Monday, February 14, 2011

Monday=Book Review Time--A few of my favorite love stories

Happy Valentine's Day! In celebration I thought I'd list some of my favorite books and movies with romance rather than my regular book review. I'm sure I'll leave out some great ones, but these are what come to mind today. If you enjoy a heart flutter or two, you might want to check them out.

Classics
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Persuasion by Jane Austen
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Recent
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows
The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan
The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Stargirl and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, it's still an engrossing love story.)
Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott
Old Magic by Marianne Curley

Movies
Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version, but most any version will do)
North and South (Pitter pat)
Bride and Prejudice (The best spin on P and P ever! If you like musicals.)
Dear Frankie
Becoming Jane
Young Victoria
Return to me
Notting Hill
Sleepless in Seattle
The Prince and Me--not the sequels

Tell me some of your favorites in the comments.

24 comments:

Samantha Vérant said...

Okay- to add to your list – a mix of movies and books:
Atonement
The Notebook
The English Patient
While You Were Sleeping
When Harry Met Sally
The Holiday
Love Story
Casablanca
Gone with the Wind

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Oh, great lists! I agree with the extras added above by Her highness :) The Notebook is great and The Holiday. I also like P.S. I Love You.

Heidi Willis said...

I really must read Pride and Prejudice. Somehow I missed that one when I was younger, and now it keeps popping up all over!

To add - almost anything by Emily Giffin (especially Love the One You're With and Baby Proof).

One Day by David Nicholls. Broke my heart.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Time Traveler's Wife (Niffeneger)

for movies - Out of Africa. Much more heartbreaking and passionate than the book!

Abby Minard said...

I LOVE the Kiera Knightly Pride and Prejudice. I also LOVED Becoming Jane. I'll add The Princess Bride, 27 Dresses (campy, but so cute!) I'm not a big Rom Com person though. As far as books, all those classics of course (Jane Austen defined the hate-grows-into-love story so anything with that is always fun. My favorite YA fantasy has romance and I love it- Sabriel (another annoyed at you grows into love thing). Graceling, Meg Cabot books are always cute, oh there's so many more!

Tana said...

I always see Sarah Dessen novels in the library and per your recommendation I'm going to check them out! I read tons of YA and never read her. Thanks Lois! Happy V day!!!! Eat lots of chocolate =)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Hmmm...

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas
the NEED series by Carrie Jones
Nightshade
Delirium

And many more... :-)

lotusgirl said...

Samantha, Great additions! While You Were Sleeping and The Holiday are particular faves. Casablanca too.

Cindy, Thanks. As you can tell with Dear Frankie, I'm a fan of Gerard Butler.

Heidi, You must read Pride and Prejudice. I keep thinking I should try an Emily Giffin but I haven't as of yet. I'll put one of those by her on my TBR list.

Abby, James McAvoy is so great in Becoming Jane, so romantic. I'm going to have to try Sabriel. I've heard good things about it. I also enjoy Meg Cabot's books.

Tana, Sarah Dessen is a must read if you like YA romance. In my book, she's the best at it.

Shannon, Delirium is already on my TBR list and I will probably pick up NIghtshade at the breathless tour stop.

Thanks for all the great recommendations, everyone!

Susan R. Mills said...

Pride and Prejudice is a popular one today. I think this is the 4th time I've seen it mentioned as a favorite romantic movie. I haven't seen it. I guess I need to remedy that! :)

Summer Frey said...

Love Actually! Thought I always equate it with Christmas...

I like French Kiss a lot...and the Kevin Costner Robin Hood never fails to make me tear up.

Love the Sarah Dessen books! I think Just Listen is my favorite, though I'm still missing a few.

lotusgirl said...

Summer, I have a particular soft spot for French Kiss. I almost put it on the list. Plus I was so impressed at Kevin Kline's french accent, and I'm a hard one to impress with that. Just Listen is my favorite Dessen book too. (I adore Owen.) Her new one (What Happened to Goodbye) is also fantastic but I didn't put it on the list since it's not out.

Kimberly Franklin said...

I absolutely loved the Prince and Me! Too bad the sequels weren't as good as the orignial.:(

Aleeza said...

yay--someone else who loved dear frankie. oh gosh, i adored that movie (and gerard butler, too, of course).

Melissa Sarno said...

I love your choices! :-) I'm down with the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version of P & P too!

writergal24 said...

I love Pride and Prejudice too! And anything by Sarah Dessen.

Nicki Elson said...

Ooh, you've got lots of my favorites on your list, so on your recommendation I'll add "North and South" on my TBR list. And as long as you only have the first Twilight book on your list...cuz I agree, there was something magical about book one.

Hope you're having a marvelous Valentine's Day!

Patti said...

I love One Day by David Nicholas and favorite move is Princess Bride or the Notebook, maybe I'll watch one of those tonight.

Liza said...

I loved reading this, having just watched P&P (Kiera Knightly version which I love!) I also loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and now will check out a few more books on your list. Thank you for following Middle Passages!

Stina said...

I love Jane Austen, Sarah Dessen, Elizabeth Scott, Richelle Mead. Oh, there are so many authors I love. :D

Theresa Milstein said...

I just read Pride and Prejudice. I'm trying to read more classics. I really enjoyed Stargirl.

What is it about Colin Firth that makes him so good in Victorian era movies?

lotusgirl said...

Kimberly, I know. I was very disappointed in them.

Aleeza, Yeah. I wish more people knew about it. It's so sweet.

Melissa, Great minds think alike. We'll have to get to know each other better.

writergal, I'm at least going to check out any Pride and Prejudice that surfaces, and Sarah Dessen totally rocks.

Nicki, You should watch the movie of North and South too. Richard Armitage is amazing in it. For reading the book, you may want to check out the review I did for it. Follow the link in the sidebar under labels.

Patti, I love the Princess Bride too. It's so funny. I'll have to check out One Day.

LIza, Thanks. It's always nice meeting someone with similar tastes.

Stina, I'll have to read a Richelle Mead. I've never tried anything of hers.

Theresa, Since you enjoyed Stargirl, you should read Love, Stargirl. It's wonderful. As for Colin Firth, he has that swoon-worthy Darcy appeal. It translates to current films too though. I loved him in What a girl wants and Mamma Mia (and so many others).

Tara said...

I think I could watch Notting Hill every single day. I have no idea what it is about that movie, but I love it.

Hannah Beth said...

The Gable Faces East & Gables Against the Sky - Anita Stansfield
borrowed them from Robin & love them. set in the late 1800s & early 1900s in Australia. very adventure-esque stories and plenty of romance, too

Jennie Bailey said...

I read Jane Eyre over and over and over in the 4th grade. I was obsessed! You've got a great list here, including Twilight. I devoured it! I don't care what anyone else says - it totally sucked me in!

Amie Kaufman said...

Oh, I love The Blue Sword, I re-read that just recently! Pride and Prej is also a yearly re-read for me. I recently really enjoyed If I Stay by Gayle Forman, which I wouldn't call a traditional love story, but the romance is beautiful.