I have returned for the second edition of Lovely Books, a linkup created by one of my favoritest people in the world, Tracey @ Adventure Awaits. If you missed it, each Saturday in February she’s posting a new edition centered all around those glorious things we call books. She’s leaving the linkup open until March 5th, and you can join in all the editions or just a few, or even combine them. So get on over to her blog and check it out! I mean, PEOPLES. It’s about books. What more do you need?
Obviously I’m fashionably late, that’s how I role. *sips coffee* Tracey has 3 editions up and I’m only now getting to the 2nd. Last week I got to squeal about some of my favorite covers and titles. This week it’s all about. . .COUPLES!!! Oh yes! I get to fangirl about all my favorite adorable peoples that NEED to get married. And there will be much flailing and fangirling, so continue with caution.

I tried to limit this to only 10 couples. Hahahaha! That didn’t happen. What can I say? I ship ‘em hard.
So let the adorable, shippableness begin!
(Click on the book covers to go to their GoodReads page.)
Howl & Sophie
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

These two go first because, oh my poor heart, I have NEVER shipped two individuals so hard in my life. NEVER. The first time I read this book I honest to goodness hurt physically I was shipping so hard. Howl is a full-of-himself wizard with a heart buried deep, deep somewhere (*snickers* if you’ve read the book you know why I’m laughing), while Sophie is all no nonsense and can handle Howl’s tantrums and ridiculousness like a pro. Not only are they my favorite couple EVER. They’re my favorite fictional characters. That’s right. My favorite. That’s how much I love them. I need to move on otherwise I’ll turn this into a whole Howl and Sophie love-fest. BUT HOWL AND SOPHIE. <333333
This picture sums them up perfectly! True love, am I right?
Walter & Ashley
Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire series by Bryan Davis
That’s Walter, and Ashley is the dark haired girl.
What? You thought I’d go a post without mentioning something about Howl’s Moving Castle and a Bryan Davis book? Ha!
But GUYS. Walter and Ashley! Walter is a fun-loving, carefree, jester of a boy, and possibly one of the most endearing characters in literature. The world is ending? No problem! Walter will lighten the mood with a cheesy joke and then turn around and help save the world. He’s amazing. Then we have Ashley, who is basically the smartest person on the planet. Very levelheaded and serious. Put that with Walter’s personality and the world explodes. . .with awesomeness. The old saying “opposites attract” soars with these two. I just. . .I can’t. They’re too much.
Sapphira & Elam
Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire series by Bryan Davis
Sapphira is on the left.
Sadly, Elam does not make it onto any of the book covers.
Yes, another from the same series. I can’t help it! Sapphira is actually my favorite character from the whole series and Elam is just precious. I don’t know if I’ve ever read about a couple who has suffered and endured and waited so long. Rory and Amy from Doctor Who have nothing on these two. Their story hurts me. I’m trying to not give anything away but. . .ugh. I just want to hug them!
Shasta/Cor & Aravis
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

On a lighter note, this romance. XD I’m just going to quote the last paragraph of the book to explain it all:
“Aravis also had many quarrels (and, I’m afraid, even fights) with Cor, but they always made it up again: so that years later, when they were grown up, they were so used to quarreling and making it up again that they got married so as to go on doing it more conveniently.
Best. Romance. Ever.
Faramir & Éowyn
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I could rant to the end of my life and beyond about how they messed up Faramir’s character in the movies, or The Two Towers at least, but we’re focusing on BOOK characters, not movies. The BOOK Faramir is one of the most amazing characters in the entire trilogy. While Éowyn is my absolute favorite female Tolkien character. Éowyn’s heart was broken in so many ways, and Faramir came and healed her, offered her a new life, free of sorrow. Again, I’m just going to quote the book so you can see for yourself:
“And Eowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: “Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell. And I love you. Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Eowyn, do you not love me?”
Then the heart of Eowyn changed, or else at last she understood it. And suddenly her winter passed, and the sun shone on her.
”I stand in Minas Anor, the Tower of the Sun,” she said; “and behold! the Shadow has departed! I will be a shieldmaiden no longer, nor vie with the great Riders, nor take joy only in the songs of slaying. I will be a healer, and love all things that grow and are not barren.” And again she looked at Faramir. “No longer do I desire to be a queen,” she said.
Then Faramir laughed merrily. “That is well,” he said; “for I am not a king. Yet I will wed with the White Lady of Rohan, if it be her will. And if she will, then let us cross the River and in happier days let us dwell in fair Ithilien and there make a garden. All things will grow with joy there, if the White Lady comes.”
I CAN’T.
I so wish they had been given more screen-time together in the movies. Their romance is beautiful.
Angel & Easton
Dark is the Night by Mirriam Neal

I’m kind of cheating and adding characters from books that aren’t published yet. But they NEED to be. *looks pointedly at Mirriam* (You can click the book cover to go to her amazing blog.) This is a pair that make me squeal and flail and howl in laughter and collapse in tears all at once. They’re just. . .UGH. I can’t. Angel is all snark. ALL of it. He’s actually one of my top favorite fictional characters on the planet. (I love the snarky ones, okay?) Then we have Easton who is my precious baby girl. So nice and adorable, but will also put Angel in his place when she has to. Or throw her shoe at bad guys. (Mirriam writes the BEST characters.) Easton’s goodness softens Angel’s hard heart, and turns this seemingly selfish guy into someone who would sacrifice himself for his friends. My heart is swelling just THINKING about them. *melts into a puddle of feels*
I definitely don’t watch this show, these are just the actors Mirri basis Angel and Easton off of.
Azrael & Rooney
Paper Hearts by Mirriam Neal

Another unpublished Mirriam book, but I couldn’t make a list of favorite couples without adding these two. Azrael and Rooney are very Howl and Sophie-like. Azrael is this ridiculous (rather selfish) guy and often completely infuriating. Also he can do magic. Throw in little, fiery Rooney who insists he take her on to be his apprentice in exchange for cooking and doing his dishes and you’ve got a world of hilarity. I seem to have a thing for bickering couples. *points back to The Horse and His Boy quote* My heart almost exploded I shipped these two so hard.
Teague & Meridian
The Other Half of Everything by Deborah O’Carroll

This is the LAST unpublished novel, I promise! But TEAGUE AND MERIDIAN. This book isn’t even completely past the plotting stage yet, and I already hurt I ship them so hard. Teague is an absentminded writer who tends to forget what he’s talking about or what’s going on. He’s too busy thinking about his stories after all. Meridian is his practical, feisty housekeeper who doesn’t understand writers at all and doesn’t even like to *le gasp* read. Put them together and hilarity ensues. They also may or may not travel to different worlds together. See? They’re amazing. Just go read this interview between them. It. Is. Perfect.
Mendenbar & Cimorene
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

If you’ve never read this series then get off of my blog this second and do it!! This series is HILARIOUS, taking so many fairytale clichés and completely flipping them over, while still feeling like fairytales. The best part of the books is Mendenbar and Cimorene. Cimorene is a princess who decides being a princess is too mainstream and goes off to do her own thing, like purposely be captured by a dragon and refusing rescue by any silly knights. Then there’s Mendenbar, a young king who’s not very kingly at all. Formalities and business is not his thing. Despite this, he really does want what’s best for his kingdom, he just doesn’t always know how to help it. His awkwardness and Cimorene’s strong personality (as well as both of them not liking the idea of marriage) makes for all sorts of fun. *grins*
Eanrin & Imraldera
Tales of Goldstone Wood series by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Sadly, I’ve only read the first four books of this series, up to Starflower, so I think I’m missing a TON of their story. BUT what I’ve seen of them makes me giggle in delight while simultaneously my heart is melting all over the place. Not only is Eanrin a fae and a bard, he also can turn into a CAT. Talk about awesome. But it doesn’t stop there. He’s a charmer. You know how cats are. He’s a mess and I love him. Imraldera is very mysterious and kind but also can have a bit of a temper with that ever charming cat. You never get much of them (or as far as I am in the series), Mrs. Stengl likes to tease you with their relationship and it’s maddening and wonderful and just GAH. I love them!
Peter & Wendy
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

(Hey, I never said all these ships sail. These are just people I want to be together after all. You actually have to read these books to see what happens. *wink, wink*)
Some of you may be horrified. I mean, Peter and Wendy. You can’t just ship Peter and Wendy! Wendy grows up and gets married! Yes, she does. She’s a way more sensible person than I, because I don’t think I would have ever taken the responsibility to leave Neverland. (Sorry, guys, but if I ever find a fantasy world I’m not coming back!) Yes, I do ship them, and I hate myself for it. It hurts me. Because obviously I wouldn’t want Peter to leave Neverland and grow up. Of course not! He’s Peter Pan, he never grows up. That’s why we love him. While Wendy is very motherly and responsible and I wouldn’t want her any other way. She needed to leave Neverland eventually. She needed to get married and have children. That’s Wendy. The story ends how it should, but still in the depth of my heart, there’s an ache there for Peter and Wendy. Because you can’t have one without the other. So yes, I ship them. But I wouldn’t want their story any different than it is. (And wow, I got serious there. Sorry. I think my love for Peter Pan goes a bit beyond the healthy level. . . I’m, um, very passionate about that story. Ahem.)
Don’t tell me they’re not adorable.
Achan & Vrell
Blood of Kings trilogy by Jill Williamson

This is one of my top, top favorite couples! Jill Williamson writes the most real, endearing characters. Achan is an amazing hero. He’s so very human, stumbling about and making mistakes around every corner, but really, truly wanting the best for his world. Then you have Vrell, whose stubborn streak gets her in quite a few scraps. Sometimes you’re just thinking, “Stop being so stubborn, Vrell!” then turn around and want to give her a hug because she tries to do the right thing. For a huge chunk of the story, Vrell disguises herself as a boy for reasons (don’t want to spoil things), and while she knows exactly who Achan is, Achan thinks she’s just some scrawny boy he enjoys being friends with. I can’t even describe how much I wanted him to realize who she was. Oh, it was painful! But also too much fun. This trilogy is actually some of my favorite books, going right up there with the Dragons in Our Midst/Oracles of Fire series and Howl’s Moving Castle. Yes, it’s that good!
Jake and Brielle
Angel Eyes trilogy by Shannon Dittemore

The amount of adorableness between this pair is sickeningly cute. Jake comes into Brielle’s life when she returns home after a traumatic experience that leaves her depressed and broken. This carefree, jokester of a boy is exactly what she needs to pull her out of the darkness. Oh, and he also may live with his guardian angel which certainly helps. Jake is always so patient and understanding with Brielle as she tries to sort out her feelings on God and piece back together her mess of a life. Ugh. So much preciousness!
Bardon & Kale
The DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul

Last but absolutely in no way least, we have Bardon and Kale! These two have dragons, so that automatically makes me love them. But beyond that, Bardon is one of my favorite types of male characters, and possible the first that made me realize I like these kinds of characters. He is grumpy and sometimes sarcastic (you knew that was coming) and just in general aloof. It takes quite a bit of an adventure to find that heart of gold underneath. This free spirited, unruly girl Kale is thrown under his protection and his stiff, rule-abiding brain doesn’t even know what to do. You gotta love ‘em! Oh, they can also speak to each other telepathically. So, you know, good bonding moments there. Basically they’re hilarious and adorable and make me squeal just thinking about them.
~ ~ ~
Whew! I know that was a lot, and I actually limited myself. I was looking through the books I’ve read, figuring out which couples to do, and with every other book I was like, “I ship them. And them. And oh yeah, them! Oooh, those two were adorable. And them.” I obviously have a shipping problem. And I regret nothing!
Flailing over adorable fictional couples is one of my favorite pastimes, so flail with me, dear readers! Tell me some of your favorite couples! Do you like any of mine? Or even hate any? (I won’t attack, I promise. Just throw a cupcake at your face or something.) Better yet, make a post of your favorites yourself and linkup to Tracey’s blog!