From trad-romance to machine love, here's a rundown of some of our favourite romances, relationships and couplings in literature.
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
The Golden Couple: Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy
The most enduring and famous romance in the Jane Austen canon, and the archetype for what would become BookTok’s beloved ‘enemies-to-lovers’ trope.
The chemistry between our headstrong heroine and the prideful Mr Darcy is off the charts, and their slow burn romance feels as compelling and realistic today as it probably felt for readers back in 1813 when Pride and Prejudice was first published.
Good Material Dolly Alderton
The Exes: Andy and Jen
Break ups suck, there’s no getting round it. In Good Material, Jen and Andy’s break up is no exception to that rule. But Dolly Alderton writes their story with such tenderness and warmth that you’ll come away feeling huge affection for their relationship.
This is a perfectly rendered tale of heartbreak, where nobody is the villain and there’s two sides to the story.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Gabrielle Zevin
The Creative Partnership: Sam and Sadie
True love might be hard to find, but a collaborative partner who brings out your creative best and pushes you to produce work you didn’t think yourself capable of? Arguably, harder to find and even more precious!
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a story about rivalry, fame, art and betrayal, but most unforgettably, is the story of a truly captivating friendship.
We All Want Impossible Things CATHERINE NEWMAN
The BFF’s: Edi and Ash
When this book came out, Penguin NZ HQ was ABUZZ with comments such as:
“The funniest, saddest and best book about friendship I’ve EVER read.”
“I cried and laughed and then felt an urge to call my bestie”
If you feel like celebrating best friendship this Valentine’s Day (some would argue, the truest love of all), OR if you feel like weeping uncontrollably, have a read of We All Want Impossible Things. Edi and Ash’s friendship will have you immediately hooked.
Machines Like Me Ian McEwan
The Wild Card: Charlie, Miranda and Adam
Maybe the recent advancements in AI technology have you asking, how will this affect my love life? If regular human dating prospects leave you consistently swiping left, maybe the idea of designing the perfect humanoid partner intrigues you.
Machines Like Me is the story of Miranda and Charlie and the synthetic human they design and buy, Adam. This near perfect human is beautiful, strong and clever, and soon a love triangle forms, leading to a profound moral dilemma.
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