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.

Pride

by Ibi Zoboi

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Shame & Pride, Social Class, Community, Siblings, Family, Conflict, Race, Equality

Tags Romance, Social Class, Urban Development, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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Prince of Tides

by Pat Conroy

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Mental Health, Masculinity, Childhood & Youth

Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction

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Princess Academy

by Shannon Hale

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Community, Education

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Princess Academy (2005) is the first novel in the Princess Academy trilogy by American writer Shannon Hale. This children’s fantasy novel follows 14-year-old Miri Larensdaughter, who, along with other girls from her village, is sent to an academy to train for the chance to become the future bride of the prince. At the academy, Miri learns to overcome interpersonal conflicts with her rivals and a stern tutor, confront her fears and insecurities about her place... Read Princess Academy Summary

Prodigy

by Marie Lu

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Love, Friendship, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance

Tags Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Prodigy (2013) is the second installment in the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu. In this young adult series set in a dystopian future, the United States is divided into two warring nations, the Republic and the Colonies. Prodigy follows the first-person perspectives of two teen protagonists first introduced in Legend (2011), June and Day, as they join a rebel group called the Patriots in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt government. As they work to take... Read Prodigy Summary

P.S. I Still Love You

by Jenny Han

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Love

Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

P.S. I Still Love You is a young adult novel by Jenny Han, published by Scholastic in 2015. It is a sequel to To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, published in 2014. The two books share the same main character and narrator, Lara Jean Song Covey, a Korean-American teenaged girl. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before concerns Lara Jean’s habit of writing secret love letters to boys she’s had crushes on, and P.S. I... Read P.S. I Still Love You Summary

Pygmalion

by George Bernard Shaw

Publication year 1913

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Femininity, Language

Tags British Literature, Drama, Comedy & Satire, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, Romance, Humor

Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw was first published in 1914, with an updated version published in 1941. The play was Shaw’s most popular and most critically acclaimed work. It inspired the heavily romanticized musical and movie adaptation My Fair Lady, which won both a Tony for Best Musical and an Oscar for Best Picture.Shaw began his career as a novelist, but his novels were largely unsuccessful. After he moved from Dublin to London, he shifted... Read Pygmalion Summary

Q & A

by Vikas Swarup

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Romance, Action & Adventure

The novel Q & A, by Vikas Swarup, chronicles the various misadventures of protagonist Ram Mohammad Thomas, a penniless teenager who has been arrested for answering twelve questions correctly on the TV quiz show Who Will Win a Billion? Defying conventional temporal chronologies, each chapter, connected to a question from the quiz show, helps to explain how Thomas knew the correct answer, while alsoserving as a vignette of Thomas’s life. Q & A is a... Read Q & A Summary

Queen of Shadows

by Sarah J. Maas

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Love, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, War, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tale & Folklore

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Quicksilver

by Callie Hart

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Death, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Love, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Climate, Objects & Materials, Place, Marriage, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Trauma & Abuse

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Rappaccini's Daughter

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publication year 1844

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Safety & Danger, Loneliness, Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Love & Sexuality, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction

“Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844) is a Gothic short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) first published in The United States Magazines and Democratic Review. In 1846, it was republished in a collection of stories and sketches, Mosses from an Old Manse. Hawthorne was a leader of the Dark Romantic or Gothic movement in American literature. His close friends included fellow Massachusetts writers Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson.The work is prefaced by Hawthorne, who claims to... Read Rappaccini's Daughter Summary

Raybearer

by Jordan Ifueko

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Politics & Government, Justice

Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+

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Reality Boy

by A.S. King

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness

Reality Boy (2013) is a young adult novel by American writer A.S. King. Told through the first-person perspective of Gerald Faust, a teenage boy who grapples with trauma, the narrative explores Gerald’s childhood abuse and the public spotlight which facilitated it when his family is selected for a reality television series. Gerald’s account takes place during his teenage years and features chapters that flash back to the filming of the series.Plot SummaryWhen Gerald Faust was... Read Reality Boy Summary