Romance

"The course of true love never did run smooth," wrote William Shakespeare in A Midsummer Night's Dream—and he knew what he was talking about. A text from this study guide collection might be just the thing to remind you of the bliss and pain of love.

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Relationships


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 1740

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance

IntroductionPamela is an epistolary novel (told through letters), written by Samuel Richardson and first published in 1740. It is considered one of the first novels written in English, and significantly contributed to the development of this genre. Richardson, a 51-year-old printer when the novel was published, began the project to provide moral instruction to young women who might find themselves vulnerable to seduction while employed by wealthy men. The novel advocates for the importance of... Read Pamela Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure

John Green’s Paper Towns is a coming-of-age story that follows the lives of two childhood friends, the reserved Quentin Jacobsen and the legendary Margo Roth Spiegelman. Quentin says that every human being is graced with one miracle in their lifetime. His miracle is living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman. He has spent a lifetime obsessing over her, though their friendship has cooled over the years. At the start of the novel, they are in... Read Paper Towns Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Humor, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Romance, Humor, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature


Publication year 1181

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery

Tags Mythology, French Literature, Classic Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1817

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender

Tags Romance, British Literature, Victorian Period, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Classic Fiction, Class, History: World, Historical Fiction

Persuasion is the last novel completed by Jane Austen (1775-1817) before her death. Written between the years 1815-1816 and published posthumously, the Regency-era novel centers on the engagements and marriages of a small circle of middle-class families, with particular attention to the social and private lives of women. Echoing character dynamics found throughout Austen’s works, the romantic protagonists must confront their individual pride before fully realizing their relationship. It has been adapted for television, film... Read Persuasion Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Education, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Peyton Place is a novel depicting sensational and melodramatic events in a small New England town in the 1930s and 1940s; it was written by American novelist Grace Metalious and published in 1956. Peyton Place provoked controversy due to its depiction of taboo topics including sexuality, sexual abuse, and abortion. Nonetheless, the novel sold extremely well, and it was also adapted into successful films and television series. Metalious explores themes such as Shame and Ambivalence... Read Peyton Place Summary


Publication year 1953

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Class, Identity: Femininity

Tags Play: Drama, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction

When William Inge’s play Picnic opened on Broadway in 1953, it received much popular and critical acclaim. In the post-World War II era, in the face of rising paranoia and fear of communism, the televisions that had become fixtures in American homes broadcast idealized portrayals of small-town family life with shows such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952), Make Room for Daddy (1953), Leave it to Beaver (1957), and The Donna Reed Show... Read Picnic Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Relationships, New Adult


Publication year 1836

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality

Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Victorian Period, Education, Education, British Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

“Porphyria’s Lover,” written by English poet Robert Browning (1812-1889), was first published as “Porphyria” in the January 1836 issue of Monthly Depository. It went relatively unnoticed until it was republished in 1842, in the third volume of a series of 12 pamphlets titled Bells and Pomegranates. This volume was titled Dramatic Lyrics and featured several of Browning’s dramatic monologues. “Porphyria’s Lover” details the troubling murder of a young woman named Porphyria told from the point... Read Porphyria's Lover Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Romance, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure

Pretties by Scott Westerfeld is the second book of the Uglies quartet. It is a dystopian science fiction novel set in a world where people believe they are leading lives of luxury, but the cost is more than they can imagine. Published in 2005, Pretties debuted as a New York Times bestseller in both its hardcover and paperback formats. Westerfeld has published more than 20 young adult novels, although he is best known for the... Read Pretties Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Pretty Little Liars is a young adult fiction novel written by Sara Shepard. It is the first book in the Pretty Little Liars series, which features 16 books, along with seven companion novels. The highly successful series was featured on The New York Times best-seller list and adapted into a television show in 2010. The popular show lasted seven seasons and aired on the Freeform Network. Although Shepard had only written eight books in the... Read Pretty Little Liars Summary