Top Ten Tuesday: Books With “Love” in the Title

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

The rules are simple:

• Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want.
• Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to The Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post.
• Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other blogger’s lists.
• Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

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This week on TTT is a Valentine’s/love themed freebie. I considered going with book covers or favourite rom-coms, but felt this one calling to me.

So I will be presenting a variety of books I have loved or am excited to read with the word “love” in its name. I feel these are a good selection of books from fictional, sweep-me-off-your-feet kind of love to the more grounded makings of love in a marriage.

As usual, in no particular order, here we go!

1. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

I read this book when it first came out, and I have always acknowledged that this was the book that prompted my first review because I loved it so much on so many levels. I love the Asian representation in Lara Jean and her discovery for balancing all that she was.

But since this is a love post, let me just make it simple. #TeamPeterK all the way 😉 Peter was like the book boyfriend in my teenage mind, and my more grown-up mind can’t find too many reasons to shoot it down now either. Also, that hot tub scene…phew, is all I can say. You can read my review HERE.

If you loved this series, be sure to check out the Netflix movies for each of these books. The movie based on book 3, Always and Forever, Lara Jean comes out THIS Friday, February 12!

2. How to Love by Katie Cotugno

This was a real treasure when I first read it. Down to earth, full of life’s big problems that “love” and all its connotations may not always be able to overcome so simply. I think as an adult now, re-reading this would bring to light things I possibly missed as a teenager, but either way this was a beautiful story about the messiness in life and how love is built on many little imperfect moments instead of one giant perfect thing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a deeper read into love that isn’t just a foregone conclusion they’d get together or for simple fun. Definitely not a rom-com, but I would say showcases love in all its many facets.

You can check out my review HERE.

3. Frankly in Love by David Yoon

Talk about representation in mainstream YA love stories! This would’ve done wonders for me when I was growing up to have seen characters like me in the stories I read and found on bookstore shelves. While I have not gotten the chance to read this book in its entirety yet, I am excited about its whole premise centred on Asian children born in Western societies and the balance of figuring out who they are. It’s essentially a balance I find in myself too, and I’m stoked to see it explored in a book.

4. Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

This is actually one of the few on the list I want to read! It has been on my TBR for years. I feel bad for saying that. But it sounds like a wonderful story of love and self-discovery, all under the beautiful Tuscany sun. Sometimes you just want that sweet, cute, heartwarming book where the characters just get together, you know?

If any of you HAVE read it, I would love to know what you thought on it!

5. To Sir Phillip, With Love by Julia Quinn

I haven’t read this one either but got to hop on that Bridgerton curiosity that took the show binging world by storm. While I don’t always read romances such at these (or even less, blog about them), I do have to say I love Regency-era books. So with slight trepidation, I may have to keep an eye out for these books once the craze has died down a little so it’s possible to get a copy from the library.

Also, I haven’t watched Bridgerton yet. I am still debating if it’s worth the hype. I would love some honest opinions though!

6. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

I loved learning about my love language and my boyfriend’s love language. Thankfully we both feel loved through quality time, which is the one blessing of the pandemic to get more time with each other.

While I love romantic, fantastical love stories, when it comes to my own, I’ve learned the hard way that it isn’t necessarily like the kind of love portrayed in fictional stories. It takes work and communication after the initial butterflies die down (and they do at some point). This book is a winner in my eyes for any couple learning to communicate their need to be loved and how that looks like for one another in the long-term.

7. The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

One of my very first contemporaries in YA I gravitated towards – I was very heavily a fantasy-only kind of preteen – I adored its concept and the execution of this fast-paced, 24-hour span romance on second chances and fateful connections. While the title suggests it’s on instant attraction alone, I do think it’s more nuanced than that as our two protagonists spend a flight across the ocean together. I love slow burn attraction but this was one story that did the chemistry and banter right. If you want to see more of my thoughts, my review is HERE.

8. Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

I’m a huuuuggge Sophie Kinsella fan ever since I picked up her first Shopaholic book in seventh grade (I’m not sure it was the most appropriate thing to read but oh well). I don’t find most rom-coms actually funny – maybe the protagonist’s sense of humour just isn’t for me – but I never lacked laughs when seeing Sophie’s heroines at their antics.

I will admit that I have yet to read this one but I’m super hopeful it’s like a lot of her other books that will give me a good laugh and lots of feels at the end of the day.

9. Love Her Wild by Atticus

Cannot do this list without a collection of poems. I’ve only in more recent years delved into poetry (thank you to working at a bookstore for 2 years), but I’m grateful I have entered this wonderful world of feelings and emotions. Atticus is one of the more popular poets, and he has such quotable phrases that are known to be used for permanent tattoos. I personally just love the style, and the added ambience of photography really enhances the setting, drawing the reader to look deep into themselves and embrace what resonates.

10. Love, Life and the List by Kasie West

Last, but never least, one of my all-time favourite contemporary romances featuring a friends-to-lovers trope is this beauty by Kasie West. There were so many things I loved about this one, from a checklist of self-discovery items that challenged our protagonist to FEEL, to the angst and all the feels in her crush on her best friend. It balances my love for rom-com and lighthearted romance with my deep appreciation for writing about what’s real regarding the emotions love invokes.

Its title couldn’t be more aptly named, and I think it’s one of Kasie’s best works. Check out my review HERE.

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What do you think? Are there other books with “love” in its title you feel should be on here? Always happy to chat!

Until next time, friends!