Valentine’s Day is coming up quick, so we’ve been on the hunt for the perfect gift for the men in our lives. None of us are big V-Day peeps, so we weren’t searching for anything elaborate. But we did want something that would make our special someone feel just that – special. I think we can all agree that men are hard to shop for on Valentine’s Day. You can’t just rely on picking up a bouquet of flowers and calling it a day. Plus, a lot of the gifts out there for men are the same old stuff year after year (cologne? undies, chocolates? pleeeeeeaaaaase). We were looking for something fun and out of the box.
When we heard about Books By You, we were immediately on board. The concept is simple: they offers novels you can personalize so you and your lover are the stars. Yes, you heard that right. They’ve got options across a variety of genres, from romance to mystery to classics (what up Pride and Prejudice) – you just pick one, enter a handful of personal details and they ship it right to your doorstep. Ta da, V-day gift secured, stress eliminated.
We decided to go with three romance novels: Pirates of Desire, By Magic Bound and Love’s Next Door. And let us tell you, these books are an equal combination of steamy and hilarious. They’re perfect for reading to each other before bed, candles lit and wine in hand. Here’s a little preview of Pirates of Desire to give you a sense of what it’s all about:
In Pirates of Desire, the promise of pirate lore kindles the dreams of our strong-willed heroine, Lady [your name], as she and her best friend [the name of your BFF] scheme for high seas adventure. But being captured by the notorious pirate captain, [your lovers name], is as fiery and unforgiving as the seas themselves. [your lover], also known as ‘Sea Wolf’, is a handsome rogue and [you] ultimately loses [your] heart to this rugged pirate.
YASSS. You can also add a photo to the back cover, which is awesome. You might even be inspired to play a game of dress up after.
- The Books By You website
- A longing for a steamy romance novel
- $20-$70, depending what kind of book you’re looking for (e-book, hardcover, paperback)
Hit up the website and pick a book that tickles your fancy. Maybe you’ve always longed to be Elizabeth Bennett, so Pride and Prejudice is your jam, or maybe you’re looking for something super cheesy – like Touchdown for Love. Pick something that sparks joy and add it will prompt you to add in a number of personal details (name, hair colour, body type). You can then add a photo if you’d like, for the back cover. The book will then come right to your doorstep. Now, wrap it up nice for your sweetie.
We’ve got a sweet cocktail you can sip at while you and your pals pick out a book (or while you and your lover read these books together). It’s called Love Potion #9 and it’s swell. It’s a twist on the gin sour, with pomegranate juice to give it that beauty hue. You can grab the recipe here.
Epic Love Ballads
These romantic jams are perfectly in tune with the vibe of these books. If these books were a song it would be The Power of Love by Celine Dion.