Love is in the air. Date plans are being made, and the pops of red all around are unmistakable. It’s Valentine’s day. As you dig into another decadent box of chocolate from your secret admirer, you’re craving for the perfect love story to get into the spirit of the season. There are some great options out there, but we’ve narrowed the list down to 10 novels – a mix of classic and popular, global and Indian - that are guaranteed to tug at your heart strings. And in the era of Modern Love, there are some wonderfully inclusive stories as well.
1. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
This book is set in post-Independence India. Lata’s mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra is on the hunt for ‘a suitable boy’ for Lata to marry. Packed with imaginative descriptions and plot twists, A Suitable Boy takes us on a journey of self-discovery with four large extended families. But it’s an epic tale of Dickensian proportions so settle in for a long read.
Name of book: A Suitable Boy
Author: Vikram Seth
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Price : Rs. 599
Number of pages: 1552 pages
2. Falling into place by Sheryn Munir
Tara isn’t the romantic type. She’s had some bad experiences in the past, and has sworn off relationships for good. Her resolve remains steadfast until Sameen walks into her life and changes things. Being a same-sex couple in India isn’t easy. But what Tara wants, Tara gets.
Name of book: Falling into place
Author: Sheryn Munir
Publisher: Ylva Publishing
Price : Rs. 1,199 (Paperback), Rs 318 kindle edition
Number of pages: 184 pages
3. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Dimple Shah is desperately trying to escape from her traditional family and build her career. On the other hand, Rishi is a staunch believer of traditions. He and his parents think that Dimple is the perfect wife for him. But Dimple has other plans.
Name of book: When Dimple Met Rishi
Author: Sandhya Menon
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Price : Rs. 753
Number of pages: 432 pages
4. A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
Married off at just four-years-old, Mili Rathod still hasn’t seen her husband yet. She’s now 24-years-old and studies in America. Famous Bollywood director Samir Rathod is her brother-in-law. He comes to America to convince Mili to divorce his brother. But he ends up falling in love with her, somewhere along the way. The Indian American confection is a contemporary story that is engaging.
Name of book: A Bollywood Affair
Author: Sonali Dev
Publisher: Kensington
Price : Rs. 698
Number of pages: 304 pages
5. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
Rhiannon Hunter has been hard at work, creating a dating app that has completely revolutionised romance in the digital world. She’s never had time for love, until an old flame comes back into her life. But this time, he has partnered up with her biggest business rival.
Name of book: The Right Swipe
Author: Alisha Rai
Publisher: Piatkus
Price : Rs. 285
Number of pages: 400 pages
6. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Noah Calhoun, a southerner, has just returned from the Second World War. Fourteen years ago, he met the girl of his dreams. Unfortunately, she had to move away for college, and they lost touch. His love for her never faltered even once, but he was content with the quiet life he had built for himself….until she turned up unexpectedly at his doorstep.
Name of book: The Notebook
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Warner Books
Price : Rs. 258
Number of pages: 240 pages
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
It’s the year 1945. Claire Randall and her husband are on their second honeymoon in the British Isles. As she explores the ancient architecture, she gets transported back in time to Scotland in 1743 - a country on the brink of war. She is forced to marry James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. Unsure of how to get back, Claire finds herself torn between two different worlds. This time travel book is sure to take you on an absorbing journey.
Name of book: Outlander
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Publisher: Dell
Price : Rs. 490
Number of pages: 896 pages
8. Love Story By Erich Segal
An evergreen classic. Oliver Barrett is from a well-off family, planning to get a degree from Harvard Law. On the other side of the spectrum, Jenny Cavilleri is a working-class music student at Radcliffe. Although they’re opposite in most ways, the couple share a beautiful connection that must end too soon.
Name of book: Love Story
Author: Erich Segal
Publisher: Hodder And Stoughton
Price : Rs. 160
Number of pages: 216 pages
9. Arabella by Georgette Heyer
A charming and funny Regency era novel with the trademark wry wit of Georgette Heyer. Armed with beauty, virtue and a benevolent godmother, impoverished Arabella embarks on her first London season with her mother’s wish in mind: snare a rich husband. But of course, impetuous Arabella gets into trouble as angered by a snobbish fop, she tells a lie and falsehood plunges her into an abyss of more falsehoods. A delightful tale from the creator of the Regency romance genre
Name of book: Arabella
Author: Georgette Heyer
Publisher: Cornerstone Digital (kindle edition)
Price : Rs. 247.17
Number of pages: 282
10. The Fault In Our Stars By John Green
Hazel has resigned herself to the tumor growing inside her. Finding love is the last thing on her mind, and she’s constantly being carted from one cancer support group to the next. In one of her group meetings, she runs into Augustus Waters. Suddenly, Hazel finds herself wanting the love she thought would never be hers.
Name of book: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Penguin
Price : Rs. 239
Number of pages: 352 pages