Ah, love. A subplot that can sometimes make or break a good book. Done well, a good love interest could contribute to character development and add some depth to the plot. Done wrong, it could stall the story and annoy your readers. 

But some elements of romance are subjective to each reader. What comes off as romantic to one reader may come off as creepy to another. And sometimes the romantic elements are done well, but the reader just doesn’t love one or both of the characters involved. 

Worry not—there is a large area where many readers agree on most aspects of what makes a good love interest. Much of it has to do with the characters singularly: two well-developed characters that fit well with each other and help each other grow. 

But what does that mean? Let’s get into some examples. 

Kaz and Inej- Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

For the record, I adore all the ships in Six of Crows, but for the sake of your sanity, I’m going to focus on this one. This is a slow burn romance, so slow that the characters barely even touch throughout the duology, which heightens their romantic tension immensely. 

Kaz and Inej are established as characters long before they are established as potential love interests or even criminal partners. They both have issues, and they both have dreams. Now, the thing is—they don’t set aside their issues for each other, and they don’t get in the way of each other’s dreams/plans for the future. In fact, Inej encourages Kaz to work on those issues and Kaz eventually encourages Inej to focus on her dreams before either of them will entertain notions of being together. 

For plot (no spoilers), Kaz does make one of those agonizing types of mistakes that affects the storyline, the characters, and their relationship, all into one. 

Add to that their interactions—physical actions, conversations, arguments—and this is a rollercoaster of a subplot. 

Feyre and Rhysand- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Oh, this pair is almost a guilty pleasure for me. The books are marketed as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and even though it’s not wrong, it’s much more satisfying as a Hades and Persephone retelling. 

First of all, when I read this, I liked that Rhysand wasn’t Feyre’s first and only love interest. It gave them time to figure out both themselves and each other. 

They help each other heal from their trauma, and Rhysand is so genuinely sweet and (almost too unbelievably) selfless. You know, after he makes a terrible impression in A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Magnus and Alec- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare was among the first mainstream fantasy authors who was not afraid to write and express gay characters, and I respect her for that. 

The drama in their relationship is realistic—they both make mistakes and any conflict is resolved in a satisfying way for both parties. This is a good example of both the consequences of lack of communication and the rewards of proper communication. 

Sophie and Howl- Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

A classic tale of two people falling in love, and neither of them admitting it. Both are cursed, and both have their own ideas of love and self-worth that evolve after getting to know each other. 

Not to mention the sheer indulgence of watching Sophie have no time for Howl’s theatrics and Howl learn how to treat a woman right. 

Kell and Lila- A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

These two. This is one of the more low-key pairings out there, not unlike Kaz and Inej. You’re not sure it’s going to happen because they’re more focused on the task at hand than their feelings for each other, which is fair. But they do think about each other and worry about each other, and seek each other out in times of particular stress. 

This is a good example of a pair that are right for each other, but are not “gooey” or drama-centric, for any readers that want a break from that. 

Ronan and Adam- The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater

This is another agonizingly slow burn—you don’t even find out Ronan has had feelings for Adam until far into the second book, The Dream Thieves. Through most of the series, Ronan never really overtly acted on his feelings for Adam, something I’m interpreting to be a combination of respect and sheer stubbornness. 

Their relationship is frustrating in a good way, one of those dramatic irony situations where the audience knows about the feelings, but the characters don’t. They fought a few times in the series (complicated fights that had to do with caring too much; you know how it goes), but when they ended up together, they were together. They made a good team.  

Audrey Rose and Thomas- Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

This one’s classic. There’s some content that could help me label it as “basic,” but here’s the thing: the “basicness” is deceptive. 

They learn how to be good for each other, which is particularly notable by the fact that this is Victorian England with those customs and views on women. Feminism (and feminist men) were not unheard of, but Maniscalco takes care in making sure Audrey Rose has agency and does not let herself get controlled by the men in her life.

Both of them work through their flaws together.

Of course, there are more, whose reasons are just similar to the others, like Rhy and Alucard from A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, and Blue and Gansey from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. 

Some patterns begin to emerge: the characters learn together, grow together, and ultimately better each other. They are full characters and not just objects in their partner’s character development. 

Some of these pairings are even non-essential to the plot. They enhance it, but wouldn’t hurt it if the characters stayed apart. It’s just what the plot calls for. 

And sometimes, the plot doesn’t call for romance at all, which is fine, too. Here is a list of some great books that don’t have romantic elements:

• Vicious- V.E. Schwab
• This Savage Song- Victoria Schwab
• Robopocalypse- Daniel H. Wilson
• Orleans- Sherri L. Smith
• The Screaming Staircase- Jonathan Stroud
• Neverwhere- Neil Gaiman
• Ninth House- Leigh Bardugo

Don’t feel the need to force a love interest if it’s not working for the plot just because of the pressure of what’s popular. Your story’s going to be fine without one if you don’t want one. 

And if you do want two characters to fall in love, it doesn’t matter who they are, what their goals are, or how they end up together—just remember what makes your favorite pairings work. 

What’s your opinion? Comment below your favorite book pairings!