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 1816

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, German Literature


Publication year 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 1777

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire

The School for Scandal is a comedy of manners written by Richard Sheridan. The play was initially performed at the Drury Lane Theater in 1777. Though the play premiered well into the 18th century, it is often included in collections of Restoration comedies (1660-1710), as it shares many common elements with the comedies of manners from that period and the period immediately following it. Like many comedies of manners, The School for Scandal relies on... Read The School for Scandal Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1895

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, Russian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

While Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull is now regarded as one of his most famous plays, it was not until the second time it premiered in Russia that it garnered success. Written in 1895 and first produced the following year, The Seagull is set against the backdrop of a summer country home, and tackles The Consequences of Disillusionment, The Purpose of Art, and the price of Living in the Shadow of a Renowned Parent. Chekhov relies... Read The Seagull Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Relationships, Arts / Culture, Parenting, American Literature, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure

Book DetailThe Sea of Monsters, published by Miramax Books in 2006, is the second installment of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians fantasy adventure series for young readers. The novel begins the summer after the first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, ends and follows returning heroes Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase on a quest to save Camp Half Blood. The Sea of Monsters was a New York Times best seller and Book... Read The Sea of Monsters Summary


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Mental Illness, Psychological Fiction, Southern Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Grief / Death, History: World


Publication year 1964

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: U.S., Social Justice, Psychology, Biography

The Secret History of Wonder Woman is a nonfiction book by Jill Lepore, published in 2014. It falls into the categories of history, comics, women’s studies, and biography, and won the American History Book Prize from the New York Historical Society. Lepore is a professor of American history at Harvard University and a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. This guide was written from the hardcover first edition.SummaryThe first section, called “Veritas,” includes nine... Read The Secret History of Wonder Woman Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

The Selection is the first book in the titular romance trilogy by American author Kiera Cass. First published in 2012, The Selection was pitched as a dystopian interpretation of the hit television show The Bachelor, and as Publisher’s Weekly stated in their review, the Selection is “[a] cross between ‘The Hunger Games’ (minus the blood sport) and ‘The Bachelor’ (minus the blood sport).” In a future set in the land of Illéa (formerly the United... Read The Selection Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Social Justice, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language

Tags Grief / Death, Biography


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Chinese Literature, History: World