I am such a sucker for romance! Romantic novels, movies, music–I love them all. I relish their over-the-top drama and revel in their inherent cheesiness. Reading about love and watching actors portray first love or true love lead me to look at and appreciate the love present in my own life. My idea of romance may be slightly different than that of conventional romantic leading ladies (I am more smitten when my boyfriend makes me an egg & cheese sandwich for breakfast than I am with long stemmed roses) but in whatever form romance manifests itself I find it absolutely lovely.
One of my favorite places to go for truly sweet and “awww”-inspiring romances is the Young Adult section. There is nothing quite as awkward and beautiful as young love. Here are some of my favorites:
Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler is SO adorable. It is a romance told in alternating chapters by Eliot and Cal–two 15-year olds with bizarre parents who find each other one crazy summer and can’t imagine ever being with anyone else. This author-duo has a new book called Dream Factory that has two teen character actors falling in love at Disney World (I haven’t read this yet, but it looks equally endearing). YA FIC BAR
Twilight, New Moon & Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer are the heavyweights of YA Romance (in my opinion all romance). Bella is an average teenage girl trying to make it in a new town who happens to fall in love with Edward–a vampire. Oh, and to complicate things her best friend Jacob turns out to be a werewolf, thus forming a tense, supernatural, teen love triangle. These books are fantastic! YA FIC MEY
My two new (new to me, at least) favorite adult romances are Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and Blessed Are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch. Both romances use food as their medium for love and they do it in a timeless and beautiful manner. [Thanks Cameron for the Sarah-Kate Lynch recommendation.] FIC ALL & FIC LYN
Jesse listed quite a few of my favorite romantic comedies in last week’s Holiday Indulgence blog, but here are a few more:
Ice Princess. Yes, this is in the kid’s room, but I assure you it is one of the cutest movies I’ve ever come across (although, I am biased being that I’m mildly obsessed with figure skating). J DVD ICE
Strictly Ballroom. I LOVE THIS MOVIE! It has dancing, love, and a swan-like transformation that always leaves me swooning. DVD COMEDY STR
Sixteen Candles. Once again, I can’t get enough of teen romances–and when you make it an 80s teen romance then I’m really sold! DVD COMEDY SIX
I’ll leave you with a some romantic music recommendations:
John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme – obviously… CD JAZZ COL
The Best of Roberta Flack – “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is one of my all-time favorite love songs; if you like it too, check out Johnny Cash’s version on American IV. CD DANCE FLA & CD COUNTRY CAS
14 Greatest Hits by Al Green. There are few things as romantic as Al Green’s voice. Listen and learn. CD DANCE GRE
Happy Holidays!
~Tricia is the youth librarian at OWL and her idea of a romantic evening involves homemade spaghetti carbonara, Chianti in jelly jars, and Al Green on the stereo.
