My Favourite Slow-Burn Love Stories

I'm very fond of delightful love stories. But, I believe, romance novels can be really boring if not handled well (involves many factors). One of the things that really pisses me off is 'insta love' or love at first sight. Maybe because I don't believe in the theory of love at first sight. I like to see the protagonists growing in a beautiful relationship; to see them falling in love. 

If you ask me about my favourite fictional characters falling in love, I'd say Leo and Emmi from Love Virtually by Daniel Glattauer (and Every Seventh Wave, the sequel). They are epistolary novels (written in the form of emails). And Will and Lou from Me Before You.

But I have mentioned these books way too many times, so I am offering a fresh list. Four slow burn love stories that I read and loved in the last 2-3 years.

Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron 

Isla unexpectedly receives a text from a stranger, Ewan, who claims to be her husband. Obviously a wrong number, she thinks, she's not even married. But then he shares some solid proofs that indicate he might be his future husband who has lost her and is now reaching out to her to save her.

So when she meets him for the first time, she knows he is the one, but Ewan doesn't know as yet.

It's speculative fiction, an endearing love story. Unique, imaginative and so engrossing. It deals with mental health in a very sensitive manner. I loved it, I wish I could re-read it like I was reading it for the first time.

My Name is Anton by Catherine Ryan Hyde

It’s 1965, and life has taken a turn for eighteen-year-old Anton Addison-Rice. Nearly a year after his brother died in a tragic accident, Anton is still wounded—physically and emotionally. Alone for the holidays, he catches a glimpse of his neighbor Edith across the street one evening and realizes that she’s in danger.

Anton is determined to help Edith leave her abusive marriage. Frightened and fifteen years Anton’s senior, Edith is slow to trust. But when she needs a safe place to stay, she lets down her guard, and over the course of ten days an unlikely friendship grows. 

"'I love you so much it scares me sometimes. I’ll think how much I love you and for a minute it’s hard to breathe.'

'Welcome to my side of the fence,' he said."

A pure, poignant, unique and heartwarming love story. Too good to be true, maybe, but I absolutely don't mind! Beautiful writing. My full review.

Love at First by Kate Clayborn

Blurb: Sixteen years ago, a teenaged Will Sterling saw—or rather, heard—the girl of his dreams. Standing beneath an apartment building balcony, he shared a perfect moment with a lovely, warm-voiced stranger. It’s a memory that’s never faded, though he’s put so much of his past behind him. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor. Instead, he encounters a woman, two balconies above, who’s uncannily familiar…

'and he couldn’t just hear the grin in her voice; it was like he could feel it, like she had her mouth pressed right against his chest.'

It's so sweet and heartwarming. It's so funny and so sad, at times. And I loved Will and Nora (especially Will). And their endearing conversations.

The Meeting Point by Olivia Lara

What if the Lift driver who finds your cheating boyfriend's phone holds the directions to true love?

'Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend's phone?'

'He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I'm the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.'

And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday.

We don't meet the male protagonist for a long time, but he is connected through texts and that's so entertaining, the chats. I love the protagonists and their conversation. Both as a reader and a writer, I felt deeply connected. So much that the book travelled with me to my kitchen, and it doesn't happen often. I love the settings: the lovely locations, the cafe, beach, cottages…

The ending was a bit rushed, as I was expecting a deeper conversation and moments. Nevertheless, it was lovely, lovely read. 

If you are reading this post, please leave a comment and share yoir favourites. Would love to know.

Written for Bookish League hosted by Ritu

Blogchatter Bloghop's prompt: 'Your two favourite fictional characters falling in love'