Hola, Gusanos de Libros!
I just spoke SPANISH. Badly probably. Whatever. Today is Tuesday which means… TOP TEN TUESDAY with The Broke and The Bookish!
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, today’s theme is, appropriately, Top Ten Romances (ooh la la!) <— See that?! FRENCH! Without further ado, I shall list for you the Top Ten Greatest Romances in the History of Literature… And Time Eternal. (I have a flair for the dramatic.)
1. Jamie and Claire of Diana Gabaldon’s impossibly wonderful Outlander series. If this were a contest, they’d have out romanced everyone else on this list because no time warp, monarchy, bodily attack, war, illness, or kidnapping can conquer them! (They are remarkably difficult to kill off, I must admit.)
2. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that this is one of the greatest love stories ever written. It’s like the loose premise for 90% of romantic comedies for a REASON, people!
3. Gus and Hazel of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. Go ahead. Try to read this story about teen love and cancer and not cry. I dare you!
4. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from (obviously) JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series. You know you were transported back to your high school days when Ron didn’t ask Hermione to the Yule Ball. You know you loved their breakup and reunion in The Deathly Hallows. You know you completely dug every millisecond of their happily ever after. Hermione, the idol of every bookish girl. Ron, the ultimate underdog. It’s a thing of beauty.
5. Jane Eyre & Mr. Rochester in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Yes. I KNOW Mr. Rochester kept his crazy wife in the attic. I KNOW he was an attempted bigamist. But I also KNOW that he loved Jane, and she had a big enough heart to forgive him… Eventually. Talk about overcoming obstacles y’all. I bet you never had to deal with a crazy wife in the attic!
6. Achilles and Patroclus of Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles. There was so much beauty in the love story of Achilles and Patroclus! Achilles’ mean ass sea nymph mother didn’t approve of his loving another dude, but that didn’t stop them. My heart shattered into millions of pieces at the end of this book (that’s so not a spoiler, it’s Greek mythology y’all.) Great romance. Seriously.
7. Jacob and Marlena of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants. Marlena was married to the violent and mentally ill August, so for a time, she and Jacob admired each other at arm’s length. August’s violent behavior drives Marlena out of his arms and into Jacob’s. The only thing that could make this romance better would be a murder mystery where the perpetrator was an elephant. Oh, wait…
8. Henry and Claire of Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. Be still my heart! How can you compete with love that transcends time?!?! How? You can only beat it if your love ALSO transcends time, plus a bunch of other crazy circumstances (cough cough Outlander.) So basically? This is awesome.
9. Bridget and Mark of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’ Diary. A (very) thinly veiled homage to Pride and Prejudice, Bridget’s awkwardness is impossibly endearing. Every girl who has ever been single and/or done something embarrassing can relate. Every man who has ever worn bumblebee socks at the behest of his overbearing mother can also relate. I’m not sure that last part happens that often, but still.
10. Celia and Marco from Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. Marco and Celia aren’t just star-crossed lovers, they’re MAGICALLY star crossed lovers. They’re locked into a battle neither of them chose. Little do they know, as their love progresses, that the only end to their “feud” is that one of them must perish. Ah! It is so sad! And yet, it is so magical. It conjures up all the lovey feelings one can feel!
So, Ratas de Biblioteca (PORTUGUESE!), what are some of your favorite romances? Hearts and candies and flowers and sappiness! Tell me all about it!
Jennifer Hartling (@JenHartling)
I agree with every single couple on your list. Well except #1, because I haven’t read that series. The Song of Achilles..sigh. I think that may have been the most beautiful love story I’ve ever read.
Words for Worms
Wasn’t it though? They were both flawed, but they had each other. I just loved Achilles and Patroclus SO MUCH. (You should read some Outlander. You can read it on the downlow, and then not tell me if you hate it. But if you love it? Swooning and fan girling shall commence!)
Ashley F
Thumbs up to all of the above!!!!!!!!!!! Btw….downloaded The Song of Achilles. Will let you know when I get around to it!
Words for Worms
You will love it, and then you’ll tell me all about how you’re sobbing your eyes out. Because you will. You will.
Megan M.
I’ve only read four of these (Outlander, Fault in Our Stars, Harry Potter, Bridget Jones) so that means I have a lot of reading to do! You’ve made them all sound wonderfully swoony. I’m not sure I can read The Time Traveler’s Wife though because the previews for the movie made me really sad and I would probably bawl my eyes out reading the book. Hmm. I really need to read some Jane Austen. It’s almost a crime that I haven’t.
Words for Worms
The book was waaaaaaay better than the movie for Time Traveler’s Wife (as per usual) but it’s so worth a read. Even if you need tissues. And yes, you should read some Jane Austen if you’re so inclined. Pride and Prejudice was one of the books I was assigned in high school that I ACTUALLY enjoyed. Shocking.
Liesel Hill
Great list! I had a few of the same, and there’s a few you listed that are on my TBR and I can’t wait to get through. Totally forgot about Water for Elephants and Time Traveler’s Wife, though! And I really want to check out Song of Achilles now! 😀 Great list! My TTTs are at LKHill and Musings on Fantasia. Happy Tuesday!
Words for Worms
I read Water for Elephants and Time Traveler’s Wife a long time ago, but they stuck with me.
Amanda
“Mean ass sea nymph.” I now have to read that book just because I’m fascinated by the villainous mother. Thanks for the new list of books I must read.
