Favourite books about love
Books are the perfect place to explore and talk about the complexities of the heart. Here are some of our favourites to get you talking about your emotions.
Crossing genres and reading abilities, there's something here for everyone and YES that means BOYS too!
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Girl Hearts Girl
Author: Lucy Sutcliffe
Interest level: 10+
Reading age: 10+
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Girl Hearts Girl
Author: Lucy Sutcliffe
Interest level: 10+
Reading age: 10+
A real-life memoir about a young person coming to terms with her sexuality and her 'coming out', as well as her first relationship…
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Rosie Loves Jack
Author: Mel Darbon
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
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Rosie Loves Jack
Author: Mel Darbon
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
Sixteen-year-old Rosie (who has Down’s syndrome) is devastated when circumstances separate her from boyfriend Jack (who …
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How Hard Can Love Be?
Author: Holly Bourne
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 8+
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How Hard Can Love Be?
Author: Holly Bourne
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 8+
Working at a US summer camp, Amber meets Kyle, the all-American boy. He can't seriously be interested in her - can he? Written wit…
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Pumpkin Heads
Author: Rainbow Rowell Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 10+
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Pumpkin Heads
Author: Rainbow Rowell Illustrator: Faith Erin Hicks
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 10+
A story of friendship and romance told in a funny and inclusive graphic novel that celebrates the joy and diversity of Halloween t…
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Happy Girl Lucky
Author: Holly Smale
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
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Happy Girl Lucky
Author: Holly Smale
Interest level: 10-14
Reading age: 9+
Hope Valentine is about to find out that life isn't a movie - even when you're a member of an acting dynasty - in this light-heart…
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How to Write a Love Story
Author: Katy Cannon
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 10+
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How to Write a Love Story
Author: Katy Cannon
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 10+
Tilly loves to write, but she has no experience with falling in love – so how can she write a love story? She soon finds out that …
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Rani and Sukh
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
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Rani and Sukh
Author: Bali Rai
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
A vivid, fast-moving take on the Romeo and Juliet story, exploring the experience of young urban British Asians as they negot…
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The Sky is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
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The Sky is Everywhere
Author: Jandy Nelson
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
Grief has turned Lennie's world upside down - Bailey, her charismatic older sister, has died unexpectedly, forcing Lennie to step …
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Sugar Rush
Author: Julie Burchill
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
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Sugar Rush
Author: Julie Burchill
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 11+
Shortlisted for the 2005 Booktrust Teenage Prize, this is a controversial and daring look at the gritty reality of teenage experie…
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Noughts and Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
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Noughts and Crosses
Author: Malorie Blackman
Interest level: 12+
Reading age: 12+
Callum is a Nought but his best friend Sephy is a Cross - the daughter of one of the most influential politicians in the country.
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The Love Report
Author: BeKa Illustrator: Maya
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 9+
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The Love Report
Author: BeKa Illustrator: Maya
Interest level: 12-14
Reading age: 9+
Lola and Grace try to unravel the mystery of romance by learning from couples at school – and by Lola getting her first boyfriend!…
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Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Author: Louise Rennison
Interest level: 11-14
Reading age: 11+
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Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Author: Louise Rennison
Interest level: 11-14
Reading age: 11+
Welcome to the world of Georgia Nicolson - an angst-ridden teenage girl who keeps a diary to record the rollercoaster of emotions …
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Pretty Things
Author: Sarra Manning
Interest level: 15+
Reading age: 13+
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Pretty Things
Author: Sarra Manning
Interest level: 15+
Reading age: 13+
Sarra Manning cleverly conveys the confusion and uncertainty of adolescence, revealing that sexuality is not always as straightfor…
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Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 12+
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Starcrossed
Author: Josephine Angelini
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 12+
When the beautiful and mysterious Delos family arrive on Nantucket Island, Helen Hamilton's teenaged life is turned upside down.
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The Boy in the Black Suit
Author: Jason Reynolds
Interest level: 14-15
Reading age: 14+
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The Boy in the Black Suit
Author: Jason Reynolds
Interest level: 14-15
Reading age: 14+
When Matt’s mum tragically dies from cancer, it feels like all the joy is sucked out of his life. Then he meets a girl called Love…
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We Come Apart
Author: Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
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We Come Apart
Author: Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan
Interest level: 12-16
Reading age: 12+
Written in free verse, this dual narrative story goes straight to the heart of Jess and Nicu’s friendship, exploring their f…
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There Is No Dog
Author: Meg Rosoff
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
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There Is No Dog
Author: Meg Rosoff
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 12+
In the beginning there was Bob
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Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler Illustrator: Maira Kalman
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 13+
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Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler Illustrator: Maira Kalman
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 13+
This beautifully presented and unusual young adult novel tells the story of Ed and Min's relationship, from their first meeting to…
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Chopsticks
Author: Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 13+
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Chopsticks
Author: Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral
Interest level: 14+
Reading age: 13+
This unusual story of star-crossed teenage love is told visually, through a series of photographs, collages and scrapbook pages
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Romeo and Juliet - Manga Shakespeare
Author: Sonia Leong and William Shakespeare Adapted by Richard Appignanesi
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
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Romeo and Juliet - Manga Shakespeare
Author: Sonia Leong and William Shakespeare Adapted by Richard Appignanesi
Interest level: 13+
Reading age: 13+
Set in modern Tokyo, with the Capulets and Montagues recast as organised-crime rivals, this racy retelling gets to the heart …
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A Song for Summer
Author: Eva Ibbotson
Interest level: 11-13
Reading age: 11+
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A Song for Summer
Author: Eva Ibbotson
Interest level: 11-13
Reading age: 11+
A deliciously old-fashioned story, which encompasses love, adventure and a host of memorable characters.
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Cross My Heart and Never Lie
Author: Nora Dåsnes Translator: Matt Bagguley
Interest level: 9-14
Reading age: 10+
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Cross My Heart and Never Lie
Author: Nora Dåsnes Translator: Matt Bagguley
Interest level: 9-14
Reading age: 10+
Tuva is torn between two friendship groups – those who fall in love and those who don’t. But where does she fit? Charming and refl…
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