5 classic books on love to read before Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day sneaks up fast, but nothing beats cozying up with timeless love stories that tug every heartstring. Ahead of Valentine's Day, here we list some classics that aren't just romance - they're masterclasses in passion, heartbreak, growth, and devotion that still feel achingly real today. Perfect for solo reflection or date-night discussions, they'll leave you swooning and maybe even ugly-crying!

Jane Austen's witty enemies-to-lovers blueprint in this classic captures love's slow burn through pride, misunderstandings, and social snobbery.
Storyline: Feisty Elizabeth Bennet clashes with arrogant Mr. Darcy amid his marriage hunt in Regency England. Their is a classic enemies turned lovers story which warms hearts even today.

In this book, Brontë blends gothic passion with fierce independence. Storyline: Orphan Jane becomes governess at Mr. Rochester's manor. She discovers dark secrets amid their growing love. Betrayal tests her morals, but it's her integrity that wins her happy-ever-after.

Photo: Penguin

'Wuthering Heights' is about an obsessive love that defies sanity. The book's nonlinear fury grips deeper - showing love as eternal haunting.
Storyline: Heathcliff and Cathy share soul-deep childhood love on Yorkshire moors, but it is torn by their class difference. Revenge, ghosts, and generational torment ensue after her marriage elsewhere.

Photo: Penguin

In this book, Tolstoy dissects forbidden love's thrill and tragedy, blending ecstasy with society's crushing weight. This makes 'Anna Karenina' a profound read for mature romance fans.
Storyline: Married Anna abandons her family for the dashing Vronsky-- causing a scandal. Parallel Levin's pure courtship shows love's dual paths amid Russian aristocracy.

Photo: Penguin

This Gothic suspense is a timeless classic. It's a story wrapped in jealous love; du Maurier's psychological twists make it an addictive pre-Valentine classic to read.
Storyline: Shy narrator marries wealthy Maxim de Winter, haunted by his glamorous late wife Rebecca at Manderley. Secrets unravel in obsession and fire.
Hitchcock's 1940 black-and-white masterpiece did justice to this book's screen adaptation.