For a second time I’m bringing up this list of my favorite book couples of all time. This time I’m making the list a bit longer so I can put in as many of my favorites as possible. These aren’t the end all, say all of book couples, but they are my all-time favorites as of this period in time. Warning, there may be some spoilers ahead if you haven’t read the full series, or the books in the series at all. Top 5 is probably a lot easier to come up with than a top 15, but I wanted to see where this would go, and I think I’m really happy with the results. Let me know if any of these ships are on your lists, and let me know your top 5 in the comments below!
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Will and Tessa (The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare)
- I had to add a picture of my Cassandra Clare collection given that these books and their couples take up three spaces on this list. My favorite couple of course is Will and Tessa, especially since Will is my all time favorite character! These two meet in possibly the most bizarre situation on this list, but I honestly loved her threatening him with a vase, and Will just offering to rescue her on the spot!
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Rhysand and Feyre (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas)
- These two didn’t start off anywhere near where they end up, but the moment things take off between them it is hard to deny how great they are together, and for each other. I shipped her with Tamlin originally, but I think what happened under the Mountain changed not just their situation, but also who they are, and the relationship that had looked so good turned sour almost instantly in the second book.
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Emma and Julian (The Dark Artifices by Cassandra Clare)
- These two presented a pretty hard case of forbidden romance as they are Parabatai, and not allowed to love each other beyond that of brother/sister. I guess it wasn’t enough what happened with Jace and Clary in City of Ashes, Clare? Regardless, it’s really easy to want to root for these two, and fall in love with how they look out for each other throughout the series, sacrificing for the other’s happiness or well being.
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Jace and Clary (The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare)
- Before Clockwork Instruments and Dark Artifices these two were my favorite, and while they aren’t at the number one spot, I always love seeing them come up in Clare’s books. Jace may be the vision of over confidence/cocky, but Clary’s kindness/patience seem to balance that, and bring out his better, softer side. I’m still waiting for that great happy ending, but I will always pay for another book that has them in it.
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Khalid and Shahrzad (The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh)
- Perhaps my favorite couple from Ahdieh’s work, these two start out technically on opposite sides; she wanting revenge for her friend, and him expecting her to be killed after one night with him. Not the best situation, but the meeting of their two minds and the little chess match between them got them on this list. They start out not expecting love, but end up fighting for it, and eventually fighting to protect one another.
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Kaz and Inej (Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo)
- This couple doesn’t get a lot of focus as far as time together in that capacity, but in the Six of Crows duology, I’d say the subtlety is what made me love them. It isn’t about the kiss or the big moment. Instead it’s about Kaz being able to give up some of his walls/scheming for her, and being there. Those small actions that would typically make you go, that’s all they get, make you smile, and go, I knew it!
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Rafe and Lia (The Kiss of Deception by Mary E Pearson)
- The first book I had no idea which guy Rafe truly was beyond his name, Pearson played it really well. I hoped he was the prince that Lia had just ditched, but had zero clue if it was true. When it is revealed, and he lets her know why he followed her, it kind of just makes you love them even more. I mean, who just searches for someone out of curiosity just for their personality/reasoning?
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Lara Jean and Peter (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han)
- These two were new for me this last year. I’m still unsure why it took me so long to read Han’s books. Lara Jean’s story doesn’t start off with Peter as the main love interest, but when he comes into the picture it’s hard to imagine her with anyone else. He challenges her, and pushes her to have her own life experiences, where before she had been the type to stay in the house watching k-dramas (which I don’t really blame her, they are good).
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Kestrel and Arin (The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski)
- I kind of knew this couple would happen given the summary of the book and the way it starts off, but when the two finally met I questioned it, it was like a standoff, each of them struggling to overcome some of the not so changeable qualities like family relations. It plays a little off the Romeo / Juliet concept if you go off that, but this relationship dictates a lot of the plot line as it steers the two of them into decisions they would never have made alone.
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Mare and Cal (Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard)
- These two aren’t everyone’s favorite couple, their time together in the books being all over the place; good and bad. I also still wish I’d gotten just a little more out of the final book, but you win some, you lose some? When these two are in the good part of their relationship they support one another and push one another to better themselves. It’s not a relationship filled with hugs and sweet kisses all over the story.
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Darcy and Elizabeth (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
- Before 2018 the only way I knew of this couple was through the BBC series with Colin Firth, and the Kiera Knightly film of the same name, but last year finally marked me reading one of my first classics outside of a classroom. The outcome? I loved it! It’s a little slower than my typical YA novel, but the blunders of this couple due to their Pride and Prejudice made up for that slow start. My favorite scene still remains to be the one where he proposes while insulting her. How romantic.
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Percy and Annabeth (Heroes of Olympus / Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan)
- This couple was my OTP from the very beginning, even if Annabeth didn’t see that coming. Between her sharp wit and his corny jokes the two balance each other out, and grow together through the books. I think that was one of the things that made these series so great. You aren’t just getting a snapshot of their lives, you are following them as they grow up year by year. The two start off slowly in romance, but by the end of the first series you can see the two truly care for each other.
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Rowan and Aelin (Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas)
- I won’t lie, I was all for Chaol and Celeana even after the big “incident”. I’m all about forgiving, and while someone freaked out, I was still hoping it would end well together. Enter Rowan. When these two meet she has figured out who she wants to be and is beginning to fight for what she lost. Rowan is tasked to train her, which you can guess just how well that goes.
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Jude and Cardan (The Cruel Prince by Holly Black)
- This is probably one of the strangest of the relationships on this list, these two hating one another’s guts for most of the book until it begins to turn into more confusing feelings. I’m still waiting to see if it’s going to be a sure thing, probably won’t know until the last book the way Holly Black is playing this, but this couple keeps things interesting in this series.
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Jamie and Claire (Outlander by Diana Gabaldon)
- I still need to read the series beyond the first book, but the books are so biiiig. Going off the first book though and the tv series I can say without a doubt that this couple is everything you need in a love story. I love the whole not looking for it, but finding love thing and this series definitely plays off that concept with her falling through time, and though already married being thrown into the events that lead her to Jamie.
What did you think of this list? What are some of your favorite couples? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to like and follow my blog if you enjoyed it!
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