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 1898

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: War, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Politics / Government, Play: Drama, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1957

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Language

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

IntroductionCall Me By Your Name by André Aciman is a piece of literary fiction in the subgenres of romance literature and queer literature. Published in 2007, the novel became a bestseller, received positive critical reception, and won the 2008 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction. The 2017 film adaptation of Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer, won, among other accolades, the Academy Award for Best Adapted... Read Call Me By Your Name Summary


Publication year 1922

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure, History: World


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 1840

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, French Literature


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Education

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Romance, History: World


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

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


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Parody, LGBTQ, Class, Education, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Published in 2015, Rainbow Rowell’s young-adult fantasy novel Carry On: The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a spinoff of her young-adult novel Fangirl (2013) and the first book of the Simon Snow trilogy. Other works by this author include Slow Dance, Eleanor and Park, and Landline.Carry On, which was awarded a place on the Rainbow Project Book List in 2016, examines themes of love, power, and free will. Simon Snow is the Chosen... Read Carry On Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Romance

Catching Fire (2009) is the sequel to The New York Times bestseller The Hunger Games (2008), and the second novel in author Suzanne Collins’s trilogy of the same name. Catching Fire is a young adult dystopian science fiction novel that takes place in the future, amidst the ruins of what was once America. Catching Fire details the aftermath of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory in the 74th Hunger Games from the first novel. Despite... Read Catching Fire Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender

Tags Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender

Tags LGBTQ, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Diversity, Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Romance, New Adult, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Children of Blood and Bone (2018) by Tomi Adeyemi is a young adult fantasy novel and the first book in the Legacy of Orϊsha trilogy. Adeyemi is a Nigerian American author and creative writing coach who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English literature. Following her graduation, she studied West African mythology in Brazil, which partly inspired her to write Children of Blood and Bone. Adeyemi also wrote Children of Blood and Bone... Read Children of Blood and Bone Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Humor, Satire, Romance, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature

China Rich Girlfriend is an adult novel published by Doubleday in 2015, the sequel to Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan’s internationally bestselling romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2013) and second in a trilogy which concludes with Rich People Problems (2017). Billed as a satire, a mock-epic, and a sprawling family saga that peers into the lives of the ultra-wealthy in Asia, China Rich Girlfriend depicts the efforts of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-born American university professor, and... Read China Rich Girlfriend Summary