The first time I walked into Brandy Melville, I was 15 years old. I had avoided it my entire life, opting to find my clothes at any of the surrounding stores instead. Fully aware of the reputation that preceded the popular clothing brand, I made my way inside, unsurprised to find the store’s “one size fits all” policy didn’t fit my body type. I left as self-loathing filled my mind. 

Funnily enough, this issue is only the beginning of a long list of “body-negative” clothing trends that have dominated the fashion and entertainment industry in recent years. 

Brandy Melville, a popular clothing brand among teenagers, has come under fire for its lack of size inclusivity. The brand is notorious for only providing “one size fits all” clothes, which in reality only fit a niche set of individuals who would generally be categorized as a size small. This policy, though not explicitly stated by the brand, embraces the idea that only individuals with smaller, skinnier body types are “worthy” enough to purchase and wear the clothing, leaving the rest of us feeling ashamed of what should make us feel beautiful. 

Next of course, would have to be the “corset trend”, which has seen a resurgence of popularity on social media and celebrity fashion. The corset, for those who are unaware, is a garment designed to tightly cinch at the waist, creating the sought-after “hourglass figure.” It has long been known that corsets tend to make the person who is wearing them feel uncomfortable and search for air, further perpetuating the idea that only a certain body type is desirable. According to the Royal College of Surgeons of England, continuous usage of corsets over time could lead to “poor digestion, and over time the back muscle could atrophy.“ Given the illusory body image and actual negative health effects of corsets, one must wonder why they still continue to be at the forefront of celebrity and fast fashion.

Social media and the entertainment industry have long been influential in trendsetting and fashion habits. Throughout the beginning of this year, Y2K trends have been leaning towards the re-glorification of ultra thin bodies, hiding the extreme dieting and exercise regime that is hidden behind the low rise jeans and skin tight crop tops. Most of the clothing of that era achieved only one common goal: celebrating a body as thin as humanly possible. Not only is this toxic mindset harmful to individuals on social media and influenced by celebrities, it promotes an unhealthy lifestyle that can have perilous consequences later on.

But how can we talk about the harmful body image implications of clothing if we don’t mention modeling? Though there has been some small improvement in the model industry concerning body type inclusivity, non-ultra skinny individuals are still woefully underrepresented on the runway. Many fashion brands and houses still opt for putting thinness at the forefront of their trends, a trait which spills over into celebrity fashion and then to the general public. Furthermore, pictures and videos of models are generally severely photoshopped and retouched, creating a false picture of what the “perfect body” should look like. By failing to embrace all colors, shapes and sizes, the model industry is further promoting existing feelings of inadequacy and shame within people who are already negatively affected by the other “body-negative” trends mentioned before. 

Let’s be real. It’s 2023. It is time for the fashion industry to realize that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and that everyone deserves to feel valued and celebrated.

At 98 years old, Jimmy Carter is the oldest living American to have served as president. Many Drexel University students, including myself, did not live through Carter’s presidency. Many people may only now be learning about the incredible life of Jimmy Carter, who entered home hospice care in his Georgia home earlier this year. Carter was elected president at the age of 52 after the 1976 presidential election against incumbent President Gerald Ford. His presidency suffered from a series of setbacks including the Iran hostage crisis and a recession in 1980, the same year he campaigned against and lost to Ronald Reagan, who succeeded him as president. Despite these setbacks, Carter went on to do many great things following the end of his presidency.

After his 1980 loss to Reagan, Carter and his wife returned to Georgia where they eventually began earning an income off writing books. In 1982, Jimmy Carter founded a not-for-profit organization known as the Carter Center. The goal of the center, which still exists today, is to advance human rights and alleviate human suffering. After leaving public office, Carter had a long list of successes including combating Guinea worm disease in Africa, working with Habitat for Humanity and acting as an advocate for various social causes around the world. Many historians praise Carter for his work following the end of his time as president of the United States.

As students, we can learn something valuable about success from Jimmy Carter. Many students spend four years in university, the same amount of time Carter spent in the White House. During that four-year period, Carter had plenty of setbacks just as many students may have setbacks while they attempt to get their degree. Some students will experience difficult personal issues during their time in university. They will have their own issues just like Carter when he was president. Jimmy Carter’s life can teach us a lot about our own. These four years are important, but they’re not everything. When I was an undergraduate, I was an average student. I did a lot of things, but I was never incredible at any of them. It was after I graduated and entered the working world that I really excelled. Just like President Carter, those four years of my life didn’t define who I was. No matter how good or bad you are at studying you can still be successful in the future. Four years in our 20s do not define the rest of our lives.

