My 10 Favorite YA Couples

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each week, she will post a new Top Ten list topic for everyone to weigh-in on. Link back to That Artsy Reader Girl on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists!

This Week

Valentine’s Day/Love Freebie

I’ve been reading a lot of YA lately. And with that comes my unhealthy obsession with fictional characters, especially when two of them are in love. YA relationships are everything I dreamed of as a teenager, and though I’m almost twenty-five—*gags*—I’m still enamored with and overjoyed by YA couples. Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, star-crossed lovers, love triangles—you name it, I’m obsessed with it. So here are my top ten favorite YA couples.

***BE WARNED: If you haven’t read the books/series listed below, you may want to skip the little tidbit I write about each couple, as there could be mild spoilers pertaining to plot and the characters’ relationships.***

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Top 10 YA Couples

1. Simon + Baz (Simon Snow)

Enemies or lovers is the best romance trop, don’t @ me. The final book in the trilogy comes out this spring, and if Rowell kills one of them OR kills their relationship, I will never believe in love again. Carry On is one of my favorite books of all time, and I love this couple with all my heart.

2. Jude + Cardan (The Folk of the Air)

The end of The Wicked King had me screaming and questioning everything, but The Queen of Nothing left me beyond satisfied and in love with this couple. I may not like Jude all the time, but her relationship with Cardan is *chef’s kiss.* Yes, another enemies to lovers. Seriously. Leave me alone.

3. Nick + Charlie (Heartstopper)

I love love love this series, and this pair makes me cry with happy tears. I related to Charlie a lot, but more so Nick, who doesn’t identify as gay and yet starts to develop feelings for Charlie. I loved this portrayal of LGBT characters. When the Netflix series comes out in the distant future, you know I’ll binge it in one sitting.

4. Edward + Bella (The Twilight Saga)

When I was a young Twihard, I was Team Jacob. I know, I know. But when you’re an adolescent, Jacob does seem more appealing. A hot werewolf pining over his childhood friend? Yes please. I couldn’t believe Bella didn’t choose him over Edward, and even I was obsessed with vampires! But as I got older, I realized I was just blinded by childhood. Edward is the obvious choice here, and their relationship is great. Sure, he’s a little stalker-y and she’s a little annoying, but I love them.

5. Katniss + Peeta (The Hunger Games)

Say what you want about Katniss and Gale being the true pairing — you’re wrong. I could go on and on about how Katniss totally did not love Gale, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll focus on my love for Katniss and Peeta. Poor, poor Peeta. This guy went through hell and back for a girl who really kind of sucked. She treated him pretty horribly. But I’m happy they end up together at the end of the series. Not that this series ends happily or anything — to me it felt pretty dismal despite everything. But I’m glad she finally accepted her feelings for Peeta, despite how truly damaged they both were by the end of the series. If anything, at least they both understood each other and their experiences. My love for this couple is only outweighed by my true sorrow and pity for them both.

6. Bronwyn + Nate (One of Us Is Lying)

These two are the reason I fell so hard for One of Us Is Lying. I loved their chemistry. The “good girl and bad guy” relationship trope is another favorite of mine. They are so good for each other, and I loved watching how their relationship continued into the next book as minor characters. When Nate said they were “endgame” I think I cried.

7. Kal + Auri (The Aurora Cycle)

I am so worried for these two in book 3, I really am. I adore their relationship. That slow-burn love… damn.

8. Literally ALL the couples in The Illuminae Files.

Kady and Ezra. Hanna and Nik. Asha and Rhys. Why are they all so perfect????? The fact that they all survive everything and wind up together and happy is mind-boggling. But I am so, so blessed that they do.

9. Hazel + Augustus (The Fault in Our Stars)

Don’t even think about giving me hate for this one. This is one of my favorite YA novels, and Hazel and Gus are dreamy together. Their story makes me cry every. Single. Time.

10. Blue and Gansey (The Raven Cycle)

Star-crossed lovers?!?! A deadly curse? Say. No. More. The slow burn of this romance is killer (literally).

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Ah… Aren’t fictional relationships so much better than real ones? I think so. I love all of these couples, and I hope you love some of them too. If you haven’t read any of these books/series, I highly recommend them. Who are some of your favorite YA couples? Let me know in the Comments! And feel free to share your own V-Day Top Ten Tuesday links so I can check out your posts! Hope you all have a lovely Valentine’s Day, whether you’re spending it with an actual SO or your favorite fictional characters ❤