February is short but mighty; filled with celebrations, heart-filled valentines and sweets. So, let’s go all in with the love fest. Here are some romantic book recommendations from the FSU Libraries Popular Literature Collection in Strozier.
MODERN LOVE (Call Number F RAI)
Alisha Rai’s Modern Love series combines good ol’ fashioned attraction with a modern twist featuring a diverse cast of characters in this delightful trio.
The Right Swipe kicks off the series. App developer Rhiannon Hunter focuses on the success of her dating app yet in a twist of irony neglects her own love life with a cynical view. Allowing herself only the occasional hookup, her app’s latest match leads to a steamy encounter with a surprisingly handsome yet sweet hunk who seemingly ghosts her. Yet there’s more to the story than meets the app.
Girl Gone Viral continues the series and features Rhiannon’s friend and roommate who’s a former model turned investor that ends up on the wrong end of a live-tweeted #meetcute moment that’s suddenly gone viral. But it shows you can’t always believe what you see online. Not only is Katrina King mortified at her hard-fought anonymity being shattered but the innocent convo with the stranger at the coffee shop isn’t the love connection the world thinks it is. Kat’s not into #CafeBae but the bodyguard who has been by her side for years.
First Comes Like puts a new spin on the age-old mistake identity trope. Beauty influencer Jia Ahmed is more focused on expanding her brand which will bring her the cadre she needs to prove herself to her family who doesn’t understand internet success. Still when a Bollywood star slides into her DMs, Jia gets caught in a web of love and catfishing. After an embarrassing accusatory meltdown, most guys would walk away but Dev Dixit can’t get Jia out of his mind. Besides, a showmance might be what the boost they both need for their careers. But what happens with a faux relationship when things get real?
Here are some other recommendations for romantic reads that all heart:
JUST JULIET (Call Number F REA)
Charlotte Reagan’s Just Juliet is coming-of-age story about a teen whose comfortable life is about to get shaken up when a new girl moves in next door. Lena has a sweet life. Her boyfriend plays football and her best friend is a cheerleader which means high school life has been pretty plum. Juliet’s arrival brings new feelings, friends and adventures that makes Lena reevaluate her life and her future.
I <3 THE EARL (Call Number F LIN)
If you don’t have time, I Love the Earl is a perfect pick for a quick read. It’s still pretty swoonworthy despite being a novella prequel for Caroline Linden’s The Truth About the Duke series. The sister of the aforementioned duke is a plain yet witty woman, preparing to embrace spinsterhood as she grows closer to 30. Then her brother, who recently inherited the Dukedom of Durham, makes her the eligible heiress in the Ton by settling a massive dowry on her. Still, Margaret has no desire to give her heart or hand to a fortune hunter; yet penniless Rhys, Earl of Dowling finds he wants more than her fortune. He wants her love.
You can pick up these recommended romance reads in The Pop Lit Collection, which is next to the Strozier Starbucks Café on the main floor. Go to the fiction section and look for the call number (a code which helps find the book location) on the spine of the book. You can also get each book through in-library or curbside request.
Written by Shaundra Lee.
Have romance suggestions? Email lib-poplit@fsu.edu