We can all learn an important lesson from President Carter and his incredible life. That lesson is that what we do here at Drexel University is important, but it will not define what we are capable of going into the future. Just like Jimmy Carter, we get four years to do our best, and the rest of our lives to be the best.

Taylor Swift has become a household name across the globe with 10 studio albums, 6 concert tours and nearly 70 additional live performances at award shows and festivals. It is no surprise the Eras Tour has become a major topic of conversation as the stadium tour sold-out after pre-sale tickets were released back in November of 2022. Children and adults of all ages flocked to Ticketmaster in hopes of watching Swift perform live. The tour kicked off in Glendale, Arizona several weeks ago, and generations of Swifties (the official name for fans of Swift) are gathering together and making memories of a lifetime.

The Eras Tour is a culmination of the last 17 years, as Swift performs multiple songs from each of her wildly popular albums, catering to all fans. This tour is like none other, with over 40 songs performed during a 3-hour-long concert. Whether you are a new-age Swiftie who joined during her shift to alternative-indie music during the pandemic, or have been along for the ride since her country accent days, this show is for everyone. For the fans who have grown up listening to Swift, this makes for a unique experience, as they relive the moments of listening to songs they never thought they’d hear the live versions of again. With live music performances coming to a halt due to the pandemic, Swift has barely performed any songs off of Lover, Folklore and Evermore live. Combined with her newly released album, Midnights, and the Vault Tracks of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), the concert features a mix of her old songs and new ones as well!

Swift has reached a broad audience over the years due to her shift from country to pop to alternative/indie and back to pop, thus bringing together people with very different tastes in music for a special night. From once being known as just a country singer, she has created a name for herself as a lyrical genius, award-winning performer, and an icon in the music industry. By doing the unimaginable, re-inventing herself and style of music, Swift continues to gain fans in unlikely places as she runs circles around a variety of genres. 

This makes for a very unique experience for The Eras Tour attendees, as they are experiencing what would traditionally be multiple concert experiences in one. The Ticketmaster debacle last fall further proves the tour to be a highly coveted experience, one that every Swiftie dreams of. It’s no surprise The Eras Tour has already reached success milestones in a short amount of time, as it’s an experience that can be enjoyed by all fans. 

For those who have grown up going to her concerts or spent hours listening to her music, nostalgia is in the air. Swift stays true to her roots and connects with her fans through moving speeches, recreates scenes from past shows and sings several songs acoustic with just her guitar. Swifties are trading friendship bracelets, dressing up as the eras of her albums, and creating bonds with strangers who share the same love and passion. For the young adults in the audience, who have truly grown up with Swift, this is the bridge between their current lives and their childhood. This is also the introduction to the Swiftie fandom for many members of the audience, and what better introduction than a show that spans over a decade of songs and stories?

The Eras Tour is a celebration of the last 17 years and a time to relive those core childhood memories. It is a way to ring in the new generation of Swifties while looking back at just how many people Swift has inspired through her music since the days we were singing “Love Story” in the bathroom mirror with our hairbrush microphones.

This April Fools’ Day propelled me to ask the not-so-original yet consequential question – is our increasing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) making us dumber? While most of your opinionated friends and family members might have already unpacked this subject months ago, this piece argues that overreliance on AI should be recognized as a concerning generational habit that may end up negatively affecting our ability to think on our own while also holding us back as a group in the long run. 

I would be hard pressed not to recognize that ChatGPT, for instance, is a very attractive AI tool. It seems especially skilled at finding and synthesizing information tailored to one’s search interests and needs. It can quickly find very specific facts buried so deep into the internet that would otherwise take a true research escapade to discover. In a matter of seconds, it can help you reference a unique fact about a firm you’re interviewing at, find tens of contextual synonyms and summarize the main points of a lengthy paper. 

When used for these purposes, ChatGPT seems to resemble nothing more than a Google search on steroids. What could be so wrong about that? That kind of approach may be unproblematic, yet the real danger arises when you find yourself using ChatGPT to make up for a lack of inspiration, creativity, or ability to summarize or organize your thoughts. 

When using ChatGPT to problem solve, we are essentially delegating our creative and analytical skills to a computer wired to only offer the endpoint of the problem solving process, the solution. If it even qualifies as a learning experience at all, this severely fractured interaction encourages a superficial approach to knowledge acquisition similar to completing your homework by looking at the key answers at the end of your textbook. Not so problematic if used to check your work, but quite concerning if it serves as the starting point of your assignment. While not always the most efficient, the process of discovering how to solve a problem is enriching in itself. Stumbling over information loosely related to the topic while doing your own research may not help you answer the specific question you’re tackling but will offer you insight into something you may use at a later time or help you make connections that you can apply to other projects or endeavors.

