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Scroll past the glitter-covered travel mugs and heart-shaped plushies and instead gift your besties something they want to curl up with: A good book.
I’ve long believed the best Valentine’s Day-adjacent holiday is February 15—the day when the good chocolate gets marked down. But Galentine’s Day is giving it some serious competition. As the setbacks, milestones, and questions come faster and more furious with each passing year (and do they ever) it’s clear that female friendship is a lifeline like no other in midlife and beyond.
But what to get the friend who tells you the truth about everything, the one who shows up at your door with a bottle of red because your voice didn’t sound right, or the one who’s your ride-or-die even when you want to strangle each other? Reading nerd here to say, books, of course. After all, you’re the holders of one another’s stories, so it only makes sense to gift them a narrative chosen for them.
“Galentine’s Day celebrates the friendships that hold us together and books do the same thing,” said Margie Zable Fisher, PROVOKED writer and author whose new novel is being released on February 13. “They remind us we’re not alone, even when life gets messy.”
For–and About–Grown-Ass Women
I hate it when a book I’m excited to read leaves me squinting to see the women because they’ve been placed in the background. Not a chance of that with these three. These books put women characters and stories front and center and are the kinds of narratives that make women feel seen, not infantilized.
Bonus: All include complex characters who’ve been around the planet a few times.
by Katie Kitamura
Split in two parts, this novel masterfully plays with the reality of the unnamed narrator, an accomplished actress of a certain age. It will leave you with more questions than answers, which seems to be the point, making it not only a fantastic read but a great conversation starter.
by Rona S. Zable and Margie Zable Fisher
“Why can’t the rest of your life be the best of your life?” asks Debbie, the 60-something protagonist of this debut novel by Fisher and her late mother. Her question becomes the club’s motto and the book’s core. The story reminds readers that their people are out there even after 60—sometimes you just need to step outside of your comfort zone to find them.
by Lily King
A very grown-up love story—sexy, strong, and sad. I ugly cried in public at the end, a sign of a great book as far as I’m concerned, which made me want to send it to my nearest and dearest so they too could go on this journey.
For the Friend Knee-Deep In It
Friendship during caregiving, illness, loss, grief, and uninvited change become our oxygen. While the worst of times have the potential to challenge our closest connections, they also can also deepen newer or more casual friendships. Share and explore these books when life gets stormy.
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
by Katherine May
One of my oldest friends recently handed this to me. She had been with me and helped get me through an extended rough patch. The gift of this book—and its premise that “everyone winters at one time or another; some winter over and over again”—felt like one more act of caring from her.
by Kate Baer
This accessible and raw poetic exploration of womanhood was introduced to me by another cherished friend I’ve leaned on more times than I can count. It’s the perfect size to slip into a purse to read between appointments or to devour when you can’t sleep. Favorites include: After a Psychic Tells Me I’m Going to Die, Robyn Hood, and Things My Girlfriends Teach Me.
For Spicy Fun
Here’s six more for the friend who wants, needs, or deserves—as well all do—an escape. Or, for the one who just wants to grin a lot.
by Rachel Reid
Hot under the puck for Heated Rivalry? Good News: It has five friends with benefits. The steamy TV show was adapted from a novel by the same name that’s part of the six-book Game Changers series. Put a bow on the stack and know that your Galentine will love them way more than another scented candle.
One for the Books
Why not make this the month where you shine a spotlight on the friends who’ve celebrated and sobbed with you? The ones who have gotten you through the good, the bad, and the ugly—especially the ugly. Remind them with a book and a heartfelt note that you don’t need a special day to appreciate them, but you’ll be damned not to grab the chance when one comes around.
