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Here are two romances perfect for some Valentine’s Day reading.
One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker
by Timothy Janovsky
One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker is a sweet grownup romance twist on the Willy Wonka story. In this version Charlie is an adult and aspiring tattoo artist though his blue collar family is still poor and desperately in need of cash. His version of a golden ticket comes when he finds an advertisement for a match making contest to win the heart of the scion of a famous Italian chocolatier family, Dario Cotogna. He is one of five contestants (representing a range of genders since Dario is pansexual) who slowly drop off as in the book (and movies) that the story takes its inspiration from. Dario suffers from agoraphobia and his late grandfather set the competition in motion as a way to push him out of his comfort zone and hopefully find a partner. What at first was simply a way for each man to meet their transactional goals becomes much more. It was fun seeing how Janovsky took the material from one of my early childhood favorites and shaped it into something though recognizable was still new and infused with added depth. The story is very much written in Janovsky’s own voice rather than mimicking Dahl’s quirky, but occasionally a bit dark and cynical literary style. Whether you are a fan of the original story or just like a fun romance this should be a treat; you can also check out Janovsky’s other romance novels Never Been Kissed and You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince and New Adult.
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care
by Ashley Herring Blake
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care is a fun romance between Delilah, a former high school misfit and now successful photographer, and Claire, a single mom who was also one of her step sister’s cool clique. The two meet again during the wedding prep for Delilah’s step sister, Astrid’s wedding. Their meeting brings up some old hurts from their high school days, but also sparks of attraction. The story does a nice job of depicting individuals working through complex family and friendship dynamics. Besides the romance between Claire and Delilah there is also a un-romance plot where they and Astrid’s other friends try and break up the wedding which they are sure will doom Astrid to unhappiness due to her truly horrible fiancé. I thought Kristen DiMercurio did a nice job narrating the audiobook that I enjoyed listening to. If you enjoy this story, you can also borrow several other sapphic romances by Ashley Herring Blake including Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail, Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date, and Dream On, Ramona Riley.
Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 