By Faith Zochowski
This upcoming weekend marks the long weekend that students have been anticipating for weeks: fall break. Whether you are going on a trip, visiting home, or staying in Bowling Green, check out these books to curl up with under a warm, cozy blanket. They are sure to get you out of a reading slump!
1. Safe Haven
Nicholas Sparks, an author famous for his numerous romantic novels, tells the story of a young girl fleeing from her past in his novel Safe Haven. Katie moves to a small town in North Carolina to get a fresh start. She attempts to seclude herself in her cabin in the woods but fails to avoid neighbor Jo and store owner Alex. She reluctantly gains their trust and lets her guard down more around them, still not revealing any secrets to her past. No matter how hard she tries not to, she begins to fall for Alex, who invites her on beach trips and over for dinner with his two children, Kristen and Josh. Just as Katie’s life is starting to turn around, she is reminded of her past as her abusive ex-husband Kevin finds her in North Carolina, where she sought refuge from him. The truth is uncovered that Katie’s real name is Erin and that she changed her entire appearance to escape Kevin, who is a cop. He used his resources as a cop to his advantage to track her down. Katie is forced to run from him again, but this time, she has Alex to protect her. Read to find out if Katie is able to find her true safe haven. This novel has been adapted into a movie starring Julianne Hough as Katie and Josh Duhamel as Alex.
2. Book Lovers
Book Lovers tells the story of Nora Stephens, a literary agent who is often described as “cutthroat” and “heartless.” Nonetheless, she is dedicated to her job and would do anything for her clients as well as her little sister Libby. Nora relentlessly agrees to go on a girl’s trip to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina with Libby, who is due to have her third child soon. She knows that Libby needs the trip just as much as she does, so she agrees to go for the month of August. The small-town vibe of Sunshine Falls is much different than New York City, where the girls grew up. It is so small that “everyone knows everyone,” as they say, which is the reason why Nora continually runs into Charlie Lastra, a book editor she knew from the city. The two have never quite gotten along nor seen eye-to-eye on all things publishing, but their opinions of each other begins to change as they spend more time together and discover secrets about each other’s past. Nora also discovers in this time that Libby is struggling with her marriage, an obvious issue she would have noticed if she had not been drowning in work back in the city. Emily Henry writes a beautiful story about family love, the struggles with relationships, and balancing your personal life with your work life. Emily Henry, a New York Times bestselling author, is also the author of People We Meet on Vacation and Beach Read.
3. Reminders of Him
The beloved Colleen Hoover delivers yet another heartbreaking love story in her novel Reminders of Him. The story follows Kenna Roman, who has just finished serving five years in prison for a tragic accident that leaves her boyfriend Scotty dead. Kenna gave birth while in prison to her daughter Diem but immediately lost custody of her due to her sentence. Custody was given to Scotty’s parents, the Landry’s. Kenna returns to her hometown after her release in hopes of reconnecting with her daughter and apologizing to the Landrys and Ledger, who was Scotty’s best friend. Matters get complicated when Ledger and Kenna fall in love as he helps her get back on her feet, giving her a job at his bar and driving her around. Ledger is forced to find a balance between respecting the Landry’s decision to keep Kenna out of Diem’s life and yearning to reconnect Diem with her mother. The novel is full of twists, heartache, and drama that will be sure to leave you at the edge of your seat.
You may also like this
