lou's library

I’m a sucker for a good love story. The other day, I sat and wondered what makes a good love story, and which ones I would call my favourites. Unfortunately, the immediate examples that came to mind were rather conventional, so I went down a rabbit hole (aka my StoryGraph list of all the books I’ve read in recent years) to find unusual love stories. And because I think most of us could do with a bit more of those, I’m sharing this list with you today!

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This is one of the most unusual books I have ever read, period. That includes its love story, but also so many other aspects. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow follows Sam and Sadie, who become friends over a shared love for video games. They start developing video games together and build a company from scratch as young adults, and we get to witness all the fun and hardships that come with that. It’s an unusual love story because Sadie’s and Sam’s connection goes deeper and is much more complex than that of a straightforward couple relationship, yet there is no denying that there is so much love between these two characters. To me, it is one of the most realistic depictions of human behaviour and deep love for someone else I have ever come across in a book.

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield

I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about Our Wives Under The Sea. I think it might simply not be the book for me, but I can totally see why so many people love it and there were aspects of it which I too did enjoy. Namely the portrayal of grief and human connection, which is why this book features on this list. It follows Miri and Leah, a married couple. Leah is a deep-sea researcher (that is definitely not the right term but you get the gist) and returns (months later than planned) completely changed from one of the expeditions. Her wife is understandably concerned and attempts to find out what happened at the bottom of the sea. Without giving away too much, the events clearly impact their relationship and we witness Miri determinedly trying to get answers, while slowly having to come to terms with the likelihood of things never being the way they once were again. It’s an unusual story and there were many times where I did not know what was real or imagined, but Miri’s love for Leah and determination to do her best for her made this a really special reading experience.

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Ah, Looking For Alaska. Every time I read this book, I have a slightly different opinion on it, because I’ve discovered something new between its pages. It’s clear from the beginning that the narrative is heading towards some sort of cumulative event, as there is literally a countdown, so the book is basically split between before and after said event. We follow our narrator Miles as he falls in love with Alaska and becomes part of her friendship group. It’s full of teenage angst and hopes and dreams, but also loss and grief (it’s a John Green novel, after all). I know that on paper it looks like a pretty traditional love story, because a boy falls in love with a girl. And in that sense, it is, but at the same time, there is so much more to the relationship between Alaska and Miles. He learns so much through their encounter, and the event the book counts down to puts a lot of the preconceived notions we have about the two of them into question. Looking For Alaska is much deeper than you might expect from the first one hundred or so pages of the book, which is why I think it deserves its place on this list.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

This autobiography was all the rage when it was released, and I get why. Michelle Obama is not just one of the most effortlessly cool women out there, but also absolutely fascinating. For so long, the spotlight was on her husband, so I was very excited to finally read about her side of this story. Becoming, as the title suggests, is the story of how Michelle Obama became First Lady of the US, but also of how she is so much more than that. I am counting it as a love story because once you have read this book, there is no doubt in your mind that this extraordinary woman has had to come a long way to get to where she is today, that she had to grapple with a lot of problems and now refuses to be treated with anything other than respect. In that sense, this is a story of self-love, and a beautiful one at that. It’s unusual in so many ways, not least because hardly anyone ends up living in the White House, but also because while I don’t think idealising any couple is a good idea, her and Barack Obama clearly have figured out how to do this together ages ago and it’s working really well for them. Becoming is testament to the incredible work of Michelle Obama, and of her journey to find herself.

There you go, these are some of the books I would recommend if you want to read some unusual love stories! If you would like more recommendations, I have a blog post about my instant buy authors, and also one about the best queer book romances. Happy reading!