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 Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Mental Illness

Bryn Greenwood’s novel All the Ugly and Wonderful Things (2016) acknowledges and inverts the features of fairy tales and romance novels to depict a relationship that challenges accepted social values and questions the definition of love itself. Sunk in the depravity and degradation of her father’s drug-dealing lifestyle, eight-year-old Wavy finds her only solace in a questionable attachment to Kellen, a 24-year-old man who is also isolated and longing for some scrap of beauty in... Read All the Ugly and Wonderful Things Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Race / Racism, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, September 11 Attacks, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance, Arts / Culture

All We Have Left is a historical novel written by Wendy Mills. The book was published in 2016, and was included on Best Book of the Year lists by Kirkus, Amazon and Bank Street. The work is based upon the impact of the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, and is directed at a young-adult audience. The story is told from the perspective of two teenaged... Read All We Have Left Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

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

Almost, Maine is a play in two acts, and is comprised of a prologue, a four-scene first act, an interlogue, a four-scene second act (one of which has two different versions one can choose from), and finally an Epilogue. The title refers to an imagined town in Northern Maine, named Almost, that the playwright, John Cariani, writes, “doesn’t quite exist” (11). Each scene consists of at least two main characters, and, aside from the Prologue... Read Almost, Maine Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mental Illness


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen is a contemporary YA romance novel published in 2009. The story follows protagonist Auden West, an academically accomplished, shy insomniac and child of divorce. When Auden decides to spend her summer before college with her father Robert, stepmother Heidi, and newborn half sister in a small beach town, she undergoes a personal transformation. Auden meets Eli, a fellow insomniac and professional biker, who helps her find her inner... Read Along for the Ride Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Class, Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Romance, Harlem Renaissance, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Food, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Jenny Han’s Always and Forever, Lara Jean is a young adult (YA) fiction/romance novel published in 2017. It is the third volume in a trilogy surrounding the high school experience of an Asian-American girl named Lara Jean. The first two novels have been adapted into Netflix films; the third book is also slated to be developed into a film. This guide references the e-book version of the novel.Plot SummaryThis novel opens on a typical high... Read Always and Forever, Lara Jean Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Edwardian Era


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Race / Racism, African Literature, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Ifemelu, a Nigerian woman who has lived in the US for thirteen years, goes to a hair braiding salon in Trenton, New Jersey to have her hair braided in preparation for her return to Nigeria. The narrative flashes back and forth between her afternoon in the braiding salon, her childhood and adolescence in Nigeria, and her adult years in America. Ifemelu grows up in Lagos, Nigeria with a religious mother and a patient, occasionally unemployed father... Read Americanah Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance

American Street is a contemporary coming-of-age novel by Haitian American young adult author Ibi Zoboi. It was published in 2017 and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature the same year. Plot SummaryAmerican Street tells the story of a teenage Haitian immigrant named Fabiola who moves back home to the United States, her country of birth. As she and her mother are reentering the US, immigrant authorities seize Fabiola’s mother... Read American Street Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

Published in 2016, America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie is the fictionalized biography of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, known to her family as Patsy. Based on true events, the novel tells the story of Patsy and her relationship with her father, one of America’s Founding Fathers and earliest presidents.In 1826, shortly after Jefferson’s death, Patsy begins the arduous task of sorting through her father’s papers—burning some and editing others... Read America's First Daughter Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions, LGBTQ