Valentine’s Day might make you think of romance novels and frothy fairy tales, but we’re also interested in the true secrets of successful suitors. In three nonfiction books from our February cover story—pictured above—you can learn historical context, scientific background and read real-life anecdotes for why we love who we love.
Dan Slater’s Love in the Time of Algorithms provides a fascinating history of online dating. Swoon by scholar Betsy Prioleau is an engrossing study of the history and science of seducers. Fall in Love for Life is a sweet mix of memoir and self-help from a woman who was married for 73 years (with input from her granddaughters).
Sound interesting? Here’s how you can win these books . . .
TO ENTER: In the comments, tell us the name of your favorite love story.
CONTEST DETAILS: One winner will be chosen by random.org from among entries received by 5 pm CST on Friday, February 8. The winner will receive copies of the three books listed above. Prizes must be shipped to a North American address, and Rhode Island residents are not eligible. (Full contest rules here.) Good luck!
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ETA: Thanks to all who entered! Contest is now closed.
Thorn birds
I thought I was the only one ,,, Brenda,,you told us all, did you not, that The Thorn Birds is only your favorite love story,, but what about me,, did I not also weep a thousand weeps every time Rachael open the flood gates to those wonderful big brownies and churn the murder ball in the pit of my stomach too, and that darn Richard,, what a loser he was,, Only Kiddin’ ha ha ,,never mind I agree with you, Brenda, one of the best,, and I watched it with five girls in the household I rented a room from here in Belfast,, Ulster,,and I kid you not,, all five boo hooed thru all five or six episodes,,,,
And Lastly,, until then, I would have said the best read also,, until I read another boo hoo, and one I recommend ,, only this is not between a man and a woman, strangely Mary Reynold gives a wonderful twist and demonstrated it is immaterial , Read THE PERSION BOY,, I think you’ll boo hoo all thru it also,, , ‘Alexander, battle won, wounds abound,,, water on its way, then its sound betrayed the new one in the caravan, and the others saw how utterly beautiful he is, whose shadow against the white sheets of a caravan, the persion tiptoed like he was trained to do,,And Alex stood not a second longer, when stealth the conqueror, he never before witnessed from behind, slipped his armor with a skillful correct turn of a eunuchs wrist, and all fell about his feet, then quietly with his masters wounds he dabbed them, softly, his indifference all to detached and all the time Alexandra he wondered , if he should ever look upon me,,, sooner or later he would,,,thought Bogoas,,, just a memory of its theme Brenda,, try it,,
I still sort of have Major Pettigrew in my mind as my favorite love story.
“Saratoga Trunk” by Edna Ferber
To Be Sung Underwater was intense and interesting. Pick me!
Jane Eyre
Heloise and Abelard
The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher.
Rebecca is memorable.
The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly.
Favorite: Emmeline by Judith Rossner. Very sad and unbelivable though.
The Time Traveler’s Wife!
You had me at Woof. Yes, it’s a dog story but love nonetheless..
Dr. Zhivago
Bridges of Madison County
The Notebook…weep
Consequences by Penelope Lively.
The orchid House by Lucinda Riley captivated me.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Venus & Adonis by Shakespeare–the most heart-wrenching of unrequited love stories in my opinion.
The Time Travelers Wife
Water for Elephants
I can think of so many, but it probably would have to be The Notebook that is my favorite.
Pride and Prejudice
Casablanca
Wuthering Heights
A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss and The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (one is historical, one is contemporary)
Wuthering Heights,but all the mentioned above are wonderful,I also cried when I saw the Notebook,each time…
My favorite love story of all is between Shanna and Ruark in Datheen E. Woodisiss’ Shanna.
Gone with the Wind!
The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger<3
Oh, and The Gargoyle:)
The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery or “The Scarlet Pimpernel”
Love Story by Erich Segal
Not a literary treasure, but a real tear jerker, Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks. I’ve enjoyed almost all of his books.
I’m dating myself: Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk.
I can’t think of a favorite love story. I guess this means I need to read some happier books. Maybe I’ll win this week!
It happens to be a true one that i found here, rather on the printed version of BookPage. Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond.
To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal
The Sunne in Splendour
Jane Eyre was one of the first love stories I read when I was young. It’s still one of my favorite.
