Favorite Couples

The month of love and Friendship is the perfect timing for this subject. Everyone has their own favorite couples so here we're going to talk about my favorite ones in a few different genres, this is no way a fully complete because there are a lot of books I still need to discover but this list shows my favorites so far:

*YA Dystopian

In the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzzane Collins

We have Peeta and Katniss, the second book in the trilogy, catching fire is where my favorite part of the romance takes place. Peeta is almost perfect, he is kind, loving, dedicated and even if he does not have his feelings reciprocated he is still an amazing human being and still does not act  like an ass towards her. In part the main reason it is one of my favorites is because of how dedicated and the way Peeta can love so fully, even if Katniss for most of the story (the first and second book) she is rather cold to him and can't actually decide to accept his feelings or even decide what she feels for him. 

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Another YA dystopian story, we have Ian and Wanda. In here we have Wanda, an alien who is placed inside a human girl and the way they navigate the hostility humans have towards their invaders all focused on a single individual. We have a wonderful story, Ian like most people hate Wanda since day one because she is an alien and obviously they must be hated and destroyed. But once he starts to get to know Wanda he begins to care and comes to love her. Wanda has a bit harder time getting to know what she feels for Ian 1 because she is not used to feelings and 2 she needs to differentiate between what she feels and what her host body feels. It is a heartwarming story really

*In the Fantasy Genre

In YA we have The Shadow Hunter The mortal instruments Series by Cassandra Clare 

My favorite couple here even if it is mention initially very vaguely is Magnus and Alexander (Alec) they are one of my favorite couples even if most of the development of the relationship is only hinted for most of the books but they face challenges like same-sex couple stigma and the plain discrimination towards Downworlders and rise above them. A lovely love story, the books are ok. 




Half Bad trilogy by Sally Green

In this trilogy, we have Gabriel who since book one is immensely interested in Nathan and he does not shy from showing it and letting him know. Nathan is, however, unable to make up his mind about who he cares for more and takes Gabriel as a best friend instead. Again this couple is only considered good because of the dedication Gabriel shows towards Nathan, standing beside him against all odds, choosing to side with him and fight for the same cause, even when Nathan is "interested" on someone else, who let's face it, is definitely not worth it. XD Super biased opinion I know. But oh well the way Gabriel and Nathan support each other and the way their relationship evolves is something that captures you and makes you love them. 

*Adult Fantasy

The Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks **(spoilers ahead if you have not read the series skip ahead please)**

We have Dazen+Calis, in this one initially you do not see it and you believe The prism is a very superficial and shallow man who does not care at all for Calis. Then you go ahead and believe that Gavin was the man whom Calis loved and that he had the most precious feelings towards her but that they simply could not be together for some reason. 
You eventually learn the truth about Gavin's and Calis' relationship that it was not as everyone had imagined it to be. Also, you get to know more about Dazen and realize that he has really strong feelings for her and you have to admit that is charming. He holds her dear even so many years later. 

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness 

In this story, we have several wonderful couples but my favorite is, of course, Matthew and Diana. They have the classically forbidden relationship and have to face countless enemies because of it, the different creatures are not supposed to mix and yet here they are. The way Matthew has to tone down his dominant behavior towards Diana who is shown throughout most of the story as a very strong independent woman is very endearing as well, they both have to eventually meet in some sort of middle ground: Diana accepting the act she needs to lean on Matthew and him accepting that she does not need to be kept in a bubble. It is a lovely struggle most of their relationship, but one you enjoy seeing unfold.

*Magical Realism

The Raven Boys Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater 

In this one by far, my favorite of the ones included here, of course, Ronan and Adam, for most of the story we see mainly friendship with a few details from Ronan's side of caring for our favorite mechanic/magician/Aglionby student. But it does come as a surprise how Ronan declare his affection towards Adam with seemingly no heads up thrown there to let the poor guy prepare himself for it. It is lovely even if there is very little development of their story as a couple, you only see how Ronan is very brazen and uncaring about of school and mundane things but he is completely dedicated as a friend, brother, and son. Adam is a very down to earth but very insecure young man who dreams of becoming something and he puts a lot of importance in education and he immensely cares about his friends. Throughout the story, we get to know them and care about them enough that them together just makes it amazing. 

*Contemporary
In the YA we have:

Letter's to the lost Duology by Brigid Kemmerer in the second installment More than we can tell we get to know Rev Fletcher and Emma Blue as they both deal with their own personal demons and struggles. They come from different social circles of their lives ( high school of course) and they against all odds end up getting to know each other. The development of their closeness and how they face their own respective dangerous situations make you love them even more as separate people and completely lose with as they try to move on to becoming a couple. It is a heart touching story filled with grief, distrust, trust, friendship, love and so much more, totally worth taking the time to dive right into this duology if you do not shy away from hard-hitting contemporary stories. 

Completely unknown for most people this other contemporary

book Letters through the Sky (cartas por el cielo) by Fabia Tapia, this is a self-published book originally in Spanish not sure if this one is already in English already, Fabian does already have a few of his novellas translated. Oh well, this story follows the letters Adam and Leire send each other as they get to know one another and reveal the attraction they feel towards each other. The whole story is told in letters and their story is touching and alluring, they are people with different backgrounds and they each have different goals but still, they have affections that make them fight the odds and try to get change their paths so they stay together. It is a very short story and yet it is full of angst, love, hope and all kinds of emotions, be ready to be thrown in a rollercoaster of emotions. 

*Adult Contemporary

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

We have Alex and Katie whom both have a tragic past for different reasons and because of it, they hesitate to move on with their lives and accept maybe a new person into it. It is a very realistic portrayal of people trying to open up to a new relationship but they still have baggage of their past showing and they both need to learn to cope with it. It is not simply one day decide to not care, even after they think they have left the past in the depths of their minds paying it no attention it surfaces when they least expected.
It is a very realistic mentality everyone shows here, even the exes of them both XD Really liked it, totally worth taking the time to read it.

Someone To watch over me by Judith McNaught 

Here we have Michael and Leigh, who met briefly in their youth and come face to face many years later both in a very different point of their lives. Again, notice a pattern here, Michael is the knight in shining armor who has harbored feelings for the young girl he met back in the day and has yet not been able to let her go. The circunstances that bring them together are not optimal, Leigh wants nothing to do with Michael but soon he is the only ally she can actually rely on and they get to know each other and fall for each other again. Again the man who is dedicated and caring is hidden behind the cool exterior shown to the world but he opens up to the woman he has harbored feelings for without a care about the world's opinion.