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 Seven Rings

by Nora Roberts

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Memory, Death, The Past, Place, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Romance

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The Shell Seekers

by Rosamunde Pilcher

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Memory, Siblings, Mothers, Nostalgia

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

IntroductionPublished in 1987, The Shell Seekers was written by Rosamunde Pilcher and is her first bestseller. Inspired by Pilcher’s conversation with Tom Dunne at St. Martin’s Press about her children’s desire to see their mother become famous, the novel is the author’s attempt to create a story for women based on the experiences of her generation. Set in 1984, it tells the story of Penelope Stern Keeling and her children (Nancy, Olivia, and Noel) and... Read The Shell Seekers Summary

The Shoemaker's Wife

by Adriana Trigiani

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Family, Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Joy, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Place, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Economics, Immigration, Politics & Government, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance

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The Silver Linings Playbook

by Matthew Quick

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Matthew Quick’s debut novel, The Silver Linings Playbook, was published in 2008 and adapted into a major motion picture in 2012. The novel became a New York Times Best Seller, and the film received eight Academy Award nominations. The book centers on protagonist Pat Peoples, a former history teacher who receives court-mandated psychiatric institutionalization for a crime he does not remember committing. Due to his mental health treatment, Pat is an unreliable narrator. The story... Read The Silver Linings Playbook Summary

The Song of Achilles

by Madeline Miller

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, European History, Mythology, World History, Fantasy, Romance

The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. Narrated in the first person by Patroclus, the narrative explores themes central to ancient Greek mythology, notably the immutability of fate and the pursuit of glory.The novel begins with Patroclus narrating his birth and early childhood. Son of King Menoitius, the undersized and... Read The Song of Achilles Summary

The Sorrows of Young Werther

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Publication year 1774

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Grief, Love, Mental Health, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism, German Literature, Education, Education, World History, Romance

The Sorrows of Young Werther (in German, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers), written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a semi-autobiographical epistolary novel published in 1774. The story unfolds through a series of letters penned by the eponymous protagonist, Werther, and mainly chronicles his experiences in the small town of Wahlheim. Werther, a sensitive and idealistic young man, arrives in the town and becomes enamored with Lotte, a local magistrate’s daughter. His unrequited love becomes... Read The Sorrows of Young Werther Summary