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 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature


Publication year 1989

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Magical Realism


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: Asian, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction

Abbi Glines’s Until Friday Night is a young adult romance novel that follows the relationship between the two protagonists, Maggie Carlton and West Ashby. Maggie’s and West’s alternating first-person narratives reveal their complex feelings for each other and their struggles to navigate falling in love. Their evolving dynamic is the basis for the novel’s themes of Coping with Grief and Trauma, The Development of Teenage Romantic Relationships, and The Role of Communication in Healing. This... Read Until Friday Night Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Relationships, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages

Uprooted (2016) is a fantasy novel inspired by Polish folktales and written by New York Times bestselling American fantasy author Naomi Novik, best known for her Temeraire series. In Uprooted, a young woman named Agnieszka lives in a small village in a valley on the edge of the deadly Wood. It is the task of the Dragon, a powerful wizard in a nearby tower, to keep the Wood at bay. As payment, the Dragon chooses... Read Uprooted Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1992

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Lyric Poem, Humor, Holidays & Occasions, Relationships


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Vanishing Acts is a 2005 domestic and psychological novel by Jodi Picoult. The story follows Delia Hopkins as she struggles to deal with the aftermath of her father’s arrest and trial for kidnapping her 28 years prior. The story cycles through multiple narrators who all share their story in first person, both in the present and through flashbacks. The story examines memory, the effect of lies, internal family struggles, and determining self-identity.This guide refers to... Read Vanishing Acts Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery


Publication year 1593

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor


Publication year 1865

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Military / War, Modernism, American Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World