There are books you read once and move on from. Then there are those books, the ones you finish, put back on the shelf, and somehow find yourself thinking about a few weeks later. The ones where you remember the characters, the scenes, the conversations and, sometimes, even exactly how you felt when you first read them.
And eventually, you pick them up again. Not because you have nothing else to read. You re-read them because some books feel like home.
Over the years, I have accumulated a little collection of books that I can pick up almost anytime and immediately fall back into their worlds. These are the books I will probably never get tired of re-reading.
1. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
What I love about this book is that it isn’t simply about two people falling in love. It is about two very different people being thrown together, misunderstanding each other, growing individually and slowly discovering what lies underneath all those first impressions. Alex and Daisy’s journey is frustrating, funny, emotional and incredibly satisfying.
2. Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare
Give me a dangerous situation, a strong heroine, a protective hero, some tension, and a mystery that keeps the pages turning. Julian and Tessa have chemistry, tension and enough emotional baggage to make things complicated. And while the suspense keeps you hooked, it is the relationship between the two that makes me want to come back.
3. Resisting Temptation by K.C. Lynn
This is the kind of romance that delivers the emotional tension, attraction and relationship dynamics that make you want to keep turning pages even when you already know exactly where things are headed. This book made me cry!
4. Honor’s Splendour by Julie Garwood
Honor’s Splendour is one of those historical romances that reminds me why I love the genre in the first place. The book has everything I want from a historical romance like a strong-willed heroine, a formidable hero, forced proximity, family drama, humour, danger and, of course, romance.
What I love about Hero is the emotional complexity. The characters aren’t perfect, and their relationship doesn’t magically become easy just because they are attracted to each other. There are mistakes, misunderstandings, anger, vulnerability and eventually that wonderful moment when the walls start coming down.
Arranged marriage? Check.
Enemies-ish-to-lovers energy? Check.
Extremely powerful and intimidating hero? Check.
A heroine who isn’t simply going to sit quietly and accept everything? Check.
7. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
Order of the Phoenix also feels like such an important book in Harry’s journey. He is older, angrier, more aware of the world around him and dealing with things that are much bigger than the adventures of the earlier books. It is just not a book that I keep coming back to but rather a place I return to.
A familiar book is comforting because there are no surprises. You know the heartbreak is temporary. You know the couple will eventually figure things out. You know your favourite character will say that particular line. And somehow, knowing all of that makes the experience even better.
What’s your go to book for a re-read?
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With love and lots of stories,
The Reading Lane
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