Summer time is for crushes, dates and new experiences — or at least reading about them.
Here’s a great selection of atypical romances. From contemporary-fiction to science fiction, non-fiction to historical, all of these books feature interesting characters who struggle to find love and acceptance.
• The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi: When Robin reaches 40, she realizes that life isn’t going the way she wants. Her husband has vehemently refused to have kids and she sees the years stretching out in front of her as endlessly monotonous. As a way to break out of her slump, she pitches an idea to her husband: For one year, she’ll live as a single person on the weekdays and on the weekends she’ll come home and be a faithful wife. Robyn and Scott have rules, no falling in love, no unsafe sex, but otherwise nothing is off-limits. This is the true story of Rinaldi’s one-year exploration into love, sex, self-awareness and heartbreak.
• Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber: When Minister Peter and his wife Bea hear about an opportunity to become missionaries to aliens on another planet, they are excited. They apply to go as a team but only Peter is chosen. He decides to take the assignment. Peter and Bea are confident they can sustain their relationship, knowing that communication will only be possible through slow-to-arrive emails. Shortly after Peter leaves, life on Earth changes. Climate-related natural disasters kill hundreds of thousands of people, and result in social instability. In contrast, Peter’s mission goes surprisingly well; the aliens are very interested in Christianity and many convert. In different physical and emotion places, Peter and Bea struggle to relate. Although this is a sci-fi novel, the difficulty that Bea and Peter face is common: How can a couple stay together when things change so quickly?
• Next Year for Sure by Zoey Leigh Peterson: Kathryn and Chris seem to be perfectly matched. Open, honest, supportive and fun-loving, they’re great together and to be around. When Chris tells Kathryn he has a crush on Emily, Kathryn is fascinated. As Chris’ crush intensifies, Kathryn encourages him to ask Emily out on a date. They hit it off and Chris and Emily continue to date while Chris and Kathryn continue to be a couple. The arrangement is confusing to everyone. Kathryn’s best friend can’t understand. Chris’ mom is horrified. At times, it seems to make sense to Kathryn and Chris. They think love can go beyond just two people — but can it? Peterson explores a non-monogamous relationship with believable characters and a swiftly moving plot.
• Euphoria by Lily King: Inspired by an event in the life of Margaret Mead, this novel tells the story of three young anthropologists in 1930s New Guinea. Nell Stone and her husband Fenn arrive in New Guinea looking for a new tribe to study. Andrew Bankson, an English anthropologist, keenly helps them set up a day’s boat ride away. As Nell and Fenn settle into their new home, we see how differently they work. Nell diligently sets about meeting the women, documenting kinship and befriending the children but she resents the way Fenn quickly picks up the language and effortlessly fits in. She is extremely academic and longs for a partner who can theorize with her. When Bankson comes to visit, it’s apparent that he and Nell are compatible. Fenn and Bankson also get along and it seems that the three work well together, but is three a crowd?
• The Girls by Emma Cline: 14-year-old Evie is disconnected from her family and friends. Feeling bored and out of place, she is hypnotized by Suzanne, a carefree girl in her late teens who seems to do whatever she likes. Evie wants into Suzanne’s free-spirited life. Within a few weeks, she’s hanging around with Suzanne at “the ranch,” a hippy commune centred on Russel, a charismatic musician. As Evie spends more time at the ranch, she sees the dark, messy side of this community. Wanting to impress and stay close to Suzanne, Evie pushes aside her unease and tries to fit in. Based on the Manson cult of the 1960s, this book tells the story of an unbalanced relationship between two young women.
For these great reads and more visit your local library. While you’re there, don’t forget to join the summer reading club — there are clubs for all ages.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published on Wednesdays. Dana Ionson works at Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam.
