Hello lovelies! How are you? Today I have another Top Ten Tuesday post for you. Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Artsy Girl and this week’s topic is: Favorite Couples in Books. Which is perfect for me since I’m doing a whole romantic, Valentine’s theme on my blog all week and I always love getting a chance to shout about my favorite ships with you guys. So let’s shout, shall we?
10. Monty & Percy- The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“We are not broken things, neither of us. We are cracked pottery mended with laquer and flakes of gold, whole as we are, complete unto each other. Complete and worthy and so very loved.”
Percy and Henry are best friends who are madly in love with each other and pining cause they’re both clueless about how the other person feels and yes, I’m trash for this trope. I love how protective and supportive these two are of each other.
9. Juliet & Dawsey – The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
“I believe that I am in love with a flower-growing, wood-carving quarryman/carpenter/pig farmer. In fact, I know I am.”
These two have that kind of slow-burn friends to lovers romance and I find it so endearing how oblivious they both are about each other’s feelings. And who doesn’t love a couple who found each other through books?
8. Penny & Sam – Emergency Contact
“I like knowing that you exist. It doesn’t make me feel any less lonely, because life is lonely, but it makes me feel a lot less alone.”
“Penny thought of this Korean saying for when you really, really liked something. You’d say it ‘fit your heart exactly.’ Sam fit her heart exactly.”
Penny and Sam both have some sharp edges, but they’re just so soft and sweet with each other. I love the way their so open and vulnerable in their texts, but kind of awkward in real life. It’s such a relatable teenage romance.
7. Aliena & Jack – The Pillars of the Earth
“She wanted to say ‘I love you like a thunderstorm, like a lion, like a helpless rage…”
Jack’s fascinated by Aliena he moments he sees her, when they’re just kids and world’s apart. But it takes a long time for her to return his feelings and even longer for them to get together. I love their devotion to each other, they never give up on their love
6. Feyre & Rhys – A Court of Mist and Fury
“To the stars who listen— and the dreams that are answered.”
I know there’s a lot of mixed feeling about this couple and these books in general, but though I think it can be a bit much sometimes I love Feyre and Rhys together. They’re such a power couple and the definition of a team, I love that.
5. Evelyn & Celia – The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
“Please never forget that the sun rises and sets with your smile. At least to me it does. You’re the only thing on this planet worth worshipping.”
This might not have been my favorite book of the year, but I loved the romance between Evelyn and Celia. Their relationship’s very intense and passionate, but also sweet and tender.
4. Jude & Oscar – I’ll Give You the Sun
“I gave up practically the whole world for you,” I tell him, walking through the front door of my own love story. “The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything, I gave it all up for you.”
Jude and Oscar both have their demons, but they compliment each other perfectly and make each other’s lights shine brighter. Also: Jude being a mess over his English accent, leather jacket and James Dean-leaning is a mood.
3. Nina & Matthias – Six of Crows
“Nina, I am with you because you let me be with you. There is no greater honor than to stand by your side.”
No offense to Jude & Cardan, but this is still the best enemies to lover content my eyes have been blessed with. Nina is a force of nature and Matthias worships the ground she walks on, as we all should. I think it’s beautiful how these two help each other grow.
2. Marya & Koschei – Deathless
“How I adore you, Marya. How well I chose. Scold me; deny me. Tell me you want what you want and damn me forever. But don’t leave me.”
Marya and Koschei’s relationship is one that’s full of power struggles, secrets and betrayals, but I’m so drawn to the intensity and complexity of it. I find their dynamic endlessly fascinating.
1. Emma & Mr. Knightly – Emma
“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
I can’t read (or watch) the scene in Emma where Knightly finally confesses his love without smiling like a dam fool, these two are just so cute together and I love that they don’t just love, but also like each other so much.
What do you think of my choices? Do you ship these couples too? Who’s your favorite book couple?
Great list! I love Nina and Matthias and Monty and Percy. I really need to read The Pillars of the Earth – it’s been on my TBR for years!
