The chocolates have been in stores since December 26.
You know it’s the season for love, but you’re just not feeling it. Or you are but, well, it’s complicated. So why not explore it all by felling in love with these great books…?
There’ll be no V-Day cards in your mail this week and that’s okay if you read “Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms” by Nicola Slawson (Penguin Life, $20). Based on her newsletter, The Single Supplement, this book will open your eyes to the joys of being single, and you’ll find ways to cope with the hard parts. This is an empowering book for anyone who’s single, whether by choice or by circumstance.
And on that note, “I (Think) I Want Out” by Becky Whetstone, PhD (HCI, $17.95) is the book you want when there’s a “marriage crisis” and your emotions are a mess. Step-by-step, this book helps you examine what happened and how, ways to take care of yourself at this time, and what to do next. Comfort is what you’ll find here, especially if you pair it with “What to Do When You Get Dumped” by Suzy Hopkins & Hallie Bateman (Bloomsbury, $24.99).a book that offers gentle ways to heal.
If you really, really, really don’t like this holiday for lovers, then you’ll want to find “The Scary Book of Valentine’s Day Lore” by Tim Rayborn (Cider Mill Press, $16.99). Yes, love can hurt – a lot. It can crash and burn and you want to be ready with a collection of gleefully dark stories of the end of romance and all it entails. Hint: it’s not just for lovers. This book is also for anyone who loves a good chiller.
But wait. No, no, you love Valentine’s Day! Which is why you need these books…
How did you meet your beloved? It’s a story you’ll be asked throughout your lives together and “Matchmaker Matchmaker” by Aleeza Ben Shalom (Union Square, $28.99) helps make it
more memorable. Written by a professional matchmaker and dating coach (not to mention the star of a Netflix show) this book features worksheets, tips, hints, and other ideas for meeting Mr. or Ms. Right Forever. Even if you’re not looking, this is a fun read.
What makes a great date? In “Falling in Love at the Movies” by Esther Zuckerman (Running Press, $24), you’ll read about romance in the movies, including some classics and a whole bunch of ideas for a great Valentine’s Day date and beyond.
And finally, what lasts longer than flowers or chocolates? “Love from Snoopy” (Simon Spotlight, $9.99) does! This quick-to-read, sweet little book is perfect for your new amour, but also for someone who needs a quick pick-up, a thank-you, a thinking-of-you, a get-well, or something for a kid, so they don’t feel left out.
And if these books aren’t enough, ask your librarian or bookseller for suggestions. No kidding, they’d LOVE to help you find the best anti-love book for this season, or the sweetest Valentine ever.
