14 books about love for Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day! Celebrate love or getting over it by reading one of these great books.

Missed Connectionsby Brian Francis

Brian Francis puts his acerbic wit to workin this collection of essays, in which he responds to a series of letters sent to him in the early 1990s. The 13 letters were responses to his personal ad, placed in a local newspaper at the age of 21, when Francis was in the closet and looking for love. Thirty years later, Francis hasunearthed these unanswered letters and crafted responses that are at times light-hearted, but also serious, exploring subjects like male body image, desire and the cost of secrecy.

• Brian Francis's nonfiction bookMissed Connectionsexplores body image, desire and the price of secrecy

Francis is the author of novelsFruit,Natural OrderandBreak in Case of Emergency. He is a writer and columnist forThe Next Chapteron CBC Radio and lives in Toronto.

13:29Brian Francis on Missed Connections

Brian Francis talks to Shelagh Rogers about his book, Missed Connections.

Heartbreak For Hireby Sonia Hartl

The novelHeartbreak For Hire follows Brinkley Saunders, a rising star who dropped out of grad school andsupposedly works as an administrative assistant at an insurance agency. In reality, she works at Heartbreak for Hire, a secret service that provides revenge for jilted lovers, frenemies and anyone else who needs to break a heart. It's not academia, but it helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening an art gallery.When the agency hires maleheartbreakers, she's not sure if she's doing the right thing anymore, especially when she's paid to break the heart of her new coworker Mark.

Sonia Hartl is the author of YA novels The Lost Girls, Not Your #Lovestory and Have a Little Faith in Me. She lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.,with her husband and two daughters.

Accidentally Engagedby Farah Heron

InAccidentally Engaged,Reena Manji refuses to be attracted to the man her parents have set her up withthe charming and attractive Nadim. But when Reena gets the opportunity to enter a cooking competition, she will do anything to win includingpretendingto be engaged to Nadim.

• Farah Heron on why conflict is key when writing a romantic comedy

Farah Heron is a writer from Toronto. She is also the author of the romantic comedyThe Chai Factorandthe YA novelTahira in Bloom.

Duke, Actually: A Novelby Jenny Holiday

In Duke Actually, thesequel to A Princess for Christmas, Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is having a not-so-merry Christmas. He's been dumped by a princess, he's unemployed and his controlling father flieshim to New York to meet a woman he has no interest in marrying. Instead he meets newly single, no-nonsense Dani Martinez and is determined to befriend her before their best friends marry in the wedding of the century.

• London romance writer's self-published novel earning international recognition

Jenny Holiday grew up in Minnesota but now lives in London, Ont. She's been nominated for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award and is a USA Today bestselling author. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post and NPR.

The Red Palaceby June Hur

Set in Korea's royal court of the 18th century, June Hur's The Red Palace is amurder mystery laced with bits of romance. The novel follows Hyeon, the illegitimate daughter of a concubine, who works hard to earn a position as a nurse at the palace. When four women are suddenly killed and her mentor is accused of the crimes, Hyeon teams up with a young police inspector to find the true killer.

June Hur is a Toronto-based writer, originally from South Korea. She's also the author ofThe Silence of Bones andThe Forest of Stolen Girls.

Hana Khan Carries Onby Uzma Jalaluddin

Hana is an aspiring radio host who is working at her family's halal restaurant. When her aunt and a cousin come to town, and a rival restaurant opens in their neighbourhood, Hana's life is upended and family secrets are revealed. Fighting for her family is a big battle, one that will put all of Hana's skills to the test. It's a battle that gets more complicated by Hana's growing attraction to the rival restaurant's owner, Aydin.

• Uzma Jalaluddin's novelAyesha At Lastsubverts Muslim stereotypes in its look at romantic love

Jalaluddin is a teacher, parenting columnist and author based in Ontario. She is also the author of the novelAyesha At Last.

The Next Chapter14:07Uzma Jalaluddin on Hana Khan Carries On

Uzma Jalaluddin talks to Shelagh Rogers about her latest romantic comedy novel, Hana Khan Carries On.

The Holiday Swapby Maggie Knox

InThe Holiday Swap, Charlie Goodwin loses her ability to taste and smell after she suffers a head injury on set two importantsenses for acelebrity baking judge. Back home, Charlie's identical twin sister Cass is overwhelmedrunning the family bakery and avoiding her ex-boyfriend. Charlie and Cass agree to switch places, days before Christmas, to help each other out. But the plan is complicated by two charming men, firefighter Jake Greenman and physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez.

• How an unconventional childhood prepared Marissa Stapley for life as a writer

Maggie Knox is the pseudonym of Canadian writing duoKarma Brown and Marissa Stapley. Brown's bestselling books includeRecipe for a Perfect WifeandThe 4% Fix,while Stapley's known for romantic novels likeMating for LifeandThings to Do When It's Raining.The Holiday Swapistheir first collaboration.

