5 Books I Fell Head Over Heels For (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm thinking back on a few books I absolutely fell in love with. These books had me reading a page or two any spare moment I got. There is nothing like that feeling of being so sucked into a story that you can't wait to pick it back up. All five of these books gave me that feeling and I wish I could read each of them for the first time again. What a magical thing.

I'm going to share the love and tell you what I enjoyed about each one.

1. Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman (2020)

This book is the first in Hoffman's Practical Magic series (if you want to read them in chronological order according to the story). There are four books in the series, all of which I highly recommend: Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, Practical Magic, and The Book of Magic. This series was just a dream to me. Hoffman's writing is - I'm sorry, there's no other word for it - magical.

I read and loved all four books, but Magic Lessons stood out as my favorite. I fell in love with the characters and had my heart broken more than a time or two. The story centers on Maria Owens, the ancestor of the main characters in Practical Magic. The book is set in the 1600s, so any woman who steps out of line or even dares to read a book is deemed a witch. The story spans decades, as we follow Maria's life and find out what leads up to her invoking a curse on her bloodline - the same curse that the Owens women struggle with hundreds of years later (in the other books).

If I had to recommend only one book out of this list, I would pick Magic Lessons. I was hooked all the way through to the last page!

 2. The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman (2023)

Another Alice Hoffman book! If you couldn't tell, I really love her writing. ​She is one of my only auto-buy authors. I read (and loved!) this one right after it came out last year.

This story is a mix of historical fiction and time travel fiction. I personally love a good time travel element, so when I heard the main character travels back in time and meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, I was sold. Our main character is Mia, who is born into (and eventually escapes) a cult in Massachusetts. The story spans from her mother's upbringing to her adulthood, when she finally breaks free from her very controlled life. I won't give anything away, but Mia does end up traveling back in time to the 19th century and meeting none other than Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote The Scarlet Letter. This is a story about freedom, love, and the lengths we go to for those we love the most.

If you are a fan of The Scarlet Letter or you just enjoy time travel stories, I think you'll love this one.

 3. The Light After the War by Anita Abriel (2020)

This book is a historical fiction that I flew through in just a few days. I'm a sucker for a moving story set in World War II, so I really loved this. The aspect of this story that is different from others I've read is that it's actually set after the war. So we follow main characters Vera and Edith as they figure out what to make of their lives as Jewish women who have survived the war.

The two friends discover work, new places to call home, new loves, and fresh grief as they navigate the post-WWII world. I found both characters endearing, and I really rooted for them as they tried to find their footing in their new lives.

If you are a history buff or just enjoy a historical fiction from time to time, I think you'll find this story appealing.

4. The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs (2020)

I'll be honest, I picked up this book (a romance/domestic fiction) knowing it's not my usual genre. But I absolutely loved this story. I suspect it's partly because of the wonderful bookshop the story revolves around and partly because of the themes of grief and figuring out how to go on after loss.

This story centers on Natalie, who was raised by her mother and grandfather. When she tragically loses her mother, Natalie has to reckon with what to do with her mother's beloved bookstore. There are so many questions. Will she have to sell the bookshop, and the only home she's ever known? How will she take care of her grandfather, whose health is failing? What will she make of the two new men that come into her life while she's dealing with all of this? How will she face each day without her mother?

Clearly, this story is much more than a romance. I found this story to be both compelling and healing. It was definitely a "right time, right story" situation for me. If you're interested in (and feel ready for) a story about loss, grief, family history, and all the ways loved ones impact our lives even after they're gone, this one's for you.

5. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (1999-2006)

I had to include this children's series because these were the first books I remember absolutely devouring. I have this vivid memory of being in fourth grade and trying to sneakily read one of these books in the middle of class. Believe me, I wouldn't usually ever risk getting in trouble at school, but that's just how far into this story I was.

A Series of Unfortunate Events is a thirteen-book series written by Lemony Snicket (which, yes, is a pen name). As a child I 100% believed there was a mysterious man named Lemony Snicket out there who was masterfully writing this series. As an adult, I still refer to him as Lemony Snicket. It helps me stay young.

The series is about three orphaned children and their struggle to break free of a man who is after retribution and the wealth they've been left with. It seems a little dark for a children's story, but what can I say? It was so interesting and I had never read anything like it. Granted, I was nine years old, but still. I loved the way Lemony Snicket addressed me, the reader, and warned me this story wouldn't be too pleasant. It only made me wonder what was in store for the characters. It became my mission to find out!

I read all thirteen books that school year. These books allowed me to discover the power of an engaging story that you just can't put down. So if you have a kiddo in your life or you want to treat your inner child, check out this series.