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 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Indian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 1920
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Scandinavian Literature
Kristin Lavransdatter is a trilogy of historical novels by Norwegian author and Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Published between 1920 and 1922, the trilogy consists of The Wreath (see the comprehensive SuperSummary guide to The Wreath here), The Wife, and The Cross. The novels chronicle Scandinavian life during the Middle Ages. They follow the eponymous protagonist, Kristin Lavransdatter, a woman living in 1300s Norway. The trilogy is generally considered Undset’s magnum opus. This guide is... Read Kristin Lavransdatter Summary
Publication year 1819
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1928
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity
Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Historical Fiction
Lady Chatterley’s Lover is a Modernist novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It was written between 1926 and 1928, while Lawrence was living in Italy, and first published privately in 1928. Since it was considered scandalous and obscene, the novel was not widely available in America or the United Kingdom until the 1960s. The novel was controversial because of its explicit sexual content, as well as its depiction of an adulterous affair between... Read Lady Chatterley's Lover Summary
Publication year 1871
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
The narrative follows the exploits of Lady Susan, a beautiful and charming widow whose husband has recently died. Lady Susan is an excellent conversationalist who manipulates men into falling in love with her; they forget her socially unacceptable behavior and incorrigible flirtations after merely speaking with her. At the outset of the novella, Lady Susan has sold off her late husband’s family estate instead of giving it to his younger brother, Charles Vernon, as is... Read Lady Susan Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Food, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Satire, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice
Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1636
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, Arts / Culture, French Literature
Le Cid is a five-act tragicomic play by Pierre Corneille, first performed in 1636 at the Théâtre du Marais in Paris. The plot is based on the Spanish play Las mocedadas del Cid by Guillén de Castro, which itself is based on the legend of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (1043-1099), a Castilian knight and Spanish national hero whose title “El Cid” is derived from the Arabic word for lord, sayyid. Corneille (1606-1684) is considered one... Read Le Cid Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1862
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, French Literature
Les Misérables (in English, The Wretched or The Miserable Ones) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo, published for the first time in 1862. The story follows several characters through early- to mid-19th century France as they seek redemption for their sins and an escape from poverty. As well as being praised as one of the greatest novels of its time, Les Misérables has been adapted for many other formats, most notably a very... Read Les Misérables Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future
Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Place
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Music
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, WWII / World War II, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Military / War, History: World
Life After Life is a work of adult historical fiction written by acclaimed British author Kate Atkinson and published in 2013. Atkinson’s debut novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year prize and her subsequent novels have all been international bestsellers, including the mystery series featuring Jackson Brodie, which has been adapted to a BBC show. Other works by this author include Case Histories, A God in Ruins, and... Read Life After Life Summary