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 Thorn Birds

by Colleen McCullough

Publication year 1977

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

The Thorn Birds, a novel by Colleen McCullough, was first published in 1977 by Avon Books. A sweeping, romantic epic that spans nearly sixty years, The Thorn Birds became an international best-seller; the novel was adapted for the screen as an incredibly popular mini-series in 1983. Eventually, The Thorn Birds would become one of the most highly rated programs in American television history. This text uses the pagination of the Avon Books 2010 paperback edition.     Plot... Read The Thorn Birds Summary

The Time Traveler's Wife

by Audrey Niffenegger

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Love

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Postmodernism, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism

The Time Traveler’s Wife is a novel by Audrey Niffenegger published in 2003. It tells the love story of Clare Abshire and Henry DeTamble, revealed through their alternating perspectives in which each character is the first-person narrator. Henry was born as a with a condition that allows him to travel in time, though when and where in time he travels is out of his control.Using a non-linear plot structure, Niffenegger explores a range of themes... Read The Time Traveler's Wife Summary

The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Regret, Nostalgia, Appearance & Reality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Death, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Family, Mothers, Fathers, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Grief & Death

The Truth About Forever (2004) is a young adult contemporary romance by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows Macy Queen, a teen girl struggling to heal from the tragic death of her father, only to find that the answers lie not in chasing perfection and control but embracing the unpredictable and chaotic joys of life. The Truth About Forever is Sarah Dessen’s sixth published novel and won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Urban... Read The Truth About Forever Summary

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

by Milan Kundera

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Literature, Art, Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Philosophy, Existentialism

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. Written in 1982, it first appeared in print in its French translation in 1984. It was published in Czechoslovakia in 1986. The novel describes Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring, the 1968 Russian invasion, and its resulting “Normalizace” (Normalization) Period, a time of increased repression and persecution of Czech and Slovak intellectuals. At once a philosophical meditation on duality, an inquiry into the nature of... Read The Unbearable Lightness of Being Summary

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B

by Teresa Toten

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Family, Coming of Age

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

Published in 2013, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten is a young adult fiction novel that closely examines obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and mental health issues in teens and high schoolers. Filled with moments of deep emotion, harsh realities, and unexpected humor, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is about how we all navigate the chaos and stress of our world. Toten won the Governor General Literary Award in Canada for this novel... Read The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B Summary

The Valley of Amazement

by Amy Tan

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, World History, Romance

The Valley of Amazement, a work of historical fiction first published in 2013, is the sixth novel by author Amy Tan. This guide refers to the Kindle Edition for citations. Tan primarily writes about the complexity of the mother-daughter bond and about the experience of being Chinese American. In The Valley of Amazement, a mother and daughter recount their lives in early-20th-century Shanghai and San Francisco.Tan’s debut novel, The Joy Luck Club (1989), became a... Read The Valley of Amazement Summary