Say it with Books
Whether it's for a lover or a mother, a friend or a foe, or even anyone who has ever been ‘rendered temporarily insane by a crush’ (we’ve all been there), Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to gift one of your loved ones a book—and our booksellers have got you covered with a variety of recommendations.
Love in Exile
Shon Faye
'bell hooks meets gossip-filled memoir, this phenomenal book on love by the author of The Transgender Issue was one of those books I devoured in two days. Covering familial love, dating, the love of friendship, all the way to spiritual love and faith, this is a book that redefines love for the modern age.'
- Flaminia, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Rachel's Holiday
Marian Keyes
'In my humble opinion, this is the queen of romance fiction (and the true queen of Ireland). A Marian Keyes novel is like a reliable old friend, you know that you are going to laugh and smile and probably weep, too, but that’s the fun of the journey! Rachel’s Holiday is one of her best, and as much as there’s a thrilling romance in it, Keyes explores topics such as alcohol addiction, loneliness, denial with nuance, empathy and humour.'
- Ross, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Lost Lambs
Madeline Cash
'Family dysfunction at its funniest. The Flynn family are in disarray after Bud and Catherine decide to open their marriage, turning a blind eye to the nefarious activities of their teenage daughters. A perfect Valentine's gift for your friends who want a great read and a bit of a giggle.'
- Liv, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Holy Boy
Lee Heejoo (author), Joheun Lee (translator)
'Holy Boy is about love gone wrong, an obsession for all his fans; but also friendly and motherly love. Too many people love this boy, but Yosep doesn't even know what love is. Will he learn by the end of the book?'
- Carmelo, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Korean Language Edition available
The Chronology of Water
Lidia Yuknavitch
'Bold, shameless and horny. In her memoir Lidia Yuknavitch talks about her life with unflinching honesty: Growing up as a competitive swimmer in an abusive household and losing her first-born child ultimately result in self-destructive behaviours as she dabbles in drugs, alcohol, crime and sex with both men and women. However, the book is far from bleak. Her writing is mesmerising and poetic, always finding its way back to water, the thread that flows through her life. What I loved so much about this book is witnessing her healing and finding herself in the pursuit as a writer on her own terms.'
- Pia, Foyles Charing Cross Road
The Third Love
Hiromi Kawakami (author), Ted Goossen (translator)
'This is the perfect book for that special someone that loves reading about love, but loves reading about history just as much. Set in present day Japan, Riko finds herself trapped in an unhappy marriage. One day she learns how to escape her reality through dreams of ancient Japan. Truly a delight.'
- Sabrina, Foyles Charing Cross Road
This is How You Lose the Time War
Amal El-Mohtar (author), Max Gladstone (author)
'This book is a beautiful result of teamwork and explores what love is truly about, the messy, the chaos, and how it involves overcoming any issue thrown your way. This book will confuse you and it will have you stumbling blindly through the pages, but all of a sudden you will turn a page and realise that everything has clicked; which feels like the perfect metaphor for what love really is.'
- Eddie, Foyles Charing Cross Road
John's Turn
Mac Barnett (author), Kate Berube (illustrator)
'A joyous and empowering story about believing in yourself and your passions; about being seen and following the things that make you happy. Also what it's like to be brave even when you're feeling nervous and the support to be found amongst friends.'
- Veronica, Foyles Charing Cross Road
How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days
Sophie Irwin
'When Lydia Hanworth (who is intent on NOT marrying) finds herself engaged to Lord Ashford, she is determined to make him call off the engagement. What she doesn't know is that Ashford MUST marry soon to secure his fortune. A rivalry is born and chaos ensues as they go head-to-head in a joyous battle of wit. A regency rom com for the ages, this book made me laugh out loud, swoon, say 'suspicious' a lot, giggle and kick my feet... Irwin's novels are the perfect Valentine's read.'
- Deia, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Selected Poems
E. E. Cummings (author), Richard S. Kennedy (editor)
'If you’re looking for love poetry that isn’t too sentimental or flowery, then E. E. Cummings is a fantastic choice - a particular standout in this collection is 'Somewhere I Have Never Travelled, Gladly Beyond'. A perfect gift for poetry lovers from one of the greatest American writers.'
- Chris, Foyles Charing Cross Road
FUSÃO
Ixta Belfrage
'I've always liked Ixta Belfrage's recipes for flavours I wouldn't think to combine myself, and this cookbook has loads of interesting twists on traditional Brazilian cuisine that sound delicious. It's also really gorgeous with lots of photography from her travels.'
- Abby, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Julian at the Wedding
Jessica Love
'If you want to show children, or people of any age, the beauty of love and celebrating it, you've got to read Julian at the Wedding. The illustrations are so gorgeous and you'll feel all warm inside after reading it!'
- Lizzie, Foyles Charing Cross Road
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins
'Katniss Everdeen is, in my opinion, one of the greatest female heroines in literature. She is brave, self-less, independent, kind, self-sufficient, strong (in all the ways) and stands up to morally corrupt and evil leaders - all the traits I would love for my nieces (and all young girls) to embrace!'
- Harriet, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Flowers For Algernon
Daniel Keyes
'This is one of my favourite books of all time! An incredible story that follows Charlie as he undergoes an experimental procedure to increase his intelligence. As changes unfold and his intelligence and IQ grow, we watch Charlie grapple with a world he did not understand before but everything stops when he meets teacher Alice and through learning how to love her, he must also learn how to love himself. This is essential reading!'
- Kane, Foyles Charing Cross Road
Die My Love
Ariana Harwicz (author), Carolina Orloff (translator), Sarah Moses (translator)
'Die, My Love is the uncompromising portrait of a woman driven to the brink of insanity by the containment of marriage and motherhood. The novel explores love in all its complexity: love suffocates her; love keeps her alive. Intense, disturbing, unforgettable. To those whose inner lives don't fit the script, those who know how difficult it can be to love and to feel loved when your mind won't stay quiet.'
- *Sylvie, Foyles Charing Cross Road
How to End a Story
Helen Garner
'Honestly, the reason I'd gift this book to a loved one is because of how much joy it brought to me when reading it. It's a chunky book, but that only allows you to sink into it, to really enjoy Garner's writing and be surrounded by her world. I was honestly so sad to finish it, and I want my loved ones to get the same feeling of being engulfed in this wonderful book.'
- *Sally, Foyles Charing Cross Road
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting
Sophie Irwin
'My Valentine's pick is dedicated to the Regency romance lovers. This book will have you giggling and kicking your feet. It's a slow-burn romance full of sharp prose, witty dialogue and some great side characters. It feels like all of the Little Women sisters rolled into one, with a Bridgerton twist, set to a Taylor Swift song.'
- Charlotte, Foyles Waterloo
Sunburn
Chloe Michelle Howarth
'Where to begin with Sunburn? It's a favourite among the bookseller team here at Foyles for good reason. Set in 1990's rural Ireland, Chloe Michelle Howarth writes about the ferocity of young, queer love and depicts a beautiful sapphic story between narrator Lucy and her friend Susannah. It's a standout novel, as it feels very true to life with the obstacles the pair need to overcome o be together. Lucy initially feels crushed beneath her family's expectations to eventually marry Martin, her best friend, and doesn't recognise her obsession for Susannah as romantic attraction until long after the reader does. One of the rawest, emotional depictions of young love I have ever read - I recommend it to everyone.'
- *Maya, Foyles Charing Cross Road
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