Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love

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.

Fellowship Point

by Alice Elliott Dark

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Death, Aging, Love, Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Community, Beauty, Animals, Plants, Place, Literature, Perseverance

Tags Historical Fiction, Depression & Suicide, Health, Love & Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Social Justice, Science & Nature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Fifty Shades Darker

by E. L. James

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Trust & Doubt, 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

Fifty Shades of Grey

by E. L. James

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Fear, Conflict, Power & Greed, Sexual Identity

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

Finale

by Stephanie Garber

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Love, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Fate, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Finding Margaret Fuller

by Allison Pataki

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Love, Revenge, Femininity, Midlife, Future, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Equality, Fate, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, US History, Gender & Feminism, World History

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Finding Me

by Viola Davis

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Love, Shame & Pride, Family, Siblings, Self Discovery, Art, Justice

Tags Inspirational, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Bullying, Love & Sexuality, Poverty, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Gender & Feminism, Biography

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Finding My Way

by Malala Yousafzai

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fame, Love, Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Place, Family, Marriage, Self Discovery, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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Finnegans Wake

by James Joyce

Publication year 1939

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Language, Appearance & Reality, Memory, Love, Fear, Perseverance, Nostalgia

Tags World History, 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

Fire and Ice

by Erin Hunter

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Teamwork, Community, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Animals

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Firestarter

by Stephen King

Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Love, Family, Fathers

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Trauma & Abuse, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality

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Flipped

by Wendelin Van Draanen

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Forgiveness, Childhood & Youth, Fathers, 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