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

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Romance, New Adult

Fangirl is a 2013 contemporary young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell. Rowell is an award-winning author whose novels depict relatable struggles in the contemporary world. Her most acclaimed contemporary young adult novels, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, and her most acclaimed adult novel, Landline, are all set in and around her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.Fangirl follows 18-year-old Cath Avery as she navigates identity, family, and romantic struggles in her first year at college. Her anxiety... Read Fangirl Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Romance, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1748

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality

Fanny Hill or, The Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure is an erotic novel by John Cleland, an 18th-century British author known for his eroticism. The novel was originally published in installments in 1748 and 1749, and Cleland was arrested in 1749 for obscene content in Fanny Hill. Fanny Hill is one of the most banned books in the history of the English language largely due to its pornographic nature, though the novel does not... Read Fanny Hill Summary


Publication year 1725

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love

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

Fantomina, first published in 1724, is a romance novella by English writer and actress Eliza Haywood. Its full title is Fantomina: or, Love in a Maze: Being a Secret History of an Amour Between Two Persons of Condition. Haywood, born Eliza Fowler, gained recognition for her literary works posthumously in the 1980s. Her sensationalistic romantic works reflect contemporary 18th century impropriety and provide commentary on titillating misconduct as well as women’s rights in male-dominated England.The... Read Fantomina Summary


Publication year 1874

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

Far from the Madding Crowd is Thomas Hardy’s fourth novel, originally published in 1874 as a serial for Cornhill Magazine. Hardy was a Victorian poet and novelist writing in the Realist tradition. The novel is the first to be set in Hardy’s Wessex, a fictitious region of England modeled after his own Dorset and named after the early Saxon kingdom in the same region. Like much of Hardy’s work, the novel explores rural, Victorian-era English... Read Far From The Madding Crowd Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction

Originally published in 2015, Fates and Furies is the third novel by Lauren Groff. The book dissects the twenty-four-year-long marriage between Lotto Satterwhite and Mathilde Yoder and incorporates many elements of Greek myths. The novel starts with their quickie marriage and jumps around in a disjointed timeline to chronicle everything from their childhoods before meeting one another in college to Mathilde’s decades as a widow after Lotto’s death. The majority of the events circle around... Read Fates and Furies Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Satire, Technology, Grief / Death, Social Justice, Class, Education, Education, Fantasy, Romance

Feed by M.T. Anderson, published in 2002, is a young adult dystopian cyberpunk novel set in a future in which excessive consumerism is at the center of human identity and technology-driven artificiality serves as a distraction for a world that is in the final stages of complete ecological destruction. The feed is a brain-implanted device that integrates computer and network capabilities into the user’s consciousness and biological functions.For most, the feed is implanted at birth... Read Feed Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Immigration

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


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 2011, Fifty Shades Darker is E. L. James’s second installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy which includes Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) and Fifty Shades Freed (2012). Anastasia Steele has ended her relationship with entrepreneur Christian Grey after feeling daunted by his specific tastes and shady secrets. However, when Christian proposes a new arrangement, Ana cannot help herself, and they rekindle their romance. As Christian grapples with his inner demons, Ana must face... Read Fifty Shades Darker Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

Book Details & Major ThemesFifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romance novel written by E. L. James and published in 2011. The story has origins as fanfiction for the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. In August 2009, James posted it on fanfiction.com as Master of the Universe under the pen name Snowqueens Icedragon.After reworking the story as original fiction, James published the newly named Fifty Shades of Grey through the Writer’s Coffee Shop, an... Read Fifty Shades of Grey Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, LGBTQ


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ, Gothic Literature, Victorian Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, History: World, Romance

A thrilling tale of thievery, betrayal, and mistaken identity, Fingersmith, by Welsh author Sarah Waters, tells the story of two women from two very different stations of life whose fates are inextricably linked. Set in the 1860s, Fingersmith is narrated alternately by Sue Smith (also known as Sue Trinder) and Maud Lilly. One is a young “fingersmith”—slang for a thief—lovingly protected from the worst of her world by Mrs. Sucksby; the other is an aristocratic... Read Fingersmith Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Romance


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship

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

Firefly Lane is a 2008 young adult novel by the New York Times best-selling American author Kristin Hannah, who has written more than 20 novels. Firefly Lane begins in 1974 and tells the story of two women whose 30-year friendship becomes the stabilizing force in their lives. Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss rape, drug addiction, and alcohol addiction.Plot SummaryFirefly Lane tells the story of Kate and Tully, best friends since eighth... Read Firefly Lane Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Race / Racism, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance