What more apt a season to nestle down with a romantic novel is there than winter? The old cliché of sitting in front of a log fire (or woodburner), warmly wrapped in plush knits (including socks), mug of tea or cocoa by your side, while you crack open the cover of your chosen read… Really, there’s no better time to indulge in the genre.
To this end, here are 9 of the most utterly romantic books to lose yourself in this holiday.
1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Emily Brontë’s only novel, this is one of the most intense relationships to be found in literature, firmly dividing readers between those who love it and those who hate it. What cannot be denied is the passion between Catherine and Heathcliff. Perfect for a stormy winter’s night in.
Source: Amazon
2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
A tale of first love set in 1986, you’ll be loathe to put this down it’s so good. Plus, reading about the two 16-year-old misfits will set you reminiscing about your own experience of first love…
Source: Amazon
3. Persuasion by Jane Austen
Austen’s final work, Persuasion, is perhaps for those with more mature ideas of romantic love. Described as having an “autumnal tone” to its tale of Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, this will be enjoyed even by non-Janeites (and is a personal favorite).
Source: Amazon
4. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
Another tale of first love, but with the twist of twins, this is perfect for lovers of John Green. Fans call it “tragic, beautiful, and pure.” Perhaps place a box of tissues by that hot drink…
Source: Amazon
5. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
You’ll certainly need those tissues with this book. The absolutely heartbreaking tale of a girl with terminal cancer falling in love, Green’s novel is a modern romantic classic.
Source: Amazon
6. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Shocking, and a slow burn of a tearjerker – Never Let Me Go will have you sniffling at the injustice of it all, only made worse by the characters’ acceptance, and their unbreakable belief in happiness (no matter how short).
Source: Amazon
7. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
Romance with a Latin American magical realism touch, Esquivel’s charming tale is set during the Mexican Revolution and is, simply, breathtaking.
Source: Amazon
8. Dreamology by Lucy Keating
An epic of a romance, the protagonist has forever been in love with the boy of her dreams – quite literally. Then the real version appears in her life and isn’t quite the same. A unique debut in the genre and a guilty pleasure of a read for the holidays.
Source: Amazon
9. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Are words really needed here? This is one of the most tragic love stories of all time. Enough said: get reading.
Source: Amazon
Which romantic titles are on your TBR list for the holiday season?
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Featured image via Quirk Books
h/t Buzzfeed
