14 Books to Read, Gift & Love — this February 14

Best Gifts for Book Lovers on Valentine’s Day

Richa Bhattarai
7 min readFeb 7, 2022
Rudy van der Veen, via Skitterphoto

In the middle of love stories, I will pause to sigh and wonder. How different these people are from me, yet how well I understand their feelings. From dozens of books that touched my heart, here are 14 personal recommendations:

1. If you’re looking for Classic Romance, read Emma by Jane Austen

It is my favorite of all the Jane Austen novels. Emma as a heroine is annoying, all-knowing, and a reminder of our arrogant, youthful selves. Mr. Knightly as the gentlemanly suitor might not be as breathtaking as our beloved Mr. Darcy, but he is quite adequate. The village of Highbury is a languid and enjoyable world to lose yourself in.

2. If you like the enemies-turned-lovers trope, read The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

The first 70 pages of this workplace romance are strange and awkward, and then it suddenly gets cute and tense and romantic. The dialogues and intensity are the butterfly-inducing kind. It’s quite cliched and theatrical, but the journey is enjoyable. It’s hilarious in parts.

3. Gift Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott to the little (and big) friends in your life.

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