Oh, Lily Maxton–making my TBR pile grow yet again! Not only am I in the middle of THE MISTAKE as I write this (so good! Release coming soon), but now I’ve got to add all the books from her list below that I haven’t yet read to the pile too… 😉
Ten Fictional Couples That Make Me Swoon
Ah, romantic couples—the ones who are silly together, or kick ass together, or can never have each other, or start off as worst enemies. These couples are all unique because the people in them are unique, but they all have one thing in common—they make readers feel—they make them sigh, cry, laugh, or anything in between.
Here is a countdown of my favorite fictional couples (from any genre), and yes, I know I’ve missed a lot, particularly some good YA ones, but I can only do so many. Please don’t hate me.
*Spoiler alert*
Some of these pairings might be pairings you don’t want to know about—the ones I think constitute the biggest spoilers are The Hunger Games and The Queen’s Thief series, and possibly Blue-Eyed Devil and The Taming of the Duke.
Read at your own risk.
- From The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Katniss and Peeta: “What I need is the dandelion in the spring.”
What can I say about Peeta—he’s the epitome of the good guy. Which might not sound romantic, but when you know he has the heroine’s back and would do pretty much anything for her, it becomes pretty sigh-worthy. These two—Katniss with her toughness and Peeta with his gentleness—balance each other out.
- From Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx
Ennis and Jack: “… if you can’t fix it you’ve got to stand it.”
This couple makes me cry. Every single time. Nuff said.
- From What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long
Genevieve and Alex: “A proper kiss, Miss Eversea, should turn you inside out.”
The romance between the quiet young woman who thinks she’s in love with someone else and the fearsome duke who also happens to be about twenty years older than her is somehow both whimsical and lush. Love them together so, so much.
- From Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
Hardy and Haven: “For you, honey…I’m trouble.”
This is my favorite of Lisa Kleypas’s contemporaries. Hardy grew up poor and worked for everything he has. Haven grew up in a wealthy family and was in an abusive relationship she’s still recovering from (which Kleypas handles deftly). When these two opposites are drawn together, it’s not only really sexy, but heart wrenching.
- From Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Jane and Mr. Rochester: “I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart!”
Ah, the forerunner of every romance featuring a governess and her dark, brooding employer. I especially like how bizarre Mr. Rochester can be and how Jane takes it all in stride—does anyone remember the scene where he dresses up as a gypsy woman so he can question Jane about her feelings? Classic!
- From The Taming of the Duke by Eloisa James
Rafe and Imogen: “…the only thing that really mattered to me was keeping you alive.”
Ok, the story is far-fetched, but these two just blow me away. Something about their chemistry or the fact that they push each other’s buttons like crazy but they also sort of heal each other. Or maybe it’s that scene where they race horses at night (which, ok, isn’t safe—but that scene has stayed with me for a long time).
- From Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy: “In vain I have struggled. It will not do.”
Does this really need an explanation?
- From As You Desire by Connie Brockway
Harry and Desdemona: “You are my Egypt.”
Harry and Dizzy are two misfits who’ve found a place for themselves in a foreign land. They’re both friends and occasional antagonists. While I love Dizzy, I think Harry really takes this above and beyond for me—he’s so hopelessly, inexorably in love with Dizzy, it just makes me want to swoon.
- From Emma by Jane Austen
Mr. Knightley and Emma: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
Yes, I’m placing Knightley and Emma slightly above Elizabeth and Darcy. I know some people think Knightley is too overbearing toward Emma, but I don’t see it that way. Emma can be quite a snob sometimes, and I think Knightley’s honesty truly helps her grow as a person. Neither of them is afraid to challenge the other—and this makes for a thrilling romance. And that part when Mr. Knightley dances with the spurned Harriet…be still my heart!
- From The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner
Eugenides and the Queen of Attolia: “Calf love doesn’t usually survive amputation, Your Majesty.”
So some of the others in the list are interchangeable as far as rank, but this one had to be first. These two have gone on an insane roller coaster ride. From Gen’s imprisonment under the queen’s orders, to the amputation (shudders), the Queen of Attolia showed herself to be a ruthless adversary. But Gen saw something underneath the cold exterior…while more or less stalking her in her palace. This isn’t your flowers and puppies type of romance. I like that the queen softens somewhat from Gen’s influence, but never completely—she’s not nice, and she never will be, but she’s wonderfully complex, just as Gen is. These two characters are pure awesomeness.
About the Author:
Lily Maxton grew up in the Midwest, reading, writing, and daydreaming amidst cornfields. After graduating with a degree in English, she decided to put her natural inclinations to good use and embark on a career as a writer.
When she’s not working on a new story, she likes to tour old houses, add to her tea stash, and think of reasons to avoid housework.
Find Lily Maxton online:
The Mistake
by Lily Maxton
Release date: 4/14/15
About the book:
Childhood love never disappears…
Infamous courtesan Julia Forsythe is the former mistress of a ruthless marquess. She’s also expecting his child. But while she longs to flee from his cold clutches, the welfare of her unborn babe prevents it. Now she must find a way to remain a “mistress” in name, if not in deed. And her plans are only complicated by a growing affection for the estate’s head gardener…
Fifteen years ago, Adam Radcliff once shared a close friendship with Julia. Now they stand worlds apart in both lives and statuses, sharing only the memory of that old friendship. But even as Julia slips out of the marquess’s lascivious clutches, she finds herself seeking the pleasure of Adam’s company. Now Adam is falling more deeply for Julia, even knowing that wanting another man’s mistress will only bring ruin upon them both…