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 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Romance

Catching Fire (2009) is the sequel to The New York Times bestseller The Hunger Games (2008), and the second novel in author Suzanne Collins’s trilogy of the same name. Catching Fire is a young adult dystopian science fiction novel that takes place in the future, amidst the ruins of what was once America. Catching Fire details the aftermath of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory in the 74th Hunger Games from the first novel. Despite... Read Catching Fire Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender

Tags Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender

Tags LGBTQ, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Children of Blood and Bone (2018) by Tomi Adeyemi is a young adult fantasy novel and the first book in the Legacy of Orϊsha trilogy. Adeyemi is a Nigerian American author and creative writing coach who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English literature. Following her graduation, she studied West African mythology in Brazil, which partly inspired her to write Children of Blood and Bone. Adeyemi also wrote Children of Blood and Bone... Read Children of Blood and Bone Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Humor, Satire, Romance, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature

China Rich Girlfriend is an adult novel published by Doubleday in 2015, the sequel to Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan’s internationally bestselling romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2013) and second in a trilogy which concludes with Rich People Problems (2017). Billed as a satire, a mock-epic, and a sprawling family saga that peers into the lives of the ultra-wealthy in Asia, China Rich Girlfriend depicts the efforts of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-born American university professor, and... Read China Rich Girlfriend Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy, Food, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction

Chocolat by Joanne Harris was first published in 1991. It is in the magical realism genre, presenting a realistic, recognizable world but with magical or fantastical elements, blurring the lines between realism and fantasy. Chocolat follows Vianne, a single mother who arrives in a small French village and opens a chocolate shop despite opposition from the local priest. Many of the villagers find new experiences and connections in her indulgent, magical chocolaterie.Chocolat won multiple awards... Read Chocolat Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family

Tags Lyric Poem, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, African American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Marilyn Nelson is part of a coterie of writers who published in the late-1970s and 1980s after the revolutionary fervor of the Black Arts Movement. Though the period during which Nelson wrote is less acknowledged than those aforementioned, it was a time when diverse Black poetic talents emerged. Nelson’s contemporaries included Afaa Michael Weaver, Yusef Komunyakaa, Rita Dove, Ntozake Shange, Melvin Dixon, and Essex Hemphill. Their work grappled with the aftermath of the Vietnam War... Read Chosen Summary


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Romance, Inspirational


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore

The fairytale “Cinderella” provides the foundation for Marissa Meyer's 2012 novel Cinder, which puts a futuristic and dystopian twist on the classic tale of love and the complexities of social class. Cinder lives her life as a cyborg: she is part human and part machinery. Although part of a social class that takes a place low on the social hierarchy, Cinder uses her personal machine structure to benefit her work as a mechanic. Equipped with... Read Cinder Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender

Tags Mythology, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Historical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy, Romance

Published in 2018, Circe retells the story of the eponymous Greek mythological figure. The novel is also popular among the online BookTok community. Although traditionally viewed as a heartless, savagely beautiful witch who lures sailors to their deaths, the Circe of Madeline Miller’s imagining is quite different. This Circe is a multidimensional, flawed, and empathetic character struggling to find meaning and worth in her immortal life. Through Miller’s detailed and honest first-person narrative, which takes... Read Circe Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Romance, Action / Adventure, Class, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007) is the first in the Mortal Instruments series of young adult urban fantasy novels, followed by City of Ashes. The book follows a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old girl as she learns she is descended from an ancient race of demon hunters. City of Bones is a New York Times bestseller and inspired several media adaptations, including a graphic novel of the same name (3rd World... Read City of Bones Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

City of Girls is the third novel by author Elizabeth Gilbert, published in 2019. Gilbert is a New York Times bestselling author whose novels include Stern Men (2000) and The Signature of All Things (2013). A noted writer of nonfiction, she has also written a biography entitled The Last American Man (2002), as well as several memoirs including Eat Pray Love (2006), Committed (2010), and Big Magic (2015). Eat Pray Love became a worldwide bestseller... Read City of Girls Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Romance, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (Walker Books, 2009) is the third installment of the young adult urban fantasy Mortal Instruments series and chronicles an epic Shadowhunter battle against an old foe’s return. City of Glass was a finalist for the Teen Choice Book of the Year and for the 2009 Goodreads Choice Awards. Clare was born in Iran to American parents. She spent several years traveling before she settled in the United States, where... Read City of Glass Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

Isabel Allende’s novel City of the Beasts tells the story of Alex Cold, a fifteen-year-old boy from California who accompanies his journalist grandmother on a life-altering journey through the Amazon.  The narrative opens with Alex at home in California, angry and frightened over the illness of his mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment. When his mother gets a chance at receiving a promising new treatment in Texas, Alex’s parents send him to stay with his paternal grandmother, the adventurer... Read City of the Beasts Summary