I'm so happy to have Laura on the blog once again! I do adore Laura, and if you don't follow her blog or on Twitter, then you really must. She is lovely and has excellent taste in books!
Today, she's talking about something we can all relate to, I'm sure: the love of books and words and how that love goes along very well with the love and romance of Valentine's Day. So thank you for being here today Laura! Over to you...
So I had to think about what I could write that wouldn't be overly sappy or lovey dovey but also wouldn't crush every romantic's heart out there. I wanted to write what I'd call a balanced Valentine's piece. That Valentine's Day isn't just all tacky stuffed animals and flowers.
In fact, I was told a really romantic story by my boss about some colleague of her son in law's. This guy decided to not only buy his girlfriend a bookcase but he went around and asked all her friends and family to pick their 3 favourite books - books they loved or were personal to them and then he bought them. He filled this whole bookcase with the books of the people in her life. How amazing a present is that!
Even now, the most romantic gesture I ever remember seeing in a movie was from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. The Beast gives Belle a whole freaking Library! A WHOLE ROOM FULL OF BOOKS!! That's love right there.
It used to be a thing for me at Christmas and birthdays when I was younger that my parents would give me a book and write a little message on the inside cover. A note of love and thanks and I even have a copy of King Arthur's Tales that my mum gave my dad years ago that she wrote a message on the inside cover.
It's the gift of words that says I love you.
One of my favourite things about second hand bookshops is not only find gems and hidden book treasures but finding those little love notes and message on the inside pages. You don't always find them but sometimes you can flip those first few pages and find a lost love message that was given with the gift of words in a book.
I can't think of a better gift than a book for Valentines. I'm not one for sickly sweet gestures so I think that for those that can't find their own words on V-Day then they should look to their local bookshop to find a book that does have those words.
Until I find someone to buy me a book with a message on the inside cover I'll settle for the someone's on the inside pages. At least it's a cheaper date!
I completely agree with you! I think it's so romantic. I'd also love someone to buy me a book with a little message in the inside cover. It's such a sweet gesture. Hope you have a nice Valentines!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sweet post! I am in love with Belle's library :) And I think the bookcase with favourite books is an awesome gift.
ReplyDeleteWe had a housewarming party one year. One of the guests didn't know what to bring as a gift, so N told him to give his favourite book as a present and that was the best ever!
I love this post, and I so agree about Belle's library!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fabulous post. I rewatched Beauty and the Beast a few weeks ago and found my heart still goes aflutter when the Beast gives Belle the library.
ReplyDeleteI love the story about the bookcase, sounds like that guy's a keeper!
Fabulous post! I'd love someone to give me a library :)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post! Beauty and the Best is one of my favourite movies, I really wish someone could give me that library :)
ReplyDeleteThe sweetest post ever! I love it! That guy with the bookcase, he is SO awesome! Just brilliant! And I am completely with you on Belle's library. I have wanted a library like that my whole life!
ReplyDeleteNot sure I'd want someone to write in books, though. A post-it note on the cover maybe. Writing in books seems a bit like sacrilege to me, lol.
Great post Laura! My sister went through a phase of writing messages in the books she got me years ago. I miss them actually! :)
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