That our brain needs constant stimulation to function at its best is no new discovery. ChatGPT and similar AI tools offer us the luxury to place our brains on autopilot for a while, but if that becomes the norm, there is no question that we will simply get worse and worse at thinking. Are we fooling ourselves by thinking that we are ahead of other generations given our easy access to the widest array of information ever? 

I challenge this and hold that the process of gathering information is equally relevant to developing an understanding of a topic and ability to thoughtfully apply it in our day-to-day lives. Quick access and reproduction of a multitude of facts is not enough to develop skills needed for sound judgment. While AI can be beneficial for short term purposes, in the long run it may deprive us of the beauty and rewards of spending more time on the search itself.

Former Vice President Mike Pence may not be the most charismatic candidate running for president, but that’s exactly what many political insiders want. Pence is someone who does not cause controversy. What Pence lacks in charisma he makes up for in name recognition, experience and reliability. 

The Republican Party may seem fractured, but they are unified around one issue — beating Joe Biden in the 2024 election. With that in mind, we can turn to the 2020 democratic primary to see how Mike Pence may attempt to win the Republican nomination. 

In 2020, Joe Biden ran as a political moderate with the experience required to make difficult decisions on matters affecting the lives of the American people. At the time, he was seen as a relic of the past. Not only was Biden seen as old, but he also seemed out of touch with what many in his party wanted. Still, he became the nominee. How did he do this? His campaign focused on a unifying issue — beating Donald Trump! Pence may follow a similar strategic blueprint to defeat other front-runners in what may be a crowded Republican primary field.

Mike Pence may have an opportunity to use his name recognition and political connections to quickly coalesce support behind him in the event that Trump becomes the front-runner. Joe Biden made concessions to his political opponents, including Peter Buttigieg who would go on to become the secretary of transportation. 

Should Mike Pence find himself in a distant third, fourth, or even fifth place in the early contests he may turn to South Carolina for a political jump start. There, he could consolidate power among the political establishment by talking about his electability. Pence has always done well among evangelical voters, of which there are thousands voting in South Carolina’s primary. Mike Pence has also built meaningful relationships with key members of Republican leadership. If a “Never Trump” movement grows within the Republican primary, Mr. Trump may find himself in a similar position to Bernie Sanders in early 2020. At the time, Sanders was the front-runner, but after a series of wins for Joe Biden on Super Tuesday it became clear who the nominee would be. 

For these reasons, I believe Mike Pence is the dark horse candidate of 2024. It is hard to see a scenario where Mike Pence is not the best option Republicans have to beat Joe Biden. If Mike Pence focuses on electability and sells himself as the candidate most likely to beat Joe Biden he will be the Republican nominee in 2024. Pence can, and should, make deals with other primary opponents to secure endorsements. And to anyone who thinks Mike Pence isn’t running for president — just look up the number of times he has visited Iowa this year.

On March 23, 2023, TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress about possible Chinese sway over the social media platform and the damage its production of short videos have done to kids’ mental health. The testimony was unique in that it brought both sides of the political spectrum together to convey their concerns about the app’s influence, ultimately with the goal of wanting to ban the platform nationwide for the sake of protecting American data and impressionable kids.  

Throughout lawmakers’ attempts at instituting a ban, Chew and TikTok have been supported by advocates of free speech. Chew himself even posted a video last week trying to amass support by claiming 150 million users will lose their “voices,” remarking “That’s almost half of the U.S. coming to TikTok.” 

Jameel Jaffer, executive director at the Knights First Amendment Institute of Columbia University, said in a statement two days before Chew’s testimony that, “Restricting access to a speech platform that is used by millions of Americans every day would set a dangerous precedent for regulating our digital public sphere more broadly. Banning or restricting access to social media is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes, and we should be very wary about giving the U.S. government that kind of power.”  

I agree with Jaffer. Authoritarian regimes banning mediums of mass communications, especially ones like TikTok, which no matter how ill-advisedly, is used as a news source, forum of discussion and conversation, and of course entertainment for many people, is wrong. Moreover, at the time I am writing this (a day after Chew’s testimony), there has not been any evidence of China or any other country manipulating American user data for their own means, making the banning of TikTok wrong. But paradoxically, I also disagree with Jaffer’s point because of the nature of social media platforms, leading me to ask: Has free speech ever existed on social media in the first place? 

