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.

Written in My Own Heart's Blood

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Fate, Love

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, World History

Written in 2014 and published by Delacorte Press, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood is the eighth book in the Outlander saga by author Diana Gabaldon. The series follows Claire Fraser, a time-traveling World War II nurse who married Jamie Fraser, an 18th-century Highlander and insurrectionist against the British crown. The Fraser family occupies multiple timelines in the series, which celebrates family and romantic love. The novel spans colonial America to the Highlands of Scotland... Read Written in My Own Heart's Blood Summary

Written On The Body

by Jeanette Winterson

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Marriage

Tags Romance, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ+

Written on the Body is a short novel by British author Jeanette Winterson. Several international publications followed the original 1992 publication of the book. The text, which is a first-person narrative, is directed at an adult reading audience. The narrative, which presents accounts of numerous love affairs, also ruminates on the nature of love, fidelity, spirituality, and death. Winterson, who was raised by members of a Pentecostal Church, trained as a missionary and started to... Read Written On The Body Summary

You

by Caroline Kepnes

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Appearance & Reality, Love

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

You is a 2014 thriller novel written by New York Times bestselling author Caroline Kepnes. The story is narrated by Joe Goldberg, a bookstore employee who develops an obsession with an aspiring writer named Beck. The title, You, alludes to the narrator’s obsession; the entire narrative is addressed to Beck in the second person. The novel and its sequels were adapted into a television series of the same name. This guide uses the 2014 Atria... Read You Summary

You Are Jeff

by Richard Siken

Publication year 2019

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Beauty, Trust & Doubt, Love, Shame & Pride, Conflict, Perseverance

Tags LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Narrative Poem

... Read You Are Jeff Summary

You Like It Darker

by Stephen King

Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Aging, Death, Animals, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Grandparents, Community, War, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Self Discovery

... Read You Like It Darker Summary

Young Mungo

by Douglas Stuart

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Masculinity, Mothers, Siblings, Coming of Age, Conflict, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Love

Tags LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Bullying, Social Class, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, European History, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

... Read Young Mungo Summary

Your Fault

by Mercedes Ron

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Fathers, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Love & Sexuality, Romance

... Read Your Fault Summary

You've Reached Sam

by Dustin Thao

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Love, Hope, Memory, Nostalgia, Revenge, Loneliness, Regret, Death, Coming of Age, The Past, Friendship, Appearance & Reality, Music, Trust & Doubt, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Dramatic Literature, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

... Read You've Reached Sam Summary

Yvain, or the Knight With the Lion

by Chrétien De Troyes

Publication year 1176

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Love, Friendship, Justice

Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Narrative Poem, Medieval, French Literature, Education, Education, World History, Fantasy

Completed in the year 1181, Yvain, Or the Knight of the Lion is an epic poem by Chrétian De Troyes that tells the story of Yvain, one of King Arthur’s knights, and the many great deeds he performs as he attempts to earn the love of the Lady Laudine. One of the founding stories of the Arthurian legend, Yvain paints a vivid picture of the knightly code of chivalry during the Middle Ages. Its high... Read Yvain, or the Knight With the Lion Summary