Is there any better way to spend a cozy winter afternoon than reading a good book? Find your new favorite author or discover a new book from one of your favorites with our February reading recommendations.

This month we are featuring books from talented Black authors in celebration of Black History Month and a few romance novels just in time for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones – a revealing exploration of America’s past and present with 18 essays about the legacy of slavery in present-day America, and 36 poems and works of fiction focusing on key moments of oppression, struggle, and resistance. Also includes archival portrait photography of Black Americans.

Pomegranate By Helen Elaine Lee – a powerful story of healing, redemption, and love. Ranita is nearing the end of a four-year prison sentence for opioid possession, and she’s been clean and sober for three years. She wants to reclaim her life and win back custody of her children, but she’ll have to do it without the calming influence of Maxime the woman who has helped her see the world differently. Can Ranita atone for her past mistakes and avoid the temptations of the outside world? Lee is the author of The Serpent’s Gift.

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris – a complex story of loss, forbidden love, and redemption set in the Deep South just after the end of the American Civil War. Newly emancipated former slaves struggle to forge a new future in a world reeling from the aftermath of war and the prejudices that prevail.

While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams – A gripping thriller set within the halls of the U.S. Supreme Court. A young law clerk becomes embroiled in a controversial court case when Justice Winn slips into a coma and leaves instructions for her to serve as his legal guardian and power of attorney.

My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef: A Cookbook by Kwame Onwuachi – more than 125 delicious recipes handed down from the author’s family from Nigeria and the Caribbean, the South, and the Bronx. Learn to make Nigerian Jollof, Puerto Rican Red Bean Sofrito, Trinidadian Channa (Chickpea) Curry, Jambalaya, Baby Back Ribs, Red Velvet Cake, and more.

8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty – from the best-selling author of Think Like a Monk – this book is a guide to every stage of romance, drawing on ancient wisdom and new science. Stop confusing lasting love with romance movies and pop culture references and learn how to develop and nurture the skills needed to sustain a healthy loving relationship and the wisdom to know when a relationship can’t be saved.

The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn – After being fired from her third job, Bonnie decides she needs a change of scenery and flees to the Scottish Highlands with her best friend to run a coffee shop in Corsekelly. As much as Bonnie is enjoying her new life, she can’t understand why her handsome handyman, Rowan is so unfriendly and infuriating. As Bonnie and Rowan clash, their attraction grows.

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston – Florence is a ghost writer for one of the prolific romance novelists in the business, but after a horrible break-up, she no longer believes in love. Can a trip home and a handsome ghost make Florence fall in love with being in love again or is her career doomed?

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes – Alice marries a handsome American to escape her stifling life in England only to move to rural Kentucky and face an equally overbearing father-in-law. When Alice joins a group of women delivering books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s literacy plan, she discovers a group of independent thinkers and friends who help her stand on her own and ask for the kind of relationship she wants from her husband.

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren – Macy has her future well in hand. She’s a pediatric resident planning her wedding to an older established and financially secure man. Love was never in the plan, but when she runs into a former lover her memories of being loved and in love come flooding back threatening to unravel her carefully constructed plan.