2021 was rough, but books about love gave us life. Here are 13 recommendations

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Noa Denmon for NPR

Noa Denmon for NPR

Who does n’t love a good, well, love history ? Whether it ‘s the meet cutes, the cross stars, the plain passion, or a prevent union, we ‘re big fans. Books We Love, NPR ‘s list of best reads from 2021, has hundreds of recommendations : 369 of them, to be accurate. With that kind of drawn-out list, it can be hard to know precisely where to start. so here are 13 suggestions from our colleagues and independent critics for what to read if you want a good beloved narrative or want to explore themes of love and relationships.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown: A Novel by Talia Hibbert

“ take there ever been a better time to read about a charm, hilarious young womanhood who precisely ca n’t seem to get it in concert ? This book follows Eve Brown – a talented cook, phenomenal singer, devoted sister and, at the originate of the history, a ill-famed goldbrick. As her report unspools, Eve winds up learning a fortune about herself and what she ‘s able of ; her struggle besides helps illuminate how inflexible and much misguided the expectations of our family, friends and communities can be. ” — Leah Donnella, supervising editor program, Code Switch

A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria

“ Childhood besties Michelle and Gabriel hook up one night after high school graduation – and for a consequence it looks like the two might finally get together until Michelle discovers that Gabe is planning on leaving for college across the country. After a runaway fight, the two do n’t speak again for years – until the gymnasium that Gabriel owns hires Michelle to work on a rebranding crusade. Once they reconnect … well, let ‘s just say they collaborate on more than a marketing campaign. It ‘s hot, it ‘s fun and it ‘s a big find to brush up on your spanish vocabulary. ” — Lauren Migaki, elder manufacturer, NPR Ed

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

“ A crime novel wrapped up in a romance ? Just what the doctor ordered for readers during the pandemic ! There ‘s a fortune to love here, specially the criminal high jinks that Meddelin, her mother and her aunts find themselves immersed in as she rekindles a misplace flame. Above and beyond, though, this is a beloved letter to the bonds of syndicate and culture. ” — Tayla Burney, elder contented director

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado

“ I ‘m glad there ‘s a wave of YA books with adipose tissue protagonists, but the characters much possess a charge of assurance that ‘s excessively good to be true. Crystal Maldonado has created a much-needed credible protagonist with adolescent and pornographic readers. Charlie Vega is a fat, glasses-wearing, biracial Puerto Rican with a diet-pushing mother and a beautiful, athletic best friend. When her schoolmate Brian pursues a romantic relationship, Charlie is plagued with-self doubt. The reserve is propelled by conflicts both home and external. I ‘m glad this book is n’t body-positive escape, but rather a well-observed history of fatten adolescent life. ” — Jessica Reedy, producer/editor, Pop Culture Happy Hour

First Comes Like: A Novel by Alisha Rai

“ Alisha Rai is one of my go-to writers when I need a romance. Her books are normally quite piquant, but with First Comes Like, Rai shows she can write a great slow-burn chat up. When beauty influencer Jia Ahmed learns that she has been catfished by a man pretending to be Bollywood star Dev Dixit, she ends up striking up a friendship with the substantial actor. A paparazzo mishap leads Jai and Dev to begin fake-dating. Will their fake relationship lead to real number feelings ? ( Of course it will – this is a romanticism after all. ) It ‘s a cover girl report about becoming people good trying to do the right thing. ” — Jessica Reedy

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers

“ One night, Grace Porter – burned out and adrift after last getting her Ph.D. in astronomy – gets drunkenly married to a womanhood whose name she does not know, in Vegas no less. Cliché ? decidedly. A bad mind ? possibly … not ? Through the mists of her epic hangover, Grace starts to piece together clues about her cryptic newly wife. Yuki, as it turns out, hosts a radio prove about the supernatural. What follows is a delightfully wyrd summer where together, Grace and Yuki learn about fabulous monsters and even face down some of their own. ” — Lauren Migaki

Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola

“ This multifaceted, multitalented Nigerian-British writer – humorist, television godhead and now bestselling generator – searched the ball to find a radically diverse group of stories about love, from charming folk music tales of West Africa to iconic greek myths and ancient legends from the Middle East. then, with an evocative and graphic style, she brought new life to old tales and wrote three original stories of her own. The leave is a noteworthy modern solicitation of 13 short stories about love. ” — Carole V. Bell , record critic

One Last Stop: A Novel by Casey McQuiston

“ One last Stop made me fall in love with Casey McQuiston ‘s writing all over again. In this one, August, an inexperienced 20-something trying to figure out life in the large city, is an expert at keeping other people at arm ‘s distance until she meets Jane, an impossibly cool girl who always seems to be riding the metro at the same time as her. One last Stop is queer love affair with a side of time-travel shenanigans, but amid all the whip-smart kid and heartwarming rom-com tropes is a potent reminder to make room for love in all parts of your life. ” — Sharon Pruitt-Young, reporter, newsdesk

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon

“ Any list of 2021 ‘s best romanticist comedies must include Farrah Rochon ‘s The Dating Playbook. The floor she weaves about Taylor Powell, a fitness flight simulator in need of some clients, and Jamar Dixon, an hurt football ace in need of a unavowed but hard-core fitness government, is fresh, amusing and sexy. It besides boasts a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that touches on topics like football and concussion, and how social media has made having a individual biography an artform for anyone with celebrity status. Rochon presents her themes with jump-off-the-page temper, and they go far beyond the ups and downs of woo to broader concerns about kin, women, friendship and jealousy. ” — Denny S. Bryce, koran critic

The Heart Principle: A Novel by Helen Hoang

“ Anna Sun is a talented violinist in the Bay Area whose disappoint boyfriend springs a marriage proposal on her : an receptive relationship. While processing her boyfriend ‘s request and battling a creative block, Anna meets Quan and wonders if he might be the veridical deal. I love this book because it deals with issues that feel very relevant to today, such as creative burnout, bad boyfriends and neurodivergence, which Helen Hoang explores through these deeply rich and dear characters. ” — Candice Lim, production assistant, Pop Culture Happy Hour

The Prophets: A Novel by Robert Jones, Jr.

“ This book broke my heart in a necessity means. It ‘s dramatic. A poetic fagot love fib and an excruciating portrait of liveliness on a Mississippi plantation, it deserves every award. At the center are Samuel and Isaiah, two enslaved boys who grow up angstrom best friends and finally become lovers, and an older enslave man, Amos, who takes on the function of preacher as a means of securing some likeness of condom and power. Jones excels at ensemble storytelling, treating each character with compassion while being viciously unsparing about the system they live under and the despairing compromises they have to make. ” — Carole V. Bell

Trust: A Novel by Domenico Starnone, translated by Jhumpa Lahiri

“ In generator Domenico Starnone ‘s Italian-to-English translation, a couple named Pietro and Teresa are on-again, off-again until the sidereal day Teresa says, basically, “ Let ‘s tell each other our worst secret. ” What she thinks will bind them together forever turns out to be what drives them apart ; they ‘ve revealed the worst and it ‘s unforgettable. For a lesser writer, this might be enough. For Starnone, it ‘s a jumping-off point, flush in a slender, taut book with no waste words or ideas. When Pietro and Teresa converge again in the evening of their lives, the world power one of them holds over the other however matters. ” — Bethanne Patrick, book critic

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

“ Jasmine Guillory is the queen of charming romance novels. In her sixth koran, we meet ad white house Ben Stephens and movie star Anna Gardiner, who hit it off at a market campaign meet and end up falling into a just-for-cameras relationship ( with some fun benefits besides ). unfortunately, romanticist feelings ( as they always do ) get in the way of this placement. You might remember Ben from one of Guillory ‘s last books, The Wedding Date – the brother of edgy Theo. The best part about Guillory ‘s books is revisiting these characters and guessing who will show up in subsequent novels. not to mention the descriptive California references ( as a California native, I eat those up ). Guillory ‘s write style is addictive, but she besides tackles clayey themes. I can guarantee you ‘ll finish this book promptly and want to check out her other ones. ” — Anjuli Sastry Krbechek, manufacturer, It ‘s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders To read more recommendations from staff members, you can explore the “ Staff Picks ” section on the 2021 Books We Love web site.