, well, two normal people. Marianne and Connell, struggle to find their place in the world whilst weaving in and out of each other’s lives. With Rooney’s choice to focus on their character rather than a grand external plot, the reader is granted a microscopic view of the two protagonists’ emotional states and the resultant dynamic. Perfect for college students (since most of the novel is set when the pair are attending Trinity College in Dublin) it thoroughly captures the heartbreaks and victories felt at this specific point in life.
“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas
For those seeking a lover of the fantasy-kingdom, “A Court of Thorns and Roses” will surely deliver. Inspired by the classic Beauty and the Beast fairytale, Maas weaves the love story between huntress Feyre and her captor-turned-faerie-lover Tamlin into a seductive and fiery adventure. This book is perfect for long, cozy nights spent under your covers to dive into this magical world.
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
Perfect for fans of both old romance and the “I-can-fix-him” love complex, Pride and Prejudice tells the classic enemies to lovers tale of the daring Elizabeth Bennett and the object of her hatred, Mr. Darcy. With its lines of unconscious yearning, electrifying wit and just feel-good feminine pride, “Pride and Prejudice” will make you wonder what’s wrong with the modern man. Although a classic may seem daunting to those who haven’t picked up a book since middle school, there’s nothing wrong with putting on the iconic 2005 movie adaptation with Kiera Knightley to help you understand the plot.
SWIPE LEFT:
“It Ends With Us” By Colleen Hoover
Despite being shoved into your face at any establishment that sells any type of literary merchandise – resist the advertising. Marketed as a “contemporary romance” love triangle between a young woman named Lily, her childhood friend Atlas and her surgeon love-interest Ryle, it’d be more accurate to describe “It Ends With Us” as romanticized abuse. As Lily and Ryle’s relationship deepens, Ryle’s abusive behavior begins to be exhibited When sold as simply a romance read, it then romanticizes a charismatic-yet-dangerous man, glorifies red flags and consequently conveys a distinct anti-feminist message to its readers. “It Ends With Us” is getting a hard pass this Valentine’s Day.
“Bones & All” by Camile DeAngelis
Although the movie adaptation with Taylor Russell and Timothee Chalamet had beautifully haunting cinematography and profound chemistry between the lead cannibal couple, it’s unfortunate to say that its positives were not derived from the original source material. Instead, this tragic love story between two teen cannibals is uncomfortably aimless instead of esoteric, and just straight-up gross when in its attempts to be subversive. Instead of gobbling this book up, save some time and just watch the movie.