If you're like me, you're getting asked by the nail technician: "Why aren't you getting your nails done for Valentine's Day? You don't have a boyfriend?"
And, yes, this actually happened.
So for Valentine's Day, while my friends and family spend time with their significant others, I'll be curled up in bed wearing my sweats, hair in a bun and trying to start a good book.
While I do have many favorite books that are not necessarily romantic, there are 14 books that come to mind that I think you should read before Valentine's Day, if you are like me.
1. "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks
Ah, yes, starting with the cliché. Nothing will make your heart soar like hearing about the power love can have.
2. "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, edited by Michael Mason
One of my favorite genres: Historical Romance. Read Jane Eyre if you're dying to know what happens when a girl falls hard in love with a troubled soul.
3. "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger
Another one of those stories that really keeps you on your toes. This is the book for you if you want to find out how love and time travel come together.
4. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
My favorite book by one of my favorite authors. This book is not only for the boring AP English classes, it's a wonderful romance that truly depicts what it's like to fall in love in the 1800's.
5. "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen
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You're gonna see a lot from Ms. Austen. Sense and Sensibility--like Pride and Prejudice--depicts what falling in love was like in the earliest years, but what happens when a girl falls in love with someone who isn't suitable?
6. "This Lullaby" by Sarah Dessen
Looking for something more modern? Ride along with Remy, who learned everything about love from her mother (who's on her fifth husband), to figure out whether Dexter is the one for her.
7. "The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green
Who am I kidding? This one will make you feel the full spectrum of emotions, from happy to sad! If you need a really good cry, read about Hazel and Augustus as they find their "okay."
8. "Safe Haven" by Nicholas Sparks
You'll see a lot of him, too. Safe Haven is another one that will probably cause some tears, but also has some surprising twists and turns that will cause you to keep turning the page, while falling in love with Alex.
9. "Beautiful Disaster" by Jamie McGuire
A special twist on the "good girl meets bad boy." It won't be like any other of the cliché novels or stories you've heard, so give it a try!
10. "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy
Another historical one, but I think it just might catch your attention. If you were stuck in a loveless marriage, unable to get a divorce without ruining your reputation, would you cheat? Find out what happens in this tempting tale.
11. "Every Breath" by Nicholas Sparks
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The novel takes place right here, in North Carolina. Would you jeopardize everything for love?
12. "Starry Eyes" by Jenn Bennett
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A cliché take on what happens when two people, who don't particularly like each other, are forced to work alone together. Will they be able to look past the hate and fall in love?
13. "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell
This one reminds you of what exactly your first love felt like.
14. "Persuasion" by Jane Austen
Another one of my favorite books. What happens when you break an engagement...but soon regret it? Find out in Persuasion.
All of these books can represent a current love-life, even if some of them were written in the 1800s.
Being alone on Valentine's Day doesn't mean that you can't share in the romance; treat yourself to some chocolate, flowers, and a good romance book. Who knows, you might just find the love of your life (or at least for Valentine's Day) while you're walking through the aisle of an old books store...or Barnes and Noble.
