Our Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love Collection features titles centered on love and all of its complexities. This Collection represents authors who have grappled with romantic, familial, and other forms of love through writing. With titles ranging from contemporary romance picks to works by Shakespeare, this Collection has something to offer any reader who has ever lost or found love.
Publication year 1843
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Existentialism, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Fear and Trembling is an 1843 Christian philosophical tract written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and published under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio (John of the Silence). The title refers to a passage from the Bible, which demands that “salvation” be worked out “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Most of Fear and Trembling focuses on the biblical story of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s actions (despite his fear... Read Fear And Trembling Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Depression / Suicide, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1989
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Lyric Poem, African American Literature
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction
Published in 2011, Fifty Shades Darker is E. L. James’s second installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy which includes Fifty Shades of Grey (2011) and Fifty Shades Freed (2012). Anastasia Steele has ended her relationship with entrepreneur Christian Grey after feeling daunted by his specific tastes and shady secrets. However, when Christian proposes a new arrangement, Ana cannot help herself, and they rekindle their romance. As Christian grapples with his inner demons, Ana must face... Read Fifty Shades Darker Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Book Details & Major ThemesFifty Shades of Grey is an erotic romance novel written by E. L. James and published in 2011. The story has origins as fanfiction for the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. In August 2009, James posted it on fanfiction.com as Master of the Universe under the pen name Snowqueens Icedragon.After reworking the story as original fiction, James published the newly named Fifty Shades of Grey through the Writer’s Coffee Shop, an... Read Fifty Shades of Grey Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Romance, Humor
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Inspirational, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Bullying, Love / Sexuality, Poverty, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Biography
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, LGBTQ
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags History: World, Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Finnegans Wake is a 1939 novel by James Joyce. The experimental style of the novel has given Finnegans Wake a reputation for being one of the most challenging texts in the English language. Joyce’s use of idiosyncratic language and phrasing, his structural innovations, and his ambitious themes attempt to explore the boundaries between sleep, dreams, and waking life. Though Finnegans Wake has not been adapted into other media in its totality, its influence and legacy... Read Finnegans Wake Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Romance, Relationships
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Romance, Sports
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Flipped is a contemporary young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen. The main characters, Juli Baker and Bryce Loski, are neighbors in Mayfield, a fictional American town. Now in eighth grade, the two protagonists reveal the story of their relationship in a dual narrative of alternating first-person chapters that recount how Juli “flips” for Bryce at a young age but later decides she is not interested…right around the time Bryce finally “flips” for Juli. The... Read Flipped Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1933
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Animals