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 1901
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Play: Drama, Russian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Anton Chekhov wrote the play Three Sisters in 1900 as a commission for the now-famous Moscow Art Theatre (MAT). The production debuted there in 1901 and was directed by the MAT’s two founders, Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. It was the first play that Chekhov penned specifically for production at the MAT. Three Sisters uses the three titular characters—Olga, Masha, and Irina—to examine the decay of the Russian aristocracy. Raised and educated to become the... Read Three Sisters Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery
Tags History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, LGBTQ, Victorian Period
Publication year 2000
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1831
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Mythology, Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging
Tags African American Literature
Alice Walker published her first short story, “To Hell with Dying,” in 1968 and republished it as a children’s book with illustrations by Catherine Deeter in 1988. While suitable for children, its depth, themes, and writing style resonate with readers of all ages with an interest in African American literature.Alice Walker is a prominent author of novels, essays, and poems and was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in... Read To Hell with Dying Summary
Publication year 1681
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, British Literature, Restoration, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell was posthumously published in 1681 as part of the collection Miscellaneous Poems. Marvell, a metaphysical poet, wrote this piece in Restoration England, probably after the English Civil War. Marvell’s canonical lyric works are well-known today but were unheard of during his lifetime. Like Emily Dickinson, none of Marvell's poems were published until after his death. However, some of his satirical and other prose works were published during his... Read To His Coy Mistress Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Mythology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place
Tags Realistic Fiction, American Literature, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1678
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1849
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1924
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, New Adult, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1648
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1209
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, German Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 1601
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Tragedy, British Literature, Military / War
Troilus and Cressida (1602) by William Shakespeare is one of his lesser-known works, often categorized as a “problem play” due to its ambiguous tone that blends elements of tragedy, comedy, and history. Set against the backdrop of the Trojan War, the play traces the doomed love story of Troilus, a Trojan prince, and Cressida, whose loyalty is tested when she is traded to the Greeks. Through its themes of infidelity, romantic disenchantment, and the futility... Read Troilus and Cressida Summary