Where the Heart is by Billie Letts!
The English Patient
Water for Elephants is a wonderful love story!
no question….Gone with the Wind. Rhett and Scarlet?? c’mon!!
My favorite love story is Gone With The Wind
One Day
Jane Eyre!
Gone With The Wind, the Notebook, Message in a Bottle … the list goes on and on
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
My favorite love story is The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Harry Potter
Gone with the Wind and Love Story – of course.
Rebecca will always be my favorite….
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan and The Women by TC Boyle, all the loves of Frank Lloyd Wright’s life
Talking It Over by Julian Barnes — beautiful and haunting
Pride & Prejudice
Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins – quirky and amazing
Thorn Birds
Jane Eyre and A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin.
Jane Eyre and the chapter of Ruth from the Bible.
Gone With the Wind
Notebook
Jamie and Clare in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series
It would have to be Jane Eyre.
Bridges of Madison County has been my favorite love story.
Romeo & Juliet
my favorite has got to be Thorn Birds.
LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE by Laura Esquivel
Gone With the Wind and/or Pride and Prejudice.
Has to be “Love Story”.
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is a beautiful story of love in unexpected places.
Emma by Jane Austen
I love A Walk to Remember and O’Henry’s short story the Gift of the Magi
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Gone with the Wind
Marjorie Morningstar
Water for elephants
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks is my favorite love story. Old love is true love and the emotions of each side of that love are touching and refreshing.
Anything by Nicolas Sparks. The Notebook… The Wedding… A walk to remember…..
The One and Only Ivan!
Gone with the Wind
My favorite is The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson … here is a link to my review: The Gargoyle
One Day by David Nicholls
Time Traveler’s Wife
Pride and Prejudice
From Bronte’s Wuthering Heights: Heathcliff and Catherine’s love story
The Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren is one of my favorites love stories.
Water for Elephants
Jane Eyre
It is hard to narrow it down to one, so I will just say any of the Jane Austen books!
Gone with the Wind
Water For Elephants
Hands down———–Pride and Prejudice.
I will always hold “Gone With the Wind” as a favorite.
Annie Proulx’s “Brokeback Mountain” is uniquely powerful both in terms of the love story itself and the ability of the female author to render male emotions so convincingly.
Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks
Gone with the Wind!
cliched but jack and rose from the titanic…..passion, sharing not too mentionmuch cuteness! then the sadness….
A Room with a View
Beauty and the Beast. Loved it.
Edna Ferber’s Show Boat!
Water for Elephants!
Laurie Colwin’s “Happy All the Time.” Hands down.
I would have to say I loved The English Patient.
My favorite is Gone With The Wind.
Like Water for Elephants
The Bridges of Madison County
Bridges of Madison County will forever be my favorite…thank you for this giveaway.:)
Love in the Time of Chlorea
Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice, no question
Les Miserables
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Favorite love story, The Notebook
I loved all of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr.
Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Leviathan
The Notebook..we can see the love ,our parents and grandparents had in this wonderful book,the long lasting loves so many wish for
Love Story by Erich Segal…..could it get any better than that?
I rarely buy books, but use the library constantly. I went out and bought the Thornbirds to re-read and keep on the shelf.
Pride and Prejudice!
“Two-Part Invention” by Madeleine L’Engle. Terrifically moving story of her love for her husband, and their mutual love for their life in theater.
The art of hearing heartbeats!
All time favorite “Gone with the wind”. It had everything!
Love Story, of course!
Outlander Novels by Diana Gabaldon
I came here with a title but it went completely out of my head when I saw that someone had added ‘Marjorie Morningstar’ to the list. That book started me on the path to reading.What a wonderful book! Now I will go through this whole, darned list to pick up new titles!! Thanks, everyone.
Loved seeing all the prior answers. Personally, I’m having a really hard time choosing just one, but … I guess it would have to be Pride & Prejudice. Or Anne & Gilbert’s story in Anne of Green Gables. Or … you see, it’s truly hard to pick just one. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Katherine by Anya Seton
I just finished Me Before Youby Jojo Moyes–which blew me away–and it is my favorite love story.
Pride and Prejudice
Claire Randall Fraser and James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.
The Notebook is one of my all time favorite love stories!
Anna Karenina!
I think that the first real love story I read was The Thorn Birds, hard to put down once you got to the good parts.
The Notebook.
GONE WITH THE WIND
My favorite love story would be a toss up between Gone With the Wind and Bridges of Madison County. Even though these two books are so far apart, I thoroughly enjoyed them both!
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Katherine. The story of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt.
Rhett and Scarlett from Gone With the Wind. My favorite love story, ever since I was a teenager; and to this day my most often re-read book.
Possession by A.S. Byatt – two love stories for the price of one!
The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans. Listened to the unabridged audio version…wonderful story set in Italy. The narrator translated the Italian to English beautifully. Italian is such a beautiful language.
I love Anne of Green Gables (the whole series)! Anne and Gilbert forever!
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman. Love, true love…
A Room with a View
The Notebook
Lady & the Tramp
Dr. Zhivago!
Somewhere in Time! A love that is truly timeless!! However, my heart will always be partial to Beauty and the Beast….it gives you hope that people CAN change (and to snag a man with a library like that! Oh boy!!).
Roses – by Leila Meacham
The Time Traveller’s Wife. Claire + Henry!
Probably Notebook.
Kind of bittersweet, but Loving Frank, by Boyle
Water for Elephants
I know this one is kind of weird, but Frieda, in a strange way.
Like Water for Chocolate would be at least in my top 5.
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Feast of Love
Jane Eyre
The Time Traveler’s Wife
There are so many that I’ve read but I really enjoyed one I read last year. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio is a story of love remembered over the main character’s lifetime. I truly didn’t want it to end. An absolutely wonderful read.
First to come to my mind: Jo and Laurie – Little Women
Wuthering Heights.
Scarlett & Rhett, Gone With The Wind.
GONE WITH THE WIND–loved Rhett’s swagger, attitude, facial expressions. Loved her arrogance, self-assuredness. You could see it without ever seeing the movie. Margaret Mitchell captured it all in her book. What a volatile coupling of personalities! She thought she had him in the cup of her hand…and then he leaves her without giving a damn!
The first love story that comes to mind that I would rank as a “favorite” would be STILL ALICE. Romance, boy meets girl, etc. do not a real love story make. This is real love. The kind of love we can all hope to carry us through our lives.
Definitely Pride and Prejudice
I would say Pride and Prejudice is probably my favorite. (I just love Mr. Darcy.) I also love The Notebook.
Gone with the Wind
The Time Travelers Wife
A Voice In The Wind by Francine Rivers
Me Before You
I’ve just finished “Wild Man Creek” by Robyn Carr and thought it was a beautiful ending. Her Virgin River Novels you don’t want to put down.
Rupert of Hentzau, the sequel to The Prisoner of Zenda, first published in 1898. What you do for real love!
I LOVE BOOKS.GENE
“Five Smooth Stones”
The Notebook
Gone With the Wind
PS, I Love You, by Cecelia Ahern
Flat Out Love by Jessica Park (newest one)
Gone With the Wind (oldest one)
Thorn Birds or Dr. Zhivago, both unforgettable!
“The Velveteen Rabbit”
Ali & Nino by Kurban Said
The Illuminator, by van Trease
The Wolf and the Dove
These Is my Words by Nancy Turner
The Promise by Danielle Steel (the first romance book I ever read)
The English Patient
Jane Eyre
It is very difficult to pick only one favorite love story. I loved The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice, and Jane Eyre. I enjoy everything written by Jane Austen. She was definitely a woman ahead of her times.
Too Deep for Tears by Kathryn Lynn Davis
Pride & Predjuice and Gone With the Wind.
Cecelia and Robbie in Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Especially Briony’s vision of their reunion after the war.
Pride and Prejudice which just celebrated 200 years from the publication date on January 28.
“Cold Mountain” by Charles Frazier. The best line is when he writes and says it is his “desire that you come to me.” Wow!
Cold Mountain! And I see that it has already been mentioned– it’s that good.
starcrossed, who else but Romeo and Juliet
Pride and Prejedice
Rebecca is my all-time favorite!
Wuthering Heights!
I’d have to go with The Notebook or Smitten- a picture book by David Gordon
GONE WITH THE WIND
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Devereux
Water for Elephants.
