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 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Inspirational, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by best-selling writer Mitch Albom. Published in 2003, it sold more than 10 million copies and appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2004, the story was adapted into a made-for-television movie starring Jon Voight. In 2018, Albom penned a follow-up called The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. The novel follows the story of Eddie, a man who believes his life was... Read The Five People You Meet In Heaven Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Humor


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, American Literature, Italian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

The Flamethrowers is a historical fiction novel published in 2013 by the American author Rachel Kushner. It follows the story of Reno, a young woman experiencing the turbulence of the 1970s in New York City. An aspiring artist, Reno finds herself in remarkable situations both in New York and abroad in Italy. Kushner weaves Italian and American history to highlight how people experience the implications of the societies and histories they inherit. Kushner subverts typical... Read The Flamethrowers Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Humor, New Adult, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1633

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Metaphysical, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

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


Publication year 1969

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction, Romance, Victorian Period, British Literature, Post Modernism

The French Lieutenant’s Woman is a 1969 historical novel by English author John Fowles. The novel provides a postmodern exploration of Victorian society, telling a story from the era in a manner which also function as a social critique. The French Lieutenant’s Woman was widely praised on release and in the decades after. In 1981, it was adapted into a film of the same name.This guide was written using the 2004 Vintage edition of the... Read The French Lieutenant's Woman Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1904

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

“The Furnished Room” by American author O. Henry (the pseudonym of William Sydney Porter) is a short story in the realism genre that also incorporates O. Henry’s trademark situational irony and surprise ending. O. Henry, a resident of New York City at the time, often wrote about life in the city and published short fiction in the weekly magazine New York Sunday World. “The Furnished Room” was first published in 1904 in serial form. O... Read The Furnished Room Summary


Publication year 1866

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Russian Literature, Existentialism, History: World, Romance, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Politics / Government, Latin American Literature, History: World


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Asian Literature

The Gift of Rain (2007) is a historical novel by Tan Twan Eng. Set in Penang, Malaysia, during World War II, the novel follows Philip Hutton, a Chinese British young man. As he navigates his dual heritage, Philip forms a complex relationship with a Japanese diplomat who becomes both his mentor and betrayer, forcing him to confront questions of loyalty, identity, and survival during the Japanese occupation. The Gift of Rain was Tan Twan Eng’s... Read The Gift of Rain Summary


Publication year 1905

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Classic Fiction, Poverty

“The Gift of the Magi” is a classic Christmas story of love and sacrifice. Written by O. Henry (the pen name of prolific short story writer Willian Sydney Porter), the story was first published in the New York Sunday World in December 1905.James (Jim) Dillingham Young and his wife Della live in poverty. Jim’s salary has recently been reduced to $20 a week. O. Henry highlights their financial struggles with descriptions of the apartment: “In... Read The Gift of the Magi Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature

“The Gilded Six-Bits” is a short story written by Zora Neale Hurston and originally published in 1933 in Story magazine. The story explores themes of Sex, Physical Desire, and Marriage, The Function and Morality of Money, and Appearance Versus Reality. Hurston, in addition to being a noted African American author, was also an anthropologist and folklorist. She is best known for her 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. “The Gilded Six-Bits” is Hurston’s most... Read The Gilded Six-Bits Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

Paula Hawkins wrote The Girl on the Train over the course of six months in 2014. Hawkins, an Oxford-educated journalist and writer, drew on her experience as a reporter in London to structure the novel and describe its locations. Drawing immediate comparisons to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Girl on the Train had similar performance, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2015, and remaining there for 13 consecutive weeks... Read The Girl On The Train Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Asian Literature, History: World