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.

The Death of Artemio Cruz

by Carlos Fuentes, Transl. Alfred J. MacAdam

Publication year 1962

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Death, Love

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature

Panamanian-born Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes wrote The Death of Artemio Cruz (La Muerte de Artemio Cruz) in 1962. It was Fuentes’s third novel and established him as a major figure in Latin American literature. The novel belongs to the Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s, which saw the translation of major works of Latin American writers, such as Julio Cortázar (Argentina) and Gabriel García Márquez (Colombia), for circulation in Europe and the United... Read The Death of Artemio Cruz Summary

The Death of King Arthur

by Thomas Malory, Peter Ackroyd

Publication year 1485

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Action & Adventure, Medieval

First published in 1485, Thomas Malory's Le Morte d’Arthur collected the mythological-historical legends about King Arthur from numerous source texts into a comprehensive prose narrative divided into plot sections and written in late Middle English. Although multiple men named Thomas Malory lived around that time, the most likely author was an English knight, later a prisoner in Newgate, who would have been educated in all the practices of “courtesy” (knightly conduct). The title of his... Read The Death of King Arthur Summary

The Door

by Magda Szabó

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Love, Memory, Death, The Past, Place, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Classic Fiction

... Read The Door Summary

The Door of No Return

by Kwame Alexander

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Place, Family, Siblings, Grandparents, Friendship, Mothers, Equality, Power & Greed, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Literature, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Language, Masculinity, Race, Love, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Colonialism, Community, Death, Nation, Education, Self Discovery, Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Free Verse, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, History: African , African American Literature, World History

... Read The Door of No Return Summary

The Do-Over

by Lynn Painter

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Conflict, Love, Self Discovery, Order & Chaos

Tags Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business & Economics, Dramatic Literature, Romance, Fantasy, Humor

... Read The Do-Over Summary

The Drawing of the Three

by Stephen King

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Love, Mental Health, Death, Friendship, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Western, Action & Adventure

... Read The Drawing of the Three Summary

The Duke and I

by Julia Quinn

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Trust & Doubt, Shame & Pride, Love, Perseverance, Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma & Abuse, Gender & Feminism, World History, Regency Era

... Read The Duke and I Summary

The Elephant Man

by Bernard Pomerance

Publication year 1979

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Disability, Love, Community

Tags Drama, Life-Inspired Fiction, Disability, Health, Relationships, Victorian Period, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Elephant Man, a one-act play by American playwright Bernard Pomerance, was first produced in London at the Hampstead Theatre in 1977. The play transferred to New York and played Off-Broadway in 1979, moving to Broadway three months later, where it ran successfully for two years. The play won many awards with its Broadway debut, including a New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play, and... Read The Elephant Man Summary

The Elite

by Kiera Cass

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Hope, Love, Regret, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Globalization, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Literature

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction

... Read The Elite Summary

The End Of The Affair

by Graham Greene

Publication year 1951

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love

Tags Romance, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

The End of the Affair is a romance novel and work of psychological fiction written by British author Graham Greene, originally published in 1951. The narrative takes place in London between 1942 and 1946, during the middle and end of World War II. The work is comprised of five books, or parts, which center around the tryst of three primary characters: Maurice Bendrix, a blossoming writer; Sarah Miles; and Sarah’s ineffective husband, Henry Miles, who... Read The End Of The Affair Summary

The Ersatz Elevator

by Lemony Snicket

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Order & Chaos, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Love, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Family, Teamwork

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Humor, Children`s Literature

... Read The Ersatz Elevator Summary