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.

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Economics, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Class, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death

A Game of Thrones is a 1996 epic fantasy novel by George R. R. Martin and is the first in his long-running A Song of Ice and Fire series. The novel introduces the audience to the fictional world of Westeros, where characters become embroiled in a complicated web of plots, conspiracies, and betrayals as they pursue power. A Game of Thrones won numerous awards on publication and was adapted for television in 2011. This guide... Read A Game of Thrones Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags History: U.S., Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, American Revolution


Publication year 1860

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Free verse


Publication year 1847

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage

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

Agnes Grey is the first novel by Anne Brontë (1820-1849), the youngest of the three celebrated Brontë sisters, who all wrote novels now considered classics of English literature. Anne drew on her experience as a clergyman’s daughter and as a governess in telling the story of a young woman looking for her place in the world. Published in 1847 under the pseudonym Acton Bell, Agnes Grey was read as an incisive commentary on the status... Read Agnes Grey Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance


Publication year 1300

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Middle Eastern Literature


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

A Great Reckoning (2016) is the 12th novel in the Inspector Gamache series. The series consists of contemporary mysteries written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other novels in the series, A Great Reckoning revolves around the small village of Three Pines, Quebec, and its inhabitants. The novel includes a standalone murder mystery plot and references to events in other novels within the series; Penny explores themes of parenthood, loss, and betrayal. This... Read A Great Reckoning Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Class, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2000

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Relationships, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1972

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags British Literature, Animals, Humor

All Creatures Great and Small is the first in a series of fictionalized memoirs by Yorkshire veterinarian James Alfred “Alf” Wight (1916-1995), writing under the name James Herriot. Originally published in the UK as two shorter volumes, If Only They Could Talk (1970) and It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet (1972), the US publisher released them as a single volume in 1972 under a new title drawn from the Anglican hymn “All Things Bright and... Read All Creatures Great and Small Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor


Publication year 1602

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, Humor, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

All’s Well That Ends Well is a play by William Shakespeare (1582-1616), one of the most influential writers in the English language. The date of composition is not known, but All’s Well That Ends Well was first performed between 1598 and 1608. It was published in 1623, in the First Folio. Shakespeare’s work is part of Early Modern English literature, alongside playwrights like Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe, during which time the play and theater... Read All's Well That Ends Well Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Biography


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love

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

All the Bright Places (2015) is a young adult novel with elements of romance written by Jennifer Niven that deals with the topic of teen suicide. The book was winner of the Goodreads Choice award and has become a popular read among the BookTok community. Niven tells the story from two different voices, those of high school students Theodore Finch (who goes by “Finch”) and Violet Markey. The characters first meet at the top of their... Read All The Bright Places Summary


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 1936

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age

"All the Years of Her Life" is a short story by Canadian author Morley Callaghan, first published in his collection Now That April’s Here and Other Stories in 1936. Set in a drugstore in an unknown city, it centers around a young man named Alfred Higgins, who is caught by his boss stealing items from his workplace. Instead of calling the police, the owner, Mr. Carr, calls Alfred’s mother to discuss her son’s actions. Exploring... Read All the Years of Her Life 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