Top Ten Tuesday (August 14): Book Romances in the Real World

Welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by our friends over at The Broke and the Bookish!

This weekend, one of the contributors over at TBatB, Jamie, is getting married! Congratulations Jamie!

In honor of Jamie’s big day, the topic this week is:

Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make It In The Real World (outside the book)

This one’s fun, because so often in books (especially YA), the characters fall in “love” based on at least one (but most likely all) of the following factors:

1. They are both pretty.

2. They were forced to spend a prolonged period of time alone together.

3. They had an ADVENTURE.

And as we’ve all learned from watching Speed 2: Cruise Control, Annie was right. Those sorts of relationships don’t work.

Wait…we did all watch Speed 2: Cruise Control, right? That’s something we’ve all seen? Yes?

No? Well, that’s probably for the best.

So anyway, our task this week is to come up with 10 books that break free of the curse of insta-love and shallow love and love by proximity. The ones where the relationships would probably have a shot in the real world, where there are such things as morning breath and bad hair days and money problems and laundry and mowing the lawn. It’s tough, but I’m going to try my best.

Um, there may be some spoilers in here, since it’s kind of rare when the characters get together right at the beginning of the book, and yet I would still think they would have a chance in real life. Most of the time when that happens, it’s insta-love, and I’m pretty sure they break up next Tuesday. Sorry.

And it kind of kills me that I can’t put Buttercup and Westley on this list, but seriously, they fall in love based solely on her being pretty as she orders him snootily around her family’s farm, then he leaves, then she’s kidnapped. Twice. Hardly the foundation for a lasting relationship. So while I really want to believe that their true love is the greatest thing in the world (except for a nice MLT), I need to be realistic here.

As an aside, it’s possible I may have gotten carried away with the YouTube compilations. But I don’t care.

10. Kaleb and Lily, Timepiece. Maybe they wouldn’t have gotten married, but their relationship just felt natural to me.

[I’m sorry. The book’s too new. There’s no fan art or YouTube compilations to be had. Just pretend you see a picture of Kaleb dressed as a pirate and Lily dressed as a tiger, ‘kay?]

9. Kathy and Tommy, Never Let Me Go. These two need a shot in the real world. I mean, seriously. I spent the entire book wanting to pluck them out of their terrible, terrible circumstances and set them free in reality. If you haven’t read this book, it is immensely sad, and made all the worse by the characters’ calm acceptance of their fates. Run away, Kathy and Tommy! Run away!

[Warning: This video MAY completely destroy you. At least, that’s what it did to me.]

8. Clare and Henry, The Time Traveler’s Wife. Theirs is a bit of a chicken and the egg romance. What came first, the time travel or their love for each other? They each kind of lead to the other. However, especially in the book, it’s evident that they actually are compatible and they do go through some legitimate real married-couple problems together, so I think even without Henry’s odd condition, they’d still be able to make it work.

7. Jo and Friedrich, Little Women. Disclaimer: I wanted Jo and Laurie together so bad. It pained me when she turned him down. Like, physically, in my gut. But seriously, this relationship is more realistic. She doesn’t get together with her childhood friend, and instead grows up, finds a job, and meets a guy she actually connects with on an intellectual level. So even though I will always throw things when Jo refuses Laurie, I think this couple would make it.

6. Allie and Noah, The Notebook. While highly romanticized, the world of the book actually is the real world, and they do get married and grow old together. And it’s not like romanticized stories never happen in real life.

[Side note: The husband really enjoys this song. And who am I kidding, so do I. Judge if you must.]

5. Jane and Mr. Rochester, Jane Eyre. I think what I love most about this story is Jane never strays from who she is to be with Rochester.

4. Elinor and Edward, Sense and Sensibility. Even in the world of Jane Austen, where everyone has their perfect match, I thought these two stood out.

3. Anne and Gilbert, Anne of Green Gables. I love the way their relationship grows from childhood rivals to cautious friendship to sweet romance.

2. Ron and Hermione, Harry Potter series. Their relationship is built on the foundation of a 7-year friendship. That’s pretty solid footing.

[I may or may not have watched this three times when I discovered it. And cried. Every. Time.]

[EDIT: I just found a better one, which is what is now shown here. The original Ron and Hermione video I used is here]

1. Claire and Jamie Fraser, OutlanderBest love story I’ve ever read. There ya go.

18 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday (August 14): Book Romances in the Real World

  1. Anne & Gilbert and Ron and Hermione were on my list as well!

    And now I’m kicking myself for forgetting about Jo And Friedrich!! Jo will always be my favorite character in Little Women and while at first I was disappointed when she didn’t choose Laurie, it really was for the best. Friedrich is so perfect for her and I love watching their marriage evolve in Little Men!

    Now I want to go watch the movie.
    Sarah @ Breaking the BInding recently posted..[Top Ten Tuesday] Top Ten Book Romances That I Think Would Make It In The Real WorldMy Profile

  2. YAY for Jamie & Claire!!!! <3

    Allie & Noah is a good pick too. Awwww now I want to go watch The Notebook. And yay for Ron & Hermione!

    Great list 🙂

  3. It’s awesome that you picked quite a few classic couples. I totally forgot about Clare and Henry but they’d definitely go on my list too. I loved them together!

    I put Harry and Hermione on my list of couple who never were that would be great but I think Ron and Hermione are great together too. Awesome list!
    Amber M recently posted..Bout of Book 5.0 Update 1My Profile

  4. West Side Story is such a perfect illustration for insta-love based on prettiness. I very nearly put Friedrich and Jo on my list, but my lingering misplaced loyalty to Laurie wouldn’t let me (though I agree Friedrich was a better match). That video for The Notebook set to “Love Story” is too perfect! It made me want to dig out my DVD…
    armchairauthor recently posted..Top Ten Tuesdays: Built to LastMy Profile

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