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Thank you so much! They’re the best ❤️ I had The Pillars of the Earth on my TBR for years too and finally read it last month – it was so wroth the wait. I hope you’ll love it!
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100% agree with TGGTVAV, SOC and ACOMAF! Most of the others are on my TBR…great post 🙂
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Thank you so much! I’m glad you agree with my choices ❤️
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I didn’t put Deathless on my list because I wanted to talk about more “traditional” romances in which the characters aren’t deliberately trying to hurt each other at times, but do I love those dynamics. It’s not a villain romance, but… it has some elements in common with them and of course it was one of the best things I had ever read.
“I’m so drawn to the intensity and complexity of it”
This exactly. This is what I look for in unusual romances, the messiest it gets the more I like it. I loved everything about the way the Koschei/Maria relationship developed. (And the book is gorgeous and all that, but Valente wrote it so it’s a tautology.)
Also I love this list and I guess I really should read Emergency Contact
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I mean “not actively trying to hurt each other” is definitely a good requirement to have in a romantic relationship, but we can’t help it if love dark, complex, morally ambiguous couples right? I need more villain romances and villain romance adjacent couples in my life! Also, I had to google tautology, so thank you for teaching me something new today.
I know m/f YA contemporary isn’t your favorite so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to you, but if you’re going to read a m/f YA contemporary I’d very much recommend you read that one.
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Ooh, Aliena and Jack are a good answer.
This is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
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Thank you! I’m glad you think so 😊
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I love it! I need to read SoC big time. I love a good enemy to lover romance.
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Thank you! So do I! You’re going to love Nina and Matthias ❤️
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Can’t wait!! 😊
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I always thought Nina & Matthias were such an underappreciated couple, it’s so nice to see them featured in a list and all the love in the comments! Emma and Mr Knightly are such a great couple as well.
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I’m so glad I’m not the only one who think so! They’re my favorite couple in the series and they don’t get enough love. Emma and Knightly make me swoony 😊
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PENNY AND SAM, PENNY AND SAM AHHHH. Sorry I’m screaming a little bit, I just adore them SO much. This book is one of my favorite and I loved their relationship too much ❤ So happy to see it on your list! I also loved Nina and Matthias, though Kaz and Inej were my favorite in this series and, Jude and Oscar, yay! I'll Give You The Sun is such a great book ❤
Loved this list! ❤
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I’m so glad you love Penny and Sam so much too! They really are the sweetest and I don’t think they get enough love ❤️ I’ll Give You the Sun is my favorite, I could reread it forever ❤️ Thank you for the lovely comment!
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Great list. Juliet and Dawsey made mine too. Although I went for different Austens.
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Thank you so much! There are so many great Austen couples to choose from 😊
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I’m so happy to see The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society mentioned on your list. I feel like it’s so under appreciated & I just loved it so much!!
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I agree! It’s so underrated and such a lovely read 😊
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Great list! I can’t believe I forgot about Monty & Percy 😦
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Thank you so much! There are so many wonderful couples to choose from 😊
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I really like Nina and Matthias as well. I wouldn’t mind reading a prequel starring these too either. Great list!
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Thank you so much! I would love to read a Nina and Matthias prequel, I need more of those two!
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Juliet and Dawsey, and Evelyn and Ceila both almost made it on to my list!
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They’re both such wonderful couples 😊
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Nina and Matthias…don’t make me sob </3
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SORRY I just love them so much ❤️
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This is such a great list and I can’t wait to read some on here that I haven’t yet. Nina & Matthias is one of my favorites and you are so right, we should all worship her the way she deserves! ❤
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Thank you so much, I’m so glad you agree! It’s Nina’s world and we’re just living in it ❤️
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I like the Emma and Knightley pick even if I’ve only seen the movie. And The seven Husbands has me really curious since I really liked the other Taylor Jenkins Reid book I read.
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I love the movie! It’s (almost) as good as the book 😊 Taylor Jenkins is one of my favorite authors, I’ve loved all the books I’ve read by her. I hope you’ll enjoy Evelyn Hugo!
