Portobello Book Blog

We’re now a few days into February which I’m very pleased about as I was doing Dry January! I spotted this book tag on Lynn’s Book Blog and since I always enjoy thinking up suitable books for #booktag questions, thought I’d give it a go. There are a lot of fun February related categories and it actually took quite a while to come up with answers for some of them. I’ve chosen mostly books I’ve read and reviewed in recent months and if you’d like to read my reviews, click the book titles.

The shortest month of the year – A short story or novella that you would like everyone to know about

Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North completes the Harold Fry trilogy. Although it’s the shortest of the three by far it still packs an emotional punch.

Valentine’s Day – your favourite romance novel

It Must Be Love by Caroline Khoury was one of my favourite books from 2022 and it’s certainly very romantic. It’s about Abbie and Oz who meet as students but their lives take different paths and it seems they are fated never to be together, no matter how many times they meet. This would be a great read for Valentine’s Day

Leap Year – ‘One Ring to Rule Them All’ – the year for proposing.  A book with your favourite couple

Oh definitely Mac and Marie from The House That Made Us. They were such a wonderful couple with a deep and abiding love for each other.

Romeo – Could be a book boyfriend, could be your favourite male character

Handsome Pétur from Keeping a Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas is character from a recent read who springs to mind. From rescuing some damsels in distress to looking after the local community to producing divine smoked salmon, he’s a perfect book boyfriend!

Juliet – Could be a book girlfriend, could be your favourite female character

I love Mhairi McFarlane’s books and her feisty heroines. In Mad About You, Harriet is a great character. She has problems from her past but most definitely overcomes them.

Love Triangle – love it or hate it

Three’s a Crowd by Simon Booker has a most unusual love triangle. The main female character is dating a man and his son! Very entertaining.

Enemies to lovers

Well it has to be Pride and Prejudice doesn’t it? Surely Elizabeth and Mr Darcy are the ultimate enemies to lovers love story? I don’t have a review of this as I read it so long ago – and so many times – but it would most definitely be a five star read!

Sweet like chocolate – a book that is positively delicious

Another book I read years ago that I adored was The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella. You will want to go to Italy and cook (or, at the very least, eat) Italian food after reading this one. Another of his novels, The Food of Love, has a similar Italian foodie theme.

A Rose By Any Other Name – a book with a romance that you didn’t expect

I loved reading about Albert in The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and I really didn’t expect the very moving love story within the pages.

A book that broke your heart

One Day with You by Shari Low takes place over just 24 dramatic hours. There were several points where I had a big lump in my throat. Shari Low is just brilliant at writing emotional and compelling fiction.

I’m not going to tag anyone in particular but if you fancy having a go at the
February BookTag then I’d love to read your choices.