Romances perfect for Valentine’s Day reads
By NewsPress Now
Love is in the air and the books at the St. Joseph Public Library. If you are in the mood for some literary romance, look no further than these recommendations from Jenny Ellis at the St. Joseph Public Library. The books are available at the SJPL, at other Missouri Evergreen libraries or from one of the SJPL eContent vendors. Visit the library’s catalog at sjpl.missourievergreen.org to find these or other great books to enjoy.
“The Bookbinder’s Guide to Love” by Katherine Garbera. I want to jump into this book and visit the shop since it specializes in journal making, tea and tarot. The male lead, Wes, is a bookbinder. I was left wondering about his training. It’s never really mentioned. In the library world, most bookbinders are highly trained professionals though I didn’t get the impression Wes was. I will warn you it’s quite spicy. Full confession: I eventually started skipping that content. I read romances for the plot, not for adult content.
“Finding Mr. Purrfect” by Codi Gary. If you know me, you know I love cats and cat cafes. This book made me not only want to adopt all the cats mentioned but I also wanted to eat all the treats from the cafe. I laughed so much while reading this book. This book is a sequel, but you don’t necessarily have to read “Cat Café Christmas” to be able to understand the story. However, this librarian recommends you always start with book one in a series. If you want to visit an actual cat café, I highly recommend Whiskers Cat Café in Kansas City. I adopted both my cats from there.
“Raiders of the Lost Heart” by Jo Segura. This enemies-to-lovers story is quite steamy. Don’t let that scare you off. There’s a great story here. You don’t often get to read about female archaeologists. I had to laugh when Corrie, the main character, used the term “old boys’ club.” It is very true in many professions. She has to work this dig with her college nemesis. He brings her in when he is unsuccessful at finding anything. There are a lot of jaw-dropping moments in this book. You will start speed reading as you get towards the end.
“Main Character Energy” by Jamie Varon. I get so excited when I see a “plus size” woman on the cover of a book. What I don’t like is when their weight is constantly being discussed. Why can’t plus-size people just live normal lives? In the case of this book, Poppy Banks’ mom won’t let her. I did like most of this book. Who wouldn’t love inheriting a villa in the French Riviera? That storyline plus all the stipulations that came with it were very interesting. I understand there had a be a force behind Poppy’s decision to go to France but I could have done without any of the family drama being about her weight. I think Poppy’s mom harping about her career choices and hobbies would have been enough.
“The Love Plot” by Samantha Young. I can’t normally get into books where the main character is so different from me, but Samantha Young is one of my favorite authors. She just has a way with words. I laughed so hard I snorted more than once while reading this grumpy-meets-sunshine rom-com. Star is a professional costume character (do not call her a Disney princess) and a line sitter. I had no idea line sitter was an actual job, but it makes sense that it is. Star meets a veterinarian who she thinks is out of her league. Being raised by hippies had more of an impact on Star than she realizes. I promise you’ll laugh just as much as I did. Heads up, it is a bit of a spicy read.
