Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make It In The Real World

Tuesday, August 14, 2012


This week's Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for the Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make it in the Real World. I once again decided to split it into 5 romances I think would definitely make it and 5 that I think don’t have a chance.

True Romance
1) Anne and Captain Wentworth from Persuasion
– Their love was not based on infatuation or whim. They loved each other from a distance for eight years and their time apart made them value each other even more. I think they would absolutely make it, because they know what life is like when they aren’t together.
 
2) David and Agnes from David Copperfield
– David’s first wife was never a good match for him. Agnes however is clever and loyal and she truly loves him. The two make a wonderful pair.
 
3) Anne and Gilbert from the Anne of Green Gables series
– The pair goes through so much over the course of the 8 books in the series. They stay together through sickness and health, loss and joy, living in new cities, having and raising children, etc. I think their marriage is a realistic one and they would definitely make it.
 
4) Jane and Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre
– Jane is incredibly honest with Mr. Rochester about who she is. Once they pulled all the skeletons out of his closet they discovered that they were still meant to be together and they are now on equal footing. They have a shared respect for each other and that’s essential to a successful marriage.
 
5) Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind
– No, it’s not a healthy relationship, but they do understand each other. They are both selfish, but they are at their best when they are loving each other. I always liked to believe the two would make it in the end.

Headed to Divorce Court
6) Bella and Edward from Twilight – Let’s see, you have to give up everything and everyone in your life to be with him. Red flag! You have to change everything about who you are to be with him. Red flag! Yes, the books are fun to read, but they don’t paint a picture for a healthy relationship.
 
7) Almost anything by Nicholas Sparks
– These formulaic romances always have unrealistic situations. A pair of troubled individuals meet, instantly fall in love and then one of them usually ends up dying. Frankly I think he kills someone off because he knows how ridiculous their relationship is to start with.
 
8) Heathcliff and Catherine from Wuthering Heights
– No, just no. The writing may be beautiful, but there is no chance in hell that this love would ever make it off the page. It couldn’t even make it on the page! These two characters are too selfish and self-involved to ever make a relationship work.
 
9) Miranda and Ferdinand from The Tempest
– This is one of my favorite Shakespearean plays, but while I adore it I don’t think the romance would last. When they “fall in love” Miranda has never seen another living male except for her father and their wild slave Caliban. I have a feeling the second she realizes there are millions of other men on the planet she might regret marrying the first one that crossed her path.
 
10) Ralph and Catherine from A Reliable Wife
– Their marriage was based on lies and deceit from the start. That’s not the best start for any couple.

Image from here.

20 comments:

Alex (The Sleepless Reader) said...

One of the best bookclub meetings I've had was about Gone with the Wind. At the end we discussed exactly this point: will Scarlet get him back and would it work in the real work. I was in the "yes" group. I think that if the whole book was about Scarlett always getting what she wanted, Mitchell wouldn't stop there. And I also believe that they would work in real life because, like you said, they understand each other.

It was interesting to see that most of the people in the "impossible" side have kids and felt that what happened to Bonnie and the miscarriage was just too much baggage.

Ana S. said...

Agreed on Anne and Captain Wentworth. They're one of my favourite couples.

Anne said...

Great list! I love Captain Wentworth and Anne, Persuasion is one of my favorite books.

I did not like A Reliable Wife at all. It was well written but for me the characters were so unlikable.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Alex - I love that you guys discussed it in book club. How interesting that the split came with the kids issue. I don't have kids, so maybe there's something to that.

Ana - Yes, they will forever be one of my favorites!

Anne - Ugh, me either! I hated that book.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Love how you divided your romances into two categories. :-)

Here's my Top Ten Book Romances That Would Make It In the Real World.I hope you will stop by!

Nina said...

LOL. I love your list of headed to divorce court. :) Awesome. Yes, Bella and Edward would not make it in the real world.

Ula said...

I totally agree Bella and Edward would never make it. Looks aren't everything. They may keep the looks but that's pretty much all that's solid about the whole thing.

My TTT.

annieb said...

What about Lincoln and Beth in Attachments? I think they will last forever in the real world.
And I have to disagree a little about Ralph and Catherine. While I agree they were not very nice people, (putting it mildly) sometimes that becomes a match made in heaven (or hell) that lasts forever. I know I liked that book a lot better than you did, Melissa, and the reason I think that I did was because the people were like a train wreck that you just can't stop looking at. I was also fascinated with the descriptions of the winter in upper Wisconsin. The author really made me feel the cold.

Katja Weinert said...

Love Wentworth and Anne, and wish I'd remembered Jane and Rochester :-)

Rory said...

Anne and Wentworth were my number one (and Jane and Rochester made my list to). And too true about Catherine and Heathcliff! My TTT

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz - I kept thinking of couples who wouldn't make it and I came up with so many more for that category!

Nina - Seriously, you can only watch each other while you're sleeping for so long before it's just creepy.

Coffee Monster - It always bothered me that Bella was so dead set on "turning" before she got too old and ugly. Seriously, you'll be too old and wrinkly at 19 or 20? Boo.

annieb – Lincoln and Beth, that’s a great one! A train wreck is a great way to describe Ralph and Catherine and you’re right, sometimes those couples do seem destined for each other, even if they are awful!

Katja Weinert - Both are such great couples!

Rory - Yes, Jane and Mr. Rochester are always a close second for me after Wentworth.

hbjgvhuogyihpo said...

HAH! Headed to divorce court... I really shouldn't be laughing about divorce but i am. I agree with you... I don't think Edward and Bella would make it in real life!

My Top Ten

B said...

I love that you split the list! For sure Heathcliff and Catherine would NEVER make it!

Amy said...

Great idea to split the list...I like looking at this idea from two angles. And I would give a definite yes to Anne and Gilbert...like you said, a very realistic and believable marriage.

Jenny said...

*cracks up* Totally agree with the ones I've read! Especially Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. I liked them because they have a shared sense of humor. Like, they were obviously crazy about each other and in addition, they thought the same jokes were funny. Yay!

Bybee said...

Tess and Angel Clare: Divorce Court!

Jenners said...

I LOVE your headed for divorce court section!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Tabitha - No, I don't think divorce is funny, but maybe with fictional couples it's ok to joke.

Brenna - They are like the poster couple for dysfunctional relationships.

Amy - I love that we see them in so many different phases of life.

Jenny - Yes, they were so alike in so many ways. They actually got each other, it wasn't just infatuation.

Bybee - Oh man, I think ALL of Hardy's couples fit in that category.

Kristi said...

Yes, yes, yes! I love your list. David and Agnes were so perfect together. I loved that he finally figured it out and that Agnes was so patient with him. I love Rhett so much and it frustrated me that Scarlet couldn't quite figure out how great he was.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Kristi - I know! I was mad at David for taking so long to figure out how fantastic Agnes was and the same for Scarlett!