My answer: no. 

The First Amendment may give individuals protection from government censorship, but social media are private companies and set their own guidelines for censorship through moderating hate speech, obscenity, misinformation, disinformation, and harassment. If you don’t follow those regulations, they can delete your post or ban you from the platform as they see fit, and this is sometimes done with good reason. Jaffer and others should have already been aware of this, even if TikTok and other social media appear to act as sort of a public forum for users to “freely” engage with information and each other, they aren’t one because they aren’t public.  

Big tech insider Jaron Lanier discusses how the medium of social media is designed to and effectively does prevent freedom of speech, among other issues surrounding the influence of social media, in his book “Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now.” His fifth argument, “social media is making what you say meaningless,” tackles freedom of speech on social media through the lens of social media’s decontextualization of what we say.  

Lanier writes, “Online, we often have little to no ability to know or influence the context in which our expression will be understood.” Ads for Gatorade on YouTube come before clips from last night’s news. A post about a protest on one’s feed is followed by a make-up tutorial. When everything is mashed together, what people say loses its own context and is absorbed into social media’s lack of context, causing posts to be interpreted incorrectly and used in malicious ways. 

Lanier cites that this is particularly the case with women and girls who “express themselves online” and “find that their words and images are sexualized or incorporated into a violent or manipulative framework.” In addition, he mentions this is part of what leads to posts about news being labeled “fake” when in fact they are very real.  

All of this is not to say that I support Congress’s attempt to ban TikTok. Even if I believe freedom of speech is something nonexistent on social media like TikTok, I still believe in people’s right to believe they retain freedom of speech on the app which controls every aspect of what they post. 

By Sean Vanson and Kacy Gao

Drexel Grounds Staff Chuck Fulmer using the New Battery-powered leaf blowers

Another beautiful day at Drexel University. The sun is shining, and all the benches and chairs are filled with students. On the grassy knolls of Lancaster Walk, a frisbee flies through the air while students on towels enjoy a Halal food picnic. A single dandelion seed flutters through the air, jostled by the movement of bypassing students. The trees sway in the breeze as flowers bloom out of the soil. Have you ever wondered how the campus looks this nice? Well, a significant part of that is from the Drexel Grounds team.

Director Scott Dunham, Assistant Director Tony Gale and the rest of the grounds team work tirelessly every day to keep our campus looking clean and fresh. In addition to their regular duties, they are constantly implementing new projects to improve the sustainability and eco-friendliness of Drexel’s grounds. One of their recent projects involves using battery-powered equipment like lawnmowers and leaf blowers; which not only reduces pollution but also saves on operating costs. This battery-powered equipment acts as a more environmentally-friendly alternative compared to gasoline-powered equipment. Less fumes in the air mean less pollution on Drexel’s campus.

The team’s efforts to promote sustainability on campus extend beyond equipment upgrades. They also prioritize sensitivity towards students with herbicide allergies by giving them warning lists of upcoming applications. In addition, they opened up the greenhouse in Stratton Hall for student use, offering a peaceful place to study surrounded by the lush and thriving plants grown on campus. Serving as a pleasant and chill place to learn while breathing fresh air from the plants, the greenhouse is a savior for the average student.

The grounds team has also worked on installing new native plants such as the hairy alumroot, common winterberry, switchgrass, common serviceberry, and northern red oak. These plants allow for more biodiversity and color on Drexel’s campus while also benefiting the campus’s ecosystem.

In addition to these projects, the Drexel grounds team has been actively focused on sustainability, as seen in their usage of eco-friendly techniques on campus. Hand-weeding all landscaped areas and tree wells, the grounds team has and continues to consider organic options for land management. These techniques include aeration, composting and soil health improvement, which have been proven to improve the soil’s water retention, save costs and improve biodiversity.

Overall, the Drexel Grounds team plays a crucial role in maintaining the beautiful campus that the university is known for. Their dedication to sustainability and eco-friendliness is commendable and serves as an inspiration to all students and faculty. Look out for all of these projects on campus, and make sure to thank the grounds team for all they do!

