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 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Diary of an Oxygen Thief was published anonymously in 2006. This novel is a work of fiction, although the author does try to confuse the audience in this respect, as both the author and the narrator are unnamed. Nonetheless, the novel is indeed fiction, as the author and the narrator are not the same individuals. The narrator is an Irish advertising executive living in London. The book chronicles his relationships with women, many of whom... Read Diary of an Oxygen Thief Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Lyric Poem, Humor, Romance, Arts / Culture, Class, American Literature, African American Literature

Harryette Mullen’s “Dim Lady” may remind some readers of 17th century English playwright and poet William Shakespeare’s well-known “Sonnet 130,” in which the speaker of the poem makes a mockery of his beloved’s physical appearance. During Shakespeare’s time, fashion encouraged poets to write flowery poetry that extolled the virtues and the beauty of their beloved. However, the speaker of this sonnet toys with poetic conventions of the time, describing the physical attributes of the speaker’s... Read Dim Lady Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Divergent is the first installment in a science-fiction trilogy, and is narrated by a 16 year old girl called Beatrice Prior. The setting is a futuristic city which, though not specified in the novel, closely resembles Chicago. The city has been split into five factions: Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Amity, and Candor. The idea behind this split is that human conflict has not been caused by political ideology, race, religion, or nationalism but by differences between personality... Read Divergent Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1957

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Romance, Russian Literature, Military / War, History: World

Introduction Doctor Zhivago is a 1957 novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak. Set during the early 20th century, the story follows the titular Yuri Zhivago as he deals with revolution and social upheaval in his native country. As well as being widely praised following its publication, the novel has been adapted numerous times for the screen, most famously in a 1965 film—for which Pasternak cowrote the screenplay—directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie... Read Doctor Zhivago Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Western


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Relationships


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: European, Health / Medicine, History: World


Publication year 2012

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, LGBTQ

Drama is a young adult graphic novel by Raina Telgemeier published in 2012. It is Telgemeier’s third book and her first fiction graphic novel—her first two were autobiographical. Drama is critically acclaimed and spent 240 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. This guide refers to the 2012 edition by Scholastic/Graphix.Plot SummaryCallie Marin is a seventh-grader at Eucalyptus Middle School. She has long, purple-dyed hair and likes to wear the color green. She also... Read Drama Summary


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

In Dreamland, a young adult novel by Sarah Dessen, a teenage girl named Caitlin O’Koren reacts to the disappearance of her sister by breaking away from the path that was set out for her. The novel is broken into three parts that focus on the core of the conflicts in each section. Part I, “Cass,” traces the O’Koren family after Cass, the eldest of two daughters, runs away instead of attending Yale. Part II, entitled... Read Dreamland Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Music


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Dumplin’, a YA novel by author Julie Murphy, is about a small-town Texas teen named Willowdean “Will” Dixon. Will is the book’s main character and first-person narrator. Through Will’s narration, the book tells the story of Will’s weight and how it affects her relationships with her former beauty pageant winning mother, Rosie Dixon; with her pretty best friend, Ellen Dryver; and with her romantic interest and coworker, the heartthrob Bo Larson. However, Will thinks that... Read Dumplin Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Food

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Biography, Travel Literature, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Eat Pray Love is a 2006 memoir by writer Elizabeth Gilbert whose previous works include the novels Stern Men and The Last American Man. The book’s subtitle is One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, and it chronicles Gilbert’s quest for mental and spiritual healing following a divorce, difficult legal settlement, unhealthy love affair, and period of depression. This guide references the 2016 Penguin Random House edition.SummaryThe author searches for “I” in... Read Eat Pray Love Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Relationships


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Place, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Fantasy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

In Eleanor and Park, we introduced to the young teenager, Park, who is half-Korean and somewhat of an outcast at school. He would prefer to read comics or listen to music than make new friends, and he is bullied from time to time by his peers. One day, Park sees Eleanor Douglas get on his bus, and from that point forward, his life is changed forever.In many ways, Eleanor is a target for bullies. She... Read Eleanor and Park Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine is a 2017 comic novel about human connection. The title character, Eleanor Oliphant, narrates the story, introducing herself as an office worker with a solitary life in present-day Glasgow, Scotland. Eleanor spends her free time doing crosswords, listening to the radio, drinking vodka, and reading classic literature. She does not socialize with anyone, and her only family is a spiteful mother who calls from prison once a week. One night... Read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Summary