Love in the Air
As a middle-aged man that never read Pride & Prejudice until December 2025, you probably think I have no business sharing a Valentine’s reading list, and normally I’d agree with you. But I also believe 3×3 Eyes and Terminator are great love stories. Love Actually is one of my favourite movies (my wife and I watch it every Christmas), and I’ve recently started cutting the genre more slack than my weirdly macho brain ever would have before.
But let me die before you bury me. I’m not a huge fan of most action adventure titles either. I love fantasy and sci-fi but I still have classics I’ve never read and as much as I love Brandon Sanderson and what he stands for, I’m not really a fan of his books either (Mistborn and Elantris, to be more specific).
Now, considering I’m married and it wasn’t arranged by relatives, I guess it’s safe to say that I’m not a stranger to love in real life either. But, shocker, I don’t see Valentine’s Day the way many people do. To me, Valentine means family and drama, but hopefully not together. What else has family and drama? Well, my Valentine’s book list. But don’t worry, the books on it also have romance, so relax
Love comes in different shapes and sizes, and so do the books that cover the topic, from dating and puppy love to familial love, obsession, and erotica. My list will feature a variety of books I’ve found loveable, enchanting, or different. As I cannot claim to be a fan of romance, romantasy, and all the other sub-genres; coming up with this list is a big deal for me. So I hope you find something to your taste and have a happy Valentine’s Day in advance.
1. Wahala by Nikki May
Like the title suggests, Wahala set me on this new path. No, I’m not giving up on my favourite genres but it ignited a new appreciation for literary fiction and its associated genres. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect, but just like the characters, the flaws do not distract from the fun. I love Nikki May’s humour, her familiarity with the Nigerian side of England, and the references to Nigerian (mostly Yoruba) culture. I’m not sure about Babangari’s lineage though and the climax was a bit anti-climactic. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. So much so that my wife and I recently recommended it to our book club.
2. Co-wives, Co-widows by Adrienne Yabouza
Co-wives, Co-widows is a more recent read, translated from French to English. It caught me by surprise just like Ndongo Passy did Lidou on the first page. Adrienne Yabouza writes sentimentally, telling a tale many Africans have heard before. Yet, her take feels fresh and heart warming. Hopeful but with a smattering of unlikely situations . The way she writes about love and sex gives me the impression that she is a hopeless romantic, the best kind, and I’m still contemplating reviewing this for the fun of it.
3. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin
Another funny one despite how serious the circumstances are. The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives joins the previous book at being a great depiction of polygamy, despite being set in Nigeria to Co-Wives, Co-Widows’ Mali. Without giving much away, Baba Segi, a local champion, learns of his family’s misadventures through a flawed world view of his own. He’s a traditional man, but not all traditions translate well in real life.
4. Broken: Not a Halal Love Story by Fatima Bala
Broken: Not a Halal Love Story is filled with ‘unrealistic depictions’ of people living in Northern Nigeria, but it plays into the fantasies that YA romance fans love. I like how she tried to introduce readers to the customs and traditions of Hausa muslims from Northern Nigeria, but her constant need to translate every Hausa word was tiring. I wasn’t sure I should add this to the list but grudgingly changed my mind after admitting it works for fans of the genre. Fatima Bala knows her audience, so Hausa romance (littattafan soyayya – books of love) readers and those curious about the genre should give this one a go.
5. An African Night’s Entertainment by Cyprian Ekwensi
For my last recommendation, I picked a classic that you probably read back in your school days, if you’re Nigeria. My friends studying literature would share their books with me once they were done, and this came highly recommended. It was a tie between An African Night’s Entertainment and The Passport of Mallam Ilia by the same author. Both revolve around themes of love, loss, and revenge. The former won me over because it has a nice helping of the supernatural. Trust me, it’s a tragic treat.
Done and Dusted
Despite my horrific 13 book long “currently reading” list on Storygraph, I’ve been able to spread my voracious hunger across relatively new genres for me. Will romantasy push out sci-fi and fantasy from my most treasured? Certainly not, but I have to admit that there are some really great stories out there and we should always read outside of our favourite genres whenever we can.
For the month of February, try picking up one of the titles in my list. I doubt you’ll regret it. Tell me what you think or what you’re reading in the comments and don’t forget to bask in the spirit of love this month.
Happy Valentine’s Day in advance.
