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 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gender / Feminism, Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Military / War, Vietnam War, British Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Quiet American is a 1955 novel by Graham Greene. Set during the era of French colonialism in Vietnam, it tells the story of an English journalist who is caught in a love triangle with an American intelligence agent and a Vietnamese woman. Greene had published over a dozen novels before The Quiet American and was considered one of the most influential American authors during his career. He drew on his own experiences as a... Read The Quiet American Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery

Tags Irish Literature, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 1915

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

The Rainbow (1915) by D. H. Lawrence follows three generations of the Brangwen family in Nottinghamshire, England, during the Second Industrial Revolution. The novel covers approximately 65 years in the Brangwens’ agricultural dynasty and explores how each generation changes in the face of modernity and industrial progress. The novel’s depiction of sexual desire and its role in the protagonists’ relationships and spiritual lives led to The Rainbow being the center of an obscenity trial a... Read The Rainbow Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl from a family of clairvoyants, the boys she befriends, and how their lives are intertwined along their journey to wake a slumbering king. The book was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and the Locus Award for science fiction and fantasy in 2013, and the Raven Cycle series was nominated for the Mythopoeic Awards in 2017... Read The Raven Boys Summary


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Holocaust, German Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

Introduction Law professor Bernhard Schlink published The Reader (Der Vorleser) in Germany in 1995. Two years later, an English version arrived in the United States, and it became a bestseller and a selection for Oprah's Book Club. The German newspaper Abendzeitung named the book Stern des Jahres (Star of the Year), and it was also awarded the 1998 Hans Fallada Prize, given to works that address social or political issues. Translated editions of The Reader... Read The Reader Summary


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 400

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Romance, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, Drama / Tragedy

AbhijnanaSakuntala or The Recognition of Sakuntala is a Sanskrit play written by the playwright Kalidasa in the fifth century CE. The play follows the love story between forest-dwelling Sakuntala and the valorous king Dusyanta. When Dusyanta stumbles into a grove while on a hunt for deer, he meets the beautiful Sakuntala. Sakuntala and Dusyanta fall in love, marry in secret, and conceive a child. Called away for court business, Dusyanta promises to send for Sakuntala... Read The Recognition of Sakuntala Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary


Publication year 1878

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

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

Thomas Hardy’s novel The Return of the Native was published serially in Belgravia magazine in 1878. Its setting, the formidable and unforgiving Egdon Heath, is based on the Wessex region of England where Hardy was born. Hardy provides a map that gives the locations that his love- and grief-driven characters visit as the story unfolds. The novel explores the themes of class, chance, fate, superstition, and social upheaval. This guide references the 2008 Oxford World’s... Read The Return of the Native Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1230

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Romance, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, French Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Romance of the Rose, or Roman de la Rose in the original French, is an allegorical poem written between the years 1225 and 1278 by two authors, Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. De Lorris wrote the first three chapters of the work from 1225-1230, and de Meun added nine additional chapters from approximately 1269-1278. Not much is known about either author, but the poem became a foundational piece of medieval literature, particularly... Read The Romance of the Rose Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Romance

The Room on Rue Amélie (2018) is a historical fiction novel by American author Kristin Harmel. The novel follows the experiences of Ruby Henderson, an American immigrant in Paris, during World War II. Ruby eventually becomes involved in the French Resistance and forms a close friendship with Charlotte, whose Jewish identity leaves her vulnerable to persecution. Both women navigate the risks of resistance and the nature of love in a time of war. The novel... Read The Room on Rue Amélie Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Gender / Feminism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Humor, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion explores the romantic and comedic errors of a man with undiagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome, Don Tillson, as he looks for a wife. As a professor of genetics, Don lives an orderly, predictable life in a protected academic setting. Trouble ensues when he decides that he is ready to find his life’s partner. Set in Melbourne, Australia and New York City, the novel is told in the first person from Don’s... Read The Rosie Project Summary


Publication year 1677

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

Aphra Behn’s play The Rover, or The Banished Cavaliers, debuted in London in 1677 with King Charles II in attendance; The Rover was reportedly one of his favorite plays. In Restoration England, theatre was a political act, particularly when a play was written by a woman and openly defied Puritan conservatism. Beginning in 1642, the Puritan-run Parliament had banned theatre, partially because they viewed it as sinful and financially excessive, and partially because the theatre... Read The Rover Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality