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.

Insurgent

by Veronica Roth

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Insurgent, by Veronica Roth, is the second novel in the three-part Divergent series and describes a revolution in a post-apocalyptic Chicago. That society is founded upon principles that divide people into factions based on their personalities and function within the society. The selfless belong to Abnegation; the brave belong to Dauntless; the intelligent belong to Erudite; the honest belong to Candor; and the peacemakers belong to Amity. Each 16 year old undergoes an aptitude test to... Read Insurgent Summary

Intermezzo

by Sally Rooney

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Disability, Mental Health, Midlife, Place, Siblings, Social Class, Economics, Literature, Wins & Losses

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

... Read Intermezzo Summary

In the Midst of Winter

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Historical Fiction

Isabel Allende’s In the Midst of Winter is a novel published in 2017 that follows the alternating perspectives of three immigrants whose lives become intertwined after a car accident during a snowstorm in New York City. This study guide refers to the Kindle edition of the novel.Plot OverviewOne night, during a brutal snowstorm in New York City, Richard Bowmaster is driving home when he accidentally crashes into Evelyn Ortega’s car. While he assumes it is... Read In the Midst of Winter Summary

In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)

by Sarah Ruhl

Publication year 2009

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Mothers

Tags Humor, Comedy & Satire, Education, Education, Gender & Feminism, World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance

In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play), which premiered on Broadway in 2010, has since become one of Sarah Ruhl’s best-known and most popularly produced plays. Prior to Ruhl’s Broadway debut with In the Next Room, she earned a MacArthur Genius Fellowship and a PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award, and her 2004 play The Clean House was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. In the Next Room was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist and... Read In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Summary

Iron Widow

by Xiran Jay Zhao

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Equality, Justice, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+

... Read Iron Widow Summary

It Ends with Us

by Colleen Hoover

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love

Tags Romance, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

It Ends with Us is a 2016 romance novel by Colleen Hoover. The novel tells the story of Lily Bloom and her doomed romance with Ryle Kincaid and traces her past history growing up in an abusive home, her fall into an abusive relationship, and her escape from that relationship. Colleen Hoover is the author of several best-selling novels, including Verity, Ugly Love, and All Your Perfects. In 2022, Hoover published a sequel to It... Read It Ends with Us Summary

It's Kind of a Funny Story

by Ned Vizzini

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Friendship, Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Romance

It’s Kind of a Funny Story was Ned Vizzini’s second Young Adult novel, published by Hyperion in 2006. It is a critically acclaimed Young Adult novel and coming-of-age story that was given a starred review by the American Librarians Association and adapted into a film of the same name (2010).Other work by this author includes the novel, Be More Chill.Content Warning: This novel and study guide include topics and themes that may be sensitive for... Read It's Kind of a Funny Story Summary