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.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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


Publication year 1958

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Place

Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

Elizabeth George Speare was a well-known author of children’s books during the mid-twentieth century. Her second novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1957), earned her a Newbery Medal in 1959. She won another in 1962 for The Bronze Bow (1961), as well as a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1989 for her lifetime contribution to children’s literature. Her other novels include Calico Captive (1957) and The Sign of the Beaver (1984). Speare’s books are often... Read The Witch Of Blackbird Pond Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1808

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1952

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Modernism


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Romance


Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Irish Literature


Publication year 2005

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Grief / Death, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Biography

Joan Didion’s memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, explores her experiences mourning the death of her husband and the severe illness of her daughter in 2003. Didion, an American journalist and essayist, first gained popularity during the 1960s and 70s covering counterculture and Hollywood, but in The Year of Magical Thinking she turns to more intimate material. Didion’s husband John Gregory Dunne died of a heart attack while he and Didion were caring for their... Read The Year of Magical Thinking Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Biography, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Romance, Humor, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Romance


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World