31 Must-Read Books To Cozy Up With This Fall

The Vibrant Years by Sonali Dev

Anyone would be happy to be a million dollars richer, but not Bindu Desai. She's shocked, but she's also dreading the discovering of something that happened when she was younger. The only way she feels she can bypass this unfortunate event is by choosing to move to Florida. The problem with that is her daughter-in-law Aly still lives with her. As unexpected as this move is, Aly tries to find the bright side in it. She figures that this will give her a chance to reach a turning point in her career.

Then there's Aly's daughter, Cullie. As successful as she once was in the tech industry, Cullie's been struggling and has to face her investors. She's not completely helpless because they're in love with the idea of a dating app, but Cullie doesn't really know what it means to be immersed in the romantic world. Left with no other choice, she'll have to lean on her grandmother Bindu and her mom Aly to help her do what's felt impossible — date. You know, for research purposes.

I'll Stop the World by Lauren Thoman

The deaths of Justin Warren's grandparents have followed him most of his life and he can't stand it. He's also over the fact he lives in a town where opportunity and excitement don't exist. Despite never meeting his grandparents, it seems nothing good has come from him being born.

Stuck with making odd choices left and right, Justin eventually meets Rose Yin. The ironic thing is that he discovers she lives in a time before he was born, meaning he's somehow landed himself back in time. And guess who's still alive at this point? His grandparents.

In order to get Justin back where he belongs, he and Rose have a short amount of time to figure out what could've cause this time jump. Also, they'll have to try to rewrite history by preventing something that triggers his grandparents' deaths.

The Better Halfby Alli Frank & Asha Youmans

Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea

Almost Surely Dead by Amina Akhtar

Friends in Napa by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

Sorry for the Inconvenienceby Farah Naz Rishi

Farah Naz Rishi's freshman year of college was amazing in her eyes. She managed to move on from her last relationship and mom's marriage expectations, making her feel like she could do anything. She even stopped looking for love until Stephen came into view.

Neither of them feel butterflies at first, plus Farah knows there's no way Stephen would gain her mom's approval. But time gives way to a burning flame that becomes a solid bond because Stephen is there for all of Farah's ups and downs. He's become the one person she trusts with her all of her feelings and intimate moments in a platonic way.

But, sometimes love is hard to ignore when it's a slow burn that gives way to something that defies familial and societal rules.

Drop Dead Sisters by Amelia Diane Coombs

OUAI Jingle All The OUAI Travel Size Gift Set

This festive set includes all of my OUAI faves: a delicious scalp and body scrub, anti-frizz creme, leave-in conditioner, and a detox shampoo, which I particularly love to use when I notice any build-up on my scalp. Each pick comes in a travel-friendly size, which offers your giftee the great opportunity to test out the products before they commit to the full-size version. And trust me: they'll absolutely want to repurchase 'em.

NuFACE MINI+ Microcurrent Facial Device Kit

This skincare tool may be small, but it's oh-so mighty. It employs microcurrent technology to tone muscles in the face and neck, resulting in a noticeably firmer face and neck, plus reduced fine lines. Just 5 minutes a day delivers results, so it's the perfect gift for the low-maintenance beauty lover. This kit even comes with a gel and brush applicator that only help to boost the skin's hydration. Forget expensive spa treatments – this at-home tool is where it's at!

Each & Every All Natural Deodorant Best Sellers Multipack

These aluminum-free deodorants are ideal for both gals and guys with sensitive skin. Each formula is rid of artificial fragrances and irritating ingredients, like baking soda or alcohol. Though they're very au naturel, these deodorants deliver dependable odor protection (I'm talkin' all day, baby) with delicious scents like the lavender, citrus, and coconut-forward ones you get in this trio.

Lanolips Baby Baby Balms Set

I am thoroughly obsessed with Lanolips' unique formula – it includes lanolin, which expertly mimics the skin's natural oils to heal and hydrate dry lips, elbows, and even cuticles. This cute lil' trio comes complete with three mini-sized summery scents to give your giftee a nice taste of the warmer season. You could even break up the set between three different gifts if you plan to gift a bit more economically this year.

Grace & Stella Under Eye Patches Eye Glow Trio Set

These under eye patches are sooo nice for a quick self care session whenever you really need it. I like stowing them away in my fridge (as I do with face masks, too) so they go on cool when I apply 'em, which is especially helpful for de-puffing. This gift set is packed with 12 pairs, all boosted with niacinamide, peptides, and amino acids for brighter, more hydrated under eyes.

Mando Acidified Cleansing Bar

This cleansing bar is clinically proven to remove and control odor for 24 hours after showering – impressive, right? The formula is free of any SLS, SLES, phthalates, and parabens, so you can feel confident gifting it to sensitive skin-havers. This scent boasts notes of mandarin, lemon, and lime, which offers a real rejuvenating boost after the busy holiday season.

OUAI Fine Shampoo and Conditioner Set

I wish I could make you smell this shampoo and conditioner through the screen. Seriously, it's that good. Keratin and biotin help strengthen hair strands while chia seed oil nourishes the scalp. Your (or your giftee's!) hair will be full of life after a good wash. This OUAI set will supply a very luxe-feeling upgrade to the drugstore shampoo + condish they're likely using every day. I'm already plotting a restock for myself...

Lume Whole Body Deodorant 5 Pack Sampler

Whole body deodorant is a total game changer, and it comes in especially helpful for long camping or backpacking trips. I practically slather my entire body in it when I'm in the backcountry. This sampler set comes with 5 different scents to conveniently throw in a backpack, purse, or carry-on. Or, better yet, divide and conquer with this 5-piece to fill 5 different stockings! You never know when it'll come in handy for your gift recipient(s).

Lanolips 12 Hour Overnight Lip Mask

As fun as potted lip masks can be (I'm looking at you, Laneige), tubes like this one are definitely preferable since they're a bit easier to travel with. This mask's formula is power-packed with lanolin, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and ceramides that put in the work to heal dry or chapped lips while you sleep. I'm obsessed with the soft, buttery formula of this pick, mostly because it stays on for a long period of time!

Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Wand and Serum Bundle

I am a Solawave truther a thousand times over. Ever since testing and reviewing it, I use it almost every day to give my complexion a nice boost. The tool employs red light therapy, galvanic current, and therapeutic warmth (fancy!) to tackle fine lines. This would make arguably the most impressive beauty stocking stuffer for the skincare-obsessed!

OSEA Undaria Algae Body Oil

Body oils, from my experience, are such a luxurious way to boost the skin's hydration when used alongside a good lotion. I like to use this OSEA pick a couple times a week since it feels so nourishing. I really enjoy that the formula isn't noticeably greasy, too. It also just smells like straight-up candy, which makes applying it all the more delightful!

Lanolips Golden Dry Skin Salve

I clearly do not play with dry skin – and this is the toughest season for it! That's where this salve comes in: hands, lips, or feet, it deeply hydrates and protects the skin from the elements. The gentle, clean formula is friendly on eczema, dermatitis, and psoriasis, so you really can't lose when you gift this cutie beauty stocking stuffer.

OUAI Leave In Conditioner & Heat Protectant Spray

Like I mentioned before, this is one of my all-time favorite OUAI products. I own about 5 different leave-in conditioners (don't ask, I might have a problem), and none of them are as smoothing and good-smelling as this one. Snag a travel size to make the perfect beauty stocking stuffer this year!

Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara

Anyone who's tuned into the viral beauty scene will adore this Tower28 mascara. It simultaneously volumizes, lengthens, and defines, all while having some adorable packaging. Plus, your giftee won't see a single smudge or clump from the sleek applicator wand.

e.l.f. Monochromatic Multi Stick

I love keeping one of these bad boys in my purse when my face is needing a blush or lip color refresh. That's right – a single stick (shoppable in 7 different shades) can cover multiple parts of the face. The formula is relatively lightweight, and I love that it has just a hint of shimmer for the glow!

1. We thought our first love was perfect and would argue with anyone who wanted us to take things slow with them.

I'll never forget the first time I fell in love at 19. I thought my ex was the "wind beneath my wings" because he had a great sense of humor and was creative like me. I told myself he was the person I was going to marry so I was offended when my parents didn't think he was mature enough to be in a serious relationship. If this sounds familiar, pull up a chair because Menon explains why we tend to idealize our first love.

"Your first love is your first experience with romantic love too, hence you typically see it with rose-colored glasses. The overwhelming emotion is often infatuation, which tends to overshadow the more critical and analytical part of our brain," she says. Sadly, this sounds like something my parents told me before but I couldn't fathom how true it was as a teen.

As the Clinical Director at Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center, Cavins has seen this play out before too. He says, "In your first relationship, there is a tendency to put your partner on a pedestal. The excitement of new love can create a powerful emotional fog that makes it hard to see flaws clearly."

Essentially, this "excitement of having a boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner supersedes" our ability to questions things we normally wouldn't put up with, according to Menon.

2. We tried to ignore the how many times our first loves disagreed with our values or goals.

While some couples are able to make their relationship work despite having a different outlook on life, sometimes it can be a sign that things aren't going to work long-term. Cavins says, "One major red flag is disregarding differences in values or goals for the future. For instance, you wish to become a parent someday while your spouse swears this will never happen— or vice versa. Early on, you might dismiss these differences, believing love will conquer all. However, these mismatched priorities can lead to resentment and challenges over time."

Honestly, I probably should've ran whenever my ex would mock my belief in God only for us to have to attend his mother and stepfather's church whenever I visited. There was so much confusion there, but I tried to dismiss it as something he needed time to work out.

Menon adds, "If this relationship makes you feel like you'e standing in quick sand - where you are trying to move forward but often feel held back in your individual aspirations, it may not be the right fit for you."

3. We thought it was 'cute' when our first loves made suggestions about which friends to avoid or what clothes to wear.

Cavins says, "Excessively possessive behaviors are another red flag that people often ignore easily when they fall in love for the first time. People tend to justify such behaviors by citing that it's due to love or protective instincts." I'm all for being in a relationship where your partner's able to see different sides of a picture, but controlling behavior shouldn't come with that. What might that look like?

Cavins says, "Your partner may frequently check in on you, offer opinions on who you should spend time with, or subtly pressure you into making choices that suit them." For example, your partner could start off making suggestions about your style that slowly morph into them controlling everything you wear. Somehow I went from being a self-professed 'girly-girl' to trying to emulate the style of 'sneakerheads' in a short amount of time. Though I love wearing everything from New Balance to Niké sneakers now, it's in a way that feels cohesive with my style.

You may have brushed this kind of behavior off because, again, you thought it meant your first love wanted the best for you. "It is understandable that such behavior hypothetically may come off as pleasant or affirming; however, they often signal an unhealthy dynamic of control rather than mutual respect," says

4. We always gave in when our first loves forced us to be affectionate.

*Sigh* I'm shaking my head for my younger self because there were many times I didn't advocate for myself in my first romantic relationship. I'd often give in to affectionate or intimate moments despite wanting personal space so I wouldn't be seen as 'boring' or uninterested in my ex. Menon says, "Given the infatuation, your first relationship can feel all-consuming and often is codependent. Hence, this may result in you overlooking that your partner does not respect your boundaries or desire for personal space."

Partly because the excitement of the relationship makes you want to spend all of your time together, until you don't. And then, it is often too late to correct a maladaptive historical pattern.

4. We always made excuses for why our partners would shower us with affection only to ignore us days later.

Let's be clear, 'love bombing' feels confusing and awful. No one should make you feel like you're the center of their universe only to ignore your calls or texts days later. But, this probably happened while you were with your first love. Cavins says, "There's a tendency for people to brush off their first love's emotional unavailability. When, for example, a partner is not responsive and not engaging in intimate discussions or does not express their feelings, some may rationalize this as them being 'just not ready.'" If that were the case, this person wouldn't have made you feel like being with you is something they truly wanted.

Of that, Cavins believes "it's important to recognize these behaviors early" because "they can result in a one-side emotional investment that leaves one party feeling unfulfilled in the long run." Sadly, my first love would have days where he was super sweet to me only to feel like I was smothering him with attention. This is also the same person who begged me to remain in our romantic relationship when he went to basic training although I felt it would be better if we chose to be friends. Imagine my surprise (and hurt) when he told me we should have an open relationship months after getting stationed for the first time.

I should've known better because he was never 100% on board with the idea of marriage until after he graduated from basic training. Cavins calls this "emotional disconnectedness." His further explanation is this is "when the initial chemistry between the partners subsides that emotional attachment matters." To avoid this, he feels "identifying and addressing any of these is critical in a case where you are looking to create a strong and healthy bond."

5. We ignored the ways our former partner blamed us whenever they got in trouble with their parents or an authority figure.

Did your first love have a hard time taking responsibility for things that went wrong by gaslighting you to absorb the blow of their mistakes? If you've furiously nodding, we should start a support group. Cavins says, "A key sign is a lack of personal or relational growth. Healthy relationships encourage mutual development, but if one partner stays stuck in old patterns while the other grows, it can create frustration and distance."

At no point should you be the reason why your first love got in trouble after answering their parents' house phone late at night after telling you to call at a certain time. It's situations like this that should've alerted us to awful behavior, but I can see how easy it is to dismiss things.

What if I'm in love for the first time and recognize these signs?

First, my heart goes out to you for being in a relationship that doesn't feel healthy. It hurts when we realize the person we thought was so great is anything but. The road to letting go of idealization may be long, but you can and will get better. Cavins says, "In the process of self-healing and recovery, the first step that must be taken is self-reflection. Ask yourself all of the necessary questions that arise, such as what this relationship means for you, what your boundaries are, and what this partnership has revealed about you as an individual."

I keep saying this, but relying on journal prompts can help you unpack a lot of things and, thankfully, Cavins agrees. He says, "You could always opt to talk to a specialist or being journaling in order to find some closure and draw meaning from the experience." Also, he wants you to start "making new memories." But, don't be passive about it.

"You will have to engage yourself in activities that will help redirect the focus of your thoughts. This could include joining a new class, engaging in a hobby, or traveling that involves some independence. These experiences can help shift your mindset from loss to growth and reinforce your identity outside of the relationship," says Cavins.

Another important thing you can do is "solicit help from others," according to him. "Calling on people you trust, like friends and family, to talk about these feelings can significantly help in healing," he says. This also helped me navigate life outside of my first real romantic relationship, reminding me that I still had a lot of love in my life that didn't begin or end with my ex.

Here are Menon's tips:

• Let yourself grieve — Let this loss run its course. If you need to feel angry, sad, distraught, nostalgic. Allow yourself the full breadth of this experience. If I ask you right now "don't think a out a yellow monkey", I can bet you just thought of a yellow monkey. We call this "the imp of the mind". When you reject feelings, or thoughts, they come back 10 times more fiercely. To move the feeling along, we must let ourselves experience it.
• Rediscover your identity (So important) — Your first love is often intertwined with self-discovery, and identity formation. Reconsider your goals, interests, values, friendships and hobbies and try to build your own sense of identity and individuality.

I saw my first love again and it feels like we're falling in love all over. Can we have a happy and healthy relationship?

I'm not going to tell you to run even though I told my ex I never wanted to speak or talk to him again. You could easily reconnect with the first person you fell in love with and realize that you're both in a place where you can have something beautiful. However, Cavins and Menon want you to be mindful if you're in this position.

"Reconnection is possible," begins Menon, "if both parties can objectively claim that they have grown emotionally and resolved the issues that held their relationship back." But, "if the reconnection is built on one person growing and the other not, it is likely to fail," she alerts. You'll need to "proceed with caution," she says because "your first love was a nostalgic era in your life that can cloud your judgement." To put it more clearly, she doesn't want you confuse "the fuzzies" with a "true knowing that the two of you can make it work."

Cavins says, "Reconnecting with a first love can trigger a strong wave of emotions, but it is important that such a decision is made with caution and a strong sense of pragmatism. Personal growth is a primary factor. Each party in the relationship must ask themselves how they have grown and evolved as individuals over time. If past patterns of conflict, immaturity, or unhealthy dynamics remain unaddressed, the same issues could resurface."

He wants you to consider these things:

• Are there any active relationships or past engagements that would make it rather difficult? That's because the feelings that come with reigniting old flames are very strong and can alter a person’s life, making it essential to start thinking from all angles before going ahead with it.
• Address previous challenges that caused the breakup in the first place. If the reasons behind the breakup have been resolved or do not exist anymore, then yes, meeting again has its prospects. However, keep in mind that, at times, memories can be selective and unfavorably distort the truth by overplaying the good qualities while avoiding the negative ones.
• Only rekindle things if both individuals are in a healthy emotional state and the decision is grounded in practical, mutual considerations—not just sentimentality or romanticized memories. Clear and honest discussions and an understanding of purpose are vital in ascertaining if rekindling the relationship will be worthwhile for both parties or if it will simply be an act of revisiting unresolved emotions.