As consumer culture has started to prioritize sustainable living and making strides in everyday life to cut down on preventable waste, it is hard to miss the growth in popularity the reusable water bottle industry has experienced. At this point, it has essentially turned into a fashion statement to be seen carrying around an oversized bottle covered in stickers or with a straw poking out. For many, their water bottle is more than just an easy-to-transport and reusable bottle – it has become their “emotional support water bottle.” A nickname coined through social media. However, as each company has their moment in the spotlight before fading into a passing trend, it has led to cabinets being stocked full of water bottles of every brand name, color and size collecting dust. This makes me question if we are losing sight of the purpose of these reusable water bottles, and instead spending large amounts of money to feed into an obsession.  

Over the years we’ve seen water bottle companies such as S’well, Yeti, and Hydro Flask take over the lives of Millennials and Gen Z by selling out the most coveted colors in the largest possible sizes. For the longest time, denting your precious water bottle was the biggest concern of fanatics everywhere, along with the stress that came with picking out the perfect stickers to match your aesthetic. But now most of those water bottles are long forgotten and have since been replaced by the latest reusable water bottle to join the trend, the Stanley Tumbler, a 40-ounce mega bottle with a giant handle and straw and a starting price of $50. While it is important to clean and replace reusable water bottles from time to time, is it sustainable, or dare I say necessary, to own every color of the Starbucks Tumblers, or separate reusable water bottles for various cold drinks?  

The reusable water bottle injury started with the right intentions, as an initiative to eliminate plastic waste by reducing the amount of plastic water bottles, but it has turned into so much more. With the rise of TikTok and Instagram influencers, mass marketing revolving the reusable water bottle trend increased consumerism exponentially. Soon, everyone just had to have the water bottle their favorite social media star was using, and when the influencer moved onto the next, so did their followers. This created a culture surrounding the water bottles, leading to the concept of an “emotional support water bottle”, or in this case, multiple “emotional support water bottles”. This has led to sustainability evolving into a trend to follow, and while it encourages more people to switch to reusable water bottles, this has resulted in turning reusable water bottles into collectible items, which defeats the purpose. 

The next time you catch yourself grabbing a new water bottle off the shelf at Target or placing one in your Amazon shopping cart, think twice about whether you are falling into the consumerism trap or actually making the effort to live a more sustainable life! 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 3 women, 1 in 4 men, and 1 in 2 transgender identifying individuals will be in an abusive relationship in their lifetime. Many people date around while attending university, yet most people do not know how to recognize the signs of relationship abuse. The One Love Foundation, an organization that works to end relationship abuse, lists these ten red flags to look for in your relationships:

1) Intensity – When someone expresses very extreme feelings and over-the-top behavior that feels overwhelming. Things are getting too intense if you feel like someone is rushing the pace of the relationship (comes on too strong, too fast) and seems obsessive about wanting to see you and be in constant contact.

2) Possessiveness – When someone is jealous to a point where they try to control who you spend time with and what you do. While jealousy is a normal human emotion, it becomes unhealthy when it causes someone to control or lash out at you. This means getting upset when you text or hang out with people they feel threatened by, wrongly accusing you of flirting or cheating or even going so far as to stalk you. Possessiveness is often excused as being overprotective or having really strong feelings for someone.

3) Manipulation – When someone tries to control your decisions, actions or emotions. Manipulation is often hard to spot, because it can be expressed in subtle or passive-aggressive ways. You know you are being manipulated if someone is trying to convince you to do things you don’t feel comfortable doing, ignores you until they get their way, or tries to influence your feelings.

4) Isolation – When someone keeps you away from friends, family or other people. This behavior often starts slowly with someone asking you to spend more one-on-one time with them but can later escalate to demands that you don’t see certain people. Often, they will ask you to choose between them and your friends, insist that you spend all your time with them, or make you question your own judgment of friends and family. If you are experiencing isolation, you may end up feeling like you are dependent on your partner for love, money or acceptance.

5) Sabotage – When someone purposely ruins your reputation, achievements or success. Sabotage includes keeping you from doing things that are important to you. Behaviors like talking behind your back, starting rumors or threatening to share private information about you, is also sabotage.

6) Belittling – When someone does and says things to make you feel bad about yourself. This includes name-calling, making rude remarks about people you’re close with or criticizing you. It is also belittling when someone makes fun of you in a way that makes you feel bad, even if it is played off as a joke. Over time, this can make you lose confidence in yourself or your abilities.

7) Guilting – When someone makes you feel responsible for their actions or makes you feel like it is your job to keep them happy. They may blame you for things that are out of your control and make you feel bad for them. This includes threatening to hurt themselves or others if you do not do as they say or stay with them. They might also pressure you to do something that you are not comfortable with by claiming that it is important to them or that it will hurt their feelings if you do not do it.

