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.

Vicious

by L. J. Shen

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Love, Revenge, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, New Adult

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Vietgone

by Qui Nguyen

Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Memory, Regret, Language, Race, Future, The Past, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Immigration, Nation, War, Fate, Justice, Music, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Drama, Comedy & Satire, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature, Humor

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Villette

by Charlotte Brontë

Publication year 1853

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Religion & Spirituality, Gender Identity, Mental Health

Tags Romance, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Gothic Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Victorian Era

Villette, published in 1853, is the last novel by Charlotte Brontë and the first published under her real name, her previous novels having been published under the name Currer Bell to conceal her identity as a female. Tracking one woman’s journey towards self-discovery against the burden of Victorian ideals, Brontë presents her most progressive and biographical work in the story of Lucy Snowe. Like Lucy, Brontë endured intense personal tragedy, having lost all her adored... Read Villette Summary

Violeta

by Isabel Allende

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Love, Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Romance

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Voyager

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Environment, Family, Marriage, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction

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Warcross

by Marie Lu

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Grief

Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Technology, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Marie Lu’s young adult science fiction Warcross (2017) is the first book in the Warcross series. Set in the future, bounty hunter Emika Chen takes part in an international online game to track down her mark. Lu writes primarily dystopian and science fiction for young adults and is well known for her bestselling trilogy, Legend. Kirkus Reviews included Warcross on its Best Teen Science Fiction books of 2017. This guide references the 2017 Random House... Read Warcross Summary

Washington Square

by Henry James

Publication year 1880

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Trust & Doubt

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

Washington Square is a novel by American author Henry James published in 1880. It is a novel of manners, which turns on individual choices amidst social constraints and expectations, a style typical of James. The novel focuses on the romance between Catherine Sloper, a wealthy young woman in line to inherit even more from her father, and Morris Townsend, a handsome, charming suitor who lacks money and a profession. Catherine’s relationship with her father, Dr... Read Washington Square Summary

Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Love, Perseverance, Loneliness, Hope, Aging, Disability, Animals, Social Class, Friendship, Fathers, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Great Depression, Mental Illness, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Water for Elephants, a New York Times bestseller and author Sara Gruen’s third novel, was published in 2006 by Algonquin. The novel was adapted into a full-length film in 2011 starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattison.Gruen often features animals in her novels, and Water for Elephants is no exception, as she follows two lovers in a forbidden relationship set against the backdrop of a circus and its eclectic mix of characters and exotic animals. The... Read Water for Elephants Summary

Water Moon

by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Regret, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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We Are Okay

by Nina LaCour

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief

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

We Are Okay is the story of an 18-year-old girl, Marin’s, experience with grief, loss, and sadness. Marin’s mother dies in a surfing accident when she’s almost 3; she is raised near that same beach in San Francisco by her grandfather, Gramps. The narrative is divided between Marin’s present in New York and her past in California. The present-day events occur in December during the winter break of Marin’s first year in college; the past... Read We Are Okay Summary

We Are the Ants

by Shaun David Hutchinson

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Friendship, Death

Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Mental Illness, Bullying, Trauma & Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Science Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson is a young adult science fiction novel that follows the coming-of-age story of Henry, a teenager whose life is in shambles. Hutchinson uses the first-person point-of-view of his protagonist to explore themes of family, grief, universal unknowns, and the development of identity. Published in 2016, Hutchinson’s novel questions the value of human life while incorporating science fiction elements to portray the smallness of human existence in the... Read We Are the Ants Summary

We Deserve Monuments

by Jas Hammonds

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Grandparents, Self Discovery, Community, Justice

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism

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We Fell Apart

by E. Lockhart

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Art, Animals

Tags Romance, Grief & Death, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Wellness

by Nathan Hill

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Midlife, Nature Versus Nurture, Marriage, Social Class, Art, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

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We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarassingly, A True Story

by Josh Sundquist

Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Forgiveness, Shame & Pride, Disability

Tags Humor, Inspirational, Coming of Age, Romance, Disability, LGBTQ+, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography

Josh Sundquist is a cancer survivor, Paralympic ski racer, motivational speaker, and stand-up comedian. Sundquist’s memoir Just Don't Fall: How I Grew Up, Conquered Illness, and Made It Down the Mountain was published in 2010 and became a national bestseller. While his first memoir showed how he was able to overcome health challenges to become a sporting hero, his second book We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarrassingly, a True Story (2014) deals with the most... Read We Should Hang Out Sometime: Embarassingly, A True Story Summary