The greatest love stories of all timeWe all know that flighty, fluttery feeling of falling in love – our round-up of romantic books includes novels, plays and poems from the ages that will make you experience it all over again, from the first thrill to the pain of separation

Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer, 1380Some love stories stand the test of time and this verse, originally written in Middle English, remains just

as powerful now as it was back in medieval days.

A retelling of the classical story of lovers torn apart by the Greek-Trojan war, Troilus’ initial skepticism of

love, his terrific tumble into its clutches at the sight of Criseyde and his trauma at her broken promise are

the same fuels firing modern rom coms. In fact, it’s so timeless that we still use a word borrowed from the

text: if your loved one “panders” to your every whim this Valentine’s day you, can thank Chaucer for his

character Pandarus, Troilus’ uncle, who sets up the love match at the beginning of the poem.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, 1597The ultimate romance and one of Shakespeare’s greatest works, this story has been told and retold so

many times that people who have never been anywhere near the book will be able to quote the likes of

“Wherefore art thou Romeo?” Seen through modern eyes, parts of the romance falter a little – it’s best to

gloss over the fact that in the original Juliet is supposed to be only 13, and how ‘true’ can love at first sight

between two teenagers really be anyway? But cynicism aside, Shakespeare’s sparkling verse, the

searing poetry, the sheer abandon and vulnerability of the characters as well as the exquisite pathos of

the ending all combine to make this one of the most tear-jerking love stories of all time.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, 1813It would be impossible to have a list of top love stories without including at least one Jane Austen novel

(yes they may essentially be 19th-century chick lit, but who cares?). While any of her books, from Emma

to Persuasion to Sense and Sensibility, could blush and swoon their way on to the list, Pride and

Prejudice’s central pairing is the most definitive of its genre – Elizabeth’s cynical humour and wry tongue;

Darcy’s dashing good looks, large fortune and aloofness; his transformation into the white knight and a

double wedding finale – sigh, it’s the stuff of every little girl’s dreams. With a whole cast of characters that

many of us probably know almost as well as our friends, it’s a frothy, fun and beautifully written read.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, 1847Byronic heroes (as well as romance novels) have their heyday in the 19th-century and Emily Bronte’s

masterpiece houses the epitome of the motif with her brooding and brutal outsider, Heathcliff. Set against

the bleak backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, the novel is as stark and hostile as its setting, recounting

Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw’s all-encompassing but ultimately doomed relationship. Originally

criticised for its ruthless depiction of mental and physical cruelty, it is now considered a classic of English

literature, although the dark mood may not be to everyone’s taste. Either way, it’s likely to make you

wonder if you’ve ever truly been in love. Devastatingly passionate.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, 1847A novel that should probably come with a caveat: ‘warning, may fill you with unrealistic expectations of

romance’. It begins with the childhood of poor orphaned Jane, who’s mistreated by her family and

persecuted at school. She finally finds contentment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, in the employ of the

moody and unconventionally handsome Mr Rochester. Cupid’s arrow slowly tugs at her heart strings until

she is head-over-heels with her aloof master, but, plain and lowly as she is, she realizes it is a doomed

infatuation. And yet the seemingly impossible happens and her love is requited – a lot of drama involving

class clash and previous wives ensues, but it concludes with one of the most triumphant sentences in all

literature, “Reader, I married him.”

Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, 1874What begins as a jovial pastoral tale evolves into the moving love story between a headstrong young

lady, Bathsheba – “of the stuff of which great men’s mothers are made” – and the loyal Gabriel Oak,

dependable and dignified as his name implies. Bathsheba is wealthy and a class above Gabriel, whose

hard work to buy his own plot of land was destroyed during a storm. There are many twists and turns

along the way as Bathsheba flirts with and marries others, but ultimately both meaningless attraction and

the practicality of a wealthier match are cast aside in favors of loving equality. Gabriel’s summary of their

closeness is deceptively simple, “At home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be – and

whenever I look up, there will be you.”

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, 1948We’re first introduced to Cassandra Mortmain with an opening line famous enough to feature on

crosswords and quizzes. “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” Thus do we meet our charismatic 17-year-

old heroine and her eccentric novelist father, bohemian stepmother, beautiful older sister Rose and their

geeky little brother, all slowly starving in a crumbling ancient castle somewhere in the English countryside.

Suffering from writer’s block, there is hardly enough money for Cassandra’s father to buy bread, let alone

fix the roof, but hope arrives in the form of two handsome American brothers, who also own the land the

family lives on. A tangled love triangle between Cassandra, Rose, the two brothers and the simple

gardening boy ensues, with a twist ending and another memorable closing line. “I love you. I love you. I

love you.” Magical, enchanting and delightful.

 

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, 1993Like every good love match, Seth’s novel is intricate, complex and, at 591,552 words, seemingly never-

ending. But don’t let its size put you off – set in the 1950s, in a newly independent India, A Suitable Boy

takes us into the vividly depicted world of four extended families and their relationships. At the heart of it

all is a search for love; Lata and her mother, Rupa, are both trying to find a ‘suitable boy’ for Lata to

marry. With moments of humour, horror, warmth and sadness, this is a beguiling and satisfying book that

sheds light on the ups and downs of life and love in a society in flux.

Enduring Love by Ian McEwan, 1997A fascinating exploration of the meaning of love. What begins with a quiet picnic in the park between a

long-term couple, Joe and Clarissa, ends in a disastrous tangle of emotion, mistrust and suspicion after

Joe and a fellow onlooker, Jed, try to rescue a family whose hot-air balloon is crashing to the ground. The

disaster is the catalyst for Jed, who suffers from the mysterious mental disorder de Clerambault’s

syndrome – which causes the sufferer to believe that someone else is in love with him or her – to cultivate

a dangerous obsession. He gradually erodes the joyful bubble of Joe and Clarissa’s life, testing their

relationship and their trust in each other, driving them both to the brink. Darkly dramatic, McEwan’s crisp

prose and masterful structure makes this a gripping read.

One Day by David Nicholls, 2009What at first seems like a typical boy-meets-girl fairy tale turns into the witty narrative of two very good

friends, Emma and Dexter, whose will-they-won’t-they story will strike a chord with anyone who has ever

struggled to find themselves or had to wait to find love. Told in snapshots of the same day over the course

of 20 years, this is a cleverly structured, often hilarious and ultimately heart-shattering novel that leaves

you with the haunting sense of how life can pass you by if you don’t seize the day.