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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, History: World, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Music, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, Fantasy
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
American author Louise Erdrich’s debut novel, Love Medicine, was first published in 1984 to critical acclaim. A bestseller and winner of the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, the novel follows three generations of members from five Ojibwe families in Minnesota and North Dakota. Lyrical, metaphorical, and a complex exploration of oppression, joy, and family, the novel is both a record of history and an analysis of love. Blending the genres of historical... Read Love Medicine Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Romance, Humor, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Free verse, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1999
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Food
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1598
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Humor
Love’s Labour’s Lost is an early Shakespearean comedy, produced in the burgeoning theatrical culture of Elizabethan London. It tells the story of four Lords, led by the King of Navarre, who swear to dedicate three years to study and avoid women. However, they immediately fall in love with four ladies, led by the Princess of France. The play follows their attempts to woo the ladies, while a host of comedic characters in the subplot squabble... Read Love's Labour's Lost Summary
Publication year 1989
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, African American Literature
“Love Song for Alex, 1979” is a lyric sonnet that Margaret Walker wrote for her husband. The poem is frequently labeled a sonnet because of its 14 lines, though it doesn’t follow the strict rhyme scheme of a traditional sonnet. In the style of lyric poetry, the poem expresses Walker’s warm feelings for her husband. Though it doesn’t reveal a narrative, we can glean some details about the couple’s relationship from the poem.Poet BiographyMargaret Walker... Read Love Song for Alex, 1979 Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Jerry Spinelli’s beloved free-spirited character from his eponymously titled 2000 young adult novel, Stargirl, returns in this companion work Love, Stargirl (2007). Writing the “World’s Longest Letter” to her ex-boyfriend, Leo, 16-year-old Stargirl chronicles her new life in Pennsylvania. Lonely and emotionally wounded by Leo’s rejection, Stargirl struggles to regain her confidence. Over the course of a year, Stargirl forms lasting friendships, falls for charismatic bad boy, Perry, and learns important lessons about self-worth and... Read Love, Stargirl Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1904
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Colonialism
Tags Music, Play: Drama, Italian Literature, Romance
Madam Butterfly is the English adaptation of the tragic Italian opera Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini. It opened in Milan in 1904, and the orchestral score was first published in 1906 by Giulio Ricordi. Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa wrote the libretto (text of the opera). Puccini based his opera on the play by David Belasco and story by John Luther Long, as well as the novel Madame Chrysanthème by Pierre Loti. These sources, and... Read Madame Butterfly Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1817
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Written in 1816-1817 by the British poet Lord George Gordon Byron, Manfred is a closet drama, meaning that Byron never intended it to be produced onstage despite writing it in the style of a play in verse, with dialogue parts for various characters. The work centers on the guilt of the eponymous Manfred over his tragically flawed romantic relationship with a woman named Astarte. Many critics believe that Manfred and Astarte’s relationship is implied to... Read Manfred Summary
Publication year 1814
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Classic Fiction, History: World, Regency Era, Romance, Historical Fiction, British Literature
Mansfield Park (1814) is the third novel by English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817). Set in Regency-era England, Mansfield Park is a bildungsroman, charting the life of Fanny Price from childhood to adulthood. At the age of 10, Fanny is sent from her poverty-stricken home to live with her wealthy uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram. The narrative follows the protagonist’s struggles adjusting to life at Mansfield Park, her moral challenges, and her secret... Read Mansfield Park Summary