I have to admit that romance isn’t my favorite genre to read.
I know, I know, my first book, Love Over Easy, is a romance. While I was writing it, I found that the relationship plot-line was secondary to the other stuff that was going on in my characters lives. Guy’s grief and Violet’s uncertainty about her life became the story for me. Their finding each other was just a step on their paths to happier, more sure-footed lives.
When I was looking through my Goodreads books to find books for this post, I found that none of my five star books were in the “romance” genre. Plenty of them had romantic subplots, but it wasn’t the main draw of the book.
Here are five great books, you may not have read before, with really swoon-worthy couple but aren’t in the “romance” genre.
Christy by Catherine Marshall. This book was wildly popular many years ago. There are film and TV adaptations, but as always the book is way better. This historical fiction novel chronicles a young teacher at the turn-of-the century who leaves everything to teach in a primitive, one-room schoolhouse in the Smoky Mountains. The romantic plot lines in this book are set against the backdrop of the growth that takes place in both Christy and her students because of their interactions. It’s all the more compelling because it is based on true experiences had by Catherine Marshall’s mother.
I read this book as a young teenager and was choked with longing as I read about the love triangle in this book. Some day a man would love me that much! It was transporting. That said, I haven’t read it for a while, so it might be way sappier than I remember.
Emily of New Moon Series by LM Montgomery. I think I’ve posted about this series before. If you love Anne of Green Gables, and Gilbert Blythe is a bookish crush of yours, you need to get this series immediately. Emily has three books and her relationship with Teddy Kent (a way better name than Gilbert Blythe) is just as fraught and suspenseful as Anne and Glibert’s. The Emily books are very similar to the Anne books, an orphan who works hard over years to develop a writing career while living in beautiful Prince Edward Island. Emily, however, is a more autobiographical account of Montgomery’s life and it feels a little more real to me.
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. Cozy mystery romance. What could be better? It is so much fun. I describe it as Anne of Green Gables meets Indiana Jones. The dialogue between Radcliffe Emerson and Amelia Peabody crackles with wit in the enemies to lovers plot line. Plus, the bonus is if you like it there are a million other books in the series.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. In this YA fairy tale, the protagonist is the servant of a princess who refuses an arranged marriage and so is locked away for a thousand days. The writing is beautiful and the romance is sweet and satisfying. It’s my favorite of Shannon Hale’s YA books.
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. This book is harder to read than the others on the list. It’s about a young English woman living in Malaya when Japanese troops invade and occupy it starting in 1941. The woman, Jean, is resourceful and tenacious, helping a group of women survive the war. The romance is between her and an Australian POW on the island. There’s a lot of WW2 fiction out there but this one is unique in its setting, which makes it interesting.
I hope you can enjoy one of these books by the fire with a box of chocolates and a cozy blanket come February 14th!
