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.
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, American Literature, Relationships
Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Marriage Plot (2011), set in the early 1980s, follows a love triangle among a group of recent Brown University graduates. As the 20-somethings forge a path into adulthood, they explore the dynamics of love and commitment while wrestling with ways to imbue their lives with meaning and make a purposeful mark on the world. The title references a plot trope common to 19th-century British novels, such as those by Jane Austen, in... Read The Marriage Plot Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Philosophy, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Psychology
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Asian Literature, Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction
Spanning the 1950s to the 2010s, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness, a 2017 novel by Arundhati Roy, follows the interconnected lives of several characters against the backdrop of contemporary India. The novel skips backwards and forwards in time freely, often pauses for detours into the stories of minor characters and includes several texts within the main text (e.g., Bhartiya’s manifesto, or Tilo’s Kashmiri-English Alphabet). At heart, however, the novel consists of two main narrative threads... Read The Ministry Of Utmost Happiness Summary
Publication year 1668
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, French Literature
The Miser, by Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (better known by his stage name, Molière) was written in 1668 and was first performed at the theatre of the Palais-Royal in Paris on September 9th, 1668. The five-act play, which takes much of its inspiration from Plautus’ Latin comedy Aulularia (or The Pot of Gold), is a comedy centered on a penny-pinching old miser, Harpagon, who schemes to make more money by arranging marriages for himself and his two... Read The Miser Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Christian literature, Romance, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction
The Mountain Between Us (2010) is a survival romance novel by Charles Martin. It tells the story of Ben Payne, a surgeon who becomes trapped in the remote Utah wilderness with writer Ashley Knox. The novel interweaves Ben’s personal history with his growing feelings for Ashley as they rely on each other for survival, and their love begins to pose a potential complication in the lives to which they hope to return. Through their journey... Read The Mountain Between Us Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1888
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Romance, Irish Literature, Children's Literature, History: World, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction
“The Nightingale and the Rose” is a children’s story by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, included in his 1888 fairy tale collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Like many of the other stories in the collection, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is a fable examining the nature of love and self-sacrifice. “The Nightingale and the Rose” conforms to the simplistic story structure of traditional fairy tales while subverting many of the genre’s norms.This guide refers... Read The Nightingale and the Rose Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
The Notebook is a 1996 novel by Nicholas Sparks. The story centers on the relationship between Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson. Spanning over five decades, their love endures an uncertain beginning, the onset and conclusion of World War II, the death of one child, and Allie’s eventual diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Sparks is also the New York Times best-selling author of A Walk to Remember (1999), Dear John (2006), The Longest Ride (2012), Safe Haven... Read The Notebook Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals
Tags Animals, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1842
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy
Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic horror story “The Oval Portrait” is among his shortest narratives. As it recounts the story of the death of a painter’s young wife, it addresses the themes The Relationship Between Art and Life, The Dangers of Obsession, and The Nature of Romantic Relationships. “The Oval Portrait” is actually the 1845 revision of a longer story, “Life in Death,” which Poe wrote in 1842, shortly after his beloved young wife, Virginia, first... Read The Oval Portrait Summary
Publication year 1871
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Animals
Tags Children's Literature
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
The Pact: A Love Story (1998) by Jodi Picoult tells the story of teens Emily Gold and Chris Harte who enter into a pact to die by suicide. Emily’s death has taken place by the novel’s opening, but Chris is swiftly charged with her murder. As the novel unfolds, the complicated dynamics of the lives of the teens—lifelong best friends who grew up next door to one another—are presented. The nature of the “pact” that... Read The Pact Summary