Recommended for you
Spending Valentine’s Day solo is the perfect opportunity to celebrate your singledom rather than bemoan it. The day is supposed to be about love, and there’s no better love to acknowledge than the love you give yourself, right?! (Sappy? Sure, but so, so true!). We’re sharing 11 hilarious, touching, relatable, wise and original books that will leave you feeling proud of your single lady independence.
1. Never Have I Ever: My Life (So Far) Without a Date by Katie Heaney ($10): At 25 years old, Heaney has never been on a second date. Her disarming and honest way of writing about her dating struggles in her memoir will make you want to give her a hug — and then share a bottle of wine.
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by Samantha Irby ($15): A sharp, incisive extension of her wildly popular blog, bitchesgottaeat.com, Samantha Irby’s collection of short stories chronicles her time as a black woman with Crohn’s disease navigating the dating world. While that may sound uber-specific, Irby’s writing in Meaty is actually incredibly inclusive and totally relatable.
<em>Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant</em>
by Jenni Ferrari-Adler ($11): Dining — and cooking — alone is an art form to be continually practiced. In Jenni Ferrari-Adler’s book of essays from heavy-hitting contributors like Nora Ephron, Ann Patchett and Laurie Colwin, you’ll learn how to love your kitchen again (and pick up some seriously sweet solo recipes in the process!).
4. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling ($16): Mindy Kaling says what we’re all thinking (again) with her second book of essays. Even though she’s a wildly successful actress, writer, producer and general superstar, Kaling’s personal and honest way of writing about trying to find love, making friends and accepting yourself is super relatable. It’s almost like she’s our BFF (we wish).
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by Nora Ephron ($10): Sure, you’ve seen all her movies (multiple times) but have you read Nora Ephron’s only novel? Following the same sweet, quirky and girl power-y themes as her beloved films, Heartburn is a fictionalized account of Ephron’s own heartbreak after the break-up of her first marriage. Rachel Samstat is a cookbook author with a hilariously vengeful streak who ultimately uses her sadness to find self-fulfillment.
<em>Yes Please</em>
by Amy Poehler ($12): Poehler’s laugh-out-loud funny memoir is the perfect read for any woman spending Valentine’s Day alone after a recent break-up. Much of Yes Please reads like an incredible pep talk Poehler is giving her best friend (“just because your relationship didn’t last forever doesn’t make it a failure” ) who just happens to be you!
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by Alyssa Shelasky ($14): Freelance entertainment writer Alyssa Shelasky moved from New York City to Washington DC to build a “love nest” with her Top Chef cutie fiancé, Spike Mendelsohn. She taught herself to cook to keep herself sane in the process. Apron Anxiety is the sly, sexy and captivating recollection of this mad, passionate time in Shelasky’s life. It will make you laugh, cry and ultimately leave you feeling inspired to both love and cook to your heart’s content.
<em>The First Bad Man</em>
The First Bad Man, is as strange as she is sweet. Her story of falling in love, finding herself and living life to the fullest will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished her story. No matter where you are in your life, you’ll find something to take away from Cheryl’s story of obsessive romantic love and tender maternal affection.
<em>Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone</em>
by Eric Klienenberg ($11): Going Solo is a fascinating sociological study of the recent rise in American adults choosing to live alone. Never before in history have so many of us made the decision to shack up solo. Klienenberg, a renowned sociologist, delves into all the myriad reasons why.
<em>Girls in White Dresses</em>
by Jennifer Close ($10): Three single friends’ calendars are seemingly one bridal shower and bachelorette party after another in this novel by Jennifer Close. While they’re happy for their attached friends, they’ve got their own messy lives to contend with. It’s a fun and engaging story of love, friendship and the complexities of a woman’s world.
<em>The Edible Woman</em>
by Margaret Atwood ($12): If you’ve ever had that gut feeling that something just isn’t right and made a (seemingly) hasty decision based on that intuition, then The Edible Woman is a must-read for you. Marian is trying to love the idea of marriage, but instead of feeling butterflies in her stomach she’s stopped eating completely. It’s a sharply witty story of trusting your intuition and learning to be okay being alone.
