Real Love

"You see I'm searching for a real love and I don't know where to go. Been around the world and high and low and still I'll never know. 
How it feels to have a real love 'cause it seems it's not around. Gotta end it in this way because it seems he can't be found."
- Mary J. Blige
 

February is the month of love. So whether you are looking for love or already have found it, these books are the perfect reads to double check if you have found that "Real Love."

Adult:

The Blind Date – Diamond, Delaney
Delaney Diamond has created a fast paced romance novel that is filled with steamy sex scenes. The main characters are past lovers who were torn apart because of lies and deceit. As fate would have it, they are set up on a blind date years later and all their old feelings come flooding back.  But will their past affect their future together? A good read for those that have revisited past relationships/lovers. 

Just As I Am – Harris, E. Lynn
The sequel to Invisible Life, Just As I Am is a well written story of one man’s journey to self-discovery.  E. Lynn Harris masterfully tackles controversial contemporary issues facing many LGBTQ men and women. The main character of this novel is in a love triangle with both partners trying to gain his love. The one he chooses will ultimately help him decide if he is gay, straight or even a bisexual male and find the strength to embrace who he truly is.   

Midnight: a Gangster Love Story – Souljah, Sister
Midnight is the spellbinding prequel to the urban classic The Coldest Winter Ever.  A teenaged male raised in an affluent Islamic African household finds himself living and hustling in Brooklyn with his mother.  Midnight gains employment and joins a local gang while he is helping his mother develop her own clothing line to support their family. In the process he falls in love with a beautiful Asian teen, which complicates his life more. A great coming of age story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

My Love at Last – Hill, Donna
If you believe that your past heartache will prevent you from loving again, then this book is for you.  Dr. Olivia Gray's love for history began when she wanted to learn more about her birth parents. During one of her most recent assignments, she meets a charming stranger.  Because of her past relationships, Dr. Gray refuses to have a relationship, even though she has started developing strange romantic feelings for the new man in her life.  By studying the past, Dr. Gray is able to learn more about herself and ultimately find love. 
 
Teen:

Boy Meets Boy – Levithan, David
Boy Meets Boys is a romantic comedy that shows that all love stories don’t follow the same sequence. The main character, Paul, goes to a very inclusive and unique high school, which adds to the charm of this novel. Just when everything seems to be going right for Paul, he gets dumped by his “true love” Noah.  Paul has to navigate the drama that his friends are going through while trying to win back Noah. 

Like No Other – LaMarche, Una
Devorah and Jaxon have lived across the street from each other for almost their entire lives, but their paths had never crossed.  As fate would have it, a hurricane traps them on an elevator together, which is the beginning of their secret relationship.  Una LaMarche creates a thought provoking novel that explores how cultural differences affect relationships and how love truly has no cultural bias. 

Most Likely to Succeed – Echols, Jennifer
The vice president of Student Council and the class clown are the most unlikely pair to fall in love, but as they say, the “heart wants what the heart wants.” Kaye strives to keep order both in her personal and academic life, which includes mapping out her future with someone equally as determined to keep order in his life.  Sawyer is a bad boy who loves to party.  Kaye and Sawyer's attraction for each other grows as they approach the end of their senior year and they see that they could be perfect for each other - or at least a much needed change of pace. 

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids – Ockler, Sarah
A modern twist on the classic fairytale of The Little Mermaid, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids follows Elyse, the youngest of  talented sisters, as she rediscovers who she as after losing her ability to speak.  After relocating, Elyse thinks that she can just blend in, but Christian had something else in mind. Sarah Ockler provides readers with an inspirational tale that shows no matter the odds, there is always hope for a better future.