14 literary love stories for Valentine’s Day

By Ansharah Shakil, February 13 2025—

These 14 couples share some of the best love stories in the pages of a book, romantic but still grounded enough to be believable. 

1. Elizabeth and Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

The blueprint for so many romances that came after them, Elizabeth and Darcy need no introduction. They remain one of the greatest heroines and heroes in literature, perfectly matched and forever unrivaled.  

2. Sophie and Howl, Howl’s Moving Castle

The Studio Ghibli version of Sophie and Howl might be more well-known now, but the original book characters are individually fantastic characters and together a sniping, spirited couple whose love story is one for the ages. 

3. Beatrice and Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing

Beatrice and Benedick have influenced so many modern romances, likely because of their hilarious set-up in the play. Their equality as partners is as enjoyable as their at-once insulting and romantic love confessions. 

4. Anne and Gilbert, Anne of Green Gables 

So much of Anne and Gilbert’s romance is unforgettable, from their rivalry to their friendship to their eventual confessions of love. They’re a literary couple for the ages. 

5. Cecilia and Robbie, Atonement

Picturing Keira Knightley and James McAvoy became inevitable for me after watching the movie, but their love story in the book is heart-wrenchingly tragic and beautiful.

6. Westley and Buttercup, The Princess Bride

Not for nothing did William Goldman write that Buttercup and Westley’s was the most passionate and pure kiss since the invention of the act. 

7. Maurice and Alec, Maurice 

Revolutionary for its time, the fact that Maurice and Alec’s relationship is modelled after a real-life cross-class relationship makes it all the more meaningful.

8. Dorothea and Will, Middlemarch 

Will falls stubbornly in love with Dorothea, the only person to really believe in him, though a romance between the two of them seems impossible. Their mutual respect and willingness to sacrifice for the other make their happy ending well-deserved.                         

9. Kaz and Inej, Six of Crows 

Six of Crows has three of the greatest YA love stories of the 21st century, but Kaz and Inej are an especially moving, unique and memorable one.

10. Percy and Annabeth, Percy Jackson and the Olympians

One of the appeals of Percy and Annabeth is that we see them grow up together and grow into each other as perfectly well-suited, bickering best friends.

11. Dmitri and Grushenka, The Brothers Karamazov 

The relationship between Dmitri and Grushenka is a constant surprise, but the sweetest surprise of all is how it ends. One of the driving forces of the novel, it can be appreciated for what it means but also for what it is. 

12. Nan and Florence, Tipping the Velvet

Nan falling in love with Florence, one of the best characters in Tipping the Velvet, and choosing to be with her over her ex-lover Kitty is a major mark of how far she’s grown. 

13. Catherine and Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights

Cathy and Heathcliff are definitely not the standard for a healthy relationship, but they did obsessive, passionate love, love as a second self, better than anyone else. 

14. Connell and Marianne, Normal People

The raw intimacy and painful honesty of Connell and Marianne’s relationship makes them a compelling modern romance.