Three reasons (sorry, books) why I still believe in love

Confession time: I was a BIG hopeless romantic for almost a decade (which is hilarious because I’m 21). Looking back, I realise how naive I was. Don’t pity me—I’m very happy but merely cursed with the knowledge that love isn’t something you can control by fixing your pathetic ex (much to the dismay of my inner control freak). I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Taylor Swift was wrong: I can’t fix him (no, really, I can’t). 

Now, after a few emotionally damaging and character-developing mistakes, I can safely say my belief in real, honest love is shaky at best and practically non-existent at worst. Don’t worry—I didn’t bring you here just to shatter your romantic naivete. In fact, I’m here to remind you why that naivete is a shield against the harsh realities of Gen Z romance. From Jane Austen to Madeline Miller and Cecelia Ahern, I’ve rounded up my top three romance novels that keep me from running away to Taylor Swift’s Folklore forest alone—with no potential dates in sight.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

 

Starting off strong with the novel that, in my not-so-humble opinion, popularised the enemies-to-lovers trope: Pride and Prejudice by the one and only Jane Austen. Whether you’re obsessed with the book, the 2005 adaptation, or both, you can’t deny the head-spinning chemistry between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy in the heights of the Regency Era. There’s nothing quite as titillating as the earth-shattering realisation that what seemed to be fiery hatred was merely a mask hiding the fervour of the love beneath. There are but a few things in life that are quite as powerful as the moment Elizabeth realises that the person she hated (Darcy) was the person who had protected and helped her for so long in silence. And we can never forget the most beautiful confession in romantic literature and cinema: “You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love—I love—I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on.” If this doesn’t make you believe that love truly exists in this world, I’m very concerned for you.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

 

Moving on to a more recent book, also deeply gut-wrenching, soul-provoking, and breakdown-inducing: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. This book really did my heart in, with the same spear Paris used to kill Achilles. The only difference is that Achilles died and got to be with Patroclus at the end and here I am, having a breakdown while doing my laundry. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have read that book after the end of a situationship. This book has no shortage of literary bangers: “He is half my soul, as the poets say.” “We were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but each other.” “And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.” This devastatingly mind-altering tale of love will ensure you believe in the ferocity of true, unbridled love. However, it will also leave you with the taste of blood as you recall the fate of star-crossed lovers.

Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern

 

The final book that fans the gentle embers of hope in me for a real love story one day is Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. If you’re not familiar with this book, I’ll ask you this: “Have you watched Love, Rosie?” If the answer is yes, I’m sure you remember the uncontrollable tears that ran down your face watching the most heartbreaking right person, wrong time trope play out between two childhood best friends.

While friends-to-lovers are inevitably full of tension, this is a modern take on that, with an endless supply of miscommunication, wrong times, and an accidental pregnancy. Throw in a whole lot of heart-wrenching quotes like: “I’ve learned that home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling. A person. If I’m not with you, I’m not home.” “You move on with your life and leave me behind in your past, but I can’t do the same.” “What if we’ve missed our chance? What if that was it, Alex? What if our time has come and gone?” Love like theirs went through just about every emotionally damaging obstacle existing to humankind. I read this book and needed five business days to recover from it.

While I continue to live my life with a cynical outlook on love that has since put Gregory House (House) to shame, I maintain my minuscule belief in that all-consuming connection with a twin flame by reading these books. The experience of love is universal, but the manner of experiencing it couldn’t be more different. In case you’re struggling to believe in love, I hope these books give you a reason to believe again. If you’ve always believed in love, and you’ve also read these books, and maintain that belief in love during this era of situationships, delusionships, and routine ghosting, what’s your secret?

Lead image credit: Pexels

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