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 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, LGBTQ

We Are Okay is the story of an 18-year-old girl, Marin’s, experience with grief, loss, and sadness. Marin’s mother dies in a surfing accident when she’s almost 3; she is raised near that same beach in San Francisco by her grandfather, Gramps. The narrative is divided between Marin’s present in New York and her past in California. The present-day events occur in December during the winter break of Marin’s first year in college; the past... Read We Are Okay Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Bullying, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson is a young adult science fiction novel that follows the coming-of-age story of Henry, a teenager whose life is in shambles. Hutchinson uses the first-person point-of-view of his protagonist to explore themes of family, grief, universal unknowns, and the development of identity. Published in 2016, Hutchinson’s novel questions the value of human life while incorporating science fiction elements to portray the smallness of human existence in the... Read We Are the Ants Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Irish Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability

Tags Humor, Inspirational, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Disability, LGBTQ, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography

Josh Sundquist is a cancer survivor, Paralympic ski racer, motivational speaker, and stand-up comedian. Sundquist’s memoir Just Don't Fall: How I Grew Up, Conquered Illness, and Made It Down the Mountain was published in 2010 and became a national bestseller. While his first memoir showed how he was able to overcome health challenges to become a sporting hero, his second book We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story (2014) deals with the most... Read We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarassingly, A True Story Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

We Were Liars is a 2014 young-adult novel by E. Lockhart, a pen name of writer Emily Jenkins. The book tells the story of Cady (short for Cadence), who is nearly 18, as she recounts the story of her life. She is a member of the wealthy New England Sinclair family whose patriarch and matriarch, Harris and Tipper, still dominate the family as the story begins. The Sinclair family is so wealthy that it owns... Read We Were Liars Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

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


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Pearl Cleage’s debut novel, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, traces one summer in the life of the protagonist, Ava Johnson. Ava’s once independent and exciting life in Atlanta, Georgia, changes forever when she tests positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that can lead to AIDS. As a Black woman living in the 1990s, Ava is immediately met with social and cultural stigmas surrounding the virus. Unable to maintain her hair... Read What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, History: European, Politics / Government, History: World, Irish Literature


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Diversity, Bullying, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 1981

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Relationships, American Literature, Love / Sexuality, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

American author Raymond Carver is best known for his short stories and his simple, precise writing style. He was a nominee for the National Book Awards as well as a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. In 1988, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Carver is one of the chief figures in the “Dirty Realism” movement of American writing, which became popular in the 1980s and provided vignettes of the dark side... Read What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Relationships, Arts / Culture, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

When Dimple Met Rishi (2017), a young adult romantic novel by Indian-American author Sandhya Menon, is focused on the blossoming love story between two Indian-American teenagers during a tech summer camp. It was widely praised for its realistic and original depiction of the ways in which second-generation teenagers react to their mixed cultures.Dimple Shah is a strong-willed eighteen-year-old girl with plans to go to Stanford. She wants to go to university to build a career... Read When Dimple Met Rishi Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

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