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 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

Where the Heart Is was published in 1995 and is the first novel by award winning American novelist Billie Letts. The novel is set in Letts’s home state of Oklahoma and follows the story of teenager Novalee Nation and her ne’er-do-well boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. The novel was chosen as a selection for Oprah’s Book Club in December of 1998. It also won the Walker Percy Award in 1994. The novel was made into a... Read Where the Heart Is Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Romance, Contemporary Literature, Western, Music


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Bullying, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Winger is a young adult novel written by American author Andrew Smith and first published in 2013. It belongs to the genre of contemporary early 21st century teen fiction and garnered recognition from the American Library Association (ALA), Publishers Weekly, and the Junior Library Guild. Because of Winger’s storyline involving LGBTQIA+ issues, it was also chosen as part of the ALA’s 2014 Rainbow List in 2014, made up of books for children and young adults... Read Winger Summary


Publication year 1922

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Romance

“Winter Dreams” (1922) is one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Gatsby cluster stories,” which informed the creation of his renowned novel The Great Gatsby. Like The Great Gatsby, “Winter Dreams” features the themes of love and longing, the futility of the American dream, illusion and disillusionment, and the fleetingness of time.This study guide references Collected Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (45 Short Stories and Novels), released in 2013 by ESCBO Publishing.“Winter Dreams” begins in Minnesota when... Read Winter Dreams Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Health / Medicine, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Romance, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Food

With the Fire on High is a 2019 young adult coming-of-age novel by Dominican American author Elizabeth Acevedo, who won a National Book Award for her 2018 young adult novel, The Poet X. It tells the story of Emoni Santiago, a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent, and her senior year at a Philadelphia high school. The novel focuses on Emoni’s enrollment in a culinary arts class and her subsequent journey of self-discovery. With the... Read With the Fire on High Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Humor


Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, Relationships, British Literature, History: World

IntroductionWomen in Love by D. H. Lawrence was written from 1913-1917 and published in America in 1920, though it wasn’t published in Britain until 1921. The novel’s publishing was delayed due to its prequel, The Rainbow, being banned. The Rainbow and Women in Love were originally intended to be two parts of one novel, but the publisher ultimately decided to publish them separately. Both novels feature conversations about sexuality that were considered explicit in their... Read Women In Love Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Bullying, Depression / Suicide, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton follows a 16-year-old boy with schizophrenia as he navigates mental illness, life at a new school, and a clinical drug trial. The book won the Yalsa Best Fiction for Young Adults award in 2018 and was a nominee for the Rhode Island Teen Book award. Roadside Attractions released a feature film of the same name based on the book in August 2020. This guide follows the 2017 Random... Read Words on Bathroom Walls Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

In the juvenile fiction novel Wrecked, Maria Padian portrays a timely narrative about sexual assault on college campuses. Her careful treatment of this subject earned the text several awards, including the Fall 2016 Kids’ Indie Next Pick, the Maine Lupine Honor Award, and the Maine Literary Award. Originally published in hardcover in 2017 by Algonquin Young Readers, Wrecked also received positive recognition from Booklist, Book Riot, Kirkus Reviews, and the School Library Journal, among others.Plot... Read Wrecked Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World

Written in 2014 and published by Delacorte Press, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the eighth book in the Outlander saga by author Diana Gabaldon. The series follows Claire Fraser, a time-traveling World War II nurse who married Jamie Fraser, an 18th-century Highlander and insurrectionist against the British crown. The Fraser family occupies multiple timelines in the series, which celebrates family and romantic love. The novel spans colonial America to the Highlands of Scotland... Read Written in My Own Heart's Blood Summary