"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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1782
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality
Dangerous Liaisons is an epistolary novel (i.e., a story told through a series of letters) first published in 1782, seven years before the start of the French Revolution, by Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos. The story revolves around the scheming and manipulative activities of two aristocrats, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. They take pleasure in seducing and ruining the reputations of others, using their wit and charm to manipulate those around them... Read Dangerous Liaisons Summary
Publication year 1876
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Jewish Literature, History: World, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period
Daniel Deronda is the last novel by George Eliot, published in 1876. The novel satirizes Victorian society, and its sympathetic portrayal of Jewish culture and ideas garnered controversy at the time of publication. It has been adapted for stage, television, and film.This guide is written using the 2014 Oxford World’s Classics edition.Content Warning: This guide contains references to a suicide attempt and antisemitism and antisemitic language that feature in the source text.Plot SummaryDaniel Deronda begins... Read Daniel Deronda Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Pastoralism, Mythology, Classical Period, History: World, Fantasy
IntroductionDaphnis and Chloe is an ancient Greek romance novel and the only known work of the mysterious writer Longus, who lived during the 2nd century C.E., when Greece was part of the Roman Empire. The novel is a pastoral work depicting the idealized life of shepherds and rural communities, while following the love story of the two eponymous protagonists, Daphnis and Chloe. Due to the descriptions of nudity, desire, and sex, critics have traditionally considered... Read Daphnis and Chloe Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Femininity
Tags Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance
Daughter of Fortune, first published in Spanish in 1998 (Hija de la fortuna), is the fifth novel by celebrated Latin American writer Isabel Allende. The winner of multiple awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Chile’s National Literature Prize, Allende created this work of historical fiction, in part, to explore the impact of feminism on her own life. Daughter of Fortune tells the story of a young woman, Eliza Sommers, and her odyssey of... Read Daughter Of Fortune Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Asian Literature, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Sports, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Chris Crutcher’s novel Deadline is a work of young adult literary fiction. Set in the small town of Trout, Idaho, the novel is written from the protagonist Ben Wolf’s first-person point of view and traces his experiences throughout his senior year of high school. An energetic and determined character, Ben is ready to live his life to its fullest before leaving home for college. However, just after his 18th birthday, Ben’s circumstances change forever when... Read Deadline Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, LGBTQ
Dear Evan Hansen is a novel published in 2018. It was written by Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. The authors adapted the novel from the original Broadway musical of the same name, which they also wrote. The musical premiered in July 2015 in Washington, DC, debuted on Broadway in 2016, and later won six Tony Awards in 2017, including Best Musical. This guide refers to the Poppy/Little, Brown, and Company edition... Read Dear Evan Hansen Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Dear John is a novel published in 2006 by Nicholas Sparks, a best-selling American romance writer. In 2010, the book was adapted into a feature film starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. Dear John tells the story of star-crossed lovers: John Tyree, a soldier on leave, falls for Savannah Lynn Curtis, a visiting college student. After 9/11, John must choose between duty to his country and the people who love him, both of whom he... Read Dear John Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor, LGBTQ
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Politics & Government, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality, Fantasy
Written by Lauren Oliver in 2011, Delirium is a young adult, dystopian novel that takes place in a world where love is considered a disease and is thus surgically removed from a person’s brain when they turn 18. The protagonist, Lena Haloway, falls in love with a boy named Alex Warren and must navigate a world in which their love is forbidden. The novel explores the power of love in opposition to an unfair totalitarian... Read Delirium Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction
Dept. of Speculation is a work of literary fiction by American novelist Jenny Offill. The novel was originally published in January 2014 by Alfred A. Knopf and was named one of the year’s 10 best books by the New York Times. Written in Offill’s customary fragmented prose, Dept. of Speculation reinvents the familiar story of marital infidelity into an examination of life’s meaning and purpose. Offill combines elements of philosophy, myth, science, and poetry to... Read Dept. of Speculation Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction