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Meme: Top 10 literary love stories

The Top Ten Tuesdays meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more lists of unforgettable love stories, head on over there and visit the other participating blogs.

When faced with the challenge of coming up with my 10 favourite love stories from books, I sat down and thought about the love stories that have affected me, that I remember and that I like to read about over and over. To my surprise only two of them are from romance novels, or three if you think Jane Austen's books are first and foremost romances. These are today’s choices - they many change at any time.

  • Robin and Marian from any number of retellings of the Robin Hood myth.Probably because it was among the first love stories I came across in a book.
  • Odysseus and Penelope from the Greek myths.
  • Anne and Gilbert from the Anne of Green Gables books. Classic "enemies become lovers" plot.
  • Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth from Persuasion by Jane Austen.A classic "return to love" plot.
  • Viola and Orsino from Twelfth Night, or What You Will by Shakespeare.Just barely won out over Much Ado About Nothing because of the deliciously homoerotic elements.
  • Venetia Lanyon and Jasper Damerel from Venetia by Georgette Heyer.
  • Nina and Alex from Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie. 
  • Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, spanning four books by Dorothy L. Sayers.
  • Jean Paget and Joe Harman in A Town like Alice by Nevil Shute. I read this ages ago and saw the film, but the only thing from the story that has stuck with me was the love story and the crucifixion scene.
  • Helene Hanff and the bookshop at 84 Charing Cross Road in the book of the same title.
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Stephen said…
Ah, shame on me for forgetting the love that saw Odysseus abandon temptation again and again and risk so much peril!
February 15, 2011 11:12 pm
Falaise said…
Ahh - I missed Robin and Marian. Nice choice!

I also see you have Greenmantle in your TBR list - that's one of my favorite John Buchan's. I hope you enjoy it.
February 16, 2011 11:19 am
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