6 Oprah Book Club Picks That Give Swoon-Worthy Valentine's Vibes

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Oprah Winfrey's book club isn't exactly known for hot and steamy romance picks. Instead, Winfrey curates a selection of emotionally complex, character-driven stories that tend to highlight the experiences of marginalized people and communities. These aren't straightforward, easy love stories. You won't find bodice rippers or any of the upcoming fantasy books we can't wait to read.

If you're looking for a more traditional romantic plot, then check out the Read With Jenna book club picks that are perfect for Valentine's Day. But while Winfrey's book club might not have a recommendation for your next enemies-to-lovers beach read, Winfrey has highlighted many powerful love stories over the years. Obviously, she has impeccable taste, but she also has a knack for stories that cut to the truth. "The chance to love and be loved exists no matter where you are. Most of us can't see it because we have our own preconceived ideas about what it is (it's supposed to knock you off your feet and make you swoon) and how it should appear (in a tall, slim, witty, charming package)," she observed in "O, the Oprah Magazine" in 2004. "So if love doesn't show up wrapped in our personal fantasy, we fail to recognize it." That perspective seems to shape her romantic book club selections, which all strive, above all, to be honest about love, even when it's messy. These stories are, by turns, hopeful, sexy, or heartbreaking.

When it comes to yearning, no one does it better than Gabriel García Márquez. In this classic 1985 novel, young love is thwarted, but it doesn't end. After a lifetime of pining for Fermina, Florentino arrives at her husband's funeral, hoping for a new beginning with his lost love. "This is one of the greatest love stories I have ever read," said Oprah Winfrey (via Oprah.com). "It is so beautifully written that it really takes you to another place in time, and will make you ask yourself: How long could you, or would you, wait for love?" Combining elements of historical fiction and magical realism, Marquez's extraordinary novel probes the consuming, almost infectious, nature of desire.

For Marquez, love is both dangerous and vital. "'Love in the Time of Cholera' is about passion," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Not just desire in love, but many different kinds of craving. The kind of intensity that consumes the soul in a way that will never let go." If you like sweeping, epic stories, the passion of unsatisfied lust, or literary meditations on the nature of love itself, then "Love in the Time of Cholera" makes for an immersive, exciting Valentine's read.

In "Dream State" by Eric Puchner, the classic love story plot gets a literary update. It's a sprawling saga, as Cece, Charlie, and Garrett navigate entwined attractions and the fall out of their choices. In a Facebook video, Oprah Winfrey described it as "an exquisite examination of the most important relationships we have in our lives." This 2025 novel is also a tribute to the American West, and a great book to read if you love "Yellowstone." Puchner deftly shifts between close-up character study and haunting environmental writing. Throughout the novel, climate change looms as a pervasive existential threat.

But even with a wide-angle lens on the landscapes of Montana, Puchner's novel is also driven by rich characters and an honest eye for the realities of human connection. "It delves into some of the intricate contradictions of both friendships and romantic relationships better than maybe any other book I've read in a way that kept me really interested and engaged," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "And it also took an unflinching look at how relationships evolve over time in a way that seemed unique, too." For those who like stories with a strong sense of place and quiet emotional realism, "Dream State" is a book that will stay with you long after you've closed the cover.

There are many love stories in the classic novel "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy, but the most famous is Anna's passionate affair with Count Vronsky, which is so fiery and addictive that it upends both of their lives. But there is also Dolly's complicated marriage to Stiva, and Konstantin's tender, unwavering love for Kitty. Though it was first published in 1878, Tolstoy's eye for the dynamics between men and women still feels modern today.

The plot is driven by the interplay of human desire and the rigid social structure of 19th-century Russia. Tolstoy shows us characters who are lucky enough to love the person society wants them to marry, and others who are doomed to unhappiness because their attractions defy social norms. "Tolstoy's magnificent empathy is the real moral lesson I have taken away from this book," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "His insights into the minds and personalities of different people is staggering." All the storylines are satisfying, but if you're looking for a steamy Valentine's Day read, then Anna's tragic love story is perfect.

In "An American Marriage" by Tayari Jones, Celestial is newly married when her husband, Roy, is wrongfully imprisoned, and she's left alone and heartbroken. Jones' 2018 novel examines America's racially inequitable criminal justice system by examining the quiet, emotional tragedies that occur when families and love stories are interrupted. "This novel redefines the traditional American love story," explained Oprah Winfrey in a YouTube video. "It's really a love triangle and places it inside a world that many of us don't know about, but that impacts all of us in really big ways."

Celestial and Roy's marriage is not a fairy tale love story, but an honest look at how love and trust exist between imperfect people. "'An American Marriage' is a love story but not in the conventional way of thinking," explained one Goodreads reviewer. "[It's] not a 'And they all lived happily ever after[,' it's] more of a 'And they all lived fully in their truth' love story." This book is the perfect choice for anyone who prefers the reality of love to its fantasy, or who is looking for a nuanced portrayal of the modern American South.

With "Wellness," Nathan Hill has crafted a contemporary epic – a decades-long love story between Jack and Elizabeth, who have known each other since college. This isn't the story of adolescent pining, but the complications and mysteries of love after many years of marriage. Hill's sharp insights about romance come amid a biting satire of the wellness industry, and then humorous social commentary provides an elegant balance to book's more tender side.

One of this 2023 novel's strengths is its unflinching depiction of the frustrations of growing older. "A beautifully written exploration of marriage, how our relationships change as we age, and the ways our inabilities to forgive ourselves diminish us," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. Don't pick this up if you're looking for an uncomplicated love story. Instead, it's a vulnerable portrait of real love that might just leave you feeling understood. "It's good to be able to dive into this beautiful masterpiece of a novel about a modern relationship fraught with so many of the obstacles of our times," said Oprah Winfrey in a TikTok video.

With "Hello Beautiful," Ann Napolitano pays tribute to the classic novel "Little Women" with a contemporary story of love and family. Readers will find tender echoes of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy in the tight-knit Padavano sisters. At the center of the story is a lonely boy named William who falls deeply for one of the sisters. Their romance unfolds against the backdrop of her closely bonded family, and his deep longing to belong.

Napolitano's novel doesn't deliver smut exactly, but it does paint a believable, tender portrait of deep connection. "A thoughtful, insightful exploration of what it means to love and be loved; and the best riff on 'Little Women' I've ever come across," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. Like many of the love stories that Oprah Winfrey likes to highlight, this novel is never one note. "There's drama, there's love, there's grief," explained Winfrey in a YouTube video introducing the pick. This is the perfect read for anyone interested in how our families shape who and how we love.

Given that Oprah Winfrey's book club does not feature books that would traditionally be classified as "romance novels," this list was compiled by looking for books with prominent romantic plots. Priority was given to novels with more explicitly sexual content. In the absence of erotic content, novels were included if they featured tender and emotionally compelling love stories.