My Favorite Book Couples

So, I had several ideas for posts for Valentine's Day week. However, one stood out as sounding really fun. More fun than all my other ideas. You see, for years I avoided romance novels and most books that had romance in them. Now I can still take romance or leave it, but sometimes two people are just so perfect together that I want to tell everyone that I love them. So, this is a list of some of my favorite book couples. I cannot say all of them, because I've probably forgotten several. (Don't even ask, they aren't in any order. I can't and don't understand how people can.)

Knees suddenly weak, she reached for his forearms to stabilize herself. "You came for me.'
He beamed, looking for all the world like a selfless, daring hero.
"Don’t sound so surprised." Dropping the cane, he pulled her into a crushing embrace that tore her away from Wolf and lifted her clean off the floor. "It turns out you are worth a lot of money on the black market."

Thorne & Cress from Cress
Book 3 of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Although, I admit, I wasn't quite sold at first, I love these two together. They're so completely different (which I love in couples) and they really had something to overcome in Cress. I adore these two, both together and separately.

"Wolf, are you asking me to be ... your alpha female?"
He hesitated.
Scarlet couldn't help it - she burst into laughter. "Oh - I'm sorry. That was mean. I know I shouldn't tease you about this."
Still grinning, she made to retract her hand, but he was suddenly gripping it, refusing to relinquish the touch. "You just look so scared, like I'm going to disappear any minute. We're stuck on a spaceship, Wolf. I'm not going anywhere." 
His lips twitched, his nervousness beginning to ease away, though his hand stayed tense over hers.
"Alpha female," he murmured. "I sort of like that."
Beaming, Scarlet gave a mild shrug. "It could grow on me.”

Scarlet & Wolf from Scarlet
Book 2 of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
My original favorite Lunar couple. I don't know what it is about these two. I love Scarlet and Wolf is so not what I expected him to be. He's actually much sweeter and they fit so well.

"Remember when you used to hate me?"
I laugh-sniff-hiccup. "Well, you used to be insufferable."
"I think incorrigible is a better word."
I lean my forehead against the wall and let myself imagine for a moment that it’s his shoulder, warm and firm, beside me. "You’re so full of it."
"Hey, I just got tortured for you. Easy on the ego."

Em & Finn from All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
I love the way the relationship between these two built and grew over the course of the story. I also found them both likable apart but the chemistry when they were together was amazing.

"Okay, that one's pretty good," Fred acknowledged, after she'd told him a particularly filthy joke. "But have you heard the one about the baker's wife?"
"No," Kyra said.
"Rumor has it, she married him for his buns." Fred burst out laughing.
Kyra groaned. "Okay, that was just bad."

Kyra & Fred from Poison by Bridget Zinn
Certainly one of the less romantic romances on this list, but I really like the way these two get to know each other and the slow progression of their relationship.

He laughed. "I know you're teasing me. And you should know I'm not easily humiliated. You may hunt for my food, and pound me every time we fight, and protect me when we're attacked, if you like. I'll thank you for it.

Katsa & Po from Graceling
Book 1 of Graceling Realm by Kristen Cashore
Once again, simply two people that play off each other and complement each other perfectly. Also, a couple that is much more interesting together than they are individually and apart.

"You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could.' I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. 'I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.
He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you."

Ignifex & Nyx from Cruel Beauty
Completely different type of couple for this list - and I don't usually like these types - but these two were so awesome to read about. Everything between was a push-and-pull of give/take between these two with neither of them wanting to give too much.

So, what are some of your favorite couples? (Inadvertently, all these turned out to be YA, but I guess that's because I either don't read many adult novels with romance or, more likely, I don't like the romance in them.)

Awesome heart divider from Gasara at deviantart.