Happy Sunday Salon everyone. What’s the scoop? Given that Valentine’s Day is coming up I was thinking that it’d be fun to read a good love story. Not a Harlequin romance type. Nothing against those (actually I went through a phase long time ago when I read my share of romance novels) but I’m looking for something more like The Time Traveler’s Wife, The History of Love or The End of the Alphabet. That kind of love story.
So anyone have a good one to recommend?
And, because I’ve been thinking of love and friendship, I got out one of my papers for the perfect Valentine’s journal. Unfortunately there’s a little flaw in the journal, nothing you can see on the covers or that would affect the way it’s held together but I hope one of my readers would like it. So I’m having a little drawing for the journal and maybe some other little Valentine goodies. Leave a comment with a love story you recommend and I’ll do a drawing for the journal in the next couple of days.
We didn’t go to Dallas this weekend after all but we’ve spent a wonderful few hours at BookPeople yesterday and today I’m hoping to get in some good time in the Studio cutting paper and listening to some music. Of course I hope to catch up on some blog visiting. Hope you are all having a great weekend!
What a beautiful journal. What about Cecilia Ahern’s P.S. I Love You. I am not a big fan of romance novels, but hers are a bit different. The Gift was lovely and had a paranormal twist to the romance.
If you haven’t read it yet, I recommend A.S. Byatt’s Possession. Great love story for book/poetry nerds.
Vivienne – Oh I haven’t checked hers out yet. I figured they might be too chick-lit based on the covers alone (I know, I shouldn’t judge!) I’ll be taking note of those. Thank you.
Dana – Yes, how could I have forgotten. I read Possession years ago. Good book. I never did see the film although I heard it wasn’t very good.
Oh boy. I’m not big on romances, but I do really enjoy the Outlander series, which is all about the LOVE (also the spicier parts of love, anywhere and everywhere) between Claire and Jamie. You just might need a cold shower actually.
I was thinking of The Bronze Horseman, but it is historical fiction–very much a love story and quite long. I’m not quite sure if that’s what you had in mind. I plan on rereading Chocolat–starting it tonight. I will check back and see what other suggestions you get!
Just received one of your lovely books. OMG you are amazing and I truly love it.
Re Sandy and her suggestion of the Outlander Series. Oh yes. Have taken two trips to Scotland following across some of their places…stones, Culloden battlefield just whispers of the ancients, very real “thin place” between heaven and earth.
I’d recommend Love in Translation by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga; this is one of my top favourites reads last year and I loved it so much so that I bought an earlier book by the same author. 😉
Hope you’ve a great week ahead, Iliana! 🙂
I never did read The Time Travelers Wife, but I liked Her Fearful Symmetry. I did enjoy The History of Love though!
Non traditional, but you have have have to read the book thief by Marcus zusak. Also, I totally agree about the outlander series. They re really enthralling, and if you like it there’s a whole series.
Memories of my melancholy whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a slim volume and a love story of an old man on his birthday.
If you haven’t read house of the spirits by Isabel Allende, run – don’t walk -to get it.
Hope some of these are helpful. For movies, watch Once. It’s great and realistic.
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen is a sweet and thoughtful YA novel if you don’t mind a little YA reading.
Sandy – Haha… Ok, with that kind of recommendation, what am I waiting for right?! I keep hearing how that is such a fun book.
Danielle – Have never heard of that one. Now I have to look for it. And, oh yes, isn’t Chocolat just wonderful? Did you ever read the sequel? I think you might have. I have it but again just haven’t gotten around to it.
Diana Leigh – Oh my goodness, thank you so much and I’m so happy to hear you love your journal. It is still a bit nerve-wracking to send out my creations so it’s always nice to hear. I’ll put in another vote for Outlander! 🙂
Melody – I’m almost positive I read your review of that book. Thank you for the reminder and I’m going to put it in my list. I wonder if my library has it!
diane – I still haven’t read Her Fearful Symmetry although I’ve heard good things about it. I hope to get to it one of these days!
Jrav – The Book Thief has become one of my all time favorites! Isn’t it amazing. I swear I can think of it and still makes me want to cry. I did read the Memories book by GGM and he’s another of my favorites so I liked it quite a bit and oh yes, Isabel Allende is also a fave, especially her earlier stuff. We share a lot of books in common! 🙂 Once…. Now that movie I don’t think I’ve seen. I’ll have to look into that!
coffeegrl – I do like YA and actually have been meaning to read something by Dessen for a while now. Thank you for the reminder!
Just finished listening to Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford – wonderful historical novel with a touching love story. 🙂
Wow, that is odd. Plus, I’m a Texas girl myself.
Re: Book Thief. I taught it to my lit/comp class last spring, and when we discussed in class, I went to read a passage and the entire class asked me not to. One student said, “please don’t read it right now. I don’t want to cry again.” I was just thrilled they got it.
Hmmm. Other suggestions… well I can only think of odd or off-the-wall love stories. My friends and I have an anti-Valentine party. I’ve also been on a film noir kick, which actually seems kind of appropriate. Watched The Big Sleep with Bogart and Bacall on Friday and highly recommend it.
A friend recently recommended Loving Frank by Nancy Horan – not your fall in love, happily ever after story but she said it was a really good read
You know, I don’t think I’ve read any recently that I enjoyed as much as The Time Traveler’s Wife, so I’ll go with one of my favorite classics–Persuasion (or any other Jane Austen). The journal is lovely!
Three of my 2009 reads might fit the bill: Rebecca Gowers’ The Twisted Heart (which might be especially fun if you are a Charles Dickens’ reader, but I’m not and I really enjoyed it anyway for its bookishness among other things), Jane Hamilton’s Laura Rider’s Masterpiece (slightly untraditional structure and it could be argued that the most passionate relationship in the book is actually that of a writer for the novel she’s writing), and Sonya Hartnett’s The Ghost’s Child (beautifully written with a fable-like-feel to it).
Beautiful journal! I can think of lots of classic love stories, Janes Eyre and Wuthering Heights, etc. But nothing contemporary comes to mind. Hunh.
Have you read any Andrew Sean Greer – specifically, The Story of a Marriage?
I’d also suggest Cecilia Ahern. I’m not a chick-lit kind of girl, yet there is something about them that is so lighthearted and fun that doesn’t scream chick-lit to me.
What a gorgeous journal!
I remembered reading this little book quite a few years ago that I enjoyed, Le Grand Meaulnes by Henri Alain-Fournier. Of course a classic would be A Room With a View by EM Forster and I think you might have already read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith but that would be another suggestion. For easy going chick-lit I really liked the The Way Life Should Be by Christina Baker Kline.
beautiful journal!
If you want a nice romance, Benny & Shrimp is one of my favs. Its not fluffy, but its soooo sweet.
Or if youre in the mood for a classic, Frederica by Georgette Heyer is great. Happy reading 🙂
Well the film wasn’t as good as the book (they rarely are), but it was decent. I liked it. They made some odd changes, I think to appeal more to an American audience, but it was generally pretty good.
I can’t think of anything more romantic than The Time Traveler’s Wife! Sheesh, that is crazy romantic. Have you read The World in Half, it’s a love story of friendship, it’s moving and excellent.