24 books about love you shouldn't be ashamed to read

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Novels proven over the years and modern works that are worth your attention.

Classic literature

1. "The Great Gatsby" by Francis Scott Fitzgerald

The cult novel unfolds for its readers a picture of American life in the mid-1920s. Jazz, noisy parties that are not a hindrance to dry law, and easy money - this is how the life of the rich and famous looks like.

The main character, Jay Gatsby, is distinguished by an outstanding mind and tremendous vitality. These qualities helped him get rich in order to win the heart of his beloved woman, empty and ordinary. But the love found for a short time did not bring happiness to Gatsby.

2. Patterned Cover by Somerset Maugham

All that glitters is not gold - to understand this common truth, the main character of one of Maugham's best novels had to go through many trials.

It seemed to the young woman that she was living a brilliant life, but all her aspirations, as it turned out, were false, and her attachments were empty. However, the real strong feeling and pain of loss changed Kitty forever and helped her in the end to find herself.

3. "Arc de Triomphe", Erich Maria Remarque

A chance meeting of two lonely people in Paris. He is hiding from the Gestapo, she is trying to deal with her life. He loves, she masterfully plays love. The tragic ending puts everything in its place and gives the main character hope for finding new happiness in another country.

This is not just a novel, it is the thinnest web of feelings and thoughts that will surely find a response in the soul of every reader.

4. Lady Chatterley's Lover by David Herbert Lawrence

A young woman, Lady Chatterley, is married to a wonderful man. She has a position in society, honor and respect of others. But there is no love and no hope for motherhood. Driven into the framework of decency and tradition, she finds her happiness in the arms of another man, much lower than her on the social ladder.

Sensual and poignant story at one time caused the censure of prim Englishmen and was banned for publication until 1960.

5. "Dark Alleys", Ivan Bunin

The collection includes the best stories and short stories about love, passion and women. Each image was created by the author with great respect, awe and tenderness. We can say that this book is an ode to love, without which our life is inconceivable.

6. "Garnet Bracelet", Alexander Kuprin

Her family and friends condescendingly laugh at the secret admirer of Princess Vera Nikolaevna. On her name day, she receives a gift from him - a garnet bracelet, which, due to its position, cannot in any way accept. To avoid scandal, the admirer, a modest official, leaves the princess forever, whose image he worshiped for many years.

The tragic finale leads Vera Nikolaevna to the idea that a huge, bright and pure feeling has passed by.

7. The Thorn Birds by Colin McCullough

All the best comes at the cost of suffering: in order to sing the best song, a bird rushes in a thorn bush on the sharpest thorn, and people go through ups and downs in order to find their happiness. This saga introduces the life of the Cleary family. And each hero in it goes his own thorny path: from poverty to prosperity, from suffering to happiness, from loneliness to love.

The love of the main character Maggie and the priest Ralph de Bricassart runs through the whole story.

8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and prejudice - this is what prevents the main character Elizabeth Bennett, who is not rich and intelligent, from believing in the seriousness of the feelings of the noble aristocrat Mr. Darcy, the enviable groom and the object of dreams of many girls. This book, after being published, immediately became one of the most popular novels about love and destiny.

nine. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

This is not just a novel about love, duty and family - it is an encyclopedia of life itself, told with deep feeling. The main character leaves her hateful husband and beloved son for the sake of happiness with another man.

Anna boldly looks into the eyes of a society that openly condemns her behavior. She experiences loneliness and courageously endures suffering, but she does not want to and cannot retreat from the chosen path. The heroine is honest with herself, and the tragic outcome only confirms her choice.

10. "Jane Eyre", Charlotte Brontë

The whole world knows this story: the young governess Jane Eyre enters the service in the house of Mr. Rochester, to whom, despite his gloom and outward severity, she even becomes attached.

Jane is poor, not pretty and has had time to experience a lot of sorrows. And she does not immediately understand that the gloomy house holds much more secrets than it seems at first glance. Fate divorces the main characters - trials await them, but a true feeling helps to survive all the hardships and hardships.

11. "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell

A legendary novel that needs no special introduction. The main character, the beauty Scarlett O'Hara, has a proud disposition and strong character. And she desperately needs the love of Ashley Wilkes, her cousin's husband.

In pursuit of what she is not destined to get, Scarlett does not notice the feelings of Rhett Butler, whom she married out of despair. However, the complete collapse of the family makes her think and overestimate her desires.

12. "Awakening" by Kate Chopin

The life of the main character Edna is like a boring dream: husband, children, worries. Outwardly, everything is fine, and it would seem that this is exactly what a woman should dream about. But at some point, Edna suddenly wakes up and realizes that she has her own desires. Including the desire to love and be loved.