No question — Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy.
‘Pride & Prejudice’ by Jane Austen.
XO – Carrie
My Blog: LifestyleFiles Blog
Message in a Bottle
Pride & Prejudice
The Notebook
My favorite love story would have to be “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks. I listened to it on audio and had to pull the car over to wipe my eyes. Then I saw the movie and it was just as good!
The Notebook
Outlander- nothing beats Jamie and Claire’s timeless love!
Like Water for Chocolate
My favorite love story is Ethan Frome…sure it’s sad but there’s that real element of poor choices and taking responsibility along with the very romantic notion of forever
The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. I get weepy just thinking about it.
The Little Prince!
Many thanks, Cindi
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingslover
Anita Shreve – Where or When
Like many of you, I love so many of the titles you have chosen…Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, and The Notebook all are great…but having to choose only one, I think Pride and Prejudice it my all time favorite. Happy reading everyone!
North and South by John Jakes
Pride and Prejudice still remains my favorite love story.
Transgression: A novel of love and war
by James W. Nichol
Gone with the Wind, my all time favorite.
favorite story: Gone With The Wind or Pride & Prejudice
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Pride and Prejudice!
Pride & Prejudice!!
Pride and Prejudice
Going through a divorce right now, so love story..eh. How about Gone with the Wind. Love it!
Song of Achilles
Gone With The Wind–I read it in the 10th grade and it is still my favorite!
My favorite love story is.. Titanic. Its just so romantic and makes me cry every time. My second love story would be The Notebook.
My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares.
Jane Eyre
The Language of Flowers
Pride and Prejudice, and all variations thereof.
“Pride and Prejudice” is my favorite.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Kristen Lavransdatter – great historical fiction driven by a great love story
Gone with the Wind. Still, after all these years, I haven’t found one better than this.
As sweet as a first love, Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daley. For more mature tastes: The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Thanks for the give away!
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
Pride and Prejudice!
The script is available in book form, so I can vote for Casablanca!
The greatest love in all its forms – has to be Gone With The Wind.
The Notebook
Pride and Prejudice by Miss Austen.
I can’t get Mr. Darcy out of my head.
ALL these great love stories!!! Some I have read, others that I now want to read!
Two of my favorites are the Language of Flowers and… Major Pettigrew. Looking forward to reading ” Love in the time of Algorithems.”
ALL of these great love stories- some more conventional than others! Two of my favorites are “the Language of Flowers” and ” the Last Stand of Major Pettigrew.”
“The Language of Flowers” and ” Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand”
Water for Elephants
The Notebook
The English Patient
Bridges of Madison County!
Jeremy
Jonathan and Admael in Clare London’s SAY A LITTLE PRAYER
I have several love story favorites but I will pick Pride and Prejudice.
Gone With the Wind.
The first one that comes to mind is the Twilight Series. Then I enjoyed very much Gone With The Wind, Love Story and Message In A Bottle was great. The above are my favorite love stories. There are others I enjoy reading but these stuck in my mind.
Gone With the Wind!
Definitely the Outlander series. Claire and Jamie’s story over the course of the series is very romantic.
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the wind
Love Story
Favorite love story? Persuasion (because I was late coming to it and I always felt drab–my husband made me feel beautiful).
I can’t decide between PS. I love you & The Notebook. I just love them both
Love in the Time of Chlorea–Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Love in the Time of Cholera–Gabriel Garcia Marquez
“He is ugly and sad…but he is all love.”
The Notebook or Gargoyle. I love than both.
Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
Gone With the Wind
My favorite love story is still Pride & Prejudice. I love the language and complication of the characters.
My favorite is Land of My Heart by Tracie Peterson.
Gone with the wind by Margaret Mitchell
It still has to be Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice
“A Prayer for Owen Meaney” by John Irving. A different kind of love story, to be sure, but one that inspires hope, acts of selflessness, and belief in your fellow man. I’ve read it three times and cry at the end every time.
Romeo and Juliet
Favorite love story:”Fantasy Lover” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Great story and characters.
The Notebook
The Thorn Birds
For me it is Mary Reynold’s ‘THE PERSION BOY,, and one that turns the murder ball inside my stomach,, as it is supposedly truthful,,