This isn’t a typical genre for me, but these love stories pulled me in nonetheless:

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
This has quickly become one of my all time favorite books ever ever ever ever ever. It’s written so beautifully, so poetically and lyrically, which was a lovely after I had just finished some poetry books and was coming back to novels. As a reader, you really get a unique perspective into the characters’ thought paths and experiences. The rhythm of these words was so incredibly special and unusual in the best way. The ups and downs of this story, however big or small, tugged at my heart strings in a way I was not expecting. It also gave me a unique perspective on the anxieties that black people face in this America. The heartbreak that the main character feels after an unjust tragedy strikes yet again is prominent and impactful, and the story is important, significant, and realistic. I’m seriously still obsessed with the way this was written – I’ve never read anything like it and I already can’t wait to read it again. Update: I read it again, and it was still just as wonderful as the first time.

Evidence Of The Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid
So this is technically a short story, and it’s not that weird I’ll admit, but I’m pretty sure it’s free on Kindle and is perfect to get someone back into reading. It’s written entirely as letters back and forth between two people, so it’s very quick and easy to follow. I will say that I found the plot to be a tad predictable, but I also didn’t mind in a way. I was happy to see things go the way I was expecting them to, and I had fun along the way.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
I really loved the concept of this book: you see a glimpse of five years into the future and it’s nothing like you imagined. The way things unfolded got a little predictable, and I feel that the cancer plotline was lowkey lazy writing. Even a different disease would have felt less overdone/cliché, but I guess ultimately it didn’t ruin the book overall for me. Overall, not bad.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
As much as this was a love story, it was a VERY sad one. TJR sets up the moral dilemma of a woman’s husband going missing and pronounced dead, and three and a half years later she is engaged to someone else when her husband returns, very much alive. This very much pulled at my heart-strings and put me in a bit of a sad-girl mood, but it was still a nice easy read that I enjoyed.

The Second Chance Cinema by Thea Weiss
I wanted to like this book so bad because the concept was really interesting – you and your romantic partner stumble across a movie theater that only play for the two of you and is only playing your memories. However, I feel that this is a story about two people who are completely wrong for each other and yet end up together anyway. It was hard to enjoy the book after knowing all their secrets and NOT seeing them immediately breakup. Big yikes, but it had potential.

Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff
This was a very quick read – it almost felt like a short story more than a full novel. While it was cute, I found it to be not only wildly predictable but also pretty unrealistic. The main character’s childhood crush is the star of a band, and as an adult he wants her to manage him, though she mostly manages the careers of politicians. So the two become friends instead, and you can guess where things go from there. Still cute though.

Thanks for reading! (Last Updated: Feb 2025)