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 House of Hades

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Fate, Friendship

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Children`s Literature, Romance

The House of Hades is the fourth of five books in the Heroes of Olympus series, which follows seven Greek and Roman demigods on a quest to prevent the rise of the earth goddess Gaea, who is bent on destroying the world.The House of Hades was written by Rick Riordan, a New York Times bestselling author who explores Roman and Greek Mythology in these two series. Riordan is the publisher of an imprint with Disney... Read The House of Hades Summary

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

by Victor Hugo

Publication year 1831

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Gratitude, Hate & Anger, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Disability, Language, Sexual Identity, Death, Family, Friendship, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Art, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, French Literature, World History

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is an 1831 gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo, originally published under the title Notre-Dame de Paris. Set in 15th-century France, the novel concerns the intertwined stories of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Archdeacon Claude Frollo. The story has been adapted many times for theater, television, and film, including an animated film by Disney released in 1996.This guide refers to the 2009 Oxford Classics edition of the novel, translated from French to... Read The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Summary

The Importance of Being Earnest

by Oscar Wilde

Publication year 1895

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Sexual Identity

Tags Victorian Period, Comedy & Satire, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, Romance, Humor, Classic Fiction

The Importance of Being Earnest, a comedy, is Oscar Wilde’s final play. It premiered at St. James’ Theatre in London on February 14, 1895 and skewered the contemporary habits and attitudes of the British aristocracy. The opening was hugely successful, but Wilde’s ongoing conflict with the Marquess of Queensberry, his lover’s powerful father, led the play to close prematurely after Wilde was charged with “gross indecency” for having sex with men. Despite this setback, The... Read The Importance of Being Earnest Summary

The Infinite Sea

by Rick Yancey

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Love, Coming of Age, Space, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, War, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Survival Fiction

The Infinite Sea (2014) by Rick Yancey is a young adult science fiction romance novel. It is the second book in The 5th Wave Trilogy, following The 5th Wave (2013) and preceding The Last Star (2016). The trilogy follows protagonist Cassie Sullivan, a 16-year-old girl who survives an invasion by extraterrestrials known as the Others. In the first novel, she meets Evan Walker, a Silencer (a human whose body has been colonized by the consciousness... Read The Infinite Sea Summary

The Inmate

by Freida McFadden

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Memory, Trust & Doubt, Mothers

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Romance

... Read The Inmate Summary

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

by V. E. Schwab

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Gender Identity, Death

Tags Fantasy, Gender & Feminism, Trauma & Abuse, Religion & Spirituality, LGBTQ+, Age of Enlightenment, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a historical fantasy novel by the American author V.E. Schwab published in 2020. It chronicles the story of Addie LaRue, an 18th-century Frenchwoman who gains eternal life through a bargain with a demonic entity. However, the deal comes at a great cost: Everybody who meets Addie immediately forgets her. A New York Times bestseller, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue received a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award nomination for... Read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Summary

The Island of Missing Trees

by Elif Shafak

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Love, Memory, Race, Nation, The Past, Animals, Family, Plants, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma & Abuse, European History, World History, Immigration & Refugeeism, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Military & War, Politics & Government, Science & Nature, Race & Racism, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Island of Missing Trees Summary

The Japanese Lover

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Memory, Race, Sexual Identity, Aging, Death, Social Class, Immigration, Art

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

The Japanese Lover is Isabel Allende’s 18th novel. Like most of Allende’s work, it falls under the genres of magical realism and historical fiction. The novel was originally published in 2015, the year after Allende was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to the overarching focus on romance and love, the novel addresses issues relating to World War II (WWII), Japanese American incarceration during the 1940s, racism, homophobia, and the struggles of aging... Read The Japanese Lover Summary

The Jasad Heir

by Sara Hashem

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, The Past, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, War, Justice

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Action & Adventure

... Read The Jasad Heir Summary