Books to fall in love with

Welcome to February. Traditionally the month of hearts, flowers, chocolates and romantic gestures. Valentine’s Day is a little bit like Marmite; some of us love it, some of us not so much! One thing is for sure though – there are more than enough books out there for us to fall in love with, even if we don’t get a card or a dozen red roses this year. Take a look at our selection of themed fiction and non-fiction below. If love and romance isn’t for you and you’ve been waiting for your favourite author to release that next title, check out our list of brand new books - coming to libraries soon.

4 stories you'll love

The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse Charlie Mackesy Enter the world of Charlie's four characters and unlikely friends - the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse - discover their touching story, and their most poignant and universal life lessons.

Normal People Sally Rooney Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in rural Ireland. The similarities end there; they are from very different worlds. When they both earn places at Trinity College in Dublin, a connection that has grown between them lasts long into the following years. This is an exquisite love story about how a person can change another person's life - a simple yet profound realisation that unfolds beautifully over the course of the novel. It tells us how difficult it is to talk about how we feel and it tells us - blazingly - about cycles of domination, legitimacy and privilege.

The Lido Libby Page Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life. But now everything she knows is changing - the library where she used to work has closed, the family fruit and veg shop has become a trendy bar, and her beloved husband George is gone. Kate has just moved and feels alone in a city that is too big for her. She's at the bottom rung of her career as a journalist on a local paper, and is determined to make something of it. So when the local lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. And Rosemary knows it is the end of everything for her. Together they are determined to make a stand, to show that the pool is more than just a place to swim - it is the heart of the community. Together they will show the importance of friendship, the value of community, and how ordinary people can protect the things they love.

Just Like You Nick Hornby The person you are with is just like you: same background, same age, same interests. The perfect match. And it is a disaster. Then, when and where you least expect it, you meet someone new. You seem to have nothing in common and yet, somehow, it feels totally right. Nick Hornby's brilliantly observed, tender but also brutally funny new novel gets to the heart of what it means to fall surprisingly and headlong in love with the best possible person - someone who is not just like you at all.

Did you know that if the book you want isn't in the library, you can place a hold and we will reserve it for you? Not placed a hold before? Not sure how to get started? Check out our simple guide to placing holds at the bottom of this e-mail!

Everything you need to know about holds: how to reserve a book When you're looking for a specific book, it can be disappointing when it's not on the shelf at your local library. Not to worry - our easy-to-use holds system has you covered.

• When you place a hold on a book, if we have a copy on the shelf at another of our libraries, we'll send it over to your local library for you to collect.

• If all of our copies are on loan, you will join a queue and when it's your turn, we'll send a copy over to your local library for you to collect.

• You'll receive an e-mail when your hold is ready to collect, and you have 13 days after the hold arrives to collect it.

• Holds are free for children, and a small charge is made for adults.

• You can place up to 20 holds on your library account.

• You can place holds online - all you need is your library card number and password.

• Alternatively, our friendly staff are always happy to place holds for you. You can ask in the library, or e-mail us with your request at: libraries@cheshiresharedservices.gov.uk

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