Words for Worms
It’s a great book, but yeah. You’ll want to smite the sea nymph. Her immortality makes such an action impractical, but she’s a bitch.
Sami
Great list!! I am reading Outlander right now but I’m only halfway through the first one! I’m a little miffed at Jamie right now because he just “beat” Claire for not obeying. I get that it’s the 18th century but still not cool. I am soldiering on…I have read some really really good reviews and some really bad ones so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I recently finished Song of Achilles and loved it…Patroclus has my heart!!
Words for Worms
Jamie redeems himself for the beating incident. There’s real remorse there. I’m not just saying that because I love them. Well, maybe I am. I always forget how intense book 1 is. Sigh. I should re-read.
Sami
Ok – I take back what I said about Jamie behind his back. He is redeemed in my eyes…I am starting to have that feeling that you get when a really good book is almost over…I don’t want to say goodbye…I’m relieved that there are more books to instantly download!
Words for Worms
Yay! Glad you’re back on board!
Sarah Says Read
Wooooo Outlander! Best love story ever.
I thought of The Time Traveler’s Wife… but I admit I like the movie better. They’re romance doesn’t seem as awesome in the book. Plus Henry is annoying with his drug use and grunge and blah. I didn’t love the book, which made it hard for me to love them, you know?
Words for Worms
I get that. It’s hard to like a love story when you want to punch everyone. I actually really dug Henry’s grunge vibe because I went through my very own grunge phase and as I was reading I was all “You went to see the Violent Femmes?! I’m so jealous right now!” Plus, it was set in Chicago, so having grown up in the burbs, I’d been to some of those venues to see shows, which made me feel cool. I like pretty much anything that makes me feel cool.
Brittny
Thanks for the list! I’m not one much for over the top dramatic romances, but I do love Pride and Prejudice and of course the Harry Potter series. I like the Harry and Ginny romance myself. 🙂
Words for Worms
Haha yeah, romances run the risk of melodrama, but sometimes you need a little bit of that, you know? 🙂
Lori
Love your list!! Especially Jaime & Claire and Henry & Claire. But I’d have to add Fr. Ralph de Bricassart & Meggie Cleary from Thorn Birds. Their forbidden love spans the decades. I read it in my 20’s (ahem, some 20+ years ago) but it is one of my favorites and the movie (mini-series) is just as good as the book. A must read for the hopeless romantic.
Words for Worms
I haven’t read The Thorn Birds! I remember my mom telling me she tried to read it in high school and her aunt (whom she lived with) was SCANDALIZED that she’d bring such “smut” into the house. Ah. The world before 50 Shades was such an innocent place…
daddio
You forgot Olive and Popeyes, for that matter Olive and Gin, or Olive and Drab … Nuf writin, back to martini. What about Mickey and Minnie and Donald and Daisey? Deja-vu! Reminds me of a scandalous 70s movie but that’s movies not real life…
Words for Worms
Dad. This is like, barely coherent. Have you been into the martinis, or have you just forgotten that I write about books and not cartoons? Sometimes I worry about you, Old Man. 😛
Care
Great list – the only one I have yet to read is Achilles Song and it’s up very soon. And hey! you kinda spoil Night Circus, but that’s OK since I’ve already read it. 🙂
Words for Worms
Well crap. Eh. I’m too lazy to change it. I just can’t keep my mouth shut with the spoilers! I should just have a spoiler alert on the whole blog because I’m horrible that way. At least it wasn’t ruined for you :). Plus, you know, if people had taken my advice, they’d have read The Night Circus months ago… so my spoiler is basically just punishment for not listening to me… Or something. Yeah. We’ll go with that.
bookgoonie
How could I forget Ron & Hermoine?
Words for Worms
I just love them together. So much. Sigh.
picturemereading
YAY! I love Jane Eyre! I also love the Time Traveler’s Wife and Outlander!
Words for Worms
Clearly, you have excellent taste! 🙂
kimberlybuggie
I am so happy you mentioned the Night Circus! I thought their romance was very special! I loved how they showed their affection to each other by creating magical tents for the other, even though they were locked in this deadly battle. Great post.
🙂
Happy Reading!!!
Words for Worms
Thank you! 🙂 I wonder if my husband would make me a magical tent for Valentine’s Day… Unlikely. But still. Fun! (PS- I visited your page and OMG it’s so pretty!!!!!!!!)
emmawolf
“How can you compete with love that transcends time?!?!”
While I didn’t especially like the Time Traveler’s Wife, you just hit upon the reason why I think The Terminator is one of the most romantic movies ever.
Words for Worms
This is fantastic. My husband will be pleased to hear you consider The Terminator romantic. He’s been trying to convince me that Die Hard is a Christmas movie for years! 🙂
Meg
Oh, I love Jamie and Claire! I was very pro-Frank at the beginning of the 1st book, because I have a soft spot for dorky professor types (see also: husband), but Jamie won me over.
Words for Worms
It’s a good thing too, because in later books Frank turns out to be a douche. I’m usually more into a dork than a beefcake, but Jamie is super smart too and is all up in the languages and stuff. Sigh. Jamie.
StephTheBookworm
YES to Hazel and Gus. I loved them both. Hazel was so dang witty and awesome and Gus… so sweet!
Words for Worms
Loved them. Lots and lots of tears…
Lyssapants
*swoon*