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 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1898
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Victorian Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Romance, New Adult, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
New Moon, a young-adult fantasy romance by Stephenie Meyer, continues the adventure begun in the bestselling novel Twilight about a teenage girl, Bella Swan, who falls in love with vampire Edward Cullen. When Edward leaves her, she struggles with grief and begins spending time with a boy, Jacob Black, who is a vampire-hating werewolf. Published in 2006, New Moon became a number-one New York Times bestseller and received plaudits for its character development and exploration... Read New Moon Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1200
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family
Tags Classic Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, Mythology
Sometimes referred to as the “German Iliad,” Nibelungenlied is a 13th-century German epic poem that combines historical events with German heroic legend. The epic’s poet is unknown—though some clues within the text suggest that he was from Passau, Germany. The epic, which literally translates to “The Song of the Nibelungs” in English, portrays the Burgundians’ historic defeat by the Huns in the 5th century—the tragic result of the mythical queen Kriemhild’s desire to avenge her... Read Nibelungenlied Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Nine Perfect Strangers is a 2018 novel by Liane Moriarty. Set in Sydney, Australia, the novel follows a group of strangers who gather at a wellness retreat to receive treatment from a mysterious health guru. The novel was adapted for a 2021 television series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon.Other works by this author include Apples Never Fall, What Alice Forgot, and Here One Moment.This guide uses an eBook copy of the text... Read Nine Perfect Strangers Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Love / Sexuality, Vietnam War
Publication year 1948
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Japanese Literature, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Asian Literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1972
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race
Tags Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Politics / Government, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Great Depression, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Food, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
No Promises in the Wind is a young-adult historical novel that takes place at the height of the Great Depression. The first-person narrative tells the coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old boy who leaves home with his younger brother because their family doesn’t have enough to eat. Josh and Joey Grondowski use their musical talents to survive on their own as they travel through a country of angry and impoverished people. First published in 1970, the... Read No Promises In The Wind Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Gender
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 1854
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Victorian Period, Industrial Revolution, Historical Fiction, Romance, Class, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell debuted in Charles Dickens’s magazine Household Words, appearing in 20 weekly installments between September 1854 and January 1855. The novel was later published in two volumes. Dickens heavily edited the novel and changed the title from Margaret Hale to North and South. In the novel, Gaskell draws on her personal experience of being married to a Unitarian minister, a role that brought her into contact with all levels of... Read North and South Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
No Second Chance is a 2003 thriller novel written by Harlan Coben. The novel follows Marc Seidman, a man who wakes in the hospital with a gunshot wound to find that his wife is dead, his daughter is missing, and he is the main suspect. Plot SummaryDr. Marc Seidman wakes up in the hospital 12 days after being shot in his Kasselton, New Jersey, home. His wife, Monica, is dead, and their infant daughter, Tara... Read No Second Chance Summary
Publication year 1916
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Mythology
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1931
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance