Tuesday, August 14, 2012Top Ten Tuesday - Romances You Think Would Last Outside The Book!

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's Top Ten: Romances You Think Would Last Outside The Book!

My first thought was, how can I stop at 10? My second thought was can I lump my favorite Jane Austen couples into one listing? I think I'm going to try.

Without further ado...

1: Aragorn and Arwen and Eowyn and Faramir from The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
Although Arwen has no speaking lines in the book, it is still a deep unbreakable bond they share. As for Eowyn, she was lusting after Aragorn, but he wouldn't give her the time of day. She didn't necessarily settle for Faramir, but rather, found him when she needed him most and when she would open to the possibilities.

2: Mia and Michael from The Princess Diaries By Meg Cabot
He was always steadfast even when she was flighty, but I'll chalk that up to her age. I mean, who would throw perfect, gorgeous Michael over for some 'Me too' yahoo. I'm sure you've all encountered on of those guys before, the type that like everything you like and nothing you don't like. Michael is intelligent, sensitive, romantic and a geek to boot. Geeks do make the best boyfriends.

3: Kelsey and Ren from The Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
Now I know book four has not come out yet, but I am hoping they get they're happily ever after. What they share is far deeper than just being soul mates, it's mystical and Kelsey had best wise up. That's all I'm saying.

4: Georgia and Robbie from the Angus books by Louise Rennison
I have read all the books in the series and there is no way in my mind Georgia doesn't end up with Robbie the Sex God. Come on, Sex God, Rock Star, wants to save the world, he's perfect and willing to put up with Georgia's antics. So while I love the series, in my mind, the series ends after volume two while Georgia and Robbie are happy. It's sort of like the Highlander films for me. The first one was awesome, but it was also the only one because the four or five that followed never existed.

5: Inu Yasha and Kagome from Inu Yasha by Rumiko Takahashi
Add one part dog demon from feudal Japan. Add one part girl from the future. Throw her down a well and shake. What you get is hilarity and hijinks as only Rumiko Takahashi can produce. Sure he has dog ears and is a demon, well half-demon, and he wants to steal the jewel of the four souls for himself and he's cheating on her with his dead corpse like ex-girlfriend, but all relationships have their problems. They were made for each other cause they certainly weren't made for anyone else. He will protect her with his last dying breath while she will travel through time to be with him. It's a match made in manga.

6: Han and Leia from Star Wars by George Lucas
Okay, so he only wrote the first book. Thank the publisher. I'm beginning to think no one should let him have his own ideas. When I first saw Star Wars in the theater, that's right, the drive-in, I was all about Luke. Luke and Leia. Perfect for each other. I know. Eeewww now, but back then we didn't know what we know now. However, by the second time I saw the film, I was like Luke who? and wondered if Han could come fix my hyperdrive. K, not going there. Anyway, the point is I realized Luke was too whiny and Han Solo is a rogue, a scoundrel and he's scruffy looking.

7: Miaka and Tamahome from Fushigi Yugi: The Mysterious Play by Yuu Watase
Oh, sure. He's a character from a book Miaka fell into, but when she gets to his world, he saves her from ruffians, then he tries to charge her for saving her life. That was their first encounter and it was a roller coaster ride from there on in. She's a priestess, needs to stay pure, must summon the guardian dragon and get back to her world, but he's a fictional character in a book. Insurmountable? Not if you really love someone. What these two go through to be together is mind blowing. Just when you think the situation can't get any worse, it does again and again, but it makes the joy all that much sweeter.

8: Isobel and Varen from Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
Geek boyfriend. Need I say more? Cheerleader / geek magnet. The chemistry is undeniable. As the sequel is due out August 28 (squee!!!!!), I guess we'll see if they get their happy ending, but they've both had to make sacrifices for the other. He's brooding, dark, tortured, mysterious, a loner and she is incandescent, shedding light in his twisted world.

9: Laurel and Tamani from The Wings series by Aprilynne Pike
Pah, David. She should never have given David the time of day unless he wanted to know what time it is. Tamani dared to dream what with her being above him socially. I haven't read the final installment, but I can only hope they get to be together in the end. He has loved her all his life and stood by her even when she turned her back and chose another. Most people might give up, but he remained constant through it all.

10: Jane Austen couples: Lizzie and Darcy (P&P), Emma and Mr. Knightly (Emma), Anne and Frederick (Persuasion).
Not that I don't like Fanny and Edmund from Mansfield Park, Catherine and Henry from Northanger Abby or Edward and Elinor (S&S), but I like the other couples so much more. They seem to have had more obstacles in their path and prejudice and resentment to stand in the way, that when the barrier's are finally broken down, the depth of their passion is that much more captivating.

11: I cheat. I could not let it go without mentioning some of my other favorite couples, some of which have been mentioned in other posts. It's hard to choose just 10.
Jamie and Claire from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (can't tell you how many times I've read this book)
Margaret and John from North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Tristan and Yvaine from Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Megan and Finn from Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian

Ahhhh!!! I can't think anymore, so I'll leave it at that.