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 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

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

Jennifer Brown’s debut novel Hate List tackles the subject of a mass shooting at the fictional Garvin High School. The shooting leaves multiple students and a beloved teacher dead and culminates in the suicide of the shooter, troubled outsider Nick Levil. Nick’s final victim is his girlfriend, Valerie Leftman, an unintended target who survives the shooting. In one final attempt to stop the shooting, Valerie calls out to Nick, taking a shot meant for her... Read Hate List Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Inspirational, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Class, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships

Heartless, first published in 2016, is a contemporary fantasy Young Adult novel by Marissa Meyer. Meyer is best known for her dystopian sci-fi YA series The Lunar Chronicles, inspired by fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White. Set in a fantasy world, Heartless imagines the backstory of Lewis Carroll’s iconic character the Queen of Hearts from the 1876 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Heartless is also popular among the BookTok community. This guide utilizes... Read Heartless Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, LGBTQ


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Hearts Unbroken is a young adult contemporary novel by New York Times best-selling author Cynthia Leitich Smith. Main character Louise Wolfe, a Native Muscogee (Creek) teen girl, breaks up with her boyfriend over his insensitive comments. Louise turns her focus to senior year, the school newspaper, and spending time with family, but she notices more and more instances of cultural insensitivity around her. When the newly-formed Parents Against Revisionist Theater group speaks out against cast... Read Hearts Unbroken Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, New Adult, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Humor


Publication year 1598

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Mythology, Renaissance, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction

Hero and Leander is an epyllion (brief epic) by 16th-century English poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe. It can also be described as a mythological-erotic poem, one of a number of such poems that were published in England around this time, including Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis. The poem is based on the ancient Greek story of two tragic lovers. The exact date of composition is not known but the poem was published in 1598, five years... Read Hero and Leander Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Birth

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Jewish Literature, Gender / Feminism, Fantasy, Romance

He, She and It is a 1991 cyberpunk novel by Marge Piercy. It won the Arthur C. Clarke award for Best Science Fiction novel, telling the story of a romance between a human woman and a cyborg against the backdrop of a dystopian/post-apocalyptic world. Plot Summary Shira and her ex-husband, Josh, are sitting in a courtroom in Nebraska awaiting word on the custody of their son, Ari. Shira is a psychoengineer who works with artificial intelligence. They... Read He, She and It Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

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


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Humor, Music, Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

High Fidelity is a 1995 fiction novel by the English author Nick Hornby. It tells the story of Rob Fleming, an obsessive music fan who examines his top five worst break ups to understand his most recent heartbreak. The book was adapted into a musical, a television series, and 2000 film starring John Cusack and directly by Stephen Frears.Plot SummaryRob Fleming is the 35-year-old owner of a record store in London. When his girlfriend Laura... Read High Fidelity Summary