Books

10 Equally Romantic & Heartbreaking Books From British & Irish Authors

Perfect Valentine’s Day reading, if you ask me.

by Shahed Ezaydi
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
10 Equally Romantic & Heartbreaking Books From British & Irish Authors
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The season of love is right around the corner and what better way to fully embrace your romance era than by diving into some heart-warming (and heartbreaking) love stories? Valentine’s Day may not be for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dabble in the fictional world of enemies-to-lovers, second chances, and fake dating storylines. Or better yet, why not schedule in a good cry with Annie Lord while she navigates the emotions and messiness of a broken heart in Notes On Heartbreak, or learn more about what it is that make love and relationships work in Conversations On Love. Whatever you’re feeling, we’ve got you covered with a bunch of the best romance books by British and Irish authors. And so, whether you have Valentine’s Day plans or not, these ten books are worth bookmarking for a good old dose of love and romance, whenever you may need it.

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'Honey & Spice' by Bolu Babalola
Bookshop.org
A self-proclaimed lover of romance, Babalola takes the fake-dating storyline and amps it up a notch (or two). Following the intertwining lives of university students Kiki and Malakai as they embark on a fake relationship in order to salvage their reputations, Honey & Spice may be somewhat predictable in narrative but it brings the humour, heat, and passion.
'Who’s Loving You: Love Stories by Women of Colour' by Sareeta Domingo
Waterstones
In this collection of short stories, ten writers of colour including Daniellé DASH, Sara Jafari, Kelechi Okafor, and Amna Saleem explore love in all its forms. In a field where the wants and desires of women of colour are not always prioritised or centred, Who’s Loving You does just that, holding space for these women to write love stories that reflect their own lived experiences.
'Conversations On Love' by Natasha Lunn
Waterstones
Sometimes reading love stories isn’t quite enough and instead you want to delve into the realities of love and relationships in the modern age, and that’s where Natasha Lunn’s Conversations On Love comes in. A book that I’ve lent to friends too many times to count, Lunn explores what it means to love (in all its forms), have your heart broken, and why it plays such a significant role in all our lives.
'Notes On Heartbreak' by Annie Lord
Bookshop.org
As Annie Lord attempts to deal with a broken heart, this memoir constantly revisits the past, from the moment she first fell in love, to the months that saw the slow breaking apart of a five year-relationship. Lord's writing allows us to join her as she begins to heal from the pain, whilst also laughing in recognition of our own (sometimes cringe) experiences in love and heartbreak.
'People Change' by Sara Jafari
Bookshop.org
If you loved Sara Jafari’s The Mismatch, then her second novel, People Change, will be right up your street. In a story of building suspense and second chances, we follow the lives of Shirin and Kian as they enter each other’s lives once more after nearly a decade apart and the events that transpire from this collision of worlds. A beautifully written novel that will definitely you leave a little bit in love with Kian.
'Normal People' by Sally Rooney
Waterstones
If the BBC adaptation (and Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones’s undeniable chemistry) lives rent-free in your mind, then hark back to the original material with Sally Rooney’s novel. Normal People follows contemporary star-crossed lovers Marianne and Connell as they venture from their small rural school life into university, and (sort of) beyond. Like the TV series, you can expect lots of intensity, passion, and heartbreak in this modern classic.
'The Flatshare' by Beth O’Leary
Bookshop.org
You may recognise this book title from the recent TV series of the same name, but Beth O’Leary’s novel is well worth a read. Especially since the concept of two people occupying a one-bed flat but at different times is not a completely far-gone concept in the UK’s current housing crisis... The Flatshare follows Tiffy and Leon who both share a flat but have never met each other. Another novel that follows a fairly predictable trajectory, we see how their two lives come together in this funny and lighthearted read.
'This Is How You Fall In Love' by Anika Hussain
Bookshop.org
As far as fake-dating storylines go, this is a particularly great one – and not as predictable as you might initially think. This Is How You Fall In Love charts the friendship between Zara and Adnan as they begin a fake relationship in order to protect the identity of Adnan’s real girlfriend. But things get confusing for the pair and then when another boy enters the mix, it gets very complicated for Zara. We adore a complicated love.
'Picture Perfect' by Jeevani Charika
Waterstones
In Picture Perfect, Niro and Vimal decide on their own fake relationship (with terms, of course) so that Vimal can make his ex-girlfriend jealous on a friends’ holiday and Niro can find new inspiration for her stagnant photography career. And cue the falling in love... A true page-turner.
'Hello, Stranger' by Rachel Marks
Waterstones
In more of an unexpected love story, Hello, Stranger is a love story but seemingly told backwards as it starts with Jamie and Lucy saying goodbye to each other and their relationship. Providing the POV of both characters, the reader is taken on an emotional journey through the ups and downs of their relationship and will most likely leave you a tad heartbroken and probably with a tear or two.

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