The best (and worst) literary couples
Hits and misses, from the perfection of Anne and Gilbert and Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane to - don't sue me - the misfiring Hermione and Ron (and the rest)
Perhaps I ought not to bow to the shameless commercialisation of love.
Yet who doesn’t enjoy a really good romance and basking in the satisfied glow of a couple who fit together? Plus the new adaptation of One Day has hit Netflix absolutely garlanded with laurels. (The Times says it’s “perfect. If you’ve any heart at all, you’ll love this to bits” and The Guardian assures us it is “a flawless romcom you’ll fall for, hard”. Have you seen it yet? Will I weep a thousand rivers?) And - she admits whilst itemising on her fingers - I do have an extremely sentimental streak, and I’ve balanced my literary couple winners with some misses. So it’s not all wallowing in soppiness.
Moreover, it gives me an excuse to use a picture of Anne and Gilbert (Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie are the only A&G worth having IMHO), so everyone’s a winner.
(You might disagree. I stand willing to be corrected in the comments.)
The greatest couple hits…
Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe (the Anne of Green Gables series)
I cannot be the only person who swooned over Gilbert Blythe. He is splendid first crush material to set the bar high. Captivated by “the Shirley girl” from the very start, Gilbert is noble enough to apologise for his faults (namely: calling her carrots), openly admires her brains and spirit, and their love is rooted in a profound friendship and respect. Anne and Gilbert are what lasting love looks like - not the “flattered fancy” of being swept off your feet.
“She loved Gilbert—had always loved him! She knew that now. She knew that she could no more cast him out of her life without agony than she could have cut off her right hand and cast it from her…She belonged to him and he to her…What a fool she had been not to realise what the bond was that had held her to Gilbert.”
Sniff.
Rachel and Luke (Rachel’s Holiday and Again, Rachel)
It is possible I am dazzled by Luke’s quite frankly blinding hotness. I once chaired an event with Marian Keyes and she admitted he is “ridiculously” attractive. However, I think there is more to it.