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 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

The Japanese Lover is Isabel Allende’s 18th novel. Like most of Allende’s work, it falls under the genres of magical realism and historical fiction. The novel was originally published in 2015, the year after Allende was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to the overarching focus on romance and love, the novel addresses issues relating to World War II (WWII), Japanese American incarceration during the 1940s, racism, homophobia, and the struggles of aging... Read The Japanese Lover Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity

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


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy

Ruth Hogan’s 2017 debut novel The Keeper of Lost Things is a romance infused with elements of the paranormal and the magical. Hogan, a career civil servant in the UK, was approaching 50 when the book was published. A prolonged recovery from a car accident and then a struggle with cancer gave her the opportunity to devote time to what had been her childhood passion for storytelling. A voracious reader, she had been writing short... Read The Keeper of Lost Things Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1883

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Identity: Gender

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, French Literature, History: World, Classical Period


Publication year 1899

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance

First published in 1899, “The Lady with the Dog” is one of Anton Chekhov’s most well-known stories. The short story examines the conflict between conformity to marital and gender conventions and faithfulness to one’s inner principles. Focusing on an adulterous relationship, the story challenges the patriarchal mindset, criticizes the arbitrariness of prescribed gender roles and marriage conventions, and explores the meaning of genuine relationships. Chekhov’s protagonists expose the crippling effect of societal gender roles on... Read The Lady With The Dog Summary


Publication year 1100

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

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

Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality, History: European, French Literature, Education, Education, Mythology, Fantasy

The Lais of Marie de France is a collection of 12 romantic narratives—known as Breton Lais—composed in the late 12th century and credited to the French-English poet Marie de France. The lay or lai is a short tale of octosyllabic rhyming couplets which is generally 600–1000 lines long. It can be accompanied by music and is typical of Brittany, a Northern French region with strong Celtic influences. Themes of love, chivalry and the supernatural are... Read The Lais of Marie de France Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

The Lake House, a 2015 mystery novel by Australian author Kate Morton, centers on the mysterious disappearance of Theo Edevane, an 11-month-old baby who goes missing from his crib during a party in 1933. The devastated family members each have their own theories about who is responsible, but no one is more affected than his teenage sister, Alice. Seventy years later, Sadie Sparrow, an ambitious young detective, discovers the cold case while visiting her grandfather... Read The Lake House Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Parenting, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Language of Flowers (2011) is the debut novel of Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This fictional story follows Victoria Jones, a foster care child who is legally emancipated at the age of 18 and communicates primarily through the language of flowers. Diffenbaugh was inspired by the informational text Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway, which outlined the use of secret messages delivered via bouquet during the Victorian Era. Diffenbaugh studied creative writing and education at Stanford University... Read The Language of Flowers Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Society: Community

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Society: War

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Military / War, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

The Last Letter from Your Lover is a 2010 romance novel by British journalist and writer Jojo Moyes. It centers on the interconnected lives and romances of two women living in London at different times. The first, Ellie Haworth, is a journalist in 2003 who comes across a set of love letters while researching the 1960s. The letters tell the story of Jennifer Stirling, the wife of a wealthy industrialist, and her intense affair with... Read The Last Letter From Your Lover Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Asian Literature, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Chinese Literature


Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, American Literature, History: World

The Last Tycoon is an unfinished novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald that charts the rise of Monroe Stahr, a film producer in 1930s Hollywood. Its fragments were collected and edited by Fitzgerald’s friend Edmund Wilson and published posthumously in 1941, the year after Fitzgerald’s death. The book’s protagonist is widely considered to be modelled after the real-life film producer Irving Thalberg, whom Fitzgerald greatly admired. The story focuses on the inner workings of the film... Read The Last Tycoon Summary