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.

Someone Like You

by Sarah Dessen

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Grandparents, Mothers, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Someone Like You is a 1998 young adult novel by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows 16-year-old Halley as she navigates the complexities and challenges of growing up. Halley’s best friend, Scarlett, discovers that she is pregnant after her boyfriend, Michael, dies in a motorcycle accident. Halley steps up to help her friend through this unexpected challenge. Halley also begins dating Michael’s best friend, Macon, and must decide whether she is ready to have sex with... Read Someone Like You Summary

Something Borrowed

by Emily Giffin

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Aging, Forgiveness, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Shame & Pride, The Past, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Marriage, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Apathy, Conflict, Loneliness

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships

Something Borrowed is a work of romantic fiction from author Emily Giffin, published in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews and landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel was Giffin’s first, and she has published several more books in the same genre. Some of her other books include Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), and Something... Read Something Borrowed Summary

Sonnet 1

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1609

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Beauty, Birth, Hope, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Death, Food, Daughters & Sons, Future

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Education, World History, Romance, Classic Fiction

... Read Sonnet 1 Summary

Sonnet 18

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1609

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Love, Beauty, Environment

Tags Romance, Arts & Culture, Elizabethan Era

William Shakespeare is the best-known author of the English Renaissance—also known as the Early Modern Period and the Elizabethan Age. Though readers’ attention tends to be more riveted toward his plays, Shakespeare published 154 sonnets during his exceptionally prolific career, in addition to the longer-form poems Venus and Adonis (1593), The Rape of Lucrece (1594), and The Phoenix and the Turtle (1601). Fifteen editions of Venus and Adonis—a poem in the form of 199 six-line... Read Sonnet 18 Summary

Son of the Mob

by Gordon Korman

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor

Son of the Mob is a young adult novel by Gordon Korman, published in 2002. It is a comedic adventure story that concerns a teenaged boy named Vince Luca, and his attempts to come to terms with his Mafia family.Vince’s life is a mixture of mundane teenaged concerns (girls, grades) and adult criminal activity. This is established in the first chapter of the book, when he takes a girl named Angela out on a date... Read Son of the Mob Summary

Sons and Lovers

by D. H. Lawrence

Publication year 1913

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Daughters & Sons, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Psychological Fiction, British Literature, World History, Romance

Sons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by English author D. H. Lawrence. The novel explores the relationship between Gertrude Morel and her son Paul, who live in a small mining town in North England at the turn of the 20th century. Though met with a lukewarm response on release, Sons and Lovers has since been critically reappraised as one of Lawrence’s most important works and has been adapted for film and television.Other works by... Read Sons and Lovers Summary

Spinning Silver

by Naomi Novik

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Shame & Pride, Beauty

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale & Folklore

Published in 2018 by Nebula Award-winning author Naomi Novik, Spinning Tales is a modern take on coming-of-age fairy tales. The novel explores the dangers of pride and the complexity of responsibility set in a Slavic fantasy world made of the familiar and the fantastic alike. While the story centers around Miryem Mandelstam, other character perspectives demonstrate the quintessentially human experiences of life—frustration, longing, confusion, and growing up.Plot SummaryThe teenage Miryem finds herself in a do-or-die... Read Spinning Silver Summary

Sputnik Sweetheart

by Haruki Murakami

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Loneliness, Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery

Tags Magical Realism, Romance, Japanese Literature, LGBTQ+

Sputnik Sweetheart is a work of magical realism by Haruki Murakami, published in 1999 in Japan and then in English in April 2001. The novel follows the protagonist K, who loves his friend Sumire, though she does not feel the same way. When Sumire falls in love with a woman, Miu, and disappears on a trip to Greece with her, K goes to investigate, but reality blurs as he learns more about Miu and Sumire’s... Read Sputnik Sweetheart Summary