Your next great love story is you
This idea started as a newsletter, and the response was so positive that I knew it had to become a blog post. Here is another gentle reminder to be the main character in your own story—this time with book recs!
Your life is the ultimate love story—one filled with self-discovery, transformation, and moments of breathtaking vulnerability. But are you treating yourself like the main character? What does it mean to show up for yourself? Embrace your journey? Believe in your own happily ever after?
Have you ever noticed how we root for the underdog, the heartbroken, the lost-but-figuring-it-out main characters in books… but when it’s our own story, we expect to have it all together from page one?
Plot twist: You’re allowed to be a work in progress. In fact, you are the main character in the best slow-burn, deeply transformative, occasionally messy but always worth-it love story of all time—your own.
And if there’s one thing I know from writing romance, it’s that every great love story has:
A journey of self-discovery (a.k.a. realizing what truly lights you up)
Unexpected twists (because life’s too short for a predictable plot)
Moments of breathtaking vulnerability (you deserve love that sees all of you)
It’s time to allow yourself to take up space in your own narrative. What would it look like if you chose yourself the way you root for your favorite book characters?
That said, there’s something powerful about seeing fictional characters navigate self-discovery, resilience, and transformation—it reminds us that our own journeys are just as important. These books highlight themes of personal growth, second chances, and embracing one's true self. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, healing, or a reminder that you deserve to be the main character, these stories have something to offer. If you’re craving stories where characters find themselves (and maybe a little love along the way), check out these reads.
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi, narrated by Bahni Turpin
Queerly Beloved by Susie Dumond, narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell
Arranged Vacancy by Irene Bahrd, narrated by CJ Bloom & Brandon Francis
BONUS: Holland, My Heart by Jennifer J. Coldwater, narrated by Cindy Harden & Brian Rivera
If your life were a romance novel, what trope would it be? A second-chance romance with your dreams? A forced proximity situation with your ambitions? Drop it in the comments or share on social media and tag me—I’d love to hear your story!
You are the love of your own life. Start treating yourself like it.