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Oooh I definitely love Nina and Matthias! Juliet and Dawsey too, but I’ve only watched the movie, need to read that one soon, and The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, I feel like I’m a century behind on reading. xD I personally love Kell and Lila from Shades of Magic – now that’s a slow burn 🙂
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Nina and Matthias are everything ❤️ I read the Guernsey so I could watch the movie, but it’s been months and I still haven’t watched the movie. So I’m definitley a couple of centuries behind on some stuff too! I’ve only read A Darker Shade of Magic – but I already ship them so hard 😊
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Eek hope I didn’t ruin my book experience by watching the movie. :S I really liked it because I’m totally in love in both main actors, so they being a movie couple was something I HAD to see. 😀
Ouch, hope I didn’t spoil anything, although since Rhy is gay, I think it’s pretty clear right at the start that there’s something between Kell and Lila. 🙂
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I’m sure it’ll be fine, it’s not like it’s a super plot-driven book that’s spoiled by knowing what happens 😊
If that’s a spoiler I was spoiled before I even read the book and I mean, ain’t that the way it usually goes in YA fantasy? 😉
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Haha well yeah, you’re right, you could have expected it simply as a standard YA fantasy plot. 😀
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Ah I love Monty and Percy!! The Seven Husbands agh I want to cry again that was such an amazing book. Ah I’m actually on my last few chapters of Emma and it’s so wonderful.
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They’re all such wonderful couples! I’m so, so happy you’re loving Emma! 😊
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I can never get enough of Nina and Matthias! 😍 Honestly I’m not over Evelyn and Celia, they deserved more time together!!!
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Same! I wish we could get more Nina and Matthias ❤️ And yes, Evelyn and Celia deserved better!!!
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Sadly I haven’t read any of these books yet but almost every book is on my TBR 😂 Also, I thinm once I read these, I would definitely agree with your choices, for all these couples look lovely 😊
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I hope you’ll enjoy them all once you get to them! Happy reading 😊
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Feysand 💜💜💜 they are my OTP!
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They’re the OTP over all OTPs ❤️❤️❤️
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Great picks! I agree wholeheartedly with Nina and Matthias. Both of them know when to hold on and let go of each other when it’s the best course of action to take, and I find that love admirable. As for Juliet and Dawsey, I spent the front part of the book thinking “will they get together??” until they did and I loved the proposal scene so much!
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Thank you so much! That’s such a beautiful to put it and I agree, it is an admirable love 😊 I did too! I was so invested in the relationship and the proposal? The cutest!!! I hope they haven’t changed it in the movie.🤞
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The only couple I ship too is Rhysand and Feyre. The romance in Emergency Contact sounds amazing though!
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Rhys and Feyre are the ultimate OTP ❤️
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You’ve picked some great couples! (I must admit, though, that my fave SoC couple is Wylan + Jesper, though Nina + Matthias are still great.) Other than that, I love Benedick + Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare, Rose + Charles from East by Edith Pattou, Lucy + Lockwood from The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud, and Sebastian + Tanner from Autoboyography by Christina Lauren.
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
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Thank you so much! There are so many great couples in SoC, I think Wylan and Jesper are wonderful too 😊 Benedick and Beatrice and Rose and Charles are really good picks too!
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i’ve been meaning to read the Guernsey after i heard the movie came out (can’t watch the movie first) and now you’re making me excited if the ship is top quality fkjdalfka nina and matthias own my heart, they give me too many emotions that i cannot handle.
awesome post, now im a ball of feelings lol
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That’s exactly why I read Guernsey too (still I haven’t watched the movie though, but I will) and it was so good, I hope you’ll love it as much as I do! 😊 Thank you so, so much ❤️
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I am currently rereading Emergency Contact and just DYING over it all over again.
Also, I LOVE your comment about Jude being a mess over Oscar because yes. Yes indeed, so was I, haha.
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I almost started re-reading it today, but I’m re-reading Night of Cake and Puppets instead!
I know, right? Someone get that guy into some footed pajamas 😂
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Love this list! Especially Juliet and dawsey!
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Thank you! ❤️
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