Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

Our Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love Collection features titles centered on love and all of its complexities. This Collection represents authors who have grappled with romantic, familial, and other forms of love through writing. With titles ranging from contemporary romance picks to works by Shakespeare, this Collection has something to offer any reader who has ever lost or found love.

Impossible Creatures

by Katherine Rundell

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

... Read Impossible Creatures Summary

In a Holidaze

by Christina Lauren

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions, Humor

... Read In a Holidaze Summary

In Another Country

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1925

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: War, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Education, Education, Military / War, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

“In Another Country” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway first published in Scribner’s Magazine in 1927. Hemingway was one of the most celebrated writers of his time and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His works include short stories and novels as well as journalism and non-fiction studies, such as Death in the Afternoon (1932), about bullfighting. This guide refers to the version of “In Another Country” reprinted in the 1938... Read In Another Country Summary

Indecent

by Paula Vogel

Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Jewish Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy

... Read Indecent Summary

In Love

by Amy Bloom

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Biography

... Read In Love Summary

In Memoriam

by Alice Winn

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Military / War, WWI / World War I

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In My Craft or Sullen Art

by Dylan Thomas

Publication year 1934

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

In “In My Craft or Sullen Art” (1946), renowned Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) asks the age-old question: Why write poetry? In the poem, a poet sits alone at a writing desk bathed in moonlight. He is compelled by an energy he does not entirely understand to spend his night toiling over lines of poetry. The poem explores the creative process that links a lonely poet to the people he writes for—not guaranteed readers, but... Read In My Craft or Sullen Art Summary

In My Time of Dying

by Sebastian Junger

Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Grief / Death, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

... Read In My Time of Dying Summary

Insomnia

by Elizabeth Bishop

Publication year 1951

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Free verse, Confessional, Modernism

... Read Insomnia Summary

Instructions for Dancing

by Nicola Yoon

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy

... Read Instructions for Dancing Summary

Intermezzo

by Sally Rooney

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

... Read Intermezzo Summary

Interview with the Vampire

by Anne Rice

Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Regret

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Philosophy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Interview with the Vampire is a 1976 novel by Anne Rice. It tells the story of Louis de Pointe du Lac and his experiences after he becomes a vampire in 1791. Louis’s dissatisfaction with his mortal life extends into his immortal life, allowing Rice to explore themes of morality, love, loyalty, and immortality. This guide references the 2010 Ballantine Books eBook.Content Warning: This guide references the book’s discussion of suicide.Anne Rice ControversyThough her Vampire Chronicles... Read Interview with the Vampire Summary

In the Distance

by Hernan Diaz

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

... Read In the Distance Summary

In the Dream House

by Carmen Maria Machado

Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Biography

Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir In the Dream House chronologizes her experiences in an abusive relationship with a woman. In the Dream House was published in 2019 and won the 2021 Folio Prize and the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction. The memoir discusses potential modes for queer representation through the use of multiple narrative techniques. As of 2022, Machado lives in Pennsylvania with her wife and works at the University of Pennsylvania.Other work by... Read In the Dream House Summary

In the Likely Event

by Rebecca Yarros

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Military / War, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

... Read In the Likely Event Summary

In the Lives of Puppets

by T. J. Klune

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore

... Read In the Lives of Puppets Summary

In the Midst of Winter

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love

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

Isabel Allende’s In the Midst of Winter is a novel published in 2017 that follows the alternating perspectives of three immigrants whose lives become intertwined after a car accident during a snowstorm in New York City. This study guide refers to the Kindle edition of the novel.Plot OverviewOne night, during a brutal snowstorm in New York City, Richard Bowmaster is driving home when he accidentally crashes into Evelyn Ortega’s car. While he assumes it is... Read In the Midst of Winter Summary

Invisible Women

by Caroline Criado Perez

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Gender, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Finance / Money / Wealth, Sociology, Business / Economics, Technology, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

... Read Invisible Women Summary