As a result, the crushing power of love and an affair with another man change not only the life of the main character, but also her attitude towards people and herself.

Contemporary works

1. The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje

A young nurse, Hana, tends to a burned man found in the desert. Nothing is known about him, and everyone calls him simply "the English patient."

The nurse reads aloud to him, and gradually pictures from his past appear in front of him. A special place among them is occupied by the hero's love story for a married woman. Sensual and tragic storytelling will not leave the readers indifferent.

2. "The Reader", Bernhard Schlink

A piercing and touching love story of a mature woman and a 15-year-old boy, which cuts deep into the heart. She asks him to read aloud to her, he is surprised, but willingly does it - perhaps, not to find a more grateful listener. But their connection is cut off by the sudden disappearance of the main character.

After 15 years, they meet again, but under unexpected circumstances. The ending of the novel will surely knock down readers.

3. "Loneliness on the Net", Janusz Wisniewski

The network correspondence for the two main characters becomes the basis of their passionate romance. They live in different countries, they have different professions and different lives on the other side of the screen.

Communication without obligation, but with the opportunity to speak out and share intimate, is captivating and addictive. They plan to meet in real life, and the main intrigue is what will come out of this virtual love when the characters see each other live.

4. "One Day" by David Nichols

The main characters, Emma and Dexter, met by chance at the prom. They might never see each other again, but their friendship grew into something more. And for 20 years now, the main characters have been meeting in the same place on the same day.

Perhaps this is love, they are destined to be together and a happy future awaits them? The finale of the novel gives an unequivocal answer to this question.

5. "Tenderness", David Fonkinos

They are not a couple, but they will be together. Natalie survived the loss and is in no hurry to rush into a new relationship, despite the efforts of the men around her. And her heart will open only to those who show exceptional delicacy and tenderness in relation to her fragile soul.

A graceful love novel became the basis of the film of the same name with Audrey Tautou in the title role.

6. "Possess," Antonia Bayette

Possess: truth, knowledge, heart, love. This desire characterizes the actions and attitudes of the protagonists, fictional poets of the Victorian era, and modern literary scholars.

A detective novel, a love story that can be read in one breath. The author's incredible attempt to combine several genres was one hundred percent successful, and the gratitude of readers around the world confirms this.

7. "One Story" by Julian Barnes

Each love story is both unique and banal at the same time. It seems to those in love that they experience feelings hitherto unknown to the world. Others are sure that this has happened millions of times.

The Booker Prize laureate's new novel reveals what is happening in the minds and souls of loving people. The main character is almost 30 years younger than his chosen one. But the age difference does not become an obstacle for relationships and love, which cannot be said about the views and habits of the heroes.

8. Atonement by Ian McEwan

The story of nascent love and passion is crossed out by the perjury of a 13-year-old girl who misinterpreted what she saw from the window. And then comes the war, which turns the lives of the heroes and completes the destruction begun.

The main character Briony is obsessed with the thought of atonement for her guilt and cannot get rid of the hopes of somehow improving the lives of those who suffered from her words. The incredible ending is a real gift from the writer to fans of his work.

9. The Neapolitan Quartet, Elena Ferrante

A series of four books under the general title "Neapolitan Quartet", which tells the story of the life of two friends. Their days are filled with simple things: love, passion, sorrow, joy, hope, pain and happiness.

Lenu and Leela grew up in a place where everyone is used to relying only on themselves. Fate brings them together and separates them, not forgetting to teach different lessons. All books are read in one breath and leave the most pleasant aftertaste.

10. "God of Little Things", Arundati Roy

In the novel, we are faced with colorful India, and against its background - the story of one family, which consists of many different events shown through the eyes of the main characters. This is love, and sorrow, and everything that makes up human existence.

Traditions, prejudices, the desire and need to follow morality, as well as a million colorful details create a magnificent outline of this novel.

11. “I loved her. I loved him ", Anna Gavalda

The main character Chloe was left by her husband. He went to his mistress, despite his two lovely daughters. A young woman is ready to give up, but her father-in-law (husband's father) Pierre intervenes in the matter.

His support and participation help Chloe get through a difficult time and find the strength to believe in happiness and self-importance. Love never ends - the author convinces us of this.

12. "The Bridges of Madison County" by Robert Waller

Four days of happiness - and a long life with an unloved husband. This is exactly what happened to the exemplary wife and mother of Francesca, who accidentally met the photographer Robert. He goes to shoot the bridges of Madison County, and she volunteers to show him the way.

Sunstroke, passion, flash - whatever it is, Francesca does not dare to make global changes in her life and buries these four days of happiness in the depths of her soul.