Wicked Love: Books for the anti-Valentines Day
Posted by: Kaite Stover
Looking for tales of love gone wrong/lost/misunderstood/ending in bloodshed? Look no further.
Bobby Rex’s Greatest Hit by Marianne Gingher–Everyone’s in love with small-town-boy-who-made-good-on-the-pop-charts Bobby Rex. Everyone, that is, except Pally Thompson. Bobby Rex wrote a love song about Pally that hit number one and the fan in Pally’s small town of Orfax, NC. No one will believe Pally when she says there was nothing between them and Pally can’t wait for her 15 minutes to be over.
Going Down by Jennifer Belle–There’s no love lost between Bennington and her part-time job. She’s a high-priced call girl in Manhattan who is hooked on the easy money that is putting her through NYU. When she steps back and cannily observes her life (with her deaf shrink), Bennington realizes she doesn’t hold a lot of love for her family, acting classes, friends, and possibly her boyfriend.
Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane–The love and devotion many adults feel for a neglected little girl will cause two people who love each other to be emotionally ripped apart. Who gets to decide whose love is best for a child?
Drinking: A Love Story by Caroline Knapp–It was love at first sight for
Caroline when she took her first drink at 14. Now she tells the story of her struggle to abandon what she loves more than anything and learn to love herself in its place.
Let’s Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell–Right after Caroline learned to love herself more than alcohol, she found Gail, her best friend, whom she loved even more.
Heartsick by Chelsea Cain–Gretchen is completely besotted with Archie. She has a funny way of showing it, though. She’s helping him dissect the motives of a new serial killer in Portland, OR, and wondering how the heart-shaped scar she gave him is looking these days.
Interesting reading for the book club set willing to discuss how authors use the concept of love in story.
