Book Review: Your Valentine by Anthony DeStefano

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+JMJ+ Every February, our culture loudly proclaims its version of love. Hearts, chocolates, flowers, and grand romantic gestures flood the shelves and social media feeds. Somewhere along the way, love itself has become strangely distorted even among Christians. Love is often reduced to a feeling, a fleeting emotion, or a self-centered pursuit of personal happiness. Marriage is redefined as a contract of convenience (a mere piece of paper) rather than a covenant of sacrifice.

Anthony DeStefano’s Your Valentine gently but powerfully pushes back against that confusion.

In this beautifully written children’s book, DeStefano tells the true story of St. Valentine, a priest who risked his life to defend and uphold Christian marriage. In ancient Rome, there was a time when marriage was forbidden for men and women. Valentine continued to secretly marry couples thereby honoring God’s design for love and fidelity. Ultimately, his courage cost him his freedom and his life.

Martyrs show us the deepest and most profound example of love! 

This is not about sentimentalism, self-expression, or convenience. This kind of love is about sacrifice, faithfulness, and courage. 

What I appreciate so much (and I find myself saying this every time I read one of Anthony’s children’s books) is that he has such a gift for writing stories that speak just as profoundly to adults as they do to children. Young readers will be captivated by the story of bravery and devotion. Adults, however, won’t miss the deeper message: real love comes at a cost. Real love stands for truth and protects marriage because marriage between a man and a woman was designed by God.

In a time when even many Christians have absorbed the world’s language of “love is love,” this book reminds us of something far greater: God is love. And because He is love, He defines it. Marriage is not ours to reinvent. It is a sacred covenant rooted in His design. He designed it for one man and one woman, united in faithful, life-giving love.

The illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo are absolutely stunning. They bring the story to life with warmth, depth, and emotion. Each page feels rich and reverent and helps children enter into both the sweetness, beauty, and seriousness of the story. The artwork elevates the story in such a lovely way.

Your Valentine is much more than a sweet seasonal book. It is a needed reminder. It gives Christian parents, guardians, and teachers a powerful opportunity to reclaim St. Valentine’s Day not as a celebration of vague romance, but as a celebration of heroic love grounded in truth.

I highly recommend this book for families, classrooms, and anyone who wants their children to understand that love is not whatever we feel in the moment. Love is willing the good of the other. It is sacrificial, and it is faithful.

That is the legacy of St. Valentine, and it’s the kind of love worth celebrating on Valentine’s Day and always. 

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I was not asked to write this review, nor did I receive any compensation for doing so. My parents generously gifted our family a copy of Your Valentine, and this reflection is simply my honest opinion. All views expressed here are entirely my own.

Grab your copy from Sophia Press today!