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.

On Mystic Lake

by Kristin Hannah

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy

... Read On Mystic Lake Summary

Onyx Storm

by Rebecca Yarros

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult

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Open Water

by Caleb Azumah Nelson

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

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Opposite of Always

by Justin A. Reynolds

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism

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Other Birds

by Sarah Addison Allen

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

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Our Fault

by Mercedes Ron

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, New Adult, Latin American Literature, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

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Our Infinite Fates

by Laura Steven

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ

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Our Souls At Night

by Kent Haruf

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Relationships

Our Souls at Night is Colorado author Kent Haruf’s last novel, and it was published in 2015, after his death. Like much of Haruf’s other writing, this novel is set in the fictional town of Holt, Colorado. The novel begins with 70-year-old Addie Moore making a proposition to her neighbor Louis Waters that they sleep together—literally, not sexually—in order to combat the loneliness that they often feel, especially at night. They have both lost their... Read Our Souls At Night Summary

Our Violent Ends

by Chloe Gong

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, History: World

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Outlander

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World

Outlander, published by Random House in 1991, is the first in a highly successful romantic novel series written by Diana Gabaldon, a #1 New York Times bestselling author. The series was adapted into a historical drama television series in 2014.Other works by this author include Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, Dragonfly in Amber, and An Echo in the Bone.Plot SummaryTold from the perspective of 27-year-old Englishwoman Claire Beauchamp, Outlander begins in 1945... Read Outlander Summary

Out of Darkness

by Ashley Hope Pérez

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Class, History: World

Out of Darkness is a young adult historical novel written by Ashley Hope Pérez and published in 2015 by Holiday House of New York. Pérez holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, where her research focused on Latin American literature. A professor of World Literatures at Ohio State University, she is also the author of What Can’t Wait (2011), The Knife and The Butterfly (2012), and Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions about... Read Out of Darkness Summary

Out Of Nowhere

by Maria Padian

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration

Tags Sports, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture

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Out of the Easy

by Ruta Sepetys

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Romance

Out of the Easy, written by Ruta Sepetys and published in 2013, is a young adult historical fiction novel. Sepetys is an award-winning Lithuanian American writer of young adult historical fiction. Her honors include the Carnegie Medal, awarded to one work of children’s or young adult literature per year. Her novels are international best sellers and are widely translated. Out of the Easy is about Josie, a teenage girl living in the French Quarter of... Read Out of the Easy Summary

Out of the Woods

by Hannah Bonam-Young

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Relationships

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Pack Up the Moon

by Kristan Higgins

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy

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Pamela

by Samuel Richardson

Publication year 1740

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

IntroductionPamela is an epistolary novel (told through letters), written by Samuel Richardson and first published in 1740. It is considered one of the first novels written in English, and significantly contributed to the development of this genre. Richardson, a 51-year-old printer when the novel was published, began the project to provide moral instruction to young women who might find themselves vulnerable to seduction while employed by wealthy men. The novel advocates for the importance of... Read Pamela Summary

Paper Towns

by John Green

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure

John Green’s Paper Towns is a coming-of-age story that follows the lives of two childhood friends, the reserved Quentin Jacobsen and the legendary Margo Roth Spiegelman. Quentin says that every human being is graced with one miracle in their lifetime. His miracle is living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman. He has spent a lifetime obsessing over her, though their friendship has cooled over the years. At the start of the novel, they are in... Read Paper Towns Summary