Time to give romance a read

Does your life read like a storybook romance? More likely, it is

filled with the ups and downs of a daily routine. But if you’re in

the mood, revitalizing the romance in your life might be just a book

away.

Michael Webb, writer of the syndicated column “The Romantic” and

author of “The Romantic’s Guide,” decided to try to spike the

romantic inclinations in people upward. So in 1995, he created “Resurrect Romance Week,” observed during the second week of August.

Webb believes that, “real romance comes from the heart, not the

wallet.”

He recommends that couples do something romantic every day during

“Resurrect Romance Week.” Instead of using your wallet, he suggests

you use your creativity and he provides lots of ideas for bringing

romance back into your daily life.

Even though “Resurrect Romance Week” has passed, it is a reminder

that showing gestures of love and appreciation throughout the year

fuels relationships and makes us feel cherished.

If you need a little help getting in a romantic mood or if you

enjoy a good romance novel with a little adventure and mystery as

well, Barbara Delinsky has written an intriguing love story titled

“The Summer I Dared.” Three characters are faced with a life-altering

event in which they are literally thrown together after a boating

accident off the coast of Maine in which they are the only survivors.

Julia is rescued by fellow passenger Noah and feels drawn to him. A

tender romance blossoms between them and in the process, each of them

evaluates who they were before and after the accident.

Followers of Janet Dailey will enjoy her latest release, “Calder

Promise,” the story of a sophisticated young woman whose plan to

remain unattached is thwarted by two men vying for her attention, all

in the midst of her struggle to protect her family name from an

enemy’s destructive bent.

Although it sounds idyllic, romance can also be complicated.

“Something Borrowed,” by Emily Giffin, tells the story of Rachel, a

young attorney just turning 30, who has an affair with the fiance of

her best friend Darcy. As the wedding nears, Rachel recognizes she

has to make a choice and that endings aren’t always neat. This is

just as much a story about the value of friendship as it is about

love.

Another good choice on the romantic novel shelves is “White Hot,”

by Sandra Brown, examining the turbulent relationships of family in a

small Louisiana steel mill town and the uncovering of a murder that

affects them all.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Jana Colver. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

https://www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the

Central Library or any of the branch locations, please contact the

Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.