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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1928
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction
The Well of Loneliness is a 1928 novel by British author Radclyffe Hall. Banned upon publication due to its lesbian theme, it tells the story of Stephen Gordon, an upper-class Englishwoman and who struggles as a lesbian with the confines of society. A subsequent obscenity trial generated significant publicity for the book, and it has since become a landmark of lesbian fiction. Plot SummaryAfter 10 years of marriage, Sir Philip and Lady Anna Gordon are... Read The Well of Loneliness Summary
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Nonfiction
The Winter Room is a 1989 young adult novel by American author Gary Paulsen. The story follows 11-year-old Eldon, who lives on a northern Minnesota farm with his family. The narrative explores Eldon’s relationship with his older brother, Wayne, and their connection to their great-uncle David. The boys grow up working on the farm all year and listening to Uncle David’s stories during the winter. The novel received the Newbery Medal Honor in 1989. Gary Paulsen... Read The Winter Room Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Humor
Publication year 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Place
Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Elizabeth George Speare was a well-known author of children’s books during the mid-twentieth century. Her second novel, The Witch of Blackbird Pond (1957), earned her a Newbery Medal in 1959. She won another in 1962 for The Bronze Bow (1961), as well as a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1989 for her lifetime contribution to children’s literature. Her other novels include Calico Captive (1957) and The Sign of the Beaver (1984). Speare’s books are often... Read The Witch Of Blackbird Pond Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1808
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1952
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modernism
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Romance
Publication year 1920
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Irish Literature
Publication year 2005
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Grief / Death, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Biography
Joan Didion’s memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, explores her experiences mourning the death of her husband and the severe illness of her daughter in 2003. Didion, an American journalist and essayist, first gained popularity during the 1960s and 70s covering counterculture and Hollywood, but in The Year of Magical Thinking she turns to more intimate material. Didion’s husband John Gregory Dunne died of a heart attack while he and Didion were caring for their... Read The Year of Magical Thinking Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Biography, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction