A Dozen Romantic Reads

It’s no secret that I totally love a good romance (generally of the Young Adult variety, but I don’t discriminate).

In fact, I was at a busy playground yesterday and thought, “This is the first time in a long time I’ve been reading an actual adult book in public” (it was Nothing to Envy for our couples book club). Generally, the book I’m hauling around is either Young Adult or a book about food.

Of course, then as we were leaving, an older gentleman there with his grandchildren said, “Your girls are so darling. And when you walked in, I thought you were 12 years old!”

So, I guess no one even looks twice if the book I’m reading is labeled for young adults (and, frankly, I don’t care either way. I’m not ashamed of my young adult reading).

All of this is to say that I read love stories all year long, but if there is ever a time to do it, it’s February. Who needs flowers or chocolates when there’s a good romance to be read? (Well, actually, there’s nothing I like better than reading a good romance WITH some chocolate, but . . . I can hack it alone if I have to).

(P.S. The links on most of these titles go to the full (gushing) reviews of them I’ve written over the years, should you need further convincing that they are worth reading).

1. I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella – I have got to reread this book because I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so much during a book. That Sophie Kinsella, she usually hits all my funny bones (except for Wedding Night which was so ridiculously bad I wanted to cry instead of laugh). 
2. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty – I’ve read this once twice and I loved it possibly even more the second time. (Sadly, none of her other books have ever quite done it for me). 
3. Graceling by Kristin Cashore – I didn’t think I could really fall in love with a guy named Po. I was so wrong. 
4. My Double Life by Janette Rallison – I went on a Rallison binge when Ella was nursing about a hundred hours a day, and they are all just the perfect fun YA books. 
5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare – Bart and I just watched the movie this week and it was surprisingly good, but just nowhere near as good as the book which had me laughing aloud while I drove back and forth to school in 2009. 
6. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin – I don’t recommend her books often because they are at the edge of what I’m comfortable suggesting to other people, but. . . .I totally love this one. (I haven’t seen the movie. Was it terrible? It kind of looked terrible). 
7. Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick – I love all of his books, but this one hasn’t been as widely popular as some of his others. I love a romance from a teen boy’s perspective. You know, just to change things up a bit. 
8. Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock – I read the whole trilogy a couple of years ago and then re-listened to it all in December. I love D.J. for being an out-of-the-ordinary main character (she works on her family’s cow farm and also ends up going out for her football team. Which might get in the way of her possible romance with the quarterback of the rival football team). 
9. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen – Long-time readers know I love that Sarah Dessen. The year I discovered her, I read all her books. This one, I’ve read twice. 
10. If I Stay by Gayle Forman – This is my most often recommended YA book. It’s just. . . . so good. Prepare to do some sobbing, if you have any sort of heart at all. 
11. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta – I read books by Melina Marchetta and think, “90% of the other people writing YA should just give up immediately.” (She also wrote the insanely good Jellicoe Road). 
12. These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner – Gotta finish off with this ridiculously fantastic book. I hate westerns and I hate diary-style books. But I still loved this book more than I ought to admit.