Monday is Valentine’s Day so I thought I should review some of the books I have read that were romantic to set the mood for day!

Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan is a wonderful mix of the luxury designer clothes lifestyle and romance. The romance between Luci Churchill and George Zao is filled with false steps, extremely embarrassing moments and lots of misunderstandings. But of course, just like in his oiginal series Crazy Rich Asians, love (and money) conquers all!

The Girl from the Channel Islands by Jenny Lecoat is based on true events during the occupation of the English Channel Islands during WWII. Hedy Bercu fled from Vienna and thought she would be safe on the remote Channel Islands, but when German forces occupy the islands and there is no retaliation by the Allied forces, the islanders, including Hedy, must learn to coexist with the enemy. But for Hedy, who is Jewish, the risks are even higher. Trying to hide in plain sight, Hedy works for the Germans using her language skills and meets a German officer who befriends her. Can love bloom in such circumstances? Can you really learn to love your enemy?

The Paradise Series by Elin Hilderbrand is a win-win combination of romance and mystery set on a gorgeous island in the Caribbean!  Winter in Paradise begins with Irene Steele getting a phone call on a snowy night that her husband had died in a helicopter crash. Trying to find out what happened to the husband and father, Irene and her sons travel from Iowas City to the Caribbean island where it happened. There they are confronted with even more shocking news- he was living a secret life and had another family. The story continues in What Happens in Paradise and Troubles in Paradise as Irene tries to figure out who her husband was and how to get on with her own life. Hilderbrand is a best selling romance writer for a reason and these books do not disappoint.

Finally, The Husbands by Chandler Baker offers a twist to the normal romance genre. Like so many woman who try to balance their professional and family, Nora Spangler feels like she is hanging on by a thread. When she and her husband are out house hunting they find a wonderful house in a development called Dynasty Ranch. There she meets other professional women like herself who don’t seem to be as stretched or anxious and get so much more support from their husbands. Nora is intrigued and soon gets the opportunity to find out more when the HOA of Dynasty Ranch ask her to handle a wrongful death claim that has been filed against them by one of the home owners.  While it is bit of a homage to the Stepford Wives, the twist at the end offers an interesting discussion point for a book club discussion!

Enjoy and have a wonderful, romantic Valentine’s Day.