Turn Valentine’s Week into your own love story, tune into these romantic masterpieces for lasting memories

Gift your partner these literary masterpieces on Valentine's Day

• Bookish dates are ideal for Valentine’s Day if your partner loves reading
• Recommended novels: Summer at the Lake, Letters to Milena, Pride and Prejudice
• Create memories by reading together, marking lines, and enjoying cosy corners

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As this week of Valentine’s fervour takes over, many are immersed in finding the best ways to spend this day (or week). While some are busy planning dinners, others are on their way to choose the best outfits. If your partner is a certified bookworm, you know a bookish date is what’ll make this day memorable.

You can either choose to give them a sweet, heartfelt novel, and have them read it at leisure. Or you can turn this into a date, by buying two copies of the same book, and reading it with them. Turn a part of your room into a cosy corner with hot chocolate and soft music, and sit with them to read a tender, wholesome novel. You can bring along a set of colourful pens and sticky notes to mark the notable lines, thus creating a bunch of memories you can look fondly back on.

Best books you can gift

Here are some books that you can gift your loved on this Valentine’s Day:

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Summer at the Lake

This endearing novel by Erica James is set against the lovely backdrop of Lake Como. It brings together two individuals, who are exploring nostalgia, and are healing in their own ways. It is ideal for those who enjoy a blend of romance with emotional discovery, and love to see how memories make bonds over time.

Letters to Milena

A deeply moving epistolary novel by one of the most celebrated authors, Franz Kafka, Letters to Milena takes you through the kind of love that is intense and vulnerable. There is as much longing in these letters as there is anxiety, and they reveal a profound connection that Kafka expressed beautifully.

Ghazal Collections

While there are writers aplenty who pen down the most wonderful ghazals, Mirza Ghalib remains a favourite for many. Even if you’re not fluent in reading Urdu, translated versions of Ghalib’s couplets are nothing short of extraordinary. Read them with your Valentine, and enjoy a bookish date.

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Pride and Prejudice

Follow the Occam’s razor, and go with this book, and you’ll never disappoint. A dearest classic of many bookworms, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen takes you through a story full of wit and pride, and highlights the love that gradually evolves between Miss Bennet and Mr Darcy. What better food to go with this novel than “excellent boiled potatoes”.

The Wedding

If you’ve swooned over Noah and Allie from The Notebook, gear up with a box of tissues for The Wedding by the same author, Nicholas Sparks. This poignant book tells the tale of Jane, Noah and Allie’s daughter, and how she and her husband rediscover love in their marriage.