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.

Publication year 1609

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Relationships


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2011

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Animals, Philosophy, American Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: European, Politics / Government, British Literature, Animals, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Class, Relationships, Journalism, Bullying, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration

Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Magical Realism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, History: World


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Stardust is a historical fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. The novel was originally published in 1999, though an illustrated comic book miniseries preceded the prose text in 1997, along with a full-length illustrated edition in 1998. It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1999 and was nominated for the Locus Award. Stardust was adapted into a film in 2007 and a radio production in 2016. The novel uses traditional folkloric... Read Stardust Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Objects

Tags Humor, Satire, Magical Realism, Absurdism, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1954

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Romance, Love / Sexuality

The Story of O is a 1954 erotic novel written by French writer Anne Desclos under the pen name Pauline Réage. Explicit and intense in tone, the work centers on the sexual life and fantasies of O, who engages in sadomasochistic play with her lover and several other figures, both men and women. At the time the novel was written, women in Europe faced an atmosphere that was repressive both sexually and professionally, leading many... Read Story of O Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Romance


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Relationships, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1913

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Modernism

Swann’s Way is a novel by French writer Marcel Proust. First published in 1913, it is the first volume in a series titled In Search of Lost Time. The series is famous for Proust’s exploration of memory and nostalgia and is widely considered among the greatest works of world literature. Swann’s Way has been adapted for film, television, and stage. This guide is based on an eBook version of the 1922 Henry Holt and Company... Read Swann's Way Summary