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.

The Book of Lost Names

by Kristin Harmel

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Justice, Truth & Lies, Guilt, Perseverance, Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Love & Sexuality, European History, Holocaust, Military & War, World History, Romance

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The Book of Magic

by Alice Hoffman

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Love, Femininity, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Art, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction

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The Book of Unknown Americans

by Cristina Henríquez

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

The Book of Unknown Americans (2014) is a novel by American author Christina Henríquez. The story follows two families, one Mexican and one Panamanian, as they navigate the experience of being Latin American immigrants in the United States. The Mexican girl, Maribel, and Panamanian boy, Mayor, fall in love, which brings the families together. While mainly fictional, The Book of Unknown Americans is inspired by Henríquez’s father’s experience as a Mexican immigrant in the United... Read The Book of Unknown Americans Summary

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

by Kim Michele Richardson

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Community, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Southern Literature, World History, Romance

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a historical novel by American author Kim Michele Richardson. Published in 2019, the book takes place in the Kentucky hills during the Great Depression in 1936. In its depiction of prejudice and community in 1930s Kentucky, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek touches upon themes including the distrust of authority, the random and dangerous nature of prejudice, the power of community, and the importance of caring. Other work... Read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Summary

The Boy in the Black Suit

by Jason Reynolds

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Friendship, Coming of Age, Family

Tags Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Jason Reynolds’s 2015 young adult realistic contemporary novel, The Boy in the Black Suit, follows main character, Matt Miller, through several months of his senior year after the death of his mother. His grieving process is complicated by his father’s lengthy hospitalization after an accident, which leaves Matt to cope with his sadness alone. Matt discovers unexpected comfort, however, in his new job helping neighbor and funeral home director Mr. Ray. Matt meets Love, who... Read The Boy in the Black Suit Summary

The Bridges of Madison County

by Robert James Waller

Publication year 1992

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Love, Art, Fate

Tags Romance, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

A world-traveling photographer and a farmer’s wife connect in a sudden, impossible romance in The Bridges of Madison County, a 1992 novel by Robert James Waller. Lauded by critics as a soaring, spiritual story of true love thwarted, but ridiculed by others for greeting-card sentimentality, Bridges became a #1 New York Times bestseller and stayed on the list for three years. With theater and film adaptations, it is one of the most widely read books... Read The Bridges of Madison County Summary

The Chaperone

by Laura Moriarty

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Beauty, Daughters & Sons

Tags Historical Fiction, World History, Romance

The Chaperone is a work of historical fiction written by American author Laura Moriarty and published in 2012. The novel portrays the Jazz Age of the 1920s in America through a feminine lens. It was inspired by historical people and events, primarily the 1920s silent-film actress Louise Brooks. Moriarty lives in Lawrence, Kansas, and the book is also partially set in Kansas. The Chaperone was adapted into a PBS Masterpiece feature film in 2018. Other... Read The Chaperone Summary

The Charm Offensive

by Alison Cochrun

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Loneliness, Love, Forgiveness, Appearance & Reality, Femininity, Disability, Masculinity, Beauty, Trust & Doubt, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Friendship

Tags Romance, Humor, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, LGBTQ+, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

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The Choice

by Nicholas Sparks

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Fate, Grief, Marriage

Tags Romance, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

Nicholas Sparks’s The Choice (2007) is a traditional romance novel that delves into the complexities of love, choices, and life’s unforeseen events. The story unfolds in the picturesque coastal town of Beaufort, North Carolina, where Travis Parker, an easygoing bachelor, encounters a life-changing series of events when Gabby Holland, a determined medical student, becomes his neighbor. The novel examines the themes of Coincidence Versus Destiny, Choices and Their Consequences, and Challenges to Romantic Relationships.Sparks is... Read The Choice Summary