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 2004
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Play: Drama, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, Class, American Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
The Clean House, which premiered at Yale Repertory Theatre in 2004 and opened Off-Broadway in 2006, was the first major play by celebrated American playwright Sarah Ruhl, whose other widely recognized works include Eurydice (2004), Dead Man’s Cell Phone (2007), and In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (2009). The Clean House received a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize in 2004 and was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Ruhl also earned... Read The Clean House Summary
Publication year 1722
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration
The Conscious Lovers is a sentimental comedy play by 18th-century playwright Richard Steele. The play was first performed at Drury Lane in 1722, and it was published the same year with a different Epilogue. The Conscious Lovers, which is based loosely on Andria, or The Woman of Andros, a comedy by ancient Roman playwright Terence, is an explicitly moral comedy, following characters that are rewarded for their uprightness: Bevil Jr. wants to marry Indiana, a woman... Read The Conscious Lovers Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny is the third book in her Chief Inspector Gamache series. Published by St. Martin’s Press, the novel earned the Agatha Award for Best Novel of 2008. Formerly a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) journalist and radio host, Penny published her debut novel, Still Life, in 2005. The first book in the Gamache series, Still Life received numerous awards and propelled Penny into the top echelon of modern mystery writers. The... Read The Cruelest Month Summary
Publication year 1899
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity
Tags Historical Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Russian Literature, Education, Education, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags History: World, Inspirational
Publication year 1914
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Grief / Death, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
“The Dead” is a short story by Irish writer James Joyce. The story is a part of Joyce’s renowned Dubliners collection, first published in 1914, which portrays daily life in the Irish city of Dublin in the early 20th century. In “The Dead,” a literary young man attends a party with his wife. The events at the party prompt him to reflect on his life and his place in the universe. The short story has... Read The Dead Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: 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
Publication year 1485
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages
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
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Fantasy, Humor
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Regency Era
Publication year 1979
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community
Tags Play: Drama, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Disability, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Victorian Period, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, 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
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Lyric Poem, Military / War
Publication year 1951
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, British Literature, History: World, 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