Recent YA Romance

I've read a bunch of YA romance lately, which seems rather timely since Valentine's Day is fast approaching.  I liked all of them, some more than others, of course.

What If it's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera - Arthur is new to New York City, spending the summer there with his parents.  One day he runs into a guy at the post office who is sending a box to his ex-boyfriend.  Sparks fly, but the two don't even know each other's names. It takes a lot of effort to find each other, and then there's the ex-boyfriend to contend with along with a variety of other ups and downs.  This one is fun, although a bit long (I'm pretty sure I could cut at least a hundred pages).

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan - Rukhsana is part of a very conservative Muslim family.  They aren't really in favor of her dream to go to CalTech to become an engineer, and they definitely won't understand that Rukhsana has a girlfriend. Her parents expect her to marry a nice Muslim boy.  When her mom catches her daughter kissing her girlfriend, Rukhsana is whisked off to Bangladesh where she visits her family, but is also held against her will.  Rukhsana doesn't give up easily, and finds some advice in her grandmother's diary.

Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippincott - this story is set to come out in theaters this spring, so I wanted to make sure I read it before I saw it.  There is definitely some similarities to Everything Everything, but also plenty of differences that readers won't feel like they are just reading another version of the same story.  Stella has cystic fibrosis and has spent her life in and out of hospitals. She is a little bit of a control freak, although there's not much about her health she has control over.  When she meets Will at the hospital she is immediately irritated by him and his lack of concern about his own CF.  And yet the two are attracted to each other. However, CF patients aren't allowed within six feet of each other for fear of infection. How will the two ever get to hold hands or kiss?  This is a sad and beautiful love story.

96 Words For Love by Rachel Roy - Raya's future has been mapped out for her. After graduation she will attend UCLA. However, when her cousin invites her to come to India and visit the ashram where their grandmother spent time as a young woman (and left them something), the two decide this is a chance they must take.  While there Raya is able to learn more about herself and what she really wants for her future. And of course, there is a cute guy there as well that Raya begins a romance with.

Chemistry Lessons by Meredith Goldstein - Maya is still recovering from the death of her mother, but enjoys her internship at MIT where her mother once worked.  When she comes across her mom's research notes and the study she was conducting on enhancing human attractions, she decides to continue with the research.  The hormones Maya is taking do seem to have an effect, but Maya needs to decide which guy she is really interested in - and the study has little to do with that.

This Is Kind of An Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender - Nate's girlfriend, Flo, left him for a girl she met, and Nate doesn't really believe in happily ever after because of what he's seen in his parents' relationship.  However, his best friend from his childhood has moved back to town, and Nate can't help but hope that Oliver is interested in him.  There are a lot of missteps as the two reconnect and Nate struggles with whether he should disclose how he really feels.  

So if you're in need of a romance, any of these are worth picking up.  February is the perfect time to enjoy a nice love story.