Butterflies: A Little Romance for Valentine’s Day
Crush got you crazy? Characters in these books can definitely relate.
Lyla and Tripp alternate days in a coveted music practice room at school, and this sharing arrangements leads to a slightly cranky note, which leads to a conversation where the argumentative tone grows into banter, and then into real sharing. The two, who are pretty different, begin to open up and develop an emotional connection that turns into something real by the end of the book. It's a cute story, centered around music and connection and getting each other when others around them just don't, and a perfect light read for someone who enjoys the sweet side of romance more than the steamy.
Place a hold on Guitar Notes, or read the ebook.
Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
When Nick and Nora meet, it's because he's enlisting her to very briefly play his new love interest in front of an ex, so he can pretend he's moved on. Starting with a kiss before a hello may be unusual… but it does spark a conversation that lasts the whole night these two race around lower and midtown Manhattan losing and finding each other and their friends, searching for the hidden venue for an underground show, and learning that they really might be just perfect, even if they come from different worlds. This book is an enduring favourite, and they even didn't wreck it when they made the movie with Kat Dennings and Michael Cera. If you like an unlikely romance with quirky characters who happen to find something wonderful amid the weirdness of the world, this book is for you. (Now I totally want to reread it for Valentine's Day myself.)
Place a hold on Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, download the audiobook, read the ebook, or watch the movie based on it! Ce livre est aussi disponsible en français.
Start of Me and You, by Emery Lord
A year after Paige's boyfriend died, she is ready to start over and rejoin her life. She's hoping to get an old crush to fall for her, but finds herself more interested in developing herself, her friendships, and surprising herself, a new relationship with sweet, nerdy Max. Family and friends are key in this book, and Paige is learning to move on, so there is a lot of focus on making yourself whole, which in turns allows Paige to open up to Max. This is a sweet read with loveable characters and real growth. That, and I love me a nerdy cute boy. 😉
Place a hold on Start of Me and You, or read the ebook.
This Ordinary Life, by Jennifer Walkup.
Jasmine's life is so full, with her brother's medical needs and her mother's alcoholism, that she ends up missing the interview for the DJ internship she's been dreaming of since forever. Meeting Wes helps her regain some hope for her and her family – his epilepsy is well controlled, and she sees potential for her brother's and her own future to be more ordinary, something she desperately wants more of. Even better,Wes turns out to be a romantic, and shows her he's a solid guy, unlike her past bf. By the end of this book, life is looking pretty positive for Jasmine after all.
Place a hold on This Ordinary Life.
Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles
If teen movies have taught us one thing, it's that unlikely couples may be destined to be the hottest, and this book definitely agrees with that idea. Cheerleader Brittany is your typical hot blonde it girl – but her life isn't as perfect as it seems, with her mother breathing down her neck all the time and a ton of expectations to live up to. Alex is trying to figure out how to get out of the gang life he's been drawn into and shed the bad boy rep that doesn't match his inner good guy. The two fall into each other's orbits when paired in, you guessed it, chemistry lab, and start to learn more about each other as sparks start flying. This novel may not be treading new territory, but Elkeles knows her way around writing a romance that is heating up fast, so if you want to straight-ahead romance with a little sizzle, this is a good pick.
Place a hold on Perfect Chemistry, or read the ebook.
One thought on “Butterflies: A Little Romance for Valentine’s Day”
I would also highly recommend Rules for 50/50 Chances by Kate McGovern!
Rose’s mother has Huntington’s disease, and there’s a 50/50 chance that Rose will develop it, too. Once she turns 18 she can’take a genetic test to find out, but she figures she’s pretty much doomed. In the mean time, Rose lives by a set of rules that forbid her from making any long-term commitments… including having a boyfriend. That’s until Caleb comes along. Like Rose, he has family members who are living with chronic disease. Unlike Rose, Caleb believes in living life to the fullest. Despite herself, Rose starts to fall for Caleb. Maybe in him, Rose has finally found something worthy of commitment.
Heartwarming, heartbreaking, and authentic. An excellent debut novel from Kate McGovern.
Also available in eBook.
Recommended for fans of contemporary novels, realistic fiction, and the spoon theory.