Reading With Rochelle Weinstein: February!
It’s February, and you know what that means…LOVE!
In case you didn’t already know, I’m a sucker for a good love story. So this Valentines Day, I’m sharing books that capture all the feels. Love is complex and runs deep. And not everyone has a significant other. In this month’s round up, you’ll find many variations of love: familial, romantic, or the love between friends. These favorites of mine will steal your heart and have you believing that love—in whatever form—does, in fact, conquer all.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Extraordinary love. Suspend your disbelief in this innovative and imaginative tale of Clare and Henry as Henry slips back and forth through time. The complete lack of control makes the couple’s story intensely moving. Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Romantic.
The Woman With The Blue Star, by Pam Jenoff
Courageous love. The relationship between Sadie and Ella is a testament to the power of female friendship. Sadie, forced to live in the sewers of Kraków during World War II with her pregnant mother, meets Ella through the sewer’s grate. What follows is an exquisitely written tale of sacrifice and survival.
Firefly Lane, by Kristin Hannah
Girlfriend love. One of my best friends passed this book off to me, and you’ll pass it off to yours. Spanning three decades, the magical story of Tully and Kate captures the deep love between friends: the woman who knows you best, the one who has the power to hurt you, and the only one who can heal you.
Love for humanity. This book is brimming with love, from main character, ten-year-old Auggie, and his “extraordinary” face, to his classmates at Beecher Prep who welcome him into their world. For anyone who has ever felt different or unlovable, this layered novel will fill your heart with compassion, empathy, and…love.
The Storyteller’s Secret, by Sejal Badani
Generational love. Jaya is a woman broken by a string of miscarriages. Traveling to India, she’s in search of answers to her family’s past. Through her grandmother’s former servant, Jaya learns of the elder woman’s poignant story, a love so rich and painful, whose lessons ultimately provide Jaya the strength and courage to move forward.
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Lover of books. Nowhere is there a more profound love affair than this one of books and words. The exquisitely crafted novel set in Nazi Germany will linger with you long after the last page.
Unlikely love. Will and Louisa are an mismatched pair, but love finds its way inside their hearts, not wanting to let go. Moyes asks the most important question of all: does love mean holding on or letting go? Grab a box or two of tissues.
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
Young love. And what happens when young love is tainted and tested by a terminal diagnosis? Meet Hazel and Augustus and share their incredible journey through falling in love and holding on for dear life. More tissues.
The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett
Broken love. Twins separated, living entirely disparate lives. Their daughters meet, shedding light on race and racism, privilege and wealth, and whether we can truly shed our past. When a story provides hope and empathy, to me, that’s love.
The Most Fun We Ever Had, by Claire Lombardo
Family Love. A big book with a sizable cast: four grown daughters and their very much in love parents. The novel digs deep inside the familial relationship as well as the intricate attachments to siblings as they navigate rivalry, betrayal, and brilliant moments of pure joy.
Wishing you a warm February spent with a good book and a heck of a lot of love. And if you have a moment, share your favorite love story with all of us!
Rochelle
Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of six women’s fiction novels. Rochelle spent her early years, always with a book in hand, raised by the likes of Sidney Sheldon and Judy Blume. A former entertainment industry executive, she splits her time between sunny South Florida and the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not writing, Rochelle can be found hiking, reading, and searching for the world’s best nachos. She is currently working on her seventh novel. Please visit her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe to her newsletter at www.rochelleweinstein.com.
Category: On Writing
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