February 14th is the ultimate holiday for all hopeless romantics. Whether you’re spending it with a significant other or family and friends, this is a great holiday to express how much you love and care about the people around you!
If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, you know that the love does not start or end on February 14th. I will admit that it can sometimes be challenging to keep the hope alive, but not impossible.
Whether romanticizing minor aspects of my life or re-watching the same rom-com for the 50th time, I try my best to keep a positive outlook. Although these tactics have proven themself to work in the previous years, I’ve been looking for something different to shake up my routine.
While searching for a novel, I stumbled upon the romance genre. I’ve always been aware of this popular genre, yet it wasn’t until now that I considered it.
This past July, I bought my first romance novel as a young adult, and I’ve been in love with it ever since. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic like me or just looking for a new book, check out my top three, all-time favorite books below for some stellar options!
- ‘Real Men Knit’
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Written by author Kwana Jackson, this novel is the first installment of a duology , with the second titled ‘Knot Again.’Real Men Knit follows the life of Jesse Strong after the unfortunate death of his adoptive mother, Mother Joy.
Following her passing, Jesse and his three adoptive brothers must come together to decide the fate of their mother’s beloved knitting store. When Kerry Fuller, a childhood friend of the strong family, offers her assistance with the store, their chemistry becomes apparent. Now, Jesse must decide not only the fate of the store but the fate of his and Kerry’s relationship.
If you’re a fan of the “Girl Next Door” trope, this book is for you. This romantic rollercoaster had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, constantly rooting for Kerry and Jesse’s relationship. Not only does the novel provide us with the romantic story we all hope for, but we also watch as the characters are met with real-world obstacles. Finally, we watch them try to navigate through life while hoping for love.
- ‘The Dating Playbook’
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One of the most complex parts of dating is that it lacks rules. You never know what play to call, and figuring out which situations are out of bounds can be challenging.However, this is different for the main characters of the novel The Dating Playbook, Taylor Powell and Jamar Dixon.
Written by Farrah Rochon, this novel is the second book of its trilogy following the dating lives of three best friends, Samiah, Taylor, and London. In the second installment, personal trainer Taylor Powell is a pro in her field of work, but what happens when she comes up against a pro in the NFL?
Jamar Dixon is a former football player who recruits Taylor’s help to get back into the NFL. The only problem is no one can know she is training him. When exposed as a couple, Taylor and Jamar must work together to keep his secret and maintain their role as a couple.
This series is an absolute must-have! The chemistry between Taylor and Jamar practically leaps off the pages and comes to life. This is the first novel that introduced me to the romance genre as a young adult, and I’ve been glued to this genre ever since. If you’re a fan of the “fake relationship trope,” this is the book you’re looking for. The constant feeling of will they won’t they kept my eyes glued to the pages, and I never wanted to put the book down.
- ‘The Hookup Plan’
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‘The Hookup Plan’ is the third installment in Farrah Rochon’s Trilogy. While the dynamic best friends Samiah, Taylor, and London are featured in this novel, our primary focus is London.
London Kelley is a successful pediatric surgeon planning her high school reunion. Between the stress of her demanding job and planning her upcoming reunion, she is facing a severe amount of stress.
After much deliberation with her best friends, they decide she needs a casual hookup to ease the tension. Every point of London’s life has been planned until now, but she never would have guessed she would be hooking up with her nemesis, Drew Sullivan. After sharing a night with Drew, London believes this would be their last encounter.
However, things start to take a turn when London realizes that Drew will be staying in the area to decide the fate of her hospital’s closure. What’s worse is that the nemesis London loved to hate is turning into the person she hates to love. Now London is left to question all she’s ever known.
While I have mentioned that the books on this list address real-world issues, this novel is one of the best examples. Whether you’re looking for a book recommendation for Valentine’s Day or to keep the love alive, these are just the books you’re looking for.
Not only are these books captivating works of literature, but they are also current examples of how love may look in today’s world.