Valentine’s Day is usually associated with bright red roses, romantic cards, and heart-shaped chocolate. But those are historically First World traditions.

To break that mold, some African writers collaborated on an anthology of romantic s short stories released by Ankara Press. Each story has been translated in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Kishwahili, Kpelle, Pidgin and French. Furthermore, Nigerians writers Elnathan John and Eghosa Imasuen, Kenyan author Mukoma wa Ngugi, and New York Times journalist, Helene Cooper, recorded audio versions of the stories.

“Our mission is to read and hear what romancing in different languages might sound like and mean, as well as showing how romance can break away from the genre stereotypes and still be entertaining,” said publisher Bibi Bakare-Yusuf.

“Ankara Press is a new imprint bringing African romance fiction into the bedrooms, offices and hearts of women […] Our stories feature young, self-assured and independent women who work, play and, of course fall madly in love in vibrant African cities from Lagos to Cape Town. Ankara men are confident, emotionally expressive and not afraid of independent and sexually assertive women.”

So try something new this Valentine’s Day and set up the mood with an African romance novel.