Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

Our Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love Collection features titles centered on love and all of its complexities. This Collection represents authors who have grappled with romantic, familial, and other forms of love through writing. With titles ranging from contemporary romance picks to works by Shakespeare, this Collection has something to offer any reader who has ever lost or found love.

Hello Stranger

by Katherine Center

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Humor

... Read Hello Stranger Summary

Here

by Richard McGuire

Publication year 2014

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, History: World, Arts / Culture

Here by Richard McGuire is a graphic novel published on December 4, 2014, by Pantheon Books. The graphic novel focuses on the same corner of a room over billions of years. It depicts the area long before the house is built and long after it falls. By using different visual styles, overlapping panels, and non-chronological narration, McGuire creates a narrative that comments on the nature of time and life. Here is considered a transformative work... Read Here Summary

Hero and Leander

by Christopher Marlowe

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

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths

by Bernard Evslin

Publication year 1966

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

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

Tags Mythology, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin was first published in hardcover in 1967. A collection of stories from ancient Greek and Roman mythology retold for a young adult audience, it is considered a modern classic in the genre of ancient myth retellings.Plot SummaryIn a short introduction, Evslin shares his personal experience hearing stories from Greek mythology as a child and explains how he understands them. He notes that ancient Greek... Read Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths Summary

Her Soul to Take

by Harley Laroux

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

... Read Her Soul to Take Summary

Hester

by Laurie Lico Albanese

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

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High Fidelity

by Nick Hornby

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

Highland Mary

by Robert Burns

Publication year 1792

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place

Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Age of Enlightenment

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Hijab Butch Blues

by Lamya H

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism

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Hinds’ Feet on High Places

by Hannah Hurnard

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Christian literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, British Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Hannah Hurnard’s 1955 novel Hinds’ Feet on High Places is an allegorical portrayal of purgation, progress, and ascent within the spiritual life. Born to Quaker parents, Hurnard struggled with her faith in her youth but experienced a powerful conversion at the age of 19. Inspired, she gained theological training in England and went on to author almost two dozen books over the course of her life, including a sequel to Hinds’ Feet entitled Mountain of... Read Hinds’ Feet on High Places Summary

Hippolytus

by Euripides

Publication year 428

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period

Hippolytus is a tragedy by Euripides, originally produced in Athens at the City Dionysia of 428 BCE. The tetralogy to which Hippolytus belonged earned Euripides the first prize that year. According to ancient authorities, this was Euripides’s second attempt at a play on the myth of Hippolytus, his earlier play having apparently horrified contemporary Athenians with its allegedly sensational depiction of Phaedra. Euripides’s original Hippolytus no longer survives, but the revised play quickly came to... Read Hippolytus Summary

History is All You Left Me

by Adam Silvera

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

... Read History is All You Left Me Summary

Home

by Harlan Coben

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure

... Read Home Summary

Home Front

by Kristin Hannah

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Home Front Summary

Home Is Not a Country

by Safia Elhillo

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

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

... Read Home Is Not a Country Summary

Homeseeking

by Karissa Chen

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature

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Honey & Spice

by Bolu Babalola

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult

... Read Honey & Spice Summary

Honor

by Thrity Umrigar

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction

... Read Honor Summary