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.

Big Summer

by Jennifer Weiner

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Revenge, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Memory, Shame & Pride, Forgiveness, Perseverance, Conflict, Hope

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Romance, Horror & Suspense, Coming of Age, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Big Summer Summary

Big Swiss

by Jen Beagin

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Truth & Lies, Marriage, Sexual Identity

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

... Read Big Swiss Summary

Binding 13

by Chloe Walsh

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

... Read Binding 13 Summary

Blackbird House

by Alice Hoffman

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Loneliness, Death, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Plants, Place, Family, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, World History, Romance, Fantasy

Published in 2004, Alice Hoffman’s novel Blackbird House chronicles a house on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and its inhabitants over a 200-year span. The story, which invokes elements of magical realism, begins during the War of 1812 and ends in the present day. Shifting between first-person and third-person point-of-view, the novel delves into the themes of Love as Motivation, Resilience Resulting from Adversity, and The Power of Place in Shaping Lives.Other works by this author include... Read Blackbird House Summary

Blankets

by Craig Thompson

Publication year 2003

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Coming of Age, Sexual Identity

Tags Life-Inspired Fiction, Coming of Age, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Blankets is a 2003 autobiographical graphic novel by Craig Thompson, who created both the text and the illustrations. It tells the story of Craig’s coming-of-age and first love in the context of his strict religious upbringing, and later, a departure from his childhood faith. Time magazine ranked Blankets first on its Best Comics list for 2003 and eighth on its list of Best Comics of the Decade. In 2004 it won Harvey awards for Best... Read Blankets Summary

Bliss

by Katherine Mansfield

Publication year 1918

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Sexual Identity, Love, Gender Identity, Loyalty & Betrayal, Beauty

Tags Modernism, Education, Education, World History, Romance, LGBTQ+, Classic Fiction

“Bliss” is a short story written by New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. It was originally published in 1918 in The English Review and later republished in 1920 as a collection of short stories entitled Bliss and Other Stories. Katherine Mansfield was a contemporary of British writers such as Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando), D. H. Lawrence (Sons and Lovers, Women in Love), and James Joyce (Ulysses, Dubliners). As a Modernist story, “Bliss” focuses on the... Read Bliss Summary

Blood Moon

by Sandra Brown

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Romance

... Read Blood Moon Summary

Bone Gap

by Laura Ruby

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age, Horror & Suspense, Modern Classic Fiction

Bone Gap is a young adult novel by Laura Ruby. It features magical realism, meaning that the setting is realistic with fantastical elements. There are also mystery and crime elements. The novel is set in rural Bone Gap, Illinois, and is told from the third-person omniscient perspective. The narrator is all-seeing, knowing everything about the characters and events.The story follows Finn, an 18-year-old man. He is the only witness to the abduction of a beautiful... Read Bone Gap Summary