8) Volatility – When someone has a strong, unpredictable reaction that makes you feel scared, confused or intimidated. A volatile person makes you feel like you need to walk on eggshells around them or they will have extreme reactions to small things. Your relationship with them might feel like a rollercoaster that contains extreme ups and downs. They may overreact to small things, have major mood swings or lose control by getting violent, yelling or threatening you.

9) Deflecting Responsibility – When someone repeatedly makes excuses for their unhealthy behavior. They may blame you or other people for their own actions. Often, this includes making excuses based on alcohol or drug use, mental health issues or past experiences (like a cheating ex or divorced parents).

10) Betrayal – When someone is disloyal or acts in an intentionally dishonest way. They may act like a different person around other people or share private information about you to others. It also includes lying, purposely leaving you out, being two-faced, or cheating on you.

Recognize these signs in your relationships or in the relationships of your friends. If you are in an abusive relationship it’s important to remember that you did nothing to deserve that. There are numerous reasons abusive individuals act that way, but what is important is that you acknowledge abuse took place and focus on moving forward with your life.

If you are interested in hosting a One Love workshop, please feel free to check out the One Love Foundation website: joinonelove.org/education/. 

The One Love Foundation is interested in bringing educational opportunities to student groups who are interested in learning more about healthy relationships. Everyone does unhealthy things in relationships. Nobody is perfect, but we can all learn to love better and have healthier relationships.

Thanks to social media and “bookfluencers” reading is finally gaining the popularity us bookworms always knew it deserved. To anyone who prefers to live inside their favorite book’s reality or wants to shut the real world out and take comfort in “happily ever afters” that only happen in the books, this one’s for you. Here are a few of my favorite “romcoms in a book” that will help restore your faith in true love (in real life) this Valentine’s Day!

“Red, White, and Royal Blue” by Casey McQuiston is an American political drama crossed with English royalty, smothered with forbidden love. When enemies Alex, the First Son of the United States and Henry, the Prince of Wales, realize that maybe they may not actually hate each other, they find themselves stuck in the middle of a transatlantic secret relationship. Despite their high profile families and the never-ending paparazzi, Alex and Henry continue to put each other first and find ways to stumble into each other when they need each other most. You will quickly find yourself rooting for their love to overcome every challenge that Alex and Henry face throughout the novel!

“The Love Hypothesis” by Ali Hazelwood is an all-time favorite for all the STEM-lovers out there. It’s a brilliant combination of academia and contemporary love that will have you running to PISB to find your future soulmate. Ph.D candidate Olive finds herself wrapped up in a messy fake relationship with Adam, a Principle Investigator of the research lab she works in. She slowly uncovers his true personality, which is buried under layers of harsh expressions and an intense passion for science. They find themselves in a couple sticky situations that’ll have you dying of laughter and hopeful that Olive can warm his stone-cold heart.

“Love, Chai, and Other Four Letter Words” by Annika Sharma is a heartwarming story that shows that love has absolutely no bounds. Kiran has been scarred by her parent’s expectation of marrying within her culture, as her sister was banished from the family years ago after her husband didn’t measure up to the family’s wishes. When Kiran and Nash meet, it was like the hustle and bustle of New York City suddenly stopped and the only thing that mattered was their growing relationship. Along the way decade-old secrets are uncovered that leave us wondering if true love has the power to restore peace in Kiran’s life. 

“Paris is Always a Good Idea” by Jenn McKinlay will transport you from the rolling green hills of Ireland, to the cobblestone streets of Paris, and then to the vineyards of Italy as Chelsea Martin visits all the places she used to live during her gap year from college. However, this time, she’s not the same happy and free-spirited girl she once was, Chelsea has thrown herself into the corporate lifestyle and barely believes in the concept of love. So she embarks on this journey to find the person she once was. Along the way she reconnects with past lovers, and realizes that despite the many years that have passed, sparks still fly. 

“Beach Read” by Emily Henry is perfect for the readers who love reading about books, and for those who need to be reminded that love exists in the most unlikely of places. January Andrews no longer believes in love, despite being a romance novelist, decides to retreat to her father’s old beach house to complete her latest book and stumbles into Augustus Everett, a dark fiction author who absolutely hates the happy endings of her published books. As they both struggle to make progress with their current pieces, January and Gus decide to swap writing styles and take on the challenge of each other’s writing styles, leading to the start of a budding relationship. I guess opposites really do attract!

While picking up a book may not be the traditional Valentine’s Day activity, it will surely restore your faith in true love, even if it means settling for a bookish significant other for the time being.