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: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year -1

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Ancient Greece

Sappho wrote “Fragment 31” centuries ago in her Greek homeland with the intention of performing her poetry as songs. Contemporary readers should therefore remember two important details. First, readers who do not read Greek experience Sappho’s poetry through the words of a translator who adds unique interpretations and impressions to Sappho’s original version. This study guide uses the Christopher Childers translation of “Fragment 31” which first appeared in Boston University’s literary magazine AGNI, volume 83... Read Fragment 31 Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age novel written by David Yoon and published in 2019 by Penguin Young Readers, Putnam. The story revolves around Frank Li, a Korean American teenager torn between his American identity and the traditional expectations of his Korean parents. With its engaging storyline and exploration of cultural identity, Frankly in Love tackles themes of love, family expectations, and self-discovery. David Yoon’s writing skillfully portrays the complexities of Frank’s experiences as he... Read Frankly in Love Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, History: U.S., American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

IntroductionFreedom is a 2010 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. The story focuses on the Berglunds, a dysfunctional family living in Minnesota. The novel examines themes of family, freedom, depression, addiction, marriage, and more. Freedom was a selection for Oprah’s book club and won great critical acclaim.Content warning: This guide contains references to alcohol addiction and rape, which are discussed in the source text. Plot Summary The book unfolds across four parts. Part 1, “Good... Read Freedom Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, French Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Classical Period


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor, Classic Fiction

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a 1987 novel by American author and actress Fanny Flagg, who also wrote an award-winning screen adaption of the book. The narrative contains two interconnected stories that unfold several decades apart. The frame narrative, which takes place in Birmingham, Alabama between December 1985 and December 1986, depicts the developing friendship between a middle-aged housewife named Evelyn Couch and an elderly widow named Ninny Threadgoode. As the... Read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Class, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1986

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature, Food


Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Music


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Humor


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Relationships


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

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


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Children's Literature, Humor, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Romance, Humor, Health / Medicine, British Literature, Disability, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

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

Ghosted is British novelist Rosie Walsh’s first novel, published in 2018. After a career in television that included extensive travel, Walsh settled in the United Kingdom with her family, and Ghosted is set primarily in Gloucestershire and partially in other parts of England and Los Angeles, California. Released in the UK as The Man Who Didn’t Call and Ghosted in the United States, the novel addresses the phenomenon of “ghosting” in which a potential partner... Read Ghosted Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Poverty, History: World

Susan Vreeland, author of Girl in Hyacinth Blue, (Penguin Books, 2000) was an internationally known author of art-related historical fiction who, after a long and notable literary career, died in 2017. A New York Times bestseller, the novel was originally published in 1999 by McMurray and Beck, but subsequent editions were published by Penguin Books. The novel’s popularity gave rise to a 2003 Hallmark Hall of Fame production based on the novel. The painting in... Read Girl In Hyacinth Blue Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, New Adult