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Valentine’s Day Special — My Favorite Literary Couples

Happy Valentine’s Day! ♥

In honor of the holiday, I thought it’d be fun to talk about some of my favorite couples from literature. (This post may contain spoilers.)

⋅ Ma and Pa Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie series, Laura Ingalls Wilder). Throughout all the Little House books, Ma and Pa (Caroline and Charles) are a steady presence, a source of stability in Laura’s life of moving from place to place. They face all sorts of hardships together—prairie fire, grasshopper swarms, blizzards, disease—and still show a quiet, unrelenting love for each other and their family. They are each other’s rock, and I’ve always thought their relationship kind of sweet.

One of Garth Williams’s illustrations of the family for the book series. (Image credit to Garth Williams, Steve Duin/The Oregonian)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

⋅ Harry and Fair Haristeen (Mrs. Murphy mysteries, Rita Mae Brown). This relationship is a little more of a rollercoaster. When the series opens, Harry (Mary, really, but everyone calls her Harry because as a child she was always covered in fur) and Fair have just gone through a very contemptuous divorce—yes, from each other. As the series progresses, they both date around and work out how to be civil to one another. Well, Harry has to learn to be civil, because Fair cheated on her and she is not happy about it, as you might guess. They were both born and raised and still live in the same small town, so it’s not like they can avoid each other. But as you might guess, things work out in the end, and the pair begin dating again, eventually remarrying.

I wasn’t totally on board with them dating again, but eventually, Rita Mae Brown won me over (just as Fair had to win Harry over). Luckily, Harry remains staunchly independent. The pair do complement each other well, and I feel the time apart let them both grow and come to the relationship again with a new respect and fondness for each other. After everything they’ve gone through, they well and truly have each other’s backs. Also, they feel like a “real” couple, who you could actually meet and talk to, which I appreciate.

⋅ Molly and Arthur Weasley (Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling).

Molly and Arthur Weasley, as portrayed by Lorette Monaghan and Mark Williams in the Harry Potter movies. (Image credit to Stephanie Topacio Long/The Bustle)

See that picture? Do I need to say anything more?

Probably not, but I will anyway. This pair just exudes love and compassion for each other and for everyone around them. We find out that Arthur’s pet name for his wife is “Mollywobbles” (how cute is that?), we see Molly glancing anxiously at the clock when her husband has yet to arrive home, and though the pair may squabble a bit, usually over giving the children/Harry information, they are generally inseparable. It’s cliché, but they are the kind of couple that can make a house into a home.

⋅ Alexia and Connall Maccon (Parasol Protectorate series, Gail Carriger). Alexia has no soul and Connall is a werewolf. What could possibly go wrong? Alexia has plenty of spunk and an independent streak a mile wide, which Connall admires despite himself. The interactions between these two are by turns hilarious, infuriating, and, of course, totally cute. (Also, there is, shall we say . . . no lack of passion there, though if I remember correctly, it takes place mostly off-page.)

⋅ Midas Crook and Ida Maclaird (The Girl with Glass Feet, Ali Shaw). I read this book over a year ago and still feel a pang in my heart when I think of this couple. Ida arrives on the island of St. Hauda’s Land with a strange affliction, hoping for a cure. Midas Crook, a painfully shy photographer, has lived there all his life. He is quickly drawn to Ida and into her life, despite her best attempts to shut everyone out. A careful friendship develops into something more, and that development is tender and sweet. I was rooting so, so hard for this couple to make it despite the odds.

 

Who are your favorite couples in literature? I’d love to hear!

 

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4 Comments

  1. Anna Anna

    I like the Ingalls too! I didn’t realize until thinking about it just now that I haven’t read much traditional romance recently. I did really like Kahlen and Akinli’s relationship in The Siren by Kiera Cass. If I may scoot over into operatic literature, I think Marie and Tonio are a great couple in La Fille du Regiment. And in the manga world, I enjoy the “will they or won’t they” relationship between Iku and Dojo in Library Wars: Love and War. I also like Gesicht and Helena, though their relationship is not explored much, in the Pluto manga.

    I think I tend to like stories with strong platonic relationships and/or cute/funny but failed romance (Portuguese Irregular Verbs, one of my favorite books, comes to mind for that genre, along with a few of Professor Elemental’s songs). But I also like to write both fanfiction and original stories filled with romantic happiness. I guess my tastes are just all over the place!

    • Who doesn’t like Ma and Pa?

      I don’t think I’ve read any of the books you’ve referenced, unfortunately. (You gave me Portuguese Irregular Verbs a while back, and I promise I’ll get to it soon!) I do believe you’ve added to my to-read list, though.

      I love that your tastes are varied, both in what kind of relationships you like to read/write about and what genres you read. It keeps life interesting, I think. Thanks for commenting!

  2. Lizzzz Lizzzz

    Oh my gosh what a throwback, yes yes yes Ma and Pa! I love that they were included in your list! And Harry and Fair 🙂

    • Totally forgot you’ve read the Mrs. Murphy mysteries, too! I think there’s one new one out I haven’t read yet . . .

      And yes, Ma and Pa! I feel like they’re everyone’s favorites.

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