Romance

"The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream—and he knew what he was talking about. A text from this study guide collection might be just the thing to remind you of the bliss and pain of love.

Publication year 1611

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Society: Colonialism

Tags Classic Fiction, Elizabethan Era, Play: Drama, Modern Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Romance, Relationships, Race / Racism, British Literature, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy

The Tempest is a comic play by William Shakespeare. It is one of Shakespeare’s most popular works, along with Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others. The Tempest recounts the story of Prospero, the overthrown duke of Milan, who maroons his betrayers on a magical island. There, he creates spells and enchantments that toy with the evildoers until they promise to restore his throne. The production, first staged in London in... Read The Tempest Summary


Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Gothic Literature, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel written by Anne Brontë (1820-1849), the youngest of the three celebrated Brontë sisters. The novel was published in 1848 under Anne’s pseudonym, Acton Bell. Unlike Anne’s first novel, Agnes Grey (1847), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was an immediate sensation and stirred strong reactions to its subject matter, which touched on adultery, marital separation, alcohol use disorder, and domestic abuse. After her death, Anne’s... Read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, Climate Change, Relationships, Futurism, Fantasy, Romance

Published in 2013,The Testing is the first in a dystopian young adult trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau; it is Charbonneau’s first venture into YA fiction. The Testing is often compared to Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games due to its dystopian setting and the similarity of the brutal, life-or-death situations to which each series’ teen protagonists are subjected. The Testing received the Anthony Award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel in 2014 and was nominated for several other... Read The Testing Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Parenting, Military / War, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1977

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

The Thorn Birds, a novel by Colleen McCullough, was first published in 1977 by Avon Books. A sweeping, romantic epic that spans nearly sixty years, The Thorn Birds became an international best-seller; the novel was adapted for the screen as an incredibly popular mini-series in 1983. Eventually, The Thorn Birds would become one of the most highly rated programs in American television history. This text uses the pagination of the Avon Books 2010 paperback edition.     Plot... Read The Thorn Birds Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Post Modernism, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism

The Time Traveler’s Wife is a novel by Audrey Niffenegger published in 2003. It tells the love story of Clare Abshire and Henry DeTamble, revealed through their alternating perspectives in which each character is the first-person narrator. Henry was born as a with a condition that allows him to travel in time, though when and where in time he travels is out of his control.Using a non-linear plot structure, Niffenegger explores a range of themes... Read The Time Traveler's Wife Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Grief / Death

The Truth About Forever (2004) is a young adult contemporary romance by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows Macy Queen, a teen girl struggling to heal from the tragic death of her father, only to find that the answers lie not in chasing perfection and control but embracing the unpredictable and chaotic joys of life. The Truth About Forever is Sarah Dessen’s sixth published novel and won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Urban... Read The Truth About Forever Summary


Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Philosophy, Existentialism

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. Written in 1982, it first appeared in print in its French translation in 1984. It was published in Czechoslovakia in 1986. The novel describes Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring, the 1968 Russian invasion, and its resulting “Normalizace” (Normalization) Period, a time of increased repression and persecution of Czech and Slovak intellectuals. At once a philosophical meditation on duality, an inquiry into the nature of... Read The Unbearable Lightness of Being Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Holidays & Occasions, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Romance, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Published in 2013, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten is a young adult fiction novel that closely examines obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and mental health issues in teens and high schoolers. Filled with moments of deep emotion, harsh realities, and unexpected humor, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is about how we all navigate the chaos and stress of our world. Toten won the Governor General Literary Award in Canada for this novel... Read The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance

The Valley of Amazement, a work of historical fiction first published in 2013, is the sixth novel by author Amy Tan. This guide refers to the Kindle Edition for citations. Tan primarily writes about the complexity of the mother-daughter bond and about the experience of being Chinese American. In The Valley of Amazement, a mother and daughter recount their lives in early-20th-century Shanghai and San Francisco.Tan’s debut novel, The Joy Luck Club (1989), became a... Read The Valley of Amazement Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Domestic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture