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Valentine's Day: Sweet or Sour?

Does Valentine's Day make you feel all sweet and mushy? Or does it bring out your cynical and sour side? There are books, movies and music for both sweet and sour tastes; here are a few suggestions, some based on the title, most on the content of the work, and some strictly with tongue in cheek. And if you would like to add some Valentine's Day flavour to your own words, consider these sayings, both sweet and sour:

Sayings

For "sweet" romantics For "sour" romantics

the love of my life

a lost love

dear to my heart

my heart bleeds for you

a joyful heart, a light heart

a heavy heart, a broken heart

kiss me quick

kiss and tell, kiss off

love is grand

love is blind

kiss of life

kiss of death, Judas kiss

lovebirds

lonely hearts

win someone's love

love's labours lost

love is all you need

you cannot live on love alone

a love note

a Dear John letter

billing and cooing

lovers' quarrel

tying the knot, ties of love

ball and chain

ties that bind

breaking up

open-hearted, warm-hearted

cold-hearted, heartless

sweethearts

a soured relationship

Books

For "sweet" romantics For "sour" romantics

Romeo and Juliet
(W. Shakespeare)

The Taming of the Shrew (W. Shakespeare)

Sonnets from the Portuguese (E. Barrett Browning)

Sex and Destiny
(G. Greer)

Pride and Prejudice
(J. Austen)

Life Before Man
(M. Atwood)

Sons and Lovers
(D.H. Lawrence)

My Heart Is Broken
(M. Gallant)

any Harlequin-style romance novel

Heart of Darkness
(J. Conrad)

Movies

For "sweet" romantics For "sour" romantics

Love Story (1970)

Mad Love (1935)

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

You've Got Mail (1998)

The St. Valentine's Day Massacre (1967)

Message in a Bottle (1999)

Fatal Attraction (1987)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

The War of the Roses (1989)

Love Actually (2003)

Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

Music

For "sweet" romantics For "sour" romantics

Love Me Tender
(Elvis Presley)

Heartbreak Hotel
(Elvis Presley)

I Want to Hold Your Hand
(The Beatles)

(I can't get no) Satisfaction
(The Rolling Stones)

Walkin' on Sunshine
(Katrina & the Waves)

These Boots Were Made for Walkin'
(Nancy Sinatra)

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(Ewan McColl)

The First Cut Is the Deepest
(Cat Stevens)

You've Got a Friend
(Carole King)

Friendless Summer
(The Lucksmiths)