9:45Maggie Knox and The Holiday Swap

Maggie Knox (Karma Brown & Marissa Stapley) on their romantic comedy, The Holiday Swap.

A Holly Jolly Diwaliby Sonya Lalli

A Holly Jolly Diwali is about Niki Randhawa, a data analyst who is all about being practical. She's got a stable job, only dates guys who look good on paper and lives near her parents in case they need her. When Niki issuddenly laid off, she eschews her practical ways and spontaneouslybooks a flight to her friend's wedding in Mumbai. There, she flirts with a London musician named Sameer Mukherji, who helps her get in touch with hercreativityand her Indian roots. But when Nikigets a job offer back home, she must figure out what kind of life she wants to live.

• Jael Richardson's book pick: The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli

Sonya Lalli is a Punjabi and Bengali romance fiction author based in Vancouver. She's written three other novels: Serena Singh Flips the Script, Grown-Up Pose and The Matchmaker's List. Her books have been spotlighted in publications including Entertainment Weekly, NPR, the Washington Post, the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.

Donut Fall in Loveby Jackie Lau

Donut Fall in Love follows actor Ryan Kwok, who is back in Toronto after promoting his latest movie, a rom-com that's being slammed by critics.The sudden death of his mother prompts Ryan to takehis first break in years and spend more time with his family though his father would rather troll him on Twitter than meet for dim sum.Ryan's fatetakes a turn when he knocks over a bunch of specialty donuts byan innovative baker namedLindsay McLeod. When he signs up for a celebrity episode of a baking show, he enlists Lindsay to help him prepare.

Jackie Lauis a Toronto-based author of over a dozen romantic comedies, includingthe Holidays with the Wongs series and the There's Only One Bed at Christmas novella anthology. She went to school forengineering and worked as a geophysicist before writing romance novels.

A Boring Wife Settles the Scoreby Marie-Rene Lavoie, translated by Arielle Aaronson

A Boring Wife Settles the Scoreis a sequel to the funny and heartfelt novelAutopsy of a Boring Wife. InA Boring Wife Settles the Score,Diane is putting her life back together again. She has a new job at a daycare and, with encouragement fromher best friend Claudine, has resolvedto find romance once again.

• Jael Richardson's book pick: Autopsy of a Boring Wife by Marie-Rene Lavoie

Marie-Rene Lavoie is the author of three other books, includingMister Roger and Me(La petite et le vieuxin French), which won Radio-Canada'sLe combat national des livresin 2012. Lavoie lives in Montreal.

Arielle Aaronson is a translator from Montreal.

The Dating Playbookby Farrah Rochon

In The Dating Playbook,the second book in The Boyfriend Project series, personal trainer Taylor Powell needs to make fast money to pay offher overdue bills and rent. Enter Jamar Dixon, a former football player who wants to go back to the NFL. He asks her to train him in secret but when they're exposed, the public assumes they're dating andtheir plans goawry.

Farrah Rochon is the author of The Boyfriend Project, which was listed as a best book of the year by NPR, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed and other outlets. She hails from a small town near New Orleans.

Honey Girlby Morgan Rogers

Honey Girlfollows straight-laced Grace Porter, a newly graduated PhD student and the daughter of an ex-military father. Grace celebrates her astronomy degree in Las Vegas, and is shocked the next morning when she realizes she's married to a woman whose name she can't remember. Feeling the weight of her family's expectations, Grace flees to New York City for the summerto get to know her new wife, Yuki Yamamoto.

Morgan Rogers is a writer and author based in Baltimore.Honey Girlis her debut novel.

Playing the Palaceby Paul Rudnick

Heartbroken Carter Ogden is sure he'll never find love that is, until a chancemeeting withEngland's Prince Edgar at his boss's soire. The chemistry is so hotit ignites a media firestorm on both sides of the Atlantic. But can aromance between the crownprince and "that guy from New York" survive the tabloids and the Queen's disapproval?

Paul Rudnick is a playwright and author, whose books includeSocial DiseaseandI'll Take It.He lives in New York and is a regular contributor to The New Yorker.

The Knockout Ruleby Kelly Siskind

The Knockout Rule follows Isla Slade,a physiotherapist who helps athletes recover from injuries. As the daughter of a boxer, Isla's one rule is that she won't treatboxers;she's not interested in reliving the bloody noses, cracked ribs and hospital visits again. But when her dad begs her to take on boxer Brick Kramarov, Isla reluctantly agrees toworkwith him and his manager Preston ahead of a big Las Vegas fight. Preston woos Isla, but she finds out that Brick has beencoaching him and falling in love with her all along.Isla mustdecide if it's worth loving a boxer again.

Kelly Siskind is an author living in northern Ontario. Her other novels include Chasing Crazy and New Orleans Rush.