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 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Language

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Love / Sexuality, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction

Howl’s Moving Castle was written by Diana Wynne Jones and published in 1986. It won the Phoenix Award for Children’s Literature 20 years after its publication. It is the first in a series of three books, followed by Castle in the Air, published in 1990; and House of Many Ways, published in 2008. Howl's Moving Castle introduces the main characters of Howl and Sophie and discusses themes of acceptance, identity, and the enemies-to-lovers trope. Howl’s... Read Howl’s Moving Castle Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Environment

Tags Humor, Romance, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Romance, Literary Fiction, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Relationships, Science / Nature, Class, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

I Am Number Four (2010) is the first book in the modern young adult science fiction series Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore, the pseudonym of authors James Frey and Jobie Hughes. Despite the novel’s mixed reviews, I Am Number Four spent seven successive weeks at the top of the New York Times children’s bestseller list. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 2011 by DreamWorks Pictures.Other works by this author... Read I Am Number Four Summary


Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, History: World

I Capture the Castle is a young adult novel published in 1948 by Dodie Smith. It follows the fictional journal of aspiring author Cassandra Mortmain as she writes about her family’s rise from poverty to wealth through their association with the Cotton brothers. The novel discusses themes of authorship, history, and the multiplicity of feminine identities. I Capture the Castle was adapted for film in 2003 by director Tim Fywell. This summary uses the St... Read I Capture the Castle Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1974

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Classic Fiction, Black Arts Movement, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, American Literature, Existentialism, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Historical Fiction

If Beale Street Could Talk is a novel by James Baldwin (1924-1987), a critically acclaimed African American writer on matters of race and the African American experience. Originally published in 1974, the novel gained fresh attention with Barry Jenkins’ film adaptation in 2019. The novel is the love story of salesclerk Clementine “Tish” Rivers and budding sculptor Alonzo “Fonny” Hunt, African American natives of Harlem whose lives are derailed in the late 1960s to early... Read If Beale Street Could Talk Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mental Illness, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Realistic Fiction, Music, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

If I Stay is set in a small, contemporary Oregon town outside Portland and chronicles 17-year-old Mia’s struggle with life and death after a horrible automobile accident kills her parents and younger brother, and leaves her, the only survivor, in a coma.The narrative structure moves back and forth in time between her comatose present and her formative years growing up in a quirky musical family, developing into a gifted and dedicated cellist, meeting her best... Read If I Stay Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Relationships, Depression / Suicide, Bullying, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Meredith Russo’s 2016 young adult novel, If I Was Your Girl, focuses on the experiences of Amanda, an 18-year-old trans girl going through her senior year in a new school.A few critics point out what Russo herself acknowledges in an author’s note that follows the text: the novel glosses over some of the obstacles faced by most trans teens—the protagonist has no issues passing, is able to get gender-confirming surgery at a very young age... Read If I Was Your Girl Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

If You Come Softly is a work of young adult fiction written by Jacqueline Woodson in 1998. In a reinterpretation of Romeo and Juliet, the novel tells the story of Ellie and Jeremiah, a young couple from New York City who finds love and connection across the boundaries of race.Plot SummaryThe novel begins with a prologue where Ellie wakes from dreaming about Jeremiah. Ellie tells her mother Marion that she dreamed about Jeremiah, and Marion... Read If You Come Softly Summary