Romance

"The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream—and he knew what he was talking about. A text from this study guide collection might be just the thing to remind you of the bliss and pain of love.

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Romance, History: World, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Western, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

The Selection is the first book in the titular romance trilogy by American author Kiera Cass. First published in 2012, The Selection was pitched as a dystopian interpretation of the hit television show The Bachelor, and as Publisher’s Weekly stated in their review, the Selection is “[a] cross between ‘The Hunger Games’ (minus the blood sport) and ‘The Bachelor’ (minus the blood sport).” In a future set in the land of Illéa (formerly the United... Read The Selection Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

The Serpent King is a young adult novel by American musician and novelist Jeff Zentner, originally published in the U.S. in 2016. This coming-of-age story about three youths growing up in a small town of Forrestville, Tennessee, explores individual, family, and social identity, along with love, loss, and religion. The novel won an American Library Association William C. Morris Award for Young Adult Literature, an International Literacy Association Young Adult Book Award, and it was... Read The Serpent King Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, History: World, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Humor, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Chinese Literature, History: World


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

IntroductionPublished in 1987, The Shell Seekers was written by Rosamunde Pilcher and is her first bestseller. Inspired by Pilcher’s conversation with Tom Dunne at St. Martin’s Press about her children’s desire to see their mother become famous, the novel is the author’s attempt to create a story for women based on the experiences of her generation. Set in 1984, it tells the story of Penelope Stern Keeling and her children (Nancy, Olivia, and Noel) and... Read The Shell Seekers Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family

Tags Disability, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

Matthew Quick’s debut novel, The Silver Linings Playbook, was published in 2008 and adapted into a major motion picture in 2012. The novel became a New York Times Best Seller, and the film received eight Academy Award nominations. The book centers on protagonist Pat Peoples, a former history teacher who receives court-mandated psychiatric institutionalization for a crime he does not remember committing. Due to his mental health treatment, Pat is an unreliable narrator. The story... Read The Silver Linings Playbook Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Travel Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, History: European, Mythology, History: World, Fantasy, Romance

The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary


Publication year 1774

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance

The Sorrows of Young Werther (in German, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers), written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a semi-autobiographical epistolary novel published in 1774. The story unfolds through a series of letters penned by the eponymous protagonist, Werther, and mainly chronicles his experiences in the small town of Wahlheim. Werther, a sensitive and idealistic young man, arrives in the town and becomes enamored with Lotte, a local magistrate’s daughter. His unrequited love becomes... Read The Sorrows of Young Werther Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Romance